1. At the beginning of this Chapter, we find the Apostle grievously lamenting and bemoaning of the Jews, at the consideration of their miserable state: I say the truth in Christ, saith he, and lie not, my Conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Ghost, that I have great heaviness, and continual sorrow in my heart; for I could wish my self accursed from Christ, for my Brethren, my kinsmen according to the Flesh. Poor hearts, saith he, they ⟨p. 2⟩will perish; they are a miserable sad and helpless People; their eyes are darkened that they may not see, (a)and their back is bowed down alway: Wherefore? Have they not the means of Grace? Yes verily, and that in goodly measure: First they are Israelites, to whom pertaineth the Adoption, and the Glory, and the Covenants, and the giving of the Law, and the service of God, and the Promises; whose are the Fathers, and of whom, as concerning the flesh, Christ came, who is over all, God blessed for ever, Amen. What then should be the reason? Why saith he, though they be the Children of Abraham according to the flesh, yet they are the Children of Abraham BUT according to the Flesh: For they are not all Israel (in the best sense) that are of Israel; neither because they are the Seed of Abraham, are they Children; but in Isaac shall thy Seed be called. That is, They that are the Children of the Flesh, they are not the Children of God; but the Children of the Promise shall be counted for the Seed. So then, here you see that they that are only the Children of the Flesh (as the greatest part of Israel were) they are those that are neither counted for the Seed, the Children of Promise, nor the Children of God; but are rejected, and of the Reprobation. This therefore shall at this time serve for the first Scripture-Demonstration.
1. At the beginning of this Chapter, we find the Apostle grievously lamenting and bemoaning of the Jews, at the consideration of their miserable state: I say the truth in Christ, saith he, and lie not, my Conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Ghost, that I have great heaviness, and continual sorrow in my heart; for I could wish my self accursed from Christ, for my Brethren, my kinsmen according to the Flesh. Poor hearts, saith he, they ⟨p. 2⟩will perish; they are a miserable sad and helpless People; their eyes are darkened that they may not see, (a)and their back is bowed down alway: Wherefore? Have they not the means of Grace? Yes verily, and that in goodly measure: First they are Israelites, to whom pertaineth the Adoption, and the Glory, and the Covenants, and the giving of the Law, and the service of God, and the Promises; whose are the Fathers, and of whom, as concerning the flesh, Christ came, who is over all, God blessed for ever, Amen. What then should be the reason? Why saith he, though they be the Children of Abraham according to the flesh, yet they are the Children of Abraham BUT according to the Flesh: For they are not all Israel (in the best sence) that are of Israel; neither because they are the Seed of Abraham, are they Children; but in Isaac shall thy Seed be called. That is, They that are the Children of the Flesh, they are not the Children of God; but the Children of the Promise shall be counted for the Seed. So then, here you see that they that are onely the Children of the Flesh (as the greatest part of Israel were) they are those that are neither counted for the Seed, the Children of Promise, nor the Children of God; but are rejected, and of the Reprobation. This therefore shall at this time serve for the first Scripture-Demonstration.
- (a)Rom. 11.10.
