A Comment Upon Coheleth, Paraphrase
A PARAPHRASE Abridging the book: VVITH OBSERVATIONES OF ſpeches tovvching the holy Ttinity, & of Iudaiſme, ſtumbling againſt Koheleth even vntounto this day.
ALL this book of Coheleth or Salemon, tendeth, as vvas shevved, to open Nathans ſpech, 1 Chro. 17. touching the Eternall throne of David: And this ſylogiſme ariſeth hence by the Ievves graunt: in the Chaldy vponupon this place.
Yf all things vnderunder the ſunne be ſubiect to extreme vanitie: the Eternall throne promiſed vntounto David, muſt be of an other world.
But all thinges vnderunder the ſunne be ſubiect to extreme vanitie:
Therfore this is all the Man, to looke vntounto the iudgement of God for an other world, and vntounto the throne of the better ſtay.
The propoſition is omitted, as lapped in the Prophecy of Nathan cloſly: and not to be opened directly to the prophane: vvho vvold cōtemne all ſpech of the vvorld to come. And the humble vvold ſone conceave it. The aſſumption is proved by a plentifull induction, going through all mans ſtate. And theſe be the chief heades. The shortnes of mans life paſſing as a vapour. TheShortnes of life. Sun, vvind, and vvater, never reſting in one place, picture our ſtate, and cauſe our change: our eyes can never be contented nor our eares: & yet nothing is nevv: but forgetfulnes maketh thinges paſt to ſeme nevv. Andvviſe policy cannot help common vveales ſo many be imperfectiōs to marke mens actions, Koheleth, that gathered all vviſdome by experience, being a King, and in Ieruſalem the glory of the vvorld, should paſse all that none coming after him should excede him. He conſidered the cariage of the vviſe, and of the mad vvorld: and ſavv that the croked vvold not be ſtreightened, and theChap. imperfect could not be made vp. He tryed pleaſure in2. his great cheer, & his thouſand vvomen. That became nothing vvorth. He joyned vviſdome and royall majeſtyPleaſures, vviſdome, & royalty are but vanity. together, in all pompe, and ſtately vvorkes and delites. But all vvas vanity. Though vviſdome paſse folly as darknes paſſeth light: yet this event have both, that both ſone die, and theyr memorie. And vvhat the vviſe by care never reſting doth bring about, a foolish heyre, as Roboam and his houſe, almoſt all the race vntounto their end in Iechonias, by vvicked madnes deſtroy. The beſt thing vvhichwhich the vviſeſt vvold vvish is contentement, in vſing their preſent travell. But Gods variety in governing mans tymes & ſeaſons in birth, death; planting, rooting out: ſeking, rejecting, love and hatred, this checketh all hope of reſting in contentementChap. of vvelth goten. And God vſed this variety in3. his judgements that men should feare him. But the thorny cares & pleaſure, choke the meditation vponupon Gods vvorke. And thus the vviſdome of the beſt cannot bring any ſound ſtate. Novv folies be infinite. InOppreſſiō common. courtes of judgement, might overcometh right: and men are become beaſtes: and for all thinges vnderunder the ſunne, as the one dieth ſo dieth the other. And vvho conſidereth the ſpirit of a man, that it aſcendeth vntounto God; ſcant any: But men live as not beleving, or not regarding the ſoules immortality. And the vviſeſt cannot look for vſe of their ovvne, for oppreſſours vnreſiſtable▪ foreign The heathen ſentence vvas afore from God. are in every place: that the heathen ſavv hovv it vvas beſt never to have bene, & next, to dye quickly. Envy of life, bretheth in others ſlouthfulnes. vvherby the poore in all common vveales be infinite. And their miſery bredes a contrarie, in ſome rich: that being vvithout kindred, yet they have none end of their labour. Yea the rich Kinges nether for them ſelves nor otherSlouth mother of poore folk x. have any happy caſe. A vviſe child in priſon, as Ioſeph, is in better caſe then an old foolish King, as Ioas. AndCover ſenſeles. Kinges vvere borne poore & naked: and may come to the ſame caſe: and people be ſtill vvery of the preſent, &Cha. 5. men vnderunder Kinges had nede of continuall prayer: andThe preſet is ſoon lothed. in prayer, much babling & rash vovving encreaſe vanities in the beſt buſines. And for the oppreſſion by the mighty, many are amazed: and knovv not hovv foreign the holy athey the high God. as God thy creatoures. chap. 18. Husbandry full of cares. Riches be vncenten.Trinity is above all, & hath a tyme for judgement: But the moſt, think ther is no God. Novv tillage vvold ſeme a contented life: better then marchandiſe: vvher mony multiplyeth not: but by care and hazard. Here, as vvelth encreaſeth, the ſervantes that ſpend it encreaſe: and the maſter hath no more then they, ſaving only the ſight: and the ſervantes ſlepe is ſvvete: but care ſuffreth not the maſter to ſlepe. And often falleth the rich to be vvorth nothing: and onelyonly contentement here is good: but to vſe the goodes gotten, that is a gift of God. Often the vvelthy are cut offCh. 