Arrow Against the Separationists, Admonition · Chapter 6
CHAP. VI.
A Sixth Scandall is that blaſphemous aſſertion touching the help of the Rabbines, when as concerning the Chaldee paraphraſt and other Hebrew doctours, you ſay that you alledge their expoſitions for two cauſes: the one, Preface to Annot. on Geneſis.to give light vntounto the ordinances of Moſes touching the externall practiſe of them, in the common wealth of Iſrael, which the Rabbines did record, and without whoſe help, many of thoſe legall rites (eſpecially in Exodus and Leviticus) will not well be vnderſtood, &c. To this preſumption I anſwer, in defence of the holy ſcriptures;
Firſt, The law of God is aPſ. 19.7.8. & 119.130. Prov. 1.1.—6. & 8.8.9.perfect: and not onelyonly for the truth thereof, but alſo for the perſpicuity, and evidence ſufficiēt in itſelf (as a divine inſtrument) to convert the ſoule from any ſin: to give wiſedome vntounto the ſimple, and to enlighten their eyes in any doubt or danger: why do you then accuſe them of imperfection, as though the well vnderſtanding of them did depend vponupon the records of the Rabbines? The whole ſcripture is b2 Tim. 3.16.17.given by inſpiration of God, and is proffitable to teach, to convince, to correct, to inſtruct in righteouſnes that the man of God may be abſolute, being made perfect vntounto all good vvorkes: But you contradicting the ſpirit of God tell vsus that without help of the Rabbines many legall rites will not be well vnderſtood: and ſo according to your tenent, the man of God cannot be abſolute, nor made perfect vntounto all good workes, and to all the workes of his miniſtery as to expound Exodus & Leviticus well, vnleſs he be a Scholler of the Rabbines: To be a diſciple of the Prophets and Apoſtles, and of Chriſt Ieſus himſelf is not ſufficient with you, vnleſs he be alſo a ſtudent and proficient in the Schoole of the Thalmud. As cIudg. 14.18.Sampſon once vpbraided the Philiſtines, that they could not have found out his riddle, but that they plowed with his heifer: even ſo the Iewes at this day might vpbraid the Chriſtians, & tell vsus out ofyour mouth, (if there were any truth in this your aſſertion) that we could not have founde out their myſteries, nor well vnderſtood the ordinances of Moſes, except we had plowed with their heifer of the Thalmud. You ought to feare the Lord who is a jealous God and dEſa. 48.11will not give his glory to the Thalmudiſts: eNeh. 8.8.Ezra and fAct. 9.22. & 17,2.3.Paul and gAct. 18.28.others honoured the ſcriptures, and did well expound them when they gave the vnderſtanding thereof by the ſcripture it ſelf, and by comparing them togather: but you diſhonour the ſcriptures and take away a great part of their glory, when you ſay they will not be well vnderſtood without help of Rabbines: yea you are herein guilty of the ſame blaſphemy with the Rabbines themſelves: and your ſpeech is in effect one with theirs, who are noted to affirme that hR. Bechai in Cad hak kemach. Fol. 77.the law written cannot be expounded or made plaine without the help of the mouth tradition: for from thoſe pretended Thalmudicall traditions are your explications drawne. How do you forget yourſelf & your former writings in which you profeſs touching the Shepheard of Rome, that iAnſw. to Ioh. Ainſ. p. 22.you will never go over the Alpes to fetch your food from him? And yet here you run over the Alpes, yea over the mountaines of Ararat to fetch your food from the Babylonian Thalmud as though you could not be wel fed without Rabbinicall chaffe. Heretofore you could vvrite and maintaine; that kIbid. p. 153.It is a ly againſt the truth to ſay, that the holy Bible which we have written, doth not ſufficiently expreſs divers myſteries of vsus to be beleeved: And yet here to make vvay for the broaching and venting of your Rabbinicall vvares, you contradict yourſelf: for if many legall rites will not be well vnderſtood without the Rabbines, then doth not the holy Bible ſufficiently expreſſe divers myſteries vntounto our vnderſtanding: And thus yourſelf are guilty of the like ly againſt the truth, whiles to vvin credit vntounto the Rabbinicall expoſitions, you ſpare not to ſlander both the perſpicuity of the ſcriptures, and alſo the lIoh. 1.16. & 7.37.38 & 14.26. & 16.13. Eph. 4.8.14. Eſay. 29.18. & 35.7.8. Heb. 8.10.11.grace of God given vntounto the Churches of Chriſt ſo abundantly in theſe laſt dayes: as though the ſpirit of truth, and all the gifts which Chriſt aſcē ding on high hath given to vsus could not lead men to vnderſtād the ſcriptures well: as though without a threed of direction frō thoſe infidel Iewes, that deny Chriſte, vve could not come out of the pretended Labyrinth of the ſcriptures.
Secondly, as for the externall practiſe of Moſes ordinances in the common wealth of Iſrael, recorded by the Rabbines: what extraordinary light is to be expected from thoſe blinde guides whom our Saviour every where condemneth for their ignorance, blindenes and ſuperſtition? even the Phariſees, thoſe more ancient Rabbines, (by which title you do ſo often commend them) were ignorant of the law, and by their traditions receyved from their Elders had falſifyed & corrupted the right practiſe of the ordinances of Moſes, and to magnifye their owne deviſes and inventions, they mMat. 5.20.—43. & 15.2,3.—14. & 16.12, & 23.16, &c.wreſted and changed the law, & the right obſervation of the whole decalogue and of every commandement in the ſame: vntounto the legall rites they ioyned a burden of their owne traditions, mens precepts, vaine worſhip, plants which the heavenly father had never planted, and made the commandements of God of no authoritie, for theſe things Chriſt often reproved them, denounced woe vntounto them, and for this cauſe the Iewes againe denounce woe vntounto our Bleſſed Saviour and nThalmud tract. Gittin Cap. 5.blaſpheme him wickedly with words which I abhor to mention, as being a contemner of their wiſe men. And is it not madnes then to think, that the law of God will not be well vnderſtood, without the help of ſuch accurſed and woful guides?
But to give the reader ſome more particular inſtances of this; Let it be conſidered what a ſory change you have made in leaving the miniſters of Chriſte to be come a diſciple of your Iew-doctours. Againſt the Church of God in England you proteſt on this maner and ſay vntounto vsus: H. Bar. refut. of Giff. p. 214we hold that you have poyſoned all the fountaines of ſincere doctrine and pervert the whole Teſtament, & turne away the practiſe thereof by your damnable falſe expoſitions, yea that you teach not one poynt ſincerely. If this were true then had you reaſon to ſeparate: and not to heare ſuch damnable doctrine: but let vsus ſee whether thoſe fountaines be purer, withoutdrinking whereat you would make vsus beleeve we could not vvell vnderſtand ſome parts of the holy ſcripture.
AGainſt the firſt commandemēt, your Rabbines teach vsus to chooſe a falſe God without Chriſt: they impugne the doctrine of the holy Trinitie, as I ſhewed before. They teach many things not agreeing with the nature & maieſtie of God: as that he ſhould aRaſi on Pſa. 104.26play …hre houres in the day with Leviathā; that bChald. paraphr. on Cant. 5.10.in the day he exerciſes himſelf in the ſcripture, & in the night ſtudies the Thalmud: that in the cThalmud in Beracoth Cap. 9. Fol. 59.houre when he remēbers the diſperſion of Iſrael, he lets two teares fall into the great Sea and makes lamentation for the deſtruction of the temple: That the dThalm. in Cholin. c. 3. F. 60. & Raſi on Numb. 28.15.Sun and moone being created equal in light at firſt, vponupon the complaint of the moone, he diminiſhed her light: but the moone expoſtulated ſo long vvith God, that as they write he appoynted a ſin offring to be brought for himſelf for a reconciliation: even that Goate offred for a ſin offring in the beginning of every monethmonth. That the Sunne, Moone, and Starres are living creatures having reaſon and ſpeech, the Iewes hold firmely as I noted before: and therfore no vvonder that the Moone ſhould ſo plead with God. As the creatures pray in their wants ſo they teach that the creatour himſelf doth make prayers: R. Iohanan in the name of R. Ioſei *Thalmud in Beracoth, c. 1. Fol. 7.proves it by that place in Eſa. 56 7. where God calles the temple Beth tephillathi; The houſe of my prayer: They note it is not called the houſe of their prayers, but of his. And R. Zutra bar Tobijah ſhewes what his prayer is, viz. that his mercy may overcome his vvrath and his other properties, &c. Concerning the anger of God, they vvrite further in the ſame place, that God is alwayes angry once in a day: vvhichwhich they would prove from that ſaying Pſ. 7.11. But this anger they ſay is but for a moment: and how much is a moment? They teach that if an houre be divided into five millions, eight thouſand, eight hundred, eighty eight parts, then a moment is one of them. They ſay no creature knowes that moment ſave onelyonly Balaam: becauſe it is ſayd, he ſaw the viſion of the almighty, &c. Numb. 24. and therfore in Balaams time God was not angryonce a day according to his maner, leaſt Balaā ſhould have curſed Iſrael in that moment, and ſo deſtroyed them: this they will have to be noted from Numb. 23.8. with Mica. 6.5. For it is held that if in that moment of Gods anger any man ſhould curſe an other, he muſt needes dy preſently: and that men cannot prevayle vvith God in that moment: And herevpon they vvrite alſo that God bade Moſes to ſtay and waite till his face or anger vvas paſt, that then he vvould give him reſt, viz. vvhen the moment of his paſsion and indignation vvas over: that they would prove from Exod. 33.14. Concerning that moment of indignation they ſay that the cockes then ſtanding vponupon one foote, their combes become pale and looſe their rednes, &c. Into ſuch a horrible pit of ignorance of their creatour, have theſe miſerable Ievves bene caſt, by the heavy hand of God vpō them. Their confidence in creatures appeares by the ſundry ſorts of eElias Levita in Tiſhbi in Lilith.charmes vvhichwhich they have taken from the names of Angels vvritten on their vvalles and dores in time of danger. Yea as the rude Indians are ſayd to offer ſacrifice to the Divel for feare, leaſt he hurt them: ſo the fIbidem in Samael.Iewes themſelves vvrite of their offring or gift, vvhichwhich in the feaſt of reconciliation they give vntounto the wicked ſpirit or fiend vvhom they call Samael.
