The Jewish Synagogue, Chapter 2
CHAP. II.
Touching the Nativity, Circumciſion, and Education of the Jewes.
THat brief ingreſs which I made for a manuduction to the Jewiſh Religion and exerciſe of their Faith, in the former Chapter, wherein I fully manifeſted the foundation of their Beliefe, may ſerve as a light to direct the judgement and inform the underſtanding of any one but the image of ſtupidity, in an eaſie apprehension how ſtrong, goodly and beautiful that edifice can repreſent it ſelfe, which is to be reared upon ſuch a groundwork; how able to keep footing againſt the fury of inſulting Tempeſts, Thunders and Lightnings, and the Prophecies of them, who were inriched with the true knowledge of God, and illuminated to conceive aright of his holy Word. My deſire is, that none ſhould be offended with this my Anatomy of the Jewiſh Doctrine, in that without doubt it contains many things ſubject to wonder and deriſion, and ranked in the Catalogue of meer fables. My perſwaſion rather inclines to this mark, that every one read and ponder the ſame with fear and trembling, becauſe that this Doctrine had its original from thoſe people, whom God in former times did chooſe unto himſelfe before all the Nations of the Earth, adopted for his own children, endowed them with the knowledge of himſelfe, and had an eſpecial care that there never ſhould want a Prophet inceſſantlyto teach and inſtruct them: who after that by their ingratitude they had brought Gods anger and curſe upon them were puniſhed with madneſs, as Moſes foretold, Deut. 28. and with blindneſs, Eſay chap. 42. whoſe heart was hardened, and whoſe ears were dull of hearing: ſo that hearing they did not hear, and underſtanding they did not underſtand: and therefore changed Gods Judgements into wickedneſs more then the nations, as Ezekiel complains,Ezek 5. 6. who nevertheleſſe fear not to ſay, We are wise, and the Law of the Lord is with us: and we live according to the ſtrict rule thereof, as they boaſted in the days of Jeremy the Prophet, Jer. 8. 8.who not withſtanding making anſwer unto them, feared not to affirm, that whatſoever their Scribes had in their Doctrine imparted unto them, to be no leſs then a lie, no more then meer and fooliſh trifles: How truly was this objected by the Prophet ſhall in the enſuing pages more plainly appear. Certainly their boaſting of Moſes and the reſt of the Prophets is vain and frivolous; their Doctrine alſo of their Belife is altogether forged, a manifeſt perverſion and falſifying of the Word of God by ſuch Expoſitions, which reliſh more harſh then old Wives Tales, and Novelties, which are like roaſted fleſh ſtuft with the Lard of Ignorance.
That therefore we may orderly conſider and make known the Jewiſh Beliefe ſo firmly grounded, we will begin with the Nativity of a Jew; then we will explain the manner how he is received into the number and communion of the Jews: Our next ſtep ſhall be his Education, and by what hand he is directed even unto the evening of his dayes; how at laſt comming to his long home, he is carried through the hidden and profound Chambers of the terreſtrial Globe into the Land that floweth with Milk and Honey, the Land of promiſe, and there is royally feaſted, and ſits at the Table with his Meſſias, at which he is invited to fill his paunch with the moſt delicate bits of a roaſted Oxe exceeding in greatneſs the ſize of nature: fiſh and fowle are but his common fare, and drinking no other wine then that whoſe Grape had its growth and perfection in Paradiſe, and there finally left by them who were his Harbingers to the grave, ſhall take his reſt with joy inexpreſſible.
Nunc lectum admiſſi riſum teneatis amici?
Friendly Readers can now your modeſty
Set free your ſpleen from laughters extaſie?
When any of the Jewiſh Women is with child, and the time of their delivery approacheth, then the place appointed for the child…birth is furniſhed with all manner of neceſſaries. Which done, the good man of the houſe or ſome … and devout Father, for of ſuch they have great … piece of Chalk and makes a circular line round about the Chamber, writing upon the doors and walls without and within, and about the bed in Hebrew Letters Adam aAdam, the name of the firſt man, from foreign rubeſcere, to wax red, as much as red earth, it ſignifies Man in generall, in both ſexes, being of the ſame extent with foreign Enoſh, which is derived from foreign anaſh, to be ſick, a name given us in re…ſpect of the infirmities to which we are incident: they both differ frem foreign Iſch, which ſignifies a married man, as alſo foreign Iſchah ſignifies a woman: theſe two words according to the …bb…n…s con…tain … them the name of God, foreign Jah, which two letters taken away there remaines onelyonly foreign eſh, which ſignifies fire ne…g unto us, that as …ong as man and wiſe live in concord, God is propitious unto them, but God forſaking them, there remains not…ing but the fire of conten…ion and a curſe. 2. Iſch differs from Iſchah only by the letter H… which is an aſpiration, noting that the woman was made of man, and as it were breathed out of his ſide., Chava bChava, Eve, is derived from foreign Chaiah to live, becauſe ſhe was the Mother of all living, God himſelfe being the E…ymologiſt., Chuts Lilis, that is to ſay, Adam, Eve, begonn Lilis, whereby the Jewes would ſignifie this much, that herby they intreat God, that if the woman bring forth a Son, he would give him a Wife like unto Eve, not Lilis, might be a Helper, the laſt being refractory and diſobedient. The name Lilis is found in the 34. Chapter of Eſay, and is by ſome interpreted, a Scriech-Owl, a night bird, commonly accounted ominous, by others a Witch that changeth the favour of children in the Cradle: and ſo the Jewes in my judgment underſtand it of ſome diabol cal Ghoſt appearing in the ſhape of a woman, which was accuſtomed either to kill or carry away young Infants after their Circumciſion on the eighth day. This Ghoſt or Spirit was named Lilis, from Lel, which in the Hebrew tongue ſignifies night. Concerning this matter we read a ſtory in a Book called B…n Sira, not after the Edition of the learned Paulus Fagius, but after the Jews own impreſſion. The copy that I have Printed at Conſtantinople is the ſame with that which Sebaſtian Munſter makes mention of in the end of his Coſmography, and out of which he tranſcribed the Hebrew Hiſtory of the Kingdome of Preſter John, which is also printed in the end of that Copy, which I bought of a Jew inhabiting thoſe parts, who had got it out of Munſters Library, for Munſter was profeſſor of the holy tongue in this City of Baſile, where alſo he was buried. In this Book I ſay it is recorded, that when God had created Adam alone, and placed him in Paradiſe, he ſaid, it was not good for Man to be alone, therefore out of the Earth he formed a Woman like unto him, and called her Lilis. They preſenly fell at odds, began to brawl and chide; the Woman ſaying to the Man, I will not be ſubject unto thee, and the Man replying, neither will I be a Vaſſal to thee, …ut exerciſe dominion over thee, for thou ought to obey. She preſently makes anſwer, we are both equall, thou art not better then I am, nor I better then thou, we were both faſhioned out of the earth; and thus ſhall they