Page:An Exposition of the Old and New Testament (1828) vol 6.djvu/159

Rh 3. He confirms this with a quotation out of the Old Testament; he could not prove the calling of the Gentiles by a vision, as Peter could, or by miracles wrought by his hand, as Paul and Barnabas could, but he would prove that it was foretold in the Old Testament, and therefore it must be fulfilled, v. 15. To this agree the words of the prophets; most of the Old Testament prophets spake more or less of the calling in of the Gentiles, even Moses himself, Rom. 10. 19. It was the general expectation of the pious Jews, that the Messiah should be a Light to lighten the Gentiles; (Luke 2. 32.) but James waves the more illustrious prophecies of this, and pitches upon one that seemed more obscure; It is written, Amos 9. 11, 12. where is foretold,

(1.) The setting up of the kingdom of the Messiah; (v. 16.) I will raise up the tabernacle of David, that is fallen. The covenant was made with David and his seed; but the house and family of David are here called his tabernacle, because David in his beginning was a shepherd, and dwelt in tents, and his house, that had been as a stately palace, was become a mean and despicable tabernacle, reduced in a manner to its small beginning; this tabernacle was ruined and fallen down; there had not been for many ages a king of the house of David; the sceptre was departed from Judah, the royal family was sunk and buried in obscurity, and as it should seem, not inquired after; but God will return, and will build it again, raise it out of its ruins, a phoenix out of its ashes; and this was now lately fulfilled, when our Lord Jesus was raised out of that family, had the throne of his father David given him, with a promise, that he should reign over the house of Jacob for ever, Luke 1. 32, 33. And when the tabernacle of David was thus rebuilt in Christ, all the rest of it was, not many years after, wholly extirpated and cut off, as was also the nation of the Jews itself, and all their genealogies lost. The church of Christ may be called the tabernacle of David; this may sometimes be brought very low, and may seem to be in ruins, but it shall be built again, its withering interests shall revive; it is cast down, but not destroyed; even dry bones are made to live.

(2.) The bringing in of the Gentiles, as the effect and consequence of this; (v. 17.) That the residue of men might seek after the Lord: not the Jews only, who thought they had the monopoly of the tabernacle of David, but the residue of men, such as had hitherto been left out of the pale of the visible church; they must now, upon this re-edifying of the tabernacle of David, be brought to seek after the Lord, and to inquire how they may obtain his favour; when David's tabernacle is set up, they shall seek the Lord their God, and David their king, Hos. 3. 5. Jer. 30. 9. Then Israel shall possess the remnant of Edom; so it is in the Hebrew; for the Jews called all the Gentiles Edomites, and therefore the Septuagint there leave out the particular mention of Edom, and read it just as it is here, that the residue of men might seek, (St. James here adds, after the Lord,) and all the Gentiles, or heathen, upon whom my name is called. The Jews were for many ages so peculiarly favoured, that the residue of men seemed neglected; but now God will have an eye to them, and his name shall be called upon by the Gentiles; his name shall be declared and published among them, and they shall be brought forth to know his name, and to call upon it, they shall call themselves the people of God, and he shall call them so; and thus by consent of both parties, his name is called upon them. This promise we may depend upon the fulfilling of in its season; and now it begins to be fulfilled, for it is added, saith the Lord, who doeth this; who doeth all these things; so the Seventy there, and the apostle here; he saith it, who doeth it; who therefore said it, because he was determined to do it; and who therefore doeth it, because he hath said it; for though with us saying and doing are two things, they are not so with God. The uniting of Jews and Gentiles in one body, and all these things that were done in order to it, which were here foretold, were, [1.] What God did; This was the Lord's doing; whatever instruments were employed in it: and, [2.] It was what God delighted in, and was well pleased with; for he is the God of the Gentiles, as well as the Jews, and it is his honour to be rich in mercy to all that call upon him.

4. He resolves it into the purpose and counsel of God; (v. 18.) Known unto God are all his works from the beginning of the world. He not only foretold the calling of the Gentiles many ages ago by the prophets, (and therefore it ought not to be a surprise or stumbling-block to us,) but he foresaw and foreordained it in his eternal counsels, which are unquestionably wise, and unalterably firm. It is an excellent maxim here laid down concerning all God's works, both of providence and grace, in the natural and spiritual kingdom, that they were all known unto him from the beginning of the world, from the time he first began to work, which supposes his knowing them (as other scriptures speak) from before the foundation of the world, and therefore from all eternity, Note, Whatever God does, he did before design and determine to do; for he works all, not only according to his will, but according to the counsel of his will: he not only does whatever he determined, (Ps. 135. 6.) which is more than we can do, (our purposes are frequently broken off, and our measures broken,) but he determined whatever he does; whatever he may say to prove us, he himself knows what he will do; for we know not our works beforehand, but must do as occasion shall serve, 1 Sam. 10. 7. What we shall do in such or such a case we cannot tell till it comes to the setting to; but known unto God are all his works; in the volume of his book (called the scriptures of truth, Dan. 10. 21.) they are all written in order, without any razure or interlining; (Ps. 40. 7.) and all God's works will, in the day of review, be found to agree exactly with his counsels, without the least error or variation. We are poor short-sighted creatures; the wisest men can see but a little way before them, and not at all with any certainty; but this is our comfort, that, whatever uncertainty we are at, there is an infallible certainty in the divine prescience; known unto God are all his works.

5. He gives his advice what was to be done in the present case, as the matter now stood with reference to the Gentiles; (v. 19.) My sentence is; —I give it as my opinion, or judgment; not as having authority over the rest, but as being an adviser with them. Now his advice is,

(1.) That circumcision and the observation of the ceremonial law be by no means imposed upon the Gentile converts; no not so much as recommended or mentioned to them. "There are many from among the Gentiles that are turned to God in Christ, and we hope there will be many more. Now I am clearly for using them with all possible tenderness, and putting no manner of hardship or discouragement upon them," —"not to give them any molestation or disturbance, or suggest any thing to them that may be disquieting, or raise scruples in their minds, or perplex them." Note, Great care must be taken not to discourage or disquiet young converts with matters of doubtful disputation. Let the essentials of religion, which an awakened conscience will readily receive, be first impressed deeply upon them, and those will satisfy them, and make them easy; and let not things foreign and circumstantial be urged upon them, which will but