The Little Horns Downfall, Treatise 2 · Discourse · Part 3 · Description 2
Of the Jews Converſion.
ANd by this meanes way will be made for the bringing in of the Jewes, who are at this day earneſtly expecting of, and waiting for the comming of the Meſſias; Chriſt the anointed to bee their King, their Saviour, and their Prophet: But before the ten Kings doe hate the Whore, and before they manifeſt to all the world a deteſtation of her, they cannot come in; but then ſhall the everlaſting Goſpell be preached to all Nations, Jewes and Gentiles; and a ſpirit of zeale, for Chriſt will bee then upon the Saints, ſo as they ſhall not bee able to withhold from preaching the Goſpel more generally in all the world.
But if now any faithfull and able Miniſter of the new Covenant, which is the Miniſtration of life, and the Miniſtration of the Spirit; ſhould goe and preach Jeſus Chriſt unto the Jewes, and publiſh glad tidings to them, and tell them that the Meſſias is come, and that Jeſus Chriſt is he who will bee their King, and Lord, and Prophet, and Saviour, and will ſave them from all their ſinnes, if they beleeve in him; and that he will reſtore all things to them, and do glorious things for them; alas! they would ſcarce now ſay of ſuch, Bleſſed is hee that commeth in the Name of the Lord: and why? becauſe they cannot beleeve, that the Lord Jeſus Chriſt in whom we beleeve, and rejoyce, and glory; and who is our light, and life, and peace, and joy, and ſtrength, and all in all; is indeed the Meſſias, and the Saviour of all the ends of the earth, as we know, and beleeve he is: and why cannot they beleeve it? becauſe that great Whore, the City of Rome, who pretends to have power over all that are called Chriſtians, is ſuch a filthy, abominable, hatefull ſtrumpet; ſuch a mother of harlots, and abominations. *What is the preſent let of the Iewes cunverſion.Whereas the Jewes keep cloſe to the Old Teſtament, and to the Law contained therein, which is holy, juſt, and good: And they know, and are aſſured in the Old Teſtament, that when the Meſſias comes, hee will turne away ungodlineſſe from Jacob; he will cleanſe them from all their corruptions, and all their waies that are not good; and that they that are his ſhall be a holy people, a people taught of God: and therefore they cannot beleeve him to be the true Meſſias, whom ſuch polluted, openly profane, and impudently filthy creatures, as the Romaniſts are, profeſſe to bee their Saviour. For beſides many others, there are five things eſpecially, which the Jews take offence at, in the practiſes of that curſed crew: as
Firſt, their worſhipping of Images, and ſtatues, and croſſes, and crucifixes, and ſuch like trumpery.
Secondly, their loathſome, hatefull, and exceſſive giving up of themſelves unto uncleane luſts; tolerating and allowing themſelves, and others in them; as in fornication, adultery, ſodomie, and beaſtiality; practiſes which the very heathen abhor: and yet theſe abominable ſins the Popes, Cardinals, Biſhops, and Prieſts, and others of all ranks are frequent in the practice of: granting liberty to all that are under their juriſdictions, to live in the practice of them; if they do but purchaſe a pardon, with mony from the Pope for them.
Thirdly, frequent murthers, teaching it to be no ſin to murther an Hereticke, and tolerating ſuch as are murtherers.
Fourthly, Their tolerating of drunkenneſs, and oaths.
Fifthly, Their allowing of ſorcery, and witchcraft: moſt of their Prieſts being ſorcerers.
For theſe things eſpecially, but for many others alſo are the Jewes offended, and cannot beleeve him to be the true Meſſias that ſhall be the Saviour of ſuch prophane perſons; for they are aſſured that ſuch perſons cannot be the people of God: They know that Adulterers, and Idolaters, and Sorcerers, and Murtherers, and Swearers, and Lyers ſhall not enter into the Kingdome of God. None ſhall come into his holy *Pſ. 15. 1, 2. and 24. 2, 3.Hill, ſaies David, but ſuch as have cleane hands, and a pure heart; and this they know, and therefore do hate the Popiſh crew.