continue in ſtrife and variance. At laſt when Lilis perceivs that there is no hopes of agreement, ſhe pronounceth the name Schem hamphoraſch (which is the holy name Jehovah, together with its ſecret and Cabaliſticall interpretation, againſt which Luther writ a Book) and inſtantly upon the pronunciation, flies into the air; then Adam ſaid unto God, O Lord of the whole world, the woman which thou gaveſt me is flown away from me. Upon the hearing hereof, God ſent three Angels after the woman, Senoi, Sanſengi, and Sanmangeloph, bidding them tell the woman, that if ſhe would return and be obedient unto her Husband, all ſhould be well; if not, that every day an hundred of her children ſhould give up the Ghoſt. Theſe Angels having received this their commiſſion, preſently were upon the wing, and made after her, and overtook her upon a moſt tempeſtuous place of the Sea, even there where the Egyptians were afterwards drowned, proclaiming unto her the will of the Almighty: ſhe refuſing to return, the Angels threatned to ſtifle and drowne her in the waters, unleſs ſhe would obey and go back unto her Husband. Then began Lilis to pray and beſeech them that they would let her paſſe, becauſe ſhe was created to this end, that ſhe might torment and put to death little Infants the eight day after their nativity, if they were males, but upon the 20. if they were females. Which ſo ſoon as the Angels perceived, they attempt to force her to return to her Husband, which Lilis fearing, ſwore unto them that whenſoever ſhe ſhould find the names or ſhape of theſe three Angels, either written or painted upon any ſcrowl, parchment, or any ſuch like matter, that then ſhe had no power over Infants, and that ſhe would not hurt them: furthermore ſhe refuſed not to embrace …he condit on, that every day one hundred of her children ſhould die the death: and ſo accordingly it fell out, for upon one day a whole Centenary of her off-ſpring, or ſo many yong Divels went unto their long home. And this is the cauſe that we imprint the names of theſe Angels upon certain ſorowls of par…hment & uſe to hang …hem about the necks of our Infants, that Lilis beholding that which is written may remember her oath & not hurt them. Thus much we have tranſcribed out of Ben Sira.
It may very well go for a truth, that they hang ſuch ſcrolls about their childrens necks, ſeeing they daily perform many a ſtrange cure by the help of them. In what place ſoever any woman is brougbt to bed, we may find the forementioned picture, as alſo the names of thoſe Angels, who are appointed for the ſafeguard of us mortalls, written above the doore of the ſame.
But from whence had the learned Rabbines this their pleaſant Hiſtory? this quaere is anſwered in the book called Brand ſpigelium, Gen. 2. 22.in theſe words, The rib which the Lord had taken from man, he made it a woman, that ſhe, as a rib taken from his ſide, ſhould be liable to his ſervice: hence the Rabbines comparing them words, God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him, Gen. 1. 27.male and female, with thoſe, It is not good that man ſhould be alone, Gen. 2. 28I will make him an help meet for himſelf, make a grand queſtion, what became of that firſt woman, who was created at the ſame time that Adam was: and they ſalve it thus, the firſt woman of all, whoſe name was Lilis, being too highly conceited of her own worth, would not be obedient to her husbands command, becauſe the earth was a common mother to them both; the Lord therefore divorced her from Adam, and gave unto him another, who was fleſh of his fleſh and bone of his bone, who might follow, obey and ſerve him as a member of his own body. So from Brand ſpigelium.
So ſoon as this Witch or night hagge is by theſe their exorciſmes baniſhed and expelled the room, and the pangs of child birth begin to ſe…ſe upon the woman, and the little infant ready to weep out a ſalutation to his fellow m…rtalls, it is firſt of all provided, that a Chriſtian midwife be not ſent for, for this is moſt ſeverely pro…ibited in their Law, unleſſe in caſe of neceſſity, when the abſence of a Jewiſh midwife muſt force a diſpenſation of the Statute, neither is this licenced unleſſe the woman to be delivered be guarded about with a whole Troup of her own nation, for they greatly ſuſpect the Chri…s;tian women, that they ſhould either neglect their office, or elſe kill their children while they are a coming out of the womb. If the birth be fortunat…, ſo that a man child be born into the world, then nothing but the mounting echoes of joyfull acclamations are heard in their habitations, the father of the child makes ſpeed into the Market, there to buy fat Geeſe, crammed Capons, fleſh and fiſh of all ſorts, not omitting a cup of good liquor againſt the feaſt of the Circumciſion,T…e Circum. which is to be celebrated the eighth day, accordingly as God By Moſes enjoyned them. In the mean time, the ten are called (for They muſt be neither more nor fewer) to the Circumciſion of the Infant, who ought all to be above the age of thirteen years, and this number in their own language they term Minian. (a)
The night following the womans delivery,From foreign Mana, whi…h ſignifies to nnmber. ſeven of them which were invited, and many times ſome others alſo come to viſit the mother of the child, who have a great ſupper provided for Them, which ended, they roar and ſing all the night over, play at Cards and Dice, and invent many unheard of fooleries. The men drink themſelves blind, thinking by this means to ſolace the woman in child bed, and comfort her againſt that ſorrow and grief, which might poſſeſſe her at the Circumciſion of the infant, as also leſt ſome misfortune might happen unto her upon that night. This is the ordinary cuſtome, but on the contrary, many of the learned and godly ſort, pour out ſervent prayers, perlwade him that is to circumciſe the infant to ſobricty, that his hand may be ſteady, while he is a doing his office. 1. He that circumc…ſeth is called in the Hebrew Mohel; b… a Cu…er …from… foreign …i…cum…ſe.who ought to be a J…w. 2. A man, not a woman, 3. One well exerciſed in cutting, for otherwiſe the rich men among the Jews will not approve of him, uſing this Proverb, He ſhall not learn to cut another mans beard by ſhaving mine. Such an one as is not skilfull in the art give mony to the poorer ſort of the Jews, that he may try his cunning by practiſing two or three times upon ſome of his children. A man may eaſily diſtinguish the Mohel, or him that c…rcumciſeth from another by his long nails, pointed at the top. The knife where with they cut off the foreSkin, may be made of any thing which is apt to cut, as ſtone, glaſſe or wood, but they commonly uſe knives made of iron, much like to Barb…rs Raſours. The rich ennammel their knives with gol…, and be…et them with Jewels. They are accuſtomed to waſh their children before they circumciſe them, and then to wrap them in their ſwadling cl…uts, that they may be cleanly in the time of Circumciſion; for otherwiſe it is not lawfull to ſay any prayer for them. Hence if the child in the time of Circumciſion, through the vehemency of grief and tears beray himſelf, he who circumciſeth will not play the Prieſt, and pray for him, untill he be waſhed and ſwadled up in other linnen.
