THE TRUE AND GLADSOME OLIVE TREE. A Sermon Preached At The Christening Of A Certain Jew, At London, By John Fox.

CONTAINING AN EXPOSITION OF THE ELEVENTH CHAPTER OF ST. PAUL TO THE ROMANS. Translated out of Latin into English by James Bell.

THE CONTENTS OF THIS PRESENT BOOK.

Herein are discoursed and discussed the principal grounds and foundations of our christian faith, of the true and sincere church, of Christ our Messiah, of the infinite glory and majesty of his kingdom, with a refutation of the obstinate Jews, and lastly touching the final conversion of the same.

Also, to the latter end of this sermon is joined the confession of Nathaniel, this baptized Jew, written first by himself in the Spanish tongue, and now translated into English for the more benefit of the godly reader. To the right honorable Sir Francis Walsingham, knight, principal secretary to her Majesty, and one of her Highness’ most honorable privy council, John Fox wisheth all felicity in our Savior Jesus Christ. PRESUMING not so much upon mine own head, as advised, or rather enforced by request, counsel, and persuasion, of one lately a most bounden servant to your honor, whose name for divers respects I conceal, I am therefore bold to adventure the offer of this small work to your honorable goodness; humbly beseeching the same, not only to accept it in good part, but also, if any such thing occur in this my simple travail which may pleasure or profit you, to yield all thanks to the Lord; if otherwise, to let the fault rest only upon me. Albeit, notwithstanding, other causes also were not wanting to admonish me of my dutiful office in this behalf. First, your manifold and grateful benefits upon me bestowed, which, as of your part, well may beseem your honorable benignity, so, of my part, very little have been deserved.

Furthermore, remembering with myself at what time this sermon was first preached, and you so earnestly required the said matter again to be repeated in your chamber, being sick: certainly this zealous desire of your so christian affection requireth no less of duty than the whole tractation hereof, whatsoever it be, being now published in print, and with some more diligence revised, to be wholly intituled to your name.

Over and besides, another cause here also falleth in, of my part not to be unremembered. For if your bountiful and courteous beneficence, never of me provoked, less deserved, so liberally hath refreshed my poor weak health, with the wholesome fruit of your French grape, little could I do, and unkind were I, if I would not remember you again with some part of recompense in requiting the wholesome fruit of your plentiful vineyard, with some branch of this gladsome and evangelical olive tree; not as in equality of sufficient recompense to satisfy your deserts, but as testifying to you a mind not ungrateful, nor unmindful, what he would do, if greater ability would serve.

To your good honor, both yours, and to the right worshipful lady, your wife, to the young little plants of your domestic olive, sitting about your table, and to your good household, I wish the grace of Christ long to keep you, his mercy to nourish you, his counsel to direct you, his peace to comfort you, his gifts to increase you, to the profit both of the church and commonwealth. London, Anno 1578.

Yours in Christ Jesus, JOHN FOX.

THE PREFACE TO THE CHRISTIAN READER, CONTAINING GODLY EXHORTATION.

FORASMUCH as the sum and absolute perfection of all our righteousness consisteth in the only faith and knowledge of Jesus Christ, without whom all human power and puissance is ineffectual, without whom no provident policy prevaileth, nor yet any force or activity of natural operation can bring any thing to pass; no honorable ornament of virtue, no excellency of exquisite learning, is available; according to the testimony of the Lord himself, Without me ye can do nothing — what ought we, poor mortal wretches, to regard more entirely, than that by due proceeding, in daily renewed increases of this same faith, we not only cleave fast to this Jesus Christ, the assured and undoubted Chieftain and Prince of life; and conveying him into the very inward of our souls, we, thoroughly possessing him, as fast enclosed in a certain holy oratory, also endeavor, by all means possibly, to be most nearly joined unto him, to be incorporate wholly in him, and made members of his own body? For performance whereof behooveth us, above all other, to be guided by his conduct and counsel chiefly. Search the scriptures, saith he, for they bear witness of me.