IN ſtead of Gods true and pure worſhip required in the ſecond commandement, they bring in a Sea of ſuperſtition: In ſtead of worſhiping Chriſt, they have gSeb. Munſt. de fide Iudae: p. 110.prayers againſt him, ſo execrable, as that I think it not meet to rehearſe the ſame. And for other prayers how vaine are they? Among the 5 things that ſtay them from prayer, one is when their hands are not cleane: And of this they vvrite, that hMaimony in Miſneh, in Tephillah, or treat. of prayer, c. 4. Sect. 1.2 5if a man have journey by the vvay, and the time of prayer be come and a man have no vvater: if there be betwixt him and the vvater the ſpace of 4. miles or 8000. cubites, he is firſt to go vntounto the place of vvater, to vvaſh and then after that to pray: but if there be betvvixt him & the vvater a greater ſpace then this, he is to vvrive or rub his hands vvith gravel or duſt or the like and then to pray. But this diſtance duplicate page duplicate page of 4. miles they do there expound of the place before them; but for the place after them, they are to returne but one mile back for vvater and no more: This vvaſhing of hands they require for every ſet time of prayer beſide the morning: for then they require the vvaſhing of face, hands and feet before prayer. For praeparation to prayer, they require a ſettling of the mind and thoughts: And therfore they teach, iIbidem, Sec. 15.if a man returne from a journey and be vveary or troubled it is vnlawfull for him to pray: and their vviſe men ſay, a man ſhall be vveary three dayes vntill he reſt and refreſh his mind, and after that he may pray.
In the time of prayer they vſe phylacteries: and of theſe R. Hanina in the name of R. Iohanan gives this rule; that kR. Alphes in phillim, or treat. of phylacteries, Fol. 78. A.they may not make the phylacteries of the head, to ſerve for phylacteries vntounto the hand: but the hand-phylacteries are allowed to be made head phylacteries: becauſe they may not deſcend from a greater holynes to a leſſe: but contra. Touching the hand whereon theſe phylacteries are to be vvorne, the Rabbines ſay, lR. Alphes ibid. f. 81. ait is the left hand; for proofe thereof they alledge theſe ſcriptures, his hand hath founded the earth, and his right hand hath ſpread out the heavens: and againe, ſhe put her hand to the nayle, and her right hand to the hammer of the workmen, Iudg. 5. But if a man be left-handed, then he is to vveare them on his right hand, becauſe that is vntounto him as his left hand. The like care they have about their zizith or fringes vvith as many ſuperſtitions as there be threeds in a fringe. Further, mThalmud in Babha bathra c. 2, Fol. 25.if a man ſeek vviſedome in his prayer, he is to pray towards the South; if he ſeek riches, he is to pray towards the North: and the reaſon that they give hereof is, becauſe the table vvas ſet on the North-ſide, and the Candleſtick on the South-ſide, (Exod. 40.22.24.) VVhen for their neceſſities they go into the place, where they think it is not meet that the Angels ſhould be preſent vvith them: they have nArba turim, Orach Chaijm, tract. 1. fig. 3.a ſet forme of prayer, in vvhichwhich they deſire thoſe Angels, the miniſters of the moſt high to keep them, to help them and to ſtay for them, vntill they come forth of that houſe: vvithmany other ſuperſtitions annexed, not fit to be named. They think alſo, that oIbid. fig. 4there is an evill ſpirit abiding vponupon their hāds vntill they have vvaſhed, &c. VVhen they are ſee to pray, they tell vsus that pR. Alphes in Beracoth, c. 4. F. 22.though a King ſalute them, they may not anſwer him, and though a ſerpent bite them by the heele, they may not ceaſſe. Yet the gloſſe vponupon that place, helpes to mitigate the matter a litle, and faith, qR. Ionah commēt. on R. Alphes.though they may not ceaſſe to ſpeak, yet they may go aſide to ſhake of the ſerpent, to avoyd danger &c. After prayer for the further confounding or rOrach Chajim, in Roſch haſſchanah fig. 581. & in Seder Tekiath Shophar, fig. 596.aſtoniſhing of Satan, as they ſay, they vſe ſometimes to ſound a Trumpet, or to take vp a great ſhowte together, without ſounding of the Trumpet. He that killes a bird or beaſt, ſIore deghnah, Treat. of covering blood, fig. 28.muſt cover the blood & a ſet forme of prayer or bleſſing is appoynted for that action; except it be, whē they kill a beaſt which they call Cavi begottē of a Roe and a hee goat: though they cover the blood thereof, yet may they not doe it with prayer & bleſſing evē as they teach that tTract. Milah. fig. 365.they are to circumciſe an Hermaphrodite, a perſon that is both male and female, but without that ſet forme of bleſsing appoynted for the action of circumciſion. And infinite and the traditions wherein they put holynes and religion: Yea they uThalmud in Sanhedrin, c. 7. F. 68.tell vsus of 300. traditions about one kinde of leprous ſpot and of three thouſand traditions about the planting of Cucumbers beſides thoſe which are for the plucking of them up. And how many millions of ſuperſtitions muſt they then have for all other things? But if there were nothing els but their ſet formes of prayers which they vſe: according to your profeſsion they muſt be violatours of the ſecond commandement & great Idolaters. And touching theſe they ſay, that vvMaimony in Miſneh, in Beraco…d ….Ezra the ſcribe and his conſiſtory ordeyned the forme of all their bleſsings, & that it is not meet to adde vntounto one of them or to diminiſh from them: and that whoſoever changeth the coyne which their wiſe men have coyned in their bleſsings, cannot but erre, &c. If in any thing the Rabbi…es might know the external practiſe in the common-wealth of Iſrael then in this general poynt, that they vſed ſet formes of prayer, though they might erre touching ſome particular prayers: If in this matter they cannot help you better to vnderſtand the practiſe of Gods people, then in none other rites. Shew if you can, how we may regard them in any tradition, if not in this.
