did And this is not contrary to Reason For if according to Galen good Diet preserves Health and consequently prolongs Life may we not allow the same Efficacy nay greater to the wise Government of the Soul Now the Body receives Life from the Union of the Soul therefore if this be manag'd according to the Rules of true Holiness which are not prescrib'd by Galen or Hippocrates but which we learn from Heaven no Man can deny but it is most reasonable to expect long Life from a perseverance in that I remember that I have read of a certain Rabbi that wonder'd that Men should live so long in Babylon when 't is situated so low which Places Avicenna takes notice are very unhealthy but when he was inform'd that they often frequented the Synagogues he was very well satisfied The like I met with in Guemera de Tahanit c. 4. where some People asking how they might prolong their lives the wise Men answer'd that it might be done partly by a natural Cause and partly by a moral one viz. The fear of the Lord. I have read also of a Merchant who liv'd in the Island of Cyprus that order'd it to be proclaim'd that he had abundance of sweet Spices to sell that were excellent to preserve Life and when a great many People came to purchase them he pull'd out a Psalter out of his Bag and shew'd 'em the 34th Psalm where David says v. 13 14. What man is he that desireth life and loveth many days that he may see good Keep thy tongue from evil and thy lips from speaking guile by which he would intimate that Piety was the best Aromatick to procure long Life Besides the Meditation upon God's word is the means to prolong Life and restore the natural Heat This is strongly confirm'd by Solomon's Exhortation For that most wise King where he speaks about the Law says Length of Days is in her Right-hand and in her Left-hand Riches and Honour Prov. 3.16 Also Chap. 9.11 By me thy days shall be multiplied and in another place Chap. 3.8 It shall be health to my Navel and marrow to my Bones The Reason is because the Scripture saith Man shall not live by bread only but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the Lord Deut. 83. From hence it appears that Men are nourish'd by Spiritual as well as Corporal Food And this I believe is the Reason why Solomon compares the Law of God to the Tree of Life Prov. 3.18 because as the Tree of Life which was in Paradise had such a Vertue that whoever tasted the Fruit of it grew young and vigorous again So the Law of God which is like the Tree of Life has the same effect In like manner if Adam had not sinn'd tho' his Body was compounded of a mixture of the four Elements he might have liv'd a great many Years longer and at last his Soul together with his Body might have been translated into Heaven as it happen'd to Enoch and Elias and all others would have enjoyed the like Privilege who had liv'd in perfect Obedience to the Law Hence the Rabbins believe that when the Law was given to Moses God plac'd the Israelites in the same State that Adam was in before the Fall But that happy Condition lasted not long by reason of their abominable Idolatry in worshipping the Calf Therefore David says Ps 82.7 8. I have said ye are Gods and all of you are Children of the most high But ye shall die like Men c. What I have mention'd already does notably illustrate and confirm that singular Example which is recorded in Guemera Jebamot c. 12. of a certain Family in Jerusalem out of which whosoever was born seldom liv'd above Eighteen years which thing being related to R. Johanan Ben Zachay and being ask'd what was the reason of it he bid them enquire if they were not of Eli's Posterity whom God had threaten'd saving 1 Sam. 2.33 All the increase of thing House shall die in the flower of their Age. And it was discover'd that they were deriv'd from him Upon which he admonish'd them that if they desir'd God would grant them longer Lives they should very diligently meditate upon his Law This wise Man's advice had its effect and experience shew'd it And our of gratitude the Family would ever after be call'd by his Name Our Rabbins likewise report that the Sabbath-day on which David died he was very intent in meditating on God's Law which when the Angel Samuel who is the common Executioner of Death perceiv'd he could not execute his Office Wherefore he contriv'd this Stratagem that a high Wind should vehemently shake the Trees that grew in David's Court that might occasion his coming abroad which it did but as he was going down some steps he miss'd one of them and fell down upon which the King being in a Consternation did not think upon God's Law so his Meditation ceasing his Life ceas'd also The Rabbins in this place are of opinion that David obtain'd such Favour from God by his Sanctity and his devout Hymns that Death could have had no Power over him if he had not committed Adultery and Murder Save only in the Matter of Uriah says the Scripture 1 Kings 15.5 This is enough to shew that our Life may be prolong'd by observing God's Laws and meditating thereon so that if any one would perfectly and constantly observe the Law it is probable that like Elias he would never die For I believe this may be miraculously done two ways First by preserving the Radical Moisture in its due State Secondly by preserving the Vertue