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And the Lord shall kill thee, and shall call his servants by an other name, &c. The words are somewhat unlike, but the sense is all one, nothing differing from the saying of Malachi,¹ I have no pleasure in you, &c. Doest thou not perceive in these words, how thou shalt •e cast away, thou proud generation• And because you shall know• that God will nevertheless not be destitute of a people, that shall glorify his name though you be clean •ewen of from the Olive tree, My name (sayeth he) is great among the Gentiles.

And the Lorde shall kyll thee, and shall call his seruauntes by an other name, &c. The woordes are somewhat vnlike, but the sense is all one, nothing differyng from the saying of Malachie,¹ I haue no pleasure in you, &c. Doest thou not perceyue in these woordes, howe thou shalt •e cast away, thou proude generation• And because you shal know• that God wil neuerthelesse not be destitute of a people, that shall glorifie his name though you be cleane •ewen of from the Oliue tree, My name (sayeth he) is great among the Gentiles.

1The place of Malachi expounded.The place of Malachie expounded.

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I have declared unto you, what shall become of your nation and people. Now will I proceed to explain unto you of your Temple, and place of prayer, whereupon you ⟨image 83⟩vaunt your selves so much. The Prophet therefore goeth forward: In all places shall pure offerings be offered unto my name, from the rising of the Sun, even to the going down of the same. As if God would say, You Jews are so addicted to that only Sanctuary and Temple of the Lord, which he did erect amongest you long ago, as though he ought not be worshipped in any place else, and as though no nation in the whole earth might offer sacrifice unto the Lord, except you alone. And under colour of this prerogative, being puffed up with pride, you swell with immeasurable vain glorious persuasion of fleshly courage, and set all other nations at naught, as though you alone were the only inheritance of the Lord, and as though you held him fa•• tied to your generation, with an inseparable chain of privileged bounty and favour, and so fast locked within the walls of your Temple, that he could not be of power to depart from you, nor would not for any cause sequester him self from your Temple. But to the end your blundered senses may no longer lumper in darkness, stroking your selves with vain and counterfeit ⟨image 83⟩confidence of falsely conceived opinion, I will by way of friendly advertisement pronounce, and even now do denounce and forewarn you, That the calling upon the name of the Lord, is not unseparably bound to place, time or persons: but that the largess of his mercy is extended also upon all people, nations and tongues, whether they be Jews, or Gentiles, Scythians or Indians:¹ and that this his loving kindness, wherewith he embraceth all mankind, will reject no person from his fatherly protection: wheresoever his name is feared, and his Majesty worshipped, there he doth indifferently distribute the gifts of his grace towards all persons, without partiality.

I haue declared vnto you, what shall become of your nation and people. Now wil I proceede to explane vnto you of your Temple, and place of prayer, whereupon you ⟨image 83⟩vaunt your selues so much. The Prophete therefore goeth forwarde: In all places shall pure offrings be offered vnto my name, from the rysing of the Sunne, euen to the goyng downe of the same. As if God woulde saye, You Iewes are so addicted to that onely Sanctuarie and Temple of the Lord, which he did erect amongest you long agoe, as though he ought not be woorshipped in any place els, and as though no nation in the whole earth myght offer sacrifice vnto the Lorde, except you alone. And vnder colour of this prerogatiue, beeyng pufte vp with pride, you swell with immeasurable vayne glorious persuasion of fleshly courage, and sette all other nations at naught, as though you alone were the onely inheritaunce of the Lorde, and as though you helde him fa•• tyed to your generation, with an inseparable chaine of priuiledged bountie and fauour, and so faste lockt within the walles of your Temple, that he coulde not be of power to departe from you, nor woulde not for any cause sequester him selfe from your Temple. But to the ende your blundered senses may no longer lumper in darkenesse, stroaking your selues with vayne and counterfayte ⟨image 83⟩confidence of falsely conceyued opinion, I wyll by way of friendly aduertisement pronounce, and euen nowe do denounce and forewarne you, That the calling vpon the name of the Lorde, is not vnseparably bound to place, tyme or persones: but that the largesse of his mercie is extended also vpon all people, nations and tongues, whether they be Iewes, or Gentiles, Scythians or Indians:¹ and that this his louing kindnes, wherewith he embraceth all mankinde, wyll reiect no person from his fatherly protectiō: whersoeuer his name is feared, and his Maiestie worshipped, there he doth indifferently distribute the gyftes of his grace towards al persons, without parcialitie.

