understood of all other Ceremonies Gal. 4.9 5.2 They which entangle themselves with that Yoke of Bondage under those impotent and beggarly rudiments are abolished from Christ and Christ doth profit them nothing Secondly In devising a multitude of strange and new Superstitions coined in the Mint of their Rabinish conceits contrary not onely to the Gospel of Jesus Christ but even to their own Law Which Deutorologies of theirs our Saviour condemneth Mat. 15.3.6 When he saith That they transgressed the Commandment of God and made it of none effect by their own Tradition 4 Both these waies do the Jews shew their enmitie to Christ and Christian Religion and are thereby retained and encouraged in their Errors Jesus Christ is the true Messiah 1. MAugre all Christ is the true Messiah 2. Whatsoever was prophesied of the Messiah is performed in Christ 1. Christ came of the Stock of David and of the Root of Jesse so should the Messias 2. Christ was born of a Virgin so should the Messiah Christs Star appeared and the Princes did worship him Christ was born in Bethlehem He fled out of Judea into Egypt The Children were slain for his sake He was called out of Egypt and was called a Nazareth All which things were prophesied of the Messiah 3. He had John Baptist his forerunner and cryer and that was foretold of the Messiah 4. He vanquished the Devils and had the Angels to minister unto him which was foretold of the Messiah 5. He called his Disciples and his Conversation was in Galilee foretold of the Messiah 6. His Miracles were altogether Divine and from the power of God prophesied of the Messiah 7. His Preaching and Conversation were in humility and gentleness foretold of the Messiah 8. He was reproached reviled whipped and Crucified foretold of the Messiah 9. He Rose and Triumphed forespoken of the Messiah 10. He called the Gentiles unto the unity of Faith fore prophesied of the Messiah 2. 1. The Messiah must be true God and true Man so was Christ 2. The true time when the Messiah should be born was when Judea should be subject unto the Romans Christ was born in that time 3. The Messiah should be born of a Virgin so was Christ as S. Matthew doth witness 4. The Place where the Messiah should be born was Bethlem the same is where Christ was born according to the Evangelists 5. Things forespoken by Esay and foretold by David concerning the Messiah were fulfilled in Christ as the Preaching of the Apostles the banding of Pilate and of Herod the Kingdome of Christ after the death of the Cross his sitting at the right hand of God and the destruction of the Jewes for killing the Anointed 6. Also the Prophesies concerning the Miracles of the Messiah concerning the slaughtering of good Men concerning the Calling of the Gentiles are accomplished in Christ 7. Also are the Prophesies of the death of the Messiah of his Resurrection and of his Ascention into Heaven 8. All these things Prophesied of the Messiah being accomplished in Christ it follows against the Jewes that he is to be believed and worshipped as the onely Son of God and Saviour of the world The Jewes shall be converted to Christ before the End of the World 1. THe Scripture hath determined that this Conversion of the Jewes shall be that appears Rom. 11.26 And so all Isarel shall be saved 2. But of the day and year of this Conversion the said Scripture hath said nothing 3. All that we dare say of it is by way of probability 4. And it may be comprised in the following Propositions 1. The Conversion of the Jewes is not as yet past for though some be here and there converted yet the promise being more general is not yet fulfilled 2. It will not be long before the second coming of our Saviour Jesus Christ but toward the latter end of the world 3. Nor when that day shall be that is to say when God will convert this Nation or come in the Clouds of Heaven to Judge the Earth no man can tell It is not for us to know the times and seasons which the Father hath put in his own power Acts 1.6 4. If we say so little of so great a Point our Apologie is that of what we know not we speak not 5. If any man out of a proud spirit for ostentation shall take upon him to determine the time we professe that we believe him not 6. We dispute not whether they shall have a Policy and shall recover the holy Land and dwell there for it is likely they shall never recover it because we find no such promise We must have pity and compassion of the blindness of the Jews and pray God earnestly that they may be enlightned with the saving knowledge of God his Christ and holy Gospel 1. FOr if their Case be to be pitied and lamented who through bodily blindnesse run into innumerable mischiefs and fall at last into a deep gulph without hope of recovery how much more should we pity and bewail their miserable condition who through spiritual blindness plunge themselves for the present into far greater evils and at last fall irrecoverably into the Pit of everlasting destruction 2. Neither let their fury and faultinesse in opposing Christ in his truth and members lessen our pity but rather