of our Food As to the First it is confirmed by the Example of Moses who liv'd forty Days in Mount Sinai without Meat or Drink then the Divine Law which was instead of Food preserv'd the Radical Moisture in its due Vigour and Strength The other is confirm'd by the Example of Elias for the Angel said unto him Arise and eat because the Journey is too great for thee 1 Kings 19.7 8. And in the next verse 't is added That he went in the strength of that meat 40 days and 40 nights For the vertue in the Meat was preserv'd as if he had but just eaten it so that he was not sensible of any Fatigue all those 40 days and Nights We must not forget the wonderfull Story of Elias and the Woman of Sarepta for we read how the Prophet said unto her 1 Kings 17.14 The Barrel of Meal shall not waste neither shall the Cruise of Oyl fail And so it came to pass for as much as was taken out one day was restor'd the next Thus the Radical Moisture which is like Oyl is miraculously preserv'd in its due quantity and quality by a constant Course of Piety I say miraculously because it can't be naturally And when I propos'd this Question to Zacuthus a very learned and worthy Physician among us he courteously answer'd in a particular Treatise that it
Vivacity of Wit Strength of Judgment Subtilty of Reasoning or close Application to Lexicons or Indexes are requisite to set up a Translator I shall presently answer them I only made use of a little discretion in making choice of an Author that may perhaps be more serviceable to the Advancement of Knowledge and pardon me for saying it Christianity too than the late stupid Defences for a lewd ill-govern'd Stage or the abominable Libels of all reveal'd Religion and of our most holy Faith that have been publish'd by the perfidious Underminers of them Some Men I know will quarrel with me but not sting me for letting Women and part Apprentices know what the Jews have said concerning these matters But if I can improve any Man's knowledge though 't is a Cobler's I shall not refuse to be his humble Servant at Command If the bold Maintainers of Mr. Hobbs's Sophistical Principles concerning irrevocable Fate and Necessity are displeas'd with the Author or the Translator I 'll leave them to be confuted by the Learned Dr. H. More Immortal of the Soul B. 2. c. 3. or what is worse by their Necessity My Author has divided his Treatise into three Books In the first he maintains that there is a certain Term of Man's Life and tells us how this was understood by the Ancient and Modern Jews In the 2d he handles that celebrated Problem whether this Term is fix'd or alterable In the 3d he endeavours to shew how God's Fore-knowledge and Man's Free-will are to be reconciled I have translated all the Texts of Scripture quoted by M. B. I according to the last Translation of our Bibles Now because 't is plain that I have some time and Paper to spare it may be expected I should declare my own Sentiments about these things I am sorry I am oblig'd to disappoint these Men but I will comply so far as to discover I have his leave for it the Opinion of an intimate Acquaintance Says he We cannot be too cautious of avoiding that Opinion which Demure People have entertain'd of God's pre-determining the Acts of our Will and of absolutely pre-ordaining the means as well as the end For this seems to cut of a possibility of Guilt and a possibility of Innocence for what possibility is there of abstaining from that Sin which by God's Determination is acknowledg'd to be inevitable How can that be a Sin which carries no contrariety to God's Will as being preordain'd and so Will'd by him This Opinion continues he seems to rob us of our Understandings and Wills for what use is there of Understandings if we cannot do what we know or of our Wills if we do not Act that voluntarily which we do How apt are Men when they look upon Christianity as a Chain only of fatal Causes and affix all Events to a necessary Concatination of Causes to throw off all thoughts of a Judgment to come and to undervalue all Threats which might restrain their Impieties and all Rewards that might oblige them to Obedience and so run into those Extreams which are opposite to God's Laws and irreconcileable to the Civil Constitutions of Men for he that conceits himself led by such irresistable Decrees will not only prosecute his own Fansie and so transgress but even hate all Laws and all those too who are by Duty oblig'd to punish them for their Extravagancies This is all I shall offer now because I am told by a very great Man of our Church in his Discourse of Death Sect. 5. p. 186. That these things will be Disputes as long as the World lasts unless Men grow wiser than to trouble themselves with such Questions as are above their reach and which they can never have a clear Notion and Perception of The Reason of concealing my Name is too great to be inserted here but when I have another Opportunity I will shew that I am not asham'd of it I have presented the World with the best Account of Menasseh Ben-Israel's Life that I could pick up in his own Writings or in common Conversation If any one can oblige me with any thing more remarkable I hope I shall have room to insert that and my Thanks in another Edition Farawel THE LIFE OF Menasseh Ben-Israel MENASSEH