1God is not bound, neither to the pl•ce nor person of nations.God is not boun•, neyther to the pl•ce nor person of natiōs.

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Yea and because you shall understand my saying more plainly, behold, I do protest unto you in the word of the Lord, that it shall come to pass, that you your selves being Jews, & your whole race for the most part being cast away, and this your Sanctuary (whereupon you boast so much) being utterly rejected, the Lord will transpose his loving countenance, not into one angle of the world among the Jews only, but will be magnified, & have the glory of his name called upon, in every place throughout ⟨image 84⟩all nations & tongues, wheresoever s••••tered over the face of the earth, from the r• sing of the sun, to the going down of th• •ame. For my name is great among the Gen tiles, saith the Lord of hosts. Hitherto yo• have heard the words of Malachi used towards your people.

Yea and because you shal vnderstande my saying more playnly, beholde, I do protest vnto you in the word of the Lorde, that it shall come to passe, that you your selues being Iewes, & your whole race for the most parte beyng cast away, and this your Sanctuarie (whereupon you boast so much) being vtterly reiected, the Lord wil transpose his louing countenaunce, not into one angle of the worlde among the Iewes onely, but wil be magnified, & haue ye glory of his name called vpō, in euery place throughout ⟨image 84⟩all nations & tongues, wheresoeuer s••••tered ouer the face of the earth, from the r• sing of the sunne, to the goyng downe of th• •ame. For my name is great among the Gē tiles, sayth the Lorde of hostes. Hitherto yo• haue heard the wordes of Malachie vsed towards your people.

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It remaineth lastly, that we speak of y• sacrifices. For the Prophet doeth evidently •• clare, that innovation shall ensue of the Sacrifices also, speaking in this wise: Among the Gentiles, and in every place, incense and a pure offering shall be offered unto my name. Well now: what manner of offerings be these of the Gentiles, which the Prophet doeth commend so highly? Be they sacrifices of goat•, or calves? They be sacrifices of calves truly, but such as the Prophet Hosea me• tioneth in his prophecy. And we will render (sayeth he) the Calves of our lips. ¹Ueri•• these be the calvest where with the Lord is now well delighted. These calves do we offer, when reknowledging our v•rygh•• ousnesse, we yield humble thanke• to the gracious goodness of God, who cleansing our wickedness with the fountain of the blood, & death of his dearly beloved son Christ I• su, ⟨image 84⟩doth endue us with the inheritance of everlasting life. These be the spiritual offerings of the Gentiles, differing very much from the sacrifices of the Jews: for these are the pure offerings of the Spirit, that consist not in bloody broiling of brute beasts, nor in smelling of flesh, nor are offered with the hands of Priests imbrued with gore. And for that cause, the Prophet doeth call them clean.² Well then: and why are these offerings called clean, rather then the Jewish Sacrifices? What? shall we say, that their blood offerings are unclean, and their sacrifices defiled then? Verily, albeit the Prophet doeth not in express words verify the same, yet who so shall duly ponder the substance, and pith of his talk, shall easily discern, that the Prophet by secrete implication, doth condemn the Jewish sacrifices, as polluted, and profane in the respect of offerings of the heathen.

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But here will one of your sect urge again,¹ and demand, whether these Sacrifices were not instituted by God at the first, and the ordinances of the same prescribed unto us by Moses? whether in them also were not contained the calves of ⟨image 85⟩thanksgiving, and purging of sins? whether God could be the author of any observances and ceremonies, tha• were not of all pa•tes sincere, pure and without blemish?² For answer whereof, we d• not deny, that those Sacrifices were instituted for your behoof, by special commandment and sufferance of the hyghe• and most excellent Lawmaker Almighty God. But consideration must be had of the meaning, purpose, end & time, wherein they were to be frequented. No• that they were of value of their own nature, to purchase true righteousness, but to direct & lead us to the righteousness, that was to come: not that you should account them as infallible pledges of perfect piety, but that almighty God might train & instruct you with these, as with certain principles meanwhiles, until you might be made apt to receive higher mysteries. Not because that great Lord and father of Spirits was delighted with the slaughter of brute beasts, of bloody gore of his creatures: but his good pleasure was under these shadows, types, and figures, to prefigure the death of his only son:³ who by his bloodsheadding should be of power ⟨image 85⟩to wash mens consciences clean from all filth & corruption of sin: not because you should alway lye no•zeling in these, and proceed n• further, but to nurture your childhood, for a time were they delivered, least by pursuing the error of the Gentiles, ye should either rush headlong into the idolatrous abominations of the heathen, or at the least restrain you in stead of a schoolmaster, in some orderly comeliness for a time, until the clear day should appear, wherein better things should be revealed, and the trueth it self should shut up, and abolish those shadows and sacrifices.

