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ness, and christian courage and faithfulness | was bound to obey his Maker in all things

of their ancestors; for the Jews looked on this as one of their privileges, that they were Ifraelites, defcended of excellent and mighty Jacob, and fo would have taken it ill to have had this title denied unto them, and would have looked on fuch, as accounting them degenerate perfons: Paul fays, Who are Ifraelites.

III. It pleafed the Lord, out of his matchlefs and free love, to make choice of the feed of Abraham, among all the tribes of the earth, to be his firft-born, Exod. iv. 22. to bring into a covenant-ftate, tho' their father was an Amorite, and their mother an Hittite, Ezek. xvi. 3. 8. fo that they were the only people of God upon the face of the earth; for them only did he choose to be his peculiar treasure, and his vifible church upon earth; to them belonged the adoption. See Deut. iv. 37. x. 15. and xiv. 2. Acts xiii. 17. Exod. xix. 15. Pfal. cv. 6.. and cxlv. 4.

IV. It is a notable and excellent privilege, whatever carnal wretches think, to be a vitible church to the Lord, and made partakers of all these allowances which church-members have a right unto: it is one of the privileges of the Jews, that to them belonged the adoption.

V. It is the excellency and glory of a land to have the ordinances of God in life and power among them, the figns of God's prefence, and dwelling in the midst of them, defending them, hearing their prayers, making his mind known unto them, and otherways holding forth proofs of his love and good-will: it is another privilege, that theirs was the glory, to them belong. ed the glory.

VI. It is a mercy much to be valued, (however ignorant folks think otherways, who love licentioufnefs) for a people to have the mind of God explained unto them, that they may know how to walk before the Lord; it is no fmall privilege indeed, that they had the covenants.

VII. Though man, as being a creature,

required, tho' the Lord had never made a promife of any reward upon the performance; yet for the further encouragement of people unto obedience, he thought fit to hire man to it, and for that cause did enter into a covenant and paction, and therein engaged himself to bestow fuch and fuch bleffings, upon condition of obedience: for this law being thus propofed covenant-ways, is here termed, the covenants; and the tables of the law are called, the tables of the covenant, as containing the fum of all that which God requireth of man, and man engageth, or ought to engage to perform.

VIII. The people of the Jews, as they were in many particulars privileged beyond all the people of the world befide; fo in this, that they had the Lord feting down laws to them, as they were a commonwealth, and fo were a state under no legiflative power but God, he it was who prefcribed all their municipal laws, and fo their government was really a theocracy: it is another of their privileges, that to them belonged the giving of the law, viz. judicial.

IX. Seeing it is impoffible to please God any way except that which he has carved out himself, all other fervice being only will-worship; thefe are a people much privileged, who are not left to their own invention in this, but have the way plainly cut out to their hand: and of all people, these are the happieft who have the true God as the object of their worship, and the right way laid open how that true God must be worshiped: fuch are the only privileged people, who have the fervice of God.

X. Howbeit the Lord thought fit to deal with the infant church of the Jews, otherways than now under the gospel, viz. by types, and figures, and ceremonies, and fuch like, and to hold forth his covenant in a manner like a covenant of works; yet really he entered into a cove

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XI. Let a nation have whatever riches, honours, and other carnal things imaginable, and want the offer of this excellent covenant of free grace, their condition is fad and lamentable; and thefe are the only honoured and privileged people who have this covenant moft fully, clearly, and powerfully laid open unto them. These privileged Jews, they had the promises.

XII. Tho' men of the earth glory in this, that they are the pofterity of fuch who have been in great honour and efteem in a world, for valour, wealth, greatnefs, and the like; yet it is far more advantageous to be the pofterity of fuch as have been in covenant with God, feeing this covenant-relation defcends from parents to children, and thereby, with their parents, are accounted members of the vifible church, having a right to all the privileges which do belong to fuch: therefore as another privilege, it is faid, Of whom are the fathers.

and may be a ftanding church for a long time, and yet at length God may be fo provoked with their fins as to unchurch them, and caft them off, and declare them to be Lo-ammi, for all that: for this the apoftle doth infinuate here, and this is the ground of his following discourse.

