The Seven Golden Candlesticks, Part 1 – Part 5
Rom. 11. Chapt.
THe ſcope of this Chapter is toScope of the Chapter. proue, that God hath not finally caſt away his people the Iewes, or Iſrael his people, Verſ. 1.
This ſcope the Apoſtle proueth by the conuerſion of ſome then in his time, and by the conuerſion of the reſt, though then left in their obſtinacy, when God ſhould call them.
Of the conuerſion of thoſe in his time, he ſpeaketh in Verſes 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. giuing an inſtance firſt of himſelfe, and then of others, whom he calleth the remnant then ſaued, in ſo general a caſting off of al the Nation, as aforetime it fell out in the dayes of Eliah, which remnant ſo ſaued, were ſo, not for their workes, but they were ſaued according to the election of grace and of Gods foreknowledge.
Of the conuerſion of the other in the time to come, whom hee calleth the reſt, in Verſe 7. the Apoſtle alſo doth aſſure vsus, though for that preſent time, and now euen at this day, they bee blinded, as was foretold in the Prophets, and in the Pſalmes, Verſes 8, 9, 10. The ſumme of all that which is in the Chapter concerning theſe ſo blinded and hardened, hitherto is this.
That the reſt of Iſrael left in their The ſumme of the Chapter.obſtinacy for a time, were not finally caſt off, that they and their ſucceeding poſteritie ſhould vtterly periſh: God forbid, ſaith the Apoſtle, but that in the Lords time, when the fulneſſe of the Gentiles ſhall come in, all Iſrael ſhall be ſaued, that is, as thoſe which were before the reiection of the Nation were, and as thoſe remnant choſen out in Saint Pauls time; ſo ſhall the hardened and ſtiffe-necked Iewes left of God, in the appointed time returne to God. Euen the Nation of the Iewes, called Iſrael, ſhall be ſaued. For ſo Iſrael is to be vnderſtood, in cap. 10. 21. where hee taketh occaſion to enter vponupon this diſputation, and ſo alſo in cap. 11. verſ. 7. and in verſ. 26. where he concludeth the point.
That the Apoſtle meanes the bodyBy Iſrael is meant the body of that Nation. of the Iewes, it is plaine by this, that he ſpeaketh of their fall and fulneſſe, in verſ. 12. both which words hee expoundeth himſelfe. Fall is in verſ. 15. interpreted caſting away, and fulneſſe, the receiuing of them, in the ſame verſe. Now the fall and caſting of them off, was from a viſible and nationall being of Gods people and Church, therefore their receiuing muſt bee vnderſtood, by the Law of Oppoſites, of their being a viſible Church of Chriſt, and a Nationall people, profeſſing the true God and worſhip of his Name. And as the caſting off is meant of naturall Iewes & Iſraelites, the poſteritie of Iſrael and the twelue Patriarchs, ſo muſt the receiuing of them be vnderſtood in like ſort, for elſe ſhould not the Law of Oppoſites be kept, neither ſhould the Apoſtles diſcourſe hauehave dependancy of one thing with another.
But leſt this truth might yet bee doubted of, the bleſſed Apoſtle doth not onelyonly affirme it, but doth alſo confirme it by very many reaſons, ſuch as followeth.
1 From the end of their ſtumbling; Verſ. 11.they ſtumbled not to fall, and ſo to riſe no more: God forbid, ſaith the Apoſtle, that we Gentils ſhould hauehave ſo deſperate a conceit of them. The end was, ſaith he, not their deſtruction, but our ſaluation; for this the Lord pleaſed to make, as a way, to bring to vsus the Goſpell, and to make vsus his people, which the Iewes in their ſtanding did hinder, did oppoſe, and no way could endure to heare of. Acts 22. 22. 1. Theſſ. 2. 16.
II. From the end of our Conuerſion Ʋerſe 11.alſo, which is in time to bring them backe againe vntounto the Lord, by prouoking them to iealouſie: of which Moſes fore-told, Deutronomie, 32. 21.
III. From the great good which Verſe 12.ſhall come to vsus by their recalling, euen to enrich vsus the more in grace. This the Apoſtle doth proue by an Argument, à Minori ad Maius. For, ſaith he, if their fall and dimiſhing brought to vsus ſaluation, how much more then ſhall their returne in fulneſſe bring vsus riches and glorie. So then it is thus betweene vsus and them. Their fall was to bring vsus to God, our Conuerſion is appointed in time to prouoke them to returne, and this their returne will increaſe our happineſſe.
