A Brief EPISTLE to the Learned Manasseh Ben Israel. In Answer to his, Dedicated to the PARLIAMENT. September. 6. Imprimatur JOHN DOWNAME. Printed at London, 1650. TO MY ANCIENT FRIEND William Lenthall Esquire, Mr of the Rolls. SIR, I Can, to none more justly, dedicate this little work of mine of a few day's production, which aims at the conversion of the Jews, than to you who now hold the place of Mr of the Rolls, which was the Inn or Hospital of the converted Jews; and therefore it is fit you should take notice of the beginning, of their conversion: And I am assured you fear not the too sudden conversion of them, but do much desire at; and by this little Treatise there is abundant caution given, that the converted should not be burdensome to the State, and after your perusal of this small piece, which you approved as a fair attempt towards their conversion, saying, there was no hurt in it, but wishing it had been done more seriously. To which I make this reply, That Manaslehs treatise being so slight, deserved no better. And this may chance do more to their conversion than the many serious labours of very good and judicious Authors have done. As all the care and endeavour of a skilful painter, who desired to express the foam of a beast, could not attain unto it to satisfy himself, yet by an angry dash of his pencil or sponge, thereby saw a rare expression of it: So may this careless dosh of my pen do somewhat, which if it may please you and good men, and bring down their haughtiness, I have my aim. Your humble servant E.S. Middlesex. To my dear brother Manasseh Ben Israel the Hebrew Philosopher. SIR, I kindly take 〈◊〉 Dedication of your Book, as one who am a Member of that House you so much honour, & your acknowledgement that we of that House do highly favour your Nation; and seeing you would yet have us love you more and more, I will tell you what is the true bond of Love & the greatest obligation, even true Religion, wherein because you yet fall short, I cannot yet love you so much as I would, but I do abundantly pity you, that you yet live in darkness and the shadow of death, and will not entertain that light which your Adonai and ours hath sent into the world. But what yet we have done of any glorious action, I cannot yet acknowledge, it may be I may find it hereafter. And certainly it will be a very glorious action, if we can convert your Nation of the Jews to the fullness of true belief. And indeed I believe we are the likeliest Nation under Heaven to do it. For we hate Idolatry as much as you. Nor do we worship any graven or painted Images. I wish both ye and many of us were as free from inward Idolatry and did not worship our own conceits and vain Imaginations. But we have some that are free from that also, and are free from Covetousness which is Idolatry, I wish your Nation were so also. But I would not have our nation put that hard precept of Christianity upon you, that upon your conversion your goods should be confiscated, that precept, to sell all and give to the poor, is ill administered by the Idolatrous Roman Congregation. Secondly, we worship that one God which you do, whether you call him Elohim or Adonai; but we say, that Adonai belongs to us more than you, for you shall find in the Psalms, that Elohim said to Adonai, which we declare thus; The Lord said unto my Lord, sit thou on my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool: you cannot say but this is spoken of the Messiah, and the filius Davidis, and hence we collect two persons in the Trinity, which one God, Trinity in Unity, we worship, and upon this very day, which we call Trinity Sunday, the Sunday after the coming of the Holy Ghost. And we writ de tribus Elohim which we can prove out of the old testament. Thirdly we acknowledge with you the old testament to be the word of God, and receive no other Canon of it than you do, herein we both disagree with the Romanist And we acknowledge that God by your Nation hath preserved the Canon of the old testament, and we pray you may understand it as well as we. Fourthly, we keep a sabbath as well as you, only we say that Adonat, being Lord of the Sabbath, changed the day; some other things there are wherein we agree; and clearly in the whole decalogue, saving that alteration of the sabbath. Now Sir, I will show you wherein you differ from yourself, or fall short of the truth, and that your hopes built upon Montezint's relation are very fallible, and nothing so Divine or reasonable as our faith. Your relation of Montezini is a double here●● first of him from the Cazic Francis, and that was also from his forefathers; then from Montezini to yourself. That from the Cazic Francis, with that caution, that Montezini should not ask him any questions, lest he should make him to lie. [p. 10.] A very doubtful business, whether Montezini did not ask him too many questions, or whether the Cazic being so apt to do is, did not lie; but this upon the result must be the fullfilling of the prophecies, and induce our Parliament men to kill the Kings of the earth, that Messiah may reign, and all the world may be under his government. There are some of us apt enough to believe, that Christ shall reign a thousand years, and that they shall destroy all Monarchy. They have done prettily well for three kingdoms already in one man, but that your brethren the Scots call upon his sonn●● and so will endeavour to spoil all the work, but let them not follow their forefathers, your countryman judas Iscariot. They have done pretty well already, in so barbarously hanging