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Briefly to satisfy this matter in two words, two notes are chiefly to be observed in these kinds of sacrifices:¹ namely, the use, and the time. As concerning the use: Truly the due observation of those sacrifices was not of force by their own nature, to make a chosen and beloved people of God: but to be rules and principles, for that people whom Moses had gathered to minister in his synagogue: not because they were able of them selves to give eternal salvation:² but that they should foreshow the coming of him, in whom rested true safety, and withal should represent an outward shadow of inward holiness ⟨image 86⟩and cleanness of mind. And for that cause provision was made for such beasts only, t•at were clean, unspotted & undefiled: hereby inducing the people of y• old Synagogue to learn, how they ought to be have them selves in their daily conversation unblameable. As to that which appertaineth to the consideration of the time,³ this ought to be holden for certain, that those blood offerings of the Ceremonial law, were not delivered, because they should never cease, even as neither the Temple was builded, to the end it should never be razed, and destroyed: or as though the overthrow thereof, should forthwith extinguish all worshipping of god withal, but were given for a time only, not to continue for ever, but transitory rather, and removable, remaining in use as certain exercises and introductions of outward discipline, until the blessed seed should come, in whom the promise took effect. And therefore almighty God did with great care, long time as it were allow the Sacrifices, to nurture the weak capacity of the people of •hat rude age: by means whereof the said sacrifices had th•n their certain use & estimation, nor were adjudged unclean, during that ⟨image 86⟩season. But as now, the estate of the time being altered, sithence the truth it self doeth overspread the world with wonderful lightsomeness, and the Sun of righteousness displayeth his clear and palpable brightness: these carnall Sacrifices and blood offerings do utterly cease, and are altogether discharged from further use.

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For what availeth to gaze after shadows, where the body is present to be beholden plainly? What senseless man will burn candle, or light a torch, in sunshine at midday? who will grope for darkness in open light? or seek for night in clearest day? The cause why that butchery of silly beasts was permitted you for a time, was to inform your grossness, and tame the hardness of your hearts: that so, by view of visible signs, and representations of spectable shadows, the Lord might train you along, to the true and pure cleansing of sins, which was then to come. But now, sithence we are come to the truth it self (whereof the other were but shadows) it is a necessary consequent, that those things which were sometime esteemed for clean, the very same again through alteration of time, may be accounted not only unclean, ⟨image 87⟩and defiled, but filthy also, and abominable.

For what auaileth to gaze after shadowes, where ye 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 ye other were but shadowes) it is a necessarie consequent, yt those things which were sometime esteemed for clean, ye very same again through alteratiō of time, may be accounted not only vncleane, ⟨image 87⟩and defiled, but filthie also, and abominable.

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¹Which things being undoubted true (ye men of Israel) as may most manifestly appear unto you by the testimoni•, & discourse of Malachi and other Prophets, what e• treme madness is this in you, to persevere still in so deep a slumber, dreaming yet about your old rotten tabernacles, your forlorn Temple, your carnal worshippings, and motheaten sacrifices? But let us imagine and grant by way of a case put, that you may recover your Jerusalem again: which notwithstanding will never come to pass, (unless God himself and all his Prophets do lie) I would fain learn of you then what you would do there. First you will procure your Temple to be built up again. And why so? because ye may offer incense and sacrifice to God after your accustomed manner? As though that general Lord of all nations can not be worshipped else where, then in a blind angle of the world, at Jerusalem perdy? And how then will the saying of the Prophet Malachi be verified?² who sayeth that the time should come, when the Lord of hosts should be worshipped in all places, and incense offered unto him throughout all the world, from ⟨image 87⟩the rising of the sun, to the going down thereof. If you will so straight and restrain• all worship due unto God, within the walls of your Temple only, as it were, locked fast in some closet, then I demand of you further, with what kind of sacrifice you will pacify your God, within that Temple? forsooth with blood and butchery of beasts. But where is then that pure and undefiled offering mentioned by Malachi, which is not embrued with slaughter, I suppose, but performed by spiritual sacrifices?