IV. From the Apoſtles magnifying Verſe 13. 14.his office, and from his endeuour in his Miniſterie among the Gentile, ſeeking to winne theſe to prouoke them, and to ſaue at the leaſt ſome of them, though as yet in his time, hee could not recouer the Nation, yet hee aymed at that, which hee knew ſhould be. Which endeuour he preſſeth himſelfeVerſe 15. vntounto, from the conſideration of the good to vsus Gentiles, called the reconciling of the World, and from the wonderfull worke of God in them, whoſe recouery ſhall be as the rayſing vp people from the dead, of which Ezechiel the Prophet ſpeaketh in chap. 37.
V. From the hereditarie right toƲerſe 16. be Gods people, holy to the Lord, as the ancient Iſraelites were, Ier. 2. 3. by couenant made with their firſt Fathers, Abraham, Iſaac, and Iacob: which hee ſetteth out by a double ſimilitude, the one from the firſt fruits, which ſanctified the reſt, and the other from the roote, the ſap whereof is carryed into the branches.
VI. From the humble carriage,Verſe 17. to 23 which the Apoſtle requireth vsus to ſhew towards them, as not being abiects and flat caſt-awayes, but as to thoſe of whoſe ingraſting in againe, there is good hope. This is the mayne ſcope of the Verſes 17. to the midſts of 23. and the particular of the words are to draw the Gentiles on to a humble behauior towards the Iewes, without any proud inſulting ouer them.
VII. From the poſsibilitie of their Verſe 23.ingrafting in againe, from the power of God, for God is able to doe it, though this their conuerſion ſeeme neuer ſo impoſſible to man.
VIII. From the eaſineſſe of effecting Verſe 24.it, à comparatione minoris. The Lord againſt nature grafted vsus Gentiles, cut out of the wild Oliue tree, into the good Oliue, which was a hard thing, then more eaſily ſhall they bee grafted againe into their owne Oliue tree. If wee that were none of the Church, without the couenant, Aliens from the common weale of Iſrael, could be made Gods people, then much more they which were Iſraelites, hauing the adoption, were once in the Couenant, to whomThe prerogatiues of the Iewes. the Law was giuen, to whom the ſeruice did appertaine, to whom the promiſes were made, they alſo deſcending from the holy Patriarchs, and of whom Chriſt after the fleſh came, may bee recalled home, and made againe the people of God.
IX. From the hidden ſecrecie of Verſe 25.this point, concerning the length of time, how long they the Iſraelites ſhall continue in this their obſtinacie. It was not for euer, but onelyonly till the fulneſſe of the Gentiles ſhould come in; which thing here the Apoſtle calleth a Myſtery, whereof hee would not hauehave vsus Gentiles ignorant.
X. From the Apostles owne concluſion, Verſe 26.which hee maketh vponupon this Diſcourſe and large Diſpute, which is this, & very confidently ſet downe, that ſo all Iſreal ſhall bee ſaued, of the meaning of which words before is ſpoken.
XI. From the Propheticall authoritie Ʋerſe 26. 27.out of the Old Teſtament, foretelling vsus of this their Couuerſion; as alſo is prooued before.
XII. From Gods louelove vntounto theƲerſe 28. 29. Fathers, for whoſe ſake the Lord is conſtant towards you, as he that calleth and beſtoweth his gifts without repentance; being ſtable, as the Pſalmiſt ſaith, in his Couenant, Pſal. 103. 17. 18.
XIII. The example of Gods mercifull dealing with vsus Gentiles, hee plainly concludeth the like vntounto the Iewes. The Lords merciemercy in times paſt vntounto vsus Gentiles, when we were vnbeleeuers, ſhould mooue vsus to be well perſwaded of the Iewes Conuerſion, though as yet they bee not beleeuers: For in this vnbeliefe, as the Apoſtle ſaith, God hath ſhut vp all, firſt, wee Gentiles, and then they the Iewes, that both might bee ſaued by Gods meere merciemercy. Our vnbeliefe hindred not our calling, no more ſhall their vnbeliefe hinder their recalling, ſo will God in mercy bee glorified in both.