The ordinary time appointed for the Circumciſion of the child, is the eight day following the Nativity, reckoning from the very moment of his Nativity, and this computation commonly begins at the Sun riſing, yet notwithſtanding for the moſt part they cut away the foreskin while it is yet morning, and while the child is faſting, becauſe ſuch plenty of blood will not iſſue from the child then, as at other times.
Upon the eighth day all things neceſſary for Circumciſion are graced with an early preparation. Firſt of all two chairs are brought into the room, or one at leaſt, yet of ſuch a latitude and bigneſſe, that two may with eaſe ſit in it, which is also adorned with Tapeſtry, and ſilken and velvet furniture, and that according to every perſons ability. This is done either in the Synagogue, or common School,aThe word Synagogue from the Greek foreign, to gather, becauſe the Jews were there gathered together, to worſhip God. in Hebrew it was Called Beth hach reſeth, the houſe of Aſsembly, the Synagegues were before Chriſts time, Acts 15. 21. their Schools, were different from their Synagogues and accounted more holy, called Beth hamodraſch, the houſe of ſub…il expoſition: men and women had divers Synagogues, one ſeparated from the other with wier lattices. or in ſome private Conclave; if it be done in the Synagogue, then ought the Chair to be placed near unto the Ark, anciently ſtyled the Ark of the Covenant, in which the book of the Law is kept; for ſuch a place is holy in eſteem. Then the Godfather of the child which is to be circumciſed, draws near, and ſeats himſelf in the foreſaid Chair: the Mohel, or he that is to circumciſe the child being placed near unto him. After them follow other of the Jews, one of which with a loud voice gives warning that they ſhould with all expedition bring the things requiſite for the Circumciſion of the infant: the SuMmons ended. ſome certain youths haſten to the place, one of them carrying a great Candleſticks In which are twelve wax lights burning, to repreſent the twelve Tribes of Iſrael; next in order unto theſe, come two other boys, carrying two Goblets full of Claret wine, another brings the knife wherewith the child is to be circumciſed, another one Baſon full of ſand and a third another filled with the oyl of Ba…ſome, in which are ſleeped some Linnen rags, which the Mohel applyes to the ſore of the newly circumciſed infant. Theſe drawing near the Mohel, caſt themſelves into a certain ring or circle, that they may better ſee and learn his cunning. Theſe places the youths purchaſe with mony: ſome others alſo there be, that flock thither with odours and ſweeet mea…s, made by the Art of the Apothecary, with ſtrong and delicious wine, Carrawaies, Cinnamon and ſuch like, that they may comfort and refreſh the Father or Godfather, or any other of the aſſiſtants, ſo be it that any of them ſhould fall into a ſwound by ſome conceived grief for the cutting off the foreskin.
All things thus in a readineſſe, the Godfather of the child placeth himſelf in one of the forementioned chairs, or if there be but one, in the one part thereof; oppoſite to him sits the Mohel, and ſings that Song regiſtred in the ſecond book of Moſes, which the Iſraeli…es ſung, when they had paſſed through the Red ſea, with many more oF The ſame ſort, then the women bring the infant to the gate, when the whole Congregation riſing up, the Godfather goes and takes the child from them, ſitting down with him in his ſeat again, & ſaying, BarUch habba, that is, Bleſſed is he that cometh: this word habha hath in it ſomewhat Cabaliſtical, the Letters whereof He, Beth, Aleph, in numeration make eight, ſo that the myſtery must be this, Bleſſed is he that comes the eight day to be cirrcumciſed. They have alſo a certain abbreviation or word, every Letter of which notes another word, which is this, Hinne ba Eliahu, Behold Elijah cometh, who is called the Angel of the Covenant, which thing the Jews conceiting are of opinion, that Elias comes with the Child, & ſeats himſelf in the empty Chair, to ſee whether they rightly obſerve and keep the covenant of Circumciſion as it is written, The Meſſenger of the Covenant, whom you ſeek, behold he ſhall come ſaith the Lord of Hoſts; forwhen at a certain time the children of Iſrael were prohibited to make their ſons Jews, or to cu…away the foresk in of their fleſh; then Elijah the Prophet plunged in ſorrow, hid himſelf in a certain Cave, where he purpoſed to end his dayes: Then the Lord ſpake unto him, and ſaid, What doeſt thou here Elijah? who anſwered, I have been very zealous for the Lord of Hoſts, for the children of Iſrael have forſaken thy Covenant, that is, the Covenant of Circumciſion: Then God promiſed Elijah, that he ſhould alwayes be preſent from thenceforth at the Circumciſion of every male, that he might know that the children of Iſrael would no more forſake the Covenant, but perform it according to every circumſtance thereof, as it is written: The Angel of the Covenant ſhall come.
So ſoon as Elias his chaire is brought into the room, then are they bound to ſay in expreſſe terms, This ſeat is provided for Elias, the Prophet. For if this be not repeated, he comes not to the circumciſion. Peradventure through age his ears are become dull of hearing, and therefore he that invites him muſt ſtretch his voice to a higher note then ordinary. Moreover, that Elias may tarry till the circumciſion be totally finiſhed they leave the chair in the ſame place, for the ſpace of three whole day…s. Upon a time a certain rich Jew of Reginoburgum or Queenborough, would have a young Infant of his circumciſed, who choſe Rabbi Juda Chaſidi, which for his truly religious life was called Rabbi Juda the holy, for a Godfather; who while the child was brought in to be circumciſed, and the whole congregation ſtood up and cried Baruch habha, held his peace, and did not riſe at all. He being queſtioned concerning this his carriage, anſwered, I perceived that Elias came not, and ſate in the ſeat with me; from whence I collect, that this child will never make a good man: and becauſe I ſee a certain man ſitting in the window with a long white beard, go and ask of him whether the words that I ſpeak be true or not, he will anſwer you. Well, when they had thus done, the man replied, Be auſe Elias ſoreſaw that this child would forſake the faith of the Jews and turn Chriſtian, therefore he would not be preſent ate the circumciſion. And truly ſo it came to paſs, for the child comming to riper years, was converted to Chriſtianity.
When therefore the Godfather hath the child lying in his boſom, then the Mohel looſeth his ſwadling, takes hold of his yard, laying hands upon the former part thereof by the foreskin, thruſts down the gland thereof, which done, he rubs the foreskin, that by mortifying of it the child may be leſſe ſenſible of the cutting: then taking the knife prepared for circumciſion out of the boyes hand that carried it, he begins to ſing with ſhrill voice, Bleſſed be thou, O God our Lord, King of the World, who haſt ſanctified us by thy Commandements, and given to us the Covenant of circumciſion. In the mean time, whiles he is thus a diſcanting he cuts away ſo much of the fore-skin that the top of the yard may be ſeen bare and naked, which he throws in haſte into the Baſon filled with ſand, reſtoring the knife to him from whom he took it, and takes one of the Cups full of red Wine, out of which he ſucks ſo much as he can hold in his mouth, which he preſently ſpnes out again upon the Infant to waſh away the bloud, and alſo ſome in his face, if he perceive him to faint: inſtantly upon this he takes the childs yard in his mouth, and ſucks as much bloud out of it as he can poſſible, to the end that it may ſooner leave bleeding, which bloud he caſts out again, either into one of the bowls of red Wine, or into the baſon of Sand. This he doth three times at the leaſt, which the Hebrews call mezizah, which Moſes commanded not, but was inſtituted by the Rabbines and wiſe men among the Jews, as it ſeemed good unto them.
