in that holy Volume notwithstanding as is already said the punishment of so great sinnes laid upon them no longer then seventy years But now O Master that wrath which at this present punishes us is a sentence without a period neither in all the Prophets is there any end of it promised If we would thus shift it off and say That the wrath in which we are now deep plunged is a continuance of that wrath which brought the seventy years misery upon us seeing that served to satisfie for the forementioned sins of our Fathers in so doing we should go about to charge God with a Ive which be farre from us to attempt knowing that the true and glorious God did by his prophets stint that Captivitie within that number of years Whereupon such an answer would prove a nullitie a meer evasion and excuse not fit to be propounded before those who have any intellectuals Further if we shall go on to say That God in that transmigration made a division of mercy and justice had pitie on one part of our Jewish generation shewed no pitie to the other part and those on whom he had mercy he brought backe to re-edifie the Temple as saith the Prophet Jeremie and if we shall say that we are that unhappy remnant to which he shewed no mercy then will the Christians say to us That because God shewed mercy to them that worshipt Idols and slew the Prophets therefore he should have mercy on us also that have not so sinned Besides when our Fathers sinned the punishment of Divine Revenge kept within the bounds of certain years wherefore then is it that we who have not so sinned have a punishment without bounds and limits It is a long and undated punishment in which we lie fast bound it is now a thousand years old and yet neither in the Law or Prophets can we finde an end of it or spie any grave wherein it shall be buried Wherefore O Master laying these grounds that God hath punished our Fathers for Idolatry and Prophet-killing and in the Scripture their sinne and punishment are both recorded seeing God uses not to punish the same sin twice then the seventy years captivity must be the punishment of the foregoing sins Again it not being usuall with God to lay on an universall Rod but where there hath been an universall sin it must needs follow that after that captivity we have generally committed some greater sin before God than either their Idolatry or Prophet-slaughter weighing and proportioning their 70 years punishment and no more with our thousand years captivity and more who are still a wretched dispersion thorow the the four quarters of the world Yet what ever falls out we are Gods people and belong to him Now because no excuse can evade what I have said answer me directly to it CHAP. II. He proves they are thus dispersed for some grievous sin in which they are and argues against observation of their Law SUppose O Master that wee are in some great sinn yet now I request thou wouldest certifie me in this if after God scattered us out of Jerusalem and sent us into this long and lasting captivity for that sin why do we of our own authority and proper motion of our own will without any speciall mandate from God observe some Legall Rites and do not keep Circumcision the Sabbath and other Ceremonies that we hold according to the Law of Moses We know that from the time in which Titus destroyed the holy Citie and by combustions turned our Temple and Libraries into ashes dispersing us in that Captivitie that ever since Sacrifices Oblations and whole burnt-Offerings have quite ceased God not making promise to us by any Prophet in any Prophecie or by any certain revelation that we should any more return to our forsaken Ierusalem to be in our former state nor giving us any precept â—o keep and hold our former Observances Hence it seems by due consequence to follow â—hat these foresaid observances which we keep we received them not of God but of them that were under the wrath of God Yea thus â—ur Adversaries the Christians shall justly â—ay unto us Like as you observe Circumcisiâ—n and the Sabbath and do read in your Syâ—agogues the Books of Moses without any â—ommand from God why do you not as well in like manner take up again your sacrificing and make to your selves a Priest a King a Prince why use you not holy Unctions and Incense why build you not Altars and keep your Ceremonies and many other things contained in the Law as well as Sabbath and Circumcision and many other things which by your own Traditions and Will-worship not commanded of God you do retain Thus both wayes is the Lord offended by you These aforesaid Rites if you observe them contrary to the Will of God or if you say it is Gods Will and his good pleasure that you should do them which is more than you can manifest why omit you those aforesaid Rites which you may use as well as these Let it be granted that the Kings of the people to whom you are subject do not permit you yet seeing they permit you to retain Circumcision your Books Synagogues and other things they would suffer you in many other things as well as these To these Arguments O my Master a sufficient answer is farre to seek amongst us yet in all events we belong to God CHAP. III. All the Iews observance of the Law is unacceptable to God for the sinne in which they are WEE have found O Master what the Lord speaks by the mouth of his Prophet Zacharie concerning that first short captivitie These things saith the Lord God to the Priests and people of the Land when you fasted and mourned in the sixt and seventh moneth the whole time of your seventy yeers you understood that you fasted and mourned to me but I would not have any such fast from you Our Translation hath it otherwise but I purpose to set out in writing the authorities which Rabbi Samuel brings as they are in the Arabick not as we finde them in our Bibles In the forementioned words O Master the Lord intimates that while we Jews were in that seventy years Captivitie we were without his Law because in the Law we neither had nor have any Fast as we have other observances yea in like manner we were without Circumcision and Sabbath and doubtlesse all these things are nothing worth whiles Gods wrath abides upon his people That first wrath of God was short extending to 70 years onely but this in which we now are is a thousand years long and upward and none of the Prophets let us see and end of it This causes my fear O Master that as the Lord cast our Fathers into that short Bondage and Captivity without any Legall Observances their Fastings and all other Rites being abhorred of the Lord till the set time of their punishment was expired so in
this our last Captivity we may be devout in observing all our Legalities and yet the Lord will not accept any of our Works Greater therefore for certain is our sinne than that which carryed our Fathers into Babylon and thence it is that the wrath of God is greater which is upon us and consequently our works are lesse acceptable and we in the eyes of the Lord more abhominable The slaughter of Prophets the worship of Idols procured them their seventy years captivity and no more but we are captives for a great sinne yea surely ours is the greatest sin which is thus punished with a chiliad of years and makes us miserable millenaries and more Without doubt O Master the Prophet Daniel speaking from the Lord means of our Captivity when he calls it the Desolation He shall make it desolate even till the Consummation and that determined shall bee powred upon the desolate The first Captivity is called but a transmigration because after a short time they were brought back with honour to Ierusalem but this is called a perpeâ—uall Desolation in which for certain God will â—ot have mercy on us as he had on our Fathers in Babylon And this is two wayes evident 1. The Prophets ceased not to comfort â—hem and give them promises of deliverance 2. Though they were in captivitie yet were â—hey all together and company alleviates an â—vill Now for the first we finde not a sylâ—able of any Propheticall promise for us And for the second our case is aggravated to make â—s higher graduates in misery we are not â—ondslaves in company of one another but â—e are a dispersion thorow all the Kingdoms of the World Notwithstanding we are in â—ll events the Lords CHAP. IV. He sheweth the Jews are blinde A Marvellous thing to me is this O Master that all of us are brimm full with continuall hopes of our freedome from our captivitie our Lipps doe alwayes mention it our Tongues know no vacation but are ever talking of our return to Ierusalem wherein we are â—o other than blinde men or meer deceivers of â—he simple For look to the time since our dispersion by Titus and where did any Prophet appear with any prediction or promise of our return nay did any Prophet since that seventy years hard apprentiship name any other end of our Captivity than the Worlds end The consummation of the World must onely consummate our Captivity and Daniel to that purpose names it an endlesse desolation This this o Master is still my fear our sinâ— is the greatest because our smart is the sorest a sin which farre exceeds Idol-worship and Butchering of Prophets for which our Fathers before were punished And if God will shew no mercy to us living we persevering in the same sin so will his mercy be farre from us dying also Yet this nothing can prevent that we belong to the Lord in every event CHAP. V. The Iews deceive themselves and others ME thinks O Master we notably gull both our selves and others because in the Books of the Law and the Prophets we have the Lords promise frequently of freeing our Nation and of gathering us together again from all our scatterings Now these promises lookt into with a well advised minde it will appear they were all 1 Either compleat before and in the seventy years or 2 that these promises were totally hindred from fulfilling the sins of them to whom they were made being an impediment to their impletion An instance O Master I give in those few words spoken by Ezechiel If ye will do my judgements and keep my Commandements then Will I gather you from the foure corners of the earth I will lift you up and bring you thorow the Sea yea I will make you return unto your holy House Behold that which the Lord promiseth us by Ezechiel in these words and other places of his Prophecie it was many times fulfilled before the seventy years captivitie as all such promises of the Lords whether greater or lesser contained in divers places of the sacred Volume were compleat and fulfilled before we fell into this last captivity which has no bottome though we have been more than a thousand years in it yet in none of the Prophets can wee finde it has a bottome And where any promise of God treats of freeing and gathering together it is not to be understood of this perpetuall bondage but of those tribulations and dispersions before the seventy years but after them there is not the least inkling of a promise to gather us from our scattered estate Of necessity therefore we must take it to us that we have committed that great sinne since the forementioned years in which sin we now are and obstinately persist for which the Lord so endlesly punisheth us else the Lords wrath could not so long time have held in his mercy from us Through the course of Scriptures we may perceive our forefathers punisht for their sins before seventy years out of many I select these few examples Our Elders sinned before that time who came out of Aegypt the Promise therefore made to them had no place in them for they perisht in their sins in the wildernesse Moses sinned at the Waters of strife and that sinne bolted him out from entring the promised Land Aaron sinned and he bore his punishment Eli the Priest sinned and he broke his Neck for breaking Gods Command and his Posterity lost the Priesthood though God had promised it them for ever Such promises as these are to be understood with this caution alwayes they shall be fulfilled unlesse for their sins they promerit another reward as is plaine in the Kingdome of David when his Posterity after the flesh fell short of the Scepter even as the true and glorious God promised Abraham and his Seed they should possesse the Land for ever yet they often were at a losse of it for their sins and the Lord often restored it to them again untill this last great losse of it Now a thousand years and above are gone over our heads and our hopes of recovery are vanisht with them because we still abide in that sinn by which our Land is lost and forfeited This is among wonderfull things a grand one O Master that all of us with one Lip consent to this that since the sore Servitude in Babylon it must needs be that we have sinned against God some great sinne and yet none can pick out what this great sinn is for which we have been laden with such a masse of misery Or if any of us have knowledge of the cause and our sin which hath thus engulphed us in these deep evils yet what are we the better The secret sticks in his owne breast he doth not declare it to his neighbour Or what is himself the better for knowing it whiles he turns it not to his own profit for we all do still lie flat upon the ground Clearly we do all see that in
