they may enjoy the monarchy of the whole world for the performance of which their wish they poure out their prayers upon every Sabbath and festivall It is clearly manifest that they have not as yet rightly and duly kept and sanctified the seventh day and have not as yet delighted themselves therein to the full of a satiety When then in the first place they have feasted themselves and fill'd their guts with Sabbaticall cheer with great joy and gladnesse then they pray as abovesaid The table is left covered and spread untill the evening of the Sabbath The candles also lighted in honour thereof stand in their lampes unextinguished Hence ariseth a sharpe contention among them about the lights what is to be done what to be omitted It is not lawfull to hunt or feek for flies or lice by the benefit of their light or to read or write by them lest some in so doing should be moved to snuffe the lights and by this meanes profane the Sabbath Now seeing they will have the Sabbath to signiâ—ie delight therefore their wise Doctors think it good and as a great honor unto the day if any married man but especially one of the Rabbines who is learned and well seen in knowledge upon the Sabbath day at night hug and kisse his wife a little more then ordinary And this is the cause that they eat store of potato roots before the Sabbath begin that they may become more valiant in the act of carnall copulation For the same cause marriages are commonly celebrated upon the Sabbath day that their first concourse upon that night may bee the morefortunate and the Sabbath it selâ—e more highly dignified Hereupon the common opinion is that the infants begot upon this night continually be partakers of eminent fortunes and all of them at length attaine unto the dignity of wise and holy men chiefly then when in the act of generation the parents minds are full of good and pure cogitations when they come together not to fulfill the lusts of the flesh but in honour to the Sabbath Lastily when any Jew is a travelling upon Friday and is distant from his Inne or his own dwelling house at evening more then a Sabbath dayes journey then ought he to stay in that very place and there to reft himselfe and celebrate the Sabbath whether it be in field or in the middle of a wood all perils of robbers and want of meat and drinke set aside Concerning this matter there is extant a true story which runs as followeth Upon a certaine time three Jewes went a travelling When it began to be night and the Sabbath drew near then said one to another what course shall wee take the way is very dangerous by reason of robbers wild and evill beasts do also haunt the woods better it is that we hold on and every one become the deliverer of his owne soule then to keep the Sabbath with perill of losing both soule and body The third said I will not depart hence until the Sabbath be ended for he that commanded me to sanctifie it is able to preserve me in the middle of this wood When his fellowes perceived his resolution they held on their journey beeing Sabbath-breakers But this third man staied in the same place as though he had been nailed unto the ground and pitching his tent spread a linnen cloth upon the earth for want of a better table and set bread thereupon and what other provision he had and so saying his evening prayer sate him down to take his first Sabbath meale In the mean time as he was at his repast there came a Bore unto him of such an horrible and ugly shape as never eye beheld This said beast drawing neare unto him signified by certaine gestures that he was an hungry The Jew good man in a manner terrified gives him a crust of bread withall feeding himselfe with this meditation that God if it pleased him could easily preserve him in safety The Bore never moving eats the bread which was given him and staies there still So soon as the Jew had sufficiently refreshed himselfe he said his evening prayer which ended he lies downe upon the earth to take his rest and sleep the Bore lying downe besides him The morning light unlocking his eye-lids he was exceeding joifull that the Bore had not devoured him praising God and giving him thanks for such a benefit he orderly also pours out his morning devotions then taking his dinner and supper and running over all his prayers When the Sabbath was ended he making a separation divided the Sabbath from the rest of the weeke of which more shall bee spoken in the next Chapter and so went on his journey the Bore becomming his individuall companion all the night over Upon the same night his two companions had fallen into the hands of robbers who had spoiled them of all that they had At last the Bore accompanying him hee overtooke them whom so soone as the beast beheld hee run unto them and tore them both in pieces At the sight whereof feare begins to benum the spirits of the religious Jew and a strong opinion possessed him that hee also was at the last gaspe In the mean time they who had robbed his fellowes came unto him and questioned him what he was and from whence he travell'd He made answer I am a Jew for having a sure confidenâ—e in God he would not deny himselfe and came from the Kings pallace and am thus farre on my journy They further enquired of him where he got that Bore Hee answered the King bestowed him on me for a guide Then said one of the Robbers surely that Jew is in great favour with the King because his will was he should have a safe pass age by the conduct of that Bore And the other replyed we will give him all the money that wee have and lead him out of the wood for feare lest he discover us Which they did and accompanied him for a long and tedious space they also holding on to direct him in the way that he was to goe and the Bore run back into the wood againe The case standing thus it behoves every Jew committing himselfe to the protection of him that dwelleth in the highest heavens to remember keep and sanctifie the Sabbath day with all diligence CHAP. XI How the Jewes celebrate their Sabbath and also make an end thereof UPon the morning of the Sabbath they doe not so early leave their beds as at other times but sleep untill the day be farre spent and this they doe more for their own pleasure then for any due honor tendered unto the Sabbath yet the more pleasure they enjoy the more devoutly they celebrate the Sabbath in their opinion Their Rabbines doe most magisterially prove the lawfulnesse of this custome out of the Law out of the twenty eight Chapter of the fourth booke of Moses When Moses say they makes mention in that place of the daily sacrifice
solemnity cut their beards bath themselves feast and make merry because the daies of mourning for Akibha ' s schollers are now ended So much concerning the Feast of the passover I conclude all with the saying of Isaiah They have not known nor understood for he hath shut their eles that they cannot see and their hearts that they cannot understand Therefore with my Saviour I say let them alone They be blind leaders of the blind and if the blinde lead the blinde both shall fall into the ditch CHAP. XV. Of their Pentecost THE next Feast of the Jewes which is also one of their chiefest is that which Moses cals Chag Schebhnos the Feast of weeks because before the celebration thereof they are to number seven weeks from the passeover which containe 49 daies so that they held the Feast of Pentecost alwaies upon the fiftieth day after the passeover according to the injunction of Moses saying Seven weeks shalt thou number unto thee begin to number the seven weekes from such time as thou beginnest to put the sickle to the corne And thou shalt keep the feast of weekes unto the Lord thy God with atribute of a free-will offering of thy hand which thou shalt give unto the Lord thy God according as the Lord thy God hath blessed thee And thou shalt rejoice before the Lord thy God thou and thy sonne and thy daughter thy man-servant and thy maid-servant and the Levite that is within thy gates and the stranger and the fatherlesse and the widdow that is among you in the place which the Lord thy God hath chosen to place his name there It is also called the Feast of harvest because harvest begins about the time of the celebration hereof as also the Feast of the first fruits