encrease it 3. For what can they doe otherwise so long as they are under this heavy Judgement of Spiritual blindnesse who is angry with a blind man because he goeth out of his way or stumbleth at every block or falleth into every pit and ditch yea who doth not pity him in all or any of these miseries and laboureth not that he may either prevent or be delivered out of them 4. And how much more then should we stand thus affected towards those who lie under the punishments of spiritual blindnesse and phrensie which without all comparison are greater than the other and much more desperate and durable What things from Christians do alienate and detain the Jewes from Christianity 1. IT is on one side the Idolatry of the Papists they see in Babylon some Sacrifice to Idols some prostrate themselves before Creatures and other such Idolatries 2. And on the other side the Libertinage of the Protestants and their profane Life and bad Conversation 3. For when the Jews do see that the Papists believes not well and that the Protestants live not wel it is a Rock of offence to them that they can approve neither the one nor the other Let us help and set forward the Conversion of the Jews and how 1. LEt us to that end endeavour by our pure and sincere service of God by our Zeal by our Godly Life by our just Dealing and by our good Conversation to give light unto the Jews to provoke them to Emulation and to win them to Christ 2. That there may be one Fold and one Shepherd as our Saviour speaks John 10.12 3. Let us so behave our selves towards the Jews as S. Peter taught once the Jews to behave themselves towards us 1 Pet. 2.12 Have your Conversation honest among the Gentiles that they by your good works which they shall see may glorifie God in the day of their Vifitation 4. Example is very powerful there is nothing more available to the winning of one that believeth not than the good conversation and life of him that doth believe S. Peter teacheth that 1 Epist 3.1
Marks and Parts of the True Religion 1. Teaching to know one onely God Creator of Heaven and Earth And who Conserves And Governs All Things By his Providence 2. It Discovers to the sinful Man the true Mean to be Reconciled with God Namely By the Mercy of Jesus Christ our Redeemer By whom Alone Having Satisfied the Justice of God his Father His wrath may be Appeased towards Sinners who Repent And Believe 3. It Prescribes in what Manner the true God is to be Served And Honoured Namely in Spirit and in Truth Refers All to the Glory of God And the Salvation of Men And Admits Nothing Either Absurd Or unjust Of the Agreements And of the Differences Between the Religion of the Ancient Jewes And the true Christian Religion which we Christians doe imbrace 1. Of the Agreements between both the said Religions 1. GOd is the Authour and the Efficient Cause of both 2. Christ is the foundation of both By whose onely merit all the Faithful since the first sin of our first Parents have been and are reconciled unto God See Heb. 13.8 Rev. 13.8 3. As Christian Religion so the Religion of the Ancient Jewes did aim to stirre up a defire of the blessed Immortality and to confirm the hope of the same 4. Both the Religions did bring and doth bring Justification and Sanctification to the Faithful of the Old and of the New Testament See John 8.56 5. Both the Religions have been sealed and confirmed to the Faithful of the Old and of the New Testament by the self-same Holy Spirit 2. Of the Differences between both the said Religions 1. THe Religion of the Ancient Jews did belong onely to one Nation and People The Christian Religion belongs to all People 2. The Religion of the Ancient Jews by many Ceremonies did shadow and represent Christ which was to come The Christian Religion doth teach and clearly publish that he is come 3. In the Religion of the Ancient Jews the Lord under some earthly benefits did represent the fruition of the heavenly Inheritance But in the Christian Religion directly he doth direct our minds to the Meditation of Eternal Life Omitting those earthly means and helps which he did use towards the Ancient Jewes 4. The Religion of the Ancient Jewes was darker But the Christian Religion is Clearer 5. In the Religion of the Ancient Jews the Rites of their Sacraments were bloody And difficult Namely the Rites of Circumcision and of the Paschall Lamb. But in the Christian Religion they are without blood and Easy 3. 1. FRom the abovesaid Things it appears That since the first Sin of Adam there hath been but one way to attain to the fruition of Salvation And this way hath been the Faith in Jesus Christ the Mediator See thereof Gen. 3.17 and Chapt. 