The Resurrection Revealed, Book 3 · Chapter 2 · Section 14
SECT. XIV.
§. 1 THe fourth place in Iſaiah is, Chapter 14. verſe 1. &c. to verſe 8. Verſe 1. The Lord will have mercy on JACOB, and will yet chooſe ISRAEL, and ſet them in their OWN LAND, and the STRANGERS ſhall be joyned with them, and they ſhall cleave to the houſe of JACOB. Verſ. 2. And the foreign PEOPLES ſhall take them, and bring them to their place. And the houſe of Iſrael ſhall poſſeſſe them in the land of the Lord for ſervants and handmaids; and they ſhall take them CAPTIVE whoſe CAPTIVES they were, and they ſhall rule over their OPPRESSOURS. Verſ. 3 And it ſhall come to paſſe in THE DAY, that the Lord ſhall give thee REST-FROM THY SORROW, and from the FEARE, and from thy hard BONDAGE, wherein thou waſt made to ſerve; That thou ſhalt (Verſ. 4.) take up this Proverb againſt the King of BABYLON, and ſay, HOW HATH THE OPPRESSOUR ceaſed, the GOLDEN CITY CEASED. The Lord (Verſ. 5.) hath broken the ſtaffe of the WICKED, and the Scepter of the RULERS. Hee (Verſe 6.) who ſmote the people in wrath, with a continuall ſtroke, he that ruled the Nations an anger is perſecuted, and none hindereth. The WHOLE EARTH (Verſe 7.) is at REST and is QUIET, they breake forth into ſinging, &c. The reſt of the Chapter, being appurtenances, illuſtrations, &c. of this here preſented.
§. 2 It is worth noting that our New Tranſlators even in thoſe Epiſcopall times, which were ſo adverſe to this our point, do concur with us ſo far, as to give us the Contents of the Chapter in theſe words, Gods mercifull RESTAURATION of ISRAEL. And they ſpeake well, and are not alone in their opinion, the ſtream of Interpreters generally concurring, that this Chapter intends, Gods joyning of Iews and Gentiles into one Church, which is ſomething to the point in hand in the generall.
§. 3 But let us weigh the words more particularly and exactly, for a diſcovery whether yet to this day they have been fulfilled. It may be that ſome may be apt to imagine that this making of Iewes and Gentiles into one Church, one ſheepfold (as it is called Iohn 10.) was fulfilled when the ſubſtituted or ſubrogated Gentiles were brought in, in the Apoſtles time (beginning in Act. 10.) But they utterly miſtake, if they ſo thinke. For thoſe Gentiles, and downwards, were and are but ſubſtitutions and ſubrogations of them whiles the Iews fall off, till the fulneſſe of the ſaid Iews ſhould be brought in, and then, and not till then, is the fulneſs of the Gentiles brought in with the Jews into one Church. So that the FULNES of the Gentiles is not yet brought in much leſſe the fulneſſe of the Iews. For as in Iohn the firſt, Chriſt coming to his owne, his owne received him not. So after they crucified him, and perſecuted his Apoſtles. Whiles in the Old Teſtament, Chriſt called the Iewes, the Gentiles hung off. And whiles he called many Gentiles in the New Teſtament, the Iewes generally fell off. And although there were ſome ſprinklings of Iewes and Gentiles converted in the Apoſtles time, and after that many Gentiles; yet what is all that to the fulfilling of this Text of Iſa. 14. I will yet chooſe ISRAEL and bring them into their owne Land, and the STRANGERS ſhall be JOYNED to them, and they ſhall cleave to the HOUSE OF JACOB. For neither in the Apoſtles time, nor downward to this day, have the GENTILES (called here Strangers) joyned to Iſrael, or cleaved to the houſe of Iacob (Iſrael and the houſe of Iacob ſignifying the ten Tribes) nor to the generality of the two Tribes, becauſe neither two Tribes, nor ten Tribes have joyned and cleaved to the Lord Jeſus. To make plaine, and prove all this that we have ſaid, we will ſcan firſt the Apoſtles diſcourſe Rom. 11. and ſecondly, the particular expreſſions of this Text of Iſa. 14.
