unto her the elder shall serve the younger as it is written Iacob have I loved but Esau have I hated Gen. 25.22 23. Malach. 1.2 3. Thus to this Nation God set up Abraham Isaak and Iacob persons for three pillars to preach through future Generations that not with respect to their persons more then others but only in his guift of the seed of the womans righteousnesse imputed to them he raised them from an Idolatrous brood perishing in the examplary concision of their Ancestors corruptions to be Christs Nationall Spouse elect See pag. 72 73. Againe to discend with this Nation we finde them then in Egypt under great opressions by the cruelty of Pharaoh but from thence with a high hand God delivers them figuratively in the blood-shed of Christ the Paschall lambe leading them thereby to Christ his acceptable righteousnesse imputed by God to them as the only ground of removing their deserved miseries conferring upon them undeserved mercies as he promised to Abraham in this promised seed about 400 yeares before Gen. 25.13 14. Exod. 14.13 And so God leades them from Egypt through the Wildernesse with his high hand of providence towards the promised land the figure of eternall felicity for saith God to them You have seene what I did unto the Egyptians and how I bare you on Eagles wings and brought you unto my selfe Exo. 19. Yet to God by beliefe of his truth in the promised seed so famous by tradition descending to them from Adam by the ten Fathers before the Flood down to Abraham with whom he renewed this mercy for them they neverthelesse by remissenesse passed over all this preferring the Onyons and flesh-pots and pleasurable treasures of Egypt before the riches of the promised land their day of grace and figure of Gods gift of their eternall glory in Christ Iesus for when God tried them their mindes were but flesh that is onely agreeable to sensuall objects as the bruit and no higher For neither reason nor Faith of Gods gift in Christ was of any use wherefore God sware they should never enter the figure of eternall rest implying his impartiall proceedings to them as to Cain and Abell Againe yet because of their remissenesse they being thus habituated to transgresse the oracle of life and glory in the promised seed therefore to the promise God added the law in holy writ to convey through their generations this object of Faith more firmly that so they might eate the same Spirituall meate and drinke the same Spirituall drink in right beliefe of truth as did all that liv'd by Faith before them and as doe all that now live in right beliefe of truth after them for the flesh of the Sacrifice which they did eate at their Feasts also the flesh of the Paschall lambe was the flesh of Christ to them in a figure therefore in beliefe of truth in that figure they did or might eate the flesh of Christ as now believing man doth Sacramentally in bread and wine and so to them Christs * The flesh of Beasts was not then turned into the flesh of Christ nor was the Rock which followed them turned into the nature or person of Christ although that Rock then was Christ as 1 Cor. 10.4 flesh was meate indeed and his blood was drinke indeed for the truth is the Law that then was added to the precedent promise was but their Schoole-master to leade them to Christ to be justified by Faith Gal. 3.19.24 1 Cor. 10.3 But here the question will be Quest what Law the Apostle meaneth was added to the precedent promise made with Adam and renewed to the world with Abraham Hee meaneth the whole Law of Moses with all its parts Answ even to the Law of sower hearbs to eate the Paschall Lamb and the Law of the first-borne Exod. 12.8.25 Exod. 13.2 And I will briefly touch 4 heads First the Law Judiciall Secondly the Law of the Sacrificing Priesthood Thirdly The Morall Law Fourthly The penall Law Of these in their order First the Judiciall Law as executed by Moses the Judges and Kings successively This figuratively told them that Christ the seed of the woman and seed of Abraham and David was successively in them governing his Israels Common wealth as King on Sion hill So Schooling them by beliefe of truth and the agreeablenesse of the Tipe with the Antitipe to submit to his government to cherish each other as the Nationall members of the mysticall body of Christ Exo. 21.1 Secondly the sacrificing Priest-hood with the Leviticall Ordinances as successively continued unto them figuratively led them to Gods gift of Christs satisfactory righteousnesse imputed and received by beliefe of truth was it onely that cleansed from all sinne that is the guilt punishment and the prevalencie of it in Terrestriall Canaan and from the inherencie of sinne in Canaan Celestiall Therefore when the sacrifice was to expire its life they were to lay upon its head the hand of beliefe of remission of sinnes sometimes of ignorance sometimes for sinnes against conscience And also they had the daily Sacrifice all Schooling the Nationall Spouse of Christ by beliefe of truth to submit to Christs righteousnesse imputed for her continued acceptation and her eternâ—ll life only by Salvation Levit. 4.2 4.15 chap. 6.1 2 7 8. Esra 3.4 Thirdly the Morall Law as incloased in the * Because the perfectioÌ„ of the Morall Law is onely resident in Christ the true Arke and from him conferred to mans justification and sanctification therefore the Morall Law then was as under the veile and now is without the veile an Evangelicall rule and not legall as communicating no grace nor mercy Arke with divers interminglings Schooled this elect Spouse to Gods gift of Christ in six particulars First as all these words were spoken by God with a relative remembrance of their redemption from Egypt by the blood of the Paschall Lambe this tended implicitly to sweeten their obedience by beliefe of truth to all the ensuing commandements as the redeemed Spouse of Christ as appeares by the forefront of the Tables of the Law Exo. 20.1 Secondly because the Morall Law commands this Nationall Spouse not only in Moses presence her Mediator in the Tipe but also because hee put these commandements into the Arke there to remaine as Deut. 10.5 This implicitly Schooled this Spouse that here God in Christ commanded her to a holy life in the perfection of parts by love to him and each others as themselves saying in effect be yee holy as I am holy (a) The Apostle Rom 7. describing the conflicts of a godly mind thankefully coÌ„cludes its victory to be by Christ in the 8 chapt that there is not condemnation to all such and his reason iâ— because the Law as it is accomplished by Christ is in him to them the Law of Spirit and life and freeing him froÌ„ the Law of sin and death and that by Christs fulfilling the Law in our flesh our nature in him hath not only
