234 S I-I I L O H. what reafon can there be, that we know of, why he should fpare the wild ones, that are but grafted in? Though the yews did not receive Chrift, becaufe he bad no outward Form or Comelinefs, no earthly Power or Dignity, as they had prwconceived of their Meah yet he is the true Delire of the Nations, and the real Believer'sfpiritual SHILOH, whether he be yew or Gen- tile. yefiss is the DELIVERER, the Friend, the Redeemer, of all his People. Compared with the Releafe from the Bondage of Sin, which he figns upon the Heart of the Chr/ian ; what a frivolous Expeétation was that of the Jews refpe&ing a carnal Deliverer, who might free them from the heathen Yoke, and, inflead thereof; bring the Heathens under their own ? Taking every thing in a grofs and earthly Senfe, they could not com- prehend what the great Deliverer meant, when he held forth the Knowledge of the Truth, and fpake of mak- ing themfree; but told him, with an Air of Imperti- nence and Indignation, We are 1lbraham's Seed, and were never in Bondage to any Man. -f- They had no Idea of that holy and tpiritual Freedom, in which alone Men may be confidered as free indeed. They wifhed to live either without Rule to themfelves, or to impofe the Rule upon others. But Chrift camenot to teach human Politics ; for his Kingdomwas not of this World : On the contrary, he ever exhorted a meek and holy Submiflìon to others. They mifunderitood his Declarations of their natural Captivity to Sin, and feem to have had noNotion of the Slavery, which was impofed upon their deluded Hearts, by the Malice and Power of Satan. So far from it, they would havefioned him for his Pub= lication of Mercy, and wantonly and blafphemoufly abufed the Spirit of Life in ChrO Jefus, which alone could free them, and free them for ever, from the Con- demnation of the Law, and the Vengeance of Death. In a word, they were too wife, too righteous, and too free, in their own Conceits, for the Wifdom, Righte- Rom. xi. 17, &c. 'F John viii. 33. oufnefs;
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