430 JEWS’ OBJECTIONS AGAINST [EXERC. XVIII
(3.) The state and condition of the church of old required such a way of instruction; for as they had then, in the covenant of the land of Canaan, many promises of earthly and carnal things, so they themselves were carnal, and received great encouragement to abide in their expectation of the coming of the Messiah from that outward glory which they apprehended that it would be attended withal. Besides, the time was not yet come wherein the veil was to be removed, and believers were with open face to behold the glory of God. And therefore, although this way of instruction, by simili- tudes, metaphors, and allegories, was suited, as we observed, in general to affect their minds and to stir up their affections, yet it did not give them that clear, distinct apprehension of the things of the king- dom of the Messiah which was afterwards revealed. God had other work to do among them, by them, and upon them, than openly and plainly to reveal his whole counsel in these things unto them. Hence the prophets themselves, who received the promises and revelations treated of from God, were fain to inquire with all diligence into the nature of the office, work, sufferings, and glory, of the Messiah, which they prophesied unto the church about, 1 Pet. 1. 10-12; and yet all their inquiries came short of the understanding of those mysteries which he had who only saw the Messiah come in the flesh, and died before he had accomplished his work. But in all these promises there was provision laid in to compel, as it were, the most carnal mind to look principally after spiritual things, and to own an allegory in the expressions of them; for many of them are such, or otherwise have no tolerable signification or sense, nor ever shall have accom- plishment unto eternity.. Can any man be so stupidly sottish as to think that in the days of the Messiah, hills shall leap, and trees clap their hands, and waste places sing, and sheep of Kedar and rams of Nebaioth be made ministers, and Jews suck milk from the breasts of — kings, and little children play with cockatrices, literally and properly ? And yet these things, with innumerable of the like kind, are promised. Do they not openly proclaim to every understanding that all these expressions of them are metaphorical, and that some other thing is to be sought for in them? Some of the Jews, I confess, would fain have them all literally fulfilled unto a tittle. They would have a trumpet to be blown that all the world should hear, mountains to be levelled, seas to be dried up, wildernesses to be filled with springs and roses, the Gentiles carrying the Jews upon their shoulders, and — giving them all their gold and silver! But the folly of these imagina- tions is unspeakable, and the blindness of their authors deplorable: neither, to gratify them, must we expose the word of God to the contempt and scorn of atheistical scoffers; which such expositions _ and applications of it would undoubtedly do. Now, this rule which we insist upon is especially to be heeded where spiritual and tem-
SECT. 6.] CHRISTIAN RELIGION ANSWERED. 431
poral things, though far distant in their natures, yet do usually come under the same appellation. Thus is it with the peace that is pro- mised in the days of the Messiah. Peace is either spiritual and eternal, with God; or outward and external, with men in this world. Now these things are not only distinct, and such as may be distin- guished one from the other, but such as whose especial nature is absolutely different; yet are they both peace, and so called. The former is that which was chiefly intended in the coming of the Messiah; but this, being peace also, is often promised in those words which in their first signification denote the latter, or outward peace in this world amongst men. And this is frequent in the prophets. 6. Fourthly, By “the seed of Abraham,” by “ Jacob” and “Is- rael,’ in many places of the prophets, not the carnal seed, at least not all the carnal seed, of them is intended, but the children of the faith of Abraham, who are the inheritors of the promise. Here, I acknowledge, the Jews universally differ from us. They would have none but themselves intended in these expressions; and whatever is spoken concerning the seed of Abraham, if it be not accomplished in themselves, they suppose it hath no effect on any other in the world. And from this apprehension an objection was raised of old against the doctrine of our apostle; for on supposition that Jesus was the Messiah, and that the blessing was to be obtained by faith in him, whereas it was evident that far the greatest part of the Jews believed not in him, it would seem to follow that the promise God made to Abraham was of none effect, Rom. ix. 1, etc. But the apostle answers, that the promise did never belong unto all the car- nal seed of Abraham: for whereas he had many sons, one of whom, Ishmael, was his first-born, yet Isaac only inherited the promise; and whereas Isaac himself had two sons, yet only one of them, and he the younger, enjoyed the privilege; and all this proceeded from the especial purpose of God, who takes into that privilege whom he pleaseth. So was his dealing with the Jews at that time. He called whom he pleased to a participation of the promise, and passed by whom he would; whereby it came to pass at last that all the elect _ obtained, and the rest were hardened. Now, the seed to whom the promise is given, are those only that obtain it by faith, being chosen thereunto; the residue being not intended in that appellation of “Tsrael,’ “Jacob,” the “sons” and “seed of Abraham.” Moreover, as those only of the carnal seed of Abraham who embrace the promise are received in this matter to be his seed, so all that follow the faith of Abraham, and believe unto righteousness, as he did, are his sons and the seed of the promise, although carnally they are not his off- spring. The same also is to be said concerning those names of “ Zion” and “ Jerusalem,” of both which such glorious things are spoken. I suppose none can imagine that it is the little hill so called, or the