a ver. 33.
God manifested himself to them by a visible symbol of his presence ; accepting their services, and com- municating to them his richest blessings. In a word, he shewed that he regarded them as his peculiar people, and that he was, in a pre-eminent and appro- priate manner, their God. From time to time he visited them with mercies and with judgments, if by any means he might prevail upon them to live obe- dient to his will. But they rebelled against him ; and provoked him at last, especially by the murder of their Messiah, to cast them off. Accordingly, he gave them up into the hands of the Romans, and scattered them as dust over the face of the whole earth ; depriving them, not only of his own imme- diate presence, but of all power to serve him accord- ing to their appointed ordinances ; so that they are the only people upon earth who are incapable of serving their God in the xvay which their own consciences would dictate, and their own religion requires. In this state they have been kept almost eighteen hundred years, living monuments of God's righteous indignation, and a proverb of reproach to the whole world. That, however, which most of all marks the " severity" of God towards them, is, that they are given over to judicial blindness and obduracy; so that, with the Scriptures in their hands, and with the plain accom- plishment of them before their eyes, they cannot see the fulfilment of them in their Messiah, or repent of the evil which they have committed in putting him to death. " They are blinded," we are told, " accord- ing as it is written, God hath given them the spirit of slumber, eyes that they should not see, and ears that they should not hear, unto this day. And David saith, Let their table be made a snare, and a trap, and a stumbling-block, and a recompence unto them ; let their eyes be darkened, that they may not see, and bow down their back alwayb!" This is, beyond all comparison, the heaviest judgment that can be inflicted upon man in this life ; because, when sub- jected to it, he lives only to " fill up a greater
11 ver. 7—10.
1898.1 god's dispensations to jews and gentiles. 431
measure of iniquity," and to " treasure up for himself wrath against the day of wrath." This is the un- happy state of the whole Jewish nation at this time ; so that it may well be said, in relation to them, " Behold the severity of God ; on them that fell, I say, severity."
If we turn our attention to the Gentile world we behold in them a no less striking display of God's " goodness." They were sitting universally in dark- ness and the shadow of death ; and being given up to their own hearts' lusts, they were living in all manner of abominations. Their very religion was nothing but a compound of wickedness and superstition. But, whilst they were in this state, altogether " without God, and without hope," God was pleased to send his Gospel to them, and to render it effectual for their conversion ; so that what God has said in reference to them, is literally true, " I am found of them that sought me not ; I am made manifest unto them that asked not after mec." Thus, from amongst us idolatrous Gentiles, has he chosen to himself a people, whom he regards as " a crown of glory, and a royal diadem in his handd." To us has he given a fuller revelation of his will than ever he gave to his ancient people: the light which to them was only like the early dawn, shines before us with the splendour of the noon-day sun. We, too, have a far nearer access to God than they, and a more filial spirit in our walk before him. The Holy Spirit, who was neither generally nor freely given to them, is on us " poured out abundantly, through Jesus Christ our Saviour." " He takes of the things that are Christ's, and shews them plainly to us ;" yea, the great work he has undertaken, is to " glorify Christ" in our hearts. The interpositions of God in our behalf are not indeed so visible as formerly; but they are not a whit less real, or less important ; or rather, I should say, they exceed the former expressions of his love, as much as the concerns of the soul and of