civil and ecclesiastical society, in the enjoyment of its peculiar advan tages, is suspended on its fidelity as such, for which fidelity there is no special promise with regard to any country, or any church, vs. 20 — 24.
6. God does sometimes enter into covenant with communities, as such. Thus he has covenanted to the w'hole human race that the world shall not be again destroyed by a deluge, and that the seasons shall continue to succeed each other, in regular order, until the end of time. Thus he covenanted with the Jews to be a God to them, and to their seed, for ever, and that they should be to him a people. This, it seems, is a per- petual covenant, which continues in force until the present day, and which renders certain the restoration of the Jews to the privileges of the church of God, vs. 16, 28, 29.
7. It is the radical principle of the Bible, and consequently of all true religion, that God is all and in all ; that of him, and through him, and to him, are all things. It is the tendency of all truth to exalt God, and to humble the creature ; and it is characteristic of true piety to feel that all good comes from God, and to desire that all glory should be given to God, vs. 33—36.
1. The mutual relation between the Christian church and the Jews should produce in the minds of all the followers of Christ, 1. An abiding sense of our obligations to the Jews as the people through whom the true religion has been preserved, and the blessings of divine truth ex- tended to all nations, vs. 17, 18. 2. Sincere compassion for them, be- cause their rejection and misery have been the means of reconciling the world to God, i. e. of extending the gospel of reconciliation among men, vs. 11, 12, 15. 3. The banishment of all feelings of contempt towards them, or exultation over them, vs. 18, 20. 4. An earnest desire, prompt- ing to prayer and effort, for their restoration, as an event fraught with blessings to them and to all the world, and which God has determined to bring to pass, vs. 12, 15, 25, &c.
2. The dealings of God with his ancient people should, moreover, teach us, 1. That we have no security for the continuance of our privi leges but constant fidelity, v. 20. 2. That, consequently, instead of being proud and self-confident, we should be humble and cautious, vs. 20, 21. 3. That God will probably not bear with us as long as he bore with the Jews, v. 21. 4. That if for our unbelief we are cast out of the church, our punishment will probably be more severe. There is no special covenant securing the restoration of any apostate branch of the Christian church, vs. 21, 24, with 16, 27—29.
3. It is a great blessing to be connected with those who are in covenant with God. The promise is " to thee and thy seed after thee." "The Lord thy God, he is God, the faithful God, which keepeth covenant and mercy with them that love him and keep his commandments, to a thou- sand generations," Deut. 7 : 9. The blessing of Abraham reaches, in