his best friend, that even our men rail upon them, and so will do still until they have purchased or conquered their Sanhedrim. Have at them; Cromwell hath once conquered them already, for which they have given him thanks, and so may they do again. But Sir, ye both well agree in pulling down the Pope; but will you pull down the Antichrist? The Papists say, he must be of the tribe of Dan, will you pull down your brother? Ye loved Music, your brethren the Scots hate all but the bagpipes, or one of Robert Wisdoms Psalms. But Brethren of Israel, be advised, they will have a King of their aun nation, have a care they prove not mongrells; they say they are Christians, not altogether Jew's, England is their land of Canaan; yet they are aswell dispersed over all the world as ye: even to a proverb in the Germane tongue. (Scotten Rotte●and base gelt goes all the world over.) But ye must join with some of us for a thousand year's reign; their Nappier speaks much against it, and very rationally. Well, then join with those Millenarians now or never. What though it hath been condemned for an Heresy? Origen was a good Scholar, and a good Hebrician. You have also many of the ancients, and many of our Synod men on that part. But they will have the Son of Mary to reign He is not for your new Messiah. Well then piece up aswell as ye can, and find some medium. For me, and those of the true reformed Religion (though we have great hopes of your conversion) yet we must say, that by these opinions of yours, you will cause the prophecy to be fulfilled, that the Messiah shall come again as a thief in the night For while ye look for a glorious temporal King he will come out of the clouds with the sound of the trumpet to judgement. Take heed of the Valley of Jehosophat! But then indeed shall the true sons of Abraham reign with him the thousand years of eternity. Take heed least through such wicked expectations ye and they think not the end of the world so near as it is, and through your want of faith and charity, ye cause not the dates to he shortened, and that the world continue not the six thousand years, before the long day of eternity comes, and ye be shut out into utter darkness. Connder therefore the Doctrine of john Baptist, and repent betimes, (ye have Moses and the Prophets,) and look well to the Star, 〈◊〉 Virgin's Son, and the Branch, and see well whether he be not come already, and Flias in Saint John Baptist. Hath he not destroyed all the Idols Temples and Oracles? Hath not he rend the veil of the Temple, and broken the pertition wall between jew and Gentiles? Is not Shilo come, where is your King of juda? Was not Herod an Idumaean? Hath not he prepared a a heavenly kingdom for you, if you will believe in him? Brethren, be not so stupid to look for an earthly kingdom. Is not the heavenly far better? Ye believe a judgement day and a resurrection; The Saducees (I hope) have no sect amongst you now, then (see also p. 83. cap. ●7) hearken to your countrymen, Paul and Peter, they will interpret the old testament better than you do. Who sent Montezini to preach to you? Be not deluded with vain expectations, you and he say the time of your deliverance is concealed, and your people are concealed until that day, and believe me; or your own Prophets and Nation, ye will still be so, until ye come into utter darkness, if ye repent not, and know ye have crucified the Lord Jesus. For examine yourselves in what is revealed: have not all of you a bloody issue about your bodies, (See the book of the blessed jew of Morrocco) and do not the Italians say, they smell a Jew before they discern him with their eyes? Did not your forefathers say, His blood be upon us and our children? Was not his prophecy fulfilled in the destruction of your Temple, and the dispersion of the relics of your nation? What plainer signs would you have? What plainer prophecies? O brethren, be not wilfully blind. My consent ye shall have, that you and your people shall live in England, and have meeting places to worship Adonai, but no place for sacrifices, for that were to deny Christ, as your own Countryman, Paul hath told you. And ye shall be allowed to expound the Old Testament, and Christians shall be admitted to hear you, and you shall admit them to teach you. And indeed, we have yet some that are very skilful in the Eastern tongues. You may do well to give them good Pensions, to teach your nation, and they are so poor they had need of it. But let me entreat you, not to endeavour to destroy Kings, until Christ come. You will hardly destroy the Popish Kings, and if ye destroy the Protestant, ye will cause the Papists to prevail. I had thought to have showed you, the slenderness of your proofs and expectations of your Earthly Monarch and Messiah; but but I had rather you would consider the full proofs of our belief, and the reasonableness of the grounds thereof, to the help of your people herein. I wish reverend Doctor Hammond would put his little book of the reasonableness of Christian religion into Latin. I like well your intention, that you will continue the history of your countryman josephus. see. P. 44.45. &c chap. 16. I had thought here to have made an end of my discourse with you, seeing your writing so vain and frivolous, but truly my bowels yearn after your conversion, and I must say, we Christians do a great deal more honour your Nation than you yourselves. For we worship that countryman of yours, that son of of David, and of Mary, the Son of the most high God, perfect God, and perfect man, whom you and we crucified, though