But when the Lamb ſhall have overcome the ten Kingdomes, and ſhall have put them into a new frame and poſture: and when his glory ſhall be wonderfully ſeen among his people, and all the world ſhall heare how gloriouſly he ſhall manifeſt himſelfe among them; in giving of his people miraculous victories over, and unheard of ſucceſſe againſt the Beaſt and his Aſſociates, and that in ſuch a wonderfull manner as the like hath not been heard of; and when the Jews ſhall heare of this, and heare how the Kingdomes are fallen from the Beaſt; and how they loath thoſe abominable practiſes with a perfect hatred; and how that they do all ſet themſelves againſt that curſed company; and intend to make them deſolate, and utterly to deſtroy them as the enemies of him who is the true Chriſt. At this time, I ſay, way will be made for the bringing of them in, and then the Goſpel in the purity of it ſhall be preached unto them: being wholly freed from the imbaſing mixtures of Romes inventions, and the pure Goſpell of Jeſus Chriſt ſhall in the preciouſneſſe, and ſweetneſs, and glory of it, be cleerly heldforth unto them, and they then will begin to be convinced, ſeeing that our Lord Jeſus Chriſt doth manifeſt his wrath and diſpleaſure againſt that prophane ſort of men, and ruines them, and deſtroyes them, and takes vengeance on them, for all their abominations that they have committed, and all the murthers, and cruelties that they have exerciſed upon his holy people, whom now he ownes, and gloriouſly goes on to ſave them with outward and externall ſalvation, as well as inward; and giving of them to tread upon the necks of their enemies, and to be exalted above the Nations: Then, I ſay, cleere way will be made for them to be brought in, and to beleev the Lord Jeſus to be indeed their King, and Saviour, and Prophet, and to give up themſelves to him, and to his protection; and when they ſhall thus do, they ſhall have the ſpirit abundantly poured out upon them; and they ſhall bemoane themſelves for their folly, in that they have ſo long rejected Jeſus Chriſt: and ſhall then look upon this Jeſus whom they have pierced, and ſhall mourne for him as for an only ſon, as appeares, Zach. 10. and that Scripture ſeemes to import, that ſuch ſhall be the ſpirit of grace, and ſupplication, and ſo ſtrongly ſhall that ſpirit work in them, as they ſhall therein exceed us; for grace ſhall be ſo powerfull, and love ſhall worke ſo wonderfully in them, and ſo melt their hearts, as that they ſhall be ſo deeply afflicted for their having rejected Jeſus Chriſt, as they ſhall be in bitterneſſe, as one that is in bitterneſſe for his firſt borne; and being ſo in good earneſt, it is ſaid that each ſoule ſhall mourne apart.
*Of the admirable manner in which the Jews ſhall be converted.And for the manner of this their unfaigned converſion, the Holy Ghoſt ſpeakes, as if this worke ſhould be done very ſuddenly, and very admirably, as appeares, Iſa. 66. 7, 8. Before Sion travelled ſhee brought forth; before her paine came ſhe was delivered of a man child; who hath heard ſuch a thing? Who hath ſeen ſuch a thing? Shall the earth be made to bring forth in one day? ſhall a Nation be brought forth at once? For as ſoon as Sion travelved ſhe brought forth her children; Here it is clearely implyed, that the work ſhall be very admirable, and be very ſuddenly, ſtrangely, and unexpectedly done. It ſhall be done as it were before any work is viſibly begun, and before thoſe ordinary preparations to ſuch a worke, that do uſe to precede the ſame work in others, at other times, when others have been begotten and borne to Chriſt, there hath been a long travelling in birth for them before they have been brought forth, and the paines, and the pangs of the new birth do ordinarily precede the bringing of it forth, in ſome more, in ſome leſſe, in all ſome; but here it is ſaid, Before ſhe travelled ſhe brought forth, before her paine came ſhe was delivered. O what a wonderfull! what an admirable thing is this! and therfore in the next verſe it followes by way of admiration, who hath heard ſuch a thing! who hath ſeen ſuch a thing! as if it had been ſaid, this is a thing which hath not been heard of, theſe are things that never have been ſeen; and can ye beleeve ſuch things? Shall the earth be made to bring forth in one day? Shall a Nation be borne at once? And ſhall theſe things be ſo indeed? Yea, they ſhall: for it follows, As ſoone as Sion travelled ſhe brought forth her Children. The worke of the birth of a Nation ſhall be very ſudden. The earth ſhall bring forth in one day.