FOr the third commandemēt, they have alſo moſt vaine doctrines, touching taking the name of God in vaine. They ſay, whoſoever xMaimony in Miſneh, tract. Ieſudei hath orah, Cap. 6,1.2 3, &c.deſtroyes any of the holy and pure names of God, he is Lukah, to be beaten or whipt: for proofe they alledge Deut. 12.3.4: Now theſe are the 7. names, Iehovah, Adonai, Eloah, Elohim, Ehich, Shaddai, Tſebaoth: whoſoever blots out but one letter of theſe names, he is Lukah, to be beaten: And further, they ſay, whoſoever blots out any letter added to the name of God, in the forepart thereof, as L in Laihovah: and B in Belohim, that is free: but the letters added to the name of God, in the afterpart thereof, as C in Eloheca: on M in Elohecem, may not be blotted out, but are holy as the name of God. Yet he that blotts them out is not Lukah: but puniſhed with a leſſer kind of puniſhment, with Maccath Marduth, &c. Againe they hold it for an heynous ſin, that any man ſhould pronounce this name Iehovah: onelyonly they yThalmud in Kidduſhin c. 4. f. 71, & in Sotah, c. 7. Fol. 37.allow it to be pronounced in the ſanctuary, and that onelyonly by the Prieſts and that not at all times but onelyonly in the ſolemne bleſsing appoynted Numb. 6, & that alſo with a ſwift voyce, that the found thereof may be as it were ſwallowed vp. The reaſon alledged is, becauſe the Lord ſaith, this is my name for ever, and this is my memorial Exod. 3.15, vvhere they do not read, leghnolam, for ever; but leghnallem, to hide, to conceale: as though God would have his name Iehovah concealed, & Adonai or Elohim to be his memorial pronounced in ſtead of it: And divers like ſuperſtitions they have about the name of 12 letters, and the name of 42 letters. Yet they zAben Ezra on Zach. 14.9. Thalmud in Peſachim, c. 3. Fol. 50.hold that in the world to come, viz. vvhen their Meſsias comes, that then it ſhalbe pronounced of all; becauſe it is ſayd, Zach. 14.9. that there ſhalbe one Lord, and his name one, to vvit, the name Iehovah to be read as it is written, &c. Moreover as they abuſe the name of God, by obtruding all their traditionsvpon him, as if he had given them at Sinai; by perventing the law that he hath given: ſo do they alſo by concealing ſome parts of ſcripture, when they ſay, aR. Alphes in Megilla, c. 4. f. 365.ſome of them are to be read and expounded: ſome of them are to be read and not expounded: and ſome of them neither to be read nor expounded; And divers inſtances they give for ech of theſe kindes. And not onelyonly this, but they do alſo ſhew in ſtrange maner, how a great part of the ſcriptures ſhalbe aboliſhed, even then when they will have their traditions to continue: they ſay, that bMaimony in Miſneh, tract. Megillall, c. 2. ſec. 18.all the bookes of the Prophets and Cethubim (viz. Iob, pſalm, proverbs, canticles, Daniel, Ezra, &c.) ſhall ceaſſe in the dayes of Meſsias, except the volume of Eſter: behold it ſhall continue as the 5. bookes of the law and as the traditions of the law ſchebeal-peh, delivered by mouth, which are not to ceaſſe for ever. This is the blaſphemie of your Maimony. Concerning othes, as our Saviour in his time cMat. 5.34 & 23.16, &c.reproved divers of their errours: ſo are their later Rabbines alſo to be condemned. In that dSebaſt. Munſter, Annot. on Gen. 2.ſtory where the 7 places of paradiſe are deſcribed by them, with their ſeverall glory, and with the ſeverall perſons that are in ech of thoſe places, they ſay, that when the ſame were ſhewed vntounto Iehoſhua ben Levi by the Angell of death at the commandement of God, he ſodainely lept from the divel into that place, and ſwore by the name of God that he would not depart thence; Herevpon though the Angel of death would have drawne him back, and though the miniſtring Angels alſo complayned hereof vntounto God, yet becauſe- of his oth, it was concluded of God that he ſhould ſtay there, it having bene found that this Rabbine had never made falſe oth before. The like liberty and preſumption in ſwearing do others of them commend vntounto vsus on earth, when as ſome of their great Rabbines having a ſpeciall requeſt vntounto God do tell him with an oth that they vvill not depart from the place where they ſtand vntill they ſee their deſire granted. Thus it is eThalmud in Taanith, or treat. of faſting, c. 3.accorded of Chone Hammagal, that in a time of great drought when as other humiliation would not prevaile, he ſhut vp him ſelf in our with a Cake, and prayed thus, O Lord of the world, thy Children direct their eyes vntounto me, knowing that I am deare vntounto thee as a Childe vntounto his Father: I ſweare by thy holy name, that I will not depart hence, vntill thou have pitie vponupon thy infants: This being done there came ſhewers of raine. And thus R. Solomon Iarchi their great Parſhandatha or cheef expoſitour of the law, interpreting thoſe words of the prophet I will ſtand vponupon my watch, fRaſi & Kimchi comment. on Habak, c. 1.1.writes herevpon: ghnugah ghnag Habakuk, &c. that is to ſay, Habakkuk baked a Cake and ſtood in it or by it, and ſayd, I will not depart hence vntill I heare what he will ſay vntounto me, &c. And this expoſition is alſo related by Kimchi in the ſame place. This practiſe is like vntounto the dealing of ſome preſumptuous perſons in theſe our times, of whom I have heard, that coming vntounto perſons poſſeſſed and taking with them a pound of rayſins do avow they vvill eat nothing els vntill the perſons be diſpoſſeſſed. Many other vaine doctrines they have touching othes & blaſphemies but I may not inſiſt further vponupon them.
TOuching the obſervation of the Sabath taught in the 4th. commandement, they gR. Abraham Aben Ezra comment. on Exod. 20. Iſaak ben Arama in Akedath Iſaak, portâ 45.ſhew from their wiſe men, that the 7. planets have ech of them a ſeverall day in the week aſsigned vntounto them wherein they beare rule and ſhew their force; that among theſe planets Saturne & Mars are hurtfull ſtarres above the reſt: that thoſe who begin any work or enter vponupon any journey when they beare rule ſhall not proſper but come to ſome hurt: that among all the dayes of the week there is not to be found any day and night together wherein thoſe two hurt full planets beare rule ſave onelyonly vponupon the Sabath day: & that therfore it is not convenient for men to be then exerciſed in wordly affaires, ſave onelyonly in the ſervice of God: This is layd downe as a reaſon of reſt vponupon the ſeventh day: If this were juſt and ſound, it ſhould go ill with Chriſtians who have their Sabath now changed from the ſeventh to the firſt day of the week: Now for the keeping of this Sabath, they propound moſt carnall and abſurd obſervations: they then hMaimony in Miſneh, tract. Schabath, c. 30.require that a mā have cleane and faire apparel, and change of apparel; and if a man have not change of apparel, yet they require him ſo to weare it, that it may ſeeme not to be the common apparel. They binde every man to make; banquets on the Sabath, and if it be poſſible to keep them with wine: to ſpread the table vponupon the evening when the Sabath begins: and to ſee that it be ſpread when the Sabath goes out, though a man had no more meate then an Olive to ſet vponupon the ſame: And for honour of the Sabath, they do then eſpecially commend taſchmiſh hammittah, the vſe of the mariage bed. And they teach there, that it is vnlawfull to mourne or cry on the Sabath even to pray for cō paſsion and to ſeek mercy from God, even in affliction, except it be extraordinary, as when the citie is beſeeged, &c. They ſay, iIbidem, c. 19. ſec. 1.3.whoſoever weares armes on the Sabath, which are put on like apparel, as helmet, brigandine, and bootes of braſſe, he is free: but who ſo caries armes that are not like vntounto apparel, as ſpeare ſword, bow or the like, he is guilty: That it is vnlawful for a woman to go forth on the Sabath, with a ring which hath a ſignet vponupon it; but if a man do it, he is free: and on the contrary, that it is vnlawfull for a man to go forth on the Sabath with a ring, which hath no ſignet vponupon it, but if a woman do it ſhe is free. They ſay, kIbid. c. 27.whoſoever goes out of his bounds on the Sabath, he is Lukah to be beaten; thoſe bounds they deſcribe to be 2000 cubites: but if a man walk through the citie where he lives, though it were as great as Nineveh, that it is lawfull. If a mā through ignorance or otherwiſe exceed that bounds then he hath but 4 cubites left him to ſtir in. If for performing the neceſſities of nature he be vrged to go aſide, yet he muſt returne to that place againe, (to his circle.) They teach, that lIbid. c. 16. ſec. 12.if one man alone (overtaken vvith the Sabath in his journey) do reſt in a plaine and make a trench round about him: if there be in it a ſpace conteyning two meaſures (of ſeed,) it is lawfull for him to walk through all that ſpace, but if there be in it more then the ſpace of two meaſures, then he may not moove aboue 4. cubites: & ſo it is if there be two men together. But if there be three Iſraelites or more thē theſe behold theſe are a cāpe, & it is lawfull for them to vvalk for all their neceſſities, though it were divers miles: and this ſo, that the ſpace of the two meaſures which they have compaſſed in be not left voyd vvithout ſome veſſels or implements in the ſame; otherwiſe it is vnlawfull for them to moove through the whole trench, but onelyonly for 4. cubites: And a Child may not make vp the number for a campe, &c. If we will beleeve Rabbines this was the external practiſe of the legal rites in the Iewes common wealth: how ſhould vve vnderſtand theſe things without their help?
FRom the obſervation of the fift commandement they teach men to go aſtray both in defect and exceſſe of giving honour divers wayes: As in Chriſtes time they did fruſtrate this commandement of God by their ſacrilegious mMat. 15.4,5,6.Korban, in giving that vntounto the Prieſts which they ſhould have beſtowed on their parents: So do they ſtill teach men to practiſe. They ſay, nMaimony in Miſneh, in thalmud thorah, c. 5. ſect. 1, &c.if a man ſee a thing loſt by his Father, and a thing loſt by his Rabbi, he is firſt to bring the thing loſt vntounto his Rabbi: If his Father and his Rabbi be laden with burdens, he is firſt to take of the burden of his Rabbi, then of his father. If his father and his Rabbi be taken captives, he is firſt to redeeme his Rabbi then his Father. They ſay in the ſame place, that it is vnlawfull for a man to teach in the preſence of his Rabbi for ever: and whoſoever teacheth a tradition in the preſence of his Rabbi is guilty of death. If there be the ſpace of 12 miles betwixt him & his Rabbi, and a man aſk him a word of the tradition, it is then lawfull to anſwer him, &c. But for a man to ſet himſelf to be ſeene, and to ſit downe to teach whoſoever ſhall aſk him: though he be in one end of the world and his Rabbi in the other end of the world, yet it is vnlawfull for him ſo to teach, vntill his Rabbi dy, or except he get a licenſe from him, &c. If the oR. Alphes in Moed Katon, c. 3. Fol. 380.Father of the houſe of judgement tranſgreſſe, they may not cenſure or ſuſpend him for it, but they ſay vntounto him, boaſt of thy glory and ſtay at home, &c. If a ſtudent, or yong ſcholler tranſgreſſe they may not ſuſpend him openly but in the night, when the Sun is gone downe: and their proofe is as Raſchbal there noteth, becauſe it is ſayd by the Prophet: Thou ſhalt fall in the day: and the Prophet ſhall fall with thee in the night: Hoſ. 4.5. And the night ſhall cover him (Mica. 3.6.) Againe whereas the law of God appoynteth, that he vvhichwhich curſeth Father or Mother ſhall dy: they do fruſtrate this commandement, by this diſtinction, that pArb. Tur. l. Ior. dea. trac. cibod ab. fig. 241.this is to be vnderſtood of ſuch as curſe by ſome of the proper names of God: but if they curſe by any of his attributes they are not ſubiect to this puniſhment but onelyonly ſin as if they ſhould curſe any other of Iſrael, that is not their parent. And where God ordeyned thoſe that ſmite Father or mother, to be put to death, this they ſay is to be vnderſtood of ſuch ſmiting where a wound or blew marke followes: and that otherwiſe it is but as if they had ſtriken an other Iſraelite, &c. They give this honour vntounto their parent of parents, the father of their great court, that the ſame errour which is an heynous ſin in an other, ſhall not yet be ſo in him: for whereas they qMaimo. in Morch Nebuchim lib. 3. perck. 42.make 4. degrees of tranſgreſſiō, viz. 1, againſt a mans vvill: 2 of errour: 3 of pride: 4 of malice; They do in the ſame place note, that there is herein this great difference betwixt private men, and their cheefe rulers: namely that if a private man work any tranſgreſsion and judge according to his owne vnderſtanding, it is a tranſgreſſion of pride: and he may may be put to death for it: but the cheefe rulers and the high Prieſt not ſo: in them this is but a tranſgreſſion of errour.
