A Sermon preached at the Christening of a certaine Iew at London by Iohn Foxe Conteining an exposition of the .xi. Chapter of S. Paul to the Romanes Translated out of Latin into English by Iames Bell. Imprinted at London by Christopher Barker Printer to the Queenes Maiestie at the signe of the Tygres head in Pater Noster Rowe ANNO. 1578. ¶ The Contentes of this present booke Wherein be discoursed and discussed the principall groundes and foundations of our Christian faith of the true syncere church of Christ our Messias of the infinite gloriâ— and maiesty of his kingdome vvith a refutation of the obstinate Ievves and lastly touching the finall conuersion of the same Also to the later ende of this Sermon is ioyned the confession of Nathaniel this baptized Ievve vvritten first by him selfe in the Spanish tongue and novv translated into English for the more benefite of the godlie Reader ¶ To the Right honorable Sir Francis Walsingham Knight principall Secretarie to her Maiestie and one of her highnes most honorable prime councell Io. Foxe wisheth all felicitie in our Sauiour Iesus Christ. PResuming nâ—t so much vpon mine owne head as aduised or rather enfoâ—ced by request counsayle and persuâ—sion of one laâ—eâ—â—â— most â—â—unden seruaÌ„t to your honour whoseâ— name for diuers respectes I conceale aâ—â— therefore bolde to â—duenture the offer of this small work to your honourable goodnes humbly beseeching the same not only to accept it well in worth but also if any such thing occurre in this mâ— simple trauaile which may pleasure or profiteâ—â—on to â—éelde all thankes to the Lord if otherwise to let the fault onely rest vpon me Albeit notwithstanding other causes also were not wanting to admonish me of my dutiful office in this behalfe First your manifolde and gratefull benefites vpon mée bestowed which as of your part well may beséeme your honorable benignitie so of my part very litle haue bene deserued Furthermore remembring with my selfe at what time this sermon was first preached and you so earnestly required the sande matter agayne to bee repeated in your chamber being sicke certes this zealous desiâ—e of your so Christian affection requiâ—eth no lesse of duetie then the whole tractation hereof whatsoeuer it be being now published in print with some more diligence reuised to be wholy intituled to your name Ouer and besides an other cause here also falleth in of my part not to be vnremeÌ„bred For if your bountiful and courteous beneficence neuer of me prouoked lesse deserued so liberally hath refreshed my pooâ—e weake health with the wholsome fruit of your French grape litle could I do and vnkind were I if I would not remember you againe with some part of recompence in requiting the wholsome fruite of your plentifull vineyard with some branche of this gladsome and Euangelicall Oliue tree not as in equalitie of sufficient recompence to satisâ—â—e your deâ—ertes but as testifâ—ing to you a minde not ingratefull nor vnmindefull what he would do if greater abilitie would serue To your good honour both yours and to the right worshipâ—â—l Lady your wiâ—e to the yong litle plants of your domesticall Oliue sitting about your table to your good housholde I wishe the grace of Christ long to keepe yâ—u his mercie to nouâ—ish you his counsaile to direct you his peace to comfort you his gifts to eâ—creâ—se you to the profite both of the Church and common wealth Lond. Aâ—â—o 1578. Yours in Christ Iesu Iohn Foxe The Preface to the Christian Reader conteyning godly exhortation FOrasmuch as the summe absolute perfection of al our righteousnesse consisteth in the onely faith and knowledge of Iesu Christ without whom al humane power and puyssaunce is vneffectuall without whome no prouident policie preuayleth ne yet any force or actiuitie of naturall operation can bring any thing to passe no honorable ornament of vertue no excellencie of exquisite learning is auaylable according to the testimonie of the Lord himselfe Withouâ— me ye can do nothing what ought weâ— seely mortall wretches regard more entierly then that by due proceeding in dayly renewed encreases of this same faith we not only cleaue fast to this Iesu Christ the assured vndoubted chiefetaine Prince of life And coÌ„ueying him into the very intrailes of our soules we throughly possesse him as fast enclosed in a certaine holy Oratorie but also endeuour by all meanes possibly to be most neerely ioyned vnto him to be incorporate wholly in him made members of his owne body For performance wherof behoueth vs aboue all other to be guyded by his conduct and counâ—el chiefely Searche the Scriptures sayth he for they beare witnes of me Which saying S. Peter the Apostle doeth verifie aduertizing vs of the same faith And we haue sayeth he a more sâ—re worde of the Prophetes whereunto whiles yee take heede as vnto a lyght that shineth in a darke place ye doe well vntill the dawne of the day appearâ— the day starre aryse in your hearts Yea the Lorde him selfe in an other place sendeth vs backe to the scholing of the Law and the Prophets as vnto infallible preceptes and rules of pure and true doctrine And albeit I may not denye that testimonie of S. Paul to be most true where he sayth That faith is a gift of God yssuing from his free mercy bountie yet doth he not thereby meanewhyles exclude other lawfull and ordinarie meanes taught for the better attainement thereof As where he sayeth Fayth commeth by hearing hearing by the word of God. So that their error is so much the more blameworthy who contented with that intricate and confused faith as they tearme it be of opinion that to the rude vnlettered people sufficeth ynough to beleeue those things onely that all other men do beleeue But this common faith seemed not sufficient to the auncient fathers in that purer age of the primitiue Apostolique Church who though mistrusted not the lessons instructions of the Apostles yet were they also in this respect adiudged prayseworthy because they did conferre the doctrine which they receyued of the Apostles with the bookes of the Law and the prophets which obseruatioÌ„ of the elders was of no smal importaunce to procure credite to the establishment of faith But the state of Christianitie is nowe come I know not to what passe that this Christian faith which behoued to be most deepely engrauen in the hearts of euery of vs is either not so well garnyshed in manye of vs as it ought to be in others very faynt and feeble and in some others skarse any resemblaunce at all appearing which slender portion and sparkle of faith be it neuer so small as is not altogether to be reiected so neyther is this wonderfull sluggishnes and retcheles securitie of the men in our age in any respect tolerable of whome some ouergreedily busied in worldly affaires some feeding their fansies vpon fonde delights do either make no estimate at al of that
imprinted And although my meaning was at the first to haue the same directed to the behoof of the Iewes chiefely yet I trust it vvil not be altogether vnprofitable to the Christian readers First because it may so be yea I feare me may also iustly be feared lest amongst the nomber of theÌ„ which say that they beleue in Christ some happely vvil be found in vvhose lippes onely this faith rolleth at large and hath not yet pearced any deeper nor taken roote in their heartes nor are as yet so sufficiently learned as if matter come to tryall and proofe they can render a true and vndoubted reason of this their faith Moreouer admitte that a man stande assured and stedfast in the certeintie of his faith yet vvhat faith is there so sure constant and vnuanquiâ—â—able but may be made more stable and perfect For if S. Paul did see sometime as in a darke ryddle if the Apostles notvvithstanding so many miracles vvrought in their sight needed yet the interpretation of Scriptures if those vvhich receaued the vvoorde by the preaching of Paul did neuerthelesse coÌ„ferre his doctrine vvith the Scriptures to see whether they agreed togetherâ— as is recorded in the Actes of the Apostles vvhat shoulde let vs to doe the like that by this meanes vve also myght encrease dayly from fayth to faith Finally for as much as our auncient deadly enemie doeth not more cruelly maligne nor more outragiously assaile any one thing so much as this our faith in Christ surely I iudge this aboue all other most requisite that euery of vs haue especial regard to be as much as is possible armed and garded vvith this target of faith that vve may