XV. The more famous a church has been for advantages and external privileges, it fhould go nearer the heart of any of God's children, to know or hear of their off-cafting: for Paul hereby confirmeth the reality of the grief of his heart for their condition.

From Chrift's defcription obferve,

I. As there was a neceffity that justice might be fatisfied by the fame nature that finned, Heb. ii. 14. fo alfo for our behoof and advantage, there was a neceffity that Chrift Jefus our Mediator fhould be man, to fuffer and obey for us, and make interceffion, as a fympathizing high-priest, Heb. vii. 24. 25. 26. and accordingly Chrift, in the fulness of time, took on him our nature, and became really man, having all the natural and effential properties, which neceffarily and infeparably agree to man, Luke xxiv. 39. John xx. 27. 1 John i. 1. being made of one blood with the reft of his brethren, having his genealogy from XIII. The Jews, the pofterity of Abra- Adam, Luke iii. 38. and he is hence callham, Ifaac, and Jacob, have this to boasted, the Son of man, Matth. viii. 20. and of, that no people ever had, or ever will have, viz. that the promised Meffias, the Saviour of the world, came of them, and took his human nature.from among them: and it will not be natural kindred that any can reckon to Chrift that will prove faving; but only a new creature will be accepted, whether the perfon be a Jew or a Barbarian, &c.; of the Jews, as concerning the flesh, Chrift came, and yet they were caft off for all that.

XIV. A particular vifible church may be honoured with many external privileges, yea, and privileges not ordinary,

x. 23. and our brother, Heb. ii. 17. and fo here, he is come of the Jews, as concerning the flesh; which clearly pointeth forth his human nature; it being added, to clear how he came of the Jews.

II. As our Mediator was man, and behoved to be fo because of our neceflities; fo that what he did and fuffered might be available and fatisfactory, he was really and truly God, equal with the Father in power and glory, and is called, the true God, 1 John v. 20. fo is he here called, God, abfolutely, (with an article too, as Acts xx. 28.) without any reftriction or limita

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tion, or any circumstance which may import an impropriety of fpeech, as there is, when this alfo is given to men, Exod. vii. 1. Pfal. lxxxii. 6. yea, with fuch additions, as do more forcibly evince the fame, being called, God over all, bleffed for ever; where tho' it be attributed to Chrift by way of a predicate, and not as a fubject; yet it fignifieth not any divine perfection, but the divine fubftance no lefs than when it is predicated of the Father, 1 Kings xviii. 21. yea, and fometimes it is attribut. ed by way of a fubject to Chrift, Ifa. xxxv. 4. with Matth. i. 21.

III. Albeit these two natures in Chrift, be really distinct, fo as what is attributed to the one, cannot be properly attributed to the other; it cannot be faid of the Godhead, that it came of the Jews; nor of the manhood, that it was from eternity, and felf-bleffed; yet Chrift has but one perfon, both thefe natures being united, not naturally, into the fame effence, effential properties, or nature, but perfonally; the fecond perfon of the Trinity affuming the human nature into the fame fubfiftence with itfelf, fo that both thofe natures do not concur as parts of the fame perfon; for his divine nature was a complete perfon before his incarnation for here it is the fame perfon who came of the Jews, who is faid to be God over all, bleffed for ever. See Heb. ii. 16. Phil. ii. 7. Rom. i. 3. 4.

IV. As Chrift is tranfcendent and excellent in himself, being the chief among ten thoufand, and every way matchlefs and incomparable; fo hath he power and au thority over all things in heaven and in earth, 1 Cor. xv. 27. John iii. 31. he is over all; this omnipotency, as his divine. nature, he hath not from the Father by way of gift, as he had his exaltation, Eph. i. 21. Phil. ii. 9. but by eternal generation, and fo this his omnipotence proves him to have been God.

V. God only is bleffed in and of himfelf, and the author of all bleffings to others; he is felf bleffed, and to him only

doth this epithet bleffed, belong, as Rom. i. 25. he is God bleffed for ever.