the eternal act of his crucifixion was done by your forefathers alone. We reverence all your progenitors, and prophets. We reverence our fathers in Christ of your nation, the holy Disciples and Apostles, who by their preaching overthrew all the vain Gods of the gentiles, and suffered Martyrdom for the belief and expectation of your forefathers; they indeed raised up seed to your father Abraham, and we are the sons of his faith, which we have now held forth almost as long as the law was held forth. We yet hold forth the eternal law of God, the Ten Commandments, though the law of ceremonies be abrogated, by that one sacrifice of him upon the cross, who was a Priest after the order of Melchisedek. And what priests have you of the order of Aaron? You must go look for them, you know not where; amongst the Indians. Montezini may be your guide, to bring you to the Cave of Montezint in Don Quixot. But Brother, though I could say enough farther upon this point out of the old testament and the Psalms, yet I will leave that to ours who are more learned in the Eastern tongues. And now come again to that which is most proper for my part. The preparations for your admission into England, to which, if the Parliament shall think fit, I shall give my directions and cautions. 1. First, I doubt whether we may admit you to circumcise in our land. For should we do it, we should deny Christ to be come. And ye need not always do it; for it was not done for forty years in the wilderness, and omitted for long times in your captivity; and truly you do but crucify Christ again by it, in denying him to be the Messiah, and so do your brethren the Turks. Well then; will you forbear that, if you should live amongst us? We will but desire you to forbear it till Messiah come to have an earthly kingdom, some of you say, that is to be very shortly. 2. In lieu of this, we will neither force you, nor any of your children to be christened, we hold that an abomination; but if any of you will repent and believe, we will christian them; but if anyfall bacl, we must punish them: and we must tell you, the Rolls in Chancery lane is the Hospital of the converted Jews, and we will make more colleges for such converts, if there be need. 3. He that dies a christian shall enjoy his whole estate, and he that dies a jew shall leave but a third part to his posterity, one third to the state of this land, and one third to the maintenance of converted jews. 4. There shall be a view at their entrance taken of their names and circumcisions that have been heretofore, and a Record kept constantly, that the circumcised may be entered, which if they neglect, they shall suffer death and confiscation. 5. Every year a search shall be made, whether any male child be circumcised, and if done in England, or the Dominions thereof, a consiscation of half the parent's estate shall ensue. If any Iew undertake to circumcise a christian, he shall suffer the pains of death and confiscation, in what Nation soever he doth it. 6. They may come of both sexes to christian prayers and sermons unconverted, so they behave themselves reverently and decently. And once in the year, viz. on Good Friday or the day of Crucifixion, they shall be compelled to come, & then the names both of men, women and children to be taken, and recorded. As also the names of the converts. 7. They may well pay double custom, both they and the Postnatis borne in England, until they be converted, and then to pay only single custom. 8. They shall keep no Fraternityes or Guilds, but by special licence, but they may dwell and trade in any part of England. No corporations to be allowed but to those of the converted jews; & all in general shall maintain their own poor. 9 None of either sex shall marry with any Christian, nor shall any christian marry with them, until they be converted. 10. If they shall endeavour to raise up any of their own nation to be their King, those that are guilty thereof shall suffer death and confiscation. 11. If they join with the Anabaptist or Leveller to raise a Captain General, such as john of Leyden or Knipperdoling, they shall suffer death and consiscation. 12. They shall be subject to all other laws of the land. To these laws the Parliament may add or diminish as they please, in relation to the government of the jews. And now brother Manasseb, to give you one touch more for a farewell; you know how long the world hath lasted hitherto; some say two thousand years before the law, two thousand years under the law, and 1650 since the law, this is the year of jubilee, look for the sabbath day of eternity, it may be the world shall not last six thousand years. There are five thousand six hundred and fifty passing, and there is no room for Messiah his one thousand year's reign upon earth. Will you hear a story I have lately heard, and I hope to make out the record better than you do that of Montezinies. It is thus; one of your great Rabbins upon his deathbed, in the Low-countreyes, not many years since, called his people to him, and said, We have long, expected our Messiah, and he do not come in the year 1650. or 51. Embrace the Christians Messiah, for he must needs have been the man. And at his throne no doubt all Protestant Kings will cast down their Crowns. Look upon some of the psalms, I will direct you to a few viz. 65. v. 2.5.7.8.13. Psa. 66. V 1.2.3.6. Psa. 67. All the Psalm Psa. 68 For this day's morning prayer v. 1. Let God arise, and let his enemies be scattered, let them also that hate him fly before him. 2.3.4.5.6.11.12.13.14.15.16.17.18. Thou art gone up on high, thou hast led captivity captive, and received gifts for men: yea, even for thine enemies, that the Lord God might dwell among them. 19.20.21.22.23.27. There is 〈◊〉 little Benjamin their ruler, and the Princes of Juda their council: the Princes of Zabulon, and the Princes of Napthali. Observe that your first King was a Benjamite, and observe how many of your tribes shall return. 