couragiously encounter all attempts and assaults of the deuill vvhereunto hovve auaylable this litle Sermon vvill be I knovv not that let Christ our Lorde him selfe see vnto and giue his mercifull ayde therein I for my slender capacitie haue perfourmed vvhat I vvas able and as much as the Lorde graunted me vvhome I most heartily beseeche to blesse and encrease thy holy studies godly Reader and to direct the same to the honour glory of his name Amen A Sermon of the true and gladsome Oliue tree mentioned in the Epistle of Sainct Paul to the Romanes chap. xi preached at London by a faithfull Minister of God Iohn Foxe at the christening of a certaine Iewe translated out of Latine into Englishe FIrst as duetie requireth I do yeeld most humble thaÌ„ks to our Lorde and Sauiour Christ Iesu whome it hath pleased of his vnsearcheable mercie and bountifull loue towardes vs to minister so notable an occasion of our assembly this present day place and so fruitefull an argument for mee to empart vnto you all Secondly I doe no lesse heartily thanke then woorthily commend in the Lord all you that are present who according to your accustomed maner are so willingly and ioyfully gathered together enduced hereunto not through any vayne delight of fonde noueltie but of a seryons and studious zeale of godlinesse not as gazers of friuolous fantasticall fables but as willing witnesses of this great and inestimable benefite of almightie god Lastly I do from the bottome of my heart reioyce in the behalfe of this person for whose cause we are as nowe mette here together who being transported from out the vttermost parts of Barbarie into England and conuersant amongest vs by the space of sixe whole yeeres renouncing nowe at the last the naturall contumacie of his natiue country doth with so earnest bent affection of voluntarie wil chearefully desire to become a member of Iesu Christ and to be made partaker of his holye congregatioâ— through faith and Baptisme And withall I most humbly beseeche Almightie God that he will not onely vouchsafe his gracious encrease to this glorious worke begunne with this Israelite stranger but also to allure the whole remnant of the circumcised Race by this his example to be desirous of the same communion So that at the length all nations as well Iewes as Gentiles embracing the faith and Sacramentes of Christ Iesu acknowledging one Shephearde vnited together in one sheepefold may with one voice one soule and one generall agreemeÌ„t gloâ—ifie the only begotten sonne our sauiour Iesus Christ be glorified againe of him And that it may please him of his singular clemencie to graunt the same as also to blesse these our dayes with quiet calme and ioyfull tranquillitie which we doe nowe enioy vnder the gouernmeÌ„t of our most gracious Souereigne and her most honorable Magistrates I beseeche you of your charitie to ioyne with me in heart and minde vnto the eternall God father of vs all with the same prayer which his onely begotten sonne taught vs in the Gospell The Prayer Our father c. Forsamuch as in the administration of the Sacraments of the Church I doe well perceiue that both by the word of God and by an auncient and solemne custome amongst many it hath bene an vse to haue somewhat for the better instruction of their auditories read and expounded out of the bookes of holie scripture and deliberating likewise with my selfe what course I might best keepe at this present as well to serue the offred opportunitie as also to satisfie the publique commodity of you al chiefly I could not determine vpoÌ„ any one text of the whole scripture to be opened vnto you more profitable for your learning more effectuall for exhortation more applyable to our age and more agreeable for this present occasion then the sentence of S. Paul the Apostle not very long but of woÌ„derfull force taken out of the xi chapter of his Epistle written to the Romanes And to the ende you may receiue the same to your greater comfort it behoueth you to yeeld earnest and heedefull attention not with your bodily eares onely but with the eares of your minde also to these things which I shal vtter vnto you Hearken ye therefore to the words of the Apostle euen as him selfe hath spoken them To the Romanes the 11. chapter I speake vnto you Gentiles in as much as I am the Apostle of the Gentiles I wil magnifie mine office if by any meanesâ— may prouoke them which be my fleshe and may saue some of them for if the casting away of them be the receyuing of the worlde what shal the receyuing of them be but life froÌ„ the dead For if the first fruits be holy the whole masse is holy also And if the Roote be holy the braunches will be holye also And if some of the braunches be broken of and thou beyng a wilde Oliue tree wast graffed in amongest them and made partaker of the Roote and fatnesse of the true and naturall Oliue tree boaste not thy selfe agaynst the brauÌ„ches for if thou do boaste thou bearest not the roote but the roote beareth thee Thou wilt say then The braunches are broken of that I may be engraffed in Thou sayest well for vnbeliefe sake they were broken of and thou stoodest
not giue his glorie to an other and what is more glorious to him than to be acknowledged of his creatures to be the onely fountayne of all goodnesse to be our lightening and saluation that wee may dwell confidently vnder the shadowe of hiâ— winges who will be called vpon in the daye of our necessitie and he will heare vs. And therefore as that doctrine is contrarie to the doctrine of our Prophet is cast away of you which in this countrey beleue in the man Iesus So I haue more willingly and with a more readie minde hearkened to the wordes of your teachers and learned by Gods good working to knowe more of our promised Messhiach thaÌ„ our fathers beleue but no more than our scriptures most truely conteine Being assured that seing you haue the wordes of our Prophets and do not followe strange gods you are to be hearkened vnto For by our Lawe no Prophet may bee reiected but the false prophet who seketh to turne vs awaye from the Lorde our God to serue other gods And therefore as I haue learned by the wordes of your teachers conferring them with our Lawe and Prophets that our promised King Messhiach is not a Prince of this worlde as one that hath to establishe a temporal kingdome amongst vs but a spirituall whose power and might consisteth in gouerning vs by his Spirit and forgiuing the sinnes of Israel and taking awaye the iniquities of Iacob bearing in his owne bodie the chastisement of our peace that is the chastisemeÌ„t that worketh and getteth vs peace as our Prophets tell vs So I confesse acknowledge that he is already come and that it is he of whom our Prophet spake Behold the dayes come sayth the Lord that I wil raise vnto Dauid a righteous branche and a King shall raigne and prosper and shall execute iudgement and iustice in the earth in his daies Iudah shal be saued and Israel shal dwell safely and this is the name whereby they shall call him The Lord our righteousnes And therefore being heartilie sorie for my so long going astraye from the faith of this man Iesus after the euill leading of my countrie men and kinsmen after the flesh for whose speedie turning to the Lorde I most earnestly praye and giuing the God of Abraham Isaac and Iacob heartie thanks for the working of his grace in me by bringing me from the darkenes wherein my fathers haue walked these fifteen hundreth yeres into his marueilous light to beholde the face of his Christ our true and onely Meshiach I protest vnto you that I vtterly forsake my former wayes and the steps that my nation walketh in leauing with them not only that false looking for an other Christ but my name also which was giuen me at my circumcision being Iehuda though in it selfe it be honourable desiring that as I haue receiued a new gift from the Lord so in token thereof I may be called Nathanael the summe of which gifte so farre forth as he hath as yet reuealed vnto me I here confesse acknowledge before you that you may be witnesses with me of my faith in Christ that Meshiach whom you beleeue in and I receiue for my redeemer I confesse with my mouthe and beleeue from my heart that the man Iesus Christ borne of the virgin Marie according to the foretelling of our Prophets and so by the flesh he toke of hir descending of the seede stocke of Dauid for the continuance of his kingdome for euer ouer his people Israel is the vndoubted Meshiach promised to our fathers for the