1. of Esay God saith he loaths the new Moons and Feast days they are a burden to him and he cannot abide them Touching the Sabbath particularly 't is objected That the precept is universal and perpetual as being given not to one people but in the beginning of the World to Adam the Parent of all I answer the most Learned of the Hebrews assenting The Command of the Sabbath was twofold the Command of remembring it Exod. 20.8 and the Command of observing it Exod. 31.13 The precept of remembring is fulfilled by a Religious memory of the Creation the precept of observing is placed in the exact abstinence from every other work That first Command was given in the beginning and without doubt the Pious Men a From whom also to the Grecians some vencration of the seventh day was derived Clemens before the Law obeyed it Enoch Noah Abraham Isaac Jacob of which last although we read many peregrinations yet no where find we that they rested or intermitted any journey b In this sense Justin and Tert. deny the Pious men of those times to have sabbatized for the Sabbath day which after the going forth out of Egypt you shall meet with always For after that the people being brought out of Egypt and having happily passed over the Red Sea the first day of safety kept a Sabbath and therein Sang an Epinicion since that time that exact rest of the Sabbath was Commanded whereof the fist mention is in the gathering of Manna Exod. 35.2 and Levit. 23.3 And in this sense the cause of the Law of the Sabbath is rendred the deliverance out of Egypt Deut. 5.21 and withal by this Law provision is made for Servants against their Masters hardness indulging them no respiration from their labors as appears in the places cited True it is that the strangers also were obliged by this Law the reason was th t the face of the Commonwealth while they rested together might be but one But that this Law of exact rest was not imposed upon other Nations appears hence because in sundry places as Exod. 31.13.16 't is called a sign and a special Covenant between God and Israel Now that things ordained in memory of the deliverance out of Egypt were not such as never to cease we have shewed afore from the promise of much greater mercies Besides if the Law requiring rest on the Sabbath had been made in the beginning and in that sense as never to be cancell'd certainly that Law in the conflict with other Laws would have prevailed Which now is otherwise For 't is evident that Infants are lawfully Circumcised c Proverb Heb. Circumcisio pellit Sabbatum Vide Jo. 7.22 on the Sabbath day as also Sacrifices while the Temple stood were slain d Num. 28.9 as well upon the Sabbath as other days The Hebrew Masters themselves do shew the mutability of this Law when they say that at the Command of a Prophet work may rightly be done on the Sabbath which they prove by the example of Joricho taken on the Sabbath day at the Command of Joshua And some of them well assert that in the times of the Messiah the difference of day shall be no more alledging the place of Esay c. 66.23 Where it is Prophecied that the Worship of God shall be continued from Sabbath to Sabbath and from one new Moon unto another XI Of outward circumcision Come we to Circumcision which is no doubt ancienter than Moses being enjoyned to Abraham and to his prosterity But this very precept was an inchoation of the Covenant published by Moses For so we read God said to Abraham Gen. c. 17. I will give unto thee and to thy Seed the Land wherein thou hast been a stranger even the Land of Canaan for an everlasting possession Thou shalt keep my covenant therefore thou and thy Seed for ever This is my Covenant between me and you and your Seed that every Male be Circumcissed But we have understood above that into the place of this Covenant should succeed a new one and this common to all Nations for which reason that necessity of a distinguishing mark must also cease Moreover this is manifest that in the precept of Circumcision is contained a certain mystical and more excellent signification which the Prophets do declare when they command the Heart a Jerem. 4.4 to be Circumcised to which all the precepts of Jesus do pertain and therefore the promises added to Circumcision must likewise be referred to some greater thing Namely that promiâ—e of an earthly possession to the Revelation of a possession b Heb. 4. truly Eternal which was never more clearly opened then by Jesus and that of making Abraham a Father of many c Gen. 17.5 Rom. 4.11 Nations to that time wherein not some few but innumerable people dispersed all the World over should imitate that so memorable Faith of Abraham and verily this came to pass not otherwise but by the Gospel Now it is nothing marvelous that the shadows of a designed work should vanish when the work is finished But that Grace is not tied to this d 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ait justious in Colloq sign you may learn hence because not the more antient only but Abraham himself as yet uncircumcised pleased God and in all the time of Travelling through the desarts of Arabia Circumcision was e Jos 5.4 omitted by the Hebrews