After that the flux of bloud be ſomewhat appeaſed, then the Mohel with his nails, which upon either Thumb are very ſharp, tares aſunder the mangled skin of the childs yard, forcing it ſo far backward, that the head of the yard may wholly appear, which renting aſunder they call priah: by this taring of the fore-skin the poor Infant ſuffers greater pain and griefe than he did by the former cutting. This done, the Mohel takes the linnen rags, which one of the boyes kept ſteeped in a baſon of Oyl, applies them to the childes yard, and binds them about three or four times, then taking the Infant, folds him up in his ſwadling cloaths.
The whole being thus finiſhed, the Father of the child ſaith, Bleſſed be thou, O God, our Lord, King of the world, who haſt ſanctiſied us by thy Commandements, and haſt commanded us to fulfill the Covenant made with Abraham our Father. Then ſhall the whole Congregation make anſwer, and ſay: As happy an entrance ſhall this little Infant have into the poſſeſſion of Moſes his Law, in…o Marriage and the practiſe of good works, as he hath had into the covenant of Abraham our Father. Then the Mohel ſhal waſh his unclean mouth, and h…s hands alſo until they be white and clean; the Godfather of the child riſes up with him, placeth himſelf directly oppoſite to the Mohel, who takes one of the bowls full of red wine, and ſaith a certain Prayer over it: then he prayes alſo over the Infant and ſayes: O God which art our God, the God of our Fathers, ſtrengthen and keep this Infant, to the comfort of his Parents; and make that his name may be called (for at this inſtant he names the child calling him Iſaac) Iſaac, which was the Son of Abraham: let his Father rejoyce becauſe he came out of his loyns: let his Mother rejoyce in the fruit of her womb, Prov. 23, 25.as it is written: Thy father and thy Mother ſhall be glad, and ſhe that bare thee ſhall rejoyce: God ſaith alſo by the mouth of his Prophet, and when I paſſed by thee, and ſaw thee polluted in thine own bloud, I ſaid unto thee, when thou waſt in thy bloud, Ezek. 16. 6.live; yea, I ſayd unto thee, when thou waſt in thy bloud, live. At thoſe words the Mohel dips his finger into one of the Cups full of Wine, into that, I mean, into which he had vented the bloud which he ſuckt out of the childs yard, and annoints the lips of the child three times therewith, hoping that according to the fore-mentioned ſaying of the Prophet, his dayes ſhall be more then they ſhould have been otherwiſe, and that he ſhall live in the bloud of his circumciſion. David alſo ſaith,Pſal. 105. 5. Remember the marvellous works that he hath done: his wonders, and the judgement of his mouth. Then he proceeds to pray unto God, that he would defend them that are preſent, as being ſuch men who would eftſoons confirm his covenant by the fulfilling of it. Furthermore, that he would vouchſafe to grant a long life to the Father and Mother of the child; and alſo to beſtow a bleſſing on the Babe. His Orizons ended, he reatcheth the Cup, which he had formerly ſanctified to every one of the yong men, and invites them to drink thereof. To conclude, all they return with the Child, who is now made a Jew, unto his Fathers houſe, reſtoring him into the arms of the Mother. And here is the upſhot of the whole matter.
Some of the learned and religious Jewes hearing the Infant cry out, by reaſon of the pains ſuffered by him in the cime of circumciſion, comfort themſelves with that ſentence which is extant in the ſecond book of Moſes: I have alſo heard the groaning of the children of Iſrael, Exod. 6. 5.whom the Egyptians keep in bondage, and I have remembred my covenant.
When the Mohel makes his laſt prayer, then he ſtands neare unto the Ark of the Covenant, together with the Godfather of the child, becauſe that is a holy place. And thus much the Learned among the Hebrews have collected from the Hebrew word Milah which ſignifies circumciſion. This word hath four letters, every one of which are the Index of a ſeveral word: Mohel Jered liphne hattibha; that is, he that circumciſeth ſhall ſeat himſelfe near unto the Ark of the Covenant: or Maleach Joſchebh liphne Haaron; that is, the Angel ſtands before the Gate: to wit, Elias the Angel of the Covenant ſtanding before the Ark, ſends up his prayers together with ours into the ears of the Almighty.
Some of the upright Jews take the little Infant, and both before and after his circumciſion lay him upon the bolſter or cuſhion of Elias, that he may touch him.
That they accompliſh the Priah, or denudation of the forepart of the Infants yard with ſo ſharp nails, they ſay that they are moved hereunto by that ſaying in the Book of Joſhua:Take unto thee ſharp knives, Josh. 5.(for so it is to be translated, not, knives of stone) and circumciſe the children of Iſrael the ſecond time. Upon these words the Wise-men among the Jews conclude, that those words, the ſecond time, ought to be understood of the priah, wch is not other but a ſecond circumciſion. Hence iſſueth a moſt copious queſtion, Why they which were born in the Deſart were not circumciſed for the ſpace of forty years together? the anſwer is, that this came not to paſſe by reason of the ſtiff necked malignity, and hard hearted inſolence of their Anceſtors, for they were men of circumciſed hearts: but because bluſtering Boreas had not blown in that Deſart, within the compaſs of forty years, whoſe healthfull blaſts conduce ſo much to the letting of bloud, that any wound, this not traviſing the terreſtrial Globe, is accounted perillous, Hereupon they have this medicinal Canon. In a cloudy day, or in that day in which the Eaſtwind blows, Circumciſion muſt not be administred, nor any vein opened.
Here it may be objected,Tract. Gittin. cap. 3: the Northern wind doth not always blow, and yet circumciſion is dayly to be exerciſed. This objection is anſwered in the Talmud, that four winds blow every day, and that the Northern wind is mixt with every one in particular, and for the moſt part obtains the predominance; and for this very reaſon circumciſion may be dayly practiſed. That this wind was huſht and ſtill while the Iſraelites were in the Deſart, the very nature thereof, which is to free the aire from clouds, and to be the author of fair weather, is an invincible Argument, as it is written; The wind paſſeth and purgeth it, from the North ſhall come gold: that is to ſay, with whoſe calm clearneſs, the purity of the moſt refined gold cannot mannage a comparison. If then this wind ſhould have blown in the Desart, it had driven away and diſſolved the pillar of fire which always accompanied the people of Iſrael, which had been to their great damage. Here it is not lawfull for me to expoſe to the vulgar eye any more of theſe their quirks. If any one be raviſhed with a deſire of a further inquiry, let him read Rabbi David Kimchi upon the fore-cited place of Joſhuah, and the Talmud in the book of affinity,Tract. leb. hammos cap. 8 and that Chapter which begins Haarel, where moſt accurate diſputes, exh…uſted out of the very abyſſe of wiſdome, ſhall preſent themſelves unto his view, concerning the cauſe why circumciſion was omitted in the Desart.