redemption and deliuerie of vs his people out of the captiuitie wee are in which is not the captiuity of Egypt or Babylon or the captiuitie of the Romanes Empire which we haue iustly deserued by the shedding of his innocent bloud through betraying and deliuering him into the handes of the wicked to be crucified but the captiuitie of sinne death and damnation prefigured vnto vs by our Prophets vnder the shadowe of the foresaid captiuities of Egypt and Babylon Which things because our fathers vnderstoode not through ignorance of our scriptures they did all those thinges which they wrought against that holy one our only redeemer sauiour haue by that meanes estranged them selues and their posteritie from the common wealth in deede of Israel that is to saye from the communion of the sainctes and childreÌ„ of God which make pâ—â—fession of this mans name beleeue in trueth that he is the verie Christ and only anoynteâ— sauiour of the world which was so forepromised from the beginning of the world And therefore in full assurance of this full and perfect and last deliuerie wrought for all them that are both nigh and farre of that is for all that beleeue by that man Iesus whom our Prophets forenamed Immanuel which is by interpretation God with vs resting reposing my selfe in this horne of saluation I looke for no other Messhiach and Christ to come hereafter as the rest of my kindred anâ— people do blinded through vnbeliefe beeing my selfe throughly perswaded by the Prophets that this is that Shiloh which was to come that Angel of the Lord whom Elias the Thesbite as we cal him was to go before that is to say Iohn the Baptist whom soâ—e of our Prophets call the voyce in the wildernesse sent to prepare the wayes of this our King and holy one our redeemer conuerting by his preaching the fathers hearts vnto the children and the simple and vnbeleeuers to the obedience of the righteous For which cause also as our wordes meane he was by our fathers called Thesby which is by interpretation the seruant of God to worke repentance by And because this man who was appointed from the beginning to be our redeemer deliuerer out of the captiuity of sinne was to worke that great and marueilous redemption by his owne death as was prefigured vnto vs by our Passeouer and all our sacrifices and also declared by our Prophets which he performed in his time appointed being deliuered into the handes of Pontius Pilate by our Scribes and Pharisies to be put to that shamefull death of the Crosse whereof it is written in our lawe Cursed be the man that hangeth on the tree which is so well knowen to al the house of Israel that they call him euen to this daye in despite Talui which is by interpretation Hanged Therefore I also confesse and beleeue that our sacrifices commanded in our Law by the hand of Mosheh are at an end not to be vsed any more being in deede but shadowes of this bodie and truthe which was performed in and by this our Immanuel God with vs And therefore I most willingly and freely renounce that doctrine of our Elders which teacheth vs that our deliuerie forespoken 〈◊〉 by our Prophets is or shall be a restoring 〈◊〉 vs into our countrey and land of Iudea theâ— to keepe such ordinances and statutes toâ—ching sacrifices of goates and calues as werâ— commanded
God and nature do bring nothing to passe vnaduisedly by howe much the more grieuously the Iewes were ouercharged with the seuere rigor of Gods Iustice for what could be more heauye then to be razed out of the booke of life so much the more haynous must the canker be that prouoked this so sharpe and bitter corryzyue which cankred contagion that wrought their perdition is most expressely declared by these woâ—rdes of S. Paul for their vnbeliefe sayth he wherby all men may easily coniecture how horrible an infectioÌ„ this fretting fistula vnbeliefe is adiudged in the sight of God. But first we must open vnto you the nature anâ— substaunce of this vnbeliefe Unbeliefe is a thing mearely opposite and aduersary to beliefe by which contraposition you may easily perceyue the right nature or definition of vnbeliefe For if faith or beliefe be a certaine infallible knowledge of Ies. Chriâ—â— the Sonne of God ensealed in our hearteâ— whereby we doe embrace him as gyuen 〈◊〉 to vs from God the Father for vs to râ—pose our whole affyaunce in the same it is euident then by the same reason in whâ—â— sorte we ought to iudge of vnbeliefe 〈◊〉 whosoeuer hath ascribed the confidence of his saluation and free remyssion of hys synnes to any other person then vnto Iesus Christ or to any other creature theâ— to the fayth which ought to be in Christ Iâ—â—su the same may well be called an vnbâ—â—lieuing person Moreouer as there be mâ—â—nie degrees amongst the faythfull and likâ— as the fayth of some persons is more abunâ—daunt and plentyfull in some others scarse rypeâ— and lesse fruitefull in manie skarse any blossome or yssue at all appearing sâ— is the manifolde varietie of vnbeliefeâ— likeâ—wise expressed in the Scriptures after maâ—â—â—ie and sundrye sortes For there is a certayne vnbeliefe vnder the which as vnder certayne embers some sparkle of fayth is raked vp be it neuer so small which is signified in that sentence of Scripture where it is sayde I do beleeue Lorde Lorde helpâ— thou my vnbeliefe There is an other kinde of vnbeliefe which although be as yet ouerspread with a certayne darkened myste of foggy Ignoraunce and is tost to and fro with many wandering cloudes doubtfull vapoures yet because it peepeth nowe and then abroade because it glyttereth and shyneth somewhat and endeuoureth by all meanes possible to expresse his oâ—yent and bryght beames it seemeth not to rest in despayred estate There is yet also an other kiâ—d of vnbeliefe which the Lorde doth reproue but forsaketh notâ— as was that whereof meâ—tion is â—ade in the Gospel And he rebuked their vnbeliefe Thomas Didymus belieued not the Disciples when they tolde him that the Lorde was rysen againe A great vnbeliefe but not shaken of yet There is also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and there is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And it happeneth ofteÌ„ times that the one is named yâ—â— and reproched of the other The disciples theÌ„selues also were sometimes worthily rebuked for their vnbeliefe to whom was said O ye vnfaithful peruerse generatioÌ„ Peter was once yelden ouer to the vâ—ry â—â—inke of drowâ—ing for none other cause but for his vnbeliefe sake yet our Lorde stretching out his hand afterwards saued him This was a daungerous vnbeliefe But that other example not of his distrust onely but of his faithlesse reuolting was farre more peryllâ—us when the same Peter not once or twise only but three tymes in one nyght did not onely not acknowledge but also forsware his Lord and master yet was he not therefore depryued from his Apostleshippe And it is not to be doubted but that many persones doe entrude vpon the possession of Christian Title which can gloriously vaunte of Christ with their tongues but denye him vtterly in their deeds beleeuing nothing lesse in their hearts stedfastly then that whereof they carrye an outwarde resemblaunce in their talke coâ—ragiously And because this Serpigo resteth within those persones and crauleth to no further infection of the coÌ„gregation they are not therfore barred from partaking the Sacramentes of this Church which we â—all the visible Church And what shal be sayd of theÌ„ who many times doe accuse them selues of their owne vnbeliefe beyng valiannt souldiours neuerthelesse in the campe of Christian faith when as on the contrary part manie other doe firmely beleeue them selues â—â—â—e meare straungers to infidelitie whose fayth if it should be placed in the face of the enemy wil of very cowardize forthwith flee the fielde And albeit al these examples of vnbeliefe whereof I haue made mencion may iustly be reproued as blame worthy voyd of al color of defence yet may they be borne withal after a sort But this kind of infidelitie of al others is most horrible execrable when as men do rushe headlong into such obstinate resistance that they wil not only not acquaint theÌ„selues with the trueth being layd open before their eyes but will wittingly shut vp their senses from the beholding thereof because they will not see it wil spourne thereat not in words and profession only but wil cruelly persecute the same also with al maner of outrage slaughter blood blasphemies most despiteful execrations And this is