28.29.30.31.32.33.34. Ascribe ye the power to God over Israel his worship and strength is in the clouds. Why will ye then have it a temporal reign upon earth. See the eightieth Psal. v. 14. Turn thee again thou God of Hosts, look down from heavan, behold and visit this vine, v. 15. and the place of the vineyard, that thy right hand hath planted: and the branch that thou madest so strong for thyself. v. 17. Let thy hand be upon the man of thy right hand and upon the Son of man whom thou madest so strong for thine own self. Your Rabbins say, there are two Messiahs, that of ours you call Ben Joseph, But you expect Messiah Ben David. Was not ours Ben David? Look upon the Pedigrees in Matthew and Luke, in the latter you shall find Mary's Pedigree, who was the right heir after her espoused Joseph was dead. Behold, a Virgin did conceiv and bear a Son; This was the Branch, and the Man of God's right hand, and he was called Wonderful and Emanuel. And often called in his life time by prophetic spirits whom he cured, the the Son of David, nay the Devils themselves confessed he was the Son of David, and quarrelled with him, because he came to torment them before their time. It was a wonderful production. The Spirit of God overshadowed this Virgin, etc. Why should not that make her fruitful, as it did the Abyss in the first of Genesis, v. 2 Terra erat inanis et vacua, et tenebrae erant super faciem abyssi, & Spiritus domini ferebatur super aquas: There have you the third person in the Trinity. Et dixit Deus, fiat Lux, & facta est Lux. And as upon this incubation Light was made, so upon this obumbration, our faviour Christ, the true and everlasting Light, was brought forth by the holy Ghost in the shape of man. What would you have more? See Sylou scintillane, 97. pag. To see the humblest maid with light dyvine, in poorest dress so brightly shine, In darkest womb to hid the light, till that his star did show this sight. All this and more we wondering see disclosed by faith and & hope in thee. All this and more were but to see our God take flesh and borne of thee. The shepherds weet harmless lives! (on whose holy leisure, waits innocence and pleasure) Whose leaders to those pastures and clear Springs, were Patriarches, Saints and Kings. How happened it that in the dead of night, you only saw true light. While Palestine was fast a sleep & lay without one thought of day? Was it because those first and blessed swains were pilgrims, on those plains When they received the promise, for which now 'twas there first shown to you. Perhaps some harmless cares for the next day did in their bosoms play, As where to lead their sheep, what silent nook what Springs or shades to look. But that was all; and now with gladsome care, they for the town prepare. They leave their flock, & in a busy talk all towards Bethlem walk, To see their souls great Shepherd who was come to bring all stragglers home. Where now they find him out, and taught before, that lamb of God to ' adore. That lamb whose days great Kings & Prophets wished and longed to see, but missed. The first light they beheld was bright and gay, and turned their night to day. But to this later light they saw in him, their day was dark and dim. Sanctae & individuae Trinitati Gloria, Gloria Deo in excelsis, in terra Pax, etc. Praenobili Domino Edvardo Spencero Militi, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Ornatissime vir, SPem nostram de Gentis Judaicae conversione, faeliciter expergefecisti: quam licet semper spectavimus ut certam, nunquam tamen ut propinquam: non ut opus hujus, sed alicujus venturi saeculi. Cum enim consideramus quot procellae, turbines, ac tempestatesubique gentium, orbem Christianum mir è perturbant! quantilla autem spes sit remedij, aut alicujus vicinae pacis! quam omnia in praecipiti nutant! & in Catholicam ruinam cedunt! Quis Christianae fidei Atlas, aut spei Hercules tanto oneri pares praebere poterit humeros? Cum naufragio periisse visa est Charitas, quis è perituris secundam tabulam admovebit Iudaeis jam olim perditis? Cum nobis non convenit inter nos, quis nostrae communionis participem dedet suam animam? Sed esto! Spes, non est nisi fit de arduis. Hebraee ausculta: Vir doctus, & nobilis: 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉: Genere, & Genio honorandus, rem illam arduam aggreditur! Quidui per divinum auxilium & auspicium opus hoc possibile redderetur? Heu! nimium faciles Hebraeos, se gentium idolis & superstitionibus olim praebuisse, testantur omnes ad unum prophetae Israelitae. In Dominum nostrum jesum Christum qualis, quanta, & quam obstinata durities? Adeone mutuari d●um alienum ab Ethnicis, in promptuest? Deum autem vestrum communicare Ethnicis adeò molestum est? Qualis est haec justitia? Crudeles Judaei, aut vobis aut peregrinis! Deum non vultis vestrum esse, quia noster esse dignatus est. Si haec non sit ratio Iudiaicae insaniae, Istanecesse erit. Quod suae non divinae satis factioni inhiarunt. Miserias prius quaese, quam peccata quae Deum premunt removeri semper placuit. Idcircò Beatum jesum Bar-Mariae qui suo primo adventu Deo satisfecit potius quam judaeo; A judaeo