The Resurrection Revealed, Book 3 · Chapter 2 · Section 44
SECT. XLIV.
Next we come to the Prophet Zephany, where we ſhall inſiſt but upon one place, and that is an Eminent one, viz. chap. 3. ver. 9, &c. To the end of the Chapter.
§. 1 IN this place three things are propheſied, which orderly laid together, doe compleatly make up the maine of our point, that yet before the ultimate judgement at the univerſall reſurrection, there ſhall be a moſt glorious viſible Church on earth, beautifully woven, and integrated of Iewes and Gentiles.
1 Here is propheſied the RESTITUTION of the Iewes, both in a way of converſion unto God, and of reverſion into their owne Country, unto a glorious Church State.
2 The VOCATION of the Gentiles, both unto an effectual converſion unto God, and a moſt harmonious union with the reſt of the Church.
3 The SUBVERSION of the enemies of the Jewes, and of the Church of Chriſt.
§. 2 The firſt, the RESTITUTION of the Iewes, as to the firſt part thereof, viz. their converſion, wee have it in the 10, 11, 12, and 13 verſes. Ver. 10. From beyond the river of Ethiopia my ſuppliants (that is, that call upon my name) even the daughter of my diſperſed, ſhall bring mine offering (That is, ſhall worſhip me in a right manner, ſuch as I ſhall require) which verſe plainly ſpeakes of the Jews, almoſt in every word; as in that [My ſuppliants beyond the river of Ethiopia,] and (expounding it) EVEN the daughter of my diſperſed there. The Hebrewes in their Chalde paraphraſe tranſlate foreign Ethiopia, by foreign India; and elſewhere they call it foreign Hind & foreign Hid for Hind, which anſwers to the Latine Indi, Indians; and to the Greek foreign the Subduer or Conquerour of India; *Qui ſuit Bacchus; ſaltem eſt Bacchi Epithe…on apud Graecos. Sic Graeci appellant Indicum foreign.and to our Engliſh, who ſay India, and Indians: where Rab. Menaſſe Ben Iſrael ſaith, (in his book de ſpe Iſraelis) multitudes of Jews are. There are, to ſpeak diſtinctly, three opinions touching Ethiopia, and the river beyond it. 1. That this Ethiopia ſignifies Egypt, which is beyond the river Nilus, which riſeth in Ethiopia, and flowes thence unto Egypt. To which A Caſtro contributes this, that the Hebrew name, foreign Chus, that is, Ethiopia, doth not ſignifie Aethiopian Sub-Aegyptian, that is, Ethiopia under Egypt, as they call it, which is now called Abyſsia, where Preſter John reigneth; but Arabia, in which, among others, the Madianites lived, who in the Scriptures are called Ethiopians. And for this he quotes Pſal. 74.14. Thou brakeſt the head of the Leviathan in peeces (ſpeaking of the drowning of Pharoah and the Egyptians in the red ſea) and gaveſt him to be meat to the people inhabiting the WILDERNESSE, (Hebr. deſolate places,) which the old Latine, Jerome and the Septuagint tranſlate, To the people of the ETHIOPIANS. For Chus the ſon of Cham (who gave the name to Ethiopia) with his ſons, viz. Seba, or Saba, and Havilah, and Sabtah, and Raamah, and Sabtecha, Gen. 10.7. fixed his habitation between the Perſian and Arabian gulfe, or red ſea. This Tract therefore is called Ethiopia, that is Arabia, in which is the RIVER GIHON, flowing out of Paradice; and the river TRAJANUS, and the Lake Sirbonides and the Arabian gulfe. But by the leave of ſo learned a man, it is moſt certaine that both the Ethiopiaes, as Plinie, Ptolomy, Strabo, Herodotus and letter writers diſtinguiſh*Plin. l. 5. c. 4. and c. 8. Ptol. l. 4. c. 7 & 28. Strab. l. 1. Herod. expedit. Xerxis contra Graecos, naming them the Eaſterne and Weſterne Ethiopia; or the Aſiaticke, and Affrican Ethiopia; which diſtinction of Two the Scripture hints, by their ſeveral characters, neighbours, or circumſtances, when they name either, Ezek. 29.10. and c. 30.4. Amos 9.7. Nahum. 