whom I will have compassion as if hee should say I respect none of them but with respect to my imputed gift of the Lambs righteousnesse which they reject and apply not themselves to me in it Therefore all those which had seene Gods great workes in the wildernesse and were remisse not answerable by beliefe of truth to this mercy God cut them off from the figure of eternall felicity and caused their carkasses to fall in the wildernesse yea hee spared not Mirriam Aaron nor Moses nor any save Caleb the Sonne of Iephuneh the Kenite and Iâ—shua the Sonne of Nun for they wholly followed IEHOVAH saith the Text clearely proving that God is no respecter of persons but to all and alike Deut. 9.14 Exod. 33.19 Rom. 9.15 Numb 32.10.14.28 and Deut. 32.28 Againe about 407. yeeres after the Law was added to the promise then God gave them a two-fold figure more to lead them to Christ the onely ground of all their good As first that the â—romised seed should come of the seventh sonne of Ishâ—i and the sonne of David King on Sion hill to sit on his Throne figuratively shadowing out in Salomons thronized glory So leading this nationall Spouse by right beliefe of truth to piâ—ch her ultimate felicity in the eternall Throne of the promised seed God-man blessed for evermore 2 Sam. 7.12 13 14. Psal 45 6. Luke 1.32 and 33. Heb. 1.8 The second figure was the glory of the Temple standing in the midst of the Land which also was a figure of the promised seed as to it was related the worship and the most especiall presence of God for to it must the sacrifices be brought and to it did this elect Spouse bring all her divine worship and adoration yea although remote from thence yet towards it must they worship figuratively leading this Spouse in the promised Land to feed on the promised seed as on a tree of life by right beliefe of truth as in the Paradise of God Psal 122.4 2 Chron. 7.12 1 King 8.44.45 Rev. 3.7 Prov. 11.30 Yet although God gave all these severall lines of truth leading by beliefe thereof to the imputed righteousnesse of the seed as it in which hee onely (b) This is the true ground of Election elected them to enjoy this Land to be their day of grace and there to receive his gift of eternall glory Notwithstanding they in the spirit of concision referred their election not to the object of faith but (c) These are false and erroneous grounds of Election to Abrahams flesh whence they were descended and to a worth in their owne workes to the Law as but conversant about the object of Faith and for that cause resisted the doctrine of Christ Esai 8.25 Heb. 10.21 Rom. 10.3 as leading them to submit to that righteousnesse of God imputatively given in him the ground of all their good And therefore Saint Paul Rom. 9. punctually encounters both these errors from the light of Divine truth for having in the 8. Chapter beheld the stable felicity of some Gentiles by belâ—fe of this truth he therefore in this ninth Chapter reflects upon this elect Spouse as neere to the rejection for this resisting of Christ and therefore his griefe for them was beyond measure because they were Israel to whom appertaine the adoption and the glory and the Covenants and the giving of the Law and the service of God and the promises of whom are the Fathers and of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came who is over all God blessed for evermore Amen Vers 1.2 3 4 and 5. Yet hee implies that these glorious priviledges did not make him so conceive of them as if Gods Word of curse according to his Covenant with Abraham had taken none effect upon them to their rejection for saith hee all are not Israel that are of Israel implying all are not of Israels faith that are of Israels flesh consequently Gods Word of curse might be of force to them which refuse Christ as the object of Faith notwithstanding their precedent election Wherefore he further saith neither because they are the seed of Abraham are they all children but in Isaack shall thy seed be called that is saith hee they which are the children of the flesh these are not the children of God but the children of the promise are counted for the seed for saith hee this is a word of promise c. Verse 6.7 8 9. implying this figure of Isaack as the promised childe was intended to lead them to Christ the promised seed as precedently is declared And so he goes on to the next figure namely the manner of Esau and Iacobs conception and birth for saith he not onely this but when Rebeka had also conceived by one even by our father Jacob for the children being not yet borne neither having done any good or evill that the purpose of God according to * By election in this text is meant onely of the Iewes to be Christs elect Spouse Nationally and not of any of the Gentiles election might stand not of workes but of him that calleth it was said unto her the elder shall serve the younger as it is written Iacob have I loved but Esau have I hated that is God to manifest his mind rightly in this mysterie loved to preferre the younger in the fleshly line and hated to preferre the first borne to the greatest honour namely to the Nationall election as the first borne after the flesh wherefore God not onely exprest this betweene Ishmael and Isaac and primarily betweene Esau and Iacob as before but also in Iosephs seed God preferred the younger to the greatest honour and the eldest to be inferiour in honour purposely Gen. 49. So likewise in his choyce amongst the sonnes of Ishai he passed by all the eldest to the lowest in the naturall line even the seventh to David and preferred him to the throne therefore it is evident by the testimony of God this love and hatred to those two babes was but to delare his purpose * So that God hated not Esaus person nor hated he him in respect of the foresight of his sinne nor did he love Iacobs Person more then Esaus nor loved he him for the foresight of his Faith and righteousnesse but the truth is God then looked upon them both alike with love to his present and future purpose that is by those Babes to declare that not from any respect of foresight of faith or righteousnesse nor to Abraham or Israels person as they were the naturall root of the Iewes which moved him to extend his mercy to them and to declare on the contrary that the evill of their father Terahs Idolatrous Apostacy hindeâ—ed him not from predestinating them then untorne and to call them in Isack to espouse them nationally to Christ from that Idolatrous den but that the only moving causes was for the glory of his grace by the promised seed as precedently is clearely explained namely to leade this elect
Covenant in Christ which God renewed with Abraham is here distinguished into its parts Abraham get thee from thy Country and from thy Kindred and from thy Fathers House to a Land that I will shew thee and then at that time saith God to him I will make of thee a great Nation In which words in Abrahams Loynes God did now predestinate the Iewes unborne to Grace and Glory in Iesus Christ Againe secondly saith God to Abraham Thou shalt be a blessing and I will blesse them that blesse thee and curse them that curse thee In these words in Abrahams Loynes is implyed the glorious exaltation of Christ the second Adam and saviour of the world as proceeding therein without respect of persons Againe thirdly saith God to Abraham In thee shall all the Families of the Earth be blessed In these words is comprehended the Gentiles Predestination to Grace and glory in Jesus Christ for to him restrictively were all these promises made as witnesseth Saint Paul for saith hee To Abraham and his seed were the Promises made yet said hee God said not unto (a) Yet Christ and right beleevers is th s most pâ—oper seed câ—nsidered in his most peculiar mysticall body for Christ is coÌ„siderable in divers respects seeds as of many that is to all the Off-spring of Abraham in the flesh but as of one and to thy seed which is Christ Gal. 3.16 Therefore at this time all mankinde was Predestinate to Grace and glory in Iesus Christ without difference as upon the immediate fall of Adam (b) For from the time that God promised Christ to Adam till the Gospell was unveiled this mistery lay as hid Col 1.26 Eph 2.7 when this righteousnesse came upon all men to justification of life so now in this predestination to be Vessells of mercy being by their own (c) Therefore it must needs follow that when we were enemies to him God communicated his love and mercy upon man out of love to the glory and praise of his grace by the second Adam Christ Iesus Apostacie Vessells fitted to destruction wherefore when these Gentiles were called to the reception of this grace in the object of Justification