themselves thirty nine Lashes. All Business was laid aside, none Worked, or opened Shop, unless to clear his Warehouse of Merchandize at any Price: who had superfluity in Houshold-stuffe, sold it for what he could; but yet not to _Iewes_, for they were Interdicted from Bargaines or Sales, on the pain of Excommunication, Pecuniary Mulcts, or Corporal Punishments; for all Business and Imployment was esteemed the Test, and Touchstone of their Faith. It being the general Tenent, that in the dayes that the _Messiah_ appeares, the _Iewes_ shall become Masters of the Estates and Inheritance of _Infidels_; until when they are to content themselves with Matters onely necessary to maintain and support Life. But because every one was not Master of so much Fortune and Provision, as to live without dayly Labour, therefore to quiet the Clamours of the Poor, and prevent the Enormous lives of some, who upon these occasions would become Vagabonds, and desert their _Cities_, due order was taken to make Collections, which were so liberally bestow'd, that in _Thessalonica_ onely 400 Poore were supported by the meer charity of the Richer. And as they indeavour'd to purge their _Consciences_ of Sin, and to apply themselves to good Workes, that the _Messiah_ might find the City prepared for his Reception; so, least he should accuse them of any omission in the Law, and particularly in their neglect of that Antient Precept of Increase and Multiply; they marryed together Children of ten yeares of age, and some under, without respect to Riches, or Poverty, Condition or Quality: But, being promiscuously joyned, to the number of 6 or 700 Couple, upon better and cooler thoughts, after the deceipt of the false _Messiah_ was discover'd, or the expectation of his Coming grew cold, were Divorced, or by Consent separated from each other.