The Resurrection Revealed, Book 3 · Chapter 2 · Section 12
SECT. XII.
§. 1 THe ſecond place in Iſaiah for our Theſis, is chap. 9. ver. 6. For unto us a childe is borne, unto us a Sonne is given, and the GOVERNMENT ſhall be on his ſhoulders, and his name ſhall be called WONDERFULL, Counſellor, the mighty God, the everlaſting Father, the Prince of peace. Ver. 7. Of the INCREASE of his GOVERNMENT, and peace, there ſhall be NO END, upon the THRONE of DAVID, and upon HIS KINGDOME to ORDER IT, and to ESTABLISH IT with judgement, and with juſtice from hence-forth and for ever. The zeale of the Lord of Hoſts will performe this. Of this place we ſhall ſpeake more briefly.
§. 2 This text is very comprehenſive, apparently griping within its armes a large tract of Time from Chriſts Incarnation, throughout all the proceſſe of his Government, untill the end of the ultimate Judgement, as the words from hence-forth and for ever doe expreſſe; therefore the Reader muſt not hang downe his head, poring only upon the Birth of Chriſt, as it is ſaid in the beginning of this text, To us a childe is borne; but muſt lift up his eyes to the utmoſt of this glorious proſpect here preſented in the cloſe, upon the throne of David, and upon his Kingdome (he ſhall ſit) to order it, and to eſtabliſh it, &c. from henceforth and for ever.
§. 3 It is not worth while for us to content with the late Jewiſh Rabbins, that ſay, this text is meant of Hezekiah; we heard but now that the ancienter Rabbins, and Talmud, and their Targum, or Chalde Paraphraſe following them, are contrary to that, interpreting this text of the Meſsiah; as they had an invincible reaſon ſo to doe, in that the ſtile given to him here meant, is incompatible, and inconſiſtent with any but with God incarnate, that is, Chriſt Jeſus, the true Meſsiah. And as little reaſon had thoſe later Rabbins to interpret this Text of Hezekiah, who was borne a good ſpace of time before the date of this Propheſie, yea and divers yeers before his Father Ahaz ſate upon the Throne. For Hezekiah was five and twenty yeers old at his fathers death, whereas Ahaz his father had reigned in all but ſixteen yeers, 2 Kings 16.2. and chap. 18. v. 2.
§. 4 Leaving therefore all improbable and impertinent conceits of men, let us come to the buſineſſe, to finde out the excellent ſtate that ſhall be ſet up under the government of the Meſsiah before the ultimate judgement. Our late Annotationiſts make for me a faire preface, meetly conducing to the true ſenſe of the words, which we intend: That the deliverances (ſay they) of Gods people, and the pulling downe of ſuch mighty POTENTATES, whether SECULAR or SPIRITUALL (mark their words) may not ſeem impoſsible, and incredible; the Prophet now proceedeth to declare who it is, and what manner of perſon, by whom all that hath been ſaid ſhall be effected, even the Meſsias the eternall Sonne of God, whom God ſhall raiſe up to be the King and Governour of his Church; ſo they. But we have a more ſure word to confirme this interpretation, Luke 1.31, 32, 33. And the Angel ſaid unto Mary, &c. Thou ſhalt conceive in thy wombe, and bring forth a Sonne, and ſhalt call his name Jeſus. He ſhall be great, and ſhall be called the Sonne of the Higheſt, and the Lord God ſhall give unto him the Throne of his FATHER DAVID, and he ſhall reigne over the houſe of JACOB for EVER, and of his Kingdome there ſhall be NO END.