¹Which things being vndoubted true (ye men of Israel) as may most manifestly appeare vnto you by the testimoni•, & discourse of Malachie and other Prophets, what e• 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 notwihstanding 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 verifid?

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Finally, with what argument can you persuade that the living God ought to be worshipped more properly and peculiarly of you Jews, then of all other nations, namely sith you are so plainly convinced with the express testimony of Malachie• who making no mention of the Jews, doth prophesy, that the name of God shall be had in great admiration amongst the Gentiles. What answer• will you make also to that promise of the same Malachi, in the Chapter following: where foretelling the signs and tokens that should go before the coming of the Messiah: to wit,¹ That his forerunner should come first and prepare the way before the face of the ⟨image 88⟩Lord? And immediately sayeth. And […] Lord whom ye seek, shall speedily come to his holy Temple, even the Angel of the covenant whom you desire &•• What• came not that same forerunner• that was promised? Was not his voice heard also in the desert according to the prophecy of Esay• ²crying out as loud as he could, to the end you should prepare the way of the Lord, and should make straight in the desert • path for your God. Why did you no• […] preparation then? Why did you not receive the Angel of the Covenant, whom ye desired, coming into his holy Temple? Nay rather, why did you banish him from out your Synagogue? why did you daily exclude him from thence, railing continually upon the Lord with outrageous reproaches, and taunting blasphemies? What punishment or torture may •e imagined horrible enough to countervail so execrable outrages?

Finally, with what argument can you pers•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 Malachie who making no mētion of the Iewes, doth prophesie, that the name of God shal be had in great admiration amongst the Geniles. What answer will you make also to that promise of ye same Malachie, in the Chapter following: where foretelling the signes and tokens that should go before the comming of the Messhias: to wit,

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¹Also by the way here is not to be passed over in silence, the saying of the same prophet, annexed in the end of the same chap. concerning the dreadful & terrible day of the Lord, wherewith he will overwhelm the proud & wicked doers, whom that hot scorching day, even as an hot ⟨image 88⟩burning oven should devour, as flame consumeth the stubble, leaving neither branch nor root of them.

¹Also 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. cōcerning ye dreadful & terrible day of the Lord, wherwith he wil ouerwhelm the proud & wicked doers, whom that hote scorching day, euē as an hote ⟨image 88⟩burning ouen should deuoure, as flame consumeth the stubble, leauing neither branche nor roote of them.

1Malac. 4.

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But you will say, that this threatening doth concern others, and appertaineth nothing at all to you. Yes truly, the very order, proceeding and event of the matter, do most manifestly convince, that this direful threatening was denounced against you chiefly: whose words that ensue hereupon immediately, are these: Behold (saith he) I will send you Elijah the prophet, before the coming of the great and fearful day of the Lord, and he shall turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the hearts of the children to the fathers, lest haply I come and smite the earth with cursing. And to whom […] this Elijah be sent, but unto you? and therefore, what land shall be accursed but you? Finally, what signifieth the word anathema, but a certain final destruction of all mankind; except those persons only who•• Elijah should reduce to amendment of conversation? For God hath not so utterly rejected his people, y• no remnant thereof shall be saved, as I declared before unto you out of s. Paul.

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 diref•l threatning was denoūced against you chiefly: whose words that ensue hereupon immediatly, are these: Behold (saith he) I wil send you Elias the prophet, before the cōming 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 childrē 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 shalbe accursed but you? Finally, what signifyeth the worde anathema, but a certaine finall destruction of all mankinde; except those persons only who•• Elias should reduce to amendment of cōuersation? For God hath not so vtterly reiected his people, y• no remnant therof shalbe saued, as I declared before vnto you out of s. Paul.

