The Jewish Synagogue, Chapter 1

The Jewish Synagogue · Chapter 1

p. 1CHAP. I.

Concerning the Articles of the Jewiſh Creed, their execution of Gods Commandements, and the cauſe of their Superſtition.

THat which the Lord utter'd by the mouth of his Prophet Iſa. touching the hypocryſie, obſtinacy, and ignorance of the Jewiſh Nation, in theſe words; Foraſmuch as this people draw near me with their mouth, Iſa, 29. 13, 14.and with their lips do honour me, but have removed their hearts farre from me, and their fear towards me is taught by the Precept of men: Therefore behold I will proceed to do a marvellous work among this people, even a miraculous work and a wonder, for the wiſdome of their wiſe men ſhall periſh, and the underſtanding of their prudent men ſhall be hid. The very ſame we may now clearly perceive to be accompliſhed in every part and parcel; for in their ſelf-pleaſing worſhip is nothing but deceit and hypocriſie, and in the whole p. 2Colledge of their moſt learned Rabbines,aaThe Rabbins were the chief Schollers and Doctors amongſt the Jews. Hence the word Rabbi, Rab, Rabbi, and Rabban ſignifieth as much as Maſter. Theſe titles ſprung up about the time of, or preſently after Chriſts incarnation, for formerly the Prophets were called by their bare names. Rabbi, and Ribbi are more excellent titles than Rab and Rabban▪ the moſt honored of all, given only to Princes & verſed in the law of Moses: theſe have for their root the hebrew verb foreign which signifies to multiply, for ſo were the Rabbines in the knowledge of the Law: they had another name, which was Geon foreign which in computation makes 60. becauſe a Rabbine ought to read the 60 Tracts of the Talmud▪ and Scribes,bbThe Scribes were the expounders of the Law, miniſters of the Text, in Hebrew Sopherim foreign from foreign which ſignifies to number, becauſe they ſpent their time in numbering not onelyonly the verſes, but the words and letters of each book in the Bible. thy apprehenſion can faſten upon nothing elſe but ignorance and groſſe ſimplicity, especially in the knowledge of God, and in the interpretation of his Word. In the whole Nation of the Jews, nothing worth thy obſervation, except a horrid hardneſſe of heart, and perverſneſſe in their converſation, and every particular action: nevertheleſſe, they bluſh not a jot to grace themſelves with the title of Gods choſen people. Such alſo they are who would ſeem to burn with zeal that the Word of God might be purely propagated, becauſe they believe in God with an accompliſhed faith, and cleave unto him with a ſincere and righty ſettled confidence above all the Nations of the earth, as Paul bears witneſſe, That they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge. Hence is it, that the Jews even unto this day firmly contend for their ſuperſtitious Worſhip, profeſſing themſelves to have a well grounded and aſſured faith towards God, who created heaven and earth, who is one in eſſence, and will not ſuffer any other gods before him.

The Jews Creed contains in it thirteen Articles, which as they are briefly delivered in their Tephillos ccforeign ſigniſies a prayer, derived from foreign in Hiphil, ſignifying▪ to pray humbly with the Confeſſion of our ſinne and miſerie, hence their prayer-books are named Tephillos.or books of Common Prayer, we have here ſet down.

1.The Articles of the Jews creed I believe with a true and perfect faith, that God is the Creatour, Governour and preſerver of all Creatures, that he did work all things, works as yet, and ſhall work for ever.

2. I believe with a perfect ſaith, that God the Creatour is one, and that the unity which is in him, is ſuch as can be found in no other, who onelyonly, was, is, and ſhall be our God for everlaſting.

3. I believe with a perfect faith, that God the Creatour, is p. 3incorporeall, not endowed with any bodily properties: finally, that no corporeal eſſence can be compared unto him.

4. I believe with a perfect faith, that God the Creatour is the firſt and the laſt, that there was nothing before him, that he ſhall remain for everlaſting.

5. I believe with a perfect faith, that he alone is to be worſhipped, and that Worſhip is due to none beſides him.

6. I believe with a perfect faith, that whatſoever the Prophets have ſpoke and taught, is the ſincere truth.

7. I believe with a perfect faith, that the Doctrine and Propheſie of Moſes is orthodox, that he was the Father, and chief of the learned, that either were of the ſame ſtanding with him, lived before him, or ſhall be extant in future ages.

8. I believe with a perfect faith, that the whole Law was ſo delivered by God himſelf to Moſes, as it is now extant with us.

9. I believe with a perfect faith, that this Law ſhall never admit of a change, and that God ſhall give unto us no other.

10. I believe with a perfect faith, that God knows and underſtands all the works and thoughts of men, as it is written by the Prophet: He faſhioneth all the hearts of them, and understandeth all their works.Pſal. 33. 14.Ps 33:14

11. I believe with a perfect faith, that God will reward every mans works that keeps his Commandements, and on the contrary, will puniſh all thoſe that have tranſgreſſed his Statutes.

12. I believe with a perfect faith, that the Meſſias is yet to come, and that though he daily defers his coming, nevertheleſſe I will hope for his coming, every day till he come, waiting for him.

13. I believe with a perfect faith, that there ſhall be a Reſurrection of the dead; even in that time when it ſhall ſeem correſpondent to the will of the Creator, whoſe name be bleſſed and celebrated both now and for ever in the higheſt ſtrains of humane expreſſion. Amen.

This is Summe of the thirteen Articles of the Jewiſh Creed, as they are ſummarily and briefly comprehended and ſet down in their Books of Common Prayer: in which belief the poore & blinded ſouls of the Jews after a lamentable manner, with inceſſant p. 4groans, much anxiety, inexpreſſible doubting, and outcries, ſighing out their laſt farewell to the beloved priſon of their bodies, are utterly loſt and undone. Now that every one may with greater facility comprehend the very gloſſe and meaning which the Jews themſelves annex to this their Creed, I have thought it meet to illuſtrate the Articles thereof by the lamp of a ſmall Comment. And firſt of all we are to know, that the faith of the Jews and Moſaicall Religion (according to their own writings) was built upon theſe Articles, as upon the foundation, and firſt of all delivered to the publike view, and reduced into this order by that Casket of Learning, Rabbi Moſche Bar aaBar Maimon, the ſon of Maimon, for Bar ſignifies a ſon from the Hebrew verb, foreign barar to make clean, or purge: either that children of all others are the neateſt in body and comelieſt, or elſe that their mind ought to be purged and elcanſed from vices. The name Ben foreign is given in reſpect of generation, from hanah foreign, to build up, becauſe they build up the houſe of their Fathers, but Bar is a name given them in reſpect of their education, Rab. David.Maimon, who in the year of the World, 4964▪ according to the vulgar account, now uſed among the Jews, but in the year of our Redemption, 1104. changed this life for a better; and that then it was ſtrictly commanded, that from thenceforth, throughout all ſucceeding ages, that every Jew, confeſſing this faith, ſhould reſolve to live and die in the profeſſion of it: Hereupon it came to paſſe, that theſe Articles were graced with large Expoſitions, and thence a great Volume was written, out of which the forementioned Articles were more fully drawn, than formerly ſet down, and annexed to the end of that Voluminous Book▪ bbEſrim vearba.Eſrim vearba, or the Hebrew Bible, printed at Venice by Daniel Bombergus, by the ſtudy of Foelix Pratenſis, in the year of Chriſt 1517. where they are found expreſſed in the ſame manner, in which they are ſubſequently delivered.

The firſt Article is concerning God, who is the Creatour of all Creatures, illah haillos ccIllah haillos, the cauſe of cauſes, a term uſed by▪ the Hebrew Rabbins, and Philoſophers, as all the other following, foreign cause from foreign signifying to cauſe, or give occaſion.the cauſe of cauſes, & entity of entities, that every thing, whether extant in heaven above, or earth below, was created of, and hath its ſubſiſtence in him; that he made every thing according to his abſolute will, and that every thing ſhall again be reduced into its prime nothing, according to his good will and pleaſure; and although that every thing made by him ſhall again be annihilated, yet his eſſence is immortall, not ſubject to the leaſt ſhadow of change, or diminution, p. 5becauſe his eſſence▪ Mezius Gemurah aaMezius Gemrah, foreignperfection; foreign Gemurah ſignifies perfection from foreign Gamar, to finiſh or to be defective for the beſt perfection among mortals hath its defect.is perfect, and of it ſelf ſubſiſtent, not needing the prop or help of any other to ſuſtain it. That the ſame God, is that everlaſting light, ſtrength and life, that his is the Kingdome, Dominion over all creatures. That he is truly one, and the moſt renowned Monarch: This Article is grounded upon thoſe words, Exod. 20. 2. I am the Lord thy God, &c.

The ſecond Article is concerning the individuall unity of the Eſſence and Nature of God, to wit, that he is echad umeinchad bbEchad umeinchad of one eſſence, both the words are derived from foreign echad, unus one.of one Eſſence, and that there is nothing, either within or without the World, that can any way enter the liſts of a compariſon; in reſpect of this unity and identity, he is not in the ſame ſeries or order with any thing univerſall or ſingular, which comprehends more of the ſame ſtamp under it; neither is he Keechad Hammurcabh, ccKeechad hamurcabh, secundum foreign unum hamurcabh compoſitorium for foreign marcebah ſigniſies a compoſit, or conjunction from foreign to compoſe or cojoyn, and foreign a compoſed thing from the ſame ….any compounded thing, which for this reaſon admits of a Diviſion into parts: neither Guph Paſchut, (d) a ſimple body, which is one indeed in number, but may either be encreaſed or diminiſhed, but he is one in Eſſence, in every point abſolute and perfect, to which no other Eſſence can be compared in reſpect of its unity. This Article is grounded upon that Text, Hear O Iſrael, the Lord our God, is one God.eeDeut 6. 4.Deut 6:4

The third Article is, that Middas hagguph ffMeddah hagguph, bodily attributes, foreign ſignifies a property or affection from foreign ſignifying to meaſure, becauſe our attributes & affections meaſure out unto us our bodily perfections. foreign Guph ſignifies a body, derived from foreign Guph, to encloſe, for it is the casket of the ſoul.bodily properties, or any thing contingent to the body, after ſuch a manner, that it may afterward be ſeparated, as to walk, ſtand, ſpeak, be ſilent, ſit, run, and many other of the ſame kind cannot be attributed unto God without a manifeſt injury: hereupon it coms to paſſe, that as often as the holy Scripture doth aſſign corporeall Attributes unto him, that we muſt conceive it to be ſpoken of derech haabharah ggAl derech haabharah, foreign in an hyperbole, or ad modum transitionis, for gnal, ſignifies according, derec ſignifies, a way from darac to walk, and aberah, a tranſition from gnabar to passe over.with an Hyperbole, and Kiſchon bene haadam hhKischon bene handam, foreign according to mans coming, laschan ſignifies a coming from lashan to ſpeak Bene sons from banah foreign to build up, Adam man, from foreign to he of a red colour.after the manner of men: to no other p. 6end, but that the Divine Nature may with greater facility be comprehended by the finite underſtanding of men: this Article is grounded upon the 15. v. of the 41. chap of Deut. You ſaw no manner of ſimilitude on that day that the Lord ſpake unto you.

The fourth Article is ſo plain, that it needs no Commentary; to wit, that God is Kadmon, the firſt, and from all Eternity, and that every thing beſides is hurried about with the wheel of time, and had its beginning in time. This Article is grounded upon that Text, Deut. 33. 27. whereby God is declared to be Elohe Kedem, aaforeign Kadmon, Eternity, from Kadam to prevent and ſo Kedem Elohe God from alah, vide poſter.the God of Eternity, as alſo upon that, Iſa. 44. 6. I am the firſt and the laſt, & there is no other God beſides me.