22.18 Act. 15.11 and 10.43 2. Therefore the doctrine of those is to be rejected who teach a three-fold way to attain unto Salvation Namely 1. One to those who did live before the written Law by the observation of the Law of Nature 2. The second to those who did live under the written Law by the fulfilling of the same 3. And the third to those who did and do live under the grace of the Gospel by the Faith in Jesus Christ 3. The Reason why such Doctrine is to be rejected and exploded is because the Faithful and Believers under the Old Testament have had Redemption in Christ by his blood which was to be shed As we have by his Bloud which is shed For the Expiatory Sacrifice of Christ hath had a saving vertue not onely since it was offered unto God upon the Cross But even from the Eternal Decree of God And the Efficacy thereof hath been as well before as after it was exhibited In which regard it is said of Christ Heb. 13.8 That he is the same yesterday and to day and for ever And Rev. 13.8 Christ is called the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world 4. Therefore all the Faithful and Believers under the Law have had Redemption by Faith in Christ the Redeemer as we have under the Gospel Abraham did see the day of Christ and was glad as it is said John 8.56 He did see it by the eyes of Faith and not of the flesh Of the Mutation which happened to the First Christian Religion In the Great Prosperity and Pomp which happened to the Church under the Empire Constantine The First Christian Religion Suddenly Changed By the Introduction in It. Of the Ceremonies and Superstitions of the Pagans Converted To the said Christian Religion And in Borrowing the Words And the Ceremonies of the Jewes 1. 1. THe Church before this Empire had been bred In the Hills and Wildernesses 2. It came out of them clothed with Camels Haires That is to say Clothed with all Sobriety with all Simplicity And with all Innocencie 3. The Bishops for the most Part manifesting Her to the World Were ashamed to Present Her such to the Gentiles That is to say to Those who Newly came out Or would come out from Paganism 4. The Good Emperours Likewise Who were Desirous that the Christian Religion should be Received by Their People More Curious of the Outward then of the Inward Of the Appearance then of the Truth Of the Ceremony then of the Substance 5. They make then no Conscience to clothe the said Church after the Fashion of the Pagans And to Adorn Her with the Ornaments of the Gentiles To Fit the Christians Services and Ceremonies to those of the Pagans As far as without wrong to the Faith They did think They could do it 6. And this Proceeding was called Among Them Zeal and Prudence Which Tertullian would have called Sacriledge Being a Severe Observation of the first Simplicity And Purity as long as he Lived in the Church 2. 1. IN which Besides the said Bishops were to keep this Temperament That in the same Time being to give content to the Jews who did Imbrace the Christianism which for the most part did believe that their should be a Greatnesse under the Kingdom of the Messias They were very Glad to shew unto Them the Fulfilling Thereof in the outward Splendour of the Christian Church 2. And where They did Conceive that They should Adorn the Simplicity of the Christian Religion They willingly borrowed as much as they could The Terms or Words And the Ceremonies Of the Jewes Of the Terms or Words And of the Ceremonies Borrowed From the Jewes And the Pagans When the Christian Church Vnder the Empire of Constantine Did Passe From Persecution to Peace And from Thraldome To the Domination 1. AS All the Outward Service of the Jewes And of the Gentiles did chiefly Consist in Sacrifices Those of the Gentiles without a certain Scope And those of the Jewes aiming All at One onely Jesus Christ It did seem hard and scandalous unto Them To Abolish all Sacrifices Because Those New Converts believed That Religion could not be without such Sacrifices Not
Concerning that All Sacrifices are Nothing But in as much as they are Referred to the only Sacrifices of the Son of God Accomplished in the Crosse Therefore to the End That Neither the one Nor the others should be Frighted The Christians used Themselves to Speak Of Altars And of Sacrifices And as much as the Apostles had taken Pains To Teach That All Sacrifices had Ended in Christ They did Delight to call their Sacrifices Immolations Oblations Sacrifices They call The Lords Table His Altar The Commemoration of his Death in the Sacrament The Sacrifice of the Altar A Holy Host They call the Bishops and Ministers Priests The Deacons Levites c. Manners of Speech among Them well understood Which in those Ages were not Hurtful But in the Following More Ignorant And farther off from the Light have notwithstanding been the Cause of great Abuses Because they are Passed from the Figure to the Thing And from an Improperty of Words in an Error of Doctrine 2. The Gentiles Also had a Multitude of Gods To them All They Had Builded Temples Founded Altars and Sacrifices Suddenly and at a clap To Restrain Them To the Service of one God which is all Spirit And his Service all Spiritual They who were Carnal Besotted after Pomps and Ceremonies And after the Wood And Stones Was found by Humane Prudence Both Scandalous and Impudent In Regard That these Gentiles were to be Edified And not Destroyed Fed said They with milk Before They were Fed with Solid Meat For Thus this Place of Scripture was Abused Whereas Then the