rightly doth Saint Paul then say God made knowne the riches of glory on the vessells of mercy whom he had afore prepared unto glory even us whom he hath called not only of the Iewes but also of the Gentiles Rom. 9.23 29. Also when the Apostle called these Gentiles according to Gods purpose about 18-hundred yeares after this Predestination he then saith those whom he did foreknow them he also did predestinate to be conform'd to the Image of his Sonne that he might be the first borne among many brethren And in the next verse hee tells the Gentiles God now accordingly had effected it for he saith moreover whom hee did predestinate them also hee called and whom he called them also he justified and whom hee justified them he also glorified Rom. 8.29 30. And from this ground the Apostle rightly concludes that this promise of God to Abraham contained the Summe of the Gospell concerning the Gentiles for saith hee the Scriptures All these Texts referrs Predestination not to any decree before Abrahams time foreseeing that God would justifie the Heathen through Faith Preached before the Gospell unto Abraham saying In thee shall all Nations be blessed Gal. 3.8 Againe to proceed from this generall ground to a particular proceeding in this universall mercy and to begin where God begins that is at the Restauration of Shems Family to glory And because this glory is restored to this Family from one mans Loynes onely namely Abraham this directs us to two things First that the precedent Apostates of Shems Family were cut off by God from Christ therfore he would ra sâ— the Iewes as a new generation but from this one mans loynes of Shem Off-spring to enjoy this mercy Secondly it implies that mans deepest misery is Gods most proper object of mercy therefore from this Sonne of Terah of Shems Appostate Family he now promises to make not onely a Nation but also a Nation great and glorious and from this ground of Free Grace in future times when this Nation was a great People and famous but ungratefull to God for this honour God then tells thy birth and thy Natâ—vity is of the Land of Canaan that is an Idolatrous brood for saith God God would have them to coÌ„sider what they were when hee predestinated them to this glory in the promised seed with Abraham thy Father was an Amorite and thy Mother a Hittite c. as Josua 24 from the 2. ver to the 6. and Ezekiel 16. from the 3. to the 15. to the 15. yet in the mercy of this promised seed God gave to the Son of this Idolatrous brood three things First hee gave him a Land Secondly from his own Loynes a Nation great and glorious to inherit that Land Thirdly The seed from his own Bowells in whom that Nation was to be heires intail'd to that Land for ever To the first point Gen. 12.7 Moses saith Iehovah appeared unto Abraham and said unto him unto thy seed will I give this Land Cap. 13.14 Iehovah said unto Abraham lift up now thine eyes and looke from this place where thou art Northward and Southward and Eastward and Westward for all the Land which thou seest to thee will I give it and to thy seed for ever Chap. 15.18 Iehovah made a Covenant with Abraham saying Vnto thy seed have I given this Land from the River of Egypt unto the great River Euphrates c. Againe to the second point namely the gift of a great and glorious Nation from his own Loynes to inherit this Land as Chap. 13.16 I will make thy seed as the dust of the Earth So that if a man can number the dust of the earth then shall thy seed also be numbred likewise Chap. 15. and 5. he brought him forth abroad and said looke up now towards Heaven and tell the Starres if thou be able to number them and he said unto him so shall thy seed be Againe to the third point namely the guift of the seed in whom this glorious and great Nation should be heires intail'd to this promised land forever for when Abraham had thought that he should be Childlesse and therefore determin'd to make Eleazar his heire to what God had given him then Gen 15.3 behold the word of Iehovah came to him saying this shall not be thine heire but he that shall come forth of thine owne bowells shall be thine Heire and accordingly from him did spring this numberlesse Nation to inherit this Promised Land in the right of the seed promised precedently to Adam and now renewed to be the Sonne of Abraham after the flesh by promise 430 yeares before the Law as it is Gal. 3.16 17 Gen. 13.15 the Land was not in-tail'd by promise in the Plurall to seedes but to thy seed for ever meaning in Christ as
judged sinne to be vile and naught but also removed the darke veâ—le of Moses and those mâ—ltiplicity of Ordinances and operations through which our fraile nature câ—uld not with that clearenesse and neerenesse communicate with Christ to walke after the Spirit as now we may as 2 Cor 13.18 Rom 8.4.10 11. Thirdly the Rod that budded with Almonds of ripe perfection as inclosed in the Arke together with the Tables of the Law this implicitly Schoold this Spouse that the Spirit and life of the perfection of the Morall Law was conferred upon her by Gods gift of Christs righteousnesse imputed and that is onely freed her from the Law of sinne and of death Rom. 8 1 2 3 4. Fourthly the Morall Law as interminglingly closed in the Arke not only with the Rod but also with the pot of Manna as overshaddowed with the wings of the golden Cherubims wing touching wing This Schoold that Spouse by that figure that Christ was as resident with her on Earth to feed her by beliefe of truth with the bread of life as with Angels food Fiftly because in this glorious oracle of the Morall Law one precept commanded the seventh (b) The seventh day Sabboth or the keeping of a seventh day as from the Morall Law was extinguished when this mistery as included in this Arke was abolished and now only remaines the Lords eighth day to be kept yet not by any direct precept but from the Apostles by tradition in all ages and by consequence from the Apostles Doctrine therefore Princes who by Law confirme it to be kept holy to the Lord their fame shall remain through all Generations dayes rest This Schoold this Spouse elect of Christ in two particulars First that she had bin precedently forgetfull of this seventh daies glorious mistery and therefore in this precept was inserted a clause of remembrance Secondly because this Arke was named Gods mercy-seat or resting place this figuratively told them God rested onely on the perfection of Christs works for the perfection of all his workes which hee had created and made so to depend for perfection as Chap. 4. hereby leading his Spouse not to rest in the wroth of her owne righteousnesse as did Caine but to rest onely and alone for all perfection upon Christs as imputed from whence onely was conferred all her mercies Sixthly God made this Arke his Seat of mercy in which being wrapt up both the Tables and so entermingled and from thence by Moses hee spake to them this figuratively school'd this Spouse to two things first that on these two Tables as in the perfection of Christs workes did hang all the Law and Prophets that is all the Lawes prefigurations and the Propheticall significations secondly because from this glorious Oracle by Moses the Mediator in the Type God spake to this Spouse of Christ this implicitly told her that by her applying her selfe to this sacred Oracle that thence in Christs righteousnesse imputed God will so speake peace to her through all generations as to the Israel of God Exod. 25.20 21 22. Gal. 6.16 So much for the morall Law Fourthly the penall Law as cursing this elect Spouse in her negligent contempt of the sacred Oracle thus resident with her this implicitly told her that she must then speedily return to this righteousnesse imputed