3.6. Zeph. 3.10. The Affrican again diſtinguiſhed into ſuperior, alias interior, and inferior, alias exterior Ethiopia) I ſay, all the Ethiopiaes are called in the Hebrew by the name of Chus. The ſecond Opinion of many other learned, underſtands here Aethiopiam ſub- Aegypto, id eſt Ethiopia, under Egypt, in Affrica, to wit Abiſsia, for this was near to the Iews, and by that name well known to them; and ſo the Affricans, and all inhabiting with them, were beyond the rivers of Ethiopia in reſpect of Iudea and Egypt. And ſo may be here underſtood all the Countries beyond the Sea, viz. the Braſilians, Peruvians, Mexicans and all the Weſt Indians. The third opinion, which A Caſtro much favours, underſtands here the Eaſt Indies unto Iaponia and China: For Tigris and Euphrates are here called the rivers of Ethiopia; which ſlide firſt by, or through Chaldea (where Nimrod the ſon of Chus reigned); then by, or through Meſopotamia, and after through the midſt of Arabia, which ſometimes in Scripture is called Chus, that is, Ethiopia; beyond which rivers lies all Aſia, and India unto the Sinae. And therefore as well Vatablus, as the Chalde Paraphraſe, inclines to expound this of the Indians, as if Indian-Ethiopia were here meant; whence the Sabeans are as well Indians, as the Perſians, Arabians, and Abyſsines; as Pererius aſſerts out of Beroaldus, and Dionyſius on Gen. 25. ver. 5. And indeed Seba and Havilah, the ſons of Chus, dwelt towards India; ſo that Cyril, Theodoret, and Procopius calls the Country of Sabea, by the name of Indian-Ethiopia. The ſum of all (to draw all three opinions into one harmonious head) is this, that the Prophet Zephany intends, that all the Iewes and Iſraelites, diſperſed into the remoteſt Countries over the face of the whole earth, they and their neighbours there, innumerous multitudes ſhould be converted unto Chriſt. For the Iewes did deem the Ethiopians the utmoſt borders of men (according to that, extremi que hominum Morini.) And Chriſtian writers count the more Eaſtern Ethiopians of the ſame ranke with the Indians; as they account all to be Indians that are the remoter people of the world, that live in any wealthy condition. But yet withall, the wiſe Prophet expreſſeth that generall meaning ſo, as that neatly he alludes unto, and mindes us of it, as an anchor of hope, the carrying away captive of the Iews through Arabia, unto Babylon, and diſperſing them into all the Countries of the Eaſt; part of whom (as a firſt fruites) once Cyrus returned, and ſent back to Jeruſalem: The lump Chriſt will reſtore afore the world ends. Nor doth the phraſe of [bringing offerings to the Lord] ſignifie leſſe then the Iews, and yet not prejudice the glorious Chriſtian ſtate of the Church, integrated of Iewes and Gentiles, A Rule how to underſtand Levitical phraſes, in deſcribing the Chriſtian glorious ſtate to come.we ſpeak of, as intended by all the propheſies we produce. For take this for a Rule, for this and all other like places of that nature, though in Moſes time it was taken according to the letter to ſignifie material Leviticall Sacrifices; yet in after times, not only the Apoſtles of the New Teſtament, but the Prophets of the Old, by offering, and offerings, and ſacrifices, and altars &c. did ſignifie unto us ſpirituall oblations, compatible and correſpondent to the GOSPELL; Pſal. 50. ver. 14. OFFER to God thankſgiving, and pay thy vowes, &c. ver. 23. Whoſoever OFFERETH praiſe, glorifieth me, Pſal. 51.17. The SACRIFICES of God are a broken ſpirit. Pſal. 141.2. Let my prayer be ſet forth before thee as INCENSE, and the lifting up of my hands as the EVENING SACRIFICE, Hoſ. 14.2. Take away all iniquity, and receive us graciouſly, ſo will wee render the CALVES OF OUR LIPS: with a multitude of more inſtances, which might be given. And therefore no wonder if the language of the new Teſtament be to the ſame tune, Rom. 12.1. OFFER, or PRESENT to God your bodies as a living SACRIFICE, Mark. 12.3. To love the Lord with all the heart, and with all the underſtanding, &c. and to love ones neighbour as ones ſelfe, is more then all WHOLE BURNT OFFERINGS and SACRIFICES, Heb. 9.22, 23. And almoſt all things are by the law purged with blood; and without ſhedding of blood no remiſsion. It was neceſſary therefore, that the patterns of things in the Heavens ſhould be purified with theſe, but