that vnbeliefe which being more noysome then any pestileÌ„t botch may rightly properly be called the Iewish Infidelitie seemeth after a certaine maner their inheritable disease who are after a certaine sort from their mothers wombe naturally caried through peruerse frowardnes into all malitious hatred contempt of Christ his ChristiaÌ„s And for this cause especially I suppose it came to passe that wheras God so many hundred yeres before had coÌ„tinually pardoned their woÌ„derful manifold wickednes impietie after his wonted maner had from time to time endured winked at their horrible rebelâ—ioÌ„ idolatrie he could now no longer forbeare their abominable crueltie coÌ„mitted against his welbe loued sonne whome they trayterously murthered and hanged on tree but must needes auenge him vpon the whole nation and roote out the remnant of the whole race altogether And not without great cause for how could it els be after that he was once reueyled vnto theÌ„ for whose cause only al that coÌ„mon wealth of the Iewes was instituted erected What cause remayned then that the Iewishe synagogue should be of any longer continuance or to what purpose might it serue afterwards what That they might perseuere still in sacrificing the blood of goates and lambes to the Lorde And where should this be done in one family only But God is not delighted with such sacrifices nor dwelleth he in Temples made by men but euen in the very hearts of men he taketh no pleasure in externall pompe and outwarde obserâ—aunces nor gorgeous garnishinges of the body the vouchsafeth those worshippers which doe worship him in Spirite trueth These olde motheaten shadowes had their tyme and not their time onely but their lawfull vse also that so vnder shadowes
throughly in him a secrete diuinitie that was hydden vnder the veyle of the fleshe bodily But if these thinges shall be but of small credit with you what wil you answere to those so greate and manifolde tokens of wonderful vertue to such supernaturall and prodigious wonders of his what say ye to so great force of his diuine operation to so great power of his miracles not wrought by him alone but by his Apostles also through the vertue of his name onely yea and long sythence nowe and then openly wrought in his Church through the effectuall operation of his glorious name What will you say to his so great maiestie in worde innocencie of life certeintie in prophecying And besides al these his marueilous signes tokens expressed in his own person What wil you say to that his incomprehensible glorious resurrection his vnspeakeable ascension into the heauens lastly to those his most gracious gifts of the holy Ghost powred vpon vs from the heauens What can you answere I saye that all these so manifolde so wonderfull yea so heauenly graces myght import els then that there was in him a certayne superexcellent Diuinitie beyond all measure surmounting all reache and capacitie of mans vnderstanding All which things being approued with the testimonie of so many witnesses viewed and beholden with so many eyes practised by the dayly experience of so many Iewes ensealed with so many handes and wrytings published to vs Gentiles by manifold reportes of so many your Rabbynes and great Doctours of your own natioÌ„ if all these things I say shal yet seeme to you but colourable fayned and vnworthy of credit why do ye not with as good reason condemne for false lyars all and euery your owne prophets Patriarches your owne Lawe yea and the Psalmes also and rase them out of remembraunce because they did many hundred yeres before most expressely foreshewe and prognosticate euidently that all those thinges ingenerall shoulde come to passe euen in the same maner and order as they haue bene already accomplished Amongst whome let Esay the Prophete be adiudged a lyar because in the name of this Christ he promiseth health to the blynde to the lame to the halte and to the maymed because he comforteth the Ostriches and venemous beastes of the fielde with prayse glorie that shoulde happen vnto them because he prophecyeth hope of freedome to them that were in chaynes to prysoners libertie plenty and fulnesse to the needy and hungry light to them that sitte in the shadowe of death bountifull fruite fulnesse to fields that were otherwise by nature barren and through want of Tyllage ouerspread with bryars and brâ—mbles vncomely yea filthy by reason of their huge desolation to ouerflowing ryuers drynes and emptines finally to the Iewes them selues extreme blindnes Let the Prophet Osee be accompted a lyar also who prophecyeth likewise that a people which was not a people should be called and obteine mercy through the inestimable blessing of that heauenly Iewel Let Ionas the Prophete be adiudged a lyar also yea and that Elias likewise that was aduaunced into heauen in the fiery charryote the first of which two did prefigure Christs glorious rising againe the thirde day after his death the other of his ineffable ascension into the heauens the fourtieth day after his passion also of the comfortable consolation and sending of the holy Ghost by the letting downe of the cloake from out his triumphaunt charryote the fiftie daye called Pentecost Besides all these moreouer let Iohn Baptist the Prophet yea more then a prophet be condemned for a lyar who did not in word only acknowledge him but poynting towardes him with the finger pronounced boldely That he wâ—â— the very Lambe of God that shoulde take away the sinnes of the world Finally let all the whole authoritie of the Propheticall Scriptures be cancelled for vntrueth because the greater parte thereof doeth nothing els but foreshew and make reporte that all those things should come to passe which the Euangelicall historie doth expressely pronounce to be already accomplished Briefly if as yet your eyes be withholden with so grosse amazed obscuritie that the things which are more resplendisant then the Sunne in midday and so throughly knowen in all the partes of the worlde do so farre eâ—ceede the common capacitie of your blundered senses and seeme so incredible vnto you that ye can by no meanes comprehend them nor will suffer so many notable testimonies of Christes resurrection preuayle to worke so much creditte in your heartes as ye may beleeue in our Lorde Iesu Christ risen from the dead as well as we why doe ye not prâ—duce then his buryed carkasse if you can or at the least bring foorth some rame or fragmeÌ„t of his precious body be it neuer so smal Or if you thinke I demaunde an impossible request of you howe happeneth that none of all your progenitours could shew the same But if neyther you nor any of all your auncestours were able to doe this why do ye not then ioyne together with vs and worshippe him that is rysen agayne Why doe ye not honour and magnifie his name who reigneth in eternitie sitting in the heauens at the right hande of God the Father Whereunto if loue of religion can not induce you let naturall reason yet obteine so farre foorth with you to graunt that which no reason can deny Wherat make ye stay is not my request reasonable doe I not giue you wholsome counsell And lest that which I haue spoken runne in at one eare with you and out of the other taking no roote in your hearts I will for your better remembrance repete once agaiÌ„ne the words that I haue spoken If he whome ye haue slayne be not the very sonne of God if ye beleeue verily that he whome ye deryde and skorne at with that your reprochefull and despitefull name Talui were but a very naturall man why do ye not thâ—refore restore his deade body vnto vs or why do not your souldiours and hired watchemen yeelde his corpes agayne for the garding whereof they receyued from you so speciall a charge If they can not what els emporteth the graue beyng founde emptie What els signified the horror and amaseâ—nesse of your armed watchemen who beyng terrifyed with straungenesse of fearefull sightes fledde awaye so tymorously but that ye may be enforced wyll ye nyll ye to confesse this Christ Iesu to be very Messchias who hauyng entred vpon the possession of the kingdome of Dauid as in the ryght of his owne peculiar inheritaunce raygneth nowe in all eternitie and hauing vanquished all power of death sytteth nowe tryumphantly vpon the throne of his Father Dauid to order and establishe his Fathers kingdome with iudgement and Iustice from henceforth euen for euer and euer I would fayne learne nowe what that your obstinate rebellion is able once to mutter agaynst this First where no mistrust of perill is
