Of Repentance. 5T him by a particular interpofition to favour S F R M. Tome of them with a positive rev,°lation of III. his will, to reclaim them from their errors and lead them in the way to happinefs. For this end was the conftitution of Ifrael form'd, which is fignificantly and juftly called a Theocracy ; God himfelf was King, the laws were given by him, nay, and he kept in his own hand the Taft refort of power in the execution. The people under that form of divine government, were the fpecial favourites of heaven ; God himfelf call'd them a chofen nation to him, a peculiar treafure, a kingdom of priefis, and our Saviour tells us that fal- vation was of the Jews. But whatever the fpecial reafons might be, taken from the genius of that people and the circumflances of the time, there was in that ceconomy a great mixture of ceremony and external pomp, which rendered it impeded, and un- fit to anfwer the more extenfive purpofes of that grace, defigned for mankind in the ful- nefs of time : And therefore it muff give way to a better conftitution, a new kingdom cf grace, which God ere ted and put into the hands of his fon, to be wifely and gracioufly adminiftred by him, for turning the diföbe- dient to the wifdom of the jufl, reducing to their duty the rebellious, not of one, but of all E 2 nations
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