the HEAVENLY THINGS THEMSELVES with BETTER SACRIFICES then THESE, Heb. 13.19. But to doe good, and to communicate, forget not; for with ſuch SACRIFICES God is well pleaſed, Phil. 2.17. If I be offered upon the SACRIFICE and ſervice of your faith, I joy. Rev. 8.3. And another Angel came and ſtood at the ALTAR having a golden CENSER, and there was given to him much INCENSE, that hee ſhould OFFER IT with the prayers of all Saints upon the golden ALTAR, which was before the Throne. Thus you ſee how the tenth verſe ſets forth the converſion of the Iews; which is further amplified in the eleventh verſe thus: In that day ſhalt thou not be aſhamed for all thy doings, wherein thou haſt tranſgreſſed againſt me. For then will I take away out of the midſt of thee them that rejoyce in thy pride, and thou ſhalt be no more haughty, becauſe of my holy mount. Which is alſo moſt evidently ſpoken of the Jews, and their converſion, in that the Lord promiſeth to take away their ſins, and in particular, their pride of the Temple, of which they had been formerly very ſinfully proud, Jer. 7.4. and that ſwelling was not quite down in our Saviours time, Mat. 24.1. And therefore then this text was not fulfilled. But when their ſins ſhall be taken away, then the judgement, viz. their ſhame ſhall be taken away, neither ſhall they be only negatively good, but alſo poſitively. I will (ſaith the next verſe) leave in the midſt of thee an afflicted and poore people, and they ſhall truſt in the name of the Lord. This laſt clauſe of truſting in the name of the Lord, containes the very life and power of godlineſſe. As for the firſt clauſe, whoever can well weigh the Hebrew,*foreign and will duly conſider the precedent verſe, and propheticall purpoſe of this place, touching the converſion of the Jewes, cannot but confeſſe that theſe words may as well, and in ſome reſpect better be rendered, I will cauſe to remaine in thee a people that is humble and meeke (or poore in ſpirit) as Arias, the Septuagint, and the Syriack and Arabick render it; this, and the reſt of this verſe aptly anſwers and ſtands over againſt, as a contrary to their pride in the former verſe, and is the ready way to that which followes in the thirteenth verſe. The remnant of Iſrael, (that is, all the converted, as well of the ten Tribes as of the two) ſhall not doe iniquity, nor ſpeake lyes, nor ſhall a deceitfull tongue be found in their mouth; for they ſhall feed, and lye downe, and none ſhall make them afraid: That is, they ſhall there abide, becauſe there ſhall be no danger; and they ſhall be ſo holy, becauſe they ſhall have grace within, and no temptation from without.
For the ſecond part of the Jewes reſtitution, namely, their reverſion into their owne Country in a glorious Church-ſtate; wee have it in the ſixteen, ſeventeen, eighteen, and twentieth verſes thus; ver. 16. In that day it ſhall be ſaid to Jeruſalem, feare thou not, and to Zion, let not thy hands be ſlack, or faint. Ver. 17. The Lord thy God in the midſt of thee is mighty, he will ſave, he will rejoyce over thee with joy, he will REST IN HIS LOVE (an high and glorious expreſſion) he will joy over thee with ſinging. Ver. 18. I will GATHER them that are ſorrowfull for THE SOLEMNE ASSEMBLY, who are of thee, to whom the reproach of it was a burthen. Ver. 20. At that time I will BRING YOV AGAINE, even in the time that I GATHER YOV. For I will make you a name, and apraiſe among all people of the earth, when I TVRNE BACKE YOVR CAPTIVITY before your eyes, ſaith the Lord. In which words you have the expreſsion of their reverſion into their owne Country, in capitall letters, as well in ſence as writing. And the Lords being amidſt them, more then in his generall preſence over the earth, and his rejoycing over them with joy, yea with great joy, as in ſinging, and reſting in his LOVE, and gathering them into the ſolemne aſſembly, and to make them a name, and a praiſe among all people of the earth, can ſignifie no leſſe then a glorious viſible Church-ſtate, making them a LOVE or SPOVSE unto their LORD CHRIST.
