fent: Between which offices the primitive church made a mighty diftinction. Now what is here very remarkable, and proper to direct Christian people, is the known cafe of the great Origen: when he was very young, and himself, with his mother and brethren, reduced to the utmoft poverty. At which time a rich lady, out of respect and compaffion for his mifery, afforded him all kind of affistance, and took him into her house. This lady at the fame time maintained one Paul, a notorious heretic (fuch as I for certain efteem our prefent fupporters of the Athanafian faith and Athanafian creed to be) whom she adopted for her fon, who held conferences in her house; where a great number, not only of the heretics, but alfo of the catholics were prefent. But tho' Origen was obliged, out of neceffity, to converse with this man, yet would he never hold communion with him in prayer; keeping exactly to the canon of the church, as the hiftorian informs us, and teftifying his abhorrence of the doctrines of heretics. Eufeb. Hift. Eccl. vi. 2.

But note, That as I am not fully satisfied that it is lawful for me to communicate with the church. of England, fo far as I have already been willing to allow, and do at prefent practife, fo do I thoroughly take it ftill for granted, that it can be no longer lawful for me fo to do, than till I can light of enow to fet up a truly primitive congregation of Chriftians, at least of fuch a church in a houfe: Which I earnestly wish may be very foon.

Memorandum. That I continued in the communion of the church of England, till Trinity Sunday, 1747. For tho' I ftill refolved to go out of the church, if Mr. Belgrave continued to read the Athanafian Creed, fo did he by omitting it, both on Eafterday and Whitfunday this year, prevent my leaving

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leaving the public worship till Trinity Sunday: While he knew I fhould go out of the church if he began to read it. Yet did he read it that day, to my great furprize. Upon which I was obliged to go out, and to go to the Baptist Meeting at Morcot, two miles off, as I intend to do hereafter, while I am here at Lyndon, till fome better opportunity presents of fetting up a more primitive congregation myself.

Lyndon, June 15, 1747.

WILL. WHISTON.

As I also intend to obferve Wednesdays and Fridays, not at church, but at home, and to use my Liturgy of the church of England reduced nearer to the primitive ftandard, till Providence call me to a larger congregation.

N. B. About Auguft this year, 1748, I was informed of one Dr. Gill, a particular or Calvinift Baptift, of whofe skill in the oriental languages I had heard a great character. So I had a mind to hear him preach. But being informed that he had written a folio book on the Canticles, I declined to go to hear him.

About the fame time I had a mind to know fomewhat authenticly of the Moravians, of whose seriousness in religion I had heard a good character. Accordingly I went to their bookfeller, Mr. Hutton's fhop, in Fetter-lane, to enquire about them, or buy fome good account of them. But not meeting with him at home, nor any fuch account, I bought however a fmall book of their fermons, and reading fome of them I found fo much weakness, and enthufiafm mixed with a great degree of seriousness, that I was cured of my

inclination to go to their public worship, and. avoided it.

I fhall now add my last famous discovery, or rather my revival of Dr. Giles Fletcher's famous discovery, that the Tartars are no other than the ten tribes of Ifrael: Which have been fo long fought for in vain.

A Difcourfe concerning the Tartars, proving (in all Probability) that they are the Ifraelites, or Ten Tribes, which being captivated by Salmanaffar, were tranfplanted into Media.

By Giles Fletcher, Doctor of both Laws, and fometime Ambafador from Elifabeth Queen of England, to the Emperor of Ruffia.

For Zion's fake I will not hold my tongue, and for Jerufalem's fake I will not reft; until the righteousness thereof break forth as the light, and the falvation thereof as a burning lamp. Ifa. Ixii. 1.

[This was found in Sir Francis Netherfole's study after his death.]

W

The TARTAR S.

Hat is become of thofe Ten Tribes which were fubdued and carried captive by the Allyrians; and whether they live and hold together as a people apart or several by themselves, or are confufed with other nations; and where they are? is often queftioned by divines, but not refolved (for ought I know) with any reasonable probability.

That they have loft their name, and the distinction of their tribes, is more than probable. For no nation of the world are called Ifraelites, and fo divided at this day. Neither was there cause why the diftinction of their tribes fhould be continued;

feeing the end for which the people were difparted by God himself, is paffed, and fully accomplished long ago. For that men might know where to look for that bleffed feed, it pleafed God to elect one nation of all the world; and out of that nation, one tribe, or kindred; and out of that tribe one house or family, whereof the Meffias fhould be born, as touching the flesh: Who being now come, there is no cause the diftinction of their tribes fhould ftill continue. Only the Jews, or the tribe of Judah retain their name, but are fo commixed with that of Benjamin, as that they are called by one name, fo that neither the Benjamites, nor the Jews can tell of what tribe they come.

But that the Ifraelitifh ten tribes are somewhere extant, and (by God's providence) as a people kept intirely and unconfufed with other nations, is plain by this; for that they were not quite deftroyed, nor difpeopled, but only captived or transplanted by the Affyrians. And because all Ifrael (whereby is meant the whole nation) fhall be called to the acknowledgment of Jefus Chrift, to be the Meffias, fo long expected; yet refused by that people, when he came: Which general Calling cannot be true, except thofe tribes be ftill continuing, and somewhere extant in the world, to be conjoined and reunited as one nation, as once they were.

As for thofe other two tribes, to wit of Judah and of Benjamin, which for their notable infidelity, and contempt of the Son of God, are made a fpectacle to the world, and plagued with this fo horrible a defolation, and difperfion through the world, it is well known both where they are, and how they live; not diftinguished by their tribes, nor yet united into one policy or community among themselves, but diffused, tho' not confused; and difperfed in fmall numbers here and there; de

prived of all fave their name, which they retain; and that rather for a reproach, than for any honour or estimation in thofe places where they live; that they may be known by other nations to be that people whom God hath punifhed, and rejected for that fin in fo rejecting the Son of God; but will receive and call again for his own mercy and promise fake.

A thing exemplary to the world; as well of the rigour and severity of God's juftice, which he would have obferved and marked by all; but efpecially by those Christian ftates wherein they live, left for like contempt and infidelity they procure unto themselves the like judgment. As alfo that of his great and infinite mercy in preferving that people from mixture and confufion with other nations, that the truth and certainty of his Word may fo be known, when they fhall be called to the public knowledge and profeffion of Jefus Christ, as by his Apoftle he hath foretold, and will perform in good time.

But these other tribes, whereof we fpeak, that were not maffacred nor extirpated, but transplanted by the Affyrians, where they now are, and how they have lived ever fince, and whether they be a feveral people, or elfe commixed with other nations, is no where mentioned, either in heathen or facred ftory, for ought I know. Yet is it not hard to find them out, if we enquire and feek for them where it is likely they may be found. And the likelieft place to find them in, is it not in or near those Colonies where they were planted at firft?

And what I pray you if we fhould feek them among the Tartars, who are efteemed to be the moft vile or barbarous nation in the world: You will fay perhaps, a thing unworthy and unbefeeming that great mercy which God vouchsafed

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