The blessed Jew of Morocco: OR, A Blackmoor made White. Being a demonstration of the true Messias out of the Law and Prophets, by Rabbi Samuel a jew, turned Christian; written first in the Arabic, after translated into Latin, and now Englished. To which are annexed a Diatriba of the Jews sins, and their misery all over the world, Annotations to the Book, with large digressions, discovering jewish blindness, their refusing Christ, and the many false Christ's they have received; with other things for profit in knowledge and understanding.  
By Tho: Calvert Minister of the Word at York.  
And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of jerusalem the Spirit of grace and supplication, and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced: and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son.  Zach. 12. 10. 
But their minds were blinded: for until this day remaineth the same Veil untaken away, in the reading of the old Testament: which Veil is done away in Christ.  2 Cor. 3. 14. 
Contra istos judaeos non laboro, pugnent contra illos▪ Codices sui, pugnent lex & prophetae; & aut victi & humiliati salvabuntur, aut superbi, & pertinaces punientur.  Aug. in orat. de 5. haeresib. 
Et si non corrigatur judaeus, saltem proficiat Christianus.  Julian. Pomer. cont. Jud. lib. 1. 
Printed at York by T. Broad, and are to be sold by Nath: Brooks at the Angel in Cornwell, London. 1648.   

To the intelligent and Christian READER.  
NOne, I suppose, is such a stranger about the matters of Jerusalem, but well understands, that they in it are ●allen by the edge of the Sword, and ●ed away captive into all Nations, and ●hat Jerusalem is trodden down of the Gentiles, 
Luke 21. 24.  (and must be) until the ●●me of the Gentiles be fulfilled. It is ●he fired Beacon of God's wrath, by ●he light and fire whereof he gives warning, and by the destruction whereof he gives instruction to all the people of the earth, that they beware Jesus Christ the Son of God be not set up amongst them for a sign or mark of contradiction: 
Dispersa palabundi, coeli & soli sui extorres, vagantur per orbē sine homine, sine Deo Rege.  Heaven will set that Kingdom and people up for a sign of contradiction and curse, that set up Christ & his Gospel for a contradiction upon earth. If God lay out all his mercy in his Son, he will lay out abundance of wrath upon their backs that despise him, 
Tertul.  that brings messages of Reconciliation and life from Heaven; and good reason his blood should be upon their heads, that refuse to believe and receive his blood-sprinkle upon their hearts; 
John 8. 24.  If you believe not that I am he● you shall die in your sins; and die they do most miserably and horribly, defying and defied of Christ. These poo● Jews are the Professors of Butchery against Christ; 
The Jews miserable septenary.  they 1. have killed the Lord Jesus, and 2. their own Prophets; 3. they persecuted the Apostles, 
1 Thes. 2. 15, 16.  4. they please not God, and 5. are contrary to all men; 6. they fill up their sins always, for 7. wrath is come upon them to the uttermost. 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  Now my desire is to show the Jew before every eye that is tender, Vt Theatrum vindictae Divinae, as the Stage of Divine wrath, 
Isid. Pelusiot. lib. 2. ep. 157.  and the subject of Christian pity and prayers, as the only moving spectacle upon earth for a people and Nation, that have been Bajuli supremae irae almost 1600 years, the scorn of Nations, the cursed outcast of all people, that we may come in and lend our eyes and Hearts to the Apostles fearful ecce, the fearfullest ecce out of Hell for mankind; Behold the goodness and severity of God, 
Rom. 11. 22,  on them which fell severity, but towards thee goodness, etc. the M●p of mercy to the Gentiles, to us heathens, made sweet out of their Map of bitterness, 
Judaei Diaboli sors. Niceph. Gregor. Hist Ro. lib 6.  who swim in a Red Sea of Blood, and in a Brackish Sea of wrath and vengeance. If I may provoke Christians to be thankful for what God has done for them, and pitiful to the Jews about the misery that lies upon them, I have attained my aim. The writing has for Author a converted Jew, whose eyes God opened to see and know that Just One, whom his unjust and Hellish-hearted Countrymen stand out against with infidelity and execrations, whose case he deplores as the only Hell out of Hell; he confutes them, deciphers their cursed condition out of the unanswerable Writings of the Law and Prophet's, 
Plerisque moris est prolato rerum ordine, protinus utique in aliquem la●tum, atque ●lausibilem locum quam maxime possunt favorabiliter excurrere. Quintil. instit. l. 12. ●●de egressione.  and shows their evident damnation, for rejecting the great salvation by Christ. Other things about the Author, time of writing, matter, I 〈◊〉 discuss in the Preface, and other preparatory pieces to the discourse; to 〈…〉 annexed some large Annotations, Discourses and Digressions, for the better understanding of this great mystery of Jewish misery. In this I have employed some time and labour, and by it shall give account my vacant seasons (cut off from the public Ministry) are not altogether s●ent in idle and ignorant wastings, 
Hane partem 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉▪ ●raci vocant, latini egressum vel egressione●. Ibi.  but have laboured to acquaint myself and others with the magnalia dei, and to make it appear, that we should have more study and reading than merely for filling some hours by Preaching. I have always liked that Speech of Cicero, 
Cicer. in epist. l. 9 Papyrio Paeto, epist. 178 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  fit for his life that knew no better but Heathen letters, Non possem vivere, nisi in litteris viverem; and that of julian Parabates, the wretched Apostate, (though in this he spoke well) that though he were an Emperor, he did not so affect to keep his Fingers neat and clean, 
julian. Imper. in Misopogon. Some Christians have said so as well as Heathens: Fateor absque literis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Erasm. in epist. ad Mesios' Fratres.  but that they commonly wore a black garment died with Ink and often writing. Thus every man is dragged and drawn after some pleasure, to this or that, to spend his time either as an Athenian Townsman, in exchanging reports of novelties; or as an Athenian Scholar, to write and read of things that tend to the Commonwealth of Knowledge and Learing: But we of the Ministry have a Steward, to dispose of our spare time better than any of these, even the Apostle Paul, who advises, nay, commands, not to one, but to all Timothy's as well, 
1 Tim 4. 13.  Give attendance to reading, (of Divine things) to exhortation, to doctrine. I know many are of the mind of Birds, they love Figs, but they care not for taking pains about planting them, looking to the trees, and gathering the fruits; like Landlords, they would have their Tenants bring them, 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  and then they will eat them, though it may be, they will find fault then also, because they are not brought in an handsome Basket. For these I leave them to their own ease and curiosity, and never look for other, but conceited idleness being on the Bench, diligence in any kind shall be condemned, because they walk not their facile and common way, 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. 〈…〉.  to carry the most they have in the tongue, and to hang a fair Sign of appearance at the door, what ever be in the house; I need not beg of such in this (and the like) to be contemned. I crave of the learned and ingenuous a favourable interpretation, that if they find not great things, yet they will accept good endeavours of him that would gladly teach himself, if he by these cannot teach others, these being the rapt hours, or the harmless Scholler-rapines from his preaching Studies; 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. 〈…〉.  in which I hope to find some that will give me the Eloquent and holy Pelusiots censure; He that knows not how to teach, but is very willing to learn, he is worthy to be accepted. And however some do like that of the Preaching King the best, that of making (and so of reading) many books there is no end, and much study is a weariness of the flesh; 
Eccles. 12. 12.  yet we may with as good reason hearken to Paul, as wise as Solomon, to give all attendance to reading; neither doth the one cross the other: for Solomon 'tis thought did not intend a non-tearm about the reading of Divine things, of which his Father had said the blessed man should meditate day and night, 
Olymp, in Eccl.  but the Books that he draws from his Son, or his Student, are Gentile Volumes, and Heathenish writings, on which he should not be too eagerly bend, for therein would be more weariness to the body, than profit to the soul; and yet even they are to be used, so as they may be Gi●eonites, 
Non pudor est nil seire, pudor nil discere velle.  help to cleave wood, or draw water for the Sanctuary. Next to Scripture, Jewish state, and Jewish ●earning is to be sought into, as an help to us, as a weapon against them: after both which we do but grope with a great deal of purblindnes in this Tract, yet I furnish myself with some considerations of their condition, and call upon others to see how the judgements of God are a great deep. The work in the Original is none of mine● Alieno thuribulo rem sacram facio, 
Proverb. apud Pausan.  I do but with the Tailor translate the old garment and make it new; yet that has some labour, because it is an old piece, and is brought out of rudeness, being from good Arabic translated into mean Latin, whence I have it. The Annotations have the more labour, calling me to peruse divers Authors to explain, and fullier to declare Jewish matters, and to show how admirably this converted Jew kisses Jesus. What ever we desire be accomplished upon earth, this I am sure would make wonderfully for our comfort and Christ's glory, that all Jews were converted and spoke with one Lip, as our Rabbi Samuel of Morocco, that the great sin of sins is the rejecting of Jesus Christ, that all are and shall be cursed as the Jews, that will not believe in him, and that this is life eternal to know God, and whom he hath sent, jesus Christ. O the blessedness of those times of the Church of the Jews and Gentiles sweetly commixed in one, when they shall all speak the same Language, Hosannas to the Son of David! this will be as the Resurrection from the dead. O Jesus the fullness of Grace and Truth, bring in the fullness both of Jews and Gentiles. I make sometimes a digression in the Notes, but I dare say, who duly weighs it, will not say it is a transgression, for it is to good purpose to bring in something, which may allure and benefit the Reader both with variety and with utility. And surely I never look into these records of Jewish misery and Divine Justice, but I seem to be amazed with the Justice of God, and the hardheartedness of that people, that now seem as if they had never known God, nor any of their Seed were ever known of him. O that they would read these Books of their own converted Brethren, who deal with them by the old Testament, with weapons out of their own Armoury, which they honour and almost adore. How cursed are they, that must either pull out their own eyes, or pull in pieces the Scriptures, or they can no way maintain that Jesus is not the Christ, 
Mel●hior Canus saith, Habent pro christo▪ Aristotelem, pro Petro Averroem, pro Paulo Aph●odinensem▪  the promised Messias. He mentions very little of the new Testament, for that is Apocryphal to the Jew. We must deal with Heathens that are rude, by reason, & libro creaturae; we must deal with Philosophers and learned Atheists by reason▪ and arguments spunn upon the best Wheel of Wit and approved Authors and witnesses, ex libro literaturae, but with Jews, ex libro Scripturae, the Book of Scripture of Moses and Prophets is our only Shield, Sword, Spear and Bow, which never return in vain from the Battle. These our Author uses abundantly, and never strikes but speeds, leaving the Jews dead upon the place, and slain with their own weapons. I request the reader's eyes, but his heart and judgement also to go along with them, he shall find some addition to his knowledge, or some exuscitation to his affections; he may in the end conclude there is some profit by the translation & notes, as well as by the Author's first draught, and it may be he never had heard of the autographon, but by the Translator. I conclude with that Jewish Apologue, The Clusters of Grapes sent out of Babylon to implore favour for the Leaves of the Vine: 
Mi●te●ant (ex Babylonia) botri uvarum add implorandam gratiam pro foliliis quod si enim non essent folia, non possent sub●●●ere bot●i. Buxtorf. in epist. dedicit. ad Abbreviat.  for if there were no Leaves, you ha● lost the Grapes. Let Rabbi samuel's be the Clusters, and the Translatours the Leaves, yet remember you had not (most of readers) met with his grapes but for the Translators Leaves. The Lord persuade Christians to open their eyes, and earnestly to lay to heart the Jewish blindness, and as earnestly to pray, that the Lord would persuade Shem to come and dwell in the Tents of Japhet, and take away the Hebrew Veil from the heart, that they may be turned to the Lord, that there may be one Fold and one Shepherd: 
Numb. 24. 23.  But who shall live when God doth this?   

