A01136:45
A sermon preached at the christening of a certain Jew at LondonA sermon preached at the christening of a certaine Iew at London
A sermon preached at the christening of a certain Jew at London by John Fox. Containing an exposition of the xi. chapter of S. Paul to the Romans. Translated out of Latin into English by James Bell.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 Latine into English by Iames Bell.
London: printed by Christopher Barker, 1578
Title page typeset from the transcription.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
And albeit all these examples of unbelief, whereof I have made mention, may justly be reproved as blame worthy, & void of all colour of defence, yet may they be borne withal after a sort. But this kind of infidelity of all others is most horrible & execrable, when as men do rush headlong into such obstinate resistance, that they will not only not acquaint themselves with the trueth, being laid open before their eyes, but will wittingly shut up their senses from the beholding thereof, because they will not see it, & will spurn thereat not in words and profession only, but will cruelly persecute the same also with all manner of outrage, slaughter & blood, blasphemies & most despiteful execrations. And this is that unbelief, which being more noisome then any pestilent botch, may rightly & properly be called the Jewish Infidelity, & seemeth after a certain manner their inheritable disease, who are after a certain sort, from their mothers womb, naturally carried through perverse frowardness, into all malicious hatred, & contempt of Christ, & his Christians. And for this cause especially, ⟨image 20⟩I suppose it came to pass, that whereas God so many hundred years before, had continually pardoned their wonderful & manifold wickedness & impiety, & after his wonted manner, had from time to time endured, & winked at their horrible rebellion & idolatry, he could now no longer forbear their abominable cruelty, committed against his welbe loved son, whom they traitorously murdered and hanged on tree, but must needs avenge him upon the whole nation, and root out the remnant of the whole race altogether. And not without great cause: for how could it else be, after that he was once revealed unto them, for whose cause only all that common wealth of the Jews was instituted & erected? What cause remained then, that the Jewish synagogue should be of any longer continuance? or to what purpose might it serve afterwards? what? That they might persevere still in sacrificing the blood of goats and lambs to the Lord? 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 even in the very hearts of men: he taketh no pleasure in external pomp, and outward observances, nor gorgeous garnishings of ⟨image 20⟩the body the vouchsafeth those worshippers, which do worship him in Spirit & trueth.
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 thēselues 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 wt al maner of outrage, slaughter & blood, blasphemies & most despiteful execrations. And this is that vnbeliefe, which being more noysome then any pestilēt 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 Christiās. And for this cause especially,