God never expostulating with them for that omission XII The Apostles toleration of Jewish rites Certainly the Hebrews had cause to render great thanks to Jesus and his Apostles that they were by him delivered from that heavy burden of Ceremonies and were assured of their liberty by gifts and miracles not inferior a They were greater as appeared in raising the dead to Moses And yet those first publishers of our Doctrine did not exact of them so much as this that they should acknowledge their own felicity but easily suffered them would they receive the precepts of Jesus full of nothing but goodness in things indifferent to follow what way b Act. 16.3 Rom. 14.1 Gal. 5.6 they pleased yet so that they should not impose upon the Gentiles to whom that Law of rites was never given a necessity c Act. 15. Gal. 2.3.15 of observing it Which one thing is enough to convince the Jews of their unreasonable rejection of the Christian Faith under that pretence of the ritual Law The grand objection against the Miracles of Jesus being answered let us proceed to other arguments fit for the Jews conviction XIII The Jews confess a promise of the Messiah It is agreed between us and them that in the Books of the Prophets above many whom God gave the Hebrews Authors of great benefits one was promised much more excellent then the rest whom though by a common name yet eminently competent to him alone they call the Messias Him we assert to have come long since they expect him to
speak unto them by his f Jerem. 30. Ezech. 36. Prophets and comfort them by hope of a return notifying the very g Jer. 25.15 time thereof But now since they have been once cast out of their Country they remain exiled condemned no Prophet comes unto them no signification of any future return Their Masters as possessed with a Spirit of giddiness are fallen to shameful Fables and ridiculous opinions wherewith the Talmud Books are replenisht Which yet they are so bold as to stile the Law and to compare with or prefer before the Writings of Moses As for that which is read there of Gods weeping because he sussered the City to be overthrown of his daily diligence of reading the Law of Behemoth and Leviathan and many other h Quorum multa transcripsit Christianus Gerson in suo ad Judaeos libro things they are so absurd that I am loth to repeat them Howbeit in all this time the Jews have neither departed to the Worship of false Gods as of old not do they pollute themselves with Murders nor are they accused of Adulteries But they labor to appease God both by prayers and by Fastings and are not heard Which things being so one of these two Conclusions will certainly follow either that the Covenant Mosaical is wholly abrogated or that the whole Nation of the Jews is Guilty of some great sin abiding so many Ages Which sin what it is let themselves pronounce or if they cannot let them believe us it is that sin of rejecting the Messias who came unto his people before these calamities began to fall upon them XVII Jesus proved to be the Messias by the Prophecies What we have alledged serves to shew that the Messias so many ages agon is come We are next to prove he is no other but Jesus For whosoever else assumed this litle or had it given them have left no Sect in which that opinion might persevere None do now profess themselves the sectators neither of a Qui 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Justino Herod nor of Judas Gaulonites no nor of Barchocheb who took the name of Messias in Adrians time and deceived some men b As Rabbi Akiba lib. Zemach David very learned But the followers of Jesus ever since he was on earth have been and are unto this day very many not in one Region but all the World over I could here bring many other things of old predicted or credited of the Messias which we believe came to pass in Jesus when of others they are not so much as assevered Namely that he was of Davids c Ps 89.4 Esa 4 2. Mat. 1.1 race that he was born of d Esa 7.14 Mat. 1.18 a Virgin the Husband of the Virgin being admonished of it from Heaven e Mat. 1.20 who would not have kept her otherwise with Child that he was born at f Mich. 5 2. Mat. 2.2 Bethlechem that he began his preaching in g Esa 4.1 Mat. 4 12. Galilee that he healed all manner of Diseases h Esa 53.5 Mat. 11.5 Add this that he raised the dead which R. Ben. Gerson puts among the chief make of the Messiah made the blind to see and the lame to walk But I am content with onething the effect whereof endureth to this day It is as clear as the Sun from the Prophecies of i Ps 2.6 David k Esa 2.2 Esay l Zach. 8.20 Zachary m Hos 2.24 Hose that the n Esa 2.18 Messias should be the Master not only of the Jews but of other Nations that he should overturn the worships of false Gods and bring a huge multitude of aliens and strangers to the service of the only true God Before the coming of Jesus almost all the World was overspread with false Religions and after by little and little they began to vanish and not single persons alone but Kings and Nations were converted to the One Gods Worship This is to be ascribed not to the Jewish Rabbins but to the Disciples of