For the ſecond generall head, the vocation of the Gentiles, both unto an effectuall converſion unto God, and a moſt harmonious union with the reſt of the Church; we have it all, and in full, in verſe the ninth: For then will I turne to the people a pure Language, that they may call upon the name of the Lord, to ſerve him with one conſent. Cloſe to the Hebrew thus: I will convert in the peoples a pure lip, that they may call upon the name of the Lord, to ſerve him with one ſhoulder. I ſtand not to diſpute it from terme to terme, becauſe they that know well the Originall, and well minde the ſence of the place, will eaſe me of that labour,*Junius; Mutab… in populis labium, ut purum ſit, quo invocent omnes nomen Jehova, colendo cum humero uno. Hieron & old Latin. Reddam populis labium electum, ut invocent omnes nomen Domini, & ſerviant ei humero une. The Chalde foreign &c. i. e. I will ſo convert in all nations one choyſe ſpeech, that all may pray in the name of the Lord, that they may ſerve him with one ſhoulder. The Syriack, Then will I reſtore unto the Gentiles an elect or choyſe lippe, that all may call upon the name of the Lord, and worſhip him in an equall yoke. but rather, I will ſpeake a word to the opening. It is expreſſe, that the Peoples, Nations, or Gentiles are here ſpoken of, who upon their converſion ſhould be exempted from the ruine on Nations in the eighth verſe, and ſhould returne with the diſperſed Jewes in the tenth verſe, and their prophane lips ſhould be purified, and their Idolatrous and blaſphemous words before their falſe gods, ſhould be turned into holy prayers to Jehovah, and they ſhould ſerve him not only with one conſent of minde, but with one way of practiſe; as when many lift as with one ſhoulder, to move a thing the ſame way, or draw equally in the ſame yokes, faſtened to the ſame chaine or traces.
§. 5 The third generall, the deſtruction of the enemies of the Church, and ſo of the Jewes (converted) you have in the fourteenth, fifteenth, and nineteenth verſes very fully. (You your ſelves, who heed what you read, doe perceive theſe three heads interchangeably interwoven, to ſignifie that the whole of all this viſible glory comes together.) Verſ. 14. Sing O Daughter of ZION, ſhout O ISRAEL, be glad and rejoyce with all thy heart, O daughter of JERUSALEM. Verſ. 15. The Lord hath taken away thy judgement, he hath caſt out THINE ENEMY. The King of ISRAEL is in the midſt of thee, even the LORD, you ſhall not ſee EVILL ANY MORE. Verſ. 19. Behold at that time I WIL UNDOE ALL THAT AFFLICT THEE, and will ſave her that halteth, and gather her that was driven out, and I will get them a praiſe, and fame in every Land, where they have been put to ſhame.