onely you doe worshippe and honour so doe the Turkes Sarracenes Moores and Scythians as well as ye And where is there anie one nation vnder the coape of heauen so sauage and beastly that doeth not professe coÌ„fesse and worship one God onely And what is this to the purpose Albeit ye esteeme neuer so much of that your worshipping the great God if yet in meane whiles ye persecute his messengers and Ambassadours whome hee sendeth if you kill his Prophets if ye murther his Apostles Martyrs and Preachers Finally if you put to the most slaunderous death of the Crosse the deare entierly beloued and onely begotten sonne of God him selfe being tormented with all kynde of horrible tortures to the vnspeakeable reproche of the same your owne God with what shamelesse visage can you bragge that God to be your father whose sonne you haue so shamefully crucified Yea what were this to the purpose or what might it auayle you to seeme to your selues that the same God is your father if he do not reknowledge you for his children Take this for an vndouted trueth that no kinde of people can bee adiudged to bee the people of the liuing God but in respect of his deare sonne Christ iesu Which if your blundered senses can not comprehend as yet what meane those woordes of Osee I beseeche you and of whome were they spoken For yee bee not my people therefore will I not bee yours And it shall come to passe in the place where it was sayde vnto them you are not my people it shall bee sayde vnto them you are the sonnes of the liuing God. You doe persist still obstinately in the opinion of Gods Lawe and quite contrarie to the Lawe of God without all lawe equitie and conscience hanged and racked vpon tree the very same person of whome the whole Lawe did prophesie before notwithstanding so many strange and woonderfull miracles wrought by him so many brotherly benefites employed vpon you yea finding also no maner of cause worthy of death in him You â—o vaunt your selues lustily in speach of the circumcision of your fores kinnes and your vncircumcised hearts ouerflowe with spyderlike poyson you bragge of keeping the Sabboth daye whiles you take your bodily repast onely but the right vse of the Sabboth of the Lorde is to haue a quiet minde free from all iarre of enuie and malice This Sabboth you do prophane continually but then chiefely most wickedly when ye murthered the Lord him selfe neither seeme as yet satisfied therewith nor ye will relent any iote at al from your caâ—ckred conâ—umacie you professe in wordes the letter of the lawe but vtterly disclayme from the spirituall meaning of the lawe in your deedes You crye â—ut The Temple of the Lord the Temple of the Lord and yet you abhorre the Church of Christ being the true Temple of the Lorde you challenge to your selues a wonderful hautie prerogatiue of the blood offrings of the Priesthoode of the Sacrifices and ceremonies of the Law which in deede carry a certaine gallaunt resemblance of true religion But these outwarde shadowes and ceremonies had their tyme and place long agoe and were not instituted to the ende they should continue irreuocable but for a season to represent as it were a superficiall viewe vnto vs of more excellent thinges Euen as the kingly Throne of Dauid and all that politique gouerâ—ement of the Israelites dyd prefigure nothing els vnto vs but the euerlasting kingdome of Christ and were as certaine principles wherewith the mindes of the beholders might be raysed vp to a more deep consideration of farre highe mysteries in so much that the very same which was but figured in king Dauid we playnly perceiue to haue bene expressely discouered in the king of the newe Ierusalem which is the Church of Christ. The same which was prefigured in Abel in Noah in Abraham Melchisedech Ioseph Moyses Aaron Iosuah Sampson Dauid Elias Ionas Iesu the great Priest in the Paschall Lambe in the brasen Serpent in the Rocke in Manna in the feast of Pentecoste briefely whatsoeuer exercises were practized in shadowes types figures we do vnfainedly acknowledge to haue met coÌ„curred byn accoÌ„plished in one body And this body truely is Christ Iesu who is also the ende consummation of al the whole Lawe In like maner the sacrifices and ceremonies trimminges and deckings of the olde Law conteined in them selues no sounde nor permanent matter but were shadowes and forerunners of more excellent graces For what is he so poreblinde in this our age that knoweth not that God doth not dwel in Temples made by mens handes that consciences are not cleaÌ„sed from sinnes with the blood of goats of bulles But these bloody offrings obteined a certaine resemblance only of the true purging of sinnes What doth the commandement of the prophete emply when in your Passeouer he charged a lambe of a yere olde cleane vndefiled to be slayne by families tribes Can your senses be so blockishe to thinke that so great effectuall operation lurketh in the blood of beasts as may auayle to deliuer you from cruel thraldome translate you to the lande of promise flowing with milke hony if there were no cornell of deeper mysterie enclosed within the outwarde shell of the letter It remayneth nowe that we treate of the promises of the Prophetes whereupon you boaste so much and rayse all your building which onely thing of all others doeth vnioynte and shyuer in pieces all the strong bulwarkes of your vnbeliefe euen to the very bottome of the foundation And to the ende I may make this appeare more euidently I wyll combate a crashe with you in your owne castle whereunto I will vse none other furniture but your owne weapons I meane the very words and knowen sentences of your owne prophets And I wil so deale with you in this coÌ„flict by the ayde assistaÌ„ce of God as not heaping together out of all the Prophets in generall their whole armorie of proofe that I know for that were vnmeasurable But I wil chuse rather out of certaine of theÌ„ not a multitude to surcharge you with nomber but certaine especial testimonies with the which as with choise shot powder I wil so batter y bulwarks of your bluÌ„dered vnbeliefe that you shall not be able by any meanes possible to delude the matter with caffling nor escape by denyall nor with any subtile legerdemayne of litterall exposition cast a myste before mine eyes nor vntwyne your selues out of the meashe by any crooked conueyaunce as you are wont to do though ye would neuer so fayne but either you shall be peruinced willingly to come to reason or els against your willes to be confouÌ„ded altogether with the manifest light of the trueth And to beginne first with the prophete Esay what answere can all the ofspring of the Hebrewes make to these woordes written in the ninth chapter of his prophecie For the yoke of their burden
Sinagogue to learn how they ought to be haue theÌ„ selues in their dayly conuersation vnblameable As to that which apperteineth to the consideration of the time this ought to be holdeÌ„ for certaine that those blood offrings of the Ceremoniall lawe were not deliuered because they should neuer cease euen as neither the Temple was builded to the end it should neuer be rased and destroyed or as though the ouerthrowe thereof shoulde forthwith extinguish al worshipping of god withal but were giuen for a time onely not to continue for euer but transitorie rather and remoueable remaynâ—ng in vse as certaine exercises and introductions of outwarde discipline vntill the blessed seede shoulde come in whome the promise tooke effect And therefore almightie God did with great care long time as it were allowe the Sacrifices to nourtour the weake capacitie of the people of â—hat rude age by meanes whereof the said sacrifices had thâ—n their certaine vse estimation nor were adiudged vnclean during that season But as now the estate of the time being altered sithence the truth it selfe doeth ouerspread the worlde with wonderfull lightsomnesse and the Sunne of righteousnesse displayeth his cleare and palpable brightnes these carnallâ— Sacrifices and blood offerings do vtterly cease and are altogether discharged from further vse For what auaileth to gaze after shadowes where the bodie is present to be beholden plainly What senselesse man will burne candle or light a torche in sunneshine at midday who will groape for darkenes in open light or seeke for night in clearest day The cause why that butcherie of siely beastes was permitted you for a time was to enfourme your grossenesse and tame the hardenesse of