AGainſt the ſixt commandement, they give allowance of murder, divers wayes. They ſay, rR. Moſes mikkotſi in SMG, in Loim, praecept. … 163.if ten men do ſtrike a man with ten ſtaves, ſo that every one be ſufficient to kill him, & he dy; whether they ſtroke him one after an other, or whether they ſtroke him together as one man, they are all free from being ſlaine by the court of judgement, becauſe it is ſayd every ſoule of a man which is one, if he kill, &c. They ſay, ſMaimon. in Miſneh, in Aiſure Biah, cap. 12.whoſoever goes in vntounto a woman that is a gentile, (vnderunder vvhom they comprehend Chriſtians) whether by vvay of mariage, or by way of fornication, if he do it manifeſtly in the ſight of ten or moe Iſraelites, if they finde him and be zealous and kill him: behold theſe are to be prayſed and preſerved: this is halacah lemoſheh Miſsinai, a tradition delivered vntounto Moſes at Sinai: But if the zealous come to kill this man and he eſcape, and kill the zealous to deliver himſelf out of his hand, then is not he to be ſlaine for killing the zealous. In an other caſe they “SMG. in A ſin, praec. 70.hold it lavvfull to kill the Gentile that doth but ſtrike a Ievv, and for proof they alledge Moſes his example, Exo. 2.11.12. Againe they tArba Turim, l. Ioreh dea, in Abodah Zarah, ſig. 158.teach, that if any of the Idolatrous gentiles (ſuch as they eſteeme Chriſtians to be) do fall into a pit, or into a place of danger, he that ſees them may not lift them or help them out, except they hyre him: even as they may not heale ſuch perſons but for a revvard, &c. But if they be heretiques, apoſtates, or the the like, ſuch as do leave their Iudaiſme and embrace Chriſtianitie, they hold it lawful to thruſt them downe with their hands viz. to drowne or kill them as occaſion is offred. And many other bloody doctrines are mainteyned by them.
MOſt vaine alſo are the Rabbinicall doctrines touching mariage, tending many wayes to the violation of the 7th. Commandement: They ſay, uArb. Tur. lib. Eben Ezer, in Aiſure Biah, ſig. 1.that every man is bound to take a wife, to encreaſe and multiply: that he which doth not mary, is as he that ſheddeth blood: and as he that defaceth the image of God: and that he cauſeth Schecinah or the maieſtie of God to depart from Iſrael: that whoſoever lives without a wife, lives without goodnes, without joy without bleſsing, without habitation, vvithout law, without wall, without peace, &. that ſuch an one is no man, &c. that the commandement of taking a vvife is exceeding great, becauſe they may not ſell the book of the law, but for to learne the law, and for to get a wife: that this commandement lyes vponupon a man when he is 18. yeares old: that he may not paſſe 20 vvithout a wife: the diſciples of R. Iſmael ſay that vntill 20 yeares God ſtayes for a man that he may take a vvife: but if he paſſe 20 yeares without a wife, the holy bleſſed God ſaith, let the bones of that man be broken. R. Aſher ſaith if he paſſe 20 yeares without a wife, the houſe of judgement is to compell him to mary. OnelyOnly they have anexception for ſtudents as ben Azzai that made the law his wife, &c. If a man have had a wife and Children by her in his youth, he muſt alſo as R. Iehoſhua ſaith take one in his age: and ſo to prove that a man may not live a vvidower they alledge that ſaying of Solomon, Eccl. 11.6. If a man have liued vvith a vvife 10. yeares & ſhe have brought him no Children, they ſay he is bound to put her away, that he may fulfill the commandement, encreaſe and multiply. Further, that a man is to take many wives to encreaſe and multiply: but the counſell of their wiſeſt men is that a man ſhould have but 4 wives that he may the better pleaſe them: that yet if they live in ſuch places where the law allowes them to take but one wife (as herein Chriſtendome) they are then to follow the cuſtome. Beſides this as they have many canons touching mariage vnmeet to be mentioned, ſo they wEben Ezer in Aiſure Biah, ſig. 24.have allowance of ſome practiſes which are monſtrous and againſt nature not to be named. And wo to them that fetch the expoſition of Gods law from ſuch practiſes as are recorded by theſe Rabbines.
Againe, they teach that xMaimony in Aiſure Biah, c. 17. ſect. 2. & 3.every Preiſt whether high Prieſt or other inferiour prieſt that takes one of the three women (either harlot, or divorced or polluted) and ſhall marie her, he is to be puniſhed: but if he go in vntounto her after the maner of an harlot, he is not to be puniſhed: becauſe it is ſayd, he ſhall not take: vntill he take and mary her, &c. But if the high Prieſt go in vntounto a widow (after the maner of a harlot) he is puniſhed once: if he mary her, he is to have double puniſhmēt, &c. They teach yIbidem cap. 3.alſo, that he which goes in vntounto a deafe vvoman; to a mad woman: to a perſon that is Tomtom, i… in reſpect of certaine knowledge neither male nor female: to an Hermaphrodite that is both male and female, &c. that all theſe are free, if preſumption be not added. Their other vaine traditions concerning women, wives and maydes are innumerable.
OF their falſe expoſitions of the eight commandement, there is alſo a great number. Their Thalmudique canonsrequire a man to reſtore the thing loſt by an Iſraelite, but zR. Moſes mikkotſi SMG. in Aſin. praec. 74.if they finde a thing loſt by an heretique, an Epicure, an Idolater and ſuch as openly pollute the Sabath, they give men liberty not to reſtore vntounto them the thing loſt by them, &c. If a aThalmud Sanhedrin, c. 8. fo. 72.theefe dig through and break into the houſe of a man and ſteale away his goods, they do not require reſtitution in this caſe as in other thefts, becauſe the theefe herein adventured his life, and it had bene lawfull to have killed him if he had bene taken in the fact. And bChoſhen hamiſhpat, in Genibah, ſig. 351.ſuch a kind of excuſe they have to free him that ſteales vponupon the Sabath day. If a theefe cIbidem, ſig. 350.ſteale a thing and ſell it, and an other theef come and ſteale it: the firſt theef is to reſtore 4 or 5- fold: the ſecond is required to reſtore double if he ſtole it after the owners thereof deſpayred to finde it: but if he ſtole it before they deſpayred to find it againe, then is he free from the double reſtitution, by their canons. They ſay, dSMG, in Aſin, praec. 71.if a man ſteale any thing from a gentile, from any that is not an Iſraelite, or if he ſteale the treaſures of the ſanctuary he is freed from reſtoring double, becauſe it is ſayd he ſhall reſtore double vntounto his neighbour, &c. Touching receyving of almes, eIoreh dea. tract. Tſedakah, ſig. 253.their canons are, that a man which hath meate for two meales may not receive any thing from their Tamchavi, the common diſh, or almes-baſket: if a man have meate for fourteene meales, he may not receive any thing from their Kopheh, the common purſe or poore mans Boxe: if a man have two hundred peeces of that money, which they call Zuz, (commōly reckoned to be the fourth part of a ſhekel,) though he do not traffique with them: or if he have fifty of thoſe peeces, and do traffique with them, then may he receyve no almes at all: if a man have two hundred of thoſe peeces of money, wanting a peny or a dinar: though any would give him a thouſand more of thoſe ſame peeces at one time, behold he may then receyve them all: Or if a man have a houſe and much houſhold ſtuffe, and have not theſe two hundred peeces of money, he may ſtill receive & need not ſell his houſhold ſtuffe, though they be veſſels of ſilver & veſſels of gold, &c.
AGainſt the truth and lawfull vvitneſſing thereof, taught in the 9th. commandement; they bring divers gloſſes to pervert the ſame. They fR. Moſes mikkotſi in SMG. in Aſin, praecep. 74.allow a man in many caſes to break his word and his promiſe: and divers inſtances hereof are alledged by them, in ſuch bargaines or agreements, wherein they have promiſed to give vntounto an other more then he deſerves, & then is convenient for him. VVhen many give teſtimony concerning one matter, if there be gChoſhe… hammiſhpat in Eduth, ſig. 36. & SMG, in Loim, praec. 213.one of the witneſſes that be a Kinſman, or otherwiſe inſufficient to beare witneſſe; then they hold that the teſtimony of them all ceaſſeth, yea though they be an hunddred of them, yet their teſtimony is voyd. They hold hIbid. in Loim, praec. 214.alſo that it is not lawfull for a man to joyne in teſtimony with a wicked man, although the wicked man be willing to witneſſe the truth alſo. VVhen they iChoſh. hammiſhpat, tract. Eduth, ſig. 36.examine witneſſes apart and aſk them whether they went to ſee that thing, or to be witneſſes: they hold, he that anſwers, he went to be a witneſse makes the whole teſtimony vnlawfull: he that anſwers, he went to ſee, doth not preiudice the teſtimony. Moreover kSMG. Loin, praec. 215.becauſe it is ſayd, the Fathers ſhall not be ſlaine for the children, nor the Children for the Fathers; they collect and conclude that fathers may not be put to death vponupon the teſtimony of their Children: nor Children vponupon the teſtimony of their Fathers. And many other ſuch like canons they have concerning this matter.