because at this Feast they offered their first fruites unto the Lord in signe of thankfulnesse as we may read in the fourth book of Moses In the New Testament it is called Pentecost as in the acts of the Apostles and other places Their computation of the time is very accurate They begin to reckon from the second night of the Feast of the Passeover when the stars begin to appear saying this prayer Blessed be thou O Lord our God King of the world who hast sanctified us by thy commandements and hast commanded us to count the daies between the Passeover and beginning of harvest of which this is the first holding on untill they come to the seventh day when they say seven daies are gone which make up a weeke at the end of their prayer see upon the eighth day now a weeke and one day is past and so hold on in the same manner untill the thirty nine daies be fully expired that is to say untill they come to Whitson Eve While their account is in making they must stand according to the injunction of the Rabbines The time of the Feast being come and they not able to observe it according to the prescript of the Law therefore every day they lift up their hands unto God that he would vouchsafe to build up Jerusalem and restore their Temple as at the first promising unto God that upon the grant hereof they will duely celebrate this Festivall and all other using all the sacrifices and ceremonies required as necessary and prescribed in the Law of Moses That they should take such an exact account of the number of these daies or the Feast of seven weeks or harvest according as they write was the command of God himselfe lest his children should forget this Feast and so neglect the payment of their first sruits to God at Jerusalem which might easily come to passe seeing while they were yet in their owne land about or in the time of the celebration of this Festivall every one was busied about his rurall affaires and compelled to looke about his harvest businesse This Feast of weekes is by them compared to a certaine King who comming into a City where some Prince or Noble Peere is fettered in the prison-house entreats the Magistrate for his release which is granted accordingly so many weeks being past and gone And moreover hath this added unto his liberty that this time being past he will also give him his daughter in marriage Then the Captaine begins to reckon every houre day and week which the King hath designed unto him So God dealt with the Israelites while they were yet in bondage to the Egyptians saying unto them I will bring you out of Egypt with a stretched out arme therefore you shall number uunto your selves seven weeks aster the Feast of the Passeover which time being fully past I will give you my holy daughter the Law to wife But from which the Jewes have now gone a whoring and are become most vile adulterers as Moses and the rest of the Prophets complaine The Jewish women are not bound to this computation as also they are not to many other precepts to which the men are lyable Upon the evening of this Festivall it is not lawfull for any man to use phlebotomy for they write in their Minhagin or Talmud that on the eve of this Feast in time past there blowed a certaine evill and pestilent winde which they call Tabhoach which signifies a robber or butcher which had destroied all the children of Israel had they not been willing to have received the Law which God was about to deliver unto them the day following They keep this Feast for two daies together by reason of the same doubt which was frmerly inserted in their minds about the celebration of the Passeover In the celebration hereof they use not many ceremonies because it is not lawfull for them to sacrifice They take the book of the Law twice our of the Arke calling out five men who reade some certaine Chapters and Sections of the Law the contents whereof are concerning the sacrifices and other rites which were in use with their Ancestours in the time of this Festivall Furthermore they straw their pavements and floores of their houses streets and Synag ogues with rushes in remembrance of the Law which was given as upon this day Sticking also every corner of the house with green houghes enriching their browes with crowns of ivy hereby signifying that all the places about mount Sinai were greene when the Law was given Moreover they eat many dishes made with milke as custards and fritters or such like either baked or fryed and that because the Law upon the day when it was given was as white pure and sweet as any milk Among the rest they make one principall wafer or junket deep and thick with seven severall partitions calling it the custard or junket of mount Sinai This same is to put them in remembrance of the seventh heaven into which the Lord ascended from mount Sinai Lastly every one is bound to have his table well furnished with platters â—raught with delicate bits of meat and his goblets overflowing with the choisest wine
it not Behold in the day of your fast you will seek your will and require all your debts Behold youâ— fast to strife and debate and to smite with the fist of wickednesse ye shall not fast as you do to day to make your voice to be heard above Is it such a fast that I have chosen that a man should afflict his soul for a day and to bow down his head as a bulrush and to lie down in sackcloth and ashes wilt thou call this a fasting or an acceptable day unto the Lord CHAP. XXII Of the Feast of joy and gladnesse for that they have read over the book of the Law And of the manner how they distribute their Ecclesiastical Offices THere is no mention made of this Feast in holy writ The Rabbines instituted it as a day of rejoycing in that God had given them so much as to spend a whole year in the reading of his Law and exercise thereof in that upon this day they have finished accomplished and brought to an end the lecture and exposition of the of the text thereof in their Church or Synagogue in that he hath in great clemency granted them power and faculty to perform the same They distribute and part the five books of Moses into fifty two Chapters of Sections whereof they read one every Sabbath day so that the last Section is read upon the first day after the Feast of tabernacles which commonly falls upon the twenty third day of September It is recorded in the Talmud that the Priests were wont to skip caper and dance using all kinde of musical instruments upon this day practising among the vulgar many incredâ—ble and skittish fooleries which here to set down would be rather a wearinesse then either pleasure or profit to the reader Upon this day they repair to the Synagogue and in a solemn procession take all the books of the Law out of the Ark reading the first and last Section leaping about the Ark with the books in their hands and when they are weary in great pomp putting them into the Ark again So long as the books are out of the Ark a burning Lamp shines therein for the Ark must not at any time be found empty whereupon it necessarily follows that the Lamp supplying the place of the books avails as much as the books themselves for the Law is called a Lamp or light as it is written The Command is a Lantern and instruction a light Furthermore they scatter Apples Plums and Pears among the younger sort that they also may take occasion to expresse the utmost of their mirth and jollity Yet it often falls out that that hereby is occasioned a greater deal of grief and melancholy in the hearts of these nonaged striplings in that they often in scambling for these fruits fall into strife contention and brawling and at last make trial which among them have the most patient stretching ears Now because upon this day the reading of the Law is finished in a second place they go Ã¥bout the distribution of Ecclesiastical functions and offices and in â—he first place them that belong to the Lecturers of the Law These their offices or functions are sold by open sale in their Synagogue and he that at the third asking offers the most money for them hath them assured unto him and is bound to keep them And in the first place the Clerk or Sexton of the Synagogue proclaims the office of them who are to light candles all the year following as also that of the Cup-bearers who