Zion no ſooner travelled but ſhe brought forth her Children; it was ſo ſoon, and her travell ſo quickly over, as it may in compariſon of others, be ſaid to be no travell, but to be done before travell, and before paine came; a paralell place to this we have Iſa. 49. Where the Lord ſaies, that though Sion ſaid, my Lord hath forſaken me, and the Lord hath forgotten me: that yet he had not forgotten them, but they were graven upon the palmes of his hands: and that their wals were continually before him: and that the time ſhould come when he would wonderfully enlarge them; and therefore ſaies in the 20. verſe, The children which thou ſhalt have after thou hast loſt the other, ſhall ſay againe in thine eares: the place is too ſtraight for me, give place to me that I may dwell. And at the 21. verſe, Then ſhalt thou ſay in mine eares, who hath begotten me thoſe? I have loſt my children, and am deſolate, a captive, and removing to and fro, and who hath brought up theſe? behold I was left alone; theſe, where they? It is a broken expreſſion (for thsre is no other word added in the Heb: to, where they?) ſhewing amazedneſs at the miraculouſnes of the thing. It ſhal be of ſuch a ſudden, that thoſe multitudes ſhall be brought in, after the Churches being deſolate, a Captive, and being removed to and fro, up and down at the pleaſure of tyrants: when her children ſeemed to be all loſt, and none of the Sons of Sion could as it were viſibly appeare: that ſhe ſhall ſay in her heart, who hath begotten me theſe? Or how came I ſo ſuddenly to have ſo many Children? Who hath brought them up? Or what ſhall I ſay? Where they? What a miracle is it that I ſhould have ſuch a multitude of Children, on ſuch a ſudden, after my deſolated, captivated, and wandering condition? Thus in theſe Scriptures it appeares that this worke ſhall be very ſudden, in a very ſhort time it ſhall be done: a Nation ſhall be borne at once: and the Earth ſhall bring forth in a day: which implies a very ſhort time; but to conſine it to a naturall day, conſiſting of 24 houres, I ſee no reaſon nor neceſſity of ſo underſtanding it; but it is uſuall in the Scripture to account a day for a yeere, and of more then ſo, of neceſſity we may not underſtand it: becauſe the holy Ghoſt hath here ſo many emphaticall expreſſions to ſet out the ſuddenneſſe of it: as that it ſhall be ſudden beyond what hath been heard of; Who hath heard ſuch a thing? And that it ſhall be done ſo ſuddenly, as that thoſe uſuall preparations that do precede the ſame worke in others, ſhall ſcarcely appeare in this; and ſo ſudden that Sion her ſelfe is as it were aſtoniſhed at the thoughts of it, and looks on it as that which ſhe cannot imagine how it came to paſſe; ſo that we may rather take liberty to conclude, that it ſhall be indeed done in a naturall ordinary day: then to conceive that it ſhall be more than a yeare (which is a Propheticall day) a doing; for then it would not be ſo miraculous, if it ſhould be yeares a doing; but miraculous, and unheard of, it ſhall be for the ſuddenneſſe of it; As ſoone as Sion travelled ſhe brought forth, and a Nation is borne at once. By which Nation as we may no doubt underſtand the Nation of the Jews: ſo may we unqueſtionably alſo be perſwaded, that the fulneſſe of the Gentiles which is to come in with them, and upon their comming in, is herein alſo included, and not at all to be excluded; for the Scripture ſpeakes as fully every where for the bringing in of the Gentiles by multitudes in theſe latter daies, as for the Converſion of the Jewes.
