of all their wants and necessities Now if God who early vouchsafeth his more especial presence in their Synagogue find not any man preventing his expectation then is he angry with his children saying Wherefore when I came was there no man when I called was there none to answer Blessed is he who comming early in the morning entertains discourse with his God How greatly will the Lord love that Servant who imploys all his care that by his negligence his Lord should not abide solitary and destitute of a companion In Masseches Berachos Rabbi Abhiu the son of Rabbi Ada in the name of Rabbi Isaac saith that if he who useth to frequent the Synagogue be but once absent then God instantly upon it proposeth the question Who is among you that feareth the Lord and obeyeth the voyce of his Servant that walketh in darknesse and hath no light and trusteth upon the name of his God Esay 50. 10. The meaning is this that whosoever keeps his bed and comes not into the Synagogue abideth still in darkness In the Porch of their Schoole or Synagogue they have a certaine piece of Iron fastened into the wall against which every one is bound to wipe his shooes if they be unclean and dirty and they urge the authority of Salomon for it saying Keep thy foot when thou goest into the hâ—use of God whosoever useth to wear any pantoffles he ought to put them off at the door of the Synagogue lsst he pollute the same as it is written Loose thy shoes from osf thy foot for the place whereon thon standest is holy ground They ought to enter into the Synagogue with great fear and trembling even as he who is ready to approach the presence of some great King is accustomed to unbare his head and enter the Palace in a bashfull fearfulnesse according to that of the Prophet David Give the Lord the honour due unto his name worship the Lord with holy worship thou dost not read here Behadrath but Bechardath say the Rabbines that signifying comlinesse and ornament this fear and astonishment They being about to enter the Synagogue by the poreh thereof use to repeat some certain sayings hudled up together out of Davids Psalms the custome in it self being very good and laudable if it were seasoned with a judicious attention and servent devotion They may not begin their prayers instantly upon their entrance into the Synagogue but for a space ought to suspend the action in a pious meditation of him with whom they are to converse as also who he is that can see the very secrets of their hearts and hear their prayers for by this means they are possessed with the spirit of reverence and are pricked forward to a serious observation of what is spoken It is written in Masseches Berachos and that upon the Rabbines record that Rabbi Eliezer lying in his bed his Schollers visited him desiring him to show them the way to Eternall Life he willing to satisfie them in their request said unto them whensoever you make your prayers consider before whom you stand for by so doing you shall become heirs of life everlasting Every one of the Jews is bound to casâ—â—omething into the treasury though it be but a mite as it is written I will see thy face sin â—ustice where by Justice is understood Alms deeds which beareth witnesse thereunto In this theâ— fixt devotion of mind they are wont to bow themselves towards the 〈◊〉 in which the boâ—k of the Law is keâ—t saying How goodly are thy 〈◊〉 O Jacâ—b and thy Tabernacle O Israel In the multitude of thy 〈◊〉 I will enter into thine holy Temple Lord 〈◊〉 have loved the habitation of thy house and the place where thine honour dwelleth and many moe such like sayings out of the Psalms of David These things premised in way of a proeme at last they begin their devotions accordingly as they are appointed in their book of Common-prayer and because the Petitions are very many they run them over by a cursory reading of them in their books although some be ignorant of Letters and cannot read at all yet it is his duty to be frequent in the Synagogue without any intermission diligently attending what is said by others and saying Amen at the closure of every prayer That we may the better understand what manner of prayers they use I will translate some of their prayers out of the Hebrew into Latine and withall explain them The first prayer they use begins thus Adon Olam ascher melech c. running all in rythme as all others of theirs do and is sung or read by them in a bouncing tone the form of which prayer followeth O Lord of the world who had rule and dominion before any thing now created was created who was called a King at the instant of their Creation according to his good pleasure and shall so remain after their return into their prime nothing to whom be given all honour and fear He was from everlasting and shall alwayes abide in his glory he is one alone and besides him there is no other who may be compared or be likened unto him by this reason they deny the Deity of the Son and repute him as a common simple man He as he is without beginning so he is without end In his hand is strength and power he is my God my protectour and redeemer by this saying they deride the belief of us Christians who do place our Confidence in a Mediatour who himself was subject to the stroke of death He is a stony rock unto me in my necessity and in the time of my sorrow he is my banner and my refuge he is the portion of mine inhâ—ritance even in that day wberein I implore his aid and assistance into his hands I commend my spirit whether I sleep or wake he is present with me so that I need not be afraid of any thing This prayer being ended then follow in their order an hundred more which are commonly short and pithy and are therefore twice repeated every day the reason whereof shall be given hereafter The first blessing prayer or thanksgiving is about the washing of their hands as was formerly declared and that because if any forget to say it in the morning when he is washing his hands he is injoyned to say it before the whole Congregation In the next place they have a thanksgiving though shore and succinct for the wonderfull Creation of man and especially that God created him full of holes and pores one whereof being stopped sudden death necessarily follows thereupon Then they make their Confession concerning the Resurrection of the dead giving thanks for the gracious supply of all their wants saying Blessed be thou O Lord King of the World who hast given understanding to the Cock so that he knows how to distinguish day from night and night from day so that he never fails to rouse up the Jew before day at what time
