But their privileges were only a shadow of those enjoyed by true Israelites —
[As, under the Jewish dispensation, " all were not Israel who where of Israel g," so, under the Gospel, " they, who are Christ's, are the true seed of Abraham, and heirs according to the promise11." Now to those who are "Israelites indeed" belong those infinitely rich blessings, which, in a figure, were enjoyed by the carnal Jews. They are really the sons of God, as soon as ever they believe in Christ1, and have a spirit of " adoption " given them whereby they cry, Abba, Fatherk. They have God, not merely residing in a bright cloud, but dwelling in their own hearts1, and displaying to them his "glory" in the face of Jesus m. To them is revealed that "covenant," which is "ordered in all things and sure11," to- gether with the whole of their duty both to God and man ; so that, by adhering to his directions, they are sure to prove both duteous citizens, and accepted worshippers. Lastly, they have also exceeding great and precious " promises," comprehending every thing that is good for body and for soul, in time and in eternity0.]
But, by how much the more exalted our condition under the Gospel is, by so much the more may we see,
II. The disposition we should manifest towards those who despise these privileges —
The expressions used by the Apostle admit of dif- ferent interpretations1*. But, in whatever sense they be taken, they certainly import that,
g Rom. ix. 6. h Gal. hi. 29.
> John i. 12. 1 John in. 1, 2. Eph. ii. 19. k Rom. viii. 14, 15.
i 1 Cor. iii. 16. m 2 Cor. iv. 6. "2 Sam. xxiii. 5.
° 1 Tim. iv. 8.
p Some consider him as saying that he was willing to be excom- municated from the church of God, and to be treated by them, even as he was by his enemies : and others, as saying, that he was willing to suffer for them utto tou Xpitrrov, after the example of Christ. But if we take r)v-^6^r]v in the past tense, instead of obliging the Apostle to say, tvypijjirjv ar, and if we comprehend the words tiv^6p.-qv yap avTOQ eyoj ayaOefia eivai dirb rov Xpivrov in a parenthesis, the sense will be far more clear, and all the difficulties that occur on the other construction will be avoided. The sense will then be, I am sorry (for I myself was once in their very condition, and wished to have nothing to do with Christ, which, in fact, was to be accursed from Christ, as much as any of them now do) for my brethren, &c. Compare Gal. iv. 12. in the Greek, " Be ye as I am, for I tvas as ye are." The same idea is more fully expressed Acts xxvi. 9 — 11. According to