The loſt Sheep return'd.
And the people believed; and when they heard that the Lord had viſited the children of Iſrael, and that he had looked upon their afflictions; then they bowed their heads and worſhipped.
JERƲSALEM, once the Metropolis of Judaea, where that famous warrior, King David, and after him his moſt prudent ſon King Solomon did reſide, called the perfection of beauty, and the joy of the whole earth; and unto which did reſort the moſt noble families of all the then known world. And above all, ſhe did2 chiefly excell in her pure worſhip; without the which there was no ſoul under heaven accounted happy. Which ſaid City is now (after many overturnings) according unto that place, the chief reſidence of a Turkiſh Infidel; called the languiſhing Zion, and the by-word of Nations; and to the heart-breaking of the Iſraelites, hath for its religion erected in it the abomination of deſolation ſpoken of by Daniel the Prophet.
Now although I do conceive this to be no news to any one that can but well read Engliſh, yet I was willing in the beginning of my Diſcourſe to inſert it; becauſe that notwithſtanding we have in this latter age ſeen ſo many and ſo great examples of the almighty power of God in the change of our Government, and ſuch unlooked for alterations, yet there are ſome men amongſt us, that (notwithſtanding the teſtimony of holy Writ) do believe that the preſent ſad eſtate of Judah will never change for better; and that our faith concerning the return of (ſuppoſed) loſt Iſrael is grounded upon an uncertain and ſandy foundation. I ſhall therefore by that help which by almighty God to me is given, and to the furtheſt extent of my own ability,
Firſt, lay down their two grand objections againſt them.
Secondly, I ſhall lay down theſe two Propoſitions.
3- 1. That the Jewes ſhall be called and converted to the Chriſtian religion.
- 2. That not only the two Tribes, but in the ſame manner thoſe remaining in the world that are of the other ten Tribes, and whoſe preſent being I doubt not but to make known to all that read this.
And in the next place, (as indeed is the moſt ſure teſtimony) I will make this good and infallible,
- 1. By the Divine oracles.
- 2. By the conſent of ſome antient Fathers, and modern late writers.
- 3. I ſhall (to make ſure work) bring ſeveral ſtrong confirmations from the preſent faith and hope of Iſrael, as their Gemara doth at this day hold it forth; as alſo from the good and hopeful expreſſions that I my ſelf have by way of converſe received from ſome able native Hebrews here in London: And then by way of humble ſubmiſſion to more ripe and knowing wits, I ſhall lay down my weak opinion how this Jewiſh converſion muſt be accompliſhed: And laſtly I ſhall uſe all the ſtrong motives that my weak capacity will afford me, by the which I would excite all my native Countrymen to uſe much ſtudy in the ſafe-guarding and bringing home this poor ſtraid ſheep of Iſrael.
The firſt objection is by a ſort of men more rationable then the other ſort, ſuch as the Father terms moralized and well diſpoſed Chriſtians,4 which (ut ipſi volunt) do ſpeak and act according to truth; and for my part, I do believe it is only out of dark zeal. But for a more apt and infallible definition, let us but nominate them, as Origen well ſpake; Ii ſunt qui accipiunt iſthaec verba ſecundum literam quae occidit, &c. Such they are as do only take the literal part of Scripture for the true ſenſe thereof; who I am ſure would be very unwilling to receive that ſentence in the 3. of John, v. 18. in the ſame manner. But thus they object, That the Lord ſent them this certain ſign of his diſpleaſure by the mouths of the Prophets, that violence ſhall take hold of you, and I (ſaith the Lord) will conſume you utterly, ſo that none of you ſhall remain. So now where the Lord doth ſeem to give his people bils of divorce, and to root them out from among the reſt of the world; there theſe men take it for a firm conſequence, that thoſe cannot be capable of a Chriſtian converſion, whom the Text ſaith ſhall not have a being.
To this I anſwer: When God doth by his ſervants pronounce his ſentence of judgment againſt a Nation, City or Family, it is not always an act of his abſolute decreeing will; for if ſo, there had been no more hope for Iſrael; and if God had abſolutely and irrevocably decreed the deſtruction and utter deſolation of Niniveh that great city within forty days time, He would not have repented him of the evil5 which he had determined againſt it. So in Hoſ. 8.11. the Lord ſaith, How ſhall I deliver thee up, Ephraim, &c. My repentings are kindled together. Here now God had threatned to cut Iſrael off from the land, and to make them a ſpoil for the enemy: but he cryeth out, How ſhall I do it? As if ſo be the Lord had no will nor pleaſure in the doing of it. God did always delight in mercy more then in ſacrifice. And therefore on the contrary I anſwer, That theſe expreſſions of God are part of his declarative will, wherein I ſee much of divine wiſdome, how that God doth oftentimes work mightily upon the ſpirits of his own people by way of terror. So that if a man do ſcan many of the Lords expreſſions, he ſhall perceive them to be no other then conditional; much like unto the bleſſings promiſed for holineſs, and curſes threatned for ſin & diſobedience, Deu. 28. And we often find many good actions produced in men by the Lords diſplaying his banner of juſtice over their heads; and that both in the inward and the outward man: As for proof, this produced much even in Ahab that ungodly King, who before he met with his enemy the Prophet (as he called him) went on in an arrogant way deviſing miſchief againſt the people of God; but no ſooner came this word to Ahabs eares, Thus ſaith the Lord, but it made his haughty naughty heart to ſtoop; for the Text ſaith, that he walked ſoftly. As alſo6 ſuch was that power which did accompany the preaching of Jonah, that it cauſed the heathen King to call for the moſt ſolemn Faſt that ever we do read of in the Scripture.
But above theſe, we may behold the great wiſdom of God in thoſe great effects which the threats of the Lord have produc'd in the hearts of many men: For it made Manaſſeh that ungodly King to pray earneſtly, and to beg pardon of the Lord for all his grievous tranſgreſſions; And ſuch was the ſtory of Nathan, that it made David to grow more watchful. I will but make mention of one more, and then I hope that all objectors of this ſort will be ſatisfied: and that is Hezekiah, to whom the Lord did ſend Iſaiah the Prophet to tell the King, that he ſhould die and not live. Now do but mark the force of theſe words, although delivered to him by the mouth of a mortal man; it follows immediately, that he turned his face to the wall, and prayed; and upon this the merciful and only wiſe God prolonged his days in the land. B. Augustine writing on this place, affirmeth that novit Dominus mutare ſententiam, ſi peccator noſcit emendare vitam. So that God, notwithſtanding his firſt meſſage ſent unto the King (Auſtin ſaith) was ready to forgive him, and to alter the ſentence, upon this condition, that he would grow more fervent in holineſs. For as our natural parents are careful to diſcern the temper and conſtitution of their7 children, whereby they become very skilful to educate them after various manners; ſome will take learning of any other art ſooner by way of perſwaſion, whereas ſome will not without often chaſtiſement and reproof: So our ſpiritual Father, that omniſcient and mighty diſcerner of the hearts of all men, doth uſe the moſt wiſe and beſt way of dealing towards his children; for ſome he doth wooe and draw as with cords of a man, and bands of love; and others he doth threaten, as he did the Iſraelites, only that they might turn to him: For the Lord hath ſworn that he would have no man to periſh, nor no hard heart to be caſt away, but that all might know the truth: This makes a Rebel oftentimes become a truſty humble ſubject under the Lord of mercy.
The ſecond Objection it by a ſort of people that have been very potent amongſt us here in England, until now of late; men of moſt wide fancies, like unto thoſe termed Quakers. They do now object and ſay, That what was promiſed is already fulfilled; and that ſome Jews there were which did believe in the name of Chriſt, and were ſaved. And theſe men being, as they imagine, ſuper-humane and ſuper inſtitutiones, do affirm that the end of the world is uſque ed finem, even at the very doors.
But to anſwer this, I ſhall do it negatively•: For, to ſay, that which was promiſed concerning Iſrael, is already happened, is falſe. By the8 Scripture in Rev. 14.6. it is written, That an Angel did fly through the midſt of heaven, having the everlaſting Goſpel for to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, kindred, tongue and people. Now the bleſſed Apoſtle S. Paul, to ſhew (as it were in a myſterie) the glorious eſtate of his Countrymen, he ſaith, it ſhall not come until the fulneſs of the Gentiles be come in. Which if I do make clear not as yet to have come to paſs, then I hope there is no man ſo Momus-like, that will deny but the Jewes may as yet be called. But firſt, we may be convinced by that bleſſed and thrice happy converſion of ſo many blind Heathens in America, that did never ſo much as hear of a Jeſus Chriſt nor the Goſpel before; and as I am certified, their number of converted ones daily do increaſe. So that we muſt not clip nor diminiſh the word of God which I mentioned in the Revelations, where the Angel preacheth unto every kindred and tongue, I dare not exempt the very Cannibal-Indians, called〈…〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉or man-devourers. Yea ſurely, before theſe mens day of judgment cometh, the Goſpel will be made known by one means or other; although for the preſent the moſt part, as is ſuppoſed, of this new American world remaineth in total obſcurity. It may be that the inſtruments that the Lord will make uſe of for their converſion, are (ſome of them) yet unborn: And therefore the Prophet Iſaiah9 ſaith, And the Iſles ſhall wait for thy Law. They doe grope in the dark as yet, and God knows when their time is covenient; the Lords wayes are unſearchable. And therefore an old Portuguiſe could take notice of the great wiſdom of God, that even againſt wind and ſtream the Lord did carry one of their Carracks being bound for Carthagena to load with bars of ſilver, unto a Barbarian Iſland, to which they never deemed to have arrived, who by this means are now become joyful hearers and doers of the world of God. So that the Iſles muſt wait Gods time, and he will teach them his ſtatutes.
Now ſome perhaps will ſay, But does not the Apoſtle write, that the Goſpel hath already been preached unto all the world? It is true, that ſo far as men were to be found, I do believe the preaching of the Goſpel did then extend it ſelf. But further to clear this, we doe find this recorded: That although Thomas the Apoſtle choſe Parthia; Matthew, Ethiopia; Bartholomew, India, wherein to preach glad tidings; yet the middle India being inhabited of many rude and barbarous nations, did not receive the leaſt knowledge of the Chriſtian faith, until the good reign of Conſtantine the Great, which was almoſt 300 years after St. Pauls writing: And therefore it is true, and well called the whole known world. But for this part of the world (by ſome called the New-world,10 conſidering its large bounds) was never known unto any Age that we can read of, untill ſome hundreds of years ſince Chriſt. And therefore our beſt Geographers call a great part of it Terra incognita. But above all theſe things I ſhould think that this joyful newes from neer that moſt excellent Nation of China, namely from Formoſa, that rich Eaſt-Indian Iſland, of many thouſands of them their forſaking the worſhipping of idols, and their happy converſion to Chriſtian faith, ſhould take men off from thoſe vain words, that the day of conſummation of all things is at hand: If God doe this by the Heathens, do you think that God will not doe much more for his antient people, although for the preſent many of them heathenized? Shall Iſrael deſpair, becauſe God bath hidden his face a while in the cloud?
Perhaps ſome curious Momus may repine and ſay, that the converſion of thoſe neer China to the faith, was inſtrumentally accompliſhed by the Popiſh faction; and therefore they are in no better condition then when they did worſhip the Devil and his, ſuggeſtions. To this I ſhall only uſe the Apoſtle S. Pauls moderate anſwer in ſuch a caſe; That whether in truth or in pretence, ſo Chriſt be preached, I doe rejoice, yea and I will rejoice. But that this Converſion of the Formoſan Indians was not to the Popiſh, but the Reformed Chriſtian11 religion, it is thus teſtified by Alvarus a Jeſuite himſelf, in his Relation of China, par. 1. chap. 2. (printed at Rome, 1643.) Molto ſent convertin ma alla fede Calviniſtica, &c. that is, Many were converted (ſpeaking of Formoſans,) but (ſaith he) to the Calviniſtical faith, induced by Holland-Miniſters, and lived vertuouſly. Thus affirms Alvarus the Jeſuite. He that is one of the choſen and faithful ſervants of God, although Chriſt be preached to the Infidels by diſſembling Jeſuites, yet will joy and be glad abundantly; and would beg of God that he would in this ſelf-ſeeking age raiſe up the affections of his Saints and ſervants, to uſe the whole body and ſoul in the propagating of the Goſpel, and that they may thereby as well of Jews as Gentiles adde unto the number of the Church ſuch as ſhall be ſaved. For, doubtleſs, let all the Devils in hell contribute their whole ſtrength to the impediting of this work already begun in the Indies, yet God will never leave it untill he hath performed all his promiſes made in the Scripture both to the Jew and Gentile. Oh what great conſolation ſhould this be to thoſe that cry, How long, Lord, ſhall be the deſolations of thy Zion! when they have it confirmed to them, that ſuch ſecure and lofty Idolaters ſhould by the mercy of God be brought ſo humble, as to ſee their own baſeneſs and be aſhamed of their own doings, and now doe begin to worſhip the true God that made12 the heaven, the earth, and the ſea, with all that therein are. This is that Imperial Monarch, who doth account of all the world but as ſlaves in compariſon of them: This is that potent people, that entitle themſelves in their regal denominations, Lord of the world, and ſon of heaven: This is that moſt curious people, from whom this Weſtern world received their art of Printing, Needle-work, and other rare Sciences; and now doe receive from us that moſt excellent and ſupernatural ſcience to know the onely true God, and Jeſus Chriſt whom he hath ſent. And this is a mercy indeed, which ſhould make us to cry out with the Apoſtle, Oh the depth of the riches of the love of God, how unſearchable are his wayes, and his judgments paſt finding out. And that the Lord ſhould ſo far prefer mercy before his judgment, that he did not to this people as he did to Tyre and Zidon, and other lofty places and nations; but in ſtead of overthrowing theſe careleſs livers, declared unto them the glad tidings of repentance, and remiſſion of ſins. Therefore whoſoever it is that does determine ſeaſons and times, I deſire him to look to it; for although God doe reveal himſelf in great meaſure in theſe our days, yet there were never more deceitful ſuggeſtions in the world then are now; according to the prediction of our bleſſed Saviour, that ſuch dayes would come. But in ſo doing a man doth rob God of13 his prerogative, which to him doth alone belong to know the times and ſeaſons, and to know the approach of that great and terrible day of the Lord, who ſhall then unmask all falſe Prophets, and ſeparate the ſheep from the goats.
But to the main buſineſs in hand, it now ſtands me in ſtead to prove the calling of the Jews to be a ſound truth, and no fancie. And firſt for Scripture, in Dent. 32.26: I ſaid I would ſcatter them into corners; and make their remembrance to ceaſe from among men, &c. Now here by this men will generally grant, that Iſrael is diſperſed and driven into far countries: Now for their return, I will firſt cite that place in Jer. 16. Behold, I will ſend for many fiſhers, ſaith the Lord, and they ſhall fiſh for them; and afterwards I will ſexd for many hunters, and they ſhall hunt for them, from every mountain and from every hill, and out of the boles of the rocks. Now if this had been ſpoken of the captivity under Nebuzaradan, they needed not this ſeeking and hunting, living peaceably under the King of Babylon's yoke that he put upon them; but without doubt it is meant by that laſt and cruel captivity under Veſpaſian and Titus, of which Joſephus ſo writes, that it makes me to tremble. Then indeed they were fain to fly to the mountains; and in ſo doing they did receive the counſel of our Saviour, and their Saviour,14 where he ſaith, Then let them that are in Judea flee into the Mountains. So that I do confeſs how that ſince that time they have ſeen in what holes they might put their heads, but now they ſhall know that their Redeemer liveth; how Jeſus Chriſt whom their Fathers crucified; was ſo full of pitty, that the did adviſe them (knowing what ſad days would come upon them) to take the ſafeſt courſe in ſuch an evil time, whereby doubtleſs many did eſcape, whoſe ſucceſſors remain in ſome unknown (as to the eys of the world) places, where the Lords fiſhers and hunters will find them out. And then it follows in the 30. of Jeremiah and the 17. For I will reſtore health unto thee, and I will heal thee of thy wounds, ſaith the Lord, becauſe they called thee an outcaſt, ſaying, this is Sion whom no man ſeeketh after
Here is a gracious promiſe for them; and oh that it might work upon us here in England! for we, above all the barbarous Nations, do not regard them, but are indeed ſuum cuique, every man for his own private ends, the Lord grant that this be not one reaſon of our preſent diviſions, as alſo of our former miſeries. It had fared better with the Arabians, thoſe ſubt•le inhabitants of Kedar, if they had done that which was their duty, and as the Lord commanded them, which was to hide the Jews, and to be a covert unto them in the15 day of ſlaughter, and not to have delivered and betrayed the outcaſts into the hands of the ſpoyler; but oh miſerable, that we that pretend to have the greateſt knowledge of God in Chriſt, and to follow the actions of Chriſt which he did upon Earth, that we I ſay ſhould rather add to their affliction, and mocking at their tribulation, ſhould paſs by, ſaying, This is Sion whom no man regardeth! and if we do not here uſe the ſelfſame expreſſions, we tolerate and countenance the ſame actions, like the proud Levite, who though he knew and ſaw the ſad eſtate of the wounded man, yet paſſed by, that is, he would not uſe any poſſible means to help him out of his miſery, nor we the Jews out of theirs: we do exceed the Turk in his inſtant cruelty, he will, I am afraid, as concerning this matter, ariſe up in judgement againſt us, and although he hate all Nations himſelf excepted, and is termed by the School-men, flagellum humani generis, and that the Script•re in the ſeventh of Ezekiel, and twenty fourth verſe, is now, and not until now come to paſs, while the Turk poſſeſſeth their houſes, which indeed are thoſe worſt of the Heathen there ſpoken of, ſuch as Alexander called a bruit-like Nation, becauſe that men were never able to conquer nor civilize them, by reaſon of that unpaſſable ſandy Deſart of Zim, now Arabia. Deſerta,16 Yet, I ſay, this people ſhew them more mercy and favour then we do, and ſuffer them not only as ſojourners to live peaceably amongſt them, but have given them one whole Town in the Iſland of S. Maura within the Helleſpont and a great part of Salonica: So that I am fully perſwaded, that if it were not for ſuch good natured Catamites and Pagans, our Chriſtian charity is ſo baſe and horrid, that we would ſcarce leave a Jew upon the face of the earth. But in Jer. 31.17. There is hope in thine end, ſaith the Lord, and thy children ſhall come again to their own border. Exitus acta probat: This is that Scripture which is ſo often in their mouths; and this is that time which they long to ſee, even to dwell again in their own border. Which thing I might fafely conſult about, for that I have good Scripture for it; as in Zach. 12.6. But I will reſign up my judgment in that buſineſs to the preſent Jewiſh faith, who for very grief, becauſe many of them live not to ſee thoſe dayes, they will, although decrepit with old age, both men and women even at this day, carry their parents and friends bones with them, and there they will wait in their own country untill death do begin to ſeize on them, and then they will die with ſuch exceeding alacrity, that it cauſeth admiration. But as in another place, ſo the end is not yet; God hath not as yet finiſhed his whole work upon Mount Zion; it is but yet a little while, and17 He that will come, ſhall come, and will not tarry. Czek. 11.17, 19. Then, ſaith the Lord, I will gather you from among the heathen, and then none ſhall make you afraid.