the bread to be covered in remembrance of the Manna For first of all a certaine dew fell in the desart after that the Manna and then another dew between which two it lay hid as between two napkins And so the bread upon the Jewes table lyes between two linnen clothes Hence it is that the women make minced pies or boile some other thing like unto it which they eat instead of Manna for their minced pye hath a certaine lumpe for its bottom and in the middle it is stuft with flesh above also it hath a certain cover made like unto Manna The reason why they take two loaves is in remembrance of the Manna whereof they gathered in times past two measures full upon every Friday according to that which is written And it came to passe that on the sixt day they gathered twice as much bread Briefly of all things to be done by us in this world an especiall care is to bee had of our bodies upon the Sabbath day which thing the holy Scripture so often commands us saying Thou shalt call the Sabbath Oneg a delight because wee ought to restrhaine our selves from no sort of pleasure upon the Sabbath day In the same manner speaks the holy Scrpture concerning festivals Thou shalt rejoice in thy feasts thou and thy sonne c. that all our actions may tend to Gods glory Eat and drinke therefore and be good unto thy selfe and remember to doe it in honour to the Sabbath Yet not thinking that hee may eat many delicates upon the Friday for the filling of his paunch especially if he be poor and cannot away with the cost for this should rather have a place in the Catalogue of sinnes then good workes seeing he should also thinke upon the Sabbath day that he should have no such cheare upon Sunday and so become sorrowfull at that time when he ought the most of all to be merry Al this also is summarily comprehended in a little book called Sepher hajirah teaching us how a Jew ought to lead his life in the feare of the Lord and is delivered by the Jewes themselves in the following verses Against the Sabbath ready thou shalt be To leave all worke that doth belong to thee Thy selfe for Sabbath do prepare its gaine Though many maids and servants thou maintaine The Sabbath equally in all precepts availeth Be of good cheare thinke as thee nought aileth Use neat apparell costly raiments weare For Sabbath of a bride the name doth beare Buy that is daintiest ' gainst the Sabbath's day Strictly observe its precepts every way Keep in good appetite the stomack thine Feed upon fish and flesh and healthy wine Dresse up thy bed in handsome fashion good Order thy table well set on thy food Bath wash and cleanse thy head trim up thy haire About thee never any thing do beare Sharpen thy knife fall stoutly to thy meate Cut off thy nailes fling them in fiery heate Speake blessing to thy wine cleanse hand and foot By this precept thou shalt doe good I wot Be of good mood of comfortable ease Refraine not from thy selfe wherein canst please Merry and withall joyfull shalt thou be As if thy workes all finish'd were by thee Remove thee fro all dumpes and pensivenesse Table and stools have in a readinesse Lay on cleane table cloth and napkins as 't is fit Hasten away your rost-meat from the spit Swill handsomely your cups and drinking glasses Put out of mind your once endured losses Buy the best bit thou find'st upon the Mart With wife and children make a merry heart One table once thus dressed gives thee three meales Talke nothing but of merry making tales c. There is also extant a certaine booke of theirs wherein are contained many graces used by them before and after meat as also upon the chiefe festivals throughout the whole yeare written in Hebrew and Teutonicke verse Amongst others there is one prayer which begins How lovely is thy rest O Lord c. Where it followeth In gallant suit thyselfe aray Blesse candle light so 't will in burning mend From all manner of working flye away On Fryday all thy works bring to an end Eat savoury fâ—shes goodly capons quailes Live delicately see that nothing failes Then against Even thy selfe thus recreate All manner of good things for thee provide Well-fatted beeves and such as likes thy pate From a good cup of spice'd wine doe not slide c. Item In all meeknesse thou shalt walke For of that the Law doth talke With meeknesse all thy lifetime shall be led When Sunne doth rise at leisure keep thy bed c. Item Linnen and silken rayment much is made of Honour'd they be that doe make their clothes thereof An holy day the Sabbath is Happy that keeps it not amisse Bring not your hearts to heavy mournfull courses Although much leannesse lodge within your purses Cheerfull you ought to be and without sorrow Although elsewhere your mony you do borrow Furnish your selves with wine with flesh and fishes Upon your table set three sorts of dishes A good reward for thee will then be hasting Here and in time to come for everlasting c Item Women your candles remember for to light