aspernatur. Qui peccata prius studuit tollere quam miserias nullo modo his Messiah esse poterit. Sed eligunt in peccatis simul & miserijs per multa annorum saecula inter varias gentes comminui, potius quam hanc methodum amplecti. Sed age, Illustrissime Domine, hunc foelicem conatum prosequere, occasionemque sapiens ut arripuisti, sic faxit Deus sinem operis prosperè consequaris. Ita precatur, Domine, Humilimus tuus in Christo Jesus Servus & Jesus Christi conservus N. B. Lectori. LEctor, sisve Judaeus, vel ex nobili Gentium stirpe, non in malam partem acceptum erit spero. Si levi manu tangam quod scopus est hujus pusilli operis. Quod (praeter ablationem scandali ex eo quod nonnulli failè credent afctionem nostram esse eximiam & nimis magnam ad introducendam incredulam Iudae●rum Nationem, quandoquidem maximo desiderio prosequimur illorum conversionem.) altiorem habet finem & metam, continuationem scilicet industriae Doctorum nostratium, hominum, in linguis orientalibus peritorum: Et animum addere industriae eorum, ad operandum, verbo scriptoque ejusdem Nationis conversionem. Quandoquidem nec recté loqui eam orationem possimus Adveniat Regnum tuum, ni maximopere studeamus Israelis restaurationem, ut ita simus unicum ovile sub unico pastore Salvatore nostro Jesu Christo, qui intranubes veniet circumvallatus & circumseptus totis caelestium cohortibus ad judicium, & ad separationem Caprorum ab Ovibus. Tunc certe nos, qui credentes sumus, maximo maerore affecti erimus, si videbimus totam istam gentem quae super terram manebit, per nimiam expectationem & desiderium Monarchiae terrestris caelestem illam amittere. Per longum abhinc tempus in usum venit in diem Crucifixionis preces sundere pro eorum conversione. Nunc etiam optimè actum esset si jejunium appositum opus continuaremus anniversari um, & preces funderemus. Quod faxit Deus. Ita precatur pusillus Author. To the Reader. REader, whether you be Jew or Gentile, I think it will not be taken amiss that I give you a little touch of the intent of this little piece, Which besides the taking off the scandal of our too great desire of entertaining the unbelieving Nation of the Jews, and yet our earnest wishes of their conversion, hath also another aim, to continue the industry of our learned men in the Eastern Tongues, and to encourage some of them to take more pains in endeavouring that Nation's Conversion by word and writing, seeing we cannot say that Prayer, Thy kingdom come, unless we endeavour the restoring of Israel, that we may be one flock under one Shepherd our Lord and Saviour Christ jesus, who shall come to Judgement in the clouds attended with the whole host of Heaven, to separate the Goaets from the Sheep, and we who are believers should be loath to see that whole Nation, who are left upon earth at that day, by their expectation of an earthly Monarch should lose the heavenly. Therefore we have used to pray for their conversion upon the day of Crucifixion, and therefore may well fast and pray upon that day anniversarily, which that we may all still continue is the hearty desire of the small Author E. S. Fratri suo spectatissimo Menasseh Ben Israel Hebraeo Philosopho. S. DEdicationem libelli tui aequi bonique consulo Iose, pars nonnulla ejusdem (quem tanto honore prosequeris) Confessus: nec minori studio, amplector gratam tuam recognitionem, istius favoris, quo Nos ejusdem Consessus (uti dicis) vestram Gentem dignamur. Et quoniam vult Dominatio tua, nos indies vobis magis magisque amorem nostrum impertire: dicam tibi quid sit verissimum amoris vinculum, et maximum ligamentum; verus scilicet, in vera Religione consensus, et unio. Qua in re quoniam nondum Nobis satis aut Christo fecistis, tantum amorem vobis impertire, Mihi necdum licet, quantum alias facile liberet, intimisque medullis cupio. Sed totis visceribus genti vestrae misereor, quatenus adhuc in tenebris, et umbra mortis miserrimè circumvagamini: nec vultis persuaderi, Lucem illam quam Adonai tam vester, quam noster, misit in Mundum; amplecti. Sed honorem cujusquam gloriosae actionis, seu splendidi facinoris nondum admitto, nec agnosco; amodò fortassis tale aliquid patrare, et arrogare Nobis licebit. Et certe gloriosissimus erit ille conatus, si nostrâ operâ gens vestra Iudaica conversa fuerit, et adscita in communionem, ac plenitudinem verae fidei. Et sanè nullus dubito, quin Nostra Gens ex omnibus quae in toto Orbe Terrarum degunt Nationibus, huic operi sit maxime par, et idonea. Pari enim vobiscum idololatriam odio prosequimur; nec quemquam venerari patimur sculptile, aut pictas imagines; Utinam tam vos, quam multi è nobisaeque immunes essemus ab Idololatria interna; nec coleremus nostras proprias Phantasias et vanas Imaginationes. Sunt tamem nostri aliquot, immunes ab illis etiam malis: sicut et ab avaritia, quae est Idololatria vestrae (ni fallor) Gentis. Sed ipse nolim durum, istud Christianitatis praeceptum de omnium bonerum, venditione, & in pauperes erogatione; per Nostram Gentem vobis immitti; malè nimirum Idololatrica ista Romana Congregatio vos in conversione vestra omnium bonorum dispendio mulctavit. Secundò eundem quem vos Deum Religìosè colimus ac veneramur, utrum sit apud vos Elohim, aut Adonai; nos autem dicimus, Deum Adonai magis propriè ad nos, quam ad vos, pertinere: Invenietis enim in libro Psalmorum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quod nos interpretamur, dixit jebova domino meo sede ad dextram meam: donec disposuero inimicos tuos in scabellum pedum tuorum; neque potestis negare, Messiam illum filium Davidis hic nominari; et