carry the wine wherewith they begin and end their Sabbaths and other Festivals For though the Master of every family be bound to give a beginning to the Sabbath by the consecration of a cup of wine yet that this ceremony is also performed in the Synagogue and that publickly before the whole Congregation by reason of the poorer sort who for want of means cannot procure wine at home for the initiation of the Sabbath And moreover it is not to be neglected because the Boyes and children that drink thereof become religious and godly Jews Thirdly the Clerk proclaims that if any man will buy Gelilah let him come forth which is an office of unfolding and folding up again the book of the Law Fourthly it is demanded if any one will buy Hagbohah He that hath this office is busied in a speedy lifting up of the book of the Law carrying it about the Pew or Desk that any one may read thereupon It is necessarily required that he that carries it be strong and of an able body that he may without stumbling carry the book unfolded with stretched out arms for if he chance to faulter and slip but with one foot not bearing it in that manner which is required the whole Congregation is enjoyned to fast which is reputed as a very bad signe of some ensuing misfortune Fifthly it is demanded who purchase Etz Chajim for money He that hath this office is allowed to touch the two pieces of wood to which the Law is fastened by long skins or Parchments as also to carry and administer the little Bag Coat or Sachel in which the book of the Law after the ending of the Lecture is with all speed to be wrapt up Young men and striplings commonly buy this office perswading themselves that by touching those forementioned pieces of wood their honesty shall be improved and their understanding bettered hoping that thereby their life shall be prolonged seeing these pieces of wood are called Etz Chajim which by interpretation signifieth the trees of life as it is written She is a tree of life meaning the Law to them that lay hold on her and blessed is he that retaineth her These are touched and handled when the book of the Law is wrapped up where a special heed must be taken and care had that they touch not the Parchments with their naked hands for this is a hainous offence Sixthly it is demanded who will buy Acheron which is an office that whosoever in the whole congregation is the last called out upon any Festival he must read somewhat out of the book of the Law Seventhly it is demanded who will buy Shehia He that hath this office is a kinde of overseer who looks unto the rest that they be not negligent in their charge and place and if he finde them so he may put them out and himself in All the money which they get for these places and offices they bestow in the reparation of the Synagogue and maintenance of the poor From this open sale of Ecclesiastical functions often proceed as from a Fountain envies brawlings contentions and evil surmisings Yea God himself is often blasphemed because the favour and countenance and respect of persons bears a greater sway in sharing then Justice while the rich is preferred before the poor a stripling sooner admitted into holy Orders then one of riper years an illiterate Asse sooner then a learned Doctor and an
hens before them devour them in a moment He that can get most being accounted the worthiest man at the table Every one eats what he catches without help of either knife or trencher he that hath first done begins to snatch what he can from his fellow yea somtimes out of his very mouth causing thereby a great deal of foolish stirr and much laughter and all this they doe to make the new-married couple marry and jocund The egge which we said is used to be served in together with the hen is alwayes raw which they are wont to cast one at anothers face not sparing a stranger of Christian if he be invited and there present The foresaid egge is set before the Bride to comfort her and let her know that she shall bring forth her children easily without pain and grief even as a hen bringeth forth an egge with that ease that she expresseth it by her cockling voice of joy and gladneffe After these sports and childish fooleries they fall to feast their bellies in good earnest after dinner they dance many Giggs and Capering Currantos an when they are about to depart and to put a period to these nuptial sports dance a dance called Mitzuah The commandment or marriage pavin because it was commanded by God himself This they dance in this manner the chief man at the table takes the Bridegroom by the hand he another and so every one his fellow even so many as have any skill in dancing takes one another by the hand So likewise the chief mation and most honourable woman in the company joynes hands with the Bride and all the rest one with another Dancing hand in hand and making a great noise with their feet and in this manner put an end to their marriage rites and sports which commonly endure for the space of eight dayes together If the marriage day chance upon the Sabbath then their dancing measures are quite out of measure thinking that thereby they honour the Sabbath in an extraordinary kinde because the Sabbath is called a spouse as we formerly declared A great care must be had that no uncircumcised Christian be invited to the marriage for Solomon saith The heart knowes the bitterness of his soule and a stranger that is a Christian shall not be made partaker of his joy thus wresting the Scripture to a sense clean contrary Moreover they write that the Angels seeing the Christians at their marriages do presently depart and devils enter the place doing much dammage in stirring up strife brawlings jarrings slips and falls breaking armes and shins murther and what not Hence we may see how willingly they suffer Christians to be present at their marriages When they pledge a health they say Lochajim tobhim God grant it may be for your health but if they like not the man who drinks to them as a Christian by the foresaid words they understand an imprecation or curse Relalah for this one word in their Cabbalistical computation comprehends the two former willing hereby to shew that they wish he may drink his last many such machinations and imprecations they plot and powre out against the Christians of which in another place I will only here adde a Copy of the marriage bill or letter of contract which I finde drawen in manner and form following Upon the sixth day of the week the fourth of the moneth Sivan in the year five thousand two hundred fifty and fourth year of the Creation of the world according to the computation which we use here at Massilia a city which is situate near the sea shore the Bridegroom Rabbi Moses the son of Rabbi Jehudah said unto the Bride Clavona the daughter of Rabbi david the son of Rabbi Moses and citizen of Lizbon Be unto me a wife according to the law of Moses and Israell and I according to the word of God will worship honour maintain and govern thee according to the manner of the husbands among the Jews which do worship honour maintain and govern their wives faithfully I also do bestow upon thee the dowry of thy virginity two hundred deniers in silver which belong unto thee by the Law and morâ—over thy food thy apparrel and sufficient necessaries as likewise the knowledg of thee according to the custome of all the earth CHAP. XXIX Touching the bill of divorce used among the Jews Iâ— is an established truth that the Jews had a certain indulgence granted by Moses for their divorcements for from the begining it was not so neither was it Gods ordinance but Moses did it foâ— the hardness of their heart and to avoid some greater inconvenience as Christ hath clearly shewed unto uâ— in the new testament There is extant in the Talmud a voluminous tract concerning the divorce now in use among them upon which many other of the Rabbines have written many subtle and divers Commentaries and in them have laid down many causes for which the strongest bond of Matrimony may be broke in pieces The causes pretended by the Jews at this time were the same that were urged when our Saviour Christ was here on earth so that the husband can quickly take occasion of seperation from his wife and easily finde a stafâ—e to beat the