§. 5 Now lay this of Iſaiah and Luke together, and then read, what they ſpell unto us. Namely, firſt, That the meaning of this Text is not of ſpirituals onelyonly, but alſo of temporals. The FOR in the beginning premiſed by Iſaiah as a meet inference, plainly ſounds of a proof in this Text, to demonſtrate an aſſurance of the deliverance of Iſrael, as is ſet forth in the fourth and fifth verſes (viz. Thou haſt broken the yoke of his burthen, and the ſtaffe of his ſhoulder, and the rod of his OPPRESSOUR, as in the day of MIDIAN*Obſerve Gideons victories uſed to ſignifie this deliverance; therefore not onelyonly ſpiritual. &c. and it ſhall be, as with battel and blood, ſo with burning and fuel of fire.) But theſe words (if weighed**For, cloſe to the Hebrew, the words run thus. For every battle of the Warrier with noiſe, and garments rowled in blood, ſhall be alſo unto burning and fuel of fire.) cannot, without violence, be wreſted to ſignifie only ſpirituall deliverances, as our Annotationiſts alſo affirme with us, whoſe words upon the fourth verſe are theſe, Having declared the greatneſſe of their joy, he proceeds to ſhew the ground of it, their deliverance and freedome from the ſtraits and thraldome of their enemies, as well CORPORALL as Spirituall. Therefore this Text is Gods giving ſecurity to his people, of deliverance of them, from temporall, as well as ſpirituall oppreſſions, troubles, &c. by Jeſus Chriſt, after that he hath finiſhed the workes of his incarnation, by paſsion, reſurrection, aſcention, and aſſeſsion at Gods right hand, according to Pſal. 110. of which we have ſpoken plentifully afore. Secondly, That Chriſt was inveſted with theſe Attributes and Omnipotentiall Properties (foreign &c. as it is the Hebrew) of purpoſe to multiply his Princedome, and for peace without end. The Jewes obſerve, that the cloſe-ſhut foreign mem in the middle of a word, as here in foreign (which foreign properly is a finall letter) ſignifies the ſtability of the thing ſpoken of, as open foreign in the end of a word, as in foreign Nehem. 2.13. (which foreign properly is a middle letter) ſignifies the brokenneſſe of the walls there ſpoken of: which obſervation I mention not as a foundation ſtrong enough for me to build upon, but as a ſufficient Narrative, to declare the opinion of the Ancient Jewiſh Rabbins concerning the ſtability of the Meſsiahs Kingdome. Thirdly, That the words Princedome, Government, and for peace, and ſpoken in a way of Propheſie of what ſhould be added to the Church above that they injoyed already, cannot but ſignifie more then Spirituals. Fourthly, That this is yet more apparent by that which followes both here, and Luke 1.32. of the Meſsiahs ſitting upon the Throne of DAVID, and upon his Kingdome, and to eſtabliſh it with Juſtice and Judgement (ſpeaking in the phraſe of an excellent politick Government.) It needs not that Chriſt ſhould ſit on Davids Throne, and Kingdome, to Spiritually governe, and keep in peace his univerſall Church. Nor needed there a Promiſe that Chriſts Spirituall Kingdome ſhall be eſtabliſhed with Juſtice and Judgement, which are low things to faith, hope, love, joy in the Holy Ghoſt, and the reſt of the Graces of the holy Spirit. Nor was there need to aſſert the perpetuity of Chriſts Spirituall Kingdome, that it ſhould be for ever; the Jewes having now been a Church ſo many hundreds of yeares. Fifthly, The cloſe, in a way of Gods great engagement, the zeale of the Lord of Hoaſt will performe this, muſt of neceſſity ſignifie ſomething more, then the ordinary thing of Chriſts having a Spirituall Kingdome on earth. What need ſuch high words, ſolemne proteſts, and moſt ſerious pawning of the zeale of God (which is love in a flame) to ſignifie the performance of that which had been long ſince done, and as an ordinary thing was to continue, viz. Chriſts having a Spirituall Kingdome on earth? Sixthly, Both this of Iſaiah, and that of Luke 1.31. doth import; That after there ſhould be an interruption of the ſitting of Davids race, upon Davids Throne, it ſhould ſenſibly appeare that Chriſt ſhould poſſeſſe that Throne, elſe why is it here Propheſied, that the Meſſiah ſhall ſit upon Davids Throne; and that the Lord God ſhall give to the Meſsiah the throne of his father David, and promiſeth there he ſhall ſit for ever? The whole Earth long before, Gen. 1.26, &c. compare Pſal. 8. & Heb. 2. ver. 7, 8. being given up to the rule of Chriſt, to be governed by his inviſible providence, was never interrupted; but in all Ages Chriſt hath continually powred downe his Judgements upon the wicked, as Peter proves, in his ſecond Epiſtle, Chap. 2. And the Church was alſo given to him from the beginning, Gen. 3.15. compare Rom. 16.20. which, without any poſſible impediment, he hath ever preſerved on earth in all Ages ever ſince, by his Spirituall power and grace. But the Line of Davids race hath been broken off from his Throne, as we ſhall ſee preſently. Nor hath Chriſt been upon it at all, in any viſible manifeſtation; therefore this laſt muſt be a great part of the meaning of Iſaiah, and Saint Luke, as Piſcator expreſſeth it (In ſolio Davidis tanquam haeres regni, & filius Davidis ſedebit Chriſtus, confer. 2 Sam. 7.12, &c. ſo he:) And that to be performed for ever; that is, ſo as no viſible power muſt reigne after him. Seventhly, Iſaiah Propheſies in the time of the diviſion of the Kingdome of the Jewes into Judah and Iſrael, ſee chap. 1. ver. 1. &c. And Saint Luke tells us, chap. 1. ver. 33. that this muſt be fulfilled by Chriſts reigning over the whole houſe of Jacob, which containes all the twelve Tribes, made up of Iſrael and Judah, even as according to Iſaiah, Chriſt muſt ſit upon the Throne of David, who ruled over both Judah and Iſrael. Eighthly, That all theſe muſt be ſo fulfilled, that Chriſt muſt appeare to be wonderfull and mighty, and to increaſe in his Government, (as Iſaiah ſpeaks) and to be Great (as Luke ſpeakes.)