The fith Article is, that God, one in Eſſence, is to be worſhipped, that we ought onelyonly to ſerve him, and highly to extoll, praiſe, and celebrate his Majeſty, that in plain terms we ought not to worſhip any other God for the ſame reſpect: whether that which is to be worſhipped, be an Angel or a Saint, a Star or any other thing compoſed of the foure Elements, becauſe every of theſe is his creature, bounded with certain limits, and therefore finite; and he alone the only Creatour, who as he wants beginning, ſo he is without end; that all creatures being ſubject and obnoxious to neceſſity are not of their own diſpoſing, and for this cauſe to have ſuch a neceſſary dependance upon God, who alone is guided by his own good pleaſure, that there is no obſtacle which can hinder him from effecting that which his will ſuggeſts. Again, that Melitzim, bbforeign ſignifies Mediatours and Interpreters, for a Mediatour doth, as it were interpret the will of one unto another. The root is foreign Malatz ſignifying to ſweeten, for a Mediatour doth sweeten and make us acceptable to him we have offended.Interceſſours or Mediatours betwixt God and man, cannot lawfully be appointed, which ought to be a Leſſon unto us, that Idolatry being far removed from us, we ſhould tender our ſervice to God alone, to which end the thorah ccforeign Thorah, the Law, the word is derived from foreign Jarah, Which ſignifies to lay a groundwork, intimating that the Law ſhould be firrmely rooted in the hearts of men: the Letters of this word thorah make in computation 613. and ſo many Precepts the Rabbines veckon in the Law of Moſes, whereof the Mandatory are 248. according to the members in a mans body, inſinualing that we are bound to fulfil the law in every member. the prohibitory are 363, according to the number of dayes in the year, to note out unto us, that every day there is ſomething to be avoided, which violates the Law, or thus, the number of the prohibitory Commandements is equall to that of the veins in mans body, to warn us, that as there are many veines in every Member, to there are many affirmative Precepts, which teach us to do well, and that we may better effect, more negative, whereby we avoid the contrary. The Jews ſay, the Law was two fold, foreign the written Law delivered to Moſes in Sinai, to two Tables; foreign Lex oralis, thorah begnal peh, delivered by mouth unto him, out of which the Phariſees eſtabliſh their Traditions.or p. 7the Holy Scripture may ſerve us for an inciting Schoolmaſter.

The ſixth Article is, that God out of his goodneſſe, and according to his meere good pleaſure hath elected ſome out of the whole race of mankind, whoſe mind and underſtanding he hath purified above others, hath enriched them with the Spirit of foretelling things to come, and hath ſo ſubjugated their perſpicacity, to the will of him their Creator, that they become his oracles, whereby he ſhews the way unto ſilly mortals, in which they ought to walk, if they intend to obtain the end of their faith, the ſalvation of their ſouls.

The ſeventh Article is, that Moſes was the moſt ſublime, and excellent in the whole Catalogue of the Prophets; that he attained unto ſo high a degree of wiſdome, humane perfection, honour and dignity, that he was accounted equall unto the Angels; whereupon the prohecies of this one man did in many reſpects exceed the Prophecies of others.

Firſt of all, God ſpake unto other Prophets by ſome Angel, who was a Mediatour between God and them, but with Moſes he ſpake with his own mout, face to face, The compariſon of Moſes with other Prophets.as one talketh with his friend.

Secondly, the other Prophets received their Propheſies, either by dreams in the night, or by ſome profound ſleep upon the day, wherein all their Members, yea their whole Bodies were ſo ſtupified, that onelyonly their mind and memory did enjoy their proper operations, but Moſes did not receive his Prophecies after this manner, but as it is written of him.

If there ariſe a Prophet among you, I will appear unto him in a viſion, I will ſpeak unto him in a dream.

Not ſo, my ſervant Moſes who is faithfull in my whole houſe,Numb▪ 12▪ 6. 7, 8.Num 12:6Num 12:7Num 12:8 I will ſpeak to him mouth to mouth.

From whence it is manifeſt, that Moſes received his Prophecies in the day time, even as oft as he ſtood before the Cherubim, as it is writtten,Exod▪ 25. 22.Exod 25:22 I will meet thee, and I will commune with thee from above the Mercy ſeat, from between the two Cherubims, which are upon the Ark of the Teſtimony, of all things which I will give thee in Commandement unto the children of Iſroel.

p. 8Thirdly, when the ſpirit of Propheſie came upon any other of the Prophets either in dreams, by viſions, or the miſſion of an Angel, they had, as it were, a certaine deprivation of their natural powers and faculties, that being aſtoniſhed, a horrible dread came upon them, and they driven into an extaſie; as the Holy Spirit witneſſeth of Daniel the Prophet:Dan. 10. 7, 8, 9.Dan 10:7Dan 10:8Dan 10:9 I Daniel ſaw alone the Viſion: for the men that were with me ſaw not the Viſion; but a great quaking fell upon them, ſo that they fled to hide themſelves. Therefore I was left alone, and ſaw this great Viſion, and there was left no ſtrength in me, for my comlineſſe was turned into corruption, and I retained no ſtrength. Yet I heard the voyce of his words: And when I heard the voyce of his words, then was I in a deep ſleep upon my face, and my face towards the ground. But Moſes ſuffered no invaſion of feare or anxiety when he received his Propheſies: whereupon the Scripture ſaith,Exod. 33. 10.Exod 33:10 that the Lord ſpake to Moſes face to face, as a man ſpeaketh to his friend: even ſo familiarly, that he was not ſubject to the leaſt amazement,

Fourthly, Other Prophets could not by any proper faculty prophecy when, and after what manner they would, but only then, when God did not only command them, but alſo endowed them with gifts and abilitie correſ pondent to ſuch a function, whereupon it often came to paſſe, that they did beſeech God to ſend upon them the Spirit of Prophecy, who for a certain ſeaſon had not ſpoke in this Dialect, yea, ſometimes did altogether leave off to Prophecy. And for this cauſe, according to the practiſe of Eliſha, 2 Kings 2. 15.2 Kgs 2:15they deſired to heare the melodious ſound of muſical Inſtruments, whereby their ſpirits and underſtandings might be recreated; but Moſes could prophecy at his own pleaſure, whenſoever he was conſcious of a conveniency.Lev. 16. 2.Lev 16:2 whereupon it is writen: Stay you here, that I may know what the Lord will command you: And the Lord ſpake with Moſes ſaying, &c. For theſe reaſons was Moſes more worthy then the reſt of the Prophets, yea, in that ſupereminent manner, that no Prophet was ever compared unto him.

The eighth Article is concerning the Law,Artic. 8. that it was ſo delivered to Moſes by Gods owne mouth, as it is now extant amongſt, them The manner how it was given, whether by p. 9writing, or dictated of God to Moſes by word of mouth, it is not needful to inquire. If it proceeded from the mouth of God, then is it neceſſary that every parcel thereof ſhould be truth, and in this reſpect no difference to be made amongſt the particular clauſes of holy Writ; as theſe: I am the Lord thy God, &c. and Thumia was the Concubine of Eliphaz, who came of Eſau: as alſo, The Sons of Ham were Cush and Mizraim, phut and Canaan, and this, Heare O Iſrael, the Lord thy God is one God, and others of the ſame ſort, ſeeing they are all Gods true and holy Word. After the like manner the Expoſition of the divine Law, Mippi haggeburah aaforeign e… ore Dei. foreign Pe ſignifies a mouth, and Gebarah is one of the Cabaliſſical predicaments, and among the Rabbines one of the names of God, from foreign Gabar, to prevail, or be powerfull.came from Gods owne mouth, as alſo all the things obſervable in the celebration of their bulabh bbLulabh foreign ramus, spatula, palma, a bough, or brāct, for in the feaſt of Tabernacles the Jews were to dwel in Booths made of Myrtle and Palm branches, as it is recorded Nehem. 8. 15.Neh 8:15or feaſt of Tabernacles, as the blowing of Trumpets, Zizim ccZizim foreign their fringes from foreign Zuz, to move up and downe.Tephillim ddTephillim foreign their Phylacteries used in this feaſt., concerning which things notwithſtanding there is not one expreſſe word found in the Law of Moſes, yet are they kept no otherwiſe then God hath with open mouth delivered them to Moſes, and Moſes unto us: and Moſes, God himſelfe bearing him witneſſe, Numb. 12. 7. was faithfull in all his houſe. And they are his own words, Numb. 16. 28. Hereby you ſhall know that the Lord hath ſent me to do all theſe Works: for I have not done them of mine own mind.

The ninth Article concerning the change of the Law, that the Law of Moſes ſhall never be abrogated, or any other ſucceed in the place thereof, and that nothing need to be added unto it, or taken away from it; that not one jot or title ſhall be annexed, or periſh from the holy Scripture, neither that any Expoſition ſhall make it ſubject to augmentation or diminution: whereupon it ſhal come to paſſe, that Gods holy Temple, and the City Jeruſalem ſhall again be re-edified, the ſacrifices and Moſaical ceremonies reſtored, and the Jewes themſelves at length to be brought back again into their own Land, that they may for ever obſerve and keep the Law of Moſes.

The tenth Article needs no other explication then the Scripture comments.

The eleventh Article is concerning the reward due to good and evil works; the reward of good deeds is the world to come, and life eternal; the puniſhment of evil, the ſouls eternal deſtruction and damnation: whereupon it is written, Exod. 32. p. 1032, 33. Yet now, if thou wilt, for give their ſin, and if not, blot me, I pray thee, out of the booke which thou haſt written. And the Lord ſaid unto Moſes, he who hath ſinned againſt me, him will I blot out of my booke.

The twelfth Article is concerning the comming of the Meſſias,Artic. 12. whoſe comming is to be expected as certaine, though he long delay it; yea, none ought or dare to preſcribe unto him certain time, any determinate time for his advent: neither wil they ſuffer the holy Scriptures to be ſearched into, that this ſulneſs of time in which he ſhould come, may be made manifeſt. Hereupon their Chachamim. aaforeign Chachamim, there wiſemen, from foreign to be wiſe, or underſtand.and Rabbins deeply grounded in the Jewes Religion, were wont to ſay, tippach bbTippach, from foreign to breath.ruchan ccRuach foreign Ruach ſignifies breath, of ſpirit, wind, &c.schel mechaſchebbe Kitzim. I wiſh they may breath out their own ſouls, who go about to ſet down the time of his approach. They teach that our truſt and confidence is to be ſettled on the Meſſias, that he is to be loved, praiſed, and petitioned that he will come quickly; even as all the Prophets from Moſes to Malachi were wont to do: when on the contrary, whoſoever doubts of his comming, gives the whole Law the lie (yea, but the whole Law doth make the miſerable, poor, and blinde Jew a Liar, who doubting that he is not come, believes he ſhall come, when he is already come) in which a plain and clear promiſe concerning this matter is enrolled, eſpecially in paraſchaddParaſcha The Rabbines in their b…okes cite not the places according to the chapters, but according to ſections, for foreign ſignifies a ſection, or a diſtinct part of any thing f…om foreign ſignifying to divide, ſeparate, or diſtinguish. The two firſt words of the Section uſually ſtand for the name thereof there Parascha or Section is either noted with three great foreign Phe, or with three great foreign Samech. The letter foreign notes out foreign an open and plain Section. The letter foreign a cloſed or Section ſhut up, not in the reſPect Of the things themſelves, but manner of writing. For if the Section begin at the beginning of the line, it is called an open Section becauſe a greater ſpace is liſt. A cloſe Section is when … he Section begins in the middle of the line, and the ſpace of three letters is only vacant. Of this ſort there is one which is noted by a little foreign Sarech, which is the laſt Section on of the Book of Geneſis, beginning chap. 47. veis. 2…. The reaſon according to the Rabbines, is becauſe it is the ſeale and cloſre of this boo…, the Law and the Prophets, till the comming of the Meſſias. The whole Law is divided into 54. Sections. Vide Buxtorf. de Paraſch.