dog withall The bill of divorce ought to be written in a peculiar forme the lines whereof must not exceed or be fewer then the number of twelve This ought also to be delivered unto the woman in the presence of three faithful witnesses being signed and sealed in the presence of them When the husband gives this letter unto his wife he must say in express terms behold O woman the bill of divorce for by this thou being divorced from me art permitted to marry to any other man the form of this bill followeth Vpon such a day of the week and such and such of the moneth N. Such or such a year of the creation of the world according to the computation which we use here in this City N. Situate neer the River N. I of the Country N. the son of Rabbi N. now dwelling in such or such a place neer such or such a river have desired of miâ—e free will without any coaction and have divorced dismissed and cast out thee my wife N. of the Country N. the daughter of Rabbi N. dwelling in such or such a Country and dwelling now in such or such a place situate neer such or such a River which hast been my wife heretofore but now I doe divorce thee dismiss thee and cast thee out that thou mayest be free and have the rule of thy self to depart and to marry with any other man whom thou wilt and let no man be refused by thee for me from this forward for ever Thus be thou lawful for any man and this shall be to thee from me a bill of separation a bill of divorce and a letter of dismission According to the law of Moses And Israel N. the son of N. witness N. the son of
indeed in number but may either be encreased or diminished but he is one in Essence in every point absolute and perfect to which no other Essence can be compared in respect of its unity This Article is grounded upon that Text Hear O Israel the Lord our God is one God The third Article is that Middas hagguph bodily properties or any thing contingent to the body after such a manner that it may afterward be separated as to walk stand speak be silent sit run and many other of the same kind cannot be attributed unto God without a manifest injury hereupon it coms to passe that as often as the holy Scripture doth assign corporeall Attributes unto him that we must conceive it to be spoken of derech haabharah with an Hyperbole and Kischon bene haadam after the manner of men to no other end but that the Divine Nature may with greater facility be comprehended by the finite understanding of men this Article is grounded upon the 15. v. of the 41. chap of Deut. You saw no manner of similitude on that day that the Lord spake unto you The fourth Article is so plain that it needs no Commentary to wit that God is Kadmon the first and from all Eternity and that every thing besides is hurried about with the wheel of time and had its beginning in time This Article is grounded upon that Text Deut. 33. 27. whereby God is declared to be Elohe Kedem the God of Eternity as also upon that Isa 44. 6. I am the first and the last there is no other God besides me The fith Article is that God one in Essence is to be worshipped that we ought onely to serve him and highly to extoll praise and celebrate his Majesty that in plain terms we ought not to worship any other God for the same respect whether that which is to be worshipped be an Angel or a Saint a Star or any other thing composed of the foure Elements because every of these is his creature bounded with certain limits and therefore finite and he alone the only Creatour who as he wants beginning so he is without end that all creatures being subject and obnoxious to necessity are not of their own disposing and for this cause to have such a necessary dependance upon God who alone is guided by his own good pleasure that there is no obstacle which can hinder him from effecting that which his will suggests Again that Melitzim Intercessours or Mediatours betwixt God and man cannot lawfully be appointed which ought to be a Lesson unto us that Idolatry being far removed from us we should tender our service to God alone to which end the thorah or the Holy Scripture may serve us for an inciting Schoolmaster The sixth Article is that God out of his goodnesse and according to his meere good pleasure hath elected some out of the whole race of mankind whose mind and understanding he hath purified above others hath enriched them with the Spirit of foretelling things to come and hath so subjugated their perspicacity to the will of him their Creator that they become his oracles whereby he shews the way unto silly mortals in which they ought to walk if they intend to obtain the end of their faith the salvation of their souls The seventh Article is that Moses was the most sublime and excellent in the whole Catalogue of the Prophets that he attained unto so high a degree of wisdome humane perfection honour and dignity that he was accounted equall unto the Angels whereupon the prohecies of this one man did in many respects exceed the Prophecies of others First of all God spake unto other Prophets by some Angel who was a Mediatour between God and them but with Moses he spake with his own mout face to face as one talketh with his friend Secondly the other Prophets received their Prophesies either by dreams in the night or by some profound sleep upon the day wherein all their Members yea their whole Bodies were so stupified that onely their mind and memory did enjoy their proper operations but Moses did not receive his Prophecies after this manner but as it is written of him If there arise a Prophet among you I will appear unto him in a vision I will speak unto him in a dream Not so my servant Moses who is faithfull in my whole house I will speak to him mouth to mouth From whence it is manifest that Moses received his Prophecies in the day time even as oft as he stood before the Cherubim as it is writtten I will meet thee and I will commune with thee from above the Mercy seat from between the two Cherubims which are upon the Ark of the Testimony of all things which I will give thee in Commandement unto the children of Isroel Thirdly when the spirit of Prophesie came upon any other of the Prophets either in dreams by visions or the mission of an Angel they had as it were a certaine deprivation of their natural powers and faculties that being astonished a horrible dread came upon them and they driven into an extasie as the Holy Spirit witnesseth of Daniel the Prophet I Daniel saw alone the Vision for the men that were with me saw not the Vision but a great quaking fell upon them so that they fled to hide themselves Therefore I was left alone and saw this great Vision and there was left no strength in me for my comlinesse was turned into corruption and I retained no strength Yet I heard the voyce of his words And when I heard the voyce of his words then was I in a deep sleep upon my face and my face towards the ground But Moses suffered no invasion of feare or anxiety when he received his Prophesies whereupon the Scripture saith that the Lord spake to Moses face to face as a man speaketh to his friend even so familiarly that he was not subject to the least amazement Fourthly Other Prophets could not by any proper faculty prophecy when and after what manner they would but only then when God did not only command them but also endowed them with gifts and abilitie corres pondent to such a function whereupon it often came to passe that they did beseech God to send upon them the Spirit of Prophecy who for a certain season had not spoke in this Dialect yea sometimes did altogether leave off to Prophecy And for this cause according to the practise of Elisha they desired to heare the melodious sound of musical Instruments whereby their spirits and understandings might be recreated but Moses could prophecy at his own pleasure whensoever he was conscious of a conveniency whereupon it is writen Stay you here that I may know what the Lord will command you And the Lord spake with Moses saying c. For these reasons was Moses more worthy then the rest of the Prophets yea in that supereminent manner that no Prophet was