With carefull heed observe this time aright Here of great profit you will make full quickly When great with child you shall come to be fickly If then fine cakes to bake you shall be skilfull At child birth you may play and laugh your wil-full And now lest any should account of these as poeticall figments and fables I will relate some pleasant histories out of the Talmud whereby you may have a plaine evident yea even miraculous demonstration that the pleasure and jocund life upon the Sabbath day is the chiefest honour In that tract of the Talmud entituled de Sabbatho These e words are registred as they came from the mouth of Rabbi Chaia I saith he was upon a time in Cyprus others say in Ladkia where I lodged with a certaine Katzubh or Butcher At the time of supper a table all of gold was brought in which sixteen men were scarce able to carry all the furniture and other necessaries upon the table were of gold the platters candlestickes salts cups and trenchers all of gold with a snmptuous variety of delicates an most excellent apples When the table was set before him he beginning to praise God said The earth is the Lords and the fulnesse thereof When the table was removed he againe singing praises unto God said The heaven is the Lords and the earth hath he given unto the children of men Then I spoke unto him and said Good Sir how came you to be so rich and what good thing have you done in all your life The Master of the houshold the Butcher I meane replyed I have been a Butcher all my life long and whensoever it was my chance to happen upon some choise fatling I alwaies reserved it for the celebration of
Which done shee raised the unleavened loaves which are to be eaten in the time of the Passeover These are commonly made round full of little holes pierced through with an iron much like to a horse-combe that the aire posting along through the portals of the cake may preserve it from leavening They use great hast in setting them into the oven not suffering them to stand any time in the bake house which taken out againe wanting both salt and fatnesse and kneaded onely with water have neither taste nor relish Hence it comes to passe that some honest huswifes put eggs into them that they may be more gratefull to the tast It hath been related unto me that some of the richer sort of the Jewes make these their paschall cakes of almonds not onely in honour of the Feast but for the pleasing of the palate Before the fifth houre of the day bee fully come to passe which is the eleventh with us they goe unto dinner eating little and such meaâ—es as are easie of digestion from that time forward untill the starres appeare in the firmament that they may with a more greedy appetite eate up at supper their unâ—eaâ—ened cakes If any one in the time bee oppressed with thirst he may not drink water but it is lawfull for him to carouse a full bowle of wine because it is very good to helpe the stomaâ—k Supper being ended they cast all the leavened bread which they found the night afore into the fire and burn it The Master of the houshold saying these words Let all the leaven and every thing leavened which is under my hand seen or unseen purged or not purged being utterly dissipated or destroied be accounted like unto the dust of the earth The first born in the evening of the passeover are injoined to fast from morning untill night because God in times past did preserve the first born of the children of Israel and suffered not the destroier to come in unto them At mid-day they cease to labour yet it is no offence for them in the afternoon to wash their clothes to fetâ—hâ—home new ones from the Taylor to put them on in honour of the feast I conclude with the words of our Saviour Take heed of the â—â—aven of the Pharisees and Sadduces that is to say of their false doctrine and hypocrisie CHAP. XIII Of the manner how the Jewes celebrate their Feast of the Passeover according to the Jewish forme IN the evening of the passeover when it begins to be night they hasten into the Synagogue where partly by praying partly by singing they offer up their evening sacrifice of prayer and thanksgiving according to the forme set downe in their books of common prayer The women at home light two great lamps accordingly as they did upon the Sabbath yet they doe not here begin the Feast as they did then by the consecration of wine for there is none whose estate is at the lowest ebb but hee will have a cup of choice wine to welcome the feast withall but only sit in the Synagogue untill their returne unto their own houses In the meane time their wives at home doe very honourably furnish the table placing thereupon vessels of gold and silver and other precious thing according to the severall estate of every one in particular for at this season every man ought to make shew of his riches not in a vaine boasting ostentation but in honour to the Feast For the dolefull remembrance which ought continually to be inserted in their minds concerning the desaoltions of the Temple of Jerusalem and also intermixt with all their joy and jollities is a sufficient curb for the former A chaire of Estate is provided for the Master of the family adorned with silke pillowes or cushions upon which hee may sit leane and rest himselfe the wals of his house and the places about the table being hung with costly darnicks or cloth of arras and that in as curious a manner as possibly can bee invented In such like chaires they seat themselves and leane against the wals thus adorned like some great Lords or potentates who being delivered out of the Egyptian bondage should no more bee inthralled therewith for every one of them upon the two first nights of the Festivall conceits himselfe to be some great Duke or mighty Prince