The 13. Article is concerning the Reſurrection of the dead,Artic 3. of which there is nothing now to be ſpoken: whoſoever therefore faithfully believes theſe 13. Articles, is accounted one of p. 11the number of the Iſraelites, yea, ſuch an one who is to be loved, whom every one ought to commiſerate, and unto whom he ought to perform, wh…ſoever God the Creator hath commanded to be done to a neighbour or brother, out of Sincere love, unfeigned affection, and brotherly kindneſs; yea, they esteem him a man of that conſtitution, that though he commit all the offences, which in the world become the fewell to ſet a fire the whole courſe of Nature with burning luſts, and conſume it with inbred malice, and therefore ſuffer puniſhment in this World according to the nature and meaſure of his ſin, yet ſhall he inherit eternal life, being placed in the Kalender of the ſinners of Iſrael.

Whoſoever deſtroyes the foundation on which theſe Articles are built, or commits a treſpaſs againſt any one of them by his infidelity, they affirm, that he hath neither part nor portion in Iſrael, that he hath denied his God, is to be abhorred like a ſwiniſh Epicure, becauſe he hath rooted up that which was once implanted in him, according to the moſt exquiſite ſkill of the Artificer; and therefore he deſerves no other then to be rejected, abandoned, and periſh utterly: of ſuch an one ſpeaks the Prophet, Pſal. 139. 21. Do I not hate them, O Lord, that hate thee? and am I not grieved with thoſe that riſe up againſt thee?

Thus hitherto I have more at large expounded the genuine ſenſe of the Jewish Creed out of Rabbi Moſes the Son of Maimon, more birefly written and nominated by the Jewiſh Synagogue Rambam, aaRambam the 4 capitall laters of the former name briefly neting R Moſes Bar M…mon, which kind of … the R…bines were c…monly grace… with, … begun to ….with this intent, that every one might more clearly perceive, and know to what end this beliefe of the Jews was directed: whoſe Articles if any with a more ſerious ſcrutiny into their own writings ſearch and examine, he may with great facility conclude, that when Rambam had brought theſe Articles into order, and with ſevere threanings of extirpation of the Jewiſh name, and the loſſe of their ſouls, enjoyning every one unto the confeſſion of them, to have had no other aim… then the overthrow of Chriſtian Religion among the Jewes, intending to put upon it the badge of falſhood; for making it hatefull unto them, he might for ever terrifie them from the imbracing of it.

Hence the Articles concerning God the Creator, that he is p. 12one alone, incorporeal and eternal, hitherto muſter up their forces, that they condemning the Chriſtian doctrine of the Trinity, and Chriſts perſon, might make it liable to contempt: as though that we Chriſtians, by maintaining a Trinity, did alſo infer a plurality of Gods, or that Chriſt ſhould not be God, nor partake in his Fathers eſſence, becauſe it was his pleaſure to aſſume our fleſh in time, not from eternity: whereupon when hence it follows that he is no God, it may ſerve for a neceſſary conſequence, that he is not to be worſhipped, for this is due to God alone, as the fifth Article affirmeth: and God is only a Searcher of the hearts, and ſo was not Chriſt, as in the 11. Article. In the ſame manner the 6, 7, 8, 9. Articles are placed in a diametrical oppoſition to the Doctrine of Chriſt, and the whole Goſpel, intimating, that Chriſt was no true Prophet nor Teacher ſent from Heaven, becauſe his Doctrine was not delivered unto him out of Gods own mouth, as it was to Moſes, and that therefore our Saviour ſpake many things againſt the Law in his ſayings to the People, yea, was not afraid to alter many parcels thereof, which ought to have remained unchangeable. Furthermore, if it be true, that man for the integrity of his life, and tracing the way of Gods Commandements, as alſo for his owne good deeds can merit life eternal; and on the contrary, for his evil works and ungodlineſs becOms the Heir of everlaſting torments: in what reſpect, I pray thee, doth the paſſion and death of Chriſt any whit availe us? The wheele of time hath not traviſed many minutes, ſince a certaine Jew did not bluſh to affirm to my face, that he needed not any to ſatisfie for his ſin; that it is meet, every Fox ſhould give his own skin to the Currier to be pulled off, and to ſuffer his own hairs to be plucked out at his pleaſure. The tenth Article therefore, whereby we profeſſe Chriſt to be our Redeemer, is contrary to this aſſertion. Beſides this, Rambam, & the reſt of the Jewiſh Nation who had any knowledge of letters, in all their Books and Writings have no other ſcope, but to make the faith of a Chriſtian the object of ſuſpicion and contempt. Amongſt whom Rabbi Joſeph Alba, a Spaniard, challengeth the firſt place, who writ a little Book in the yeare of Christ 1425. entituled Sepher ikkarim, aaforeign liber fundamenti, contning the grounds of the Jews Religion. foreign ſig…fies a foundation with the Rabbanes. It was fi…t prined at Venice, An. D. 1425. and then at Lublin i… Poland 1567.in which he ſtoutly maintains the Jewiſh Creed for Orthodox, and ſends out at randome the fiery darts p. 13of a fiery diſputation againſt that of the Chriſtians. His Arguments are grounded upon the main Principles of the Jewiſh belief.

Firſt, upon the unity of God Eſſence, and hence he denies the Trinity, as alſo the Godhead of Chriſt.

Secondly, upon the Law of Moſeſ, which was delivered from heaven unto him by God himſelf with his own mouth: whence he rejects the Doctrine of Chriſt and the New Testament, conſequently intimating, that Chriſt was a falſe Prophet, and not the Meſſias: hence the main of the strife and Controverſies between us and the lews, lieth in theſe two points, to wit, that of the Trinity, and this concerning Chriſts perſon.

Thirdly, he eſtabliſheth his Poſitions upon the eternal reward of good works, and the endleſſe puniſhment of evil, hence deſpiſing the death and paſſion of our Saviour, which he underwent for the ſins of mankind.

Of the ſame grain is that obſcene and abominable Book, entituled Nitzachon aaNitzachon ſigniſies as much as victory from foreign natzach, to overcome, as though Sipman in this book bad triumphed over the four Evangeliſts. The cauſe of Jewiſh ſuperſtition.written by Rabbi Sipman, whoſe lines are ſuch, that without all doubt he committed this Book to writing in the year of Chriſt, 1459. as it was delivered unto him from the Devils own mouth. This piece he compoſed to falſifie the four Evangeliſts, out of which Sebaſtian Munſter, my Predeceſſour and Profeſſour of the holy tongue in this Univerſity, tranſcribed many parcels and confuted them, in his Commentary upon Saint Matthews Goſpel.

When therefore the hard hearted and hoodwinckt Jews did with might and main indeavour to denie the faith of Chriſtians and to brand it with falſhood, they ſhipwrackt upon the Rocks of Superſtition, and that in ſuch a meaſure, that they utterly did diſanull their faith in God, neither have they any knowledge to believe aright, although they proudly boast of a firm and perfect faith towards God the Creatour of heaven and earth, who is one in Eſſence from Eternity, and without end, yet ſuch a faith can never be g…aced with the Title of the true belief, when as they know not God, in whom ſo audaciouſly they pretend a confidence, after that manner, as he hath manifeſted himſelf in his word. Now the Scriptures of Moſes and the Prophets declare unto us the ſame God, that the New Teſtament p. 14propounds, though more darkly, ſhewing, that there is a Trinity in uniTy, And an unity in Trinity, to wit, God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghoſt, yet the Jews, hot without great ſcandal, denying this Attribute to the Creat…ur of heaven and earth, it neceſſarily follows, that they place no belief in the true God, but rather by a ſtupid ignorance of him and his Eſſence become the very emblemes of Idolatry.

In that they affirm, that whatſoever Moſes, or any other of the Prophets commit to writing, was altogether orthodox, and that their Text is neither to be augmented or diminiſhed: that Moſes was a great and famous Prophet, is an eſtabliſhed truth, yet we doubt not, but their underſtanding was ſubject to a monſtrous depravation in this their aſſertion.

For firſt of all, they do not onelyonly not believe what is written in Moſes and the Prophets to be true, but alſo do prefer the Expoſitions of their wiſe men and Rabbines upon the Law, and other parcels of holy Writ, before Moſes and the Prophets; yea, they eſteem more of the word of a Rabbine than of Moſes: furthermore, they account the Traditions, Statues and Ordinances, not as additions to the Law, but for the very Law it ſelf, which Moſes received from the mouth of God, and taught unto others,aaThis is the thorah begnal peh, above mentioned. yet did not put it in writing, leſt the Gentiles learning it alſo, might put it in execution; for without this Declaration, Moſes his Law can neither be underſtood nor performed, as we ſhall more at large hereafter manifeſt.

That they perſwade themſelves, that the Law was given with this condition, that nothing of it ſhould at any time be changed, they groſſely miſtake: the Ceremoniall Law ſignified Chriſt to come, which whenby his incarnation he had fulfilled, ſhortly after the holy Temple muſt kisse the ground, and embrace the duſt, the City Jeruſalem, and the holy things are utterly deſtroyed, the Jews baniſhed their own Land, and diſperſed among the Gentiles, that at laſt they might underſtand the time already come, wherein there ſhould be but one Shepherd, and one Sheepfold, and that ſeeing the Gentiles were entered into Communion with them in belief in God the Omnipotent Creatour of heaven and earth, that they were alſo made partakers of the treaſures of the Divine word, and firſt delivered to the Jews.

p. 15Likewiſe their error is inexcuſable, in making Moſes the greateſt Prophet, thence ſtriving to annihilate the worth of our Saviour, as one who is not worthy to looſe the latchet of his Shooe, but blaſphemouſly terming him a lying Doctor. Experience doth convince, that in this thing many of the Jewes have the lie caſt in their teeth by their own convicting conſcience. They believe aright, that in Moſes and other Prophets the Meſſias was promiſed; but herein their underſtanding is miſerably perverted, that they yielding to credit that he is come ſo many years agoe, are altogether ignorant for what end and purpoſe, and in what degree his …comming ſhould be beneficial unto them: for all that they expect is only this, that he, like another Moſes and Aaron, ſhould deliver them from a terreſtrial and corporal bondage, and again bring them into their own land: and to this end only, that they might no longer drink the Wine of bitterneſſe among the Gentiles, but be fed with milk and honey in the Land of Canaan. They never dream of a deliverance from the ſpiritual captivity of ſin, for they perſwade themſelves, that by pennance done in their own fleſh, they can ſatisfie for their own ſin, and by keeping of Gods▪ Com…andements, and their own good works, merit eternal life.

In the 11. Article of their Belief,Tract, Saned. cap. 11. they believe that whoſoever doth many good works ſhall obtain a great reward in the world to come. It is read in their Talmud, All Iſrael ſhall have part in the world to come: as it is written,Isa. 60. 21.Isa 60:21 All thy People ſhall be righteous, they ſhall receive the earth for an inheritance for ever, the branch of my planting, the work of my hands, that I may be glorified: Yet nevertheleſſe they ſhall not all ſhare a like. He that hath done many good deeds ſhall have a greater portion.Surely the Papiſts had their pu…gatory from hence. The wicked which never repented them of their ſins, ſhal be tormented in Hell or purgatory for the ſpace of twelve months, and after that ſhall have a portion in life everlaſting, but not ſo excellent as that of the juſt. They who utterly deny God, and profane his holy Name (of which number are all thoſe that turn to Chriſtianity) their foreskin ſhall grow again, which done, they ſhall the ſecond time be circumciſed, as though they never had beene Jewes, and ſhall remaine in Hell for ever.

p. 16The Son ſuperviving his deceaſed Father is bound for a whole year to ſay a little Prayer called kaddiſch aathat is to ſay, holy.for by the repetition of this Prayer, he ſhall deliver his dead Father out of Purgatory; ſuch an one gives up the Ghoſt with great joy and incouragement, knowing that he ſhall be delivered out of Hell by the Prayers of his Son left behind him. After the ſame manner a honeſt woman may redeem her Husband. But ſometimes it ſo falleth out that the Husband …and Wife are not equal in honeſty, and therefore it ſhould ſeem that in the world to come the one ſhould attain to a greater degree of happineſs then the other: here the Lord out of his mercy gives them both entrance together. Briefly the whole nation of the Jews ſhal be partakers of life eternal, and ſhal all aſcend into Heaven; but one ſhalbe more glorious then another. Even as a King or Duke coming into ſome great City, he & all his followers have entertainmet, but in a different faſhion; ſo ſhall it be with the Jews in the world to come.

