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SECT. IV.

Where we shall prove, That the Jewish Revelation tends to convince us of the Divinity of the Christian Religion.

I

CHAP. Ι.

Of the Calling of the Gentiles.

Tis not fufficient for us only to have proved the Divine Original of the Jewish Religion; but we ought to proceed yet further, and confider, whether it will not lead us to some greater Revelation.

One of the chiefest Oracles that it contains is undoubtedly the Prediction of the Calling of the Gentiles, this is a grand Principle, which, if but once throughly established, will carry us far beyond the Jewish Revelation, and make us fully acquainted with the Model and Design of God in the Matter of Religion.

To effectt his, Let us keep close to the Confideration of that Prophefie, and its Completion.

The Scripture fully resolves all doubts we may reafonably have about this Prophefie. This is not fuch an Oracle as might by chance have been put into the mouth only of a single Prophet; but it is in all their mouths. Mofes, David, Solomon, Isaiah, Feremiah and others, do so often in their Writings foretel the Call

ing of the Gentiles, that they seem to have

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Spe phefie is embroiled with any obscurity, because nothing can be more plain than these words of Zechariah, Chap. 14: Verse 8, 9. And it shall be in that day that living waters shall go out from Jerusalem, &c. And the Lord shall be King over all the Earth; in that day shall there be one Lord, and his name one. Nor likewise this place out of Malachi, Chap. 1. ver. II. For from the rising of the Sun unto the going down of the same, my name shall be great among the Gentiles, and in every place incense shall be offered unto my name, and a pure offering. For my Name shall be great among the Heathen, faith the Lord of Hosts.

If these words are not thought expreffive enough to teftifie God's Choice of the Gentiles, and his admiffion of them into his Covenant, do but observe this Passage, wherein he speaks himself by the mouth of his Prophet Ifaiah, chap. 65. ver. 1. I was fought of them that asked not for me, and found of them that fought me not. I Said unto a Nation that was not called by my name, Behold me, behold me. And this other, Chap. 54. verse 1. Sing O barren, thou that didst not bear; break forth into Singing, and cry aloud; thou that didst not travail with Child: for more are the Children of the defolate, than the Children of the married wife, faith the Lord. If you would know who are the Gentiles that are to be made partakers of these great Promises, you will find all of them to be indifferently admitted into this Covenant, even those who formerly seemed most abandoned of God. In that day, faith Ifaiah, Chap. 19. verse 21. The Lord shall be known to Egypt, and the Egyptians shall know the Lord.

If it be the Opinion of the Jews, that the Gentiles were to be called to the Knowledge of the true God, like a Company of Slaves wholly designed to follow the triumphal Chariot of Ifrael, we might foon filence them with these words of Micah, Chap. 4. verse 6,7. In that day, faith the Lord, I will afsfemble her that halteth, and

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and I will gather her that is driven out, &c. And I wil make her that halteth a remnant, and ber that was cast far off, a strong Nation, and the Lord shall reign over them in Mount Sion, from bewceforth even for ever. Ezechiel speaks of a time in which the two Nations should

Chap. 37. ver. 26, 27, 28.

be no more two Nations, and of an everlasting Covenant, which God would make with them in general. Moreover, faith he, I will make a Covenant of Peace with them, it shall be an everlasting Covenant with them, and I will place them, and multiply them, and will fet my Sanctuary in the midst of them for evermore. My Tabernacle also shall be with them; yea, I will be their God, and they shall be my People. And the Heathen shall know, that I the Lord do fanctifie Ifrael; when my Sanctuary shall be in the midst of them for evermore. Then, faith God by the mouth of Zephaniah, will I turn to the People a pure Language, that they may all call upon the Name of the Lord, to ferue bim with one

Chap. 3.

ver. 9.

confent.

If these Oracles are not perswasive enough, and you yet require more expreffive, you need but consult Efaiah for a fuller representation of this Matter, And it shall come to pass in the last days, faith he, Chap 2. verse 2, 3. That the Mountain of the Lord's House Shall be established in the top of the Mountains, and fail be exalted above the Hills, and all Nations fhall flow unto it: And many People sball go, and fay, Come je, and let us go up to the Mountain of the Lord, to the House of the God of Jacob, and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his Paths: For out of Zion feall go forth the Law, and the word of the Lord from Ferusalem. And again he faith, Chap. 20. verfe 1, 2, 3. Arife, soine, For thy light is come, and the Glory of the Lord is risen

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upon thee: And the Gentiles shall come to thy light, and Kings to the brightness of thy rifing.

Psalm 22.

verse 27.

But who will warrant us, it was not out of some exagerating Defires of the Prophets themselves, which made them give out, that the very Gentiles shoul dcome to the Knowledge of the true God, and shew forth his Wonders? Why may we not as well believe, that the Pfalmift only designed to express his defire, when he said, All the Ends of the World shall remember and turn unto the Lord: and all the Kindreds of the Nations fhall worship before him? But this fufpicion will easily vanish, if you'll but consider that these Oracles which denote the calling of the Heathen, sometimes oppose the Gentiles to the Jews; as thus, when it is faid, That more are the Children of the defolate, than the Children of the married Wife : And especially when Mofes represents it in these Words so worthy our Observation: They have moved me to jealously with that which is not God, they have provoked me to Anger with their Vanities: And I will move them to jealousie with those which are not a People, I will prowoke them to anger with foolish Nation. Who does not perceive, that a Prophecy so often repeated, accompanied with so many Circumstances, delivered in such different manners, and with all united to the actual cafting off the Jews, could not be a meer de, lusion, or the effect of a luxuriant Imagination, or the Product of any Designs, which the Prophets might have to flatter either themselves, or their own Na

tion?

Deuter. Chap. 32.
verse 21:

But perhaps they foretold the Calling of the Gentiles, not that they thought themselves it would ever come to pass, but only to bring the Jews to ReDd 3

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pentance, by threatning them, that God would turn from them to their Enemies. To this I reply, First, That although I should grant it to be a threatning, yet it would not cease, being a Prophefie too. supposing a Man had denounced God's fiery Wrath against that abominable City of Sodom, who would not after the Destruction of that Place, have thought him a true Prophet? Though perhaps before the Event, his Discourse might have been regarded as a brave threatning?

Further, the Circumstances which accompany this Prophecy, are too many not to be formed, with some certain Profpect of an answerable Event. What difficulty is there to conceive, That the Zech. 14. 8. Law should go forth out of Zion, and the word of the Lord from Ferufalem; That the Gentiles should come to the light of Sion; That living Waters should go out from Jerusalem, half of them 10ward the former Sea, and half of them toward the binder Sea, &c.?.

But Thirdly, it is evident, That it was not by way of threatning the Jews, that the Prophets foretold them the Calling of the Gentiles; because when we denounce a Misfortune against any one, only with design to fright him, we usually represent the danger near as well as great, and just ready to seise him. Yet the Prophets foretold the Calling of the Gentiles, as being a thing very remote. And it shall come to pass, faith Efaiah in the place we have already quoted, that in the last days the Mountain of the Lords House, &c. Lastly, do but read the Writings of the Prophets, and observe, that in their Predictions of the Calling of the Gentiles, they often speak of it as an Event that would infallibly turn to the Glory of Zion, and be followed by the true Salvation God defigned

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