Ben-Israel was born in Portugal about the Year 1604 in the Reign of Philip the III. King of Spain His Father was Joseph Ben-Israel a rich and eminent Merchant His Mothers Name was Rachel Soeira who was descended from an Honourable Family His Father being persecuted by the Spanish Inquisition for his Religion and having lost his Goods and almost his Life for he was three times most his barbarously Tortur'd privately made his Escape to Holland with his Wife and Children Ephraim and Menasseh Not long after his Arrival Menasseh was committed to the Care of R. Isaac Usiel who instructed him in the Hebrew Language in which he made so great a Proficiency that at the Age of Eighteen Years he succeeded his Master in the Synagogue at Amsterdam where he Preach'd and explain'd the Talmud for several Years together Of the exact time of his Marriage I cannot at present be inform'd But his Wife's Name was Rachel of the Family of Abravanel Councellour to the King of Spain whose Pedegree some of the Jews I know not upon what grounds derive from David He had by her two Sons Joseph and Samuel and one Daughter nam'd Grace His Circumstances being very low for his Salary from the Synagogue was not above fifty Dollars per annum he was forc'd to send to his Brother Ephraim at Brasil to put him in a method to mend his Fortunes by Merchandize In the mean time he apply'd himself to the Study of Philosophy and the Holy Scriptures to which he was addicted even from his Child-hood He maintain'd a good Correspondence with several Learn'd and Ingenious Men of his time and was deservedly Honour'd and Respected by them as I shall shew in its proper place But after he was engag'd to his unexpressible Grief in a way of Traffick he was very much diverted from the Prosecution of his beloved Studies Great part of his time was taken up in the Press for he Printed all his Books with his own Letters and at his own Expence so that considering his Attendance in the Synagogue his Care of the Press and necessary Employment in his Domestick Affairs he had no opportunity to discharge the common Offices of Friendship Notwithstanding all this upon an Invitation he came into England in the times of the execrable and un-natural Rebellion His stay here was but short because he did not meet with that Encouragement which he expected However he had the joyful Satisfaction to contribute to the Settlement of those of his own Religion in this Country And as I am inform'd he was once civilly entertain'd by the Protector at his Table he had frequent Conferences with some of the Eminent covenanting Divines of those unhappy times but I believe he was too honest and
is so too The time of our Birth is doubtless uncertain for though the Talmudick Doctors do averr That the Foetus's of dumb Animals are form'd within a limitted time yet they do not own the same of young Children They make the time of Parturition threefold one at the ninth Month which is common and usual and this they will have meant by the word Conception which in the Hebrew contains the number 271 for there are so many days in nine Months The second time that a Woman is with Child is seven Months hence in the Jerusalem Targum upon these words Gen. 3.16 I will greatly multiply thy Sorrow and thy Conception c. the Commentators say That the word in multiplying according to the numerical Letters of the Hebrew makes up 212 days which are equivalent to seven Months agreeably to this the Philosophers Empedocles Plotinus and Macrobius say That a Child can't live that is born before the seventh Month. Some of the Rabbins are of an Opinion that every one of the seven Planets performs an Office in the Production of Children The third time of Parturition is extended to the 12th Month. Agellius B. 3. chap. 16. reports that a Woman was brought to Bed at Rome the 11th Month after her Husband's Decease The Emperor Adrian by the Consent of Physicians and Philosophers maintains that this thing is possible Bernard mentions a Woman which is scarce credible that was 16 Months with Child Thus we see that it is ordinary for Women to be with Child nine Months yet extraordinarily they may be Deliver'd before or after that time so the ordinary Term of Man's Life is 70 years yet very sew live so long Therefore the Term of our Life is not so precisely Fix'd but it may be chang'd SECT 2. Man's Life may be shortne'd several ways viz. by Divine Providence Chance or Nature These three Causes I put instead of the three fatal Sisters to whom the Heathens ascrib'd the Boundaries of Life Thus a Man's Life is shortn'd by Providence for Example when a Man is cut off from the People which Punishment the Scripture makes mention of and by which the Cabbalists Aramban and Isaac Abravanel affirm a Man's Life is taken away in the midst of his days and the Soul after its Separation from the Body is depriv'd of the sight of God Hence it is manifest that our Life may be shortn'd by Sin and prolong'd by Vertue But I shall Illustrate this Argument by some Examples The Rabbins say That Abraham liv'd 175 years which are five less than his Son Isaac because he should not see the Impiety of his Kinsman Esau Rachel also did not live out her days For that which proceeds out of a righteous Man's mouth is the same as if it came out of an Angels Jacob not knowing that she had stolen her Fathers Idols curs'd her saying With whom soever thou sindest thy Gods let him not live Gen. 31.32 So they say though Joseph liv'd 110 years yet he died before all his Brethren because he had exercis'd a great deal of Severity towards them Abijah is said to be slain by the Lord for the Sin by which he polluted himself saying Ye be a great multitude and there are with you Golden Calves which Jerobeam made you for Gods 2 Chron. 