in remembrance of the same and deterred me from committing the offence Hereupon she asked him his name and whence he was which when he had told she seemed to rest contented and suffered him to depart but many dayes past not untill she sold all that she had and followed after him unto his dwelling place and entering the Synagogue the place of his study inquired of the Master thereof where he was to whom demanding her business she declared the whole matter and withall desiring to become a Convert unto the Jewish Religion and Wiâ—e to the aforesaid yong Student saying I have here brought with me that bed in which he and I should have contrary to Gods Commandements committed fornication which now that we may use chastly honestly and piously is the top of my desires The Master of the place moved with her words acknowledged her for a Proselite and joyned her in marriage to the yong man whom she loved by whom she had many comly children which in after times came to be great Doctors and learned Rabbines she until the moment of her death continuing constant in the Profession of the Jewish Religion In like manner it is recorded that these Fringes and Ribbands upon the shirts of their garments put Boaz in remembrance of his duty and hindred him from committing folly with Ruth when she lay at his feet in the threshing floor as also Joseph from harkening unto the bewitching of Potiphars Wife This story so famous among the Jews that even Infants and women who never read the Talmud have it at their fingers ends I could by no means here omit being also recorded in their Germain Minhagim or Books of Common prayer In the Trict of the Talmud called Masseches bava basra it is written that upon a time Rabbi Jochanan saw a casket full of pretious jewels which one of his Schollers called Bar Emorai seeking to take away by stealth a violent commotion shattered all his members and a voice was heard saying Let the casket alone thou son of Emorai for it is not thine but belongs to the wife of Rabbi Chanina the son of Dusa who shall treasure up therein store of blew wooll of which the just and righteous shall cause to be made for them fringed garments in the world to come By the example of this good woman all others may learn thus much that in the sedulous imitation of her in this world they shall find a large reward in another The Women are not tied to put on or wear this cloak or coat of remembrance yet if they do it is no scandal to them for it is said that Michall the daughter of Saul did the like yet according to Rabbi Jehuda in the book Siphra the Doctors and learned crew free women from the performance of this Commandement about the Fringes and esteem her for a proud novice and worthy to be laught at who will undertake it seeing it is proper to men alone To conclude all whosoever shall every day without intermission put on this shirt coat or cloak is sufficiently armed against the Divel and all evil spirits Proved So much concerning the first thing formerly proposed now follows the second for as the Jews have their fringes forâ—a signe to put them in remembrance to do well so have they also a knot upon the forehead near unto their nose to put them in mind to pray seriously this knot they weave and knit out of the words of Moses saying And these words which I command thee this day shall be in thine heart and thou shalt rehearse them continually unto thy children and shalt talk of them when thou tarriest in thine house and as thou walkest by the way and when thou liest down and when thou risest up and thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes which binding the Jews at this day perform in this manner In the first place they choose out a four square piece of black leather in quantity but small of an Oxe or Cows hide which they fold eight times so making four distinct houses or receptacles unto which they do put four distinct pieces of parchment in which are written the ten Commandements and other parcels of Scripture which are thought to be the four Sections of the Law The first beginning Sanctifie unto me all the first born Exod 13. 2. to the end of the 10. verse The second at the 11. verse continuing unto the end of the 16. The third beginning at the 4. verse of the 6. chapter of Deuteronomy and ending at the tenth verse The fourth Deut. 11. 13. ending at the 22. verse Then they take some few hairs pulled out of the taile of an Oxe or Cow which they wash very clean and therewithall binde together the foresaid parchments yet in such a manner that the ends thereof may appeare out of the skin to this end that every man may take notice that they are good and not sophisticate The skin into whose folds they put these parchment writings they sow together with small strings taken out of the bodies of Oxen or Kine or made of Buls sinnews which if they cannot have then instead thereof they use small thongs cut out of the skin it selfe Finally to the foresaid foursquare piece of leather or skin thus folded and sowed they fasten another long black thong which they knot about it the whole piece thus framed and fashioned they call their Tephillin or prayer ornaments serving to put them in remembrance of the serious and often execution of such an exercise these they bind about their head in that manner that the great knot in which are contained the parcells of holy Writ may be fastened directly upon the forehead between the eyes over against the brain that hereby the memory of Gods Commandements may be therein imprinted their prayers sanctified and lastly the Precept of Moses put in execution who saith It shall be for a memoriall between thine eyes The second sort of Philacteries which are for the hands are made in this manner they take a foursquare piece of leather and fold it as the former then they take a piece of parchment in which they write some certain Sentences out of Exodus putting them into a little hollow skin having but one receptacle the hollownesse thereof being such that ones finger may go into it this little skin they sow unto the foresaid piece of leather so often folded unto which they likewise fasten a long thong and this they call their Tephillin Schel iadon their Philacteries for the hands which they fasten upon the left arm above the elbow on the inside over against the heart that the heart may behold them and hereby become more zealous and â—â—â—ent in its devotion the long thong they lâ—p about their left arm in that manner that the end tâ—â—reof may reach to the palms of the hand and so the Commandement may be fulfilled saying These words
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
of doores either to take a journey or to doe any other businesse CHAP. X. The preparation of the Jewes to the Sabbath and how they begin the same IT is written in the second booke of Moses That upon the sixt day they gathered twice as much bread and a little after this is that which the Lord hath said To morrow is the rest of the holy Sabbath unto the Lord bake that which you will bake to day and seeth that yee will seeth and that which remaineth over lay up for you to bee kept untill the morning These words force the Jewes to this conclusion that it is their duty and Gods command too that they should provide all things necessary pertaining to the honourable celebration of the Sabbath especially dainty and delicate meates which they ought to boile or bake betimes upon the Friday morning whereon they may feed upon the Sabbath and with more facility rest from their labours The women are in a more particular manner enjoined to prepare great store of palate pleasing wafers who while they are kneading and making ready the dough they are very ceremoniall therein leaving the lump whole If the bignesel cause a necessity of division which is often seen in great families then the one part thereof is covered with a cloth that it may not be ashamed and put an open scandall by the other part in that it is provided in the last place for the Sabbaths repast They honour the Sabbath with three banquets all served in much pompe The first whereof they celebrate upon Friday at night when the Sabbath begins The second upon the day it selse about twelve of the clock The third and last upon the evening of the same These to be the due times they prove out of those words of Moses Eat that to day for to day it is a Sabbath unto the Lord to day yee shall not find it in the field From the word to day