6. from vſe of their ovvne; long life & many children cā notMany children: in Arabian poverty are a miſery. one in Iuſtin had 600. in poverty make one better then the vntimely birth: yea though a man live in poverty tvvo thouſand yeares. All muſt come to one place. And this befalleth all men that the ſoule is never ſatisfied. By this the vvelthy vviſe man or foole hath no ſound preeminence, nor the poore of knovvledge, infericritie, inAdam the name …elle…h man of his frailty. vvalking afore the living. The notation of Adam should teach of his nature: for the firſt names expreſſed the natures of the thinges named: and it is evident, that he is but earthly Adam, and is not able to ſtrive vvith his ſtronger: and vvho knovveth vvhat is good for man in the dayes of his life that are but a shadovv, & vvho can tell him vvhat shall befall him. ThereforeSad meditation of death is the beſt thing. ther is no true joy in this life: but a good name before God is better then any vvelth: vvherin precious oinctmentes in the Eaſt, vvere the chiefeſt, and better is the day of death, then the day of birth, and the houſe of mourning then the houſe of feaſting: for the mourning houſe is the end of all, and the liuing vvill take it to hart. The practiſe of vviſe & foolish shevv this. For the vviſe goe to the houſe of mourning, the fooles to the houſe of banqueting. So the check frō the vviſe is better then the ſonges of fooles. For as the voice of thornes is vnderunder the pot, ſuch is the laughter of fooles. And becauſe oppreſſion from the ſtronger driueth men to madnes: & bribes again deſtroy their hartes, the good end is better then the good begining, and patience better then anger. A man muſt be ſlovv to anger: for anger reſteth in the boſome of fooles. As this proceedeth not of vviſdome to aske: vvhy vvere the former dayes better then theſe. VViſdome is good vvith vvelth, vvhile men liue. Both bring a sheltre. But vviſdome is the better, it ſaueth him that hath it. And here vviſdome shevveth it ſelfe: euen in hamblenes not hoping to ſtreighten that vvhichwhich God hath made croked: rejoyce vvith the rejoycing: and vvepe vvith the vveping dayes. God hath ſo ſet one by the other, that none can finde fault. The juſt perisheth in too ſtraite juſtice, & the toyleſome holdeth one long in his toyle. Be not toylſome to much nor too vviſe: and play not the foole: it vvill bring death before the ordinarie courſe. It is good to kepe betvvixt both: as they that feare God vvill. VViſdome vvill ſtrengthen more then ten rulers: though in many thinges all ſtumble. And this poinct of vviſdome hath great vſe, not to regard all evel tongues: for all ſpeak evell of others & the tōgue cā not be bridled. This Kohe leth tried: & ſought ſtill to find reaſons for all cariages. But that vvas far off. Novv the far off and the depe vvho can find out. But in trying the madnes of folk, Koheleth found by his thouſand vvives, that an evell vvomā Even vvomen a comon miſchief … vvorſe thē death. Salomon … Ieremies age. felt …at.vvas bitterer then death. This he found: examining one thing by an other to find out deviſes. But this he could not find out: though in men one of a thouſand, Koheleth vvold find out the ſubtileſt deviſes, yet of a ſubtile vvomans deviſes in all that number, he could not. They made him build houſes to ſtrange Gods: vvhervpon the Kingdome firſt rented, aftervvardes, perished. And this, Koheleth found generally true: that God made Adam plain, but they found out many invē tiones.Cha. 8. And ſo doe their children in all folly. And vvho is as the vviſe man? vvho is like him that knovveth the nature of matters. VViſdome lighteth the face of a man: and the hardenes of his face vvilbe changed. AsKinges offenſes are very hard to be cured & 2 voided: vnlernednes bredeth boldnes: and judgement, lothnes to be medling. And it avoideth the calamities that come from governoures oppreſſion. Herein viſdome vvold kepe the Kinges lavves, in the Lord: and not reſiſt auctority: for he earieth not the ſvvord in vain. But he that doth vvell shall have praiſe of the King. But here men brede them ſelves much ſorovv, not knovving vvhat vvill befall them. And this vanitie is comon, that men conſider not, rulers nor ſubiectes, hovv ſodenlyPall death knocketh poore cotages, aud Kings Pal lates vvith an equall foote. death vnexorable, (againſt vvhichwhich ther is no ſtriving) ceaſeth vponupon men. By vvant of vviſdome herein men vvilbe ruling men, to their ovvne harme. In that caſe Koheleth ſavv the vvicked buried: vvhen they vvent avvay, and paſſed from the holy place of judgement, & vvere forgottē in the citie vvher they had ſo done. And this vanitie might teach, that no throneacceptable vntounto God, can be found in this vvorld. But by not knovving Gods dealing herein, men fill this vvorld vvith vanity. Becauſe judgemēt is not shevved quickly vponupon evel vvorkes, mens hartes be fully caried to doe miſchief. But the vviſe Koheleth vvould tell, though the vvicked doeTheſe tovves of the laſt in this vvorld, a hevv that all Good is to be hoped in an other vvorld. vvickedly an hundreth fould, and live long: yet it shal be vvell vvith the Godly: & not vvith the vvicked vvhoſe dayes are but a shadovv. An other ſecret government of God, teacheth the vanity of this life, that the juſt are plagued, and the vvicked proſper. This teacheth that ther is an other vvorld of recompenſe: as in the Parable of Lazarus and Dives. In this diverſity quiet enioyng of the preſent vvelth is all that a man can have of his travell. And for mans buſines reſtles and ſlepeleſſe, not the vviſeſt can ſee the reaſon of Gods vvorkes. By outvvard proſperity, the juſt and vnjuſt are not diſcoveredEpienres fill kingdomes b… blindnes herein. & as fish & foules men are ſnared, often tymes. Hence Epicures exhort one an other vvith longe orationes to preſent pleaſures: vvhile not the ſvvift have the gool: nor the valiant the victory, nor the vviſe, the bread, nor the cunning, favour, but a tyme and occurrant befalleth all. And men knovv no more their time, then fish or foule that be caught in a net, and ſnare. VVithout ſpeciall vviſdome, this vvill not be shunned. VViſdome is ſoone contemned. This example may be pregnant. A litle citie beſieged of a great King, by a poore mans vviſdome hath ben ſaved. Butvviſdome is in cities in the beſt deſert ſone forgotten. that poore man is ſoone forgotten, yet vviſdome is better then ſtrength: though the vviſdome of the poore is contemned, & his vvordes are not heard. The vvordes of the vviſe in quietnes are heard, more then the cries of Lordes over fooles. VViſdome is better then armour of vvarre: and one that miſſeth of it, as a Lord over fooles, vvill loſe much good. As one dead flye putrifieth much precious oinctement, ſo a little folly marrethFolly in one & in one thing doth mach harme. a man precious for vviſdome & glory. VViſdome is rare: and to have the hart on the right hand. But to have the hart on the left hand, that is comon to the foole: vvhoſe hart faileth in the plain vvay, and he telleth all that he is a foole. And in ſuch a vvorld, vvhat ſtudy of the Lavv can brede a bleſſed throne on earth. The Spirit of rulers often riſeth againſt a dutifull ſubiect:Hatted from rulers makes many leave the care of their place to their harme. as did Salomons againſt Ieroboam: he left his place and fled to Egipt: and became the ruine of Salomons throne. Here a ſoft cure might have delayed much ſinne. An other evel is great and comon: appearing notably in the vnlavvfull kingdome of Ephraim. The fooles of the ten tribes vvere ſet on high, and falſe Prophetes; and the truly rich ſate dovvne lovv. Servantes ſate on horſeback & Princes vvalked vponupon the ground. This people might knovv that great is the vanity of governements here. Roboam in Iuda likevviſe payd the price of that, extolling foolish yonge men, and contemning old ſages. And King Ioas moſt notably: yelding from his rich counſellers, to the foolish Idoleſervers. And his grandfather Ioram greatly vvanted vviſdome that loſt all Edoms ſubjection, and advaunced fooles to kill his ovvne