182 k GUIDE TO PRAYER. Objection. Some will say this promise only refers to the Jews at the time of their conversion. Answer. Most of these exceedinggreat and precious promises, that relate to gospel-times, are made expressly to Jacob; and Israel, and Jerusalem, and Sion, in the language of the Old Testament. And how dread- fully shouldwe deprive ourselves, and all the Gentile 6ielievers, of ail these gracious promises at one stroke, by such a confined exposition ? Whereas the apostle Paul sometimes takes occasion, to quote a promise of the Old Testament made to the Jews, and applies it to the Gentiles, as 2 Cor. vi. 19, 17, 18. I will dwell in them, and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people; which is written for the Jews, in Levit. xxvi. 12. Come oat from among them touch 1m unclean thing and I will be a Father to 'Sou, 4e. which are cited from Is. lii. 11. and Jer. xxxi. 1, 9. where Israel alone is mentioned. And yet in 2 Cor. vii. 1. the apostle says, Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let uscleanse ourselves, 4e. And thus he makes the Corinthians as it were possessors.of these very promises. He gives -us also much encouragement to do the same, when he tells us; Rom. xv. 4. Whatsoever things were written o oretitne, were smitten for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scrip- titres might have hope; and ver. 8, 9. he assures us, that Jesus Christ confirms the promises made to the fathers, that the Gen- tiles may glorify Godfor his mercy. Again in 2 Cor: i. 20. All the promises of God in himare ilea, and in him amen, to the glory of God. Now it would have been to very little purpose to have told the Romans or the Corinthians of the stability of all the promises of God, if their faith might not have embra- ced them. We are said to be blessed with faithful Abraham, if we are -imitators of his faith ; Gal. iii. 29. If we are Christ's, then are we lthrahain's seed, and heirs according to the promise; heirs by faithof the same blessings that are premised to Abraham, and to bis seed ; Rom. iv. 13. Now this very promise, the promise of the Spirit, is received by us Gentiles, . as heirs of Abraham ; Oral. iii. 14. That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit, throughfaith. Being interested therefore in his covenant, we have a right to the same promises, so far as they contain grace in them, that muy be properly communicated to us. And therefore the house_of David, in this prophecy of Ze- chariah, doth not only signify the natural descendants of David the Icing, but very properly includes the family of Christ, the true David : Believers that are his children, and inhabitants of Jerusalem, and members of the true church, whether they were originally Jews or Gentiles : For in Christ Jesus men are not
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