thrice repeated the Rabbines conclude that Moses in this place doth signifâ—e that manna ought to be eaten at three severall times upon the Sabbath orderly succeeding one another This institution according to the same Doctors in their Dutch Minhagin is profitable in another respect That is if only one banquet should be provided every one would with such gredinesse feed thereupon that his guts should be sufficiently stuft for the rest of the ensuing time even untill the end of the Sabbath But now seeing that every man knowes that one banquet being ended two more are to succeed his stomack hath no such edge to the first as otherwise it had but living in a very temperate manner he eats his meat with pleasure conscious of a second and third returne to the table What other Rites they practise shall hereafter be manifested In the time of preparation no man must thinke it a thing unseemly or derogating from his birth or riches to worke with his owne hands that the preparation to the Sabbath may be compleat And although some one man there were who had an hundred thousand men and maides yet ought not to be a meere overseer of their labours but a partaker and that in honour of the Sabbath According to that which is recorded in the Talmud that the good and honest man Rabbe Chasda would fall a chopping pot-herbes Those learned men Rabba and Rabbi Joseph would cleave wood Rabbi Ezra would make the fire Rabbi Nachman would sweep the house and would moreover provide all manner of instruments necessary for the table Meates either boiled or roasted are kept hot in an oven because they are better hot then cold The tablestands covered all the day and night long which hath a mysticall signification as hereafter shall bee declared Furthermore they wash their heads and use the help of a barber if need require The women ought to attire their heads and plate their haire to goe into some hot bath or else to wash their hands in hot water Upon every Friday they pare their nailes and in a very superstitious fashion beginning at the fourth finger of the left hand and so holding on to the second then to the fift then to the third and last of all to the thumbe whence it comes to passe that they cut not their nailes in order but still over-skip some finger or other In cutting those of the right hand they begin with the second finger and so hold on to the fourth He that throwes his nailes being cut off upon the ground that they may bee trodden under foot of men is a wicked man and a great sinner For Satan hath power over the nailes and wizards by the help of them exercise their inchantments and if any chance to tread upon them some great danger or other hangs over his head On the contrary whosoever digs and buries them in the earth he is accounted for an honest righteous man If he cast them into the fire then is hee a holy and honourable man in esteeme And the truth of every particular they evidently demonstrate in their owne opinion out of the words formerly alledged the summe of which were that upon the sixt day they should prepare themselves Moreover it is necessarily required that every one should sharp his knife use the whetstone and edge him acutely which they prove by those words Thou shalt know that thy tabernacle shall be in peace thou shalt visit thy habitation and shalt not sinne Thou shalt know also that thy seed shall be great and thy off-spring as the grasse of the earth Out of which saying the Jewish Doctors have drawne this conclusion that wheresoever is a blunt knife and nothing cunning in cutting there is no peace at the table and the whole house is out of square In the next place they put on their holiday clothes every one dressing himselfe in the most minicall fashion his plodding curiosity can invent They of the richer sort have garments onely appropriated to the day not kissing their corpes upon any other and their reason for the same is very plausible for the Rabbines call the Sabbath a Queen Now if any being to make his appearance before this Queene should not put on some princely garments such as in other place they use to weare in the presence of a King then this Queen should bee much scandalized thereby They cover the table with fine and cleane linnen not neglecting the provision of napkins trenchers cups cushions stooles and other appurtenances that all things may bee in a readinesse to entertaine this renowned Queen the Sabbath in a fit and decent manner In the daies of old warning to a due preparation was wont to be given by the sound of an horne or trumpet But at this day the Sexton or keeper of the Synagogue goes about to every house making proclamation that every man should cease from labour and prepare himselfe to a comely and honourable welcomming of the holy Sabbath which comes to his house much like to
entred the Synagogue and sung that prayer beginning Berachu in a soule ravishing delightfull and harmonicall note then hell breaks loose and the gates of purgatory flie open the soules in both leape out into the earth and run into every river fountaine or any other water they can come by desiring for a time to coole their scorched substance and this is the cause why the Rabbines most severely commanded that none should dare to draw any well dry upon the Sabbath day lest these poore and miserable soules should be utterly destitute of such a refreshing as we may read in their Minhagin In the meane time that they are a praying in the Synagogue there come two Angels the one good the other evill who standing before the door of the Synagogue and hearing any pray diligently and also reade attentively that Scripture Thus were the heavens and earth finished and all the hoste of them and what followes concerning the sanctifying of the Sabbath They bring him to his owne home and putting their hands upon his head say Loe this coale hath touched thy lips and thine iniquity is taken away and thy sin purged Rabbi Jose saith in the name of Rabbi Juda that these two Angels bring every man to his home when hee returnes from the Synagogue And if these Angels entering the house of any Jew finde the Sabbath lampes burne cleare the table covered and furnished with all necessaries the bed neatly made then saies the good Angell It is the pleasure of God Almighty that these things should be in the same state the next Sabbath day that I have now found them in To which the evill Angell is forced to say Amen But if they finde all things out of order then the evill Angell saith these things shall be in the same manner the next Sabbath to which the good Angell sore against his will must say Amen likewise When they are departed the Synagogue and every man returned to his owne house then one saying unto another God send you an happy Sabbath they instantly fal aboard for it is written Remember the Sabbath day to sanctifie it which last word is in the Hebrew lekadescho by reason of which they give this glosse upon the Text. So soon as the Sabbath is begun remember that thou also have thy Kaddasch in readinesse that is to say remember solemnly to imitate the same with a cupfull of wine Hence it comes to passe that in many Synagogues presently after the ending of evening prayer a bowle of wine is ready prepared because some strangers or poor people which have no wine at home may bee there present This being consecrated is reached forth unto them unto the end that may celebrate the beginning of the Sabbath in that very place Whosoever hee be in the Synagogue that blesseth the wine he tastes it not but gives it to some young boy to drinke thereof for he is not accustomed to drinke of the same unlesse it be at home at his own table where also he usually consecrates the same Instantly then upon their returne they sit downe to table upon which ought to be salt a bowle of wine and two loaves covered with a diapernapkin Then the master of the family takes a bowle full of wine and beginning the Sabbath with blessing it saith I am Haschischi vaie cuâ—â—a haschamaijm The foure first letters of these words note unto us that ever blessed name of God JeHoVaH the name expressing his eternall essence And by reason of this mystery the Rabbines have added the two former words being the last of the first Chapter of Genesis unto the two latter