COncerning the luſt forbidden in the 10th. commandement the more ancient Rabbines have denyed the ſame to be any tranſgreſſion of Gods law as appeares lMat. 5.22 28.by our Saviours refutation of their opinion therein: But divers of the mMaimon. in Moreh Nebuchim chel. 3. perek. 34. & R. Moſes mikko. in Loin, 158.later Rabbines do acknowledge this concupiſcence of the heart to be a ſin and forbidden of God. The ancient Iew-doctours whom you vſe moſt to commend, are herein moſt erroneous and greater corrupters of Gods law, then their ſucceſſours. And how much more are we to reiect theſe Rabbinical traditions, when as the Rabbines themſelves do begin to be weary and aſhamed of them?
THirdly, as for thoſe legal rites which (as you ſay) will not be well vnderſtood without help of Rabbines eſpecially in Exodus & Leviticus: The truth is that the Rabbines dote about nothing more then about them. This is evident by manifold examples: Among other legal Ordinances deſcribed in Leviticus, the firſt and the tenth day of the ſeventh monethmonth were appoynted to be kept holy, Lev. 23.24.27. Of theſe dayes thus ſay the Rabbines; nR. Alphes in Roſch haſſchanah Cap. 1. Fol. 303.Three bookes are opened in the beginning of the yeare, one ſchel Tſadikim gemurim, for thoſe that are perfectly juſt: an other ſchel Reſchaghnim gemurim, for thoſe that are perfectly wicked: a third ſchel Benonijim, for the midle ſort: The firſt ſort are then preſently written and ſealed vntounto life: the ſecond ſort are preſently written and ſealed vntounto death: the third ſort are ſuſpended and ſtand vntill the day of reconciliation, (for 10. dayes, from the firſt vntounto the tenth day of the ſeventh monethmonth:) If in that meane time they do wel or merit, they are then vvritten into the book of life: if they do not merit, they are then written into the book of death. Herevpon they ſay, for ever a man muſt look to himſelf, when he is half pure, and half guilty: by one good work he may bring himſelf lecaph zacuth, into the ſtate of purity; and by one tranſgreſſion he may bring himſelf lecaph chobah, into the ſtate of guiltines and be curſed for ever. Therfore they exhort to ſeek the Lord while he may be found, that is, the 10 dayes betwixt the beginning of the yeare, & the day of reconciliation. The ſchoole of Schammai oR. Alphes, ibid. Fol. 304.makes the ſame diſtinction of perſons for the day of judgement, & ſaith of the third ſort, the midle kinde, that being layd in the balance they go downe to hell: then they cry and come vp againe: and for proofe of this their going downe to hel for a while, they alledge divers ſcriptures, viz. Zach. 13.9. 1 Sam. 2.6. Pſ. 116.1, &c. But the ſchoole of Hillel ſaith further of that third ſort: if they be of the ſinners of Iſrael they ſhall be twelve moneths in Hell, and after that be delivered: but as for heretiques, apoſtates, &c. thoſe go downe to hel for evermore. Againe where as God commanded in the levitical ordinances,that there ſhould be drink offrings of wine with certaine other ſacrifices; with theſe do the Rabbines teach drink offrings with vvater to be vſed at the feaſt of Tabernacles. The Maſorites for a note thereof, ſet this ſigne pMaſorah ketamah on Numb. 29. 19.foreign. Elias Levita expounding this mark ſhewes qMaſoreth hammaſoreth, in ſchibre Luchoth, ſive in fragmentis Tabularum.that by the three numeral letters in Bûz are noted the ſecond, ſixt, and ſeventh dayes in the feaſt of Tabernacles, where in the deſcription of the drink offrings for thoſe three dayes, there is written in the Hebrew for the ſecond day niſcehem with mem: for the ſixt neſaceha with jod before the affix, and for the ſeventh day cemiſhpatam with mem, theſe three laſt letters yeelding the word maijm which ſignifyeth waters herevpon they collect and conclude that they had drink-offrings of water for thoſe three dayes as well as drink offrings of vvine, for the other 5. dayes of that feaſt which in their deſcription have ſtill niſcah, a drink offring without addition of jod or mem, Numb. 29.16.—38. And this obſervation is alſo recorded in their Talmud from rTaanith, c. 1. Fo. 2.R. Iehudah ben Bathirah, & from R. Akiba. If theſe be juſt and true expoſitions, who could have found them out or wel vnderſtood them without help of Rabbines?
Againe, the obſervation of the Sabath is often commanded in Exodus and often in Leviticus: and ſee how wel they record the externall practiſe thereof in the common wealth of Iſrael: and what cauſe you have vponupon ſuch records to cōmend their expoſitions vntounto vsus. They teach vsus that it is a principall duety of the Sabath to make good cheare vponupon that day: and to keep 3 feaſts in the ſame: at the beginning, middle & end therof. xThalmud in Sabath c. 16. f. 118R. Ioſe bleſſing himſelf ſaith, let my portion be vvith them that keep the three banquets of the Sabath. This they ſay is, yEſa. 58.13to call the Sabath a delight. i. Oneg. R. Iehudah, ſaith this Oneg or delight, zThalmud ibid.is to have tartes, great fiſhes, and heads of garlick. To thoſe that thus delight themſelves on the Sabath, they apply that ſaying of David, delight thyſelf in the Lord, and he ſhall give thee thine hearts deſire, pſ. 37.4. And for confirmation of this they tell vsus many ſtrange ſtories: aThalm. ibid. f. 119.R. Chaia telles of the houſholder that had agolden table with ſixteene ſilver chaynes affixed therevnto, which ſixteene men could ſcarſely cary; alſo that it was furniſhed with diſhes, ſpoones, trenchers, pots, &c. & all this given him of God, becauſe whenſoever he found a good fat beaſt, he kept the ſame to honour the Sabath withall, by making good cheare. And becauſe the word Oneg, or delight, in Eſa. 58. doth want the letter vau, the numeral letter which ſtandeth for ſix: hence they collect that they ought not to continue faſting on the Sabath above ſix houres: And for this they have bArba Turim in Orach chajim, in Sabath, ſig. 288.a Canon requiring great care herein leaſt the delight of the Sabath ſhould be violated; that they muſt make haſt to end their prayers and ſervice before midday, that they may then keep the ſecond feaſt of the Sabath, &c. As for the works forbidden on the Sabath, they make them of two ſorts, Aboth melacoth, cThalmud Tract. de Sabb. & Ioa. Buxt. in Synag. Iudaic. c. 11& Toledoth melacoth, that is, Father or head workes, and the generations proceeding from them and both ſorts vnderunder great penalty are condemned by them: The head workes they reduce vntounto 39. artickles: the ofſpring derived from theſe are a huge number. A head work forbidden is, to plow or till the ground: vnderunder this article they condemne all digging, filling of ditches, watring of herbes, &c. Therfore their Rabbines permit men to ſprinckle, their houſes or chambers vvith vvater, that the duſt be not rayſed, but forbid men to ſweep with beſomes: leaſt in ſweeping any clefts or holes like vntounto litle ditches ſhould be filled vvith duſt. A work forbidden is, cutting downe of corne, and reaping: vnderunder this article they compriſe all plucking of apples, dates, figges, gathering of beries. And therfore they permit men to eat apples or other fruits, if they will put their mouthes vntounto them as they hang vponupon the tree: but with the hand to pluck away an apple from the tree or berie from the buſh, that they vtterly condemne. Sowing corne on the Sabath is a head work forbidden: but vnderunder this alſo, they forbid men in giving of corne to hennes or the like creatures, to caſt any more graines of corne vntounto them then they vvill be ſure to eate: for if any graines lighting vponupon the earth where the rainefalles, ſhould hap to ſpring and grow, this ſhould then prove a great ſin, like to that of the huſbandman that ſowes his field on the Sabath day. To beare a burden vponupon the Sabath is a capitall ſin: and herevpon they forbid men to weare pattins vponupon the Sabath, as the maner of ſome is that are to walk through myerie and foule places: their reaſon is, though theſe ſeeme to cary a man: yet indeed he beares the burden of them when he lifts vp his feete and goes with them.
