The blessed Jew of Marocco: or, A Blackmoor made white. being a demonstration of the true Messias out of the law and prophets / by Rabbi Samuel, a Iew turned Christian ; written first in the Arabick, after translated into Latin, and now Englished ; to which are annexed a diatriba of the Jews sins and their miserie all over the world, annotations to the book ... with other things for profit in knowledge and undertanding, by Tho. Calvert ...

CHAP. II. He proves they are thus dispersed for some grie∣vous sin in which they are, and argues against observation of their Law.

SUppose, O Master, that wee are in some great sinn, yet now I request thou

wouldest certifie me in this, if after God scattered us out of Jerusalem, and sent us in∣to this long and lasting captivity for that sin, why do we of our own authority, and pro∣per motion of our own will, without any spe∣ciall mandate from God,* 1.1 observe some Legall 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 Citie, and by combustions turned our Temple and Libraries into ashes, dispersing us in that Captivitie, that ever since Sacri∣fices, Oblations, and whole burnt-Offerings have quite ceased, God not making promise to us by any Prophet, in any Prophecie, or by any certain revelation, that we should any more return to our forsaken Ierusalem, 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 Circumcisi∣••n and the Sabbath, and do read in your Sy∣••agogues the Books of Moses, without any ••ommand from God, why do you not as well

in like manner take up again your sacrificing, and make to your selves 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 wayes 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 mani∣fest) 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 Circumcisi∣on, 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 suf∣ficient answer is farre to seek amongst us; yet in all events we belong to God.

Notes

• * 1.1

  He blames their ob∣serving of Circumci∣sion, Sab∣hath, &c. for their traditions and addi∣tions, more then they finde in Moses his Law.