Grounds of Divinity Study, Part 2
Of the Epistle to the Ebrewes.
Br. SAinct Paul in the Epiſtle to the Ebrewes goeth through your Gamaliels learning: ſtill proving that all your Prophetes taught but this, That GOD would make the Sonne heyre of … whom he made the world, Pſ. 2. and Prov. 8. And he maketh his continuall narration all from teſtimonies of Scripture that he is the brightnes of glorie, Eſ. 4. The forme of the Fathers perſon, Exod. 23. carying about all things with the word of his might Pſ. 102 By him ſelfe hath ranſomed our ſinnes, Dan. 9. 2… … Eſ. 4. and ſitteth on the right hand of God in the higheſe. Being ſo much above the Angells as his names ſhews ſuperior dignitie. He never called any created Angell his ſonne … Meſſias doeth he call ſonne, Pſal 2. Thou art my ſonne. This … have I begotten thee. And the end of the Pſalme telleth▪ …hat he (of whom that is ſpoken) is fayrer then men: by the commaundement, Kiſſe the Sonne, least he be angrie: happie are all they that truſt in him. And Aben Ezra and Mid…as … graunt this ſpoken of Meſſias, and the high …. Moreover you all graunt, Pſal. 89. to handle Meſſias …ſe… there is, I wilbe his Father, and he ſhalbe my Sonne▪ and there he is called Bechor as the chief ariſing from death▪ never to returne agiane. And D. Kimchi graunteth that Pſal. …7. … many laſt afore, and foure following, to be ſpoken o… as. and there this commeth: Let all the Angells of God worſhip him: your owne tongues ſhall condemne you, not I. And your owne hart will tell you, that he muſt bee … of whom that ſhould bee ſpoken. And of the Angells … ſaith: He maketh his Angells windes: and his Miniſters … fyer. ye graunt this to be ſpoken of the Angells, that they were created to ſerve man, with all zeale and ſpeed: and that the rebellion of the Divells came by miſliking m… ſuperioritie. Rub. El. In Zohar, and commonly, we holde that …d all we holde, that before mans creation, no Angells …ell▪ for after Mans creation, God ſaw all that hee made, and it was very good: and our mindes can not once thinke of any other ſubiect in GOD, (who dwelleth in terrible light) againſt which the Divell durſt ſpurne. … dealeth he but to hurt man: as ſtill ſhewing that from hatred to man was his fall. Hold not you the ſame? Br. That Satan was a murtherer from the beginning: and that he ſtood not in the trueth: which is Gods will for mans good, as Chriſt came to witnes to the trueth: this commeth to be his blame: that our ſage hold. And no ſage mynd will goe about to finde out higher. And Babell going about to daſh Ieruſalems hope, is blamed as bent to ſet his throne above the higheſt: and ſo the Bridge-maker of Rome is blamed of Saint Paul: as Antiochus Epiphanes in Daniel, to exalt himſelfe above all that is God: or is worſhipped.