Killing of beaſts by butchers is vnlawfull on the Sabath: accordingly they teach that if a flea be found leaping on the earth or on clothes it is not lawfull to take it on the Sabath, but if the flea bite, then it is lawfull to take it to remoove it and caſt it away, but not to kill it: but if it be a lowſe that may be killed. Yet on the cōtrary ſide R. Eliezer teacheth that vvhoſoever kills a lowſe vponupon the Sabath, doth as much as if he ſhould kill a Camell. And herevpon touching the hunting of a flea there growes a great and ſubtile diſpute among the Thalmudiſtes. The workes of artificers in their ordinary trades and callings being forbidden: thence they dSebaſtian. Munſter in Mat. 15.ſay, we may not blow the fire with bellowes on the Sabath, becauſe it repreſenteth the vvork of an artificer; but through a hollow reed or cane men may lawfully do it. And in making a fire, great care is to be vſed that the ſtickes be not ſo layd, that they ſhould cary ſhew of a building: That vvere vnlawfull, like the building of a houſe on the Sabath. Moreover there is great eThalmud in Betſah, or treat. of the egge. c. 1. fol 1.controverſy betwixt the ſchoole of Hillel and Schammai touching the egge that is layd vponupon a a good day. And ſome of them fSeb. Mūſt. in Mat. 15.ſay, that it is vnlawfull to touch an egge that is layd vponupon a good day, and conſequently that it is much more vnlawfull to eat the ſame: yea if they be vncertaine vvhen the egge vvas layd and do but doubt whether it is layd on a good day or on a common day that it is then vnlawfull to be eaten: yea if ſuch an egge be layd among a thouſand other egges, that they cannot know it from the reſt, that then they all become vnlawfull. Thus do the Rabbines record the externall practiſe of Moſes ordinances in the common wealth of Iſrael: thus do they help vsus to vnderſtand the obſervation of the Sabath and other legal rites: There is as much aſſurance of truth and right in theſe traditions as in others that you alledge from them: and I deſire the reader to excuſe me in the rehearſall of them, becauſe the knowledge hereof helpes to refute your preſumptuous aſſertion touching the help to be receaved from them. VVhen they have gThalmud de Sabb. c. 16. f. 119 & Arba Turim in Orach Chajim trac. Schab fig. 262.prayed diligently on the Sabath, and in ſpeciall have vttred that verſe, Then the heaven and the earth were finiſhed & all the hoſte of them: Gen. 2.1. The Rabbines tell vsus, that then there be two Angelles one good, the other evill, which bring them home to their houſes, and laying their hands vponupon their head, do ſay, Behold, this coale hath touched thy lippes; thine iniquity ſhalbe taken away and thy ſin purged. R. Ioſe ſaith, that there be two Angelles, the one good, the other evill, which every Sabath day in the evening do lead ech man from the Synagogue to their houſe: where if theſe Angelles do finde the Sabath-candle burning, the table ſpread, and the bed prepared, then the good Angel ſayth; God grant, that the Sabath following, all things may be in this houſe ſo as now they are, wherevnto the evill Angell is conſtrayned to ſay Amen, whether he will or not. On the contrary, if theſe two Angelles coming to the houſe, do finde the former things vnprepared, then the evill Angell ſaith, let all things be in this houſe the next Sabath, as now they are: wherevnto the good Angell is compelled to ſay Amen, whether he will or not. The Rabbines ſay it is impoſſible for Chriſtians and others to keep the Sabath as the Iewes do, becauſe they want a ſoule which the Iewes have more then they. By vertue of this ſuperfluous ſoule, they ſay that the heart of the Iewes is enlarged to reioyce and to be glad and hereby they baniſh all cares and troubles out of their breaſts, and ſo keep the reſt of the Sabath. This hThalmud in Betſah c. 2. fol. 16 & Thalmud in Taanith c. 4. fol. 27ſoule as R. Simeon ben Lakiſh affirmeth is given them every week at the beginning of the Sabath and taken away at the end of the Sabath againe. This they alſo labour to prove by the ſcriptures, from the word of Moſes, Exo. 31.17, and in the ſeventh day he reſted and was refreſhed; ſchabbath vaijnnapheſch. VVhereas the men of the ſtation appoynted 4. faſtes in the week, to wit, on the, ſecond, third, fourth, and fift dayes: on the ſecond day for them that went downe to the Sea; on the third, for them that travelled in the wildernes: on the fourth, for litle children that the ſquinancie ſhould not fall on them; on the fift, for women great with Childe, and for nurſes that they ſhould not let their ſucklings fall: on the evening of the Sabath they faſted not, for honour of the Sabath, and much leſs vponupon the Sabath it ſelf: but on the firſt of the week: what is the reaſon? R. Samuel bar Nachmani ſaith, becauſe that day is the third after their affliction; Reſh Lakiſh ſaith, becauſe of neſhamah iattirah, the redundant Soule: for Reſch Lakiſh ſaith, a redundant ſoule is givē to man in the beginning of the Sabath and taken away in the going out of the Sabath, as it is ſayd, ſchabbath vaijnnapheſch: ſtreightway as he hath kept the Sabath that ſoule departeth or is loſt. For this loſſe no marvel if they faſted the next day of the week. Againe, the Rabbines teach, that vponupon the Sabath day the Soules in hell do reſt from their torment: and their fire that vſes to burne them all the week, ceaſſeth. They kThalmud in Sanhedrin, c. 7. fol. 65.ſay, that Turnus Rophus demanding what the Sabath day was above other dayes, R. Akiba anſwered him, that the excellency thereof above other dayes was proved by three things, by the river Sambation: by them that had familiar ſpirits: by his Fathers ſepulchre, where the ſmoke did not aſcend vponupon the Sabath: And the Rabbinique lGloſs. on Talm. ibid.ſcholiaſt on the ſame place declares, how that river Sambation though it flow and run violently all the week yet reſts on the Sabath day: how the ſpirits are not rayſed on the Sabath day: how the ſoules in hell tormented and burned all the other dayes of the yeare, do yet reſt on the Sabath: and that ſo accordingly the ſoule of this Turnus his Father being in hell, and the ſmoke of his burning aſcending through his grave on other dayes, did yet ceaſſe on the Sabath. VVhen the Iewes have ended their prayers & concluded the Sabath, then comes an evill Angel called Dumah which commands them to returnevnto their torment. mIoa. Buxt. Synag. Iudaic. p. 253Herevpon it is an ordinance & rite amōg the Iews that they may not quite empty any veſſels of the water in thē vpō the Sabath, but alvvayes to leave ſome in, leaſt thoſe miſerable ſoules that are come out of hel for the ſpace of the Sabath, ſhould any where vvant vvater to coole and refreſh themſelves withall. And a thouſand ſuch like vaine obſervations are reteyned among them. On this maner (Mr. Ainſworth) do your ancient and later Iewes record the externall practiſes of Moſes ordinances: ſo that it is manifeſtly true which one ſayd, nBuxt. ibid. p. 36.it doth as well become the Iew-doctours to expound the holy ſcripture, as it doth a wild bore to dig a vineyard.
Fourthly, To come yet neerer vntounto you, tel vsus what one legal rite there is vvhichwhich could not be well vnderſtood without the Rabbines expoſition alledged by you in any part of your annotations: Name one if you can: Nay even ſuch Iewiſh records and expoſitions, as you yourſelf do pick out and preſent vntounto vsus as more worthy to be remembred then others: with which alſo you do adorne your book & paynt the face of your annotations: even thoſe alſo are ſo full of notorious abſurdities, preſumptions without ſcripture and apparant pervertings of the ſame, that by them it may eaſily be diſcerned what litle reaſon or warrant you had to ſay, that many of thoſe legal rites eſpecially in Exodus and Leviticus, will not be wel vnderſtood without the help of the Rabbines. For example,
Touching the divers geſtures in the worſhip of God, you aAnnot. on Exo. 4.31.record, that the Hebrew-doctours in the Zohar do help vsus thus to vnderſtand them: that the bending of the head, with the face toward the ground, was for to eſcape judgement and the bowing of themſelves (or worſhipping,) was for to obtaine mercy: and that the bending of the head was before the worſhipping: according to the myſterie of the ſin offring before the burnt offring. To illuſtrate this vaine diſtinction you alledge divers places of ſcripture to ſhew the order of the ſin-offring & burnt-offring: you might have done better to have alledged as many in refutation of this Zohar. Touching other externall practiſes in the Iewes commonwealth: you tell vsus from the Rabbinicall records, bAnnot. on Exo. 21.19.He that kicked his neighbour with his foote, payd five ſhekels: he that ſmote him with his thigh, payd three ſhekels: he that bent his fiſt and ſmote him, payd thirteen ſhekels: if he ſmote him with the palme of his hand one ſhekel, &c. Touching the neighbours gored Ox, you cIbid. on verſ. 35.note that the Hebrew doctours take it ſtrictly and ſay. If an Iſraelites Oxe puſh an Ox ſanctified (vntounto God:) or an Oxe that is ſanctifyed do puſh an Iſraelites oxe: he is not bound to pay (by this law;) for it is ſayd his neighbours Oxe. Touching the law of fire kindled in ſtacks of corne, you dOn Exo. 22.16.note, that the Hebrew Doctours explayn thus: One brings fyre, an other after brings wood: he that brings the wood is bound to pay. One brings wood, and then an other brings fyre: now he that brings the fire is bound to pay. If one come & make the flame, then he is bound to pay, &c. Touching the kinde of vſury, you eIbid. on verſ. 25.