Esay 11. 3. That is he shall judge by smelling who is innocent and who is guiltie Let us see therefore whether thou beest able to judge by smelling and when they saw his smelling was without this judgement they slew him This will scarce agree with so great a slaughter of Barcozbi and all his people by Adrians Forces But certain it is many Jews were now sacrificed to the Romans furie by their sword that the Lord might thorowly execute his wrath upon them This false Christ they say his reign and rule was some thirty years and a half and some make it foretold in those words of Daniel paraphrasing them thus Now when they shall fall that is the Israelites in the destruction of the Temple under Titus they shall be holpen with a little help in the Kingdom of Bitter which remained to the 52 year after the destruction of the Temple and many Israelites shall joyne with them in Bitter but with flatteries c. Of this Barcozbi all our writers make mention that speak of those times and say he tormented Christians whiles he had power with all kinde of punishments and put many to death if they would not deny and blaspheme Christ He is called by Eusebius Barchochebas 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He is called by Hierome in his Catalogue of Church Doctors that were Writers of Books in the life of one Agrippa surnamed Castor Chocibus and in that Book made Greek by Sophronius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 others call him Cuziba but under all these names is meant this sonn of a lie Barcozbi who named himself the son of a starre if he were it was like the bitter Starr Absynthites or Wormwood that in the Citie Bitter brought such sore destruction upon his Countreymen And yet Rabbi Lipman the most blasphemous of all Jewish Doctors was not ashamed to write that this Bencozbi was one of the lawfull and right Princes of Israel and of the familie of David and his reason is because when he said I am the Messias the Rabbins never asked him Art thou of the Family of David He judges they took it for granted that he was so But this may well beseem the lying lip of Lipman who hath writ a Book called Nitzachon or his book of victory and triumph over the Gospell of Christ in which the blasphemous Spider will needs finde lies falshoods and vain things and poysonous untruths to make Christ and our Religion ridiculous Some learned Christians have answered blasphemous Hebrew aud his Nitzachon as Munster in his Annotations to the Hebrew Gospell of Matthew Postellus follows Munster and we shall shortly see with us the learned Constantine L'Emperour fully confuting this Nitzachon so as to make such blaspheming Jewes leave all their cursed croaking and coaxation and make them as mute as the Seriphian Froggs and give no croaking sounds at all Of Rabbi Akiba they write that his Companions some nine were taken with him when Gozbi perisht and they were put to cruell deaths for Akiba if we durst beleeve them was put to death by an Iron Comb with which his flesh was torn off his body And thus farr we have gone to shew the Tragedy of Bencochab and Jewish dotage In the Reign of Theodosius the second came Moses of Crete to act his part of a false Saviour giving out he was sent from Heaven and was a second Moses he would lead al the Jews that followed him thorow the sea to the Continent dry-shod For a year together he perswaded them in their Cities and Townes to leave all their riches and follow him he would carry them to the promised Land At an appointed day to passe the Sea great multitudes of men women and Children repaire to him whom he brings to an high Promontory hanging over the Sea he bidds them cast themselves down which multitudes did and perisht being dasht in pieces on the Rock or drowned in the Sea Many were saved that were about to cast themselves down by some Christian Merchants and Fishers that disswaded them from so madd and murderous an Act and who helpt to draw many out of the Sea and saved them from drowning The Jews seeing the great Delusion thought to lay hands upon the Impostor but their false Moses as if he had been a true Devill was gone and vanisht they knew not whether nor how This was an occasion to bring many Jews to embrace the Christian faith and to leave the way of Judaism subject to such dangerous and costly deceits Of another false Prophet Moses Mamonides makes mention who arose in the Southern parts and told the people he was the fore-runner of the Messias and that in those parts he should shortly appear and he invited them Come ye with me and let us goe meet the Messias for he hath sent me unto you that I may prepare the way before him After a year he was taken they that did cleave to him fled away and an Arabian King that took him asking him why he did this and he answering I did it by command from God he further demanded What Miracle or wondrous thing canst thou do to confirme this He replyed My Lord the King cut off my head and after that I will rise again and live as I did before The King said Thou canst not do a greater thing then this bring but this to passe and then I and all the world shall beleeve thy sayings are true and good and that our Ancestors have inherited vanity and lies which profited them not His head by the Kings appointment was cut off but he never yet was as good as his word to appear alive again though some Jews are so devoid of judgement as to expect his reviving and look for his appearing There was Rex Thaborius one called the King of Thabor that would needs be a Messias whom Charles the fift caused to be burnt Maimonides reckons up four more obscure false Christs that did arise among the Jews in Spain and France and brought misery upon themselves aud the Jews Among these Impostors was David El-David or David Elroi in the Citie Omadia subject to the King of Persia he had some Power by Praestigiation and Magique whereby he did work great Signes and marvellous things and gathered people to make warre with all Nations Some said this great power of his was from the speciall vertue of God in him and as he called himself so they counted him the Messias as he said to the King of Persia I am the Messias and God hath sent me to deliver the Children of Israel The King cast him in Prison and said If thou canst deliver thy self I shall know thereby whether thou be the Christ or no if thou dost not deliver thy self I will put thee to death because thou art a fool But the Jugler got from Bonds and though the King sent Horsmen and
Christ keepe you many yeers in our Order in his grace and love Written at Paris by the hand of your humble servant Fryar Alphonsus The Preface of Rabbi Samuel to his Book of the comming of the MESSIAS as already past Samuel the Christian to Isaac the Israelite health THe Lord preserve thee O Brother and keep thee alive till this our captivitie come to an end our dispersion be gathered together and our hopes draw near and God set the Seale of his good pleasure upon our life Amen I know and that upon experience that the fulnesse of the knowledge of our time is in thee and thou art the hope of our satisfaction in the clearing of the doubts about the Law and Prophets by thy glorious expositions Wherefore I much desiring to be made partaker of thy Doctrine do now open unto thee the very secrets of my heart in those things I finde in the Law and the Prophets about which my soul lies under great anxietie and fear Hence it is I make my recourse to they abundant knowledge and wisdome and send to thee this little Book hoping through the will of God to be confirmed in the truth by thee and to have my judgement cleared in the things are doubtfull The Argument of every Chapter in the Book Chapter I. 1. WHy the Jews are under the wrath of God Chap. II. 2. He proves they are dispersed for some grievous sinn in which they are and argues against observation of their Law Chap. III. 3. All the Jews observance of the Law is unacceptable to God for the sin in which they are Chap. IV. 4. He shewes they are in blindnesse Chap. V. 5. The Jews deceive themselves and others Chap. VI. 6. What the sin is for which the Jews are in Captivity Chap. VII 7. That the Just JESVS the God of the Christians was unjustly sold Chap. VIII 8. How the dispersion of the Jews according to Daniel came to passe after the death of JESVS Chap. IX 9. That there are two advents or commings of CHRIST Chap. X. 10. Of the first comming of CHRIST Chap. XI 11. Of the second comming of CHRIST that he will then judge with power Chap. XII 12. Of the Ascension of CHRIST Chap. XIII 13. He more strongly proves the corporall Ascension of CHRIST Chap. XIV 14. Of the Jews blindnesse who neither understand nor beleeve that CHRIST is come Chap. XV. 15. The Jews blindnesse and incredulitie about CHRIST was foretold by the Prophets Chap. XVI 16. He shews the Jews reprobation for perfidiousnesse and the Gentiles election by faith Chap. XVII 17. Of the quickning and giving life to the Gentiles and slaying of the Jews Chap. XVIII 18. How the Gentiles quickned by faith have pure observances in their New law Chap. XIX 19. Of the choosing of the Apostles in place of the Prophets Chap. XX. 20. Of the casting off the Sacrifice of the Jews and choosing the Sacrament of the Christians Chap. XXI 21. God hath refused the Fasts Sabbaths and Sacrifices of the Jews and chosen them of the Christians Chap. XXII 22. He proves the abjection of the Synagogue and the election of the Church by the Lords word to Rebecca Chap. XXIII 23. He proveth the same thing by the Word of the Lord to the Prophet Malachie Chap. XXIV 24. He sheweth the Christians manner of singing is acceptable to God Chap. XXV 25. The Jews unjustly finde fault with the Christians practise of singing Chap. XXVI 26. He proves the Apostasie of the Jews from God Chap. XXVII 27. Testimonies of the Saraceus concerning JESVS and Mary his Mother A Table of the Digressions in the Annotations to every Chapter wherein divers things of consequence are insisted upon Historicall and Theologicall Chap. 1 1. A Digression about the inquiry of that great and particular sin of the Jews for which they have been and are in this long captivitie 2. A second Digression handles the Titles and Elogies of Christian and Iewish Doctors 3. The studying of Rabbins and Jewish learning is asserted and vindicated as needfull and profitable for Divines Chap. 2 4. Of Iews Sacrifices and Services Legall not intended to be perpetuall but to be abrogated Chap. 3 5. That Daniel was not onely an Hagiographer but a compleat and true Prophet Chap. 7 6. Of the 53. Chapter of Esay fitting none but CHRIST confessed by Iews themselves 7. The Epithite Iust and righteous One ordinarily given to JESUS CHRIST Chap. 10 8. Mis-interpretation of Zach. 14. Malac. 3. corrected Chap. 12 9. The Application of Psalm 24. corrected 10. The 63 of Esay vindicated at large 〈◊〉 the mis-application of it and the vulgar mistakes of our common Divines 11. Of the Iews care to preserve the Writings of the Old Testament from losing or corrupting Chap. 13 12. A discovery of what is meant by the Prophet Aser that it is not 〈…〉 but 〈◊〉 13 Reasons for that Scripture A woman shall compasse a man Jerem. 31. to be understood of something else than CHRISTS Incarnation Chap. 16 14. Of the Iews proud and horrible contempt of Gentiles and Christians Chap. 20 15. Of the Sacramentall Crama or mixture of Wine and Water Chap. 23 16. Iewish blasphemies and foul speeches against CHRIST Gospell Christians Chap. 26 17. A large Historicall digression reckoning up the chief fals Christs the Iews have since CHRISTS time been deluded with 18. A large discovery of Iewish follies about the time of CHRISTS comming when it should be and whether he be yet come or no and what kinde of one their Messias should be Chap. 27 19. The strange stubbornnesse and cursed obstinacy of the Iews is discoursed on and laid out 20. A censure on the Alcaron the Mahometans Gospell 21. The Creed of this converted Iew made out of the Chapters of this 〈◊〉 or demonstration of the Messias A DEMONSTRATION OF The true Messias CHAP. I. Why the Iews are under the wrath of God I Desire O Master my conscience may receive some satisfaction by thee out of the Testimonies of the Law the Prophets and other Scriptures about this point namely How it comes to passe that we Jews our whole Nation have a generall great stroke of God upon us in this Captivity which now holds us and which we may well call Gods perpetuall wrath because it findes no end The Wheel of time hath now spun a thousand years and more compleatly since that Titus first led us Captives We are not ignorant that our Fathers worshipt Idols and slew the Prophets and cast away the Law of God yet for all these transgressions the smart of Gods smiting hand did vexe them but with a seventy years Captivity in Babylon and when that set term of time was runne out he was appeased with them and brought them back into their own Land again And at that time according to the suffrage of the Scripture the anger of God had then the bitterest and strongest Ingredients of his wrath mixt with it above any precedent times reckoned
and for the veritie of Scripture testifying it why do wee doubt of the ascent of this Righteous One both in his Body and Soul the witnesse of Scripture confirming this more than the testimony of holinesse confirms it for the other And may not this be one reason because the Prophets set him out strugling and fighting in a harder Warre of miseries than others and acquainted with an harder bondage and soret service of the World than others Furthermore this without any exemplification thou knowest well enough that Methusalem and Henoch those righteous men and Elias the Prophet were assumed by God in their bodies to Heaven and translated out of this World As for Moses it is a thing out of the reach of all question and doubt that he now is in Heaven both in body and soul as is said in Deuteronomie Go up into the Mount this night and he went up into the Mount and died there and no man knoweth of his sepulchre unto this day What doth this signifie that his Sepulchre is unknowne upon earth seeing he was a Prophet in greatnesse and holinesse surpassing others but that thereby we should understand that God hath raised him up and assumed him in bodie and soul as he did other righteous men and elevated him to that place where they are now Neither need we puzzle our Brains with marvelling how it can stand with reason that grosse and ponderous bodies should ride and be born upward on the light and subtill Element of Aire this we need not question if we do but call to minde how it pleased the Almightie Power to work the like in the Israelites egresse out of Aegypt where the Water an Element in â—aritie and thinnesse like unto the Aire did bear their heavy bodies without sinking And when the Lord gave a sign of an accepting welcome to a Sacrifice the Fire though an Element lighter then the rest descended from heaven and returning up again to heaven carryed with it aloft the bodies of the sacrificed Beasts and Bullocks offered to God As for this Righteous One Moses Elias and other Prophets prophesied of his elevation From the premisses I collect that we â—eing credulous and ready to beleeve the corporall ascent of the aforenamed Saints there is no reason remains why we should let incredulitie lurk in us and suspend our beliefe about the elevation of this Righteous One into Heaven when Scripture and Prophets do testifie it And that of the foresaid Saints is â—ade so manifest to exclude all doubts for â—ood purpose First that the hearts of men 〈◊〉 the end of the world might be turned to God Secondly that other righteous men â—ight have good hope of their own ascent being incouraged by these examples But our Nation are lockt up under many doubts concerning Christ by the Key of his secret and occult comming at first into the world it being an unusuall and unwonted way Of this the Prophet saith He is a man and who shall know him Esay saith A Virgin shall conceive and bear a Son Where it is to be noted that there is no mention but deep silence of any Father of his according to the Flesh Elsewhere he saith VVe esteemed him not And Jeremie hath The Lord shall create a new thing upon earth a woman shall compasse a man Micah also saith Therefore the Lord will give them up till the time that shee which travelleth hath brought forth In these words is to be observed the Prophet has not a syllables mention of 〈◊〉 the Husband of her that brings forth it being the Nativitie of that Righteous One who onely was born out of the wonted path and common carnall course of men who come by man as the active and woman as the passive principle of Generation But this knows no carnall Father as Esay's mouth foretold it Give ear O ye house of Iacob the Lord shall give you a signe A Virgin shall conceive and bear a Son All these other holy men spoken of were born of man and woman carnally conceived in sinne yea and they themselveâ— were sinners Moses himself though holier than the Prophets his Parents yet he sinned and his own mouth publishes his own sinne but of this Just One it is said in Esay he never sinned nor was there a lie found in his mouth God by the mouth of Iob hath proclaimed there are blemishes in all the Saints Behold he putteth no trust in his saints And Ieremie joyns with that judgement The hearts of men are wicked CHAP. XIV Of the Iews blindnesse who neither beleeve nor understand that Christ is come WHat Esay from the Lord hath said O Master I shake with fear lest it be our lot to have it fulfilled in us Blindnesse is fallen upon Israel till the fulnesse of the Gentiles become in And again he saith Hearing they shall hear and shall not understand seeing they shall see and not perceive because the heart of this people is waxen fat And in the same Chapter Make the heart of this people blinde and stop their ears least they should learn and be converted to me and I should heal them Esay then said How long O Lord and he answered Vntill the Cities be wasted and the house bee left without an inhabitant You have Daniel also saying Shut up and seal up or wrap up the Prophecie Jeremie follows with his testimonie The sinne of Judah is written with a Pen of Iron and the Point of a Diamond it is graven on the table of their heart Esay likewise in his first Chapter saith The Oxe knowes his owner and the Asse his Masters Cribb but my people doth not understand Jeremie to that purpose The Stork the Crane and the Swallow know the time of their comming but my people know not me All these speeches O Master are Gods Arrows shot at us and do shew our condiâ—ion because we had eyes lockt and bolted up that we could not discern the first comming of that righteous Lord. Of us do the Lords words in Esay mean when he saith Bring forth or cast far off the blinde people that have eyes and the deaf people that have ears Behold they are all gathered together or rather Let all the Nations be gathered together These words carry no other meaning but this that the Prophet saith The Lord hath rejected us because we knew not soon enough the time of that Righteous Ones comming and in stead of uâ— he hath gathered the Gentiles to him by faith This is it which made that admiration break out of Davids lips The right hand of the Lord bringeth mighty things to passe Yet for all this we belong to the Lord though thus sore in an haplesse estate and deepe depressing Captivitie wherein as in a labyrinth we are and can finde no end or out-gate though a thousand years we have runne with wearied foot-steps in this amazing Maze of miserie neither did ever our Fathers smart