one redeemed from the servility of exile though in very deed hee bee the veriest tag rag that ever went from doore to doore one of the poorer sort who is forced to hold his dish under another mans ladle having not so much as an old shirt to supply the place of a Carpet or any more costly cushion then a turfe will place himselfe this night in some worm-eaten chaire and counterfeit such Court-like postures as though he were some young Baron who had danced away the greatest part of his meanes in learning and practising the light and nimble carriage of his body As for the women it is not needfull for them to leane themselves against anything When it is late at night they make great speed out of the Synag gue and feather their heels with expedition to revisite their owne homes where they are no sooner entred but they command a certaine platter to bee set before them in which lie three cakes wrapped up in two napkins The uppermost of which represenâ—s the High Priest the middle the tribe of L vi and the lowest the whole congregation of Israel There is also another platter set upon the table in which is the haunâ—h of a lambe or of a kid together with an egge hard rosted A dish of postage is the next service made with apples peares nuts figs almonds orenges and such like fruits first boiled in wine looking as though they were mixt with bruised bricks Upon these they straw many spices but especially cinamon scarce beaten at all so that this kind of pottage seems to have in them both clay and straw in remembrance that their forefathers out of these materials made bricks in the land of Egypt Moreover they grace the table with a sallet made of herbes of an eager taste as lettice ivye raddish persley savory cresses and such like Over against which they place another dish full of vinegar in memory that their ancestors eat the paschall lambe with bitter herbs The table being thus furnished they in great hast take their place every one old and young yea the very infant lying as yet in the cradle hath a bowle of wine presented unto him and then the Master of the house consecrates the cup and gives an orderly beginning to the feast Grace being said every one takes up his whole one resting himselfe upon the left arme and pressing with his elbow his silken pillow as though hee were some right honourable and thrice noble Lord and Potentate Some wash their hands before the giving of thanks some after Concerning which many disputes are extant in the Talmud and for decision of the controversie
holinesse to the Lord. Then the sexton goes about and cries who will buy Gelilah etz chajim which is a certaine kinde of office which any supplying is licenced to tosse over the booke of the Law by a serious revisall Which office is granted unto him who will give the most money for it which is put into the poore mans box and chested up for their reliefe Those pieces of wood by the helpe whereof the booke of the Law is carryed up and downe are called by them etz chaijm the wood of life to which that sentence of Solomon was Godfather Wisdome is the tree of life to them thâ—t lay hold on it Gelilah signifies a folding intimating what things may be observed in the folding and unfolding of the book When the Chanter takes this holy booke out of the Arke then he goes into the pulpit where he reads out of the same these words following It came to passe when the Aâ—ke was set forth that Moses said Rise up O Lord and let thine enemies be scattered and let them that hate thee flee before thee Againe Many people shall goe and say come yee and let us goe up to the mountaine of the Lord to the house of the God of Jacob and he will teach us of his waies and we will walke in his pathes for out of Sion shall goe forth the Law and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem The Chanter when he begins to sing laying the book upon his arme saith O praise the Lord with me and let us magnifie his name together To which the whole congregation makes this answer O magnifie the Lord our God and fall down before his foot stool for he is holy O magnifie the Lord our God and worship him upon his holy hil for the Lord our God is holy Directly above that four square structure is placed a certain table covered with a silken Carpet upon which the Chasan or Chanter laies down the book of the Law Then comes he who is to purchase the Office of Gelilah with his money taking away and devesting the booke of its formerly in wrapping garments which finished the Chasan and the other who was to buy his place calling one out of the whole congregation and commanding his personall appearance in his fathers name and his own he approaching the presence seats himselfe in the middle kisses the book not upon the bare leaves of the same for this were an hainous offence but through the swadling cloutes thereof and grasping the cover thereof saies with a loud voice praise the Lord c. Blessed be thou O God who hast chosen us unto thy selfe before all other nations of the earth and hast given us thy Law Blessed be thou O God the Law giver Now the Jew perswades himselfe that his lot is fallen unto him in a fair ground seeing he hath seen and handled the tree of life and therefore becomes blessed above all other people In the next place the minister reades a chapter or section out of the Bible which ended he who was formerly summoned to appeare takes the book the second time and kisseth it saying Blessed be thou O God who hast given us the very law and implanted unto us eternall life Blessed be thou the Law-giver After this two more are successively called whose behaviour is squared according to the platforme of the formers carriage He that came first in goes out by another doore then that which afforded him entrance