But here ſome may object and ſay, it is true indeed; the Gentiles may not bee here excluded: for, for any thing appeares to us, it is the Gentiles onelyonly that are here ſpoken of; and wee know no ground you have to ſpeake particularly of the bringing in of the Nation of the Jewes, any more then they have been brought in already at the firſt preaching of the Goſpel, when the partition wall was broken downe between Jewes and Gentiles; and both were equally alike received into the favour of God, and made heires of life by Jeſus Chriſt: Yea even ſome of thoſe who had crucified and ſlain him; and they being then ſome of them converted, were all one with the Gentiles: and for the moſt part of them, being now mixed among the Gentiles, probably when the Goſpell is preached to all Nations, they may bee converted among the Gentiles, without any diſtinction from the Gentiles.
To which I anſwer, that though it be true, that the partition wall is broken downe, *The objections againſt the Iewes converſion removed.that was between Jewes and Gentiles, and both were equally alike received into the favour of God, and made heires of life by Jeſus Chriſt: and wee are all one in Jeſus Chriſt, the Gentiles in uncircumciſion are ſaved, as well as the Jews in their circumciſion: For *Rom. 2. 28, 29.hee is not a Jew that is one outwardly, neither is that circumciſion which is outward in the fleſh; but hee is a Jew that is one inwardly, and circumciſion is that of the heart, in the ſpirit, and not in the letter, whoſe praiſe is not of men, but of God. I ſay, though this bee an undoubted truth, and that many of the Jewes in the firſt preaching of the Goſpel were converted, and not their externall priviledges in being Iſraelites, obtained that mercy of comming to the knowledge of Chriſt; but the election obtained it, as the Apoſtle expreſſes it, Rom. 11. 7. And as there were in Elijahs time, ſeven thouſand that had not bowed the knee to Baal, (though few were viſible to Elijah) ſo ſaies Paul, that in his time there were a remnant of the Jewes, according to the election of grace, that were ſaved, ver. 4, 5. of which number himſelfe was one, being an Iſraelite of the ſeed of Abraham, of the Tribe of Benjamin, verſe firſt: and he withall grants, that the ſmall remnant, according to the election of Grace being ſaved; the reſt were blinded, and had a ſpirit of ſlumber upon them, as verſes 7, 8. I ſay though theſe things bee ſo, yet certaine it is, that the Jewes ſhall bee diſtinctly cal'd in theſe latter daies; and this appeares here in this eleventh of the Romans, for at the eleven and twelve verſes, Paul thus expreſſes himſelfe: I ſay then, have they ſtumbled that they ſhould fall? God forbid. It is as if hee had ſaid, have they ſo ſtumbled that they ſhould fall ſo, as not to riſe againe? God forbid. How then doe they fall? and how are they ſtumbled? May it bee ſaid to Paul; Why ſaies hee, God forbid, that in ſtumbling they ſhould have ſuch a fall, as not to riſe any more: No, it is not ſo; but through their fall, ſalvation is come to the Gentiles; and the Gentiles are thereby received into the favour of God, and made heires of the promiſes, and of the priviledges, and prerogatives, that are by Jeſus Chriſt; and they are become the ſonnes and daughters, and people of the living God. What then, is this done to exclude thoſe Jewes, who are fallen through unbeliefe, from ever being received into favour againe? No, for ſaies the Apoſtle; through their fall, ſalvation is come to the Gentiles. For what end? To provoke the Jewes to jealouſie; ſo that there is a time to come, in which by beholding the glorious eſtate, in which the Gentiles are by Jeſus Chriſt, the Jewes ſhall bee provoked to jealouſie. And now then ſaies the Apoſtle, if the fall of them, bee the riches of the world; and the diminiſhing of them, the riches of the Gentiles, how much more their fulneſſe? It is as if the Apoſtle had ſaid; by the fall of the Jewes ſalvation is come to the Gentiles: But this ſhall bee the fruit of the Gentiles converſion, the Jewes ſhall at laſt, bee thereby provoked to jealouſie, when this ſpirit of ſlumber is removed from them, (which now is on them, verſe 8.) And when they have received a ſeeing eye, and a hearing eare again; then they ſhall bee provoked to jealouſie, and beholding the ſalvation, and glory of the Gentiles, they ſhall bee moved with emulation againſt the Gentiles; envying, as it were, that they ſhould enjoy that happineſſe, and glory, which they have loſt, and which did belong to them; and which was in the firſt place offered to them: But ô what indignation will they have againſt themſelves, for their great ſin, in rejecting their Lord and Saviour! and then, ſaies the Apoſtle, when they ſhall come in; the glory of the Gentiles will bee much augmented: For ſaies he, If the fall of them be the riches of the World, and the diminiſhing of them the riches of the Gentiles; how much more their fulneſſe?