Master I would have you perpend and consider what a main difference there is betwixt the sacrifice of Aaron and the sacrifice of this righteous Lord. 1. The Lord said unto my Lord thou art a Priest for ever not for a small time as was Aaron who dyed at an hundred and twenty years of age 2. Aarons Sacrifice was but flesh the Sacrifice of the Just and Righteous Lord was bread and Wine according to the Order of Melchisedech By these words the Lord manifestly shews in his Prophet that Aarons Sacrifice should be at an end when this Sacrifice of Bread and Wine would begin which should know no end but last for ever an eternall or unpassable Priesthood not being given to Aaron as is given to Christ the Priest Of these Children God speakes by his Prophet Moses He will avenge the blood of his children or servants and will be mercifull to his land We O Master are the murtherers of the Prophets and for that he took vengeance of us but with a 70 years Captivitie but besides we have murdered the Apostles and that Just Master of theirs and now God has avenged that blood of his Children more severely bringing a Captivitie upon us that hath lasted a thousand years and beyond By their death God hath washed the Land of his People he doth not say it is the Land of the children of Israel no he doth not so name them Of these Children speaks David As Arrows in the hand of a mightie man so are his faithfull Children Where the Prophet compares these faithfull Children to Arrows shot forth by the hand of a mightie man for the Almightie God hath sent them forth being 12 Apostles into twelve parts of the World through all the four Climates thereof with the doctrine of the Law the Psalter and the Prophets Moses and Aaron he never sent forth to teach any beyond the bounds of his own holy House from him they had neither Mission nor Commission to travell to India oâ— trudge to Rome nor to any other place without the precincts of the Holy Land to declare and preach to others the Doctrine Legall and Propheticall Onely these faithfull Children have such a Calling being sent forth through the whole earth and are risen up before God in our place since God slew Israel and tooke away our name which David punctually denotes in the Psalme saying In stead of fathers thou shalt have Children whom thou maist make Princes in all lands By them is that first Law after the Order of Melchisedech renewed and brought in again who instituted the Sacrifice of God in Bread and wine of which he communicated to Abraham the friend of God Thus hath God by their Ministerie changed 1. our Sacrifice as he hath also 2. changed our name yea more he hath 3. changed our carnall Law into a spirituall Had God said so much to our Moses as he spoke by David to the Messias or Christ Thou shalt be a Priest for ever after the law of Moses Aaron then had our law got a ground for a firm standing thereof But now he saith far otherwise thou art a Priest for ever after the Order of Melchisedech And for Abraham the friend of God he communicated of the Sacrifice of Bread and Wine not of the Sacrifice of Flesh The word of Moses is hereto consonant which saith Ye shall eat of the old fruit or of the old store By this old fruit he understands the Sacrifice of Melchisedech Again They shall eat of the old till the new fruits come in meaning when the sacrifice of the new Law is published your old things that is your old Sacrifices shall you cast away Howsoever we look up to God as ours in every event CHAP. XX. Of the casting off the sacrifice of the Iews and choosing the Sacrament of the Christians THe Sting of Fear is fastned in me O Master and here it pricks me I am afraid lest God hath sealed up us and our Sacrifice under a Writ of rejection and hath accepted the Sacrifice of the Gentiles as he spake by Malachie I have no pleasure in you saith the Lord of Hosts neither will I accept an Offering at your hands For from the rising of the Sunne to the going down of the same my Name shall be great among the Gentiles and there shall be offered in my Name a pure Sacrifice Therefore in Gods account the summe is cast up thus the sacrifice of the Gentiles is more clean and pure than ours Further God hath not onely taken from us our pure Offerings and depriv'd us of all other Sacrifices but withall he teaches the Christians to flie from us and to avoid us lest they should receive some soyle and defilement from us Thus are we scourged with a rod made of the Twiggs that grew on our own tree for when we had a Sacrifice which God received as pure and acceptable then did we shun and detest the Gentiles as some matter of abomination yea yea Master you know well enough what God speaks by the mouth of David concerning our Sacrifice Think you that I will eat the flesh of Bulls and drink the blood of Goats In which how can any thing be more manifest than this that God condemns and disallows our fleshly Sacrifice Gladly do I covet to know O Master with what reason we are harnessed for our detestation of the Gentiles Sacrifice of Bread and Wine which God himself hath instituted hath not disallowed it as he hath disallowed our Sacrifice Salomon speaks of the Aaronicall Sacrifice He stretched but his hands over the Altar and offered the Blood of the Grape and incense to the living God and offered up our Sacrifice of the Corne of the earth as Melchisedech offered for Abraham God declares what the Gentiles Sacrifice is by Moses Ye shall offer to God a Sacrifice of that is heaved from the Barn floore and of the pressed Grapes that God may blesse you and all the works of your hands We well know O Master that God at the beginning commanded Loaves to be set before the Arke of the Covenant of the Lord not flesh We know there was something concerning Shew-Bread but nothing of Shew-Flesh and Gods command O Master in Leviticus by Moses and Aaron was That a man of the Seed of Aaron the Priest that had any blemish should not offer the sacrifice of Bread nor any other sacrifice In divers other places of Scripture God hath placed his Command that they should offer to him bread and a Sacrifice of fine Flowre and that he will accept it and such at this day is the Gentiles Sacrifice even bread made of fine Flowre Of this Sacrifice of bread mention is made in the Booke of Kings when David came to Abimelech the High Priest in Silo or rather Nob he desired some Loaves of him who answered Here is none but shew bread which it is not fit
thus though they did fully transgresse the Law worshipt Idols and slew the Prophets yet drunk they not of such a Cup of Indignation and Judgement as we their Children CHAP. XV. The Jews blindnesse and incredulity about Christ was foretold by the Prophets THis O Master dives me deep under the waters of fear that our not beleeving in that Righteous One hath caused that to be fulfilled and to fall upon us which the Lord spoke by the mouth of Esay The vision shall bee as the words of a Booke that is sealed which shall be given to one that is learned to a Reader saying read this I pray thee and hee saith I cannot for it is sealed And the Book is delivered to him that is not learned saying Read this I pray thee and he saith I am not learned What greater and closer sealing up of the Book can there be found O Master than this wherewith the Lord hath sealed and fast closed up our blinde hearts and we have now been a thousand years and more as miserable Truants in learning this one lesson of the comming of this Righteous One propounded to us in the Prophets and yet we know it not nor have taken it out This is it which blows the Prophets Trumpet with that threatning blast Ierusalem shall be desolate and their holy house shall fall down He further said Our Countrey is desolate and their holy house shall fall down He further said Our Countrey is desolate our Cities burnt with fire and Zion is left as a Cottage in a vineyard This this is the evill O Master which has now the age of a thousand years and more on the back of it According to this Esay further saith O Lord God I will exalt thee for thou hast made a Citie an heap an house to be confusion a defenced Citie to be a ruine for ever He shall break the people in pieces like the breaking of the Potters Vessell which shall be broken so as there shall not be found a sheard to take fire from the hearth or to take water withall out of the pit Daniels words are also fulfilled that after the Messias is cut off there shall follow a perpetuall desolation in which desolation we now are and have been cast deep into this flood of miseries a thousand years and more Esay goes on to spinne the thred of our wo Solitarinesse shall be left in the midst of the City or desolation and their Land shall hisse with a perpetuall hissing After him Jeremie saith Call ye them reprobate silver for the Lord hath rejected them Esay again Walk you in the light of your own fire and in the flames sparks which you have kindled In these flames we as miserable Salamanders have now lain a thousand years more Amos comes with like threats The house of Israel shall fall and none shall raise her up To me verily O Master it seems we are falne indeed and ruine is come on us since the comming of that Righteous One yea God hath brought it on us seeing since that time no Prophet has risen amongst us neither shall there be any as is foretold and prophesied of us for we remain still in our incredulitie we maintain an obstinate negative of that Righteous One and do not beleeve in him Hosea therefore saith When the woman conceived and bare a daughter God said call her name Loruhamah without mercy for I will no more have mercy on the house of Israel And if thus it be that the Lord hath quite cast us off and will have no mercy on us as we have felt by the miserable experience of a thousand years and upward to what end or what profit is it for us to retain our old Ordinances the Law Sabbath and Circumcision Esay saith Bring forth the blinde people as the true glorious God hath now brought us forth of our Land and made us strangers to it more than a thousand years Besides all this he saith The old errour is gone away what can we pick out of this O Master what is the old thing but our Law which is gone away from us yea we have lost King Sacrifice Incense Altars Was there any worse thing in the whole predicament of calamity that could have befaln us What prey or bootie of hope have we for our winged expectations to flie after Do we not see wo unto us that wee see it that the Lord hath scattered and disperst us thorow the four quarters of the world as Moses Jeremie and other Prophets foretold us Yet for all God we are thine and to this God we have our recourse in every event CHAP. XVI He shews the Jews reprobation for perfidiousnesse and the Gentiles election by faith MY soul is not free from this fretting fear O Master that whereas you and I betwixt our selves can boldly say and affirme that we are the sons of Jacob and Israel that for all this God may have fulfill'd that which he spoke by Esay God shall slay thee O Israel and call his servants by another name I quake to think that we should be of those servants on whom that name shall be imposed as Moses writes in Deuteronomie The Nations shall be the Head and the unbeleeving people the Tail as we now are and have been the hindmost the very Tail of all the World for 1000 years and more Of these Nations Jeremie speaks The earth shall be filled with the knowledge of God as the waters that cover the Seas Salomon hath of them this O Lord God when a stranger which is not of thy people Israel shall come to thy holy house and call upon thy blessed Name then hear thou O Lord my God that all the earth may learn to fear thy Name as doth thy people Israel What have wee O Master wee proud beggars of the Jews that we can boast in Why should we contemne and hold the Gentiles in scorn seeing Salomon the Prophet hath joyned them as partners with us in the fear of God and in his holy House And peradventure God hath shut us out of his House as unworthy ones and hath given our room to them as more worthy as Moses hath spoken of them Thus saith the Lord God the whole earth shall be filled with the glory of the Lord. After him David All the ends of the world shall remember and turn unto the Lord and all the kindreds of the Nation or a thousand generations shall worship before thee Of them spoke Esay O holy house of David thy light is come and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee The Gentiles shall come to thy light and Kings to the brightnesse of thy rising Lift up thine eyes round about thee and see all they gather themselves together they come to thee thy sons shall come from frare The sons of strangers shall build up thy walls and their Kings shall minister unto thee And who I pray O Master are