ſhew vsus this their expoſition: It is vnlawfull to take vſurie before or after. As, one intending to borrow of a man, ſends him a gift, to the end that he may lend vntounto him: this is vſurie aforehand. Or, he hath borowed of a man, and payd him againe: and ſends him a gift, for his money which he had of him for nought: this is after vſurie. Who ſo boroweth of his neighbour, and was not wont in former time to ſalute him first: it is vnlawfull for him to ſalute him firſt, (& I need not to ſay to praiſe him:) for it is written, Vſurie of any word (or thing) Deut. 23.19. though they be but words they are vnlawfull. Likewiſe it is vnlawfull for the borower to learne his leder to read, &c. all the while his money is in his hand, if he were not wont to do it before: as it is ſayd, Vſurie of any thing: And againe a litle after in the ſame place. He that lends vntounto his neighbour, may not reteyne his ſervant to do work for him, although the ſervant ſit ſtill and hath nothing to doe, &c. Touching the law of firſt fruits, you fIbid. on verſ. 29.note that the Hebrew canons ſay, They bring no firſt-fruits but of ſeven things, viz. of wheat, and of barley, and of grapes, and of figs, and of pomgranates, and of olives and of dates. And if one bring other beſides theſe ſeven kindes, they are not ſanctifyed. They bring no firſt fruits of liquors, ſave of olives and grapes: if a man bring other liquors they are not receyved of him. There is no meaſure of firſt fruits ſet by the law: but by the Doctours a man muſt ſeparate one of ſixtie. If the well vnderſtanding of the legal rites do conſiſt in ſuch explications and interpretations as theſe: then will I yeeld vntounto you that the ordinances of Moſes will not be well vnderſtood without the Rabbinicall records, as you would have it: I think no man alive would have arrived vntounto theſe profound determinatiōs, nor ever have light vponupon theſe expoſitions, except he had plowed with the Iewes heifer of the Thalmud. Touching the precept of keeping men farr from falſe matters, you gAnnot on Exo. 23.7.note, that from thēce the Iewes have a rule, A iudge that knoweth of his fellow, that he is a violent extortioner or a wicked man, it is vnlawful to be ioyned in ſociety with him, as it is written from a word of falſhood thou ſhalt be farr. And ſo they in Ieruſalem, that had a clear conſcience were wont to doe: they ſate not in judgement, till they knew who ſhould ſit; nor ſealed any writing, til they knevv who ſhould ſeale it with them, &c. If this rule were ſound, then would it help much to the eſtabliſhing of your ſeparation and not onelyonly of it: but of a further then you, I thinke, will maintaine. Touching the fruits of the ſeventh yeare, you hIbid. on verſ. 11.note how it is ſhewed by the Hebrew records, that whatſoever was properly mans meat, as wheat, figges, grapes and the like: they might not make of them medicine,, plaiſters &c though for mans vſe becauſe it is ſayd, To you for meat, Lev. 25.6. & not for medicine, &c. A number of theſe vaine traditions I obſerved before in ſetting downe your firſt ſcādall in allegatiō of the Thalmudiſts & many more ſuch like might be alſo noted, wherein it may appeare how well the Rabbines vnderſtood the external practiſe of the legall rites: yea I may juſtly ſay of theſe their expoſitions as yourſelf do of the kAnſwer to Iohn Ainſ. p. 65.popes determinations. VVhereas men might have ſome good meaſure of light in theſe myſteries, by the plaine ſcriptures it is come to paſſe by theſe Rabbines and Thalmudique gloſſes, interpretations, comments, &c. that darknes and groſſe darknes hath covered many people, who if they had never read any thing, but the book of God, mought have ſeen much more clearely, through his grace: lP. 66. 67.Their expoſitiōs do often times as wel clear the truth, as a cloud before the ſun. Yea even the plaineſt places, which in holy writ are as bright as noone day; theſe Thalmudiſts have enveloped with Egyptian darknes. Their expoſitions do illuſtrate the ſcriptures, as the ſmoke of the pit did the Sun and the aier Apo. 9.2. So far wide are you, in ſaying that many legall rites vvill not be well vnderſtood without their help. You once mIbid. p. 21.ſayd well: The ſcriptures are not ſo bare and naked as to need the raggs of mens inventions to array them. VVhy do you now then yourſelf ſo plod and labour to aray them with the menſturous rags of the Rabbines?
Fiftly, where as you nPreface to annot. on Gen.ſay further: By their records alſo, many particulars about the Paſſeover, which Chriſt kept, Mat. 26. the phylacteries which the Phariſees wore, Mat. 23. and other things mentioned in the Evangeliſts, will much be cleared: whereof ſee the annotations on Exo. 12, & Exo. 13.9. Even theſe more ſpeciall inſtances choſen out by you, do alſo plainely witneſſe againſt you that the Thalmudique traditions do not ſo much cleare as darken and obſcure the ordinances of God; and the ſtory of the ſcriptures: As for your annotations on Exo. 12. touching their keeping of the paſſeover, which you deſire vsus to ſee: there vve ſee a number of ſuperſtitious traditions related by you, but not reproved by you as was meete: you oAnnot. on Exo. 12.8.tell vsus of their ſauce charoſeth a memoriall of the clay wherein they wrought in Egipt: you note the 4. Cups of wine which every man and woman was bound to drink that night vvithout faile: you note the meaſure of ech cup contayning a quarter of a log, ſo much as an egge & a half: you note the ſeverall bleſsings to be made for every cup by itſelf: you note their tradition of vvaſhing their hands twiſe that night, vvhereas other nights they do it but once: and their bleſsing for the vvaſhing of hands: that all other nights, they eate either ſitting or lying: but this night; lying onelyonly: you make relation alſo of a fift cup and the great hymn, that vvas ſayd for it, viz. the pſalme 136. But that they are not bound to this cup as to the foure former cups. And in fine, having related theſe and ſome other of their traditions, you ſay further; Theſe obſervations of the Iewes whiles their common wealth ſtood, & to this day: may give light to ſome particulars in the paſseover that Chriſt kept: as why they lay downe, one leaning on an others boſome, Ioh. 13.23. (a ſigne of reſt and ſecurity) and ſtood not as at the firſt paſſeover, neither ſate on high as we vſe. Why Chriſt roſe from ſupper, and waſhed and ſate downe againe, Ioh. 13.4.5.12. Why he bleſſed or gave thanks for the bread apart, and for the cup (or wine) apart, Mark. 14.22.23, and why it is ſayd, he took the cup after ſupper, Luk. 22.20. alſo concerning the Hymne which they ſung at the end, Mat. 26.30, &c. But vve are here to conſider, that 1. It is vncertaine vvhether theſe vvere the obſervations of the Ievves vvhiles their common vvealth ſtood: The records of the Rabbines from whoſe mouth you ſpeak, are full of lyes, fictions, contradictions even for matters of fact and practiſe: and even for theſe particular obſervations here mentioned by you: if you deny it, I can bring you plentifull proof thereof: And how great folly is it, to ſtuff our expoſitions of the ſcripture with ſuch things as the conſcience can not be aſſured of the truth thereof? 2. Suppoſe the obſervations of the Iewes before Chriſte were ſuch as you in particular do relate: how vnworthily do you apply his holy inſtitution vntounto their vaine inventions? Do you not make Chriſte Ieſus guilty of their ſuperſtitions and preſumptuous additions vntounto the ordinance of God, as though framed himſelf vntounto their vnlawfull practiſes and followed the ſame? The light you boaſt of, is darknes, and not light. Theſe things which the Rabbines record are not according to the law and the teſtimonie: & whiles they ſpeak not according to that word, vvhat light pEſa. 8.20is in them? The maner of Chriſts ſitting downe with leaning vpō one an others boſome, was according to the cōmō & ordinary maner of their ſitting downe to meate at thoſe times as appeareth by the vſe of the qMat. 9.10, & 22,10.11. & 26.7. Mark. 16.14. Luk. 7 37. & 22.27.like phraſe ſerving to deſcribe the ſame: and therfore was directly contrary to the ſuperſtition of the Iewes, that all other nights did eat ſitting or lying, thatnight lying onelyonly: and therfore a ſuperſtitious bondage.. As for Chriſts riſing from ſupper to vvaſh his diſciples feet: what cōmunity is there betwixt it & the ſuperſtitious hand-waſhing of the Iewes? If our Saviour rMat. 15.2, &c.had no regard of the phariſaicall waſhing of hands at other times; much leſſe had he regard to this invention in the worſhip of God and celebration of this ſacrament: yea it is impiety to think that he followed their faſhion either in this or in any of the like traditions. 3. The obſervations of the Iewes in keeping their paſſeover, according to the records of the Rabbines are ten times more then theſe that you have repeated: and they are of like nature, of like warrant and authoritye, even from their owne braines: you might as vvel have repeated them alſo: as namely, The myſterie of the ſArba Turim in Orach Chajim, ſig. 473, &cthree cakes covered betwixt two napkins in a diſh; one which was higheſt repreſenting the high Prieſt: the middle moſt repreſenting the tribe of Levi: & the loweſt repreſenting the whole people of Iſrael: a myſterie as worthy to be noted as that which you mention of the 4. cups, &c. You might as wel have related the myſterie of their quiſhions then ſometimes leaned vponupon, ſometimes not: their hiding of a peece of a cake vnderunder a napkin, to ſignify how their elders coming out of Egipt caried their dough vponupon their ſhoulders bound in clothes, &c. Some other of theſe traditions I noted before, in deſcribing their Idol-temple; and many more if need require may be brought forth for a teſtimony, how far they were from the right externall practiſe of Moſes his ordinances. As for your notes vponupon that tAnnot. on Exo. 13 9.other place, which you ſend vsus to look vponupon touching the Phylacteries: 1. vve finde there ſo much ſuperſtition and vanitie recorded by yourſelf out of the Rabbines touching the maner, order, time and fruit of them, as may juſtly ſerve to reprove your owne aſſertion, touching the neceſſary help of ſuch recorders: It is wonder, that you beholding and conſidering their groſſe corrupting of Moſes