To this teſtimonie of the Apoſtle to the Romanes, I will here adde other Witneſſes of Scripture, out of the mouth of Chriſt, and from others alſo for more confirmation of this truth. The Teſtimonies of the Olde Teſtament are amply produced, by one very lately come forth, who hath alſo cited Mat. 23. & 24. 2. Theſſ. 8. 8. Reuel. 1. 7. & 16. 12. & 19. 5. & 20. 21. 22. which I therefore omit, referring the Reader to the Booke called The Worlds great reſtauration. Other places I will heere ſpeake of to further this light, that the eyes of ſuch as ſee not, may behold how cleere this point is.
Luke 21. 23. 24.
THere ſhall be great diſtreſſe in the Land, and wrath vponupon this people, and they ſhall fall by the edge of the Sword, and ſhall bee led away captiue into all Nations, and Ieruſalem ſhall be trodden downe of the Gentiles, vntill the time of the Gentiles be fulfilled.
Heere our Sauiour fore-telleth, Firſt, the great miſery of that Nation in their owne Land. Secondly, that the Sword ſhall come vponupon them, and by Warre they ſhall bee ouercome and ſlaine. Thirdly, that ſuch as remaine of them ſhall become Captiues. Fourthly, that they ſhall not bee lead into any one Countrey, but bee diſperſed in all Nations. Fiftly, that this treading downe of Ieruſalem ſhall bee by the Gentiles, all theſe things are prooued infallibly true to the eyes of all the World. Sixtly, that this treading downe thereof by them is not foreuer, but for a time, vntill the times (that is, the fulneſſe, Rom. 11. 25.) of the Gentiles be fulfilled, that is, bee come in. Therefore there is a time, that the Nations ſhall bee brought backe againe, and bee made a people vntounto God in the time and ſeaſon.
Luke 1. 69. 75.
ZAcharie in this his prayſes foretelleth of Chriſts Birth, as if then borne, and then what hee ſhall bee to them, euen to that people, to wit, a horne of ſaluation, He that ſhall ſaue them from their Enemies, and from the hands of all that hate them, and ſhall ſo ſet them free, as that they ſhall all their dayes ſerue him without feare in holineſſe and righteouſneſſe. Which Propheticall ſpeech, as it may bee ſpiritually vnderſtood of the whole Iſrael of God, ſo nothing hindereth, but that this may be litterally ment of the Conuerſion of that people, and of their happy condition vnderunder Chriſt, ſeeing the Prophets foretell it, the Apoſtle prooueth it, and Chriſt himſelfe beareth witneſſe herevnto.
Luke 2. 32. 34.
OLde Father Simeon in his prayſing God, telleth how Chriſt was prepared to bee ſaluation before the face of all people, in Verſe 30. 31. then this generall ſpeech of all people, hee diuides into two heads, firſt to bee a light to lighten the Gentiles, and then to be the glorie of his people Iſrael. In thus placing one before the other, hee fore-ſhewed how Chriſt ſhould ſhine as light to the Gentiles, whoſe eyes ſhould bee opened by his ſpirit, to take him for their Sauiour, and then the fulneſſe of them being come in, hee ſhould bee a glory to Iſrael, & make them renowned & glorious. Which glory as yet they hauehave not attayned vntounto: for hitherto hee hath bin to them a ſtumbling block, & a ſtone of offence, and not glory. And it is further obſeruable, that this holy man telleth the bleſſed Virgin, that Chriſt ſhall bee ſet for the fall, that is, the reiection of that Nation, as it is taken in Rom. 11. 15. and riſing againe, that is, the receiuing to grace, of many in Iſrael, The fall we ſee; the riſing of them againe wee muſt ſee in time: for God is true in the one, as well as in the other.
Acts 1. 6.
HEre the Apoſtles, vponupon the very day of Chriſts Aſcenſion, asked our Sauiour, whither hee would then restore the Kingdome of Iſrael? They did exſpect an outward reſtoring of ſtate and glory to their Nation. Our Sauiour doth not finde fault with the opinion, as an error, neyther denyeth hee the thing, but implyeth rather that ſuch a thing ſhould be, only the times and ſeaſons, ſaith hee, was not for them to know, which his Father had put in his owne power.