And in like manner, Iosephus in his second book against Apion saith, We sacrifice, and pray unto the Lord, in the first place, for the whole world, for their prosperity, and peace, and afterwards more particularly for our selves, forasmuch (as we conceive) that prayer which is first extended universally, and is afterwards put up more particularly, is very much acceptable unto God. Which words are also related by Eusebius Cæsareensis, in his Præparatio Evangelica, lib. 8. cap. 2.
10. ’Tis true, that no outward materiall glories are perpetuall; and so the temple had its period, and with the paschall lamb, all other sacrifices ceased: But in their stead, we have at this day prayer, and as Hoseah speaks Cap. 14.2. For bullocks, we render the calves of our lips. And three times every day, this is our humble supplication, and request to God, Fill the whole world, O Lord, with thy blessings; for all creatures are the works of thy hands; as it is written, the Lord is good to all, and his tender mercies are over all his works Psal. 145.9.
11. Yea further, we pray for the conversion of the nations, and so we say in these most excellent prayers, upon Ros a sana and the day of attonement, Our God, and the God of our Fathers, reign thou over the whole world in thy glory; and be thou exalted over all the earth, in thine excellency; cause thy influence to descend upon all the inhabitants of the world, in the glorious majesty of thy strength; and let every creature know that thou hast created him; and let every thing that is formed, understand that thou hast formed it; and let all that have breath in their nostrills say, the Lord God of Israel reigneth, and his kingdome is over all dominions. And again, Let all the inhabitants of the earth know, and see, that unto thee every knee shall bow, and every tongue swear; before thee, O Lord our God, let them bow, and prostrate themselves; let them give honour to the honour of thy name, and let them all take upon them the yoak of thy kingdome, &c. And again, Put thy fear, O Lord, our God, upon all thy works, and thy dread upon all that thou hast created; let all thy works fear thee, and let all creatures bow down before thee and let them all make themselves one handfull, (that is, with joynt consent) to do thy will with a perfect heart, &c. A most worthy imitation of the wise King Solomon, who after he had finished the building of the Temple, in that long prayer King. 1.8. was not unmindfull of the Gentiles, but v. 41. he saith, Moreover, concerning a stranger, that is not of thy people of Israel, but cometh out of a farre country, for thy names sake, for they shall hear of thy great name, and of thy strong hand, and of thy stretched-out arm, when he shall come, and pray towards this house, hear thou in heaven thy dwelling place, and do according to all that the stranger calleth to thee for, that all people of the earth may know thy name, to fear thee, as do the people of Israel, and that they may know that thy name is called upon this house which I have builded. Where it may be observed, that when the Israelite comes to pray, he saith, 29. and give every man according to his wayes; but upon the prayer of a stranger, he saith, and do according to all that the stranger calleth to thee for. And this distinction is made to this end, that by the evident, and apparent return, and answer of their prayers, all Gentiles might effectually be brought in to the truth, and knowledge, and fear of God, as well as the Israelites.
12. Moreover, since the holy prophets made prayers, and supplications for all men, as well for the nations, as the Israelites, how should not we do the same, for the nations, among whom we inhabit, as ingaged by a more especiall obligation, for that we live under their favour and protection? In Deuteronomy 23.7. God commands Thou shalt not abhorre an Egyptian, notwithstanding the heavy burthens they afflicted us with, onely because thou wast a stranger in his land, because that at the first, they entertained, and received us into their country.
As on the other side, Ezek. 23.11. he saith, As I live, saith the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live. We ought therefore to imitate his actions, and not to hate any man, upon the mere account of religion, but onely to pray to the Lord for his conversion; and this also, without giving offence, or any kind of molestation. To detest, or abhorre those, to whom we owe that prosperity which we enjoy, or who endeavour their own salvation, is a thing very unworthy, and ill becoming; but to abhorre their vices, and sins, is not so. It was a very excellent observation, of a most wise, and vertuous Lady, Beruria, who (as it is recorded in the Talmud, Berachot cap. 1.) when her husband R. Meir was about to pray to God, to destroy some of his perverse, and froward neighbours, that had no lesse grievously, then maliciously vexed, and molested him, gave him this seasonable admonition, that such a thing ought not to be done in Israel; but that he should rather make his prayer, that they might return, and break off their sinnes by repentance, alledging that text, Psal. 104.35. Let sin be consumed out of the earth; it is not said sinners, but sinnes; and then the wicked shall be no more.
13. We have now in this Section shewn, that it is a mere calumnie to imagine, that we Iewes should pray to God, so as to give an offence to the Christians, or cause scandall, by any thing in our prayers, unlesse it be that we are not Christians, we have declared to the contrary, how we daily pray for them. As also that during the temple, we offered up sacrifices, for nations confederate with us, and how all Emperours desired this. Yea, and we offered sacrifices, not onely for particular princes, but for all mankind in generall. How, since sacrifices ceased, with the temple, we at this day, do the same in our prayers, and how we beseech God for their salvation, without giving any scandall, or offence in respect of religion; and how we think our selves obliged to perform all this, by the sacred Scripture. By all which layed together, I hope I have sufficiently evidenced the truth, of that I have asserted.
THE FOURTH SECTION.
By consequence, the accusation of Buxtorphius, in his Bibliotheca Rabbinorum, can have no appearance of truth, concerning that which he puts upon us, viz. that we are blasphemers. I will set down the Prayer it self.
“We are bound to praise the Lord of all things; to magnifie him, who made the world, for that he hath not made us, as the Nations of the earth; nor hath he placed us as the families of the earth; nor hath he made our condition like unto theirs, nor our lot, according to all their multitude. For they humble themselves to things of no worth, and vanity, and make their prayers to gods that cannot save them; but we worship before the King of kings, that is holy, and blessed; that stretched forth the Heavens, and framed the Earth; the seat of his glory is in heaven above, and his divine strength in the highest of the Heavens; He is our God, and there is no other; He is truly, our King, and besides him, there is no other; as it is written in the Law. And know this day, and return into thine own heart, because the Lord is God, in Heaven above, and upon the Earth beneath, there is no other.”
Truly, in my opinion, it is a very short, and most excellent prayer, and worthy of commendation. The Sultan Selim, that famous conquerour, and Emperour of the Mahumetans, made so much account of it, that he commanded his Doctor Moses Amon, (who translated the Pentateuch into the Arabian and Persian languages) that he should translate our prayers. And when he had delivered them to him in the Turkish Tongue, he said to him, what need is there of so long prayers? truly this one might suffice, he did so highly esteem and value it. This is like an other prayer which was made at that time, viz.