FROM The Beauties of Ralph Erskine (1750).
WHILE a multitude of Gentiles, that were but dogs, are gathered to God’s house, and they, in the meantime, unchurched and cast out, though “To them pertained the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promises; and though of them, as concerning the flesh, Shiloh came, even Christ, who is over all, God blessed for ever” (Rom. ix. 4, 5).
Though they were the people of his first love, the seed of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to whom so many precious promises were made in behalf of their seed: behold their Shiloh comes to them, and they will not have him; “He came to his own, and his own received him not.” They owned the sceptre was departed from Judah, when they said, “We have no king but Caesar”; and so by their own confession, Shiloh is come, since the sceptre was departed from Judah. And, because they would not submit to the spiritual sceptre of the promised Messias, they have been without a king, without a prince, without a sceptre, or lawgiver, without a governor and government, for 1700 years and more (now nigh 2000 years), even since Shiloh came, to whom there is a gathering of other people in their room. O! shall we not lament their long continued rejection? Their 70 years’ captivity in Babylon was nothing to this; yea, their 430 years’ bondage in Egypt was nothing to this. Alas: how long, how long shall His anger last against that people? How long shall they be under the guilt of the blood of Christ, which they imprecated upon themselves and their posterity, saying, “His blood be upon us and our children.”
Oh, pray, pray for that ancient people of God, and that the blood of Shiloh may cleanse them from that blood-guiltiness. When they were in favour with God, the believers among them had mind of us poor Gentiles, when we were the “little sister that had no breasts” (Song viii. 8), and now we are sucking at the breasts of gospel ordinances and sacramental solemnities. Oh! shall we not mind them when their “breasts are cut off”; when they that were the “natural branches are broken off,” and we that were the “wild olive tree, are grafted in to partake of the root and fatness of the good olive tree?” (Rom. xi. 17-24). Oh, let us not boast against the branches, “For if thou boastest, thou bearest not the root, but the root thee.” Let us not boast, but let us beg, that they may be again grafted in, “For if the casting away of them be the reconciliation of the world, what shall the receiving of them be, but life from the dead?”
The day of the return and conversion of the Jews will be a day of great gathering to Shiloh, even among the Gentiles, than we have yet seen; and it would fare better with us if we were more employed in praying for them. Meantime, this dark and doleful dispensation, that as yet they are under, was not darkly foretold in the words of our text, that upon the sceptre’s departing from Judah, Shiloh the Messiah should come, “And to him should the gathering of the people be”: that is, the Gentiles; plainly intimating a wonderful mystery of providence, that the King of the Jews should come to the Gentiles, and be crowned king among them, that so the Jews might have to say at length, That the King of the Gentiles is become the King of the Jews; as well as the Gentiles have to say, that the King of the Jews is become the King of the Gentiles.
THE EXCELLENCY OF THE GOSPEL.
Behold the excellency of the gospel, which brings the glad tidings of a Saviour to the people, and of a gathering place for the poor Gentiles, as well as the Jews; a God-man, in whom God and man might meet together, that scattered sinners, separated from God, might be gathered to Him. Behold the condescension of our Lord Jesus Christ proclaimed in this gospel, that he stoops so low as to be the gathering room for poor sinful people, to which they resort for shelter and salvation. Shiloh is come; he is come in our nature, and with human nature he puts on human bowels, that into his very bosom the gathering of the people may be, that all the good they have lost, may be found in Christ: yea, that the God, whom they have lost, may be found in him; for, “God is in Christ reconciling the world unto himself.” But as herein we see the excellency, so also behold the efficacy of the gospel, and the power thereof. What was the reason of the wonderful spreading and influence of the gospel of Christ, especially in the first ages? It is a matter for which no human policy can account, that the gospel, preached in simplicity, by men of the meanest character, should make its way through forces of devils and men, should gain so many proselytes, subdue so many kingdoms.
Had this doctrine been suited to flesh and blood, and like Mahomet’s, indulged men in sensual enjoyments, and promised afterwards the highest degrees of sensual pleasures; had the gospel been designed for increasing the stock of earthly treasure, it were no wonder that it should have gained so much ground; for all carnal men would readily receive this doctrine, and tenaciously retain it. Nay, had it proceeded upon mere rational grounds and foundations, some philosophers, at least, would have embraced it. But that a doctrine, that teaches to deny ungodliness, and worldly lusts; a doctrine that teaches to crucify the old man, with his affections and lusts; the lusts of the eye, the lusts of the flesh, and the pride of life; a doctrine that enjoins us to look to things that are not seen; a doctrine that commands us to leave all things, deny ourselves, and “count all but loss and dung for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ”; that this doctrine, however highly rational, yet hath no foundation in reason, and admits consequences of no rational demonstration, many thereof being above the character of its preachers, and owes as little to human force; that this doctrine should have gained so great ground, obtained so vast success, in a time wherein the profession thereof did make the professors of it run the risk of poverty, death, and disgrace; this is I say a mystery, that none shall be able to unfold, but these who plough with this gospel heifer, that the gospel is the very instrument of divine power, whereby he gathers the people to Shiloh.
The reason of this marvellous dispensation is that the omnipotent God, who can give a being to his word, hath passed his word, that to Christ shall the gathering of the people be; and divine power, for effectuating this design, is put forth in the gospel; which, therefore, is called the “power of God to salvation,” while therein is “revealed the righteousness of God, from faith to faith.” And this “treasure is put in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of man” and, O that this power were put forth on this occasion, for gathering the people to Shiloh.