The City of God, Exposition of Revelation · Chapter 21 · Rule 3 – Rule 4
3. Rule.
THat the Iſraelites after their Captivity had a return, and were in conjunction with the Jews, under one head David their Prince to the fulfilling of many of the Prophets, and that as well in a Literal as a Miſterial ſence.
As Firſt, under Hezekiah, eſpecially in the keeping of that Paſsover whereto many of the Tribe; came, viz. Ephraim, Aſhar, Manaſſeh, Iſſacher, Zebulon (that it is ſaid had eſcaped out of the hands of the Kings of Aſſyria) came up to Hieruſalem to keep the Paſsover, and to pay their Tithes, offerings and firſt-fruits; 2 Chron. 30. So that there was great joy in Hieruſalem; for ſince the time of Solomon, there was not the like in Hieruſalem; 20. The ſeparation between Iſrael and Judah having continued, during all the Kings in Iſrael for the ſpace of 250 years.
Secondly, In the days of Ioſiah a thouſand years after, who in his eighth year reformed all the Tribes, breaking down Altars, Groves, Images, taking away all the abominations out of all the Countreys that pertain to the children of Iſrael, and made all that were preſent in Iſrael to ſerve, even to ſerve the Lord their God; And all his dayes they departed not from following the Lord God of their Fathers. 2 Chron. 34.4, 5, 6. And kept ſuch a Paſsover, that there was none like to it kept in Iſrael, from the days of Samuel the Prophet; neither did all the Kings of Iſrael, keep ſuch a Paſsover as Joſiah kept, and the Prieſts and the Levites, and all Judah and Iſrael that were preſent, and the Inhabitants of Hieruſalem
Thirdly, In Zerubabells time under him, When by the Proclamation of Cyrus, whom the ſpirit of the Lord ſtirred up, all the Jews or Iſraelites within his Territories the 130 Provinces, including the place where Iſrael was carried, all Aſſyria had liberty to return; which was in theſe words: That whoſoever was amongſt them of all his People, let him go up to Jeruſalem which is in Judeah, to build the houſe of the Lord; And whoſoever remaineth of any place where he ſojourneth, let the men of his place, help him with Silver and with Gold, and with Goods, &c. And who accordingly came up by degrees, and did under one Prince in their own Land, partake of their Legal rights and priviledges together.
Fourthly, In the Apoſtles dayes, it is ſaid, Acts 26.7. Unto which promiſe or 12 Tribes inſtantly ſerving God day and night hope to come, and Iames directs his Epiſtle to the 12 Tribes: and Peter, 1 Pet. 1. To them alſo, by all which is it not manifeſt, that whatever the received opinion has been, that ſince Iſraels captivity, they were never heard of, that there was a return in Hezekiahs time of many of the Tribes, and in Ioſiahs time a hundred years after, many more of them inhabiting their own Land, under one King; and in Zerubabells and the Machabees time afterwards all of Davids Line; as Math. 1. and Luke the 3. And in the Apoſtles time there were Jews devout men of every Nation under Heaven, dwelling at Hieruſalem, and the 12 Tribes were then known as Paul, Iames, and Peter diſcovers.
Fifthly, Miſtically did the believing Jews and Iſraelites, whereof there were great numbers, gather under David their King, the Lord Jeſus in conjunction with the believing Gentile in his new Teſtament, Rule, Government and Soveraignty, which in expreſs Terms is ſaid by the Apoſtle Iames to be reſtoring the fallen Tabernacle of David. Acts 15. And a fulfilling of that bleſſed prophecy of Amos, and which is expected more amply to be fulfilled in the great Converſion and Conjunction of Jews and Gentiles, that is foretold in the latter days.
Therefore whether for any to aſſert, becauſe the Prophets ſo often ſpeak of a Conjunction of Iſrael and Iudah, and a return into their own Land, to the building City and Temple, and injoyment of legal rites and ceremonies under one King, that therefore thoſe prophecies are to be yet fulfilled in the Letter, is not an abſolute miſtake and ſuch a ſence, that neceſſarily offers violence to the principles of the Goſpel, and not to be reconciled with the firſt Rule before mentioned: and not onelyonly hardens their deluded Jews in their expectation of a Temporary Meſſiah, of whom they have had already ſo many Impoſtures, but teaches the Gentile Believer to Judaize alſo, of which there have been ſo many in theſe Latter dayes, though in a miſtical and Spiritual ſence, all thoſe prophecies may admit of a larger and further Accompliſhment, as before, and which with the conſideration of what is fulfilled in the Letter as before may reconcile all.
4. Rule.
THat the great Converſion of the Iews to Ieſus Chriſt is not to be till the fulneſs of the Gentiles be come in. Luke 21.24. Rom. 11, 25 Mat. 23.38.
Which fulneſs is not to be till Babylons fall, and preaching the everlaſting Goſpel, and the erecting of the Kingdom of Jeſus Chriſt, for they are contemporary and it is clear that the Gentile Saints, who have born the heat of the day under Antichriſt, and who have kept the Commandments of God, and teſtimony of Jeſus, muſt be the ſpecial inſtruments thereof; not the Jews who have been ſuch blaſphemers of Chriſt, and all by his appointments all that live; But then will they ſo receive the Goſpel that they will bleſs thoſe that come in the name of the Lord, Mat. 23.38. And ſo in thoſe great converſions that will be effected in that day of the Lord, amongſt Jews and Gentiles, all Iſrael viz. The whole body of the Elect, the whole ſeed of Abraham ſpiritual ſhall be ſaved; which is true only in that ſence, for all Iſrael in a natural ſence ſhall not be ſaved, as Wollebius well obſerves upon Rom. 11.
FINIS.