Thus you ſee the full extent, and intent of the text, inſomuch as never to this day can be found a capacious and adequate ſpace of place and time, wherein to lodge the fulfilling thereof; and therfore waites for its turne to be performed, by our God that cannot lye, before the ultimate Day of Doome. See for this, in the firſt place what others hint, I may ſay afore they are aware, becauſe the ſtreame of their opinion runs a contrary way. Doctor Mayer thus: I will turne to the people a pure Language, intimating the converſion of the Gentiles; but leaſt when Judgements ſhould come upon all peoples by Nebuchadnezzar, they ſhould deſpaire of any ſuch worke to be wrought among them, he ſaith, My determination is to gather the Nations, to poure out mine indignation upon them, as meaning that great deſtructions ſhould BEFORE THIS, paſſe through all Countries by the Chaldes, then by the Perſians, after that by the Grecians, and finally by the Romans; laſt of all which, ſhould the converſion of the Nations to the Goſpel follow. Thus he. Now the deſtructions by the Romans is not yet at an end, that Empire (ſo much of it as is left) ſtill making great deſtructions both ſpirituall and temporall, in Spaine, France, Portugall, Germany, Italy, &c. and much more the three Hornes of the Turkiſh dominions broken off from that Roman, enſlaving the fifth part*See the account caſt up afore in Sect. 40. S. 2. P. 2. (or thereabout) of all the world; and therefore by Doctor Mayers words, this generall converſion of the Gentiles is not yet come, ſo as to convert them (as he carries on the ſence) that are beyond the river of Ethiopia, &c. Calvin, and our New Annotations ſay, that This Propheſie is extended unto the time of the Goſpel; when not only the Gentiles ſhall come into the Church, but alſo the Jewes ſhall returne into their owne Country, that they may make one BODY, with the converted Gentiles. Thus they. Which when it hath been ever fulfilled, ſince the time of the Goſpel, let them prove that will undertake to aſſert it: for we ſhall by and by give many ſtrong reaſons to the contrary; and therefore according to their ſuppoſition, or grant, this is yet to be fulfilled. Alapide ſaith; Chriſt took away their pride (mentioned verſ. 11.) when having overthrowne their materiall Temple by Titus and the Romans, he erected his Church in Sion, transferring beleevers from that Judaicall Temple unto the Church, in which as in a Schoole of humility hee teacheth the Jewes lowlineſſe of minde, and humbly, together with the Gentiles, to ſubmit to the grace of Chriſt. Now, when ever, ſince the overthrow of the Temple by Titus the Romane (which was about forty years after the Paſſion of Chriſt) did the Lord Chriſt erect a Church in Zion, and tranſlated the beleeving JEWES and GENTILES into it, teaching the Jewes there lowlineſſe of minde, and together with the Gentiles humbly to ſubmit to the grace of Chriſt. Surely as in the thirteenth of the Acts we have it in the generall aſſerted, from Hiſtory of Divine authority, that the Jewes generally refuſed the Goſpel, whereupon it was transferred to the Gentiles, and there it hath continued (according to Rom. 11.) downe to theſe times, leaving the Jewes in blindneſſe; ſo we have it illuſtrated by particulars from all the moſt famous Hiſtories and Chronologies, that long after Titus his ruining of the Temple, the Jewes perſiſted in their Leviticall Sacrifices, offered in the City upon the rubbiſh of the Temple, untill Adrians overthrow of the City, and his expelling the Jewes thence, in the yeare after Chriſts Incarnation one hundred thirty foure. And againe, for many yeares after that, being thence expulſed, they perſiſted in Jewiſh ſacrificing at Mamre (where formerly God appeared to Abraham) and ſo continued untill Conſtantine the Great (who began to bee ſole Emperour about the yeare of Chriſt three hundred and twelve) overthrew their Altar there, and built in the roome a Church-place of worſhip for the Chriſtians. And after that Julian the Apoſtata encouraged the Jewes, out of his hatred to the Chriſtians, to rebuild the Temple of Salomon, in the yeare of Chriſt (ſaith Bucholcerus) three hundred ſixty three, God wonderfully deſtroyed their worke by fire from Heaven. And from that time to this they have been ſeen and heard in all Countries where they are permitted their Synagogues, to worſhip God after the manner of the Jewiſh Liturgy, in ſinging the Pſalmes of David according to our Hebrew Text, and reading the Law and the Prophets, with tripudiations, &c. and doe profeſſe (as I have had it by Letters from their learned Rabbins) that they hope to be ſaved by the Law of Moſes; all which doe ſufficiently demonſtrate that they are not yet tranſlated into the Church erected in Sion, ſince Titus his devaſtation of Salomons Temple; ſo that this Scripture of Zephanie remaines yet to be fulfilled, which I make thus to appeare.
¶ 1. Obſerve how many Parties are here mentioned, that muſt have a ſhare in the fulfilling of this Propheſie, when ever it be fulfilled, viz. Firſt, The Gentiles, ver. 9. Secondly, the two Tribes of the Jewes called Juda, expreſſed in the words, Zion and Jeruſalem, ver. 14. & 16. Thirdly, The ten Tribes of the Jewes, called by their name Iſrael, ver. 14. but all theſe three parties have not yet joyntly ſhared in the mercies propheſied to them in this Text, therefore it remaines yet to be fulfilled.