being the first of the second and by reason hereof they rise up at the repetition of them giving a due reverence to the name of God The words interpreted run thus The sixth day the heaven and earth were finished and all the host of them And on the seventh day God ended his worke which he had made And he rested on the seventh day from all his worke which he had made And God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it because in it he had rested from all his worke which he had made Here in the mean time he inserts an admonition saying O my Lords you Rabbines have regard unto the prayer that every one in particular may in the same manner bee excused thereby as if he had said it himselfe and so he holds on to pray and say Blessed be thou O Lord our God King of the world who hast created the fruit of the vine Blessed be thou O Lòrd our God King of the world who hast sactified us by thy commandements and given us thine holy Sabbath and out of thy love and good will towards us hast left it as hereditary unto us in memory of thy workes in the creation For it is the beginning of the gathering together of thy Saints and the memoriall of our departure out of Egypt Thou hast chosen and sanctifyed us out of all other people and hast left us the Sabbath of thy holinesse as a legacy of thy love and good will towards us Blessled be thou O God who sanctifyest the Sabbath In the next place he drinks some of the wine and reacheth it to the the rest that they may doe as he hath done Then he takes the napkin from over the bread and taking the two loaves unto him cuts them not before he hath said grace contrary to that which he doth upon the daies of the weeke but presently saith By your leave my Masters and Rabbines blessing the bread in this forme Blessed be thou O Lord our God King of the world which brings bread out of the earth After this he breaks a piece of bread and eates imparting also to every one at the table a morsell which is of greater size then ordinary in honour of the Sabbath upon it is not lawfull for any to be niggardly then they eat whatsoever God hath sent While that the cup is in blessing every one casts a delightfull eye upon the Sabbath-lamps because that the Rabbines write that when any one travels upon the daies of the weeke the five hundred part of his sight departs from him for the regaining of which the beholding of these lamps in that time while the wine is consecrated is a soveraign medicine For the Hebrew word Ner signifying a light being doubled make in number fifty They cover the bread that it may not behold its owne shame the wine being present which is in the first place sanctified for the use of the Sabbath notwithstanding that the Scripture gives the bread the place when it saith I will bring thee into a land of wheate and barley of vines and figge-trees For here wheat is first named which is the materiall of bread yet neverthelesse it is the last of all to be consecrated for the use of the Sabbath which would be a great shame unto it if it should stand bare Others affirm
the third and last meal upon this day while the day is not yet gone nor the Sabbath altogether come to its period They doe not at this time eate much because their time is short and because they are bound to shut up the Sabbath with thanksgivings Moreover it often fals out that when this meale is provided for them they are not an hungry because they filled their paunhes more largely at dinner which often holds unto the evening These meales or banquets they repute as a thing strictly commanded and for a worke of singular excellenâ—ie and goodnesse conâ—erning which they writing very many things in the Talmud are of opinion That whosoever celebrates them frequently and diligently he shall not taste of hell torments he shall be defended against that most feâ— refull warre of Gog and Magog he shall bee preserved from the trouble and vexation which shall be upon the earth about the comming of the Messias which they call Chebble hammaschiâ—he Between evening and night the use of cleâ—ne water is prohibited neither is it lawfull to drinke of the brooke because the soules of the wicked deceased doe as yet bath and coole themselves therein knowing that they must presently return into hell When the end of the Sabbath approacheth and the third and last repast finished many use suddenly with great expedition to match away the table cloth dreaming that by so doing due reverence shall be exhibited unto them The night inveloping the earth in darknesse they againe assemble themselves to prayer sing sweet Sabbaticall hymns especially that prayer veharacham with a ravishing Nigan their descant resounding in an amiable melody much like the ordinary catter-wauling in the moneth of March and in so doing they chant their farewell to the holy Sabbath They continue these their songs untill much of the night be spent out of pity and compassion towards the soules of the wicked Jewes And that to this end that the longer these their devotions are a finishing the later their returne shall bee into the infernall pit For as upon Friday at eve there is a loud proclamation made in hell that all the wicked should depart the place and goe into the earth to celebrate the Sabbath that all Israel may upon this day rest from their labours So upon Saterday at night so soone as the Jewes have ended their evening prayers a second proclamation goes forth to will and command all damned soules to returne into the place of torment In these their benighted chanting orisons they oftentimes call upon Elias the Prophet saying that he is promised unto them that hee will not come but either upon the Sabbath or some great Festivall Therefore the Sabbath now being past and hee not comming they intreat him that hee will not faile to come upon the next and declare the comming of the Messias Perhaps good Elias is not quick of hearing that he being for so long a time invited yea intreated to come doth not come as yet The Chachamim and skilâ—ull Rabbines also record that Elias the Prophet standing under the tree of life in Paradise registres the merits and good workes of the Jewes wherewith they diligently celebrate the Sabbath Lastly when they sing the certaine song whose beginning is Bâ—â—rechu Then the women make speed unto their owne wels to draw water out of them It is also written that the fountaine Meribah of which they dranke in the desert flowes into the sea of Tyberias and issuing out of it intermingles it selfe with all other fountains Now it comes to passe that any of the Jewish women drawing any of the foresaid water in that instant may use it as a choise ingredient for some excellent medicine Moreover whosoever drinkes of a fountaine so qualified shall have present remedy for any disease yea though his whole body be infected with the french pox Upon a certain time a woman presently upon the ending of the prayer Barechu went to draw waterat that instant the fountaine Meribah presented it selfe unto her for which reason she protracting the time of her returne homeward her husband began to chafe and swell with anger which the woman taking notice of through feare streaming from the fountaine of his choler into the channels of her body made her let the paile of water to slip out of her hand unto the ground whereupon some few cooling drops being by the fall besprinkled upon the diseased body of her raging husband were as so many skilfull Chirurgions to the place they onely touched This the good man got for his anger who if hee had drunke up all the water perhaps he might have gained a finall recovery Hereupon the Rabbines say that an angry man reapes no other profit by his cholerick behaviour but his owne anger In the last place the Jewes make a division and interpose a difference between the Sabbath and the week â—ollowing giving God thanks that he hath given them so much grace as to celebrate the Sabbath in that good manner This is done by their Reader in the Synagogue after evening prayer and this he doth for the poor peoples sake who cannot by reason of their necessity doe it in their owne houses Otherwiâ—e the Master of every private family doth it in his owne dwelling in manner and forme following A great candle is lighted much like unto a Torch