2. The very blessings which we enjoy were taken from them, on purpose that they might be transferred to us —
[The Jews were once the only people upon earth who possessed the blessings of salvation. But God, in righteous indignation, cast off them; and, in a way of sovereign grace and mercy, took us from a wild olive-tree, and grafted us in upon the stock from which they had been broken, and " from which they had been broken on purpose that we might be grafted inh." The fact is, that every soul amongst us, that now derives sap and nourishment from God's olive-tree, actually occupies, as it were, the place of a Jew, who has been dispossessed of his privileges, in order that we might enjoy them. Now, I would submit it to your own judgment : Suppose a person to have been disinherited by his father, on purpose that I, who
s 2 Sam. xxi. 7. h Rom. xi. 19, 20.
had no relation to him, nor any more worthiness in myself than the disinherited offender, might be made his heir: sup- pose that disinherited son, in a state of extreme distress, should ask alms of you, whilst I was living in affluence close at hand; would you not refer him to me, as the person who might well be expected to attend to his case, and to relieve his necessities ? And, if I dismissed him from my door as a worth- less vagabond, in whose welfare I had no concern, would you not feel surprise and grief, yea, and a measure of indignation too? And if I professed to be a man of piety and benevolence, would you not spurn at my profession, as downright hypocrisy ? Now, then, if under such circumstances you would condemn me, know that " thou thyself art the man." For, all that thou hast of spiritual good was once the exclusive heritage of the Jew : and thou art possessing what has been taken from him ; yea, thou art revelling in abundance, whilst he is perishing in utter want: and all the obligation which, by thine own con- fession, would attach to me in the case I have stated, is en- tailed on thee: and thou, in refusing to fulfil it, art sinning against God, and against thine own soul.]
3. This very transfer of their blessings to us has been made for the express purpose that we might dispense them to that bereaved people in the hour of their necessity —
[True, we are permitted to enjoy them ourselves, yea, and to enjoy them in the richest abundance: but we are parti- cularly intrusted with them for the benefit of the Jews. Hear what God himself has declared on this subject : " As ye in times past (ye Gentiles) have not believed God, but have now obtained mercy through their unbelief ; even so have these also (these Jews) now not believed, that through your mercy they" should be left to perish ? No : but that through your mercy they " also may obtain mercy rl." Now, take again the case before stated : and suppose the man who had disinherited his son, and left me his estate, to have declared in his will, that he left me the estate on purpose that in the hour of his sons extremity I might shew kindness to him, and relieve his necessities ; what would you say of me then, if I spurned him from my door, and left him to perish with hunger, when I was myself revelling in all manner of luxurious abundance? Well, " Tliou art the man:" and what thou wouldest say of me, thou must say of thyself, as long as thou neglectest to promote the welfare of God's ancient people : yes, " out of thine own mouth shalt thou be judged, thou wicked servant." God has made thee a trustee for the Jew; and thou hast not only betrayed thy trust,