In the Article of the Reſurrection of the Dead, they themſelves are dead: for firſt they ſay, it ſhall come to passe that only the Iſraelites ſhal be raised to life, but the Chriſtian, and all other prople ſhall perpetually ſleep in the duſt. Hence Rabbi `Bechai in his Book intitu…ed, Kadhakkemach bbforeign Cadus farinae, that is, a barrel of meale, the title taken 1. Kin▪ 17. 14 a booke containing the common places of Divinity, in folio, Printed at Venice.1 Kgs 17:14ſaith: The Jewes have a four-fold honour and priviledge above other Nations, which are theſe, the Land of Canaan, the Law, the Prophets, and the reſurrection from the dead. All theſe he repeats and proves in particular,The Jewes Beliefe concerning the reſurrection Isa. 26. 14.Isa 26:14 in his… Exposition of the 18. and 33. chapters of the fi…t Book of Moſes. For the confirmation of the laſt priviledge, he brin'gs amongſt other the teſtimony of Iſay, prophecying of the Chriſtians and other people: They are dead, Ib. v. 19.they ſhall not live. They are dead, they ſhall not riſe. And of the Iſraelites, Thy dead men ſhall live, with my dead body they ſhall ariſe, awake and ſing, you that dwell in the duſt, because your dew is as the dew of herbs, Tract. Toſch, hallchanah, or of the new year c. 1.and the Earth ſhal caſt… out, her dead.

The ſame Rabbine out of the Talmud delivers thus much, that at the great day of judgement three kinds of dead men are to ariſe: the firſt of the moſt righteous Iſraelites: the ſecond of the moſt unrighteous and ungodly: the third of a middle ſort, who did as much good as evil. The good ſhall go into life everlaſting, the wicked into Hell and fire eternal,Da…. … as it is written, Many of them that lie and ſleep in the Duſt ſhall ariſe, ſame to everlaſting life, ſome to ſhame and everlaſting contempt, From hence ſAith p. 17the Rabbine, we may infer, that even the wicked ones in Iſrael ſhall be co-partners in the reſurrection, yet ſhall this redound to their diſadvantage, ſeeing both body and ſoule ſhall together in Hell ſuffer never ceaſing torments.

They of the middle ſort ſhall be tortured for theirſ ins in purgatory, only the ſpace of twelve months, which time expired, their bodies ſhall be conſumed, and a bluſtering wind ſhall ſcatter their aſhes under the feet of the juſt: The Talmudiſt proves this out of the 13. Chapter of Zachary, the 8. and 9. verſes, for there is written: It ſhall come to paſſethat in all the land, ſaith the Lord, two parts therein ſhalbe cut off, and die, but the third part ſhall be left therein: And I will bring the third part through the fire, and refine them, as ſilver is refined, and will try them as gold it tried: and they ſhall call upon my Name, and I will hear them. I will ſay, it is my people, and they ſhall ſay, the Lord is my God. And to the ſame purpoſe it is ſpoken, 1. Sam. 2. 6. The Lord killeth and maketh alive, he bringeth downe to the grave and bringeth up. R. David Kimchi upon the firſt Psalm, ſaith, that the wicked ſhall not riſe again, but their ſouls ſhall periſh together with their bodies in the day of death: and in the ſame ſence, that a Reſurrection only belongs to the juſt and godly, in his Commentary upon the 26 chapter of the Prophecy of Eſay. Rabbi Saadiah upon the former words of the Prophet Daniel ſaith, that the term (many) deſigns a certain number, and there fore to be reſtringed to the godly in Iſrael, who alone have a portion in life eternal. Them that do not watch, he ranks in their number, who have forſaken the Lord, and t…rned Apoſtates; who for this very thing muſt be thruſt into the loweſt Chambers of the infernal pit, there for ever to be the Emblems of ignominy. To him aſſent Rabbi Higgaon, and Aben Ezra in his Book Peruſch, or Expoſition upon the fore-cited place of Daniel; commenting that as many are to watch, ſo many ſhall not watch; the watch…men ſhall have life eternal, they that do not watch, never dying reproach. The ſenſe of the words in my judgement (ſaith Aben Ezra) is this, that ſo many upright Jewes, that pay their debts to nature in the Land of their captivity, ſhall riſe again and live when the Meſſias, or Deliverer ſhall come; for of them ſpeaks the Scriptue: As the dayes of a Tree, ſo ſhall be the dayes of my people: that is,Ieſa. 65. …. as the p. 18Tree of life, as the Chaldee renders it; or as a Tree which indures for ſome hundreds of yeares doth not periſh, ſo my people ſhall remain; for they who ſhall have a part in the reſurrection at the comming of the Meſſias, ſhall be so long lived, as the Patriarchs from Adam to Noah. So much Aben Ezra upon the place. At that time they ſhall cheriſh and make themſelves merry, feaſting their carkaſſes with that great fiſh Leviathan, that huge bird Ziz, and that monſtrous Oxe Behemoth, of which more particularly hereafter. After this their jollity, death the ſecond time arreſts them, furniſhing them with beds to ſleep in till the laſt reſurrection, when they ſhall have an entrance into life eternal, where they ſhall neither hunger nor thirſt, but be ever ſatiated with the beatifical viſion of Gods glory and brightneſſe.

In the firſt Book of Moſes, the 47. Chap. it is recorded of Jacob, Gen. 47. 29. The cauſe why Jacob would not be buried in Egypt.Gen 47:29that when the time of his departure out of this Vale of tears approached, he called his Sonne Joſeph, and entreated him not to bury him in Egypt, but with his Fathers in the Land of Canaan. Rabbi Salomon Jarchi upon theſe words ſaith, that Jacob for three reaſons would not be buried in the Land of Egypt. The firſt was, becauſe he foresaw by the Spirit of Propheſie, that in time to come ſtore of lice ſhould moleſt the Land of Egypt. The ſecond, becauſe the Iſraelites, who died without the bounds of Canan, could not riſe again without a great deal of trouble, being to be hurried into the …and… of Promiſe by the hidden and deep vau…ts of the earth. The third, leſt the Egyptians, very prone unto Idolatry, might make him the Idol which they would adore. For the better underſtanding of this, I mean here to inſert what ever is written concerning it, in the book called Tanchum, which is an Expoſition of the Law of Moleſ. Rabbi Chelbo makes it a main queſtion, why the Patriarchs had ſo great a deſire to be buried in the Land of Canan: he gives himſelf a ſolution, ſaying, that they who ſhall dye in the …and… of Promiſe ſhall ri…s;e firſt at the coming of the Meſſias. Rabbi Hananiah confirms it, and ſaith, that whoſoever dying is intombed in a ſtrange Land, ſhall dye a twofold death, which is manifeſt out of the 26. chapter of Jeremy, and the 6. verſe, where it is regiſtred: Thou Paſhur, and all thy family ſhall go into captivity, thou ſhalt go to Babel, there ſhalt p. 19thou dye, and there be buried. Hereupon Rabbi Simeon objects, that, that granted, it muſt neceſſarily follow, that all the Tzaddikim aaforeign Tzaddikim. The Jews were diſſinguiſhed into three ranks 1. Chaſidim, called the Aſſidins. 2. The Tzaddikim, juſt men. 3. The Relchagnim, ungodly mentafter the captivity the Chaſidim began to be diſtinguiſhed from the Tzaddikim; theſe gave themſelves to the ſtudy of the Scripture, thus to adde to the Scripture. theſe conformed themſelves to the Law, they would be holy above the Law, and were termed by the name of good men: theſe of all others had the beſt repute and love among the people: hence the Apoſtle ill… iſtrat…th the love of Chriſt by alluion to this diſtinction, Rom. 5. 6, 7. Some peradventure would die for one of the Chaſidim, a good man, ſcarcely any for any of the Tzaddikim, a juſt man, for the Reſchagnim, or u…godly none would die, yet Chriſt died for us ſinners, Mr. Goodwin out of David Kinchi, upon Ps. 103. 17. & Pirk aboth cap. 13.Rom 5:6Rom 5:7Ps 103:17or juſt men ſhould periſh, who were not interred in the Land of Canaan. The anſwer is, that God ſhall make certain caves, and profound vaults in the earth, by which they ſhall Be brought into the land of promiſe; at their ar… vall there, God ſhall breath into them the breath of life, and give them a ſhare in the Reſurrection, as it is written,**Ezak 37. 12. I Will open your graves, and cauſe you to come up out of your graves, and bring you into the Land of Iſrael, Rabbi Simeon Ben Levi ſaith, that the Scripture ſpeaketh expreſly, that God ſhall reſtore the Jews to Life, upon the very inſtant of their return into their own Land: the place he quoteth, is Iſa. 12. v. 5. Thus ſaith the Lord God, he that created the heavens, and ſtretched them out, he that ſpread forth the earth, and that which cometh out of it, he that giveth breath unto the people upon it, and spirit to them that walk therein: This is to be underſtood of them that ſhall be carried to Sion, through the caves of the earth: That also which is read in the Chaldee Targum upon the Canticles ought to be referred to this vo…ntation: the words are theſe, Salomon the Prophet ſaith, that when the dead ſhall ariſe, the Mount Olivet ſhall cleave in the middle, and all the Iſraelites who formerly departed this life, ſhall iſſue out of it: the juſt alſo who died in baniſhment, priſon, or a ſtrange Land, being conveyed hither by hidden passages in the earth, ſhall alſo apPear. From hence we may eaſily conclude, how beliooveful the Jews think it to return into their own Land, and there be buried, and ſo eſcape the turmoyle, and trouble of ſo long a journey, under so many deep rivers and rugged mountains; and for this very end, (as I have heard out of the Jews own mouth) many of their rich ones return into the Land of Canaan at this day.

This is that perfect, firm, and well grounded faith of the Jews, in which they obſtinately perſevering make it the rock of their ſalvation, though with great anxiety and deſpair. Here we p. 20may ſee what they give to Moſes and the reſt of the Prophets and alſo what uſe theſe miſerable men make of the holy Scriptures.

Such as their faith is, ſuch are alſo their works, which they would ſeem to ſhape according to the ſtrict rule of Gods commandements. There profound Rabbins perſwade this ſimple people, the Jews, that they of the Circumciſion are Gods own choſen people, who may eaſily fulfill, not onelyonly the morall Law comprehended in the Decalogue, but the whole Law of Moſes. The Jewiſh diviſion of Moſes his Law.They divide the Law of Moſes into ſix hundred and thirteen Precepts, and again ſubdivide theſe into commanding and prohibiting Precepts: the former according to their computation are two hundred to eight, which number is (according to the Rabbins anatomy) equal to that of the members in mans body: the prohibiting Precepts are three hundred ſixty five, juſt ſo many as there are dayes in the year, or (as it is regiſtred in a book entituled Brand ſpiegel, and printed at Cracovia in the Germane tongue and Hebrew character ſome fifteen years ago) as there are vein… in mans body: hence it ſhall come to paſſe, that if a man in one of his members every day perform one of the Mandatory Precepts, and omit that which the prohibiting Precept enjoyns him to avoid, he ſhall with great facility every year, and ſo to his dying day, fulfill not onelyonly the Decalogue, but the whole Law of Moſes: this is that right ordering and keeping of their Laws; here I may counſel Iſaiah to make his complaint:Isa 24. 5.Isa 24:5 That the earth is defiled under the inhabitants thereof, becauſe they have tranſgreſſed the Laws, changed the Ordinance, broken the everlasting covenant: for Saint Stephen ſhould be ſtoned the ſecond time, if he were now alive, and ſhould reprove the Jews for this their adulterate worſhip, ſaying, You ſtiffenecked, and uncircumciſed in heart and ears, you do alwayes reſiſt the Holy Ghoſt, as your fathers did, ſo do ye, who have recived the Law by the diſpoſition of Angels, and have not kept it, &c.