¶ 1. The Apoſtle Paul giving us an account of his time, and downward, Rom. 11. tells us in the 30 verſ. As yee Gentiles in times paſt have not beleeved God, yet now have obtained mercy through the Iews unbeleef, even ſo alſo have the Iews now not beleeved, that through your mercy they alſo may obtaine mercy. That is, that the Church of Chriſt (as needs muſt, whiles he is head) being continued, at leaſt by viciſſitudes of Iews and Gentiles, the Gentiles now, upon the preſent falling off of the Iews, being in poſſeſſion of the Goſpel, may continue the ſame, throughout the ſucceſſions of the Church, till the time of the vocation of the Iewes, that the ſaid Jewes may be called thereby through the Miniſtery, prayers, and examples of the Gentiles. So that the Jews and Gentiles for the generality, have been ſince the firſt mention in the Old Teſtament of this diſtinction of Jewes and Gentiles to this day, as two buckets to a Well, if one were full, the other was empty, thus continually keeping their viciſſitudes, and turnes in imbracing, or non-imbracing of the word of Chriſt, which the Apoſtle further ſhews us in that 11. to Rom. in the diſtinct graduals thereof, giving two to each of them, the two of the Iews thus,
1 There was their root, or firſt-fruits, or initiation.
2 Their branches or lump, or fulneſſe, verſ. 12.16, and 18.
The two graduals of the Gentiles thus:
1 SOME wilde branches;
2 Their fulneſſe, v. 11. and 25. Then mark the cloſe of the Apoſtle concerning both, verſ. 25. and 26.
When the FULNESSE of the GENTILS ſhall come in, then ALL ISRAEL ſhall bee ſaved, quoting ſeverall Propheſies of the Old Teſtament to prove the ſame. Whence wee muſt neceſſarily infer theſe two concluſions, That the converſion of the Iewes and Gentiles heretofore, and downward untill now, are ſtill but the root, firſt-fruits and beginnings, the moſt perſons of the Jews, and moſt Nations of the Gentiles to this day not knowing the Lord Chriſt. 2. That Jews and Gentiles are not to this day one Church, according to the Propheſie of this 14 of Iſa. viz. That the Strangers of the Gentile Nations ſhall be joyned to the Jews, and ſhall cleave to the houſe of Jacob; and according to the ſtating of the queſtion by Saint Paul in this 11 of Rom. viz. That when the fulneſſe of the Gentiles ſhall come in, ALL ISRAEL ſhall be ſaved. For let us but aske experience whether ever theſe were yet fulfilled to the full of theſe places?
¶ 2 This will be far more plain by a punctuall ſcanning of all the paſſages in this 14. of Iſa. Firſt, that in the firſt verſe [I will ſaith the Lord) yet chooſe ISRAEL, and have mercy on JACOB] muſt needs be extended beyond the return of the Captivity of the two Tribes from Babylon, and beyond the converſion of a few of them in the Apoſtles time. For Jacob and Iſrael, muſt of neceſſity comprehend the ten Tribes, the Prophet Iſaiah propheſying long after the diviſion of the whole twelve into two Kingdomes; two into the one, and ten into the other. And therefore the Prophet Iſaiah well knew the diſtinction between Judah and Iſrael, Chap. 1. v. 1. and uſeth it in relation to our point, Chap. 11. v. 12. afore opened. And therefore he mindes here well enough, what he diſtinctly means when he ſaith. Jacob, and Iſrael, as comprehenſive at leaſt of the ten Tribes, to bee delivered as well as the Two. For ſecondly, when he ſaith in this ſame firſt verſe, Strangers ſhall be joyned with them; that is, with Jacob and Iſrael, he could not intend to leave out the moſt of the Jewes, viz. ten for two, to whom thoſe Strangers were to joyne. Nor was this done at the return of the two Tribes from Babylon. Then Strangers of the Gentiles joyned not with them. Nor was it done at the joyning of the two handfuls, the one of Jews, the other of Gentiles in the hiſtory of the Acts of the Apoſtles. For they could no way anſwer to Jacob and Iſrael, and Strangers, indefinitly ſpoken without limitation. ☜I have often admoniſhed that the grand propheſied promiſes, touching Chriſts Kingdome, have their gradual, ſucceſſive, progreſſive impletions. Redux Juda, Juda returning from Babylon was a Type. The