After these another is cited who ought to have a well brawned arme for hee must lift up the book at armes end and turning round must expose it to the view of every spectator the whole congregation in the mean season bellowing ouâ— This is the law which Moses gave to the Israelites This Office is named Hagbahah and is sold to him for money who bids most While the match is in making those brawling scolds the women presse into the Synagogue with a great deale of quarrelling and much opposition every one striving to gain a place in some window or other where they may be blessed with the sight of such an holy booke thinking to reape some pleasure by the sole beholding of it seeing their lips cannot bee allowed to second their husbands in billing of it The women have a peculiar Synagogue of their owne differenced from that of their husbands with latticed and cross-barred windowes Concerning which much is spoken in the Talmud and an evident demonstration there of is given by the Prophet Zachary in these words The land shall mourne every family apart the family of the house of David apart and their wives apart the family of the house of Nathan apart and their wives apart The family of the house of Levi apart and their wives apart The family of Shimei apart and their wives apart All the families that remaine every family apart and their wives apart Whence they conclude that the men and women are not to come into the same Sinagogue in the time of divine service and that for modesty and honesties sake seeing not only women but men likewise are apt and inclineable to fall into divers lustfull cogitations when they are in the same place together If the Jew who reades the Law chance to stumble and let the booke fall out of his hand he is bound to fast and all the rest also for a long time together seeing this accident presageth some great calamity to come upon them At length come they who have purchased the Gelilah and etz chajim the one of them touching the wooden cover of the booke folding it up great experience is required in this case the other administers the linnen clothes in which it ought to be inwrapped and its silver-twisted coat involving all the rest Then comes every one in the Synagogue both young and old and kisses the booke touching it only with two fingers with which they afterwards handle their face which action relishing of a supreme sanctity is held for a soveraigne medicine against blindnesse and all diseases incident to the eie While the booke is carryed to the Arke the Chanter sings praise the name of the Lord for the name of this our God is of great power and strength The congregation answereth and saith His praise is above heaven and earth he hath exalted the horne of his peculiar people to the praise of all his saints Yea the Israelites being a folke most neare unto him praise yee the Lord. When the book is laid in the Arke the people say or sing those words of Moses used by him when the Arke rested Returne O Lord unto the many thousands of Israel Then they conclude all saying as was formerly noted at their going out of the Synagogue O Lord lead me in thy justice because of mine enemies make my way plaine before thy face The Lord shall keep my going out and comming in from this time forth for evermore These words they repeate also when they goe out
hath a most accurate dispute in his Madrasch or Exposition upon the Pentateuch which book is called Zeror hammor in English a bundle of Myrrhe Other interpreters in this place say thinking their opinion to be more plausible that the Jewes use to smell to the perfumes because the fire of hell the Sabbath yet lasting doth not stinke but so soon as the Sabbath is ended and the doores of hell set open that the soules of the wicked departed this life may enter againe into the place of torment then it begins to send out an ill savour against which the nosing of those odors are a present remedy as it is recorded in their Germane Minhagin They looke upon their nailes also because of their fruitfull growth which aâ—though they be alwaies cut upon the Friday yet notwithstanding they alwaies grow againe Others say that this is done in remembrance of that garment which God at the first made for Adam in paradise for it was of the colour of the nailes of a mans hand Others that all this is done to distinguish the nailes from the flesh which wonderfull consideration had its first originall from Adam Who when he saw the whole world wrapt up in darknesse weeping said Woe unto me for whose sinne alone the whole earth is darkned Then God suggested this into his mind that he should take two stones and strike the one against the otherpunc which he doing the fire sparkled out whereat he lighted a candle Then Adam marking that he was every whit naked the utmost parts of his fingers onely excepted he praised God with a greater admiration as we may read in the book called Colbâ— They poure some part of the conseâ—rated wine upon the ground for lucks sake because such an effusion prognosticates that house to become plentifully stored with all things necessary for the sustenanâ—e of life and that in such a manner that they shame not to write that in what house soever this wine is not poured out as water there is no blessing at all resident Some are of opinion that this pouring out of the wine to be done for the refreshing of Corah and his rebellious companions for the Jewes doe foolishly perswade themselves that these being swallowed up of the earth doe as yet remaine alive therein and are comforted by this consecrated wine A little before somewhat was delivered concerning the stinke of hell fire for the confirmation of which we have this story in the Talmud That wicked man Turnus Rophus upon a certaine time