Here in Europe, the Jewes lie like the grape-gleanings of the Vintage: for there the Lord findeth one in that Town abaſed and ſcoffed at by all that meet him; another in this place, it may be weary of his life, for that he ſeeth not the expectation of his years as yet to be reveal'd unto him. So in one part of Aſia, here a city or place, the inhabitants of which perhaps for the moſt part are all Jewes; and then in another place you ſhall have them prohibited, as in Pera, Seſtos, and in other places amongſt the heathen. Now this being conſidered, I believe how that all men will ſay, that theſe had need of an all-ſeeing eye to gather them out of the ſecret places of the earth, and out of the holes of the rock, there where the vultures eye hath not perceived. Ezek. 34.16. I, ſaith the Lord, will ſeek that which was loſt, and bind up that which was broken, and ſtrengthen that which was ſick.
Indeed, let us enquire after the Jewiſh preſent condition; for if ever Iſrael was loſt, it is now, eſpecially when we remember how great a people they were, and how ſmall they now are in the view of thoſe people who do deem the world to be of little more compaſs then they know; but if they were fled to the uttermoſt18 moſt parts of the ſea, thither can and will the Lords arm help them and releaſe them. There is not ſo vaſt a difference by far between the heavens and the earth, as there is between Gods knowledg and mans weak underſtanding. And it is true, that men muſt ſeek and ſearch for many things before they can poſſeſs them: but where we read in the Scripture of the Lords ſeeking any man or thing, it is meant that God will find or bring that back which in mans capacity was loſt. Now Bernard writing of Gods omniſcience, ſaith, Scrutari hoc temeritas, credere verô pietas, &c. And therefore it follows, that the Lord having found this ſcattered and loſt ſheep of Iſrael, he will in the next place take it up and bring it home in his arms, and that with great glory to his holy name; like the Prodigal that was loft, but is now found, that was dead, but is now alive; which is the great cauſe of much joy amongſt the Angels in heaven. It had been better for us, if our predeceſſors had not driven them out of England; doubtleſs the Lord will not leave puniſhing of us, untill we do leave remembring of their faults, freely to forgive them and to forget, even by receiving of them again to inhabit amongſt us: For is it not the Proverb, Humanum eſt errare?
But perhaps ſome may ſay, Let them come where they will, they grow richer then you can do, although you taxe them highly. For19 this, I do confeſs that I find one place where it is ſaid in Ezek. 11.18. how that let Iſrael ſojourn where they will, being thither diſperſed by the providence of God, and notwithſtanding the Lord was exceeding wroth with them, yet he promiſeth for to be a little ſanctuary to them: but it is not here meant of an Italian fabrick built of wood and ſtone, only made for to ſhelter manſlayers from the vertue and righteouſneſs of the law of God, which is, that he that ſheds mans blood, by man ſhall his blood be ſhed. But it is in ſhort, that their God will be a covert to them, and a hiding place for them, until his indignation be overpaſt: He will provide either an outward Heſter to help them in time of trouble, or elſe his own arm will ſave them. And ſo the Father ſaith well,At favor in magno ſaepe dolore later:
So that if God had no more mercy nor reſpect to them then man, I do believe where they would be driven away, by reaſon of that preſent incredulity and God-miſtruſting thoughts which are in the hearts of Engliſh Proteſtants. I wonder what is become of our Publike Faith, whereby our Nation did once ſubmit unto the providence and various diſpenſations that happened-amongſt us. Now I ſay, that if we are the people of God, and if we do love God, ſurely all things (yea even the increaſe20 of Jewiſh riches) will work together for our good. But were our Saviour upon earth again here preaching amongſt us, certainly he would call us a faithleſs generation; for our actions as concerning this do teſtifie that we live in moſt flaviſh fear of the worlds inconſtancie and mutability, and are ſo perplexed at any outward croſs far more then the degenerate Turks are at this day. By this we may ſee, for all the ſpecious and gloſſie pretence of Chriſtians now adayes, the paucity of Job-like, or Micah-like ſpirits that will truſt God with their lives as well as their eſtates. This is now a great ſign of an hypocrite, when he dares truſt in God no longer then he is ſhowring down earthly bleſſings on his head: but if the Lord do but hide himſelf in a cloud a while, preſently he diſtruſts God, and it is in vain to ſerve him, &c.
But, 3, ſaith the Lord, I will ſtrengthen that which was ſick. Truly, was ever any people ſicker, is any ſorrow like unto their ſorrow? The whole head was ſick, and the heart alſo waxed feeble. The remembrance of former dayes is enough even to deject them into an utter eſtate of mourning and lamentation: What, we that once at whoſe making mention of the Nations trembled and ſhook, and now to be ſervile and ſubject to the proud and ſcoffing wills of uncircumciſed infidels! Oh this is that which ſtrikes deep into their affections:21 She that was great among the Nations, and Princeſs among the people, is now become tributary. Ah poor Iſrael, that now where-ever thou art, thou beholdeſt not any of the ſons of men to ſmile; there is none that will appear to comfort thee: And therefore with thy Countryman Jeremiah we may cry out, Ʋnto whom ſhall we liken thee? But be of good cheer; this is teſtified of thee, that he which did wound thee will alſo cure thee; He only is able to bind the broken-hearted, and he will ſtrengthen the feeble knees. But for England, I ſhall ſay nothing but hard-hearted, for I cannot otherwiſe call her: when although our Saviour ſpeaking of the good downright Samaritan, which being only for our example in this caſe, left this precept behind him, ſaying, Do ye likewiſe. As if ſo be he ſhould have ſaid, You that think to have a ſhare in my glory, you will in your converſe and in your comerce whilſt you are in this world, often meet with many of my poor ſick deſpiſed (ountrymen; and therefore be ſure that you let no opportunity ſlip, but doe as this man did, as ſoon as you ſee them, have compaſſion on them. And as God ſhall ſhew men mercy in the day of blackneſs, even ſo let Chriſtians ſhew mercy to the poor ignorant Jews. I am ſure there never was more need then now, even when they are ready to deſpair, their habitation is become deſolate; ſo that ſhe is called by the Prophet but22 as a lodge in a garden of cucumbers, and that all men know to be but very diſconſolate. But in Amos 9.9. Thus ſaith the Lord, for lo I will ſift the houſe of Iſrael with a ſive, but the leaſt grain ſhall not be loſt.
God will not caſt away the very poor of his flock. It may be they ſhall have anguiſh of ſoul for a time in all nations, and be toſſed and ſhaken to and fro, as ſometimes it would trouble any Chriſtian heart but to know of their troubles, how that on a ſudden you ſhall have (by the inſtigation of ſome malicious ſpirits) a decree come forth by one Prince or other, that within 2 or 3 days time all Hebrews ſhalbe baniſhed ſuch a town or place; and then, oh miſerable! what wringing of hands, what ſighs and ſobs will come from theſe poor creatures? what ſupplicating of Princes, giving all to the very clothes of their backs, that they may have but a poor village to ſhelter them in? As now the King of Poland will have them prohibited from coming or dweling any longer in Ʋkrain. The Lord knows how ill gotten theſe riches are, meerly for no other end then to extort mony or goods from them; which although many times they ſcarce have, yet if not, they muſt expect baniſhment.
And next unto this will I adjoin that helliſh ſarcaſm of a German Chriſtian, who ſome years ago boaſted, That as the Heathens did act their tragedies in the Theatre with Chriſtians23 and beaſts; ſo the Nobles in ſome parts of Germany made up their ſports and paſtimes by the abuſing ſome Jews or other.
And thus let men brag over them, and uſe them as they will, yet their God hath ſaid it, that he will not loſe one of them; though a ſmall grain, a microcoſm indeed, ſo little that proud looks take no notice of him. Like unto ſome expreſſions of a Blade in the late wars, that when he hath been ſhewn a poor Highlander to run towards a dike to ſave his life from out of the battel, he would ſay that he was ſuch a poor rogue not worth murdering, that he would forbear to run him through. Even ſo are the Jews become deſpicable in the eyes of many prophane Chriſtians; but the living God hath ſworn by himſelf, that he will renew his covenant with them, and give them a heart of fleſh ready to receive any impreſſion that may pleaſe him the Searcher of all hearts to put upon it, although for the preſent ignorance and blindneſs hath ſo overſhadowed their underſtanding, as that they are inſenſible of their condition, and of their unbelief. This is that time which all good Chriſtians ſhould long to behold; for then when God ſhal1 change their vile ſpirits, (though for the moſt part ignorantly vile) then, and not till then it will be, that Iſrael will loath himſelf for all his abominations, ſo that God will accept them for a ſweet ſmelling ſavor, and give ſuch pleaſant24 reſt in their borders, ſo that they ſhall be afraid of the nations no longer; but God will be a wall of fire round about them, a God that never ſleeps nor ſlumbers, but is the living God; and now becauſe he lives, he is able to know and to hear the groanings of his people; and becauſe he is the Lord, he changeth not, and therefore both they and we are not conſumed nor cut off from the earth: for as Zanchy ſaith, In Deo nihil eſt quod non ſit ipſe Deus.
Now the Lord doth and hath promiſed, ſpeaking of the idle Shepherds of his flock, which did lead his people aſtray both before, in, and after the captivity under the Chaldeans, that in that day (meaning their day of reſtauration) he would ſet over them but one Shepherd, even my ſervant David. This is that much deſired time; for here by David we do underſtand Chriſt, as it is often in Scripture-ſenſe rehearſed. So that now when they ſhall accept their Saviour for their King, God promiſeth that they ſhall never more be a prey to the heathen.
Indeed to day, not only Turks and Infidels, but alſo many hypocritical Chriſtians do ſerve themſelves of them, and prey upon them. But becauſe of theſe things, let not men affirm them to be utterly rejected, untill they have well and cautiouſly underſtood that bleſſed Apoſtle of our Lord S. Paul, who cries out in Rom. 11.25 after a ſtrange manner, What then? hath God caſt away his people? As if he ſhould have ſaid, (taking the Context immediately preceding) What? becauſe my Country-men were a rebellious and ſtiffnecked people, and did withſtand and turn the deaf ear unto the former Prophets, hath God therefore utterly forſaken them? is there no more ſacrifice for ſin belonging to Iſrael? He doth thus anſwer himſelf,〈…〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉; as if he had ſaid, No, it is impoſſible, or it cannot be. For he ſhews the reaſon of it, becauſe their ſtumbling was not ſuch as could cauſe a total falling away.
There are indeed ſome men, though but few here amongſt us in England, who by pinning their unuſual charity upon old Father Origen's authority, do believe that the redemption purchaſed by our Saviour will at the laſt extend it ſelf even unto the damned: but the truth of this I will not diſpute. But however, if the Origeniſts do account of it as a ſin to leave the Devils without hope, I am ſure it is a far greater ſin for any to leave the Jewes in a ſtate of deſpairing. No, they have indeed fallen with a great diſcent from their original condition: but yet do but ſee in the ſecond chap. of Luke, and there old Simeon propheſieth, that Behold this Child is ſet for the fall and riſing up of many in Iſrael.
26Here the juſt man foreſaw that Jeſus Chriſt would be a ſtone of ſtumbling unto many of them; but yet he ſhould be laid a chief cornerſtone tryed and precious, for the riſing of many again in Iſrael; and though they fall, they ſhall ariſe. And doubtleſs Jeſus Chriſt is a ſtumbling block not only to many Jewes, but alſo to the curious ſophiſters of the world, whoſe wiſdom the Apoſtle S. Paul, writing to the Grecians, and not to the Jewes at that time, ſaid, God would confound,〈…〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉; and therefore asks them by way of exprobration, What does become of you ſmooth-tongued Corinthians? is not your wiſdom meer fooliſhneſs with God?
So that for all their preſent reproaches, God will at the laſt exalt his people Iſrael above other Nations; He will (the Text ſaith) yet chuſe the fooliſh and deſpicable things of Jacob, and have mercy on the things that are not; which are ſuch, as mortal men, juſt wordlings and no more, dare not ſay that they have a being. And of this ſort are the ten Tribes, who in ſome ſenſe, nay carnal reaſon affirmeth not to be: Yet theſe nothings (as you ſay) God will prefer before the worldly-wiſe, before the mighty and noble things of this ſinful age; and then will that promiſe be fulfilled in Jer. 19.22. how that from that time forward they ſhall know, and that of a truth, that the Lord their God is with them, and ſo to abide for27 ever. It may be now they know that. God is with them, although it be but darkly or behind the vail: For though they did in the wilderneſs perceive only in the daytime a thick cloud, yet they did believe that their God was there as well as in the pillar of fire by night: Iſrael hath yet a little faith, though I fear England hath leſs; and they have ſo great aſſurance by what former mercies they have received from the Lord, that ſhortly they ſhall not ſee as through a lattice, but as Job ſayes, cum his meis oculis, ſo with their very eyes they ſhall ſee the deſires of their ſouls accompliſhed. So in Jer. 30.11. For I am with thee, ſaith the Lord, to ſave thee; yea though I make a full end of all nations, yet will I not make a full end of thee. Now here is a gracious promiſe, that God will be unto them as the ſaving Angel that did haſten and pull Gods people out of the midſt of fire and brimſtone which fell upon that wicked City. This is a faithful ſaying, That although the Lord ſhould ſcatter us with the reſt of the Nations, and ſhould give us the fruits of our doings in fury, yet he will not deſtroy them: alluding to the plagues of Egypt, that although they converſed one amongſt another, yet not one plague would ſeize upon them. It will be the ſame caſe once more; and then what a terror will it be for all Jew contemners to behold Iſrael in ſuch felicity, and themſelves in ſo great miſery. Then will Zion uſe this proverb28 again, How is the mighty man fallen, and the ſtrong man become feeble? Thoſe which ſpoiled us, but were not ſpoiled: but now our Emanuel will render them the deſerts of their actions, even their cruel and bloody perſecution of us.
Oh that men would not be ſo wittingly guilty, as knowing and ſeeing the Lord is for them, dare notwithſtanding reſiſt and obſtruct them in their way to happineſs. Doth not the Lord ſay, that although a woman poſſibly may forget her ſucking child, yet he will not forget them. Now this motherly remembrance here ſpoken of, extends it ſelf further then a bare memory, (becauſe it is commonly ſpoken of an inveterate malicious ſpirit, never to forget his enemy) but this is of a contrary nature, ſo as to remember with tears and affections, with bowels yearning and ready to forgive what is paſt, and to renew, yea many times doth increaſe the original love. And ſo the Jewes (God ſaith) are engraven on the palms of his his hands; whereby we do note, that God is always to them a preſent help in time of trouble; they are faſtened as a nail in a ſure place, and as concerning their election, they cannot be moved.
But by the way I muſt give this caution, That no man from what I have already written ſhould ſuppoſe the Jewes to be even now converted; and that becauſe as the good Prophet29 Moſes knowing what great miracles there had been wrought before them, ſaid, Yet the Lord hath not given you an heart to perceive, and eyes to ſee, and eares to hear, unto this day. Which miracles as Moſes then thought to have been ſufficient to perſwade them to obedience, ſo now it may be ſome think that all thoſe ſtrange miracles which were done by our Saviour, and have for many years together ſince been done by his Apoſtles in the eyes of the Jewes, might have been motives extraordinary to produce faith in him who came to ſave them.
But as Moſes well ſaid then, ſo I may ſafely ſay now, that for all thoſe wonders that they have ſeen, yet God hath not given them a heart to perceive. And I will ſhew you the chief reaſon of this preſent hardneſs; it is as yet, becauſe God hath not through his ſon Jeſus Chriſt convinced the Jewes of their righteouſneſs; for I conceive that God hath convinced moſt of them of ſin already: But when our Saviours words begin to take effect, that is, when he comes, He will convince the world of righteouſneſs; then let any man conclude, that their converſion is even at the door.
Now for to unfold what I find nowhere revealed, I muſt uſe the Fathers excuſe, Nemo obligatur ad impoſſibilia. So that the manner of our Saviours convincing Iſrael of their righteouſneſs, we dare not meddle.
30But we that have taſted of Gods mercy and goodneſs, can declare, and that with admiration, after what an eaſie and ſweet manner of arguing God by his ſpirit hath convinced us of the fooliſhneſs and vanity that is in our own righteouſneſs; and then ſecondly preſented us us with the lovelineſs of the righteouſneſs of Chriſt, and thereby doth enable dark ſouls to ſee the neceſſity that there is of putting on, or in being clothed with his righteouſneſs, for that without it there can be no hopes of ſalvation. Now this being as I ſuppoſe (by my own experience) the way which God uſeth towards us, I will humbly ſubmit to the will of God in his way (to us unknown) of dealing with the Jews; but ſhall only beg to haſten it.
But, 2. that I may not be〈…〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, or as it it uſed, beyond my buſineſs; I am now about to prove the calling of the ten Tribes. In Deut. 28. it is ſaid, that if they would not obey the voice of the Lord, they ſhould be caſt forth into all the kingdoms of the earth, and amongſt a people which neither they nor their fathers knew. Now to unfold this, you will all grant that they did forſake and reſiſt the voice of their Saviour; and then I prove that this Scripture was not fulfilled in their captivity under the Chaldeans, becauſe that Country was well known unto them and to their predeceſſors: And therefore (notwithſtanding a book of the31 improbability hereof already put forth) I do believe with ſome Jews in Portugal, that many of their brethren are in that part of America called Cochinchino; and my reaſon is this, becauſe that except this place of the Weſt world, none could be exempted from the knowledge of their Fathers; whenas in Solomons, dayes people of all Nations (that is, known nations) were made known unto him either by converſe or by way of commerce, both by ſea and land. Now this place doubtleſs is not as yet known unto the Jews, no nor the Chriſtians, but ſince Columbus time.
