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the Gentiles; and they have labored for 1800 years to keep up a "wall" of distinction, which, in the purpose of God, was to exist no more after his Son broke it down by his death upon the cross.

The Jews, then, have kept themselves " a distinct people," and have done it in opposition to the will of God unto this day, as really and as criminally as drunkards have kept themselves "a distinct people;" and it may just as well be claimed that God has kept the drunkards a distinct people with the design to convert them, as to set up such a claim for the Jews. I repeat it, the Jews are a distinct people by their own fault, and as criminally as drunkards, or any other class of

sinners.

I shall now call attention to a few texts of Scripture which show that the natural descendants of Abraham, under the gospel, have no peculiar privileges or promises. See Matt. iii. 9: "And think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham." Thus John the Baptist lays the "axe unto the root of the trees" of Jewish prejudice and pride, and gives them to understand that a dispensation is now opening in which the being a literal descendant of Abraham would avail nothing. This was a dreadful blow to Judaism, and it made the "dry tree" shake to its very roots. Now let us see if our Saviour did not cut it entirely down. See John viii. 39: "They answered and said unto him, Abraham is our father. Jesus saith unto them, IF ye were Abraham's children, ye would do the works of Abraham." Here is a plain, positive denial that the Jews, as such, were the children of Abraham; and a clear statement of what constitutes a real child of Abraham, viz., doing "the works of Abraham." Our Lord tells the Jews in the 44th verse, "Ye are of your father the devil." This gives us a clue to the inquiry, who has kept them a distinct people? It is their father, the devil. Let none attribute such a devilish work to God any more. They are a "distinct people" because they choose to obey the

devil rather than God; and to suppose that their conversion is to be the result of their serving devils is to suppose that God gives to men a reward for rebellion. Besides, whenever a Jew is converted, his distinctive character as a Jew ceases at once. This shows that

their being a distinct people is a work of the devil and not of God, as God abolishes that distinction when they obey him. Now let us look at Rev. ii. 9: "I know the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews, and are not, but are of the synagogue of Satan." Again, Rev. iii. 9:"Them of the synagogue of Satan, which say they are Jews, and are not, but do lie." Can any doubt who are meant by real Jews in these verses? Are they not real Christians? While the natural descend

ants of Abraham, as such, or Christians, who are so only in pretence, "are of the synagogue of Satan." In connection with these texts, see Rom. ii. 28, 29: "For he is NOT a Jew which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision which is outward in the flesh. But he is a Jew which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God."

Here inspiration settles the question, that those whom we call Jews are not Jews; and God no more regards them as Jews than he regards drunkards as sober men; or, than he regards wicked apostates as real Christians. We are here also given to understand distinctly, who are Jews under the gospel dispensation -they are real Christians.

That the literal descendants of Abraham, as such, are utterly rejected, except on the same conditions of other sinners, see Isa. lxv. 11—15: "But ye are they that forsake the Lord, that forget my holy mountain, that prepare a table for that troop, and that furnish the drink-offering unto that number. Therefore will I number you to the sword, and ye shall all bow down to the slaughter: because when I called ye did not answer; when I spake, ye did not hear; but did evil before mine eyes, and did choose that wherein I delighted not. Therefore thus saith the Lord God, Behold,

my servants shall eat, but ye shall be hungry: behold, my servants shall drink, but ye shall be thirsty: behold, my servants shall rejoice, but ye shall be ashamed: behold, my servants shall sing for joy of heart, but ye shall cry for sorrow of heart, and shall howl for vexation of spirit. And ye shall leave your name for a curse unto my chosen, for the Lord God shall SLAY THEE, and call his servants by another name."

What language could more forcibly express an utter rejection from the very name of being God's people than that here employed? Read over these verses again, and see how carefully and clearly God distinguishes between the Jews, as such, and his people. That this rejection of them from being his people was to last till the end of this world, see the following verses, where we are carried down to the new heavens and the new earth; and then God tells his people, whom he shall call "by another name," "Be ye glad and rejoice for ever in that which I create: for behold, I create Jerusalem a rejoicing, and her people a joy." What Jerusalem? See Rev. xxi. 1, 2. "And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and (here was no more sea. And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.'

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Here is a perfect parallel, and when compared together, give us a clear idea of the language of God by Isaiah, in the verses under consideration. The Lord adds, 19th verse," And I will rejoice in Jerusalem, and joy in my people; and the voice of weeping shall be no more heard in her, nor the voice of crying." This exactly corresponds with Rev. xxi. 4: " And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.

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Now see Rom. ix. 6—8: "Not as though the

* See my exposition of 65th chapter of Isaiah, page 77.

word of God hath taken none effect. For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel; neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children; but, in Isaac shall thy seed be called. That is, they which are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God; but the children of the promise are counted for the seed." Compare this with Gal. iv. 28: "Now we, brethren, [We. Who? Believerswhether from among the Jews or Gentiles] as Isaac was, are the children of promise.'

Here the apostle settles the question who are children of promise; and settles it to be those who have faith in Christ, without regard to their previous nationality. These are the persons to whom the promises are made, and not the natural descendants of Abraham.

What has become of old Jerusalem and her children? The apostle tells you in the 25th verse of this chapter "For this Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children." Is this old bond-woman and her children to inherit the promises of God with real Christians? See 30 and 31st verses of this chapter

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Nevertheless, what saith the Scripture? Cast out the bond-woman and her son for the son of the bondwoman shall not be heir with the son of the free woman. So then, brethren, we are not children of the bondwoman, but of the free."

But where is the Jerusalem to which the promises are made? See 25th verse: "But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all."

Thus we learn, that old Jerusalem, or the Jews, as such, are rejected from the promises of God; and that all the promises pass over to the " servants "of God, who are called "by another name," viz., to true Christians, who are the only true Jews and children of Jerusalem; so that there are no promises of restoration, or conversion, to the literal descendants of Abraham, more than to any other class of sinners.

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But," says the objector, "the Jews must be

brought in with the fulness of the Gentiles ;" and he adds— that's Bible language." Thus spake a Doctor of Divinity of this city. Well, Doctor, where in the Bible do you find such language? Please tell us. Ans. Nowhere! It's not there! It's only in the Doctor's Creed! That's all! But is there nothing that sounds like it in the Bible? Perhaps there is; but when D. D.'s tell us such words are "Bible language, they should be careful that they quote correctly. The portion of Scripture, doubtless, referred to, is Rom. xi. 25: "For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, (lest ye should be wise in your own conceits,) that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be

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come in."

Now if this verse proves the return or conversion of the Jews, it proves also that it will not take place "UNTIL the fulness of the Gentiles be come in." Of course, there is to be no more of the Gentiles converted after the bringing in of the Jews commences; and as I understand the aforesaid Doctor thinks the return of the Jews is to commence this year, his doctrine is as fatal to the Gentiles as ours. Let all then who are not Jews, be aroused to seek salvation immediately. This year, remember, our enemies themselves being judges," probation is to cease to the Gentiles.

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As the strength of the whole argument, so far as the New Testament is concerned, lies in the 11th chapter of Romans, I will give that chapter a full examination.

First. Who was the apostle addressing in that chapter? The 13th verse will tell you: "For I speak to you Gentiles, inasmuch as I am the apostle of the Gentiles, I magnify mine office." What was his controversy with the Gentile converts? It is evidently about the nature of that rejection, of which the Jews were the subjects. It seems, the Gentiles had imbibed the notion that God had utterly rejected the Jews, so that they were placed beyond the reach of salvation. Paul undertakes to refute that idea. How

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