To proceed▪ the caſting of the fore-skin into the ſand, ſignifies that their ſeed ſhall be like the ſand upon the ſea ſhore for multitude, as it is written:Gen. 32. 11. I will make they Seed like the ſand of the Sea: Gen 28. 14and again, Thy Seed ſhall be as the duſt of the earth. Secondly,Glossa Tamud. 16. they uſe this Ceremony in remembrance of Balaam, who when he ſaw that all the ſand in the Deſart was full of the foreskins of the Children of Israel, he preſently cried out, Who can number the duſt of Jacob? as if he had ſaid, who can ſtand before the holineſs and worth of this people, all the males whereof, not one excepted▪ being circumciſed, bury their foreskins in ſuch a ſandy Sepulchre? with what a fore-front ſhall I curſe ſuch an holy N…tion? Thirdly, it ſignifies that the Old Serpent which ſeduced the first Adam in Paradiſe, ſhall be fed with this fore skin; for his bread is the duſt of the earth▪ as it is written:Gen. 3. R Ab…aha… in lib. Z…r h…mor in par ascha kit…zek super 23. cap. Deat. Isa 6…. 25. Prov. 25. 21. Thou ſhalt eat the duſt of the earth. Now seeing the Serpent is as yet mans daily enemy, and hath an inceſſant & greedy deſire to ſatiate his gluttonous paunch with his ſoule and body: thence it comes to paſs, that theſe Saint-like Jews feed their enemy, the Serpent, according to Gods comman, dwith the foreſaid fore skin as it is written: If thine enemy hunger, give him meat. This bit is ſo hard of digeſtion, that it ſo debilitates and weakens the naturall ſtrength of the Serpent, that he cannot again …educe man, as once he did.
If an Inſant be ſickly, they do not circumciſe him upon the eighth day, but defer it untill the time of his recovery. If any Infant dye before the eighth day be come, then he is cicumciſed in the Church-yard, over his grave, yet ſo that no Prayers be ſaid for him. It is circumciſed to this end, that God being intreated would be mercifull unto him, and together with others raiſe him up at the laſt day. In some places it is not lawfull for any one, the Godfather only excepted, to ſit while the child was a circumciſing, becauſe it is written:2. Kings 23. 3. That all the People ſtood to the Covenant. That for a concluſion of all the Mo…el is bound to give a bleſſing upon the Covenant of circumciſion, holding the circumciſion kniſe in his hand, the wiſe men amongſt the Jews demonſtrate from that Scriptnre,Psal. 149. 6. Let the prayſes of God be in their mouth, and a two edged ſword in their hands: Thus the fi…ſt Act in the Synagogue is finiſhed; now follows the ſecond, which is performed after the childes returne to his Fathers house.
In the mean time that they are buſied in the Synagogue, the Cooks are with much diligence converſant about their Kitchin affairs; the Table is ſpread, and great proviſion is made, to which (as hath been formerly recorded) only ten men are invited, two of which muſt be a couple of learned Rabbines, who rabble out a long Grace, and make a kind of a Sermon, to which the hearers giving but lean attention, in the mean time carouſe whole Gob…ets of wine one to another. It was my chance once to be invited to one of these their feaſts, commonly celebrated after the administration of the circumciſion, at which time one of the Rabbines took for his Text thoſe words of Soloman, Wiſdome is a tree of life to them that lay hold on it: Concerning his Sermon, I can with out a lie affirm, that I never heard …uch a dry and ridiculous piece of ſtuff in all my life. That they ought to provide ſuch a ſumptuou… and coſtly banquet, they prove out of the Hebrew word Milah, which ſignifying circumcision, the le…ters thereof according to the Kabala, note ou… unto us theſe four enſuing words, Miſchteh laaſch l…col hakkervim, which are by interpretation, Let him provide a banquet for all them that are invited: hence they conclude the the preparation of this Feaſt to be legitimate. That it is to be celebrated the eight day, they prove with greater subtilty, and art of the hiſtory of Abraham and Iſaac, foreignwhich is regiſtred Gen. 21. 8. in theſe words; And when the child grew and was weaned, Abraham made a great feaſt in that day in which Iſaac was weaned. Bejom higgamiel, eth litzchak. in the day wherein Iſaac was weaned.
Upon which words they have this Cabaliſtical interpretation,Rabbi Bechai, upon the place. ſaying, thou doſt not rend Higgamel (whoſe Letters are He, Gimel, Mem, Lamed) but Bejom hagmal, where He and Gimel note not any word, but are onelyonly Letters of numeration, making eight; the word Mal is rendered in the Teutonick, Er hat beſch nitten, he circumciſed, therefore according to the Expoſition (rather indeed the perverſion) of the Rabbines, the ſenſe muſt be this, Abraham made a great feaſt upon the eighth day, in which his ſon Iſaac was circumciſed, and the child did grow and was weaned: this cuſtome then, that a good banquet ſhould be prepared, and the learned Rabbines and other upright men among the Jews ſhould sit as gueſts, is very commendable; for David makes mention of it in his fiftieth Pſalm, and fifth verſe, ſaying, Gather my Saints together unto me, thoſe that have made a Covenant with me, with ſacrifice, that is, the Covenant of Circumciſion. Inſtead of a ſacrifice then they make this feast, ſeeing they may not ſacrifice in the Land of their Captivity, for which they often breath out the dolefull accents of grief and ſorrow.
The Mahel, or he that did circumciſe the child, is tied to abide ſome certain dayes with the mother thereof, and to take care that the bloud do not burst out the ſecond time: the mother remains in child-bed for the ſpace of ſeven whole weeks, whether the bring forth a male or a female, her husband throughout all that time muſt abstain, and not approach so near as to touch her, but it is a point of Religion to eat with her, which he alſo doth when ſhe is in her monthly flowers, of which more hereafter.