And then the Lord threatens them further, that inſtead of worſhipping of him, they ſhould worſhip wood and ſtone, a matter then the which nothing more riſe amongſt the Indians, as alſo their Moſaical rites and cuſtoms in part ſtill retained by that unknown people of their deſcent. But this, as being a matter in controverſie, I dare not as yet affirm: however there are many of thoſe people ſweet Chriſtians, as I have often underſtood by godly people that have been there; as alſo by ſome Le•ters of that worthy man in the Goſpel, Mr. Elliet, a man more to be commended then many in Old England, to whom God hath given gifts and graces, who will rather turn dumb dogs (as the Scripture cals them) or elſe will creep into houſes, being aſhamed of publike light; or elſe like our painted Ladies, for fear will not endure32 a fiery trial, left men ſhould ſee their ſhame. And ſo by that meanes they draw many after them (ſilly people) to follow their pernicious devices, although it conduce to the deſtruction of them both. I ſay, this many now adays will do, before they will go either to the Eaſt or Weſt Indies to preach Chriſt either unto Jewes or Barbarians; mightily forgetting, or at leaſt ſmothering that wofull pronunciation ſpoken of by the Apoſtle for the neglect of Goſpel-diſpenſation. But to the main matter.
In Zeph. 3.10. From beyond the rivers of Ethiopia, my ſuppliants, even the daughter of my diſperſed ſhall bring mine offering.
Now out of this and from the next Scripture which I ſhall cite, I dare undertake (if need require) to make good both my propoſitions, although I doe lay aſide all thoſe other proofs which I either have or ſhall put down for the ſame intent. But being that I ſhall uſe many other, I will only run over theſe two Scriptures; and firſt, From beyond the rivers of Ethiopia, (that is) all ſuch places beyond them, or rather on this ſide that vaſt river Bracina, and alſo the river of Abagni, both of them ſpringing forth out of that great downfal of waters the Lake Colvez, from whoſe top to Gibralters Strait is computed above 1700 miles Engliſh. So that from this I gather, that the Lords, ſuppliants, diſperſed ones here ſpoken of, are all thoſe Jewes which the Lord ſhall at this day find in33 all the parts of Europe, and alſo in that part of Aſia which is on this ſide the Rivers aforementioned. Then what muſt all theſe people do? Why now the words do plainly ſhew it; they ſhall bring mine offering. Now here for the verity of this matter, we have a ſure and ſtedfaſt foundation whereon to build our faith, even upon the promiſe of an Almighty God, who ſpeaketh not here indifferently of in a permiſſive manner, as in another place he bids the Prophet preach to them whether or no they will hear, or whether they will forbear. But the Lord, as he is the abſolute Soveraign over all the world, ſo he doth here determine and decree with himſelf that they ſhall do his will, though he uſe much power with them; and that is to bring his offering. He doth not here mean one of their antient Levitical offerings, neither muſt it be underſtood of that kind of offering which they do uſe at this preſent day: but it ſhall be that ſame which the Apoſtle St. Paul calls〈…〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, a rational or living ſacrifice, acceptable unto God; which the Text ſaith muſt be ſuch broken and contrite ſpirits as their poor brethren then will be. And now ſhall that Scripture be fulfilled in Mal. 3.4. And then the ſacrifice of Judah and Jeruſalem ſhall be pleaſant to the Lord as in the dayes of old; ſuch as was the ſacrifice of Abel, which was offered up in right couſneſs, and therefore it was ſo well pleaſing34 unto God, as that the Lord is ſaid to take great pleaſure in the ſcent thereof. They ſhall now be convinced that God abominates and deteſts all others, though it were whole rivers of oil, or the fruit of the body; no, all muſt be now acted by a principle of faith in Chriſt, all ſelf-righteouſneſs ſhall now be done away.
But where this holy and evangelical offering at this day is, I muſt ſtrive to ſhew you, and that is from this following Scripture in the laſt of Iſaiah and the laſt ver. The Lord ſaith, that thoſe which eſcaped of them (which I do aver to be the laſt captivity and bondage under the Romans) will I ſend to Tarſhis, to Pull and Lud that draw the bow, to Tubal and Jaran, and to the Iſles afar off, and they ſhall bring all their Brethren for an offering unto the Lord.
Now here is a plain contradiction to that Non eſt inventus, which is brought into the Court of worldly Sophiſts by the multitude, That Iſrael are all loſt which were of thoſe ten Tribes. For firſt I ſhall prove my affirmation, that in theſe places do as yet remain ſome of Iſrael, or ſuch as I am ſure are truly deſcended from the very ſame Hebrews, by that proximity, or (as I may ſay in ſome ſenſe) that identity of places that is given by various denominations: As before you read they were planted by the river of Gozan and the cities of the Medes, which doubtleſs are of ſo near affinity, as that35 Halath lies but on one ſide the River, and Lud then ſo called on the other, bending more towards that which our Geographers do now call the Mare Caſpium. And if Alexander did tranſport ſo great an Army over this river in two or three dayes time, then no man ſurely will queſtion whether they may not be carried over in ſo great a ſpace of time, being then at the Chaldean Monarchs pleaſure, and ever ſince under one or other unto whom they have (for ought I can underſtand) yielded themſelves, though perhaps againſt their wills, in the ſelf-ſame ſubjection as the Moors do in Barbados unto their fearleſs Maſters.
But ſecondly, and that more clearly, the precedent Countries are now made known unto us by our beſt and experienced Orthographers in hiſtory, thus. Iberia, Sheirvan, part of Armenia major, and Natolia. But we who doe much honour that language, doe ſpeak thus: Tarſiſtan, Zubbaw, Mozendram, Bagdatan, &c. in which latter place ſave one, there ever were the beſt (and as we do ſtill believe, are) the moſt curious handlers of the Bow, by ſome called Hircania, who did (if you read in that famous Antiquary of the war between the Perſians and the Greeks) ſo bravely behave themſelves, that they cauſed the old ſouldiers of Alexander Magnus to fear the happy event of that war, ſo that for ſome time the fight was dubious.
36And hence it is that Gods offering muſt be brought. Which places the Holy Ghoſt was pleaſed by the Prophet, in thoſe dayes, to ſtile Tubal and Jaran. But then it is ſaid, and from the Iſles afar off. Now whether or no there may not be ſome of them ſcattered amongſt thoſe ſeveral Iſlands, with the which neither our Nation nor others for the preſent have any commerce, I ſhall not meddle: But this I am aſſured of, that all along the Coaſt from the other ſide of the Cape De bone Esperance, as in St. Laurence, Joanna, John de novo, Mohelia, Cumro Iſlands, &c. here you ſhall find Hebrews enough, by the vulgar termed Jews, although the moſt of them are of the other Tribes.
Now that any man may (having occaſion thitherward) learn of them the verity of my ſayings, let him get the Perſian tongue, which by the Hebrews as well as by others is the moſt fluent tongue on that ſide the Cape; ſo that in the maritime towns of the forementioned main land and iſlands, you ſhall meet with ſuch of that Nation as live in a more civilized faſhion, and do ſtill uphold part of the Jewiſh cuſtoms; and in the villages and inland Country thoſe more barbarous; which I conceive by a long unaccuſtomed ſlavery among theſe people are become heathenized, and almoſt meer ſtrangers to the Covenant of their fathers. So that we Chriſtians may ſee how the Lord is pleaſed to give them a ſlumbring potion for their ſins, and37 almoſt hath caſt them into a total lethargie; only becauſe he is a jealous God, and will not have his honour given to any other, nor his name blaſphemed any longer, as alſo having reſpect unto the Covenant which he made with Abraham his friend, his bowels do now yearn towards them, as you ſhall plainly ſee in the 33 of Jeremiah: I will cauſe (ſaith the Lord) the captivity of Judah and the captivity of Iſrael to return, and build them as at the firſt. Here is aurea ſententia plena charitatis. This is as cleer as the ſun; that although God ſuffered them both to be carried away captive, the one long before the other: which firſt we do all grant did never as yet return, and he did ſuffer them to be driven many degrees diſtant one from the other, yea ſo far, as the Writers do affirm the ten Tribes to have no ſhare in that return of the Captivity from Babylon. And above all, notwithſtanding they are for the preſent at great variance one with the other in the matter of their religion, as in the forms of their worſhip, yet the Lord makes this diſtinction, that they ſhall both return; the Lord will blow his trumpet, and then the North ſhall deliver up the ſlain.
Concerning which place I find Authors to vary; and therefore being willing to honour one of our modern Writers, who relates of a ſort of people that do border neer the Chinoiſe country, and are in ſubjection unto the Chri•38Tartar; which ſpeak a baſtard Hebrew or Samaritan language, and do ſtill uphold the Circumciſion, and ſpeak of the Tribes from whence they came. So that I do humbly think they are people to whom this place relates,
1. Becauſe it is ſaid, the North ſhall deliver them up; which place is the moſt Northern part of that great Empire of Tartary. As alſo they being called the ſlain of the Lord: which may well be cited, by reaſon that moſt men in the world, I am confident, think them ſo to be. And the South ſhall deliver up thoſe that were ready to periſh. This I conceive does relate unto Presbyter Jehans country, in the Seaport-towns of which, and ſo along that coaſt of Africk, which the Lord doth call the rivers of Ethiopia, are many poor Hebrews, whom though the Abiſſines do reſpect, becauſe of their circumciſion, above others, yet in regard of their ſouls health they are ready to periſh, being they are not left to themſelves in that matter to be excuſed, that when the Emperor doth ſhew himſelf to the people, they muſt all adore him as God himſelf.
But by the way the Reader may take notice that it hath pleaſed God to ordain the houſe of Judah to have the firſt return of grace and mercy; and when the Lord ſhall in his doe time open the eyes of our Weſtern Jews, we ſhall not need to excite them to ſeek Iſrael; for at this day they do harp much upon that39 place in the laſt of Iſaiah, ſo that they believe then they ſhall immediately find their brethren even there where their God ſhall direct them; and ſo they ſhall, as the Text ſaith, both return. Certainly God that knows all things, knows into what corner every one of them is driven. And when we do read in another paralel place, that they ſhall be ſought, and here they ſhall be brought: let us but ſeriouſly conſider how the Aſſyrians, Babylonians, Medes and Perſians, (Cyrus only excepted) thirſted and uſed all their art to extirpate them, the Grecians hated them (Ptolomaeus only excepted) and did them what miſchief they could; and the Romans were ſo far from pittying them, (Titus and Veſpaſian only excepted) that they would not ſuffer their remembrance. Here were Jobs three Comforters, although but miſerable ones.
And laſtly, that England might make the ſeventh brother in cruelty, it forbad any manner of fellowſhip with them, ſo as not to give them a being for their mony, and that is worſt of all, becauſe we ſuffer any runagates to inhabite amongſt40 us, either of French, Dutch, Spaniſh, or other, provided they do nothing contrary to the law of the Land, which the Jews do in all places quietly ſubmit themſelvs unto. I ſay, let us but think on theſe overturnings and calamities which have befaln them, and I believe we ſhall all confeſs theſe will want and ſtand in need of the Lord to be their friend: And though men either will not, or cannot ſeek them, ſo as to find them, yet the allſeeing God will command the four quarters of the earth to give them up.
I am certified by an honeſt Chriſtian Jelphylin, who by credible teſtimony hath been a man of good faſhion, (and that by my having a little skill in one of the Eaſtern tongues) of one whole Town in Perſia, that the Inhabitants are all Iſraelites; who by their own report, and by the judicious opinion of worthy men that have travelled that way, are part of the ten Tribes carried away by Salmanazzer, and there by him ſeated; and I do the rather believe it, for that in external worſhip of the true God they come far ſhort of the two tribes and live more profanely in their converſation, having loſt all their old lawes and cuſtomes which were left their fathers by Moſes the ſervant of the Lord, and indeed much corrupted in ſpeaking and pronouncing of the Hebrew tongue; and at this day they do live under the Perſian Monarch in the moſt barren41 and ſcorching place of that ſandy Country. Which makes me uſe that expreſſion of a worthy Gentleman, who when he came into this place, writes thus upon it:
But to make my affirmation more ſerious, I ſhall enlarge upon this place, becauſe the aforementioned places for the moſt part lie on the one ſide of the River Gozan; but this Town, formerly Halath, with other remarkable places, lie on the other ſide, as I ſhall make appear by the meaning of the Prophet in the latter part of the verſe following, Iſa. 11.11. And it ſhall come to paſs 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 from Pathros, and frem Cuſh, and from Elam, and from Shinaar, and from Hamath, and from the iſlands of the ſea. And it ſhall come to paſs, that is, it ſhall undoubtedly be accompliſhed, or I will in no wiſe revoke my promiſe; a note in Scripture-phraſe pointing out, as it were, ſome extraordinary matter: In that day, that is, when the adverſaries of Iſrael ſhall have their mouths ſtopp'd, when the enſign of him whom they ignorantly now call Rooth-noor-ally, ſhall be lifted up in their ſight; whoſe Motto ſhall then be ſo lovely, and his perſon ſo precious to them, that42 ſo ſoon as the trumpet begins but to ſound in their opened areas, the outcaſts of Iſrael will ſlock together with their whole ſoul & affections to obey their holy King. [That the Lord ſhall ſet his] that is, Jehovah or everlaſting ſtrength; by which name he was not known to Abraham, Iſaac or Jacob, not yet until the time of Moſes, unto whom the Lord appeared in this manner, and by which powerful name Moſes was encouraged (though a man of a ſtammering tongue and ſlow of ſpeech; in Jeroms tranſlation, altogether uneloquent) to do the Lords meſſage unto Pharoah.
So that here we may take notice, that God who is no reſpecter of perſons, doth ſometimes make uſe of unlearned and ignoble perſons to carry on very glorious enterpriſes: By which powerful Name the Children of Iſrael were brought out of their Egyptian bondage with an outſtretched arm through the midſt of the Red-ſea; and by which powerful name the Lord ſtirred up the ſpirit of Cyrus King of Perſia to releaſe the Jewes from their Babyloniſh captivity, from which to the Captivity under Veſpaſian & Titus is ſuppoſed neer 600 years. And laſtly, by which powerful Name the Lord will ſet his hand again the ſecond time. So that you ſee when the Lord, and by what inſtrument he was pleaſed to cauſe the Captivity of his people to return once before, who were then but a remnant of the houſe of Judah. 43And though I am perſwaded that this ſecond return mentioned in this place, ſhall be beneficial to both houſes, yet I ſhall endeavour to make clear that it doth chiefly and primarily relate to the ten Tribes; and that from the vaſt incongruity that there is between the places where this remnant of Iſrael ſhall be found, and the Countries where theſe two Tribes are diſperſed at this day.
To recover the remnant] So that this word remnant doth preſuppoſe, that there were of them once a far greater number, as alſo that there hath been ſince a grievous devaſtation and ſpoil amongſt them, the certain effects of war, which is the unwelcom fruit of mens pride and luſt, and which in our age hath almoſt filled the whole earth with thoſe Ilias malorum; and which hath ſo lighted on the head of Iſrael, and there remained for above two thouſand years, being before the Jewiſh captivity 133 years. So that we may well ſay of him as the Orator ſaid of Nero, Nominis poſtremus habetur. For the Hebrews, who are leaſt in ſight, according to that propheſie in Hoſ. 8. Iſrael ſhall be among the Gentiles as a veſſel wherein is no pleaſure; are alſo at this day by moſt of us Gentiles looked upon and accounted of as the vileſt and loweſt people of the world, and therefore ſcarce worth the diſcuſſion of our times, nor the preheminence of Muſſelmen, or rather Dooz oglanraz-Kerry, Sodomitical Catamites. 44Yet however the world eſteems of multitudes, and with the mighty ſay a confederacie; the great God, as it doth evidently appear, hath from age to age, and at this day doth reſpect the moſt deſpicable and low eſtate of men, though but a remnant, agreeing with the Text, that are the remnant of his people. Unto which truth I believe all men will aſſent, becauſe the Lord is ſaid in one place, onely to have known the Iſraelites among all the families of the earth, that is, with ſuch a peculiar love, or with ſuch a meaſure of benediction.
And from this we may clearly demonſtrate, That in the moſt horrid wars and moſt ſlaviſh bondage, which are both called by the Schoolmen, mortiferum & ſtagnans ſanguine; God will have his remnant whereon to beſtow his mercy, and whereby (though a remnant) to magnifie his almighty power: As may be well noted out of that Excidio horribili, the laſt ſiege of Jeruſalem; that notwithſtanding the deſtruction of ſo many 100000 of Jews, and yet mote, that there might remain but ſo ſmall a handful, it is reported, that after this grievous deſtruction, to make quick diſpatch, the Roman ſouldiers ſold unto the Greeks twenty Jews for, a penny. But the time will ſhortly come, when this penny-worth of Iews, and this other handfull of Iſraelites (to whom I will bend my diſcourſe) ſhall ſprout up into a45 great tree, yea ſo great, as all the Nations of the world will flie to it for ſhelter and advice.
But again, The remnant which ſhall be left] Which being in the future tenſe, learns us thus much; That for all thoſe annual homicides and ſlaughters that have been made of the miſcarrying Iſraelites ſince their captivity, and their preſent ſufferings in the aforementioned places, the Iſraelites being at this day in Perſia as uſual an object for the baſtinadoes of the Cowelhaſha's, as the Jews are in Turky amongſt the Ianizaries; yet theſe words (ſhall be left) do imply that there is yet a ſucceſſion of them, and that in the ſame place.
Alike nature with the Phaenix, of whom the Writers ſay, that out of its aſhes in the ſame place ariſeth another: So, when the Lord doth but breathe upon bones wherein is no marrow, there will not only be added ſinewes and fleſh, but to the admiration of the Nations, from theſe helpleſs remnant there ſhall ariſe an exceeding great Army.
Which ſhall be left from Aſſyria] At this day called Arzyrum; into which Empire the ten Tribes were brought, ſome by Tiglithpelezer, and the reſt by his ſon Shalmanaaſſer.
46But ſince which time, Rabbi Benjamin Ben-Jonas in his diſcourſe of this Captivity ſaith, that ſome of theſe Iſraelites did after time aſſociate with ſome of their neighbours of Turqueſtan, and with them went into Egypt ▪ where to this day many of their ſucceeding generation may be found; as in Pathros, in the upper Thebais, and in many other places. Which cannot be truly ſaid to be a remainder of any of thoſe Jews, which Johanan againſt the command of God carried with him into Egypt; becauſe it is in Jer. 44.7. expreſly ſaid, [it being ſuch a peremptory tranſgreſſion,] that every man, woman, child and ſuckling ſhould be cut off, except thoſe which did eſcape, which could not be but by flying the kingdom of Egypt; wheras alſo theſe here ſpoken of were led into Egypt out of this Province of Perſia many years ſince that time, by them whoſe brood we Chriſtians call Turks.