And our minde can not imagine how trembling Devills durſt in an higher decree then mans good, ſeeke to check God: terrible to the very holy that are about him. But to trye man, they are made by Gods Decree the God of this world: the army of them: that all may bee condemned that will not beleeve the trueth. So againſt them the holy Angells are to ſerve the iuſt. And ye ſay: The iuſt man is above the Angells. Say ye not ſo? Rab. El. Commonly. Br. So no prayer ſhould be made to them, to whom God dwelling in infinite light, giveth charge, not to teach him wiſedome, whom to pitie, but with feare to goe about ſervice which he chargeth. Rab. Elias We are of that minde. Though in Machazor we pray to Angells: yet our rule of faith in Maymonides, that hath collected all our Thalmudiques, holdeth: That ſervice to God, is prayer: and as, Him only ſhalt thou ſerve: ſo the Law is: To him only ſhalt thou pray. This holdeth our Maymonides frō the very ground of al our Thalmudiſtes. And amongeſt our moſt common, Rabbi Menachem ſayeth: God forbid that any ſhould pray, but vntounto the Eternall our God. Br. So the Eternall Sonne of God ſayth: When yee pray, pray vntounto your Father which is in heaven: and we in reformed Churches holde the tayle of he Dragon in condemnation, as praying to creatures. The Ieſuites in Antwerpe, the king of Locuſtes, Locuſtes, defending their rebellion herein, be extreemely therein godles, witles, ſhameles, as in this, that they brauled at writing to them in Greeke: whereas all be to honour α and ω: who was, and is, and wilbe: the Sonne, the ſame God with the Father: the author of all tongues. They who will not eſteeme the Greeke tongue and Adams infinitely better then any for Divinitie, and honour them ſo, be ſhameles atheiſtes: who thinke that mans barbarous wit can overreach the wiſedome of God. The Tongue of Adam which continued in Hebers faithfull, not in Iocktanes houſe, whēce both Indians are: this hath admiration of height in wiſdome in that cloſſe notation or ſound beareth in it the nature of the matter: ſo the Greeke is moſt eaſie and plain in frame: and wondred by the Latin Poets: who in Latin Letters expreſſe all the marrow of their wit in Greeke termes. And this much for Angells & Men: for whoſe ſervice they were created. Now let vsus returne to the Sonne of God. This text condemneth you to be above Devils, if it were poſſible: ſpeaking plainly of the Sonne of God: whom in the fleſh they acknowledged: But ye Iewes will not. The Pſal. 45. ſpeaketh of Meſſias, as ye graunt: and therin this: Thy Throne ô God is for ever and ever. The Scepter of thy kingdome is a Scepter of righteouſnes: ô God, thy God hath annoynted thee with oyle of gladneſſe above thy fellowes. When yee denye the Meſsias here to be God, your badnes would bring a leproſie vponupon ſcripture, as Barbinel elſwhere checketh you: that as ye ſay the chief of Devills is Ben Tzirgha, the ſonne of leproſie, ſo here your ſelves be as chief Devills. Devills in operation worke by tymber ſome ſeaven worſe then ſome one: But our minde holdeth all badder then we can ſpeake: This text ſendeth your armies to Gehenna: who ſeeing will not ſee. As this: Sit on my right hand till I make thy enemies thy foote-ſtole. Rabbi Sadayas vponupon Dan. 7. confeſſeth this ſpoken of Meſſias: yee are all athean godles that doe not the ſame.
And vponupon theſe ſo manifeſt teſtimonies, yee ſhould remember Koheleth, chap. 12. Ye muſt give aboundant heed to that which is ſpoken: and Pr. 3. Leaſt they turne away from your eyes. Saint Paul in one ſaying doeth bring two bookes againſt you: The one, which teacheth all vnderunder the Sunne to be vanitie: that the kingdome of Meſſias ſhould bee for the world to come: the other, which warneth Ephraim, not to fall from God: as ye have done in the higheſt degree, to eternall ruine. One ſaying of S. Paul doeth call two bookes to teach you: two bookes bent wholy to this argument. Ye admire the ſhortnes of the Law-ſpeach: the Goſpell is all from the ſame ſpirit. Marke then if the wordes ſpoken by Angells, Dan. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. had full event to the overthrow of your ſtate, how can ye eſcape, deſpiſing ſo great a ſalvarion: which began by the Lord him ſelfe: and by them which heard was confirmed vntounto all poſteritie: by miracles: as frō the creatour of the world. For he did not make the world ſubiect to Angells▪ but as the eight Pſalme telleth to the ſonne of Enoſh: which by ſuffering of death, was made a little inferiour to Angells: but by reſurrection was crowned with honour and glory. So, the whole frame of the world telleth that the world was made to obey one that ſhould not diſobey God: but performe perfect obedience▪ goinge through all ſorrowes, to ſhew compaſſion in our ſorrowes▪