After this manner the children of Iſrael are made Jews by fulfilling the Covenant of Circumciſion. If the woman bringforth a daughter, her nativity is nothing at all ſet by, yea ſo little indeed, that I could not find any thing concerning this matter recorded in their books, except that which Ferdinandus Hessus, who a few years ago turned to the Chriſtian faith, in which God long preſerve him, revealed unto me, to wit, that when the new born female babe is ſix dayes old, ſome certain number of young girls ſeat themſelves round about the Cradle, in which the infant lies wrapp'd in fine linnen & ſwadling clouts, embroidered with ſilver, who heave the Infant together with the cradle, many times aloft into the aire, and at length name the child, ſhe that ſtands at the head of the Cradle being the Godmother; which things thus finiſhed, they ſit them down with other Damſels to a banquet prepared for them, paſſing away the time in eating and drinking, and other merriments.
Although it is commanded in the Law of Moſes, Levit. 12.that if a woman have brought forth a man-child, ſhe ſhould for the firſt ſeven dayes be accounted polluted and unclean, and after that ſhould keep at home for thirty three dayes, which added to the former, make forty or ſeven weeks, to fulfill the dayes of her Purification; and alſo when ſhe hath brought out a woman-child, then ſhall ſhe be unclean two weeks, and ſhe ſhall continue in the blood of her Purification threeſcore and ſix dayes, yet notwithſtanding it is a cuſtome among the Jews now living, that the woman hides her ſelf for the ſpace of ſeven weeks, whether ſhe bring forth a man or woman-child, oppoſing a certain Sect which at this day flouriſheth in Turky, Poland and Ruſſia: this Sect is ſtiled by the name of Koraim, they keep the Law according to the Letter, rejecting the inſtitutions and expoſitions of the Rabbines, of which we ſhall ſpeak more hereafter, and therefore leſt the Jews here amongſt us, ſhould be thought to think the ſame things, they allot onelyonly forty dayes reſidence at home for a woman that hath brought forth, whether it be male or …emale.
When the forty dayes appointed for the Purification are fully gone and paſt,How the wom…n w…ſh themſ…l…es the dayes of … Purifi…d …on ended. then they are compelled to purge and waſh themſelves with cold water before that they can ſleep with their husbands, or have any communion with them; which done, they put on white and pure garments, and there aſſociate themſelves unto their husbands: they waſh themſelves in common water expoſed to the publick view of their whole Nation, or if they cannot come by any ſuch, then they waſh themselves in certain ciſterns, or wells, which they have in their houſes, Courts, or Orchards, made for the same…purpoſe; these ough… to be of ſuch a depth, that they may take the women deſcending into them up unto the neck; if the clay in the bottome offend them, then they put a broad ſtone under the ſoles of their feet, or ſome such thing, that their feet may ſtand in clean water, and that the ſame water flowing and running betwixt toe and toe may come unto every part of the ſame; for if never ſo little remain untouched by the water, or that the water cannot come to it, then the whole waſhing ſtands in no ſtead; for this very cauſe before they enter the Bath, they diſhevel their hair, lay aſide their head bands, chains, and bracelets, and all the ornaments of the neck, they draw off their rings, pick their teeth, and that with ſo great art, that they leave nothing, which may yield the leaſt ſuſpition of uncleanneſſe. What more? not an hair breadth of their body but muſt be unmasked; ſometimes they are compelled to dive ſo deep, that not ſo much as one hair doth appear above the water, to this end they ſtretch out their arms and fingers. They are also bound to open their eye lids and mouth for ſome ſmall space, and ſo to bend themſelves that their paps hanging down in a perpendicular manner may not touch their body, that by this means the water may come unto every part, and ſo enrich the whole body with an exact cleaneſſe; if in the mean time ſhe fall into a ſwound, it is not lawfull to touch her with unwaſhed hands, for this would make her bathing void, and of no effect. Furthermore it is required, that ſome man or women ſhould alwayes be preſent while ſhe waſheth her ſelf, but a woman eſpecially, or a girl which hath outſtript the age of twelve years by one day, but if ſuch cannot be at hand, the Goodman may ſerve the turn, may ſee and witneſſe, that ſhe waſheth her ſelf according as ſhe ought. It is dangerous in their account to ſend for a Chriſtian woman, for in ſuch an one they dare not put confidence.
Though it be winter time, yet ought theſe waſhings to be performed in cold water, yea though it be hard froſt, yet if in any place they can claim cuſtome, it may be lawfull for them to intermingle cold water and hot, or if there be any hot baths (as there is in many Countries) into theſe the women may lawfully enter, and waſh themſelves. Who deſires to know any more concerning this matter, let him peruſe a certain little book written in the Germane tongue and Hebrew Character, called Franwen Buchlein, or the book of women, which becauſe it contains a brief deſcription of their conditions, his palate may there find wiſhed content, and a plenary ſatisfaction.
In the next place we are opportunely invited to look into the manner how the firſt born is redeemed out of the hand of the Priest.Of the redemption of the firſt born. That ſon which the mother in time paſt brought forth according to Moſes Law, was holy unto the Lord, and ought to be redeemed from the hand of the Prieſt, as it is written, Whatſoever openeth the Matrix is mine, Exod. 34. 19. 20.all the firſt born of thy ſons thou ſhalt redeem, and in imitation of their anceſtors, the Jews do redeem their firſt born, the manner of the redemption followeth. The one and thirtieth day following the Nativity of the child, his father ſends for the Cohen, aThere were ranks or degrees of Miniſters about the Temple, Prieſts Levites, Nethinims.The name of Prieſt in generall, is foreign Cohen, from foreignin pihel to minister in holy things. The succeſſion of Prieſts, was contained in Aaron and his poſterity, the high Prieſthood was tied to the line of the eldeſt son, the reſt were Prieſts of the ſecond order, they and the high Prieſt differe…, fi…ſt in their Conſecration, the High Prieſt was anointed, the other onelyonly ſprinkled with oyl mixt with the blood of the Sacrifice. 2. In their garments, Exod. 28. 3. In their marriage, the High Prieſt might not marry a widow, or a divorced woman, but a virgin, Levit. 21. the other Priests might. 2. they differed in their office. Firſt, the High Prieſt onelyonly, and that once a year entered into the Holy of holies, Exod. 16. Secondly, he might not mourn for his neareſt a kin, Levit. 21. the others might. The Levites office was to pitch, take down, bear up and down the Tabernacle, and the veſſelſ thereof. The Gerſhonites charge was to carry the Coverings and hangings of the Tabernacle. The chief things within the Sanctuary were committed to the Cohathites, the woodwork and the reſt of the inſtruments to the Merarites: after the Temple was built, they were divided into ſingers and Porters, both into 24. orders, they had their initiation at a monethmonth old, Numb. 3. their conſecration at 25. years old, Numb 8. 