for justification for remission of Sinnes as to the brazen Serpent Hebr. 12.26 because this Law of Gods curse was as the flaming sword turning every way telling her that if shee did not here submit she must perish in the flames of Gods consuming * Legall terrors calls to man to turne to God either after faith or before I say to turne to Gods gift of Christ and his righteousnesse imputed for safety and sâ—lace from the horrouâ—s of Gods wrath and this o dinance of God is of use to his Church millitant to the worlds end for Gods wrathfull curse under the Gospel and the Law is one and the same but mo e severe under the Gospell then it was under the Law Heb. 10.29 yet not now so frequently demonstrated to sense as then it was the groâ—nd of it is this because then all the good of terrestriall Canaan was a type of the superâ—â—â—â—â—all grace and glory as it was morefully to be communicated under the Gospell unâ—aâ—â—ed wrath for ever for hee delivered his Covenant to Abraham in the promised seed saying I will blesse them that blesse thee and curse them that curse thee and renewes the same with Moses to be a penall Law whence saith the Apostle as many as are under the Law are under the curse for it is written Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things wâ—ich are written in the Booke of the Law to doe them Gal. 3.10 Deut. 28.45 All implying this that Gods procedings to her in Christ was without all respect of persons So also in the manner of the delivery of the Law to this elect Spouse for the morall Law being delivered in the negative so largely implicitly reveales her precedent sinne against the promise to which now the Law was added because of her transgression and so the Law revealed sinne or caused sinne to appeare Rom. 7.11.12 and Rom 5.13 The Apostles stiled the Law of Moses the ministration of death because the manner of the delivery of it was some signe of Gods displeasure and also as opposing it to the manner of the delivery of the Gospel which was in mildenesse and love so that it is but comparatively with some respects but not properly the administration of death but an ordinance of life by Christ it being the substance of the Gospel under a vaile as Hebr. 8. Againe the Law given to Moses the Mediatour in the Type in smoke darknesse thundrings lightnings the shrill sound of a Trumpet sounding louder and louder to the great amazement of them all and they not to touch the Mountaine upon paine of death all implicitly declaring this Spouses deserved punishment for her precedent transgressing of the Oracle of life and glory descending from Adam and renewed with Abraham and that she was therefore worthy to be cut off from Christ by the execution of the curse as she was now threatned in this dreadfull demonstration of it Yet as the Law revealed sinne and wrath or caused wrath here to appeare then Moses the Mediator in the type that is Christ in the truth obtained that this Law should be for life that is as leading unto him and not the administration of death as she had deserved Rom. 7.9.10 Gal. 3.19 So likewise although God esteemed this Nation Israel his elect Esay 45. and 4. yet if the Mediator in the type had not interceded for her God would have destroyed all excepting him and from him raised a great Nation unto Abraham according to his Covenant in the promised seed for saith God to Moses concerning them when he would have destroyed them I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy and compassion on
Spouse from her erroneous works and from Abrahams line after the flesh to Abrahams faith in Christs workes the object of blessednesse and no more For in Scriptures we finde some that were rejected from inheriting this election to life and glory with the promised childe as well as Esau and yet we find them admitted and counted with the true seed of Abraham namely Christs as for example In the Esterne Countries whither Abraham sent his sons which he had by Keturah and gave them portions and sent them thither purposely that they might not inherit this election with the childe of promise Isaack Gen. 25.6 yet there we find just Iob and Eliphaz who was descended from Esau's loynes 1 Chron. 1.35.36 Also Bildad the Shuite descended of Abrahams sonne Shuah and thererefore called the Shuite 1 Chron. 1.32 Also Zophar and Elihu all worshipers of God with just Iob figuratively in the satisfactory righteousnesse of the seed imputed which was promised to Adam and renewed by Covenant to Abraham for the future mercy of the whole world as precedently is declared Therefore if one of Esau's off-spring who in his loynes was rejected from this election as were others as here we see and notwitstanding that rejection were true worshipers in the acceptable righteousnesse of the seed consequently much more might Esau himselfe therefore let no man be prophane as was Esau Hebr. 12.16 So I passe this point being before explained pag. 62.63 Againe to goe on vers 14. the Apostle saith What shall wee say then Is there unrightousnesse with God God forbid for saith the Apostle he saith to Moses I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion that is as before is explained God no wayes had any respect to this elect Spouse more then to others but onely in the promised seed the object of faith as before pag. 70. So then it is not in him that willeth to have it from Abrahams flesh nor in him that runneth to have it from the wrath of his erroneous works to the Law but in God that sheweth mercy in this election of you from your Idolatrous denne to give you the Land of promise your day of grace and his gift of eternall glory to be received by you in beliefe of truth and not for works conversant onely about the object of faith and under the pretence thereof to extinguish the glorious workes of Christ as now you doe Therefore in stead of mercy you shall receive the contrary from God even his proceedings to your remarâ—eble confusion for the Scripture saith unto Pharaoh For the same * For God by Moses sent his Commandements to Pharaoh not to return him to God by obedience but occasionally by those commands to bring his just punishments by drawing out Pharaohs precedent habits of pride to be known to his shame in the wo ld and to cleare Gods justice in his remarkeable destruction as appeareth Exod. 3.9.19.20 6.1 7.3.4 purpose have I raised thee up that I might shew my power in thee and thâ—t my Name may be declared through all the earth and thereupon hee concludes against them saying therefore hee hath mercy on whom he will and whom he will he hardeneth as if hee should say you know your forefathers were as now are you them to whom was committed this Pillar of truth the Oracle of the seed promised to Adam and Abraham and how proudly Pharaoh attempts to extinquish them and consequently this seed the object of faith in the pillar of truth as now doe you more directly then ever did he Therefore much more will God give you up as hee did Pharaoh to you owne insolencies and then provokingly raise you up to a height therein purposely to make his name famous in power and justice by your remarkeable destruction through all the world notwithstanding your descent from Abrahams flesh and his precedent election of you For he will have mercy on whom he will have mercy and whom hee will bee * See this Text further explained in the â—â—rgent towards the later end of thâ—s Chapter hardeneth even amongst you as to Pharaoh for that 's implyed Againe to goe on Verse 19. Thou wilt say unto mee saith the Apostle Why doth he yet complaine for who hâ—th resisted his Will as if they should say if Gods will be so irresistable to glorifie his justice and power in our ruine notwithstanding our peculiar and