Jesus and their Successors So were they made the o Hose 2.24 people of God who before were not and it was fulfilled which had been foretold by Jacob Gen. 49. p Vide pulchrè dicta apud Chrysoft Serm. Christum esse deum That before the civil power should be wholly taken away from the posterity of Judah Shilo whom the Chaldee and other interpreters expound the Messiah should come and to him also other q Vide Esa 11.10 Nations should submit themselves XVIII Objection that some things are not fulfilled answered Here the Jews are wont to oppose that some things are predicted of the Messias times which are not seen fulfilled But the things which they alledge are obscure or of doubtful signification for which we ought not to relinquish those which are manifest Such as are the Holiness of Christs precepts the excellency of reward clearness of the promise Whereunto miracles being added there is nothing wanting that may move us to embrace his Doctrine To the right understanding of Prophecies which are called by the name of a sealed Book a Esa 29.11 Dan. 12.4.9 Vide Chrysost Serm. 2. Cur obscurum sit V. T. oft are needful certain helps of God which are justly withdrawn from them that are negligent of plain Revelations Now the places they object they know are variously expounded and who soever wâ—ll compare the old interpreters living under the Babylon Captivity or about the time of Jesus with the Interpreters that wrote after the Christian name was odious to the Jews shall find new expositions invented studio partium when formerly other had been received agreeing well with the sense of Christians They are not ignorant many places in Holy Scripture are to be understood not by the propriety of words but b Quomodo Maimon in lib. I. ad locum Esaiae II 6. de Messiae temporibus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vult intelligi figuratively As when God is said to have c Vide Maimon duct dub 1.10 and 11 29. descended when d Jerem. 9.12 mouth e Ps 31.3 ears f Ps 34.16 eyes g Ps 18.9 nostrils are attributed to him And why may not we after this manner expound many things spoken of Messias times As that the Wolf shall dwell with the h Esa 11.6 Lamb the Leopard with the Kid the Lyon with the Calf that the Infant shall play with the Snake that the Mountain of God shall rise i Esa 2.2 above other Mountains and Aliens shall come thither to offer Sacrifice Some promises there are which by the antecedent or consequent words or by the very meaning of the place contain in them a tacite condition So many things were promised the Hebrews on condition they would receive the Messias sent unto them and obey him Which promises if they be not performed they must lay the fault upon themselves Some things also definitely and without condition promised if
not troublesome unto them not known by any injury so that they an pretend no cause of War but Religion alone which is most of War but Religion alone which is most irreligious For the worship of God is no worship unless it proceed from a willing mind And the will is drawn by instruction and perswasion not by threats and violence He that is compelled to believe does not believe but only makes a show that he may escape pain And he that by sense or fear of punishment would extort assent thereby shews his distrust of Arguments But again themselves destroy this very pretence of Religion when they allow those whom they have subdued to use what Religion they will yea and some times openly acknowledge that Christians may be saved in their own Religion VIII Their precepts compared Compare we now the precepts together On the one side patience is commanded and benignity even to enemies on the other side revenge on this side perpetual fidelity of Marriage mutual toleration of manners on that license of a Vide Euthymium departing Here the Husband performs himself what he exacteth of the Wife and by his own example teacheth her to fasten love but upon one there came women b Azoara 3.8 9. after women new provocations unto Lust Here Religion is called inward to the heart that being cherisht therein it may bring forth Fruits profitable to mankind there it spends almost all its virtue in c Vide Barth Geor. de ritibus Turcarum circumcision and other things in themselves d Azoara 9. indiffererent Here a temporate use of meats and Wine is permitted there to eat of the Swine e 2.26 or drink of the f Vide Euthymium Grapes is forbidden although Wine is a great gift of God for the comfort of the mind and body being taken with moderation That such weak Rudinients as 't were for Children preceded the most perfect Law such as is Chrifts we do not wonder but to succeed after it and for us now to return to types and shadows is preposterous nor can any cause be given why another Religion after the Christian which is far the best of all should be now produced IX Objection touching the Son of God answered The Mahumetists say they are offended that we give God a Son when he uses not a Wife as if the name of Son in respect of God cannot have a more Divine signification But Mahumet himself ascribes many things to God not less unworthy then if he should be said