Lectures Upon John 4, Part 8 · Lecture 38
Lecture the eight and thirtieth, Ianuary 9. 1609.
IT remaineth now, that we come to the second point that I told you was to be obserued in these words, namely: how this saluation is said to bee of the Iewes. Now when our Sauiour saith here saluation is of the Iewes, his meaning is: that the Word of God, the meanes of mans saluation was to be receiued from the Iewes. So that the Doctrine we are hence to learne, is this: That
All the nations of the world hauehave euer receiued the Word, and true Religion of God from the Iewes.Doct. 7.
In this respect, the Catholique Church, and whole company of Gods Elect are called the house of Iacob; and the inhabitants of Ierusalem, Zach. 12. 10. The celestiall Ierusalem, Heb. 12. 22. The Israel of God, Gal. 6. 16. The Common-wealth of Israel, Ephes. 2. 12. And Ierusalem is called the mother of vsus all, Gal. 4. 26.
This honour and prerogatiue that God vouchsafed to the Iewes, will the better appeare if wee consider it in these three degrees. 1. In the state that the Church was in before Christs comming. 2. In the state that the Church was in after Christs comming. 3. In the state that the Church shall bee in before the end of the world, and second comming of Christ.
1. Before Christs comming in the flesh, the Iewes were the onelyonly Church: and all that professed the true Religion of God, receiued it from them, and ioyned themselues vntounto them. In this respect, God calls Israel his first borne, Exod. 4. 22. To them pertained the giuing of the law, and the seruice of God, Rom. 9. 4. All the Scripture of the Old Testament was written in their language, and committed to them, Rom. 3. 2. In which respect our Sauiour also calls all the Scriptures of the Old Testament (not the ceremoniall and iudiciall lawes onelyonly) their Law, Iohn 10. 34. and 15. 25. (both which places are cited out of the Psalmes) at that time none could worship God aright; vnlesse he ioyned himselfe to the Iewes, and became a member of that Church. So the Holy Ghost when hee would declare that many of the Persians when they saw the successe God gaue his people against Haman, were conuerted and imbraced the true Religion: he saith, Ester 8. 17. Many of the people of the land became Iewes.
2. After Christs comming in the flesh. 1. The Gospell was first sent to them: therefore are they called the children of the Kingdome, Matth. 8. 12. Iohn Baptist was sent onelyonly to them, Luke 1. 16. Our Sauiour himselfe was sent to them, and exercised his Ministry onelyonly amongst them: and therefore is called a Minister of the circumcision, Rom. 15. 8. And hee saith, Matth. 15. 24. Hee was not sent to any, but to the lost sheepe of the house of Israel. The Apostles before Christs Ascension were forbidden to preach to any but to them, Matth. 10. 5. And after Christs Ascension were charged to preach first to them, Luke 24. 47. beginning at Ierusalem. All the Apostles did exercise their Ministry at Ierusalem, Rom. 15. 19. And made their abode there more then in any other place, Acts 8. 1. 14. And it is expresly said, Acts 11. 19. That they which were scattered abroad vponupon the persecution, which rose about Stephen, trauelled as farre as Phenice and Cyprus, and Antioch, preaching the Word to none but vntounto the Iewes onelyonly. Yea Paul and Barnabas, though they went vntounto the Heathen, Gal. 2. 9. yet in eueryevery place where they came, they first offered their Ministry, and preached vntounto them, Acts 13. 5. and 14. 1. and 17. 1, 2, 17. and 18. 4. And if they had not reiected it, it had neuer beene preached to the Gentiles, Acts 13. 46. It was necessary that the Word of God should first hauehave beene spoken to you, but seeing yee put it from you: loe we turne to the Gentiles, Rom. 11. 11. Through their fall, saluation commeth to the Gentiles: and verse 28. Concerning the Gospell they are enemies for your sake. The poore, the maimed, the halt and the blinde, had neuer beene admitted to the feast: if the guests that were first bidden, and for whom the feast was prepared, had not refused to come, Luke 14. 21. 2. As the Gospell was first offered to them: so (though many of them reiected it) yet they were the first that imbraced it. The first Church that euer receiued the Gospel, the Doctrine, the Sacraments, the discipline of the New Testament, was the Church of the Iewes, it is the power of God vntounto saluation to eueryevery one that beleeueth, to the Iew first, Rom. 1. 16. yea you shall not finde any one place, where the Apostles preached with so great successe, and increase of the Church as they did at Ierusalem, and among the Iewes, Acts 2. 41. 44. 