demanded of Rabbi Akibha in what respect the Sabbath did excell other daies of the weeke that they should prosecute it with so great honour The Rabbine replyed why doe mortals more honour thee then other men of the same mould because said the King my liege will have it so To whom Rabbi Akibha answered againe The King of Kings even our God himselfe wils us to give more honour and reverence unto the Sabbath then to any day in the weeke besides Turnus replies who can certainly assure thee that your Sabbath day is the seventh day and so the true Sabbath indeed perhaps you may celebrate it upon some other The Rabbine answers this may be proved 1. By a water-course of the River Sambation who estreame is so headstrong for the space of six daies that it roles huge great stones along with it by reason whereof it denies any one passage for the whole weeke but upon the Sabbath day it stands unmoveable not running at all in honour to the Sabbath 2. I can draw an evident argument for the demonstration hereof from thy fathers Sepulchre For all the weeke long the smoake and stench of hell fire iss ues out of it because for that space he is tormented therein but upon the Sabbath day the Sepulchre sends out no ill savour the reason is thy father at that time is come out of hell and takes his rest so that the fire thereof hath no power over him and for this very cause smoaks not upon that day When Turnus heard these words of the Rabbine he said unto him peradventure the time of his adjudgement to hell torments is now expired The Rabbine bids him goe unto thy fathers tombe the Sabbath now ended and see if it doe not smoake as yet Which Turnus hearing went and found it to be as the Rabbine had spoken This moved Turnus to a hainous enterprize for by enchantments he cals his father from hell and thus bespeaks him How comes it to passe said hee who diddest not sanctifie the Sabbath all thy life long shouldest now being dead observe and keep it How farre is the time spent since thou becamest so godly a Jew He answered My sonne whosoever living among you will not keep the Sabbath willingly in this place after death must be forced thereunto The sonne replies how are you occupied I pray you upon the worke dayes Upon them saith he some burns us with fire but upon the Sabbath day we enjoy our rest For upon Friday at evening a Proclamation goes forth declaring that the time of ceslation is now present and that the wicked should depart to celebrate the Sabbath which we hearing betake our selves to rest and in resting sanctifie the Sabbath Then in the end of the Sabbath when the Jewes have ended all their prayers then comes an evill Angell called Dumah who is our Master and commands us to returne into hell because the people of Israel have now put an end to their Sabbath Then wee recoiling into hell are scorched by the flames thereof untill the next Sabbath These are our infernall imployments If any have an itching desire to read any more concerning these horrible trifling fopperies let him reade Rabbi Bechai in parscha vaiischma Jethro that is in his exposition upon the eighteenth Chapter of Exodus where hee writes many things about the Sabbath Now seeing God in the Law of Moses and the Prophets oftentimes commanded the Jewes that upon the seventh day they should doe no manner of work and so abstaine from the prophanation thereof Hence ariseth a grand controversie among the Rabbines what may be done what left und one thereupon Concerning which matter there is a large tract in the Talmud upon which the chiefe and most learned Rabbines have written a Commentary so that whosoever could broach the most subtle and acute meditations concerning the genuine manner of sanctifying the Sabbath he was or certainly would have been accounted a teacher unto others I will onely repeat some few things conducible to the matter in hand First then whereas God in his Law commands that not only man but also the beast shall rest upon the Sabbath day The Rabbines with a curious kind of augmentation eâ—quire how far any beast as horse asse or others of the same kinde may lawfully goe upon the Sabbath day Whether also any of these creatures may be allowed to carry any burden thereupon This question is fully stated and that doctorâ€like
the least finger in any thing which may carry any shew of labour with it or which may administer any occasion which may become a provocation to some worke or other So often as they are necessitated as in the winter time to the making of fires at sundry times to the snuffing of candles putting out of their lampes laying their meate to the fire milking their kine and such like they hire some poore serving man who is a Christian to do the same Hence they are wont to glory that they are the sole Lords Masters and Free-men of the Christians vassals and bond-slaves and they who sitting behind a hot furnace shall doe all their workes for them It were therefore in my opinion very meet and convenient that the Christian Magistrates should interdict all those that are their subjects to do any such servile workes for the Jewes either upon the Sabbath or at any other time I should have brought some certaine of their prayers for a conclusion of this Chapter in the most of which they re-member to pray against the Christians Wherein they beseech God that hee would vouchsafe to give unto the Jewes the riches of the Gentiles that he would utterly confound the Ammonites Moabites and Edomites for by this meanes they Christen us at this day that he would smite all people with great feare and vexation and stirre up great warres and tumults among the nations even from the East unto the west But because I have decreed to reserve these and many others for another tract I here omit them and