inde colligimus duas Trinitatis Personas; quem Trin-Vnum Deum nos etiam hodie veneramur; Hodie (inquam) Dominica est Sanctae Trinitatis; Dominica proximè immediata a Pentecoste, seu Dominica Adventus S.S. Spiritus. Et nos de Tribus Elohim tractatulos edimus, quos probare possumus, ex veteris Testamenti libris. Tertiò pariter vobiscum agnoscimus, et confitemur vetus illud Testamentum, esse verbum Dei; nec alium ejusdem admittimus Canonem, quàm qui vester est: et Utrique, Romanae Sectae hac in re contrariamur. Agnoscimus etiam Deum, per vestrum populum, praeservasse illum veteris Testamenti Canonem: et enixè rogamus Deum, ut vos illud probè intelligatis, sicuti nos. Quartò Sabbatum ita colimus ut vos, hoc tantùm dicimus, quod Adonai qui Dominus est Sabboth, five Sabbathi, mutavit diem. Sunt etiam alia quaedam de quibus inter nos convenit: et planè de toto Decalogo praeterquam de alteratione Sabbathi Nunc autem videre liceat ista, in quibus parum tibi stas, aut veritati, nec tibi tecum, aut cum veritate convenit; unde spes posita supra relationem Antonii Montezini vana apparebit, nec adeo divina, aut rationi consentanea, ut nostra, quam respuitis, Fides. Vestra Montezini relatio duplex est fama. Prima ipsius Montezini a Francisco Cazico tibi delata; altera à propatribus Francisco tradita. Ista Francisci narratio ea lege facta; modo Antonius non esset molestus, aut nimium illum rogaret, ne illum induceret, ut falsa diceret p. 10. Rem totam reddidit dubiam; fortasse Montezinus illum nimium rogavit; et tum fortasse Cazicus (huic rei satis aptus) mentiobatur. Sed inde concludendum est, Prophetias impletum iri, et Patribus nostri Parliamenti persuadere ●●●aris, Reges Terrae interimere: utpote Messias regnaret, et totus orbis suo subijceretur Sceptro. Sunt è nobis nonnulli satis facilè credituri Christi Regnum Terrestre per mille Annos duraturum, & ipsos in ruinam 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 positos; cui rei ut satagunt, ita pro Tribus Regnis in uno Capite, nimium peregerunt. At fratres è gente Scotorum vestri hoc opus Conantur praetervertere; compellant enim filium Regis ablate: ni (quod malè timeo) vestigia majorum suorum premant, et vestratis, Judae. Iscarictae. Quod iamdudum percommodè fecerunt, ita inhumanitersuspendendo, huic amicessimum: ut etiam nostri his convitiantur, eo nomine; et convitiabuntur, usque dum mercede conduxerint, aut Bello devicerint Scotorum Synedrium. Bene caveant! Crumwellus semel iam, illos perdomuit; cujus causa gratis illi habuerunt, et iterum habere possunt. Sed Domine, Judaeis convenit cum Scotis, de deturbando Papa. Atquid fiet de Antichristo? Papistae illum de tribu Dan futurum asserunt. Num vim illaturi estis fratri vestro? Vos melodiae et harmoniae amatores habiti estis: Sco●i autem fratres vestri omnem concentum odio habent, praeter illum quem reddit tibia utricularis, aut aliquis è Psalmis Roberti Wisdomi. Sed fratres Israelitae! sapite, et circumspicite; Scoti Regem Scotum habebunt, cavete ne sint hybridae! hise Christianos prositentur, non prorsus judaeos Anglia est istorum Terra Canaan, sive promissionis: tamen aequè ac vos supra totum Mundum bene dispersi sunt, ut est in proverbio. Scotten rotten et Nummus adulterinus ubique Gentium sunt. Vobis igitur incumbet, nonnullis nostratium adhaerere Regni mille annorum causa: Napierus, Scotiae in hoc regnum multa et probabilia invehitur, nunc ergo aut nunquam porrigite dextras Chiliastis, sive Millenariis; sit licet haeresis olim damnata; Origenes doctus erat, et linguae vestrae peritissimus, multi etiam ex Antiquis hisce partibus stetere; multi item è nostra Synodo ijsdem iam stant. Attamen Regem istius Millenarij Regni, habebunt omnes jesum Bar Mariae; novum Messiam neutiquam admittent. Esto; resarcite mutuò vestras licet divisas sententitias, ut convenire placebit; aut medium exquirite. Quantum mea interest, et illorum qui sunt de Ecclesiis verè reformatis (licet spem fovemu vestrae conversionis et resipiscentiaes cogimur vobis pronuntiare, Per hasce vestras perversas opiniones Prophetiam implendam praestabitis, Messiam ita reversurum, & venturum, ut fur necte. Dum enim hujus saeculi Regem splendidum speratis, Ipse descendet de nubibus, cum voce tubae ad judicium. Contremiscite, et cavete a valle Jehoshaphat! tunc certè veri Abrahae filii ipsi conregnabunt, per mille annos aeternitatis. Circumspicite ne propter istiusmodi impias expectationes, cùm vos tùm illi cogitetis finem Mundi non ita vicinum ut est: et per vestram infidelitatem, et Charitatis indigentiam, faciatis, ut decurtati sint dies illi, ne Mundus continuetur per Annos 6000, ante adventum gloriosae diei eternitatis; et sic vos excludamini in tenebras exteriores. Considerate igitur doctrinam Johannis Baptistae, et impigrè paenitentiam agite; Habetis Mosen, & Prophetas, consulite Stellam, Virginis Filium, et Ramum, et videte, num hic qui venturus erat, iam venerit necne? Et Eliiah etiam, in Ioanne Baptista? Nonne ruinam invexit Idolorum Templis, et silentium Oraculis? Nonne velum Templi ab ipso fissum est, in duas partes, à summo ad imum? Nonne solvit medium naceriae parietem, inter judaeos et Gentes? Nondum venit Shilo? Ubi est Rex judae? Fuitne Herodes Idumeus? Nonne Salvator noster etiam vobis Caeleste Regnum paravit, si modo in cum crederetis? Fratres, nolite stultescere, nec de Terrestri Regno diutius somniari! Nonne Caelum praestat? Uos fidem adhibetis, diei judicii et Resurrectioni; Saduceorum Secta, inter vos (uti spero) locumamplius non habet, Auscultate igitur vestratibus ' Paulo, et Petro, melius