And at the 15 verſe, and ſo on, the Apoſtle doth again cleerly affirm, that thoſe fallen Jews, ſhall be againe reſtored; and poſitively ſaies, that blindneſſe in part, is hapned to Iſrael; until the fulneſſe of the Gentiles be come in, and ſo all Iſrael (that is that people that were the natural Olive branches) ſhall be ſaved, and graffed in againe; as it is written, There ſhall come out of Sion a deliverer, and he ſhall turne away ungodlineſſe from Jacob, for this is my Covenant unto them when I ſhall take away their ſins; this promiſe they had, Iſa 59. 20. which the Apoſtle applies particularly to them the naturall ſeed of Jacob, and therefore of them he ſaies, as concerning the Goſpell they are now enemies for your ſakes, but as touching the Election they are beloved for the Fathers ſake, (what more cleere?) For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance, ſo that ſaies the Apoſtle, they are an Elect people, and they are beloved, and the time ſhall come when they ſhall be called into the boſome of love, for the gifts and calling of God are without repentance.
And in the 30. 31, 32. verſes the Apoſtle doth againe argue it out of all doubt, that they ſhall againe obtaine mercy; for ſaies he, for as ye in times paſt have not beleeved, yet have now obtained mercy through their unbeliefe; even ſo have theſe alſo now not beleeved, that through your mercy they alſo may obtaine mercy: wherein the Apoſtle ſaies thus much; as your former unbeliefe excluded you not from mercy, but through their fall you which once did not beleeve have now obtained mercy; ſo they now being in unbeleefe are in no worſe condition than you once were, and therefore they through your mercy ſhall alſo obtaine mercy; and ſo the Apoſtle layeth down this concluſion, That God hath concluded them all in unbeliefe that he might have mercy upon all, and thereupon he breaks out into the admiration of God in theſe words, O the depth of the riches both of the wiſdome and knowledge of God, how unſearchable are his Judgements, and his waies paſt finding out! And thus I thinke is it ſufficiently cleered by Paul, that the Jewes in particular are to be called, and that the fulneſs of the Gentiles muſt come in with them; but I ſhall adde of many only two witneſſes more to confirme it, and the firſt ſhall be the Prophet Ezekiel, who (Chap. 37.) under the figure of two ſtickes, united into one, clearely declares, that the two Tribes, and the ten Tribes which were divided in Rehoboams time, Judah and Benjamin, remaining under Rehoboam the Son of Solomon, and the other ten Tribes being rent from them departing unto Jeroboam the Son of Nebat. I ſay, Ezekiel declares, that the two Tribes, and the ten Tribes that were thus divided under two Kings, ſhould be againe united under one King, even one that ſhould come of the ſeed of David, and being united they ſhould be one Nation in the Land upon the Mountaines of Iſrael, and one King ſhould be King to them all, and they ſhould never be divided into two Kingdomes any more at all, neither ſhould they defile themſelves any more with their Idols, and their deteſtable things, nor with any of their tranſgreſſions. But, ſaies the Lord, I will ſave them out of all their dwelling places where they have ſinned, and will cleanſe them, ſo ſhall they be my people, and I will be their God, and my ſervant David ſhall be a King unto them, and they ſhall have one ſhepheard; they ſhall alſo walke in my Judgements, and obſerve my ſtatntes, and do them; and they ſhall dwell in the Land that I have given unto Jacob my ſervant, wherein your fathers have dwelt, and they ſhall dwell therein, even they, and their children, and their childrens children for ever; and my ſervant David ſhall be their Prince for ever.
