The difference of the people of Israel and all other peoples.
Truth. Many other considerations of the same nature I might annex, but I pick here and there a flower, and pass on to a second head concerning the people themselves, wherein the state of the people shall appear unmatchable: but only by the true church and Israel of God.
The people of Israel the seed of one man.
First. The people of Israel were all the seed or offspring of one man, Abraham, Psalm cv. 6, and so downward the seed of Isaac and Jacob, hence called the Israel of God, that is, wrestlers and prevailers with God, distinguished into twelve tribes, all sprung out of Israel’s loins.
But now, few nations of the world but are a mixed seed; the people of England especially: the Britons, Picts, Romans, Saxons, Danes, and Normans, by a wonderful providence of God, being become one English people.
Only made good in the spiritual seed, the regenerate, or new-born.
Only the spiritual Israel and seed of God, the new born, are but one. Christ is the seed, Gal. iii. [16,] and they only that are Christ’s are only Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.
This spiritual seed is the only antitype of the former figurative and typical. A seed which all Christians ought to propagate, yea, even the unmarried men and women who are not capable of natural offspring, for thus is this called the seed of Christ (who lived and died unmarried), Isa. lix. 21.
Secondly. This people was selected and separated to the Lord, his covenant and worship, from all the people and nations of the world beside, to be his peculiar and only people, Lev. xx. 26, &c.
The people of Israel separate from all nations in spiritual, and in some civil things.