Mosen et Prophetas interpretantibus quam cuiquam è vobis. Quis misit Mentezinum, vobis praedicatorem? Nolite (Andabatarum more) errare vanis expectationibus: Et vos et ille confitemini, tempus illud vestrae restitutionis latere, imo et populum latere, donec iste dies venerit. Et crede mihi uterque latebit, donec veneritis in tenebras exteriores: & si non mihi, saltem credite genti vestrae, & Prophetis vestris) nisi resipiscatis et agnoscatis vosmet crucifixores domini jesu Christi. Scrutamini enim vos ipsos in his quae manifesta sunt: Habetis vos ad unum omnes in corporibus vestris fluxum sanguinis, an non? Nonne dicunt Itali se prius Judaeum, naribus sentire quam oculis? Majores vestri protulerunt haec verba, sanguis ejus super nos et super filios nostros? Nonne impleta fuit isthaec Prophetia in ruina vestri Templi, et dispersionibus reliquiarum vestrae gentis? Quae signa manifestiora, quas clariores Prophetias quaeritis? Oh fratres, nolite Caecutire de industria. Libenter Concederem vobis (quod ad me attinet) inter nos et commorandi et adorandi loca; sed non sacrificandi! hoc enim esset negare Adonai, Christum nostrum: sicut docuit vestras Paulus. Ut & licebit vobis, vetus Testamentum interpretari, imò & ●hristianis vos audire; dummodo vos mutuo nostris auscultabitis: Nec desunt nobis viri in Linguis Orientatalibus valde docti, et eorum nonnulli adeò egeni & indigentes ut (quod & vos deceret) vestram gentem operis mercedem pensuram, docerent eas. Sed quaeso vos, nolite ante adventum Messiae Regum ruinam conari; conatus enim perdifficilis erit in Reges Papistas, sin autem molire hoc placet contra Reges Protestantium non vobis, sed Papistis, non Hierusolymis, sed Romae, triumphā parabitis. Cogitavi imbecillitatem vobis, vestrorum argumentorum proposuisse, necnon vanitatem vestrae spei, & expectationis Monarchae Terrastris, & Messiae. Sed malim vos promptos, attentioni probationis nostrae fidei & ejusdem demonstrationibus habere, & in auxilium populi vestri hac in re, optarem, reverendum nostrum D. Hammondum libellum suum de justitia sive equitate Christianae Religionis, latino sermone donaret. Intentionem tuam de continuatione Historae vestratis Josephi, valde probo. vide p. 44, 45 etc. c. 16. Hic autem meis finem imposuisse mihimet proposui, tuorum abunde satur scriptorum tricis, & nugis. Sed reverà adeo amore vestri, & conversionis vestrae cupidus sum; ut prorsus dicam, nos Christianos majori honore gentem vestram, quam vosipsi prosequimur. Nos enim colimus vestratem, filium Davidis & Mariae filium Altissimi, verè Deum verè hominem: quem & nos & vos crucifixum reddidimus per peccata; tametsi actus hujus crucifixionis externus, propatribus vestris solis ascribitur. Veneramur omnes Prophetas progenitores vestros, veneramur item Patres nostros in Christo, de gente vestra, Sanctos scilicet Descipulos, & Apostolos, cujus doctrina, omnes dij fictitij Ethnicorum eversi sunt: & quorum Martyrio, quod passi sunt, pro fide, & expectatione Patrum, semen Patri vestro Abrahamo exertum est. Nos enim filij consurreximus Abrahami fidei, quam fidem nobis, & mundo, nunc praetulimus, tamdiu, quamdiu ante nos, lex Mosaica a vobis praelata fuit. Et adhuc praeferimus legem illam Dei aeternam, scilicet Decalogum, et si lex caeremoniarum per sacrificium illum unum, ejus qui Sacerdos erat secundum ordinem Melchisedeci, abrogata sit. Quos autem habetis vos Sacerdotes ordinis Aaronicis? Quaerendi sunt vobis apud Indeos, aut ubi gentium nescitis! Sit Antonius vester deductor in antrum Montezini, apud D. Quixotum. Sed mi frater; etsi plura satis super hac re ex veteri Testamento, & libro Psalmorum possim dicere, tamen haec doctioribus nostris qui Linguas Orientales callent, relinquenda censeo. Ac nunc redeo, ad partes quae mea propriè intersunt, praeparationes (scilicet) ad vestri admissionem in Angliam. Quibus (si ita Parliamento visum fuerit) cautiones, & Regulas dabo. Primùm hic haereo: utrum venia circumcisioni vestrae inter nos concedenda sit, necne? si daremus enim hanc vobis, nos ipsi negaremus Christum venisse. Neque vobis necessario illa semper incumbit; per quadraginta annos in eremo omissa fuit: ut & per longa temporum spatia in captivitatibus vestris. Et sane vos, nihil aliud agitis, nisi Christum iterum recrucifigere dum negatis ipsum Messiam esse. Quod item faciunt fratres vestri Turcae. Quaero igitur num differetis circum cisiones vestras donec inter nos commorabitis? Hoc tantum petimus, hujus intermissionem, donec adveniat Messias cum terrestri suo regno; quod brevi futurum nonnulli èvobis audactèr dicitis. Instar hujus hanc vobis indulgeri placet immunitatem, fine vi aut pana, vos et liberi vestri, ut Baptismo carere possitis. Cujus carentiam vobis fraudi esse prorsus abominamur. Si qui autem è vobis paenitentiam agetis, et credetis (ì) fidem nostram amplexi fueritis, honore et beneficio Baptismi, dignemini. Siqui autem per Apostasiam, se subduxerint, graviter plectendi sunto. Hoc autem vobis innotuisse placebit, Tabularium Archivum vulgò the Rolls in angiporto Cancellariae Hospitium olim Iudaeorum conversorum fuisse. Et pluribus conversis amodò plura Collegia si necesse sit instruemus Minores judaei Christiani defuncti haeredes in asse erunt, seu plenam ejus rem possidebunt, Qui Judaeus tantum (hac est) non conversus, moritur, tertiam tantùm partem rei suae posteris relinquet: alteram reipublicae: postremam denique in alimonium supradictorum Collegiorum. Ad introitum vestrum per examen lustrari placet, & in catalogum digerere nomina circumcisorum antehac, & Album servari