Chapter 11: The Progress and Outcome of the Jewish Apostasy
The progress and outcome of the apostasy of the Jewish church.
We have shown at length that the apostates repudiated the first foundation of Mosaic Theology by the introduction of arbitrary and idolatrous worship; it remains for me to show briefly that they also despised those other principles of the same truth, which, as has been similarly demonstrated, held an equal place with that first one in that theology. That theology also taught free justification and eternal salvation to be obtained through the merits and mediation of the Messiah. In the course of time the most pernicious error prevailed concerning righteousness through the works of the law and the observance of ceremonial rites. Puffed up with this opinion, the stubborn people, full of self-regard, exalted itself magnificently in all things and everywhere, as if it alone were worthy of God's care. And at last, having despised moral obedience and poured themselves into vices, they placed all their hope in sacrifices and external rites alone. God confronted these most pernicious errors through the ministry of the prophets. But not even by this were they cast down from their perverse opinion of their own righteousness — with the leaven of which those who are furthest from all righteousness are most often swollen — but this was ultimately a great part of this initial apostasy.
The promise of the Messiah, who would establish new rites of divine worship together with righteousness and eternal peace, having abolished those Mosaic ones that were imposed for a time appointed by divine direction, constituted the third foundation of Jewish theology. Beginning to dream of the absolute eternity of the ceremonies, they also cast aside all concern for this principle.
This was that partial apostasy of the Jewish church which God, employing the greatest gentleness and mercy, was pleased to correct by seventy years of captivity. For after the people had not permitted themselves to be torn away from those wicked customs and errors through the prophetic ministry, and were moreover heaped with every injustice, licentiousness, plunder, fornication, murder, and oppression, the church was reduced to such a condition that, partly on account of the national constitution and partly because the very great majority of the people had consented to the apostasy, the reformation of the church through the separation of the righteous had become utterly impossible. God was therefore pleased to bring a universal desolation upon it, so that the people, restored to their ancestral land, might be able to recommence from the very foundations, as it were, all things pertaining to the observance of Mosaic Theology.
This partial apostasy of the Jewish church therefore reached this dreadful end: the city itself and the temple — the sole seat of all solemn worship — were laid waste by sword and fire and leveled to the ground, the remaining people were driven into captivity, and a total interruption was made to the celebration of worship.
But God had not yet exhausted all His love toward that people, nor had He yet cast off all care and hope for that church; He willed it to undergo another trial of this sort — the kind of which the rabbis dream concerning individual souls.