glorious and ancient priviledges why doth hee so needlessely complaine on us by the Prophets and others for who hath resisted his will To this he answereth Nay But O man who art thou that answereth or disputeth against God Doth the thing formed say to him that formed it why hast thou made mee thus Hath not the Potter power of the * This word the same lump hath no relation to the common masse of all mankinde same lump to make one vessell to honour and another to dishonour As if hee should say when you were all in the sonne of Terahs loynes namely Abraham as one masse or lump of Clay semenally in the hand of God Had hee not then power by Covenant with him in the promised seed thus to shape you for honour or dishonour that is to cursednesse or blessednesse according as you proudly turned his owne talents and mercies against him refusing his abundant mercy and therfore leave you to your own stubbornnesse as vessells of dishonour fitted to this destruction as was Pharaoh or on the contrary if you would but apply your received talents to receive more grace even to his gift of Faith by it to receive the imputed righteousnesse of this seed as it onely in which he received you to grace and glory Therefore O man who art thou that disputest against God And hereupon the Apostle inferres saying What if God willing to make his power knowne endured with long suffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction and that hee might make knowne the riches of his mercie on the vessels of mercy which hee had afore prepared unto glory even us whom hee hath called not of the Jewes onely but also of the Gentiles as God saith in Hosea c. As if the Apostle should say what of all this if it be the will and pleasure of God as indeed it is thus in justice and mercy by his covenant with Abraham to fore-appoint you either to honour or dishonour and to proceed accordingly without respect of any mans person more then another In what can you charge God of injustice or excuse your selves as to say Why hast thou made me thus to honour or dishonour But God may justly say to you Thy salvation is of me but thy destruction is of thy selfe O Israel Againe verse 25. as God saith there I will call them my people which are not my people and her beloved which was not beloved and it shall come to passe that in the place where is was said unto them
You are not my people they shall be called the children of the living God The Apostle citing their owne Prophet against them implicitly refels their precedent errors in divers respects as first because the Gentiles were not Abrahams seed of Isaack and Iacob and yet were to be children to the living God This therefore proved that Abrahams naturall line after the flesh was not Gods ground of electing Children unto him but the election must be in Christ as before Againe because these Gentiles were to be Children of God which had not Moses Law to obey no not so much as in works conversant about the object of faith and yet were to be Children unto God consequently their works of righteousnes to the Law was no ground of their Election but the election was of him that called them from their Idolatrous denne and gave them the election in the promised seed Againe the Apostle cites the Prophet Isay against them saying though the number of the Children of Israel be as the sand on the Seashore but a remnant shall be saved And because the Apostle referres salvation but to a remnant consequently their discent from Abrahams flesh was no ground of their election for if so then not a remnant but all Israel must have bin saved but being referred to a remnant therefore the election must be as before And saith the Apostle the same Prophet saith God will make a short cut in righteousnesse and except God had left a remnant they had bin as Sodome and like unto Gomorrah implying Gods impartiall proceedings ordinarily with this elect spouse of Christ as betweene Abell and Caine and as to Abraham in the Covenant for cursednes and blessednesse Therefore to this elect Spouse God was no respecter of persons Againe Verse 30. the Apostle saith What shall wee say then that the Gentiles which followed not after righteousnesse have attained to righteousnesse even the righteousnesse which is of faith by force of Gods precedent predestination with Abraham for that 's implyed but Israel which followed after the Law of righteousnesse saith hee hath not attained the Law of righteousnesse and then hee gives the prime reason wherefore because they sought it not by faith but as it were by workes of the Law And he saith they stumbled at that stumbling stone as it is written Behold I say in Sion a stumbling stone and a rocke of offence and whosoever shall believe on him shall not be ashamed these words imply three things First that Israels glory as Gods Israel was grounded onely upon Christ the Stone laid as a pillar of truth on Sion hill Secondly that by remisnesse Israell fell to pride and so from this stone to Abrahams flesh and their own works of the law to be the ground of all their glory and so stumbled at the Pillar of truth Christs righteousnesse imputed to their own destruction Thirdly to those of this Nation that in right beliefe did submit to the righteousnesse of God that is the righteousnesse of Christ imputed the ground of all their glory them God would uphold in honour for saith the Text hee that beleeveth shall not be ashamed So much for opening the ninth Chap. to the Rom. And here by the way observe that this Chapter giveth no ground to Reverend Calvins error namely that God before the world was did personally reprobate the greatest part of mankinde to unrecoverable damnation and personally elected the rest to unavoydable salvation Againe to goe on against their works of righteousnesse to the law about the object of Faith the Apostle opposeth Abrahams example who by Faith in the object of Faith by this Pillar of truth terminated in it as the onely ground of all felicity Rom. 4. Of him he saith What shall we say then that Abraham our Father as pertaining to the flesh hath found for if Abraham were (a) The ground of mans Iustification in this fourth estate is Gods guift of Christs righteousnesse reckoned or imputed to man yet the Iustification of a Sinner is this vâ—â— Gods pardon of his sin guilt and punishment for that Righteousnesse so reckoned or imputed as to all mankind upon our fall in Adam as new to all Infants departing this World but when Iustification is reckoned or imputed to Mans Faith it is because that act of right belief is more connexively related immediately to the object of Iustification then any other act of a beleever And when sometimes Iustification is attributed to Faith it is because a right beleeveâ—s submissive receptive instrument of Faith is opposed against the pride of mans supposed woâ—ks of righteousnesse and in this sense S. Paul Rom. 4. brâ—ngs in that text Gen. 15. saying it was imputed to Abraham for righteousnes justified by works he hath whereof to glory but not before God for what saith the Scripture Abraham beleeved God and it was imputed to him for righteousnesse Implying hee beleeved all his good from Gods gift in the righteousnesse of the seed imputed and so was that righteousnesse imputed to him to the remission of his sinnes which was his justification and the ground of all felicity Therefore saith the Apostle Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace as it was to Abraham but of debt but to him that worketh not but beleeveth on him which justifieth the ungodly his Faith is counted for righteousnesse Implying that God was Abrahams exceeding great reward only by his gift of the righteousnesse of this seed imputed in the object of Faith