From Cuſh and Elam] Which Cuſh ſome hold to be meant of a City on the Gulf of Arabia, now by the Turks called Zeman; but of old, Cuſh, from Cuſh the ſon of Cham. But I do rather ſuppoſe it to be that in Perſia, which to day is called Chuſiſtan, as yet ſo from Cuſh who was the father of Nimrod, of whom it is ſaid in Gen. 10.10. that he made the beginning of his kingdom in the land of Shinaar, wherein are ſeated theſe two Provinces of Cuſh and Elam. [And from the land of Shinaar] whence47 we muſt expect good ſtore of our Hebrew captives return. [And from Hamath] which Hamath, though it be often taken for Antioch in Syria, once belonging to Iſrael, until Rezin the King of Syria, not Aſſyria, took it from them; yet I believe it may be that Town in Perſia which to day is called Hamadan, famous for the ſepulchre of Queen Eſther; and that from theſe two reaſons. Firſt, becauſe of its imediate coherence with the precedent places, where I ſhall produce many hundreds of Iſraelites: For how can it be probable that Shalmanaaſſer ſhould place any of his Captives in ſuch a City, the inhabitants of which were all his life time implacable enemies to him? And ſecondly, becauſe I underſtand that until the year of the world 5245. the Princes of this Town were ſtiled by the names of Hameth-Cawn, or Prince and Lord of Hameth.
But [from the Iſlands of the Sea] Of which intended Iſlands I dare no otherwiſe ſpeak then before; for except the Cannibal iſlands, I think there are few or none in the Indies, but there are to be found this forlorne people. Only as in relation to the aforenamed land of Shinaar, and other adjacent places, I do thus ſeemingly verſifie.
48And doubtleſs, this time which I here ſpeak of cannot be many ages hence; otherwiſe I dare not, (yet as an honored Gentleman of this nation did adviſe herein I do reſpect him) what I might more ſay, I will not ſay, leſt ſome ſeeking pates, might find an occaſion. But we read, that in the Apoſtles time the Lord was at hand, and their times were the laſt of times; ſurely then theſe muſt be thoſe noviſſimorum noviſſima, in which the Lord will be a ſwift witneſs againſt all thoſe that oppreſs. And did we but duly conſider that place in Hoſ. 3.4. we might clearly behold the truth of God in his promiſes, which ſhould be a ſpecial help to our faith concerning future times.
For the children of Iſrael ſhould abide many days without a King, and without a Prince, and without a ſacrifice, &c. Which truth is at this day confirmed by the language of the whole earth, in that upbraiding ſarcaſm, [Beloved or protected as a Jew] intimating thus much, that when abuſed, wronged or proſecuted, they have no King nor Governor to relieve them, no, nor ſo much as an unjuſt Judge, who for importunities ſake will lend an ear to their complaint. And thus according to the Scripture it hath been many dayes with them, that is, many yeares, or dayes without number. Yet becauſe Gods faithfulneſs is great, and his mercies ſure•••cies, therefore he would not leave Iſrael in•••pair, as that the houſe of Jacob ſhould expect51 in vain. But in the verſe following, after they are prepared by affliction and humiliation, there Elohim promiſeth them a gracious return after ſuch a term of days is expired, beſt known to the Lord; only the Text ſaith it will be in the latter days, when they ſhall ſeek the Lord and David their king; which doubtleſs cannot be now far off.
So that if we do believe the words of our Saviour, that not one tittle of the word of God ſhall fall to the ground; we ought as ſtedfaſtly to believe their future eſtate promiſed in the 5. verſe, as we now do in a perſpicuous manner behold their preſent doleful condition predicted in the 4. verſe; or elſe our faith appears to be very weak (if a true faith) becauſe for the moſt part a Chriſtians faith ſhould be the evidence of that which may in ſome ſenſe be inviſible. So that they are bleſſed which have ſeen, and then believe: but the Lord ſpeaks in a ſuperlative degree when he ſaith, Bleſſed are they which ſee not, and yet do believe. And that we may not content our ſelves with a bare belief of this truth, (which I am perſwaded many that are gon down to the pit did believe) let us take notice of the begining of their converſion, ſo as to help them how and where to ſeek their King, who is not far from every one, though a blind Jew that ſeeks him; which makes us believe that he cannot be far from Iſrael: becauſe ſince the crucifixion of their52 Lord and our Lord, it was ſcarce known untill of lace year, that any of the Rabbins would deſire the leaſt conference in matter of religion with a Chriſtian; but ſome ſmall time ſince they have to my knowledg ſent ſome letters to ſome of our Nation, wherein they have intreated and implored the aſſiſtance of our Teachers on this behalf. But chiefly, as I ſuppoſe, from the counſel of a dying Rabbin, whoſe eyes the Lord had opened to diſcloſe unto his brethren the hardneſs of their hearts: which, as I hear, the Lord did ſet home upon the hearts of four or five of them, whereof one hath ſince made a book, and it is the Vindication of our Chriſtian religion. And I hope there are ſome now living that do behold that great Champion of Iſrael already to have taken in hand their noble and excellently tranſcendent deliverance, and his breaking forth through the clouds as a moſt mighty man of war, to break open the iron-gates, and to knock in pieces the ſtrong fetters of ſlavery, and to let the oppreſſed Iſraelites go free. Which their Sun and Shield we may be confident will not ſtay his courſe in one or two victories: but as our natural Sun that great luminary of heaven is never at reſt untill it hath refreſhed all the dark corners of the earth, it muſt run over Europe and America as well, as Africa and Aſia; ſo this glorious Son of God will never ceaſe nor ſlack his arm untill he hath effected that53 Chriſtian freedom ſpoken of in the 8. of John, not only for Judah and Benjamin, not only for the Jews in Europe, but alſo for all the families or tribes of Iſrael; when this proverb ſhall be out of date, The Lord liveth which brought the Iſraelites out of Egypt: But now, The Lord liveth which brought the children of Iſrael from the land of the North, &c.
But when the Lord comes to be the God of all the families, that is, all the Tribes of Iſrael, he faith, he will be their God, and they ſhall be his people. Here is Gods omnipotencie ſeen in taming the proudeſt hearts on earth: This will break a way in the deſart not only of ſandy Perſia, but of the ſton̄y and ſolitary place of unbelief; for in Ezek. 37. ſaith the Lord, I will make the houſe of Judah and the children of Iſrael his fellows one nation, and they ſhall no more be divided. Now here is a double promiſe, firſt a return of their captivity, and then of their ſcepter; they ſhal now be a nation, which lately were not a nation, and ſhall no more hear the voice of a ſtranger: the time is at hand, when neither the might of the Chaldeans, nor wiſdom of the Grecians their mortal enemies, nor foxlike policie of the Romans, nor cruelty of the Engliſh ſhal terrifie them, but they ſhall have one King to rule over them all, even Jeſus Chriſt; and then Ephraim will ſay, what have I to do anymore with idols? though as yet they do much defile themſelves therewith in Perſia and in the Indies.
54Now, I ſay, we may ſhrewdly conjecture of American Iſraelites: but of a certain, for Merchants in the former Countries, there are none more numerous then Hebrew merchants reſiding and trading continually in divers Port-towns in Aſia, as alſo in divers other Countries in the South by Lybia, and other remote parts of Africk. And in the 39 of Ezekiel the Lord ſaith, I will bring back again the captivity of Jacob, and have mercy on the whole houſe of Iſrael. Take notice I will do it, but when? why even then when they have born their ſhame. Ah Lord, when will it once be? ſhall ſhame take hold on them for ever? They have been many generations without a King, true Prieſt or Prophet: ſurely Shiloh ſhal come and rejoice in their hearts, as wel as he doth already in ours, & that in the adminiſtration of all his 3 offices. 1. as a King, when the Lord ſhal reign over them in mount Zion henceforth and for evermore. Then David my ſervant ſhall rule over them. Here is the Kings certain government: I will rule in righteouſneſs and in truth. And here is the peoples willing and delectable ſubjection and obedience; not like the Grecians, who at this day when need requireth ſerve the Grand Signior, more out of ſlaviſh fear, then with any love they bear to him or his people. But thus the Iewes ſay, we will call on the name of the Lord our God; is it not the day of Gods power wherein they ſhall be a willing people, like ſoft55 wax, or like the ſervants of the Centurion ready to obey the Lord, and receive any impreſſions which God ſhal put on the ſouls of his people.
2. As a Prieſt, he will ſhew them after what manner he did offer up himſelf once upon the Croſs for all men, and he will intercede with the Lord for them, and ſo by his own merits he will blot out all their offences and remember their ſins no more, but will make them a ſweet ſmelling favour in the preſence of the Lord, by ſprinkling their hearts with his own moſt precious blood, and in ſtead of puniſhing them for their fathers cruelty towards him, he will ſave them for his names ſake.
3. As a Prophet, he will cauſe the law to go out of Zion, and his ſtatutes out of Iudah; he will preach to them the glad tidings of repentance, He will inſtruct them in all manner of Goſpel and Chriſtian (not Phariſaical) righteouſneſs; and point unto them, ſaying, This (my people) is the way that leadeth unto life, walk in it. He will by this means convince them, though dead in unbelief, when he ſhall make them to hear the voice of the Son of God, that ſo by awaking from that deadly ſleep of incredulity, they may, having eares, hearken unto that powerful call of Jeſus Chriſt, by which he raiſed Lazarus from the grave; that ſo by their hearing, and doing of that whch they hear, they may attain unto eternal life; and therefore doubtleſs God will have56 mercy on the whole houſe of Iſrael. But I do deſire that I may not be miſtaken; for I dare not affirm that meaning of the Apoſtles in the Romans, how that all Iſrael ſhall be ſaved; nor this preſident to be of ſo large extent, as that the whole twelve Tribes ſhall be ſaved, no, nor yet one whole Tribe; but thus I do believe, that all Iſrael, the true Iſrael according to the ſpirit ſhall be ſaved eternally: And thus far confident I am, the whole houſe of Iſrael, that is, all the twelve Tribes as many as are then in the world remaining, ſhall ſee the ſalvation of the Lord, and have the Chriſtian faith amongſt them as plentiful as we have it. So that as amongſt our ſelves we are none of us able to diſtingniſh who is a true child of God, who an hypocrite; even ſo God hath concluded them all in unbelief, that he might have mercy over all. For as Chryſoſtome faith of underſtanding of the Word of God, Nil opus eſt ſyllogiſmis; ſo the Apoſtle James, if he had thought that only two Tribes would be called to the faith, why then did he write unto the other ten in this manner, James to the twelve Tribes ſcattered abroad greeting? Certainly no man dares deny but they are of Adam as well awe, and therefore they may ſafely expect to have as much benefit (for ought I know) by the death of Chriſt who is the true ſecond Adam, as we: for we know, and that by woful experience, how that many times the name of a Chriſtian profits57 a man nothing. So that if you ask any man here in England, as he paſſeth by, Are you a Chriſtian? do you believe on the name of Jeſus Chriſt? his anſwer will be immediately, Why, do you take me to be a Jew? Though it may be he is one of the prophaneſt wretches living.
But let me tell ſuch a man, that he comes far ſhort of a Jew, although he makes him far inferior to himſelf: No, the Jewes do abhominate to do wickedly, and to commit his crimes. Their chiefeſt ſins are either of ignorance, or of omiſſion: but he is a meer Atheiſt in his practice, and lives without God in the world, if knowing of God (as he pretends) yet notwithſtanding does not ſtudy to glorifie him as God, but in his works does deny him.
But in Zech. 12.10. In that day I will pour upon the houſe of David and upon the inhabitants of Ieruſalem the ſpirit of prayer and ſupplication, and they ſhall look on him whom they have pierced, and mourn over him &c.
In that day, that is, when Ieruſalem ſhall be a cup of trembling to all the Nations round about, and ſhall be like a torch of fire in a ſheaf.
Now it is well known unto moſt men, who are at all skilfull in the Scriptures, that they never were as yet a terror unto any people ſince they were led away captive by Nebuzaradan into Chaldaea.
58But ever ſince that time they have been tributaries unto one or other; or elſe by the good providence of God it may be they have had reſt for a time, as they have in ſome places at this day. But it was and is an unquiet and doubtful reſt; and at this time they are in bondage with their children under people and nations which neither they nor their fathers have known; and therefore this time is ſtill for to come.
But ſecondly, God will pour out upon them the ſpirit of prayer; and this will be as miraculous in their eyes, as it was amongſt thoſe in the Acts, which had not ſo much as heard of the Holy Ghoſt; but yet it ſhall be ſo powerfull a ſpirit, that when the Lord hath breathed it on their ſouls, it will make all rough places plain, and the parched ground ſhall then bring forth pleaſant fruit. Indeed ſo long as the heart is rocky and ſtubborn, the aquaduct or conduit-pipe thereof will be ſtopped, whereby grace ſhould be conveighed to the ſouls of poor ſinners: but when the word of the Lord which is ſharper then a two-edged ſword, ſhall beat upon this ſame that is harder then the neather milſtone, it doth preſently change its nature milſtone, it doth preſently change its nature even contrary to nature; like unto Moſes his cauſing of water to proceed out of the barren rock. This is part of thoſe effects which the terrible voice of a holy God produceth in an unholy people; ſo as to think the time paſt of59 formality too too much for to ſpend ſo vainly. And now all old things will be done away, and all things will become new in their hearts; and this will be the initial of the Hebrews regeneration. I am perſwaded that thoſe which live to ſee theſe days of Iſraels glorious defence, will cry out, and that with the ſame amazement as the Jewes ſaid of Paul; Was not this he! ſo, Were not theſe they which did ſo hate Chriſt, and now they do preach Chriſt! and as the primitive Chriſtians were exceeding joy-full to hear that the Gentiles had received the Goſpel and were baptized, even ſo I doubt not but all good Chriſtians will rejoice to hear and to ſee what great ſalvation Iſrael hath obtained.
But thirdly, another ſweet effect of this good ſpirit of God, is by cauſing them to look upon him whom they and we have pierced. And though they ſhall do this with an eye of faith, yet intimating as if they now beheld their King and their daily expected Jeſus ſuſpending on the Croſs, and their fathers nailing of him, and themſelves piercing and thruſting his ſides through with the ſpears of ſin. And here is faith going out from them before repentance; for they are perſwaded and doe believe that which they now deny; and then they begin to look up Chriſtward with teares in their eyes, reſipiſcentiam agentes, and mourn over him with a bitter weeping and mourning, like unto60 the mourning of Hadradrimmon, every family apart. It will be more then a tear-ſhedding lamentation, yea rather it will be a heart-affecting and an-inexpreſſible ſorrow, too unconceivable for any but thoſe who have taſted how gracious the Lord is: It will be, as I conceive, that ſame ſorrow which the holy Apoſtle deemed unlawful to be repented of, becauſe it is only a quick paſſage out of a barren Kedar into a fruitful Canaan: No man can come to the Manziel of Goa, before he paſs the dangerous ſhoals of Quiloa.
And then they ſhall turn to the Lord with their whole heart; and then God will make good that promiſe, I will, and you ſhall, and none ſhall then dare to diſquiet Iſrael any more. But the true worſhip of God in Chriſt will be eſtabliſhed amongſt them, and then they ſhall be called the faithful and choſen people, the true worſhippers of the Father in ſpirit and in truth. And in Jer. 31. what ſweet expreſſions do we find concerning their future eſtate; as in the 9 verſe, ſaith the Lord, With weeping and with ſupplications will I lead them in the wilderneſs. God did not thus lead them, nay they were then for the moſt part ſo far from entreating the Lord for any mercy, as that they did demand for this thing and that vanity, and that in a murmuring manner; ſo that the Lord did make a great ſlaughter amongſt them for their many prevarications wherewith they61 provok'd the eys of his jealoſie to anger againſt them. And the Lord promiſeth further, that he will cauſe them to walk in a ſtreight way wherein they ſhall not ſtumble. Indeed formerly, ſo long as they did, or as any man doth walk loftily and proudly, they were, and any man is more apt to fall and ſtumble then he which with the Publican uſeth to look low, and carry his heart humble before the Lord; but it ſhall be otherwiſe. Now God having promiſed to be their guide, and that in a ſtreight way, ſurely there needs not the leaſt diſtruſt for Iſrael to have concerning their Elohim and Adonai; and this is great matter of hope and comfort to Iſrael, that when as in the dayes of old God calling them the feweſt in number amongſt all the Nations, did yet love them above all Nations with a peculiar diſtinct love. So though they themſelves doe at this preſent day conceive that there is no people ſo ſcarce, (the Aramaſpi except) yet God doth ſtill own them, and doth acknowledge Ephraim to be his firſt-born, and therefore he promiſeth to be a Father to him.
But, 2. I ſhall clear it a little by ſhewing you the conſent of the Fathers in believing of this truth.
62And firſt, Auguſtine writeth; Quomodo adhuc mors chriſti apud Judaeos maledicta eſt, ſed proculdubio Deus illuminabit oculos eorum, & ſalvos fierent in die ſalutis. That is, that although the death of Chriſt unto this day is held accurſed amongſt the Jews, yet doubtleſs in the fulneſs of time God will open their eyes and bring them home to himſelf, even then when he ſhall take away their ſins, and put his law in their inward parts, then, and not till then is their hour of ſalvation.
2. John Chryſoſtome ſaith in his book which he wrote againſt the Jews in reſpect of their cruelty unto Chriſt, and only in an affectionate way, about pa. 73. That notwithſtanding all thoſe curſes with which he had already out of the word of God threatned them, yet ſaith he, Tanquam talis eſt calamitoſa deſolatio in domo Judaica Dei, nos Chriſtiani expectamus eorum converſionem & certam acceptionem. For the preſent, ſaith he, there is great deſolation made amongſt Gods antient holy people, ſo that moſt men do for their blind and ignorant (but horrid) offence committed againſt the Son of the everliving God, deſpitefully handle them, yet ſaith he, we Chriſtians do believe that they ſhall be converted and received again into the favor of God in Chriſt, and therefore do we longingly expect and wait for it.
I might here ſhew the great difference between the Chriſt-like and heavenly affections63 of the Primitive Fathers, and the cold world-like affections of the men of our dayes. But that ſhall be brought in its proper place.