3. Their miniſtration at 30 years. The Nethinims were hewers of wood, and drawers of water for the House of God, Gibeonites they were, called Nethinims from Nathan to give, becauſe they were given to the Service of the Temple, Goodwin.or Prieſt, as alſo many other good friends to accompany him, before whom he ſets the Infant upon a Table, and layes down beside him a certain ſum of mony, or so much goods as can equaliſe it in value, which is the quantity of two Florens of Gold: then he ſaith unto the Prieſt, my wife hath brought forth her firſt begotten ſon, and the Law requires▪ that I ſhould preſent him unto thee: then the Cohen or Prieſt anſwering ſaith, Doſt thou give this thy ſon, and leave him unto me? To whom the Father ſhall reply, yes: upon this, the Prieſt asks his Mother whether ſhe ever had a child before that time,Numb. 18▪ 16 or if at any time ſhe proved abortive, if the mother say no, then the Prieſt queſtions the Father, which of the two be dearer unto him▪ his firſt born, or his mony: then the Father anſwers, that he eſteems his firſtborn babe above all riches in the world; then the Prieſt taking the money, and laying it upon the Infants head, ſaith; this is thy firſt begotten ſon, whom the Lord would have redeemed, as it is written, And thoſe that are to be redeemed from a monethmonth old, thou ſhalt redeem according to thy eſtimation for the money of five ſhekels, after the ſhekel aThe coins in use among the Jews, were either Silver coins or gold coines. Their ſilver coins were these, their firſt and greateſt was ſhekel, foreign d…rived from foreign to poi…e or weigh, which was twofold, Regius Siclus, or the Kings shekel of com…mon uſe in buying and ſelling, it valued of our money, one ſhilling three pence. 2. The ſhekel of the Sanctuary, which doubled the former, and was in value two Shillings six pence, on the one side of it was ſtampt the pot of Manna, or A…rons Cenſer, as others, with this inſcription, foreign the ſhekel of Israel, on the other ſide Aarons Rod hudding, with this inſcription, foreign The City Jerusalem: See A…sted in Praecog. Theol. and Mr. Goodwin, pag, 327. Their ſecond Coin was foreign zuz, the fourth part of a shekel, which was also called foreign in value ſeven pence halfpenny, zuz is derivid from foreign zuz to move, for money is the primum mobile of mans appetite, and foreign Ceseph from Casaph, to breath, to be intent on any thing. Money is the deſire of every one, and as Hesiod ſaith, foreign, the life of mortalls. Their third kinds of Coin wert firſt, foreign gerah, from foreign miscere, to mingle, being the cauſe of commerce, foreign Agorah, from Agar to gather together, for the ſame reaſon: and laſtly, foreign Kesi…a, which ſignifieth a lamb, a piece of money which had a lamb ſtamped on the one side of it, so Gen. 33. 9. Jacob bought a piece of grown for an hundred lambs, that is, for an hundred pieces of money. Theſe three Coins are in value of our Coin one…penny half penny, twenty went to a ſhekel. Their gold Coins were, 1. foreign zahab, a ſhekel of gold, in our money fifteen ſhillings. 2. foreign Ada…kon, alſo called, foreign in value also fifteen Shillings, this was Perſian Coin. Their sums hence ariſing were two. 1. foreign Maneh, foreign, a pound of gold, 75 pound of money 7 l. 10 …. 2. foreign Cicar, a talent, in Gold 4500 pound, in money, 375 pound.of the Sanctuary, which is twenty gerahs. Then turning himſelf unto the child, he ſaith, when thou waſt in the womb of thy mother, thou waſt then in the power of thy heavenly Father, and they earthly Parents, but now thou art in my hand and power who am the Prieſt, thy father and mother deſire to redeem thee, becauſe thou art the firſt begotten, and holy unto the Lord, as it is written, Sanctifie unto me all the first-born among the children of Iſrael, that first openeth the womb, as well of man as of beast, for it is mine. Now this mony ſhall ſerve in thy ſtead, and be thy redemption, ſeeing thou art the firſt-born, and this ſhall be given unto the Prieſt. If I have redeemed thee as I ought, then ſhalt thou' be redeemed; if I have failed in the pe…formance of my office, notwithſtanding thou being redeemed according to the Law, and after the manner of the Jews, ſhalt grow up in the fear of God, to Matrimony and the practiſe of good works, Amen. If the father chance to die before the one and thirtieth day after, the childs Nativity be fully come, then the mother is not bound to redeem her child, and therefore ſhe puts a ſcroll or pla…e of gold about his neck, in which it is written,foreign This is the firſt-born ſon, but not redeemed, the ſon himſelf being bound to redeem himſelf out of the hands of the Prieſt, when he ſhall come to full age.
Before I conclude this Chapter, I will relate a certain Hiſtory, which is recorded in the Gemurah or Talmud, concerning a certain ſtranger or proſelyte,aPioſelyte was he, who forſaking Gen…iliſme, turned to the Jewiſh Religion, called by the name of foreign Ge… a ſtranger from foreign Gu… to wander, of theſe were two ſorts, foreign proſelytus foe…eris a proselyte of t…e Covenant, he was tied to Circumciſion, and the whole Law of Moſes, as R. Sal. Deut. 2. 3. 14. who names him there a proſelyte of Juſtice, to whose adoption three things were neceſſary. 1. Circumciſion 2. Purification by water. 3. The blood of the oblation. The ſecond sort was, foreign proselytus portae, a proselyte of the gate…, Deut. 14 21. he was not circumcised, nor tied to the obſervation of Moſes his Law, but onelyonly to keep Noahs ſeven Commendements, which are these, 1. Judgements for malefactors 2 Bleſſing the name of G…d 3. To fly idolatry. 4 Robbery. 5. Bloodshed. 6. Eating any member of a beaſt taken from it alive. 7. Not uncover ones nakedneſſe, Shindler in Pent…g lot. 1530. who by a miraculous kind of Circumciſion obtained an inheritance in the other World, and departed this a good Jew.
A certain King of Rome (as we read in tract. de idolatria, c. 1.) was ſometimes an heavy friend unto the Jews, and deſiring utterly to put out their name from under heaven, and to baniſh them his Kingdome, he calls his counſell, and thus beſpeaks them: ſuppoſe a man, …aith he, hath an old ulcer in his body, in which the …leſh doth putri…ie, whether will he chuſe to cut away the rotten fleſh to regain his health, or ſuffer it to remain there ſtill, to his perpetuall grief and torment? Theſe thing… ſpoke the King againſt the jews, who had for long time ſojou… ned in his Kingdome; and grievouſly moleſted his Subjects.
One of the Councel, by name Ketijah, hearing the Kings words, and perceiving whether they tended, made anſwer, Adoni, which is to ſay, my Lord, thou art not able to deſtroy or baniſh the Jews, for of them it is written,*Zach. 2. 6. Ho, ho, come forth, and flie from the Land of the North, ſaith the Lord; for I have ſpread you abroad as the four winds of the heaven, ſaith the Lord, that is, the world may even as poſſibly ſubſiſt, and be without winds, as without the Jews; wherefore thou canſt not baniſh the Jews out of thy Realm, and if thou couldeſt prevail ſo much, as to bring it to paſſe, the common voice of the whole world would proclaim thee being brought to extreme poverty▪ for a tyrannicall King.
