Promise of the blessed God._ _And because I intend a continuation of_ Josephus _his History of the_ Jewes, _our famous Historian; I intreat, and beseech all Learned men, in what part of the world soever they live (to whom I hope that shortly this Discourse will come) that if they have any thing worthy of posterity, that they would give me notice of it in time; for though I have collected many Acts of the_ Jewes, _and many Hystories out of the_ Hebrewes, _the_ Arabians, _the_ Grecians, _the_ Latines, _and other Authors of other Nations; yet I want many things for this my enterprize, all which I am willing to performe, that I may please my Nation; but rather to the glory of the blessed God, whose Kingdome is everlasting, and his Word infallible_. [Illustration] _The Translator to the Reader._ This discourse of a Jew comming to my hand, and having perused it, I thought it not inconvenient to make it speake _English_; for the benefit of my Country-men, who wait for the redemption of _Israel_; and at the same time of the _Gentiles_ also. That the Author is a _Jew_, ought to be no scandall to us (though some of us Christian _Gentiles_ are ignorant of, and scandalized at the notion of the conversion of the _Jewes_, as the _Jewes_ of old were, concerning our being converted, and grafted into the true Stock, as in _Acts_ 11.3.) for though God hath rejected them, yet not for ever: _Rom._ 11.25, 26. And also the many prophesies both in the Old, and New Testament, which concern their being received againe to grace, gathered from their dispersion, and settled in their own Land; and their flourishing estate under, now our, and then their and our Prince, Jesus Christ the Messiah, who will then triumph gloriously, and all his people with him; these and many more Promises would want a fulfilling (which the God of Truth wil never suffer) if there should not be the revolution of a time, in which they shall be converted, and grace and peace be poured out upon _Jewes_ and _Gentiles_; though first upon the _Jew_, then the _Gentile_. But besides this, the Author expresseth so much learning that he deserveth honour of all; so much ingenuity, and (so far as his light reacheth) so great a measure of the knowledge and fear of God, that he may wel be set for a pattern to us Christians, who profess much better than he, but live much worse. One thing is very remarkable in him, that wheras many of us (like them who canot see Wood for Trees) though inviorned with mercies in these late revolutions, (I speake not to them who measure mercies only, or chiefly, by plentiful tables, ful purses, rich accoutrements, and the like; that wretched Generation is unworthy of the name of _Men_, much more of _Christians_) yet will unthankfully cry out, What have we got by all these troubles? and what hath been done? surely this _Jew_ shall rise up in judgement against such unchristian Christians; for he in his