A01136:74
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.
But here again some froward person amongst you will murmur again in this wise.1 In what sort can Christ be said in the scriptures to be everlasting, if he must of necessity be slain? This scruple no man can more effectually unloose, then the Prophet David in his mystical Psalm:2 Thou shalt not leave my soul (saith he) in the grave, nor suffer thy holy one to see corruption. Where you hear his soul laid in the grave, you must understand that to be spoken of his death and burial. Again, when you hear, that he is risen again from his sepulchre, you must interpret the same of his infinite eternity, & unperishable freedom, exempt from all manner of corruption. Whereby appeareth notably discernible unto you, each condition in one self person: That is to say: That he is both a mortal man, and an eternal God. In the one whereof the infirmity of his manhood is palpable: in the other the glory of his resurrection ⟨image 40⟩is most evidently provable. What? And do ye expect yet an other everlasting Messiah besides this?3 What a fantasy is this? As though when the true Messiah is come, he may obtain any courteous entertainment amongst you? Truly none at all• For even so say the Prophets of your own nation. Or else what meaneth that saying of David, that ye read in the Psalm? The stone which the builders refused, the same is made the head of the corner. And who be they that are called the builders, but even your selves the Jews?4 What is this stone, but Messiah? whom if ye will so long gape after, until you find your selves pliable to embrace and honour him, it will come to pass, that your long lingering will be prolonged beyond all compass of time: because according to the saying of your own. Prophets, you will never dutifully allow of the coming of the true Messiah, but that ye will continually remain in an uncertain expectation of some other. For if he be accepted by the general consent of you all without exception, surely he can not possibly be the true Messiah. Again, if he be refused from amongst you, how long will you hang in suspense of his coming?