ubi denuò circumcidendorum nomina scribantur. Quod siqui neglexerint & morte & confiscatione mulctabuntur. Singulis quoque annis Jnquisitionem fieri placet, de liberis maribus, circumcisi sint necne? si ita! num res peracta fuerit in Anglia, aut locis quae sunt Anglicanae ditionis? & inde pars altera totius rei parentis infiscum eat. Siquis Judaeus praesumeret circumcidere Christianum, ubicunque gentium factum fuerit scelus hoc, paenas mortis & confiscationis luito. Vtriusque sexus Judaei etiam nondum conversi ad conciones Christianorum, venire si placet, possint, modo illic honeste & benè se gesserint. Semel autemin anno jubeantur, imo cogantur convenire, viz. Die Passionis dominicae quando nomina virorum, faeminarum & liberorum scribentur in Album, ut & nomina conversorum. Duplex vectigal bene solvere possint, & hi et in Anglia postnati ante conversionem, scilicet post autem simplex soluturi Fratrics, nullas & Sodali●ia nulla habebunt sine speciali permissu & licentia, & habitare & commercia tractare quibuslibet Angliae locis licebit. Corpora quod ajunt Communia nullis nisi conversis Judaeis concedenda sint & omnes in communi proprios alant pauperes. Nullus judaeus ducet Christianam, nullus Chrisflianus Judaeā ante conversionem, nec vicissim, nubert. Si molientur quenquam è suagente in regem sibi constituere, mortis & confiscationis poenas luant quicunque hujus criminis rei sunt. Si foedera ferient cum Annabaptistis aut Aequifaratoribus Imperatorem, aut 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 constituere similem Joanni Lugdunensi, aut qualis crat Knipperdolling, mortis & confiscationis paenas subeunto. Omnibus caeteris teriae legibus se subdant, ijs item legibus quas placebit Parlamento addere, aut quibus detrahere, pro eorum placitis in ordine ad Judaeorum temperationem. Nunc autem frater Manasse, priu quam tibi valedicam, hoc unum addere liceat, Probe nosti aetatem Mundi usque adhuc. Quidam computant duo millia annorum ante legem latam: duo millia sub lege, & mille sexcentos quinqu aginta à Christo nato. Hic annus est jubilaeus Sabathum nunc expecta aeternitatis Fieri potest mundum per sex millia annorum non ducraturum esse A mundi Creatione anni 5410. secundum aeram tuam praetericrunt. Quis locus igitur, milleannis terrestri Messiae regno? Libetaudire narrationem nuperrime receptam è meliore, uti spero, origine, quam illa tua Montezint? haec est. Quidam vestras Rabbimus jam moribundus suos sibi advocatos (inter Belgas non multis abhinc annis) sic alloquitur. Valde diu expectavimus nostrum Messiam; & si non venerit ante annos 1650. aut 51. peractos, amplecti vobis suadeo Christianorum Messiam necesse est ut ipse sit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Et ante ejus Thronum, procul dubiò, omnes Protestantium Reges Coronas suas mittere aut abjicere parati erunt. Consule, si placet, aliquot Psalmos, quorum nonnullos tibi indigitabo, viz. Psal. 65. v. 2. 5. 7. 8. 13. Psal. 66. v. 1, 2, 3, 6. Psal. 67. per totum Psal. 68 Hujus diei matutinis lectionibus proportionatum, v. 1. Fxurgat Deus, & dissipentur inimici ejus, & fugiant qui oderunt eum, à facie ejus, etc. 2.3.4 5.6.11.12.13.14.15.16.17.18. Ascendisti in altum, cepisti captivitatem, accepisti dona in hominibus; etenim non credentes, inhabitare Dominum Deum, etc. ver. 19 20.21.22.23.27. Ibi Benjamin parvus, & dominatur corum; Principes Jehudae, & caetus eorum: Principes Zebulunis, Principes Naphthali. Attende ut primus Rex suit è Tribu Benjamin; Attende item quot Tribus revertentur. v. 28.29.30.31.32.33.34. Tribuite robur Deo, cujus excellentia est super Israelem, & cujus robur in superioribus nubibus. Quid amplius anilitèr desipitis circa ejus in terris temporale regnum. Consule Psal. 80. v. 14. Deus exercituum, revertere jam, intuere è caelis, & respice, ac visita vitem hanc. ver. 15. Et surculum quem plantaverat dextra tua; idque propter filium quem fortificasti tibi. ver. 18. Adsit manus tua viro dextrae tuae, filio hominis quem fortificasti tibi. Dicunt Rabbini duos esse, qui Messiae nomen subeunt; alterum Christianum, quem vocant Ben Joseph; alterum quem ipsi expectant Messiam, Ben David. Nonnè noster fuit etiam Ben David? Consule Genealogias secundum Matthaeum, & Lucam; posteriori enim invenies Mariae parentelam, quae post Josephum conjugem, proxima erat haeres. Ecce virgo concepit, & peperit filium! Hic erat ille Ramus & vir dextra Dei; cui nomen erat Admirabilis, & Immanuel. Saepius etiam à spiritibus propheticis quos sanavit nominatus filius Davidis dum vixit in terris. Imò ipsi Daemones hunc confitentur filium Davidis, & querebantur illum venisse ante tempus in corum cruciatum. Mira plane erat illa productio. Spiritus Dei obumbravit hanc virginem, etc. Quidni autem redderet illam sic gravidam, ut etiam reddidit abyssum primo Geneseos, ver. 2. Terra erat inanis & vacua, & ●enebrae erant super faciem abyssi, & spiritus Dei ferebatur super aquas. Ecce tibi tertia S.S. Trinitatis persona. Et dixit Deus, fiat lux, & facta est lux. Et quomodo ex hac incubatione lux producebatur, eodem modo ex hac etiam obumbratione, Salvator noster Christus vera & aeterna lux concipiebatur de Sipirt● Sancto in forma hominis. Qui● amplius moramini aut desideratis? Sanctae & individuae Trinitati Gloria. Gloria Deo in excelsis, & in Terra Pax, etc. Errata. PAg. 1. l. 1 for your r. the, p. 8. l. 7. for look r look. p. 9 l. 10 for pertition r. patition p. 13. l. 4. for eternal r external. p. 19 l. 17. for and he. r. and if he. p. 20. l. 14. deal a. p. 23. l. 1. deal See Sylex etc. & add l. 12. FINIS.