which they call Ner habdalah or the candle of division or destruction Then they bring in a little box commonly made of silver full of the best perfumes In the next place the Master of the family takes a cup full of wine but if there be no wine in that country then he takes ale or beer instead thereof and sings with a loud and shrill voice The Lord is my Salvation and my trust I will not feare because he is my strength and my praise God the Lord is my health He hath delivered me out of all my trouble and mine eye hath seen her desire upon mine enemies The Lord of hosts is with us the God of Jacob is our refuge Selah I will take the cup of salvation and call upon the name of the Lord. Hee hath been a light unto the Jewes that is to say joy gladnesse and honour These words ended he blesseth the cup and pouring a little of the wine therein upon the ground he saith Blessed bee thou O Lord our God King of the world who hast created the fruit of the vine This done taking the cup in his left hand and the little box full of perfumes in the right and saying Blessed be thou O God who dost create divers kinds of perfumes He puts the box unto his nose to recreate his smell and reacheth it to every one in the family for the same end Then taking the cup againe in his right hand he goes unto the great candle using no small delight in an exquisite contemplation of the nailes upon his fingers so that bending his fingers towards his wrist they cast
a certaine shadow upon the palme after this he stretcheth forth his hand the second time so that he may know by the candle light that his nailes are whiter then his fingers which he perceiving saith Blessed be thou O God our God King of the world who hast created such a resplendent candle Then he takes the cup againe into his left hand looking in the like manner upon the nailes thereof Then by and by he transfers the cup into the right hand and saith Blessed be thou O Lord our God King of the world who hast put a difference between the holy and unholy between light and darknesse between Israel and the Gentiles between the seventh day and the other six dayes of the weeke destinated for labour While hee is a repeating this prayer he poures a little of the wine out of the cup upon the earth Then he drinks a little of it himselfe reaching it unto others that they may sup of the same Amongst these nocturnall petitions there is one which begins Vaiehi Noam in which the letter zaijn is not found which signifies weapons whosoever therefore shall say this prayer with a devoâ—t minde hee shall bee safe and secure that whole night following from any kinde of weapon so that he shall neither be killed nor have the least scratch given him In the the like manner he shall besafe from the devill when he devoutly faith that prayer beginning Schema Israel Heare O Israel c. For the first verse begins with the letter Schin and ends with the letter Daleth which two joined together make Scheds which word signifies a Devill This distinction of the Sabbath they prove from those words that you may discern between the holy and profane and those Godseparated the light from the darknesse Some take of the consecrated wine and anoint their eies therewithall others wash their face in it thinking it a wholsome medicine against the fluxes of the eye others bath their arteries therewith because it is a meanes to length 〈◊〉 their dayes others sprinkle it in every corner of the hoâ—â—ri about the beds and cradles of infants dreaming that it is soveraign against enchantments and witchcraft The truth is this wine is of so high esteeme amongst them as that other also wherewith they initiate the Sabbath They smell the perfumes lest they should fall into a swoon while one of their soules departs out of the body For upon the Sabbathday they have another soule besides that which they live by at other times Concerning this matter Antonius Margarita in his booke of the faith of the Jewes writes in this manner It is written in the Jewish Talmud saith he that every man hath three soules and it is proved out of these following words of the Prophet Isaiah Thus saith the Lord who created the heaven and stretched it out who made the earth and whatsoever groweth thereon who giveth life and breath unto the inhabitants of it According to the letter of this text they find two soules in man to which if we add the naturall soule there ariseth three Whereupon they also write that two soules depart out of a man sleeping the one of which goes upward unto God to learne things to come the other goes downward into the earth and running to and fro contemplates nothing else but injustice sinne foolishnesse or vanity The third they call Ruach Behemoth the irreasonable soule which being the first of all received by man is seated neare unto his heart and sees all things whatsoever the other two soules in their absence from the body have heard seen or done and hence proceed and issue all our dreames which therefore are not alwaies to be contemned They say moreover that upon the Sabbath a man hath another soule besides these which enlarges his heart that he may keep the Sabbath more honourably and exhilarate himselfe in a higher straine of mirth then it were possible for him to doe if hee were destitute of the same But the Sabbath once being ended this soule departs and the man becomes weake thereupon against which his faintnesse hee may prosperously use these sweet smelling odours that the body may have wherewith to recover its former strength Hitherto Margarita but whence he had these words I cannot as yet finde Concerning this superfluous soule 〈◊〉 remember I have read this in the Talmud Rabbi Jose said 〈◊〉 the name of Rabbi Simeon who was the sonne of Jochai that all the commandements that God gave unto the Israelites he gave them in publike except the Sabbath which he gave in private as it is recorded The Sabbath shall be an everlasting signe between me and the children of Israel Where the Jewes by an everlasting signe would understand a secret token willing that the Sabbath should be hid from all other nations and onely manifested to the Jewes Therefore marke diligently Christian Reader how the Hebrew word leolam signifying everlasting any reasonable soule being judge must according to the Jewish interpretation signifie hidden and concealed Hence the Rabbines in their Gemarah ask the question that if the Christians and other people do not know that we have a Sabbath how comes it to passe that they in time to come shall be punished for the contempt of the Sabbath and for the not keeping thereof They make answer to themselves saying they know well enough that wee keep the Sabbath this is not hidden from their eyes and therefore they are to be punished because they will not keepe it But the reward due unto the observance thereof is hidden from them and this they know not yet if they would rightlly celebrate the Sabbath they should also know thereward But this is a thing impossible for them to put in execution seeing they are destitute of the superfluous soule because it being given to men rather upon that day then others and that more abundantly doth enlarge their hearts that in the time of the Sabbath they may take their rest with ease eat and drinke well and merrily and set all care and sorrow a packing from their breasts Hereupon Rabbi Simeon the sonne of Lakis affirmed that God gave this soule to man upon the Sabbath about eventide and tooke it from him again at the end of the Sabbath as it is written When he had taken rest evâ—n to satiety the Sabâ—ath remaining then was he deprived of his soule to wit the superfluous one Where againe note how neatly the Jewes interpret the holy Scriptures for the verbe jinnâ—phsch in that place is rendred by the Rabbines to want or bee deprived of a soule whereas it hath a clean contrary signification to cherish recollect recreate stirre up the spirits and most properly to breath which after the manner of men we ascribe unto God concerning whom it cannot be said nor understood that he hath lost a soule In this their blindnesse the Jewes blush not to place their chiefe wisdome and knowledge Concerning this superfluous soule Rabbi Abraham also
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