Upon theſe words, the King anſwered, thou haſt ſaid that which is right, and now ſeeing it is enacted, that whoſoever overcomes the King in his anſwer, ſhall be buried quick in a heap of ſand, that there he may be choakeda and periſh; thou who haſt put me to a non plus (which is a ſcandall to my perſon) and ſet at naught and vilified my Kingdome, ſhall taſte of the appointed puniſhment. When he was carried away to the place of execution, there was a certain Matron ſeen in Rome of an excellent portraiture, crying out, Wo unto that ſhip which is about to ſtrike ſail, the Cuſtome unpayed, by which words the Matron intimated thus much, that Ketijah, who was ready to ſuffer death in the Jewſ cause, and so conſequently to obtain eternall life in another world, had not as yet payed his toll money, that is, was not made a Jew by Circumciſion. Upon the inſtant of this vociferation, ſome ſay that he ſnatched a knife, and cut off his own foreskin; others, that he burning with too ardent zeal, catched hold of his foreskin, bit it off with his teeth, and then with a loud voice ſaid, I have now at laſt payed my Cuſtome: when they would not give him any reſpite, but burn him in all haſte, he cryed the ſecond time, ſaying, that he bequeathed all his goods and poſſeſſions to that moſt learned man Rabbi Akibah, as to his lawfull heir, whereupon this voice was heard from heaven, Ketijah, thou ſon of Schalom, eternal life is provided for thee. From hence every one may learn, what a precious thing Circumciſion is, and what a good deed it is for any one to legaſie all his goods unto a Jew: truly, there is nothing loſt, where a man for an hundred crowns may gain a thousand.
In the same Chapter of the Talmud, the ſame men boaſt how Caeſar Antoninus cauſed himſelf to be circumciſed,Ab…odach za…ah. how he departed this life a Jew indeed, and how that happened unto him, which is here related. Not far from the Emperours Palace dwelt a certain famous and moſt expert Rabbine, from whoſe houſes to the Emperours porch came a certain hidden paſſage under the earth, by the benefit of which they oftentimes had private conference. Upon this occaſion, a great deſire to be instructed in the Law, and Religion of the …ews invaded the mind of the Emperour, and for this cauſe, every day once he repaired to the Rabbine, and heard the Law at his mouth, and because he would not go unto the Iew without attendance, yet alſo would not in the mean time be diſclosed, he alwayes choſe two for his companions, whereof one he ſtabbed with his dagger at the the entrance into the Rabbines houſe, the other he made to drink of the ſame cup at his return to his own palace, giving alſo in charge to the Rabbine, that he ſhould have no man in his company, when he (the Emperour) came to viſit him.
When therefore Caeſar on a certain time had found together with the Jew, a ſtranger, whoſe name was Rabbi Chanina Bar Chamma, which Rabbine was an holy man, and one of their prime ones, he was ſo enraged, that he burſt out into this interrogation: Did not I ſay unto thee, look that thou have none in thy company when I ſhall come unto thee? To whom the Rabbine replyed, My Lord and Emperour, this is not a man, but a good ſpirit, if he be a ſpirit ſaith Caeſar, let him go and ſignifie ſo much to my ſervant, who lies and takes his reſt without before the gate (ſpeaking of the ſervant which he had killed with his ow… hands) that he make haſt to come unto me: when Rabbi Chanina perceived the Emperours ſervant to be dead then he began to fear & be afraid, not knowing how to ſhape an anſwer, a… alſo thinking it very behovefull, that Caeſar ſhould not be found guilty of the murder; in theſe melancholy dumps he fell upon his knees, and with the importunity of prayer, becomes ſo wearisome unto God, that the Emperours servant was reſtored to life, which thing the Emperour having taken notice of ſuch an exceſſive admiration at the Religious piety of the Jewiſh Nation, p…ſſeſſed his ſoul that from thenceforth he became a Serving man at his Pedagogues Table. Yea moreover, when the Rabbine at night would please to viſite his Couch, the Emperour bowing himſelfe at his bed ſide, became his Footſtool, that his Maſter the Rabbine might with more facility ſtretch his limbs upon his bed of Down, the Rabbine indeed in many kinds, ſtrived to repel the tendered ſervice, but all in vain, for the Emperor did not only perform theſe earth kiſſing Congees with an humility of mind, floating in the loweſt ebb, but alſo wiſhed it might be his happineſs to be his footſtool in another world. At length the Jews had an ocular demonſtration that this Emperor before he entred the tyring room of the grave, did receive the ſign of circumciſion, profeſſed himſelfe a Jew, and died in this profeſſion. Many examples of the ſame ſort are every where obvious in the writings of the Jews, declaring that many Chriſtians both of high and low degree turning Apoſtates to Chriſtianity, have imbraced Judaiſm, and ſo have obtained the ſalvation of their ſouls, if we may believe it.
But in the laſt place, what was the Prophets cenſure of theſe circumciſed Saints? and in what eſteem had they their perſons?
Jerem. All the Gentiles are circumciſed, and all the houſe of Iſrael circumciſed in heart.
Moſes. Deut. 16.Circumciſe the fore-skin of your heart, and be no more ſtiſf necked.
Jerem. Ier. 6. 10.To whom ſhall I ſpeak and give warning that they may hear? behold, their ear is uncircumciſed, and they cannot hearken, behold the Word of the Lord is unto them a reproach, they have no delight in it.
Stephen, Act. 7. 52.a Chriſtian. Ye ſtiff necked and uncircumciſed in heart and ears, ye do alwayes reſist the holy Ghoſt: as your Fathers did, ſo do ye.
Paul the Apoſtle. Rom 2. 28, 29He is not a Jew that is one outwardly, neither is that circumoiſion which is outward in the flesh: but he is a Jew that is one inwardly, and circumciſion is that of the heart, in the ſpirit, not in the letter, whoſe praiſe is not of men, but of God
How then are all the firſt born of Chriſtians, yea, all faithſull Chriſtians redeemed? S. Peter anſwers, Ye were not redeemed with ſilver and gold from your vain converſation,1 Pet. 1. 18. 19. received by tradition from your Fathers, but with the precious bleud of Christ, as a Lamb without blemiſh and Without ſpot.
S. Paul teacheth us by whom we have redemption,Col. 1. 14. Even by hi… bloud, that is, the remiſſion of our ſins.
But what doth circumciſion hurt the Chriſtians? S. Paul anſwers: If the uncircumciſion keep the righteouſneſs of the Law, ſhall not his his uncircumciſion be accounted for circumciſion? and ſhall not uncircumciſion, which is by nature▪ if it fulfill the Law, judge thee, who by the Letter and circumciſion art a transgreſſor of the Law?