¶ 2. Obſerve the parts, or things to be ſhared among thoſe Parties, viz. converſion unto the true God, congregating of them into a chriſtian Church, and deſtruction of all that hate them, as you have heard. Now when did the Gentiles, the people of Judah, and the Tribes of Iſrael ever joyntly injoy theſe three mercies? For,
¶ 3. Obſerve, all theſe muſt at the great time of fulfilling them be extant at once, together; for though in the diſcuſſe I diſtinguiſhed them into parts, according to their nature and ſence, yet the Prophet according to place and order of ſentences did interweave, and windingly wreath them one within another, to the intent that no man might ſeparate what God had joyned together, but might behold them as a goodly Coine, that though there be a diſtinction of the parts, of the impreſsions upon it, yet all make but one Image of Caeſar. All thoſe parts are but the ſeverall ſculptures of one and the ſame entire character of the glorious time of the Church, yet before the end of the world; for hitherto, the ſaid three parties never enjoyed the afore-mentioned three parts joyntly together; but rather for the moſt have been viſibly to the eye of the whole world under a contrary condition. For,
¶ 4. Obſerve the high expreſsions the God of truth gives forth touching the glory of the ſtate, the ſaid parties ſhall enjoy at the ſaid time when this Propheſie ſhall be fulfilled, viz. That the Peoples, or Gentiles ſhall have pure lips, wherewith to call upon the name of the Lord, as it is in ver. 9. That Iſrael ſhall not doe iniquity, nor ſpeake lies, nor ſhall a deceitfull tongue be found in their mouth, ver. 13. That they of Zion and Jeruſalem, and Iſrael, ſhall be glad, and rejoyce with all their heart, ver. 14. for it followes (ver. 15, 16, 17.) the Lord ſhall ſo take away their judgements, and caſt downe their enemies, and inſtead of them he himſelfe, as King, will be ſo in the midſt of them, that they ſhall not ſee evill any more; nor ſhall their hearts feare, nor their hands faint. He will be ſo in the midſt of them in his might, that he will ſave them, and rejoyce over them with joy, and that as with ſinging, and will reſt in his love. Now did ever theſe things appeare in the ſtate and condition of the Church, either of Jewes or Gentiles, ſince the Babyloniſh Captivity? ſurely the contrary hath abundantly appeared down to theſe dayes. 1 For their Spirituall, or Eccleſiaſticall ſtate in relation unto Religion, the Gentiles generally have been very wicked, and for the moſt part (the more is their ſinne) inteſtine enemies to the Jewes. And for the Jewes, whiles the ten Tribes of Iſrael were carried away captive, the King of Aſsyria brought men from Babylon, and from Cuthah, and from Ava, and from Hamath, and from Sepharvalin, and placed them in the Cities of Samaria, inſtead of the Children of Iſrael, (2 King. 17.24.) of whoſe returne to their owne Country the Scriptures leave no mention. But they tell us, that when the two Tribes returned, there was a MIXED MVLTITVDE among the Iſraelites, (Nehem. 13.3.) That there were many that pretended to be Prieſts, who becauſe they could not find their Genealogy, were as POLLUTED put from the Prieſthood (Ezra 2.62. Nehem. 7.64.) That the people of Iſrael, and the Prieſts, and the Levites, had not ſeparated themſelves from the people of the land, doing according to their ABOMINATIONS, even of the Canaanites, Hitties, Perezites, Jebuſites, Ammonites, Moabites, Egyptians, and Amorites, having taken of their Daughters for themſelves, and for their Sons, &c. Ezr. 9.1, 2. And though they did repent of this great tranſgreſſion, and promiſed amendment, Ezr. 10.9. &c. Yet they are again greatly guilty thereof, Neh. 13.23. Further, the Scriptures tell us, that ſome of the two Tribes, of a ſlaviſh ſpirit, ſtayed in Babylon to be ſervants in ſervile baſeneſſe to that King, when the generality returned, 1 Chro. 4.21, 22, 23. which Joſephus mentions at large. And in the time of the Maccabees, in the time of Antiochus Epiphanes, of the root of the Greeks, who began his reigne about the 137th yeare of their Kingdome *Which was in the one hundred ſeventy third year afore the incarnation of Chriſt, Bucho. Ind. Chron. Ad annum mundi, 3798.