Now the Prophet Ezekiel, we know, propheſied in the time when the two Tribes were carried Captives into Babylon, and began to propheſie in the fifth yeare of Jehotakims Captivity, (the ten Tribes being carried into Captivity above a hundred and ten yeares before by Shalmanezer the King of Aſſyria, even in the ſixth yeare of the reign of Hezekiah over Judah) and at this time, when they were thus in Captivity, doth Ezekiel thus propheſie of their returning againe into their own Land; but if it ſhall be ſaid, that ſo they did returne againe after they had been ſeventy yeares in Babylon, I anſwer, it is true, the two Tribes which were carried into Babylon did return againe in Ezra's and Nehemiah's time, but we never read of the returning againe of the ten Tribes which were carried into Captivity by the King of Aſſyria, and ſcattered into far Countries ſo long before the two Tribes were captivated; for there is nothing at all upon record that ever they returned into their own Land againe; but here is a promiſe that the Lord will take the Children of Iſrael from among the Heathen whither they be gone, and will gather them on every ſide, and bring them into their own Land; and not only ſo, but they ſhall never any more be defiled with their Idols and with their deteſtable things, nor with any of their tranſgreſſions, but I will ſave them, ſaith the Lord, out of all places wherein they have ſinned, ſo ſhall they be my people, and I will be their God, &c. Now, though the two Tribes did then return, yet was not theſe promiſes made good unto them, being united with the ten Tribes under one King, and ſo to be for ever; nor were thoſe promiſes that are in this, and in the 36 Chapter, of dwelling in all proſperity and peace in their own Land without ever being moleſted and troubled, and thoſe promiſes of a plentifull enjoyment of all ſpirituall and temporall bleſſings without being ever any more interrupted therein, but we know, that though they that were carried Captives to Babylon did returne, yet they enjoyed not peace, nor had thoſe promiſes made good unto them in that their returne, but were ever and anon interrupted in their peace by their enemies in Ezra and Nehemiah his time; and beſides we find that they were not ſo cleanſed from their deteſtable things, and their tranſgreſſions, but the ſins of ſtrange wives, of Sabbath-breaking, and of oppreſſion were found amongſt them in that time, and they were all the while they poſſeſt the land often exerciſed with much wars; and at laſt were utterly rooted out of their owne Land, and of Jeruſalem by the Romans, in the time of Veſpaſian the Emperour.
Therefore certainly, theſe promiſes being never yet made good to them, the time will come (as ſurely as the word of God is true) in which theſe promiſes ſhall be made good unto them, to the uttermoſt jot of them.
Another cleer teſtimony to this truth is given by the Prophet Zachary, Chap. 10. 6, 7, 8, &c. In theſe words, I will ſtrengthen the houſe of Judah, and will ſave the houſe of Joſeph, (here the two Tribes and the ten Tribes are alſo particularly mentioned, the houſe of Judah and the houſe of Joſeph) and I will bring them again to place them, for I have mercy on them, and they ſhall bee as though I had not caſt them off; for I am the Lord their God, and will hear them; and they of Ephraim ſhall bee like a mighty man, and their heart ſhall rejoyce as through wine, yea their children ſhall ſee it and be glad, and their heart ſhall rejoyce in the Lord: I will hiſſe for them, and gather them, for I have redeemed them, and they ſhall increaſe as they have increaſed; and I will ſow them among the people, and they ſhall remember mee in farre countries, and they ſhall live with their children, and turn again, and I will bring them again out of the Land of Egypt, and gather them out of Aſſyria, and I will bring them into the land of Gilead, and place ſhall not bee found for them— And I will ſtrengthen them in the Lord, and they ſhall wal up and down in his name, ſaith the Lord. Here are cleer promiſes that they ſhould be brought out of Egypt, and Aſſyria, and from the far Countries whither they had bin carried, and brought into their owne Land again; and there ſhould be ſtrengthned in the Lord, and walk up and down in his name: that is, his name, and feare, and Spirit ſhould bee upon them; all which ſhall come to paſſe in his due time.
