back and graffed into their own natural olivetree, than that God should have made a way for us Gentiles, who were once given up to vile affections and to a reprobate mind, to be graffed contrary to nature into the Hebrew stock? No; the same God who hath wrought the one is able to accomplish the other; and the same God is pledged and covenanted by an oath to accomplish both.

III. It will tend greatly to confirm our confidence in the expectation of these things, if we consider further the evidence which we possess, in the New Testament Scriptures, of those articles of the covenant which more especially concern Israel after the flesh.

That ought to be sufficient, in one word, which the Holy Ghost put into the mouth of Zacharias concerning Christ, viz: "That he was raised up as a horn of salvation for us (Israel) in the house of God's servant David, as he spake by the mouth of his holy prophets, which have been since the world began; that we should be saved from our enemies, and from the hand of all that hate us; to perform the mercy to our fathers, and to remember his holy covenant, the oath which he sware to our father Abraham; that he would grant unto us (Israel, remember,) that we, being delivered out of the hand of our enemies,

might serve him without fear, in holiness and righteousness before him, all the days of our life." Nevertheless, I will, with as much, brevity as the subject will admit, bring before you three particulars, viz: First, the restoration of the literal Israel; Secondly, the pardoning and sanctification of the entire nation; Thirdly, the recovery of their land.

1. In regard to the first point, viz., that there are promises intended for the literal Israel, what can be clearer than the declaration of the Apostle, “God hath not cast away his people?” For that he is here speaking of Israel after the flesh is manifest, inasmuch as he instances himself as of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin; and points to a larger election from among them, which had already obtained the justifying righteousness they sought for, whilst the rest were blinded. Now of this residue, who were blinded, it will not be questioned, that they constituted the literal Israel: what then is to become of them? Have they stumbled that they should fall? God forbid! but "blindness in part is happened unto Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in." This of itself utters no uncertain sound, as to a restoration of Israel after the times of the Gentiles are completed; but to put the matter beyond dispute, Paul

immediately after adds, "And so ALL ISRAEL shall be saved; as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob: for this is my covenant unto them when I shall take away their sins."*

This suggests an important remark: viz. that, although the new covenant was formally brought into operation at the death of Christ, yet, (as we plainly see,) the fulfilment of some of its articles has been suspended or deferred. In regard indeed to the remainder, we have seen only an incipient fulfilment: none have as yet received the promise in that fulness which is intended: we still groan, and have to contend with enemies, and are waiting for the adoption-to wit, the redemption of the body. But here we learn the reason of this suspension, and the term of it; viz. until God has completed the number of his elect, which he is now gathering from among the Gentiles. Then all Israel will be saved; and then, also, the Gentiles will enjoy the consummation of their bliss in the everlasting kingdom and glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.‡

There is also another circumstance to be noticed here, in regard to the restoration of the literal Israel, viz. their wonderful preservation

* Rom. xi. 2, 3, 25.

† Rom. viii. 23; 2 Cor. v. 1-3. + See Acts xv.

for this purpose, notwithstanding the fierceness, the subtlety, the malice, and the long continuance of the persecution they have endured. An intimation of this is given in a part of the covenant I have not yet noticed; viz. where God declares to Jacob, "And, behold, I am with thee, and will keep thee in all places whither thou goest, and will bring thee again into this land; for I will not leave thee, until I have done that which I have spoken to thee of."*

This patriarch, whose names Jacob and Israel are constantly used by the prophets for the whole nation, is evidently treated with here with reference to all the seed. What is said of him is first typical; for it refers to his being an exile from his father's house and from the promised land; and God promises to be "with him" during all his bondage to Laban, and throughout his temptation, and to bring him again into the land. And, secondly, like the child Isaac born to Abraham, it is intended as an earnest and pledge to Israel in general; that if these promises of God were fulfilled to their great ancestor in the events of his life, so should they on the larger scale be accomplished in them, whom God would be with to keep them in all places whither they should be driven, as a little sanctuary to them, *Gen. xxviii. 15.

and bring them again into that same land, and would never leave them nor forsake them until he had done that which he had spoken of. The prophets are moved by the Spirit to take up the matter in this way. Hear Jeremiah: "Fear thou not, O my servant JACOB, saith the Lord; neither be dismayed, O Israel: for lo, I will save thee from afar, and thy seed from the land of their captivity; and JACOB shall return, and shall be in rest, and be quiet, and none shall make him afraid. For I am WITH thee, saith the Lord, to save (or keep) thee: though I make a full end of all nations, whither I have scattered thee, yet will I not make a full end of thee: but I will correct thee in measure, and will not leave thee altogether unpunished.' Almost the same words are used by him in another place. Hear Isaiah also: "But now, thus saith the Lord that created thee, O Jacob, and he that formed thee, O Israel ; Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine. When thou passest through the waters, I will be WITH thee; (or rather, as the original, I am WITH thee ;) and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee. For I am the Lord thy God, the

* Jer. xxx. 10, 11; xlvi. 27, 28.