your heartes that so by viewe of visible signes and representations of spectable shadowes the Lorde might traine you along to the true and pure clensing of sinnes which was then to come But nowe sithence wee are come to the truth it self wherof the other were but shadowes it is a necessarie consequent that those things which were sometime esteemed for clean the very same again through alteratioÌ„ of time may be accounted not only vncleane and defiled but filthie also and abominable Which things being vndoubted true ye men of Israel as may most manifestly appeare vnto you by the testimoniâ— discourse of Malachie and other Prophets what eâ—treme madnes is this in you to perseuer still in so deepe a slumber dreaming yet about your olde rotten tabernacles your forlorne Temple your carnall worshippings and motheaten sacrifices But let vs imagine and graunt by way of a case put that you may recouer your Ierusalem againe which notwiâ—hstanding will neuer come to passe vnlesse God himselfe and all his Prophets doe lie I would fayne learne of you then what you would do there First you will procure your Temple to be built vp againe And why so because ye may offer incense and sacrifice to God after your accustomed maner As though that generall Lord of all nations can not be worshipped els where then in a blinde angle of the world at Ierusalem perdy And how then will the saying of the Prophet Malachie be verifiâ—d who saieth that the time should come when the Lord of hosts shoâ—ld be worshipped in all places and incense offred vnto him throughout al the world from the rising of the sunne to the going downe thereof If you wil so streight and restrainâ— all worship due vnto God within the walles of your Temple only as it were lockt fast in some closet then I demaund of you further with what kinde of sacrifice you will pacifie your God within that Temple forsooth with blood and butcherie of beastes But where is then that pure and vndefiled offring mencioned by Malachie which is not embrued with slâ—ughter I suppose but perfourmed by spiritual sacrifices Finally with what argument can you persâ—ade that the liuing God ought to bee worshipped more properly and peculiarly of you Iewes then of all other nations namely sith you are so plainely conuinced with the expresse testimonie of Malachieâ— who making no meÌ„tion of the Iewes doth prophesie that the name of God shal be had in great admiration amongst the Genâ—iles What answerâ— will you make also to that promise of the same Malachie in the Chapter following where foretelling the signes and tokens that should go before the comming of the Messhias to wit That his forerunner should come first and prepare the way before the face of the Lord And immediately sayethâ— And 〈◊〉 Lorde whome yee seeke shall speedily come to his holy Temple euen the Angell of the â—ouenaÌ„t whom you desire â—â— Whatâ— came not that same forerunnerâ— that was promised Was not his voyce heard also in the desert according to the prophecie of Esayâ— crying out as loude as he could to the ende you should prepare the way of the Lorde and should make straight in the desert â— path for your God. Why did you no◠〈◊〉 preparation then Why did you not receyue the Angell of the Couenant whom ye desired comming into his holy Temple Nay rather why did you banish him from out your Synagogue why did you dayly exclude him froÌ„ thence rayling coÌ„tinually vpoÌ„ the Lord with outragious reproches and taunting blasphemies What punishment or torture may â—e imagined horrible inough to counteruaile so execrable outragies Also by the way here is not to be passed ouer in silence the saying of the same prophet annexed in the end of the same chap. coÌ„cerning the dreadful terrible day of the Lord wherwith he wil ouerwhelm the proud wicked doers whom that hote scorching day eueÌ„ as an hote burning ouen should deuoure as flame consumeth the stubble leauing neither branche nor roote of them But you wil say that this threatning doth concerne others and apperteineth nothing at al to you Yes truly the very order proceding and euent of the matter doe most manifestly conuince that this direfâ—l threatning was denouÌ„ced against you chiefly whose words that ensue hereupon immediatly are these Behold saith he I wil send you Elias the prophet before the coÌ„ming of the great and fearful day of the Lord and he shall turne the heartes of the fathers to the children and the hearts of the childreÌ„ to the fathers lest happly I come and smite the earth with cursing And to whom 〈◊〉 this Elias be sent but vnto you and therefore what land shal be accursed but you Finally what signifyeth the worde anathema but a certaine finall destruction of all mankinde except those persons only whoâ—â— Elias should reduce to amendment of coÌ„uersation For God hath not so vtterly reiected his people y no remnant therof shal be saued as I declared before vnto you out of s. Paul. But I wil surcease to surcharge you with more testimonies adding onely one or two places first out of the booke of Genesis anâ— then out of the Prophet Osee wherein it shal not be needeful to vse long discourse For who is so ignorant
thee nor allurâ—tâ— thee to abandone thy doting error for thou doest as yet breathe out villanie against the king of the Iewes whose name we haue in greatest estimation But what thinkest thou to gaine by kicking against the pricke Doest thou not perceiue how God hath made frustrate all thy deuises contrary to thine expectation Doest thou not see how thy mischieuous practises recoyle backe vpon thine owne head Doest thou not feele thy downfall into the pit which thy selfe hast diggedâ— Thou seest the Temple so razed and ouerthrowen to the ground that no stone thereof can be found thou doest see thy religion vtterly abolished the priesthode the Lawe the kingdom your cities your nation your race and kindred wholy extinguished brieâ—ely thou canst recompt no one thing remaining but a fewe wretched roages and contemptuous runnagates true monuments of the outragious insolencie and miserable calamitie of their forlorne forefathers yea that seely small porcion also enduring through none other priuilege then by this commendation of Paul and the gentle sufferâ—â—ce of the Christians And beeing thus continuallyâ— turmoyled wyth sundrie miseries notwithstanding Gods iust iudgement doeth daylie execute newe encreases of his seuere wrath against you yet are your myndes so intoxicate with the poysoned doâ—â—oreanche of bewitched ignoraunce that these woonderfull scourges can plie your heartes to no better grace persisting still in peruerse frowardnes as that these pinching plagues y horrour whereof might haue preuayled to procure amendement seeme rather to stirre and prouoke you to further crueltie For albeitâ— you do plainely perceiue and can not denye but that all whatsoeuer your owne Prophets haue foretolde of the Messhias is absolutely accomplished in the person of Christ Iesu albeit you may easily learne out of the holie Scriptures by continual experience and successes of tymes that there is none other Christ but euen the same whome the whole worlde doeth worshippe at this present albeit you sensibly feele that you are become a mockerie not to almightie God onely but accompted also no better then rascalles runnagates of al nations of y world yet do yee curse Christ in your synagogues dayly and expect yet an other Messhias I know not whome which you shal neuer see but in that terrible dreadfull day of wrath at what time maugte your teeth you shal beholde him whome you haue cruelly crucified What monstruous hardnes of heart is this yee men and Hebrewes that so manyâ— heauenly oracles of so many your owne Prophets so many manifest testimonies of sacred scriptures so many horrible punishments so many vnmercifull plagues wherewith your nation is and hath bene continually tormented can not enduce you to conceiue some sparkle of true repentance The Romanes did â—ansacke you with such outrage in their conquest that they spared neither yong nor olde men women nor infants neither left one stone standing vpon an other of your whole citie Finally your habitations are become waste and desolate ye haue now neither citie nor temple kingdome nor priesthode people nor Prophete and which of all other is most lamentable you haue eyes that can not see eares that can not heare nor hearts that can vnderstand whereby you may repent and be conuerted to your liege Lord and â—â—uâ—reigne king Buâ— go ye to let all that which