And now by theſe ſeverall witneſſes, it is evident, that the Jewes in particular ſhall be converted and bee diſtinct from the Gentiles, under that notion of the anciently beloved people of God, the ſeed of Abraham, Iſaac and Jacob, and that they ſhall poſſeſſe their owne land, even the land given to their fathers to poſſeſſe, the which very many other Scriptures do affirme, which I forbear to multiply, as conceiving it needleſſe.
And thus having made it cleer, how that the Jewes ſhall bee called, I ſhould now come to ſpeak more fully of the calling of the yet unconverted Nations of the Gentiles alſo: But there is one remarkable thing which concernes the Jewes, which when they are converted ſhall be done, of which a word or two in this place, and it is this: That when the Jewes ſhall be converted and returne to their owne Land, as the Lord of old, when hee wrought deliverances for them, cauſed them to paſſe through the red Sea, (Exod. 14. 22.) and through that mighty river, the river Jordan, (Joſh 3. 17.) on dry ground, wherein hee gloriouſly appeared unto them: ſo will hee now alſo dry up the tongue of the Egyptian ſea, to make way for them, as appears, Iſa. 11. 11, 12 &c. And it ſhall come to paſſe in that day, that the Lord ſhall ſet his hand again the ſecond time, to recover the remnant of his people which ſhall be left from Aſſyria, and from Egypt, and Pathros, and from Cuſh, and from Elam, and from Shinar, and from Hamath, and from the Iſlands of the Sea; and hee ſhall ſet up an Enſigne for the Nations, and ſhall aſſemble the out-caſts of Iſrael, and gather together the diſperſed of Judah, from the foure corners of the earth— And the Lord ſhall utterly deſtroy the tongue of the Egyptian ſea: and with his mighty winde ſhall ſhake his hand over the river, and ſhall ſmite it in the ſeven ſtreames, and make men go over dry-ſhod; and there ſhall bee an highway for the remnant of his people, which ſhall bee left from Aſſyria, like as it was to Iſrael in the day that hee came up out of the Land of Egypt. Here it is plain, that thus the Lord will utterly deſtroy the tongue of the Egyptian Sea, and ſmite it in the ſeven ſtreames, for this very end; that his people, the people of Iſrael and Judah, whom he intends to gather out of the four corners of the earth, where they have been ſcattered, may have way made for them, at leaſt thoſe of them, that muſt come that way, who are in Aſſyria, that they may come into their owne Land again. This is plainly aſſerted likewiſe in Iſa. 27. 12, 13. And it ſhall come to paſſe in that day, that the Lord ſhall beat off from the chanell of the river unto the ſtream of Egypt, and yee ſhall bee gathered one by one, O yee children of Iſrael; and it ſhall come to paſſe in that day, that the great trumpet ſhall be blown, and they ſhall come which were ready to periſh in the Land of Aſſyria, and the out-caſts in the Land of Egypt, and ſhall worſhip the Lord in the holy mount at Jeruſalem.
This is alſo a cleere Propheſie of the calling of the Children of Iſrael to the obedience of Chriſt, their Lord and ours; and of the bringing of them when they are thus converted into their owne land; for which end the river of Egypt is to be beaten off, that ſo clear way may be made, for them to go over dry ſhod; for when God will work, who ſhall let it? and when he will bring his people to any place, it is not vaſt and great rivers that lying in the way ſhall hinder it.