converſion of an handfull of them in the Apoſtles time was but the firſt-fruits, Rom. 11. But the fulneſſe of Gentiles and Jews is yet behind. Thirdly, we never yet ſaw that in the ſecond verſ. fulfilled, That Chriſtians have been ſervants and handmaids to the Jews. in a right religious harmony and complyance. For that muſt be the ſenſe and good news of this promiſe, or elſe Chriſtians ſhall have loſſe, and that in things concerning ſalvation. Fourthly, nor did we ever ſee that alſo in the ſecond verſe fulfilled that the Captive Jewes ſhall take them captive, whoſe Captives they were, and rule over their oppreſſours. For neither in their return from Babylon did the Jewes take captive their Captivators, but returned by voluntary conſent of King Cyrus; nor at Chriſts coming did they take any captive, but rather were captives under Auguſtus and Tyberius, Emperours of Rome, and of Babylon too, as ſubdued by thoſe Romans, the univerſal Monarchs then of the whole world. If any ſhould be of ſo ayery a phantaſie, as to evaporate this into a figure, that at Chriſts coming, the Jews took their Captivators captive in a ſpirituall ſenſe, of converſion; let ſuch remember themſelves that Converts are the greateſt Free-men, Joh. 8.32. And that for the Jews then (alas for them) the vaile was on them, 2 Cor. 3. So that they were generally in a ſpirituall Captivity themſelves, like Sampſon when his eyes were put out. And that Dan. c. 12. intimates that the Iews Conqueſt over their enemies ſhould be corporall. Neither of which Conqueſts do we yet ſee, that the Jews either corporally or ſpiritually have ſubdued them that captivated them. Fifthly, neither was that in the ſecond verſe ever yet fulfilled, That the PEOPLES or Gentiles ſhould take the Iewes, and bring them to their place, &c. Calvin on this place grants thus much, That this was not done after the Iewes coming out of Babylon; giving this reaſon, That the Gentiles were ſo far from being the conduct, and aſsiſtance to the Iews in their returne and ſettlement, and to contribute their ſervice to them therein, that they did not only trouble the Iews, but deſtroyed them from off the earth, quoting Ezra 4.4. Adding that therefore this muſt be fulfilled in, through, and by Chriſt. Thus far Calvin. But when was this yet ever done by Chriſt? Surely thoſe ſeeds in Chriſt and the Apoſtles time, could not be the Harveſt here meant, whole Iacob, and Iſrael were not then in the land of the Lord. Nor are they to this day. But are for the generall under the dominion of Turks, Romans, Indians, and Countries in every Nation almoſt under heaven, rather ſerving the Gentiles, then being ſerved of the Gentiles. And therefore this cannot be done till as Dan. 2. that the little ſtone Chriſt, cut out of the mountain without hands, breaks to peeces the fourfold-mettaled image of all the foure Monarchies of the earth. Whereas yet the Roman Monarchy in great part ſtands to this day. Sixtly, The twelve Tribes of Iacob and Iſrael are not yet (as it is v. 3.) delivered from their ſorrow, and fear, and bondage. They are in bondage being ſcattered amongſt all Nations. They are in ſorrow for that ſcattering from their own Country. And are there in fear, being forced to pay tribute for their own freedome. Nor were they freed from that bondage in Chriſts time, being then Captives under the Romans. Nor from their fear, but for fear of the Romans if they ſhould owne Chriſt, they crucified him, and put him to death. Therefore when this deliverance is fulfilled to purpoſe, it is done as it follows in the ſeventh clauſe and conſideration, v. 4, 5, 6, 7 That the Jews ſhall take up this Proverb, How hath the OPPRESSOUR ceaſed. The Lord hath broken the SCEPTER of the RULERS, and the ſtaffe of the WICKED, ſo that the WHOLE EARTH is at REST and QUIET, that they break forth into SINGING. But nor Scripture, nor Hiſtories, nor Experience ſhew us, that ever theſe things were fulfilled to this day. And at the ultimate day of judgement will be no meet time for ſuch work, as every mans own reaſon will eaſily prompt. Therefore it is yet to be done afore the ultimate day of judgement.