(or Emp…re) there went out of Iſrael wicked men, who perſuaded many, ſaying, let us goe, and make a covenant with the Heathen that are round about us; for ſince we departed from them, we have had much ſorrow. So this device pleaſed them well. Then certain of the people were ſo forward herein, that they went to the King; who gave them licenſe to doe after the ordinances of the Heathen. Whereupon, they built a place of exerciſe at Jeruſalem, according to the cuſtomes of the Heathen, and made themſelves uncircumciſed, and forſooke the holy Covenant, and joyned themſelves to the Heathen, and were ſold to doe miſcheife, 1 Maccab. 1.10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15. Which corruption in the Jewes religion, by the ſtory, ſeems to be voluntary, as the Narrative precedes the hiſtory of Antiothus his Tyranny. Nor was this only for once, or a ſpurt, but againe in the ſecond book of Maccabees, together with betraying one another, and the publick welfare, chap. 3 and chap, 4. Come we hence to Chriſts time, and there we ſhall finde at leaſt ſix Sects of abominable corruptions in matters of Religion, viz. Phariſees, Sadduces, Herodians, Aſsideans, Eſſenes, and Gaulonites; of whoſe wicked opinions wee have given you a more particular account afore*Viz. In this chap. Sect. 43. §. 4. P. 2.. In the Apoſtles time the Jewes for the generality were perſecuters of them that imbraced Chriſt and the Goſpell, as we have it all along the ſtory of the Acts of the Apoſtles; and among the Chriſtians, there were Anti-reſurrectioniſts, Judaizers, wicked Apoſtataes, Idolatrous and prophane Balaamites, and Nicolaitans, &c. as the Epiſtles of the Apoſtles, and of Chriſt to the ſeven Churches expreſſely ſhews us. For the two next hundred years after the death of the Apoſtles was bloody perſecution of the Chriſtians over all the Roman Empire. About the twelfth year of the fourth Century, Conſtantine the great ſtanched that blood, and ſettled the Church in peace for the ſpace of about twenty five years, viz. till the year three hundred thirty ſeven, at which time Conſtantine the great dying, by and by horrid Arianiſm, and the Arian perſecution ſucceeded. And after that Papiſme, and Turciſme, down to our daies. So that f…om about ſixty yeares after Conſtantines death, the Church began (according to the vulgar account) to be hid in the wilderneſſe, the witneſſes to propheſie in ſackcloth, and the Beaſt to have power foreign, Rev. 11. Rev. 13. And ſecondly, for their civil condition all this while, they have been ever under the uſurpations ſucceſſively of the Perſians, Greeks, Romans, Saracens or Turkes, as we have often repeated. So that all that hath been done in matters of ſalvation, or outward deliverance, ſince the returne of the two Tribes from Babylon (the ten remaining there, and ſtill diſperſed) have been but as prefaces, firſt-fruits, and gleanings, in compariſon of the full vintage here deſcribed.
¶. 5. Obſerve certaine notes and marks, that this propheſie is not yet fulfilled. Firſt, That ver. 9. The peoples, or Nations ſhall ſerve the Lord with one ſhoulder; which in regard of the univerſality without reſtriction, and the immediate connexion of Gods Suppliants of the Jewes (as Calvin argumentatively aſſerts) muſt ſignifie the unanimity and conformity of Jewes and Gentiles in general, in one way of Goſpell worſhip. But alas, beſides the Jewes perſeverance in their Judaiſme, the Gentiles themſelves, called Chriſtians, doe not harmonize into one conſent and practice, but are at too vaſt a difference, in their Papiſme, Lutheraniſme, Socinianiſme, Calviniſme, Epiſcopacy, Presbytery, &c. Secondly, That in ver. 10. the calling of the Jews from beyond the river of Ethiopia, which is not yet done; the people of Judah, but eſpecially they of Iſrael remaining diſperſed into the utmoſt parts of the earth. Thirdly, That v. 11. and v. 19. Their ſhame ſhall be taken away, and they ſhall be made a name, and a praiſe in all lands where they have been put to ſhame, and all they that afflicted them, ſhall be undone. Inſtead whereof, the Iews in all lands are under great reproach, and contempt, and their enemies rather undo them, then that their enemies are undone for their ſakes. Thus of Zephany.