The Rabbins hold on, and ſay, that men are onelyonly bound to keep thoſe ſix hundred and thirteen Precepts,Brand ſpiegelium, cap. 13. 15. but the women are freed from the obſervation of any of the firſt sort, being onelyonly tied to the obſervation of them which forbid ſomething to be done. They ſay alſo, that there are ſome Preceps, which p. 21are onelyonly to be executed by them at certain times, when their pleaſure is, and alſo others, to which they are no way ſubject, as Circumciſion, the office of the Prieſts and Levites, and ſuch like. Sometimes they may not obſerve the Commandements, becauſe of their husbands to whom they acknowledge themſelves to ow dutifull obedience, who have power over them, and oftentimes call them to the performance of other things than Gods Law, yet never by compulſion. If any one make a queſtion, to what the women are more particularly obliged? the anſwer is, that they are bound to the performance of ſixty four of the prohibiting, and thirty ſix of the Commanding precepts.

Thus do the Rabbins appoint their women their Task, which they have not alwayes leaſure to mannage, becauſe they are to keep the houſe, play the Cook, Laundreſſe, and Nurſe, and are alſo forced to do what ever. their husbands enjoin them; yet for all this, the number of the Precepts was not thought ſufficient, for the Rabbines have added ſeven more, that the ſumme ariſeth to ſix hundred and twenty, according to the number of the Letters in theaaKeter a Crown or a King, Cap, from foreign in Pihel to encompaſſe, because it encompaſſeth the head. Jer. 3325. Hebrew Decalogue, which number the Hebrew word Keter, ſignifying a Crown, comprehends, for the three radicall Letters, Caph, Thau, and Reſch make up the number, and certainty, if there were any who could fulfill the whole Law of God, he were worthy to wear the Crown of the whole world, and needfull it is, that the Law ſhould be fulfilled, for otherwiſe the world cannot ſubſiſt, as their wiſe men would perſwade us out of the words of Jeremy, If my covenant had not been with day and night, I had not made the earth, for ſo is this place perverted after a ſwiniſh manner in the forenamed book Brand ſpigelium. A Jew is as fit an Interpreter of the Scripture, as a Sow to be an Husbandman, as in rendring theſe words, that unleſſe the Law (which they call Berith, bbforeign Berith a covenant, from foreign cligere, to chuſe, becauſe the covenant was made with Gods elect, or from foreign which is clearniſse, becauſe it clears the conſcience of good men, R. Haradoſch affirms the ſame number to be contained in the word breath which in the words foreign Jeſu Mariae. This among the Kabaliſts, is no vulgar number, intimating Jeſus the Son of M…ry to be the authour of the Covenant▪that is to ſay, a covenant) had been given, I had not created the heaven and the earth, and whatſoever now hath any exiſtence, it hath it from the obſervation of the Divine Law: moreover ſay they, whoſoever keeps all these Commandements, ſets a Crown upon Gods own head, and in lieu thereof, God ſhall inveſt their forefronts with ſeven Crowns, who doe celebrate his Coronation, and ſhall make them heirs of the ſeven p. 22bed-chamber, which are in the Garden of Para diſe, and he ſhall defend them from the ſeven infernall Manſions, and they ſhall obtain ſeven heaven's and ſo many earths.

Hereupon it is recorded in that Tract of the Talmud, entituled Joma, that it was the opinion of Rabbi Eliezer, that the world was created for the ſake of one juſt man, for it is written in the firſt book of Moſes, the firſt chap. v. 31. That God ſhallman that it was good, and by this good thing is meant that good and juſt one,Isa. 3. 10.Isa 3:10 as it is written, Praiſe the juſt one, becauſe he is good, and it neceſſarily follows out of the words of Moſes, above mentioned, And God ſaw, &c. foreign or one juſt man, which was Adam, for at that inſtant there were no more in the earth, Rabbi Chaia Bar Abha is of the ſame mind, and Rabbi Jochanan confirms it out of the 25. verſe of the 10. Chapter of Solomons Proverbs, where it is written, foreign The righpeous is an everlaſting foundation.

Moreover, the wiſeſt of their Doctors write, that every vein in mans body is the ſouls pedagogue, to inſtruct it what to avoid, whereupon it ſhall be found, that if any proves diſobedient to ſuch an admonition, he ſhall be branded with this mark, that he hath not one good vein in him, Again, all the members prick a man forward to the execution of that which is commanded him, and in this manner the three hundred ſixty five prohibitory precepts are obſerved and fulfilled. O…ſerable Jew! what Chirurgion can prick that vein in thee whren hath any good…neſſe in it? or extract from thee the ſmalleſt dram of blood, which is not corrupt?

King Salomon in his Proverbs ſaith,Prov. 7. 2.Prov 7:2 Keep my Commandements, that thou mayeſt live, that is, thy veins and members ſhall become thy provocative unto goodneſſe, thou ſhalt live for ever; and David the King in the 34. Pſalm, and the 21. verſe, promiſeth, He ſhall keep all thy bones, ſo that not one of them ſhall be broken, which is, as if had ſaid, who keeps the commandements of the Lord, his bones ſhall not be broken.

Thus the poore blind doting Jews are fallen into ſuch a reprobate ſenſe, that they neither will nor can underſtand the eſſence of faith and good works, but running headlong into their obſtinate errours, perſiſt in their folly, ſo that the words of Sophonie are now verified:Soph. 3. 4.Zeph 3:4 Her Prophets are light and treachchrous p. 23perſons, her Prieſts have polluted the Sanctuary, they have done violence to the Law. Truly any one would think that they ought to be aſhamed of so groſs ignorance, by which they dilacerate the word of God in that manner, as though they had not the leaſt reliſh or ſpark of underſtanding in them: for in the confirmation and declaration of their faith ſettled upon no foundation, in the Expoſition of the holy Scripture they ſeema as ſtrangers and aliens to the word of God, who had dreamed of it about ſome thouſand years ago, and now grope after it, as the blind man gropeth the for wall in darkneſs.

I will not in this place add one word more concerning the Jewiſh beliefe and ſuperſtition, conſidering that I ſhall ſpeak more largely of it in the following Chapters, yea, more then they could wiſh ſhould be revealed. It is now ſeaſonable and expedient to ſpeak ſomething of the cauſe of their blindneſs and obſtinacy with which they are plagued, eſpecially in the reading of the Word of God.

It is apparent out the Hiſtory of the Old Teſtament,The cauſes of Jewiſh obſtinacie. The Jews always have been ſo ſtiff necked, that if once they fixed upon any opinion, that no force of Argument could inforce them to relinquiſh it: whereupon Moſes and the reſt of the Prophets ſo often reprehend them, for which many of them were perſecuted and put to death by the obſtinate Jews, who for this very cauſe are often in the new Teſtament termed, the Murtherers and Butchers of the men of God. When God had once choſen them for a peculiar people, made a Covenant with them, and for the confirmation of it, had annexed unto it the ſeal of Circumciſion as an external ſign, had delivered them out of the hands of their enemies, brought them into a Land ſurpaſſing a others, with great ſtrength and a ſtretched out arme; and alſo had given unto them by the hand of Moſes a Law according to whoſe preſcript they ought to frame their lives, acknowledge God, praiſe and exalt him they did acknowledge, even then when the whole World drencht in the Sea of Idolatry was ignorant of the true God, the Creator of Heaven and Earth; then began they to wax proud, haughty, and pu…t up, counting the Nations as dung, and with a ſupercilious ſore-front, boaſting themselves to be the h…ly and elect people of God, the Law of God and Circumciſion being the p. 24main pillars of this their oſtentation. And ſeeing they at that time actually poſſeſſed the Land of Promiſe, offered their Sacrifices, the ſum of their wants muſt be a glorying in their City, Temple, Sacrifice, and other kinds of worſh…p, for which if any one dare manage a reproof, objecting that they are not the children of Abraham, becauſe God ſhall proſligate and deſtroy them, becauſe their hearts and ears are uncircumciſed, and God ſhall again ſcatter them among the Gentiles; he ſhall upon the very inſtant be cauterized for a falſe Prohet, and a Liar, and deſtinated to the ſtake for bearing witneſſe unto the truth. Neither did they here put a period to their madneſs; they ſtand firm in their fooliſh opinions, imbracing the Covenant according to its outſide, the Law according to the letter, the ceremonies, oblations, and ſacrifices in their naked repreſentation, provoking not only the Prophets, but God himſelf, never regarding whether or no any true knowledge, fear, or reverence of his Majeſty was implanted in their hearts. For the attempting of theſe enormities the Lord conceives heavy diſpleaſure againſt Iſrael,Esa. 1. 4.Isa 1:4 terms them a ſinfull Nation laden with iniquity, a ſeed of evil doers, children that are corrupters, which had forſaken the Lord, and provoked the holy one in Iſrael, and gone away backward, whoſe hearts were obſtinate, their neck an iron ſinew;Esa. 48. 4.Isa 48:4 and their brow braſſe: Tranſgreſſors from their Mothers womb,Ezek. 2. 4.Ezek 2:4 whoſe birth and nativity is the Land of Canaan, Ezek. 16.Ezek 16their Father an Amorite, and their Mother a Hittite; a people rejected and accurſed, as Moſes witneſſeth. He threatens them to bani…h them out of their own Land, and to carry them into a Land which neither they nor their Fathers had known; there alſo, that they ſhall taſt of his fury, be ſlaves to their enemies, and to make their City and Temple, in which they ſo much rejoyced, like unto Shiloe, Laſtly, ſpeaking to Eſay the Prophet,Eſa. 6. 10.Isa 6:10 he ſaith: Make the heart of this peole fat, and make their ears heavy, and ſhut their eyes, leſt they ſee with their eyespuch; and heare with their ears, and underſtand with their heart, and convert and be healed. After the ſame manner God denounceth againſt them by Moſes, Deur. 28. 15. 28 29.ſaying: it ſhall come to paſſe, that if thou wilt not hearken unto the voyce of the lord thy God, to obſerve to do all his Commandements and his Statutes, which l command thee this day, that all theſe curſes ſhall come upon thee and p. 25overtake thee: The Lord ſhall ſinite thee with madneſs and blindneſſe of heart. Thou ſhalt grope at noon day, as the blind gropeth in darkneſs, and thou ſhalt not proſPer in thy wayes, thou ſhalt be only oppreſſed and ſpoyled evermore, and none ſhall save thee

The fundamental then and prime cauſe of the blindneſs and obſtinacy of the Jews,The cauſe of Jewiſh obtinacy. is the juſt judgement of God upon them for their ſins, and the puniſhment due unto the ſame, which came upon them, becauſe they heaRkened not unto his voice, worſhipping him with their mouth, and with their lips drawing near unto him, but in their hearts being far from him,Eſay 29▪ 18.Isa 29:18 their ſervice towards him conſiſting only in the commandements of of men, as the Prophet Eſay complains. By which we may perceive, that they soon left off to trace the way of Gods Commandements, ſetling themſelves upon their own carnal wiſdome, upon the ſublime perſpicuity of their Doctors, who after Ezra were called Scribes, as upon a new foundation, accounting Their Expoſitions, Ordinances, Laws, and Inſtitutions to be of far more worth, then the Doctrine of the Prophets: againſt which the Prophets oftentimes declaimed, but to little purpoſe. What theſe Commandements are, which they eſteem more then the word of God, our Saviour Christ teacheth us in the new Teſtament,Mark 7. Mat. 5.Mark 7Matt 5 when the Jewes reprehend him that his Diſciples walked not according to the tradition of the Elders, which were of waſhing hands, cups, pots, brazen veſſels and tables, and innumerable fopperies of the ſame ſort, by which they make the word of God of none effect, but only ſtrive to fulfill the inventions of their Anceſtors.