The Preface to the Book, together with a large Diatriba or Discourse concerning the estate of the Jews, and and their misery all over the World, By the English Translator.  
NO way out of the way will it be, 
Qui talia sentiunt christianos Iudaizantes appellat. Hiero. in Esa. cap. 54. lib. 15. Rivet. in psa. 68  in a prefatory Discourse to render the Reasons of putting out a Treatise concerning the State, Condition, and Doctrine of the Jews in these times, in which the Hearts of men are much erected to look after and believe a Chiliasme, 
Medes jewish testimo. at the end of his clav. Apocalyp. judaei auream atque gemmatam Hierusalem restituendam patant. Hieron. in Hier. 19 Comment.  and the Reign of a thousand years in glorious posture upon earth, which is much applauded and expected, and that upon too many Jewish Grounds and Arguments; I would wish none of these times begin to embrace divers things in consonancy with them, and some as mad as julian, bend their faith, or fancy rather, to think of a re-edification of the long-ruined Jerusalem, and judge it were none of the worst erterprises, to go to that unholy Land, and be taken up into Heaven there; of which imaginations I cannot think but that of the judicious Philosopher must needs be given in advice unto such, 
Long à Sole recedite, dum c●reas hab●tis opiniones. Arian in diss. l. 3. c. 21.  Keep at a good distance these waxen opinions from the hot beams of the Sun of Truth, lest they become liquid, and you lose them running away in the melting. How is the Creation Sabbath taken up, and that of the Resurrection cried down by divers? Nay, things strangled and blood for abstinence from them begin to have a resurrection with some, as if Christ were not come to confirm their everlasting Funerals, never to peep out of the grave again. Out of the Jews, and taking part of Judaisme, sprung up divers of the worst sort of damnable Heresies, and sundry Sects, as the Samaritans, Sadduces, Gorthenians, Jebusaeans, Essenes', Dositheans, Scribes, Pharisees, Hemerobaptists, Hossinians, Nazaraeans, Herodians, Simonians, Ebionites, Valentinians, Cerinthians, Sethians, Melchisedechians, Arians, Hypsistarians, and Mahometans; which last religion was compiled, 
Damascen. de Haeresib. Postellns' de orbis. Te●rae concord.  and abundance of Jewish matters thrust into it by some Jews that helped Mahomet to make up that confused Chaos of a strange Religion and Sect; so that Judaisme hath been the fruitful Mother and Nurse, to give both Womb and Pap to many monstrous Children. There is mention also of a strange Sect of the Athingani, with whom Michael Balbus the Emperor communicated, 
Zonar. Annal. Tom. 3  who withal kept firm with the Jews in many of their errors, ready to maintain great hopes of the salvation of judas. It will be behooveful to show the cursedness of that Doctrine and people of the Jews, that every one may keep off from the Tents and Tenants of the Jews, 
Illud vituperandum est plane, & intolerandun maximè, si qui genere christianus ad judaeos desciverit. Imman. Tremel. speculary▪  which maintain a Diametrical opposition to the Gospel of Christ; for of all sinners and Sects, the portion of an Antichristian Jew will be the most hard and heavy. Yet oh the feceses temporis istius! we have an Heresy of all the dangerousest and subtlest that ever molested the Church of GOD, which now holds fast, and cries up much of the Jews vanity and unbelief, and in that cries down Jesus in the truth of his Godhead, and much of the truth of his Gospel. If I should say, that Socinianism, that black Crow, which hath so great a Nest in all Europe, and withal in England, doth in many things walk hand in hand with judaism, I should not need fear that question of the Atheist to be put unto me, Quae machinae, 
Apud Ciceron. de nature. Deor. l. ●  quae ferramenta? where are your Hammer and Tools to finish this Work, and fasten these Nails? Who will but cast his eye into Socinus, and Socinians writings, shall find too great a conspiracy with the Jew, and so may well enter those Doctors and Teachers into their table of suspicions, as being no friends to Christ. I shall give a touch of their wretched harmony in some few things.  
1. For the Deity of Christ the Jew and Socinian speak both with one tongue negatively and blasphemously, 
Moses Ben.  which is to us Christians as the Article of the existence of God, 
Maim. de fund. leg. cap. 1 〈◊〉. Abravancl. de cap Fid. cap. 20.  and giving existence to every thing; Fundamentum fundamentorum, & columna sapientiae; If our Messias be not God, then is our faith vain, we are yet in our sins, the foundation of Christianity is taken away, and what can we do? we know the Jew is the old cursed Archer, that shoots blasphemies against Christ's Godhead, our subtle Heretic and his followers are not much behind, denying Christ to be Consubstantial with his Father; this is so known as needs not much be insisted on; their books in the very title some of them will trumpet out their infidelity de uno Deo Patre, 
Joan.  denying the Godhead of the Son and the Spirit. 
Crellius de uno Deo Pat. in lib. 2.   
2. They are both Antitrinitarians, 
Gerha●d. in loc. come. loc. de offic.  going about to weaken and nullify the Doctrine of the Divine Trinity of Persons, charging it with the introduction of multiplicity of Gods, 
Chest.  or Tritheisme. 
Abrah.   
3. The Office of the Messias they both confine to the Humane Nature, 
Calov. in Deca.  and must needs, 
Dissert. de Pseudo-Theolog. Socin. sect. 214.  because both deny the Divine Nature.  
4. The Jew will make Christ's Prophetical Office to consist in his new promulgation of the Law of Moses to believers; nor fail the Socinians to tread in those steps, making the Messias to be Mosissimum Mosen.  
5. Against Christ's Priestly Office, 
Grotius de Merit. & satis.  by his blood expiating and satisfying for our sins, both of them are known to Sail strongly with their best Furniture and Tackle. 
Christ.   
6. Both do say, 
Vide Abra. Calov. in li. supra citat.  that justitia imputata is putida, and that our righteousness is our obedience to the Law, 
Dantisc. edito 1639.  and our performing of it; but who will may seek and easily find far more agreement 'twixt these two, and much disagreement with the Gospel. In sixteen points one has made the Collation, and finds the Jew a Socinian, and the Socinian too much a Jew in them all. Have we not need in these days, wherein Satan seems to keep a perpetual Mart, to vent his Hellish inventions, take notice of those things, which may carry us too near the Jew, and too far from Jesus, and beware we meddle not with such dangerous folly? And should we use our best eyes to look at that Hellish callum, and unconquered Brawn upon the Jews heart, and see what volleys of misery have waited upon their cursed infidelity, and opposition of the Sonn of God, we shall find this the best Bellows in ordinary means to blow up our hearts into holy fear, pity, faith. Fear to stand out in defiance against Christ, lest the Lord sentence us as the Jews, to be a land of execrations, and anathemas. Pity towards that wretched generation, that neither Heaven nor Earth looks after. And it would waken us unto Faith, to cleave to, and make much of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, lest we fall as low, being not warned by the ex●●ple of their unbelief, and the executions of the wrath of heaven gone our against them for it. Of all the writings that decipher their faith and their fall, none do it so punctually, plenarily and particularly, as those that were Jews, but are converted to Christ, they writing things with knowledge and experience, as having long eaten of their Salt, and drunk of their Cup. None have done it with so much affection, as pitying their own kindred and Country, and so are the more to be heeded by them and by us. Of whom in all Ages God hath given us some learned Jews to be converted, earnestly to write to and cal● upon their wretched brethren, to row to land● and to harbour in the Kingdom of Christ, tha● they perish not in the great Ocean of Divine rejection. Besides some Bishops of jerusalem after Christ, of which divers of them from judaism were brought to Christianity, 
Euseb. Hist. Eccles. lib. 4. cap. 21  we find Hegesippus, the josephus' junior, to be one: of later years many, and of great learning have excellently writ against the jews, as N●●las de Lyra about the year 1310. from being a jew turned Friar among the Minors, and hath left an excellent confutation of the jews, about the proving this, that Christ is come, and none other Messias to be expected. In his time Paulus Burgensis turned Christian also, 
Alsted.  and writ against judaism. 
Thesau.  Elias Levita, commonly called the Grammarian, 
Chronolog. in chronol.  left his Rabbinisme, and entered the Church of Christ by Baptism, 
Kabalist.  bringing some thirty more jews with him, to be Baptised, about the year 1517. One Hieronymus de sancta fide, a jew converted to Christianity, 
Hieron. de sanct. fid.  and became Physician to Pope Benedict 13. at the instigation of the Pope, he writ a book to confute the jews, which he called Hebraeomastix, The jews Whip, or Hebrews scourge; in which he acutely and substantially sets upon them, 
Gesner. in Bibliothec.  whipping them with their own Talmud and best Rabbins, making their own Authors prove jesus Christ to be the only Messias, and that he is already come. When he published the book in Spain, it is said by the clearness of his conviction, above five thousand jews were turned to the Faith, as is mentioned in the Frontispiece of the Book. 
Joan.  This last we have from Gerhards' testimony, 
Gerhar. in Theolog loc. Comm.  for though the Book is among us, yet that I have seen wants the Title, and the Epistle or Preface, 
Tit. de extremo Jud. sect. 115.  if it had any. With his own Writing he hath joined that which Lyra also writ against the jews.  
One Paulus Ricius in the Court of the Emperor Maximilian, 
Gesner. Bibl.  of a jew converted to Christianity, writ many things against his old misbelief. Antonius Margarita converted in heart, and Baptised, converts his Hand and Pen against the jews. Ernestus Ferdinandus, of a jew became a Beleevet in Christ, writes a Flagellum judaeorum, A Whipp for the jews▪ There is Christianus Gerson, joannes Isaac, and our excellent Emanuel Tremelius, born at Ferraria in Italy, that sacrificed his holy knowledge so well to the Translation of the Bible; and one Paulus Weidnerus, hath by Writings called upon his Backsliding Brethren the jews, having found jesus himself to bid them come and see; besides, there are Christians that never were jews, that have sufficiently discovered and refuted the vanities of this Apostate Seed of Israel, who have i● their Writings upon, 
Porchet. victor. contra Hebr. P●ris●is 1520.  and against their Books at large proved the truth of the Gospel, and Christian verities, as Porchetus de Salvaticis in his incomparable Writings de victoria contra Hebraeos, out of whom Galatinus and others seem to have borrowed the most they have; 
The noble Mo●●us in his Book de verit. 〈◊〉 relig.  as also Rajmundus Martinus, who writ Pugionem (a Book so named) against the Hebrews. Such a path hath Munster walked in, in his Annotations on the Hebrew Gospel of Matthew. Buxtorfius (the father and son) to whose jewish Synagogue is added a Treatise of Ludovious Carretus a converted Jew, 
Grotius of the same argument.  whose calling to Christ was begun and occasioned by a Vision, which gives his Book the name of Visorum Divinorum. 
Posiellus abundantly hath writ this way in his Orbis terrae Concordia.  Our Rabbi Samuel of Morocco is not altogether to be neglected, who hath brought better stuff than Yarn or Badgers Skins towards the Furniture of the Christian Tabernacle. Such an one doubtless there was, though in the naming of the Rabbins, 
Buxtorf. in Rabbin: Biblioth.  and those of that name Samuel, we cannot find him mentioned, though many samuel's be found, as Rabbi Samuel Alkali, Arcuvolto, Aben Tybbon, Vzeda, jom Toff, etc. however, and upon what envious grounds soever the Jews conceal his name, and a long ●ime kept hid his Writing, 
Thesaur. Chrono.  yet our Christian Writers make mention of him, as doth Ges●er, Gerhard, Glassius, and Alsted, who ranks him among Christian Divines, about the year 1090. 
* This Book is also to be found put out by Margarinus B. in 5. Tom of Bibliot. patrum.  The Book was first Writ in Arabic, as an Epistle of Samuel to Rabbi Isaac, entreating him to answer his much troubled heart about his fear that the Jews are accursed for Crucifying Christ, and that he and no other is to be expected for the Messias. It was Translated out of Arabic into Latin by one Alphonsus Boni hominis, a Spaniard and Friar Predicant, out of which Latin our English Translation is derived. Three Copies have I seen of it, one a very old one, as I remember Printed at Paris, in which there are but 25 Chapters, the Book being less by two Chapters than the other Editions, which have 27 Chapters. In that ancient one there is an Epistle of Alphonsus to Friar Hugo Master of the Order of the Preaching Friars, which we shall give Translated after this Preface. 
The two Basil copies are with me  The other two Copies came out at Basil, both put forth by Henric. Petri; one of them is the Book called Micropresbeuticon, a collection of the Witings of above 30 ancient Fathers, and Christian Doctors, some Greek, some Latin, all little or short Works, among which R. Samuel is one; this came forth Anno 1550. Another Book, that hath of ancient little Fathers more than the other, came out at Basil some five years after, 1555. has this Samuel joined with them also: the old Translation calls him Samuel the Israelite, 
Joan. Leo African. in descr.  born at Fer a City of the King of Morocco, and R. Isaac to whom he writes it, 
Afric.  is said to be Master of the Synagogue, 
Philip.  that is in Subinlincia, in the same Kingdom, 
Cluver. introduct.  the Copy in Micropresbeuticon calls it Subiulmenta: now in the Kingdom of Morocco we can find no such City as Fer; 
Geogr. lib. 6.  there may be mistake, it may be it should be Fez, which is the principal City of all Barbary, the Metropolis of Mauritania, and has the Kingdom of Fez belonging to it, and named from it. There may be some mistake also, for Fez and Morocco are two distinct Kingdoms, and are both in Numidia. All the places almost that the Turk hath conquered have either lost their names, or changed their names; as Damascus is now called Shame; Constantinople, 
Cluver.  Stambolda; Sychar, Napolis; 
Biddul.  jerusalem is called Cuts or Kuds; Beersheba is now named Beer; Engannim, Jenine; Argier by the Turks is called Jezaier; and Hyppo in Africa where Austin lived is at this day called Cape Bonne; that which was heretofore Hierapolis, is now Aleppo: nay, very rivers have changed their names, for Tigris is now called Tygil, and Euphrates, Frat; and the Country Babylonia goes under the name of Caldar; 
In an age or two places are destroyed, or the Names changed  wherefore it is no marvel if in these days we cannot find the old names of places, seeing either the places are quite destroyed, or their names are changed. For Subinlincia or Subjulmenta we find no such names in the most exact describer of those Kingdoms, john Leo the African; yet we find there is a river called Subu, that runs but six miles from Fez; there is a Castle called Subeica, with a Town, and another called Subeita: 
Clenard in his African travels writes there are some 4000 Jews at Fez, and some 9 Synagogues, in epist. Latomo.  whether it be Printers mistake, or some Cities and Towns may be destroyed, and their names lost in ashes, that then were known by these names, or how it is, we cannot divine; we therefore leave this Geographical scruple, seeing the most exact Africanus doth not help us in it, nor Ptolemy in his Tables of Africa. It is well known there are, and since Jewish dispersions, there have ben great store of them among the Moors in Africa; there is an exceeding great number in the City of Fez, the most of their Goldsmiths are Jew's there; and in the whole Country the number is very great. When Ferdinand drove the Jews out of Spain, 
Leo African. descript. Afric lib. 1 As many they write came then out of Spain, as once under Moses came out of Egypt Cael. Sec. Curio. de Amp. R. D. in lib. 1.  a world of them came into Africa, being born Moors, though by religion Jews. We trouble not ourselves to find out who this R. Isaac was, seeing he is not set out with any word of distinction from other isaac's, of which there were many, as Abarbanel, bar Abba, ben Abraham, etc. It was expedient to have writ something about these things of persons and place, lest it should be judged under the crime of negligence, to let all slip without mentioning either head or feet of the body of the Translation and Book, of which we were to give an account.  
For the matter of the Book it deplores the Jews misery, their being banished and hated where ever they come, and fathers all upon their cruelty in Crucifying Christ, and their unbelief, still denying to receive him and the Gospel. Now if any ask what is their misery, and what is the cause, I shall unfold it.  
First, there is the judgement of God upon them, 
omnibus umbra locis odero, dabis improbe poenas.  they prayed Christ's blood might be upon them, and upon their Children, it is so, it follows and haunts them where ever they go; few States and Kingdoms entertain them, and where they are entertained, they are kept under, and made to endure very hard things, the State serving their own ends by them. In most places they use (if Christians) to distinguish them from others by place of dwelling by themselves, and some distinctive habit, as their own Chronologer tells us, that at Vepice such a year the Jews were commanded to wear a yellow Hat, 
David Ganz in Tsemac. David.  that they might be known from Christians. Our Samuel tells enough of this wrath of God that dogs them at the heels all over. Now besides this great sin of murdering Christ once, they have other notorious vices, that will make any Christian Commonwealth first or last vomit them out, unless they leave their Jewish pranks. Under Constantine they used to set upon those Jews with stones that had left them and turned Christians, till the Emperor by Edict caused divers of them to be burnt, and withal appointed, 
Baron.  that if any Christians turned Jews, 
Annal.  ●hey should be burnt likewise. 
Eccl. ad An. 315.  Many of them rebelling, he caused their ears to be cut off. They used by craft and by coin to buy and get of the consecrated bread which was left at 〈◊〉 Christmas Sacrament of the Lords-Supper, ●nd prick it, burn it, and very basely and scornfully abuse it, because they heard Christians call it the body of Christ. 
Euagr. hist. eccls lib. 4. ca 35.  There are too notable stories of this, the one in the reign of the Emperor justinian; the other in Germany, where the Jews for that villainy were ●ome of them burnt, and tortured with hit Pincers; others banished the Diocese of the Bishop of Passaw. You have the story short in these old Latin verses, which as a Chronicle are set up in the Church: 
Anno Milleno quadringen septuageno,  
Octavo sub Vdalrico protoflamine claro, 
Caspar. Brusc. in Laureaco vet. de Patau. epist. l. 2.   
Affecit flammâ Majestas Pataujensis  
Vrbis Judaeos tam tetro crimine mota.  
Per quos heu summj transfixa est hostja Christi,  
Extunc flagranti consumpta atrocius igni.   
Sometimes they were accused for poisoning of Wells and Springs to make an end of Christians, 
Rob.  sometimes for beggering Christians by excessive Usury and extortion; 
Gaguin.  sometimes for Clipping of Coin, 
Hist. Fra. lib. 7.  for Magic, for cozenage, etc. But their cursing of Christ and Christians, their cursing of Jews that turn Christians, their imprisoning of their dearest friends, and laying some foul false accusation against them, if they smell that they intent to turn Christians, makes them oftentimes intolerable, 
Judaeus' baptizatus sine peccato à ju●●ao occidi potest.  some of their Rabbis reading such Lectures as these, A Jew may murder or slay a Baptised Jew without sin. So much are they bend to shed the blood of Christians, that they say a Jew needs no repentance for murdering a Christian; 
R. Bacchai.  and they add to that sin to make it sweet and delectable, 
Heins. in Arist. Sa. cap. 26.  that he who doth it, it is as if he had offered a Corban to the Lord. Hereby making the abominable sin an acceptable Sacrifice. But beyond all these they have a bloody thirst after the blood of Christians. In France and many Kingdoms they have used yearly to steal a Christians Boy, and to Crucify him, fastening him to a Cross, giving him Gall and Vinegar, and running him in the end thorough with a Spear, to rub their memories afresh into sweet thoughts of their Crucifying Christ, the more to harden themselves against Christ, and to show their cursed hatred to all Christians. 
Bzovius ad Ann. 1198.  Thus they incensed Philip of France for such a fact, so as their Goods were confiscate being Jews, whether guilty or innocent; and some imprisoned, others cast out of the Kingdom. At Weissenburg in Germany they Crucified a Boy; 
Socrat. hist. eccls lib 7. cap. 16.  at Verona they did it, and at Venice also, at Inmestar a place near Antiochia. Our diligent Fox hath given us notice that when England gave Jews harbour, 
Foxii Oliva Evangel. ●narrat. cap. 11. ad Roma. An. 1189. in England and An. 1●41. at Norwi●h in Engl.  they got our English Children, and sometimes crucified them in divers places, as you may find in Acts and Monuments: and he publishes it withal in his Latin Sermon at the Baptism of a Jew. There is an excellent relation, if it can be proved to bear its weight with truth, to show the original of Child-Crucifying among the Jews. Cantjpratanus saith, he once heard a very learned Jew, that in his time was converted to the Faith, say, that a certain Prophet of theirs when he was at point of death, did prophecy of the Jews thus: 
When he said Christiano sanguine, he meant Christi sanguine.  Know ye (saith he) this for a most certain truth, that you can never be healed of this shameful punishment wherewith you are so vexed; but only by Christian blood. This punishment so shameful they say is, 
H. Komman in Mirac. vivor. tit. de Judaeis laborantibus menstruo.  that Jews, men, as well as females, are punished cursu menstruo sanguinis, with a very frequent Bloud-fluxe. These words (saith the converted Jew) the jews did take with a mistake, for hereupon to heal themselves they every year get the blood of some Christian Child, whom they murder; whereas if they had understood aright, this sanguine Christiano, was Christ's blood that they should get, which in the Sacrament we receive, to the healing and saving of sinners, so many of us as are turned to Christ, we are presently healed of our Father's curse. But alas, they are mistaken indeed, to choose Barrabas a murderer on earth, nay, to choose Abaddon, the murderer of Hell, before Jesus the Heavenly Redeemer and Saviour of the Souls of Sinners, both Jews and Gentiles that do believe in him. A miserable mistake, to shed Christian blood by murder, rather than to seek Christ's blood by faith. It was good counsel he gave them, and they must be Coheirs with Satan of perdition, unless they get this blood. Of Magical and unlawful practices they have also been accused, and their names made black with that report. That the Jews were much addicted to the use of Magic, is confessed by R. Elias in his Thisbi: It is a custom (saith he) much taken up by us Jews in Germany, 
vide etiam Buxtorf. Synagog. Jud.  that we make a circle round about in walls of the Chamber where a woman lies in Childbed with Chalk or a coal; and write on every wall, Adam, Heva, Chuts, Lilith: and he relates, how on the inner chamber door they write the names of three Angels, as Lilith taught them. The Chaldee Paraphrast spares not to spread this in Cantic. 8. 3. bringing in the Israelitish Synagogue thus speaking, I am chosen above all people, because I bind Thephili●s to my head and my left hand, and a paper is affixed to the right side of my door, the third part of which looks towards my bedchamber, 
Serarius in cap. 8. Tobit quaest. 5.  that Devils and evil spirits may have no power to hurt me. Is not this a Magical paraphrase of that Theological Text, His left hand should be under my head: and his right hand should embrace me? The same Targum on Cantic. 4. 6. calls it artem justorum Patrum, The art of the righteous Fathers and Patriarcks. 
Vorstii animadvers. in Pirke Eliezer.  No marvel if the Jews love Magic, when they make Abraham as well a father of Magicians, and skilled in it, as the father of the faithful. As for Solomon they will prove in his book of Confessions, that he confesses his use of Magic, I gave my heart to know wisdom, and madness, 
Coch. in Sanhedr.  and folly. Eccles. 1. 17. Their chief Senate the Sanhedrin, among other excellent parts, they say, must be Artists in this unlawful Art. The original of that conceit, to spring from weakness in the Jews imagination of this required skill in their Judges, 
Pet. Cu●aeus de Heb. Repub. lib. 1. cap. 12.  may be seen in Cunaeus.  
Hitherto we have had witness sufficient of their sins and wickedness, and truly their misery follows their sins hot foot. Such things as these have made Kingdoms cast them out, 
Vide T. Aquin. ad Duciss. Brabant. do reg. Jud. opusc. 21  and throw them forth like poisons, and sometimes murder them like beasts. Such virtues as these have made it a much canvased question in politics, whether the Jews and jewish Sanagogues are to be suffered in Christian Commonwealths, 
Gerhar. in Cent. quaest. polit.  and there are many reasons urged by some why they should not be endured. 
Decad. 9  There is a proverb used to this purpose, 
Quaest. 1. Licet permittere mala minora ad evitanda majora, ut apparet in meretricio. Emman. Sa-Jes. in Aphoris. Confess.  Happy is that Commonwealth, in which there is neither an Abraham, a Nimrod, nor a Naaman: that is, Which is neither troubled with a jew, nor a Tyrant, nor a Leper. The jesuit resolves the case, but such kind of resolving dissolves the conscience; A Prince (say some) may suffer jews to exercise Usury, if it be expedient for the Commonwealth, and compel the people to pay them, and keep touch with them; which opinion (saith he) doth not displease me. Mark what a cleanly and jesuit-like reason he gives; for (saith he) it is lawful to permit or tolerate lesser evils to avoid greater, as is apparent in whoredom. O the Divinity of Rome, 
Vivo hic inter judaeos, qui Ioagè magis mirantur esse christianos, quam nos mira●ur esse aliquos adhuc judaeos. Quid mi●um? nihil s●●unt de nobis, nisi quod strenue judaeos comburimus. Clenard. in epist. 4. Fez.  as Whores are suffered to prevent a greater evil, so are jews to be suffered. There are some reasons why they should be suffered, behaving themselves quietly and honestly, not oppressing Christians, not cursing them, not seducing them, not speaking evil of the Gospel without punishment, not hindering jews from turning Christians, not marrying with Christians, not having any Offices or places of honour and justice, not refusing to be subject to Magistracy, distinguished from Christians by dwelling place, and otherways; thus somewhere it is fit they should be suffered, think the Civilians. For what ever they be, 
Vivi quidam sunt apices nobis representa●●es Dominicam passionem. Bern. ep. 322. Sohnius super Psa. 59  though a people that seem to be the Saltest Pillar of God's wrath to all the world, yet we may look on them as a Book of our Saviour's Passion, and when we see a bloody jew, remember our bleeding jesus. They may be to us the Looking-glass of Divine vengeance, and better than a Crucifix. They are to be pitied by men, because there is a promise of mercy from God, there must be a blessed revocation, and an happy reunion of Jews and Gentiles. 
Rom. 11. 1, 4, 5.  We should not utterly cast off, whom God has not utterly cast off. Hath God cast away his people? 
Zonar: in 1. Tom.  God forbid. No, 
Annal.  he hath a remnant according to the election of grace. 
Lip. in 2. lib. de Const. cap. 21.  How lavish heaven and earth hath been of their blood I could at large relate, and show their blood streaming upon the earth all over the known world divers times. After Christ's Ascension especially, 
Euseb. l. 4. c. 6.  their first fluxes of Blood were the fearfullest that ever was heard of. 
Et qui triginta denariis Jesum comparaverant ad perdendum, just postea 30 capita suorum viderunt vendi uno denar●o ad illudendum Hegesip de excid Hier. in Anaceph.  Zonara's will tell us large numbers of slain in Jewish wars, to puzzle pretty Arithmeticians to cast up in figures. But we have Lipsius exactly and shortly telling us the number in every place, so many thousands slain in civil wars in seven years, so many in open war with Romans, part of them famished, part drowned, neck-broken, self-murdered, slain with the sword, in all twelve hundred thousand, besides ninety and seven thousand that were taken prisoners by the Romans. As they bought Christ for thirty pence, so thirty of them were sold so dog cheap, as one penny was the price of so many heads, when they fell into the hands of the Romans. God's justice measuring out agreeable to their sin i● a Divine proportion, that they might read the vengeance in a proportionable punishment. See but how many thousands were slain by Emperor's Adrian and Trajan, they banish● Jerusalem, 
Zonara's Xiphilin.  commanded not so much as to look back to it, it was not lawful for them, N● quidem specula paternum solum cernere. Let all the world take notice of what happened to them under the Emperor julian the Apostate. This son of Perdition, to make the words of Christ a lie concerning the Temple at Jerusalem, that one stone should not be left upon another, 
Ruffin. hist. lib. 1. cap 38. 39  did give the Jews leave to go and build up the Temple again. They give notice of it to all their Countrymen all over the world, they flock to Jerusalem from all parts, 
Socrar. hist Eccl. lib. 3. c 17.  every one is free to give much wealth to this Work, julian himself was liberal to them, that he might do something to oppose Christ, and vex the Christians. So earnest were they on this work, that every one would do something; almost an infinite multitude of men digged and wrought all the day: it so pleased them, that they had made Spades, Baskets, Troughs, Shovels, and such like Instruments all of silver, and made great provision of all materials. But see the event, a terrible Earthquake rends the earth, and tears up the very old low-laid Foundation of the Temple, a grievous whirlwind scatters all their Lime, Chalk and materials: Lightning flames from Heaven burnt up their Instruments, yea many men perished, others were much hurt by the Fire, Christ fight from heaven against these foolish Builders. There were on the night time the figures of the Cross form in their garments, which spying in the daylight, as they knew not how they came there, so by no no means knew they how to get them out, for they washed and rubbed, yet nothing would take out these Crosses. At length (the Lord following them with wrath, 
Theodor. hist. lib. 3. cap. 20.  and thus accursing their Work) they gave over, and many were forced to confess, that this was that God who was nailed to the Cross by their forefathers.  
After julian some of the Emperors drove away the Jews from jerusalem, would not let them so much as abide there, or enter the City, so that under Theodosius and Valentinian their custom was to pay a sum of money, that they might have leave once a year to go thither, and bewail the subversion of the Temple, in the very day of the year when it was done, which Hierome mentions who lived there. 
Vt qui quondam emerant sanguin●m Christi, emant lachrymas suas: & ne fletus quidem eis gratuitus sit. Hier. in comment. ad Sophon. cap. 1.  At this day (saith he) the perfidious jews are forbidden to enter jerusalem, except it be to weep and lament the subversion of their Temple, for which also they are forced to pay money. As in times past they bought the blood of Christ, so are they now fain to buy their own tears, and may not be suffered to weep of free-cost. See how miserably they are used at Alexandria, and in other places, in Spain, France, Bohemia, 
Philo. jud. in Legat. ad Caium. Dau. Ganz  Italy, and their captivity in England, and that by the Pen of one of their own Chronologers or Rabbins; and we may conclude with a question to the Jew; O wretches, is not this some payment of that Bond which you sealed, when you said, His Blood be upon us, & c? you desired a murderer, 
A matre doctus nec rogare judaeus. Martial. Epigr. 57 lib. 12. Nil praeter nubes et coeli numen adorant. juvenal. sat. 14. judaeus licet & porcinum numen adoret.  does not the Lord give you murderers enough? It will be long ere your blood will ever be shed sufficiently for the Blood of Christ.  
Under the Emperor Domitian it seems the Jews (by Romans) were forced to beg for their living, dwelling in the Grove of Egerin. Martial exceedingly mocks them from their Circumcision, others altogether disgrace them, call them foetentes judaeos, The stinking jews, or, 
Et Cilli summas advocet aur iculas.  Breath-stinking jews. Every one exercised his wit to lay some folly or vanity to the Jews charge. 
Petron.  Because they used to look up to Heaven praying, 
Arbit.  they slandered them for worshipping the Clouds as their only God; 
Some read Coeli, but the judicious and acute Pithaeus puts it in his Edition Cilli. Cillus, & apud Hesychi●m 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 est 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Asinus.  and because they thought them very Asses, they would make the world believe that they worshipped Asses, and an Ass' Head of Gold, and that they withal adored a Swine, which the Doctor of wantonness Petronius gives out concerning them. Plutark and Tacitus so forget their gravity, 
Vossius de Orig. Idololat. lib. 3. cap. 75.  that they fall also to these childish Nuts and Cherrie-stones of the playing Poets, and put upon this Poet's jest the face of Historians sober earnest, as if it were a very truth, that they worshipped such false and foul, and foolish gods, as a Swine and an Ass: and afterwards they put the Ass upon Christians, as if it were their Deity, whereupon they were called Asinarii, as both Minutiuses in Octavio, and Tertullian in Apologet, cap. 16. stand upon defence against such an offensive absurdity. About Swine the Jews were grievously abused, for they are so far from worshipping Swine, that it is a mavelvellous unholy and unclean thing to touch and eat them, insomuch as their choice have been to die, rather than to eat Swine's flesh, as will appear by the book of Maccabees. Why should they worship that which they will not name, accounting it so unclean, that they being to name a Swine in their speech, they avoid the word, 
Drusius Cunaeus.  and call it [rem aliam] another thing, that is, a Swine or a Hogg. It is a misery to be forced to see, or meddle with that thing which we do hate and abhor: yet this people were even tormented in this kind, for the Tyrants would needs force them to eat of Swine. 
Pezel. Mellific. histor. pag. 2.  Adrian the Emperor called Jerusalem Aelia, and in that gate of the City that leads towards Bethlehem set up in Marble the figure of a Swine, an abomination to that nation. I would not charge the Jews falsely, but I think they are often charged with things that Truth gives no warrant for. Marcellinus calls them [foetentes judaeos] the stinking jews. some will aver it, 
Ammian.  that all Jews yield a stink and filthy savour to them that converse with them, 
Marcel. histor. lib. 22.  and that they judge this cannot be helped better than by the drinking of the blood of Christians. One john Mathias Tiberinus, a Physician that lived at Trent●, writeth that in the City Trent, 
Surius.  Anno 1475. the Jews Crucified a Boy there called Simon, of twenty months old; being taken, they confessed, that one cause was to drink his blood for remedy of their disease. I leave it to the learned to judge and determine by writers or Travellers, whether this be true or no, either that they have a monthly Flux of Blood, or a continual mal-odoriferous breath. Tacitus has a fling at the Jews, and Jerusalem, and writes of their Captains Hierosolymus and Judas, 
Tacit. lib. 5 hist.  (what poor and lying things they take up?) from which Hierosolymus Jerusalem, he saith, 
Flor. lib. 3. cap 5.  was named. Florus must needs throw one stone at them in Pompey's Wars, he saw illud grande impiae gentis arcanum patens sub aureo Coelo; this must be the holy Temple. As for the Poets, they are often calling them recutitoes & verpos, as doth Martial sometimes, & for incredible things they affix it to a Jews Faith, 
Horace. — credat Judaeus apella. Though this I suppose is not apella, that is impellis, a skinless or circumcjsed Jew, but apella, or Apellas, or Apelles, 
See Ossileg. ling.  was the name of some Jew well known at Rome. Horace's Commentators forget their Grammar and Critics, 
Hell. cont. H●ins.  when they make it an appellative against all Rules, 
In other things it is in vestis, and imberbis, not investa● or imberba.  as one may judge. Tully and Suetonius both have their girds at the Jews, being made the subject of the whole worlds scommes or scorn. Seneca had his jeer for them, though in it he lift up his mouth and Pen against Heaven, as grave and moral as he was, he jeered the fourth Commandment of the moral Laws, 
August de Civit. Dei, Lib. ●. c. 11  when he said, the Jews keeping weekly a Sabbath every seventh day, they did sacrifice to sloth and idleness the seventh part of their whole life and age, which they let unprofitably slip away. Plutarch also is too bold with the Sabbath of the jews, 
Voss. de Orig. Idol. lib. 2. c. 14.  making it a day dedicated to Bacchus, who was called Sabazius, as if the jews worshipped that drunken god that day, and not JEHOVA, who is the holy and only God. I confess their feasting and much eating and drinking that day, together with the name Sabbath, might lend occasion to the Heathens to slander it for a day of Bacchanals. At this very day the Turks do bear worse affection to Jews than to Christians, though they be circumcised as they are, that if a Jew would turn Turk, he must first turn Christian, before they will admit him to be a Turk. And among the Turks it is a word of reproach, and an usual protestation, when they are falsely accused of any crime, 
Mr. Biddulph▪ a Protest.  to acquit themselves, they give out in this manner, 
Preached in his travels.  If this be true, than God grant I may die a jew; which is a kind of high execration with them— At Zant (whence we have the Oil called Zant Oil) the Christians that do sojourn there, on good Friday throw stones at the Jews who live there, so as they dare not come out of their houses all that day, and yet abide scarce safely in their houses, for they throw stones at their windows, and doors. Hereupon on Thursday at noon the Jews begin to keep within doors, and continue within, not daring stir out till Saturday about noon, the poor people counting it a piece of zeal to be revenged on them for crucifying Christ; though the best revenge they could take; were to pray, as Christ did, Father forgive them, for they know not what they do.  
It was a miserable and sore exaction, 
Spectaculum Su●v pet Col●astum.  which in Germany some Princes forced the Jews to, to take a solemn oath, and to swear standing upon a Swine's skin. In contempt and bitter purposes, to add unto all their misery, was this done, knowing they loved Swine no better than Egyptians loved shepherds. Come we home to our own Kingdom, and we shall find the Jews, though very many dwelled in the Land, as at London, York, Lincoln, Stamford, Norwich, etc. yet miserably used, and afterwards miserably slain, and banished. That we may not be strangers to our own Country, let us but inquire, and it will be evident, 
Nic. Harps field in hist. Eccl.  the Jew finds little rest for the Sole of his foot in England. 
Angl ●●odw. ●ish. Liv.  The Old-Jewrie at London gives us notice they have been there, and the busy stir that john Peccham Bishop of Canterbury kept in pulling down the Jews Synagogues throughout his Province, till the King ordered they should have one Synagogue to repair unto in the City, but no more. Certain it is, that while they were in the Land, there were many occasions taken to take the staff and beat them; sometimes vicious and villainous things were charged truly upon them, for which (after many miseries) at length they were wholly banished the Land. Sometimes there were forged accusations and raised suspicions, only because they were full of wealth among them, and some had a desire to squeeze all the sweet water out of this Sponge; and withal they were greatly hated. They were ofttimes playing the very Jews, besides crucifying of Children, which Copin the Jew of Lincoln confessed they did every year, 
N. Harps.  when he was apprehended for crucifying a Boy called Hugh, 
Hist. Eccl. Angl.  of eight years old. They counterfeited Seals and Deeds, they Clipped grievously the King's Coin, for which 280 were executed in K. Edward the first his reign. K. john exacted great sums of money on them, and when he charged upon a Jew of Bristol to pay ten thousand Marks, and he refused, the King commanded that every day one of his teeth should be pulled out, till he had paid that sum; and after he had undergone that sore Penance for seven days of pulling out seven teeth, in the eighth day he submitted, and made his purse show mercy to his mouth. Henry (the son of john) did as woefully grind them to powder with taxations and payments. In a tumultuous rising of the people at London five hundred Jews were murdered, and many of their houses pulled down under Henry the third, occasioned by a complaint against the Jews cruel usury, that they exacted more than two pence a week of a Citizen for the loan of twenty shillings. At Linne many of the Jews were slain, and their houses burnt, because they set with weapons upon a jew turned Christian, and had plotted his death, when they next light upon him. At the Coronation of Richard the first, the jews were by Edict charged not to come in the great concourse of the people, neither about Westminster, nor the Court, nevertheless many of them were present, because it was given out they wrought by Magic, 
N Harps. in Eccles.  or other unlawful Arts, 
Hist. Angl.  to do mischief. Among others two chief ones of them (joceus and Benedictus) were about the Court, 
Math. Par. in Rich. 1.  two famous Jews of York, the latter of them was called The blessed jew of York; one of them being smitten by the Porter, the Citizens and the Courtiers helping them, fell upon them, and grievously beat and slew them, and in the City was such a tumult, as they fired their Houses, and withal burned many Citizen's Houses, and (as if the King's Edict had given them power to destroy them all) who ever fled from the fire they were entertained with weapons and swords by the people, so as a great number perished, that though it were their Jubilee and year of remission, yet it turned to be a year of destruction and confusion to them. joceus fled to York. Benedictus the blessed Jew of York (yet nothing so good as our blessed Jew of Morocco) being sore wounded, 
Mr. Foxes Acts & Monum. in Rich. 1. He was baptised by William the Priot of St. Mary's in York, and (after his name) called William.  (to avoid death) offered to be baptised, and was so. But the day after (before the King) he professed he was a Jew, and said he was resolved to die a Jew, and not a Christian. The King said to him, Who art thou? I am Benedictus your Jew of York, answered this newly named William. Hereupon the King turning him to the Bishop of Canterbury, and the rest that had told him he was turned Christian, saying, Did not you tell me he was become a Christian? they answered, Yea, we did so inform your Majesty. The King then demanded of them, What now shall we do with him? The B. of Canterbury [minus circumspect] very inconsiderately, (yea, and very unbishoply) in his spirit of fury, answered, If he will not be a Christian, 
Roger de Hoveden in Annal. Rich. 1.  let him be the Devils and he will. A Bishop should have spoke more holily, and more charitably or pitifully. The same jew (not long after) died at Northampton, and was even persecuted after his death, for the jews would not suffer him to have burial among them, because he was baptised, and the Christians denied him burial among them, because he had renounced his Baptism.  
The like miseries and slaughter were the lot of the jews at Norwich, Edmunds-Bury, Lincoln and Stamford, where many were slain at the Fair. They begun with them also at York, where was the bloodiest slaughter of them of all other, they being rifled of goods, houses spoilt, their throats cut, without any sparing or pity for age or Sex. They that escaped many fled with their goods and Children into a Castle or house of the Kings, 
Harpsfield  among whom was joceus that escaped at London. They were besieged in the Castle day and night, 
Mat. Paris. in Rich. 1. ad an. 1189.  they offered a great sum of money for their lives, but the people refused it. Than one (very expert in their Law) rose up and said, Ye men of Israel, It is better for us to die for our Law, then fall into the Hands of our enemies, as our Law hath commanded us. All assented unto him, every father of a Family (with a sharp Razor) first cut the throats of their wives and daughters, after that of the whole Family, and cast some 500 of them that were slain, over the Castle walls unto the Christians. The rest within the walls putting fire to the building, the King's house they burnt and consumed. The Citizens of York and Soldiers went and burnt all the jews houses, and all their Bonds and Bills, containing great debts owing by Christians to them, and seized upon all their wealth & goods. 
●a●isienf.  So continually were they persecuting them, 
Harpsfiel.  till at length in a Parl. at Westminster, it was enacted under K. Edward, that all the jews by a certain day should quit the whole Kingdom, unless they would profess the faith of Christ, and betake themselves to some honest Calling, and work with their hands: which was so acceptable an Act to the people, that they gave the fifteenth part of their goods to the King, and they were all thrust out of the Kingdom, to the number of some seventeen thousand, or (as some say) ●0000 and 500 And thus was this wretched Chaff swept out of England, and the Kingdom hath since been rid of them, that openly profess that un-Israelitish way.  
In the reign of Henry the third, 
Mat. Paris.  a jew fell into a Jakes at Tewksbury in England, 
Mr. Foxes Acts & Monum.  to whom it being offered to draw him out, it being Saturday, (the jews Sabbath) he refused, lest he should pollute the holiness of the day. The thing coming to the chief Lord of the Country, he commanded they should let him lie the next day too, for the honour of the Lords Day, the Christians Sabbath, lest he should profane it; so by abiding in it that day also, he perished. I have heard or read these Verses on it, but I remember not well where, because I find them not in the Historians relating it. The jews Verse (bringing him in speaking) is thus:  
Sabbata sancta colo, de Stercore surgere nolo.  
I honour holy Sabbaths rest,  
I will not rise from my foul nest.  
The Christian Magistrates Verse answers him thus;  
Sabbata nostra quidem Salomon celebrabit ibidem.  
O Solomon, because you are wise,  
And for the Sabbath so precise,  
Lest from your holy Rule you swerve,  
You shall our Sabbath too observe.  
The like was the lot of a jew at Meidenburg in Germany, 
Munster in Annot. ad evangel. Math. He●r. ad cap. 12.  that sat two days together in so uncomfortable a place, the one day for the honour of their Sabbath, the other for the Christians pleasure, to give honour to ours.  
And now (Reader) behold and see, if under the whole Heaven has been done to any people, like as to this people. If it be not as the Lord said, 
Deut. 28.  All people are made the Head, and they are the Tail where ever they come, scorned, pressed, oppressed, punished, murdered. judge whether it were not a happiness to our blessed jew, to have his lot fall among the Christians, and to be baptised in Christ's Blood, rather than to be baptised (as the jews) in their own cursed Blood. By this traversing of Histories and Times, I have laboured to confirm the truth of his demonstrations, that their sin is the highest, because the wrath of God presses them the hardest; that this sin is the slaying of Christ, that there will be no end of their misery, till they take hold of the skirt of a Christian, and look upon Christ whom they have pierced. This will help to illucidate his complaints in his Book, and give us some knowledge of the jews state without God, without Christ, without peace, without honour in the world. The Book is all Scriptures almost, that they cannot deny, but incur the guilt of Blasphemers, resisting the Old Testament, which they make the ground of their Faith. 
●orchet. in Vict. contr. Hebr. lib. 2 cap. 6.  If they will stand out still, and maintain the proverb, there are five things exceed in stubbornness and pertinaciousness, the Dog among beasts, the Cock among birds, the Goat among Cattle, the Prickthorn among Plants, and the Jew among men, as one of their own Doctors sets them forth; 
Compertius est quam ut negari possi●, non esse, insolentiorem, ferociorem, arrogantiorem populum sub omni coelo, quam judei fuerint. Luther in ●narrat. ad Evang. in die oblat. Christi, in Tem.  not only R. Samuel, but their own Prophets shall rise in judgement against them, and say, We would have healed them, but they would not be healed; they were convinced, yet they shut their eyes, and made gross their hearts, and would not be converted. If by these Relations and Collections I shall not satisfy all, yet it will please and profit some, at least the less learned Reader may meet with something he knew not before: and for the Scholar, I know he that knows the least will despise it the most. I have pleased and profited myself, and have endeavoured to profit others, by seeking up these things, if I can but fetch up a Christian sigh for the jews sorrow, and bring men to pray, [Thou O Lord remainest for ever, thy throne from generation to generation; wherefore dost thou forget the Jew for ever, 
Lam. 5. 19, 20, 21.  and forsake them so long time? Turn thou unto them O Lord, and they shall be turned, renew their days as of old;] I have attained to what I aimed at. The Lord soften our hearts to pity them, his own heart to have mercy on them, and their hearts, that they may plough with R. samuel's Heifer, 
The cursed divisions and Sects of Christians are a great hindrance of the jews coming into union with Christ and Christians.  and be enlightened with the saving light of Christ Jesus our common Saviour. I know there is a time appointed by God for their return to him, and kissing the only begotten Sonn of the Father, and yet we may be guilty of not doing all we may to bring them in, or of doing something which helps more and more to harden them and keep them out. They should not want our pity, they should not want our prayers. For our unmercifulness to them, helps more to harden them, and our prayers for them, would mind the Lord of his Covenant, and us of our duty. Some things there are among Christians, which we should amend, lest by maintaining such things, we make the Jew more and more to abhor the Christians way; as the painting of God, and setting him out in Pictures, and Sculptures by some image, does exceedingly alienate both Jews and Turks from us, as they have sometimes confessed; and the Idolatry of some corrupt Christians, as they of the Romish faith, doth much keep them back, who hate all kinds of Idolatry, 
Librum legis, quantum libet rem creatam, adorare non ver●cundantur.  though they themselves do in some sort adore and worship the Book of the Law. Especially take we heed of calling into question the Godhead of Jesus Christ, 
Lud. Carret judaeus Convers.  that is to be blasphemously Jewish, and to harden them in their desperate blindness. By Arrianism, and the licentiousness is taken among us that way, we do worse than Crucify the manhood of Christ, in Crucifying the Godhead of Christ, and thereby may sooner persuade the Jews we are coming to them, then to induce them to come unto us. For the Godhead of Christ we must hold it firm, and maintain it, or else we are a laughing stock to the Jews, and the greatest Soul-fools that are in the world. 
Campanel. in epist. dedicat ad Atheis. T●ium.  As he flatteringly called Lewis the thirteenth of France, [Dexrum Messiae Brachium] so we may more truly call the faith of Christ's Godhead [Dextrum Evangelii Brachium] The right Arm of the Gospel. They may allege other false causes, and take scandals that were never given them, as the Doctrine of Trinity, etc. But let us beware lest a woe be to us because of offences in unholy ways and works given to them by us, by which the name and truth of the Gospel of Christ shall be blasphemed. Let our conversation within win them that are without, that they may come to think there are divine and rare examples of virtues in the followers of the Christian Faith, 
julian. Imperat. ad Arsacium Pontif.  as sometimes that cursed root julian Parabates was forced to commend the jews and Galileans [that is, 
Gal. Epist. 49 Edit. Petavian.  Christians] for giving Alms and relief, not only to poor Christians, but unto Gentiles and Pagans also in their necessity; and writes earnestly to the pontiff of Galatia, to build Hospitals for the poor, in imitation of the Christians. O that we could provoke the Jews to cry out, There is no Saviour but Christ, there is no way of salvation but by Christianity; Let us come to you, for we see the Lord is amongst you, and you walk holily in his ways. It is a strange way of converting Jews by the wicked and loose lives of Christians: I fear me few will be induced to think our Religion the best, because our Christian professors are the worst, and walk in un-Christian practices. 
Ex Anton. Pagan utio. edit. per Coel. secun. Curionem.  We have indeed a story or two of some Jews that made that an argument for their conversion, but we had need to have better arguments, 
The learned woman Olympia Fulvia Morata, hath translated also the story out of Boccace his Decameron.  else we shall convince and convert but few Jews. One of them is of Abraham a Jew, that one jannottus (a rich Merchant in Paris) did much labour with, being his kind friend, to persuade him to leave their way, and become a Christian, by being baptised. After many reasonings and exhortings to it, at length he told him he would first go to Rome, as the famousest Seat of Christians, (that is Popish) and having seen them he would tell him what he would do. The other with all power of wit and friendship, argued against that course, believing their proud, pompous, loose, Atheistical manners would utterly shipwreck all the hopes of his turning Christian. Yet no persuasions having Iron enough to debar him, he went and returned; and when the other thought all hopes were vanished, he told him he had seen such wickedness, looseness, and irreligious corruptions of manners at Rome, as now he did verily believe the Christian Church was the only beloved of God, and that therefore in his infinite favour to the Christians, he did preserve and keep them, else it could not be but they should quickly perish and be destroyed; and upon this ground he would be baptised, and turn Christian, 
joan. Peregrin. Petro sell. in serm. Convival.  as judging some admirable excellency in Christianity, which drew the heart of God towards them, when their ways were quite against him. The other Narration is to the same purpose, of a Jew under the Duke of Saxony, that being urged as the former, went first to Rome, and returning, concluded he would now be a Christian, for at Rome he saw such filthiness, and abominable flagitious practices, that unless Christians were cared for and beloved of God more than others, our Faith and Religion could no way stand. I call not for necessity of belief, in that I think they are more intended for the shame of Christians, then to commend this backward way of Christians to bring Jews forward to Conversion. O that our light might shine better before them, that our holy Word of the Gospel, and our Gospelling works might make them fall down on their faces, and worship Christ, and report that God is in us of a truth; Vale Synagoga, salve Ecclesia, farewell the Synagogue of the Jews, welcome O Church of Christ; farewell Husks for Swine, the Talmud; welcome the Bread of our Father's house, the Gospel of Jesus Christ, the only way, the only truth, the only life. How blessed tidings would this be, that ten Jews should take hold of the skirts of Christians, and say, 
Zach. 8. 23.  We will go with you, for we have heard that God is with you.  
Thus I have made up this exercitation with excerpted Histories and Testimonies out of approved Authors, for that is the way to delineate the Jews misery and vanity. It is true, I had other employment, yet I met with these, not found in the streets, not standing i●le in the Marketplace; and I affirm, that the asserting of God's free grace against the Roman Antichrist, and Christ's Divinity and Mediatorship, against the Jewish Pseudo-christs, is as proper a part of our Ministerial Office, as any else we perform. I conclude with that of John, We know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is, 
1 joh. 5. 20  true, even in his Son Jesus Christ: This is the true God and eternal life.   

The Epistle of Friar Alphonsus, of the Order of the Preachers, (who first translated the Book out of Arabic into Latin) to Brother Hugh Master of the same Order, concerning the Book.  
To the most reverend Brother in Christ Hugo, Master of the Order of the Friar Preachers, the most worthy Professor of Divinity, your humble Alphonsus, Boni hominis, (or Goodman) Spaniard, promises you confidence of devout and prompt obedience.  
SInce according to my meanness end insufficiency, I am not such an one as for knowledge, either for you, or to you, can effect any great thing, or assist such a worthy Father in your labours and cares, which for the quiet of us all, and peace of our Order you sustain in the Court: For some comfort and ease of pains, I send you (as a small gift) this ancient little Treatise, by a new Translation of Arabic rendered Latin, and by me interpreted, which of late came unto my hands, that before of long time has been concealed and hid. Now it is to be observed, that among the jews they make it a grand boast and honour, if a man be skilled in Arabic learning, both because those letters are of much use with the Ancient Philosophers, and because in that Character they more confidently convey their secrets, which they would veil from others, that Tongue being in acquaintance with few jews, and fewer Christians, For which cause I judge this jew (the Author of this Book, being but a Catachumenus and novice Christian) writ it in the Arabic, and not in the Hebrew tongue. However (sooner or later) all things that are hid shall be revealed, according to the saying of our Saviour.  
In translating this Book the Bible authorities (brought by the jew) I have writ in their proper places in Latin, like as they were in the Arabic, not following our Translation according to S. Hierome, but as this Jew gave them when he composed the Work. This I did, that none might charge me for presuming addition to, or diminution from, or alteration in the Text. In this all that are expert in Arabic will witness for me. And this I say, that the Jew treads not in the footsteps of our Translation, as will be evident in the process. I thought I was bound to express him in Latin, according as he speaks in Arabic, as near as possibly I could, and observe his order, otherwise I might come to merit the name of a Corrupter, rather than an Interpreter of this Book. Nor would the Jews, seeing this Book in both Tongues, lie under so much conviction by it, if they should see a disagreement and disaccord betwixt the Arabic and Latin testimonies. To my comfort, O Father, Lord and Master, this is the end I aim at. Our Lord Jesus Christ keep you many years in our Order in his grace and love. Written at Paris by the hand of your humble servant  
Friar Alphonsus.   

The Preface of Rabbi Samuel to his Book of the coming of the MESSIAS, as already past.  
Samuel the Christian to Isaac the Israelite, health.  
THe Lord preserve thee, O Brother, and keep thee alive till this our captivity come to an end, our dispersion be gathered together, and our hopes draw near, and God set the Seal of his good pleasure upon our life, Amen. I know [and that upon experience] that the fullness of the knowledge of our time is in thee, and thou art the hope of our satisfaction in the clearing of the doubts about the Law and Prophets, by thy glorious expositions: Wherefore I [much desiring to be made partaker of thy Doctrine] do now open unto thee the very secrets of my heart, in those things I find in the Law and the Prophets, about which my soul lies under great anxiety and fear. Hence it is I make my recourse to they abundant knowledge and wisdom, and send to thee this little Book, hoping through the will of God, to be confirmed in the truth by thee, and to have my judgement cleared in the things are doubtful.   

The Argument of every Chapter in the Book.  
Chapter I. 
1. WHy the Jews are under the wrath of God.  Chap. II. 
2. He proves they are dispersed for some grievous sin, in which they are, and argues against observation of their Law.  Chap. III. 
3. All the Jews observance of the Law, is unacceptable to God for the sin in which they are.  Chap. IU. 
4. He shows they are in blindness.  Chap. V. 
5. The Jews deceive themselves and others.  Chap. VI 
6. What the sin is for which the Jews are in Captivity.  Chap. VII. 
7. That the Just JESUS, the God of the Christians, was unjustly sold.  Chap. VIII. 
8. How the dispersion of the Jews (according to Daniel) came to pass after the death of JESUS.  Chap. IX. 
9 That there are two advents, or comings of CHRIST.  Chap. X. 
10. Of the first coming of CHRIST.  Chap. XI. 
11. Of the second coming of CHRIST, that he will then judge with power.  Chap. XII. 
12. Of the Ascension of CHRIST.  Chap. XIII. 
13. He more strongly proves the corporal Ascension of CHRIST.  Chap. XIV. 
14. Of the Jews blindness, who neither understand, nor believe that CHRIST is come.  Chap. XV. 
15. The Jews blindness and incredulity about CHRIST was foretold by the Prophets.  Chap. XVI. 
16. He shows the Jews reprobation for perfidiousness, and the Gentiles election by faith.  Chap. XVII. 
17. Of the quickening and giving life to the Gentiles, and slaying of the Jews.  Chap. XVIII. 
18. How the Gentiles quickened by faith have pure observances in their New law.  Chap. XIX. 
19 Of the choosing of the Apostles in place of the Prophets.  Chap. XX. 
20. Of the casting off the Sacrifice of the Jews, and choosing the Sacrament of the Christians.  Chap. XXI. 
21. God hath refused the Fasts, Sabbaths and Sacrifices of the Jews, and chosen them of the Christians.  Chap. XXII. 
22. He proves the abjection of the Synagogue, and the election of the Church by the Lord's word to Rebecca.  Chap. XXIII. 
23. He proveth the same thing by the Word of the Lord to the Prophet Malachi.  Chap. XXIV. 
24. He showeth the Christians manner of singing is acceptable to God.  Chap. XXV. 
25. The Jews unjustly find fault with the Christians practise of singing.  Chap. XXVI. 
26. He proves the Apostasy of the Jews from God.  Chap. XXVII. 
27. Testimonies of the Saraceus concerning JESUS, and Mary his Mother.    

A Table of the Digressions in the Annotations to every Chapter, wherein divers things of consequence are insisted upon, Historical and Theological.  

Chap. 1 1. A Digression about the inquiry of that great and particular sin of the Jews, for which they have been, and are in this long captivity.  
2. A second Digression handles the Titles and Eulogies of Christian and jewish Doctors.  
3. The studying of Rabbins and Jewish learning is asserted and vindicated, as needful and profitable for Divines.  
Chap. 2 4. Of jews Sacrifices and Services Legal, not intended to be perpetual, but to be abrogated.  
Chap. 3 5. That Daniel was not only an Hagiographer, but a complete and true Prophet.  
Chap. 7 6. Of the 53. Chapter of Esay fitting none but CHRIST, confessed by jews themselves.  
7. The Epithet [Justice and righteous One] ordinarily given to JESUS CHRIST.  
Chap. 10 8. Misinterpretation of Zach. 14. Malac. 3. corrected.  
Chap. 12 9 The Application of Psalm. 24. corrected.  
10. The 63 of Esay vindicated at large 〈◊〉 the mis-application of it, and the vulgar mistakes of our common Divines.  
11. Of the jews care to preserve the Writings of the Old Testament from losing or corrupting.  
Chap. 13 12. A discovery of what is meant by the Prophet Aser, that it is not 〈…〉, but 〈◊〉.  
13, Reason's for that Scripture, A woman shall compass a man, Jerem. 31. to be understood of something else than CHRIST'S Incarnation.  
Chap. 16 14. Of the jews proud and horrible contempt of Gentiles, and Christians.  
Chap. 20 15. Of the Sacramental Crama, or mixture of Wine and Water.  
Chap. 23 16. jewish blasphemies and foul speeches against CHRIST; Gospel, Christians.  
Chap. 26 17. A large Historical digression, reckoning up the chief falls Christ's, the jews have since CHRIST'S time been deluded with.  
18. A large discovery of jewish follies about the time of CHRIST'S coming, when it should be, and whether he be yet come or no; and what kind of one their Messias should be.  
Chap. 27 19 The strange stubbornness and cursed obstinacy of the jews is discoursed on, and laid out.  
20. A censure on the Koran, the Mahometans Gospel.  
21. The Creed of this converted jew, made out of the Chapters of this 〈◊〉, or demonstration of the Messias.    

A DEMONSTRATION OF The true Messias.  

CHAP. I. Why the jews are under the wrath of God.  
I Desire (O Master) my conscience may receive some satisfaction by thee, out of the Testimonies of the Law, the Prophets, and other Scriptures, about this point, namely, How it comes to pass that we Jews, our whole Nation, have a general great stroke of God upon us in this Captivity, which now holds us, and which we may well call Gods perpetual wrath, because it finds no end. The Wheel of time hath now spun a thousand years, and more, completely, since that Titus first led us Captives. We are not ignorant that our Fathers worshipped Idols, and slew the Prophets, and cast away the Law of God; yet for all these transgressions, the smart of Gods smiting hand did vex them but with a seventy years' Captivity in Babylon, and when that set term of time was run out, he was appeased with them, and brought them back into their own Land again. And at that time, according to the suffrage of the Scripture, 
Dan. 9 12.  the anger of God had then the bitterest and strongest Ingredients of his wrath mixed with it above any precedent times reckoned in that holy Volume; notwithstanding, as is already said, the punishment of so great sins laid upon them no longer than seventy years. But now, O Master, that wrath which at this present punishes us, is a sentence without a period, neither in all the Prophets is there any end of it promised. If we would thus shift it off, and say, That the wrath in which we are now deep plunged, is a continuance of that wrath, which brought the seventy years' misery upon us, seeing that served to satisfy for the forementioned sins of our Fathers; in so doing we should go about to charge God with a Ive, which be far from us to attempt, knowing that the true and glorious God did by his prophets stint that Captivity, within that number of years. Whereupon such an answer would prove a nullity, a mere evasion and excuse, not fit to be propounded before those who have any intellectuals. Further, if we shall go on to say, That God in that transmigration made a division of mercy and justice, had pity on one part of our Jewish generation, showed no pity to the other part, and those on whom he had mercy, he brought back to re-edify the Temple, 
jer. 25. ●29.  as saith the Prophet Jeremy: and if we shall say, that we are that unhappy remnant, to which he showed no mercy, then will the Christians say to us, That because God showed mercy to them that worshipped Idols and slew the Prophets, therefore he should have mercy on us also that have not so sinned. Besides, when our Fathers sinned, the punishment of Divine Revenge kept within the bounds of certain years, wherefore then is it, that we, who have not so sinned, have a punishment without bounds and limits? It is a long and undated punishment in which we lie fast bound, it is now a thousand years old, and yet neither in the Law or Prophets can we find an end of it, or spy any grave wherein it shall be buried. Wherefore O Master, laying these grounds, that God hath punished our Fathers for Idolatry and Prophet-killing, and in the Scripture their sin and punishment are both recorded; seeing God uses not to punish the same sin twice, than the seventy years' captivity must be the punishment of the foregoing sins.  
Again, it not being usual with God to lay on an universal Rod, but where there hath been an universal sin, it must needs follow, that after that captivity we have generally committed some greater sin before God, than either their Idolatry or Prophet-slaughter, weighing and proportioning their 70 years' punishment and no more, with our thousand years' captivity and more, who are still a wretched dispersion thorough the the four quarters of the world. Yet what ever falls out, we are God's people, and belong to him. Now because no excuse can evade what I have said, answer me directly to it.   

CHAP. II. He proves they are thus dispersed for some grievous sin in which they are, and argues against observation of their Law.  
SUppose, O Master, that we are in some great sin, yet now I request thou wouldst certify me in this, if after God scattered us out of Jerusalem, and sent us into this long and lasting captivity for that sin, why do we of our own authority, and proper motion of our own will, without any special mandate from God, 
He blames their observing of Circumcision, Sabhath, etc. for their traditions and additions, more than they find in Moses his Law.  observe some Legal Rites, and do not keep Circumcision, the Sabbath, and other Ceremonies that we hold, according to the Law of Moses? We know that from the time in which Titus destroyed the holy City, and by combustions turned our Temple and Libraries into ashes, dispersing us in that Captivity, that ever since Sacrifices, Oblations, and whole burnt-Offerings have quite ceased, God not making promise to us by any Prophet, in any Prophecy, or by any certain revelation, that we should any more return to our forsaken jerusalem, to be in our former state, nor giving us any precept ●o keep and hold our former Observances. Hence it seems by due consequence to follow, ●hat these foresaid observances which we keep, we received them not of God, but of them that were under the wrath of God. Yea, thus ●ur Adversaries (the Christians) shall justly ●ay unto us, Like as you observe Circumcision and the Sabbath, and do read in your Synagogues the Books of Moses, without any command from God, why do you not as well in like manner take up again your sacrificing, and make to yourselves a Priest, a King, a Prince, why use you not holy Unctions and Incense? why build you not Altars, and keep your Ceremonies, and many other things contained in the Law, as well as Sabbath and Circumcision, and many other things, which by your own Traditions and Will-worship, not commanded of God, you do retain? Thus both ways is the Lord offended by you. These aforesaid Rites, if you observe them contrary to the Will of God, or if you say it is Gods Will and his good pleasure that you should do them, (which is more than you can manifest) why omit you those aforesaid Rites, which you may use as well as these? Let it be granted, that the Kings of the people, to whom you are subject, do not permit you; yet seeing they permit you to retain Circumcision, your Books, Synagogues, and other things, they would suffer you in many other things as well as these.  
To these Arguments, O my Master, a sufficient answer is far to seek amongst us; yet in all events we belong to God.   

CHAP. III. All the jews observance of the Law is unacceptable to God for the sin in which they are.  
WE have found, O Master, what the Lord speaks by the mouth of his Prophet Zacharie, concerning that first short captivity: 
Zach. 7. 5.  These things saith the Lord God to the Priests and people of the Land, when you fasted and mourned in the sixth and seventh month, the whole time of your seventy years, you understood that you fasted and mourned to me, but I would not have any such fast from you. 
The words of the first Translator, Alphonsus the Spaniard.  [Our Translation hath it otherwise, but I purpose to set out in writing the authorities which Rabbi Samuel brings, as they are in the Arabic, not as we find them in our Bible's] In the forementioned words, O Master, the Lord intimates, that while we Jews were in that seventy years' Captivity, we were without his Law, because in the Law we neither had nor have any Fast, as we have other observances; yea, in like manner we were without Circumcision, and Sabbath, and doubtless all these things are nothing worth, whiles God's wrath abides upon his people. 
Isa. 54. 7, 8.  That first wrath of God was short, extending to 70 years only; but this, in which we now are, is a thousand years long, and upward, and none of the Prophets let us see and end of it. This causes my fear, O Master, that as the Lord cast our Fathers into that short Bondage and Captivity without any Legal Observances, their Fast and all other Rites being abhorred of the Lord, till the set time of their punishment was expired; so in this our last Captivity, we may be devout in observing all our Legalities, and yet the Lord will not accept any of our Works. Greater therefore for certain is our sin, than that which carried our Fathers into Babylon: and thence it is, that the wrath of God is greater which is upon us, and consequently our works are less acceptable, and we in the eyes of the Lord more abominable. The slaughter of Prophets, the worship of Idols procured them their seventy years' captivity and no more, but we are captives for a great sin, yea, surely ours is the greatest sin, which is thus punished with a chiliad of years and makes us miserable millenaries and more. Without doubt, O Master, the Prophet Daniel speaking from the Lord, means of our Captivity, when he calls it the Desolation, He shall make it desolate, even till the Consummation, 
Dan. 9 27.  and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate. The first Captivity is called but a transmigration, because after a short time they were brought back with honour to jerusalem; but this is called a perpetual Desolation, in which for certain God will ●ot have mercy on us, as he had on our Fathers in Babylon. And this is two ways evident. 1. The Prophets ceased not to comfort ●hem, and give them promises of deliverance. 2. Though they were in captivity, yet were ●hey all together. (and company alleviates an ●vill.) Now for the first, we find not a syllable of any Prophetical promise for us. And for the second, our case is aggravated, to make ●s higher graduates in misery, we are not bondslaves in company of one another, but ●e are a dispersion thorough all the Kingdoms of the World. Notwithstanding we are in ●ll events the Lords.   

CHAP. IU. He showeth the Jews are blind.  
A Marvellous thing to me is this, O Master, that all of us are brim full with continual hopes of our freedom from our captivity, our Lips do always mention it, our Tongues know no vacation, but are ever talking of our return to jerusalem, wherein we are ●o other than blind men, or mere deceivers of ●he simple. For look to the time since our dispersion by Titus, and where did any Prophet appear with any prediction or promise of our return? nay, did any Prophet since that seventy years hard apprenticeship, name any other end of our Captivity than the World's end? The consummation of the World must only consummate our Captivity, and Daniel to that purpose names it an endless desolation 
Dan. 9  This, this, o Master, is still my fear, our sin● is the greatest, because our smart is the sorest▪ a sin which far exceeds Idol-worship, and Butchering of Prophets, for which our Fathers before were punished. And if God will show no mercy to us living, we persevering in the same sin, so will his mercy be far from us dying also. Yet this nothing can prevent, that we belong to the Lord in every event.   

CHAP. V. The jews deceive themselves and others.  
ME thinks, O Master, we notably gull both ourselves and others, because in the Books of the Law and the Prophets, we have the Lords promise frequently of freeing our Nation, and of gathering us together again from all our scatter. Now these promises looked into with a well advised mind, it will appear they were all, 1, Either complete before, and in the seventy years; or, 2, that these promises were totally hindered from fulfilling, the sins of them, to whom they were made, being an impediment to their impletion. An instance, O Master, I give in those few words spoken by Ezechiel, If ye will do my judgements, and keep my Commandments, then Will I gather you from the four corners of the earth, I will lift you up, and bring you thorough the Sea, yea I will make you return unto your holy House. Behold, that which the Lord promiseth us by Ezechiel in these words, and other places of his Prophecy, it was many times fulfilled before the seventy years' captivity, as all such promises of the Lords, whether greater or lesser contained in divers places of the sacred Volume, were complete and fulfilled, before we fell into this last captivity, which has no bottom, though we have been more than a thousand years in it, yet in none of the Prophets can we find it has a bottom. And where any promise of God treats of freeing and gathering together, it is not to be understood of this perpetual bondage, but of those tribulations and dispersions before the seventy years, but after them there is not the least inkling of a promise, to gather us from our scattered estate. Of necessity therefore we must take it to us, that we have committed that great sin since the forementioned years, in which sin we now are and obstinately persist, for which the Lord so endlessly punisheth us, else the Lords wrath could not so long time have held in his mercy from us. 
Psal. 76.  Through the course of Scriptures, we may perceive our forefathers punished for their sins before seventy years, out of many I select these few examples. Our Elders sinned (before that time) who came out of Egypt, the Promise therefore made to them, had no place in them, for they perished in their sins in the wilderness. 
Exod. 32.  Moses sinned at the Waters of strife, 
Numb. 20.  and that sin bolted him out from entering the promised Land. 
Deut. 9  Aaron sinned, and he bore his punishment. 
1 Sam. 4.  Eli the Priest sinned, and he broke his Neck for breaking Gods Command, and his Posterity lost the Priesthood, though God had promised it them for ever. Such promises as these, are to be understood with this caution always, they shall be fulfilled, unless for their sins they promerit another reward, as is plain in the Kingdom of David, when his Posterity after the flesh fell short of the Sceptre, even as the true and glorious God promised Abraham and his Seed they should possess the Land for ever, 
Gen. 17.  yet they often were at a loss of it for their sins, and the Lord often restored it to them again, until this last great loss of it. Now a thousand years and above are gone over our heads, and our hopes of recovery are vanished with them, because we still abide in that sin, by which our Land is lost and forfeited. This is among wonderful things, a grand one, O Master, that all of us with one Lip consent to this, that since the sore Servitude in Babylon, it must needs be, that we have sinned against God some great sin, and yet none can pick out what this great sin is, for which we have been laden with such a mass of misery: Or if any of us have knowledge of the cause, and our sin which hath thus engulphed us in these deep evils, yet what are we the better? The secret sticks in his own breast, he doth not declare it to his neighbour. Or what is himself the better for knowing it, whiles he turns it not to his own profit, for we all do still lie flat upon the ground. Clearly we do all see, that in the foresaid Captivity God remained with our Fathers in his Prophets, jeremy and others, he gave them Salathiel for a Leader or Captain; they had both Princes and Priests, which went with them out of Babylon, after the time of their repentance (or doing Penance) was finished, and having got their God appeased, they built jerusalem, the Temple, and other Cities, and the Lord poured upon them his mercie● plenteously. In this our Captivity all appears with a stranger face, it is manifest that both God and Prophet hath forsaken us, neither of these are with us. Wherefore, O Master, this will I make my task, I will exactly inquire, and uncessantly search out what that great sin is, which hath cast us into this thousand years' slavery and more, (in which we are clothed with desolation) being without Prophet, without King without Priest, without Altar, without Sacrifice, without Ointment, without Incense, without our Purifications; yea, in one word, we have engrossed to ourselves the abhorring of God in heaven, and the contempt and abomination of us with the whole world, and all men on earth. Yet for all this misery that reigns in our estate, pride reigns in our heart, in our own conceits we prefer ourselves before all the world besides. Concerning which thing what my judgement is, O Master, I will make known to thee. Nevertheless▪ what ever fall out, from God we cannot finally fall off.   

CHAP. VI What that sin is, for which the jews are in Captivity.  
NOw, O my Master, I am in great fear, that that sin, for which we are in this desolating Captivity, is that of which God speaks by his Prophet Amos, 
Amos 2.  saying, For three transgressions of judah, I will turn or translate Israel. [note that our Bible's have it, 
The words of the first Translator, Alphonsus the Spaniard.  I will turn away, here he hath it, I will transfer or translate, and it is better so for his purpose] and for the fourth I will not translate them, because they sold the righteous for silver. We indeed, O Master, according to our Doctrine, make this righteous One to be joseph the son of jacob, 
Gen. 37.  who was sold by his Brethren into Egypt; and this would I hold for true also, but that the Sacred Writ makes this sin of selling, the fourth for number among the sins, or transgressions of Israel. The Christians themselves (to whom the study of Sacred Volumes seems to be delivered & committed of God) do answer to our foresaid interpretation, that the selling of joseph by his Brethren, is the first, and not the fourth of Israel's sins or transgressions. The second sin they make the worshipping of the Calf in Horeb. The third transgression is the slaughter of the Prophets, for which we served as slaves seventy years in Babylon. But the fourth transgression of Israel, the selling of the Righteous, this they say is plainly meant of JESUS, who was, according to the very letter, sold after that aforesaid transmigration. And we, O Master, if we mean to maintain as Authentical our own Doctrine, and stop the Christians mouths with a sufficient answer, this of us must be undertaken, and made good, that divers transgressions of Israel's did precede this of joseph's selling, so as to make it fall in the fourth number. Which thing we cannot uphold, the testimony of the Book of Genesis making sore against us, which sets the selling of Joseph, as the first transgression of the Children of Israel. The Prophet Amos also expressly makes appear, that the fourth sin was the selling of the righteous One, for which we have been Captives, and of which the Lord with a fearful Commination speaks, that he will never bring us back again into the Land of Promise, saying, And for the fourth I will not translate them, because they sold the righteous for silver. To me it is more than manifest, that for the selling the Righteous, the fourth sin, we are righteously punished: and now more than a thousand years are past and gone, in all which time we do no good, nor prosper at all among the Gentiles, nor remains there any hope, that we shall do any good at all.   

CHAP. VII. That the Just Jesus, the God of the Christians, was unjustly sold.  
A Marvellous horror, O Master, hath surprised me, and I quake to think, that this Righteous one sold for silver, according to the Prophet Amos, is JESUS, whom the Christians worship. And further I fear, that the testimonies, which I meet withal in the Prophets, are concerning him, and the Christians in their Doctrine do very apertly, and aptly apply them to him. 
Isa. 1. 4.  Esay the Prophet saith, Ah sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, a seed of evil doers, they have forsaken the Lord, they have provoked the holy One of Israel to anger, they are gone away backward. The same Prophet saith, 
Isa. 53.  As a sheep led to the slaughter is dumb, 
Hierome after the Hebrew so reads it, oblatus est quia ipse voluit. vers. 7.  so he opened not his mouth. He saith, he was a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief; he was despised of men, and (for this) we esteemed him not; he was offered up, because so his will was. He was taken from prison and judgement, and who shall declare his generation? For the transgression of my people have I smitten him, [and he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death] and he shall give those that injured him for his burying, and the rich for his death. I fear, O Master, that these injurious doers were our Fathers, and these rich ones were Pilate and Herod, Annas and Caiaphas, according to that the Prophet David saith, 
Psa. 2. 2.  The Kings of the earth set themselves, and the Rulers take counsel together against the Lord, and against his Anointed. By the Kings we understand the aforenamed; by the Rulers, our Fathers and Ancestors. I fear, O Master, this JESUS is he who was sold, and chopped, and changed for Silver, 
Zach. 11.  of whom Zacharie, 
Amos 2.  Amos, 
Esa. 53. 12.  and other Prophets write. Of him Esay the Prophet speaks, He bore the sins of many, and made intercession for the transgressors. I fear, O Master, that this JESUS is that righteous One, of whom David speaks, They gather themselves together against the soul of the righteous, 
The Author hath it, Delectati sunt.  and condemn the innocent blood, and for this God shall cut them off, yea, the Lord our God shall cut them off. 
Psa 94. 21, 23.  Again, I fear, O Master, JESUS is that Just One, 
Jer. 17. 9  of whom Jeremy speaks, 
The Septuagint reads the last part of the Verse thus, Homo est quis cognoscet ●um?  saying, He is the man, and who is there that understands him; or knows what he is? In his Lamentations also, The beauty of our countenance, Christ our God, was taken for our sins, [otherwise with us, The breath of our nostrils, the Anointed of the Lord, was taken in their pits] of whom we said, Under his shadow we shall live among the heathen. I fear this is that Just One, of which Zacharie speaks, 
Zach. 13. 6, 7.  It shall be said in that day, What are these wounds in thy hands? And he shall answer, Those, with which I was wounded in the house of my friends, and my shepherd lift up his sword upon me. [With us it is, Awake O sword against my shepherd.] 
Zac. 12. 10  The same Prophet hath, They shall in that day look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only begotten son. I fear, O Master, this is that Just One, of whom Habakkuk speaks, 
Hab. 3. 4.  He had horns coming out of his hand, and there was the hiding of his power. And the Gospel of the Christians, where the death of JESUS is related, agrees with this, 
joh. 19  where it is said, When they came to JESUS, they found him dead, and they pierced him with a spear. 
Hab. 3. 13.  O Master, I fear this is that Righteous One, of whom Habakkuk speaks, Thou goest forth for the salvation of thy people with thine Anointed, or, with thy CHRIST.   

CHAP. VIII. How the dispersion of the Jews, according to Daniel, came to pass after the death of jesus.  
FEar hath seized on my spirit, O Master, about those words of the Prophet Esay, 
Esay 53.  who that righteous One should be, that is without sin, 
Amos 2.  and who that righteous One is, that in the Prophet Amos is said to be sold for silver, as is above testified, that for their fourth sin he will not bring them back into the Land of Promise any more. It seems, O Master, the Prophecy of Daniel in his ninth Chapter is fulfilled, 
Dan. 9 26, 27.  where he saith, After threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, (but not for himself) and the people of the Prince that shall come, shall destroy the City and the Sanctuary, and they shall condemn it, and the Sacrifice shall cease, and the perpetual destruction shall have its consummation. All doubting set apart, O Master, this destruction and perpetual desolation is nothing else but our long lasting Captivity, which is now a thousand years standing. And very full of mark is it, that the Prophet's words have a Candle of plain indigitation and pointing it out, saying, This perpetual Desolation shall be after that Messiah is cut off. Just so comes in our Desolation, assoon as Jesus was put to death; neither did God threaten us this everlasting destruction till after Christ's death. But suppose we would fain prove, that before Christ's death the Deluge of our desolation had drowned us, this the Christians with their answer will easily take away, saying, That which is but for seventy years is not perpetual, but before Christ's death the desolation had but a seventy years' perpetuity, and after those years were worn out, we were carried back into our own land of Promise, and were highly both favoured and honoured of God. Verily, Master, my eyes fail me, nor can I spy any evasion, whereby we can either slip out, or slip off that Prophecy, seeing it is proved that 72 weeks and a year above, which are 433 years, are complete from the re-edifying of the Temple, at that term of time was Jesus cut off by our Fathers, after came Prince Titus and the Romans, and they dealt with us according to the tenure of that Prophecy. Now at this day we lie under the waves of a thousand years' misery, and more; nevertheless though we be under the wrath of God, yet still we fix our hopes on him.  
What if we argue thus for ourselves, That our Messiah will come, though he be not yet come, and when he comes he will re-estate, and repossess us of our Land of Promise, then shall our City rise out of her ruins, and be re-edified, God will bestow both favour and honour upon us in our Land, and this desolation shall not be perpetual? To this allegation the Christians will answer, that this Assertion must bring from us this confession, that then the Messiah is yet to be cut off, that Titus and the Romans are still to come, and these things performed, that there is a worse desolation will ensue it, that has more degrees of misery in it than this, in which we have continued a thousand years. Woe is me, O master, for us, our excuses and evasions are addle, and want all consonancy to truth.   

CHAP. IX. That there are two Advents, or comings of Christ.  
MUch am I possessed with fear, O Master, that Christ the Messiah is already come, and hath fulfilled his first Advent, because in Scripture we find a double coming of his. This first coming of Christ is described by the Prophets to be in great poverty and humility; the second in glory and Majesty. Of both these comings of Christ I will propound what occurs in Sacred Writ. Of the first coming by Zacharies mouth God speaks thus, Rejoice greatly, 
Zach 9 9  O daughter of Zion, 
For Rex tuus, thy King▪ he hath Praeceptor tuus thy master.  behold thy King cometh unto thee, poor and riding on an Ass. In this first coming Esay sets him out as a man despised, Daniel as one cut off or slain▪ Zachary and Amos, as one that was sold. And these things were even after this manner fulfilled in Christ, 
Dan. 9  as I have in this little Book declared, 
Zac. 11.  and will further declare. 
Amos 2.  We did not esteem him, 
Psa. 97.  that is, 
Esay 29.  we knew him not, as saith the Prophet Esay, yea, we despised him, and prevailed against him. But his glory and Majesty shall be manifest enough in his second coming, when flaming fire shall go before him, and shall burn and lick up his enemies that are round about him, as God by the mouth of the Prophets David and Esay hath spoken. I fear, O Master, that Christ will judge us with fire unto death, because we have slain all the Prophets, who spoke of him to us, God himself so testifies against us by the mouth of his Prophet Elias. 
1 Kings 19 10.   
Thus did we slay that Just One, for whose death we lie thus bound under the Lords endless wrath: Notwithstanding all this, still we are God's people.   

CHAP. X. Of the first coming of Christ.  
I Fear, O Master, God describes two comings of Christ by the mouth of the Prophet Esay, 
Esay 51. 9  saying, Arise, arise, put on strength O Arm of the Lord. In that he saith twice Arise, arise, he saith surely of purpose to denote Christ's double coming. In the fiftieth, and through the whole Body of the 53. chapter, he particularly and perspicuously makes a Declaration of the first coming of Christ, so far as concerns his Passion, and extreme dejection to the lowest ebb of misery; 
Esay 53.  especially when he saith, He hath no form or comeliness, and when we see him there is no beauty that we should desire him. His first coming is set our in that of Esay, To us a Child is born; 
●say 9  presently upon that his second coming is subjoined, in which he calls him A mighty God, who shall sit upon the Throne of David to order and establish it for ever. Zachary with his Prophetical Pencil effigiates him in form of a poor one riding upon an Ass; 
Zach. 9  and what else by any deduction can we draw hence, but that the Prophet by it understands the first appearance of Christ in marvellous debasement and humility; and his second that is in Power and Majesty, according to daniel's description, I considered and beheld in a Vision of the night, and one like the Son of Man came in the Clouds of Heaven, 
Dan. 7.  and came to the Ancient of days, and they offered him before him. And he gave him Dominion, Glory, and a Kingdom, and all people, Nations and Languages shall worship and serve him. The Hebrew hath it, Tribes and Languages shall honour him, his dominion shall be everlasting, and not pass away, his Kingdom shall not be destroyed, [Our Translation hath it, Tribes and Languages shall serve him, his Power shall be an everlasting Power, 
The words of the first Translator, Alphonsus the Spaniard.  which shall not be taken away, and his Kingdom shall not be corruptible; otherwise, his Power shall not fail; otherwise, his Power shall be for ever, and his Kingdom remain for ever] Out of all which these things appear with evidence, O Master, that Christ in his second coming shall sit before the Ancient of days, as a God come to judgement, contrary to that of his first coming, where he stood before our forefathers the Jews, and received their judgement against him. To these two comings of the Messias, that is Christ, the Prophet David hath respect in that Psalm, where he saith, For he cometh, for he cometh to judge the world. 
Psa. 97.  His first coming was but simple and mean, to which purpose those words are barely set down, for he cometh, without any addition; But as the first was poor, so the second will be powerful, and therefore is added this clause to the second, for he cometh to judge the world. His second coming is mentioned by the Prophet Zacharie, 
Zach. 14.  His feet shall stand in that day on the Mount of Olives, etc.  
You know well enough, O Master, none of us are so grosse-witted, as to hold that God, considered in his divine Essence and Nature, hath either flesh, or feet, or any corporeal Members; for to have feet is proper to corporietie. 
Psa. 97.  David, alleged in the place before, saith of his second coming, A fire shall burn before him, and round about him. For all this O Master, we do not say God is circumscriptible for place, that any thing may be said to stand about him, as he is God; but therefore it is thus written, because these authorities have a literal verity in that Righteous One described by the Prophets, when one while they speak of his Humility, another while of his Majesty. 
Malac. 3.  The Prophet Malachi saith, Behold, 
Our Translation is a little otherwise.  the Lord cometh, and who may abide the day of his coming? For he shall sit as a refining fire, and shall melt the silver and gold. Here behold how that Just One, once judged, shall appear at his second coming. Attend O Master, and mark how in the same chapter the Prophet further expresses the glory of his person; I will come near to you in judgement, and be a true witness against adulterers, etc. 
Ezek. 34.  In the same sort doth Ezechiel describe him, speaking of the Shepherds and Sheep, I will separate between them, that is, I will separate the transgressors from the Righteous, and the unbelievers. [It is not thus in our Translation, 
The words of the Translator Alphonsus.  but the Arabic reads it so] Lo here how in his second coming he will separate the unrighteous from the righteous, as Malachi and Ezekiel are both clear in this point. 
Matth. 25.  At his first coming none of us knew him, for he went beyond the limits of humane nature, as God by Esay saith, 
Esa. 53.  He was reckoned with transgressors, and we therefore esteemed him not. And Jeremy saith, 
jerem.  This is the man, and who knows him?  
Wherefore, O Master, this fear dwells upon my soul, that our Fathers, in the first coming of the Messias, fell off, and ran into errors, and because of this we groan under our endless Captivity: Yet what ever fall out, we belong unto God, and in him we hope.   

CHAP. XI. Of the second coming of Christ, that he then will judge with Power.  
THese two things, O Master, I am in no small fear do agree to him. 1. That he was manifested as a Saviour to all them that believed in him at his first coming. 2. That he shall be a just Judge, to judge all with power at his second coming. 
Psa. 97.  David the Prophet speaks of him; The Lord hath made known his salvation, he hath openly declared his righteousness in the sight of the heathen. Esay doth not dissent, Ye shall draw water out of the wells of salvation, 
Esay 12.  or, of the Saviour; which so far as my eyes serve, 
Psa. 97.  I can interpret those Wells of salvation to be meant of nothing else but Baptism. Thus his double Advent hath a double Element; his first coming in water to save by Baptism, his second coming in fire, to try all by judgement; a Saviour by water, a Judge by fire. Of this Saviour do those words mean, 
job 19  I know that my Redeemer liveth, and that in the last day I shall rise from the earth, and my eyes in my flesh shall see my God. Observe here, O Master, how he calls this Just One both Saviour and God. It is confessed and manifest, that God being a Spirit, cannot be seen with any eye of flesh. 
Esay 53.  Scripture gives it out, that the Saviour is the Righteous God, and he alone challenges the name of that True Just One, 
1 Pet. 2.  of whom that saying is, He did no sin, 
Zach. 9  neither was guile found in his mouth. Esay the Prophet testifies this of him. This cannot be said of Moses, or any of the Prophets, that he is a Righteous Saviour, and without sin; you Master know well enough that both Moses and the Prophets were sinners: which the Scripture makes plain, in that none is called the Righteous One, but Christ, and that name is reserved as only proper to him. And this without all doubt is to be held, 
John 3.  that none are saved but those that believe his first coming, and those that believe not, there is no ground for them to hope for salvation at his second coming. This argument has a marble reason to lay the foundation strong for it, for I reason thus, If they were worthy of death that believed not Moses, who was two great degrees below Christ, for Moses was but a temporary Saviour, and a sinner, how much more are they worthy of this judicatory fire, that believe not, nay and worse, that blaspheme this Righteous One, the Lord, that never knew any sin.— Yet nothing can so fall out as to take this from us, our relation and belonging to God.   

CHAP. XII. Of the Ascension of Christ.  
DIgging into the precious earth of the Scriptures, we have found, O Master, that Christ shall be exalted from earth to Heaven, and hence arises my fear, that this was fulfilled in him whom our Fathers Butchered, and that the Prophet David's acclamation is of his exaltation, Open the gates of your Principality, 
So reads the Translator.  O ye Princes, and be you lift up, O ye everlasting doors, and the Prince of glory shall enter in. 
Psal. 24.  To which words I entreat your attention, O Master, that you mark how the Angels in Heaven make answer; Who is the Prince of Glory? and he will answer again to them, The Lord of Hosts, mighty in battle, is the Prince of Glory. Certain and plain it is, O Master, that this righteous Lord of Hosts had no battle but in his first coming, for in his last coming who shall dare fight with him? 
Psa. 97.  for when he shall sit on his Seat of judgement, and a fire round about him shall flame and burn up his enemies, and shall purify the righteous by fire, as it were silver, and all this in his last coming: then none shall fight against him, no place shall there be for any to resist him by battle. Of the exaltation of this Righteous One the Prophet Esay speaks, 
Esay 63. 1.  Who is that that cometh from Edom, with garments died red from Bozrah, this that is glorious in his apparel? And the righteous One thus makes answer, I that speak righteousness, [a Defender to salvation] mighty to save. The Angels than say unto him, Why are thy garments red like him that treadeth the Wine-fat? 
The Translator turns the Future Tense into the Preter Tense.  He answers them again, I have trodden the Winepress alone, and there was not a man with me. See here, O Master, how properly Esay speaks, yea, I fear, the answer of this righteous one much toucheth us, and none but us, when he saith, I have trod them in mine anger, and their blood is sprinkled upon my garments, and I have stained all my raiment. For the day of vengeance is in my heart, and the year of retribution is come. O where have we any hopes in that Righteous One, when we see that he complains of us to the Angels in Heaven, and makes known to them that he trod the Winepress alone? Whom as it that he trod in his wrath but us? who, after the Battle in his first coming, hath thrown us down, and we lie prostrate, and trampled under foot now a thousand years, and still there is a black day of vengeance waits for us in his last coming, and a year of retribution is in his heart. I would to God, O Master, when we with murderous hands slew the Prophet Esay, we had laid hands upon this Prophecy also, and quite blotted out this fair authority out of his Book, that no eye might ever have beheld or read it against us. And you may observe, that which David calls a Battle, The Lord of Hosts mighty in Battle, Esay calls a Wineptesse. Alas for us, O Master, we drink that new sweet Wine, of which jacob, the Patriarch and Prophet, speaks in the Book of the Generation of the Creatures (that is Children) of Judah, 
Gen. 49. 11  He washed his clothes in the blood of the Grape, as it is fall'n out in us at the first coming of the Messiah. [that is, We washed our garments in his Blood.] But what shall we wretches do in his last coming, when all men shall stand before this man, coming to judgement, and a furious fire shall be ready to devour them round about him, against whom he shall pronounce sentence? Then is the time of Battle ceased, he shall be no more than trod in the Winepress; then shall there be neither place nor time for repentance, all refuge shall then fail, only Justice shall remain; that as he was unjustly judged, when they found no sin in him, so he shall justly judge all sinners. For God saith in the Prophecy of Solomon, 
Pro. 11. 31  If the righteous receive judgement, where shall be the wicked and the sinner? 
Salomon's Proverbs are called his Prophecy; so the catechistical instructions of Salomon's Mother are called the Prophecy that his Mother taught him, Prov. 31. 1.  If the righteous scarcely be saved, what shall then become of the ungodly?   

CHAP. XIII. He more strongly proves the corporal Ascension of Christ.  
FEar, as a Fury, haunts me, O Master, and possesses me with this, that those Testimonies, recited by me out of the Prophets, are all as points drawn from the Circumference, and meeting all in that Just One, as their Centre, viz. That he was sold for silver, as the Prophet Amos avouches; That he trod the Winepress, as Esay averrs; That he was in battle with our Fathers, as David affirms; That he was caught, as in a Net, by our sins, as Jeremy alleges; That he was wounded in his hands, as Zacharie asserts; That upon his Vesture they cast Lots, as David assents; That he ascended into Heaven, as the same Prophet, and others with an unanimous testimony give up: Which is not compatible, nor can it stand with mere God considered in his Divine Essence and nature; for the Deity has neither Resurrection, Exaltation, Descension, or Session properly. Out of what hath been said this must issue with a necessary consequence, That this Righteous one is already come, to whom all the foresaid things very aptly agree, and are fitly accommodated to his corporeal and humane nature, which he assumed. Now because [O Master] I know how hardly this enters into thy belief, as a most improbable paradox, that a man should bodily ascend into Heaven, ponder these authorities and examples, which we meet with in Scripture, which underprop and confirm this truth. In the first place I rank the Prophet David, 
Psa. 68 18.  who saith, God hath ascended on high, he hath led captivity captive, 
Psa. 68 4.  and given gifts to men. Again he speaketh of his Ascension, Sing unto God, and glorify his name, make way for him that ascendeth from the Western parts, the Lord is his name. Again, David speaks of him in that Psalm, which thou hast in thine heart, Sing praises to God that ascends above the heaven of heavens to the East. 
Psa. 68 32, 33.  After him the Prophet Amos in like manner saith, It is the Lord that hath built his Seat on high. Of him again the Prophet David, God is gone up with a shout, 
See the Annotations to this Chapter.  the Lord with the sound of a Trumpet. Likewise the Prophet Aser in his second Chapter saith, I saw a man descending from the midst or heart of the Sea, and he came up to heaven. But because we want that Prophecy I omit to write many other things, which that Prophet hath concerning this. 
The words of the first Translator, Alphonsus the Spaniard.  [And yet we have that Prophet, but he knew not then, that he who is Aggaeus in Latin, is the same with Aser in the Arabic tongue.] Moses in his Song saith, I lift up my hand to Heaven. So Esay, Awake, or, Arise, arise, O Arm of the Lord. Hannah, the Mother of Samuel, sings, The Lord shall give strength unto his King, and exalt the Horn of his Anointed. David again, The Lord ascended upon the wings of the wind. These authorities have I met with in Scripture, serving to prove the corporeal Ascension of Christ into heaven. Many more there are to this purpose, as thou, O Master, very well knowest. Now will I annex some examples out of our Law, to follow these Authorities, being a thing so convenient for the establishing our belief in the point of Christ's bodily ascent into Heaven. This in the first place must be taken into consideration, that the true and glorious God hath assumed, and translated to himself out of the earth, many holy men among our forefathers, as the Law and Prophets will witness; and if we doubt not of the ascent of these, induced to believe it for the sanctity of the men, and for the verity of Scripture testifying it, why do we doubt of the ascent of this Righteous One, both in his Body and Soul, the witness of Scripture confirming this more, than the testimony of holiness confirms it for the other? And may not this be one reason, because the Prophets set him out struggling and fight in a harder War of miseries than others, and acquainted with an harder bondage, and soret service of the World than others? Furthermore, this, without any exemplification, thou knowest well enough, that Methusalem and Henoch, those righteous men, and Elias the Prophet, were assumed by God in their bodies to Heaven, and translated out of this World. As for Moses, it is a thing out of the reach of all question and doubt, that he now is in Heaven both in body and soul, as is said in Deuteronomie, 
The Author quotes Deut. 34. but the last words are there only to be found.  Go up into the Mount this night, and he went up into the Mount and died there, and no man knoweth of his sepulchre unto this day. What doth this signify, that his Sepulchre is unknown upon earth, seeing he was a Prophet in greatness and holiness, surpassing others, but that thereby we should understand, that God hath raised him up, and assumed him in body and soul, as he did other righteous men, and elevated him to that place, where they are now? Neither need we puzzle our Brains, with marveling how it can stand with reason, that gross and ponderous bodies should ride, and be born upward on the light and subtle Element of Air; this we need not question, if we do but call to mind, how it pleased the Almighty Power to work the like in the Israelites egress out of Egypt, where the Water, an Element in ●aritie and thinness like unto the Air, did bear their heavy bodies without sinking. And when the Lord gave a sign of an accepting welcome to a Sacrifice, the Fire (though an Element lighter than the rest) descended from heaven, and, returning up again to heaven, carried with it aloft the bodies of the sacrificed Beasts, and Bullocks offered to God. As for this Righteous One, Moses, Elias, and other Prophets prophesied of his elevation. From the premises I collect, that we ●eing credulous, and ready to believe the corporal ascent of the aforenamed Saints, there is no reason remains, why we should let incredulity lurk in us, and suspend our belief about the elevation of this Righteous One into Heaven, when Scripture and Prophets do testify it. And that of the foresaid Saints is ●ade so manifest, to exclude all doubts, for ●ood purpose; First, that the hearts of men 〈◊〉 the end of the world might be turned to God. Secondly, that other righteous men ●ight have good hope of their own ascent, being encouraged by these examples. But our Nation are locked up under many doubts concerning Christ, by the Key of his secret and occult coming at first into the world, 
The Author names Esay, but he forgets himself, for he himself hath before in his ●. chapter quoted jeremy for it jer. 31.  it being an unusual and unwonted way. Of this the Prophet saith, He is a man, and who shall know him? Esay saith, A Virgin shall conceive and bear a Son. Where it is to be noted, that there is no mention, but deep silence of any Father of his, according to the Flesh. Elsewhere he saith, We esteemed him not. And Jeremy hath, The Lord shall create a new thing upon earth, 
Mic. 5. 3.  a woman shall compass a man. Micah also saith, Therefore the Lord will give them up, till the time that she which traveleth hath brought forth. In these words is to be observed, the Prophet has not a syllables mention of 〈◊〉 the Husband of her that brings forth, it being the Nativity of that Righteous One, who only was born out of the wont path, and common carnal course of men, who come by man as the active, and woman as the passive principle of Generation. But this knows no carnal Father, as Esay's mouth foretold it, 
Esay ●.  Give ear, O ye house of jacob, the Lord shall give you a sign, A Virgin shall conceive and bear a Son. All these other holy men spoken of, were born of man and woman, carnally conceived in sin, yea, and they themselves were sinners. Moses himself, though holier than the Prophets his Parents, yet he sinned, and his own mouth publishes his own sin; but of this Just One it is said in Esay, 
Esay 53.  he never sinned, nor was there a lie found in his mouth. God by the mouth of job hath proclaimed, 
job 25.  there are blemishes in all the Saints, Behold, he putteth no trust in his saints. 
jerem. 17.  And jeremy joins with that judgement, The hearts of men are wicked.   

CHAP. XIV. Of the jews blindness, who neither believe, nor understand that Christ is come.  
WHat Esay from the Lord hath said, O Master, I shake with fear, lest it be our lot to have it fulfilled in us, Blindness is fallen upon Israel, 
Rom. 11.  till the fullness of the Gentiles become in. And again he saith, Hearing they shall hear, 
Esa. 6.  and shall not understand; seeing they shall see, and not perceive, because the heart of this people is waxen fat. And in the same Chapter, Make the heart of this people blind, and stop their ears, lest they should learn, and be converted to me, and I should heal them. Esay then said, 
Esay 5.  How long, O Lord? and he answered, Until the Cities be wasted, and the house be left without an inhabitant. You have Daniel also saying, 
Dan. 12.  Shut up, and seal up, or wrap up the Prophecy. 
jerem. 17.  Jeremy follows with his testimony, The sin of Judah is written with a Pen of Iron, and the Point of a Diamond, it is graven on the table of their heart. Esay likewise in his first Chapter saith, The Ox knows his owner, and the Ass his Masters Cribb, but my people doth not understand. Jeremy to that purpose, The Stork, the Crane, and the Swallow know the time of their coming, but my people know not me. All these speeches, O Master, are God's Arrows shot at us, and do show our condi●ion, because we had eyes locked and bolted up, that we could not discern the first coming of that righteous Lord. Of us do the Lords words in Esay mean, 
Elongate saith the Translator, Esay. 3. Translator reads 〈◊〉 have no ey●● and th' 〈◊〉 have no ears.  when he saith, Bring forth (or, cast far off) the blind people, that have eyes, and the deaf people, that have ears. Behold, they are all gathered together, or rather, Let all the Nations be gathered together. These words carry no other meaning, but this, that the Prophet saith, The Lord hath rejected us, because we knew not soon enough the time of that Righteous Ones coming, and in stead of u● he hath gathered the Gentiles to him by faith. This is it which made that admiration break out of David's lips, 
Psa. 118.  The right hand of the Lord bringeth mighty things to pass. Yet for all this we belong to the Lord, though thus sore in an hapless estate, and deep depressing Captivity, wherein, as in a labyrinth, we are, and can find no end, or out-gate, though a thousand years we have run with wearied footsteps in this amazing Maze of misery; neither did ever our Father's smart thus, though they did fully transgress the Law, worshipped Idols, and slew the Prophets, yet drunk they not of such a Cup of Indignation, and Judgement, as we their Children.   

CHAP. XV. The Jews blindness and incredulity, about Christ, was foretold by the Prophets.  
THis, O Master, dives me deep under the waters of fear, that our not believing in that Righteous One, hath caused that to be fulfilled, and to fall upon us, which the Lord spoke by the mouth of Esay, 
Esa. 29. 11 12.  The vision shall be as the words of a Book that is sealed, which shall be given to one that is learned (to a Reader,) saying read this, I pray thee; and he saith, I cannot, for it is sealed. And the Book is delivered to him that is not learned, saying, Read this, I pray thee; and he saith, I am not learned. What greater and closer sealing up of the Book can there be found, O Master, than this, wherewith the Lord hath sealed, and fast closed up our blind hearts, and we have now been a thousand years, and more, (as miserable Truants) in learning this one lesson of the coming of this Righteous One, propounded to us in the Prophets, and yet we know it not, nor have taken it out. This is it, which blows the Prophet's Trumpet with that threatening blast, 
Esa. 1. 7, 8  jerusalem shall be desolate, and their holy house shall fall down. He further said, Our Country is desolate, and their holy house shall fall down. He further said, Our Country is desolate, our Cities burnt with fire, and Zion is left as a Cottage in a vineyard. This, this is the evil, O Master, which has now the age of a thousand years, and more, on the back of it. According to this Esay further saith, O Lord God, 
Esa. 25. 1, 2  I will exalt thee, for thou hast made a City an heap, (an house to be confusion) a defenced City to be a ruin for ever. 
Esa. 30. 14.  He shall break the people in pieces, like the breaking of the Potter's Vessel, which shall be broken, so as there shall not be found a sheard to take fire from the hearth, or to take water withal out of the pit. daniel's words are also fulfilled, that after the Messias is cut off, there shall follow a perpetual desolation, in which desolation we now are, and have been cast deep into this flood of miseries a thousand years, and more. Esay goes on to spin the thread of our woe, 
Esa. 24.  Solitariness shall be left in the midst of the City, (or desolation) and their Land shall hiss with a perpetual hissing. After him Jeremy saith, 
jer. 6. 30.  Call ye them reprobate silver, for the Lord hath rejected them. Esay again, Walk you in the light of your own fire, and in the flames & sparks which you have kindled. In these flames we (as miserable Salamanders) have now lain a thousand years & more. Amos comes with like threats, The house of Israel shall fall, and none shall raise her up. To me, verily O Master, it seems we are fall'n indeed, and ruin is come on us since the coming of that Righteous One, yea, God hath brought it on us, seeing since that time no Prophet has risen amongst us, neither shall there be any, as is foretold and prophesied of us, for we remain still in our incredulity, we maintain an obstinate negative of that Righteous One, and do not believe in him. 
Hos. 1.  Hosea therefore saith, When the woman conceived, and bore a daughter, God said, call her name, Loruhamah, without mercy, for I will no more have mercy on the house of Israel. And if thus it be, that the Lord hath quite cast us off, and will have no mercy on us, as we have felt by the miserable experience of a thousand years, and upward, to what end, or what profit is it for us to retain our old Ordinances, the Law, Sabbath, and Circumcision? Esay saith, Bring forth the blind people, as the true & glorious God hath now brought us forth of our Land, 
Esay 26. 3.  and made us strangers to it more than a thousand years. 
Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace; this Hierome according to the Hebrew, translates, Vetus error ab●it. See Hierom. in Comment. on Esay.  Besides all this he saith, The old error is gone away; what can we pick out of this, O Master? what is the old thing but our Law, which is gone away from us? yea, we have lost King, Sacrifice, Incense, Altars? Was there any worse thing in the whole predicament of calamity, that could have befallen us? What prey or booty of hope have we, for our winged expectations to fly after? Do we not see, (woe unto us that we see it) that the Lord hath scattered and dispersed us thorough the four quarters of the world, as Moses, Jeremy, and other Prophets foretold us? Yet for all, God, we are thine; and to this God we have our recourse in every event.   

CHAP. XVI. He shows the Jews reprobation for perfidiousness, and the Gentiles election by faith.  
MY soul is not free from this fretting fear, O Master, that whereas you and I betwixt ourselves can boldly say, and affirm, that we are the sons of Jacob and Israel, that for all this God may have fulfilled that, which he spoke by Esay, God shall slay thee, O Israel, and call his servants by another name. I quake to think, that we should be of those servants, on whom that name shall be imposed, as Moses writes in Deuteronomie, The Nations shall be the Head, and the unbelieving people the Tail, as we now are, and have been the hindmost, the very Tail of all the World for 1000 years and more. Of these Nations Jeremy speaks, The earth shall be filled with the knowledge of God, 
2 Chro. 6. 32, 33.  as the waters that cover the Seas. Solomon hath of them this, O Lord God, when a stranger, which is not of thy people Israel, shall come to thy holy house, and call upon thy blessed Name, then hear thou, O Lord my God, that all the earth may learn to fear thy Name, as doth thy people Israel. What have we, O Master, we proud beggars of the Jews, that we can boast in? Why should we contemn and hold the Gentiles in scorn, seeing Solomon the Prophet hath joined them as partners with us in the fear of God, and in his holy House? And peradventure God hath shut us out of his House, as unworthy ones, and hath given our room to them, as more worthy; as Moses hath spoken of them, Thus saith the Lord God, the whole earth shall be filled with the glory of the lord 
Psa. 22. 27.  After him David, All the ends of the world shall remember, and turn unto the Lord, and all the kindreds of the Nation (or, a thousand generations) shall worship before thee.  
Of them spoke Esay, O holy house of David, thy light is come, 
Esay 60. 1, 3, 4, 10.  and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee. The Gentiles shall come to thy light, and Kings to the brightness of thy rising. Lift up thine eyes round about thee, and see, all they gather themselves together, they come to thee; thy sons shall come from frare. The sons of strangers shall build up thy walls, and their Kings shall minister unto thee. And who, I pray, O Master, are these sons of strangers, which came to the house of God, but the Gentiles? who, serving Idols, were mere strangers to God, they, their Princes, and their Kings▪ of whom God said, They shall walk in the light of his holy house, and we thrust out shall remain in darkness; and we indeed are in darkness, and have been fearfully benighted a thousand years, 
Esay 55. 5.  and upward. Still that Prophet of that people, Behold, thou shalt call a Nation that thou knowest not, and Nations that knew not thee shall run unto thee. Now our eyes de facto do testify it, a thousand years and more have worn out themselves, since the Christ came, that was sent according to the Law given to us, And the Gentiles which knew not the Law, they came to him, and he has given them a new, a pure, an holy law. Besides this, in the five and fortieth Chapter, 
Esay 45. 20▪  They agreed together, and their Kings were gathered together in the belief of God. I much fear, O Master, that is meant of them, 
Esa. 65. 1.  Assemble yourselves, come, and draw near ye that are escaped of the Nations; and, I am found of them that sought me not. 
jer. 3. 17.  Jeremy speaks of them, The Nations shall be gathered to the Name of the Lord in his holy House, nor shall they walk any more after the imagination of their evil heart. The same Prophet, To thee shall all the Gentiles come from the utmost ends of the earth, saying, Our fathers have inherited iniquity, and lies. Zephanie the Prophet follows this stream, The Gentiles shall all call on the name of the Lord, 
Zeph. 3. 9  and shall serve him with one shoulder, every man from his place, and all the Isles of the Nations. Zacharie brings his part to this truth, Sing and rejoice, O daughter of Zion, lo I come, and will dwell in the midst of thee, saith the Lord: and many Nations shall be joined to the lord 
Zach. 8. 2●▪  Again in the 8. Chapter, 
Our translations have it otherwise.  Thus saith the Lord of Hosts, many nations shall come from many places, and every man shall say to his neighbour, Let us go and seek the Lord our God for good. All these things, O Master, are now fulfilled, and the effects of them abide plainly before our eyes; you see people and languages brought home to God, and studying the Law, all the Prophets, and Book of Psalms, to which they were strangers, and have left their Idols to embrace the Truth. None of them are brought to this belief by the hand of Moses or Aaron, or any of our Prophets. And since their hearts were turned to believe in that Righteous One, 
Habac. 3.  (of whom Habackuk saith, Thou goest forth, for the salvation of thy people, with thine Anointed) they have utterly abdicted, and abandoned all their Idols, no Idolatry since that has remained amongst them.   

CHAP. XVII. Of the quickening and giving life to Gentiles, and slaying the Jews.  
MY fears, O Master, beat as continually as my Pulse, and in this I tremble to think, that the powerful and glorious God, as with one hand he gives life to the Gentiles by faith, so with the other hand he slays us in our incredultie. Doth not Esay indigitate and point out this? Because when I called ye did not answer, 
Esay 65. 12▪ 1●, 14, 15.  when I spoke, ye did not hear; therefore thus saith the Lord God, Behold, my servants shall eat, but ye shall be hungry; behold, my servants shall drink, but ye shall be thirsty; behold, my servants shall sing for joy of heart, but ye shall cry for sorrow of heart, 
Our translation hath 〈…〉.  and howl for vexation of spirit; and God shall slay thee, O Israel, and shall call his servants by another name, in which he shall bless them who is blessed upon the earth, Amen, for in truth. And alas, we see, how exceedingly they are blessed upon the earth by God, who have received this new name, but for us, we fly like dispersed dust before the wind of God's wrath, scattered through the four quarters of the world in a sad Captivity. 
Zach. 2▪  To this day a thousand years have ●unne over us, and trod with heavy feet upon our heads. In us expressly appears the deep impressions of the footsteps of God's wrath, not for chastisement only, and instruction, ●ut to our destruction. This is that slaying, which the Lord threatened, that he would slay Israel, and the nations which he would keep ●live, whom he calls his servants, shall receive that good name he hath promised; but yet ●he order is thus, we must first lose our ●ame, and then they shall receive their new ●ame. The funerals of our name must make 〈◊〉 way for the resurrection of theirs, as the ve●y order of Esay's words declare. And as for ●●e hunger and thirst, the Lord threatens we shall be vexed withal, it is not that common ●amine of bread, and thirst of water, but that ●orse sterility, and spiritual barrenness, which torments the souls and hearts of us, a ●amine of the Word of God, 
Amos 8▪  as Amos makes appear in his eight Chapter. 
Amos 8.  But you my Master Plough with a more skilful Heifer in these mysteries, than I, and better understand these things. However in all these storms of wrath, and what ever falls on us, we belong unto God.   

CHAP. XVIII. How the Gentiles quickened by faith have pur● observances in their new Law.  
I Cannot but fear, O Master, that the Gentiles are quickened and brought to life. The Annual circlings of the Sun have made up a thousand years, from the time that Jesus died at Jerusalem, and we know there was no● good thing at all to be found among the Gentiles, before they came to believe in God, i● Christ, and the Apostles, so as they seemed to be the Prophet Habackuks' fishes, 
Hab. 1. 14.  and creeping things, that had no Ruler: But now these Gentiles being purified by faith, are ruled by fastings and other observances of their new Law; yea, they want nothing pertaining to cleanness and purity, so much spoken of in the old Law. You see how in every language and place, whether you look to the Oriental, or Occidental, (utmost Fringes of the world wide garment) that the Gentiles confess the Name of the Lord. Neither do they believe in him through Moses, or any of the Prophets, although they be studious in the Law, and the Prophetical Writings; but God hath called them to himself another way, even by the Disciples of that Righteous One, who went forth with God for the salvation of his people, as the blessed and glorious God hath foretold by the mouth of the Prophet Habackuk; yea, those very Disciples of his, who by another name are known among them, being called Apostles, they were Children that sprung out of the same Root with us, and were the sons of the sons of Israel. Ah, how my poor heart is Palsied through fear, when it judges, that these same Apostles are they, of whom God means in David's Psalm, when he saith, 
Psa. 19  Their sound is gone out into all the earth, and their words into the ends of the world. The Prophet's words carry an express demonstration in them against us, that he speaks of them, and not of us, when he saith, There is no Tongue, or Language, wherein their voice is not heard; and this cannot be taken of our Hebrew Language. For what Gentiles are there, which obey the precepts of Moses and Aaron, seeing they slew the Gentiles, put them to flight, and drove them from them? But these Gentiles at this day are acquainted with Moses, and the Prophets, they know God, they keep their new Law, after the prescript form of the Apostles teaching. Notwithstanding all this, yet we belong to God   

CHAP. XIX. Of choosing the Apostles in place of the Prophets.  
MY soul converseth in the region of fear, and I am troubled about that place of Zacharie, 
Zach. 13.  I will smite the Shepherd, and the sheep of the flock shall be scattered; I fear that was fulfilled, when we smote the Shepherd of those holy Children the Apostles, for ever since that time, we, like miserable sheep, run dispersed and straggling thorough the whole world, and the Apostles, which were our children, are risen up in stead of our Prophets. This appears, as a Noon-tide truth, seeing from that time God hath not sent us one Prophet, nor given us any Divine notice, or heavenly provision, by the way of Vision. O Master, I fear that the Apostles are those Children joel meaneth of, Your old men shall dream dreams, and your young men shall see visions. For a certainty, O Master, our Prophets are the Old men, that dreamt of the faith of the Gentiles, which these young men, the Apostles, have attained unto, and seen it more clearly, even in plain Visions. Of these Children spoke David the Prophet, 
Psa. 34.  Come ye Children, harken unto me, I will teach you the fear of the Lord. Besides this, when God speaks of us, ●e doth not name us commonly Children in ●he Plural number, 
Exod. 4.  but he stays in the Singular, naming us Israel his first born. In another Psalm these young men are called Children, 
Psa. 128.  Thy Children shall be like Olive Plants ●ound about thy Table. 
Esay 5. 4.  Of Israel; O Master, God spoke by the mouth of Esay, The Vineyard of the Lord of hosts is the house of Israel, I ●ooked it should bring forth Grapes, and it ●rought forth wild Grapes: therefore I will break down the wall thereof, and it shall be trodden down. Of these aforesaid Children of God, by Esay he further saith, 
Esay 29. 22, 23.  jacob shall not now be ashamed, neither shall his face wax pale. But it shall be then, 
Our Translation hath it otherwise.  when he shall see his children, the ●ork of mine hands, sanctified before his eyes. Now if those Children, O Master, were sanctified in our sight, according to the way of our Law, it could not be said of us, that we were ashamed, and our Faces Vermilioned with blush's, and for that cause we should hide ●hem, but rather would it shape for us glory, ●nd resplendency of face. But hence comes ●his confusion of the faces of Jacob's children, ●nd this is the desolation; that those Children, the work of Gods own hand, were sanctified in our sight, and yet they have this honour another way than we, it comes not as our sanctification by the Law. Thus God would give us to understand, that our Law is not their Law. So much imports he by the mouth of jeremy, 
jer. 31.  In that day they shall not say, Our fathers have eaten sour Grapes, and their children's teeth are set on edge: as if he meant thus. The infidelity of the Jews doth no way hurt the faith of the Apostles, nor shall it hurt. For this is added for that cause, As I live saith the Lord, this shall be no more a proverb in Israel. And this is observable, never any of the Apostles, after they had received the faith of Christ, did return back to embrace our faith. 
Esa. 63. 8, 9  Thus are they free from tasting the bitterness of our infidelity, 
This strangely differs from our Translations, and strangely lacerates, and tears in pieces both the sentence, and the sense of words, to make them fit his purpose.  notwithstanding, our teeth are set on edge with the sins of our Fathers. Further, O Master, God, by Esay, delivers more concerning these children the Apostles, From whom shall I pass away, but from my people, the children that are unfaithful, but God shall be their Saviour in all their afflictions, his face and countenance shall keep them in his love, in his pity he hath redeemed them, and shall be merciful unto them for length of days. This hath all truth in it, O Master, that these Children, of whom we speak, doth always abide firm, and steadfast, neither hath God at any time left them, and passed away from them, since that Righteous one their King and Master hath redeemed them: but he hath gone away from us, though he abide with them always. Of these children the Apostles, that wise Jesus, the son of Sirach, 
Ecclus 3. 1, 2.  hath spoken in his book, Hear me, your Father, O dear children, and do thereafter, that ye may be safe; for the Lord hath given the father honour over the Children. After what manner this honour is understood, God declareth by the mouth of the Prophet Malachi, 
Malach. 3.  God shall send Elias, who shall turn the hearts of [our] Fathers to the Children. O Master, seeing this turning is to be understood of believing, and turning to the faith, if God would have turned the hearts of the Children, viz. the Apostles, to the Fathers, that is, to us, than the Apostles had moved with us in the same fearful orb of misery, and should have been companions with us in this Captivity, that knows no end, as we and our Fathers are involved in it: But now seeing God's Ordinance turns the wheel another way, that the hearts of the Fathers shall be turned to the Children, what good is there, O good Master, for us to expect, or what glass of hope can we look in, to see a face of comfort? If we shall go about to affirm, that these must be other Children, not the Apostles, of whom these aforesaid things are meant, then must they be in Captivity, as well as we, because they did not follow the way of that Righteous One, whom the Apostles not only have steadfastly followed, but have also earnestly taught this way should be followed, herein attaining to the honour, to be named and accounted Fathers, in that it is said, The fathers should be turned to them. Wherefore, O Master, seeing our Children attained to faith in God before us, if our hearts were turned to the Children, than the hearts of the children should be turned to us also, as the most high God saith, 
Esay. 51.  They shall be one people, and one heart in the glorious and powerful God. For this is to be confessed, that we are not to understand it of any other conversion, then of turning from infidelity to the faith, and doctrine of that Just One, who is the Teacher of salvation to all that believe in him. As David hath said of him, that his Priesthood is an everlasting Priesthood, 
He gives the meaning of the word Melchisedech, a Lord or King of Righteousness.  after the Order of Melchisedech, who offered a Sacrifice of bread and Wine: and this Melchisedech was the Priest of the most High God, before Aaron. Now here, O Master, I would have you perpend and consider, what a main difference there is betwixt the sacrifice of Aaron, and the sacrifice of this righteous lord 1. The Lord said unto my Lord, thou art a Priest for ever, not for a small time, as was Aaron, who died at an hundred and twenty years of age. 2. Aaron's Sacrifice was but flesh, the Sacrifice of the Just and Righteous Lord was bread and Wine, according to the Order of Melchisedech. By these words the Lord manifestly shows in his Prophet, that Aaron's Sacrifice should be at an end, when this Sacrifice of Bread and Wine would begin, which should know no end, but last for ever; an eternal (or unpassable) Priesthood, not being given to Aaron, as is given to Christ the Priest. Of these Children God speaks by his Prophet Moses, 
Deut. 3●.  He will avenge the blood of his children, (or servants) and will be merciful to his land. 
From Arabic, La●abit terram populi sui.  We, O Master, are the murderers of the Prophets, and for that he took vengeance of us but with a 70 years' Captivity; but besides, we have murdered the Apostles, and that Just Master of theirs, and now God has avenged that blood of his Children more severely, bringing a Captivity upon us, that hath lasted a thousand years, and beyond. By their death God hath washed the Land of his People, he doth not say it is the Land of the children of Israel, no, he doth not so name them. Of these Children speaks David, 
Psa. 127.  As Arrows in the hand of a mighty man, so are his faithful Children. Where the Prophet compares these faithful Children to Arrows, shot forth by the hand of a mighty man: for the Almighty God hath sent them forth, being 12 Apostles, 
Matth. 28.  into twelve parts of the World, through all the four Climates thereof, 
Mark 16.  with the doctrine of the Law, the Psalter, and the Prophets. Moses and Aaron he never sent forth to teach any, beyond the bounds of his own holy House; from him they had neither Mission, nor Commission to travel to India, o● trudge to Rome, nor to any other place, without the precincts of the Holy Land, to declare and preach to others the Doctrine Legal and Prophetical: Only these faithful Children have such a Calling, being sent forth through the whole earth, and are risen up before God in our place, since God slew Israel, and took away our name, which David punctually denotes in the Psalm, 
Psa. 45.  saying, In stead of fathers thou shalt have Children, whom thou mayst make Princes in all lands. By them is that first Law, after the Order of Melchisedech, renewed, and brought in again, who instituted the Sacrifice of God in Bread and wine, of which he communicated to Abraham the friend of God. Thus hath God by their Ministry changed, 1. our Sacrifice, as he hath also 2. changed our name; yea more, he hath 3. changed our carnal Law into a spiritual. Had God said so much to our Moses, as he spoke by David to the Messias, 
Psa. 110.  or Christ, Thou shalt be a Priest for ever after the law of Moses & Aaron, then had our law got a ground for a firm standing thereof. But now he saith far otherwise, thou art a Priest for ever after the Order of Melchisedech. And for Abraham the friend of God, he communicated of the Sacrifice of Bread and Wine, not of the Sacrifice of Flesh. The word of Moses is hereto consonant, 
Leu. 25. 22  which saith, Ye shall eat of the old fruit, or, of the old store. By this old fruit he understands the Sacrifice of Melchisedech. Again, They shall eat of the old till the new fruits come in; meaning, when the sacrifice of the new Law is published, your old things, that is, your old Sacrifices shall you cast away. Howsoever, we look up to God, as ours in every event.   

CHAP. XX. Of the casting off the sacrifice of the jews, and choosing the Sacrament of the Christians.  
THe Sting of Fear is fastened in me, O Master, and here it pricks me, I am afraid lest God hath sealed up us and our Sacrifice, under a Writ of rejection, and hath accepted the Sacrifice of the Gentiles, as he spoke by Malachi, I have no pleasure in you, saith the Lord of Hosts, neither will I accept an Offering at your hands. 
Mal. 1. 10, 11.  For from the rising of the Sun, to the going down of the same, my Name shall be great among the Gentiles, and there shall be offered in my Name a pure Sacrifice. Therefore in God's account, the sum is cast up thus, the sacrifice of the Gentiles is more clean and pure than ours. Further, God hath not only taken from us our pure Offerings, and deprived us of all other Sacrifices, but withal, he teaches the Christians to fly from us, and to avoid us, lest they should receive some soil and defilement from us. Thus are we scourged with a rod, made of the twigs that grew on our own tree; for when we had a Sacrifice, which God received as pure and acceptable, then did we shun and detest the Gentiles, as some matter of abomination. yea, yea, Master, you know well enough what God speaks by the mouth of David, 
Psa. 50.  concerning our Sacrifice, Think you that I will eat the flesh of Bulls, and drink the blood of Goats? In which, how can any thing be more manifest, than this, that God condemns and disallows our fleshly Sacrifice? Gladly do I covet to know, O Master, with what reason we are harnessed for our detestation of the Gentiles Sacrifice of Bread and Wine, which God himself hath instituted, & hath not disallowed it, as he hath disallowed our Sacrifice. Solomon speaks of the aaronical Sacrifice, 
It is not Solomon, but the son of Syrach.  He stretched but his hands over the Altar, and offered the Blood of the Grape, and incense to the living God, 
Ecclus. 50. 15.  and offered up our Sacrifice of the Corn of the earth, 
Our translations have it otherwise.  as Melchisedech offered for Abraham. God declares what the Gentiles Sacrifice is by Moses, Ye shall offer to God a Sacrifice of that is heaved from the Barn floor, and of the pressed Grapes, that God may bless you, and all the works of your hands. We well know, O Master, that God at the beginning commanded Loaves to be set before the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord, not flesh: We know there was something concerning Shewbread, but nothing of Shew-Flesh: and God's command, 
Levit 1.  O Master, in Leviticus, by Moses and Aaron, was, That a man of the Seed of Aaron the Priest, that had any blemish, should not offer the sacrifice of Bread, nor any other sacrifice. In divers other places of Scripture God hath placed his Command, that they should offer to him bread, and a Sacrifice of fine Flower, and that he will accept it; and such at this day is the Gentiles Sacrifice, even bread, made of fine Flower. Of this Sacrifice of bread mention is made in the Book of Kings, 
1 Sam. 21.  when David came to Abimelech the High Priest in Silo, 
That in the Parenthesis the English Translator puts in.  (or rather Nob) he desired some Loaves of him, who answered, Here is none but show bread, which it is not fit thy servants should eat, because it is holy. Howsoever Gentiles have a mixture of water with their Wine in their Sacrifice, yet with that are we not burdened with any inconveniency, seeing the Scriptures afford an exemplary action for it, that a Sacrifice of water was not only offered to, 
1 King. 18.  but accepted of the Lord. Three mighty men drew water from the Well before the Gate of Bethlehem, 
1 Chro. 11▪  which the Prophet David offered to the Lord for a Sacrifice. It is not therefore contra-Scripturall that the Gentiles practise, in mixing water in their Sacrifice to God. We read of Aaron sacrificing to God with Bread and Wine, and David with Water, whence we collect, that a clean & pure offering, (not such as our flesh of fat Bullocks) must have a concurrence of these three in it, which doubtless contains some mystical Kernels in it, though the dim virtue of our intellectual Optics is not able to penetrate and spy it out. Our Prophet Elias, as is storied in the Book of Kings, poured water upon the Sacrifice, on which God sent down fire from Heaven, a sign of his acceptation of that Sacrifice, which had the Water's effusion on it: yea, and the Angel brought to Elias his food, Bread and Water, when he, in the strength of that food, which impotent nature cannot reach unto, traveled forty days together, to Horeb the Mount of God. Fairly, and fitly has Solomon the Prophet, in his Proverbs described this commixed Sacrifice of Wine and Water, saying, The most High wisdom hath made ready her sacrifice, she hath mingled her Wine, she hath furnished her Table, she hath sent forth her maidens, saying, Who so is simple, let him come in hither, and they that want understanding, and they shall eat of my Bread, and drink of my mingled Wine. What is this Table (O Master) the wisdom of the most High hath furnished, but the Altar? What is this bread & mingled wine, but the sacrifice of bread, Wine, and water which is offered on the altar? who are these without understanding, that the Maidens of Wisdom are sent to call in, but the Gentiles which know not God, whom the Apostles have by Preaching called? Wherein this is further remarkable, that it is called My Bread, and my Wine, which strongly intimates the acceptableness of that Sacrifice unto God. It also imports thus much, that wisdom called not our Fathers to this so high, and so spiritual a Banquet, who were learned and wise in the Law, and wholly taken up with the Legal Sacrifice. But now we have lost all, and are excluded, not only from this spiritual, but we have lost the carnal sacrifice of the Fathers also. Time has now wound upon her clew a thousand years complete, since all this misery has fall'n on us, for our sin against that Righteous One. Yet for all this, we are a people that belong unto God.   

CHAP. XXI. God hath refused the Fasts, Sabbaths, and Sacrifices of the Jews, and chosen those of the Christians.  
MY soul wrestles with horrible fears, O Master, & out of that word the great and glorious God spoke by Malachi, my fears issue, where thus he treats of the Gentiles sacrifice, From the rising of the sun, to the going down of the same, the Gentiles shall offer a pure offering to my name. Where I note, that our sacrifice was not accepted, save in one place only, in God's holy house, and no where else▪ and it is plain, God hath rejected our sacrifice, because he hath deprived us of the very place, where we should sacrifice, the Land of Promise, and now for a thousand years the whirlwind of his breath hath scattered us over all Lands. Thus that is come to pass and fulfilled in us, which God, by way of similitude, spoke, in the mouth of Esay, concerning us, 
Esa. 32. 10  The Vintage shall fail, the gathering shall not come. And that of Malachi, 
Mal. 1. 10.  I have no pleasure in you, neither will I accept an Offering at your hands. 
Esay 1.  And that of Esay again, Your sabbaths, and your feasts, 
Out translations have it otherwise.  and your sacrifice I will not accept, because you are all under my wrath. Again, that in Esay is fulfilled in us, To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices to me? 
Esay 1. from 11. to 16.  I am full of the burnt-offerings of Rams, and flesh of Goats, etc. 
Esay 66. 3.  Bring no more vain oblations, 
Our Trans. otherwise.  etc. All your sacrifices are like a stinking Carcase, and as the going out of the Court of the outer Gate. He that killeth an Ox for me, it is as if he slew a man: he that sacrificeth a Kid, as if he cut off a Dog's neck, and he that offereth wine, as if he offered swine's blood. All this abomination in our sacrifice, as God accounts it, signifies nothing else, but the Lords purpose of changing our ●arnall and gross sacrifice into the spiritual and pure sacrifice of the just Lord, 
Matth. 27.  whose new institution offers bread in stead of flesh, 
Mark 14.  clean water in stead of the fat of Beasts, and pure Wine for Blood. Yea man himself is offered up, but in a spiritual manner, yet very acceptably to God, not after that way of cutting off Beasts necks in our sacrifices, which the Prophet likens to a stinking Carrion. O Master, why do we not give credit to those words of God in the Prophets, which do so evidently describe, and set forth our sacrifices? God spoke by jeremy in the seventh Chapter, 
jer. 7. 21, 22, 23, 24.  Invite your neighbours to your sacrifices, (put your burnt-offerings to your sacrifice, and eat flesh) I spoke not to your Fathers, neither commanded them in the day that I brought them out of the land of Egypt, concerning burnt-offerings and Sacrifices. But this thing I commanded them, saying, Obey my voice, and I will be your God, and you shall be my people, and walk you in all the ways I have commanded you, that it may be well with you. But they harkened not, nor inclined their ear to my command. Full well, O Master, do you know these things to be thus. Notwithstanding, in all these strange events we still belong unto God, and are his portion.   

CHAP. XXII. He proves the abjection of the Synagogue; and the election of the Church, by the word of the Lord to Rebecca.  
NOw new fear falls upon me, O Master, wherein I tremble at that word, which is written in the 25 Chapter of the first book of our Law, lest that be meant of the Synagogue and the Church, which the Lord God speaks to Rebecca the wife of Isaac, 
Gen. 25.  Two Nations are in thy womb, and two manner of people shall be separated from thy Bowels, and one people shall be stronger than the other people, and the elder shall serve the younger. O Master, Rebecca only was the mother of Jews and Gentiles. The Elder people and firstborn was our Synagogue, which was great and glorious, with a rich dowry of honour, and the knowledge of God bestowed upon it. The younger and last-born people, and less in God's account, were the Gentiles, drowned in infidelity and ignorance. Yet all this notwithstanding, O Master, if God have slain Israel, as the Prophet Esay is plain in it, than was the total subversion of the Synagogue, which was the elder, and it was brought to serve the Gentiles, which were the younger, that the word might be fulfilled which God spoke to Rebecca, One people shall be stronger than the other. For the glory of the Church God spoke by the mouth of David, 
Psal. 45.  The King's daughter stands at thy right hand in a vesture of gold, wrought about with divers colours. The right exposition of this, O Master, begets this sense, that the Church of the Gentiles is here honoured with the name of a Queen, and the divers Colours of the garment, wherewith she is adorned, signify and set forth the diversity of Languages and people, by which she is served. For all Tongues and Languages in the Church, conspire with a concordance of a true exposition of the Law, the Psalter, and the book of all the Prophets. As for out Synagogue it hath but one Tongue or Language, and her garment is not set out with many Colours, but only one colour, that of her own Hebrew idiom and language.   

CHAP. XXIII. He proveth the same thing by the words of the Prophet Malachi.  
THose words of the Prophet Malachi so often brought, O Master, I cannot so shift as to rid my memory of them, & thence springs my fear, that God should say to the Synagogue, I have no pleasure in your sacrifices, for from the rising of the Sun, etc. For Water, Wine, and fine Flour, the Elements of the Gentiles sacrifice, are clean things of their own nature, and need none of our cleansings, and purifying potions to prepare them, and make them ready. But our Synagogue must of necessity have continual employments, in washing the Flesh of Sacrifices, and cleansing the Entrails of Beasts, which are to be sacrificed. Nay, and there must be many purifyings of the Altar, and place of the sacrifice, to make clean from the fat and blood of other sacrifices, otherwise it would breed a loathsome abhorring to see them, and meddle with them. This of Bread, and Wine, and Water, is a neat and cleanly sacrifice, subject to none of these indecencies, and loathsome turpitude. For my part, O Master, I must confess that God's meaning is of this sacrifice in Salomon's Proverbs, 
Pro. 15.  Better is a morsel of bread with love, than a stalled Ox with hatred. This Morsel of love, O Master, is that morsel of the Gospel commended to us, meekness, that is, reciprocal and mutual forgiving of injuries, one to pardon another; & the fat Ox with hatred, is our practice of eye for eye, & secret slaying of our enemies. And from these premises I draw this conclusion, that the Church's bread is better than the Synagogues Ox, the one being a sacrifice of love, the other of hatred, of which God saith, Better is a morsel, etc. Another way God fitly likens the Church to a loving Hind, 
Pro. 5. 19  by the mouth of Solomon, Let her be as the loving Hind, and pleasant Roe, let her breasts satisfy (or inebriate) thee at all times, and be thou ravished always with her love. The Church is this Hind so beloved of God, of whom it is written, she is the most dearly beloved Hind, and hath no equal in nobility and favour. He adds, O Master, Let her breasts satisfy thee at all times, and be thou ravished always with her love. In which words is delivered a plain significancy of the lastingness of the Church's sacrifice for all times, and that it shall abide for ever. Here also God compares the Church to a mother, giving suck to Children; and in this that he saith, Let her Breasts at all times satisfy thee, and make thee drunken, he clearly denotes the matter of the Sacrament, in one of the Elements, which is Wine, though in a spiritual way. And by Breasts he notes the rest of the substance of the Sacrament, that it contains pleasant nourishment, and is a sufficient Sacrament, (as the Mother's Breasts are sufficient for the Child) which sacrifice the Church at this present enjoys, and is ravished with it. As for us, our Synagogue has remained a widow this thousand years, quite deprived of her sacrifice. This dear respect which God bears to the Church, comes from Christ the Lord; His are the breasts, from whence run those streamy fluents of Wine, and from thence flows everlasting joy. Here is not a word or title of giving flesh, or fat, or blood, the ingredients of our laborious and toilsome sacrifice. The Synagogue, as a miserable widow, had another husband, even God himself; but now she hath lost both her holy house, and her holy husband. The Church on the other side, like a straying Hind, ranged in the Desert, and had no husband, yet God has found her, and is become in stead of an husband to her. As the strong and glorious God speaks by the Prophet Esay, 
Esay 54. 1  Moe are the children of the desolate, than the Children of the married wife. 
Esay 43.  That Prophet again saith, I will make rivers in the wilderness, to give drink to my chosen people. But thou hast not called upon me, O jacob, but thou hast been weary of me, O Israel. Even thus, O Master, have we shaken off all obedience: we have been earlesse, and would not hear; eyeless, and would not see, which hath produced this Captivity, that with a drowning flood hath run over us a thousand years. I am afraid, O Master, for our Law, which gives way to revenge, and has furious anger made ready, in calling for eye for eye, etc. whereas the beloved Hind, having one dear Lover, is ruled by a sweeter rule, which he hath given her in his glorious Gospel, the fifth Chapter by Matthew, If any smite thee on one cheek, turn to him the other also. 
Psal. 31.  David speaks in the Psalm, O how great is thy goodness, which thou hast laid up for them that fear thee, and which thou hast wrought for them that trust in thee, before the sons of men. It is clear, O Master, that the people of the Synagogue stood in fear of those Legal penalties, 
Exod. 21.  an eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth, because execution did presently w●it upon the Offender. How much better do the people of the Church, that trusting in the goodness of God, being smitten on the face, they do not answer with their Fist, smiting again? wherefore God hath graciously laid up for those Gentiles, his abundant goodness, which he altogether hideth from the Jews. Notwithstanding, we are God's people.   

CHAP. XXIIII. He shows the Christians manner of singing is acceptable to God.  
I Stand in fear, O Master, of that speech of Esay, for he seems to speak it of the Apostles, They shall sanctify the holy One of jacob [they shall manifest] and they shall fear the God of Israel. 
Esa. 29. 23  [They shall preach or publish the God of Israel.] 
The jew has manifestabunt for sanctificabunt; & evangelizabunt for our timebunt. In stead of murmurantes, he hath it Musici scient Leges.  They that erred in spirit, shall come to understanding, and they that murmured shall learn doctrine: [or the Musicians shall learn the Laws. We see it with midday's clearness, O Master, that now, for a thousand years, the ignorant Musicians are become Doctors, and Teachers of our Law. Who are the ignorant ones, but the Gentiles? Who are these Musicians, but the Christians, who chant and sing our Book of Psalms, and the Prophets, in their Churches? Of the Musicians and singers, we have God speaking by David, Sing unto the Lord a new song, for he hath done marvellous things. What, I beseech you, O Master, is this new song, but the new Testament? and what is the old song, but our old Law? Of these Musicians God speaks more by the Prophet David, Sing unto the Lord all the whole earth, sing a Psalm of praise to his Name. Again, All the families of the earth shall sing and praise thy Name, or, All the families of the Nations. Where this carries a mark of special note, that it is not singularly said, All the families of Israel, but the phrase universally spreads itself to all the families of the Gentiles. Of this musical and Psalm-singing people, are David's words in another place, Blessed are the people that knows the song (ours ●ath it, 
Psa. 89.  That knows the joyful sound) they shall walk in the light of thy countenance. That also is to the same purpose, The Gentiles, or Nations, shall sing a song to thee in the house of ●y God. In this place he names a Song, by way of Antonomasia, naming a Song in general, ●ut intending their particular kind of singing. As for us, we have lost our music, it is now 〈◊〉 thousand years, since we Jews sung a Song 〈◊〉 our holy House. Of these singers speaks David, They shall sing praises in the house of God for ever. The 137 Psalms questioned our singing, How shall they sing the Lords song in a strange Land? Alas, O Master, for the vacuity and emptiness of our vain hopes, who think of a name and a Country, when we have lost both. God himself tells us this by the Prophet Amos, Israel is fall'n, she shall rise n● more: the virgin Israel is forsaken upon he● Land, there is none to raise her up. The same Prophet in the ninth Chapter saith, 
Amos 9  There sha● come such tribulation, that he who escapeth sha● not be delivered; though they hide themselves i● the top of Carmel, I will search and take the● out thence; though they be hid from my sight i● the bottom of the sea, thence will I command the serpent, and he shall bite them. Though they go into captivity before their enemies, thence will I command the sword, and it shall slay them. And 〈◊〉 will set mine eyes upon them for evil, and no● for good. This has the Lord said and done to us, and now, for a thousand years of miseries we have hung by our Harps, and left all ou● singing of Psalms, mourning befitting us more than music. Notwithstanding, though we● cannot sing, yet this we can say, God is our God, and we are his people.   

CHAP. XXV. The Jews unjustly find fault with the Christians practise of singing.  
GOD hath spoken, O Master, of the Christians singing, by the mouth of David, the sweet singer of Israel, 
Psa. 47. 1.  saying, Clap your hands all ye people, 
Psa. 100  sing unto God in the voice of melody. In another place, Make a joyful noise unto the Lord all ye lands, serve the Lord with gladness, and come before his presence with a song. In another place, 
Psa. 96.  Sing unto the Lord all the whole earth, declare his salvation from day to day. I am under great fear, O Master, by that which God speaks in the mouth of jeremy, Teach your daughters wailing, and every one her neighbour lamentation, for death is come up into our windows. Together with this of our learning that sad lesson of mourning, he speaks of those Musical children by the Prophet David, 
Psal. 148.  Kings of the earth and all people, princes, and all judges of the earth, young men and maidens, old men and Children, let them praise the name of the Lord. 
Psa. 50.  And, who so offereth praise, he glorifieth me. As if he plainly said, The sacrifice of the flesh of Goats (such was our sacrifice) doth not honour me, but in the sacrifice of praise (such as is the Gentiles) am I glorified. The Prophet Esay agrees with it, when he saith, 
See above in chap. 24 concerning this place of Esay.  The musicians shall learn the Scriptures, and all the Psalms of David shall they sing in a metrical way, as it is varied by musical Tones, some Acute and Sharp, some Grave. About all which, whiles I labour with the strength of my best consideration, me thinks I judge with the least error, when I conclude we are in a great error, about their Sacrifice of praise, which they offer up by singing in the Church of God. Especially, when I further discern, that there are precepts of, and examples for this singing, in the Law of Moses, and in the Prophet David, who hath called for the praising God with Organs, and Harp, and with loud Cymbals; and, Let every thing that hath breath praise the Lord Jesus Christ. 
Psal. 150.  That for Precept. 
Lord jesus Christ is not in the Psalm.  Example is not wanting, for David danced before the Ark, with his Harp, having his head uncovered, for which his rash-tongued wife Michol, was bold to reprove him; 
2 Sam. 6. 20.  but she got this sharp and tart reply from him, O foolish woman, doth not the Lord see thee despising me, whiles I sing praises to him? The Children of Israel also sounded a Trumpet, whiles they bore the Ark. Now tell me, O Master, what parts act we? Are not we the foolish Michol, that mock and jeet at the Christians singing solemnities? And do not the Christians act David's part, dancing and rejoicing before the Lord in their Humidity, Especially, considering how God propounds it, Let every thing that hath breath praise the Lord. If it had been precisely thus written, let every Israelite praise the Lord, than our insultation over others might have had some better ground. Neither is that of Esay any disadvantage to them, that he saith, The Nations (or Gentiles) are before God as nothing. 
Esay 40. 17  For this is to be applied to the Gentiles in their first estate, as they once were drowned in darkness and ignorance of God, before the coming of the Just One. Then indeed they were Pagans, and Idolatrous people; and none of those Nations that have found the Lord, which offer unto him every day a pure offering in the East and West, as above out of the Prophet Malachi, hath been alleged. And certainly, O Master, we are heirs of a great error about this thing. Notwithstanding all this, we belong unto God.   

CHAP. XXVI. He proves the Apostasy of the Jews from God.  
UNder an oppression of no small fear I fall prostrate, O Master, and this troubles me, that like wicked Apostates we fell off from God, at the first coming of that Just One, according to all those Authorities hitherto alleged, & to which expressly do consent all that we find written in the Books of the Law and the Prophets. From this out Apostasy is it that God stretches out our misery to such a length of days, and hath brought upon us this Captivity, whiles we in vain expect another Saviour, besides that Just One, which nothing avails, nor is any thing to the purpose. Herein we have a sign with plenary evidence, that this general captivity is laid upon us, for some general sin, which all of us have had our hands in: which sin, while it abides and sticks with us unrepented of, fierce wrath must needs abide upon our Nation, and we remain hopeless. Yet we look for some other Saviour. But oh the idleness, and inanity of our expectations, how little do they profit us? Suppose we go about to affirm, that ours is not a general Captivity, and that in some part of the world, we have a King and Prince over us, we shall quickly be proved worthy to be reproved for liars, convict by our own Law; for if we Jews should have a King and Prince over us in any part of the world, go to then, let us see what he is; he must be descended of some one Tribe; if of any, it should be of the Tribe of Judah. Of Judah's Tribe it cannot be, God having definitively determined against it, that there should be no King of Judah out of that Tribe for ever. 
jerem. 17.  Whence Jeremy the Prophet saith, The sin of Judah is writ with a Pen of Iron, and the Point of a Diamond, it is graven upon the Table of their heart. That which is written with such a Pen, as Iron, in such a Book as an Adamantine stone, how can we look that it should ever be expunged? It shall never be blotted out, seeing the strong and glorious God hath thus spoken by the mouth of the Prophet Esay, 
Esay 3. 2.  The Lord, the Lord of Hosts taketh away from Jerusalem and Judah the Judge, 
Our Trans. hath it, the judge and the Prophet and the Prudent.  and the Prophet, and the Prince. Likewise the Prophet Hosea saith of us, The Children of Israel shall abide without a King, without a Prince, without a sacrifice, without an Image, without an Ephod, without Teraphim. We know well, O Master, that, from the beginning of the world, God had▪ always some Saints of great account, and holy before him. Towards the beginning of the world the lives of men are reckoned up with many figures, and extended to many years, as M●thusalem, Enoch, and the rest, yet none of these ever came to be Millenaries, either reaching to, or above a thousand years. Yet we have large reckoning amongst ourselves, finding our Messias▪ or Christ promised to us, to outstrip that unattained number. We please ourselves with saying, that our Messias was born in Babylon, in the seventy year's Captivity, which by computation will arise to an higher number of years; for by this at this day, he must be a thousand and fifty years old. This Fable and Fallacy, for it is no Prophecy, though we know not how with any weapons of reason to defend, yet with bold assertions we aver it for a truth in our Synagogues, when we are none but Jews together, and not a stranger among us. But you may hear the public doctrine of the Christians saying otherwise, Of Zion it shall be said, this and that Man was born in her, 
Psa. 87.  and the most High shall establish her. In these words he names Mary the Lady, under the name of the City, and saith, a man was born in her. He saith that man emphatically was born in her, he doth not say, this or that Israelite. Whereby he gives light to us to understand, that the Son of Marie never was in the Loins of any man. In the second Book of Samuel and the seventh Chapter, God manifestly declares this, when he saith to David, When thy days be fulfilled, and thou shalt sleep with thy Fathers, I will set up thy Seed after thee, which shall proceed out of thy Bowels, and I will be his Father, and he shall be my Son. It was never among possibilities, O Master, that ●ny should come out of the Bowels of his Father, therefore to this end is it here set down ●o expressly, to show that Christ was not to ●e conceived in woman, after the ordinary ●ay of other men, by any Seed, which should proceed from the Loins of man, as the rest ●f men do, descending from David, or others. ●o the same effect God speaks by David, ●rom the Womb, 
Psal. 110.  before the morning, have I begotten thee. As if the great and glorious God ●●ould say, From the womb, that is, of his ●wn will he begot his Christ, the operation ●f the Holy Ghost effecting, it without the ●eed of man, not after the common regular ●urse of humane generations. This is that doctrine of verity of the Christians faith, ●hich is hid as a mystery from us, and our ●ow apprehensions will not give it entrance ●●d belief. For our infidelity in this point 〈◊〉 all this fall'n on us, that we groan under; ●his is the gate that lets in our misery. Af●●r the same manner doth David set forth Christ to be borne, 
Psa. 132.  The Lord hath sworn in ●uth unto David, Of the fruit of thy Body will ●set upon thy Throne. Notwithstanding all ●is, we belong to God.   

CHAP. XXVII. He concludes with alleging some sayings of the Saracens, touching jesus, and Marie his Mother.  
VErily, O Master, though the Christian do not fight against us with swords taken out of the Saracens Scabbards, and wha● the Alcoran and the expositions thereof hav● for their defence, (which they neglect to do knowing our faith feeds not upon Saracen Chaff, neither do they themselves give any credit to it) yet they might find something which might much weary and weaken us, an● fortify themselves by the allegation of the Saracens Doctrine concerning Jesus, and Mar●● his blessed Mother. It is the general voice 〈◊〉 all the Saracens, that Jesus was the Messia● whom the foregoing Prophet foretold should come, and as touching his Genealogy and 〈◊〉 degree, they prefer him before their own God Mahomet. They stick not to confesse● that the Parents of Mahomet were Idolaters an● wicked ones, and at the best blazon the● Arms, but among the Children of Hagar, th●● Bondmaid, from whom they sprung. Yet willingly they grant, that the Messias by a dire●● Line draws his Pedigree from Isaac, who●● Son he was, to the Prophets and just men, and so he descends to the blessed Marie his Virgin mother. In the Alcoran this testimony of the Family of Adamar is found touching Marie, The Angel Gabriel said to Marie, O Marry, God hath chosen thee, and taught thee grace, and hath in his choice preferred thee before all other women of all ages; and hath placed thee as a new medium or mean, dividing betwixt earthly men, and the Angels of God in the Paradise of delights. Moreover, all the Saracens speak-it for a truth, That Christ, or the Messias, had power from God to work Miracles, to heal every disease, and infirmity, to cast out Devils, raise the dead, to know the secrets of all hearts; yea, they believe all those Miracles to be done by him, which the Gospel records of him. This the Alcoran in the forenamed Chapter expressly testifies, That the Messias knew, & doth know all things, yea the very sectets of hearts. The words of Mahomet are just to this purpose, who saith, Else (that is Jesus) knew every Book, and all wisdom, and the whole Law of Moses, he knew what men did eat and drink in their houses, and what they laid up in their Treasuries. Besides, they say of Christ, or the Messias, that whiles he was in the world he despised riches, and abandoned all carnal delights, neither had he any Concubines, which are the occasions of sin, and a cause of disobedience. Withal their Alcoran has adopted and taken into it that speech of the Gospel, The Foxes have holes, 
Luke 9  and the birds of the air have nests. These things, thought, I confess, they carry no authority for their sakes who say them, being Saracens, yet are they consonant (as may appear by our former discourse) to those things the Prophets foretold, of the first Coming of the Messias. They say in their Alcoran, That Else, that is Jesus, is the Word of God: and this to be called the Word of God, is accounted the proper name of Jesus Christ among the Saracens: in so much as no other man is thus named, but Jesus only, whom in the Arabic tongue they call Else. This we further find in their Alcoran, God said to Else, I am thy sufficiency, I will lift thee up unto myself, and I will purify thee from the unbelievers. Consider now, O Master, how the Jewish Nation are redacted and brought to such a paucity and smallness of number, by their thousand years' Captivity, that they are become the fewest of any Nation on the earth. 
zach. 2.  The Saracens are exceedingly multiplied, and daily increase. The Faith of Christ hath filled the whole world, only we are bandied and dispersed all over the earth by our angry God; we remain the fewest of any people, 
Gen. 49.  Reubens curse being fallen on us, which his father pronounced against him, 
Ne crescas.  Thou shalt not excel, or increase. We increase not at all, but the Christians, whom we hate above all Nations, they increase above all others, and all our hatred of them is in vain. A conjoined testimony of many witnesses stand up against us: The Christians witness against us, so do the Saracens also: the Alcoran, and the Gospel of Christ, which we will not believe. Which Alcoran, in my judgement, has no validity or strength in it, seeing it contains manifest contradictions, as thou well knowest, and as it clearly is evident, the Composers of it were very ignoramusses in the matter both of the old and new Testament. But letting that pass, what shall we say to the Gospel of the Christians, how shall we escape that, laying this down as a presupposed truth, that Christ, or the Messias is already come? The belief of this principle contains nothing in it, that it is contrary to Prophets, or to our Law; yea, of it we may affirm, that it is the Lamp, that gives light to all the Prophets, manifesting them, and fulfilling the promises contained in the Law, if we understand those promises aright to be meant of spiritual blessings, as the doctrine of the Christians conceives of them spiritually. Nevertherlesse, O Master, in all these my doubts, my anxious soul hath recourse to thee, especially, that thou wouldst assist me with thy skill about those knots, which before have been excerpt, and alleged by me out of the Prophets, forasmuch as I know, thou, who art skilled in the Arabic, wilt account the testimony out of the Alcoran no stronger than a lie, and esteem it as a Rush. Thou perfectly knowest the vanity of Mahomet, who called himself a Prophet, but he did not Prophesy, or foretell any things to come; he called himself a Messenger sent from God, a good one surely he was, who being a corrupt and ignorant fellow, (much unlike a Messenger of God) taught things contrary both to God, and his Scriptures.  
The end of the Epistle of Rabbi Samuel, which be writ to Rabbi Isaac, Master of the Synagogue.    


CHAP. I. Annotations upon the Epistolarie discourse of Rabbi Samuel the Israelite, born in a City of the Kingdom of Morocco.  
IN the first Chapter, and in many other, he mentions the continuance of their Captivity, from the vastation of jerusalem, to be in length a thousand years, and upwards, so that it seems the Book being Translated about the year 1239, 
Alstedius placeth him about the year 1090 in Chronol. Theol. So has the Note before the Book in Micropresbeutico.  had been hid and kept secret by the Jews, from coming into public light some 230 years, and above. It may appear, more than by conjecture, that it was first writ about the thousand years after the entrance into their Captivity, and the Jews seeing it like a lightsome house, and full of Candles, clearly showing Christ to be the Messias, and that he was already come, and by them had been Crucified, they fearing if it came into open view, it might pluck away the Jewish vail of opposition to Christ, from many hearts, as plainly demonstrating their sin, and the hidden verity of Christ the Saviour, they put this Candle or Torch under a Bushel, and kept it close many years, till this Translator lighting upon it, did publish and set it on a Candlestick, that it might give light to the whole house, both of Jews and Gentiles, in the Roman language, which is become almost ecumenical, understood of all sorts. For they thought of this Book, as their wicked forefathers thought of Lazarus, It were good to put him to death, because by reason of him (being raised from the dead by Christ) many of the jews would go away from them, 
john 12. 10, 11.  and believe on jesus.  
The Hebrew Doctors inquire earnestly what this sin should be, few of them have so much flesh and softness in their heart, as to yield with our Samuel, that it was the sin of slaying Christ, for they invent vain effugias, and ways of avoidance of the thought of this sin. R. Solomon runs back to the Wilderness, and says, The molten Calf is still punished, God is yet scourging them for that Idolatry. Hereupon one teaches the Jews, in every misery of theirs, to think of it. No punishment lights on thee O Israel, in which there is not put an Ounce of the molten Calf. But this sin God had pardoned long before Christ's time. Others of them do name some great sins of some Particular men, but look not at the great sin of the whole Nation. Some conclude it to be a secret and hidden sin, which is not known, that brings all these known punishments upon them at this day.  
The great Rambam, the Oracle of Jewish Learning, the excellent second Moses, speaks his mind, 
jesus Nazaretus visus est es●e Messias, ac sententia ludicum interfectus, causa fuit ut dost. veretur I●rael glad●o. Marfil. Fic●n. in lib. d● Christ. Relig c. 27  as he is quoted by Ficinus, out of of his Book of the Ordinary Judges; jesus of Nazareth seemed to be the Messias, and being put to death by the sentence of the Judges, was the cause why Israel was destroyed by the sword. But Ficinus is mistaken, for he means not honestly there, but as a Jew, hating Christ and Christians; his meaning is, That Christ was the Ringleader to rebellions and raising of seditions, stirring up the people to shake off the Roman yoke and Empire, which brought the Romans to destroy them with ●he sword. This was his poisonous meaning, ●hough one of the best of the Jews. The learned Coach in his Annotations to the Gemar. Sanhedrin, Chap. 11. sect. 37. thus senses it far from Ficinus his meaning.  
This Jew rightly collects, 
The first Digression▪  and concludes, ●hat that sin which brings a longer plague, and heavier judgement, than any that went before, must needs be a greater sin than ●hat which brought their 70 years' Captivity, and what can be greater than Idolatry, and slaying of the Prophets, save their slaying of their Saviour Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the Prince of the Prophets, and the Centre in whom all the Prophecies meet?  
He saith further, that none of the Prophets do tell of their return out of this Captivity, he is more to blame then, 
Nondum omnium ●●●rum 〈◊〉, occiderunt.  that at the end o● every Chapter doth say, Notwithstanding whatsoever fall out, we belong to God. If no Prophet show, that, being thus cast off, they belong to God, 
〈…〉 quoque 〈…〉. Cecidisse ●os, non ex●idisse c●rtum est.  why doth he without the ground of Prophecies build upon such a thing? But herein he is in an error; many, yea, all the Prophet's d● speak of their return, and the Calling of th● Jews. As Moses, Gen. 49. 18, 19 Deut. 30. 3▪ 6, 8. Esay 11. 11, 12. Esay 45. 22. and 25▪ Esay 59 20, 21. 
Vt el●ganter Cunaeus de Repub.  jerem. 16. 14. jerem. 23. 3, 4▪ jer. 31. 31, 32, 33, 34. Ezek. 36. 26. Hosea 1▪ last verse. 
Hebr. Lib. 1. cap. 18.  Hos. 3. 4, 5. Mic. 2. 12. Mic. 4. 6▪ Mic. 5, 5, 6, 7. 
Medras' sir Hassirim, Rab. Isaac ut habetur apud Porcherum in victor.  Zephan. 3. 11, 12, 13. & 19 20. Amos 9 14, 15. Zach. 11. 16. And among ou● Prophets, none so full as Paul, Rom. 11. Besides, as Paul speaks to them in Titus, One of themselves, a Prophet of their own hath said it. 
Cont. Heb. p. 2. c. 10.  Upon these words in the Canticles, Open to me my Sister, my Love▪ my Dove, my undefiled, they write thus, The holy and blessed God said to Israel, O my Children, set open to me but one little Cranny of repentance, though it be no bigger than a Needle's eye, and I will so largely open a way to you, that shall let in your Chariots and Carriages with four Wheels. Out of Rabbi Levi they have this also, If Israel would but repent one day, they should forthwith be redeemed, and presently their Messias the Son of David should come unto them. And indeed, their impenitency is their hardest Prophecy against them. Let them but repent, and it will turn the Captivity of Zion.  
Note the Conclusion of every Chapter, 
The 2. Digression.  and the beginning of every Chapter are the same. Every Chapter begins with I fear, O Master. Their great Rabbis were called Masters by the rest, who admired their learning, sat at their feet, received their instructions, as the Oracles of wisdom. About our Saviour's time they begun not only to enlarge their Phylacteries, but to enlarge their Titles of Dignity also, and to advance their Doctors with great names, as Rab, Ribbi, Rabban, Rabbi, which makes our Saviour note their pride in it. Those that had taken degrees in learning, and were set into a Doctors or Teacher's place to teach others, than had the name of Rabbi, their great Master, or learned Doctor of the Chair, for such taught in Chairs, and their Scholars sat at their feet, learning, and hearing their Documents, 
●hachanim.  as Paul was brought up at the feet of Gamaliel. Sometimes they call them their wise men, sometimes Masters, sometimes Fathers. 
Constan. ● Emper. in Come. ad ●●chiadae Paraphras. in Daniel c. 1 Buxto●ff. ●un. in vit. Mosis Maimon praefix. More Nevoch. Comment. in Middoth cap. 3. sect. 5.  Rambam, Rabbi Moses Ben Maimon, & Ramban, which is Rabbi Moses Ben Nahman, these two famous ones were called duo Domini, The two great Masters. And this Moses Maimonides was so famous for learning, that they add to his Titles, and some called him The Doctor of righteousness, and the great light of the Captivity. A Doctor among them R. Judas is of such fame, that they call him, by way of eminency, Ribbi, or Hannasi the Prince, Haccadosh, R. Judas the Holy. So among the Pontificians, they Idolise their great doctors, one must be the Master of the Sentences, another must be the Angelical Doctor, a third the Seraphical Doctor, this the Profound, and that the Irrefragable Doctor, another the Doctor of Subtleties; one is called Gomestor, the great devourer of the Scriptures, as if he had eaten up the Bible for his many Quotations of it. another is called Speculator, as Durandus Hales, or Alensis the Englishman, the Master of Bonaveuture and Aquinas, he was (to his high praise in those times) called, 
Alstod. in Chronol.  Fons vitae, The Fountain of life, and the irrefragable Doctor. So that to the praise of Englishmen, 
Scolast. ad cap▪ ●7.  by the confession of the Learned of other Nations, it is upon Record, that not only Bonaventure and Aquinas, and the rest, carry all the glory of Angelical and Seraphical learning, but even our Englimen have been Tutors to the best of them, and have been as it were Fountains to their Seraphical Streams: though Fons vitae be a Title too Hyperbolical, and too near to Blasphemy.  
Petrus Cluniacensis and Bede our Countryman too, go not in any Writings without their Title of Venerable Peter of Clunie, and Venerable Bede. Dionysius a Rickel, he is the ecstatical Doctor, Alanus he is the Universal Doctor. All Religions, Sects, and sorts of People are ready to get their Doctors and Teachers into too high Chairs of estimation and praises, even to Homar and Hali among the Turks and Persians, Chud and Tzalet or Salech, Synaip and Hedres, Dualkiphil and Locman, of which last the Proverb is, He is as wise as Locman, 
Saracen.  when they will name a second Solomon. 
Chatechis.  The very deceived of our days do name their Teachers Apostolical men, and men as full of new light as any, when it is indeed old darkness and deliration: though their breath be poison, and their doctrine blasphemy, and their visions made up of boldness and impudence, yet their deceived Proselytes are ready to call and count them as that marble Statue of Rome, 
Io. jac. Boisard. in Topogr. Romae.  Buccam Veritatis, the very mouth and cheeks of Truth. Among the Jewish dotages this is none of the least, that what their great Rabbins and Masters write, 
Buxtorff. in Synagog. jud. cap. 1. ex▪ Tractat. Erubhin.  and set down they must believe, as this hard Statute of theirs will make it appear. Thus they write, Whosoever mocks at, or despises what our wise men and great Rabbins have spoken, he shall be tormented in hot boiling dung in Hell. This is to make a Statute of doting. Some of them say, They that give themselves to the study of the Bible, there is some little virtue in it, or rather none at all; but they who study Tradition, or the secondary Law of the Fathers, there is virtue, for which a reward is due, They who study the Gemara, the Talmudick Writings, there is more excellent virtue for them than others. We are furnished by them with Stories for this: as that R. Eleeser being sick, his Disciples visiting him, said to him, O master, teach us the ways of life, that we may obtain the life of the world to come. The sick Doctor answered thus, Be admonished to honour your fellow-schollers, and draw back your children from the study of the Bible, and place them betwixt the Knees of the wise masters. Aegroti somnia! We leave these dotages, and pray they may recover their right senses, which will lead them to these three Rules. 1. 
Esay 8. 20.  To the Law and to the Testimony, etc. 2. In vain do they worship me, 
Mat. 15. 9  teaching for Doctrines the Traditions of men. 
john 5. 39  3. Search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life.  
Yet would I not have any build upon this those bold and blind out-cries, 
The 3. Digression.  Away with the Rabbins and all Hebrew writings, it is lost labour and learning to study them, there is nothing sound, all is fabulous and vain in them, of no use for a Divine. Give that Head some Hellebore to purge folly. It is as if one should say, What should a man do sowing Seed, for there are much Straw, Chaff and Weeds that grow up with it? 
Non coeco zelo in fans ipse, ut aiunt, una cum lavacri sordibus est effundendus.  But a wise Husbandman will say, I get much good Corn, and therefore I will bestow some labour for the Corns sake, to thresh and winnow it, and rid ●it of straw, chaff and Weeds. Though there be much Chaff in the Hebrew Doctors, 
Schickard. apud Glassiam.  yet there is much good grain and fruit of profitable use; and why may we not, as husbandmen, learn to thresh, and winnow them, and read them with a fan?  
For that kind of learning the less I know ●it the more I admire it, and wish time and leisure to recover what former years have lost, 
Paul Fagius in praefat. Eliae Thisbi.  ●icking the glass without, when I cannot come to the precious liquor within. I judge in the want of it, 
junius in Orat. de ling, Hebr. Antiq. & praest.  one piece of a complete Divine is wanting. Now we are subject to despise it, because Hebrew and Jewish learning requires more study and judgement, 
Tom. 1.  then looking upon some common Latin and English Authors, 
Glassius in Orat de Hebr. ling. util.  an easy kind of study, and almost vulgarly attainable. Good account may be given of this by some reasons, that will make it appear to be that which should be above the contempt of ignorance. 1. In other Authors, Schoolmen, Commentators, Jesuits we use to read and study, in which there is Chaff enough, yet there we use to separate the precious from the vile with an hic magister non tenetur. 
Nihil aliud est Theologus, quam Grammaticus verbi Divini.  2. Of all tongues and learning it will challenge superiority, as being more near neighbour to the Divinity of the Old Testament; therefore it is called lingua sancta, the sacred and holy Language, 
Drus in Epist ad Senat. Antverpiens.  as being used by God He was no Pamphlet nor trivial Doctor that said, A Divine was nothing else but a Grammarian of the Word of God, the Bible being the Grammar of Divinity. 3. There are many sound and rare Writings of great use among the Rabbins, among which especially the great Moses Maimonides carries the palm, 
Scaliger ad S●●ph. Vbert. Buxtorf. in praefat. ad Mor. Nevoch.  having freed himself from many Jewish dotages, fables and Traditions. The Heroes of learning Scaliger, Casauben, and others, will tell us his Book of More Nevochim, or Doctor perplexorum, is as good as the weight in Gold, and is exceeding necessary for Christian Divines. 4. There are divers places both in Old and New Testament, cannot be well understood, unless we borrow Candle-light from the Hebrew Doctors, as Exod. 6. 3. Ruth 4. 7. Esay 1. 29. Esay 12. 13. jer. 16. 7. Ezek. 8. 14. Ezek. 9 4. Matth. 5. 22. Matth. 21. 9 Matth. 23. 7, 8. Matth, 26. 23. Mark 7. 11. Rom. 5. 7. john 7. 37. john 3. 29. 2 Tim. 3. 8. Revel. 3. 4. and an hundred more, in which a man shall stray & stumble, unless he use their help. Ask Ainsworth, Selden, Weemse, whether they borrow not much light from them. 5. It is confessed in Jewish matters, Rites, Customs, Sacrifices, Syrian gods, we get best helps from them, and why may we not rather choose to have them at first hand, 
A saepius collectis, ac transfusis collectaneis, velut è decima lacuna suffurari, ut pene nihil resipiant sui fontis. Eras. in compend. Theolog. R. Iose.  then to take them at a second, or rather a tenth hand? Water in the very Spring is better had, then to be glad of it after it run thorough ten Channels. It is better to see with our own eyes, then to have our Spectacles hang at other men's Girdles. We may to good purpose make use of that Jewish saying, Let my soul be among the Collectors of Alms, rather than among the Distributors of them. Or as Valla, I had rather be a Bee that flies far to gather matter for Honey, than a Pismire, that gathers but from the next Corn field. 6. Were it not a rare thing (lastly) to be so skilled in the Jews Tongue and Writings, that one might be able to lay before them their own vainest Fables, and confute them out of their own Books and Doctors, as many have done? This would put the Jew to a stand and admiration, 
julian apud Theodoret.  and to cry out with a friend of theirs, Proprijs calamis configimur. What a glory was it to those two Christian Divines, 
Vatablum & Mercerum Lutetiae docentes ipsi Iudaei sunt admirati.  Mercer and Vatablus, that when they were Professors at Paris, the very Jews did admire them for their great skill in the Hebrew, and being so perfectly ready and read in all their Writings?  
Thus I have endeavoured to show, 
Chamier. de Authen. edit Can. Panstrat. l 12. c 9  that Jewish questions and vanities, being avoided, their learning is of much use in Divinity, whatsoever is said by some; 
Allo glaux, allo corone pthengetai.  The Crow cries one thing, and the Owl another. Every Chapter also ends with this, Attamen Dei sumus, Yet we belong to God, in all estates we Jews are Gods peculiar people. There is a truth in it, they were God's people by Covenant at first, and they shall be called home to the Covenant of Grace at last, when they shall look upon Christ whom they have pierced: but for the present state of them, standing out against God, and hating Jesus Christ, God calls them Loammi, 
Hos. 1. 9  Not my people. As concerning the Gospel they are enemies, 
Rom. 11. 28.  but as concerning Election, they are beloved for the Father's sake.   

CHAP. II.  
IN the second Chapter the Jew reasons the case, enquiring why they observe some Legalities, as Circumcision, Sabbath, and others, but omit Sacrificing, Altars, Unction and Incense. He happily guesses, that they retain these Legal Rites now, as received not from God, but from their Fathers that were under God's wrath. 2. That God has given them no precept now to use them; for indeed the destruction of Jerusalem, and the Temple, the place of their worship, the taking away of their Kingdom and Priesthood, is argument enough to tell them God hath abolished their Legal observances, and delights no more in them, nor in that kind of Government. By this he rightly acknowledges all their Jewish service is against the heart of God, and his command, and is will worship; not God's will-worship, but man's will-worship. 3. He takes away a reason that might be given by some, why they used not Altars, and Incense, because they were strangers, and under the Government of Kingdoms, and States, that would not suffer them to have that liberty. But this he answers to, that it is no good reason; for Kings and States that suffer them to have Synagogues and meetings, and communion in a Jewish manner, would permit them this also as well as the former: they who grant a greater thing, in all likelihood will not deny them a lesser matter. So that the conclusion he would make, is this, God in his anger hath bereft us of King, Priest, Temple, Altars, Sacrifice, the great things of our Law, therefore he would have us leave all other our jewish Rites also, because it is manifest for our sins he would have us deprived of all, and besides turn us to Christ, who hath put an end to all judaical observances. Many of the Jews acknowledge, that Sacrifices and Ceremonies were not to be perpetual, but to continue for a time only, and by the Messias to be abrogated. In their Talmud they have this to that purpose, 
Hieron. de S. fide in Hebraeom. l. 1. c. 9 Ex Berescit R●●ba.  In the world to come all sacrifices shall be annihilated, except the sacrifice of Confession, i. e. of praise. So the Egyptian Moses writes, that in the time of the Messias all things shall be licenced, which were prohibited: According to that saying, The Lord looseth them that are bound up, and there cannot be a greater proof than this, that even mulier menstruata shall be licenced by God at that time. In the Talmud, speaking of unclean things, as the Sow, it is questioned, Why is a Sow called Hazer? It is answered, Because God will return it once to Israel, that is, give them liberty to eat of it; Hazire signifying reversion or returning. Wherefore, by the judgement of divers of their Doctors, they do at this day unlawfully in counting any meats unclean by the old Rule of their Law, seeing the Messias was believed should set these very Creatures at liberty, that they should not be bound up from free use by any Bond of Ceremonial uncleanness, as they were heretofore. When the Veil of the Temple was rend, all Legal Ceremonies were to be rend also.  
The Jews acknowledge they have nothing to do now with Sacrifices, 
The 4. Degression.  as their Ancestors had, because they are scattered from their own land, and their Temple is destroyed, which was the place destined for Sacrifices to be offered up to God, yet instead of Sacrifices they will do something, they redeem their Sacrifices with words, and comfort themselves with this, as if God did accept it as well as any Sacrifice, that they read over God's precepts in the Law about the kinds and manner of Sacrificing, and so they make use of, or rather abuse those words of the Prophet, We will offer up to God the calves of our lips; 
Hos. 14. Wofgang.  Which were a good Sacrifice, 
Capito in Hos. 3.  if they were good lips, confessing Christ, and guided by holy hearts, only relying, and trusting in the all-meriting Sacrifice of Christ's blood. Their R. Simeon saith, they despised three things, and cast them off in that speech, 
2 Sa. 20. 1.  We have no part in David, nor have we inheritance in the son of jesse: 1. The Kingdom of Heaven. 2. The house of David. 3. The Temple of the Lord. But the later Jews have cast off these three things far more despitefully, in casting off Christ; And having thrown off God and his Temple, why may he not throw away them and their sacrifices?— The conclusion is against the Jews, that they do against ground and reason retain some part of their Jewish service, and let other parts be lost; as that of Altars, ointment and sacrifice. If one be good, all is good, because all is of the same root. If God have abolished some, he would have them abolish all; and he grants the Jews are nonplussed, and have nothing to say in this argument, when it is urged by the Christians.   

CHAP. III.  
IN this Chapter the Translator tells us he finds much diversity in the Phrases of the Scripture, as they are in the Original Hebrew, and as he finds them quoted by his Rabbi Samuel, who being among the Turks follows the Arabic Bible, and therefore he would have the Reader note, that he quotes the Scriptures according to R. samuel's Book, that he may prove himself a faithful interpreter.  
It is a pretty note of R. Samuel, that the first Captivity is called but a Transmigration, or a passing over into another Land; which seems to be a word of hope, that promised them they should come back again. But this last is named by a hopeless name, a desolation, to let them see it is a perpetual Captivity. That of transmigration or removing, may be seen 2 King. 17. 23. 2 King. 24. 3. But this is a desolation, Dan. 9 27. and the abomination of desolation.  
A twofold misery he finds to pursue this Captivity more than the other.  
1. In the other they had Prophets in Babylon, to comfort them, Ezekiel, Haggai, Zacharie; but in this Captivity, no true Prophets preach deliverance: Prophecy and Vision ceaseth.  
2. Again, in that other Captivity they were all together in one Kingdom, and company of known friends & Countrymen, breaks the strong waves of an evil; but here they are dispersed into all Countries, and can converse with few of their own, but mere strangers, both by Country and Religion. And this is a sad thing, that they sit solitary like a Sparrow upon the house top. This the Lord threatened, to make their Chain heavy: The Lord shall scatter thee among all the people from one end of the earth even to the other, 
Deut. 28. 64.  etc.  
This Samuel acknowledges, 
The 5. Digression.  and calls Daniel a Prophet of God, which divers of the great and learned Jews will not admit, yet he all over honours him, and quotes his Prophecy in this matter of the Messia. It seems this man had rather cleave to Christ, who calls him a prophet, Matth. 24. 15. then to his great Talmudists and Rabbis, who will needs be great, by lessening some of God's greatest Prophets. Porchetus, a great and deep inquirer into Hebrew Learning, proves by Jewish Tradition, that Daniel was held by them a Prophet; and be further faith, that among the Jews none could be found so strangely foolish, to deny the Spirit of Prophecy to Daniel, but only one wicked Sadduce, called Porphyrius; who being convict with the clearness of his Prophecy concerning Christ, he falls like a bitter Dog a barking against the truth and sanctity of daniel's Prophetical testimony. Of this Porphyry Hierome speaks in his Epistle proaemiall to the Comment on Daniel, 
Porchet. victor. contra Hebr. part. 1, c. 3.  to Pammachius and Marcelia, where he saith this Porphyry writ his twelfth Book against Daniel, whom Eusehius confuted in three Volumes. But besides Porphyry, Porchetus might have seen some more denying Daniel properly to be called a Prophet of God, as the great Moses Ben Maimon, who saith, our Nation with an unanimous consent hath placed the book of Daniel in Kethubhim, among the holy Writers, 
More Nevochim. part. 2. c. 45  but not among the Prophets. And the same account and reckoning they make of David's Psalms, Salomon's Books, Esther, job, and the Books of Chronicles. 
In annotat. ad Rab.  They say these were writ as they were moved by the holy Spirit, 
jacchiad. in Paraphr. in Daniel, cap. 1. annotat. 1.  but it was not vera & pura Prophetia. But who will may see against this, Daniel proved to be a Prophet of God, out of Moses Ben Maimons own Characters of a Prophet, by Constantine L' Emperor.  
Against this opinion, which makes Daniel a Prophet, but metaphorically, or by way of Translation, Guil. Vorstius may be looked after also, in his Annotations on Maimonides de fundam Legis ad cap. 7. Cunaeus de Repub. Hebr, lib. 3. cap. 7.   

CHAP. IU.  
HE rightly speaks of the blindness of the Jews, so their estate in the new Testament is called: 
joh. 9 39  For judgement am I come into this world, saith our Saviour, that they which see not, might see, and that they which see might be made blind. God hath given them the spirit of slumber, eyes that they should not see, etc. Blindness in part is happened unto Israel, 
Rom. 11. 8. & 25.  until, etc. That which is here said, that it is perpetual, Paul saith better for them then R. Samuel, It shall not be always, but till the fullness of the Gentiles be come in, and then all Israel shall be saved.   

CHAP. VI  
IN this Chapter he is very earnest to apply that prophecy of Amos, the selling of the Righteous for Silver, to be Israel's sin, in selling Jesus the Righteous Son of God for thirty pieces of Silver. 
Micronym.  Our Christian interpreters and Expositors, 
Carthus.  do not go that way, to apply it only to Christ, 
Parcus Tarnovius.  but make it to be the sin of injustice, & cruel oppression against the poor and needy, selling away their person and Cause for Bribes. Some have a glance at this Jewish exposition, 
A lapide in loc.  yet cannot fully like it: though this Jew found the Christians in his days much bend to expound it as he does, and let him be witty this way, to apply all to the Jews sin, if so be it may heal their sore.   

CHAP. VII.  
THe seventh Chapter arises out of his former discourse, and he lays it down, that the Prophet Amos his Just man sold for silver, is Jesus the Just, the Saviour of the Christians, he believes it is meant of no other, This indeed is true, 1. That Jesus the Just was sold for silver. 2. That this was the Jews sin. 3. That this sin of selling and murdering Jesus is the Gate, that lets in all their misery. Only here the Jew in a fourth thing has us not so fully agreeing, that the Prophet Amos doth directly and especially point at this sin in this place. Here the Jew is more against his own Jews, than the Christians are, and it shows his pious intention, to find out the grievousness of their sin, that takes up any Scripture, that may seem to indigitate it, to bring his people to repentance.  
In this Chapter he admirably, and with a Beam of Christian light, applieth the 53 of Esay to Jesus Christ, & as a Christian Expositor, opens divers things in it. As likewise that excellent and Torchlike place of Zacharie, which gives clear light in this truth, 
Zach▪ 12.  undeniably looking at Christ. 
The Chaldee Paraphrast and Gen●ara.  For other Scriptures look at his good meaning, and pardon his Application. 
Babylon.  That 53. of Esay exceedingly straitens the learned Jews, 
Grotius de veritat.  and puzzles them in their Expositions, 
Christ Relig. in annotat. ad lib. 5.  to make it fit for some other, rather than Christ Jesus, but divers of them are enforced to apply it to Christ.  
Of the Application of the 53 of Esay to Christ the Messias, 
The 6. Digression.  Hieronymus de sancta fide, a converted jew, gives us his sure word, that divers of their Rabbins go that way; 
Hieron. de sanct. fid. in Hebraeo.  as R. Osua in Sanhedrin, and R. Jose Galiaeus in a Book called Zifrat. 
Mast lib. 1. cap. 11.  Lord Morney brings in others of their Doctors, fitting this Chapter to him, as R. Vla, veniat, sed absit ut videam, Let him come, but far be it from me that I should see him, meaning, his wounds and sufferings will be so grievous, as men will hide their faces from him. 
Mornaeus in cap. 30. lib. de verit. Christ. Relig.  And upon Ruth, on these words, Dip thy morsel in the Vinegar, their Midrasch, or Commentary hath it, The morsel is the bread of the King Messias, who shall be broken for our sins, and shall endure great torments, 
Porchetus.  as was foreteld by Esay. To stop the mouths of all jews, R. Simeon the son of Johni, a chief one of them, writeth as if he were clothed with the Sun: Woe (saith he) to the men of Israel, for they shall slay the Christ. And, God shall send unto them his son, clothed with man's flesh, that he may wash and cleanse them, and they shall slay him. R. johanan pitches truly upon the very time of jesus Christ's exercising his Ministry upon earth, agreeable to the History Evangelicall of his life: Three years and a half (saith he) the presence of God did cry upon Mount Olivet, Seek the Lord while he may be found, and call upon him while he is near. Which is ●ust the common computation of the time of jesus Christ's preaching, from his Baptism to his Passion.  
Here let it be noted once for all, 
The ●. Digression.  that this Doctor doth altogether call Christ the Just or Righteous One, 
Postel. de Orb. Ter. concord.  an excellent name agreeing with the Scripture, that calls him so, proving, in him there was no sin, no unrighteousness, ●o guile, and therefore he was fit to be Jehovah Tsidkenu, The Lord our Righteousness. 
Acts 3. 14.  Peter preaching to the jews concerning Christ, saith, They denied the holy One, 
Acts 7. 52.  and the Just; and Stephen in his Sermon calls him the Just One. So Ananias called Christ that Just One. 
Acts 22. 14  Among the jewish Doctors it is ordinary, to call Christ by this name, 
Vide Porchet▪ in Victor contr.  by way of excellency. The earth (saith one of them) standeth but upon one Pillar, 
Hebr 〈◊〉. 2. cap. 11.  and the Just One is his Name; as it is in the Book of Proverbs, Chap. 10.  
In the end of the Chapter the jew alleges the agreement of the Gospel's relation to the Prophet's prediction, concerning Christ's death, wherein like a Christian he flies from the jews, and clothes himself with the Christians Armour of light, believing the Gospel, which professed jews hate with an indelible hatred.   

CHAP. IX, X, XI.  
IN these Chapters he proves that Christ shall have a double coming; First, in baseness and humility; then secondly, in Majesty and glory. Sometimes only he teaches Scripture to speak more than is intended; as in that place of Esay, because it is said, Awake, Awake, twice, he will have it to mean Christ's double Coming: And that of David, For he cometh, for he cometh, is twice repeated, because Christ shall twice appear, saith R. Samuel. But the truth is clearer, then that he need these witty (though sometimes weak) allegations.  
That Christ's second coming shall be to judgement, and with Fire, and glorious Majesty, he rightly and Orthodoxly holds and proves. It is a rare Testimony to the credit of our Christian Baptism, that he calls it the Well of salvation, 
Esay 12.  spoken of by Esay the Prophet. Nay further, behold this Jew turned perfect Christian, for he confesses the summary of the Gospel, the chief sentence of it, to be very true, which is this, This, without all doubt, (saith he) is to be held, that none are saved, but those that believe Christ's first coming, and those that believe not, there is no ground for them to hope for salvation at his second coming. This is the main matter of faith in the New Testament, 
Matth. 16.  so that this Jew confesses like Peter, Thou art Christ the Son of the living God. And I see no reason, but it may be said to him, as to Peter, Blessed art thou Samuel the Israelite, for flesh and blood hath not revealed this unto thee, but my Father which is in Heaven. He affirms the very same that is affirmed in the Gospel, 
john. 3. 3●.  He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life, 
1 john 5. 11, 12.  and he that believeth not the Son, shall not see life, but the wrath of God abideth on him.  
In the tenth Chapter we have some places brought in to prove the second coming of Christ, 
The 8. Digression.  which will not bear it, and yet divers of our Christian Expositors have taken leave to be mistaken, as well as this Jew, or rather worse; and so much the worse, because they cry out of all, which will not sing to their Viol, 
Cramer in Schol Prophet. clas. 3  when they themselves are out of tune. Cramer undertaking the clearing of Prophecies concerning Christ, finding fault with those that do not make Zach. 14. 3, 4, 5, etc. to be meant of Christ's Ascension, and the cleaving of the Mount of Olives, etc. to be meant of the Apostles sending out to the Gentiles, he names among the rest our Marochian, in this place applying Zachary to the second coming of Christ. Surely it is not meant of Christ's second coming, but (as Calvin hath it) of an illustrious presence, and manifestation of God in his power and might, evident to all, that Jerusalem shall not be in a shady Valley, but shall be conspicuous, and open to a glorious view for all Nations to see it, 
Haec particula ad posteriorem adventum accommodari potest: proprie tamen pertinet ad priorem: quia de nuntio foederis loquitur id est, de institutione Legis Evangelicae. Fe●. à Figveiro in Malach.  and admire it. It is true, Samuel is mistaken, and so is Cramer too, for because there is mention of the Mount of Olives, it doth not follow, that therefore Christ's Ascension must be pointed at. But the Lutherans, Cramer, Hunnius, and others, plow deep furrows upon calvin's back, because he will not swear to their Interpretations. Our Christian Moor makes use of the third of Malachi too, to prove Christ's second coming; But who may abide the day of his coming? Divers of ours are also to be blamed for this, that wheresoever in Scripture they meet with a terrible day of the Lord, they presently apply it to the day of Judgement: yet he sees little that sees not this to be meant of Christ's first coming, whose preaching, and pure doctrine of Gospel, was terrible to profane ones, and Hypocrites, Scribes and Pharisees. Besides, it signifies the misery, sorrow and captivity, which should befall the Jews in, and after the coming of Christ, not by Christ's fault, but by their impiety and infidelity, rejecting Christ: so as his coming proves terrible to them.  
In the end of the 11 chapter, he hath two excellent things concerning Christ, wherein he speaks Christianisme most Christianly, and brushes himself clean of the least Jewish moat.  
1. He concludes it from Scripture, that Christ, and Christ alone, is the True and Righteous One: All men, best of men, were sinners, but Christ was sinnlesse. And in this he prefers him before Moses, and all other holy Ones, which no Jew will do, just as Christ is preferred in Hebr. 3.  
2. He makes disobedience and infidelity in Christ, the damning sin. This he proves as the Author to the Hebrews proves it: compare his words and those of Hebr. 10. 28, 29. and you shall see such an agreement, as if he had proposed those words, and that Text to be followed, He that despised Moses Law, died without mercy, under two or three witnesses. He has it like to that: If they were worthy of death who believed not Moses, who was two degrees behind Christ, he was but a temporary Saviour, and he was a sinner; Of how much sorer punishment suppose ye shall he be thought worthy, etc. how much more (saith our Samuel) are they worthy of this judicatory of fire, who believe not, nay, who blaspheme this Christ, who is a Righteous One, and who saves eternally. O that this lightsome beam of truth had pierced the hearts and breasts of all the dark-spirited Jews! O that all of them saw with samuel's eyes! The Lord persuade these Israelites to dwell in the Tents of Samuel, and to come and see.   

CHAP. XII.  
THe Ascension of Christ he proves and believes, which no stone-hearted Jew will by any means admit into thoughts of probability; for they are so far from believing his glorious Ascent into Heaven, that they make his Descent into Hell their chief and unquestioned Article, with the most horrible blasphemy affirming, that our Christ is tormented in Hell, in boiling and scalding (Zoah) Dung, because he rejected, and despised the Traditions and Doctrines of their holy Elders and Chachamims. Yea, they make him a false Prophet, and to be a profane wretch, as Esau. And in the most secret Books and Papers kept among the Jews, (which they will not let every eye see, but such as are rightly Jewish, that is, stiff enemies of Jesus) this they teach and write, That the soul of Esau entered into the body of Christ, and so he was just such a wretch as Esau, or Edom. And this may perhaps be one main reason, why they call all Christians Edomites, as thinking we follow, and put our trust in Christ, who is as Edom with them. 
The 9 Digression.  He applies the 24 Psalms to the Ascension of Christ, which divers Christian Expositors by Prophecy will have pointed at, and by allegory allude to. This Author makes some ask the question, Who is this King of glory? And he sets the Angels to answer the question, 
Hieronym. in Psalm.  The Lord of Hosts he is the King of glory. This way Jerome goes, making a Dialogue betwixt Angels and Devils. 
Stapulensis Scholar in Dyonus. Areop●g●t.  Who is the King of glory, say the Devils? The good Angels answer, The Lord of Hosts, mighty in Battle, 
Baptist Folengius in Psal.  he is the King of glory. This Jew (it seems) had studied not only the Christians Gospel, 
Barth. a Koppen. in Psa. 24.  but Christian Interpreters, and Expositors of the Bible. And though this be no strong proof of Christ's Ascension, 
Piscator. in Psal.  (but rather David's Song about the building, and setting up the Temple, and the glorious gates thereof, for the Lord of Hosts to come enter and dwell in it) yet the Jew shows us how willing he is, to admit the doctrine of Christ's Ascension, and to follow Christian Doctors.  
This Jew, though he sometimes uses the Scriptures, 
The 10. Digression  with meanings and applications scarce genuine, yet in his application of the 63 chapter of Esay, vers. 1. to the exaltation and triumph of Christ over his enemies, he hath done more rightly, than many of our writers and Christian Preachers, who commonly do apply this place (by a vulgar and received error) to the Passion of Christ. How often have we heard these words quoted thus, He trodd the Winepress of his Father's wrath alone, that is, He alone suffered, and underwent his Father's wrath for us? If it had been meant of Christ's Passion, it would have been passively, I was trodden in the Winepress alone; and not Actively, I have trodd it. It is the Grapes that suffer treading and pressing, not he that treads. 2. Again, he is said to be glorious in his apparel, when he comes from treading the Winepress. Now Christ in his Passion was either quite naked, as many think; or else but in one part very slenderly covered. Now if his Body, or that mean Cloth were sprinkled with his own Blood, this was no very glorious apparel, for one to appear thus miserably. But for Christ in his Ascension to appear, and in his Triumph to show himself, with garments all stained with the Blood of his Enemies, this is glorious raiment indeed. The triumph of the righteous is, 
Psal. 58. 10  they shall wash their feet in the blood of the wicked. 3. Observe the phrases in this Prophecy, which show not Christ's Passion, but his enemy's Passion, travelling in greatness of his strength, that is, strongly conquering, and destroying his adversaries. Mighty to save, that is, to preserve his; he doth not say, Mighty to suffer. Garments like him that treadeth the Wine-Fatt; the blood of enemies, like the juice of Grapes pressed, are sprinkled on him that presses them. I will tread them in mine anger, and trample them in my fury. If it were of Christ's Passion, it should be, I am trodden in God's anger, and trampled in his fury. The day of vengeance is in my heart, that is, Like a Conqueror I will now take vengeance of mine enemies. 4. This phrase of treading as in a Winepress, is used in Scripture elsewhere, to show what they suffer that are trodden, as Lament. 1. 15. Now Christ saith, He trod, and was not trodden. 5. He is said to come from Edom, and Bozra: by Edomites conquered and destroyed, he sets out, under that particular name, Christ's universal conquest and triumph over all the enemies of the Church. And in this Exposition, this Jew applies the Prophecy better than many among us. It is true, divers of the Ancients have swallowed this without chewing, 
Of the Ancients, yet Origen in Matthaeum 15. Tract. applies it to Christ's Ascension & triumph.  to be meant of Christ's Passion, but whosoever looks into the Text, and the Phrases of it, will see it rather points at Christ's Resurrection and Triumph, than his Passion. We are too prone to take these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 upon trust without examination. The Fathers were more excellent, and so the Ancients, for sound piety, then for sound Exposition, and dextrous Application of Scriptures. Why may not David sometimes lay by the Spectacles of his ancient Fathers, and say, I have more understanding than my Teachers. 
Ps. 119. 99  The learned and judicious Mercer confesses, 
Nostri minus recte de passione Christi exponant. joan.  that our Divines are asleep, when they expound this of the Passion of Christ. Daniel Cramerus quotes the very place of R. Samuel, to maintain this Prophecy, 
Mercer in Comment. ad Cantic. c. 5. v. 10.  as appertaining to Christ's, against the Jews. He handles the controversy of the Blood here, whether is meant the Blood of Christ, 
Cramer. in Schola prophet. Class. 3.  Passions or of his Enemy's Passion, and would reconcile both, as making Christ's victory to begin with his own Blood, and end with his enemy's blood: and refers to the disputes of Lyra and Burgensis about it. Only in an heat he falls foul upon Calvin, as did Hunnius, and must needs be very angry with him, because he will not altogether expound Scriptures, as they do. Praestat, saith he, ut Calvinum, qui solus sapere vult, solum relinquamus, ut solus sapiat. But his passion clouds his eyes, for others beside Calvin have seen that common way to have but poor grounds, as Junius and Tremelius, Mercer, Tarnovius, Musculus. This I say, not to disallow and throw by the Ancients in all things, but only to stir up Divines that have eyes, to use their eyes. 
Vide Ta●novium in excitat. Biblio. pag. 418. edit. 2  Pelargus and others have cited divers of the Ancients, applying this to the Cross, and make it, Torcular passionis Christi; but their meaning is no way literally or directly to be found here.  
Observe how fitly this Jew applies it to their Captivity, 
The 11. Digression.  Whom hath he trod in his wrath but us Jews? We are they that have been in the Winepress this thousand years. Yet O the fearful wish of this Jew, that though he be convinced to be a Christian, yet he wishes the Candles of conviction were blown out; here he speaks like a Jew indeed, that hates the clear prophecies of Christ. Would to God (saith he) when we slew the Prophet Esay, we had blotted out this testimony of his, so manifestly pointing at Christ, that it might not be read and seen against us. Here he writes out of an exceeding natural love to his countrymen and kindred the Jews in an ecstasy of Passion. The Apostle Paul has an extraordinary vote and desire another way, 
Rom. 9  and beyond rule, when he thinks of the misery of his countrymen and kindred the Jews. This is to be believed, the Jews will not lose, nor blot out any part of the Old Testament, no not that which seems most against them, though this man in a passion write thus; for they most charily preserve it as their lives, and will not suffer it to be corrupted or mutilated in a word, syllable, or letter: Yea, so religiously do they devote themselves to the letter and writing of the Bible, 
Sal. Glassius in Philolog. Sac. lib. 1. tract. 1. de Text Hebr. in vet. Test. puritate.  that they say, if a man through ignorance, malice or impiety, should change one word in the Bible, there is great danger the Lord for that inexpiable offence should throw the world back again into its ancient indigested Chaos of confusion, because God created this world only for the Scriptures sake. 
Spanhem. in Dub. Evang. p. 2. ●ub. 88, 89  So exact are they, that no part of the Bible be either lost or corrupted, that they have noted down in their Masora, which they call The Hedge or Fence of the Law, not only every word how oft it is used, but how oft it is in the whole Old Testament to be found with such a Prick, or with such an Accent. Nay further, and which is a miracle of diligence and faithfulness, they have set down how many Verses there are in every Book, and have numbered how often every letter is used in the Bible. As the letter Aleph or A is found by number to be 42377 times. Beth or B 38218 times, and so have they taken notice of the rest, to remember how often each letter is used. This doing, quickly would be discovered their unfaithfulness in leaving out or corrupting the Scriptures, and that by the Candlelight of their own industry. Hereupon Austi calls the Jews Capsarios nostros, 
Austin in O●at cont. jud. Pagan & Arian.  The Christians Library or Bible-keepers, because they with marvellous diligence have preserved the Old Testament from corruption and loss, even in corrupting and losing times; and are as wooden Candlesticks to the Gentiles, holding out the light of the Law. He quotes the 49 Chapter of Genesis, which he calls the Book of the Generation of the Creatures of judah, that is, Of the Children and Offspring of judah. Well may I here take occasion to give a reason, why men only sometimes are called the Creation, and the Creatures, and whence it arises. To which purpose our understandings may well and sound take hold on this, that the word which signifies creatures, properly in common use among the Hebrews, signifies only men sometimes, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, as being the excellentest of subsolar Creatures. The same Phrase and manner of speaking is much taken up in the Oriental Languages. 
Isaac Casaub. in Epist. lib. Car Labbaeo, Epist. 24. see Schindler in pentaglott. in Bara.  I shall call in my Witness, and he may stand for two or three, he is of such standing and perfection in the Academy of most exquisite learning, it is Hortibonus, or Casaubon. In the Arabic Geography (saith he) in abundance of places we find the frequency and fullness of Cities thus described, the Author saith, that in them there are many Creatures, 
Plerumque de hominibus maxime in plurali usurpatur Coch. in Tit. Maccoth. c. 3.  that is to say, Men. This may well agree with our Samuel, who writ in Arabic, and this may be a good note affixed to the latter end of the 16 Chapter of Marks Gospel, to the illustration of it, Go into the whole World, and preach the Gospel to every Creature.   

CHAP. XIII.  
THe corporal Ascension of Christ he goes about to prove by those Scriptures, that speaks of the exaltation and elevation of God, which he saith must properly be meant of Christ, according to his humane nature, because the mere Deity is subject to none of these Sites or Postures. That of Psalm 68 is applied to the Ascension of Christ by S. Paul, 
Ephes. 4.  so that R. Samuel the Jew is not ashamed to follow S. Paul the Apostle of the Gentiles, 
Ephes. 4.  in believing and asserting the same truth.  
He quotes something out of the Prophet Aser in his second Chapter, 
The 12. Digression  but he forbears the prosecution of it upon this reason, because that Prophecy is lost, and is not to be found. The Translator he brings his judgement about the Prophet Aser, and reproves the ignorance of R. Samuel, that he should think the Prophet Aser to be lost, when he is not. And his reason is, that the Prophet Aser and Haggai are all one, only Haggai is the Hebrew Name, and Aser the Arabic name of the same Prophet, which R. Samuel did not know, or at least did not call to mind when he writ so. Now it were good to unpire the matter betwixt Alphonsus the Spaniard, and Samuel the Jew, and upon looking into it, the Translator will be found in some fault. Suppose there be some agreement betwixt Haggai and Aser, in their signification. Haggai signifying one that solemnizes and keeps a holy, and joyful day of solemnities, that rejoices festival: and Aser coming of a Verb that signifies to make blessed and happy, which may accord in this, that the days of re-edifying the Temple, and Jerusalem, in which times Haggai prophesied, were holy, festival and blessed days. Though there be some similitude, must there be Identity? How doth Alphonsus know that Aser and Haggai in the Arabic Tongue are the same Prophet? This may be disproved two ways. 1. Because R. Samuel writ in Arabic, lived among the Arabians, and being both a Jewish and an Arabic Doctor, he was likely to know as well as Alphonsus the names of Prophets in the Old Testament, both in Hebrew and Arabic. 2. If Aser and Haggai be all one, then let the Spaniard show us this that he quotes in the Prophecy of Haggai, of a man ascending from the midst of the Sea, and coming up to Heaven. He must coin a new Prophecy of Haggai, if he will find this in it, for our Old Prophet, neither in first, or second, 〈…〉 Chapter has any such thing. However we speak of this obscure Prophet Aser, which cannot be found what he was, yet we may well conclude for the Author against the Translator, that these words are not to be found in the Prophet Haggai.  
Since these Notes I have found something that is like this which is quoted, but neither in R. samuel's obscure Aser, nor Alphonsus the Translators Haggai chap. 2. but in the Apocryphals of Esdras, 
2 Esd. 13. 2, 3.  Lo, there arose a wind out of the sea, and lo, that man waxed strong with the thousands of heaven. junius reads it, Quidam ut ventus, A certain man as the wind came from the sea. It should be translated a Man, not a wind that did rise out of the Sea; so the third Verse intimates, that man waxed strong, not that wind. For rising of the wind is not the thing, but the comparison accompanying and illustrating the appearance of the man. I think (pardoning the error of the Authors and Translators Quotation, both of the Name, and the Book, and Chapter) I am the Oedipus of this Riddle. And it may well be his meaning was of this place, for in this book he doth (besides this) make use of the Apocrypha, as Chap. 19 he quotes a place out of Jesus the son of Syrach, and in chap. 20. he has out of the same Book. Besides, he is subject to some mistakes, for in that 20 chapter he calls it Salomon's writing, when it is the Sonn of Syraches: and in this 13 chapter he quotes a place in Esay, when it is in jeremy,— Aliquando bonus dormitat Hebraeus, calling Esdras Aser.  
Among those were assumed into heaven, he names Methusalem, and takes it for a thing granted and known among the Jews. But we must believe Moses, who saith, that Methusalem when he had lived nine hundred sixty nine years, 
Gen. 5. 27.  died, he doth not say he was translated, which he had newly said of Enoch his Father. 
August. de Civ. D. lib. 15. cap. 11.  The Greeks error is, that he lived 14 years after the flood, and was with Noah in the Ark, which error comes out of the Septuagints false computation. And some of the Jews (it seems) are in this error, that because his Father was taken into heaven in his body and soul, so was Methusalem too. But they that compute and reckon according to the Hebrew numbering of the years, do agree, that Methusalem died that very year the flood came. Others think he died six years before the flood. He concludes the Chapter with asserting the wonderful birth of Christ, born of a Virgin, without a man, to be a very truth, and plainly foretold by the Prophets of God. Wherein he grants for a truth one of those six things, which are the main Controversies betwixt the Jews and Christians. 
Ludovic.  He takes indeed one place to prove the birth of Christ by a Virgin, 
Carret. in Epist. seu libro visor. divin.  which I dare not say flatly that the Prophet did speak it with any relation to the birth of Christ. 
jerem. 31.  It is that of Ieremies, The Lord shall create a new thing upon the earth, a woman shall compass a man. I know the stream of Expositors run that way, to make it point at Christ's Incarnation, both ancient and modern, which made that Lutheran Beadle provide so terrible a whip for Calvin, and lashed him with Calvinus judaizans, Calvin turned jew, because he knew no reason why these words (and other places of Scripture) should be thought a plain Prophecy of Christ. Neither the consequents, or the Antecedents do give any great light to that sense. And let a man perpend and consider it well, whether the interpretation of Calvin be so strange a thing to the meaning of the Prophet's discourse and Sermon. He is speaking of Gods delivering his people from the power of Chaldeans, and it shall be so wonderful, 
The word Sabab do●h not only signify to embrace lovingly, but in an hostile manner as an enemy, to encompase, besiege and straiten▪ So is the word used in Psa. 22. 13. and 17. It is also plainly taken for besieging Eccles. 9 14.  that he saith A woman shall compass a man; that is, the weak and low-brought Israelites, that may seem to be compared to women, being furnished with new strength from God, shall prevail against the Chaldeans their potent enemies, that are strong men; and thus women may be said to bring men into straits. Others besides Calvin have thought this sense to be more literal and proper to that place then to expound it of Christ's Birth. The L. shall create a new th'. up. e. a w●m. shall comp. a man: that is, This wonderful and new thing will the Lord bring to pass, the Church of the Jews, that like a wand'ring and strange woman is departed from the Lord by rebellion and Idolatry, to whom she was betrothed once, 
〈…〉  she shall come with bitter repentance, returning to her first Husband, & embracing him again graciously whom she had vilely forsaken. This is that new and wonderful thing that the Lord should create in this impenitent and wicked people, a new heart to return unto him. This is commonly called A new Creation. And if in this Calvin play the Jew, than Luther was a Jew, and divers others, who could not with their best eye sight, spy the Incarnation of Christ plainly and clearly in that Text of the Prophet. And if we do not take that piece to confirm Christ's spotless birth, yet do we not want clear proofs and Prophecies against the gainsaying Jews, to make it appear as noonday.  
Against the applying of the Scriptures unduly and unproperly to Christ, the words of the ancient Pelusiot are ponderous, and precious; This course (saith he) puts harness upon the Gentiles and Heretics in their contentions with us; for when we torture and wrest the Scriptures, which are not meant of Christ, to bring them to point at him, we bring suspicion upon those other Scriptures, which (without any wresting or wring) do lay plainly their meaning in Christ's bosom. 
Thom p. 1. 〈…〉  And the great Schoolmaster Aquinas writes with a Quill of the same Wing, 
Qu●madmodum advocatus causam perd 〈◊〉 vulgares & triviales concionatores saepe numero concionem habent contra hereticos, & eos imprudenter adjuvant. Sic arma capienda sunt ut hostis vulnera sentiat. Nic. Clenard. epist. Abbati Tongellarensi lib 1. Fesae.  When a man, (saith he,) going about to make proof of the Christian faith, shall bring reasons whose clearness is not convictive, and in a sort coactive, that they cannot be denied, he lays himself open to the scorn and derision of Infidels and unbelievers, for they will presently conclude, that we lean upon these Reeds, and that these weak reasons are the inducements to our faith, and the grounds our belief lies upon. Whence we draw a Theological Canon, That Divine truths must be urged and confirmed by indubitate and clear Testimonies, else it turns to the detriment of the sayers, and it will not convince the gainsayers.   

CHAP. XVI.  
SPeaking of Jew's reprobation, and Gentiles election, he tells of the Jews proud boasting that they are the sons of jacob and Israel; pride and contempt of all people in the world besides themselves, 
R jachiad. in Paraphras. in Dan. cap. 7. Constant l' Emper. in Annotat. ad R. jachiad ubi citar Abrabane 〈…〉.  is the proper fault of the Jews. He reason's the case here well, Why should they thus contemn and scorn the Gentiles? They say, they only are God's portion, and only fall under the care of his Providence; and the Gentiles run at large without the guidance of God's Providence: 
There is a saying much in the mouth of the jews, Omnes sectarij subito pereant.  yea, their Land of Canaan is the only fit and apt place in the world to be the subject of God's providence. With them, only the Jews shall rise again, and the Gentiles shall have no resurrection. David shall confirm this their opinion in his first Psalm. 
In Maimonides his 13 Articles, he saith, They shall all perish that do not believe them Grotius in Annotat. ad lib. 2. ver. Christ. Relig.  In their Talmud they say, It is not murder if a Jew kill a Gentile; nor is it perjury if he falsify his promise to him, confirmed by oath. Yea, their Talmud commands them to hold the Christians in esteem as bruit beasts, and no otherways to use them, then as they use beasts. These, and many such like, le's us see how the Jews pride themselves, and cast the Christians & Gentiles low enough in the Court of honour.  
A learned Jew of these times treating of the Resurrection, 
Menas●h Ben Israel, de Resur. lib. 2. cap. 9  has a Chapter on this Head, An etiam Gentes resurgent, Whether the Gentiles shall rise again, or no; he indeed concludes, they shall. What is the reason that the Jews every year on the eight day of the month Tebeth, which answers to our December, 
〈…〉.  do keep a solemn Fast, sorrowing and humbling themselves, in the remembrance of the Scripture translated by them into the Greek at the instance of Ptolomaeus Philadelphus? Do they execrate and abhort the memory of that act? It seems it is out of mere hatred and envy that any good, or any knowledge of God should be scattered among the Gentiles. 
Act. 22. 21. 22.  We hear of old they could not endure to hear Paul to speak one word more, 
1 Thes. 2. 16  when they heard this from him, that the Lord said to him, Depart, for I will send thee far hence unto the Gentiles; so soon as this is mentioned, than they cry out Away with such a fellow from the earth, for it is not fit that he should live. In their Stories, 
Pet. Clu●●. ac. ex Talmud.  as that of R. joshua Ben Levi, that was up and down heaven and Hell, he finds Christians, and abundance of all Nations in Hell, but we hear tell of no Jews there. It is well that God follows not the Jews rule, that scorn all but their own people, But in every Nation he that fears God, and works righteousness, and Gentile as well as Jew, is accepted with him.   

CHAP. XVIII.  
HE admirably agrees with S. Paul in the Application of the nineteenth Psalm to the preaching of the Gospel by the Apostles, Their sound is gone out into all the earth, and their words into the ends of the world.   

CHAP. XIX.  
HE applies the Prophecy of joel about the Old men dreaming dreams, and the young men seeing Visions, to the Apostles, and the abundant knowledge of God they had above former times, just as S. Peter applies it Acts 2. so that he is an Asserter of the truth with Paul, he applies the predictions of the Prophets Evangelically with S. Peter, and will needs discover himself a Christian every way. He makes one notable observation concerning the faith of Christ, That of the Apostles of Christ that embraced the Faith, not one of them did ever recant and return to embrace the Jews faith any more. josephus' the Jew does highly applaud the followers of Christ for their constancy. Writing of Christ, he saith, There was at that time one jesus a wise man, if it be lawful to call him a man. Mark how this Jew inclined to think there was a Deity in Christ, and something super humane. He proceeds. This same jesus did bring to pass incredible works, and he was a Master to men that did receive the truth with much delight and pleasure in it. 
〈◊〉. Antiq. ●ud lib. 1●. cap. 14.  Many jews, and many Greeks did he draw unto him. This is he that was called Christ, whom when Pilate had caused to be crucified, being accused of the chief of our jewish Nation, yet they that loved him at first, would never give over loving him, and cleaving to him. A rare testimony is this of the constancy of Christian Disciples and Followers of Christ. I omit that he saith of him, that he appeared alive again after three days, according as the Divine Prophets had foretold these, and many other admirable things concerning him. Is not josephus here turned Christistian too, making this to be him the Prophets spoke on?   

CHAP. XX.  
IN the twentieth Chapter he commends the purity and cleanness of the Christian Rites and service by Bread and Wine, and prefer●s it before the meddling with the flesh and fat of Beasts slaughtered for Sacrifice by Jews. He makes Scriptures of the Old Testament plainly beforehand point at the bread and Wine in our Sacrament of the Lords Supper. Only he puts in Water as well as Bread and Wine into that Sacrament, and will make good that new practice of mixed Wine by an old proof from Salomon's Proverbs, where Wisdom propounds mixed Wines: and so it was applied to his hand long before him by S. Cyprian. 
Cyprian Epist. 4. Caecilio lib. 2.  And Cyprian indeed doth speak of mixing Wine with the Water in the Sacrament, and in that Epistle Dominica Traditio servetur, at which the Papists shout for joy more than Boys when they have found the black in the Bean, as imagining this to be a strong ground for their weak opinion of unwritten Traditions. But herein our Romanists run away like Boys with a wrong errand, for though Cyprian commend the mixing of Wine & Water, as Dominicam Traditionem, yet doth he not mean an unwritten Tradition, for he goes to prove it from the Scriptures, 
Ration. Divin. offic. lib. 2. c. 30.  as from that of Water and Blood issuing from our Saviour's side on the Cross. And he saith at the Institution our Saviour gave a mixed Cup. 
Consecratio valida est cum solo●ino.  You may see Durands, and the Papists foolish mysteries in their mixing of water with their Wine. 
Tolet. lib. 2 de Institut Sacerdot. cap 25.  In vino sanguis Christi, in aqua populus repraesentatur. And it is very true the Fathers in former times of old did use Vinum baptizatum, 
Whitaker 〈◊〉 d●sput. de Sa●● Scrip cont. 1. Quaest. 6. cap. 12.  or Crama Eucharisticum, Wine tempered with Water, as some call it, because in the places where they lived the Wine was so strong it had need to be well-tempered with water, at those times especially when they studied the most sobriety and temperance, in drawing near into fellowship with Christ. Now Cyprians intent was not so much to prove, that we ought to use Water with our Wine, as to disprove the judgement and practice of the Water-Heretiques, 
Theod. Balsamon in schol. ad Synod. in Truilo Can. 32.  the Aquarii, that did contend only water was to be used in the Sacrament, and so did celebrate. These Aquarij were also called Hydroparastatae, an ancient Heresy, that defended water was only to be used in the Sacrament. The Armonians that said, only Wine without water was to be used, were both in ancient times counted Heretics. Moreover, beyond all this, the Ancients some of them did not only mix cold Water, but (which some not acquainted with antiquity will wonder at) they did mix hot water, or boiling water with the Wine. And this hot water they thus infused in way of devout significancy, to mind the faith of the Receivers, that the Blood and water which flowed from Christ's Side, were not dead and cold Elements, but that they were lively and effectual; even hot water and blood, issuing from one, had yet the heat of life in him.   

CHAP. XXIII.  
HE hath a notable way to follow Allegories, and indeed the Genius of those times made many Christians in their writings on Scripture altogether Allegorical. That of Solomon, Better is a morsel of Bread with love, than a stalled Ox with hatred, is a Pool well fished, when he can catch this Fish in it, that it means the Christians bread in the Sacrament is more acceptable to God, than the Jews killing a fat Ox for a Sacrifice. This Jew, as ou● Saviour said of the young man that came to him, and answered prudently, may well have it said of him, Verily he is not far from the Kingdom of Heaven; for here he commends the New Testament, and gives an Epithet as high as he can to the Gospel of S. Matthew, call it, The glorious Gospel. And in it he praises that Statute of patience our Saviour will have observed by his subjects, If any man smite thee on the one Cheek, 
16. Digres.  turn to him the other also. This is better testimony, and fairer language, than the rabble of the Rabshakeh Jews, both cursing and cursed, do commonly give, who call the Gospel which is Evangelium, in scorn, Aven Gillaion, the Volume of lies, or vanities. His perfidious fellow Rabbins will ●ot thank him for writing so to the credit of the Gospel, 
Munster. in Annotat. ad Hebr.  or praising any of the Precepts or Lessons of Christ; 
Evangel.  they can read ●im another Lecture out of a Book among ●hem called Toledoth, 
Matth. c. 1.  jesus, 
Sed patibulo affixus interiit.  wherein they ●each to blaspheme high enough, 
Quid istud ad causam?  and then they speak (as they think) well enough of Christ. 
Arnobius.  That book is full of blasphemies, 
Wolsius in memorab. lect. Tom. 2 centen 16.  calling Christ Talui, 
De voce Halma Virgin & judëorum conv. tijs vide junium in Parallel lib. 1. par. 4.  A Gallows Clapper, or A hanged Thief; Mariam, Harriam, Mary the blessed mother of Christ they call An ●heap of Dung. In their calling Mary (as my Author has it) Harriam, I know not whether he do not rather mean Chorim, which is obscene and filthy in the sense of it. As for Hariah it signifies A woman great with Child, and if they call her so, they do it to blot her Virginity, as if she were begot with Child by man, 
Munster. in Annotat▪ ad. Hebr.  and so (with mouths running over with blasphemy and lies) they call her Sonah, 
Evangel.  a Whore, or unchaste woman, 
Matth. c. 1.  the polluted one of the world. 
Sonah is the word by which Rahab is called 〈◊〉. 2. 1.  The Apostles and Martyrs of Christ they call Lenones: the Bread in the Sacrament, A polluted Body; the Church, Error, and Preaching, Howling. They call our Festival of the Lord Day, the day of ruin and destruction; 
Domus cloacarum diruat Deus Hieron. de sanc. fid.  the Christians little ones they call Vermin, or creeping things. They are commanded when they pass by the Churches or Oratories of Christians, to say this, The Lord destroy these houses of Office. Out of the word Jesus they make the number by the Letters of 316. and there they have Curses and blasphemies scarce to be named. O● the patience of the just Jesus, that endures these wretches Hellish Blasphemies, & doth not suddenly let the Ocean of his wrath on earth carry them with a strange Wave to the Ocean of everlasting fire in Hell.   

CHAP. XXVI.  
IN this Chapter, that God hath let the Jews fall from him by a flat Apostasy, is the thing he would leave as a true conclusion in the conclusion of his Book, drawn from all the pre-cited Authorities, for them deeply to weigh and consider. Two things I specially mind in his Confession, which are mere Jewish vanities. 1. The first, that they very earnestly, though very idly, do look for another Messias than Jesus Christ, but all their expectations miscarry, proving abortive and uncomfortable. 2. The second is, that the Jews in their empty imaginations among themselves in their Synagogues, do whisper this as a truth, which is a clear lie, That their Messias was born in the Babylonian Captivity, though he do not yet manifest himself to Israel. For the first of these, how vainly they look after other Saviour's, I shall prove by an Historical exemplification annexed to that speech of our Saviour's to the Jews, 
john 5. 46.  to verify it, I am come in my Father's Name, and ye receive me not, if another shall come in his own name, him ye will receive. Our Samuel could give us in a large Catalogue, how oft the Jews have been gulled with Pseudo-Messiahs, and false-christs', that came in their own name; and the poor Jews have madly doted on them, as the only promised Messiah. 
17. Digres.  I shall endeavour to give some account of the notablest delusions that that people has groaned under in this kind. There were of these false-christs', seducing many, some before the destuction of jerusalem, and some after, which for methods and orders sake, we will in that manner reckon up.  
1. There was one Theudas mentioned in the Acts of the Apostles, 
Acts 5. 3●▪  who rose up, boasting himself to be some body, to whom a number of men, about 400 joined themselves, who was slain, and all, as many as obeyed him, were scattered and brought to nought. 
Gerhard. Harmoniae Evangel. cap. 100  There is some difference about the time when this was, & whether Gamaliel mentioning one Theudas, & Josephus writes of another, not this same. This Theudas that josephus speaks of was when Cuspius Fadus was Precedent of Syria, about the 46. year of Christ, and this in the Acts, it is thought, was of another, & of another time. josephus & Eusebius out of him, relates it thus, One Theudas a Magician persuaded a great multitude of people, 
Euseb. hist.  that taking all their wealth with them, 
Eccles. l. 2. c. 11.  they should follow him to the River jordan, and he being a Prophet, (at least inspired so with his own boastings) they should see him divide the Streams with a word of his mouth, whereby they should easily pass over; with which promise he deceived very many. But Fadus sent some Troops of Horse out against them, that they gained little by this dotage, for they suddenly setting upon them, slew many, took many alive, and among the rest Theudas himself, whose head being cut off, they brought to jerusalem. judas of Galilee was a captain to some Rebels also, 
Hegesip. excid. Hierosol. lib. 3. cap. 14.  promising to free the people from paying servile taxes to the Roman Emperor, whom they followed; but I know not whether he may be accounted among the false Christ's. I omit another, 
joseph. Antiq. lib. 18. cap. 5.  that (as a cunning Impostor) led abundance of people after him to Mount Garazin, and deceived many Samaritans, whom Pilate set upon, and slew them, and brought their business to nought.  
The famous false Messias, was Barcochah, or Benchochab, that is, The son of the Star, for he made himself the Messias, and said that Scripture was spoke of him, 
Numb. 24. 17.  There shall come a Star out of jacob, etc. Rabbi Akiba, a famous Doctor among them as any in those times, when he saw him, he said, This is the King, the Messias. Of this Akiba they say Moses spoke that, O my Lord, send I pray thee by the hand of him whom thou wilt send. Now this Barcochab was in jerusalem before the destruction of it, as is said, and Akiba applied unto him that of the Prophet Haggai, The desire of all Nations shall come. This man's arising and reigning they judge was not long after the Passion of Christ. 
Galatin. l▪ 4 de Arcan. Cathol. ver. c. 20.  To him not only the common people, but the chief Doctors and Rabbis did give consent and counsel, and did aid him against the Romans, until he perished, and caused many to perish, so as afterwards they said his name was not Bencochab, but it was Bencozbi, The son of a lie.  
Simon Magus would needs act the part of a false-Saviour, 
Hierom. in c. 24. Matth Aug de Haeres.  and carried many after him, exceedingly bewitching and seducing the Samaritans and many others, saying of himself that he was the great power of God, 
Daneus in Aug.  the Word of God, the fair one, the Comforter, the Almighty, the All things of God. He said of himself, That he was God the Father that gave the Law on Mount Sinai; 
Hegesipp. excid Hierosol. lib. 3. c. 2.  that Christ did not suffer really in the flesh, but he himself was Christ, and he called a Whore that went about with him, one Helena, the Holy Ghost.  
After the destruction of jerusalem some 48 years and an half, 
Porchet.  was that other notable Cheat called Bencozbi, 
Galati●.  a second famous Impostor of the same name with the former; 
Gen. brard.  so blind and mad were the Jews, 
Gerhard.  that they never remembered how sore they paid for the entertaining of the other, that had the same name and folly. I know the Jews write somewhat confusedly concerning these Barcochabs, and for most part mention little of the first, but attribute all to this last; yet others find out there were two of them, and that out of their Writings. Very much is said of this last, whose doings swallow up the memory of the first. The Jews that remained after Jerusalem was destroyed, made a City called Bitter, the Metropolis and chief seat of the Kingdom, and took this false Christ for their King. Nay, R. Akiba, they write, was blinded the second time, and proclaimed this Barcochab the Messias also. The Emperor Adrian besieged them in the City Bitter three years and an half, at length he took it, and the head of Barcozbi was smitten off: in which War 45000 Jews were slaughtered; but make room for the Jew, his mouth runs over, and he cannot speak a lie, but it must be of the first magnitude, and exceed all lies, for they write, that the Emperor Adrian slew in Bitter four hundred times ten thousand, till the blood of the slain, like a river, rolled great stones in the stream of it, and carried them into the Sea, which was four miles distant from the City. Nay, that all liars may take a pattern, the Emperor Adrian (they say) had a Vineyard 18 miles in length, and 18 in breadth, and yet he hedged it about with the bodies of them that were slain in Bitter. Many other Hyperboles, none of the least, they have about this Barcozbi, which I omit. In the Talmud they write, that Barcozbi said to the Rabbins, 
In Gemara Sanhedrim. cap. 11. sect. 15. ex verse. Io. Coch.  I am the Messias. The wise Masters of the Jews said to him again, It is written of the Messias, [quod odorans erit & judicans] He shall smell and judge, 
R David. Ganz Porchet. in victor. cont. hebr. part. 1. cap. 10.  Esay 11. 3. That is, he shall judge by smelling who is innocent, and who is guilty; Let us see therefore whether thou be'st able to judge by smelling; and when they saw his smelling was without this judgement, they slew him. This will scarce agree with so great a slaughter of Barcozbi, and all his people, by Adrian's Forces. But certain it is, many Jews were now sacrificed to the Romans fury by their sword, that the Lord might thoroughly execute his wrath upon them. This false Christ, they say, his reign and rule was some thirty years and a half, and some make it foretold in those words of Daniel, 
Dan. 11. 34▪ Rab jachiad paraph. in Daniel.  paraphrasing them thus, Now when they shall fall (that is, the Israelites in the destruction of the Temple under Titus) they shall be holpen with a little help in the Kingdom of Bitter, (which remained to the 52 year after the destruction of the Temple) and many Israelites shall join with them in Bitter: but with flatteries, etc. Of this Barcozbi all our writers make mention, that speak of those times, and say, he tormented Christians (whiles he had power) with all kind of punishments, 
justinus Martyr.  and put many to death, 
Euseb. hist. lib. 4. cap. 8.  if they would not deny and blaspheme Christ. He is called by Eusebius, Barchochebas, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. He is called by Hierome in his Catalogue of Church Doctors, 
Hierom. in Catalogue.  that were Writers of Books, 
Mellific. histor. P●tavius in Rationar.  in the life of one Agrippa, surnamed Castor, Chocibus; and in that Book made Greek by Sophronius, 
Temp.  〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉; others call him Cuziba, 
Mornaeus.  but under all these names is meant this son of a lie, 
Io: Phison.  Barcozbi, who named himself the son of a star; 
Dugo in Christian. Institut.  if he were, it was like the bitter Star Absynthites, or Wormwood, that in the City Bitter brought such sore destruction upon his Countrymen. And yet Rabbi Lipman, the most blasphemous of all Jewish Doctors, was not ashamed to write, that this Bencozbi was one of the lawful and right Princes of Israel, and of the family of David; and his reason is, because when he said, I am the Messias, the Rabbins never asked him, Art thou of the Family of David? He judges they took it for granted, that he was so. But this may well beseem the lying lip of Lipman, 
Writ about the year 1549.  who hath writ a Book called Nitzachon, 
Buxtorf. in Biblioth.  or, his book of victory and triumph over the Gospel of Christ; 
Rabbinica.  in which the blasphemous Spider will needs find lies, falsehoods, and vain things, and poisonous untruths, to make Christ and our Religion ridiculous. Some learned Christians have answered blasphemous Hebrew, and his Nitzachon, as Munster in his Annotations to the Hebrew Gospel of Matthew. Postellus follows Munster, and we shall shortly see with us the learned Constantine L'Emperour, fully confuting this Nitzachon, so as to make such blaspheming Jews leave all their cursed croaking and coaxation, 
〈◊〉.  and make them as mute as the Seriphian Frogs, and give no croaking sounds at all. Of Rabbi Akiba they write, that his Companions some nine were taken with him when Gozbi perished, and they were put to cruel deaths, 
●. Gen●. in Annotat. ad Mos. Maimon. 〈…〉.  for Akiba (if we durst believe them) was put to death by an Iron Comb, with which his flesh was torn off his body. And thus far we have gone to show the Tragedy of Bencochab, and Jewish dotage.  
In the Reign of Theodosius the second, came Moses of Crete to act his part of a false Saviour, 
Ann. 434.  giving out he was sent from Heaven, and was a second Moses, he would lead all the Jews that followed him, thorough the sea to the Continent, dry-shod. For a year together he persuaded them in their Cities and Towns, to leave all their riches and follow him, & he would carry them to the promised Land. At an appointed day to pass the Sea, great multitudes of men, women and Children repair to him, whom he brings to an high Promontory hanging over the Sea, he bids them cast themselves down, which multitudes did, 
Soc●a. hist.  and perished, being dashed in pieces on the Rock, 
Eccles. lib. 7. cap. 3●.  or drowned in the Sea. Many were saved, that were about to cast themselves down, by some Christian Merchants and Fishers, that dissuaded them from so mad and murderous an Act, and who helped to draw many out of the Sea, and saved them from drowning. The Jews seeing the great Delusion, thought to lay hands upon the Impostor, but their false Moses, as if he had been a true Devil, was gone and vanished they knew not whether, nor how. This was an occasion to bring many Jews to embrace the Christian faith, and to leave the way of Judaisme, subject to such dangerous and costly deceits.  
Of another false Prophet Moses Mamonides makes mention, who arose in the Southern parts, and told the people he was the forerunner of the Messias, and that in those parts he should shortly appear, and he invited them, Come ye with me, and let us go meet the Messias, 
Ex Epist. R. Mos. ad Iudae●s in Marsili●.  for he hath sent me unto you, that I may prepare the way before him. After a year he was taken, they that did cleave to him fled away, and an Arabian King that took him, ask him why he did this, and he answering, I did it by command from God: he further demanded, What Miracle or wondrous thing canst thou do to confirm this? He replied, My Lord the King, cut off my head, and after that I will rise again, and live as I did before. The King said, Thou canst not do a greater thing than this, bring but this to pass, and then I and all the world shall believe thy sayings are true and good, and that our Ancestors have inherited vanity and lies, which profited them not. His head by the King's appointment was cut off, but he never yet was as good as his word, to appear alive again, though some Jews are so devoid of judgement, as to expect his reviving, and look for his appearing. 
〈…〉.   
There was Rex Thaborius, one called the King of Thabor, that would needs be a Messias, whom Charles the fifth caused to be burnt. Maimonides reckons up four more obscure false Christ's, that did arise among the Jews in Spain and France, and brought misery upon themselves and the Jews.  
Among these Impostors was David El-David, 
Ann. ●●35  or David Elroi, in the City Omadia, subject to the King of Persia; he had some Power by Praestigiation and Magic, whereby he did work great Signs, and marvellous things, and gathered people to make war with all Nations. 
Buxtorf ex lib▪ Scheb. jud.  Some said this great power of his was from the special virtue of God in him, and as he called himself, 
Gul. Vorst. ex Mose Maimon.  so they counted him the Messias, as he said to the King of Persia, I am the Messias, and God hath sent me to deliver the Children of Israel. The King cast him in Prison, and said, If thou canst deliver thyself; I shall know thereby whether thou be the Christ or no: if thou dost not deliver thyself, I will put thee to death, because thou art a fool. But the Juggler got from Bonds, and though the King sent Horsemen, and great strength to take him, yet they returned, and said, they could do nothing; for they fable, that in one day he could pass over as much ground as would serve one ten days ordinarily to travel, by the Art of Schemamphoras. Hereupon the King himself and his Nobles did assay to overtake, and take him, and coming to a rivers side they called on him, though they saw him not; he answered, Are ye not fools? Behold, I go my journey, if you have any power, follow me. He spread his Handkerchief upon the flood Gozan, and so he presently passed over, the King and his servants seeing it, and beholding it. Then the King broke out, No man can do this, but he whom the King of the world hath ordained King; and he would needs make him King, but that his Nobles endeavoured to persuade him, that many such things might be done by mere Magic, & eye-delusion. At length the Jews (to prevent the great misery that was coming upon them by reason of him) used means to get him to a Feast and banquet; 
Benjamin. in Itinerar.  after which (being asleep in his drunkenness) his head was cut off, and there was the end of the cheat-Saviour.  
I name but another crack in the Jews brain, 
Pet. Cluniac. lib. contra jud. c. 4.  and then I leave this doting upon false Christ's. A King in Africa made war against the King of Morocco, who oft having the day, (to get a better part in the hearts of his people) by a feigned humility, he would needs ride always upon an Ass, which got him a name, that he was called The King of Asses. The fame of which, meeting with the Jew's ears, (most shut to the true Christ, most open to false Christ's) they presently erect their hearts with hope, and are ready to say as Andrew, We have found the Messias. Many of them affirmed, the King of whom Zacharie prophesied, 
Zach. ●.  he should come riding upon an Ass, was now come. Thus the Ox knows his owner, and the Ass his Masters Cribb, but the Jews will not know, nor consider, but are ready to follow every Ass, sooner than to embrace Christ. I suppose, one may probably guess, this may be he that was called Bejezid, 
Leo African. in descrip. Afric.  the Preacher; who was famous for this Title, Asininus Eques, the Knight of the Ass, and had an Army of 40000. By this time we have made R. samuel's words good, that they have in vain looked for a Saviour, and yet all their profit hath been put in a bag with holes. 
18 Digres.   
I fall upon a second note, their conclusion maintained among them, That their Messias is come, and was born in the Babylonish Captivity. Our Christian Jew well confutes this, because none ever lived a thousand years upon earth, by the confession of all men. Methusalem, the greatest Heir of grey hairs & long life upon earth, had his thread spun forth to 969 years, none had more. But if Christ were born in the desolation of the second house, at the time of samuel's writing his Book, he should be a thousand and fifty years old, and who but a Jew can have a faith big enough to receive and believe such a fable? Divers do believe their Messiah was born then, and that he is kept secret by God, and must hereafter be manifested to Israel. 
Munster. de fide judeor.  Well, where is this Messiah all this while? Some say, God keeps him in the Garden of Paradise, till the time appointed come; and in Paradise, if one could get in, they might find him fast tied to the hair of a woman, nay, and they have Scripture for it too in Canticles 7. 5. Thine head upon thee is like Carmel, and the hair of thine head like Purple, the King is held in the Galleries. You must here favour their Interpretation, and take the Galleries for Paradise, and take the King for the Messias; and than you must suppose, when it's said. He is held in the Galleries, that he is held by a woman's hair, which is here said to be like Purple. Rabbi Solomon, though he have a wise name, is not ashamed to have too much respect to this wise Exposition. Others say he is all this while about the City of Rome, 
in Gemara sanhedr. c. 11. sect. 33.  and he sits among the Beggars, and Lepers, and such as are full of sores and botches; or he lies in Vaults, and places under the earth, rend and gnawed by Dogs; and he shows his wounds, the effects of those gnawings▪ and that he suffers all this for the iniquities and sins of the Jews, 
Pet Cluniac. contr. jud. c. 3.  according as they say it is written, He was wounded for our iniquities, for our sins was he bruised, Esay 53. Mark how they see, and yet are blind; they see that Prophecy points at Christ, and will not see it fulfilled in our Christ. Many blind guesses, & bold predictions they have had, setting down a year, when the Messias should appear, but all of them have left them liars, and added to their misery perpetual frustrations. Rabbi Solomon gave them hopes, that their new Law should begin at the devastation of the Temple, about 1390. but herein he had Daniel his strong adversary, and they failed in their waiting. 
Postel. de concord. orb t●●rae lib. 4.  One Zaadias' gave them hopes at the year 1200, but there their Egg was addle also, and brought them forth nothing but wind. They had a general appointment of a public repentance among all the Jews, men, women and Children, old and young, all over in the Captivity, 
Munster.  kept almost a whole year in humiliation, never such humbling so solemnly, since their humbling in the year of Christ 1502, for the coming of their Christ; and yet all this was answered with a nullity of any Sign, Miracle, Whisper, concerning any new Saviour; and they were forced to conclude, All our supplications, humiliations, and prayers are nothing but emptiness, and rejected of God. Rabbi Abraham Avenares set down a year for their Messias to come 1444, 
Vossius de Orig Idololat lib. 2. c. p. 48.  when jupiter and Saturn should meet in Cancer; but his Astrology was a mere Cancer, proved Cripple, and creeping too short of performance. Abravenel sets down another year in the conjunction of Pisces, and they caught no fish in their Net that year 5224. At length they are come to a wise resolution, 
In Gemara Sanhedr. cap 11. sect. ●0.  Let their Bones be broken, and let them breathe their last, 
Vae determinantibꝰ tempus adventus Messiae.  that compute years, and set down any periods or limits of time. They have been so often gulled, they will hearken to no conjectures any more. It were well they would make this Resolution as Brass, 
Mornaeus de verit.  and strong as Iron. 
Christ. relig. cap. 29.  Themselves in this Confession grant they are in a Cloud of confusion, and and that they are blinded of God, and know not what to do. Nor are they such as deny large Confessions of the blindness of their times; for if the first were the sons of men, we are, they say, mere Asses, nay, we are not so good as an Ass. R. Afhu, being asked when the Messias should come by a profane and wicked man, 
Porchetus ex R. Zera.  he answered, Then when darkness shall possess you. He said to him, Thou curses me; but he replied again, It is the word of the Scripture, Behold, darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people, but the Lord shall arise upon thee, 
Gemar.  and his glory shall be seen upon thee, Esay 60. 2. 
Sanhedr. cap. 11. sect. 36.  In which he plainly confesses, no marvel if the Jews stumble, because they shall be left in a thick spiritual Mist of blindness. 
Esay 6.  Blindness in part is happened to Israel, 
Ro. 11. 25.  until the fullness of the Gentiles be come in. 
Figveiro in Malac.  They frame their faith into an imagination of two Messiahs that shall come, 
Porchet.  the one the son of joseph, the other the son of David; His glory is like the firstling of a Bullock, Deu. 33. 17. that is, the son of joseph. Zach. 9 9 He is lowly, riding upon an Ass, and upon a Colt the Foal of an Ass; 
Buxtorf.  this is their Messias the son of David. Both these they will needs find in the 32 of Esay, Blessed are ye that sow beside all waters, 
Man●●s●h Ben Israel. de resur. mort. l 3. c. 5.  that send forth thither the feet of the Ox and the Ass. These two are both but one jesus Christ, for he was the son of joseph that was betrothed to his Mother, his son, not by the flesh, but by education and bringing up. 
Rursus l. 3. c. 11.  Besides, he was the son of David by the glorious Virgin his Mother, who by the flesh descended from the Seed of David. Messias the son of joseph being dead, Messias the son of David (they believe) shall raise him again. Their Messias shall make them great Feasts, and Mary a Wife, King's daughters shall be among his honourable women: on his right hand shall stand his Queen in Gold of Ophir. The Kings of the world will think themselves highly honoured, if any of them could get the Messias to marry their daughter. He shall beget Children, and see his children's children, and after he shall die as other men: but his children shall rule and reign over Israel. And whiles they are thus under their Messias, the Christians shall do all their works & drudgery without any wages, Earth shall bring forth fruits for them presently after they are sown; all kind of pleasure & peace shall they have, etc. Thus they grow up from dotage to dotage, and wander without end, in the framing to themselves a carnal Saviour, and a sensual salvation. Let the 11 Chapter of the Gemara of the Sanhedrin be perused, and there is enough from the Jews to stop the mouths of the Jews concerning the expectation of any other Messiah besides jesus Christ. My intentions are not a f●ll confutation of them, but only the confirmation of samuel's Arguments.   

CHAP. XXVII.  
HE pleads against the Jews, that they (through incredulity and obstinacy) will not receive Christ, by the testimony of Saracens and mahometans concerning him: Whence we note, 
19 Digres.  that Christ's bitterest and blasphemousest enemies are the Jews, his own Countrymen, and Brethren after the flesh. Venit ad suos, & sues eum non receperunt, as the Waldenses in their Writings have it. 
Socra. hist Eccles. l. 5 c. 20.  They are pertinacious and st●ffe-hearted, nothing will convince them. Sabbatius a Jew was baptised and made a Christian Minister, 
R. David Ganz. in Tzemach David, seu Chronol. sacro profane.  he yet afterwards did secretly abide in his Jewish infidelity. When any of their Zealots are put to death for some pranks against Christ, and Gospel, as blasphemy or perfidiousness, yet if their Writers mention it, their evil deaths are commonly set out with this phrase, 
Idem▪  He was slain [propter sanctificationem Dei] for the sanctifying of God; 
Hebrae● quidam contra a●●mi 〈…〉 tentiam baptizat● abluerunt baptismum Cedren ad Imperat I●eon. 〈◊〉 reg●. Hector Pintus in Ezechiel, c. 1. 16.  as they say of R. Mordechai at Norenberge. R. Ganz relating how five thousand Jews were put to death, he saith they were burnt in fire [propter sanctificationem Dei, neque stultitiam vel peccatum tribuerunt Deo] nor charged they God with sin or folly, that is, They did not renounce their Judaisme. R. Amnon publicly sanctified the Lord by his death. So Rabbi Abraham sanctificavit seipsum propter nomen proprium, seu Dei. A Christian disputing with Jews at Rome, when by Scripture he clearly convinced them, yet they remitted nothing of their pertinacy; nay one of them answered, Although thou shouldest show it to me as clear as the noon-days light, that Christ is the Messias, yet I am resolved of one thing, I will not believe it.  
It is reported at Coleine there was a Jew (as was thought) converted to the Christian Faith, initiated by Baptism, growing up to many years, a little before his death he rejected with execration the Christian Religion, and professed his Jewish mis-belief, which, it was judged, he had abandoned. Hereupon dying they made this Emblem be infixed on his Tomb; 
Lau Bayer link. in theatr. Mag.  a Mouse is represented pursuing a Cat, with this Inscription, Quando mus felem capiet, judaeus etiam conversus manebit Christianus; When a Mouse shall catch a Cat, than a Jew, converted to be a Christian, will remain a firm Christian. By which it is in a manner concluded, that it is amongst incredibles, to think that any Jew will heartily convert and turn to Christ. Yet God has a time, and a power, and a way to raise up these stones, and make them children to Abraham. Vsquequo Domine. O for the time when the Jews shall be seen mourning over Jesus, whom they have pierced!  
The last thing is induction of Alcoran Testimonies concerning Christ, some have done it besides this man, as Dionysius à Rickel. It was the good intent of the Jew, to shame his Countrymen any way out of their infidelity, and might be provoked by the very Turks to think and speak better of Christ. 
20 Digres.  But here is the Poison, if they write one syllable of truth concerning Christ, they line it with so many Lies, as makes it abominable. 
Euthimius in Panopl. Dogmat. Sylb●rg●i Saruc●nica seu Mahometica. postel. Concord. Orb. Terrae  This is one of their sentences concerning Christ, The Word of God, and his Spirit entered into Mary the sister of Moses and Aaron, and she without Seed did bring forth jesus Christ, who was a Prophet and servant of God. Mark what non-Divinity is here, not speaking as the Gospel speaks, The Word of God and Spirit entered into Mary. Mark what nonsense and non-reason is here, that Mary the Mother of Christ was the same with Miriam the sister of Moses and Aaron, whereas that Miriam lived thousand● of years before Mary Christ's Mother was born. I could allege some good sayings of theirs concerning Christ, but that the Devil is to be rebuked speak he never so well. 
Ex lib. Suneh In So●a E●nesae.  They say Jesus the son of Mary shall descend from Heaven to earth in the day of the Resurrection, and shall judge the world in it with just judgement. 
In Teschere Elimam.  Again, jesus shall slay men, and shall bring forth Gog and Magog, and they shall die, but jesus shall remain alive, and they that partake of his faith. What ever they say of Christ it matters not, for though they make him great, yet they put him but as a Servingman to Mahomet, whom they always exalt higher. It is verily believed, they say, by many wise and learned Heads, 
Richard. ord.. in confutat. Alcorani c. 13  even in Arabia, and followed with reasons to prove it, that the first Author of the Alcoran was not man, but the Devil, exceedingly envying the Faith of Christ in the Oriental Parts very much spreading, and Idolatry decaying, to the destruction of which Christian faith this Hellish invention he supposed might mightily prevail. A Religion it is full of vanity, so as their Alcoran may well without tongue-stumbling be called Acheron, there are so many both doltish, and Devilish untruths and vanities in it. This we write not from vain hearsayes, and far off reports, their Koran, and other Mahometan Volumes of Divinity being translated long since into the Latin Tongue, and to be found amongst us. 
The like did Postellus undertake.  Yet if any desire sufficient witness, the learned Clenard of Lovan will be admitted by all to speak truth in this, as being beyond exception, who lived amongst them a long time, spending his last studies and age in Africa, of purpose to learn the Arabic Tongue, 
Clenard. in Epist. ad Carolum Cae●arem August.  and to confute the Koran in its own Language, if God had given him extent of life to perfect his intents. These he relates as parts and Parcels of their Divine Volumes. 1. That Mahomet had a far greater spirit of prophecy than Christ. 2. That Mahomet had but just 14 white Hairs in his head and Beard. 3. That there shall be far more women in Paradise then men. 4. That an old woman praying to Mahomet, he would commend her to God, and give her a place in Paradise, he smiled on her, and said, not one old woman enters Paradise. Not to name the Paradise promised to them to be like a pleasant place provided for lusts of Boys, and fair women; that the Sun and Moon ride upon Horses; that when the Moon was in pieces Mahomet sewed it together again. In the Chapter Elgem is written, that the Devils are pleased with the Alcoran, and much delighted in it. It is much for their credit to make their Alcoran the Devils, and to say it pleases them. Such as this is their Divinity, or Vanity rather, which should call for our Tears rather than our Laughter, considering how far this Doctrine of Soul-delusion, 
Quid enim est hod●è Christiani●mus, si sp●ctes Gentes Mahometi? nimirum quod olim Iudaea comparata mundo reliquo. Clenard lib. 1.  and Damnation is spread. For profession of Christianity, if we look at Mahometan Kingdoms, and Countries, carries no larger bulk, then as Jewrie once compared to the whole world besides. And now (to our shame) these latter times are become the sink of all Heresies, some are become so unchristian, as they are almost Mahometans by faith and doctrine. For are there not amongst us that are Arians, 
Epist. jac. La●●mo praeceptori.  Socinians, Puccians, Antitrinitarians, and do not all these conspire in divers points of Religion with the very Turkish Alcoran? Was it not Sergius a Nestorian, and John an Arrian, that helped to compile and make the Alcoran? Do not the Arians and Socinians say as scornfully of the eternal Godhead of Christ, as the Mahometans do, How could God have a son since he has not a Wife? Did not Servetus (a father of the Socinians) say, 
So●in. in epist. ●. ad Dudith.  that the Alcoran of Mahomet, and the Doctrine of the Church might well be reconciled, 
Puccius de univers. Redemp.  if the doctrine of the Trinity were but left out? Our Puccians, Socinians, and others among us, say, that all men, whether Lutherans, Calvinists, Anabaptists, Arians, so they live piously and honestly, without doubt shall be saved? So saith the Turkish Alcoran, that every one of good life, 
See rutherford's Survey.  whether Jew or Christian, and that worships God, shall be made partaker undoubtedly of the Divine love.  
Immortality of the soul is more slighted by some of ours, 
Azoar. 12.  than ever it was by the Mahometans. 
Beza ep. 81▪ Me●ch. Adam in vita Gerlachii.  And this is notoriously known in the world amongst Divines, that if any Christians turn Mahometans, they begin with Arianisme, and Socinianism, and then Turkism is not so strange a thing. 
Calovi●s in Pseudo Theol. Socin. ort.  john Paul Alciat, and Adam Neuser, after (with Socinus) they had oppugned the Doctrine of the Trinity, they turned Turks, and embraced the Doctrine of Mahomet. It is the just hand of God, that they who curiously and scornfully touch that flaming mystery of Faith, God manifest in the flesh, and the high Doctrine of the Persons, whiles they cannot find it in reason, they burn both their reason and religion in the flame, 
Mortuis autotibꝰ hujus veneni, scelera tamen eorum, & doctrina non moriuntur.  and choose to deny the doctrine, because they cannot descry it by humane reason. Thus the ancient Monsters of Blasphemy, though they be dead, yet their errors and wickedness die not. I conclude with that of Petrarch, which, 
Phaebadius Episc. in lib contra Arian.  O that it had the like or better operation in our hearts, and if our hearts be right, they will thus rise; The more, saith he, I hear spoken against Christ, it makes me love Christ the more, 
Petrarc. de ignorantia suiips. & multor.  and grow firmer in the Faith▪ [Saepe me Christum ipsum Testor de Christiano Christianissimum Haereticorum fecere blasphemiae;] I call Christ to witness, oftentimes the blasphemies of Heretics of Christian have made me most Christian; have brought me from a less degree, to a more high degree in the Christian Faith.  
To sum up all, consider but how this Jew hath (like a Christian) professed Christ's sinnlesse Conception and Birth of a Virgin, his Divinity, that he is the Son of God, the Righteous One; that he lived poorly, by the Jews was miserably Crucified, that he was Buried, rose again, ascended into Heaven; that he shall come again gloriously to judge the world; that he hath cast off the Jews because they will not believe in him; that he believes the Gospel to be a glorious truth, and the Christian Religion only pleasing to God, and all Jewish Rites abominable: and lastly, that he writes none can be saved that do not believe this, that Christ is the Sonn of God, and the alone promised Messiah; and for not receiving this, the Jews are captived and accursed, and under God's great wrath, whiles they look for salvation by any other. All this considered, what hinders but we may be bold to say of R. Samuel, Behold a Christian Israelite indeed, in whom remains no Jewish guile.  
Tertul. lib. de Anima.  solemn Aquila confitetur, negat Noctua.  

The Creed of Rabbi Samuel, or Articles of his Faith, 
21. Digres.  accordingly as he professes them in this Book, as may be found dispersed in the Chapters, out of which I have reduced it into this form.  
1. I Believe there are two comings of Christ. 2. And that in the first coming Jesus Christ was born of the Virgin Mary without sin, and without Man. 3. And that he was crucified and sold to death by our Forefathers the Jews, unjustly, cruelly and bloodily. 4. I believe that the Jews are in a great sin, for which they are under the wrath of God, in a long captivity, & that this sin was the selling of that Just Jesus. 5. I believe they are full of blindness, and all their Sacrifice and service is abominable to God, and that the Gentiles are received in their stead, by faith in Jesus Christ; & that the Service and Sacraments of the Gentiles (according to the Gospel) are acceptable to God. 6. I believe the Jews do blindly and vainly wait for another Saviour, and that we shall never be delivered from our misery, till we look upon him whom we have pierced. 7. And that all this cursed state of the Jews was plainly foretold by the Prophets, and begun to come to pass after the death of Jesus. 8. I believe, the Christians Apostles come in room of the Jews prophets. 9 And that the Jews do in vain find fault with, and blame the observances of the Christians. 10. I believe that Jesus Christ is risen from the dead, and 11, Ascended into Heaven. 12. I verily believe he shall come again to judge both jew and Gentile, and that the unbelieving jew cannot be saved, but must go into everlasting death; and they that believe in jesus Christ into everlasting life.  john 1. 41. & 45. 
We have found the Messias, which is, being iwterpreted, the Christ.  
We have found him of whom Moses in the Law and the Prophets did write, jesus of Nazareth the son of joseph.  
Vivit in excelsis Christus, nec vivere vellem,  
Si non Immanuel viveret ille meus.   

A Postscript Addition to the Annotations.  
Add this to the reading of the third Digression in the first Chapter.  
TOuching Hebrew learning, and studying Jewish Authors, it is to be taken heed by us, that want of insight into them do not make us blindly to condemn all that is in them. Towards which well may we set down what a Roman Doctor once said of this way of Learning; He being asked what the Cabala was, (which is the Jews Theology, o'er tradita, Aure accepta) he answered, it was a certain perfidious and devilish man, 
Io. Picus Mirand. in Apolog. ad Conclus. 5.  whose name was Cabala, and this man had written many things against Christ; hereupon the followers of this man were afterward called Cabalists. This man was out of all danger of what was said of Paul, that too much learning should make him mad. Ignorance, the less it judges, the more it accuses and speaks evil. Whether the Jews live among us, or no, it is very expedient we should be able to defend ourselves, and confute them out of Scriptures, and out of their Writings too, for how great a blot would it be to have them stop our mouths. Pelican, that famous Germane Divine, 
Melch. Adam. in vit.  the great Magazine of Hebrew Learning, 
Pellicani.  confesses, that ever since he was a Boy of eleven years' age, he much longed to learn the Hebrew Tongue, and that which stirred up his earnest appetite was this: He at that age, being among some other Boys, heard a Doctor of Divinity disputing with a Jew about the Christian Faith, and the Christian Divine was much confounded in making his answers to the Jew; yea, and withal a Jewish woman set upon him, and set him very hard also. Hereupon he was much astonished, and exceedingly grieved at it, as a stumbling-block of offence to his conscience, seeing the Christian Faith by this Doctor underpropt with such unsolid and weak Arguments, as jews could overthrow them in the disputes of learned Divines. This made him long to be more deeply ●●●red into Hebrew letters, and more able to maintain the only truth, in which he grew like Saul, he was higher than most of the Divines of his time in this Learning's stature.   

Additions to the sixth Digression in the seventh Chapter.  
THough we have shown the fifty third Chapter of Esay to be meant of Christ the Son of God, and that out of the Confessions of jews; yet because we have light upon more lightsome evidence since that was first Writ, I thought good to add something here, because that Chapter is a clear Star as it were, set in heaven by God, to guide the jews to jesus, if they be not in love with wilful blindness. Let us hear him that was once a jew speak, and tell us how, and by what means he was induced to lay hold on the Christian Faith, and convert to Christ, and this is johannes Isaacus a Germane jew, and after a Christian Professor at Coleine in the year 1558. these are his words, This I do ingenuously profess, that that very Chapter, the fifty third of Esay, 
joan. Isaac. in defence.  did draw me to the Christian Faith. For more (saith he) than a thousand times have I read that Chapter thorough, 
Heb. verit. sacr. Scrip. contr. Lindanum, l. 2.  and I have very accurately compared it with many Translations, by which I have found there is an hundred times more mystery concerning Christ contained in the Hebrew Text, then can be found in any other Translation. And then he declares, how at Frankford he disputed with five Rabbins, whom, with arguing out of that Chapter, he so did drive into straits, and stop their mouths, that they had not a word to answer against his Arguments and Reasons.  
Diego Payva Andradius, the great Defender of the great offending Council of Trent, 
Andrad. in defence.  brings us in more jewish witness for this Chapter against the jews; 
Concil.  I know here some (saith he) of no vulgar learning among Hebrews, 
Trident. lib. 4.  that inhabit the inner Africa, that were induced by the reading of the fifty third Chapter of Esay only, to leave house, Country, friends, fair Estates, Parents, and with inflamed desires of soul to consecrate themselves to Christ. I asked (saith he) some of these jews, that came out of Africa into Portugal, to be entered among Christians by Baptism, what it was in that 53 of Esay, that did so much trouble them, that they could not deny those things to be true concerning jesus Christ the Son of God, which are delivered by us, to which they returned me this answer, always that which we translate & read percussum à Deo, smitten of God, they use to interpret, percussus Deus ipse & humiliatus, God himself was smitten and humbled. By which words they assure themselves, that whole Chapter is to be understood not of of some man, but of God himself made man, that he might blot out our sins.  
I conclude this with that of A Lapide the Jesuit, 
Cor. à lap. in Isai. cap. 53.  that which (saith he) is translated by the Syrians percussum Dei, or à Deo, smitten of God, out of the Hebrew may be turned thus, percussum Deum & humiliatum, God smitten and humbled, Muck elohim umeunne. This very same thing (saith he) did a famous Jew tell me himself at Rome. We see when God opens Jews eyes, they stand not so much upon Grammar, but here neglect that, to pitch upon the substantial truth, and ask not leave at the Rules of Art, when God is bringing them to the Rule of Faith.  
FINIS.