which Abraham by beliefe submissively imbraced even as David describeth the blessednesse of the man unto whom God imputeth righteousnesse without works saying Blessed are they whose iniquity is forgiven and whose sinnes are covered blessed is the man to whom thee Lord will not impute sinne from verse 1. to the 8. Againe to goe on the Apostle in divers passages of his Epistles shewes this elect Spouse what absurdities do spring from her conceit of the worth of her works conversant about the object of Faith in the Law First as if hee should say suppose you doe believe the Law to be Gods Law and therefore to the Judiciall Laws are obedient to live in some orderly manner Suppose also from the same grounds you are at paines and costs to bring your Sacrifices to the Priests and Levites for your offerings the Law commanding it Also suppose you love God for the wealth of Canaan and love each other being joynt inhabitants of that land yet in all this to you these Laws are not of Faith because you by beliefe rest upon your deed done to be accepted of God as did Cain and terminate in sensuall delights for you are not led from the letter of the Law in right beliefe to rest in Christ his acceptable righteousnesse the proper end of the Law for righteousnesse to man rightly beleeving truth * The same is â—he Gospel now â—o man not rightly beleeving truth for the Law and the Gospel for substance was one
time God in Christ with Abraham by covenant thus predestinated Iewes and Gentiles to glory yet called not the Gentiles till about eighteene hundred yeeres after but called the Iewes to inherit this glory in the birth of Isaack Hence observe the onely ground why the Iewes were first in this honour in respect of time was because God for his owne names sake was pleased then to begin the execution of that blessed predestination and from â—his ground Christ gave them the priority commanding the twelve saying goe not into the way of the Gentiles and into any of the Cities of the Samaritans enter yee not but goe yee rather unto the lost sheepe of the house of Israel Mat. 10.5 Likewise at Antioch Saint Paul and Barnabas rendred the same priority to them saying It was necessary the Word of God should first have beene spoken unto you Acts 13.46 c. But when Christ in the expiration of all righteousnesse upon the crosse had made open the way to bring in the Gentiles so making both one generall assembly and Church of the first borne inroll'd in heaven Hebr. 11.25 Yet our Saviour in a Parable foretelling the Iewes of this joyning the Gentiles to them implies his proceeding in this generall assembly shall be without all respect of persons choosing and refusing as betweene Cain and Abel for hee concludes his discourse saying Many are called but few are chosen Matth. 10.14 Further implying notwithstanding the extraordinary fluxe of grace and truth which was then to be powred out upon all flesh yet if they did not apply themselves therein to receive his righteousnesse imputed to be their wedding garment for acceptance they should not be respected Fourthly is it so that the second Adams faith and obedience is the alone condition of the covenant of grace which by mercy brought eternall life to all mankind alike Hence observe that the fruition of that eternall life in Heaven is to all alike without degree of glory to one more then another although here the degrees of grace are different some more and some lesse as they apply more or lesse their talents to Christ as the object of Justification Yet the fruition of that glory depends onely and alone on Christs righteous workes which is mans by free gift therefore that glory is enjoyed there by al alike without degrees Christ onely excepted who in all things must have the preheminence for one mans reasonable soule is not more uncapable then anothers in it's essentiall faculty simply considered but all the difference of capacities ariseth from error transgression and sinne or the effects of sinne but in the fruition of that glory all this for Christs his righteousnesse sake is removed and not remaining consequently their capacities being then alike their enjoyment of that glory is all alike without degrees to the praise of Gods grace to all eternity Yet it is not so on the contrary to mankinde in eternall death because their sinne abides upon them so that they descend to eternall death not for anothers workes as men ascend to eternall life but for their owne despising Gods grace leading to eternall life Therefore as they more or lesse were in sinne consequently Justice requires more or lesse punishment for despising eternall felicity Gods way Fifthly observe it stands all mankind hereupon to beware of remissenesse to God in his way by Christ Iesus for their eternall felicity for as wee all in Adam by remissenesse to Gods Covenant fell so low in misery as never any meere creature could raise us from thence as Chapter 3. Likewise in this last Chapter wee see Christs elect Spouse by her remissenesse to her felicity by Christ Iesus brought upon her selfe a connexion of causes necessitating her selfe to unavoydable rejection from Christ as a fugitive remarkeably despicable here on earth this sixteene hundred yeeres and more Sixthly Is it so that the Law was added because the off-spring of Abraham did transgresse the object of Justification given in the promised seed to Adam and renewed to them with Abraham Hence observe how rightly speakes the Apostle that the Law was not given to the righteous man that is as unto Abraham who terminated his operations by beliefe of Truth and Love to God and man by a right relation to God in the object of Justification for here in this Chapter wee see Moses law added to the Promise to schoole Abrahams lawlesse off-spring to Christ because they precedntly transgresse the promise Seventhly although God did communicate to the world with the first Adam naturall perfection by creation and celestiall perfection by the Covenant yet here observe that God never restores any of that to mankinde but by mercy ever turning his eyes onely upon Christ and his satisfactory righteousnesse for as before the world was it was appointed for all alike in him by redemption so accordingly upon the fall in him hee chose us to life and glory from perishing with reprobate divels to whom in respect of our selves we were unrecoverably joyned So likewise when with Noah hee renewed this mercy to the second world it was by turning his eyes only upon Christ and his satisfactory righteousnesse so likewise when with Abraham he predestinated both Iewes and Gentiles to life and glory from being fit vessels of wrath as lying in their owne apostasie from the grace of God yet then onely in the promised seed God turned his eyes in mercy to the world in the precedent predestination as in this Chapter clearely appeareth So much for the second part of Time I now should come to the third namely the calling of the Gentiles but here will arise a necessary question viz. In what estate for eternall life stood the Gentiles from the time they were scattered at Babel untill they were called to mercy in Christ but by Gods help I will answer it in the next Chapter CHAP. VII Shewing in what estate or condition were all the families of the earth from the rejection at the Tower of Babell to their call to Christ in whom they were elected ANswer In respect of the Object of Justification they were excluded not to have it resident amongst them and therefore in that respect they lived as without God in the world and so the day of grace in this world was to them not as a day of grace being left to walke in the vanitie of their mindes they wanting the pillar of truth or Oracle of the promised seed and so remained under wrath about 18 hundred yeares This text Ephes 2 3. no way excludes infants departing this world from eternall life See the last Observation in the 7 Chapt. and therefore when some of those Gentiles by the Gospell were returned from their Apostacie and received life in the object of Faith The Apostle saith unto them yee were the Children of wrath even as others therefore they were so under wrath throughout all those precedent generations Ephes 2.3 But it may here be objected God threatned to visit the sinnes