these sonnes of strangers which came to the house of God but the Gentiles who serving Idols were meer strangers to God they their Princes and their Kings of whom God said They shall walk in the light of his holy house and we thrust out shall remain in darknesse and we indeed are in darknesse and have beene fearfully benighted a thousand years and upward Still that Prophet of that people Behold thou shalt call a Nation that thou knowest not and Nations that knew not thee shall runne unto thee Now our eyes de facto do testifie it a thousand years and more have worne out themselves since the Christ came that was sent according to the Law given to us And the Gentiles which knew not the Law they came to him and he has given them a new a pure an holy law Besides this in the five and fortieth Chapter They agreed together and their Kings were gathered together in the beliefe of God I much fear O Master that is meant of them Assemble your selves come and draw near ye that are escaped of the Nations and I am found of them that sought me not Jeremie speaks of them The Nations shall be gathered to the Name of the Lord in his holy House nor shall they walk any more after the imagination of their evill heart The same Prophet To thee shall all the Gentiles come from the utmost ends of the earth saying Our fathers have inherited iniquitie and lies Zephanie the Prophet follows this stream The Gentiles shall all call on the name of the Lord and shall serve him with one shoulder every man from his place and all the Isles of the Nations Zacharie brings his part to this truth Sing and rejoyce O daughter of Zion lo I come and will dwell in the midst of thee saith the Lord and many Nations shall be joyned to the Lord. Again in the 8. Chapter Thus saith the Lord of Hosts many nations shall come from many places and every man shall say to his neighbour Let us go and seek the Lord our God for good All these things O Master are now fulfilled and the effects of them abide plainly before our eyes you see people and languages brought home to God and studying the Law all the Prophets and Book of Psalmes to which they were strangers and have left their Idols to imbrace the Truth None of them are brought to this belief by the hand of Moses or Aaron or any of our Prophets And since their hearts were turned to beleeve in that Righteous One of whom Habackuk saith Thou wentest forth for the salvation of thy people with thine Anointed they have utterly abdicted and abandoned all their Idols no Idolatry since that has remained amongst them CHAP. XVII Of the quickning and giving life to Gentiles and slaying the Jews MY fears O Master beat as continually as my Pulse and in this I tremble to think that the powerfull and glorious God as with one hand hee gives life to the Gentiles by faith so with the other hand he slayes us in our incredultie Doth not Esay indigitate and point out this Because when I called ye did not answer when I spake ye did not hear therefore thus saith the Lord God Behold my servants shall eat but ye shall be hungry behold my servants shall drink but ye shall be thirsty behold my servants shall sing for joy of heart but ye shall crie for sorrow of heart and howle for vexation of spirit and God shall slay thee O Israel and shall call his servants by another name in which he shall blesse them who is blessed upon the earth Amen for in truth And alas we see how exceedingly they are blessed upon the earth by God who have received this new name but for us we flie like dispersed dust before the winde of Gods wrath scattered through the four quarters of the world in a sad Captivitie To this day a thousand years have â—unne over us and trod with heavy feet upon our heads In us expressely appears the deep impressions of the footsteps of Gods wrath not for chastisement onely and instruction â—ut to our destruction This is that slaying which the Lord threatned that he would slay Israel and the nations which he would keepe â—live whom he calls his servants shall receive that good name he hath promised but yet â—he order is thus wee must first lose our â—ame and then they shall receive their new â—ame The funerals of our name must make 〈◊〉 way for the resurrection of theirs as the veâ—y order of Esay's words declare And as for â—â—e hunger and thirst the Lord threatens wee shall be vexed withall it is not that common â—amine of bread and thirst of water but that â—orse sterility and spirituall barrennesse which torments the souls and hearts of us a â—amine of the Word of God as Amos makes appear in his eight Chapter But you my Master Plough with a more skilfull Heifer in these mysteries than I and better understand these things However in all these storms of wrath and what ever falls on us we belong unto God CHAP. XVIII How the Gentiles quickned by faith have purâ— observances in their new Law I Cannot but fear O Master that the Gentiles are quickned and brought to life The Annuall circlings of the Sunne have made up a thousand years from the time that Jesus dyed at Jerusalem and we know there was noâ— good thing at all to be found among the Gentiles before they came to beleeve in God iâ— Christ and the Apostles so as they seemed to be the Prophet Habackuks fishes and creeping things that had no Ruler But now these Gentiles being purified by faith are ruled by fastings and other observances of their new Law yea they want nothing pertaining to cleannesse and purity so much spoken of in the old Law You see how in every language and place whether you look to the Orientall or Occidentall utmost Fringes of the world wide garment that the Gentiles confesse the Name of the Lord. Neither do they beleeve in him through Moses or any of the Prophets although they bee studious in the Law and the Propheticall Writings but God hath called them to himself another way even by the Disciples of that Righteous One who went forth with God for the salvation of his people as the blessed and glorious God hath foretold by the mouth of the Prophet Habackuk yea those very Disciples of his who by another name are known among them being called Apostles they were Children that sprung out of the same Root with us and were the sons of the sons of Israel Ah how my poor heart is Palsied through fear when it judges that these same Apostles are they of whom God means in Davids Psalm when he saith Their sound is gone out into all the earth and their words into the ends of the world The Prophets words carry an expresse demonstration in
thy sevants should eat because it is holy Howsoever Gentiles have a mixture of water with their Wine in their Sacrifice yet with that are we not burdened with any inconveniencie seeing the Scriptures affoord an exemplary action for it that a Sacrifice of water was not onely offered to but accepted of the Lord. Three mightie men drew water from the Well before the Gate of Bethlehem which the Prophet David offered to the Lord for a Sacrifice It is not therefore contra-Scripturall that the Gentiles practise in mixing water in their Sacrifice to God We read of Aaron sacrificing to God with Bread and Wine and David with Water whence we collect that a clean pure offering not such as our flesh of fat Bullocks must have a concurrence of these three in it which doubtlesse contains some mysticall Kernels in it though the dimm vertue of our intellectuall Opticks is not able to penetrate and spie it out Our Prophet Elias as is storied in the Book of Kings powred water upon the Sacrifice on which God sent down fire from Heaven a signe of his acceptation of that Sacrifice which had the Waters effusion on it yea and the Angel brought to Elias his food Bread and Water when he in the strength of that food which impotent nature cannot reach unto travelled fortie dayes together to Horeb the Mount of God Fairly and fitly has Salomon the Prophet in his Proverbs described this commixed Sacrifice of Wine and Water saying The most High wisdom hath made ready her sacrifice she hath mingled her Wine she hath furnished her Table shee hath sent forth her maidens saying Who so is simple let him come in hither and they that want understanding and they shall eat of my Bread and drink of my mingled Wine What is this Table O Master the wisdom of the most High hath furnished but the Altar What is this bread mingled wine but the sacrifice of bread Wine and water which is offered on the altar who are these without understanding that the Maidens of Wisdom are sent to call in but the Gentiles which know not God whom the Apostles have by Preaching called Wherein this is further remarkable that it is called My Bread and my VVine which strongly intimates the acceptablenesse of that Sacrifice unto God It also imports thus much that wisdom called not our Fathers to this so high and so spirituall a Banquet who were learned and wise in the Law and wholly taken up with the Legall Sacrifice But now we have lost all and are excluded not onely from this spirituall but we have lost the carnall sacrifice of the Fathers also Time has now wound upon her clew a thousand years complete since all this miserie has falne on us for our sinne against that Righteous One. Yet for all this we are a people that belong unto God CHAP. XXI God hath refused the Fasts Sabbaths and Sacrifices of the Jews and chosen those of the Christians MY soul wrastles with horrible fears O Master out of that word the great and glorious God spoke by Malachie my fears issue where thus he treats of the Gentiles sacrifice From the rising of the sunne to the going down of the same the Gentiles shall offer a pure offering to my name Where I note that our sacrifice was not accepted save in one place onely in Gods holy house and no where else and it is plain God hath rejected our sacrifice because he hath deprived us of the very place where we should sacrifice the Land of Promise and now for a thousand years the whirlwinde of his breath hath scattered us over all Lands Thus that is come to passe and fulfilled in us which God by way of similitude spoke in the mouth of Esay concerning us The Vintage shall faile the gathering shall not come And that of Malachie I have no pleasure in you neither will I accept an Offering at your hands And that of Esay again Your sabbaths and your feasts and your sacrifice I will not accept because you are all under my wrath Again that in Esay is fulfilled in us To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices to me I am full of the burnt-offerings of Rams and flesh of Goats c. Bring no more vain oblations c. All your sacrifices are like a stinking Carcase and as the going out of the Court of the outer Gate Hee that killeth an Oxe for me it is as if he slew a man he that sacrificeth a Kid as if he cut off a Doggs neck and he that offereth wine as if he offered swines blood All this abomination in our sacrifice as God accounts it signifies nothing else but the Lords purpose of changing our â—arnall and grosse sacrifice into the spirituall and pure sacrifice of the just Lord whose new â—nstitution offers bread in stead of flesh clean water in stead of the fat of Beasts and pure Wine for Blood Yea man himself is offered up but in a spirituall manner yet very acceptably to God not after that way of cutting off Beasts necks in our sacrifices which the Prophet likens to a stinking Carrion O Master why do we not give credit to those words of God in the Prophets which do so evidently describe and set forth our sacrifices God spake by Ieremie in the seventh Chapter Invite your neighbours to your sacrifices put your burnt-offerings to your sacrifice and eat flesh I spake not to your Fathers neither commanded them in the day that I brought them out of the land of Aegypt concerning burnt-offerings and Sacrifices But this thing I commanded them saying Obey my voice and I will be your God and you shall be my people and walk you in all the wayes I have commanded you that it may be well with you But they hearkned not nor inclined their ear to my command Full well O Master do you know these things to be thus Notwithstanding in all these strange events we still belong unto God and are his portion CHAP. XXII He proves the abjection of the Synagogue and the election of the Church by the word of the Lord to Rebecca NOw new fear falls upon me O Master wherein I tremble at that word which is written in the 25 Chapter of the first book of our Law lest that be meant of the Synagogue and the Church which the Lord God speaks to Rebecca the wife of Isaac Two Nations are in thy wombe and two manner of people shall be separated from thy Bowels and one people shall be stronger then the other people and the elder shall serve the younger O Master Rebecca onely was the mother of Jews and Gentiles The Elder people and first-born was our Synagogue which was great and glorious with a rich dowrie of honour and the knowledge of God bestowed upon it The younger and last-born people and lesse in Gods account were the Gentiles drowned in infidelitie and ignorance Yet all
the Musicians shall learn the Laws We see it with mid-dayes clearnesse O Master that now for a thousand years the ignorant Musicians are become Doctors and Teachers of our Law Who are the ignorant ones but the Gentiles Who are these Musicians but the Christians who chant and sing our Book of Psalmes and the Prophets in their Churches Of the Musicians and singers we have God speaking by David Sing unto the Lord a new song for he hath done marvellous things What I beseech you O Master is this new song but the new Testament and what is the old song but our old Law Of these Musicians God speaks more by the Prophet David Sing unto the Lord all the whole earth sing a Psalm of praise to his Name Againe All the families of the earth shall sing and praise thy Name or All the families of the Nations Where this carries a marke of speciall note that it is not singularly said All the families of Israel but the phrase universally spreads it self to all the families of the Gentiles Of this musicall and Psalm-singing people are Davids words in another place Blessed are the people that knows the song ours â—ath it That knows the joyfull sound they shall walk in the light of thy countenance That also is to the same purpose The Gentiles or Nations shall sing a song to thee in the house of â—y God In this place he names a Song by way of Antonomasia naming a Song in generall â—ut intending their particular kinde of singing As for us we have lost our musick it is now 〈◊〉 thousand years since we Jews sung a Song 〈◊〉 our holy House Of these singers speaks David They shall sing praises in the house of God for ever The 137 Psalm questioned our singing How shall they sing the Lords song in a strange Land Alas O Master for the vacuity and emptinesse of our vain hopes who think of a name and a Countrey when we have lost both God himself tels us this by the Prophet Amos Israel is falne she shall rise nâ— more the virgin Israel is forsaken upon heâ— Land there is none to raise her up The same Prophet in the ninth Chapter saith There shaâ— come such tribulation that he who escapeth shaâ— not be delivered though they hide themselves iâ— the top of Carmel I will search and take theâ— out thence though they be hid from my sight iâ— the bottome of the sea thence will I command the serpent and he shall bite them Though they go intâ— captivity before their enemies thence will I command the sword and it shall slay them And 〈◊〉 will set mine eyes upon them for evill and noâ— for good This has the Lord said and done to us and now for a thousand years of miserieâ— we have hung by our Harpes and left all ouâ— singing of Psalms mourning befitting us more then musick Notwithstanding though weâ— cannot sing yet this we can say God is our God and we are his people CHAP. XXV The Jews unjustly finde fault with the Christians practise of singing GOD hath spoken O Master of the Christians singing by the mouth of David the sweet singer of Israel saying Clap your hands all ye people sing unto God