I. The old Jewish church asserts and owns the relation
I. The old Jewish church asserts and owns the relation
In which the Gentile church, though uncalled, stood in both to her and Christ
"We have a little sister." In which may be considered, 1st, In what sense the Gentile church is sister to the Jewish church. 2dly, How she appears to stand in the same relation to Christ. 3dly, How she could be said to be so at that present time.
1st, The Gentile church may be said to be a sister to the Jewish church, for these following reasons: 1. In a more general sense; because Jews and Gentiles are both of one and the same blood; for God "hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth," (Acts 17:26), 2. On the account of their being neighbors: thus Samaria and Sodom are said to be sisters to Jerusalem; the one the elder, the other the younger (Ezekiel 16:46). 3. Because, in a spiritual sense, those who are Christ's, whether they be Jews or Gentiles, are Abraham's seed (Galatians 3:28, 29). 4. The elect of God, whether among the Jews or Gentiles, belong unto, and are interested in one and the same covenant of grace (Isaiah 42:6, 49:6). 5. Believers in Christ, of either race, are born of one and the same Father, brought up in one and the same family, and are heirs together of the grace of life (Ephesians 2:19, 4:4). 6. Christ stands in the relation of an elder brother to the Gentile, as well as to the Jewish church; and therefore these two must be sisters (Romans 8:29). 7. The church catholic or universal, with respect to its several parts, is called a mother, and that frequently in this song; see chapter 1:6 and 3:4 and 8:2 and so agreeably, the parts of it, with respect to themselves, may be called sisters, being mothers children. 8. They are of the same faith and religion, as to the substance of it: it is true, there is some difference as to the circumstantials of worship, which are now laid aside; but the true spiritual nature and object of it are the same: the Old Testament saints "eat the same spiritual meat, and drank the same spiritual drink," as saints do under the New; the articles of their faith are the same; for converted Gentiles believe "none other things than those which Moses and the prophets did say should come," relating to Christ's person, grace, work and office.
2dly, The Gentile church is not only a sister to the Jewish church, but also to Christ; therefore she does not say, I have a little sister, but we have one; which way of speaking perhaps she purposely makes use of, that she might stir up his affection and concern for her the more, she being as much related to him as she was herself: and it may be observed, that Christ is not ashamed to own his church, whether of the Jewish or Gentile race, as standing in this relation to him; nay, rather seems to take pleasure in viewing her under this consideration, as appears from his frequent use of it, in chapter 4:9, 10 and 5:1, 2, where this character is more largely opened.
2dly, There remains a difficulty in this clause to be removed; and that is, how the Gentile church could be said before calling to stand in the relation of a sister, either to Christ or to the Jewish church; for she expresses herself in the present tense, we have a little sister: which difficulty will be removed, if we consider these following things; 1. She was so in divine predestination; just as the elect uncalled are said to be Christ's sheep before conversion (John 10:16), "Other sheep I have, which are not of this fold; them also I must bring in:" by which are particularly meant the Gentiles; who were sheep, though wandering, though not yet brought in by grace, nor folded in a church-state: the same are called, "the children of God" before conversion (John 11:52), though scattered abroad, and not openly and visibly appearing to be "fellow-citizens of the saints and of the household of God;" for though they are not in the possession of adopting grace, yet: they are "predestinated unto the adoption of children;" on the account of which they may truly be said to be related to the saints, who are called by grace, 2. The Gentile church was brought into this relation in the everlasting covenant; in which Christ not only stood as an elder brother and glorious representative to both churches, but also espoused them both to himself; so that they stood in the relations of sister and spouse to him, and of sisters one to another: thus Christ is said to be the husband of the Gentile church, before her calling and conversion (Isaiah 54:5), "Thy maker is thine husband, the Lord of hosts is his name." 3. The calling of the Gentiles being sure and certain in God's promises, all whose "promises are yea and amen in Christ," it is represented as if it was already done: as things only promised anal prophesied of, though not yet fulfilled, frequently are in scripture (see Isaiah 9:6, 5). 4. The Gentile church was a sister in the faith of the Jewish Church, who viewed her future calling as present; which agrees with the nature of faith, defined by the apostle (Hebrews 11:1), to be "the substance of things hoped for, and the evidence of things not seen?"