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But I will surcease to surcharge you with more testimonies, adding only one or two ⟨image 89⟩places: first out of the book of Genesis, an• then out of the Prophet Hosea: wherein it shall not be needful to use long discourse. For who is so ignorant in the holy scriptures, that understandeth not, what is meant by that sceptre which the Patriarch Jacob inspired by divine oracle, did boldly pronounce, should never be removed from the tribe of Judah? ¹And who is he at the length, but even the same whom the Prophet Isaiah describeth, saying, I have given him for a governor, and teacher of the Gentiles? Which sentence the holy Patriarch inspired with the same holy ghost, did long before, in the same sense profess, though in other words: And the Gentiles shall be gathered unto him. But as then was not the sceptre yet of power in Israel. But the godly grayheaded father foreseeing long before, the events of things to come, did prophesy of Judah in this wise: The Sceptre or Mace of the empire shall not depart from Judah, nor a Lawgiver from between his feet, until Silo come, and the gathering of the Gentiles shall be unto him. Howsoever some rascal Talmudists do practise to pervert this place with most frivolous cavillations: yea though all the start up Rabbins would ⟨image 89⟩burst in sunder, yet can this sentence by no violent wrest be framed appliable otherwise, but that two special matters must necessarily be grounded thereupon. First, that Judah and his tribe should be invested in the title, and the interest of the kingdom. Next, that this prerogative should endure unmoveable, until Messiah did come, unto whom the Gentiles should gather them selves. And to the same effect tendeth the interpretation of Jonathan and others,² who lived long before the age of Christ, whose words, who listeth to hear, are these: The kings seat shall not be taken or depart from the house of Judah: neither shall Lawgivers want of their children's children until the time that Messiah shall come, to whom the kingdom doeth belong. And all the kings of the earth shall become his vassals. How beautiful is this Messiah, that shall come to continue in the house of Judah? he shall gird up his loins & go forth to battle against his enemies, and the kings and their princes shall be slain. He shall die the riers red with the blood of the slain:

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his teeth shall be ordered with knowledge, lest he partake the fruits of their spoils, and wrong doings. The hills shall look read ⟨image 90⟩with their vines, and their winepresses with the wine: the fields shall be adorned with beautiful blossom by reason of the abundance of fruits of beasts & sheep &c. Thus much thought I good to rehearse out of Jonathan: yet have we no need (praised be God) to vouch any commentaries of the Jews, to manifest the mysteries of the holy Scripture, namely sith there can be no better interpreter of the prophetical scriptures then time, and approved experience of the successes thereof.

his teeth shalbe ordered with knowledge, lest he partake the fruites of their spoyles, and wrong doings. The hilles shall looke redde ⟨image 90⟩with their vines, and their winepresses with the wine: the fieldes shalbe adorned with beautifull blossome by reason of the aboundance of fruites of beasts & sheepe &c. Thus much thought I good to rehearse out of Ionathas: yet haue we no neede (praysed bee God) to vouche any commentaries of the Iewes, to manifest the mysteries of the holy Scripture, namely sith there can bee no better interpreter of the propheticall scriptures then time, and approued experience of the successes thereof.

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The testimony that I thought good to borrow out of Hosea;¹ most worthy to be noted of you that are Jews, is that, which he setteth down in the first Chapter of his prophecy: where the Prophet inveighing against Israel useth this speech: Call his name (•aieth he) not my people, because you are not my people, therefore will I not be yours. &c. Whereby you may plainly perceive the saying of S. Paul confirmed by the Prophet, to wit: The same which he teacheth concerning the natural branches, which he said were hewen of from the Olive tree. And now (ye men of Israel) where is that your arrogant vain glorious vaunt of the offspring of your ⟨image 90⟩kindred? If to be issued of the race of Abraham be prised so highly in the sight of God, what meaneth then this casting away of the Israelites, mentioned by the Prophet? what signifieth that special choice, and calling of the Gentiles, and the wild Olive tree to be planted in their place? for so we read the promise set down by the Prophet:² And the number of the children of Israel (sayeth he) shall be as the sand of the sea, which can not be measured and told. And in the place where it was said, ye are not my people, it shall be said unto them, you are the sons of the living God It was a singular prerogative for them not being Israelites borne, to be named and numbered amongst the true children of Israel. But that other did far surmount, that being before the brood of the devil, they should now be called the sons of the living God.³ And to whom (I beseech you) is this unspeakable benefit promised? forsooth neither to the Israelites nor to the Jews, nor to them which seemed to appertain unto God, but unto them which were altogether severed, & estranged from God: the very abject, & rascal Gentiles, barbarous & uncircumcised heathen perdie, whom the incomprehensible mercy ⟨image 91⟩of God will join near unto him self, and will engraft them into the root of his own natural Olive tree, having first sawed of the natural branches, in whose stead he shall gather the Gentiles together, from out a wild Olive tree, in such plentiful abundance and infinite heaps, as will not be comprehended within the territory of Palestine only, but like unto the sands of the sea,