3. All the Churches of the Gentiles conformed themselues vntounto the Church of the Iewes; and esteemed the Church at Ierusalem as the mother Church, and gaue speciall honour and respect vntounto it. To the Church at Ierusalem, as to the mother Church and chiefe Church in all the world, other Churches were wont to resort for their direction, and for the deciding of such controuersies as did arise amongst them, Acts 15. 2. So when Agabus had signified to the Church at Antioch, what a dearth would come vponupon the whole world, Acts 11. 28. The Disciples determined to send reliefe to the brethren in Iudea, verse 29. Why to them rather then to any other? Surely, because of the chiefe respect they knew was due to that Church aboue all others. See the like care in the brethren of Macedonia, and Achaia, Rom. 15. 26. And marke the reason that is giuen, verse 27. Their debters they are. Why so? because they receiued the Word, and worship of God from them. 4. Yea all the Churches of the Gentiles receiued the Gospell from the Church of Ierusalem, and were deriued from that Church. For euen as the Lord had foretold by his Prophets, Psal. 110. 2. The Lord shall send the rod of thy power out of Zion. And Esay 2. 3. The Law shall goe from Zion, and the word of the Lord from Ierusalem: so was it fulfilled. For as the Apostles that conuerted the Gentiles were all Iewes: so in Ierusalem they receiued the gift of the Holy Ghost, whereby they were fitted to instruct the Gentiles, Acts 1. 4. And it is expresly noted, that from Ierusalem they all went that first carried the light of the Gospell to the Gentiles, Acts 8. 4, 5. and 11. 19, 20. 5. All the Gentiles that beleeued, ioyned themselues to the Church of the Iewes, and became members of it. Thus it was prophesied that they should doe by Noah, Iapheth should dwell in the tents of Sem, Gen 9. 27. And by Ezekiel, Ezek. 16. 61. Thou shalt receiue thy sisters (Sodome and Samaria vnderunder which two are comprehended all the Gentiles) thine elder and thy younger; and I will giuegive them to thee for daughters. And by Zacharia, Ten men shall take hold out of all languagues of the nations, euen shall take hold of the skirt of him that is a Iew, saying, Wee will goe with you; for we hauehave heard that God is with you, Zach. 8. 23. This Paul saith was fulfilled, Rom. 11. 17. Thou being a wild Oliue, art grafted in amongst them, and verse 24. Thou art contrary to nature grafted into a good Oliue tree.
3. Before the second comming of Christ, the Iewes shall be conuerted, and become a most famous Church againe: and they shall bee the meanes of the saluation of all the Elect, that shall remaine to be conuerted among the Gentiles. This Doctrine the Apostle plainely teacheth, Rom. 11. 25, 26. I would not brethren, that ye should bee ignorant of this mystery, that blindnesse in part is happened to Israel, vntill the fulnesse of the Gentiles bee come in, and so all Israel shall be saued, &c. 1. Obstinacy is in part come vponupon Israel (not a totall nor finall obstinacy.) 2. Till the fullnesse of the Gentiles be come in. 3. And so all Israel shall be saued. 4. He calls this a mystery; because no man can conceiue how it should be. 5. He would not hauehave the Gentiles ignorant of it.
And when once they shall thus hauehave receiued the Gospell againe, then shall saluation againe be deriued from them vntounto the Gentiles: they shall be a meanes of the conuerting such of the Gentiles as shall remaine to be conuerted; and such as were before conuerted, they shall draw to greater purity and zeale then euer they had before. This the Apostle teacheth, if the fall of them be the riches of the world, and the diminishing of them the riches of the Gentiles: how much more their fulnesse? If the casting away of them, bee the reconciling of the world: what shall the reconciling of them bee, but life from the dead? Rom. 11. 12, 15. This is that which is foretold; Esay 60. 3. The Gentiles shall walke in thy light: and Kings at the brightnesse of thy rising vp, and verse 5. The forces of the Gentiles shall come vntounto thee. And the Apostle Iohn speaking of this new Ierusalem, saith, Apoc. 21. 24. The people that are saued shall walke in the light of it, and the Kings of the earth shall bring their glory and honour vntounto it.
You see then this Doctrine confirmed vntounto you, that in all these three seuerall ages (as it were) and conditions of the Church, saluation hath heretofore, and shall hereafter euer come from the Iewes: and from them it hath beene, and shall be deriued vntounto the Gentiles.
Now the reason why God vouchsafeth this honour to that Nation, is to be considered: and surely (if we consider well of the matter) wee may wonder at it.
