Exercitations on the Epistle to the Hebrews

First, We plead our own Records, that are written by the Evangelists. And herein we have but one request to make unto the Jews; namely, that they would lay no Exceptions § 60 against them, which they know to be of equal force against the writings of Moses, and all the Prophets. If they declare themselves to be such Bedlams, as to set their own houses on fire, for no other end, but to endanger their neighbours; if they will destroy the principles of their own Faith and Religion, to cast the broken pieces of them at the heads of Christians; if they cry, pereant amici dummodo & pereant inimici, they are not fit to be any longer contended withal. I desire then to know what one Exception the Jews can lay against this Record, which mutatis mutandis may not be laid against the Mosaical Writings: And if they have always concluded all such Exceptions, to be invalid as to an opposition unto those grounds and evidences on which they believe those Writings; why will they not give us leave to affirm the same of them, in reference unto those which we receive and believe, on no less certain Testimonies and Evidences. Unless then they can except any thing to the credit of our Writers, or disprove that which is written by them, from Records of equal weight with them, which they can never do, nor do attempt it, they have nothing reasonable to plead in this Cause. To tell us that they do not believe what is written by them, neither did their forefathers, is, as to themselves no more then we know, and as to their forefathers, nothing but what those very Writers testify concerning them; and to look for their consent unto that in any Record, which that Record witnesseth that they dissented from, is to overthrow the Record it self, and all that is contained in it. The Jews then have nothing to oppose unto this Testimony, but only their own unbelief; which for all the Reasons that have been insisted on, cannot be admitted as any just Exception; story or circumstance they have none to oppose unto it.

First, We plead our own Records, that are written by the Evangelists. And herein we have but one request to make unto the Jews; namely, that they would lay no Exceptions § 60 against them, which they know to be of equal force against the writings of Moses, and all the Prophets. If they declare themselves to be such Bedlams, as to set their own houses on fire, for no other end, but to endanger their neighbours; if they will destroy the principles of their own Faith and Religion, to cast the broken pieces of them at the heads of Christians; if they cry, pereant amici dummodo & pereant inimici, they are not fit to be any longer contended withall. I desire then to know what one Exception the Jews can lay against this Record, which mutatis mutandis may not be laid against the Mosaical Writings: And if they have alwaies concluded all such Exceptions, to be invalid as to an opposition unto those grounds and evidences on which they believe those Writings; why will they not give us leave to affirm the same of them, in reference unto those which we receive and believe, on no less certain Testimonies and Evidencies. Unless then they can except any thing to the credit of our Writers, or disprove that which is written by them, from Records of equal weight with them, which they can never do, nor do attempt it, they have nothing reasonable to plead in this Cause. To tell us that they do not believe what is written by them, neither did their forefathers, is, as to themselves no more then we know, and as to their forefathers, nothing but what those very Writers testifie concerning them; and to look for their consent unto that in any Record, which that Record witnesseth that they dissented from, is to overthrow the Record it self, and all that is contained in it. The Jews then have nothing to oppose unto this Testimony, but only their own unbelief; which for all the Reasons that have been insisted on, cannot be admitted as any just Exception; story or circumstance they have none to oppose unto it.