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Ye have heard the mind and purport of the Prophet, which if ye suppose to be as yet not accomplished for your behoof, through the Gospel of Messiah, our Lord and Saviour, open your eyelids, (if you be not blind) and behold the innumerable multitude of people, and tongues, which every where throughout all the world, do profess the true worshipping of God: number them, if you be able: but if the quantity be so infinite, as the sand of the sea, exceeding all reach & compass of number, you may easily conjecture thereby (ye men of Israel) into what straits your wilful ignorance forceth you, and how perilous that froward ⟨image 91⟩blindness of yours is, and withall•bethinke your selves in time, what were best for you to embrace from henceforth: nay rather, how foolishly you have behaved your selves heretofore. God did send his only begotten son into the world, the seed of a woman, and borne of a virgin, whose parentage & kindred, from whence he issued, because you did not know, and nevertheless were amazed to behold his heavenly power in doing miracles, his wonderful clemency employed to the cure of all manner diseases, and casting out of devils, yet being swallowed up of extreme madness, & overwhelmed with blind rancour, & cankered malice, you did most cruelly despoil him of life, and spilt his guiltless blood, without all cause of offence. For why may I not justly accuse you, as partakers of the same crime, sithence ye do with whole bent affection of hateful despite, pursue the embrued steppes of your bloody sires, and gladly allow of that execrable murder?

Ye haue heard the minde and purport of the Prophet, which if ye suppose to be as yet not accomplished for your behoofe, through the Gospel of Messhias, our Lord and Sauiour, open your eyeliddes, (if you bee not blinde) and beholde the innumerable multitude of people, and tongues, which euerie where throughout all the worlde, doe professe the true worshipping of God: nomber them, if you be able: but if the quantitie be so infinite, as the sande of the sea, exceeding all reache & compasse of nomber, you may easily coniecture thereby (ye men of Israel) into what streightes your wilf•ll ignorance forceth you, and how perillous that frowarde ⟨image 91⟩blindnes of yours is, and withall•bethinke your selues in time, what were best for you to embrace from henceforth: nay rather, how foolishly you haue behaued your selues heretofore. God did send his onely begotten sonne into the worlde, the seede of a woman, and borne of a virgine, whose parentage & kindred, from whence he issued, because you dyd not knowe, and neuerthelesse were amazed to beholde his heauenly power in doing miracles, his wonderfull clemencie employed to the cure of all maner diseases, and casting out of deuils, yet being swallowed vp of extreame madnes, & ouerwhelmed with blinde rancour, & cāckred malice, you did most cruelly despoyle him of life, and spilt his guiltlesse blood, without all cause of offence. For why may I not iustly accuse you, as partetakers of the same crime, sithence yee doe with whole bent affection of hatefull despite, pursue the embrued steppes of your bloodie sires, and gladly allow of that execrable murther?

