of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, there- fore the world hateth you6." The children of the new covenant, in the mean time, meekly bear the cross ; " being defamed, they entreat ; being persecuted, they suffer it ;" " committing themselves to him that judge th righteously," and waiting the accomplishment of all his promises.]
IV. In their end —
[Ishmael, by his conduct, brought upon himself that very exclusion, which he had confidently supposed would never take place : and Isaac in due time inherited the portion, which, in dependence on God's word, he had professed to expect. Nor was the difference made merely through the partiality of the parents, but by the express order of God himself f.
Thus shall they, who are under the law, be, ere long, banished from their Father's house. In vain shall they plead their carnal relation to God, and his people : they belong to a covenant that entails on them a curse, and not a blessing5: and though they will not be persuaded of their danger now, yet will they find at last, that their confidence was presumption, and their hope vanity h. On the contrary, they who are under the covenant of grace will inherit the promised land : their professions shall be vindicated, their expectations realized, their hopes accomplished: and to eternity shall they dwell with God, as monuments of his sovereign grace, and his un- changing faithfulness.]
We shall still continue to follow the Apostle in the improvement of this subject. It is useful, 1. For examination —
[There cannot be a more interesting inquiry than this, Am I a "child of the bond-woman, or of the free'?" Nor will it be at all difficult to attain a satisfactory knowledge of our state, if we will but follow the clew, which this instructive allegory affords us. Let us ask ourselves then, What have I that nature cannot give, and that evidently marks me as born of God ? Am I walking with God in the daily exercise of filial affection, accounting his service to be perfect freedom ; or am I rendering him only a formal, partial, and constrained obedience ? Do I look for heaven as the free gift of God through Jesus Christ ; and expect it solely on the humiliating terms of the new covenant : or am I ready to take offence at
e ver. 29. with John xv. 19. f Gen. xxi. 10, 12.
s Gal. Hi. 10.
h ver. 30. -with John viii. 35. and Matt. viii. 11, 12.
1 ver. 31.