bovvels, and to dye by torment of bovvels. And as Saul by folly hoping to defeate David, digged a pit vvhichwhich him ſelf fell into: So King Ochozias joyning vvith Iſrael, brake an hedge, that the Serpent Iehu ſtange him. And of all Kinges vvanting vviſdome, and of all in high place, and of ill bent, avvay from God, theſe Proverbes vvilbe verified, he that removeth ſtones vvilbe greved by them, and he that cleaveth vvood, shalbe indangered by it, yf the iron be blunt, and a man vvhett not the edge, but be vehemēt in ſtrength: vehemency in a blunt cauſe, vvill cauſe dā ger. VViſdome from Gods vvordes of right, vvill only bring good ſucceſſe: teaching to bevvare of Satans deceites, vvher a ſting at the firſt is paſt cure. All the Kings of Iſrael folovved Ieroboams vvorshipping of calves: being ſo ſttong at the firſt: vvithout vſing holy aduiſe: that aftervvardes ther could be no vſe of enchanters. All the Prophetes vvarninges vvere nothinge: all that Ionas vvhale, and Nineuie taught: all that Oſec, Amos, Eſai, and Micha told, vvroght litle good. As deaf adders they ſtopped their eares: and vvold not heare the voice of any inchanter. Yet the vvordes of the mouth of the vviſe doe beare grace: as ſpecially the ſpeches in David for the Kingdome of Chriſt: but the lippes of the foole Ieroboam ſvvalovved vp all his houſe, vvhen he bade vvorship calves at Dan and Bethel, and forbade to go vp to Ieruſalem. The begining of the vvordes of his mouth vvas foolishnes, and the end of his mouth an evell madnes. The other Kinges foolish before God, multiplyed vvordes againſt Iudah, but ſavv not their fall. Great toyle they tooke, familie after family, and vvearied them ſelves in their Idoles: being as men that knevv not the vvay to the city. And ſuch vvereHoſeas, Amos, & Eſai blame Iſrael for this. all the Kinges of Iſraell, and the vvicked of Roboams Kingdome. And vvo be to the kingdome, vvhere the Princes be given to feaſting: as the true noble and ſobre bring happines. A King dome is like an houſe: vvher by ſlougth the timber vvork rotteth, and by diſſolute hād, the houſe vvilbe dropped through: vvhen they make feaſtes for laughter, and that vvine chear the hart, and mony muſt affordall. And herein the meddlers vvith Kinges find their ovvne ruine; & this vanitie is comon. But they that look to the kingdome of Chriſt, vvill not in thought medle vvith Caeſar: for liſteners vvill fly to report all that is once vttered. But men should ambitiouſlyCha. 11. ſeke to meddle vvith their ovvne matters, and to do good for the hope to come: as Pilgromes & ſtrangers. This vvil be a caſting of ſeede vponupon moyſt ground: vvhichwhich vvill fructifie: that as one ſoovveth he shall reape. Therfore vvhile vve have time vve should doe good to all: leſt God alter our ability, or occaſion. The cloudes and trees teach that: the cloudes fall to moyſten the hearbes, and vvher the trees fruct falleth, gatherers vvilbe ready. And herein vve should not be caſting doubtes, eyther for others ſucceſſe, or leſt vve in time vvant our ſelves, of our joyes. The huſbandman plovv eth in hope: not loking to the cloudes for ſovving or reaping: as vve knovv not the vvindes vvay, nor the Embryones grouth, ſo vve knovv not hovv ſone God altereth times from life to death: from planting to vnrooting,In this variety vve should ſerve the tyme. & omit no occaſion, and Iſrael had experiēce of all theſe vvher the elected fathers had often ſō nes rejected, and fathers loſt left ſonnes to be found o…t: …ill vvhole apoſtaſie rooted out the natiō. from building to breaches: from laughter to vveping, from ſeking, to loſing: from ſpech to ſilence, from love to hatred, from peace to vvarre: from youth to old age, morning and evening vve should not be vveary doing good: for in due tyme vve shall reape, yf vve doe not faint. It is a good thing for one to chere his ovvne life, vvill mans hart ſay: but long and mery life vvilbe nothing ſauing vanity: vvhen vve thinke vponupon the tyme after this life, hovv it shall never hauehave end. This thought vvill make yong men litle joy in the morning of age: conſidering that God vvill bring them into judgement. And the vvekenes of our earthly tabernacle should put vsus in mind hourely. For dayes void of all delite vvill ſone come: vvhen our eyes, ribbes, armes, ſtomake, eares, and tongue, and all helpesChap. 