3. Effrem Syrus, whom Jerom doth ſo much extoll in his Catalogue of the Fathers, for ſo merciful a man to all ſuch as he did not ſee in as proſperous a condition as himſelf; ſo that Jerom terms him in one place〈…〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, a man full of Divine actions: Effrem the Divine, writing on the ſmall continuance of the perſecution, in compariſon of that everlaſting crown of joy which all Gods Saints and ſervants ſhould poſſeſs after this miſerable and frail life; did in one of his Epiſtles to the Chriſtians in Phaenicia, entreat them not like others of the world but according to their profeſſion to uſe all poſſible means to relieve and ſuccour the outcaſts of Iſrael; ſaying, that notwithſtanding their hardneſs of heart, (〈…〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉) they have the ſame hope as we have, although for the preſent they poſſeſs not the ſame Chriſtian faith; for how can they believe in him of whom they have not heard, with ſuch opened ears and hearts as the Lord ere it be long will give unto them? Ambroſe ſaith, Quid pet is, O Judaee? & Deus tribuet tibi panem aeternam; qui dat omnibus illum rogantibus, quotidie dat, & ſemper dat. O Jew (ſaith he) what is it thou wouldſt beg of God; do but ask him, and he will give thee bread everlaſting, who giveth64 daily, and always giveth. Obſerve now when this Father had reckoned up thoſe Nations which had the leaſt hope in, or knowledge of God, then he bringeth in the Jews at the latter end of the barbarous Nations; and they lived not, neither do live without God, yet he thought, and that judiciouſly, how that they were furtheſt off Chriſt, becauſe of the full calling of the Gentiles to be firſt accompliſhed: and therefore ſaith, Would the forſaken Jew but beg of God, and the Lord would give unto him of that bread of life, which whoſoever eats of ſhall never hunger more.
Indeed this Father comes far ſhort of Effrem in his charity towards Iſrael, and writes as if ſo be the Jews had the leaſt reaſon of all Nations to expect any favor from the hands of the merciful God.
Jerom ſaith in his book de Temp. Quod nec Judaei nec Chriſtiani repentè benefaciunt nec convertuntur; ideo Judaei nondum Chriſtiani ſunt in nomine, vero in re ipſa erunt: That is, how neither Jew nor Chriſtian onely by his profeſſion are ſuddenly (for the moſt) made new creaturesi and therefore becauſe the Jews as yet have not attained the names of Chriſtians, yet let no man doubt but that they will be converted and brought back into that true and good old way in the which Enoch, Shem, Noah, Abraham, Iſaac, Jacob, Moſes, and Job with the reſt of the Patriarchs walked, even according to65 the mind of God, who though they lived ſo long before Chriſt came in the fleſh, yet by Faith they ſaw his day and were glad: even ſo although Iſrael will not ſee Chriſt in the fleſh, being he hath already offered up himſelf upon Croſs one Sacrifice to ſerve for ever, yet as ſure as the Lord liveth who did once in their fathers remembrance cauſe the Sun to ſtand ſtill over Gibeon, and the Moon over Aialon, which unto this day is a matter of great experience amongſt the Jews, I ſay ſo ſure will the Lord perſwade them, nay he will conſtrain them to believe that he which for the preſent they call Ben-Ioſeph, was that true Emmanuel Ben-David who came and went up and down in the world doing good, being meek and lowly, riding on an Aſſe through the ſtreets of their old City Ieruſalem. Theſe things they do now deny, but ere long they ſhall believe with joy unexpreſſible, and cry Hoſanna to the Son of David, as if he now were riding before them, bearing palms in their hands, or rather grace in their hearts: ſaying with the Samaritans, We have not only heard by the report and ſound of the Gentile Chriſtians, but now our own eyes have beheld the ſalvation of our God. And as we may find at this day written in great letters at Rome one of the notable ſtatutes of Lu. Aemilius, how that Omnes Dii peregrini è civitate ejiciantur; ſo at this great reſtauration, they will throw away and deteſt not only out of their preſent66 habitations, but alſo out of their hearts all ſtrange and contrary opinions, which for the preſent they do after various manners poſſeſs. As in Perſia they rely for the moſt part upon the belief and religion of the Bramin Merchants, and ſo in the Eaſt-Indies; but here in Europe they do give far more earneſt heed unto their preſent book which they call the Gemara, in which are written thoſe [ſecreta ac fines temporum] ſpoken of in the book of Eſdras, whom they now have in ſpecial requeſt above others of the Prophets. A name and matter (as they believe) which doth ſurpaſs their old Talmud; and yet they ſay, at the preſence of their King it ſhall vaniſh and decay, expecting a third edition which will be delivered unto them by the hands of Elias: Alluding, as I ſuppoſe, unto that third part which the Lord ſaith he will bring through the fire pure and burniſht without the leaſt droſs amongſt them. So that in our dayes, to ſhew and teſtifie how that they are of thoſe true Jews indeed, and not of the ſect ſpoken of in the Revelations, as we read in the holy oracles, viz. in Haggai, that when ſuch as had formerly ſeen the glory of the firſt Temple, did now behold the glory of the ſecond, they wept; and was it not becauſe God had ecclipſed their old ſplendor, ſeeing they would not hearken unto the word of his power, they would none of his counſel, but deſpiſed all his reproof, by ſtriving to put67 the evll day far from them? I would that Engliſh-men had but ſuch Jewiſh eyes to perceive, and hearts to underſtand how far ſhort we come of our former nick-named Puritanical glory, notwithſtanding all our talk of ſo many years reformation.
Truly it would be praiſe-worthy, that any ingenious hand would but take the pains to ſhew the world as it were in a glaſs, how far Chriſtians in theſe times do degenerate from that good old way in which the Primitive Churches did go; how far ſhort we come of them in our holy converſation, in our love unto Chriſt, as alſo towards the brethren, in our ſelf denial, in our zeal to do and ſuffer for God, and in our longing after the Jewiſh converſion. Or rather, are we not in theſe dayes become fooliſh in our vain converſation, undervaluing of Chriſt, and haters of our brethren? Are we not to day the greateſt ſelf-ſeekers throughout the Univerſe? Do we not ſhrink, if we only hear a whiſpering of a perſecution? And whom ſcarce amongſt us do we find to have any bowels towards this poor loſt ſheep of Iſrael? They could weep to behold the leaſt deformity either in or upon the outward Temple; but we have not a few tears to ſhed becauſe of thoſe ugly monſters of ſin which do inhabit in our ſouls, that ought to be the temples of the Holy Ghoſt. Surely God will hear their mourning; and as the voice of68 their cry did come up to heaven in the time of their Egyptian ſlavery, ſo doubtleſs God will yet cauſe this voice to be heard as of old, I have ſeen, I have ſeen the affliction of my people, &c. I ſay, the time when this will be I dare not juſtly affirm, but the certainty of it I will affirm: And therefore if the Lord do not this year, or at this time bring ſuch a Rebel home to himſelf, and ſhew him his old vileneſs wherein (it may be) he hath walked for many years ſtubbornly, and kicked againſt free grace and the tender compaſſion of a loving and patient God, yet we do not ſay it is impoſſible for this man to attain heaven. Then let no man ſo fooliſhly conjecture and ſay, that if Iſrael be not converted before ſuch a time, they never will: for the times and ſeaſons are in the Lords own free diſpoſing, and he doth many times make that his great day of vengeance an opportunity, which is the ſeaſon of his peoples higheſt calamity; and when according unto humane reaſon we think it is too late, there is no time better in the eyes of the Lord.
Then this is great arrogance in them that are of this Epicurean faith: And ſhall a wicked man, who lives under the means, becauſe as yet a wicked man, upon this account neglect the means? Shall he not rather conſider how the Lord worketh grace in the hearts of men by degrees, as ſomething while babes, and then in youth, and ſo upwards, untill a man69 come to be a father in Chriſt? So that if either Jews or Chriſtians will have any thing of God, they muſt not only beg, but wait for it, becauſe bleſſed are all thoſe that wait for the appearing of the Sun of righteouſneſs in their hearts by a lively faith. And though the Jews do ſend forth never ſo many cryes Eaſtward, yet having done all they can, they muſt reſign up their wills and affections unto him that is able to help them, who hath ſet the ſea its bounds, and hath purpoſed a time for all things, and as it pleaſeth him he will order a ranſom for Iſrael and deliverance for Judah. Now leſt here ſhould be any ſtumbling-block laid, I do many times diſtinguiſh the Tribe of Judah from the reſt, becauſe I do find in many places of the Scripture where it pleaſeth the Holy Ghoſt to write them ſeveral: and that both the houſes, in one place; in another, both the families ſhall return; as alſo where it is ſaid, I will make the two nations one nation, and they ſhall be no more divided. For the text ſaith, that Iſrael was carried far from their brethren, and that there they remain unto this day. It is written in the preſent tenſe.
Only that there may be no want of encouragement for any of Gods people, to hinder or deſpair in their ſeeking of them, and that therefore doth belong ſo ſweet a promiſe to theſe in a far country, I will bring one place of Scripture more, that I know not how to eſcape,70 becauſe of the good tidings that it bears in the front of it. Deut. 4.29. But if from thence thou ſhalt ſeek the Lord thy God, thou ſhalt find him, if ſo with all thy heart and with all thy ſoul, &c. But if from the place where thou ſojourneſt in thy captive eſtate, even from Tubal and Jaran, even from the cities of the Medes, thou ſhalt ſeek or diligently enquire after the Lord and thy God, caſting far from thee thoſe falſe gods which thou doſt now worſhip, being no other then the works of mens hands, and ſo call upon the Lord that brought thee out of Egypt with a mighty arm, whom the meek Prophet Moſes (out of his tender and loving compaſſion) nameth thy God, O Iſrael; though for the preſent thou do worſhip ſuch as neither ſee, hear, eat, nor ſmell:
Now I ſay, if when God ſhall put into Iſraels heart to conſider his vile abominations, and to cry unto him with all their heart, he doth here promiſe to be found of them. And now that you may take notice of the moving cauſe of this his loving kindneſs, it is in the next verſe; For the Lord thy God is a merciful God, he will not forſake thee, &c. This is that which makes drooping Jacob to hold up his head, and to poſſeſs a little ſtrength and hope wherewith he is able to undergo all the afflictions which a tender and loving Father layeth upon him. And therefore they will uſe this expreſſion, It is good for us that we are afflicted.
71But 2. for Calvin and thoſe great writers about his time, they were but in the dark as concerning the reſtauration of Jacob; but only amongſt other matters did lay it down as a part of their belief, how that the Jews in the laſt dayes ſhould be made a moſt glorious nation. And ſo Proſton and Perkins, with the moſt of our times ſpeak careleſly of it, as if it were a matter of controverſie. And therefore you may obſerve that on the Lords day, in publike prayers, ſome Miniſters will uſe ſome few expreſſions concerning them by way of petition, which they conceive to be enough, as declaring that they are of the ſame judgment. Yet I am confident that many of you do not care to have them inhabit amongſt us: but if a little trouble in the fleſh come, or when a ſmall matter of that root of evil hath been demanded, which might accrue to their tranſportation over into England, you have paſſed that antient, but ſarcacious cenſure on them, That they were a noiſom and a burdenſom generation. I ſhall paſs this by, becauſe we ſay, Sat verbum ſapienti.
But thirdly, I ſhall prove the verity of my Propoſition from the preſent faith and hope of Iſrael. And
- 1. From their words.
- 2. From their actions:
- 3. From their ſufferings.
For the firſt, there is not a Jew ſcarce living but will tell you that they ſhall be a better people, and that their God hath hid himſelf from them for a while; but yet they will truſt in him, though he kill them. So that in all their daily devotions they do juſtifie the Lord, in the beginning of their exerciſe, in all his proceedings towards them, and condemning themſelves for their own ingratitude; and that becauſe in the fulneſs of their prophecies they valued not the law of Moſes, but did what ever ſeemed good in their eyes; and by this they provoked their Adonai to wrath, and ſo he gave them up into the hand of their enemies.
Therefore in their Synagogues upon every Jewiſh Sabbath-day, they cauſe that verſe in Jer. 44.6. to be read twice over in the ears of all the people.
But for that of their predeceſſors their crucifying the Lord of life their anointed Jeſus, they will tell you that they do abhor it, and do account of it as a ridiculous ſcandal that the Chriſtians put upon them. But ſuch were the miſerable conſequents of that fact, that they do now eſteem nothing more vile among them, then for any one of them to forget but one houre the deſtruction of Jeruſalem by Titus: For whoſe better memory ſake you ſhall always find in one place or other of their houſes this following inſcription in that language73 that is generally ſpoken amongſt them:Oh if I ſhould forget Jeruſalem, then let my right hand forget its cunning!Believing that they may as ſoon loſe the knowledge of their daily divine praiſes out of the Pſalmiſt, as the remembrance of their antient holy City.
And therfore on the great days of Nahamu or days of thankſgiving, they go up and down their Congregations, uſing this word one to another,Speak ye comfortably to Ieruſalem all ye that love her!For that they believe they ſhall yet ſee Ieruſalem and the Temple rebuilt again even by their own brethren. Nay, they ſay that they are certain that their JEHOVAH hath ſet a bound to the fulneſs of his indignation, and that ere long their captivity ſhall ceaſe; and then immediately will follow that great day of Iacobs trouble, when Eliah (as they ſuppoſe) ſhall ariſe from the dead, and prepare the way of their Emanuel, through the chief Cities of the world, with all ſtately magnificence that can be attained. And then ſhall ſhe that now ſits in the duſt, even thou O daughter of Zion, ariſe and ſing,Glory be to God on high, who giveſt gifts unto men.
74Indeed the little grain of faith which the Jewes do already poſſeſs, depends upon that which as yet they ſee not; and it comes ſo much the nearer our Chriſtian faith, according unto that in Heb. 11. tbe Apoſtle calleth it〈…〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, the ſubſtance of that which is only expected. Truly this could hardly be called a true ſubſtance, were it not built upon that everlaſting foundation Jeſus Chriſt: and therefore all ſuch Jewes as well as Chriſtians that hope in him ſhall never be aſhamed. Indeed it is one of the chiefeſt obſtacles in their way to Chriſtian happineſs, even that which the Rabbins have made the twelfth Article of their Belief, and it is this: I believe that Meſſiah is yet to come, who is to be greater then any King that ever was; who though he be long in coming, yet we doubt not but that he will come at last, neither ought we to prefix a time for his coming.
Ah poor blind ſouls, that do ſuppoſe ſuch vain matters! as that Chriſt will come down again to rule on earth after the manner of men, but in far more glorious eſtate then Solomon did. Being alſo ignorant of that place of Scripture concerning the coming of Elias, which was fulfilled in John Baptiſt, and indeed ſhall be again fulfilled when that Spirit of God which doubtleſs did reſide both in Elias and in John Baptiſt, who was the ſecond of that name, ſhall come and make plain thoſe rough places75 of the heart, before the King of glory ſhall come to dwell therein.
And with this they do uphold themſelves that although this will be a day of ſadneſs and aſtoniſhment to the inhabitants of the world, yet their nation of the Hebrews ſhall be ſaved out of it. They do moreover affirm, that at the time when their Saviour ſhall come, he will aboliſh many of their Moſaical cuſtomes, which till that day are to be had in reverence; for ſo they were commanded to teach them from generation to generation, untill Shiloh come; and then God will make ſo great alterations in the world, that the noiſe of it will make men tremble. As I do believe this alludes unto that powerful reſurrection of our Saviour from the dead. And as they ſee Monarchical government to decay, the believe that ſo much the nearer is his coming.
Indeed for the firſt of their ſayings, how that God will make great alterations in the world, is true by our daily experience: But at that time, (as I did write about ſix moneths ago unto a famous Jew reſiding at Lisbone) how that God would then make as great changes in that little world within them, as in the great elements without, even then when he ſhall reign in their hearts by faith, and make them for to loath their own righteouſneſs. But for the ſecond ſaying, That as you ſee Kings and Rulers go down, ſo much nearer is the coming76 of your King; I take it only for a meer deluſion of I know not whom, except fabulous Monterini, as a worthy Knight is pleaſed to ſtile him.
I confeſs when he cometh to the Jews, he ſhall be the onely Monarch in their hearts, and ſhall whip out of his Temple all thoſe buyers and ſellers of iniquity and hardneſs of heart: But the great overtures which they behold in the world, do rather predict the coming of their Lord to judgment. And for this I am the more bold, that their joyful time is nearer unto them then they expect it, wherein they will then underſtand their great miſtakes in this matter as in others.
But truly in this thing I do praiſe the Jews, that though the time of their deliverance be long coming, yet they doubt it not: And although their faith concerning this matter is untruly grounded in reference to the manner of their Shilohs coming, (for they ſay, in the fleſh; and we ſay, in the ſpirit;) yet the certainty which they have of his coming, either one way or other, is firm, and therefore to be well marked as a ſpecial argument to prove my former propoſition. And for my part, I do look upon theſe ſayings ſo frequently ſpoken by them unto Chriſtians in Italy, Portugal, and Amſterdam, and in many other Countries, as meer types of their Chriſtianity and of their change in heart.
77But ſecondly, I prove it by their Actions: And becauſe in this Relation I do intend nothing of their Ceremony, Faſhions, nor Sects, being things beyond my curioſity; as alſo knowing that there are one or two Treatiſes already extant concerning them, by ſuch learned and tranſcendent Wits as the worthy and truly elegant Monſieur James Gaffarel: I ſhall therefore lay down ſome of thoſe actions which become my purpoſe, and may be ſomething worth obſervation.
And 1. from their daily exerciſe in Learning and other lawful ſciences, but eſpecially in their reading and diſcourſing in the Law and Prophets, of which they have ſome few books more then we, and wherein they have ſuch knowledge, as that they have Praiſes at all times ſuitable to every condition; and in ſo doing they doe obey the command of Chriſt; and there is no man either for ſoul or body can uſe any thing more then the means, and leave the iſſue unto God.
2. From their charitable deeds: That notwithſtanding the many poor they have of their own, yet by credible teſtimony I hear and doe know it by ſome, that they doe often give alms to all amongſt them of what nation ſoever, which are in want.
58They ſay that they are enjoined unto it by the law of Moſes; as alſo the more charitable they are here in this life, the more glorious being they ſhall have in the world to come. And upon this account they will not, if they can gain the Port, ſuffer one of their ſervants, though he be a Mooriſh Chriſtian, to be one night without redemption in a Turkiſh gally, let it coſt them what it will.