in the voyce of melody In another place Make a joyfull noise unto the Lord all ye lands serve the Lord with gladnesse and come before his presence with a song In another place Sing unto the Lord all the whole earth declare his salvation from day to day I am under great feare O Master by that which God speaks in the mouth of Ieremie Teach your daughters wailing and every one her neighbour lamentation for death is come up into our windows Together with this of our learning that sad lesson of mourning he speaks of those Musicall children by the Prophet David Kings of the earth and all people princes and all judges of the earth young men and maidens old men and Children let them praise the name of the Lord. And who so offereth praise he glorifieth me As if he plainly said The sacrifice of the flesh of Goats such was our sacrifice doth not honour me but in the sacrifice of praise such as is the Gentiles am I glorified The Prophet Esay agrees with it when he saith The musicians shall learn the Scriptures and all the Psalmes of David shall they sing in a metricall way as it is varied by musicall Tones some Acute and Sharp some Grave About all which whiles I labour with the strength of my best consideration me thinks I judge with the least errour when I conclude we are in a great errour about their Sacrifice of praise which they offer up by singing in the Church of God Especially when I further discern that there are precepts of and examples for this singing in the Law of Moses and in the Prophet David who hath called for the praising God with Organs and Harp and with loud Cymbals and Let every thing that hath breath praise the Lord Jesus Christ That for Precept Example is not awanting for David danced before the Ark with his Harpe having his head uncovered for which his rash-tongued wife Michol was bold to reprove him but she got this sharp and tart reply from him O foolish woman doth not the Lord see thee despising me whiles I sing praises to him The Children of Israel also sounded a Trumpet whiles they bore the Arke Now tell me O Master what parts act we Are not we the foolish Michol that mock and jeet at the Christians singing solemnities And do not the Christians act Davids part dancing and rejoycing before the Lord in their Humiditie Especially considering how God propounds it Let every thing that hath breath praise the Lord. If it had been precisely thus written let every Israelite praise the Lord then our insultation over others might have had some better ground Neither is that of Esay any disadvantage to them that he saith The Nations or Gentiles are before God as nothing For this is to be applyed to the Gentiles in their first estate as they once were drowned in darknesse and ignorance of God before the comming of the Just One. Then indeed they were Pagans and Idolatrous people and none of those Nations that have found the Lord which offer unto him every day a pure offering in the East and West as above out of the Prophet Malachie hath been alledged And certainly O Master we are heirs of a great errour about this thing Notwithstanding all this we belong unto God CHAP. XXVI He proves the Apostasie of the Jews from God UNder an oppression of no small fear I fall prostrate O Master and this troubles me that like wicked Apostates we fell off from God at the first comming of that Just One according to all those Authorities hitherto alledged to which expressely do consent all that we finde written in the Books of the Law and the Prophets From this
the Prophets And the same account and reckoning they make of Davids Psalms Salomons Books Esther Iob and the Books of Chronicles They say these were writt as they were moved by the holy Spirit but it was not vera pura Prophetia But who will may see against this Daniel proved to be a Prophet of God out of Moses Ben Maimons own Characters of a Prophet by Constantine L' Emperour Against this opinion which makes Daniel a Prophet but metaphorically or by way of Translation Guil. Vorstius may be lookt after also in his Annotations on Maimonides de fundam Legis ad cap. 7. Cunaeus de Repub. Hebr lib. 3. cap. 7. CHAP. IV. HE rightly speaks of the blindnesse of the Jews so their estate in the new Testament is called For judgment am I come into this world saith our Saviour that they which see not might see and that they which see might be made blinde God hath given them the spirit of slumber eyes that they should not see c. Blindnesse in part is hapned unto Israel untill c. That which is here said that it is perpetuall Paul saith better for them then R. Samuel It shall not be alwayes but till the fulnesse of the Gentiles be come in and then all Israel shall be saved CHAP. VI. IN this Chapter he is very earnest to apply that prophecie of Amos the selling of the Righteous for Silver to be Israels sinne in selling Jesus the Righteous Sonne of God for thirty pieces of Silver Our Christian interpretors and Expositors do not go that way to apply it onely to Christ but make it to be the sin of injustice cruell oppression against the poor and needy selling away their person and Cause for Bribes Some have a glance at this Jewish exposition yet cannot fully like it though this Jew found the Christians in his dayes much bent to expound it as he does and let him be wittie this way to apply all to the Jews sinne if so be it may heal their sore CHAP. VII THe seventh Chapter arises out of his former discourse and he layes it downe that the Prophet Amos his Just man sold for silver is Jesus the Just the Saviour of the Christians he beleeves it is meant of no other This indeed is true 1. That Jesus the Just was sold for silver 2. That this was the Jews sinne 3. That this sinne of selling and murdering Jesus is the Gate that lets in all their miserie Onely here the Jew in a fourth thing has us not so fully agreeing that the Prophet Amos doth directly and especially point at this sin in this place Here the Jew is more against his own Jews than the Christians are and it shews his pious intention to finde out the grievousnesse of their sinne that takes up any Scripture that may seem to indigitate it to bring his people to repentance In this Chapter he admirably and with a Beam of Christian light applies the 53 of Esay to Jesus Christ as a Christian Expositor opens divers things in it As likewise that excellent and Torchlike place of Zacharie which gives clear light in this truth undenyably looking at Christ For other Scriptures look at his good meaning and pardon his Application That 53. of Esay exceedingly straitens the learned Jews and puzzles them in their Expositions to make it fit for some other rather than Christ Jesus but divers of them are enforced to apply it to Christ Of the Application of the 53 of Esay to Christ the Messias Hieronymus de sancta fide a converted Iew gives us his sure word that divers of their Rabbins go that way as R. Osua in Sanhedrin and R. Jose Galiaeus in a Book called Zifrat Lord Morney brings in others of their Doctors fitting this Chapter to him as R. Vla veniat sed absit ut videam Let him come but farre be it from me that I should see him meaning his wounds and sufferings will be so grievous as men will hide their faces from him And upon Ruth on these words Dip thy morsell in the Vinegar their Midrasch or Commentary hath it The morsell is the bread of the King Messias who shall be broken for our sinnes and shall indure great torments as was foreteld by Esay To stop the mouthes of all Iewes R. Simeon the sonne of Johni a chiefe one of them writes as if he were cloathed with the Sunne Wo saith he to the men of Israel for they shall slay the Christ And God shall send unto them his sonne cloathed with mans flesh that he may wash and cleanse them and they shall slay him R. Iohanan pitches truly upon the very time of Iesus Christs exercising his Ministery upon earth agreeable to the Historie Evangelicall of his life Three years and a half saith he the presence of God did crie upon Mount Olivet Seek the Lord while he may be found and call upon him while he is near Which is â—ust the common computation of the time of Iesus Christs preaching from his Baptisme to his Passion Here let it be noted once for all that this Doctour doth altogether call Christ the Iust or Righteous One an excellent name agreeing with the Scripture that calls him so proving in him there was no sinne no unrighteousnesse â—o guile and therefore he was fit to be Jehovah Tsidkenu The Lord our Righteousnesse Peter preaching to the Iews concerning Christ saith They denyed the holy One and the Iust and Stephen in his Sermon calls him the Iust One. So Ananias called Christ that Iust One. Among the Iewish Doctours it is ordinary to call Christ by this name by way of excellency The earth saith one of them standeth but upon one Pillar and the Iust One is his Name as it is in the Book of Proverbs Chap. 10. In the end of the Chapter the Iew alledges the agreement of the Gospels relation to the Prophets prediction concerning Christs death wherein like a Christian he flies from the Iews and cloaths himself with the Christians Armour of light beleeving the Gospell which professed Iews hate with an indeleble hatred CHAP. IX X XI IN these Chapters he proves that Christ shall have a double comming First in basenes and humility then secondly in Majesty and glory Sometimes onely he teaches Scripture to speak more then is intended as in that place of Esay because it is said Awake Awake twice he will have it to mean Christs double Comming And that of David For he commeth for he commeth is twice repeated because Christ shall twice appear saith R. Samuel But the truth is clearer then that he need these witty though sometimes weak allegations That Christs second comming shall be to judgement and with Fire and glorious Majestie he rightly and Orthodoxly holds and proves It is a rare Testimony to the credit of our Christian Baptism that he
triumph of Christ over his enemies he hath done more rightly than many of our writers and Christian Preachers who commonly do apply this place by a vulgar and received errour to the Passion of Christ How often have we heard these words quoted thus He trodd the Wine-Presse of his Fathers wrath alone that is He alone suffered and underwent his Fathers wrath for us If it had been meant of Christs Passion it would have been passively I was trodden in the Winepresse alone and not Actively I have trodd it It is the Grapes that suffer treading and pressing not he that treads 2. Again he is said to be glorious in his apparell when he comes from treading the Wine-Presse Now Christ in his Passion was either quite naked as many think or else but in one part very slenderly covered Now if his Body or that mean Cloth were sprinkled with his own Blood this was no very glorious apparell for one to appear thus miserably But for Christ in his Ascension to appear and in his Triumph to shew himselfe with garments all stained with the Blood of his Enemies this is glorious raiment indeed The triumph of the righteous is they shall wash their feet in the blood of the wicked 3. Observe the phrases in this Prophecie which shew not Christs Passion but his enemies Passion travelling in greatnesse of his strength that is strongly conquering and destroying his adversaries Mighty to save that is to preserve his he doth not say Mighty to suffer Garments like him that treadeth the Wine-Fatt the blood of enemies like the juyce of Grapes pressed are sprinkled on him that presses them I will tread them in mine anger and trample them in my fury If it were of Christs Passion it should be I am trodden in Gods anger and trampled in his fury The day of vengeance is in my heart that is Like a Conquerour I will now take vengeance of mine enemies 4. This phrase of treading as in a Winepresse is used in Scripture elswhere to shew what they suffer that are trodden as Lament 1. 15. Now Christ saith He trod and was not trodden 5. He is said to come from Edom and Bozra by Edomites conquered and destroyed he sets out under that particular name Christs universall conquest and triumph over all the enemies of the Church And in this Exposition this Jew applies the Prophesie better then many among us It is true divers of the Ancients have swallowed this without chewing to be meant of Christs Passion but whosoever looks into the Text and the Phrases of it will see it rather points at Christs Resurrection and Triumph then his Passion We are too prone to take these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 upon trust without examination The Fathers were more excellent and so the Ancients for sound pietie then for sound Exposition and dextrous Application of Scriptures Why may not David sometimes lay by the Spectacles of his ancient Fathers and say I have more understanding than my Teachers The learned and judicious Mercer confesses that our Divines are asleep when they expound this of the Passion of Christ Daniel Cramerus quotes the very place of R. Samuel to maintain this Prophesie as appertaining to Christs against the Jews He handles the controversie of the Blood here whether is meant the Blood of Christ Passions or of his Enemies Passion and would reconcile both as making Christs victory to begin with his own Blood and end with his enemies blood and referres to the disputes of Lyra and Burgensis about it Onely in an heat he falls foul upon Calvin as did Hunnius and must needs be very angry with him because he will not altogether expound Scriptures as they do Praestat saith he ut Calvinum qui solus sapere vult solum relinquamus ut solus sapiat But his passion clouds his eyes for others beside Calvin have seen that common way to have but poor grounds as Junius and Tremelius Mercer Tarnovius Musculus This I say not to disallow and throw by the Ancients in all things but onely to stirre up Divines that have eyes to use their eyes Pelargus and others have cited divers of the Ancients applying this to the Crosse and make it Torcular passionis Christi but their meaning is no way literally or directly to be found here Observe how fitly this Jew applies it to their Captivitie Whom hath he trod in his wrath but us Jews We are they that have been in the Winepresse this thousand years Yet O the fearfull wish of this Jew that though he be convinced to be a Christian yet he wishes the Candles of conviction were blown out here he speaks like a Jew indeed that hates the clear prophesies of Christ Would to God saith he when we slew the Prophet Esay we had blotted out this testimonie of his so manifestly pointing at Christ that it might not be read and seen against us Here he writes out of an exceeding naturall love to his countrey-men and kinred the Jews in an extasie of Passion The Apostle Paul has an extraordinary vote and desire another way and beyond rule when he thinks of the miserie of his countrymen and kinred the Jews This is to be beleeved the Jewes will not lose nor blot out any part of the Old Testament no not that which seems most against them though this man in a passion write thus for they most charily preserve it as their lives and will not suffer it to be corrupted or mutilated in a word syllable or letter Yea so religiously do they devote themselves to the letter and writing of the Bible that they say if a man through ignorance malice or impietie should change one word in the Bible there is great danger the Lord for that inexpiable offence should throw the world back againe into its ancient indigested Chaos of confusion because God created this world onely for the Scriptures sake So exact are they that no part of the Bible be either lost or corrupted that they have noted down in their Masora which they call The Hedge or Fence of the Law not onely every word how oft it is used but how oft it is in the whole Old Testament to be found with such a Pricke or with such an Accent Nay further and which is a miracle of diligence and faithfulnesse they have set downe how many Verses there are in every Book and have numbred how often every letter is used in the Bible As the letter Aleph or A is found by number to bee 42377 times Beth or B 38218 times and so have they taken notice of the rest to remember how often each letter is used This doing quickly would be discovered their unfaithfulnesse in leaving out or corrupting the Scriptures and that by the Candlelight of their own industrie Hereupon Austi calls the Jews Capsarios nostros The Christians Library or Bible-keepers because they with marvellous diligence have preserved the Old Testament
