It is true, the former carnal privilege of Abraham and his pos- terity expiring, on the grounds before mentioned, the ordinances of worship which were suited thereunto did necessarily cease also. And this cast the Jews into great perplexities, and proved the last trial that God made of them; for whereas both these—namely, the carnal and spiritual privileges of Abraham’s covenant,—had been carried on together in a mixed way for many generations, coming now to be separated, and a trial to be made (Mal. iii.) who of the _ Jews had interest in both, who in one only, those who had only the .carnal privilege, of being children of Abraham according to the flesh, contended for a share on that single account in the other also,—that is, in all the promises annexed unto the covenant. But the foundation of their plea was taken away, and the church, unto
which the promises belong, remained with them that were heirs of
Abraham’s faith only.
7. It remains, then, that the church founded in the covenant, and unto which all the promises did and do belong, abode at the coming of Christ, and doth abide ever since, in and among those who are the children of Abraham by faith. The old church was not taken
124 ONENESS OF THE CHURCH. [EXERC. VII.
away, and a new one set wp, but the same church was continued, only in those who by faith inherited the promises. Great alterations, indeed, were then made in the outward state and condition of the church; as,—(1.) The carnal privilege of the Jews, in their separa- tion to bring forth the Messiah, then failed; and therewith their claim on that account to be the children of Abraham. (2.) The or- dinances of worship suited unto that privilege expired and came to an end. (3.) New ordinances of worship were appointed, suited unto the new light and grace then granted unto the church. (4) The Gentiles came in to the faith of Abraham together with the Jews, to be fellow-heirs with them in his blessing. But none of these, nor all of them together, made any such alteration im the church but that it was still one and the same. The olive-tree was the same, only some branches were broken off, and others planted in; the Jews fell, and the Gentiles came in their room.
And this doth and must determine the difference between the Jews and Christians about the promises of the Old Testament. They are all made unto the church. No individual person hath any interest in them but by virtue of his membership therewith. This church is, and always was, one and the same. With whomso- ever it remains, the promises are theirs; and that not by implica- tion or analogy, but directly and properly. They belong as imme- diately, at this day, either to the Jews or Christians, as they did of old to any. The question is, With whom is this church, founded on the promised Seed in the covenant? This is Zion, Jerusalem, Israel, Jacob, the temple of God. The Jews plead that it is wath them, because they are the children of Abraham according to the flesh. Christians tell them that their privilege on this account was of another nature, and ended with the coming of the Messiah; that the church unto whom all the promises belong are only those who are heirs of Abraham’s faith, believing as he did, and thereby inte- rested in his covenant. Not as though the promise made to Abra- ham were of none effect; for as it was made good unto his carnal seed in the exhibition of the Messiah, so the spiritual privileges of it belonged only unto those of the Jews and Gentiles in whom God had graciously purposed to effect the faith of Abraham. Thus was and is the church, whereunto all the promises belong, still one and , the same, namely, Abraham’s children according to the faith: and among those promises this is one, that God will be a God unto them and their seed for ever.
SECT. 1, 2.] JEWISH DISTRIBUTION, ETC. 125
EXERCITATION VII. ‘OF THE JUDAICAL DISTRIBUTION OF THE OLD TESTAMENT.
1-4, Of the Judaical distribution of the Old Testament. 5-11. The original and nature of their oral law and traditions. 12-14. The whole disproved. 15-20. Agreement of the Jews and Papists about traditions, instanced in sundry particulars,
1. THE apostle, dealing with the Hebrews about the revelation of the will of God made unto their fathers, assigns it in general unto his speaking unto them “in the prophets,” chap.i.1. This speaking unto them, the present Jews affirm to consist of two parts:—(1.) That which Moses and the following prophets were commanded to write for the public use of the church; (2.) What, being delivered only by word of mouth unto Moses, and continued by oral tradition until after the last destruction of the temple, was afterwards com- mitted unto writing. And because those who would read our Expo- sition of this Kpistle, or the Epistle itself, with profit, had need of some insight into the opinions and traditions of the Jews about these things, I shall, for the sake of them that want either skill or levswre to search after them elsewhere, give a brief account of their faith concerning the two heads of revelation mentioned, and therein dis- cover both the principal means and nature of their present apos- tasy and infidelity. :