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And therefore (thou cursed Jew) thou art duly charged with the guilt of innocent blood: englut therefore thy greedy guts with gore. Thou didst receive Cesar to be thy king, refusing ⟨image 92⟩Christ: continue his bondslave sti•. Yet this worketh no grace in thee, nor allureth thee to abandon thy doting error: for thou doest as yet breathe out villainy against the king of the Jews, whose name we have in greatest estimation. But what thinkest thou to gain by kicking against the prick? Doest thou not perceive, how God hath made frustrate all thy devises contrary to thine expectation? Doest thou not see, how thy mischievous practises recoil back upon thine own head? Doest thou not feel thy downfall into the pit which thy self hast digged Thou seest the Temple so razed and overthrown to the ground, that no stone thereof can be found: thou doest see thy religion utterly abolished, the priesthood, the Law, the kingdom, your cities, your nation, your race and, kindred wholly extinguished: briefly thou canst recount no one thing remaining, but a few wretched rogues, and contemptuous runagates, true monuments of the outrageous insolencie, and miserable calamity of their forlorn forefathers: yea, that silly small portion also, enduring through none other privilege, then by this commendation of Paul, and the gentle sufferance of ⟨image 92⟩the Christians. And being thus continually turmoiled with sundry miseries, notwithstanding Gods just judgement doeth daily execute new increases of his severe wrath against you: yet are your minds so intoxicate with the poisoned do••oreanche of bewitched ignorance, that these wonderful scourges can ply your hearts to no better grace, persisting still in perverse frowardness, as that these pinching plagues (y• horror whereof might have prevailed to procure amendment) seem rather to stir and provoke you to further cruelty. For albeit you do plainly perceive, and can not deny, but that all whatsoever your own Prophets have foretold of the Messiah, is absolutely accomplished in the person of Christ Jesus: albeit you may easily learn out of the holy Scriptures, & by continual experience and successes of times, that there is none other Christ, but even the same whom the whole world doeth worship at this present:

But heere wyll one of your secte vrge agayne,¹ and demaunde, whether these Sacrifices were not instituted by God at the first, and the ordinaunces of the same prescribed vnto vs by Moyses? whether in them also were not conteyned the calues of ⟨image 85⟩thankesgyuing, and purging of sinnes? whether God coulde be the author of any o•seruaunces and ceremonies, tha• were not of all pa•tes syncere, pure and without blemyshe?² For answere whereof, we d• not denye, that those Sacrifices were instituted for your behoofe, by speciall commaundement and sufferaunce of the hyghe• and most excellent Lawemaker Almyghtie God. But consideration must be had of the meaning, purpose, ende & tyme, wherein they were to be frequented. No• that they were of valew of their owne nature, to purchase true righteousnes, but to direct & leade vs to the righteousnes, that was to come: not that you should accompt them as infallible ple•ges of perfect pietie, but that almighty God might trayne & instruct you with these, as with certein principles meanwhiles, vntil you might be made apte to receiue hygher mysteri•s. Not because that great Lorde and father of Spirites was delyghted with the slaughter of brute beastes, of bloody go•re of his creatures: but his good pleasure was vnder these shadowes, types, and figures, to prefigure the death of his onely sonne:³ who by his bloodsheadding shoulde be of power ⟨image 85⟩to wash mens consciences cleane frō all filth & corruption of sinne: not because you should alway lye no•zeling in these, and proceede n• further, but to nourture your childhode, for a time were they deliuered, least by pursuing the error of the Gentiles, ye shoulde either rush headlong into the idolatrous abominations of the heathen, or at the least restrayne you in steade of a scholemaster, in some orderly comelines for a time, vntil the cleare day should appeare, wherein better things should be reueiled, and the trueth it selfe should shut vp, and abolish those shadowes and sacrifices.

Briefly to satisfie this matter in two words, two notes are chiefely to be obserued in these kinds of sacrifices:¹ namely, the vse, and the time. As concerning the vse: Truly the due obseruation of those sacrifices was not of force by their owne nature, to make a chosen and beloued people of God: but to be rules and principles, for that people whom Moyses had gathered to minister in his synagogue: not because they were able of them selues to giue eternall saluation:² but that they shoulde foreshewe the comming of him, in whome rested true safetie, and withall should represent an outward shadowe of inwarde holines ⟨image 86⟩and cleannes of minde. And for that cause prouision was made for such beastes onely, t•at were cleane, vnspotted & vndefiled: hereby enducing the people of y• old Sinagogue to learn, how they ought to be haue thē selues in their dayly conuersation vnblameable. As to that which apperteineth to the consideration of the time,³ this ought to be holdē 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, remayn•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 •hat rude age: by meanes whereof the said sacrifices had th•n their certaine vse & estimation, nor were adiudged vnclean, during that ⟨image 86⟩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 carnall• Sacrifices and blood offerings do vtterly cease, and are altogether discharged from further vse.