13.8 With this agrees what Isaiah says Chap. 6.5 Wee is me for I am undone because I am a Man of unclean Lips and an Angel came and touched his Lips with which he had offended with a Coal There are more clear Examples beside these in Saul and his Sons which the Scripture expresses after this manner 1 Chron. 10.13 14. So Saul died for his Transgression which he committed against the Lord even against the word of the Lord which he kept not God smote Nabal with a sudden Death 1 Sam. 25.38 And it came to pass about ten days after that the Lord smote Nabal that he died Here the Jewish Doctors note that those were the ten days which are between the beginning of the Year and the Day of Expiation which we call penitential days because every one ought then to Examine his Life and consider what he has said or done amiss Jeremiah foretold the Death of Hananiah the false Prophet Chap. 28.16 This year shalt thou die because thou hast taught Rebellion against the Lord. But what shall we say of that vast multitude which perish'd in the Deluge of those that were consum'd in Sodom and Gomorrah of Korah Dathan and Abiram and their wicked Accomplices whom the Earth swallow'd up alive Of that grievous Plague which swept away so many Israelites in David's time Is it not manifest enough that their Lives were shorten'd by Divine Providence Pertinent to this are the words of David Psal 37.22 Such as be blessed of him shall inherit the Earth And they that be cursed of him shall be cut off and of Jeremiah Chap. 17.11 He that getteth Riches and not by Right shall leave them in the midst of his days which R. Kimchi expounding says He shall die before his time Job says Chap. 36.12 If they obey not they shall perish by the Sword And Solomon Eccl. 8.13 It shall not be well with the wicked neither shall he prolong his days Chap. 7.17 Be not overmuch wicked neither be thou foolish Why shouldst thou die before thy time Upon which places the Chaldee Paraphrast says They shall shorten their days because they shall die before their time comes to die Because God us'd to punish Sinners with untimely Death therefore David prays Psal 102.24 That God would not take him away in the midst of his days The Cabbalists upon that place of the Proverbs Chap. 13.23 There is that is destroyed for want of Judgment say That it is certain that Men often die before their time Hither may be referr'd those Persons that are punish'd for their Crimes as Joab Shimei and many more Concerning these Solomon observes Prov. 19.16 He that despiseth his ways shall die upon which words the Learned Aben Ezra comments Before his time because the Council shall put him to Death SECT 3. There is another way likewise by which Life may be shorten'd and that is by Chance or Fortune For this Reason R. Judah Levita upon those wards of Samuel Or he shall descend into the Battel and perish c. says That is an accidental Death And R. Joseph Albo affirms that it signifies a Death that happens by Chance and without any antecedent Offence and merely by the Power of a Celestial Sign But that I may explain this thing more clearly I shall shew what the Jews meant by Chance and Fortune And in the first place they usually distinguish between Fortune and Chance The latter of which they attribute to inanimate and insensible Creatures For instance if Tyles fall from a House when the Wind blows and kill a Man Here we have two things 1. A natural Cause for it is natural for the Wind to blow 2. That which may be
it is confirm'd by Experience for R. Aquiba's Daughter being almost stung to Death by a Serpent which the Astrologers had foretold was recover'd upon the Account of her generous Charity Hence comes the Rabbinical Proverb Whoever says I give this Money that my Children may live is perfectly just The meaning of which is though we owe our Life and Goods and all that we possess to God who gave them Nevertheless whosoever relieves a poor Man in expectation of obtaining God's Favour he ought not to be esteem'd simple but perfectly just So much for Alms. The next Remedy is fervent Prayer By this means Hezekiah prevail'd so much with God that he granted him a longer Life though he had determin'd his Death From hence comes that saying of the wise Men Though a Man sees a sharp Sword clapp'd to his Throat yet he must not despair of God's Mercy By which they understand that Prayer has such a Power that it can reverse the Sentence of Death which was pronounc'd by God against him Therefore when David says Ps 107.6 Then they cried unto the Lord in their trouble and he deliver'd them out of their distresses The Psalmist understands this of the time of the Aegyptian Captivity For the Israelites lifting up their minds to Heaven humbly pray'd that God would release them before the appointed time This is the chiefest Remedy