runn that way to make it point at Christs Incarnation both ancient and modern which made that Lutheran Beadle provide so terrible a whip for Calvin and lasht him with Calvinus Iudaizans Calvin turn'd Iew because he knew no reason why these words and other places of Scripture should be thought a plaine Prophecie of Christ Neither the consequents or the Antecedents do give any great light to that sense And let a man perpend and consider it well whether the interpretation of Calvin be so strange a thing to the meaning of the Prophets discourse and Sermon He is speaking of Gods delivering his people from the power of Chaldeans and it shall be so wonderfull that he saith A woman shall compasse a man that is the weak and low-brought Israelites that may seem to be compared to women being furnished with new strength from God shall prevail against the Chaldeans their potent enemies that are strong men and thus women may be said to bring men into straits Others besides Calvin have thought this sence to be more litterall and proper to that place then to expound it of Christs Birth The L. shall create a new th up e. a wâ—m shall comp a man that is This wonderfull and new thing will the Lord bring to passe the Church of the Jews that like a wandring and strange woman is departed from the Lord by rebellion and Idolatry to whom she was betrothed once she shall come with bitter repentance returning to her first Husband embracing him again gratiously whom she had vilely forsaken This is that new and wonderfull thing that the Lord should create in this impenitent and wicked people a new heart to return unto him This is commonly called A new Creation And if in this Calvin play the Jew then Luther was a Jew and divers others who could not with their best eye sight spie the Incarnation of Christ plainly and clearly in that Text of the Prophet And if we do not take that peece to confirme Christs spotlesse birth yet do we not want clear proofs and Prophecies against the gainsaying Jews to make it appear as noon-day Against the applying of the Scriptures unduly and unproperly to Christ the words of the ancient Pelusiot are ponderous and precious This course saith he puts harnesse upon the Gentiles and Heretiques in their contentions with us for when we torture and wrest the Scriptures which are not meant of Christ to bring them to point at him we bring suspicion upon those other Scriptures which without any wresting or wringing do lay plainly their meaning in Christs bosome And the great Schoolmaster Aquinas writes with a Quill of the same Wing When a man saith he going about to make proof of the Christian faith shall bring reasons whose clearnesse is not convictive and in a sort coactive that they cannot be denyed he layes himself open to the scorn and derision of Infidels and unbeleevers for they will presently conclude that we lean upon these Reeds and that these weak reasons are the inducements to our faith and the grounds our belief lies upon Whence we draw a Theologicall Canon That Divine truths must be urged and confirmed by indubitate and clear Testimonies else it turns to the detriment of the sayers and it will not convince the gainsayers CHAP. XVI SPeaking of Jews reprobation and Gentiles election he tels of the Jews proud boasting that they are the sonnes of Iacob and Israel pride and contempt of all people in the world besides themselves is the proper fault of the Jews He reasons the case here well Why should they thus contemn and scorn the Gentiles They say they onely are Gods portion and onely fall under the care of his Providence and the Gentiles run at large without the guidance of Gods Providence yea their Land of Canaan is the onely fit and apt place in the world to be the subject of Gods providence With them onely the Jews shall rise again and the Gentiles shall have no resurrection David shall confirm this their opinion in his first Psalm In their Talmud they say It is not murther if a Jew kill a Gentile nor is it perjury if he falsifie his promise to him confirmed by oath Yea their Talmud commands them to hold the Christians in esteem as bruit beasts and no otherwayes to use them then as they use beasts These and many such like le ts us see how the Jews pride themselves and cast the Christians Gentiles low enough in the Court of honour A learned Jew of these times treating of the Resurrection has a Chapter on this Head An etiam Gentes resurgent Whether the Gentiles shall rise again or no he indeed concludes they shall What is the reason that the Jews every year on the eight day of the moneth Tebeth which answers to our December do keep a solemn Fast sorrowing and humbling themselves in the remembrance of the Scripture translated by them into the Greek at the instance of Ptolomaeus Philadelphus Do they execrate and abhort the memory of that act It seems it is out of meer hatred and envy that any good or any knowledge of God should be scattered among the Gentiles We hear of old they could not endure to hear Paul to speak one word more when they heard this from him that the Lord said to him Depart for I will send thee far hence unto the Gentiles so soon as this is mentioned then they crie out Away with such a fellow from the earth for it is not fit that he should live In their Stories as that of R. Iosue Ben Levi that was up and down heaven and Hell he findes Christians and abundance of all Nations in Hell but we hear tell of no Jews there It is well that God follows not the Jews rule that scorn all but their own people But in every Nation he that fears God and works righteousnesse and Gentile as well as Jew is accepted with him CHAP. XVIII HE admirably agrees with S. Paul in the Application of the nineteenth Psalm to the preaching of the Gosspell by the Apostles Their sound is gone out into all the earth and their words into the ends of the world CHAP. XIX HE applies the Prophecie of Ioel about the Old men dreaming dreams and the young men seeing Visions to the Apostles and the abundant knowledge of God they had above former times just as S. Peter applyes it Acts 2. so that he is an Asserter of the truth with Paul he applyes the predictions of the Prophets Evangelically with S. Peter and will needs discover himselfe a Christian every way He makes one notable observation concerning the faith of Christ That of the Apostles of Christ that embraced the Faith not one of them did ever recant and return to embrace the Jews faith any more Iosephus the Jew does highly applaud the followers of Christ for their constancy Writing of Christ he saith There was at that
out of Boccace his Decameron Ioan. Peregrin Petro sel in serm Convival Zach. 8. 23. 1 Ioh. 5. 20 Dan. 9. 12. Ier. 25. â—29 He blames their observing of Circumcision Sabhath c. for their traditions and additions more then they finde in Moses his Law Zach. 7. 5. The words of the first Translatour Alphonsus the Spanyard Isa 54. 7 8. Dan. 9. 27. Dan. 9. Psal 76. Exod. 32. Numb 20. Deut. 9. 1 Sam. 4. Gen. 17. Amos 2. The words of the first Translatour Alphonsus the Spanyard Gen. 37. Isa 1. 4. Isa 53. Hierome after the Hebrew so reads it oblatus est quia ipse voluit vers 7. Psa 2. 2. Zach. 11. Amos 2. Esa 53. 12. The Author hath it Delectati sunt Psa 94. 21 23. Jer. 17. 9. The Septuagint reads the last part of the Verse thus Homo est quis cognoscet â—um Zach. 13. 6 7. Zac. 12. 10 Hab. 3. 4. Ioh. 19. Hab. 3. 13. Esay 53. Amos 2. Dan. 9. 26 27. Zach 9. 9. For Rex tuus thy King hee hath Praeceptor tuus thy mastâ—r Dan. 9. Zac. 11. Amos 2. Psa 97. Esay 29. 1 Kings 19 10. Esay 51. 9. Esay 53. â—say 9. Zach. 9. Dan. 7. The words of the first Translatour Alphonsus the Spanyard Psa 97. Zach. 14. Psa 97. Malac. 3. Our Translation is a little otherwise Ezek. 34. The words of the Translator Alphonsus Matth. 25. Esa 53. Ierem. Psa 97. Esay 12. Psa 97. Iob 19. Esay 53. 1 Pet. 2. Zach. 9. John 3. So reads the Translatour Psal 24. Psa 97. Esay 63. 1. The Translator turns the Future Tense into the Preter Tense Gen. 49. 11 Pro. 11. 31 Salomons Proverbs are called his Prophecie so the Catechisticall instructions of Salomons Mother are called the Prophecie that his Mother taught him Prov. 31. 1. Psa 68. 18. Psa 68. 4. Psa 68. 32 33. See the Annotations to this Chapter The words of the first Translatour Alphonsus the Spanyard The Author quotes Deut. 34. but the last words are there onely to be found The Author names Esay but he forgets himself for he himself hath before in his â— chapter quoted Ieremie for it Ier. 31. Mic. 5. 3. Esay â— Esay 53. Iob 25. Ierem. 17. Rom. 11. Esa 6. Esay 5. Dan. 12. Ierem. 17. Elongate saith the Translator Esay 3. Tâ—anslator reads 〈◊〉 have no eyâ—â— and th 〈◊〉 have no ears Psa 118. Esa 29. 11 12. Esa 1. 7 8 Esa 25. 1 2 Esa 30. 14. Esa 24. Ier. 6. 30. Hos 1. Esay 26. 3. Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace this Hierome according to the Hebrew translates Vetus error abâ—it See Hierom. in Comment on Esay 2 Chro. 6. 32 33. Psa 22. 27. Esay 60. 1 3 4 10. Esay 55. 5. Esay 45. 20 Esa 65. 1. Ier. 3. 17. Zeph. 3. 9. Zach. 8. 2â— Our translations have it otherwise Habac. 3. Esay 65. 12 1â— 14 15. Our translation hath 〈…〉 Zach. 2 Amos 8 Amos 8. Hab. 1. 14. Psa 19. Zach. 13. Psa 34. Exod. 4. Psa 128. Esay 5. 4. Esay 29. 22 23. Our Translation hath it otherwise Ier. 31. Esa 63. 8 9 This strangely differs from our Translations and strangely lacerates and tears in pieces both the sentence and the sense of words to make them fitt his purpose Ecclus 3. 1 2. Malach. 3. Esay 51. He gives the meaning of the word Melchisedech a Lord or King of Righteousnesse Deut. 3â— From Arabick Laâ—abit terram populi sui Psa 127. Matth. 28. Mark 16. Psa 45. Psa 110. Lev. 25. 22 Mal. 1. 10 11. Psa 50. It is not Salomon but the son of Syrach Ecclus. 50. 15. Our translations have it otherwise Levit 1. 1 Sam. 21. That in the Parenthesis the English Translator puts in 1 King 18. 1 Chro. 11 Esa 32. 10 Mal. 1. 10. Esay 1. Out translations have it otherwise Esay 1. from 11. to 16. Esay 66. 3. Our Trans otherwise Matth. 27. Mark 14. Ier. 7. 21 22 23 24. Gen. 25. Psal 45. Pro. 15. Pro. 5. 19. Esay 54. 1 Esay 43. Psal 31. Exod. 21. Esa 29. 23 The Iew has manifestabunt for sanctificabunt evangelizabunt for our timebunt In stead of murmurantes he hath it Musici scient Leges Psa 89. Amos 9. Psa 47. 1. Psa 100. Psa 96. Psal 148. Psa 50. See above in chap. 24 concerning this place of Esay Psal 150. Lord Iesus Christ is not in the Psalme 2 Sam. 6. 20. Esay 40. 17 Ierem. 17. Esay 3. 2. Our Trans hath it the Iudge and the Prophet and the Prudent Psa 87. Psal 110. Psa 132. Luke 9. zach 2. Gen. 49. Ne crescas Alstedius placeth him about the year 1090 in Chronol Theol. So has the Note before the Book in Micropresbeutico Iohn 12. 10 11. Iesus Nazaretus visus est esâ—e Messias ac sententia ludicum interfectus causa fuit ut dest ueretur Iâ—rael gladâ—o Marfil Ficâ—n in lib. dâ— Christ Relig c. 27 The first Digression Nondum omnium â—â—â—rum 〈◊〉 occiderunt 〈…〉 quoque 〈…〉 Cecidisse â—os non exâ—idisse câ—rtum est Vt elâ—ganter Cunaeus de Repub. Hebr. Lib. 1. cap. 18. Medras sir Hassirim Rab. Isaac ut habetur apud Porcherum in victor Cont. Heb. p. 2. c. 10. The 2. Digression â—hachanim Constan â— Emper. in Commen ad â—â—chiadae Paraphras in Daniel c. 1 Buxtoâ—ff â—un in vit Mosis Maimon praefix More Nevoch Comment in Middoth cap. 3. sect 5. Alstod in Chronol Scolast ad cap â—7 Saracen Chatechis Io. Iac. Boisard in Topogr Romae Buxtorff in Synagog Iud. cap. 1. ex Tractat. Erubhin Esay 8. 20. Mat. 15. 9. Iohn 5. 39. The 3. Digression Non coeco zelo in fans ipse ut aiunt una cum lavacri sordibus est effundendus Schickard apud Glassiam Paul Fagius in praefat Eliae Thisbi Iunius in Orat. de ling Hebr. Antiq. praest Tom. 1. Glassius in Orat de Hebr. ling. util Nihil aliud est Theologus quaÌ„ Grammaticus verbi Divini Drus in Epist ad Senat Antverpiens Scaliger ad Sâ—â—ph Vbert Buxtorf in praefat ad Mor. Nevoch A saepius collectis ac transfusis collectaneis velut è decima lacuna suffurari ut pene nihil resipiant sui fontis Eras in compend Theolog. R. Iose Iulian apud Theodoret Vatablum Mercerum Lutetiae docentes ipsi Iudaei sunt admirati Chamier de Authen edit Can. Panstrat l 12. c 9. Allo glaux allo corone pthengetai Hos 1. 9. Rom. 11. 28. Hieron de S. fide in Hebraeom l. 1. c. 9. Ex Berescit Râ—â—ba The 4. Degression Hos 14. Wofgang Capito in Hos 3. 2 Sa. 20. 1. Deut. 28. 64. The 5. Digression Porchet victor contra Hebr. part 1 c. 3. More Nevochim part 2. c. 45 In annotat ad Rab. Iacchiad in Paraphr in Daniel cap. 1. annotat 1. Ioh. 9. 39. Rom. 11. 8. 25. Micronym Carthus Parcus Tarnovius A lapide in loc Zach 12. The Chaldee Paraphrast and Genâ—ara Babylon Grotius de veritat