of the Fathers upon the Children but unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate him Object therefore this visitation could not be so large as throughout all these precedent generations Answere Answer This visitation is spoken restrictively only with respect to the Sonnes of Iacob as to continue the elect Nationall Spouse till Shilo came and if God in mercy had not cut short their deserved visitations Iacobs seed after the flesh as this Nationall Spouse sometimes had bin utterly extinct Therefore their visitations for their Rebellions in mercy were limited but to three or foure generations Hence saith God to Rebellious Israel I am JEHOVAH I change not meaning his Covenant with * Note that although this visitation be intermingled with the negative part of the Morrall Law yet it issued from grace and mercy in Christ the seed of Abraham Abraham therefore yee Sonnes of Iacob are not consumed Malachi 3 6 7. Wherefore all Nations oâ— the Gentiles might be under wrath the time precedent notwithstanding this limitation Againe all the time that they were under wrath yet God intermingled his wrath with mercy leaving them a narrow way to eternall life by salvation in Jesus Christ And the narrownesse of this way is to be considered in a two-fold respect namely in meanes internall and externall The internall meanes was the remainders of the aforesaid infused principle hereditarily descending in the Nature of man which as it disposed them to Enmity with Satan so also to Amity with God from whence although they had not the Oracle of God to direct them yet Saint Paul implicitly grants some few of them did attaine Circumcision of the heart virtually at least in their obedient seeking of God Rom. 2. Hee preferres the best of these Gentiles although excluded the Law against the boastings in the Law of the Children of Abraham for saith hee if the Gentiles which have not the Law doe by nature the things contained in the Law these having not the law are a law unto themselves which saith hee shew the effect of the law written in their hearts their thoughts in the meane while accusing or else excusing one another ver 14.15 Againe saith hee if the uncircumcision keepe the righteousnesse of the law shall not his uncircumcision be counted circumcision and saith hee shall not uncircumcision which is by nature if it fulfill the law judge thee c. ver 26.27 And he then concludes the Point in the behalfe of the vertues of those Gentiles in opposing the proud formalitie of the profession in the Law by the Iews saying he is not a Iew which is one outwardly neither is that Circumcision which is outward in the flesh But he is a Iew which is one inwardly and Circumcision which is of the Heart in the spirit and not in the letter whose praise is â—ot of men but of God ver 28.29 And the ground why the Apostle esteemes these vertues by Nature amongst the Heathens to be the circumcision of the heart is this because it did implicitly and vertually leade the hearts of these Heathens to God in Jesus Christ and the ground why it did so is this Because the foresaid principles of Enmity and Amity was derivatively put into their hearts issuing from Grace in Jesus Christ for it was given in the promise of Christ when God said I will put enmity c. Therefore if it be by man put forth to seeke for God as God extitively drawes it out but in natures voyce it will implicitly and virtually at least move to God in the wrath of Christs righteousnesse imputed under the Notion of mercy for according to the nature of a thing such is its operation But here in Christ wee see was its roote therefore the cicumcision of the heart was its fruite So much for the internall meanes in this narrow way to eternall life by Christ But secondly the externall meanes of this narrow way to life was twofold First the oracle or pillar of Truth as included in Israels common-wealth for by this God did as it were reach forth his helping hand of mercy to these miserable Gentiles under wroth for at first when God gave the Law of Circumcision he then gave a Law of admittance not of Circumcision to goe out among the Gentiles but for Gentiles and strangers to come to Abrahams * Eternall blessednesse by Christs imputed righteousnesse is the bosome of rest to Abraham and all right beleevers bosome I meane the Church in his Family so famous for Godlinesse in the imputed righteousnesse of the promised seed And here by Gods Law they might receive the seale of righteousnesse which is by Faith Gen. 17.12.27 Rom. 4.11 Secondly about foure hundred yeares after this when God reared up the Mosaicall Ordinances a partition wall by hand-writing upon Record differencing the uncircumcised Gentiles more exclusively then ever before and the Jewes more inclusively to the Oracle of life Psal 147.9 10. Ephe. 2. ver 11. to the 16. Yet then also God made a Law of admittance for Heathens and strangers to Sojourne in Israels Common-wealth and gave them the same Rule to come to him in the satisfactory righteousnesse of the promised seed as he did to his elect Spouse Levit. 19.33 34. Numb 15.15 And accordingly we finde of them 43600. furthering the glory of the Temple possessing a glorying heart with the Israell of God at the * Yet the Sinagogues of the Iewes were holy to the Lord as now are on Churches that is as set apart only by the direction and care of the Church for convenient and mutuall meetings to worship God yet not set apart and holy as was this Temple by Gods commandement neither in respect of the place nor the materialls not the forme nor the finall end as to typifie Gods speciall grace by Christ as him in whom all worship must terminate in God by right beleife of the object of Iustification yea the word and Sacraments are but holy instruments instituted by God to communicate by his Spirits manifestation his speciall grace and favour in Christ as the object of Faith dedication of the Temple to God 2 Chr. 2.17 1. Chr. 22.2 2 Chr. 30.25 26. Likewise by Traffique and Marchandizing with this Nation from farre the Fame of Ierusalem and the worship of the Temple with the Princely Priest-hood so correspondent to worldly Glory by these remarkable figures God reached out his hand pointing as it were by his finger to the world that the desire of all Nations should come to answere the implicit seekings to all among the Nations who by patience in well doing did seeke honour immortallity and eternall life So much for the first externall meanes The second externall meanes was more universall even to all the Families of the Earth namely God speaking kindly in the voyce of the Creatures to them in Jesus Christ implicitly for from God his Covenant in Christ first in the Promised seed with Adam and secondly renew'd with Noah