But I wil surcease to surcharge you with more testimonies, adding onely one or two ⟨image 89⟩places: first out of the booke of Genesis, an• then out of the Prophet Osee: wherein it shal not be needeful to vse long discourse. For who is so ignorant in the holie scriptures, that vnderstandeth not, what is ment by that scepter which the Patriarche Iacob enspired by diuine oracle, did boldly pronounce, should neuer be remoued from the tribe of Iudah? ¹And who is he at the length, but euen ye same whome the Prophet Esay describeth, saying, I haue giuen him for a gouernour, and teacher of the Gentiles? Which sentence ye holy Patriarche inspired with the same holy ghost, did long before, in the same sense professe, though in other wordes: And the Gentiles shalbe gathered vnto him. But as then was not the scepter yet of power in Israel. But ye godly grayheaded father foreseing lōg before, the euents of things to come, did prophesie of Iudah in this wise: The Scepter or Mace of the empire shall not departe from Iudah, nor a Lawgiuer from betweene his feete, vntill Silo come, and the gathering of the Gentiles shalbe vnto him. Howsoeuer some rascal Thalmudistes do practise to peruert this place wt most friuolous cauillatiōs: yea though all the start vp Rabbines woulde ⟨image 89⟩burst in sunder, yet can this sentence by no violent wrest be framed appliable otherwise, but that two speciall matters must necessarily be grounded thereupon. First, that Iudah and his tribe should be inuested in the title, and the interest of the kingdome. Next, that this prerogatiue should endure vnmoueable, vntil Mes•hias did come, vnto whome the Gentiles should gather them selues. And to the same effect tendeth the interpretation of Ionathas and others,² who liued long before the age of Christ, whose wordes, who listeth to heare, are these: The kings seat shall not be taken or depart from the house of Iudah: neither shall Lawgiuers want of their childrens children vntil the time that Messhias shal come, to whom the kingdome doeth belong. And all the kings of the earth shall become his vassalles. How beautifull is this Messhias, that shall come to continue in the house of Iudah? he shal girde vp his loynes & go forth to battel against his enemies, and the kings and their princes shalbe slaine. He shall die the ri•ers red with the blood of the slaine:

The testimonie that I thought good to borow out of Osee;¹ most worthy to be noted of you that are Iewes, is that, which he setteth downe in the first Chapter of his prophesie: where the Prophet inueighing against Israel vseth this speach: Call his name (•aieth he) not my people, because you are not my people, therefore will I not be yours. &c. Whereby you may plainely perceiue the saying of S. Paul confirmed by the Prophet, to wit: The same which he teacheth concerning the naturall branches, which he sayde were hewen of from the Oliue tree. And now (ye men of Israel) where is that your arrogant vaine glorious vaint of the ofspring of your ⟨image 90⟩kindred? If to be issued of the race of Abraham be prised so highly in the sight of God, what meaneth then this casting away of the Israelites, mencioned by the Prophet? what signifieth that speciall choyse, and calling of the Gentiles, and the wilde Oliue tree to be planted in their place? for so wee reade the promise set downe by the Prophet:² And the nomber of the children of Israel (sayeth hee) shalbe as the sande of the sea, which can not be measured and tolde. And in the place where it was saide, yee are not my people, it shalbe sayd vnto them, you are the sonnes of the liuing God It was a singular prerogatiue for them not being Israelites borne, to be named and nombred amongst the true children of Israel. But that other did farre surmount, that being before the broode of the deuil, they should now be called the sonnes of ye liuing God.³ And to whom (I beseech you) is this vnspeakable benefite promised? forsooth neither to the Israelites nor to ye Iewes, nor to thē which seemed to apperteine vnto God, but vnto thē which were altogether seuered, & estranged from God: ye very abiect, & rascall Gentiles, barbarous & vncircumcised heathē perdie, whome the incomprehensible mercie ⟨image 91⟩of God will ioyne neere vnto him selfe, and wil engraffe them into the roote of his owne naturall Oliue tree, hauing first sawed of the naturall branches, in whose steade he shal gather the Gentiles together, from out a wylde Oliue tree, in such plentifull aboundance and infinite heapes, as will not be comprehended within the territorie of Palestine onely, but like vnto the sandes of the sea,⁴ will replenish the whole worlde, farre and wide from the rising of the sunne, to the going downe of the same.

Reformers309

Puritans1,782

Westminster Assembly24

Evangelicals36

A sermon preached at the christening of a certain Jew at LondonA sermon preached at the christening of a certaine Iew at London