§. 6 Having thus digged into the meaning of the Text, let us next lift up our eyes, and take a view of all the Tranſactions of Chriſt ſince this Propheſie, and ſee what of this text hath been really fulfilled. Surely this text was not fulfilled in the Jewes returne from Babylon, for the ten Tribes did not then returne, to make up the houſe of Jacob, or the Kingdome of David. And beſides, of that proſperity there was ſoone an end, in the miſeries of the Maccabean Warres, and the Roman Conqueſt was over them afore Chriſt was borne.
§. 7 Nor was it ever fulfilled ſince Chriſts coming in the Fleſh, for he never yet ſate upon the Throne of David, nor any other, deputatively (for him) of that Tribe, the Scepter being then, and thence to this day departed from Judah. The viſible Government (as the text imports) was not all this time upon Chriſts ſhoulders, the time was not come, as Chriſt tells us, Act. 1.6, 7. Act. 3.21. The viſible Government ſince Chriſts coming in the Fleſh hath been upon the ſhoulders of the Roman Emperour, or the Pope, or the Turke. When the time comes that the Government ſhall be on Chriſts ſhoulders, he ſhall reigne as David (as Iſaiah ſpeakes) and over the houſe of Jacob (as Luke ſpeakes) that is, over all the twelve Tribes, and that for ever; that is, none viſibly ruling them after him. But at Chriſts Incarnation, only two Tribes were about Jeruſalem and Judea, but under the Romans viſible Government, and for the generall, refuſed Chriſts ſpirituall Government, Act. 13.46.
8 Nor can this be imagined rationally to be fulfilled in Chriſts Spirituall §. 8 government: for this Spiritual government (if we may ſo call Chriſts giving of Ordinances, and grace into the heart) extending it ſelf equally to Gentiles, as wel as to Jewes, if not more for theſe one thouſand ſix hundred and fifty years paſt, to the Gentiles, what priviledge or preheminence is given in this to Jacobs Houſe, or Davids Throne, more then to the houſes or thrones of Conſtantine the Great, or Charles the Great, or of Edw. the ſixth, or of Q. Elizabeth, or of the Indian Sagamores, or of the Turkiſh Emperours, or Grand-Signiours, or of the great Chams of Tartar, or, &c. when they, or their Nations are converted, at the coming in of the fulneſſe of the Gentiles. Beſides, who of Beleevers at the time of this Propheſie did not know, that Chriſts Spirituall Kingdome of Grace ſhould be for ever, and full of more then Juſtice and Judgement, viz. of all the graces of the Spirit? ##
§. 9 9 Therefore we conclude, this text is yet to be fulfilled afore the ultimate day of the generall Judgement, when Chriſt layes downe his Government.*Mr. Medas learned Notes upon this ninth Chapter of Iſaiah, collated with Mark 1.14, 15. coming too late to my knowledge to be put into the Text, I could not forbeare inſerting it into the Margine, which in ſumme is this. Galilee was the third Province of thoſe three into which Canaan or Phalestine was divided in Chriſts time, and was on the North part, remoteſt from Ieruſalem, and divided into two parts, upper and lower; the upper was moſtly the Land of Nephthaly, wherein was the goodly Metropolis of all Galilee, Capernaum. And this is the Galilee that was called Galilee, of the Gentiles, either becauſe inhabited by the Gentiles long time, viz, to Solomons time, or becauſe Solomon gave twenty Cities thereof to Hiram, or becauſe it was the outmoſt of the Land next the Gentiles. In the lower Galilee was the Tribe of Zebulon (and Iſſachar) wherein were the Cities of Nazareth, and Bethſaida neare the Sea, or Lake of Galilee, or Cana (of which, and Chriſts firſt Miracle there, Ioh. 2.) and Mount Tabor. From Capernaum along the Sea ſide, through Bethſaida, lay the great rode from Syria into Aegypt, ſuppoſed to be that called in Scripture, The way of the Sea. In Chriſts time two of the ſaid Provinces, viz. Judea and Samaria were under the Roman Preſident Pontius Pilate. The third, Galilee, was under Herod (or Au…ipas) the Tetrarch: becauſe he had but the fourth part of his Fathers Kingdome, who beheaded Iohn Baptiſt, and cloſed with Pilat when Chriſt was condemned. In this Province of Galilee was Chriſts converſation principally, whiles he was on earth, Matth. 3. ult. Luke 1.26. Act. 1.11. Act. 2.7. Matth. 4.23. Matth. 9.35. Matth. 