Of the ſufferings of Meſsias. DOE not yee Iewes continually celebrate cheble Meſhiach … the ſufferings of Meſſias that they ſhalbe miraculous great? Rab. Elias. Nothing is more vſuall: as you have marked at leaſt ſo well as the beſt of vsus: by reaſon that you read out Authours, will leaſure, care, and Methode to examine in everie word agreement or diſagreement, with your new Teſtament. Br. But if hee were an earthly conquerour, as yee deeme, what ſorrowes could he have? Wiſe Emperours goe not often into daunger: as David being King, was not ſuffered. Our Gſopell telleth the true ſorrowes. Being on the earth, in our weaknes he felt bodily paſſions, of hunger, thirſt, and wept, and ſhewed often compaſſion: and ſuch reverence to the Godhead, that whole nightes hee beſtowing praying to ſhew true humanitie: and, as Moyſes, ſo hee, fled from enemies. And when his half ſeaven of teaching was ended, the ordinarie day be his Law the fourteenth of Niſan his Paſcha was killed in the Tēple: the ſame day that yours was: by Exod. 12. ſome of yours killed alſo, by Deutero. 16. Paſcha of Ox and Ram: as yearely, The Lambe was eaten of all the night following: that of the Ramme & Ox might endure that yeare all Friday and to Saturday morning, as the Peace-offrings endureth two dayes. Saint Iohn mentioneth the Lambe, Chap. 14. the neceſſarie Paſcha: and the voluntarie, Chap. 18. Rabbi El. I am glad to heare you ſo to cleare your Goſpell, yours, teaching that Ieſus prevented the day, made vsus beleeve that your Goſpell could not bee from God. Becauſe the Paſcha muſt be kild in the Temple: and as Rambam in Corban. Paſcha telleth, it was death to alter the day or place. And if God were in Chriſt, he could not break his owne Law: and that for him ſelfe the Paſcha. But yours would make the day to be prevented: where we never went beyond the fourteenth of Niſan: and no Paſcha might be anie day ſooner: So your Doctours would make vsus beleeve that your Goſpell ſhould not ſpell from God: and I am hartily glad to ſee this matter cleared by you. But now goe on to the ſuffering of Meſsias. Br. When he beheld his Lambe kild in the Temple, & the blood caſt at the altars foot, where ſpoutes tooke all blood, and the fat was brent in fyer, & the skinne peld off: but no bone broken: then old ſadnes was to ſhew it ſelfe in high degree. How the next day he ſhould die, naked on the croſſe, have all his blood poured out: and be pearched with all ſadnes for our miſerie: in whiche caſe Moyſes and our Paul wiſhed them ſelves loſt, rather then Iſraell: and Chriſt in ſpirit in Noes dayes, ſayde, It repented him that he made man: the frame of his heart was ſo wicked all the day: this ſadnes would pearce above all vnderſtanding: and his compaſſion paſsing all the mothers that ever were, would make ſweat with droppes of blood: and iuſt anger bridled for the time, yet had his griefe: So theſe poincts to be ruled well, paſſed all Angells ſtrength David, a thouſand yeres afore in the Pſalme of aieleth Haſhachar the morning ſtarre, as Kimchi teacheth from Thalmud in Ioma Perek 2. fol. 29. David in this Pſalme bringeth Chriſt crying out: My God, my God, why doeſt thou leave me! And ſhewing greater iniuries then ever were ſhewed to any man: wherevpon his heart roared, ſince ending the Paſcha to his death: How he is a worme, and no man: the reproach of men, and the deſpiſed of the people: that the beholders mocke, & nod with the head: as vponupon one forſakē of God: & as you know the reſt of the Pſalme. David, a thouſand yeares before our Lord ſuffered: (in Hebron he reigned 1000. iuſt before our Lordes Baptiſme) he taught how you ſhould diſcerne the Redeemer: and in what ſorrowes hee ſhould be: and how yee would pearce his footeſteps, as he told Gen. 3. and ſo by an argument of like force, his handes no leſſe. Now yee are ſo ſhameleſſe that ye would corrupt the text: in Caaru, they pearced: But that the double Maſſoreth and pureſt copies, which Iacob Ben Chaym the Maſſorite ſaw, and Iohannes Iſaac: and I my ſelfe ſaw one in Englande, as the 70. tranſlated, would not ſuffer you, without pearcing your conſcience to eternall flames to miſſe of the true text. So Pſal. 55. & 109. ſhew his heart was broken and melted: that hee could not but require vengeance. This David prophecied, & our Goſpell hiſtorieth: and Saint Paul expoundeth, how he was to have Manhood and to ſuffer: that hee might more pitie vsus: having him ſelfe manhood, according to the kinde: and entred through all ſorrowes, to be our high ſacrificer.