VI. Chrift Jefus is the eternal and unchangeable Jehovah; he was from all eternity, and will continue bleffed in himtelf to all eternity: he is God blessed for ever. See John xvii. 5. i. 1. and viii. 58. Prov. viii. 22. 23.

VII. Howbeit Chrift, when he came down in the form of a fervant, humbled himself, and was of no reputation, Phil. ii. 7. 8. and was despised, and accounted stricken, fmiten of God, and afflicted, Ifa. liii. 3. 4. yet confidering how the fame one who was fo far humbled, was God equal with the Father, the fountain of all bleffednefs, eternal, and omnipotent, it fhould abundantly commend him to the hearts both of Jews and Gentiles; for that the Jews might no more have a prejudice at this fon of Mary, who was the Meffiah, nor at the way of life by him, he adds this defcription of Chrift in his two natures, and fo fets him forth as a complete Mediator, thoroughly furnished for his work, being both God and man, and God and man in one perfon: therefore he adds, Who is over all, God bleffed for ever.

VIII. As all the defcriptions of Christ, in his perfon, natures, and offices, ferve to commend him to us, and to point him forth to be truly excellent in himself, and worthy of all acceptation; fo we should never hear him fpoken of, or commended, but our hearts fhould run after him, and our fouls fhould clofe with him chearfully; as the apoftle doth here, who faith, Whe is over all, God blessed for ever. Amen. See Gal. i. 5.

IX. The more that Christ, and the way of falvation thro' faith in him, be caft at by others, and rejected as vain, the more fhould the faithful avouch him, and their intereft in him, and their refolution to ad-here to him, and chofe him as their portion, and rest upon him alone for falvation; for now when the Jews were undervaluing Chrift, and the way of juftification thro

ig, Amen. God blessed for ever.

Amen.

VERSE 6. Not as though the word of God bath taken none effect. For they are not For they are not all Ifrael, which are of Ifrael.

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him, he will stand the more to it, by fay-fure the apoftle's anfwers fay as much as that his word had not taken effect, if there had not been fome true Ifraelites, fome true feed or children of the promife; but this purpofe of God according to election. might have stood, though the elder had. never ferved the younger, contrary to verfes 11. 12. 2. Notwithstanding of all this word, it might have come to pals, that not one foul fhould have been faved, and there never had been a child of promife; elpe cially confidering, that it is affirmed by them, that it is in man's power to believe or not, as he pleaseth; but Paul clearly affirmeth the contrary. 3. If fo there could be no ground for this objection;. Paul could never have imagined, that it would once have entered into their minds: for what colour of reafon, yea, or of sense either, is in this, If we be rejected because of not believing in Chrift, then the word of God, wherein he declareth, that all. that believe not shall be rejected, fhall be of none effect, and fail; and fo furely the Jews could not have taken it up fo.. 4. And if this was not the Jews meaning, neither was it the apoftle's meaning, otherways he had not taken notice of their objection at all, and fo had no way removed it, which is not only false, but blafphemous. 5. And put the cafe, that both the Jews and the apoftle had taken up the word of God in this fenfe, yet I am fure his antwers would have been altogether impertinent; for if fo, what needed he ever have diftinguished true Ifraelites from others that are of Ifrael, and the children of the flesh from the children of the promife; and thereby fignify, that the word failed not to the true Ifraelites, and the children of the promife, whereas it failed not either to the reft, if this be the meaning of it? So then the words muft not be taken up thus, as fignifying God's mind to account fuch as believe, children and heirs of the promises, or of life eternal, and fuch as believe not, ftrangers to these promifes, and to lite; but by the word of God, is here meant,