Now in the laſt place, ſeeing theſe their Traditions which Chriſt pointed out unto us, are at this day accurately kept and obſerved of the Jews, ſeriouſly alſo deſcribed in their Cannon La. and celeſiaſtical and moral conſtitutions, part of which I have decreed to lay open in the following diſcourſe; I think it here convenient to ſearch out the grounds and reaſons which might th…n, and at this day doth induce them to prefer the Ordinances of men before Gods Commondements, caſting them headlong into the darkneſs of Superſtitlon, ſo blinding their underſtanding, that they cannot poſſibly find out the trUe meaning of the holy Scripture.

We read in the Preface of that learned man Rabbi Moſche p. 26Mikkotzi, called Hakdamah (who writ a Book and Expoſition upon three hundred and thirteen of Gods Commandements, which he entituled, Sepher mitzuos gadol, that is, the great Book of the Commandements, in the year of Chriſt 1236. and publiſhed it at Toledo in Spain, where the Jewes then had a moſt flouriſhing Schoole, the Students therein being in number twelve thouſands, as he witneſſeth in his hundred and twelfth Prohibitory precept.) that the written Law which God delivered unto Moſes in Mount Sinai, is obſcure and difficult, firſt, becauſe it contradicts is ſelfe. Secondly, becauſe it is imperfect, and therefore all things neceſſary to be known, are not there ſet down: wherupon it is needful ſome certain Expoſition ſhould be framed, by whoſe plūmet every one might dive into the genuine ſence of the written Law, & groū d theron as a firm foundation.

That the Law of Moſes contradicts it ſelfe, there are many inſtances.We read Exod. 12. 15. For ſevean dayes thou ſhalt eat unleavened bread; but Deut. 16. 8. Six dayes thou ſhalt eat unleavened bread: againe verſ. 9. Seven weeks thou ſhalt number unto thee, which make only forty nine days: but in the 23. of Leviticus and the 16. it is read, Ʋnto the morrow after the ſeventh Sabbath ſhall you number fifty dayes. In the 16. of Deuteronomy verſ. 2. it is ſaid, Thou ſhalt ſacrifice the Paſſover unto the Lord, of the Flock and of the Heard; contrary to this …xod. 12. 5. Your Lamb ſhall be without blemiſh, a male of the firſt year, you ſhall take out from the ſheep or from the Goats. Again, Deut. 15. 19. All the firſtling males that come of thy Heard and of thy Flock, thou ſhalt ſanctifie unto the Lord thy God; but in the 27. of Leviticus verſ. 26. The firſtling of the Beaſts, which ſhould be the Lords firſtling, no man ſhall ſanctifie it, whether it be Oxe or Sheep, it is the Lords. Laſtly, Exod. 19. it is written, The third day the Lord will come down in the ſight of all the People upon Mount Sinai: But Exod. 20. 22. it is ſaid, You have ſeen that I have talked with you from Heaven. Theſe and ſuch like contradictions are every where obvious in the Law of Moſes, and cannot out of it be reconciled.

In the ſecond place we may with great facility prove the imperfection of this Law; for who ſhall teach unto us the Notes of birds and other creatures? who ſhall inſtruct us what fat is permitted unto us, what prohibited? to what height the Tabernacle p. 27is to be reared up, & after what figure to be built? whether circumciſion is barely to be adminiſtred, or priah aaSee the Expoſition of this word in the Chapter of circum iſion:ſome other thing to be added? or how the writing called Mezuzah bbThe Expoſition alſo of this word ſhall follow in its due place., which is to be faſtened to the door poſts, and of which mention is made, Deut. 6. is to be indited? as alſo, whether it ſhould be placed upon the right hand or the left, upon the top, or Threſhould of the Gate? Furthermore, who can reckon up all the kindes of licenſed and prohihited meats? who can ſhew unto us the difference to be had in boyling milk and fleſh? how the dead and Leapers are to be handled, as alſo dead Beaſts, that we may not be polluted by touching of them? who can teach us the nature and property of the Maſorah ccMaſorah is that critical doctrine invented of the ancient Hebrews, for the clearing of the Hebr. text, whereby they ſummed up the verſes, words, and letters in it, to this end, that every one might learne to read it aright, & it alſo might for over be preſerved from corruption. Elias Levita Prefat. 3. lib. ſui maſoreth. The word is derived from foreign tradere, which is to deliver: ſo that Maſorah ſignifies as much as a doctrine delivered by hand or mouth unto another. Buxtorf Com. Maſor. cap. 1.of Points or Accents, as alſo of the Letters, of which ſome are lifted up above the words, ſome inverted? who can give us a true expoſition of all theſe things? It muſt then irrefragably follow, that a Commentary on the written word is neceſſary, out of which we may learn, and be inſtructed in all theſe points. So much the fore-named Rabbine.

This is the very means and plot, wherby the Divel firſt of all seduced the Jews to forſake the Word of God, and after his magiſteriall manner compelled them to imbrace the Traditions of men, and that with ſuch a tenacious graſp, that neither Eſay, Chriſt, nor any other to this very day could by any means unclaſp their arms. Go to then, my prudent and skilfull Rabbine, where ſhall we find a true Expoſition of the written Word? In Weckers Books of Secrets? no verily: In Reuchlines Caballiſtical Art? no ſuch matter: or laſtly, in Marcolfus? much leſs; but read the holy Talmud and there you may find it.

But from whence I pray thee was this Talmud ſent unto us, that I ſhould give ſo much credit unto it, as to make it the Interpreter and Expounder of Moſes his Law? Thou wilt anſwer; that Moſes our Maſter and Prophet brought it together with the written Word from mount Sinai: for thinkeſt thou thou doting Gentile, that when Moſes ſtayd forty days & forty nights upon Mount Sinai, he was ſet to keep Geeſe? Could not God in the ſpace of one houre have given him the two Tables in which he had written his Law, and ſo ſent him a Packing to have prevented the Iſraelites in making of their Golden Calfe? There was ſome thing more in the wind; for God brought p. 28Moſes into his own School, and there firſt gave him the written Law,Rabbi Eliezer cap. 40. then expounded the ſame unto him, in that time which he ſpent in the mountain, expreſſing to the life the cauſe, meaſure, foundation, and meaning of every Commandement, which Declaration finiſhed,Deut. 4 14. Rabbi Aben Ezra. R Salomon Jarchi, R. Bechai and others on this place.Deut 4:14 he bids him depart the Mountain, and relate all that he had heard to the children of Iſrael, as it is written, At the ſame time the Lord commanded me, that I ſhould teach you Statutes and Judgements.

Theſe Statutes and Judgements were that Thorah begnal peh, that Law delivered by Mouth to Moſes, which he taught Joſhuah, and Joſhuah the ſeventy two Elders, and by them was derived to Zachary, and Malachy the laſt of the Prophets, from whom that great Councel, the Sanhedrim, received it, and from that time forward it was deliver'd from one unto another, in the ſame manner that every one had learned it from his Grandfather or Grandmother. But how could Moſes know, when either it was day or night? Rabbi Bechai, Exod 34. makes anſwer, that upon the day time Moſes received the written Law, upon the night that which was delivered by mouth unto him; a Doctourlike anſwer; for if it had been night, he could not have writ, and becauſe there was never a Chandler in the Mountain Sinai to furniſh him with Candles, he could not have had the uſe of them, if he had desired it.

But what ſhould be the cauſe that this Expoſition was onelyonly delivered by mouth▪ and not in writing? Rabbi Moſche Mikkotzi, makes anſwer; that God did it to this end, that the Gentiles ſhould not corrupt this Expoſition, as they had corrupted the written word, therefore in the day of Judgement, when both Jews and Gentiles ſhall ſtand before Gods Tribunall, they ſhall both bring with them, and preſent the written Law, hence calling themſelves the Sons of God; then ſhall the Lord make a further enquiry, and ſay; which of you hath the Declaration of the Law given by mouth, in Mount Sinai? which none but the Iſraelites ſhall know of, or can produce.

To the purpoſe then, when there was no more any viſion, and prophecies had ceaſed in Iſrael, God ſtirred up the wiſeſt among the people, who had been the Schollers of the Prophets, for this end, that they might inſtitute good Ordinances among the Iſraelites, rightly teach and propagate the Law, p. 29which they did, as alſo their ſucceſſours to this very day.

Theſe men made it a Statute in Iſrael, that the name of God, moſt worthy of praiſe, ſhould be bleſſed every day, at the riſing and ſetting of the Sunne.

They ordained alſo eighteen laudatory petitions, in which every Morning and Evening we praiſe God, and beg of him that he would beſtow upon us all things neceſſary for us, that we might rightly fear him, as grace, wiſdome and underſtanding, that he would vouchſafe to heal all our infirmities, gather us together again thus diſpersed, to puniſh the wicked,**That is, the Chriſtians. to break their horn and power in pieces, but to exalt the horns of the godly and righteous**They mean … the Jews. to bu…ld up Jeruſalem, and to reſtore again the Kingdome and houſe of David.

Moreover, they ordained Grace before and after meat, to welcome the New Moon with joy and gladneſſe, to pray at the sight of the Rainbow, and noiſe of Thunder.

Again, that in every City ſome certain Schools ſhould be opened, and furniſhed with ſufficient and able men for Maſters and inſtructors, who might bring up the children of the Jews … the Law of Moſes.

That the Law of Moſes ſhould be weekly read in theſe their Schools, leſt the children of Iſrael ſhould forget it.

That the Iſraelites ſhould not eat nor drink with any people of the earth, except the Chriſtians, but to flie their meat, as a dog or a ſnake, in imitation of Daniel the Prophet,Dansi 1.8. … of whom it is recorded, that he pur poſed in his heart, that he would not defile himſelf with the portion of the Kings meat, nor the wine which he drank

Secondly, when the City Jeruſalem was taken, the Temple laid waſt the Jews overcome, led captive, and no end of their miſery and bondage could be expected, behold, God was ſo bountifull to Rabbi Juda Hannafi (who was the very pattern of humility, piety, and ſanctity, that thence he was called Rabbenu hakkadoſch, our great Maſter) that he found ſo much grace and favour in the eyes of Antoninus the Emperour, (whoſe favourite he was) that by his permiſſion he called a Councel of the moſt learned of the Iews, out of every quarter of the Empire, who might conſult and find out the means how that their Law might be kept ſafe, and not periſh utterly, p. 30while the misforTune of the Jews might daily encreaſe, their Learned Doctours be either killed, or ſent into exile. The conſultation came to this iſſue, that a conſideration had of the great calamity the Jews were in, being diſpersed over the face of the earth, and again, ſeeing it was not unlawfull to commend their Kabala aaforeign Kabalah, from foreign lo receive the myſticall Dvinity of the Jews, a Doct…ine delivered by word of mouth, and ſo received concerning the hidden myſteries of the Law of God There are two parts of it, the firſt foreign ſpeculative: the ſecond foreign practick, which hath alſo three parts, Gematria, Notarikon, Temurah: Gematria, is a word corrupted from the Greek foreign, ſo called, becauſe it conſiders a word according to the number, which the Letters thereof contain, and is that part of the Kabala, whereby divers words containing the ſame number may one be explained by another; for example, it is written, Abac. he 3. 2. In anger remember foreign mercy, foreign in numbers makes 248, ſo much alſo, foreign as though he bad ſaid; in mercy remember Abraham and the Covenant made with him. Notarikon, a word corrupted from the Latines notatio…, is that part of the Kabala, which conſiders the Letters of every ſignificative word, as they note out others in particular, ſo the name' foreign Machabeus notes out the following words, foreign Who is like unto thee among the gods, O Lord, Exod. 15. 11. the name Adam notes, foreign duſt, blo…d, and gall, duſt in reſpect of corruptibility, blood in reſpect of his vitality, gall in reſpect of bis calamity: or as Saint Cyprian, the name foreign notes out the four parts of the world, which he was toreplenish, foreign the north, foreign the weſt, a. foreign the eaſt, foreign the ſouth. Temurah, the third part of the Kabala, from foreign mutare to change, when one or moe words by the tranſpoſition of the Letters are invertea, & ſignifie divers things; for example foreign anahtema, is made by a Metatheſis, foreign miſericordia mercy; as alſo that ſymbolicall word foreign deſigning 248. the number of the members of mans body, intimating unto us, that if the accynſed repent, mercy follows, if not, the curſe enters into all his members, and deſtroys the whole man, Reuchlin lib. 3. Cabalae, See Buxcorf. abbrev. p, 56, 57, 58Exod 15:11unto writing, that this ſame Rabbine ſhould gather together in one book what ever parcell of this Law delivered by mouth, remained in memory, either before or after Chriſts time.

This book he entituled Miſchna, bbfrom foreign ſhanah, which is to repea or reiterate.that is a, ſecond Law, in Greek called foreign, it contains ſix Principal Chapters, which are again ſubdivided into ſixty peculiar Sections or Tracts. Thus much Rabbi Mikkotzi.

In theſe Sections are contained in ſhort, injunctions, concluſions, poſitions, and aphoriſmes, the Traditions and Ordinances of their Elders, according to whoſe Rule the Jewiſh Synagogue was then, and now ought to ſquare their lives, againſt which, Chriſt, the Evangeliſts, and Apoſtles preached and taught, yea Iſa. also, when he calls their Doctrine the Commandements of men.

This book in the year of Chriſt 219. being confirmed as abſolute p. 31and Orthodox, was received and approved by the whole Synagogue of the Iews, who alſo enacted, that the Jews then living, and all their poſterity ſhould live according to the tenour of it, which they do even to this day, as it is clearly manifeſt by the Hebrew Chronicle, called Tzemach David.aaGermen Davidis, the flour and offſpring of David, a chronicle from the beginning of the world, to the year 1592, the authour ſayes it was printed at Prague in 4. 1592. Talmud Hieroſolymitanum.

Some few years after aroſe Rabbi Iochanan, who was Rector of the University of Ieruſalem, for the ſpace of fourſcore years, he enlarged the foreſaid book, and called it Talmud Hieroſolymitanum, or the Talmud of Ieruſalem, which book ſeemed ſo obſcure, difficult, and hard to be underſtood, that few cared for the reading of it, neither was it in ſo great eſteem as the former, neither is unto this day, and becauſe this book Miſchuaios, was written in a decurtate and different dialect, Rabbi Aſſe, Rector of the ſame Univerſity after him, began to explain it for his School lectures, and every year ranne over two Tracts thereof, in this whole time of his profeſſion, which was threeſcore years, two times finiſhing his expoſition. In writing he onelyonly finiſhed thirty five Tracts, as Rambam witneſſeth in his Preface to the book called Zeraim, he began to profeſſe in the year of Chriſt 3670

Next after him, in the year 427. ſucceeded Maremar in the Rectorſhip, to whom Rab. Aſſe, ſon to the former, joyned himſelf, they two finiſhed that, which Rabbi Aſſe, the father had left imperfect, ſo that the book Miſchuaios, was now altogether compleat; that which was added, they called Gemarah foreign bbfrom foreign discere? to learn▪ for the pe…fection of any thing is from learning and knowledge. Talmud Babylonicum.which ſignifies a complement, or perfection, which together with Miſchuaios, made up the whole Talmud: theſe two ſpent ſeventy three years in the conſummation of their labours, ſo that the body of the Talmud, was perfected, received and acknowledged for authentick in the year of Chriſt 500. being called the Babylonian Talmud, which to this day is a rule and ſquare unto the Jews, both in their Eccleſiaſticall and civil affairs.

This is that glorious veſtment of Jacobs poſterity, that precious treaſure, of which they are the keepers, delivered unto them by hear… ſay, this is their genuine Peraſch ccforeign acommentary, from foreign explica…e to expound. Malach, 2 3.or Expóſition (yea rather, as Malachi, foreign dying upon your faces) out of which the doubtfull places above mentioned, may fully be reſolved: this is that Thorah begnal peh, the Law p. 32of words of greater eſteem with them then that which was written, ſeeing this without that can by no means be underſtood. Now becauſe the main of their folly is not known to many of the Chriſtian World, I wil here adde what I have tranſcribed out of their own books.

Aben Ezra in his Proem upon the Pentateuch hath theſe words: This is moſt infallible ſign unto us, that Moſes grounded upon the Law delivered only by word unto him, and expreſſed in the Talmud, which Talmud is the joy and conſolation of our hearts. There is alſo no difference betwixt Law and Law, being both delivered unto us by our Anceſtors. And in another place he writes many things to the ſame purpoſe, affirming it to be impoſſible to come by any expoſition agreeable to the nature and proprietie of the Commandements of the Law, unleſſe we lay for our foundation thoſe things which our Wiſe-men, and Rabbines have ſpoke and written. Hence we may conclude, that the faith of the Jews is not grounded upon Moſes, but upon the Expoſitions of their owne Doctors, which muſt interpret the former, as a ſure foundation of it: as it is further confirmed in the Book Ammude Golah, called alſo Semak or Sepher mitzvos katon: that is, the little book of the Commandements,pag. 39. printed at Cremona in Italy, in the year of Chriſt 1556. The words are theſe: Thou ſhalt not think that the written word is the Groundwork, for much rather the Law delivered by mouth only, which is the Talmud, is the true foundation. And according to this Law, God made a Covenant with Iſrael, as it is written Exod. 34. 27. and theſe words are Gods Treaſure, for God fore-ſaw that the Iſraelites in time to come ſhould be caſt out into exile: and becauſe the people of the Land in which they were ſtrangers would copy out & interpret their Books, as they did the written Word, God would not have this to fall under the Pen of the Scribe; and although in proceſſe of time it came to paſſe, that this was alſo written, yet the Chriſtians could not comprehend the true ſence thereof, by reaſon of its difficulty, and becauſe the interpretation thereof requires an acute and ſublime underſtanding, as it is written: I have written unto him the great things of my Law, Hoſ. 8▪ 12.Hos 8:12but they were accounted as a ſtrange thing: yet if Rabbi Iſaac Ben Joſeph had not been hood-winkt in ſuperſtition, he might have had p. 33the eyes of his underſtanding ſo much illuminated, as to have perceived that place of Hoſea to point at the written word; and that this Law was not, as he complains, vilified and had in contempt by the Gentiles, but even by the Jewes themſelves, who had ſo debaſed it, that it ſeemed …nto them as an ucouth and unknown thing: as it came to paſſe in the dayes of Joſiah the King, in which the Book of the Law was for a long time loſt, and being found again by Hilkiah the High Prieſt, was accounted a rare and ſtrange novelty,2 Kings 32. as it is regiſtred in the ſecond Book of Kings.

It muſt alſo follow (ſay they) that the words of Moſes above mentioned,Secundum os horum verborum. according to the tenor of theſe words, muſt, the jews being commentators, be thus underſtood, according to the words which were heard and received out of the mouth of God; & the ſenſe muſt be, that God made a Covenant with Iſrael, not according to the written but unwritten Law: which interpretation we find in the Talmud, for in the Book Tauchum in the Section Elle Toledos Noach, which begins at the 9. verſe of the 6. Chapter of Geneſis, we find it thus written: Our Wiſe-men ſay that God did not write foreign Horum verborum gratia, for theſe words, but foreign Secundum os horum verborum, according to theſe words which were delivered by mouth only, not in writing have I made a Covenant with Iſrael. And ſuch are the words of the Talmud, which is harſh and difficult to them that would learn it, and therefore likened to darkneſs, Eſay the ninth and ſecond where the words are. The people that ſate in darkneſs have ſeen a great light: that is, they who are much converſant in the ſtudy of the Talmud, ſee great light, for God inlightens their eyes to ſee how to behave themſelves, in reſpect of things permitted and not permitted, clean and unclean, which are not expreſſed to the full in the written Law.

A little after we read, that by reaſon of this Covenant the World ſubſiſts, becauſe God created the day and night unto this end, that the Iſraelites might learn the Law of Tradition, or the Talmud by the benefit of them, and ſo ſoon as they ceaſe to ſtudy their Talmud, day and night ſhall be no more. Hereupon ſaith Jeremy, If my Covenant be not with day and night, jer. 33. 2….and if I have not appointed the Ordinances of Heaven and Earth. p. 34And what is this Covenant? The Talmud ſaith, the Jew; and for this reaſon Jeremy a little before ſaith, Thus ſaith the Lord, if you can break my Covenant of the day, and my covenant of the night (that is, when you will no longer learn and obſerve the Talmud) then may alſo my Covenant be broken with David my ſervant. Hereupon David ſaith, in the Law of the Lord is his delight; in his Law (that is the Talmud) will he meditate day and night: Pſal. 1. 2.Ps 1:2Yea, God himſelfe hath alſo made a Covenant with Iſrael, that this unwritten Law ſhould never be ſubject to oblivion, as it is written, I, ſaith tho Lord, will make with them this Covenant▪ my Spirit which ſhal come upon thee, and the words that I have put into thy mouth, ſhall never depart out of thy mouth, nor out of the mouth of thy children from this time for ever. Here it is not written, ſaith the Jew, from thee, but, out of thy mouth, that we might underſtand the unwritten Law here to be meant, for the learning of which God hath placed the day and the night, as two common Schools. Hitherto Tanchum.

Moreover, we read in the Sermons of Rabbi Bechai, which booke he intitles,1 King. 17. 14.1 Kgs 17:14 Cad hakkemach, a Barrel of Meale, in that the ſix parts of the Talmud make up the Law of Tradition, which is the proper foundation of the written Word, conſidering that this without that can neither be profitably expounded nor underſtood. Hereupon in that Tract of the Talmud called Bava meziah it is read, that to ſtudy and read the Scriptures is profit and no profit, to wit, a ſmall profit, and not to be regarded. But to learn the Talmud is an exerciſe worthy of a Salary, and the workman ſhall ſurely receive it: To commit unto memory the Gemarah, which is the upſhot of the Talmud is such a ſurpaſſing vertue, that it admits not of an equal. And this is the cauſe, that the Jewiſh Rabbines and Doctors are better verſed in the Talmud then the Bible.

I am now perſwaded, that I have given a full demonſtration of the ground of the Jewiſh faith, that it is not Moſes, but the Talmud, that joy of their hearts, and marrow of their bones; which may put a period to the admiration of any who wonders at their blindneſs and ſuperſtition, and they have forſaken the way of divine truth, with a light heeled wantonneſs, following the footſteps of their Anceſtors in the way of lying.

When therfore the Divel, that Father of lies, for his recreation p. 35would play a game at Tick Tack with the Jews, the Law of Moſes being their ſtake; he by cogging got the dice of them, and would not give over till he had got the double point, when he inſpired into them this heart pleaſing conſequence: Seeing the Talmud is the maſter point, the true ground, the right line, according to which the written Word ought to be meaſured, cut out, ſquared, and divided, it muſt of neceſſity follow, that the Doctrine of all the Rabbins ſhould be conformable unto it, & as the Talmud is ſo true that it cannot be blemiſhed with the leaſt falſhood, ſo is every thing that the Rabbines do either write or teach. Now that this after game or conſequence did above all meaſure poſſeſſe the Rabbines (who are ſuch greedy hunters after glory, that God and all the Prophets ſhall be tainted with a lie, before they miſs this their prey) is apparent out of their following proud Luciferous ſpeeches.