Now ſome men are apt to ſay, that it is a part of their hypocriſie. But let me tell ſuch back-biting nominal Chriſtians, that I do think England of all Countries is ſo far degenerated from our antient charity, as that we uſe cruelty in ſtead thereof, and for lucre ſake we call charity hypocriſie. And many Novatians there are now amongſt us, which ſay how that thoſe which at their deaths did formerly leave ſomething for the poor, or to the Hoſpitals, was to the intent they might thereby merit heaven. And thus I am confident they do hinder the charity of many well-given and truly religious Chriſtians.
But let me deſire ſuch men, that as they tender Chriſt, they doe not by ſuch kind of ſlanders offend the Jews, leſt you offend the apple of Gods eye. For I do much honour this deed of theirs, as another mark of their approaching converſion; becauſe they do theſe actions ſo freely, and for ought I know out of a pure intent.
79And therefore by the way let me accuſe thoſe of groſs lying and ſlander, that have given out, ſome in ſpeeches, and others in writing, that they do often ſwear, and account it a godly work to cheat and defraud the Chriſtians, and do get their living meerly by extortion. Which baſe untruths I do even abhor to harbour, being only ſcattered abroad by ſome deviliſh ſpirits, only to make them more odious in the earth then they are already. Indeed in ſome of thoſe inland places where they can have no other manner of livelihood, they doe uſe mony one of another, the mechanick Jew of the merchant Jew, but not of a Chriſtian. A thing however but anſwerable to us here in England, where one Chriſtian receiveth Uſemony of his next neighbour, nay worſe then ſo, ſometimes of his own brother. Therefore I doubt we are too too apt (as our Saviour ſaith) to ſee that in other mens practiſes, which we will not ſee in our own.
3. Now the third action is more vain, but that it ſheweth ſomthing better in expectation. As when Ecclipſes happen, or any diſaſtrous Comets appear, the Sun be but thick-clouded, or the like; much miſtaking thoſe places in the firſt and laſt Chapters of Joel, at ſuch times they do lave themſelves more then ordinary, and cauſe all their utenſils to be in readineſs, that they may be a more pleaſing receptacle for the Lord of life; keeping all their doors80 and windowes (but eſpecially thoſe toward Jeruſalem) wide open, that there may not remain the leaſt ſeeming unwillingneſs to entertain their Saviour; crying with a loud voice toward the Eaſt, that verſe in the 121 Pſalm, I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. And truly if any thing, this portends their ſimplicity in killing of their King. Therefore with men of more knowing judgments, if that ſo many generations have paſſed ſince, their deliverance cannot be far off, when God will no more be called of them Baali, but Iſhi, their true and lawful husband. Indeed we may read a Scripture in Amos 4.9. which being taken literally by ſuch whoſe eyes God hath not yet opened, may afford them ſome good grounds of their preſent actions; it is thus:
For behold I create the thunder, and frame the wind, revealing my Chriſt amongſt men.
Now (Reader) hence it is, that the Iſraelites in times of thunder or great winds do ſo longingly expect their Meſſiah: For we may obſerve that here is no ſeeming diſtinction of time between the thunder, the winds blowing, nor the revelation of the Son of God. And therefore I ſay it is for ſomething that they believe Chriſt will deſcend on earth, either in a great thunder-clap, or elſe in a mighty wind: which I think to be a type of that ſhaking and trembling which the Lord doth cauſe upon the81 ſpirits of ſuch as he brings home to himſelf, as alſo the mighty overpowering and overmaſtering which the Lord commonly uſeth in the changing of the heart.
But in the third place, I will prove it by their ſufferings. I might now make a tedious rehearſal of all their ſufferings, beginning at their firſt Captivity; but only it would better become ſuch a ſtory to be written in Haedonis chartis, whereas paper will ſerve this purpoſe. And therefore omitting their ſeveral captivities, and the ſeveral times that Jeruſalem hath been deſtroyed; as alſo in Rome, Antioch, Alexandria, and Caeſarea, and every where elſe that the Romans had any government, how the Jews were given to be devoured of wild and fierce beaſts, as Lyons, Elephants and Tygres; and how they fought upon publick Theatres, only to ſolemnize the triumphs of Vespaſian and Titus; with their being baniſhed out of ſuch and ſuch dominions, and how of late they have been expoſed to the barbarity of the horſe-eating Coſſacks; and will only give you a ſmall token of their preſent ſufferings, how that they go far beyond any of us Chriſtians in their patient acceptance of either buffets, baſtinadoes, or any other abuſes. So that by this we may ſee that God hath not left them without hope, for that they take patiently the ſpoiling of their goods, which is indeed a piece of Chriſtianity.
82For in Portugal, if any Shackrag give a Jew a blow on the back with his cane, he doth rather turn himſelf back with a ſmiling countenance then with a frown, as if he felt no harm. This is another of the commands of Chriſt fulfilled; If any one ſtrike thee on the one cheek, turn to him the other alſo.
They ſuffer much for the ſin of their fathers; here is blood toucheth blood; and the more they ſuffer, the more refined they believe they ſhall come out of the fire. And now I cannot chuſe but think of Father Ambroſe's expreſſion, becauſe I have heard it from the mouth of an unconverted Jew here in London, born in Padua a City of Italy, whoſe father, once a merchant (as he reports) having moſt of his eſtate coming in a veſſel from Rhodes, was taken by an Argiers-Pyrate; and therefore being five brothers of them, he having three or four languages, came over into England in a Plymouth-ſhip, having his paſſage freely given him, and here he hoped to get a ſervice under ſome Noble-man; but waiting long firſt, is now gone into Scotland, which a Nobleman of this land ſaith are in ſome ſenſe allied one Nation to another. But this was his expreſſion, when I, his interpreter a French-man, and one more were with him: Speaking of their grievous eſtate, he made anſwer,Qui vult vincere, primo diſcat pati.
83Now I ſay, that although it be a common thing in Turky for one drunken deboiſt Janizare or other to ſet the Jews houſes on fire in the night-time, yet in the morning they have no change of colour in their looks; alluding to their Countryman Daniels putting into the Lions den; and therefore without complaining to the Baſhaw or Beglerbeg, (as indeed ſometimes if they ſhould, it would be but in vain) they go but to others of their Countrymen, and find ſudden relief; uſing the expreſſions of the Patriarch Job, Shall we receive good, and not evil from the hands of the Lord?
It is now come to the ſame paſs as formerly, when the Egyptians did bear ſuch malice to the Chriſtians, as Chriſtians in many places do now bear to the Jews; who when Nilus overflowed not, or any other evil diſaſter happened, the Devil who is the father of a lye, and the grand enemy of mans ſalvation, would preſently oraculize and tell the ſuperſtitious inhabitants that it was ob iſtam Tolerationem Chriſtinam; and therfore no ſooner way to have Nilus fill their trenches, then by throwing Chriſtianes ad Leones. Even ſo to the ſhame and ſtain of Chriſtian religion (not of Turks and other Muſſelmen) in many places of Italy and Germany, if any thing go amiſs, or any fi•e happen, it is common with many nominal Chriſtians to exclaim of the Jews, and ſay it came by means of84 them: like that lately in Venice, where it is reported of a rich Jew, a Merchant, to ſuffer extremely, by reaſon the Turks prevented the going of ſome proviſions to Canea.
Some men are for their own ends wilfully blind, and ſo will take no notice of the finger of God in any croſs; not like Job, who when the Chaldeans and the Sabeans took away his cattel, cryed out, The Lord giveth, and the Lord taketh away, bleſſed be his name. But as the Devil had his end in the primitive times, (yet as by Divine permiſſion) in procuring ſome innocent blood; ſo many men do make prize of the Jews by theſe calumnies. Like the Mallabar Junks, who will not aſſault a Veſſel in her going to thoſe rich Ports of the Chinoiſe extra Ganges, but will ſnap her in the return: So theſe will ſuffer the Iews gladly, until they have by their induſtry and labor gotten ſome wealth wherewith to maintain their children; but then how many Knights of the Poſt, (not of Malta) what horrid accuſations will be brought, and what impudent pleading (as in Ʋckrain) will there be by ſuch as do not fear the alknowing God ſo much as the Egyptians did, nor as the Indians doe at this day obey the Devil, until ſuch a Jew's eſtate be adjudged confiſcated! I confeſs it is a piece of worldly, but cowardly policie, to do thus by the Hebrews; becauſe I look on them as for the preſent ſine viribus, being there is few or85 none that will take their part: So that the ſaying of that evil ſervant is now verified by ſuch auſtere and hard maſters that reap where they did not ſtraw: As alſo to the ſervile Jews may the Poets fiction be applied of one in hell, That as he makes ropes, there ſtandeth an Aſs and bites them aſunder. They work for that which others (contra normam naturae, and by moſt unworthy overcoming) do enjoy.
And thus far have I ſhewed the Reader what are the hopes of Iſrael. In the next place I ſhall lay down my weak opinion, how and after what manner the Jews may be converted to the Chriſtian faith, ſo as to believe on him whom they call the Chriſtians Meſſiah. And firſt, Negatively.
Not as the Scholars uſe in Hungaria and thoſe parts, to beat Chriſtianity into them, by buffeting them in their own ſhops and houſes, and out of one City into another.
Now (Reader) here is the manner of diſpenſation of thoſe gifts and parts which God hath given theſe men: Here is ne amplius but a word and a blow; as if ſo be, becauſe God hath forſaken them for a while, therefore Hebrews were no better then dogs. Here is the everlaſting credit (or high diſcredit) of ſelf-conceited Hungarians I here are your ignoramus Scholars, which make as if they were only able to unfold the truths of God.
86Nay, I am certified, that about a year ago they fell upon the Jews unawares, and as they were quietly following their calling, and killed ſome of them, and would have done greater miſchief, had not the goodneſs of the Emperor extended preſently to them by ſending a band of ſouldiers to reſcue them. This moreover makes me think that God hath reſervd greater mercies in ſtore for them; for he doth often ſuffer his own Saints and ſervants to be toſſed with tempeſt, and afflicted for many years together.
I am aſhamed that knowing men, ſuch as daily read the Scripture, ſhould conjecture ſo fooliſhly, as if ſo be they were able to beat Chriſt into them. Now I ſay, except a man were utterly given over to brutiſhneſs, and to have a ſeared conſcience, ſo as he is for any religion, like thoſe people that before they will endure the leaſt hardſhip, will turn Turks, denying the Lord that hath bought them: I ſay elſe the moſt barbarous Idolaters will not forſake the religion of their anceſtors by this fooliſh way of adminiſtration; and do theſe mad men think to force a Jew from his religion? Are thoſe ſtupid dunces no better read in the ſtratagem of the Jews? where Antiochus Epiphanes that Tyrant did force the Jews with fire and ſword, ſtrangling men, hanging ſome women with their children about their necks, others with their poor ſucklings about their87 breaſt he threw headlong over the walls of Jeruſalem, profaned the Temple, forced the Iews to eat Swines fleſh, to forſake their Circumciſion, and to adore his Gods; yet all this and more could not move the reſt one ſtep from their religion.
Sure theſe men do little regard how the Apoſtles mild way of exhortation and perſwaſion to believe on the name of the Lord Jeſus, did take more with people, and ſo will do at this preſent, although it be in it ſelf but a dead letter, without the cooperation of the bleſſed Spirit go along with it: much leſs will that way help them, which produceth nothing except curſing and bitterneſs, being contrary to the words of Chriſt, Ʋſe violence to no man. But on the other ſide this muſt be accompliſhed by the ſame almighty power which raiſed Chriſt from the dead. The Lord will firſt amaze Iſrael by ſhewing him how nigh unto curſing he as yet is, before he will enquire how he may be ſaved. It ſeems that that which made Rachel ſo willingly leave her fathers houſe, was becauſe ſhe had gotten away her fathers gods to accompany her in her journy.
Such works as theſe of regeneration, God uſeth to effect gradually. So that for all thoſe good examples which doubtleſs Iacob did ſhew his wife Rachel, yet ſhe did for a while retain her paternal idolatry. So I ſay, that until God doth allure them and ſpeak comfortably unto88 them, until God their Lord do give them the vallty of Achor for a door of hope, all the tortures that any can invent will not turn them; but they will rather ſuffer reproach patiently: and though God did allow them burning for burning, wound for wound, and ſtripe for ſtripe, yet we may behold this piece of Goſpel written on their hearts in ſuch legible characters, as he that ſeeks no occaſion may read it, and find this inſcription, Pray for them that deſpightfully uſe you. Jeſus Chriſt already come in the fleſh, is ſomething harſh to them: but Jeſus Chriſt in his humble and meek carriage towards all men, this, I ſay, amongſt Iſrael even to day is a bundle of ſweet-ſmelling myrrhe; and therefore they are very willing to tarry Gods leiſure, before they will be thus handled.
And by the way, let us but conſider the two contrary effects that were produced by the Engliſh and by the Spaniards, in that time wherein they did both pretend to uſe their utmoſt might in converting of the Natives, where ſoe'r they ſetled their abode in that new world of the Weſt-Indies. For where the Spaniards came, Hungarian like they ſet upon the Indians (forgetting their vowes) and deſtroying many thouſands of them; intending, as it was apparent, nought ſave gold and riches. Now I ſay, what was the iſſue of this, but that when the Friars and Jeſuits have come to ſome noble89 Indians at their departure out of this life, and declared unto them how that none but the Chriſtians could go to Heaven or a place of joy, and that all others muſt go to Hell or a place of torment; they have given in this anſwer, That if the Spaniards do go to heaven, they do deſire that they may go to hell. Now here is the light of nature teaching theſe poor ſouls that the mercileſs cannot receive mercy. So that we are confident, that where in their vaſt dominions they doe convert one man to the true faith, our Nation in that one Territory of New-England doe convert two. And what is the reaſon but becauſe thoſe true Engliſh Chriſtians in that place do perform what they promiſed to them at their landing by an Interpreter, how they ſought not veſtra but vos, that is, their ſouls welfare.
But now as I do moderately ſuppoſe, theſe three wayes it will be whereby the Lord will diſcover unto the Iew the great things of ſalvation.
1. By our Chriſtian prayers and humiliation as well in publike as in private; and not only to name them once a week ſo careleſly in the Congregation. My brethren, Gods people is a praying people; and ſurely if it were rightly laid to heart, there is nothing that more diſcovers our great affection to the Hebrews, then by our continual praying and entreating of God for their converſion.
90I could be glad to ſee ſome whole days ſpent in this great buſineſs of Iſraels redemption; I am perſwaded that the Lord expects it: You all know that the prayers of the juſt avail much with God. And truly, in the neglecting of this duty, we keep ſilence, and ſo become guilty of a hainous crime. For what do any of us know whether this may not be part of that means which God will uſe concerning their reſtauration, even by his giving ear to the fervent prayers of his choſen ſervants?
But 2. I do humbly conceive that by way of diſcourſe or writing unto them, like unto that ever to be honored Gentleman Sir Edward Spencer of Middleſex, who of late wrote an Epiſtle to that famous Jew Mr. Manaſſeh Ben Iſrael, about this matter. And let any man ask of him, and he will ſatisfie, that theſe people do generally honour Learning, being a prudent and rational people. O that ſome of our ſingle Teachers and godly Scholars would but do as thoſe which indeed are the labouring Saints, that is, go over into ſome Country or other either farther or nearer, as God ſhall move them to this work; and there to reaſon the caſe with them, not like cruel Hungarians, nor mercileſs Spaniards, to beat and miſuſe them, but as you find it written, beſeeching them by the meekneſs of Chriſt to be reconciled: In our Saviours gentle manner of diſcourſe; He that cometh unto Chriſt, he will in no wiſe caſt him91 off. I am ſure that he which truly doth love Chriſt, will be willing to undergo any croſſes for him, who thought no pain too much for our ſouls good. Nay, were it but becauſe thoſe two bleſſed Hebrews Paul and Peter thought no labour too much, no tempeſts and travels too dolorous, no voyages too dangerous, nor no deaths too cruel, whereby they might preach the Goſpel to us Gentiles. And now he that is not capable of going to them, I deſire he may not be wanting in praying and ſupplicating the God that heareth prayer.
3. I doe ſubmiſſively propoſe, that the Supreme Authority of this Nation would be pleaſed to hearken to thoſe Propoſitions which intend their admiſſion into England, being laid down by that learned man before mentioned, in his Anſwer to the Epiſtle of that prudent Jew aforeſaid. And truly I am bold to ſay, that there is no Nation under heaven likelier then we to help them, in reſpect of thoſe great and miraculous deliverances which God hath ſo many yeares together beſtowed upon this Nation. And oh that our moſt worthy PROTECTOR would be a hiding place and a Covert for ſome of them, but until God hath brought in the fulneſs of the Gentiles! becauſe I am afraid that in this litle time which the Devil hath to reign, he will uſe the utmoſt of his policie together with the beaſt, how to miſchief all thoſe that either are, or like to be92 the ſervants of the living God, ſuch as look for this appearing. So that perchance if the Turk ſhould fail in his deſign againſt the Chriſtians, he may by Satans acting the part of a ſycophant, uſe the Jews in a rigid manner, although for the preſent he lets them live peaceably under his yoke.
Now this I do but ſuppoſe, and not give it out for an Hypotheſis, being altogether unwiling to captivate any mans experience. But however, I am ſure it will be no damage, but profit for to let them live amongſt us. It will be a rare exchange to give them our carnal things, and we to reap benefit by their future ſpiritual and extraordinary gifts and graces, which I am ſure they ſhall enjoy, when the Lord ſhall ingraft them in again.