Of Moſes, inferior to Meſsias: not ſuperior, as Rambam would. In Maymonydes or Rambam, in the treatiſe of King, the drift and end of all your Thalmud ye ſay: Meſſias ſhall be almoſt as great as Moſes. Rab. Elias. We doe ſo: but not greater: nor ſaviour of ſoules: as I debated the matter in Francfurt Synagogue. Br. Now then conſider the high Sacrificer of our confeſſions and Moyſes: Moyſes was faithfull, but as a ſervant in the houſe of God. Now Ieſus made the houſe, and is Lord of all, Pſal. 102. And if your contempt of Moſes did coſt you fourty yeares anger of God in the wildernes: marveille not that vponupon your rebelliō, after Chriſt by his blood redeemed you, fourtie yeares in the Lande againſt all the Apoſtles, God hath caſt you off. The Pſal. 95. as Kimchi confeſſeth, ſpeaketh of Meſſias dayes: that ye enter vntounto his reſt: which requireth no day but the reſurrection day drawen from your commodities and to holy reſt, nor any payne, but Baptiſme, for Circunciſion, and bread and wine, for all ſacrifices. The Lawes written in the Patriarkes heartes, 2513. yeares before ye went for a ſeperate Land, are, all, that now yee have to regard: and herein ye have a new heaven: by the ſacrificer for ever, after the order of Melchiſedek.
Of Melchiſedek, Sem. Rabba the great. Whom holde you Melchiſedek to be, & whom to figure? Rab. Elas. The perſon is Sem doubtles: and ſo by our Thalmudiques: and in deſcription hee figureth God, as King of Iuſtice, and King of peace: in Zohar and Menachem: and as ſtill living: without Father, without Mother and kindred. No man is properly without father and mother in ſcripture. For Noe is father, and his wife mother to all men: But here is the deſcription conſidered: & the forme of ſpeech: as Ramban in praeface to Moyſes telleth: that no leſſe, the formes of ſpeech, then open ſentences are to bee weighed. And ſo wee holde, Sem Rabb, Sem the great to bee Melchiſedeck, King of Salem, King of Iuſtice and peace: and likened to God. Br. If you had ſaid, Likened to the Sonne of God in the fleſh, you had hit the naile vppon the head. Gamaliels ſcholer could convince you by the depth of Thalmudiq. that your owne grauntes ſhould ſtill cōdemne you. Mark what you ſay in Zohar: And Melchiſedeck king of Salem) king of Salem ſimply. He is a King which ruleth in Shalamy (perfection) ſimply. When is he the King of Salem? In the day of expiatiō: when all faces be lightened. Theſe be your owne words. And S. Paul Gamaliels holy ſcholer better learned then his maſter, diſputeth with you vponupon your owne grauntes. And as the Devills, Luc. 8. confeſſe Chriſt to be the holy one of God: but to no good for them ſelves: ſo ye confeſſe all that wee holde: but have not grace to ſee what ye confeſſe. Ye ſpeak wordes of ſalvation, but damned of your ſelves, ye turne to deſtruction. Rab. Elias. Ye ſende vsus forward: for all Greekes denye Sem to be Melchiſedek: and ſo bringing quick ſandes for groūd of ſtorie, are thoght of vsus to be atheiſts. Br. Latines aey the beſt held Sem Melchiſedek: your 70. deceaved Greeks: forging, againſt ſcoffing heathen, ſo many hundreth of yeres to the Fathers after the flood vntounto Tharah. Of this I have written a longe treatiſe, which ſatisfied my nation. That as yee, ſo we, hold Sem to be Melchiſedek. Only one Barabbas, Vicar of Smalhith and Smallheed when it was, made a ſcoffe of the matter, as Ieroboās teachers, of Iudahs faith. Not one in all Albiō, that I could ever heare of, but that Barabbas ſkoffed that. Rab. Elias. Then God will reward him accordinge to his workes: as to Ieremies vexers, Lam. 3. Br. I am ſure of that. And I have ſet Doeg vponupon the teynter hookes: whyle Chriſt will regard the cauſe of Melchiſedek: that mockers here, ſhalbe neither forgiven in this world, nor in the world to come. Rab. Elias. You can doe no leſſe. In Divinitie all things