ordinances in the externall practiſe thereof, are not yet aſhamed to affirme that many legall rites will not be well vnderſtood without theirhelp. … I finde, by comparing your notes with the Iewes records, that you do yet omit the uArba Turim in Orach Chaijm, trac. tephil. ſig. 25, &c.greateſt part of the moſt ſuperſtitious obſervations which thoſe magical Rabbines and charmers do record touching thoſe phylacteries: as namely, the qualitie of the parchment whereon they wrote the ſentences of ſcripture; the colour of the ynk, and the matter of the ynk wherewith they were written: the colour of the lether into which they were put: the qualitie of the beaſt of whoſe ſkin that lether was made; the quality & cōdition of the mā that muſt kill that beaſt: The condition of the Tanner that muſt dreſſe that lether the qualitie of thoſe perſons that might weare thoſe phylacteries; the qualitie of the place where they muſt be kept when they were layd aſide: the maner of their penance and faſting if they had let them fall to the ground: the curious x maner of the knots they make in tying and binding them, ſo that the letters of the vvord ſchaddai, which is one of the names of God be repreſented and figured out therein. Theſe and many other ſuch things they yThalmud in Berachoth cap. 1. p. 7.hold to be divine traditions delivered of God vntounto Moſes in mount Sinai when the Lord ſhewed his hinder parts vntounto him. If Chriſtian men did ſee the volumes of dotages which the Thalmudiſts have written touching theſe phylacteries, they might thereby learne to beware of following you to ſeek the well vnderſtanding of Gods ordinances from ſuch blinde guides: But this I obſerve throughout your allegatiō of the Rabbines that to win the more credit vntounto your owne notes, you conceale the groſſeſt abſurdities of them, like the deceitfull merchant that to vent his wares conceales the greateſt faults thereof: Thus, the ſimple may be deceyved by you both. 3, that the place of the Evangeliſts Mat. 23, touching the phylacteries which the Phariſees vvore, ſhould much be cleared by theſe Rabbinical records, as you pretend, it is but a bare aſſertion. VVherein is the text cleared? In what poynt may we better vnderſtand the words of our Saviour? And what is it in the rebuke of the phariſees which we could not as clearely vnderſtand, without help of the Rabbines? vve may not meaſure nor Judge of the Phariſaical traditiōs obſerved in Chriſts time, by the records of the Rabbines vvhom you alledge: becauſe the Thalmudique traditions recorded by theſe Rabbines are many of them of later invention, and far different from the traditions obſerved heretofore in Chriſts time. For vvhereas zMat. 12.11, & Luk. 14.5.the Phariſees of old, if a ſheep, ox or aſſe fell into a pit vponupon the Sabath day, would allow the ſame ſtraighway to be lift vp & taken out on the Sabath; the aThalmud de Sabbat. c. 18. p. 128.Thalmud allovves it not, but onelyonly allowes meat to be given vntounto the beaſt in the vvater; or if the water be deep, that bottles of ſtravv or ſuch like things be put vnderunder the beaſt to ſave it from drovvning. R. Iulius Otto a Ievv converted vntounto Chriſtianiſme, in his book entitled the bGali. Razia lib. 1. c. 13.revelation of ſecrets ſhevves many parables recorded in the Thalmud, vvhichwhich the Rabbines (as it ſeemes) have had out of the Goſpel, though corruptly ſet downe by them: for how it can be ſhewed, that Chriſte hath taken ought out the Thalmud, which was compiled long after his death, and ſtuffed with new invented traditions of the infidel and reprobate Rabbines, accurſed for reiecting of the ſonne of God; And what is the Thalmud but even the black darknes, and the cMat. 8.12vtter darknes into which the Iewes are now caſt? And what light is to be expected from ſuch a helliſh dungeon, where we may ſee the Rabbines, ſitting faſt bound in the chaynes of ignorance, ſuperſtition, infidelity and blaſphemy? How dare you ſay, that ſome parts of the ſcripture will not be well vnderſtood: vnleſs we become ſchollers in that accurſed ſchoole?
Sixthly, how can we expect any great light from the expoſitions of the Rabbines, when as they profeſſe that they may not commit the ſecrets of their law vntounto vsus: yea they make it matter of death and condemnation to reveale the ſame vntounto vsus; that for ſuch dElias, Levita Maſor. hammaſor. praefat…cauſe they ſhould go downe to hell with greefe, and be devoured with the fire that is not blowne. They may not teach them but onelyonly to Iſraelites, and thoſe alſo having the five conditions which they obſerve from Eſa. 2. And further as your Rambam or Maimony ſaith, when they do teach the Iſraelites ſo qualifyed, yet it muſt not be by writing, eMorch nebuchim chel. 3. per. 1. ex edit. Iuſtinian.but from mouth to mouth. Or at leaſt if they expoūd the ſecrets of their law in writing, it muſt be ſo obſcurely and darkely that none but their owne Schollers and frends can vnderſtand: and ſo Maimony in the ſame place profeſſeth vntounto his ſpeciall frend & ſcholler touching his owne writing to him: as Ariſtotle once ſayd of his writings, vntounto Alexander; that they were to be vnderſtood of the onelyonly that had bene hearers of him. Hence it is that in the Iewiſh writings there are many ambiguities: and many things ſpoken according to receyved opinions, when they have yet an other meaning … Maimony in Miſneh (as he is fAnnot. on Gen. 1.17.alledged by you) teaches that there be 9 ſpheres, namely, one for ech of the ſeven planets, one that hath in it all the other ſtarres which are ſeene in the firmament: and a ninth ſphere which turneth about every day from eaſt to weſt, &c. But in other later writings, he gMo. nebuch. chel. 2. perek. 10, & 11.laboureth at large to ſhew according to the demōſtrations of Abubacus that there are but foure ſpheres, to wit, the ſphere of the fixed ſtarres; one ſphere for five planets: the ſphere of the Sun: and the ſphere of the Moone; And theſe according to the number of the elemēts: that the ſphere of the moone moveth the element of water, that the ſphere of the Sun moveth the elemēt of fire: that the ſphere of the five planets mooveth the ayer: & that the multitude & varietie of their motions in that ſphere in their retrogradatiōs, progreſſions & ſtations cauſeth the change of the ayre and wether: that the ſphere of the fixed ſtarres, changeth the earth, &c. Theſe things he ſeekes to illuſtrate by the ladder on which the Angelles aſcended and diſcended: by the 4. ſtepps of that ladder, and the 4. Angelles, two aſcending and two diſcending and meeting together vponupon one ſtep, &c. likewiſe by the 4 Chariots in Zacharie, coming out from betwixt the mountaines of braſſe, &c. Hereby it appeares what vncertainty there is in ſuch writings where they do purpoſely obſcure and hide their meanings: like charmers they do obſcurely hEſa. 29.4.mumble and whiſper out of the duſt: and their talke is as of one that hath the ſpirit of divination, a hollow voyce, loth to be heard, or vnderſtood. A man may ſay of the Rabbines myſtical doctrine, as themſelves do write of Moſes his ſepulchre, which they *R. Solom. on Deut. 34.6.reckon for one of thoſe ten things which they ſay were created in the beginning of the world, in the evening of the Sabath on the ſixt day: of this ſepulchre they “Iſaak ben Arama in Akedath Iſaak, portâ, 105.write whē ſome wēt to ſee it: when they ſtood above in a high place, they ſaw it as if it were below: vvhen they ſtood below, they ſaw it as if it were above: when this company devided themſelves, half of them that went below ſaw it over againſt them that vvere above: and the other half that ſtood above ſavv it as if it vvere over againſt them belovv. So doth the meaning of the Rabbines vaniſh and fly avvay from them that ſeek after ſome of their myſteries: To follovv after them is to graſp after a ſhadovv.
Laſtly, if it were true vvhichwhich the Rabbines and your Maimony in ſpeciall doth vvrite touching the cauſe of prophecy ceaſſing, and the ſpirit of vnderſtanding vvithdravvne from men, then ſhould there be no reaſon to ſeek the right vnderſtanding of the ſcriptures from them. Maimony iMoreh nebuchim chelek. 2. perek. 37.records that the cauſe is affliction and greefe: becauſe the imaginative faculty is vveakned thereby: that the ſpirit of prophecy reſts not vponupon an afflicted ſorovvfull man: that prophecy is taken avvay in the time of anger & anguiſh: that therfore Iaacob prophecied not all the dayes of his ſorovv becauſe his imaginative povver laboured about mourning for Ioſeph: that prophecy reſted not on Moſes after the ſending of the ſpies as it did before, vntill all that generation vvas conſumed: becauſe he vvas greeved for their evilles, &c. that this ſorovv and greefe is the next cauſe of prophecy departing in time of captivitie and diſperſion, &c. that this is it vvhichwhich vvas ſayd by the prophet they ſhalbe diſperſed or ſcattred, to ſeek the word of the Lord and ſhall not finde it: & againe, Their King and their prince is among the nations, there is no law, neither have the prophets found out the prophecy of the Lord. So Kimchi “Commēt. on Pſ. 3.5,expounds the vvords of David, that he lay downe and ſlept, viz. vvhen by Cuſhi he heard the ſorovvfull tidings: that then the ſpirit of prophecy ceaſed in him, becauſe it reſts not on a ſorowfull perſon: that when Nathan came to him with good and joyfull matter, then he awoke and roſe againe, then the ſpirit came againe vntounto him. Thus their owne words and writings are againſt thēſelves: & according to the ſame, they being now ſcattred abroad, and their preſent diſperſion being a moſt greevous captivitie vntounto them, as they every where call it, the law is not among them, the word of God is not to be found among them: The ſpirit of the holy prophets and of good vnderſtanding is departed from them: And therfore their help to vnderſtand the ordinances of Moſes ſhould not be thought ſo neceſſary as you vvould perſwade vsus.