The Jews Desire for Hebrew Explication of our Greek Gospel
The source for this document is https://quod.lib.umich.edu/e/eebo/A16968.0001.001
Project Note
This is licensed under Creative Commons CC BY-NC-ND. This license allows reusers to copy and distribute the material in any medium or format in unadapted form only, for noncommercial purposes only, and only so long as attribution is given to the creator.
The source of this document is the Early English Books Online (EEBO-TCP) website. Those books were transcribed in a character for character manner and can be very cumbersome to read since there was no standard spelling during that time. Many spelling variations such as "unlesse", "vnlesse", and "vnles" regularly appear.
This project was conceived to clean up those books as much as possible and make them more accessible to the interested reader, leading to the creation of a massive list of variant spellings and their corrections. This was used to clean up the text, but is of course only as complete as the list itself. Because of the nature of the original transcription, some words have missing characters or places where the original language (e.g., Greek) was not transcribed. This effort does not change that. Be aware that the original transcription can also be faulty and in some cases entire sentences may be missing.
Although this is no substitute for a properly compared, proofed, and scholarly edition, I believe that the result is a document which is far more accessible, particularly for searching for terms using standard spelling. The document has been cleaned and presented in what I hope is a pleasing and useful format for the vast majority of Christian brothers and sisters who just want access to read these spiritually nourishing works.
However, a word of warning: The Puritans were a very diverse group of people and their age was characterized with godliness, but also much upheaval, disputation and strife. They disagreed on many doctrines and some of these works contain less orthodox or Scriptural views than others. The reader is strongly advised to read with discernment, particularly if it is unknown whether author is trustworthy.
This project took a huge amount of time and skill to bring to fruition. I would particularly like to thank David Jonescue for the initial list of Puritans he found on EEBO and the concept behind this project as well as the continuous, unceasing efforts toward seeing this complete. Without his labor, this would not be available. Alex Sarrouf was invaluable in providing the initial list of over 7,000 spelling variations he had identified and corrected, as well as continuing to review more than 16,000 additions to that list for any typos.
Logan West
(with David Jonescue and Alex Sarrouf)
www.puritansearch.org
A Declaration unto the Lord's, of the Jews desire these fiftene years for Hebrew explication of our Greke Gospel: hindered by a brase of wicked selly D.D.: whereof the God of Jews & Gentiles hath paid the one: & will pay the other: when he hath detected who he is.
1611.
I heard, R. H. of a most honorable bent of the K. for clearing in Hebrew & Grek by the Apoc. all the Bible: & my desire that way is stirred by news from Greece. One Edw. Crain a shipper of N. Castell: was long in Thrace: where Jews daily rejoiced of our knowledge in the law, hoping to learn from us salvation. And one came with him to Venice, for Leyden, hearing (by the Post of Collen belike) that I meant stay there. He would be fully instructed of me: that he might return to save his nation. And I whole fiften years craved allowance to show Christ through the Bible. But Satan hindered all hitherto. Now I hope the sting in the Dragons tail shall be pluck up: that no libellers crew sting more. They joy that I show Jesus not Joseph son to Eli: Luc. 3. Jeconiah, Matth. 1. only by Kings phrase father to Salathiel, by all Rabbin's upon Ier. 22. & Parted Macedoniens the fourth Kingdom in Daniel: & Daniel's 490. years seven times the captivity space, begun at the Angels message & drawn exactly unto our Lord's death. Even by Ibn Ezra their own Doctor: forced to overthrow their own Talmudics all: by clear ending of Moses. Also this was acceptable, that I shown Ps. 16. That▪ Christ said, that thou wilt not leave me to the Grave till the body see corruption. & so Act. 2. & Crede: crucified dead & buried: & went to God: where 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 hath heaven for the Godly, & Gehenna for the wicked: both on high. They thought we in England held a going to Hell. As Chrysologus now 1200. years: & Rome confuted by Isaac Ben Arama. fol. 205. that so our Gospel could not be from God: if it taught that the Fathers could mis of Paradise hence or Messias. The very Deuels & Porphyry their Angel in Euseb. Apod. Euang. 3. say: our Lord's soul was the Godliest of all souls: & the soul of the godly goeth into the soil of heaven: where Jesus & all just be. This much the very Deuels confessed: But our translation Ps. 16. thou wilt not leave my soul in Hell, & the same Act. 2. is more shameless then any part of the Alkoran. And a sixth point cheered the text of the holy Grek: where Beza 60. years checked the text & milliones after him. Hence they thought God never gave it. For as in the course of nature God preserveth all his creatures & all the letters of the Law: so he would have kept every letter of the New Testament if he gave it. But before me none defended the general pureness & eloquence to be from God. So longe they staggered: But now rejoiced vncredibly. Five Hebrew little works the most Eloquent Rabbin of all the world, as prage censured, Rabbi Reuben sent into England for me. Beside that which I printed to the delight of all Christendom: But the libellers crew that libelled I forged the first of six: bezelled them that poor Reuben died in imperfect hope. A copy of one a merchand hath in Ingland. And the Turkey merchants might find who had them. I would request the K. to try who were the Atheists that durst so deal to hinder the glory of Christendom: & salvation of Abraham's sons. I have lately complained to your Lordships a little: But I reserve this to mine own complaint to his sacred Majesty. To whom I have to show the original of Abraham Rubens Epistle printed: for a memorial against them that libelled I forged it. The one died horribly. Men may mark the others end. I hasten home to instruct the K. & Pr. if it please them in few hours in all the Bible: & grounds of Divinity study. And then I may detect the barbarous atheism & brainsick profaneness of the libellers, scoffing the scottish mist & brettish nation, as the mate would scoph: for these points: That he turneth Atheanly, for the Popes use, our Lord's words in 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 to damn heathen Governors of tyranny. Wher our L. Prov. 8. telleth that by him Princes decree right. But he would teach that our Lord taught against Caesar: to be gilti by Human Laws. And for Grek in 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 he is to be accused of extreme blindness, twelve times the 70. have the word: but the Hebrew answerable never signifieth tyranny: & old Heathen never use it. So his raving is against the cōcent of Scripture, which God gave: I did but show: & his denying Messias to be Christ our Lord in M. Lively, upon Dan. 9. & time of his baptism or death: which endeth Moses, to be plain in prophecy: & his assertion that Sacrifice was Lawfull in Emperor Vespasians dayesi: this crossing of all salvation worse then Machumedean shall be objected: & his Lunatique scoffing of the conclusion of the most famous Syllogism of Archb. whit & B. Winton, concluding vnvincibly that in the Crede to descend to Hell is to go up to heaven: this shall be urged to disgrade him: or to send him to Bishop the wild in Virginia. And whereas he bestoweth: the term Ass on me: The K. may set him to dispute whether the libeller or I shall bear that name. If it please the K. to try my vein: if in 24. sermons I make not his court better in all the Bible, & rules of Divinity: then the libeller will ever be: I will be greved at no disgrace. I stay to hear of the Jew sent from 15. years zeal of his folk: who give me such words, all, for hebrew eloquence, & the most, for perpetual orthodoxie, that would make Barre Loe to burst their panches for envy. Yet if the wind serve I will hasten to salute his M. & will take order to have the Jew sent to England after leave that he may come. being yet unbaptized. I wish him to hear before the King all the Bible in one Hebrew Sermon: & then Baptized.
Your Lordships most Humble H. BROVGHTON.