28.10. For the Meſſiah was to have his abode principally in Galilee, according to the Propheſie in Eſay 9.1, 2, 3, &c. The Land of Galilee, or of Zebulon, and Nephthaly had the hard hap to be firſt in that calamity by the Aſſyrians, 2 King. 15.29. all which Cities there named, except Ianoah and Gilead, were Cities of Nephthaly, and all Galilee and Nephthaly are there mentioned, as all carried away Captive to Aſſyria. In which calamity Iſaiah comforts them with that Propheſie, That they ſhould have the firſt and principall ſhare of the Meſſiahs preſence, when he ſhould come. Read the firſt ſeven verſes of that ninth of Iſa. the meaning being, that Chriſt ſhould enlighten the Province of Galilee, or the Land of Zebulon and Nephthaly, with the glory of his preſence. And therefore if this be not a Propheſie of Chriſt, I know not what is. Compare Mat. 4. of his dwelling in Capernaum, the Metropolis of Galilee. The Jewes could not ſee this, but would not beleeve becauſe he was of Galilee; Should, ſay they, Chriſt come out of Galilee? ſhould he not come out of Bethlehem? So he ſhould too, and yet was by habitation and converſation a Galilean. Chriſtians alſo are to blame for darkning this Propheſie of Iſa. 9. and Matthewes application of it; for my part I am perſwaded, that the foure or five firſt words of this ninth of Iſaiah, belong to the laſt verſe of the former Chapter, as Ierom, and the Chalde referre them; and that the words following begin a new Propheſie in this manner. foreign, &c. ie. According as the first time that he made vile (or debaſed) the Land of Zebulon, and the Land of Nephthaly, ſo in the latter time he ſhall make it glorious. (More of the reading of this text, and Maſter Medes reaſons, the Reader may there ſee.) From all (ſaith Mr. Mede) I inferre that, 1 Cor. 1.26, 27. God takes the fooliſh things of the world to confound the wiſe, &c. For Galilee, and her inhabitants, in compariſon of Iudea were reputed ignoble, ſtrangers, being remote from Ieruſalem, and the Temple, and part of the lot of the ten Tribes which Salmaneſer captivated. Howbeit, ſome of the two Tribes after their returne, eſpecially in the prevailing times of the Maccabees, ſetled there, but at length were ſubdued by the Gentiles, but ſtill dwelling there, and repleniſhing that Land with their owne people; yet ſo, as many of the Gentiles dwelt among them, in ſo much that in theſe and the aforeſaid reſpects, they were deſpiſed of thoſe that dwelt in Iudea, Joh. 7.41.52. But Chriſt the King of Iſrael, and Saviour of Mankind would (as aforeſaid) be a Galilean. The Doctrine he preacheth in Galilee is, The time is fulfilled, the Kingdome of God is at hand, repent yee, and beleeve the Goſpel; which Matth. 4. is called the Kingdome of Heaven, which is all one with Kingdome of God. See Dan. 6.24. The heavens beare rule, that is, God. Luke 15.21. I have ſinned againſt heaven, and in thy ſight, Matth. 21.15. The Baptiſme of John, was it from heaven, or from men. Marke the Exegeſis, Luke 15. and the Antitheſis, Matth. 21. which ſhew God to be meant by Heaven. The Kingdome of Heaven, or of God, is the Kingdome of Meſſiah, or Chriſt, Dan. 2, 44. and Dan. 7.13. (read the places) From which places the Iewes call the Meſsiahs Kingdome, the Kingdome of God, or of Heaven, becauſe firſt, it is in this place of Daniel ſaid, The God of heaven ſhall ſet up his Kingdome. And in the other place, That the Sonne of Man, (the Meſsiah) ſhould come in the clouds of heaven; For our Saviour brought not this phraſe with him, but found it among the Iewes at his coming, and approved it, in oft uſe of it, Matth. 13. The Kingdome of Chriſt is his Church, or the Chriſtian Church, &c. I muſt adde one thing more for the underſtanding of this Kingdome of Chriſt, which I have hitherto deſcribed, namely, that it hath a two-fold ſtate; The one Militant, in ſufferings; which is the preſent ſtate, begun at his firſt coming; The ſecond ſtate is a triumphant ſtate, which ſhall be at his ſecond, in glory in the clouds of heaven; at what time he ſhall put downe all authority, power, and rule, and ſubdue all his enemies under his feet, 1 Cor. 15. &c. By which, that Mr. Mede includes the Kingdome of Chriſt at his ſecond coming to be partly intended, in Iſaiah 9, they may eaſily perceive, that have heard, and obſerved other paſſages afore quoted out of him.