Which saying St. Peter the apostle doth verify, advertising us of the same faith. And we have, saith he, a more sure word of the prophets, whereunto while ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, ye do well, until the dawn of the day appear, and the day-star arise in your hearts. Yea, the Lord himself in another place sendeth us back to the schooling of the law and the prophets, as unto infallible precepts and rules of pure and true doctrine. And albeit I may not deny that testimony of St. Paul to be most true, where he saith, that faith is a gift of God, issuing from his free mercy and bounty; yet doth he not thereby meanwhile exclude other lawful and ordinary means, taught for the better attainment thereof, As where he saith, Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. So that their error is so much the more blameworthy, who, contented with that intricate and confused faith, as they term it, are of opinion, that to the rude and unlettered people, sufficeth enough to believe those things only that all other men do believe. But this common faith seemed not sufficient to the ancient fathers in that purer age of the primitive and apostolic church; who, though they mistrusted not the lessons and instructions of the apostles, vet were they also in this respect adjudged praiseworthy, because they compared the doctrine which they received of the apostles, with the books of the law and the prophets; which observation of the elders was of no small importance to procure credit to the establishment of faith. But the state of christianity is now come, I know riot to what pass, that this christian faith which behooved to be most deeply engraven in the hearts of every of us, is either not so well garnished in many of us as it ought to be; in others very faint and feeble, and in some others scarce any resemblance at all appearing; which slender portion and sparkle of faith, be it ever so small, as it is not altogether to be rejected; so neither is this wonderful sluggishness, and reckless security of the men in our age, in any respect tolerable: of whom, some over greedily busied in worldly affairs, some feeding their fancies upon fond delights, do either make no estimate at all of that inestimable jewel of faith, which only enricheth to the inheritance of eternal life, or at the least are not such diligent searchers of the same as they ought to be. To climb unto honor, what attempts and toil do some undertake! How filthily do others turmoil themselves in raking riches together! How daintily some men besmear themselves in perfumes and pleasures ! who, because they know they cannot live here for ever, and do determine never to live godly, yield themselves wholly to live delicately and wantonly. To be advanced in court, to aspire to prelacy and ecclesiastical dignity, and to be a magistrate over the multitude, who doth not account it matter most honorable? Who adjudgeth not that man to be most fortunate, that by hook or crook hath scratched wonderful possessions together?

Who thinks not that man to be most happy that liveth most pleasurably?

And what shall I say of those arts and sciences which procure gainful lucre, and estimation of the world; wherein while we sweat and toil all our lives’ long, scarce one minute can be spared, no thought employed to the things which lead unto Christ? I speak not of those who seem to savor of no sap of religion, nor are endued with one drop of faith; who, resembling rather Diagoristes and Protagoristes than christians, are so utterly fallen from christianism to atheism, that, measuring this life with the present pleasures thereof, they do believe nothing holy, good, or worthy to be embraced, but those plausible works and objects of nature wherewith our eyes and senses are most delighted. There is also another crew and company, not much unlike to these, who, perceiving christian religion to be assaulted, racked, and rent in sunder, as they say, with sects, schisms, and contrarieties of opinions, do persuade themselves that the religion is the best, which will acquaint itself with no religion at all!

