CHAP. CXII.
Peace.Doubtless that Canaan land was not a pattern for all lands: it was a non-such, unparallelled, and unmatchable.
The difference of the people of Israel and all other peoples.
Truth.Many other considerations of the same nature I might annex, but I pick here and there a flower, and pass on to a second head concerning the people themselves, wherein the state of the people shall appear unmatchable: but only by the true church and Israel of God.
The people of Israel the seed of one man.
First. The people of Israel were all the seed or offspring of one man, Abraham, Psalm cv. 6, and so downward the seed of Isaac and Jacob, hence called the Israel of God, that is, wrestlers and prevailers with God, distinguished into twelve tribes, all sprung out of Israel’s loins.
But now, few nations of the world but are a mixed seed; the people of England especially: the Britons, Picts, Romans, Saxons, Danes, and Normans, by a wonderful providence of God, being become one English people.
Only made good in the spiritual seed, the regenerate, or new-born.
Only the spiritual Israel and seed of God, the new born, are but one. Christ is the seed, Gal. iii. [16,] and they only that are Christ’s are only Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.
This spiritual seed is the only antitype of the former figurative and typical. A seed which all Christians ought to propagate, yea, even the unmarried men and women who are not capable of natural offspring, for thus is this called the seed of Christ (who lived and died unmarried), Isa. lix. 21.
Secondly. This people was selected and separated to the Lord, his covenant and worship, from all the people andnations of the world beside, to be his peculiar and only people, Lev. xx. 26, &c.
The people of Israel separate from all nations in spiritual, and in some civil things.
Therefore, such as returned from Babylon to Jerusalem, they separated themselves to eat the passover, Ezra vi. [21.] And in that solemn humiliation and confession before the Lord, Neh. ix. [2,] the children of Israel separated themselves from all strangers.
This separation of theirs was so famous, that it extended not only to circumcision, the passover, and matters of God’s worship, but even to temporal and civil things: thus (Ezra ix.) they separated or put away their very wives, which they had taken of the strange nations, contrary to the commandment of the Lord.
No nation so separated to God in the gospel, but only the new-born Israel that fear God in every nation.
But where hath the God of heaven, in the gospel, separated whole nations or kingdoms, English, Scotch, Irish, French, Dutch, &c., as a peculiar people and antitype of the people of Israel? Yea, where the least footing in all the scripture for a national church after Christ’s coming?
Can any people in the world pattern this sampler but the new-born Israel, such as fear God in every nation, Acts x. 35, commanded to come forth, and separate from all unclean things or persons? 2 Cor. vi. [17,] and though not bound to put away strange wives as Israel did, because of that peculiar respect upon them in civil things, yet to be holy or set apart to the Lord in all manner of civil conversation, 1 Pet. i. 15: only to marry in the Lord, yea, and to marry as if they married not, 1 Cor. vii. [29:] yea, to hate wife and children, father, mother, house, and land, yea, and life itself for the Lord Jesus, Luke xiv. 26.
The whole people of Israel miraculously brought forth of Egypt.
Thirdly. This seed of Abraham thus separate from all people unto the Lord, was wonderfully redeemed and brought from Egypt bondage, through the Red Sea, and the wilderness, unto the land of Canaan, by many strange signs and wonderful miracles, wrought by the out-stretchedhand of the Lord, famous and dreadful, and to be admired by all succeeding peoples and generations, Deut. iv. 32-34,Ask now from one side of the heaven unto the other, whether there hath been such a thing as this?&c.
Not so any whole nation now.
And we may ask again from one side of the heaven unto the other, whether the Lord hath now so miraculously redeemed and brought unto himself any nation or people, as he did this people of Israel.
Peace.The English, Scotch, Dutch, &c., are apt to make themselves the parallels, as wonderfully come forth of popery, &c.
Truth.1. But first, whole nations are no churches under the gospel.
Popery not so easily turned from as is conceived.
2. Secondly, bring the nations of Europe professing protestantism to the balance of the sanctuary, and ponder well whether the body, bulk, the general, or one hundredth part of such peoples, be truly turned to God from popery:—
Who knows not how easy it is to turn, and turn, and turn again, whole nations from one religion to another?
Wonderful turnings in religion in twelve years’ compass in England.
Who knows not that within the compass of one poor span of twelve years’ revolution, all England hath become from half papist, half protestant, to be absolute protestants; from absolute protestants, to absolute papists; from absolute papists, changing as fashions, to absolute protestants?
The pope not unlike to recover his monarchy over Europe before his downfall.
I will not say, as some worthy witnesses of Christ have uttered, that all England and Europe must again submit their fair necks to the pope’s yoke; but this I say, many scriptures concerning the destruction of the beast and the whore look that way. And I add, they that feel the pulse of the people seriously, must confess that a victorious sword and a Spanish inquisition will soon make millions face about as they were in the forefathers’ time.