to have a Wife namely that he has a cold hand a Cantacuz orat in Mahum 2.18 and he felt it to be so that he is carried in a Chair b Ibid. and such like As for us when we call Jesus the Son of God we signifie the same thing which he does when he stiles him the word of God for the word is after a sort c Vide Plat. in Conviv begotten of the mind add also that he was born of a Virgin the operation of God alone supplying the Fathers part that he was taken up into Heaven by the power of God which things being confest also by Mahumet declare that Jesus may and ought to be called the Son of God d Luc. 1.35 Jo. 10.36 In lib. doctrina Mahumetis Jesus inducitur deum suum patrem appellans by a cerrain singular right X. Absurd things in their Books But on the contrary in the Mahumetan writings it would be tedious to enumerate how many things there are remote from all truth of a Azoara 28.37 History how many altogether ridiculous Such is that Fable of a fair Woman b Cantacuz orat 2.15 whom the Angels overcome with Wine taught a charm to get up to Heaven and come down again But having got up very high God catcht her and fixt her there and this is the Star Venus Another is of a Mouse c Inlib doctr Mahum in Noabs Ark made of the Elephants Dung and a Cat d Ibid. of the Lyons breath And that 's a notable one e in fine dicti libri of death to be turned into a Ram and to be lodged in the middle space between Heaven and Hell And of f Exod. 1. dainty meats in the other life to be voided by sweat and of Companies of women to be assigned every one for his pleasure All which are of such a nature that they must needs be sotted by their own folly who can give any credit to such gross faults especially now the light of the Gospel shiues round about them CONCLUSION I address my self now leaving Aliens to Christians of all sorts and names beseeching them to lift up pure hands a Jam. 4.8 unto that God who hath made all things visible and invisible b Col. 1.26 out of nothing with a sure confidence that he takes care c I Pet. 5.7 of us that without his permission not a Sparrow d Mat. 10.29 falls and that they fear not those which can only hurt the body e 10.28 in comparison to him who hath equal power both over body and Soul Let them not trust in God the Father only but in Jesus f Jo. 14.2 seeing there is no other name g Act. 4.12 in earth which can save us This ye shall rightly do if you perswade your selves not they that call the one Father and the other Lord shall live for ever but they that compose their lives according to the will h Mat. 7.21 of God Farther I exhort you carefully to keep i 1 Tim. 6. 20. Institution of Christ as a most pretious treasure and to that end also read often the k 1 Cor. 4.16 Holy Scriptures where with no man can be deceived but he that first deceives himself For the writers of them were more faithful and more full of a Divine Afflatus than to deprive us l Vide Tert de praeser of necessary truth or to hide it under a Cloud but we must bring a mind disposed m Jo. 7.17 to obedience If we do so none of those things shall escape us which ought to be believed hoped for or performed n 2 Tim. 3.15.16 by us And by this means is the Holy Spirit nourished o 1.6 and raised in us who is given as the earnest p Eph. 1.14 of our future happiness Moreover I disswade all Christians from the imitation of Pagans First in the worship of false gods q 1 Cor. 8.5 which are nothing but vain names that wicked Spirits r 1 Cor. 10.20 use to avert us from the Service f Eph. 2.2 of the true God Wherefore we cannot partake of their Sacrifices so as withal to have a part in Christs Sacrifices Secondly in their licentious manner of living t Eph. 2.3 having no other Law but what is dictated by their own Lust from which it behoveth Christians to keep u
come hereafter It remains that we seek for a determination of this controversie in those Books whose authority we do equally acknowledge XIV That he is come proved by the time Daniel whom Ezckiel a Ezek. 14.4 28.3 Joseph de ' Daâ— sine 1.10 Spiritus ' Dei ci adorat commends for his great Piety neither would deceive us nor was deceâ—ved by the Angel Gabriel What the Angel dictated to him he hath left written for us c. 9. That after the promulgation of the Commandment to restore the City of Jerusalem there should not pass Five hundred years but the Messas should come But unto this day are past since that time more than Two thousand years and He whom the Jews expect is not come nor can they name any other to whom that time agrees But unto Jesus it is so convenient that the Hebrew Master Nehumias who Fifty years preceded him openly then declared that the time of Messias signified by Daniel could not be protracted beyond those Fifty years With this note of time agrees another touched above of the Kingdom b Lapidem illum cujus permissu imago illa imperiorum figuram habens comminuta esset Messiam esse tradidit R. Levi Ben. Gerson over all Nations to be given by God after that the posterity of Seleucus and Lagus had ceased to Reign the latter whereof ended in Cleopatra not long before Jesus was Born The third note is in the forecited ninth Chapter