What shall I say of them, whereof the number is exceeding great, who with full mouth do profess true religion itself, and will not deny but that they do believe in Jesus Christ, but being demanded, wherefore they do believe in him? what the will of God the Father in Christ is? what grace is? what and how great promises are laid up in store for us in Christ? how glorious the majesty and royalty of Christ’s kingdom is? how inestimable the glory of his riches? what is the breadth, the length, the depth, the height thereof? how wonderful the love of his knowledge? how great the force and power of faith is? and upon what principal pillars and foundations it is builded? they can render scarce any reason at all! Forasmuch therefore, as the infallible certainty and true understanding of these things can be attained unto rightly from no where else than from the holy closets of the sacred scriptures; it shall be very requisite and needful, that every one of us employ all our senses and powers of the mind, continually exercised in the same. For howsoever christian divinity is tossed and turmoiled to and fro, with innumerable, intricate, entangled, and wandering questions, yet faith remaineth one, self-same, nevertheless both pure and simple; and as it is but one, so ought all men necessarily to be endued therewith wholly. That is to say, that we all know Christ, that we repose all our anchor hold of affiance in Christ, and that we imprint Christ in the bowels of our soul, as we are commanded by the mouth of God the Father, seeing there is no name besides this name given under heaven, in whom the treasure and hope of man’s felicity may safely shroud itself. Let princes therefore learn to know this Christ; let subjects attend upon him; let ancient fathers take hold of him; let young men embrace him; let the rich enlarge their treasury with this precious jewel; and let the poor seek as their relief to be refreshed by him. Who indeed can elsewhere by no means be found more easily than in the very sacred well-springs of the prophetical scriptures; notwithstanding, whoso is desirous to procure this joyful jewel, must first of necessity make earnest and diligent search therefore. For this precious pearl is not allotted to any, but unto them that will search for it; nor doth this heavenly manna feed any but the hungry. The soul must be very thirsty, that must taste of this liquor that gusheth from out of the conduit pipes of eternal life. This gate is not opened to the lazy and slothful drone, but unto him that will knock. Knock, saith he, and it shall be opened unto you. Seek, and ye shall find. All persons, without exception, are granted free access to the treasury of this kingdom. It is laid open for all estates, but all catch it not, except such as offer force for it. For what, I beseech you, is more forcible than faith? What more mighty, if it be true faith, if it be lively faith, yea, if it be true christian faith? As that is, which, displaying banner under his Captain, Christ, doth fight in heaven, and combat in the air against the princes and powers of the air, against spiritual wickednesses from above; doth keep continual wars against infinite hazards in the earth, and in hell against Beelzebub; against the furies and gates of the hells; yea, against death it fighteth for eternal life, against the law for righteousness, and against horror of conscience for freedom and peace.

Therefore, considering this faith is of such power and efficacy, yea, so necessary to be frequented in all the actions of man’s life; what remaineth from henceforth, but that all and every one of us, cry out unto the same Christ, and beseech him to impart unto us the true knowledge and understanding of himself, to enlighten the glimmering sight of our dazzled, fleshly eyes, with the most bright and orient beams of this gladsome faith? and that he will vouchsafe at length to bring that to pass in us, that he used sometimes with his apostles, as when he discovered unto them the holy scriptures upon the way as they traveled? For so we read, And he began at Moses, and at all the prophets, and interpreted unto them in all the scriptures, the things which were written of him. And immediately after, Then opened he their understanding that they might know the scriptures, and said unto them, Thus it is written. Luke 24. Whereby appeareth plainly the duty and office that is required in the expositors of the holy scriptures; that, omitting all superfluous circumlocutions, and unprofitable quiddities of questions, they instruct the people in those principles and rules of the scriptures chiefly, which avail most to the nourishment and increase of faith. In this kind of argument, forasmuch as in this sermon behooved me to frame my simple skill, according to the estate of the present matter, and opportunity of time, and that it seemed good to my friends to have this little treatise published in print, to the view of the common people, as not altogether unworthy the reading; I have yielded to their request, that it might be imprinted. And although my meaning was at the first to have the same directed to the behoof of the Jews chiefly, yet I trust it will not be altogether unprofitable to the christian readers. First, because it may so be, yea, I fear me, it may also justly be feared, lest amongst the number of them which say that they believe in Christ, some haply will be found, in whose lips only this faith rolleth at large, and hath not yet pierced any deeper, nor taken root in their hearts, nor are they as yet so sufficiently learned, that, if matter come to trial and proof, they can render a true and undoubted reason of this their faith. Moreover, admit that a man stand assured and steadfast in the certainty of his faith, yet what faith is there so sure, constant, and unvanquishable, but may be made more stable and perfect? For if St. Paul did see sometime as in a dark riddle; if the apostles, notwithstanding so many miracles wrought in their sight, needed yet the interpretation of scriptures; if those which received the word by the preaching of Paul, did nevertheless confer his doctrine with the scriptures, to see whether they agreed together, as is recorded in the Acts of the Apostles, chapter <441701> 17, what should hinder us to do the like? that by this means, we also might increase daily from faith to faith.