is past be imputed either to your ignoraunce or to the wrathful vengeaÌ„ce of God for your vnbeliefe sake because ye knewe not the tyme of your visitation And beyng allured stirred vp to better remembrance by so manifold exaÌ„ples learne now at the length by the preaching of the Gospel to acknowledge our Christâ—Iesu the Lord of peace of meekenes of humilitie to be the onely Messhias sent from God the father in whose name all nations of the earth shal be saued to whome all knees in heauen and earth ought to bow downe and prostrate them selues There was sometimes an vnsaâ—orie season of darkened ignorance when as our Temples also were polluted with filthy Idolatrie but nowe sithence all cloudes of foggy superstitioÌ„ are for the more part scattered and vanished out of sight the cleare dawning of the lightsome trueth of Christs Gospel displayeth his orient beames treade no longer the dyrty tracke of superstitiouse mismases but returne with vs and be made partakers of the liuely welspring of syncere and pure doctrine The same Christ whome you do persecute must be worshipped whose doctrine you do practize to roote out euen he doth offer you saluation freely and frâ—nkely The same whome you contemptuously entreated as a man is woorshipped in all the worlde both God and man howsoeuer ye despised him as Ioseph was sometyme reiected of his brethren yet reygneth he in the glorie of his father whome you mortall men beleeâ—ed to dye the naturall death the same reuiued agayne immortall and shall lyue in immortalitie for euer Whome your forefathers embased vnder the raskall rabble of the people and accompted for an abiect and outcast of all men euen to his Maiestie doe all the loftie estates and stately powers of heauen and earth prostrate and humble them selues that the saying of Esay may aptly be verified in this place The kings of the earth shal stoppe their mouthes before him Whom you reproched with the most shamefull death of the crosse the very same crosse is turned into his glorie to our saluation to the iudgement of the world to the destruction of his enemies and euerlasting consolation of them that be redeemed So that here agayne the prophecie of Esay may seeme to take effectâ— And euerlasting ioye shal be vpon their heads and sorow and mourning shall flee away Finally whose name your forefathers hoped to haue bene razed out of all mens memory the very same name hath God magnified aboue all the glorie of Angels and men at the calling vpon whose name the dead aryse againe maladies are cured deuils doe tremble and quake for feare vncleane spirites are tormented and flee awaye yea the whole Ierarchie of Angels doe bowe downe and worshippe Nowe for as much as these thinges are so manifest that no man can be ignoraunt of them I doe woonder much what reason you can alleadge to colour your obstinate contumacie who being taught by so many examples can content your selues neuerthelesse to lye still snorting and slumbring in vanishing shadowes neglecting the very naturall sonne of God can groâ—e like buzzards after aseÌ„selesse imaginatiue shape of I know not what Meschias when as your true Meschias is already comeâ— or besides him els shal neuer any one come vnlesse al your own prophets were lyars who haue described vnto you none other Meschias but this one onely person But this matter happely may offeÌ„d you to repete againe somewhat of that I haue spokeÌ„ because his comming was contemptible base of no reputation because he was condemned to death because he was crueified on the crosse because he dyed and was buryed But if euery of these had
not mette bene concurraÌ„t together in this one persoÌ„ he could neuer haue bene the true Messhias neither would my selfe haue acknowledged him But you tarry gaping still after some gaye glorious king Well and what wanted in this person I beseeche you to the absolute measure of hyghest royaltie whome the Lord did so aduaunce to the ryght hande of his omnipotent power at that bryghtnes of whole maiestie you saw the sunne lose his light the earth quake you sawe graues opened you sawe stones cracke in sunder you saw alâ—o the veile of the Temple rent in pieces Or if you did not see it with your owne eyes your forefathers beheld them all whereof they could neuer deny any one tytle So did they see him poore and base you will say I confesse no lesse what then Yet they conceyued not the power and force of that his basenes nor how honourable that reproche was In like maner they sawe him dead yet they coâ—â—â—aued not the mystery of his death they conceiueâ—â—ot I say how it pleased the Lord by the death of this one man to open a waye for saluation to all people They conceyued not that the tyrannie of the deuil was vanquished by the ignominy of the crosse and that all sacrifices shadowes were finished by this onely sacrifice But so it pleased God the father to giue his sonne vnto vs for a patterne of perfect humilitie by this meanes to glorifie his onely begotten The brightnes of whose glorie if you do acknowledge there remayneth matter ynough to saue you but if you wyll not acknowledge him this is also matter ynough to condemne you And will ye or nill ye you shal be forced to confesse that no counsell policie or deuice of man is able to counteruayle the counsel of God neither any force and power of men is able to withstand the power of CHRIST But I hope well of your amendement for why should I not hope when as I finde S. Paul to conceiue so well of your returne againe Wherfore ye men and Iewes seeyng â—â—â—eare the name of Iewes which by interpretation is called Confessours plucke vp your hearts rayse vp your mindes perseuere no lâ—nger in your woontâ—d obstinacie against your owne Prophetes withstande not from henceforth the manifest lyght of the Gospel Lette the profession of your fayth be sounde syncere and pure at the length learne to vnderstande the Lawe of God after the spirituall meaning and sense of the holy Ghost so shal ye beginne to be accompted according to the nature of your names pure professors of the trueth Be not dismayed with despaire to attayne euerlasting life because you crucified the sonne of God your errour only procured this mischiefe God wyll not the death of a sinner but that he may be conuerted liâ—e be saued The most horrible cryme that may be imagined can be no estoppell to saluation against him that wil beleeue Only acknowâ—ledge your wickednes repose your trust in the free promises of the Gospel and ye shall freely receiue the reward of eternal felicitie freely offered vnto you It is an haynous reproche against the glory of God to be disobedient to the prophets it is much more haynous to persecute murther them But to racke the sauiour of the world vpon the crosse is â—f all other most execrable Yet hath the Lorde promised to forget all these iniuries if ye wil but repent you of them neither requireth he the blood of beastes at your handes to purge those offences Christ is the perfect Sacrifiâ—e offered for the sinnes of all people Onely acknowledge your sinnes bragge no more of your owne righteousnes from henceforth beleeue only in the sonne of the lyuing god If he were not the sonne of God declare theÌ„ vnto vs who was his father in earth if you can If he were not a Prophete howe could he not onely conceaue in minde but in words also foretell expresse the destruction of your naâ—ion the dismeÌ„bring of your coÌ„moÌ„wealth the abomination staÌ„ding in the holie place yea euery of them orderly as they enâ—ued Howe coulde he prophecie of his owne rising againe the thirde day of the sending of the holy Ghost Howe could he know the ceâ—â—aintie of the calling of the Gentiles the denying of Peter and of many other things partly come to passe already partly to be accomplished hereafter And if he vttered any one vntruth in any of al these condemne him for a lyar But if experience approued eâ—idence of the orderly successes euents thereof haue openly denounced his woordes to be true what should staye and hinder you from the trueth For to speake nothing of his miraculous workes tell vs yet if you did euer heare of the like or if any skill policie or industrie of man myght possibly reache vnto the like But if this so great and incredible power did so farre surmounte all abilitie of mans strength and capacitie hereof may you suffâ—ciently gather how you ought to iudge of the inestimable power of his Diuine nature But for as much as the excellencie of heauenly thinges are of their owne nature vnsearchable