Scriptures Opened and Cases of Conscience Resolved, Jeremiah · Passage 50:4 2
Jer. 50. 4.
In thoſe days, and at that time, &c.
Q What are thoſe days, and what is that time whereof Jeremy here ſpeaks?
A. This his Propheſie may have reference to three periods of time.
Firſt, To the time of the Jews return out of Captivity: For which purpoſe we may conſider,
1. That in the firſt rent of the Kingdom, the Prieſts and Levites that were in all Iſrael (being caſt off by Jeroboam) came into Judah and Jeruſalem, 2 Chron. 11. 13, 14. And after them out of all the Tribes of Iſrael, ſuch as ſet their hearts to ſeek the Lord came alſo to Jeruſalem, v. 16. which it ſeems were no ſmall number, becauſe of the ſtrength that the Kingdom of Rehoboam received by them, v. 17.
2. We find that in Aſa his time they fell to him out of Iſrael in abundance; as alſo, that Hezekiah afterward ſent his Letters throughout all Iſrael, 2 Chron. 30. 1, 5, 6. and divers of Iſrael came in, and made up a great Congregation, v. 11, 13, 18.
3. Albeit many might come to the Paſſover and return to their own Country and habitations again; yet it is very probable that when Tiglath pileſer had carried away ſo many of the Ten Tribes captives, 2 King. 15. 29. I ſay, between that time and the taking of them away generally by Salmanaſar, divers of them fled for refuge to Judah, and ſetled themſelves there; and that ſeems to be meant by ſtrangers, 2 Chron. 30. 25. that is, ſuch of the Ten Tribes, who (beſides the Congregation that came out of Iſrael by the preſent call to the Paſſover) did by reaſon of Religion ſettle themſelves in Judah, which Dioda…. Jun. Trem. in 1 Chro. 9. 1, 2.they might do alſo in latter times for their ſafety, being liker to fare better in Judah, than with the Aſſyrian. All this makes it out that there was a mixture of Judah and Iſrael before the Captivity.
Now, to apply this to the preſent purpoſe, the firſt remarkable time of their coming more cloſely together, was, at their return out of the Captivity wherein they had been ſcattered. The Iſrael-it's that mixed themſelves with Judah came (it's very like) out of the Captivity when they did, partaking therein of the priviledg of the better party to whom they had joined themſelves; which appeareth alſo in the genealogy of thoſe that returned out of Babylon, among whom not only Judah and Benjamin, but divers of other Tribes of Iſrael, are expreſly reckoned, 1 Chron. 9. 3. Ezra 2. 2. & v. 70. albeit they dwelt for preſent, not in the cities of Samaria, but of Judah.
Secondly, (to come to the ſecond period) Although the ten Tribes (if we ſpeak of the generality and the Body of them) returned not out of Captivity (as Judah did) to their own country; yet under Chriſt, (to whom this Coming, and Covenanting is to be extended, as Jer. 50. 20.) they came together, when the Goſpel was preached, as under one Head, Hoſ. 1. 11. Hence we read, Act. 2. 5. of Jews, out of every Nation under Heaven, they being ſcattered by the Aſſyrian Babylonian, and other ſucceeding Kings into far diſtant places. There alſo we find the Apoſtle ſpeaking to the whole Houſe of Iſrael, v. 36. and that at the ſame time, three thouſand were converted, that is, united together in Chriſt, v. 41. That of St. James is clearer, who writes expreſly to the twelve Tribes ſcattered abroad, that is, ſcattered by the Aſſyrians and Babylonians or Antiochus: So as that they returned not with others to their own Land; yet, to the Faith of Chriſt they were converted, and therefore James writes to them as to thoſe who had received the Faith, though they did not, as they ought, ſhew it in the fruits. St. Peter alſo points to the ſame Perſons when he writes to the Strangers, 1 Pet. 1. 1. that is, to thoſe of Judah and Iſrael, diſperſed here and there where they lived as Strangers, but yet he writes to them as Perſons come into Jeſus Chriſt, and conjoined on that corner-ſtone, 1 Pet. 2. 4, 5, 6.
Thirdly, there is another period of time that we expect, and that is, when the Jews ſhall be called and come together in a conſiderable Body, Rom. 11. 25, 26. unto and under Chriſt the Head of the whole Church; unto which time divers Learned men refer thoſe prophecies Ezek. 37. 10, 12. Hoſ. 1. 11. Amos. 9. 14. 15. And, howſoever this Prophecy may be ſaid to be fulfilled truly already, yet ther's cauſe to ſay that it ſhall be moſt remarkably compleated then.