It would be worthy of great praiſe, if that England would but ſet apart ſome ſpecial time to ſeek for theſe things; that with Jeremiah we might mourn, and that our eyes might run down with water, becauſe that the Comforter, even the man Chriſt Jeſus, hath not as yet relieved his antient people. Doubtleſs this will be very pleaſing and acceptable unto our God; God may perhaps have mercy on us for their ſakes, when he ſhall overthrow the Nations in his fury. Did not the Lord bleſs not only the houſe of Pharoah, but the whole land of Egypt for Joſephs ſake? Was not the harlot ſaved, for that ſhe did hide ſome of Gods93 people from the fury of the King of Jericho? Was not Meroz curſed bitterly, becauſe the people thereof did not come forth to help the Lord and his people? And by this we may ſee how that God will puniſh a City or a Nation as wel for neglecting to help forward his work, as he will thoſe that ſtrive to oppoſe it. And let all men know aſſuredly, that in ſuch real projects as this is, where there is concerned much of Gods glory, even to help the poor outcaſts; God being pleaſed to put this price into Englands hand, let us (I ſay) deteſt the neutrality of Meroz; becauſe in ſuch a matter he that is not for their deliverance, muſt of neceſſity be againſt it. Or elſe we may expect then end of Meroz, which was Gods heavy and bitter curſe; that which the Apoſtle ſpeaks of one in a near caſe,〈…〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. For we do not find that they did like Sihon King of the Amorites, withſtand the Iſraelites; but Neuters-like, they came not to the work, and therefore came this bitter curſe upon them: Do not we read how that godly people were always troubled to hear of the afflictions of their brethren? In the 5. of Judges, v. 15, 16. we ſee it there twice repeated, that becauſe of the diviſions of Reuben, there were great thoughts of heart. Now the other tribes at the firſt wondred why Reuben came not over Iordan; but alas, when they heard how they were dejected in ſpirit, and how God had by his providence94 cauſed breaches and ſchiſms amongſt them, it did prick them to the heart. It is a ſweet exexpreſſion; the Text ſaith, they had great thoughts of heart, or careful were their cogitations, which way they might comfort them or help them. So that true Chriſtians ſcorn idleneſs; nay, Auguſtine calls Chriſtians indeed, non ſolum benevolentes, vero eitam beneficientes par Angelis; more like unto Angels then men, in reſpect of their care and miniſtring help which they afford unto all they can.
Let us but take that bleſſed advice of our Saviour a little before his paſſion, which he gave unto an over-confident Peter, That after he was converted he ſhould ſtrengthen the brethren, not weaken them. But ſhall any of us be made ſo great in Gods favour, as to be raiſed out of our ſad natural eſtate, and ſhall not we love, and ſtudy to ſtrengthen our poor deſpiſed brethren that are for the preſent in ſo weak a condition?
Now, Reader, I am perſwaded, that man which harbors an Iſraelite in his houſe, a poor diſtreſſed outcaſt, ſhall find that God hath increaſed his riches both in ſoul and in body. Well then, ſhall Iſrael be ſuch a famous people, and ſuch tranſcendently excellent Chriſtians in the laſt times? Then let me dehort all men from reviling them any more. Such as uſe that common by-word, He is as hard-hearted95 as a Jew; and, You do hate ſuch a man as bad as you hate a Jew, that baſe people that crucified the Lord of life, &c.
Now thou doſt here compare Gods beloved people with (it may be) the moſt vile of men, the very brats and darlings of Satan: Not minding what the Apoſtle demands when he ſaith, What art thou O man that boaſteſt thy ſelf againſt the true Olive-tree? As if he ſhould have ſaid, Art thou a Chriſtian, or art thou above a Chriſtian? For the interrogation admits of no mediocrity; but either this man muſt be below, or elſe like ſome of our dayes, above Chriſtianity and Chriſtian duties. No, he is far below that bleſſed eſtate; for it is the alone property of a Carib to laugh at the dejected condition of another man. And therefore in few lines I will ſet forth what ſuch a man is. And firſt, he is a tranſgreſſor of the 5. Command; as that he doth neither honour them as his ſuperiors, neither doth reſpect them as his equals, but doth upbraid them as the loweſt of his enemies.
And firſt, that they are our ſuperiors, I ſhall make good by that place in Luke 24.47. And that repentance and remiſſion of ſins ſhould be preached in his name among all nations. Item, Beginning at Jeruſalem. So that were we not willingly blind, we might ſee unto whom (next Chriſt) we owe honour and good will. The Lord Jeſus did come primarily to the Jews, even96 then when he ſeemed unwilling to give their bread unto ſuch godleſs and hopeleſs dogs as we then were. Nay, the Lord ſaith in another place, that our ſalvation is of the Jews: which I will unfold in my enſuing diſcourſe. But oh ingratitude! is it not ſo in the abſtract? For ſuch is the ſtubborn age in which we do now converſe, that not untill now is that Scripture perfectly fulfilled in Iſa. 51.18. There is none to guide her of all the ſons whom ſhe hath brought forth, &c.
Now that I were but able to ſet this out in extremes, for ſo it doth deſerve. For firſt, our Religion ſprang forth and craves its birthright from Betlehem a Town of Judaea, from one of whoſe inhabitants, according to the fleſh, Chriſt came; and afterwards it was confirmed and ratified by Jewiſh Teachers, ſuch as Paul and Peter, thoſe excellent and ſpiritualized Sophiſts, and by them deliver'd to the Gentiles throughout all parts, and to this day the ſame is continued. So that this being put together, all will confeſs that Jeruſalem was our Mother, Nurſe and Tutor. Now if they be our parents, where then is theſe mens fear that honour them not? I can liken ſuch men to none better then to thoſe rebellious children, unthankful Negro's at the Cape of Good-Hope; who after they are hatcht up, being able to flie abroad or help themſelves, having their own turns ſerved, they hate none more then thoſe which brought97 them up; nay further, when old age ſeiſeth on their parents, (not being able to help themſelves) theſe unnatural bruits will convey them to ſome places in the inland, where they are ſure they may be Lions food. This I have learned from credible people; but ſure they are not all ſo horrible vile in that large Continent.
Although it is ſpoken in the foregoing verſe, that of all, or amongſt all the ſons which ſhe hath educated, there is none, no not one Chriſtian people in the whole world, that will ſo take her by the hand as to raiſe her from that ſad and deplorable condition in which ſhe now abides. And yet this I will ſay for my own Countrymen, that there is no Nation but reſpects her better then we doe, Conſtantine Magnus that worthy Britiſh Chriſtian Emperor excepted; who it's hiſtoried by Euſebius Pamphilus, that he commended the care that his mother had of their antient City, and that great reſpect they bare unto Pilate, for that they found it left in writing by him, that Jeſus was the King of the Jews; and thereupon they uſed much coſt and pains to build up the waſte places of Zion.
But 2. ſuch a man doth not reſpect them as his equals; he doth not eſteem of any value thoſe ſweet apprehenſions that the Prophet Malachi had of ſome in thoſe dayes that did ſcorn their brethren. Saith he, Have we not all98 one Father? Did not one God create us all? &c. And truly, with him there is no reſpect of perſons; there is no difference between Jew nor Grecian: but as they were all under wrath, as in Adam all dyed, ſo they are all one under Chriſt and in matters of ſalvation; for hath not Chriſt broken down the mid-wall of partition? Did not the Lord Chriſt, whilſt he was upon earth, check his Diſciples for their contending who was the greateſt? Are not theſe his holy expreſſions: One is the Father, and are not ye all brethren? Why then do we revile them and mock at them as the gazing-ſtock of the whole earth?
Let us but conſider that the Lord choſe them for his heritage long before us, even then when we Gentiles were all ſubjects under the Prince of the air, and were led bond ſlaves by him at his pleaſure, being no otherwiſe termed by the Apoſtle St. Paul then children of diſobedience, whoſe eyes the god of this world had blinded. So that I may ſay from the ſame Apoſtle in Rome. 3.3. What if ſome of them did not believe? doth that make void the faith of God? No, God forbid! For God hath reſerved them of the Election to enjoy full as glorious eternity as the believing Gentiles ſhall in the life to come. It is true, ſome of them did harden their hearts, and refuſed to hear him that came to them; that it might be fulfilled what was written, that when our Saviour came to his99 own, they received him not. And therefore becauſe that God had known this people more then others, in giving them the oracles and the true worſhip, and ſo appropriating them as his own, (though indeed all are) but in a more eſpecial manner they; upon this account he will undoubtedly and extraordinarily puniſh them for their ſins and prevarications, and ſo indeed he hath.
But 3. ſuch a Jew-ſcorner is hereby become guilty of the breach of the 6: Command, and ſo I will prove him a real murderer. 1 Ep. John v. 13. Whoſoever hateth his brother, is a murderer. and ſo in Mat. 5. He that calleth his brother fool ſhall be in danger of hell-fire. Now I ſay, here is not only his hatred, but alſo his reproachful words, and his ſordid compariſons tearmed murder. So that this nominates ſuch a man as backbites and reviles the Iſraelites either ways, to be one of thoſe manſlayers, for which men Chriſt dyed.
Now when ſuch a man uſeth this petition in the Lords prayer, Forgive us as we forgive others; he knoweth not the true meaning of that which he doth outwardly and hypocritically expreſs. He can upbraid and taunt the Jews with his own proper qualities: he ſaith they crucified their Saviour, and pierced the Lord of life; and I ſay, that there is not one ſin that he commits, but does crucifie the Son of God afreſh.
100And that I may yet more convince ſuch a one of his arrogancie, ſelf-love, his hatred of others, his offending the weak Jews, his envy, wrath, ſtrife, and the like, with which companions the Apoſtle ſaith no man ſhall ever enter into heaven: I will therefore ſhew the world how far ſuch a nominal Chriſtian doth ſurpaſs an Hebrew in cruelty.
1. In that it was but one time, and therefore but one ſingular act of theirs, when they did hurt and crucifie their Meſſiah; but he doth it daily; and which is the worſt of all cruelties, and abominated amongſt the moſt barbarous, is, that when the Jews had wounded Chriſt, he does cut and keep the wound open, and thereby our bleſſed Saviour bleeds afreſh. The heathen dealt far better with their enemies, but he more wretchedly, and that not with an enemy, but to raiſe the ſin higher, with him that was his beſt friend.
But 2. in that the Jews only at that time pierced his body with a ſpear; but this man by ſinning doth vex his righteous ſoul; he doth as much as in him lies crucifie the Godhead of our moſt bleſſed Saviour. So as that the Scripture diſtinguiſheth theſe two for ſuch hainous actions, and calleth them not only a grieving of, but a will therein contained to quench and totally to extinguiſh that moſt holy ſpirit of God, wherewithall the true ſervants of God are ſealed unto the day of redemption:
101But 3. and chiefly, all Chriſtians in finning do far exceed and ſurpaſs Jews in cruelty, in this particular reſpect; that when as we know, and it is the main article of our faith, that that ſame Jeſus Chriſt whom the Jews with violent hands did take and crucifie, was the only true Saviour of the world, yet we ceaſe not to crucifie him againſt knowledge; and this ſin of all others is ſo inexpreſſibly grievous, as the Jews would have abhorred to have committed. Are not the words clear in 1 Cor. 2.8. For had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. But becauſe of unbelief, it was therefore hid from their eyes, ſo that they then knew it not: but Chriſtians knowing their maſters will, and not doing it, ſhall be beaten with many ſtripes. Where God hath ſowed and planted, but eſpecially where he hath done ſuch things for his vineyard, as he ſaith What could I have done more? there doubtleſs he will expect fruit; but it muſt be better then backbiting, hatred, evil ſpeaking, or the like, or elſe he will caſt ſuch vines into fire unquenchable, there ſhall be weeping and wailing and gnaſhing of teeth. Let us then not be deceived with our vain and frivolous boaſting againſt the lopt branches; for God will not be any longer mocked, but he is now at this preſent time going about to unfold and to expoſe the converſations of all men both Jews and Chriſtians to the open aſpect of the world.
102Then let not Iſrael ſee our preſent Chriſtian nakedneſs: let not Jacob ſay, I came to them in want, but they relieved me not; I was hungry, a ſtranger, and deſtitute, and they would not take me in; but on the contrary, like the rich Glutton, they commanded me to be beaten and driven forth of their gates, and this was all I heard, (Here is nothing for you.)
And this I can confirm, that laſt September there was a Jew whoſe name was Jobak Ben Daniel, born in Skeydam a place in the Netherlands, and taken amongſt others in a Dutch-Veſſel; being with the reſt ſet aſhore here at London, and a Londoner (who thought himſelf no ſmall Neophytus in Learning) having before in the Poultry once examined hlm of his country, being in other kind of habit then the Flemmings, and having an old Armenian now reſiding in London in his company, who can ſpeak ſufficient Engliſh, and being thereof ſatisfied, as alſo of his religion; did not only withhold his own miſerable hands from giving him alms, but withſtood the charity of ſome others, ſaying where-ere he met him, Give him nothing, he is a curſed Jew. But if God do not change his rotten heart, he will have the ſame anſwer, Go thou curſed, for I know thee not, I have no mercy for thee.
Ah friends, God hath not blinded Iſrael for a while, nor broken them off, that any man ſhould boaſt, but that rather we ought as the103 ſaith, to behold the goodneſs and the long-ſuffering of God to usward, and that with great humility, reverence and thankful affection towards the Lord for this his diſtinguiſhing mercy.
The voice of our Saviour (it is ſaid) was not heard in the ſtreets; but the noiſe of our cruelty is gone forth into all the ſolitary places where theſe poor Jews inhabit; nay, I am aſſured that the name of an Engliſh man makes them afraid. The Lord Chriſt would not ſcorn the ſmalleſt reed; but our Nation hath deſpiſed the Lords day of ſmall things: He came to give life unto dry bones, but we beat them to powder: He came to look after that which had been ſo many years loſt; but our Anceſtors cauſed them to flie into the ſecret holes of the rock. But and if theſe things will not cauſe ſome fellow-feeling in them that read this book, to take part with the ſufferings of Zion, to weep with Titus the heathe•over, or with Conſtantine that vertuous Chriſtian to pray for them, &c. I do yet hope that by way of exhortation I may move the moſt obdurate ſpirit, and that for theſe reaſons
1. Becauſe that in the time of our Saviours being on earth, the whole ſcope and drift of his words and actions was chiefly to this purpoſe, as he told the Jews, that they through him might be ſaved. Theſe things (ſaith he, ſpeaking of the way by which we muſt paſs104 into the kingdom of heaven) I Jeſus, I your dear Saviour ſay, that you poor outcaſts might be ſaved. And though he knew all things, and needed not the help of any man, and therefore was not in the leaſtwiſe ignorant how their deliverance was yet afar off; yet he like an obedient Son would make known to them what he came into the world for to do, even his Fathers will; and therefore thus and thus he communed with them about their worſhip and converſation, nothing more then what did tend to their future eſtate.
Where is the Chriſtian now, like unto that true and faithfull ſervant who hideth not his maſters talent in the earth, but doth traffique with it, that the poor blind Jews may be called from darkneſs to light? The Apoſtle Peter bids us, that as every one hath received, even ſo let him miniſter; let him diſtribute his gifts and graces in fulneſs of love, one man bearing his brothers burden; and this is part of the communion of Gods choſen people.
But 2. we ought to uſe our whole ſtrength to do them good, becauſe that by their fall ſalvation came to the Gentiles. Oh that now I could ſpeak home unto all that read this! It was for our ſakes that they hated Chriſt, refuſed the Goſpel, and became enemies to the truth, that we might be brought to the knowledge of him that is able to ſave to the utmoſt. It not this argument enough to perſwade105 us, the Lord hath for a ſeaſon deprived them of their oracles and their former glory, and hath laid them aſide which were once his people, that we ſtupid and blind idolaters might be grafted into the true Olive tree, to ſtand before the Lord, and to be made partakers of their priviledges?
Herein conſiſteth much of the myſterie of our redemption, that when we were aliens and without hope, even them Chriſt dyed for us. We had no right to the promiſes of old, as the Jews, but were that curſed ſeed that were forbidden to enter into the Congregation.
But now the third and laſt motive ſhall be from that benefit which wil ariſe to us Gentiles by means of their converſion. Now where is the man of our dayes, but will be deſirous and willing, as David ſaith, to behold, or rather receive anything as is good? Now I ſay, although we here in England and in ſome other adjacent Countries have plenty of knowledg and of the means of grace, yet when their converſion happens, we ſhall ſee and know far more clearly then we do. For mark but the Apoſtle expreſſion in Rom. 11.12. How much more their fulneſs? as if he ſhould have ſaid; At the cuting off Iſrael, great were the riches which arrived to the Gentiles: but what light and what riches ſhall there be when the Iſraelites ſhall ſay, Bleſſed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord!
106Thus in the original;〈…〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉: S. Paul ſpeaks hyperborically, as if he were not able to conceive what an exceeding plenty there will be of knowledge; then ſhall every veſſel of the Lords houſe be filled with holineſs, even then when God makes Jeruſalem a praiſe in the earth. And now that Scripture will be fulfilled in Zech. 8. and the laſt verſe; Thus ſaith the Lord of Hoſts, in that day ten men out of all languages of the nations ſhall take hold of the skirt of him that is a Jew, ſaying, We will go with you, for we have heard that God is with you.
I wll write a little of this Scripture. [Thus ſaith the Lord of hoſts] This is that ſtrong and mighty name, by which God was not known amongſt his own people for a long ſeaſon; and being ſo full of majeſty and terror, who dares read it without trembling?
In that day it ſhall come to paſs] that is, when the Morning-ſtar ſhall ariſe upon their ſouls, and the Day-ſpring from on high ſhall viſit them, as it hath done ſome of the Americans; this is that day of their joy and gladneſs, a day of good tidings; it will not be a day of thunder nor tempeſt, neither a day of darkneſs nor gloomineſs, but it will be that great day of rejoycing when God ſhall build his new Tabernacle in their hearts; and now the Nations ſhall learn war no more, but ſhall break their ſwords into pruning-knives: Ephrahim ſhall107 no more vex Judah, nor Judah Ephrahim, but ſhall walk together hand in hand to worſhip in the holy mountain of the Lord: nay, the Lord will in that day make thoſe that are contrary for to agree and lie down together; the young child ſhall ſafely then play upon the hole of the aſp, the wolf and the kid ſhall lie down together, and then all people ſhall ceaſe to diſturb Iacob, nor vexe Iudah any longer.
But further, In that day ten men out of all languages] that is, as ſome do ſuppoſe, choſen men out of the moſt pure and refined Chriſtians, becauſe of the far greater number which are in the world. Others allude it to the ten Tribes, which theſe men will now believe are to be found, and therefore will be ready to burn with zeal for their converſion again.
They ſhall take hold of the skirt of him that is a Jew;] or rather, as ſome Geneva-Doctors would tranſlate it, ſhall give them the honour due unto them. But I do of late underſtand by ſome knowing and diſcreet travellers into their chiefeſt places in Turky, there where they are moſt numerous, that as we unvail the bonnet to thoſe of noble birth, ſo they uſe it by taking the skirt of his garment in their hand, and kiſs it.
