[previous CHAPTER]CHAPTER XI. Of the Promised Blessing that is to Attend the Latter Days in a Righteous Rule and Ruler. 1. In restoring the law to its primitive lustre and glory. The Lord is well pleased for his righteousness sake, he will magnify the law, and make it honourable: Who among you will give ear to this? who will hearken, and hear for the time to come? Isa. 42:21,23. And many nations shall come, and say, come, and let us go up to the mount of the Lord, and to the house of the God of Jacob, and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths; for the law shall go forth of Zion, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem, Mic. 4:2. Remember the law of Moses, Mal. 4:4.
2. In restoring judges as at the first; as in the best times, whether of Moses, or of David and Solomon. And I will restore thy judges as at first, and thy counselors as at the beginning: Afterward thou shalt be called the city of righteousness, the faithful city, Isa. 1:26. I will also make thy officers peace, and thine exactors righteousness, Isa. 60:17. And their nobles shall be of themselves, and their governors shall proceed from the midst of them, Jer. 30:21. And my princes shall no more oppress my people, Ezek. 45:8. And no oppressor shall pass through them any more, Zech. 9:8.
But before we proceed to the next head, take here a passage out of one Ferarius, a commentator upon Isa. 1:26, which providence hath brought to my hand, not unseasonable for thy perusal.
Isa. 1:26. "And I will restore thy judges as at the first, and thy counselors as at the beginning,", &c.
Upon these words Ferarius a commentator, lately set out by public authority, hath this observation:—"What is this, saith he, at the first, and at the beginning? That is anciently, of old; meaning such as Moses, Joshua, Samuel, and the like; for those were properly called judges, and under them the commonwealth was much better governed, than under kings, except David, and the beginning of Solomon. For those words of the people were displeasing unto the Lord, when they said, give us a king. We must therefore note, that anciently those were called judges, who had not regal power, so as by their own authority, to raise taxes, to levy soldiers, to press servants, and the like, which they can do who have supreme and absolute dominion. But judges then, were only the assertors and defenders of the public liberty; for when the people were oppressed by their enemies, God presently raised up some man who should set them free, and recover their liberty for them. To this we may add, that their power was not transmitted to their posterity, like that of kings, but out of what family and tribe he pleased, God chose one to be a judge. And therefore when the people did demand a king of Samuel, and would be contented with judges no longer, God answered him, they have not rejected thee, but they have rejected me, that I should not reign over them. Intimating that in the time of the judges, God himself reigned; not as the kings of this world do [or] use to do, who moved by pride and ambition, as if they were Lords, do rule their subjects after their own will, and by military forces, and a pompous train of attendants, do over-awe their kingdoms: whereas God himself did govern his people by these judges; who being filled with the Holy Spirit, abode in their own houses and built no cities, nor castles, nor stately palaces for themselves, nor desired the empty glory and vain splendour of a court; and therefore Abimelech, who that he might have supreme dominion, did hire soldiers, and keep a guard, and set himself forth with an unwonted kind of magnificence, he is in Scripture styled a king, Judg. 9. But Gideon did clean otherwise, who when the people offered him, that he should be their king, and his son after him, answered, I will not rule over you, nor shall my son: the Lord shall rule over you. Therefore it is observable, that the Lord here doth not say, he will restore their princes, and their lords, but their judges and counselors, who should govern the common-wealth with greater mercy and mildness.
"Again, it is observable, when judges and counselors are thus restored, then it is said, the city shall be called the faithful city, the city of righteousness. It is good magistrates that make a city good; for such is the nature of human frailty, that, without the inspection of another, it cannot be contained in its duty. And those who thus can restrain and govern a people, are only given by God, who when he is angry with a people, gives children to be their princes, and babes to rule over them, childish, effeminate, and foolish men, who being unskilled in the arts of government, suffer their people to destroy each other by luxury, and oppression."—Isa. 3:4,5. Thus far Ferarius, among the critical writers upon Isaiah. Which may be left to the reader without a comment; for if the mere force and evidence of truth could make a Jesuit and a Spaniard [i.e., Ferarius] speak thus much, it is evident that gospel times, for which that prophecy was calculated, do require another kind of magistracy, than as yet the world hath been happy with: for the fulfilling of which promise, it is the saints’ duty daily to pray.
3dly, In restoring peace, judgment, justice and righteousness. Give the king thy judgment, O God, and thy righteousness to the king’s son. He shall judge thy people with righteousness, and thy poor with judgment. The mountains shall bring peace unto the people, and the little hills by righteousness. He shall judge the poor of the people, he shall have the children of the needy, and break in pieces the oppressors, &c. Psal. 72:1-4. for thus saith the Lord, behold I will extend peace to her like a river, &c. Isa. 66:12. And wisdom and knowledge shall be the stability of the times, chap. 33:6. [next CHAPTER]
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