12 of voice & the legges faile: & graynes buddeth, & vve are shaken off like a grashopper: and the chine & liuerall ioy falleth: & ſorovv vpō ſorovv befalleth. & brain pan all vvil be rent, and man returneth to his endleſſe home, & mourners go about in the ſtrete. This may teach vsus hovv all temporall thinges be vaineſſe, & teach from Scriptures to find out Chriſt his Kingdome: that vvhen the outvvard man is corrupted, the invvard man be fully renued. For Chriſt is our life: and to die in him, that is all our gain. And mans ſone paſſage hence vp to Goddes throne, to receaue according to the vvorkes done by the body, good or evell should print this in our hartes. And vve should giuegive more aboundant hede to Koheleth his vvordes: leſt they flovv aſide from our eyes, as they from Ephraim, Prov. 3. and from the men of Ieruſalem: Eb. 2. vvhom ſin platting about them entangled to deſtruction. Koheleth, as all the other Prophets, hath vvordes of delite, & Scripture of right: vvordes of truth: as Goades to direct vsus, & nailes faſtened, in the shepe foldes, geuen from Chriſt the only Shepheard, of vvhom Dauid ſpake Pſa. 72. his laſt vvordes: & therin theſe. Bleſſed be the Eternall, God, the God of Iſraell, & bleſſed be his glorious name for euer: and let all the earth be filled vvith his glory. Amen, yea amen.
A TREATISE OF THE Holy Trinity
NOW, for the trinity, I will folow thoſe textes at which the very Iewes be amaſed, & I will make my style alltogether from theyr wordes, ſaving that, their future, for MESSIAS to come, I will turne into the tyme paſſed. In the Babylonian Thalmud in Sanedrin fol. 38. excellent places be cited for vnity & plurality: touching alſo MESSIAS from Dan. 7. wher Rabbi Sadaias ſpeaketh matter worthy regard: alſo from Ex. 23. wher Ramban writteth well: & I ſaak Ben Arama vponupon Ex. bringeth the whole Thalmudi que conſent, that MESSIAS is greater then the Angels & inferreth therupō that he muſt be God: which matter Koheleth toucheth for plura lity of Perſones, in Boreeicha Thy creatours. I have ioined an Ebrew style to the English: that the one may help the other.
OF THE VNITY IN GOD-HEAD AND PLVRALITY of Perſons.
THE ETERNALL, our God, the Eternall is one: & his nature is made knovven by himſelf: for the Perſons, the father, the Sōne, & the holy Ghoſt, & vve muſt folovv & marke the myſtery of the Scriptures for the plurall number, and for the Sonne òf God: and for the holy Spirit. In theſe there is a great myſtery: Let VSUS make man according to OVR image: This for the perſons. And for the vnity of natures this: God created man after his owne image. So, Come Let VSUS goe downe, and Let VSUS confound there theyr Lippe. And, the Lord Went downe to ſee the city, and the towre. And, For there, Elohim WERE reucaled vntounto him: &, the God which heard me in the day of my distreſse: And, who is like thy people Iſrael, one nation on the earth for whom THEY went, euen Elohim, to redeme them vntounto him ſelfe, for a People, And, Vntill THRONES were ſet vp: and the Euerlasting Sate: what is to be ſaid of that, One for himſelf, & one for the Sonne of David: as it is written: behold with the cloudes of heauen one like the Sonne of Man came: This is Meſſïas our righteouſnes. And is it not written of the Meſſias? Meeke and riding vponupon an Aſſe? In deed he came in humblenes, & came not vponupon foreign horſes with pride. And wheras it was written with the cloudes of heaven: They are the Angels of the host of heaven. This is the great dignity which the Creatour gave Meſſias. And to the Everlaſting did they bring him: as it is writtē: The Eternall ſayd vntounto my Lord, ſit thou on my right hand; &c. A certen Saducie ſaid, to Rabbi Idith in the Babil. Thal. San. fol. 38. It is written: & to Moſes he ſaid: Come vp vntounto the Eternall: vntounto me: he should have ſaid. This is Matatron (the Angel that led the People) of whome it is written. My name is in him. It is written: rebell not against him, he will not beare with your ſinnes. Mark alſo the commentary of Ramban vponupon theſe wordes; Behold, I ſend myne Angel before thee, to keep thee in the way, & to bring thee into the place which I have prepared: regard him, & obey his voyce. Provoke him not, for he will not for bear your Sinnes: for my name is in him. Thus there ſpeaketh Ramban. In the propriety of