The Hartlib Papers

from the words of v. 31. Rom. 11. where the Apostle declares that the Iewes shall obtaine the mercie of beeing restores againe unto God, through the mercy shewed unto the Gentiles: so then the Riches of God's grace upon the Gentiles shall not only provoke the Iewes to Iealousie and Emulation as the Apostle saith hee intended to doe. v. 14. but it shall bee a Meanes, through which grace will bee conveighed unto them. This doth make me reflect much upon all the wayes of Gods Providence, whereby knowledge and grace is advanced in the world, but especially in the Church: that observing the channells by which it may bee derived unto all and multiply amongst vs: I may bee able to conjecture what Course God is like to take, to make it profitable unto them: And in this Contemplation I say thus unto myself: If God hath determined to shew mercy unto them through the mercy shewed unto vs; then certainly wee shall first partake of the mercy, which will bee effectually conveighed unto them: But now what is the mercy, which they shall obtain? Is it not the fundamentall acknowledgment of the Truth, which is after Godlines in Iesus

Christ; which among the Gentiles is knowen; but not professed so, as to make it operative upon the spirits of those that are in darknes, to convince them by the manifestation of the Truth in their Consciences, that Iesus is the Messias, promised to the Fathers, and that he hath restored Mankind unto the Favour of God, and given judgment unto the Gentiles and erected an everlasting Kingdome amongst them. This truth then, which in their conversion they shall acknowledge, must bee conveighed unto them through the Mercy which is and shall bee in a more full measure yet shewed unto the Gentiles. For it is cleer, that without acknowledgment of this Truth, they can never receive Christ; and it is very likely that although some great and extraordinarie worke will bee done by God towards them for the hastening of their conversion at its owne time; yet that the Gentils, who have the knowledge of this Truth; but hitherto have obscured it partly by superstitions, partly by Divisions and singularities; will bee enabled by the blessing of God to hold it forth so in the evidence and Demonstration of the Spirit, and in the vnitie of Profession towards them, that

they shall fully bee convicted thereof. The meanes then to further the Iewes Conversion is to endevour to improove this mercy, which wee have received so, as that the light thereof may shine unto them as well as unto the Remnant of the Gentils, who are yet in darknes. I conceive then that the vnitie of the Profession of this Truth amongst Protestants will bee a speciall Meanes to helpe towards their Conversion, and that without it God will not accomplish the same. For the Divisions and scandales which proceed from thence about by-matters of strife amongst Protestants, are the main cause, why this light is not manifestly held forth unto all the world; and as long as the Testimony of Iesus, is not unbleameablely[altered] and without all occasion of rebuke made knowen unto the world, and more particularly unto them, they are not like to bee wrought upon by or through any mercy shewed unto vs. I will confesse that when they shall bee called, and all Israell shall bee saved, that then there shall bee a full and setled vnion with Peace (for then the Earth shall bee filled with the [left margin: Ies. 11. 9.] Knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the [catchword: sea]

Sea, which shall prevent all hurt and cause Peace) both amongst Iewes and Gentiles: but yet I cannot think, that the first rise or occasion of procuring such a Peace to the Gentils, shall proceed from the Iewes and their conversion <right margin: because it is clear to me, that their conversion> shall bee brought about by some of the Gentiles whom God will make Instrumentall therin; and his way to make them thus Instrumentall amongst many others which shall concurre, will certainly bee this <right margin: mercy to make them all of one Mind in the knowledge of Christ to speake one thing> one thing and not to bee at such Divisions amongst themselves as now <H: they> are at: which is the only advantage Satan and Antichrist hath against the Reformed Churches: <H: And> assoone as they shall loose this advantage in fomenting this disease and madnes wherunto wee are fallen (to teare ourselves in peeces, and to beat ourselves, as the man that was possessed with a Legion of Devills Marc. 5. 5, 9. did) Assoone, I say, as they shall loose this advantage by the mercy which Christ will shew in casting out the Legion of Devills out of vs; then Babylon will fall amain, which must bee done before the Iewes conversion at least in some good measure: And truly to my sense the worke of destroying Babylon is advancing

P apace; for although wee see outwardly nothing but the increase of confusions, and disorders greater then ever; yet wee may perceive inwardly in that which dith occasion these great commotions in the earth something, which is more setled then the Earth, and before which all the glory of the Earth<H: ,> which doth uphold the walls of Babylon, must fall unto the Ground. Therefore God beeing now [left margin: Dan. 7. 9.] about to overthrow the Thrones (which none almost is so blind but hee may see or[altered] feel) it is apparent hee will erect the Kingdome of his son in stead of them upon Mount Sion; and that Mount Sion will first shine forth among the Gentils, and that the Iewes will come and joyne themselves to it; is to me out of doubt from this expression of the Apostle, that they shall obtaine Mercy through the Mercy shewed unto vs; and from the Nature of the Truth unto which they shall bee converted, and the Manner of Manifesting it unto them. Much more might bee said, but it is very late in the night, and this subject will require in due time a larger deduction; perhaps this may give your Friend for whose sake you desired my thoughts upon this subject, some further light; or occasion to consider other- [catchword: -wise]

-wise of the matter then hee seemeth hitherto to have done.