PART III.

Concerning the Rejection of the Jews.

CHAPTER IX.

WITH the Calling of the Gentiles, (which is the great subject of the Epistle) the Rejection of the Jews has a close and necessary connection. For if the Jews be still God's favoured and peculiar people, then must all that has gone before, concerning the admission of the Gentiles to God's favour, through the faith of Christ, and their participation of the promises made to Abraham; notwithstanding the seeming strength of the arguments by which it is supported; fall to the ground in other words, the Gentiles have no claim to be the people of God. On the other hand, if the Gentiles be called, then are the Jews no longer the peculiar people of God: and not only so; but if, as the Apostle argues, the people of God be now the believers in Jesus Christ; then is it manifest, not only that the Gentiles constitute the great body of God's

people; but that the Jews, as a nation, are rejected.

Now this, as we may readily conceive, was to the Jews a stumbling-block, such as hardly any force of reasoning could remove. Not only was it most abhorrent to their feelings, and most adverse to their prejudices, but the thing was utterly impossible; God's word and promise interposed to prevent it.-That they, "who are Israelites; to whom pertaineth the Adoption, and the Glory, and the Covenants, and the Giving of the Law, and the Service of God, and the Promises; whose are the Fathers; and of whom, as concerning the flesh, Christ came;" (1x. 4, 5.) -that they should ever be cast off, is contrary to God's veracity and justice; to the oath which he sware unto Abraham; and confirmed the same to Jacob for a Law, and to Israel for an everlasting Covenant.

9, 10.)

(1 Chron. xvi. 16, 17; Psal. cv.

BUT notwithstanding this, the Jews are rejected, and the Gentiles called; and that without any impeachment of the Divine Perfections; as St. Paul shew's in the 9th Chapter, ver. 1-29.

Ver. 6-9. The Jews are indeed rejected; yet is this no impeachment of God's veracity; for the children of Abraham, to whom God's word was engaged, respecting the Heavenly inheritance, (τα τεκνα της επαγγελιας, the Children of the Promise) were not his seed according to the flesh, but his Spiritual seed; those namely who are of the faith of Abraham. (Compare Iv. 11. 16: Gal.

iii. 7. 29.)

ix. 8. τετεσιν, 8 τα τεκνα της σάρκος, &c.

"That is, They which are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God; but the children of the promise are counted for the seed."

Ver. 10-16. Again: The Gentiles are indeed called; yet is this no impeachment of the Divine Justice; for God was always at liberty to select what objects he pleased of his special and unmerited favours.

ix. 15, 16. τψ γαρ Μωση λεγει, &c.

"For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy, on

whom I will have mercy; and I will have compassion, on whom I will have compassion so then, it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth; but of God that sheweth mercy."

Ver. 17, 18. And whereas the Rejection of God's ancient people was well known to imply their being deserted of God, and sealed for destruction; (although the Apostle declines the mention of this in express terms;)-neither is this any impeachment of the Divine Justice; for when God's forbearance and long suffering only tends to harden sinners in their wicked courses, (as in the case of Pharaoh of old; and in the case of the Jews of that time;) he may, whenever he sees fit, make them signal examples of his righteous vengeance:

. ix. 17, 18. λεγει γαρ ἡ γραφη τῳ Φαραῳ, &c.

"For the Scripture saith unto Pharaoh, Even for this same purpose have I raised thee up, (i. e. kept thee alive from the preceding plagues) that I might shew my power in thee, and that my name might be de

clared throughout all the earth. Therefore hath he mercy, on whom he will have mercy; and whom he will, he hardeneth."

THESE three arguments he confirms by three similar instances of God's dealing, recorded in their Scriptures :

Ver. 7. and 9. The instance of Ishmael and Isaac relates to God's veracity, in fulfilling his promise to the children of the promise:

Ver. 10-13. The instance of Esau and Jacob relates to God's sovereign right of dispensing his special favours to nations and bodies of men ; whether Edomites or Israelites; (see Mal. i. 2, 3. cited in ver. 13.) Jews or Gentiles; according to the election of his good pleasure:

Ver. 17. The instance of Pharaoh relates to God's righteous dealing, in deserting hardened sinners, and consigning them to destruction.

To this last instance, respecting God's hardening impenitent sinners, the Jew replies: