A BRIEF COMPENDIUM of the vain Hopes of the jews Messiah. The Ignorant Fables of their Rabbis, AND The Confuting of the Jewish Religion.  
Written by ELEAZAR BARGISHAI a born Jew, for the upholding of Christianity.  
LONDON, Printed in the Year 1652.   

TO THE Religious and right Faithful Christian Reader.  
Gentle and Right Christian Reader:  
AFter that I was brought up in the Jewish belief till I was Twenty four years of age, and instructed therein, walking after the footpathes of my forefathers, not having any motive or illumination to belong unto such Honour as to be a Member of Christ's body. Yet know, that through the mercy and merit of Christ my only Saviour and Redeemer, after these times I received miraculously, as it were in a moment, another knowledge of the holy Trinity, which God wrought in me a born unworthy superstitious Jew, through the assistance of his holy Spirit, and gave me a brighter light of understanding, and brought me 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is, out of the darkness of Egypt, opening mine eyes, curing me of my Leprosy and blind-born heart, bringing me to the true Christian Faith of the true and only Son of God (which the Prophets call Messiah:) whom I (with my illuminated eyes already since short time having received that light from the holy Scripture by the hand of Faith) do acknowledge, to be our Redeemer, the promised Seed of the woman, who hath bruised the Serpent's head, through whom all Nations shall be saved whoso rightly believe on him.  
And many shall marvel to hear in what manner the Jews hoping for their Messiah according to their Rabbis carnal expounding of the old Testament after their superstitious and unbelieving hearts; insomuch that it may seem more easy and possible to turn an hard iron or stone in an instant into water, as soon as a Jews heart unto Christian Religion, for and in respect of such their Rabbis fabuling.  
Wherein (gentle Reader) you shall understand more largely and plainly the Occasion of this my Conversion, who am a born Jew, and who drunk their superstition from out my mother's breast, and from my Childhood until my Manly years, have been instructed in their Synagogues, and strengthened in their Talmuth books, which are by them in use; and have been much exercised especially in Jewish Questions out of those said Talmuths against foreign Rabbis, and what such like they in their dreams expound and learn.  
Therefore I departed from such fraternity, and embraced the true Spouse of Christ, the right Bridegroom, with public confession of her only saving Faith by the grace of Jesus Christ, through the holy Baptism regenerate, being cleansed and purified from the debt of Inheritance and the sins of unbelief, in the precious blood of the immaculate Lamb promised from the beginning.  
Likewise to make a full and public expression of my enjoying the right Christian Faith, I arrived here in England, not out of any doubt that I have therein (being throughly confirmed in that Faith by the true knowledge and manifestation of the old and new Testament) much rejoicing to have received the Christian Faith, which heretofore few or no Jews have done, whereof many Christians have much debate and questions therefore; but my desire is, that so long as Almighty God grants me life, to serve him as a right true Christian ought to do.  
Likewise Christian Reader you shall understand how the Jews dishonour the holy and pure birth of Christ, in a cursed Book called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to say, The Story of the hanged, which they privately print that the Christian Princes and Potentates should take no notice thereof. But the everlasting Son of God, and Prince of all Princes, seeing the injury and vices done unto him, punished them according to their deserts; for they bringing such cursed books in Poland to the light and to be made public, many of that cursed and viperous Nation were killed, exiled and destroyed, after the saying of Moses, Deut. 28.15. And it shall come to pass, if thou wilt not hearken to the voice of the Lord thy God, to observe to do all his Commandments and his Statutes which I command thee this day, that all these curses shall come upon thee, and overtake thee. The Lord shall smite thee with madness, and blindness, and astonishment of heart. And thou shalt grope at noon days, as the blind gropeth in darkness, and thou shalt not prosper in thy ways: and thou shalt be only oppressed, and spoiled evermore, and no man shall save thee. As more plainly in the same Chapter is prophesied.  
Moreover I will plainly declare and make notorious unto all Christians, as well to the learned as the unlearned, that they may both see, hear and understand, how these poor Jews do expound the holy Scripture, Prophets and Testaments, in their Talmuds, Fables, Dreams, Dialogues, and such like foolery, even as wicked carnal men, or a lewd drunken woman, who seeketh not after that which is pure, or the truth, but do visibly more and more bring the curse of God upon them, as Esay witnesseth, in his sixth Chapter, and through God's Ordinance prophesied to them saying, Ye hear indeed but understand not, and ye see indeed but perceive not; make the hearts of these people fat, and make their ears heavy, and shut their eyes, lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and convert and be healed.  
I am well assured that my Conversion, and declaring of their unjust deal and fooleries, shall please them as well as a staff, or the grass doth the dog; but they shall know, that I do it for no other end, but that truth may victorize against all such blasphemous people and Nations; not that I will in any wise compare them unto their ancient Parents and right seed of Abraham, for assuredly they were elect and the Children of God.  
I hope that through this my writing, Christ shall cure them of their blindness, open their ears, and soften their hardhearted hearts with this my writing: And I do not only speak unto them, but also pray them, that they will do so much as inquire and seek into the holy Scripture which they have altogether rejected, and they will find it will appear, if they seek they shall find, and if they knock it shall be opened unto them; and verily they shall see and find, that my Instructions and Exhortations are most true; but with this condition, they must set aside their dream, invented humane Talmuths, together with the method of their Rabbis expounding; then may they be brought out of the captive and dark Egypt, into the right way and bright shining light of Christ our right and undoubted Messiah, and belong unto the truth, and be transfigured: even as I have already been enlightened through the assistance of the holy Spirit, thanks and praise be to God therefore: Then shall they all perceive and understand, and our joy shall be complete; for the time is now at hand, but not as they hope for. And although many learned Christians have written unto them of the true Messiah, yet I am in hope that such Jews and their children as have formerly known me, will more look upon this my writing, and be converted unto Christ, forasmuch as they know I was not one of the least of their Rabbins amongst them, and therefore have not through ignorance or blindness embraced the true Religion and Christian Faith, until I had right and well searched and enquired into the holy Scripture, and so found my portion and the due belonging thereto.  
And to ye believing brethren and Christians shall I communicate, certify and declare of the Jews natural enmity against all Christians, in Cursing all Kings, Princes, Potentates, and all Christians whatsoever, as also their Kingdoms and Countries, and especially departed and converted Jews which are regenerate unto the Christian faith through the holy Baptism; and what manner they use in that cursed Ceremony shall be expressed in this Treatise, though I hold it unnecessary to write much thereof, because I suppose that more learned Christians have the knowledge thereof already.  
Yet I hope that all true believing Christians will accept of this small and short Book, expressing and revealing the wickedness of the Jews, and hope you will excuse my weakness and unfit understanding and knowledge in the English tongue, whereby I am not able to express by word of mouth to any one what I shall here set forth, being things of great concernment; as of the stupid hearts and natures of the Jews, and of the falling of blood from Heaven four times every year in the Jews houses, and at what time of the year it falleth shall be here declared; humbly desiring all those who shall read this my little and first Christian work, to take it in good part as from a beginning scholar and young Christian.  

The Jews hoping for their Messiah, and the manner of his coming, according to the foolish Opinion of their Rabbis.  
THe Jews have a Book called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and in the 106. page is expressed, that they shall have two Messiasses, the first shall be called Messiah Ben Joseph, and the other Messiah Ben David; the first shall be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is interpreted a Warrior or brave Captain: But they themselves know not in what manner he their Messiah shall come, or rule, or reign, many of the Jews writing thereof, but none agreeing one with another, so that their blindness still remaineth; and from time to time they become more blind, falling from one Scripture to another, and after much running and enquiring of their Rabbis concerning the same, they can obtain no knowledge or understanding thereof in their hardened and astonished hearts; according to the saying of the Prophet Zechariah Chap. 12. And they shall look on me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn; which speech is spoken of Christ, and no other, as hereafter I shall clearly show and set forth.  
But they interpret this saying of the Prophet in another manner in their foolish Talmuth, in the Book 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chap. 10. where they say that Messiah Ben David the second, in a battle against Gog and Magog shall be slain: And as it is further written in their Talmuth, when their Messiasses come together, they shall make war with the Christians, and the Christians shall have a Captain called Gogmagog, with whom their Messiah shall join in battle; and they writ much of their Messiah through their own evil nature and the spirit of the Devil, which they call in Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they writ and speak, that God shall say unto their apparent Messiah the son of David, Ask of me and I shall give thee, but make no mention what God shall or will give unto him: They reject the holy books of Psalms, where God speaks through the mouth of the Kingly Prophet David in his second Psalm, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee, ask of me, and I shall give thee the Heathen for thine Inheritance. But say they, when Messiah Ben David is so slain, Messiah Ben Joseph shall come before the face of God saying 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is, Omnipotent and Ruler of the World, I desire nothing of thee but Everlasting life; and the Lord God shall answer to him, I will give thee such Everlasting life.  
Here may every good upright and Pious Christian behold and perceive, how this blind and heart-stopped people reject the holy Scriptures, Prophets and Ministers, through their Rabbis ignorant and unfit knowledge; for they have no thought in the least of such a Messiah as should redeem them from their sins and spiritual captivity, but of a valiant Man, who shall so valiantly fight with the Christians, shall slay them and overcome them, take their houses, goods and Lands from them, and give them unto the Jews for their Inheritance, having no other thoughts in them, but how they may rob the Christians of their goods.  
Further they writ in the before mentioned book 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fol. 96. That they shall be delivered in the Month of May, through their Messiah; but Rabi Asua said and supposed that it shall come to pass in the Month of April; for his Argument is, That in this Month they have been always delivered.  
And when he shall appear writes Rabbi Solomon in his book Erat, in the 4th Chapter, that it shall be upon an Ass, and properly upon such an Ass as Abraham the Patriarch rid on when he was to offer his son Isaak, as it is to be seen Gen. 22. upon whose Ass they say Moses and Cipora his wife rid on likewise when they arrived into Egypt, and they think it can not otherwise be, but that their Messiah must come upon such an Ass.  
Now my loving Jews, I suppose surely that it shall be an old strong and great Dog, whom ye miserable filthy men must well bathe and anoint, that his old bones may be nimble and strong, otherwise at the battle and fight against the skilful, good and valiant Christians, he must not conquer or be worth a pebble stone.  
But they think, That as it shall come to pass that their Messiah shall appear upon such an old Ass, it shall be solemnly represented after this manner: First, Elias the Prophet shall arrive and reveal unto them such a joyful message and tiding, that such an omnipotent and mighty one, upon such an old Ass is ready to appear, and in a moment, with a Trumpet like an Herald, or Marshal, or otherwise with a great Horn shall he utter his voice, which all Jews in all the corners of the world shall hear, and be gathered together in one place.  
Now I understand that their Elias shall become an Hunter, which shall gather through the voice of his Horn, all the Dogs (that is to say) the Jews of the whole world together, and they are steadfast in their opinion, that so soon as they shall be gathered together in that place, their Messiah shall appear upon that old Ass, upon whom also all the Jews shall sit, and so altogether be transported through the sea into the promised Land about Jerusalem.  
This the Christians and all other Nations shall see, and desiring likewise to ride over into that Land with them, shall not have such favour of God that they may sit upon the body of the Ass; yet this shall be granted, that they may sit upon the tail of him, which shall be lifted up, and so soon as the Ass shall be in the midst of the sea, he shall let his tail sink, that all the Christians may fall down, and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is, in a moment, be drowned, but the Jews shall safely ride along through the Sea at their pleasure into the holy Land.  
Now loving Jews, this must be a monstrous great Ass whereupon ye must all together sit; but I think all the unfaithful Jews must be put into a sack in a lesser form than the motes of the Sun, to be carried into that Land of promise, otherwise it is impossible that such a beast as the Messiah had should carry them all through the Sea; and when they are in the middle of the Sea, down falls the sack and all the Jews are drowned, and the true Christians through the blood of the true Messiah Jesus Christ of Nazareth, and his sufferings on the holy Cross, shall be saved.  
But my dear friends, where, in what place is this Ass now at this present? I think he is with the Bull and the Cow, the Whales, the great Frogs and Birds mentioned in your Songs which ye call Acdomes, and which ye sing with great devotion upon 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is, Whitsunday in your Synagogues, which is thus in Caldean 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which interpreted is thus; when I begin to speak and begin to say I will take consent; and coming into the midst of the Song, you cry aloud in your Synagogues in these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is to say, the Whale moveth himself with his sins.  
Here loving Christians you may see what is set in their fabling Talmuths. A Rabbie, by Name Rabbie Solomon, writeth a strange story from this Song, and that in this manner; That when our Lord God created the World, he created two great Whales, who were so extremely great that the whole world could not contain them for to multiply; therefore God killed the female of these two Whales, which he salted for the faithful Jews: O ye blind and hardhearted, will ye make God a fish-killer, or a Master of such business!  
Moreover he writes, That God created a great Bull and a great Cow, who were likewise so great, that in multiplying the world was not able to support them; which the Lord foreseeing, killed the female thereof and salted it as he did the Whale, and all for the good Jews.  
In the same Book the Author writes and teacheth his Nation, That when the time approacheth and is at hand that their Messiah shall appear, than God shall show them this sport and pleasure, that is, that the great Whale and the Bull shall engage in a great fight, the one defending himself with his horrible fins, and the other with his horns, but the one should not hurt the other, till God comes with his sword and kills them after the Jewish and Levitish manner: so they make God a great killer and fight-Master: O the cursed teaching and abominable fables! And to continue further in his wicked story he saith, That after God shall have slain this horrible Whale and Bull, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is, the Priests of the Jews are ready and at hand to cut them in pieces, whereof the Priests shall have a delicate and costly banquet, at which banquet they shall drink precious Wine, which from the beginning of all beginnings was hid secretly in cellars, that no Christians or other Nations shall know of; for they are become 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to say, unclean, and so the Jews ought not to drink with them: but I believe they make their reckoning in the wind, and wait thereupon without any profit: for they shall all drink of one cup, wherein there shall go so much in number as to that Hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is 287. my meaning is, that this is the Cup whereof the Prophet Jeremy in his Prophecy maketh mention, filled with the wrath of God, so that they shall have enough to drink for ever.  
But verily my lost Brethren, Sure ye must have a very great fire to boil, broyl and roast this great Bull and this great Whale: but so much concerning the Jews banquet.  
Now I will speak a little of the greatness of the Leviathan or Whale, who shall be so horrible great that the whole world shall stand upon him; but I would fain know how he should endure upon his body such a great burden or weight; but I suppose the great Frogs, and Bird mentioned in the Talmuth in the book 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chap. 8. shall help him to support and sustain part of the great weight, otherwise the Whale haply alone might perish under so great a burden.  
It is wonder that such unbelieving people should publicly write and teach such gross lies. Omer Rabi Bar Chanina, saith also in the Talmouth; I have seen, and behold on the one side a Frog in greatness like a Village or Town of 60 Houses, another Frog much greater than the former, which cometh and beguileth and devoureth the first; and afterwards a bird or great fowl whom they call Guina, likewise came and beguiled the second Frog, and after flew upon a Tree and there rested; whereupon the Author said, see and behold how great a Tree must that have been where such a great fowl can sit upon: now said Rabbi Papa, had I not been there and seen the Bird at that time, I should not have believed it.  
Rabbi Saffera tells another Fable saying, As I once sailed in a Ship, behold I saw a Fish who lifted his head out of the water, and I espied upon him two Horns, whereupon was written, I am the least Creature that is created by God in the Sea, and am indeed three miles long, and must enter into the mouth of the Leviathan that is the Whale and be devoured of him. Now hark ye my lost brethren, ye speak much of your Leviathan, that but one shall be in the Sea: Surely, this Whale, your hoped for Leviathan, Anno Domini 1642. was brought into Riga, upon the Frontiers of Lifland under the jurisdiction of the Queen of Swede, at which time I was with my brother there, who is a Merchant, and there was taken at Riga a great Whale, and at a Merchants there, by name John Kortrimen, did eat of the Whale, whereof there were many hundred tuns salted, and I suppose truly it will prove that it was your Leviathan. Now my loving Jews, for as much as I now have been baptised, so I know that ye would have given me no part of your Leviathan; but however I have been before ye, for ye wait all too long upon it, and I had very good reason to be before ye, for in your Talmuth standeth written, that no other shall have part thereof save only the Priests, very well if it be so I am like of Nativity from (〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉) that is from the Genealogy of Aaron the Priest, the brother of Moses, and I have not once, but too often celebrated the wicked Ceremony with your Priests in (〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉) that is, the service and the sons in the Synagogue, who all profess themselves to be of Levi.  
But I will return again to my Story and Song called Achdonis, wherein is mentioned thus, that the said banquet being dressed and made ready, it shall be presented upon a Table of Carbuncle in Paradise, all this being done, the Jews shall wash their feet in the water of Edom.  
Very well my joyful Jews, in truth it shall be bright and light enough at the Carbuncle Table at your Banquet, but rather from the light of that fire within that Paradise, where the Devils dwell, and where ye shall miss of such pleasure, and water to wash your feet; and they believe that after washing of their feet they shall begin a fair excellent dance, and God Almighty shall be the first beginner and master before them.  
Yea my dancing Jews with thunder and lightning shall he dance before ye; Likewise Rabbi Eleaser in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fol. 31. in the end of the Talmuth which he calls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith, that when their apparent Messiah shall arrive, how the Almighty shall make a dance to all righteous Jews (for only the Jews, and none other they call righteous) and that so soon as the Jews appear together in Paradise, and how that one after another shall point their fingers towards God with great joy. In the same Talmuch and book Meg●lla fol. 33. saith Chennina, when the Messiah shall appear, then shall God the Almighty show great honours to the Jews, but I think it will be in fire, thunder and lightning, and that will be all the honour God will show upon the cursed Jews.  
Menorat Hamor folio 70. writes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, that is, thus to understand, and to the King our Messiah shall God the Almighty make ten dances; but my dancing Jews, there will be good profit for the Musician when such folk dance.  
Also he saith in the same Book fol. 84, 85. That after the Resurrection men shall eat, drink, marry, and bring forth children; The like standeth written in the Talmuth in the Book Boma Metelehem, fol. 31. which was preached by Rabbi Simon the son of Gameliel, (〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉) in the last times when Messiah shall appear, every wife shall bring forth a child every day, which is likewise unnatural, and hath no foundation either in Divine or Humane Writings.  
If any man ask the Jews, where their Messiah is all this while: Their Answer is, He lies chained in Paradise all the whole week long with a great iron Chain that he cannot come away, and upon their Sabbath he is bound with a Hair of a Woman's head, which he will not break, for that he will not dishonour the Sabbath. Now my devout Jews, I believe by this circumstance, that the Devil shall be your Messiah who lieth chained in hell, which ye call Gehennam, and cannot come from thence until the time promised, and too soon I fear for your sorrow.  
Others of them do imagine, that when their Messiah comes, he shall take them by force from the Christians, and all other Nations, and bring them out of their Captivity; for example, they allege that Moses not instantly so soon as he was born released his brethren out of the Captivity of Egypt, but he tarried and waited upon the orders of God, and so brought 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, that is, that hard folk out with a strong hand, and so they believe their Messiah will do the like.  
Now my loving Christian brethren, I cannot mention the hundred part of the fabling opinions and hopes they have of their Messiah, because I have not their Talmuth Book here, and other fables of their Rabbis expounding, but relate only what I can bring to memory, having been formerly a Rabbi amongst them, for they never hoped for the right Messiah, as our Saviour Jesus Christ, but much more wait upon their Antichrist, of which the Prophet Daniel speaketh much; and as the Apostle Paul, 2 Thess. 2. foreshoweth, and speaketh thereof in the whole Chapter. And our Saviour himself saith, That I am come in the name of my Father, and ye will not know me, but another shall come in his own Name, and him shall ye receive for a Messiah. But John the Divine giveth this godly sentence thereupon, saying, That when this false Messiah shall come, Christ through his Spirit shall mark him for destruction, together with all them that believe on him, which are the Jews, and cast them into a bottomless pit of torment, which burneth with pitch and brimstone for ever, which is the Gehenna, the earthly pit of Corah, Dathan and Abiram, as you shall find it written in the fifth Book of Moses in the sixteenth Chapter of Numbers vers. 31. From which pit the Lord of his infinite mercy deliver us, and all good Christians through the precious blood of our Saviour and true Messiah, Jesus Christ, Amen.  
FINIS.    

THis is the first part of this my little Treatise of the Jews superstitious and carnal hoping for their Messiah, as they are taught from their babbling Talmuth and foolish blind Rabbis and Teachers.