the text, this Angell which is promiſed here, is the Angell the redemer in whom the great Name (God) is For in Iah Iehova is the Rock Everlaſting. And the ſame ſaid: I am the God of Bethel. It is the manner of the King to tary in his houſe. And the Scripture calleth him Angel becauſe the world is governed by this Perſon. And vvordes of the generall Rabines concerning Chriſt are theſe: in Iſaak Ben Arama vponupon the Lavv fol. 76. Our Doctours ſay, who art thou great mountayne? This is Christ. Ana wherfore is his name called greate? becauſe he shalbe greater then the Fathers, as it is written: Behold my ſervant that proſper, he shalbe high & exalted; Ile shalbe higher then Abraham & exalted above Moſes: & he shalbe farre above the Angels foreign of ministery: of whom it is written Ezek. …. They had height, & they had terrour. And if they mark & vnderſtand this, they doo know that the dignity of Meſſias is above the Angels of miniſtery. In that ſenſe ſhould not he be God him ſelf: as they appropriate vntounto him this honorable title. This hath Ben Arama. And moſt playnly doth the ſame mans vvordes ſay, that God ſpake this of Meſſias: pſ. 89. I wilbe his father, & he shalbe my ſonne. As Aben Ezra ſaith of, Kiſſe the Sonne: This is Meſſias. And of the holy Spirit. Gen. 1. 2. they ſay: This is the Spirit of Meſſias the King: Zohar vponupon Gen: and comonly from Ieremy 23: as in Bathra. ſect. 5. fol. 75. B. That he is, Iehouah our righteouſnes. And thus they doe in vvordes agree vvith our holy Apoſtles. But they turne aſide like a vvarping bovv: vvherof I vvil novve ſpeake by the helpe of God.
OF IVDAISME DISANNVLLING COHELETH AND ALL the Bible.
One great Rabbin who lived 42 3 yeeres agoe, who gathered the Ieruſalem Thalmud and the Babylonian into an eaſier order, & tranſlated what he bringeth into familiar Ebrew: (they be rare Iewes that vnderſtand the Ieruſalemy, or the Babylonian ſpecially) He endeth his volumes in the common place of Meſſias: who ſhalbe tranſlated & cited in his own wordes: to ſhew howe the whole nation miſseth extreamely of Chriſt, the end of the law: though in toung, they agreed with the Apoſtles.
Rambam, or R. Moſes Ben Maymony in Miſnaioth Tom. 4. tract. Kinges Sect. 11. & 12 thus writeth.
Meſsias the King shall ſtand vp & reſtore the Kingdome of the houſe of Dauid to the old ſtate of the first gouerment: & he shall build the temple, & gather the diſperſed of Iſrael, & the Lawes shalbe restored. They shall offer their offringes, and keepe the ſeauenth yeeres rest, according to eueryevery commaundement deliuered in the Law. And eueryevery one that beleueth not in him, and he that looketh not for his comming, he denieth not onelyonly all the other prophets but alſo the Law, & Moſes our Doctour. For behold the Law testifieth of him: as it is ſaid: And the Eternall thy Elohim shall restore thy captivity and pity thee, and gather thee againe, &c. After thy diſpe…ion shalbe into the extremity of the heauens: Yet the Eternall will bring thee againe. And theſe ſpeche ſet fourth in the Law, they are abridgements of all the ſpeches which are ſpoken by all the prophets. And ſpecially in the foreign Section of Balaam as is spoken, and there he ſpeaketh of two Meſſias: of the firſt Meſſias which is David which ſaued Iſraell from the hand of their enemies: And of the latter Meſſias, which shall stand vp of his children: which shall teach Iſrael in the end. And in the former place he ſaith: I shall ſee him: But not now: I shall view him, but not neare: This is King Meſsias. A ſtar from Iacob: This is Dauid: & a ſcepter: That is King Meſſias: And He shall ſmit the Lordes of Moab, He, is David: as it is ſaid: And he stroke Moab, And meaſured them by corde: And he shall vnwall all the ſonnes of Seth: He is Chriſt the King: as it is ſaid: And he shall rule from ſea to ſea. And Edom shalbe an inheritance: Euen to David as it was ſaid. And Edom became servants to David. And Seyr shalbe an inheritance: &c. This is to Meſſias the King. As it ſaid: And Sauiours shall ariſe on mount Siō &c. Also concerning the cities of refuge he ſaith: thou mayst adde yet three cities &c. But this hath neuer bene done. And the Lord did not commaund any thing in vaine. But the caſe ſtandeth according to the wordes of the Prophets: & it needeth no diſputing for all bookes are full of this matter.