But the reſult of all is, We will go with you.] Here is a reſolution without too tedious a deliberation; it is plain, and the reaſon is very pithy, Becauſe we have heard that God is with108 you. Nay, they will be aſſured of it, for that now it is when thoſe many diviſions that are amongſt us at this preſent day ſhall be decided, and all Sects ſhall be then collected into one true faith and one true baptiſm. And although we are for a time puffed up above meaſure, as altogether inſiſting upon novelties and circumſtances; when Iſrael ſhall be exalted, theſe toyes and unneceſſary forms that I could name ſhall be all laid aſide with all their orders and appertenances, to be regulated according to the new model of the Jews. It is true, that God hath been, and ſtill is in a far more eſpecial manner with us then he is with them; and we do daily enjoy thoſe gifts and graces which many Princes and Prophets longed with great deſire to ſee and know, and that which millions in the world know not as at this day: But then we ſhall believe that God is in a more glorious and tranſcendent way with them, then to day he is with us; becauſe doth not the Apoſtle St. Paul ſay, that it ſhall be like life from the dead? as if the world with all its inhabitants were but like a chaos of confuſion, nothing but darkneſs; or elſe fallen into Endymion's ſleep, not able to ſee their way at noon-day, untill the Jews ſhall raiſe them up and lead them to the houſe of prayer, even Gods dwelling-place where he will ſet up his throne for ever.
109I will but put this to any mans conſideration, whom perhaps comfortable experience may cauſe to know the truth of this; that when a man cometh to be truly converted, and to be a real believer, there will be ſuch another man (as I may ſay) to be ſeen in him, as that all that ſee him will be ſo amazed, that they will ſcarce believe him to be the ſame man. Is not bleſſed Paul an example ſufficient for this? Now I ſay, that if the converſion of one poor ſoul will be ſo miraculous in the eyes of all thoſe that know it, what will the converſion of two forlorn Nations cauſe in the mindes of all men that hear of it?
And therefore I could heartily wiſh, that every man in his own proper ſtation would lay aſide any queſtion concerning the certainty of it, and to uſe his whole ability to further it by his daily prayers. I might uſe a great many more ſtrong arguments to evince you, and to make men willing; but I look upon all, (though it were a large volume) as nothing, except the Lord ſet it home upon mens conſciences. And therefore I will only ſhew what are thoſe grand impediments which kept the Jews from believing on Jeſus Chriſt the eternal Son of God.
The firſt let happened from that inbred unbelief which they did entertain about the manner of his entring into the world, or in reſpect of the meanneſs and low eſtate of his fleſhly parents.
110And thence they ſay, Can any good thing, or is it poſſible that any ſuch ſhould come out of Nazareth? which place they did, and do account of as the moſt unlikely place in all the Country thereabouts for to produce their Saviour. And in another place, This man (ſay they) do we not know whence he is. Believing that Shiloh ſhall deſcend from heaven above with great acclamations of Angels and men, and ſo to be placed upon the throne immediately, and rule over the Nations with a rod of iron. And again, Is not this the Carpenters ſon? And with this they do many times at this day ſuppoſe to ſtop the mouth of a Chriſtian diſcourſing with them, as if ſo be the King of Kings and Lord of Lords would be the adopted ſon of a Carpenter; and by this their predeceſſors did hinder ſome from believing on him; for (ſaid they) are not his brethren here with us?
But ſecondly, to omit the meanneſs of his birth, this may ſeem ſomething more incongruous to a King, and altogether inconſiſtent with ſuch a degree, that after he had forſaken the houſe of his parents, he had not wherein to put his head, but went up and down in a ſervile-like eſtate, even in the very garb of a dejected ſpirit. Nay moreover in that he would be that ipſe ſolus, even what none before ever was, or ever ſhall be: That whereas the Kings of the Eaſt did, and do always ride either upon Elephants111 or Dromedaries; I ſay, becauſe that he would ſhew the loweſt example of humility and meekneſs, he would therefore ride upon none other then that which men do account the moſt inferior of ſuch kind of creatures, ſo that the Text ſaith he rode upon an Aſs to Ieruſalem. And above this, whereas the Jews did expect, and Iſrael yet doth expect a moſt gorgeous and excellent train to attend him, he had none but his twelve mean followers, and the generality of his company were Publicans; and therefore they called him a Samaritan, being ignorant of the true meaning of thoſe places in Iſa. 53. and Zech. 9.9.
A third impediment was from the manner and matter of his diſcourſe. And firſt the manner of his doctrine ſeemed not ſo pertinent unto their Saviour, whereby they might receive either redemption, or the leaſt comfort in the time of their ſubjection under the Romans, but ſo as they could in no wiſe underſtand it; for it is written in the Evangeliſts, that he ſpake to them in parables and in dark ſayings, only to fulfill the Scripture, that Iſrael ſeeing him, yet ſhould not ſee, nor hearing ſhould underſtand. For when Chriſt told the Jews of raiſing the deſtroyed Temple in three dayes time, he made it not clear to them, for he then ſpake of the Temple of his body; and upon that the Hebrews being not able to apprehend his true meaning, it ſeemed but as a vain ſaying to them. 112But for the matter in that place where the Lord did affirm he was before Abraham, there was their great miſtake. Now they meant according to their knowledg of Chriſt as he took upon him the humane nature (ſin only excepted) but he meant according unto his eternal Godhead, who was that Lamb ſlain from the foundation of the world.
Now it is ſaid in the Evangeliſt St. John, that when they heard theſe ſayings, they were offended and cryed out, Who can hear it? and thereupon many of his Diſciples were ſo fooliſh, as that they revolted from Chriſt. This was a greater default in them then in the Jews: which made our Saviour wonder and ſay to the twelve, Will ye go away alſo? And notwithſtanding their preſent deteſtations of ſo baſe a relapſe, yet we know that when he came to ſuffer, his Diſciples ran their way and left him. Then if a Chriſtians faith may be ſo tottering, no marvail the Jews did not then accept him for their Meſſiah.
But chiefly our Saviour did drive at this, that he might beat the Jews off from their own ſelf-righteouſneſs and hypocritical works; and for this cauſe they ſaid he came to deſtroy and to abrogate the Law of Moſes, that he would ſit at meat with Publicans and ſinners, do cures on the Sabbath-day, and the like. But the laſt and greateſt hinderance of their belief, next unto Gods purpoſe, was, in that he whom113 they believe is or will be God with them, was or ſhould be capable of ſuffering death. Wherefore ſaid the Jews, if the King of Iſrael, let him ſave himſelf. So that the moſt ready amongſt them to believe on Chriſt, when he came to ſuffer, did then fall away; as in the 24 of Luke, v. 21. But we truſted it had been he who ſhould have redeemed Iſrael! And herein conſiſted the invalidity of their Theſis; they did not firmly believe, but only ſuppoſed that this was he. Their faith was as little, or rather leſs then the faith of Thomas: but Ieſus Chriſt calleth that a bleſſed faith, which is the ſubſtance of things only hoped for. But as I ſay all along, ſo now, Gods time it ſeems is not as yet come, and therefore his juſtice muſt and will be fully ſatisfied before mercy will extend unto any man. We all know that if God ſhould not puniſh for ſin, it would much derogate from his holineſs; which attribute God doth ſo excell in, as it is ſaid he hateth to look upon ſin, and without the participation of which no ſoul can enter into glory.
And further, it was requiſite and juſt that the Lord ſhould ſo puniſh Iſrael, becauſe that whom he loveth he chaſteneth; and when God doth ſuffer any one to go114 on in his ſins unpuniſhed, it argues that he lies under the heavy ſentence of Gods diſpleaſure.
The Apoſtle St. Paul had never found out that good way (not of Damaſcus) but that which leads to eternal happineſs, if the Lord had not firſt ſtruck him blind. So his brethren the Jewes muſt not go to their journies end, without croſſes and perſecutions; for it is not only a narrow way, but it is a perillous way, a paſs ſcarce paſſable by reaſon of thoſe many tribulations and various trials that the faithfull meet withall in their pilgrimage; and therefore great is the wiſdom of God which goes along with their captivity.
Then let not Chriſtians that think they ſtand, boaſt nor be high-minded. As there was no Cedar in Lebahon but was liable to lopping; ſo there is no Chriſtian ſo tall nor ſteady, but may fall into moſt groſs and ſcandalous enormities, yea ſo low, as that God may ſeem to have forſaken him for a ſeaſon, as he hath the Jews. For is not this written for eternity to conſider on, how notwithſtanding all the good deeds of Hezekiah, yet he was branded, or rather clouded with this exprobration, That he rendred not unto the Lord according unto what he115 had received? And was not this the reaſon of Iſraels dejection and preſent rejection, becauſe the Scripture ſaith he rejected and put far away from him all the Lords benefits? Jeſurun had enough, nay rather too much of the mercies of God, except he had made better improvement of them, then to kick and ſpurn againſt God and his holy Word.
Certainly the Lord doth not give any man riches, or ſhew any man mercy, that thereby he ſhould rebell: Should we ſin, becauſe grace aboundeth? God forbid! Nay rather with Saul we ſhould admire the exceeding riches of free-grace, that ſuch bondmen as the Iſraelites in Egypt were, and that ſuch great ſinners as we are, ſhould obtain the leaſt crum of mercy. This is, indeed was their miſery, that they knew not that it was God that did draw them, as it were, with bonds of love, neither ſtudied for to know: And for this cauſe hath the Lord caſt them down ſo low, that nothing can raiſe them out of their blind and undone eſtate, but the omnipotent word of the Lord: which reſurrection or reſtauration will be accompliſhed by taking away thoſe ſcales of unbelief which hang before their eyes.
116For they are not yet arrived to Damaſcus ▪ neither as yet is Ananias come to them. They are not thither come, becauſe there is none as yet that do take this blind creature by the hand whereby to guide her; and he that will enlighten the dark minds of their underſtanding, even the Glory of Iſrael, hath not as yet given charge to the Angel of his preſence for their ſalvation.
It is ſaid in one of the Prophets, Will the Lion roar when he hath caught the prey and hath enough? and will not the Grape-gatherers leave the gleanings?
So that from this alluſion which the Lord by the mouth of the Prophet ſent unto the Jews formerly, is much talked on amongſt them even at this day; ſo that they ſay the Lord will not be always angry with them, but he will remember the covenant which he made with their fathers: God will leave a remnant to poſſeſs the deſolate and waſte places, ſuch as he hath reſerved for his own purpoſe, ſuch as can ſtand and admire to remember the dayes of old; whoſe hearing the ſad relation of their fathers ſo many hundred years living in darkneſs, for that horrid & doleful ſaying of theirs at the crucifixion of their King, his blood be upon us and our children! will make their ears to tingle. 117O fooliſh people and unwiſe, that ſhould by their hardneſs of heart and ſtubborneſs of mind produce ſuch a heavy curſe, which hath faln heavy upon ſo many generations!
Yet the Jews at this day omitting what is paſt; profeſs unto us Chriſtians, that they have ſtill great hopes and are fully perſwaded that they ſhall yet be a moſt holy people unto God, pure and without ſpot or blemiſh. And therefore as Aquinas ſaith, Spes confert ad actionem vel operationem; is, I am ſure, fulfilled in the Jews; for that there never was more ſearching of the Prophets then there is at this day amongſt them, never more frequent calling upon God, never were there ſuch longings after him whom their ſouls will dearly love, as to day; as yet never any of their predeceſſors, as I can find, for above theſe ſixteen hundred years, were ſo willing to converſe and commune with us Chriſtians about their Meſſiah. Time was, and that of late years, if a Chriſtian did but mention Chriſt unto them, they would ſhun his company, though ſometimes to their own damage. Therefore let us rejoice at this, and willingly ſpend ſome time to further the building of this Temple not made with hands; and the Lord will queſtionleſs reward us.
118It would be well if that England would but now do as the Apoſtle writes of them: For verily (ſaith he) it hath pleaſed them of Achaia and Macedonia to make a certain contribution for the poor Saints which are at Jeruſalem.
Now as the Apoſtle doth here write to another Church, he bringeth this in, that it might be their example of well-doing. I ſay that it would be worthy of eternal remembrance and commendation, if the Supreme of this Nation would be pleaſed as the Apoſtle ſaith, (that is) to be very willing thereto, ſo as to entertain theſe poor, and as yet unchriſtianized Hebrewes, whoſe debtors (as he ſaith) we truly and indeed are
I know not of a truth the buſineſs between the Dutch and Portugals in Braſile; but perhaps there being a many Jews, they may be expoſed to the elements. And then let us know here in England, that God doth yet ſtrive with us, (who can well help them without us) and hath put one opportunity more of doing good into our hands, if we will but lay hold of it. If not, I ſhall apply the words of Mordecai to Eſther unto our Nation, thus ſaying,
119For if thou altogether holdeſt thy peace at this time, then ſhall their enlargement and deliverance ariſe from another place to the Jews, but thou and thy fathers houſe ſhall periſh, &c.
So that if we do not now work whilſt it is day, and whilſt we may help them, and for which we may have cauſe to bleſs God, and to comfort our ſelves with that ſaying of Paul, — For in Chriſt Jeſus I have begotten you through the Gospel; and that we have that honour before all the Nations in the world, ſo that through the aſſiſtance of our Lord we may be inſtruments of Iſraels reſurrection and reſtauration: Yet if we ſhall now forbear to put our helping hands to ſo glorious and juſt an employment, and cry out with the ſluggard for a little more quiet, a little more folding the hands, then let us be ſure that their ſalvation will come from ſome other Nation, who the Text ſaith ſhall be as thorns in our eyes, and help to deſtroy us on all ſides. And beſides this, we know not whoſe turn may be next, that may be forſaken of God in theſe tickliſh and perillous times: Is it not good to be found well doing, even our Lords buſineſs? which is to uſe all our might and ſtrength for the bringing of dark120 ſouls into the true way. Jeſus Chriſt our Saviour ſaith, If ye love me, feed my lambs, and love the brethren. It is not promiſed to any man, that he ſhall go to heaven by all faith, and no works, which are the fruits of the true faith of the Son of God. For as Gregorius ſaith, Nil juvat nomen bonum, reclamante conſcientiâ. That to have a notional faith, and to bear the name of a Chriſtian, without acting like a Chriſtian: And for a Moraliſt that payeth every man his own, and cometh conſtantly to the publick Ordinances, and perhaps hath unto this day lived with good conſcience and unblameable towards all men, (this is all good;) who makes one form of prayer to be his diuturnal ſacrifice it may be to his dying day, and therewith is content and quiets himſelf. and hopes therewith to appeaſe God, never ſtriving to proceed further; indeed having not the Spirit of God, who leads the choſen with ſuitable ſupplications, and gives unto them the ſpirit of prayer, not of the one onely prayer of ſuch a Miniſter, although it may be at that time ſuitable: I ſay, ſuch a man leaneth but upon a broken reed; this lazie progreſs of his will never bring him to heaven; but ſuch a mans conſcience will one day tell him he is121 never the better for his faith. But for the preſent his conſcience may ſleep, like the Laws, quae nunquam moriuntur; and it may be the man thinks he hath love and charity enough; but as for the Jews, they are no kin to him. Yet let him be aſſured with Auguſtine, that quàm nihil notum in terra, tam nihil ignotum in coelo; how that God doth take ſpecial notice of all his carriage as well to wards them as the Chriſtians. I ſaid before, that we had all one Father, and are we not all brethren? Then let us look to it. that we may not become guilty of that dreadful curſe of our Saviours, for not takeing in of the poor ſtrangers: But rather ſo order our ſteps everyman in his own ſphere, that we may give up the account of our talents not with fear, but great joy. So that the Lord will certainly withold that day of gloomineſs wherein he will judge the world (notwithſtanding the vain opinions of ſome of our days) till all the ſervants of the moſt High, both Jews and Gentiles, are ſealed, and when God hath called them home unto his kingdom of marvailous light, and given them the aſſurance of their faith and hope, and how they ſhall then be ſecure from thoſe great plagues that are about to come upon all the wicked of the world. I ſay then122 there ſhall be ſilence in heaven, and not before; then will the Spirit ſay come, and the Bride ſay come, even then let every true Chriſtian ſay come.
If any one that would truly further the coming of our Lord to judgment, and does deſire that thoſe evil dayes ſpoken of and predicted by him might be ſhortned; let him firſt ſtudy how to further their converſion, becauſe the other cannot be accompliſhed untill all the elect and choſen Hebrews be made veſſels ready prepared to abide for ever in thoſe heavenly manſions above.
When that day of ſlaughter begins to appear, the Lord will bring all Nations down into the valley of Jehoſhaphat, and there he will plead with them. Now for what is it, but the Lords calling unto account thoſe of all Nations that have ſcattered his heritage, even Iſrael, amongſt all Nations of the world, and dealt treacherouſly with them, by ſelling them and miſuſing them?
The wiſeman Solomon ſaith, that a prudent man foreſeeth a danger and prevents it. Now here the wiſe God only for our good, and that we may prevent our ſuffering with the reſt of the world, does forewarn123 us as he did Niniveh. Then had not we better in times of mercy, before the evil day come upon us, to help the Iſraelites now whileſt we may doe it? for it will nor be thanks-worthy to doe it by conſtraint; becauſe the moſt wicked of men, when Gods judgments light upon them, will then begin to doe good: This cometh only from ſlaviſh fear, and will not ſtand us in ſtead in that great day of Jezreel.
And therefore let us bethink our ſelves what a heavy curſe did fall upon Tyre and Sidon, becauſe they ſold the children of Judah, even the Lords own people, unto the Grecians: As alſo what great mercy in times of calamity God hath ſhewn, and will ſtill ſhew to all thoſe that will help to redeem the poor captives, and ſhew them what proffers and invitations Jeſus Chriſt holdeth forth to their nation. Certainly God which hath promiſed, is alſo able to fulfill his words; and we ſee that in the revolutions of time, and throughout every generation, one promiſe or other hath either its dawning, or elſe its meridian; and therefore I am perſwaded their reſtauration will be the next. However it cannot be far off; for God hath ſworne that he will make this people more glorious then124 other Nations; and he that beareth record, hath ſet to his ſeal that God is true; Heaven and earth may paſs away, but his words, no not the leaſt tittle thereof ſhall fall to the ground. He is not as man that he ſhould lye; but He is the Amen, the faithful and true Witneſs, the beginning of the Creation, who will ſhortly come and ſhake all Nations.
But if ſome adamantine ſpirits will not yet give way to their tranſportation; let others that have well-grounded hope, weep with the Prophet Jeremiah in ſecret places for ſuch mens pride, and let their eyes run down with tears, becauſe the Lords flock remain in captivity, and in an unconverted condition, even unto this day.