But wee finde that when the Nation of the Jews, and all the ſeed of Jacob ſhall again be converted unto the Lord; that that great worke ſhall not be too hard for God to do, but he will do therein that which ſhall be too hard for men to beleeve. As, that a Nation ſhall be born at once: That they ſhall come to the birth, & be brought forth in one day: And that before Sion travelleth, before the Church doth any thing conſiderable in order to the converting of a Nation to Chriſt, it ſhall be done: *It may bee before any conſiderable numbers of Goſpel Miniſters are ſent to preach the Goſpel to them, many thouſands may be converted by the preaching of one, or few, and the the ſpirit be richly poured out upon them.ſhe travelled, ſhe brought forth. Theſe are things too hard for men to beleeve, but not too hard for God to doe: for when the Lord undertakes the worke, all obſtructions ſhall bee removed; and the Lord will ſuddenly, and wonderfully convert theſe Nations; and being converted, they muſt be brought into their own land: and if he will have it done, who, or what ſhall let it? If the river of Egypt, even the tongue of the Egyptian ſea be in the way, he wil beat off from the Chanel of the river, unto the ſtream of Egypt; yea he wil utterly deſtroy the tongue of the Egyptian ſea, and with his mighty winde, ſhall ſhake his hand over the river, and ſhall ſmite it in the ſeven ſtreames, and men ſhall go over dry-ſhod. So that as the red ſea, and the river Iordan, could not hinder the paſſage of his people that were to paſſe that way, when he brought them out of Egypt; ſo neither ſhall the river of Egypt hinder his people now, from their paſsage into their own Land.
But it may bee queried, why ſhould the river of Egypt bee dried up, to make way for the Iſraelites comming into their own Land, rather then any other river, that may lie in their way?
I anſwer, firſt, That though the Scripture mention not the drying up of any river, but the river of Egypt; yet it doth not follow, but that there may bee other rivers beſides this dried up, to make way for them, if any other rivers ſhall be in their way; although the Scripture be ſilent in it, and mention not particularly any others.
But ſecondly, the river of Egypt is chiefly mentioned, as that it ſhall be dried up, becauſe that lieth in the way in which they muſt come, when they come out of the land of Aſſyria, where its probable that greateſt numbers of the Iſraelites are: for though the two Tribes may be ſcattered, and are ſcattered in all parts of the world; yet wee know that the ten Tribes that were firſt carried captives into the Land of Aſſyria, were never brought forth from thence: ſo that it is probable that there may bee, and is a greater number of the Iſraelites there, then in any part of the world beſides, and that may bee the reaſon why the Scripture, when it mentions any particular places from whence the Children of Iſrael ſhall be gathered, when they ſhall bee converted: It doth chiefly ſpeak of Aſſyria, as Iſa. 11. 11. And it ſhall come to paſſe, that the Lord ſhall ſet his hand againe the ſecond time to recover the remnant of his people, which ſhall be left from Aſſyria, and from Egypt, and from Pathros, and from Cuſh, and from Elam, &c. Here Aſſyria is chiefely mentioned; and ſo again, in this place, Iſa. 27. 12, 13. It is ſaid, Ye ſhall be gathered one by one, O ye children of Iſrael; and they ſhall come which were ready to periſh in the Land of Aſſyria, and the out cast in the Land of Egypt, and ſhall worſhip the Lord in the holy Mount at Jeruſalem: and ſo againe, in Zach. 10. 10. I wil bring them again out of the Land of Egypt, and gather them out of Aſſyria, and will bring them into the Land of Gilead, &c. In all theſe places, Aſſyria is eſpecially mentioned, from whence the Children of Iſrael muſt bee brought. And becauſe of the great number which muſt bee brought out of the Land of Aſſyria, the river of Egypt is to bee dried up, to make way for them to come to their owne Land; that they may againe inhabite Jeruſalem, and the Mountaines of Iſrael, according to the many promiſes which are made unto them to that purpoſe; as Ezek. 36 2, 3, &c. And Jer 32. 41, 42, &c. and Zach. 10. 10. And ſo much ſhall ſuffice to bee ſpoken of the converſion of the Jewes.