nor can be attayned vnto by mans policie or worldly wisedome but must be discouered by the onely operation of Almightie God I doe most humbly praye and beseecâ—e the same God the father of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ for his deare soÌ„nes sake that as he hath long sithence according to his iust iudgement executed his wrath agaynst your vnbeliefe by cutting you off from your naturall roote so it may please him of his iâ—finite mercy whereby he is of power to plâ—â—t you into your former dignitie agayne that your hearts beyng deliuered from the thicke cloudes of obstinate infidelitie our Lorde sauiour Christ Iesu the only vndoubted Messhias may enlighten your soules gather you home againe to your natural roote That is to say that he wil vouchsafe to reduce you againe into his owne familie with his elect Saints and make you partakers of his gladsome Gospell and euerlasting felicitie That as the roote is holy so the braunches also recouering the naturall verdure of their honorable stocke may be engraffed againe by faith from whence they reuolted through vnbelieâ—e For performance whereof to remoue away all mistrust of wel conceauing hope as also to be of assured confidence that the time of your recouery is eueÌ„ at hand S. Paul doth minister speciall matter of comfort who in the selfe same sermon which he preached concerning the falling away of the Iewes doth not onely sette downe his owne iudgement therof but also very plainly disclose that high mystery touching that blessed and ioyfull returne of the Iewes reuealed as it were vnto him by the secret counsel and determination of almighty God. Of the which I wyll speake more hereafter by the help of Christ after that I haue debated somewhat with the Gentiles whom the Lorde hath called and haue in
vs by the hand of Mosheh beeing assured by the scriptures that the Ierusalem which we shal be restored vnto is the kingdome of heauen from which wee were cast through vnbeliefe and are againe restored vnto it as manie of vs as beleeue in this our Immanuel by the same God with vsâ— whose bloud hath opened vs the waye anâ— not the bloud of our goates calues whicâ— were figures of this true and perfect sacrifice wrought by this man vpon the crosse by vertue whereof they were auaylable to so many of our fathers as did beleeue for the remissâ— of sinnes and deliuerie out of that thraldoâ—â— of the soule and not out of the captiuitie â—â—ther of Egypt or Babylon or this wherâ—â— we and our forefathers haue iustly bene euâ—â— since the vnrighteous shedding of this riâ—â—â—teous mans bloud Moreouer I confesse with my mouthe 〈◊〉 beleeue in my heart that this same man Iesus the sonne of that virgin is not onely 〈◊〉 but God both God and man so called by our Prophets Immanuel God with vs God not made in time nor after a season but God from the beginning and without beginning who was before the sunne shal be after the sunne as our Prophet Dauid sayth by whoÌ„â—s al things were made from the beginning so are they preserued by his mightie power and of his kingdome there shal be none ende Who as he is called the word of God his father so were all the Prophets giuen and sent â—y him the onely true interpreter and messenger of his Fathers will which he reueaâ—â—d from time to time to his people by the handes of his Prophets as he thought best ordering the measure of the reuelatioÌ„ of him selfe as might best stand with the time of his comming when he was to be presented vnto the world And therefore he opened him self â—nto our fathers in the times and dayes of â—ur Prophetes but darkely vnder types and â—igures laying a vayle as it were ouer our eyes to the end we should be more earnest painefull in seeking after him But in the fulâ—es of time when the season appointed hy his Father was come then he reuealed him selfe fully and plainly preaching both him selfe the kingdome of heauen and sending forth his Apostles to do the same vpon whom therefore he powred out the holy Ghost which is called his Spirit so performing that which our Elders set downe as a proper marke of the comming of our Meshiach to witte that in that daye our Prophets should cease thâ— holy Ghost should be giuen to ignorant anâ— vnlearned men which we haue seen fulfilled in the eyes of all Israel And therefore I receiue this word of God which hath been froâ— those daies called the New Testament as the true vndoubted word of God vttered by y same Spirit which spake in our Prophets Againe I confesse with my mouthe and beleeue in my heaâ—te that that holye Ghost and Spirit who was the directour of all our Prophets and was also promised by this mâ—â—â— Iesus our Immanuel to be alwayes with 〈◊〉 people to leade them into all trueth vnto 〈◊〉 worldes ende is also verie God one in sâ—â—â—stance and nature with God the Father 〈◊〉 God the Sonne but an other in persone◠〈◊〉 the Father the SoÌ„ne differ in person 〈◊〉 that there are not three Gods but one Goâ—â— neither one onely person but three personâ—â— Which person of the holy Ghost as he hath bene from the beginning of the world by the euerlasting counsel and determinate purpose of God the directour and gouernour of his Church that is to say the assemblie and companie of his people agreeing together in vnitie of faith and doctrine and did therefore for the bringing and maintenance of them into the vnitie of this faith and doctrine deliuer them from God diuers rites ceremonies diuers in outward shewe but one selfe same in effect and substance hauing onely for their ground and matter this man and God Iesus Christ our Immanuel So doth he continue still to nourishe vs vp in the same and therefore commendeth to vs to be kept for 〈◊〉 euerlasting couenant two sacraments the one of Baptisme the other of the Lordes supper which two the will of our Lord God was and is should be in place of the circumcision and Passeouer coÌ„manded to our forefathers Which I stedfastly beleeue and religiously confesse and therefore renouncing the former as also al other rites and ceremonies of the Lawe being but shadowes of the bodie which is now performed and come I most humbly desire to be receiued into the fellowship of these Sacramentes that as it hath pleased our Lord God and heaueÌ„ly 〈…〉 ther to reueale his sonne vnto me to 〈◊〉 me againe into the stocke of my father Abâ—â—â—ham from whence I was cast out throâ—â—â— vnbeliefe with my forefathers the stifneck 〈◊〉 and disobedient So I may through Bâ—â—tisme be receiued and taken for a membe◠〈◊〉 this our Meshiach whom I confesse and 〈◊〉 knowledge to be the â—â—â—ly promised Chrâ—â— in whome whosoeuer will haue life must 〈◊〉 saued whereof I â—â—â—ke and trust to be 〈◊〉 taker in the 〈◊〉 of the righteouâ— which shal 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 agaiâ—â— of this our Immanâ—el when hee shaâ— come to iudge the â—uâ—cke and the â—eaâ— FINIS To his beloued Mother I. K. sendeth greeting in the Lorde THE desire that I haue to heare of your continuaÌ„ce which Christ Iesus in the day of this his battell which shortly shall end to the confusion of his proud enimies neither by tong neither yet by penne can I expresse beloued Mother Assuredly it is such that it vanquisheth and ouercommeth all remembrance solicitude which the fleshe vseth to take for feeding and defence of herselfe For in euery realme and nation God wil stirre vp some one or other to minister those thinges that appertaine to this wretched life and if men wil ceasse to doe their office yet will hee sende his rauens so that in euery place perchance I may finde some fethers to my body But alas where I shal finde children to be begotten vnto God by the worde of life that can I not presently consider And therfore the spiritual life of such as somtime boldly proâ—essed Christ god knoweth is to my hearte more deare then all the glory riches and honour in the earth And the falling backe of such men as I heare dayly Fides implicita Luke .24 Act .17 The theame out of the xi to the Romanes The summarie effect of Paules discourse câ—mprehâ—nded in few words The first isâ—ues of Gods promise The Oliue tree consisteth of three members the roote the stocke the braunches The Church how it standeth and groweth Augustin putat non amputat The authoritie of the person that speaketh I wil magniâ—ie mine office Rom. 11. Galat. 5. An expositioÌ„ of the matters here treated vpoÌ„ The first part concerning the Iewes and Gentiles The second part concerning the reiection of the one and receyuing of the other