The vvorldes resurrection, or The generall calling of the Iewes A familiar commentary vpon the eleuenth chapter of Saint Paul to the Romaines, according to the sence of Scripture, and the consent of the most iudicious interpreters, wherein aboue fiftie notable questions are soundly answered, and the particular doctrines, reasons and vses of euery verse, are profitable and plainly deliuered. By Thomas Draxe. Minister of the word of God.

* 1.1How much more shall they that are by nature be grafted in their owne Oliue tree.

* 1.2We must hope well of their conuersion and saluation, that yet remaine in the couenant of God, and bee of the blessed seed, albeit they for the times past, and the present instant (generally) remaine in vnbeliefe and contempt of Christ.* 1.3

The first reason hereof is, because Gods couenant with his elect is perpetuall, vnchangeable, and extendeth it ••elfe to a thousand generations, and therefore must needs be accomplished in them. Psal. 103.17. & 18. The second reason is drawne frō the power & practise of God, in effecting and bringing to passe greater and more vnlikely things, such as was the conuersiō of the Gentiles who neuer were Gods peculiar people & nation, nor the sonnes of Abrahā (before their conuersion to Christ) nor chosen of God, as the Iewes were: & therfore much more can he & will (in his good time) bring home the erring and wandring Iewes, his owne peculiar people.

Vse. Let vs by due contemplation & pondering of the workes of Gods omnipotencie in greater matters, not doubt of it in y^e performance of lesser matters. As for exā∣ple, can & could God make all y^e world of nothing? could he destroy Senacheribs army in one night by one Angel, & cannot he in time when he pleaseth, confound & destroy Romish Babell, by his Almighty power, and by such an

infinit hoast of his creatures which he hath alwaies ready at command?

The first part of diuision of the Chapt. v. 25. ad. 33.

For I would not Bretheren that yee should be ignorant of this secret (least yee should be wise in your selues) that partly obstinacie i•• ••ome to Israell,* 1.4 vntill the fulnesse of the Gen∣tiles be come in.

And so shall all Israel be saued, as it is written, the deliuerer shall come out of S••ion,* 1.5 and shall turne away (defections) or vngodlinesse from Iacob.

And this is my couenant to them,* 1.6 when I shall take away their sinnes.

I would not haue you ignorant of this mystery:* 1.7 id est, of this secret and hidden thing; which hetherto hath beene vncredible to the Iewes, I will bring it now into your remembrance: least you should be wise in your selues. i. least you be wise in your owne eyes, and so prowd and arro∣gant, that partly: in respect of some persons, and for a time and in a sort, but not altogether: obstinacy, i. hardnesse of heart and vnbeleefe: is come to Israell, to the Iewes or people of Israell, vntill the fulnesse of the Gentiles bee come in. i. as it were the whole body of the Gentiles. So that no nation shall be left out, and though they bee neuer so barbarous, as they of America, amongst whom it is to be thought, that some of the Apostles Disciples preached or (at the least) that the same & sound of the Gospell might easily be brought to them from other famous and popu∣lous places, or else if so bee that not so much as the fame and sound of the holy Gospell hath come vnto these bar∣barous people & countries, yet it is agreeable to Christs generall promise. Math. 24.14. that they shall in successi∣on of time heare of it and haue it, especially when other parts of the world haue declared themselues vnthankfull for it and vnworthy of it (as all the Easterne parts haue done, and therefore haue iustly lost the Gospell) which shall not successiuely, and (at least for a time) embrace

the Gospell, shall enter into the Church and bee conuer∣ted. And so when the fullnesse of the Gentiles and Iewes are entred into the church, ••ll Israell. i. all the Elect, or the whole body of the people of Israel then liuing or the fulnesse of them, as verse 12. that is the greatest part of them, shalbe saued. i. by the preaching of the Gospell be effectually called, and iustified by faith in Christ. The deliuerer shall come out of Sion,* 1.8 the Redeemer and Mes∣sias shall open the eyes of their vnderstanding, and take away from them the vaile of Moses, and shal turne away vngodlinesse from Iacob. i. shall forgiue pardon, and iusti∣fie by faith the posterity of Iacob.

* 1.9This is my couenant to them. i. this shalbe my coue∣nant, I will receiue them againe into my couenant, from which before through vnbeleife they had fallen, when I shall take away their sinnes. i. I shall pardon them all their sinnes for Christ his sake, and adopt them to be my sonnes, and so they shall testifie their thankefulnesse to the Sonne of God, by confession of his name and by true Godlinesse.

* 1.10Q. When is likely to be the time of the Iewes conuer∣sion, before y^e sacking & burning of Rome or afterward?