conclude with the saying of the Prophet Isaiah Bring no more vain oblations CHAP. XII How the Jewes prepare themselves to celebrate the Passeover and of the celebration of it HOW the Jewes carry themselves all the weeke long daily practising the duties of modesty and godlinesse hath been hitherto declared Now it followes that wee should speake some things of those solemnities and rites wherewith they are wont to celebrate their Festivals Their feasts are of two sorts some great and famous such as those were which their Ancestours kept and held once every year comming from all quarters to the celebration of it even to Jerusalem and their appearing before the Lord Of this sort was the Feast of the Passeover the Feast of weekes or Pentecost the Feast of Tabernacles which three were commonly called Schelasch Regalim out of the booke of Exodus Other Feasts they use which they keep in those Cities wherein they dwell and inhabite which they call Jomim toâ—im that is to say good dayes The chiefe Feast among them of the first sort is the Passeover which they call by the name of Pesach and is also the first in order for from the moneth in which it is celebrated they begin to reckon their annuall Festivals and that according to the commandement of God in the Law of Moses saying This month shall bee unto you the beginning of months it shall be the first month in the yeare to you Lo the first day of the month Nisan is wherein the New Moone begins her course is the beginning of the yeare from which they begin to reckon and order aright their solemnities Their common yeare takes its beginning from the first of September by them called Tisri in the time of the new moon Hence we read of a foure-fold new yeare in the Talmud The first begins upon the first day of Nisan or March it is the new yeare wherein begins the computation of the reigns of their Kings and celebration of their Feasts The second begins upon the first day of the month Elul or August and is called the new yeare of the bringing up of cattell The third takes its beginning from the first day of Schebeth or January and it is called the new yeare for trees Rabbi Hillel saith that this year begins on the fifteenth day of the foresaid moneth The last is called the New yeare of yeares to wit of the yeare of remission of Jubilee of the planting of trees and herbes and it begin upon the first of Tisri or September So much the Talmud Which is thus to bee understood The yeare of Kings is that yeare according to which they reckon the yeares of their reigne in all Contracts Indentures Bils and Bonds made in the yeare of such or such a King so that though any King do begin his reigne a month onely or a weeke yea but a day before the first of March yet is time reckoned unto him for a whole yeare and the first of March next ensuing they begin to write the second year of his reign In the same manner the first day of March is the time from whence they begin to number their annuall Feasts and holidaies So the Feast of the Passeover is kept in the first moneth the Feast of Tabernacles in the seventh moneth and so forth 2. The beginning of August begins the yeare of the bringing up of their cattell from whence they begin to reckon the yeare and moneth in which such and such a beast was brought forth so that by this meanes they more easily pay tithe unto the Lord. 3. The first day of the new Moon in September is the beginning of yeares because from this day they have alwaies begun the computation of years from the Creation of the world to this present time The yeare of rest or remission which was the seventh yeare or Sabbaticall yeare when their fields and vines were suffered to keepe holiday took its beginning from the first day of this month as also the yeare of Jubilee which was every fiftieth yeare celebrated of which you may read in the twenty fifth Chapter of the third book of Moses From this also they began to account the times wherein they planted or grafted trees or herbes So when any tree was planted in the moneth of June then the first yeare of its planting ended in August and the second began in September c. the tree being accounted as uncleane and uncirâ—umâ—ised untill three yeares were past and gone Lastly The first day or according to Rabbi Hillel the fifteenth of January did begin the new yeare of trees and fruits for according to the time that the trees before or after this day did bring forth their fruits so were they permitted or not permitted to be eaten and according to this supputation they payed their tiâ—hes also The fruits ripening before the beginning of this month are dates and orenges and such like which were lawfull to bee eaten the yeare not run out But they which brought forth fruit which was not come to its full growth the yeare not yet ended it was not permitted unto any to eat thereof before the fifteenth day of January They payed tithes in like manner of the former sort but not of these This is at large handled in the fore-cited place of the Talmud Antonius Margarita in his booke of the faith of the Jewes saith that