And Let it neuer come to thy minde that Meſsias the King needeth to worke by signes and wonders: For beho…h Rabbi Akiba was a great Doctor among the Doctours of the Thalmud: & he was Harnes bearer to Ben Coziba, the King, & he thought that he was the King Meſsias. Both he deemed, and all the Doctours of his age, that he was King Meſſias, vntill he was killed for Sinne. when he was killed, they knew he was not: And the Doctours asked of him, for no ſigne for no wonder. And the groūd of the matters thus ſtandeth: That the Law, that the statutes & rightes of it, stād for euer, yea for euer & euer. And nothing maye be added, nothing may be taken away. And if a King ſtand vp from the houſe of David ſtudieng the Law, & buſiedin the cō maundementes foreign as David his father, according to the written Law, & the Law of traditions, and compel Iſrael to walk in it, & to repair the ruins of it, & to fight the warres of the Eternall, behold this is ſure, that he is the Meſſias, yf his doing proſper & he build the temple in place, & gather the diſperſed of Iſrael, behold that man is Meſsias out of all doubt. And he will ſettle al the world, to ſerue the Lord togeither: As it is ſaid: then I will turne vntounto nations pure Lippes, that all may call vponupon the name of the Eternall & ſerue him with one accord. Perek: or Section 12. & the last of all his Thalmud. Let it not come into thy hart, that in the dayes of Meſsias, any thing shalbe abrogated from the cuſtome of the world, or that any newnes shalbe in the frame of the world. Nothing ſo. The world goeth on in the ſame rate and that which is ſaid in Eſay And the wolf shal dwell with the Lambe: & the Leopard shall lodge with the Kid, that is a parable and a dark ſpech. The ſenſe of the ſpech is: That Iſrael shall dwell in ſafety, among the wicked of the world: which are Likened to the wolf & Leopard. As it is ſaid: the Euening vvoolf shall ſpoyle them, & the Leopard shall vvatch at their cities. And they shall turne vntounto the Law of truth: and they shall not ſpoyle, nor destroy, but shall eat their ſtore in quietnes: as Iſraell. as it is ſayd: The Lyon as the Oxe, shall eat ſtravv. And ſo in other matters the like which are written of Meſſias, they are reſemblances. And in the dayes of Chriſt the King it shalbe knowen to all, what thinges were reſembled: and to what matters the hid meaning tended. The Doctours ſay ther is no differēce betwixt this world, & the dayes of Chriſt, but onelyonly the ſervice vnderunder the Kingdomes. It may be ſene by the propper ſenſe of the prophets, that in the begining of the dayes of Meſsias shalbe the warre of Gog and Magog, & before the warres of Gog & Magog, a prophet shall stand vp, to ſettle Iſrael, & to praepare theyr foreign hartes, as it ſayd: Behold I ſend vntounto you Elias &c. And he cometh not to Pollute the pure, or to purifie the polluted, nor to diſable the fully allowable, nor to allow the manifeſtly diſallowable, but to ſettle peace in the world: as it is ſaid, & he shall turne the harts of fathers vntounto the Children. And there be ſome of the Doctours who ſay, that before the coming of Meſsias, Elias shall come: But all theſe matters & ſuch like doth no man know, what they shalbe vntill they be: The matters are matters cloſed vp with the prophets: alſo our Doctours hauehave no Kabala for theſe matters, But with wresting of the textes. And therefore they are at ſchiſme for theſe matters: And theſe matters are in no caſe, for theyr order of being, or particularities, any foundation of Law. Let not a man buſie himſelfe in the Agadoth: (or fables wittilypēned) nor be long in Midraſoth cōmentaries of alluſions which are ſpokē of theſe matters, & ſuch: & let him not lay them for a foūdatiō: For they teach neither faith, nor Love. So let not a man reckon the End. (Yet the Angell Gabriel & Daniel did to the very houre Daniel. 9) as our Doctours ſay Let their ſoule breath out who reckon the endes. But let him expect and beleue according to the generall rule which wee hauehave expounded. In the dayes of Meſsias the King, when his Kingdome shalbe ſettled, & all Iſraell shalbe gathered vntounto him, all they shalbe genealogized according to their familyes, by his mouth from the holy Spirite, which shall reſt vponupon him: as it is vvritten, hee ſhall ſit & he ſhall purifie and clenſe: The ſonnes of Levy firſt shall he clenſe, and thus ſay: This man is of the Priestes family: & this man of Levies genealogie: & he shall reiect them which are not of the Genealogie of Iſrael. Behold a certayne One ſayd: And the Ambaſſadour ſaid vntounto them &c vntil there standes Vp a Prieſt with Vrim & Thummim. Behold thou art taught, that by the holy Spirit the Principall shalbe referred to their Genealogie, & the genealogized foreign shalbe made knowen. But he will not genealogize Iſraell, that is, them who are not of Levy, but generally of what tribe they be: shewing that this man and this man, is of ſuch a tribe. But he will not tell, that ſuch a man is of ſpeciall vertue, ſuch an one, of an Heathen mother: ſuch an one, a Slaue: But of right, will Let them ſink that will hauehave their Sun to ſet.
