_328 An Expofitì DaaLoou2II. Verf. 4, 5 Which are the Ifraelites, to whom pertain neth the adoption, and the loy, and the covenants, and the giving of the Law, and thefervice of God, and thepromifes: of whom are the Fathers, and of whom concerning thefefh Chrifi came, who is God over ad blef fed for ever. Amen. T i m o T u'us. WHat it the drift and purpofe of this Text ? S z L. To render reafons of his deep love and grief for the Jewes, for whole fake he would have wifhedl himfelfac- curled anddeftroyed, to have had them faved, and this his exceeding charity he now doth expound, and fet forth the true reafons thereof. T z m. From whence are thefe reafons drawn ? This was s S z L. They are all taken from the private noble properties! of the Jewes, and condition,! neat i.pnh- thofe adjoynts or qualities, which are lick, in number ten, whereof now we will fpeak in order. The firft is, that they were his brethren or kinfmen accor- ding to the flefh ; this is a great occa, lion to make us love our neighbour fo much the more, as Chrift did ¿this Nation, and his own mother, and as nature teacheth even 7Heathen to do, as s Tim. 5.8. Their fecond proper- ty is,that they were lfraelites, (that is, Gods people) fuch as were Princes and conquerers ;of God. This name God for honour fake agave to Jacob, who overcame God in wreftling, fee Gen.3 3 38. thereof called [Ifrael : ] and he thought it an excellent bleffmg,to have his children called by his name (Ifrael) as ye may fee in his prayer, Gen.48. z 6. And this is the fecond caufe of his fo great grief for their deftru &ion, that a people confecrated to the true God, who delighted to be called the God of Ifrael,fhould perifh. The third property is Adoption, by which we are not to underhand that The ehoren people of God, his flock, his Sheep, his lot, hisin- heritance confecrated to the true God : not as .4thrns. 'bah,, Si. rilia,were dedicated to faire Gods, which yet they recko- ned their honours. aph.abS. on upon Chap.9, eternal¿ adoption peculiar to the ele&, whom God purpofed before al worlds, to make his children in Chrift ; and ac- cordingly doth a&ually adopt them in time,when he calleth them effoatially: but the externall adoption, to be ac- counted and efteemed the only Church of God, all other Nations and people being patted by and refuted : by vertue of which dignity, Godhimfelf calleth Ifrael his fon, yea, his firft born, yea, his treafure, &c. Exod.4. 12. & 19. 5, 9. Deut. 32.8,9, Jer.3 t. zo. I am their Fa- ther, and Ephraim is my childe and firfi born. And this is the third caufe of his forrow,that they fhould be loft which had fo worthy a priviledge. Their fourth property is the [Glory,] by which is meant the Ark e, which was a token of Gods prefence ; t Sam. 4.2 i, 22. Therealfo God heard the prayers and praifes of his people, & gave forth oracles unto fuch as fought them; and in regard ofit, the Temple is called the habitation of his glory, or the place where his honour dwelleth, Ffal.26.8. Therefore no people (as it is in Deut.) fo noble to whomGod came fo nigh as to this people. Nowwhat a grief to a good friend is this, that fuch a nation fhould be caft ou t land Anathematized. Their fift priviledge and quality was the [Covenants,] that is,the Table of the covenants, by a Metonymie: and he (peaks in the plurali number, becaufe there were two Tables, Deut. 9. i i. In thefe God wrote with his own hand his Morali Lawes and Statutes. Some underftand it of the covenant which God often made -with his people for eternal life by Chrift,howbeit this was butone,howfoever it was often renew- ed with Abraham, and Ifaae, &c. Alto the promifès which are after named, cannot be fevered from the covenant which flood in promifes ofeternal and temporali happineffe. The fixt property is the [ Giving of the Law,] to wit; the judiciall Law for theCommon - wealth, which furpaf ed all the Lawes of Solon, Lyeurgur, Nu- ma, Draco,'Ihemiftocles, and Minos. For they came from heaven ( God being the
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