long as the oake or other of that kinde for saith the lord as the dayes of a tree are the dayes of my people and my elect shall long enioy the works of their hands and againe there shall be no more thence an infant of dayes nor an old man that hath not filled his dayes for the child shall die an hundred yeares old bnt the Sinner being an hundred years old shall be accursed which is as much as to say if any die at an hundred years of age it shall be said of him that he died as a little infant or in his infancy for at that time the years of life of the Israelites shall be equal to them of the fathers from Adam to Noah as Abenezra comments upon the place The ninth is that God shall so clearly manifest himself to the Israelites that they shall see him face to face As it is recorded The glory of the Lord shall be revealed and all flesh shall see together because the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it Yea all the Lords people shall be Prophets as it is written It shall come to pass afterward that I will powr out my spirit upon all flesh and your sons and your daughters shall prophesie your old men shall dream dreams your yong men shall see visions The last degree of comfort is that God shall quite root out of them all imbred lusts and inclinations unto evil as it is written A new heart also will I give you and a new spirit will I put within you and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh and I will give you an heart of flesh Hitherto we have delivered what we promised out of the book called Abhkas râ—chel in which though it be summarily set down what the Jews beleeve concerning their Messias as also the manner how he is to bring them back to Jerusalem yet I think not impertinent in this place a litle more largely to declare with what solemnities their Messias shal give them intertainement in their own land and with what happiness and felicitie they shall lead their lives under him When then the Messias hath gathered all the Jews together out of all the nations under heaven and from the foure winds of the earth and hath brought them unto the land of Canaan flowing with milk and hony then shall he cause to be prepared a sumptuous and delicate banquet inviting and friendly welcoming unto it all the Jews with great pomp and joy inexpressible At this banquet shall be dished up and served in the greatest beastes fishes and fouls that ever God created The worst wine that they shall drink shall be that whose grape had its growth in paradise and hath been barrel'd up and reserved in Adams Cellar unto that time The first dish in this feast shall be that huge oxe described in the book of Job to be of such great strength and magnitude named Behemoth This the Rabbines affirme to be the same oxe whereof David makes mention in his 50 Psalm and 10 verse All the beasts of the forrest are mine and the cattel Behemoth feeding on a thousand hills that is to say which every day eateth up the grass of a thousand hils But a man will aske what at length would have become of this oxe if he had lived so long seeing he had long since eaten up all his fodder The Rabbines learnedly answer that this oxe is stall-fed and remains always in the same place and that whatsoever he eateth on the day grows again upon the night in the same length and forme The second dish adorning the table shall be that vast whale Leviathan according to the Jewish tone Pronounced Lipiasan who is also described in the book of Job and mentioned in other places of holy writ Concerning these two beasts there hath bin handsomly compiled this tradition by the wit and ingenuity of the solid pated Rabbins in their Talmud it runs thus Rabbi Jehudah saith that what thing soever God created in the world he created it male and female and that without all doubt for he created the Leviathan yet least the he and she Leviathan by engendring should augment the number and at length by there monstrous magnitude and multitude destroy the whole world God gelded the male and killed the female reserving her in pickle to be meat for them that are just in Judah and feared him in the dayes of the Messias as it is written In that day will the lord with a sore and great and strong sword punish Leviathan the piercing serpent even Leviathan that crooked serpent and he shall slay the dragon that is in the sea In the same manner he created that great ox called Behemoth feeding on a thousand hils male and female yet lest by multiplying they might fill and destroy the earth he gelded the male and killed the female reserving it for the Jewes diet in time to come as it is written Loe now his strength is in his loynes and his force in the navell of his belly he that made him can make his sword to approach unto him The third dish in this banquet as Elias Levita in his dictionarie named Tesbi out of the Rabbins reports shall be that horrible huge bird called Barinchue which killed and unboweld shall then be rosted Concerning this bird it is written in the Talmud she cast an Egge out of her nest by whose fall three hundred tall Cedars were broken down and the Egge breaking in the full drowned three score villages By this relation it is easie to conceive this bird to have been little inferiour in greatnes to the forementioned oxe and fish whence we may also collect how glorious a dish the Messias is to make of it for his guests and when there are many such birds Guls I think found in the land of Judah none ought to think that which is reported of this to be fabulous In the forementioned book of the Talmud we read of a certain great crow which was seen of a Rabbine worthy to be credited The relation runs thus Rabbi barchannah saith At a certain time I saw a frog which is as great as the village Akra in Hagronia well how big was the village It consisted of no fewer then threescore houses Then came a mighty serpent and swallowed up this frog Instantly upon this a great crow flying that way picked up as a small morsel both the frog and the serpent and taking him to flight sat upon a Tree now think with your selves how great and strong this tree must be To which Rabbi papa the son of Samuel making answer unless I had been in the place and with these mine eyes seen the very tree I would not have beleeved it Thus much the Talmudist Who dare give the lie to this Rabbine When that good man Kimchi commenting on the fifty Psalm and explaining the word Ziz hath there witnessed that Rabbi