of Daniel That after the coming of Messias the City Jerusalem should be destroyed Which Prophecy of the destruction of the City Josephus c Lib. 10. c. 12. Septuaginta annoram hebdomadas finire in excidio templi secundi etiam Jacchiades docet ad Dan. 9.24 himself refers unto his own age Whence it follows that the time appointed for the coming of Messias was then already past 'T is pertinent that of Haggai c. 2. Zerubbabel the Prince and Jesus the Son of Josedec the High Priest being sad when the saw the Temple built by them not to answer the greatness of the former Temple God comforts them with this promise that the glory of this later house shall be greater than that of the former Which cannot be verified neither in respect of the greatness of the Work nor the materials nor the Art nor Ornament as the story of these times in the Scripture and in Josephus compared with the History of Solomons Temple undoubtedly proves Add that the Hebrew Masters observe two of the greatest endowments were wanting to the later Temple which were in the former a certain conspicuous d Gemara Hieros cap. 3. light betokening the Divine Majesty and a Divine Afflatus But wherein this later Temple should excell the former God shâ—ws briefly there when he said in this place I will give Peace That is in that Temple establish his grace and good will by a sure Covenant in Malachi more largly c. z. Behold I will send my Messenger and he shall prepare the way before me and the Lord whom ye seek shall suddenly come into his Temple Malachi lived when the later Temple was built even the Messenger of the Covenant whom ye delight in Therefore the Messias ought to come the second Temple e Venire debuisse Messiam in Templum secundum sensit R. Akiba mulâ—ique etiam standing by which the Hebrews name all that time from Zerubbabel to Vespasian For in the time of Herod the great the Temple was not raised again out of ruins but by little and little and by parts made news which change notwithstanding 't is called the same Temple still And verily there was such a strong opinion among the Hebrews and their Neighbors that the Messias was in those times to be expected that many took Herod some Judas f Vide Ioseph 18.1 Gaulonites some others who lived about the time of Jesus for the Messias XV. Of the delay of his coming The Jews feel themselves pressed with these Arguments of the coming of Messias Which to elude some of them say their sins were the cause why he came not at the promised time To omit that in the aforesaid prophecies is expressed a desinite decree a Id diserte affirmat Rabbi David Kimchi in Ps 108.5 Apparet ex Mal. 3.1 not suspended upon any condition how could the coming be delayed for their sins when this also was foretold that for the very many and very great sins b Dan. 9.24 of the people the City should be destroyed a little after the times of Messias Add that Messias was to come for this cause also that he might cure a most corrupted Age c Esa 53.4 Jer. 31.31 and together with rules of new life bring pardon unto sinners Whence in Zachary 't is said of his times ch 13. that a Fountain should then be opened for the House of David and all Jerusalem to wash away their iniquities and amongst the Hebrews themselves it is usual to stile the Messias Ischopher d Vide Chald. Paraph. Cant. 1.14 that is a peace-maker Now 't is plainly against all reason to affirm a thing to be deferred because of a Disease which was precisely destin'd for the Cure thereof XVI The present State of the Jews Even sense it self may convince the Fews of that which we maintain that the Messias is long since come into the World In the Covenant made by Moses God promised them a Exod. 15. Levit. 18. a happy possession of Palestin so long as they should compose their life according to the prescript of his Law on the contrary b Levit. 26. Deut. 28. threatned them if they greatly transgressed with Vanishment and other Calamities and yet assured them if at any time afflicted with misery they should repent of their sins and return to obedience he would have compassion on his people and bring them back into their own Country though dispersed into the most remote parts of the carth as appears both elsewhere and Deut. 30. Nehem 4. But now are passed a Thousand and above Five hundred years since the Jews are without their Country without their Temple and if any time they attempted to build it new c Sub Adriano sub Constantino sub Juliano chrysostom 2. adv Judaeos they were always hindred yea Balls of Fire breaking forth at the Foundations to the destruction of the Workmen as 't is related by a Writer not Christian d Lib. 23. Chrysost ibid. dignus qui legatur Ammianus Marcellinus When in former times the people had polluted themselves with most grievous abominations had frequently sacrificed their Children to Satan reckoned Adulteries but as a small thing robbed Widdows and Orphans shed innocent blood in great abundance all which the Prophets e Esa 1.17 and 3.14 Amos 2.6 Jer. 2 3. Ezech. 2 and 6. Dan 9. Mich. 2.2 upbraid them with they suffered Captivity yet no longer than Seventy years and in the mean time God omitted not to