the Jews make use of when they are dangerously sick And because the Prayers of many are usually more acceptable it is appointed that the Sick should be pray'd for in the Synagogues I have read of R. Hanina Ben Dossa a very pious Man who us'd to judge of the Life or Death of those Sick Persons that he pray'd for For says he if I pronounce my Prayer smoothly and easily it is a sign of its Acceptance and that the Person will recover but if it is in the least interrupted or I hesitate it is an infallible Token that he will die This did truly once happen to R. Gamaliel's Son who being very sick his Father sent two Servants to R. Hanina to desire him to pray to God for his recovery which when he had done he told the Messengers their Petition was heard and so dismiss'd them and after that the Fever abated and great hopes of his recovery appear'd The Scripture likewise informs us that the Widow of Sarepta's Son was recovered by the Prayers of Elias and that Elisha by his Prayers restor'd the Shunamite's Son to Life Therefore without doubt fervent Prayer is exceeding effectual for the preservation or recovery of Health The third Remedy is a Change of the Name And this is very common among the Jews when they are in great danger of their Lives and it is perform'd in the Synagogue with extraordinary Ceremony and they always add the Name to the word Life The reason of their doing it is this for say they though the Change of the Name does not alter the Substance yet notwithstanding it causes some variation in as much as every one is distinguish'd by his Name Besides they will have this signifie an affection of the mind and a resolution of amending their Life which was so bad before that they did not deserve to be heard by God Some are of opinion that when they change their Name they change their Fortune as appears in the Example of Abraham for he was not so rich when his Name was Abram as he was when he was call'd Abraham While he was Abram he was only the Father of Mesopotamia but when he was Abraham he was Father of the Kingdoms of the World So while his Wise was call'd Sarai she was only a private Mistress but when she took the Name of Sarah she was Mistress of the World In like manner Jacob after his Victory over the Edomites was call'd Israel in token of his future Conquests For while the Captivity continued the People were Jahacob i. e. trodden down by the Gentiles So Moses when he sent the Spies to Canaan chang'd the Name of Osca into Jeshua because fore-seeing by his prophetick Spirit Joshua's Success he said to him the Lord shall preserve thee from the Malice of the Spies No doubt but there are other proper Names in the Scripture which have a peculiar Signification So Esau said to his Brother Jacob thou art truly call'd Jacob that is a Deceiver for thou hast deceived me twice Gen. 26.36 So Abigail truly call'd her Husband Nabal that is a Fool 1 Sam. 25.25 Likewise Naomi Ruth's Mother-in-Law said call me not Naomi i. e pleasant call me Marah i. e. bitter for the Almighty hath dealt very bitterly with me Ruth c. 1.20 After the same manner sick People have great hopes of their recovery from the Etymology of Life if other means are us'd besides Lastly The fourth Remedy is a Change of Works This is last in order but ought to be our first Care For certainly the Repentance of our past Sins prevails much with God Nineveh was to have been overthrown within forty Days but upon their Repentance God turn'd the Evil from them So King Ahab upon his Repentance intreated God that he might not see the Evil in his Days Hence the Talmudists say that Repentance prolongeth Man's Life And in another place speaking of the Efficacy of Repentance they say that God by reason of it will revoke and alter his Sentence These are the four supernatural Means of recovering Health to which some add fasting whether it be by those of our own Family or the Poor whom we have oblig'd with our Alms. For when Haman threatned the Israelites with inhumane Usage Hester and Mordecai and all the Jews fasted very strictly Ezra also approv'd of it and frequently practis'd it And it is said to Daniel ch 10.12 From the first day that thou didst set thine heart to understand and to chasten thy self before thy God thy words were heard Here we must take notice that by a revocation of a Sentence or a Decree R. Joseph Albo does not mean a Divine Decree but a Celestial Sign And therefore when any great Misfortune is threatned to a Man by the influence of the Planets that danger says he is remov'd by vertuous Actions For instance by the Power of the Planets the Ship that a Man designs to go into will certainly be cast away Now God hinders this Man from his design by sickness or some other way in the mean time the Ship is lost and the Man escapes Aben Ezra is of this opinion for upon the 34th Ch. of Exod. he says Suppose by the influence of the Planets certain Ruine attends any City and the Inhabitants thereof by sincere Repentance appease God's Wrath what shall come to pass Shall they be involv'd in the common Destruction of the City No God shall put them in mind to go up into the Mountains and high Places that they may secure themselves After which the Fields shall be overflow'd with a mighty Torrent of Water and the City shall be destroy'd So