Rabbi Iſaac, Pag. 23. col 10 Candelabrum Lucis. Ir is a Commentary upon the Law writ an. Dom. 1470.who died in Portugal in the year of Chriſt 1493. in his Book Menoras hammaor (a) hath theſe words: all that our Rabbines have taught or spoken, either in their Sermons or in their myſtical and allegorical Explications, we believe as firmly as the Law of Moſes. In which if any thing be found ſmelling of an hyperbole, or ſeeming clean contrary to nature, and too high for the ſensible faculty of any mortal, we ought to ascribe it not to their words, but to the defect of our underſtanding; and although their ſtrains be high and lofty, and they ſeem to preſent unto our view things incredible,Tract de Sab. c. 2. yet if we rightly ballance them, the truth will caſt the Scales. As for example, we read in the Talmud, that a Rabbine upon a certain time preached that the dayes ſhall come in which a Woman ſhould every day bring forth,Jer. 31. 7.Jer 31:7 grounding upon that Text, ſhe conceived and preſently brought forth; by preſently, underſtanding dayly, which when ſome understood not, they flouted the Rabbine, and expoſed him to contempt. The Rabbine perceiving it, anſwered, that he ſpoke not after the vulgar faſhion of a naturall woman, but of an Hen that dayly layd an Egge: an handſom put off indeed.

In the ſame place it is written; all their words are the words of the living God,Ib. col. 2. neither ſhall any of them fall in vain unto the earth, whereupon it is our bounden duty to believe what ever is extant in their name, for it is the truth: neither let any p. 36deride them not in his heart, for so doing he ſhall not eſcape unpuniſhed: let every one then take warning, that he ſpeak not any thing ſcandalous either to the perſon or attempts of theſe men, but rather to endeavour to learn ſo much as he can poſſible out of their writings. To the ſame purpoſe it is recorded in a book printed in the Germane tongue, and Hebrew Letter at Cracovia, in Poland, Anno Dom. 1597. called Brand ſpiegelium, in the hinder end of the 48. Chapter; that the Jews are bound to ſay Amen, not only at the end of their prayers, but to every Sermon and Expoſition upon the word of God, in which lie hidden and profound myſteries ſhaped to the vulgar apprehenſion, that by this they might ſignifie and acknowledge that they believe whatſoever their Rabbines, or wiſe men have ſpoken, as it is written in the Prophet Iſa. Open your ſelves, O ye gates, for the people cometh, who keepeth Juſtice, that is, a people who ſaying Amen, believes all things that the wiſe men and Rabbines have written, but if any mans underſtanding be encompaſſed with such Egyptian darkneſſe, that he cannot comprehend the aggados or expoſitions, yet he ought to believe them; for the words of our Doctours are not wind, but truth it ſelf. Aggadah is a myſticall or hidden ſpeech, by which hidden matters and things of great moment are ſignified; the word it ſelf by a certain Metatheſis, is the same with Deagah, which ſignifies poverty and grief, because a man macerates and tortures himſelf after an uncouth manner, before he can rightly underſtand the forementioned Aggadah.

Hitherto pertains that which is every where extant in the Talmnd, to wit, that when two Rabbines are at contention, the one affirming the other denying, none ought to contradict them, becauſe both their Poſitious are grounded upon the Kabala, which Moſes brought with him from Mount Sinai, and although the one could not rightly underſtandd it, yet it is not to be imputed unto him, for both of them know the reaſon why they thus ſpeak, ſeeing the words of the one as well as the other, are the words of the living God. It is alſo a Catholick rule in the book of the Rabbines: Rather keep in mind the ſayings of the Scribes, than them of the Law of Moſes, concluding from hence, that the writings and inſtructions of the Rabbines are of greater authority, than Moſes and the Prophets.

p. 37Luther in his book,In victoria contra Judaeos. which he writ upon Shem hamphoraſch, aaSchem Hamphoraſch, nomen e…poſitum, the expounded name of God, to wit, Jehovah, the proper name of God, taken from his Eſsence, derived from foreign hajah, which ſignifies to be or exiſt in, no…ing that God is from everlaſting to everlaſting. by this name they ſay, Moſes & Chriſt did all their miracles. This they hold unlawfull to be pronounced, unleſſe it be upon ſome great Feſtivalls, reading for it the name foreign Adanai, or elſe repeating it by Periphraſis, or circumlocution which I find two fold, in Pet. Galatinus in his Book dearcanis Catholicae veritatis, the 11. & 12.c. The firſt conſiſts of twelve Letters, foreign which is, the Father, Son and holy Ghoſt. the ſeconnd conſiſts of fourty two Letters foreign which is, the Fathe is God the Son God▪. the Holy Ghoſt is God. yet are they not three Go…, but one God. Rabbi B…chai ſaith, this bis Expoſition is taken out of the firſt and ſecond verſis of the fi…ſt Chapter of Geneſis, beginning at the Letter foreign which is the firſt Letter of foreign in the firſt verſe, and ending at foreign the firſt Letter of foreign in the ſecond.comments in this manner, concerning the authority and credit given to the Rabbines and their writings. The Jews ſay, that they ought to believe that Rabbines, though they ſhould affirm thè left hand to be the right, and the light hand to be the left, as Purchetus teſtifies After the ſame manner three Jews who kept me company, dealt with me when I urged any thing out of the Bible, then would they object, that they were bound to believe their Rabbines, and were not tied to the Scripture, whence I perſwade my ſelf, Purchetus ſaid nothing but truth, ſeeing mine own experience taught me the ſame.

Luther was not too blame, being guided by his own experience to believe Purchetus; to make it more manifeſt, I will produce their own words.

Raſchi, or Rabbi Salomon Jarchi, upon thoſe words, Deut, 17. and 11 According to the Sentence of the Law, which they ſhall teach thee, and according to the Iudgements which they ſhall tell thee, thou ſhalt do, thou ſhalt not decline from the Sentence which they ſhall ſhew thee, to the right hand, nor nor to the left, hath this gloſſe, when he ſaith unto thee, of thy right hand, that it is the left, and of the left hand, that it is the right, thou muſt believe it as a truth, how much more, if he ſay thy right hand is thy right, and thy left hand thy left?

The like we find in Rabbi Bechai, his Commentary upon the foresaid words, who brings in Ramban, or R. Moſche Ben Nachman, telling his tale in theſe terms. Upon a time there came a certain Gentile unto that mirrour of Learning, Don Shammai, and asked him how many Laws or Commandements have you …ews among you? to whom Shammai made anſwer, our Laws are onelyonly two, the one written, the other delivered by mouth. Then the Gentile replyed, I believe as fully as thou doſt, that written Law to be true, and whatſoever is contained therein to be nothing but the truth, but as for thy Law of Tradition, I cannot embrace it, neither account it for a Law, but p. 38go to, make me a Jew, be my Shoolmaſter, & teach me in this Law, which words poſſeſſed Schammai with ſuch a fury, that he thruſt him from him and commanded him to depart the place; then the Gentile came to Hillel the elder, Schammai's copartner in office, (for they two were joynt Rectors, and lived but a ſmall time before Chriſts incarnation) whom he queſtions in the ſame manner, entreating him withall, that he would vouchſafe to make him a Jew, which Hillel did, and inſtructed him in the Jewiſh Religion. The day following, Hillel ſaith unto him, pronounce Aleph, Beth, Gimel, Daleth, which he did, according as Hillel mouthed them unto him: the day following, Hillel inverting the Alphabet, ſaith unto him, pronounce Daleth▪ Gimel, Beth, Aleph, then the Gentile replyed, Rabbi, this is not the Leſſon thou taughtſt me yeſterday; then anſwered Hillel, thou doſt not onelyonly reject me thy instructor, but also feareſt not to yield no credit unto my words, therefore thou oughteſt to reſt thy ſelf contented in the unwritten word, and to believe all thoſe things, which are taught therein.Cap. 2. This Story is regiſtred in the Talmud Tract de Sabbatho.

Hence may we conclude, that every one ſimply without conſideration or contradiction, ſhould believe not onelyonly the Jewiſh Law of Tradition, but whatſoever the RabbiNes according to the preſcript of the ſame Law write and teach, and that whoſoever doth this, is to be eſteemed a Jew indeed, whoſoever is refractory and diſobedient, the moſt grievous torments in hell ſhall be his portion,Tract Cittin cap. 5. concerning which thing we read this Decree and Sentence of the Senate, in the Tract entituled de libello repudii, or Letter of Divorce, in theſe words, Mar. Tract. Erubhin, cap. 2…ſaith, Whoſoever ſhall deride or contemne what our wiſmen and Rabbines have spoken, he ſhall be puniſhed in hot boyling pitch, and that in hell, as they blaſphemouſly affirm Chriſt our Saviour and Redeemer to be tormented, becauſe he walked not according to the traditions, ordinances and Doctrines of their anceſtours, but rejected them as a thing deſpifed. This puniſhment is alſo regiſtred in another Tract of the Talmud, E…ubh…n c. 2. pag. 22. Col. 1. pag. 32.Col 1and more at large expounded in a book called Menneras Hammaor, and expreſly ſet down in the book Beth Iaacob, but in the Talmud printed at Baſile it is left out, and not without good reason, as alſo many other blaſphemous paſſages, written againſt Chriſt and Chriſtian Religion.

p. 39That Canon of the Rabbins appertains alſo unto the ſame thing. Whoſoever tranſgreſſeth any thing that our Wiſemen have ſpoken, he is liable to death: as it is written, who ſo breaketh an hedge, a Serpent ſhall bite him. Thou muſt here underſtand,Eccl: 10. 8. thou Chriſtian, that this is as the hedge of Traditions, and Ordinances, wherewith the Jewiſh Rabbines have encompaſſed the Law of God. That we may avoid the above mentioned puniſhment, theſe Doctors give us this admonition: My Son, remember that a far greater care is to be had of the ſayings of the Scribes, then of the words of the Law it ſelfe.

Thus hath it pleaſed me by way of a Preface, and for the better underſtanding of the things following, briefly to declare and expound the Atticles of the Jewiſh Creed, to ſhew how they fell from the Word of the Lord, became Apoſtates, and renegadoes, caſting themſelves headlong into that labyrinth of Errors, the Talmud, how they were miſerably miſled thereby, ſo that the Doctrine of Salvation was not at all found among them; but on the contrary, groſs hereſie, perverſion, falſification of the Word of God, ſuperſtition, outward pride, eye-ſervice, the great diſquietneſs of conſcience, and horribie deſperation of heart. I will ſhut up all with the words of Eſay and Jeremy: Eſay ſaith, Foraſmuch as this people draw near me with their mouth, and with their lips do honour me,Cap. 29. 13, 14 but have removed their hearts far from me, and their fear towards me is taught by the Precepts of men: therefore I will proceed to a marvellous work among this people, for the wiſedome of their wiſe men ſhall periſh, and the underſtanding of their prudent men ſhall be hid.Cap. 8.5. 6. Jeremy ſaith, Why is this people of Jeruſalem ſlidden back with a perpetuall back-ſliding? they hold faſt deceit, they refuſe to return. I harkened and heard, but they ſpake not aright, no man repented him of his wickedneſs ſaying, what have I done? every one turned to his courſe, as the horſe ruſheth into the battell, a How ſay ye, we are wiſe, and the Law of the Lord is with us? certainly in vain made he it, the pen of Scribes is in vain. The wiſe men are aſhamed, they are diſmayed and taken, lo, they have rejected the Word of the Lord, and what wiſdome is in them?