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p440 [Workington], There is no telling what folly man's mind will run to: still, soundness in faith, fundamental truth, will keep the soul from these human wanderings. I have heard of this folly once. When he says, 'Of Jacob's seed God made no selection, but accepted them all': what does accepted mean? That nationally Israel is accepted for earthly things, and called so (John 3), scripture teaches, but who told him they were accepted for heavenly things, or as righteous? This is inventing, not believing. That Jacob or Israel is elect for earth, scripture does teach; and that as a nation they will be blessed - the gifts and calling of God being without repentance - scripture teaches. But this says nothing as to their souls being saved; but the positive testimonies to the contrary are clear. (Isa. 65:9) Read the whole chapter, which teaches positively that only a remnant shall be saved. Chapter 66 shews the same truth if there be intelligence. Romans 11, while plainly declaring their certain blessing as a nation, yet lays it in an election according to grace, and at the time of the people's deliverance - when "all Israel shall be saved." Daniel 12 is quite clear that an elect remnant only who are written in the book shall be delivered, and that many shall arise to shame and everlasting contempt. Zechariah 13:8, 9 is also clear as to there being only a remnant spared from the great tribulation; if the Lord had not left them a very small remnant, they would be as Sodom and Gomorrah. And note, these statements apply to the time when it is said all Israel (not all the Israelites) shall be saved. Isaiah 4 clearly teaches the same truth, that it is in a very small remnant this blessing will be effected: not all Israel, because they are not gathered to the church, but saved as a people - all that are spared.

As to the ten tribes we have the same testimony, that only a remnant will be delivered. Zechariah shews us two thirds cut off in the land - Jews. Ezekiel 20 teaches us that the rebels of the ten tribes will be purged out, and not allowed to enter into the land. And in this very place where the rebels are cut off, and not allowed to enter into the land, there it is said of all the spared ones, "There shall all the house of Israel, all of them in the land, serve me," making the teaching of scripture too plain to leave a trace of doubt. But the truth should have hindered such a delusion, because where Israel's restoration is taught, it is not only said they were blinded, but they did not attain to the law of righteousness. The application of "mercy upon all" is an utter mis-application. What the apostle is teaching is, that as the Gentiles had no promises, and it was sovereign mercy to them, so the Jews, having not only broken the law, but rejected the promises in rejecting Christ, in whom they were, come under mercy like a Gentile, though the promises would be fulfilled. The "all" in verse 32 (Rom. 11) refers to Jews, and Gentiles in verses 30, 31. In the last you must read, "Have not believed in your mercy that they may be objects of mercy." (See Isa. 10:20-22) Nothing can be plainer that the deliverance is for the remnant only.

But again, the blood saved them, he says, in Egypt; but what utter darkness is this - confounding the type and the antitype. The blood of bulls and of goats could not take away sin. God was passing through to destroy the firstborn, and He did not enter into their houses: nor is there one word in the passage about saving anybody. No doubt the firstborn were not destroyed. It is never said in the antitype that He died to save all the individuals. The nation will be restored. Whatever has their deliverance at the Red Sea to do with their souls? But two were saved after all. Even with that outward salvation, in result their carcases fell in the wilderness. Aaron s priesthood never saved a single soul, was a shadow of good things to come; and even so only carried them nationally, not individually, on his dress. And in the covenant with Abraham quoted, the promise is of the land of Canaan. . . . This promise though obtained through Christ, and mercy (Rom. 11), is distinguished carefully there from the promise of Christ (Gen. 12) the one seed, confirmed to the seed, Genesis 22. There is a distinction between the literal and spiritual seed (but which he confounds), and the literal will have the land, which is not personal salvation: and "they are not all Israel which are of Israel," the apostle tells us. So that the ceasing of the distinction (which he teaches) when we come to Israel, is exactly denied by the apostle. And it is just where the apostle is insisting on the privileges of Israel that he makes the distinction which this dream denies: "They which are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God." The whole ninth chapter of Romans is an elaborate argument to destroy this Jewish fallacy, yet secure the earthly promise to a spared remnant by sovereign grace. What the paper argues for, the Holy Ghost carefully shews to be folly.

The purpose of God in their fall has nothing to do with the condition of those who did fall, rejecting Christ, yea, blaspheming the Holy Ghost, so that there was no forgiveness in that or the coming age - "never forgiveness" - and on whom the Lord pronounced the damnation of hell. And what he says as to the Holy Ghost excusing them because of their ignorance is wholly false: there was a suspension of judgment through Christ's intercession; and the Holy Ghost by Peter says, "Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out"; but they did not repent, but stopped their mouths, and Stephen, summing up against them, declares that they resisted the Holy Ghost as well as incurred all other guilt under law, prophets and Christ. The spared remnant will be all righteous; all the rebels will have been cut off. If two were in one bed, the one would be taken in judgment, the other left. For God will then return and discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him that serveth God and him that serveth Him not. They will be graffed in again into their own vine. . . . Christ, and Christ only, is the true vine, and even there fruitless branches are broken off: but though, as a nation, Israel was a vine brought out of Egypt, it never was the true vine. I have no doubt that the nation will be restored, and have the promises in the land; but what has that to do with all their souls being saved - unless to turn people away from the truth?

There is only one thing more to mention, the giving up the kingdom - it is "that God may be all in all"; and the earth will be destroyed, and the elements melt with fervent heat. The making Israel priestly to slay Christ is too bad. If the words Christ spoke will judge them in the last day, they have no cloak for their sin; they have seen and have hated both Him and His Father. They were blinded in rejecting Christ, lest they should be converted, and Jehovah should heal them. "He that believeth on him is not condemned, but he that believeth not is condemned already" - because these believed not, would not come to Him, that they might have life. "He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life; he that believeth not shall not see life, but the wrath of God abideth on him." (See John 8:41-48.) Paul taught they were "the children of wrath even as others," and "he is not a Jew which is one outwardly." So Christ said they were not Abraham's children, though outwardly so. They were not to think within themselves that Abraham was their father: and John anticipated the terrible words of Jesus - "Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, How can ye escape the damnation of hell?" - "He that hath the Son hath life, and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life."

I have forgotten to notice Ezekiel 37. I deny it means any resurrection of bodies at all, and for a very plain reason, that it is explained otherwise in the passage (ver. 11), "Then he said unto me, Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel: behold, they say, Our bones are dried, and our hope is lost; we are cut off for our parts." And we have a prophecy which explains it all besides, where the whole house of Israel is explained to be contrasted with the Jews, and the stick of Israel and the stick of Judah are to be united in the land, and God will take them from among the heathen, whither they be gone - He does not say, the good and believing ones; but He does say He will purify them and sanctify them, in words which, if not quoted, are referred to by the Lord in John 3, where He insists that unless born again (speaking in Israel) none should see or enter the kingdom of God. And we have already seen that in chapter 20 this prophet declares from God that He will purge out the rebels in the way, and they shall not enter the land. The whole thought is a denial of the constantly repeated declaration that a remnant should be saved, and what is worse, of the plain declarations of the word of God as to being saved or lost.

1878.

[52295E]

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