The Mystery of Israel's Salvation

Si scientiam horae Iudicii Filius non erubuit referre ad Patrem, sed dixit quod verum est, ne que nos erubescimus quae sunt in Questionibus majora secundum nos, reservare Deo.

Confitemur in Terra nobis Regnum repromissum, sed alio statu; utpote Post Resurrectionem, &c.

Tertullian lib. 3. Advers. Marcion. cap. 24.

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Orig. Contra Celsum. l. 3.

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Sibyll.

AN EPISTLE TO THE READER.

Christian Reader!

HOw happy would be the condition of Gods people in this world? How sweet and amiable would their conversing together be? How honourable to God and Christ, and to the Gospel of Truth and Peace in the sight of all? if their love to every Divine truth, and mutually among themselves, in the truth, and for the truths sake, did so shine forth, that it might be said of them, as it was observed and said in former times by Heathen Persecutors; See how these Christians love one another? This is the real character of Christs Disciples, and a proper effect of that purity of heart, which proceeds from effectual faith in Jesus Christ; therefore the Apostle Peter saith in, 1 Pet. 1.22. Seeing ye have purifyed your souls in obeying the truth through the spirit unto unfeigned love of the Brethren: See that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently. But here is one maim and misery, that, as our knowledge of the truth is imperfect, ◊o our love to it, and one to another is imperfect; though the way of love 〈…〉 a more excellent way, as the Apostle argueth, 1 Cor. 13. From the defect hereof, or herein, it is, that differences in apprehensions cause such distances and animosities among those who agree in fundamentals, through the remainders of flesh, even in the regenerate; though we are taught whereto we have already attained, to wa◊k by the same rule, and to mind the same thing, expecting, that if in anything we be otherwise minded, God will reveal this unto us, Phil. 3.15, 16. As for needless contradictions, and causless oppositions, what do they else but weaken the hearts and hands of Saints in the work of the Lord, and strengthen adversaries in their malicious and subtil designs and enterprises against the truth? Both which might be prevented, if Gods people would stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving for the faith of the Gospel. Wisdom expecteth to be justifyed of her Children, and therefore teacheth them to cry after knowledge, and to lift up their voice for understanding, to seek her as silver, and to search for her as for hid treasures. Which is to be done by searching the Scriptures diligently, with servent prayer, for the illumination of the spirit of truth, that we may find those spiritual treasures which yet he hid in these rich Mines. Though all the words of wisdom's mouth are plain to him that understandeth and right to them that find knowledge; yet mens too much indulging their own conceits even in Doctrins of faith, and of Gods worship in Church-order, hath caused many Disputes and Controversies among Learned men, by their mis-understanding or mis-applying sundry Texts of Scripture to the corrupting of their minds from the simplicity that is in Christ. Therefore if self-confidence and leaning to our own understanding, must be carefully avoided in such weighty matters, which are more clearly and plain◊y expressed; much more in darker portions of Scripture, such as Prophesies of future times and things are: and among them, those that concern the effectual Vocation and Salvation of Israel (which is the Subject of the ensuing Treatise) concerning which the Angel Gabriel, commanded Daniel to shut up the words, and seal the Book, even to the time of the end, Dan. 12.4. Which shews, that this Prophesie, though it be obscure before, yet when the time for the accomplishing of it approacheth, many shall be stirred up to inquire with all diligence into the meaning of it, which is meant by their running to and fro, and the promise for their encouragement so to do, is, that knowledge shall be increased, that is, by the assistance and blessing of the Lion of the Tribe of Judah, the root of David, who alone is worthy to open the sealed Book, Rev. 5.5, 9.

The Reverend Author hath worthily ingaged in this running to and fro, and hath given an account of what discoveries he hath made of the present truth, by the travel of his soul in searching the Scriptures, to find out what was formerly hid from many. When I heard that his spirit was excited to handle this Subject, in his publick Sermons, I was glad, believing that the holy spirit inclined him thereunto, and would assist him therein. As I believed, so I found, when I read his Manuscript; which though straits of time, and multiplicity of diversions, did not permit me to peruse so exactly, as to examine every passage accurately and critically, yet the substance and principal Contents of it (viz.

First, that the elect Israelites of the ten, as well as of the two Tribes called Iudah, shall be converted. Secondly, That this will not be before Romes ruine. Thirdly, That the great and settled glory of the Church on earth will not be before the coming of Christ to judgment) seemed to me to be clearly drawn from the Scripture of truth, and to be by him held forth, seasonably, piously, elaborately, judiciously, and modestly.

1. Seasonably; These Sermons being preached in a time when constant reports from sundry places and hands gave out to the world, that the Israelites were upon their journey towards Ierusalem, from sundry Forreign parts in great multitudes, and that they were carryed on with great signs and wonders by a high and mighty hand of extraordinary providence, to the admiration and astonishment of all that heard it, and that they had written to others of their Nation, in Europe and America, to encourage and invite them to hasten to them. This seemed to many godly and judicious to be a beginning of the accomplishment [The Authors opinion (as is to be seen in the following Tractate) was and is, that the late and present rumours about the Iews, will prove an eminent, if not an ultimate impletion of that Prophesie, Matth. 24 24.] of that Prophesie concerning the noise and shaking, and coming together of those dry bones spoken of in Ezek. 37.7. which was to be a preparitory to that which followeth in verse 8, 9, 10, 11. This being to be accomplished in its season, the Lord was pleased to fix the mind and meditations of the godly Author upon that great truth, the Salvation of all Israel, as a word upon its wheels, uttered with due respect to circumstances, which Solomon likens to Apples of Gold in pictures of Silver, Prov. 25.11.