First Antiquity had bluntly contested That to have Many Gods was to have None That to Serve Any Creature was to forsake the Creator It was found sweet by Succession of Times To Transform Their Gods into Saints Their Goddesses into She Saints To put our Apostles and our Martyrs in Their Place To Dedicate unto Them Their Temples And Their Altars To Give them some Priests And some High Priests To Appoint To Them Holy Dayes And Honours And Services 3. Now As Humane Wit is Blind in the Things of God It Happened That under the Shadow To Draw to Christ The Jewes and the Gentiles Those Good Folks by a Laps of some Ages did Introduce mildly in the Church Both The Judaisme And the Paganisme We understand Their Ceremonies And their Outward Pomps Their Superstitions And Vanities And which is worse Many of their Presumptions And Anticipated opinions in the Doctrine it self The Religion And Church of Rome Is not Now What it was in the Beginning 1. TO Judge aright of the Roman Church we say that there is great difference between that which is now And that which was in the time of the Apostles And some Ages after their Death 2. That which was in the Time of the Apostles was Pure and Orthodox So that her Faith was spoken of throughout the whole world Rom. 1.8 3. After the Death of the Apostles during some Ages she hath been also a true Church But not the onely True Church Not the Catholick or Universal Church But a Part of the same As was the Church of Greece of Syria of Egypt And of other Places She hath been a True Church but not so Pure as in the Apostles time Errors betimes having begun to creep in her 4. But the Roman Church which is now is an Impure and Heretical Church And more Heretical than any one that ever was before Since the Plague of Antichristianisme have sticked unto her it is no more the Chaste Spouse of Christ but an Harlot And an Adulteresse It is no more a sound and vigorous body but a body full of ulcers and soars In a word she is no more Pure and Orthodox as she was before but Impure and Heterodox 5. Which we prove by two strong and Irrefragable Arguments The 1. is because the greater part of her Faith and belief is contrary to holy Scriptures And consequently is meer Heresie The 2. is because a great part of the Ancient Heresies which have been condemned by the Ancient and Orthodox Church are received in her and approved by her 6. I have said 1. That the now Church of Rome is Impure Heretical because the greater part of her Faith and belief is contrary to holy Scriptures 1. Scriptures forbids the use of Images in matter of Religion and Divine Worship The Church of Rome receives and maintains them 2. The Scripture teacheth us that the bloud of Christ doth cleanse us from all sin The Church of Rome doth establish another Purgatory 3. The Scripture teacheth us that of our selves we are not able to think any good Thing but but that all our sufficiencie is from God The Church of Rome will that by the strength of our Free-will we may do good works And make the said strength to cooperate with the Grace of God 4. The Scripture will that we pray and speak in the Church in a known Tongue All the Service of the Church of Rome is in an unknown Language 5. The Scripture doth ordain that in the Sacrament of the Lords Supper all drink of the Cup The Church of Rome hath forbid it to the Laity 6. The Scripture presents us Jesus Christ as the only Mediator between God and Men The Church of Rome doth forge a great number of Mediatours who are to help us with their Merits and with their Suffrages 7. The Scripture doth warn us concerning Christ Acts 3.21 That the Heaven must receive him until the time of restitution of all things The Church of Rome will in some sort make him to come down every day from Heaven in a million of Places And moreover exposes him under the accidents of bread to divers ignominies 8. In a word there is no Proposition mentioned against us in the Church of Rome whereof we may not be able to find the Antithesis in the Word of God In that regard there are many to be found in the said Church of Rome which are asham'd of the abovesaid Errors And except the brainlesse Spirits and resolved to maintain even the grosest Abuses few Persons will there be found who entirely keep their Religion And in some Points thereof do not find something wanting 7. I have said 2. that the now Church of Rome is Impure and Heretical because a great part of the Ancient Heresies which have been condemned by the Ancient and Orthodox Church are received in her and approved by her Those Heresies meet in her and do compound a part of Popery As all the Waters of Rivers and Springs do meet in the Sea The Devil hath made them to rise up again upon the stage in the Roman Church with some small disguising Her so insolent contempt and debasing of Holy Scriptures she hath common with all kinds of Hereticks to whom such a thing is usual She doth borrow from the Pharisees the nonwritten Traditions And the Merit of Works She borroweth from the Basilidians and the Carpocratians the worshipping of Images She hath from