Fter the apoftle has hinted at as much as that they were unchurched, and caft off for the most part, and now a people without the reach of the promites, and fo without hope of heaven; he now cometh to answer the objection which would be made against it. It might be faid, If we be thus rejected and unchurched, as you alledge, then there is not a promife of grace and glory, that we can expect, fhall be accomplished in us; for fuch as are without the vifible church, can have no hope of any of these promises: but then if it be lo, it will follow, that the word of God hath taken, none effect; that is, it will follow, that that comfortable promife made to Abraham, I will be thy God, and the God of thy feed, (wherein grace and glory, and things tending to the good of a foul, and communion with God here or hereafter, is promifed,) fhould not be accomplished, but fail, and prove of none effect. To this he anfwereth, Not as though the word of God had taken none effect: Granting the confequence to be true, that the promifes of God cannot fail, the Lord is true, and it is impoffible that he fhould lie; but he denieth the confequence, or that it will follow, that because the most part of the Jews are now cat off, that therefore God's promifes hould fail: where, by the word of God, we are not to understand, with Arminians, the general offers of the gospel, which are made to all, without any difference; or that word wherein he declareth his purpose to fave all them that believe, and condemn them that believe not; for then, 1. this word of God had taken effect, tho' there had not been one foul faved, for it had remained true upon the other part; but

the

348 the promises of fpecial note made to the elect ones; the promife of life and falvation, which, tho' proclaimed and declared to all fuch as are of Ifrael, to the children of the flesh and of the promise, even to all the vifible church, yet doth properly belong to the elect ones; and as to fuch they fhall always take effect, tho' all the reft be rejected, and unchurched. And that notwithstanding of the rejection of the most part of the Jews, yet thefe fpecial and fpiritual promises made to the elect fhall never fail, he proveth, unto verse 14. and in this verfe is his first argument, in thefe words, For they are not all Ifrael, who are of Ifrael; as if he had faid, You think that the faving promifes, comprehended under that great one, I will be thy God, and the God of thy feed, did properly belong, and were made to all the feed of Jacob, and all that did lineally defcend of him; whereas they did belong properly to the true Ifraelites, the elect chofen Ifraelites, who declare themselves fuch by faith in Christ, and as to those it never faileth; and therefore tho' the reprobate unbelieving Jews be rejected, it will not follow, that these faving promises made to the true Ifraelites, fhall become of none effect.

An Expolition of the Epifle to the Romans.

. OBSERVATIONS.

I. Not only fhould minifters propofe truth unto people, but alfo fhould labour to clear it fully unto them, that fo it may ftick the more clofely, and loofe all objections that might be made to the contrary, as the apoftle doth here.

II. So ftupid and fenfelefs may a perverfe degenerate people be, that even while they are lying under a moft heavy ftroke and judgment of God, yet may be altogether infenfible and ignorant thereof; yea, fo ignorant as to plead the contrary against any that will fay it: as here, thefe Jews for the most part were caft off of God, and yet they could not be got convinced of it, but were here ready to have

Chap. IX.

difputed for the contrary, and were ready to object against the apoftle, and fo put him to answer.

III. Altho' the church of God be a comfus, yet all that are within the vifible pany of fuch as profefs faith in Chrift Jeble or myftical body, and have not true church are not members of Chrift's invifi fion may be utterly void of and lively faith, but even under a profes godlinefs: All that are of Ifrael, are not grace and Ifrael.

belonging to the vifible church, and the IV. Though there be feveral privileges particular members thereof; yet it is not to fuch as vifible members that all the profor they are made properly and mainly unmifes of the covenant of grace do belong; to the invifible church of believers, (fepaeverlafting decree of election,) which is his rated from the reft, according to God's myftical body, his fpoufe, and his ranfomthat promife, I will be thy God, did not ed ones; for the apostle affirms here, that belong to all that were of Ifrael, but to those that were truly Ifrael, that is, to true Ifraelites indeed, who are indeed the children of God,

V. There are none more ready to grip to the promises, and challenge them as theirs, than fuch as have no intereft in were ready here to grip to the promife of them, or right to them; as we fee the Jews life and communion with God, or to the promife of having God for their God, who had no right to it..

. VI. As prefumption, or folks groundwhich do not belong to them, lulls them lefs challenging an intereft in the promises, break their necks on that rock, and unover into a state of fecurity, fo as they do themselves quite; fo alfo it blindfolds them that they cannot perceive nor be fenfible of God's judgments purfuing them, even tho' they be lying under the heavy preffure thereof; fór fo the Jews their challenging a right to the promife of God, made them now fo fenfelefs and ftupid,

that

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