The Doctours and prophetes deſired not the dayes of Meſsias, neither to rule over all the world nor to ſubdue the Heathen, nor to be extolled of nations, nor to drink & make mery, but to hauehave Leaſure for the Law and wiſdome, and hauehave no taxe maſter and Hinderer, that they may be worthy of life Eternall. And in that time there shalbe no hunger, no warre, no emulation, nor ſtrife, for goodes shall flow plentifully. And all delicates shalbe found as Plentifull as duſt: And the world shall ſtudie nothing cls, but onelyonly to know the Eternal. Therfore there shalbe great Doctours, & ſkilfull in hid ſpeches, & they shall apprehend the knowledg of their Creatour, according to the force of their strēgth; as it is written: For the Earth shtlbe full of the knowledg of the Eternall, as the waters that cover the Sea.
The Ebreu that folovveth is the Ievves continued ſpech of theyr miſtaken Meſſias; But excedeth much the English tranſlation in ſpace, becauſe I vvold have a fayr and great Letter, After shall come a short cēſure vpō the levves hope for theyr Meſſias: & then: The Chaldy Paraphraſtes ovvne argument of Coheleth, & the holy Text.
A Cenſure vponupon the Iew Rambam.
He ſpeakeah truly that Balaam prophecieth of Chriſt: but he litle marketh vvhat Balaam taught: by that: Meſſias shall vnvvall all the ſonnes of Seth. Yffor deſtroying all their tovvnes vvall this vvere ſpoken, that vvere no benefite. Nether vvil Salomon ſuffer to hope for one age to hauehave any thing, the like vvherof vvas not afore: either for peace or vvarres. Paul expoundeth the vnvvalling of Seth ſonnes. 2. Cor. 10. Our armour is not carnall but mighty for God: to pull dovvne ſtrong holdes: This Balaā meant By more cities of refuge, Rambam ſeeketh corners. thus he reaſoneth:
Yfvve had not yet all cities of refuge promiſed, ther is a returning vntounto our land of Chanaan to hauehave them. But yet vve had not all promiſed:
Therfore there remayneth a returne to Chanaan.
The aſſumption is double vveake. The Lavv gaue leaue to make more, yf they conquered more: as Ruben Gad & Manaſſes conquered more. & Permiſſiōs be in Lavves no leſſe then cōmaundements. Beſides vve may not ſay that Ruben Gad & Manaſſes made no cities more of refuge: becauſe it is not recorded. The vvitty Aben Ezra noteth vponupon Gad, Gen. 4. 9. that much is vnrecorded, vvhichwhich Iacob ſpeaketh of him. Thus Rambams hope is the vveb of a ſpider. And concerning building of Ieruſalem, vvhat can that profit more then it profited in Salomons time: vvhen ſone all came to nothing: And novv the vvorld is 5531. yeres old: and their rule is: that ſix thouſand shall end it: vvhichwhich vvilbe at 469. & vvhat can that time vvorke to change the vvhole vvorld. Touching Elias: He tottereth: But vve knovv the caſe: and he might learne Chriſt & the heauenly Ieruſalem of our. N. Teſt. & the Chaldy vponupon Eccleſ. 1. v. 2. telleth that their Meſſias is but vanity.