For 1. Neuer was there any Nation vponupon earth more vnworthy of this honour then the Iewes, neuer any that did more prouoke God, specially since the comming of Christ in the flesh, They both killed the Lord Iesus, and their owne Prophets, and hauehave persecuted vsus; and they please not God, and are contrary to all men; Forbidding vsus to speake to the Gentiles, that they might bee saued, to fill vp their sinnes alway: for the wrath is come vponupon them to the vttermost, 1. Thess. 2. 15, 16. 2. Neuer was there any Nation so vnlikely to receiue the Gospell as they, Rom. 11. 8. God hath giuen them the spirit of slumber, &c. vntounto this day. No people vnderunder heauen doe beare so bitter hatred to Christ and the Gospell as they doe; daily in their Synagogues they blaspheme and curse Christ. 3. Neuer was there any Nation so vnlikely that God should shew this mercy vntounto as the Iewes. For what people euer did beare so euident markes of Gods wrath and indignation as they hauehave done? What people was euer so like to be a people that God hath hated and accursed, and reiected as they? Which makes the Apostle to say, 1. Thess 2. 16. Wrath is come vponupon them to the vttermost. These things considered, we may wonder, that the Lord should euer vouchsafe them that honour, as to make them his stewards, to put them in trust with the keeping of all his treasure, and with the dispensing of it to his whole family; but specially we may wonder that euer the Lord should now shew them that mercy againe to become his people. No maruell though the Apostle calls this a mysterie, Rom. 11. 25. Well; hath the Lord reuealed to vsus any reason of this, why he should thus farre forth honour this nation? yes surely.
1. They hauehave thus reiected the Gospell, not of meere malice, but ignorantly Reason.out of a blinde zeale, And now brethren, I wo…e that through ignorance ye did it as did also your fathers, Acts 3. 17. In persecuting the faithfull they thought they did God seruice, Iohn 16. 2. They had in them the zeale of God euen then, Rom. 10. 2.
2. The purity and life of Religion which they shall discerne in the Gentiles, shall be a meanes to draw them; as the Idolatry, and other sinnes of Christians hath beene the meanes to harden them thus long, Saluation is come vntounto the Gentiles; for to prouoke them to iealousie; that through your mercy, they also may obtaine mercy, Rom. 11. 11. 31.
But thirdly, the chiefe Reason is that ancient and vnchangeable louelove, which God did beare to their fathers Abraham, Isaac, and Iacob: and the Couenant he had made with them: With Abraham the Lord had made this euerlasting Couenant, Gen. 17. 7. and 22. 18. In thy seede shall all the nations of the earth be blessed. This Couenant made with their fathers is oft alledged for the reason why God shewed such mercy vntounto this Nation, I will remember my Couenant with Iacob, and also my Couenant with Isaac, and also my Couenant with Abraham will I remember, and will remember the land, Leuit. 26. 42. And Ezek. 16. 60. Neuerthelesse I will remember my Couenant with thee in the daies of thy youth, and I will establish vntounto thee an euer lasting Couenant. And this is alledged by the Apostle for the onelyonly reason why they were trusted with Gods Oracles, Rom. 3. 3. What if some of them did not beleeue? shall their vnbeliefe make the faith of God without effect? And why (notwithstanding the fearefull Apostacie wherein now they lye) God will shew mercy to them againe, and make them his people, Rom. 11. 16. If the first fruits be holy, so is the whole lumpe: if the roote be holy, so are the branches.
The Vse of this Doctrine is. 1. To conuince the Religion of the Papists. Who though they do apishly and superstitiously imitate the Iewes in those Use 1.things, which God hath forbidden them to imitate them in (for all their pompeous seruice and ceremonies are vsed in imitation of the Iewes: and it is euident that God hath long since abrogated that ceremoniall worship, Ioh. 4. 21. 23. the houre commeth when ye shall neither in this mountaine, nor yet at Ierusalem, worship the Father. But the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: yea he hath condemned the vse of it. Behold I Paul say vntounto you, that if ye be circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing, Gal. 5. 2.) yet do they deny that honour to the Church of the Iewes, which our Sauiour here hath giuen vntounto it.
For 1. They receiue sundry bookes for the Old Testament, which the Church of the Iewes neuer acknowledged. Whereas all the Scripture of the Old Testament is called their Law: all the Oracles of the euer-liuing and iust God, in the Old Testament were committed to them, and they faithfully kept them to Christs time (or else Christ or the Apostles would hauehave taxed them for this rather then for any other corruptions) yea to this very day they do keepe them truely and faithfully, insomuch as (though their Rabines hauehave giuen very many false and blasphemous interpretations and glosses) yet they cannot be charged in any of their writings to hauehave corrupted the Text, by adding one word or letter vntounto it, or by taking or diminishing one word or letter from it.
2. They hold Rome to be the mother Church vntounto all the world, to which all other Churches are to conforme themselues, and from which they are to receiue direction: whereas we hauehave heard that honour belongeth onelyonly to the Church of Ierusalem.
3. They hauehave very many things in their Religion which they hold for matters of saluation (their whole Hierarchy, and many Doctrines also that they teach) which neuer came from the Church of the Iewes. Whereas it is very euident and certaine, that though they can pretend neuer so great antiquity for any thing they hold, if they cannot proue it was taught and receiued in the Church of the Iewes, it cannot be of God.
