348 { Godspeople a +irituallCommon- wealth, CHAP. VIII. Sheivittg holy all Gods people are but one. Tj1 He fccond Alienation, exprefíing the mifery of men in their corrupt and carnali eft ate, an Alienation from the Common-Wealth of ifrael. Ifrael were once thepeculiar peo- ple of God, fet apart by aholy Covenant untocod tobe his people above all the people of the earth, from the common- wealth of thefe Ifraelites, the Gentiles before thecommtng ofChrift wereDrangers, and beforetheir callingand conver- fion by theminifieryof the Gofpell, they were wholly ex- cluded from the Priviledges and Prerogatives belonging to the Ifraelitifh people, as being ftrangers unto their common- wealth. And the Apoftle expreffeth their mifery and diiho- nourable eftate, by a Metaphor taken, a iure Civitatis, from theRights and Priviledges belonging to a City,beingno Ci- tizens, no membersof this fpirituall common-wealth, they were excluded from the Lawes, Immunities, Freedomes, and Priviledges belonging to the fame. In the words we may obferve, I. The Title given to the Church and people of God, a Common-wealth. 2., The Exemptionofall prophane men from this Common- wealth,calledAliens to the Common-wealth of lfrael. I. Of theTitle,which is not properbut metaphoricall,and it may teach us, That Gods faithfull people are a.firituallandmyfficall Corn. mon- Weaih. As they are termed a body confDtng of many members of which Chrift is the head ; a honfe confiDing of many lively Dones, whereof Chrift is the headcorner {lone; an Orchard compofed of' many Trees, of which Chrift is the planter : fo they are alfa a fpirituall, a myf icall Common- °ealth,wherofChrif is the fmpreameGoverneur:And Chrifts Church and faithfull people are a fpirituall Common -wealth. a. In
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=