Being brought before the Grand Seignior, who, requiring a miracle which the impostor could not perform, he threatened him with death unless he would turn Turk. Upon this he consented to turn Mahometan, to the great confusion of his followers.

THE NEW YO PUBLIC LIBRARY

ASTOR. LENOX

TILDEN FOUNDATIONS

The people were now pressing to see some miracle, to confirm their faith, and to convince the Gentiles. Here the impostor was puzzled, though any juggling trick would have served their turn. But the credulous people supplied this defect. When Sabatai was before the cadi (or justice of the peace), some affirmed that they saw a pillar of fire between him and the cadi; and after some affirmed it, others were ready to swear it, and did swear it also; and this was presently believed by the Jews of that city. He that did not now believe him to be the Messias was to be shunned as an excommunicated person.

From Smyrna, the impostor embarked for Constantinople, where he said God had called him, and where he had much to do. He had a long and troublesome voyage, and upon his arrival, the grand vizier sent for him, and confined him in a loathsome dungeon. The Jews in this city paid him their visits, and appeared to be as infatuated as those of Smyrna. Sabatai, after remaining two months a prisoner in Constantinople, was sent by the grand vizier to the Dardanelli. The Jews here flocked in great numbers to the castle where he was confined, and treated him with great respect. They decked their synagogues with S. S. in letters of gold, and made a crown for him in the wall; they attributed the same titles and prophecies to him which we apply to our Saviour.

He was also, during this imprisonment, visited by pilgrims from all parts that heard his story. Among these was Nehemiah Cohen, from Poland, a man of great learning, who desired a conference with Sabatai, the result of which convinced him that he was an impostor.

Nehemiah accordingly informed the Turkish officers of state that Sabatai was a lewd and dangerous person, and that it was necessary to take him out of their way. The grand seignior being apprized of this, sent for Sabatai, who, much dejected, appears before him.

The grand seignior required a miracle, and chooses one himself. It was this: that Sabatai should be stripped naked, and set for a mark for his archers to shoot

at; and if the arrows did not pierce his flesh, he would own him to be the Messiah. Sabatai had not faith enough to bear up under so great a trial. The grand seignior let him know that he would forthwith impale him, and that the stake was prepared for him, unless he would turn Turk. Upon this he consented to turn Mahometan, to the great confusion of the Jews.

76, NONCONFORMISTS.

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THOSE who refused to conform to the church of England were called nonconformists. This word is generally used in reference to those ministers who were ejected from their living by an act of Uniformity, in 1662. The number of these were about two thousand. However some affect to treat these men with indifference, and suppose that their consciences were more tender than they need be, it must be remembered, that they were men of as extensive learning, great abilities, and pious conduct as ever appeared. Mr. Locke, if his opinion has any weight, calls them "worthy, learned, pious orthodox divines, who did not throw themselves out of service, but were forcibly ejected." Mr. Bogue thus draws their character: "As to their public ministration," he says, they were orthodox, experimental, serious, affectionate, regular, faithful, able, and popular preachers. As to their moral qualities, they were devout and holy; faithful to Christ and the souls of men; wise and prudent; of great liberality and kindness; and strenuous advocates for liberty, civil and religious. As to their intellectual qualities, they were learned, eminent, and laborious.' These men were driven from their houses, from the society of their friends, and exposed to the greatest difficulties. Their burdens were greatly increased by the Conventicle act, whereby they were prohibited from meeting for any exercise of religion (above five in number) in any other manner than allowed by the liturgy or practice of the church of England. For the first offence the penalty was three months' imprisonment, or pay five pounds;

for the second offence, six months' imprisonment, or ten pounds; and for the third offence, to be banished to some of the American plantations for seven years, or pay one hundred pounds; and in case they returned, to suffer death without benefit of clergy. By virtue of this act, the jails were quickly filled with dissenting protestants, and the trade of an informer was very gainful. So great was the severity of these times, says Neal, that they were afraid to pray in their families, if above four of their acquaintance, who came only to visit them, were present; some families scrupled asking a blessing on their meat, if five strangers were at table.

But this was not all; to say nothing of the Test Act, in 1665, an act was brought into the House, to banish them from their friends (commonly called the Oxford Five Mile Act), by which all dissenting ministers, who would not take an oath, that it was not lawful, upon any pretence whatever, to take arms against the king, &c., were prohibited from coming within five miles of any city, town, corporate, or borough, or any place where they had exercised their ministry, and from teaching any school, on the penalty of forty pounds. Some few took the oath; others could not, and consequently suffered the penalty.

In 1663, "the mouths of the high church pulpiteers were encouraged to open as loud as possible. One, in his sermon before the House of Commons, told them, that the nonconformists ought not to tolerated, but to be cured by vengeance. He urged them to set fire to the fagot, and to teach them by scourges or scorpions, and to open their eyes with gall."

Such were the dreadful consequences of this intolerant spirit, that it is supposed near eight thousand died in prison in the reign of Charles II. It is said, that Mr. Jeremiah White had carefully collected a list of those who had suffered between Charles II. and the revolution, which amounted to sixty thousand. The same persecutions were carried on in Scotland; and there, as well as in England, many, to avoid persecution, fled from their country.