To teach vsus how to stand affected to the people, and Nation of the Iewes,
1. We should obserue and wonder at the fearefull iudgement of God vponupon Vse 2.that Nation not onelyonly in that slauery, bondage, and contempt they hauehave liued in for these sixteene hundreth yeeres, but specially in that strange obstinacy and hardnesse of heart that hath beene thus long vponupon them. For if God hauehave thus dealt with that people for their sinne, and contempt of his Gospell, which of all people in the world he loued best, and had most obliged himselfe vntounto: how can we hope to escape if we sin as they hauehave done? This vse the Apostle makes, Rom. 11. 21. if God spared not the naturall branches, take heed least he also spare not thee.
2. We should obserue and wonder at the truth and mercy of God, who for his promise sake hath so strangely preserued that Nation and people all this while: insomuch as they remaine at this day an exceeding great people.
3. We may not hate their name and Nation, but louelove them, and pray for them, and vse all meanes to further their conuersion. Sundry forcible Reasons there be to mooue vsus vntounto this.
1. The affection that Gods good and godly seruants, yea Christ himselfe did beare vntounto this people: not withstanding their sin and obstinacy. See Pauls affection to them, his hearts desire and prayer to God for Israel was, that they might be saued. Rom. 10. 1. and 9. 2, 3. he had great heauinesse and continuall sorrow in his heart, and could hauehave wisht that himselfe bad beene accursed from Christ, for restoring of them into Gods fauour. See what affection Christ did beare vntounto them, Luke 19. 41, 42. he wept and expressed exceeding compassion towards Ierusalem.
2. For their Ancestours sakes, the most honourable Nation vnderunder heauen they hauehave beene, Christ himselfe was a Iew. No nation is able to deriue their pedigree, nor bring so Authenticall Records for it as they. See how Paul (euen before the Corinthians that were Gentiles) glorieth in this, 2. Cor. 11. 22. Are they Hebrewes? so am I: are they Israelites? so am I: are they the seede of Abraham? so am I: This reason the Apostle giues for the affection he bare to them, Rom. 9. 5. For if such respect was had to Iezabel, because she was a Kings daughter, though otherwise she had beene a wicked woman, 2. King. 9. verse 34. How much more respect deserueth this Nation euen for this?
3. The promise we hauehave heard God hath made vntounto that Nation, that he will call them, and make them his people againe, should prouoke vsus to pray for them, See the force of this reason, 2, Sam. 7. 27. For thou, O Lord of hostes, God of Israel, hast reuealed to thy seruant, saying, I will build thee an house: therefore hath thy seruant found in his heart to pray this prayer vntounto thee.
4. The glory that shall redound to God by their conuersion: For then shall he be more purely worshipped then he is hitherto by all his Elect throughout the world.
5. The good that we our selues hauehave receiued from them. For they before the time of our calling prayed for vsus, and earnestly desired our conuersion, as appeares, We hauehave a little sister, and she hath no breasts: what shall we do for our sister, in the day when she shall be spoken for? Cant. 8. 8. and by sundry Psalmes, Psal. 87. And from them we receiued the Gospell, and worship of God: in which respect also we may be called their debters, as Rom. 15. 27.
To comfort such as hauehave at any time had good euidence of Gods louelove to them in Christ. For such may by this example be assured, that though they Use 3.hauehave iustly deserued he should cast them off: and though (through the tokens of Gods anger that are vponupon them, either inwardly or outwardly, their owne reason and sense may perswade them he hath cast them off indeed; yet) whom he hath once loued in Christ, and receiued into his couenant, and called effectually to be his people, and giuen his Spirit vntounto; them he will louelove to the end, and can neuer cast them off, Ier. 31. 3. I hauehave loued thee with an euerlasting louelove: therefore with louing kindnesse hauehave I drawne thee. And Iohn 13. 1. whom Christ loueth, he loueth to the end. And Rom. 11. 29. the gifts and calling of God are without repentance. Let vsus therefore giuegive all diligence to make our calling and election sure: and seeke good euidence to our selues that God loueth vsus in Christ, 2. Pet. 1. 10. There is no certainety in the louelove of any mortall creature, which yet thou so much dotest vponupon, but the louelove of God is certaine and vnchangeable.
For the comfort of Christian parents. Many are the priuiledges which the Vse 4.Lord hath vouchsafed vntounto our children; but this is the chiefe, that if we know our selues to be the children of God, we may be assured that some of our posterity shall be so likewise.
So that this may quiet and secure our hearts (though we hauehave many children, and little to leaue them) not only in the whole course of our liues, but euen in the houre of death. If 1. Wee hauehave good assurance that ourselues are within Gods Couenant. 2. That we hauehave done our endeauour to bring vp our children in Gods feare, and to make them his children.