A. In all probability it is like to follow the burning and destruction of Rome, for then the stumbling blocks y^t the Papists offer them, by their imagery, inuocation of Saints, Latine seruice, and abhominable and most sense∣lesse transubstantiation, shalbe remoued & taken away.

Secondly (as it apeareth in the 18. and 20. cap. of Iohns Apocalips, (there shalbe some reasonable distance of time betweene the burning of Rome and the end of the worlde, in which it is most consonant to truth that the Iewes shalbe called, for their conuersion in the last generall signe & fore-runner of Christs second com∣ming so far forth as the scripture reuealeth vnto vs.

2. Q. Whether shall the Iewes recouer the holy land a∣gaine or not, and be all conuerted and dwell their; seeing that it is said their deliuerer shall come out of Sion; or must wee thinke rather they shalbe conuerted in the

Countries in which they dwell, and into which they are dispersed or shall then be found inhabiting?

Ans. They are likely neuer to recouer it, for they haue no such promise, neither haue they any possiblity of meanes to compasse it. Secondly Christes comming vn∣to them shall not be visible but spirituall, not from the Earthly Sion, which long sithence hath bene made deso∣late, but from his spirituall Sion of his Catholike Church.

Lastly it is most probable and likely that they shal bee conuerted in those countries into which they are disper∣sed, and in which they haue their residence.

For first we haue some smal beginnings (here & there) of it. Secondly they shall better and sooner by by their zeale and example reuiue the faith of y^e Gentiles beeing mixed and conuersant with them, and liuing a∣mongst them there, then if they should dwel and be con∣tained all in one country.

What is meant by the fulnesse of the Gentiles?* 1.11 What that the whole world shall at one time euer bee inlight∣ned and conuerted, or that onely th••se countries, that formerly either had not the Gospell at all, or (at least) in very small measure shall be called?

Ans. It cannot be vnderstood of an vniuersall inlight∣ning of the whole world at the time of the Iewes con∣uersion:* 1.12 For in the Apostles times the Gospell was ge∣nerally preached vnto all the knowne and inhabited na∣tions of the world. Colos. 1.23.

But that the Gospell should now the second time bee divulged and published ouer the whole world, wee haue neither reason, Scripture, nor commission, for it. For first Apostolicall callings and gifts (which are necessary for so great a worke) are many hundred yeares sithence ceased. Secondly at Christs comming there shall bee al∣most no faith that is sound Doctrine and zeale left vp∣pon the earth,* 1.13 and yet Christs comming will follow soone after the calling of the Iewes. Thirdly it may be, that the Gospell may bee reulued in many kingdomes

and countries where it was planted long before, and es∣pecially in and nearer the places wherein the Iewes haue and shall haue there residence and habitation at there generall calling, but it shall not be generall, much lesse vniuersall. They therefore that looke for an vniuersall preaching, many sooner behold Christ comming in the clouds, then haue their expectation satisfied.

Que••. Is the fulnesse of the Gentiles yet come in?

Ans. Albeit diuers thinke so, and especially because they see no conuersion of any other countries of late times, nor any certaine probability of it: yet it is much to be hoped for, and not without rashnesse to be presu∣med,* 1.14 that the Gospell remaineth in his season to be prea∣ched to America, seeing that it is the greatest part of the world, and neuer in times past had nor heard of it, and seeing that the very Iesuits that are sent thither make (perhaps) some enterance and passage, for more sincere peaching and doctrine to be published and spread there, by such sund protestants, whether English, Dutch or o∣thers, that vse to trauell thither and backe againe with most prosperous nauigations. Likwise it is to be thought that the Gospell shalbe preached to the East Indies (if they neuer heard of it before,) or else at least reuiued as it hath beene in diuers other countries and kingdomes sucessiuely. For (albeit) some of the auncient haue both reported & recorded that S. Thomas and S. Bartholome•• the Apostles preached there; yet no monument, signes and remembrances of it are now there extant or remayning.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Verse. 24.
• * 1.2

  Doctr.
• * 1.3

  Psal. 8.9. v. 33 & 34.
• * 1.4

  25. verse.
• * 1.5

  26. verse.
• * 1.6

  27. verse.
• * 1.7

  Paraph.
• * 1.8

  2 Corint. 3. v. 16.
• * 1.9

  Ver. 27
• * 1.10

  Verse 25.
• * 1.11

  Vers. 25.
• * 1.12

  Act. 1.8. Colos. 1.6. Rom. 10.18.
• * 1.13

  Luk. 18. v▪ 8.
• * 1.14

  Kecker••nan, sist. theol. page 104.105.106.