muſt be holden in high reverence: ſpecially the higheſt matters: that whoſoever would elude them with a ſcoffe, ſhould be holden the Gangraena of all mankinde. We Iewes reverently heare all that can be ſpoken to vsus for Chriſt from the old Teſtamēt in your ſad manner. Ye Chriſtians ſhould more honour your Apoſtles diſputations. Br. But now let vsus come to Melchiſedek: and to this: Thou art a Sacrificer for ever, after the order of Melchiſedek. Rab. El. Our That mud denyeth that Pſalme to ſpeake of Meſſias. Br. With athean ſhame. But Iſaac Ben Arama vponupon Gen. 47. And Rab. Sadaias, as is ſhewed, vponupon Dan. 7. confeſſe that the Pſalme ſpeaketh of Meſſias. And who but he ſhould be ſpoken vntounto, to ſit vponupon th righte hande of God? and that hee ſhould fill all with dead carkeſſes for reſiſting his trueth of aboundance of grace of the gift of iuſtice to reigne for ever? Therfore ſeing we have ſo great an high Sacrificer which is gone into the heavens Ieſus the Sonne of God, embrace with vsus the profeſſion which Chriſt him ſelfe taught. Rab. Elias. We ſay in Zohar and elſwhere, that Michael, who is called alſo Iehovah, doeth in heaven all that Aharon did repreſent on earth: & ſo, will when our ſtate ſhalbe reſtored. Br. Aharon figured what Michael or Iehova the ſonne ſhould doe in the dayes of his fleſh. Br. But we were aey to looke for one that could have cōpaſſion with our ſinnes. Therefore come with aſſurance vntounto the Throne of Grace: that ye may finde favour in due time. And againſt your haereſie conſider this: Every ſacrificer muſt be taken from men, for matters touching God, to offer ſacrifices and giftes: being fit to have compaſſion, as he was environned with infirmitie. And ſo would God ſhew in the dayes of Noe by Sem changed in office: as one likened to the ſonne of God: & in Thalmudique phraſe reſtified as ſtill living: that the Eternall ſonne who ſhould deſtroy the workes of Satan, would in the fleſh ſacrifice him ſelfe for vsus: and being conſecrated bee authour of eternall ſalvation to all that would obey him. So the ſumme of our propos is, that we have ſuch a ſacrificer which is ſate on the right hande of God: miniſter of the Sanctuarie and true Tabernacle: who through the veile of his fleſh went into the holy. Rab. Elias. Doe yee all in England beleeve, that Ieſus Chriſt his ſoule went from the body to heaven? Br. Our Greeke abridgement of faith ſaith: He was crucified, dead and buried, and went to God: where the godly have heaven, and the godles hell. Rab. Elias. Wee holde ſo all in Gether Maleuth: that on high be chambers of joy and light, & chambers of torment in fyre & brimſtone. Br. Seeing then it is appointed for all to die: and then commeth iudgement: while it is ſayd to day, ſeeke vntounto the mercy of GOD in Chriſt: otherwiſe your portion ſhalbe in the lake burninge with fyer and brimſtone. Your Law had but a ſhadowe of things to come: not the very image of matters. For it was vnpoſſible that the blood of oxen and goates, ſhould take away ſinne: Therefore Ieſus comming vntounto the world ſaith: Sacrifice & offring thou regardest not: Behold I come to do thy will. In the whole roule of thy booke it is written: By this performance of wil we are ſaved. Therfore ſeeing we have freedome to enter into the Sanctuarie by the blood of Ieſus: Let vsus come with a true heart and certeintie of faith into that way which he hath conſecrated for vsus. Yee have felt nowaboue 1500. yeares eternall deſtruction for falling into the handes of the livinge God: while yee dreame hope by the workes of the Law Sabbath and Circumciſion, though yee breake all the reſt: when ye ſay: Sabbath ſhakul ce col hatorah: and Milah ſhakul co col hatora. The Sabbath is weighed as all the Law: Circumciſion is weighed as all the Law. The keeping of either after the end of Daniels ſeavē, is death to you.
