Israel is my sonne] By Israel is meant the posterite of Jacob, (who was also called Israel) Genesis 32:28. and here is his off-spring named, not only Gods Son, (a title of favour) but his first-borne, a relation of honour: because he made the first choice of that people before any other, and as first-born, the people so called have so much both benevolence, and preeminence (above all other nations) that God will not suffer them to remain slaves: for as the first-born were consecrated to God, (as his peculiar portion) so were the children of Israel accepted for his, as a peculiar treasure, above all people, Ex. 19. 5. and of them was to come (according to the flesh) the first borne of every creature: so our Saviour is called, Col. 1. 15. because he was before any creature, (in respect of his eternall generation) and the first borne of the dead, vers. 18. of the same Chapter, because his resurrection in vertue though not in time was before all others.