Galileans that is Christians for giving Alms and relief not onely to poore Christians but unto Gentiles and Pagans also in their necessity and writes earnestly to the Pontiffe of Galatia to build Hospitals for the poor in imitation of the Christians O that we could provoke the Jews to crie out There is no Saviour but Christ there is no way of salvation but by Christianitie Let us come to you for we see the Lord is amongst you and you walk holily in his wayes It is a strange way of converting Jews by the wicked and loose lives of Christians I fear me few will be induced to think our Religion the best because our Christian professors are the worst and walk in un-Christian practises We have indeed a story or two of some Jews that made that an argument for their conversion but we had need to have better arguments else we shall convince and convert but few Jews One of them is of Abraham a Jew that one Iannottus a rich Merchant in Paris did much labour with being his kinde friend to perswade him to leave their way and become a Christian by being baptized After many reasonings and exhortings to it at length he told him he would first go to Rome as the famousest Seat of Christians that is Popish and having seen them he would tell him what he would do The other with all power of wit and friendship argued against that course beleeving their proud pompous loose Atheisticall manners would utterly shipwrack all the hopes of his turning Christian Yet no perswasions having Iron enough to debarre him he went and returned and when the other thought all hopes were vanisht he told him he had seene such wickednesse loosnesse and irreligious corruptions of manners at Rome as now he did verily beleeve the Christian Church was the onely beloved of God and that therefore in his infinite favour to the Christians he did preserve and keep them else it could not be but they should quickly perish and be destroyed and upon this ground he would be baptized and turn Christian as judging some admirable excellency in Christianitie which drew the heart of God towards them when their wayes were quite against him The other Narration is to the same purpose of a Jew under the Duke of Saxonie that being urged as the former went first to Rome and returning concluded he would now be a Christian for at Rome he saw such filthinesse and abominable flagitious practices that unlesse Christians were cared for and beloved of God more than others our Faith and Religion could no way stand I call not for necessitie of belief in that I think they are more intended for the shame of Christians then to commend this backward way of Christians to bring Jews forward to Conversion O that our light might shine better before them that our holy Word of the Gospell and our Gospelling works might make them fall down on their faces and worship Christ and report that God is in us of a truth Vale Synagoga salve Ecclesia farewell the Synagogue of the Jews welcome O Church of Christ farewell Husks for Swine the Talmud welcome the Bread of our Fathers house the Gospel of Jesus Christ the onely way the onely truth the onely life How blessed tydings would this be that ten Jews should take hold of the skirts of Christians and say We will go with you for wee have heard that God is with you Thus I have made up this exercitation with excerpted Histories and Testimonies out of approved Authours for that is the way to delineate the Jews miserie and vanity It is true I had other imployment yet I met with these not found in the streets not standing iâ—le in the Market-place and I affirm that the asserting of Gods free grace against the Roman Antichrist and Christs Divinity and Mediatorship against the Jewish Pseudo-christs is as proper a part of our Ministeriall Office as any else we performe I conclude with that of John Wee know that the Sonne of God is come and hath given us an understanding that we may know him that is true and wee are in him that is true even in his Sonne Jesus Christ This is the true God and eternall life The Epistle of Friar Alphonsus of the Order of the Preachers who first translated the Booke out of Arabicke into Latin to Brother Hugh Master of the same Order concerning the Book To the most reverend Brother in Christ Hugo Master of the Order of the Fryar Preachers the most worthy Professor of Divinitie your humble Alphonsus Boni hominis or Goodman Spanyard promises you confidence of devout and prompt obedience SInce according to my meannesse end insufficiency I am not such an one as for knowledge either for you or to you can effect any great thing or assist such a worthy Father in your labours and cares which for the quiet of us all and peace of our Order you sustain in the Court For some comfort and ease of pains I send you as a small gift this ancient little Treatise by a new Translation of Arabick rendred Latin and by me interpreted which of late came unto my hands that before of long time has been concealed and hid Now it is to be observed that among the Iewes they make it a grand boast and honour if a man be skill'd in Arabick learning both because those letters are of much use with the Ancient Philosophers and because in that Character they more confidently convey their secrets which they would vail from others that Tongue being in acquaintance with few Iews and fewer Christians For which cause I judge this Iew the Author of this Book being but a Catachumenus and novice Christian writ it in the Arabick and not in the Hebrew tongue However sooner or later all things that are hid shall be revealed according to the saying of our Saviour In translating this Book the Bible authorities brought by the Iew I have writ in their proper places in Latine like as they were in the Arabick not following our Translation according to S. Hierome but as this Jew gave them when he composed the Work This I did that none might charge mee for presuming addition to or diminution from or alteration in the Text. In this all that are expert in Arabick will witnesse for me And this I say that the Jew treads not in the footsteps of our Translation as will be evident in the processe I thought I was bound to expresse him in Latine according as he speaks in Arabick as near as possibly I could and observe his order otherwise I might come to merit the name of a Corrupter rather than an Interpreter of this Book Nor would the Jews seeing this Book in both Tongues lye under so much conviction by it if they should see a disagreement and disaccord betwixt the Arabick and Latine testimonies To my comfort O Father Lord and Master this is the end I aime at Our Lord Jesus
the Son of Man came in the Clouds of Heaven and came to the Ancient of dayes and they offered him before him And he gave him Dominion Glory and a Kingdome and all people Nations and Languages shall worship and serve him The Hebrew hath it Tribes and Languages shall honour him his dominion shall be everlasting and not passe away his Kingdome shall not be destroyed Our Translation hath it Tribes and Languages shall serve him his Power shall be an everlasting Power which shall not be taken away and his Kingdome shall not be corruptible otherwise his Power shall not fail otherwise his Power shall be for ever and his Kingdom remain for ever Out of all which these things appear with evidence O Master that Christ in his second comming shall sit before the Ancient of dayes as a God come to judgement contrary to that of his first comming where he stood before our forefathers the Jews and received their judgement against him To these two commings of the Messias that is Christ the Prophet David hath respect in that Psalm where he saith For he commeth for he commeth to judge the world His first comming was but simple and mean to which purpose those words are barely set down for he commeth without any addition But as the first was poor so the second will be powerfull and therefore is added this clause to the second for he commeth to judge the world His second comming is mentioned by the Prophet Zacharie His feet shall stand in that day on the Mount of Olives c. You know well enough O Master none of us are so grosse-witted as to hold that God considered in his divine Essence and Nature hath either flesh or feet or any corporeall Members for to have feet is proper to corporietie David alledged in the place before saith of his second comming A fire shall burn before him and round about him For all this O Master we do not say God is circumscriptible for place that any thing may be said to stand about him as he is God but therefore it is thus written because these authorities have a literall veritie in that Righteous One described by the Prophets when one while they speak of his Humilitie another while of his Majestie The Prophet Malachie saith Behold the Lord commeth and who may abide the day of his comming For he shall sit as a refining fire and shall melt the silver and gold Here behold how that Just One once judged shall appear at his second comming Attend O Master and marke how in the same chapter the Prophet further expresses the glorie of his person I will come near to you in judgement and be a true witnesse against adulterers c. In the same sort doth Ezechiel describe him speaking of the Shepherds and Sheep I will separate between them that is I will separate the transgressors from the Righteous and the unbeleevers It is not thus in our Translation but the Arabick reads it so Lo here how in his second comming he will separate the unrighteous from the righteous as Malachie and Ezekiel are both clear in this point At his first comming none of us knew him for hee went beyond the limits of humane nature as God by Esay saith He was reckoned with transgressors and we therefore esteemed him not And Jeremie saith This is the man and who knows him Wherefore O Master this fear dwels upon my soul that our Fathers in the first comming of the Messias fell off and rann into errours and because of this we groan under our endlesse Captivitie Yet what ever fall out we belong unto God and in him we hope CHAP. XI Of the second comming of Christ that he then will judge with Power THese two things O Master I am in no small fear do agree to him 1. That he was manifested as a Saviour to all them that beleeved in him at his first comming 2. That he shall be a just Judge to judge all with power at his second comming David the Prophet speaks of him The Lord hath made known his salvation he hath openly declared his righteousnesse in the sight of the heathen Esay doth not dissent Ye shall draw water out of the wells of salvation or of the Saviour which so far as my eyes serve I can interpret those Wells of salvation to bee meant of nothing else but Baptisme Thus his double Advent hath a double Element his first comming in water to save by Baptisme his second comming in fire to trie all by judgement a Saviour by water a Judge by fire Of this Saviour do those words mean I know that my Redeemer liveth and that in the last day I shall rise from the earth and my eyes in my flesh shall see my God Observe here O Master how he calls this Just One both Saviour and God It is confest and manifest that God being a Spirit cannot be seen with any eye of flesh Scripture gives it out that the Saviour is the Righteous God and he alone challenges the name of that True Iust One of whom that saying is He did no sinne neither was guile found in his mouth Esay the Prophet testifies this of him This cannot be said of Moses or any of the Prophets that he is a Righteous Saviour and without sinne you Master know well enough that both Moses and the Prophets were sinners which the Scripture makes plain in that none is called the Righteous One but Christ and that name is reserved as onely proper to him And this without all doubt is to bee held that none are saved but those that beleeve his first comming and those that beleeve not there is no ground for them to hope for salvation at his second comming This argument has a marble reason to lay the foundation strong for it for I reason thus If they were worthy of death that beleeved not Moses who was two great degrees below Christ for Moses was but a temporary Saviour and a sinner how much more are they worthy of this judicatory fire that beleeve not nay and worse that blaspheme this Righteous One the Lord that never knew any sin Yet nothing can so fall out as to take this from us our relation and belonging to God CHAP. XII Of the Ascension of Christ DIgging into the precious earth of the Scriptures we have found O Master that Christ shall be exalted from earth to Heaven and hence arises my fear that this was fulfilled in him whom our Fathers Butchered and that the Prophet Davids acclamation is of his exaltation Open the gates of your Principality O ye Princes and be you lift up O ye everlasting doors and the Prince of glory shall enter in To which words I intreat your attention O Master that you mark how the Angels in Heaven make answer Who is the Prince of Glory and he will answer again to them The
Lord of Hosts mighty in battell is the Prince of Glory Certain and plain it is O Master that this righteous Lord of Hosts had no battell but in his first comming for in his last comming who shall dare fight with him for when he shall sit on his Seat of judgement and a fire round about him shall flame and burn up his enemies and shall purifie the righteous by fire as it were silver and all this in his last comming then none shall fight against him no place shall there be for any to resist him by battell Of the exaltation of this Righteous One the Prophet Esay speaks Who is that that commeth from Edom with garments dyed red from Bozrah this that is glorious in his apparell And the righteous One thus makes answer I that speak righteousnesse a Defender to salvation mighty to save The Angels then say unto him Why are thy garments red like him that treadeth the Wine-fat He answers them again I have trodden the Winepresse alone and there was not a man with me See here O Master how properly Esay speaks yea I fear the answer of this righteous one much toucheth us and none but us when he saith I have trod them in mine anger and their blood is sprinkled upon my garments and I have stained all my raiment For the day of vengeance is in my heart and the yeer of retribution is come O where have we any hopes in that Righteous One when we see that he complaines of us to the Angels in Heaven and makes knowne to them that he trod the Winepresse alone Whom as it that he trod in his wrath but us who after the Battell in his first comming hath thrown us down and we lie prostrate and trampled under foot now a thousand yeers and still there is a black day of vengeance waits for us in his last comming and a year of retribution is in his heart I would to God O Master when we with murderous hands slew the Prophet Esay wee had laid hands upon this Prophecie also and quite blotted out this fair authoritie out of his Booke that no eye might ever have beheld or read it against us And you may observe that which David cals a Battell The Lord of Hosts mighty in Battell Esay calls a Wineptesse Alas for us O Master we drink that new sweet Wine of which Iacob the Patriarch and Prophet speaks in the Book of the Generation of the Creatures that is Children of Judah He washed his cloathes in the blood of the Grape as it is falne out in us at the first comming of the Messiah that is We washed our garments in his Blood But what shall we wretches do in his last comming when all men shall stand before this man comming to judgement and a furious fire shall be ready to devour them round about him against whom he shall pronounce sentence Then is the time of Battell ceast he shall be no more then trod in the Winepresse then shall there be neither place nor time for repentance all refuge shall then fail onely Justice shall remain that as he was unjustly judged when they found no sinn in him so he shall justly judge all sinners For God saith in the Prophesie of Salomon If the righteous receive judgement where shall be the wicked and the sinner If the righteous scarcely be saved what shall then become of the ungodly CHAP. XIII He more strongly proves the corporall Ascension of Christ FEar as a Furie haunts me O Master and possesses me with this that those Testimonies recited by me out of the Prophets are all as points drawn from the Circumference and meeting all in that Just One as their Center viz. That he was sold for silver as the Prophet Amos avouches That he trod the Winepresse as Esay averrs That he was in battell with our Fathers as David affirms That he was caught as in a Net by our sins as Jeremie alledges That he was wounded in his hands as Zacharie asserts That upon his Vesture they cast Lotts as David assents That he ascended into Heaven as the same Prophet and others with an unanimous testimonie give up Which is not compatible nor can it stand with meer God considered in his Divine Essence and nature for the Deitie has neither Resurrection Exaltation Descension or Session properly Out of what hath been said this must issue with a necessary consequence That this Righteous one is already come to whom all the foresaid things very aptly agree and are fitly accommodated to his corporeall and humane nature which he assumed Now because O Master I know how hardly this enters into thy beliefe as a most improbable paradox that a man should bodily ascend into Heaven ponder these authorities and examples which we meet with in Scripture which underprop and confirm this truth In the first place I rank the Prophet David who saith God hath ascended on high he hath led captivitie captive and given gifts to men Again he speaketh of his Ascension Sing unto God and glorifie his name make way for him that ascendeth from the Western parts the Lord is his name Again David speaks of him in that Psalm which thou hast in thine heart Sing praises to God that ascends above the heaven of heavens to the East After him the Prophet Amos in like manner saith It is the Lord that hath built his Seat on high Of him again the Prophet David God is gone up with a shout the Lord with the sound of a Trumpet Likewise the Prophet Aser in his second Chapter saith I saw a man descending from the midst or heart of the Sea and he came up to heaven But because we want that Prophecie I omit to write many other things which that Prophet hath concerning this And yet wee have that Prophet but he knew not then that he who is Aggaeus in Latine is the same with Aser in the Arabick tongue Moses in his Song saith I lift up my hand to Heaven So Esay Awake or Arise arise O Arm of the Lord. Hannah the Mother of Samuel sings The Lord shall give strength unto his King and exalt the Horn of his Anointed David again The Lord ascended upon the wings of the winde These authorities have I met with in Scripture serving to prove the corporeall Ascension of Christ into heaven Many more there are to this purpose as thou O Master very well knowest Now will I annex some examples out of our Law to follow these Authorities being a thing so convenient for the establishing our belief in the point of Christs bodily ascent into Heaven This in the first place must be taken into consideration that the true and glorious God hath assumed and translated to himself out of the earth many holy men among our forefathers as the Law and Prophets will witnesse and if we doubt not of the ascent of these induced to beleeve it for the sanctitie of the men
great strength to take him yet they returned and said they could do nothing for they fable that in one day he could passe over as much ground as would serve one ten dayes ordinarily to travell by the Art of Schemamphoras Hereupon the King himself and his Nobles did assay to overtake and take him and comming to a rivers side they called on him though they saw him not he answered Are ye not fools Behold I go my journey if you have any power follow me He spread his Handkerchief upon the flood Gozan and so he presently passed over the King and his servants seeing it and beholding it Then the King broke out No man can do this but he whom the King of the world hath ordained King and he would needs make him King but that his Nobles endeavoured to perswade him that many such things might be done by meer Magique eye-delusion At length the Jews to prevent the great misery that was comming upon them by reason of him used means to get him to a Feast and banket after which being asleep in his drunkennesse his head was cut off and there was the end of the cheat-Saviour I name but another crack in the Jews brain and then I leave this doting upon false Christs A King in Africa made warre against the King of Marocco who oft having the day to get a better part in the hearts of his people by a fained humility he would needs ride alwayes upon an Asse which got him a name that he was called The King of Asses The fame of which meeting with the Jews ears most shut to the true Christ most open to false Christs they presently erect their hearts with hope and are ready to say as Andrew VVe have found the Messias Many of them affirmed the King of whom Zacharie prophesied he should come riding upon an Asse was now come Thus the Oxe knows his owner and the Asse his Masters Cribb but the Jews will not know nor consider but are ready to follow every Asse sooner then to embrace Christ I suppose one may probably guesse this may be he that was called Bejezid the Preacher who was famous for this Title Asininus Eques the Knight of the Asse and had an Army of 40000. By this time we have made R. Samuels words good that they have in vain looked for a Saviour and yet all their profit hath been put in a bagge with holes I fall upon a second note their conclusion maintained among them That their Messias is come and was born in the Babylonish Captivitie Our Christian Jew well confutes this because none ever lived a thousand years upon earth by the confession of all men Methusalem the greatest Heir of gray hairs long life upon earth had his thred spun forth to 969 years none had more But if Christ were born in the desolation of the second house at the time of Samuels writing his Book he should be a thousand and fifty years old and who but a Jew can have a faith bigge enough to receive and beleeve such a fable Divers do beleeve their Messiah was born then and that he is kept secret by God and must hereafter be manifested to Israel Well where is this Messiah all this while Some say God keeps him in the Garden of Paradise till the time appointed come and in Paradise if one could get in they might finde him fast tyed to the hair of a woman nay and they have Scripture for it too in Canticles 7. 5. Thine head upon thee is like Carmel and the hair of thine head like Purple the King is held in the Galleries You must here favour their Interpretation and take the Galleries for Paradise and take the King for the Messias and then you must suppose when it s said He is held in the Galleries that he is held by a womans hair which is here said to be like Purple Rabbi Salomon though he have a wise name is not ashamed to have too much respect to this wise Exposition Others say he is all this while about the City of Rome and he sits among the Beggars and Lepers and such as are full of sores and botches or he lies in Vaults and places under the earth rent and gnawed by Dogs and he shews his wounds the effects of those gnawings and that he suffers all this for the iniquities and sinnes of the Jews according as they say it is written He was wounded for our iniquities for our sinnes was he bruised Esay 53. Mark how they see and yet are blinde they see that Prophesie points at Christ and will not see it fulfilled in our Christ Many blinde guesses bold predictions they have had setting down a year when the Messias should appear but all of them have left them lyars and added to their misery perpetuall frustrations Rabbi Salomon gave them hopes that their new Law should begin at the devastation of the Temple about 1390. but herein he had Daniel his strong adversary and they failed in their waiting One Zaadias gave them hopes at the year 1200 but there their Egg was addle also and brought them forth nothing but winde They had a generall appointment of a publick repentance among all the Jews men women and Children old and young all over in the Captivitie kept almost a whole year in humiliation never such humbling so solemnly since their humbling in the year of Christ 1502 for the comming of their Christ and yet all this was answered with a nullity of any Signe Miracle Whisper concerning any new Saviour and they were forced to conclude All our supplications humiliations and prayers are nothing but emptinesse and rejected of God Rabbi Abraham Avenares set down a year for their Messias to come 1444 when Iupiter and Saturn should meet in Cancer but his Astrologie was a meer Cancer proved Cripple and creeping too short of performance Abravenel sets down another year in the conjunction of Pisces and they caught no fish in their Net that year 5224. At length they are come to a wise resolution Let their Bones be broken and let them breath their last that compute years and set down any periods or limits of time They have been so often gulled they will hearken to no conjectures any more It were well they would make this Resolution as Brasse and strong as Iron Themselves in this Confession grant they are in a Cloud of confusion and and that they are blinded of God and know not what to do Nor are they such as deny large Confessions of the blindnesse of their times for if the first were the sonnes of men we are they say meer Asses nay we are not so good as an Asse R. Afhu being asked when the Messias should come by a prophane and wicked man he answered Then when darknesse shall possesse you He said to him Thou curses me but he replyed again It is the word of the
Scripture Behold darknesse shall cover the earth and grosse darknesse the people but the Lord shall arise upon thee and his glory shall be seen upon thee Esay 60. 2. In which he plainly confesses no marvell if the Jews stumble because they shall be left in a thick spirituall Myst of blindnesse Blindnesse in part is happened to Israel untill the fulnesse of the Gentiles be come in They frame their faith into an imagination of two Messiahs that shall come the one the sonne of Ioseph the other the sonne of David His glorie is like the firstling of a Bullock Deu. 33. 17. that is the sonne of Ioseph Zach. 9. 9. He is lowly riding upon an Asse and upon a Colt the Foal of an Asse this is their Messias the sonne of David Both these they will needs finde in the 32 of Esay Blessed are ye that sow beside all waters that send forth thither the feet of the Oxe and the Asse These two are both but one Iesus Christ for he was the sonne of Ioseph that was betrothed to his Mother his son not by the flesh but by education and bringing up Besides he was the son of David by the glorious Virgin his Mother who by the flesh descended from the Seed of David Messias the son of Ioseph being dead Messias the son of David they beleeve shall raise him again Their Messias shall make them great Feasts and Marry a Wife Kings daughters shall be among his honourable women on his right hand shall stand his Queen in Gold of Ophir The Kings of the world will think themselves highly honoured if any of them could get the Messias to marry their daughter He shall beget Children and see his childrens children and after he shall die as other men but his children shall rule and reign over Israel And whiles they are thus under their Messias the Christians shall do all their works drudgery without any wages Earth shall bring forth fruits for them presently after they are sown all kinde of pleasure peace shal they have c. Thus they grow up from dotage to dotage and wander without end in the framing to themselves a carnall Saviour and a sensuall salvation Let the 11 Chapter of the Gemara of the Sanhedrin be perused and there is enough from the Jews to stop the mouthes of the Jews concerning the expectation of any other Messiah besides Iesus Christ My intentions are not a fâ—ll confutation of them but onely the confirmation of Samuels Arguments CHAP. XXVII HE pleads against the Jews that they through incredulity and obstinacy will not receive Christ by the testimony of Saracens and Mahumetans concerning him Whence we note that Christs bitterest and blasphemousest enemies are the Jews his own Countreymen and Brethren after the flesh Venit ad suos sues eum non receperunt as the Waldenses in their Writings have it They are pertinacious and stâ—ffe-hearted nothing will convince them Sabbatius a Jew was baptized and made a Christian Minister he yet afterwards did secretly abide in his Jewish infidelitie When any of their Zealots are put to death for some pranks against Christ and Gospell as blasphemy or perfidiousnesse yet if their Writers mention it their evill deaths are commonly set out with this phrase He was slain propter sanctificationem Dei for the sanctifying of God as they say of R. Mordechai at Norenberge R. Ganz relating how five thousand Jews were put to death he saith they were burnt in fire propter sanctificationem Dei neque stultitiam vel peccatum tribuerunt Deo nor charged they God with sin or folly that is They did not renounce their Judaisme R. Amnon publikely sanctified the Lord by his death So Rabbi Abraham sanctificavit seipsum propter nomen proprium seu Dei A Christian disputing with Jews at Rome when by Scripture he clearly convinced them yet they remitted nothing of their pertinacie nay one of them answered Although thou shouldest shew it to me as clear as the Noone-dayes light that Christ is the Messias yet I am resolved of one thing I will not beleeve it It is reported at Coleine there was a Jew as was thought converted to the Christian Faith initiated by Baptism growing up to many years a little before his death he rejected with execration the Christian Religion and professed his Jewish mis-belief which it was judged he had abandoned Hereupon dying they made this Embleme be infixed on his Tomb a Mouse is represented pursuing a Catt with this Inscription Quando mus felem capiet Iudaeus etiam conversus manebit Christianus VVhen a Mouse shall catch a Cat then a Jew converted to be a Christian will remain a firme Christian By which it is in a manner concluded that it is amongst incredibles to think that any Jew will heartily convert and turn to Christ Yet God has a time and a power and a way to raise up these stones and make them children to Abraham Vsquequo Domine O for the time when the Jews shall be seene mourning over Jesus whom they have pierced The last thing is induction of Alcoran Testimonies concerning Christ some have done it besides this man as Dionysius à Rickel It was the good intent of the Jew to shame his Countreymen any way out of their infidelity and might be provoked by the very Turks to think and speak better of Christ But here is the Poyson if they write one syllable of truth concerning Christ they line it with so many Lies as makes it abominable This is one of their sentences concerning Christ The Word of God and his Spirit entred into Mary the sister of Moses and Aaron and she without Seed did bring forth Iesus Christ who was a Prophet and servant of God Mark what non-Divinity is here not speaking as the Gospell speaks The Word of God and Spirit entred into Mary Mark what non-sense and non-reason is here that Mary the Mother of Christ was the same with Miriam the sister of Moses and Aaron whereas that Miriam lived thousandâ— of years before Mary Christs Mother was born I could alledge some good sayings of theirs concerning Christ but that the Devill is to be rebuked speak he never so well They say Jesus the son of Mary shall descend from Heaven to earth in the day of the Resurrection and shall judge the world in it with just judgement Again Iesus shall slay men and shall bring forth Gog and Magog and they shall die but Iesus shall remain alive and they that partake of his faith What ever they say of Christ it matters not for though they make him great yet they put him but as a Servingman to Mahomet whom they alwayes exalt higher It is verily beleeved they say by many wise and learned Heads even in Arabia and followed with reasons to prove it that the first Author of the Alcoran was not man but the