Rab Elias. You have vnlaced vntounto me two bookes, Iohns Viſions, and the Epiſtle to the Ebrewes: and I will confeſſe as Abr. Ruben did at Conſtantinople: that I never thought to heare ſo much ſpoken clearely from the Law for your Goſpell. O that you would write in Ebrew, as you ſpeak to me: you ſhould ſo ſave all our nation. Baſil giveth you high report page missing hardly perſwade all that Rubens Epiſtle was in ſadnes. Therfore Chriſtians and Iewes ſhould require ſentence againſt him. At Geneva one would play, and ſay: The olde Lady is deſcended vp to Haides: your hope is poyſoned (God forbid) Vtis was comming to Lions: But is returned to Calice, to rule Locgriam. Then I ſayd: If Vtis keepe him ſelfe ſo ſure from fyre and water, as all our folke will keepe him from ſetting one foot in Loegriâ, but as a priſoner, or by the Kinges leave, he ſhall never be burnt nor drowned, I warrant him. Tell N. N. ſo. Geneva ſhalbe ſunke before I ſuffer my Nation to be reported ſo ſenſeles as to become Neroes: and, vnderunder them, over whom we claime rule. Our ſtomackes will never broke that: and not one in Loegria dare chirpe that way, Rab. Elias. Your reſolute iudgement for Divinitie and humanitie is alike. But holde you on your purpoſe for writing in Ebrew for our vſe. You know what encomion Rabbi Ruben hath written you: and what contempt of others. Br. That will doe me little good: Seeing the worlde is full of prophane ſcoffers and dullardes. Princes, Nobles, and all of noble mindes, regard ſtudie. But as Machmad barbarous, found moe fellowes in fourtie yeares: then millions of learned found: ſo one Therſites will trouble the Greek Campe more then millions ſage. But to conclude, as Iacob and Moyſes did bleſſe Iſraell: ſo I grone to teach you, how all bleſſings were aey in Chriſt: & all the Law frō Aleph to Thau ſtandes in him. I mentioned how holy Paul wiſhed him ſelf cut off from God, to ſave you: & I, cut of my ſelfe from this worlds preferrement, to be ready to teach you. Say not in your heart, who can goe vp into heaven to bring Chriſt downe? or who can goe into the deepe of the earth to bring Chriſt from the dead? But beleeve that Ieſus is the Eternall God: and that the Godhead raiſed the man from death, and you ſhalbe ſaved: and receave the power of his ſpirit to be quickned from death to life: and by the aboundance of Grace of the gift of iuſtice reigne with Chriſt for ever and ever. That there be in the holy Eternall three heads, and are brought all to one: ye confeſſe, in Zohar, Deut. col 559. & that the Angell Iehova, is God of Bethell: that doth Ramban vponupon Exod. 23. and for pluralitie of perſons, yee doe note better then ever any other vponupon, Let vsus make man, Gen. 5 and vponupon Pſa. 33. in Midras Tillin: and in Saned. fol. 38. and infinitelie. But that God ſhould be in Chriſt that can ye not ſee to this day. But the verie ſame hatred that the Devills bare to mans glorie, yee beare againſt the Sonne of man, whiche aboad all ſhame to bring vsus to glorie. To whom be all glorie for ever: as he is in holy ſpirit God to be praiſed for ever.