the breadth of this Land is thy Land O Emanuel as saith the Prophet Isaiah Chap. 8. ver 8. Thirdly this was likewise Typified to Christ in that all Sacrifices in the Type were excluded from all places in the world and included only in this Land of Canaan neere the Temple restrictively to expire their lives in the Type Therefore in this Land was the Lord Iesus Christ in the truth Personally to performe the worke of the redemption of the world the which accordingly hee did Againe Christ the Sonne of God as he was man was borne under five relations to this worke First by promise the Sonne of Adam as the seed of the woman immediatly upon the fall and therefore bound by the Law of Nature to relieve his Parents in their Lapsed condition Secondly by promise borne the Sonne of Abraham and therefore bound to the Law of circumcision figuring his cutting off the powers of Satan that is of sinne and the consequences thereof for the Covenant was that all the Sons of Abraham must be circumcis'd in their generations therefore hee was borne in subjection to that Law Thirdly hee was by promise borne the seed of David therefore borne under the Law of the Typicall Mediator as added to the law of circumcision therefore bound to love God with al his heart al his strength his Neighbour as himself in the work of the redemption of the world Fourthly as the Sonne of David so hereditarily to the crowne of the Terrestriall Canaan figuratively leading him by Faith to his eternall Throne in the Celestiall Canaan Fiftly at last all these relations meet in one issue by being borne of the blessed Virgin Mary his Mother for when the fulnesse of time was come God sent forth his Sonne made of a woman made under the Law that we might receive the Adoption of Sonnes Gal 4.5 Sixtly he was the Sonne of God also by eternall generation the second person in the sacred Trinity and so personally God man and therefore bound to the fulfilling of all the law and the Prophets to the regaining of Gods glory by restauration of the world by redemption as it was said it shall breake thy head the truth is and so he did for as we first in Adam magnified Satans lies for truths and nullified Gods truth for lyes so likewise at that time when hee came to this worke all the world This definition is an answere to Pilates Question viz. What is truth Ioh. 18.38 For Christ as he was the faithfull and true witnesse against Satans lyes did undoe what he had done and so destroyed the works of the Divell but Satans finall bruise shall be at the day of judgement in â—wo paâ—ticulars first when Satan and all mankinde which from the beginning have refused mercy to adhere to him shall receive by the seed of the woman the sentence of their full damnation in immediate execution to all eâ—ernity Mat. 25.41.46 Secondly by rendring up to God all mankinde from Satans power which from the beginning hath died in infancy and that through all Generations haâ—h adheâ—ed unto Christ in right beliefe of truth and so God by Christs ministeriall ordinance shall be all in all that is fully glorified to all eternity according to the simple and plaine meaning of his truth in the eternall life of the one and in the eternall death of the other and as Christs ministeriall Ordinance shall therein terminate so then shall all Creatures be subjected to him as Iudge of quick and dead and so all knees in Heaven and Earth and under the ea th shall bow and bend to him for ever Rom. 14.10.11 both Jewes and Gentiles generally had made God a lyer as much as in them lay for they were all Apostates from Gods guift of Christ his righteousnesse imputed which came upon all men to the justification of life not believing it but following lying vanities so forsaking their own mercies and the truth is the work of Christ was to witnesse Gods truth which wee thus betrayed wherefore of himselfe hee saith to this end was I borne and for this cause came I into the world that I should beare witnesse unto the truth 1 Ioh 3 8. and for this purpose the Sonne of God was manifested that hee might destroy the works of the Divell Iohn 18 37. And in briefe that truth which Christ made good as the faithfull and true witnesse against Satans lyes may be thus defin'd namely that God never intended his glory upon mâ—nkinde to all eternity but according to two generall Rules First according to the Covenant made with the first Adam a Covenant of works Secondly but according to the Rules of that Covenant as now it is turned by Gods guift of the second Adam into a Covenant of grace and mercy and to the last Christ is the most proper witnesse in Gods behalfe to his glory by the salvation of mankinde as Iohn 3.16 saith hee God so l ved the world that hee gave his only begotten Sonne that whosoever believeth in him shall not perish but have everlasting l fe And he saith God sent not his Sonne into the world to condemne the world but that the world through him might be saved Also he saith He that believeth is not condemned but he that believeth not is condemned already because hee beleeveth not in the name of the only begotten Sonne of God Implying that although sinne simply as sinne did not at that time of grace condemne them yet their persisting in their precedent Apostasie from that grace now light and life is manifested unto them this would be their Condemnation wherefore he saith This is the Condemnation that light is come into the world and Men lâ—ved darkenesse râ—ther then light because their deeds are evill And of himselfe he saith Io. 8.45 I proceeded forth and came from God neither came I of selfe but the Father sent me Also Iohn 5.36 he saith The worke which the Father hath given me to finish the same worke that I doe beare witnes that the father hath sent me the which was his witnessing the truth as before is proved And hee did it in these paticulars First against the Spirit of Sathans lies in the Saints Secondly in Sinners Thirdly against Sathan hand to hand Fourthly against Sathan in flames of Faith in love under Gods most flaming and dreadfull wrath of these in their order and first in the Saints as in Nichodemus who in the Spirit of Sathan being averse to his sacred doctrine as declaring this truth Iesus said unto him art thou a Ruler in Israel and understandest not these things Ioh. 3.9 Likewise to the Spirit of unbeliefe of this Truth in his Disciples Iesus answered and said O faithlesse and perverse Generâ—tion how long shall I be with you how long shall I suffer you Mat. 7. 17. And to the same Spirit in Peter Hee turned and said unto Peter get thee behind mee Satan thou art an offence unto mee for thou savorest not
Gods word of truth giving this object of life is as Gods hand or instrument to reach this gift to man so also man his beliefe of that truth is as it were mans hand or instrument to receive this gift from God therefore it must be by beliefe of this truth Secondly it must be by beliefe of this word of truth as conveying the object of faith because man his reasonable soule is but a receiver into it selfe all its supernaturall felicity from externall objects believed as in Adam we see and therefore so in this object of justification Thirdly it is by beliefe of this truth because the aforesaid principles of derivative Amity which God put in the nature of all men doth internally dispose them to this Amity with God aswell as to enmity to Satan wherefore at first God requireth man to come to him in beliefe of truth but according to sense and reason as he doth excitively draw out that Principle so to give mans reasonable soule a further internall power to receive his gift of Christ namely a power to believe divine testimony as divine testimony that is to receive it from God as from God for as God gathers not where he strewes not so he gives this power to man that had it not to receive his gift of Christ the ground of all his happinesse Wherefore because this Elect Spouse did not so applie her received Talents to receive more Talents in Gods way to receive life in Christ the object of Faith but contrarily applied Gods talents and his law against him in his own way to have all their own way namely from terrestriall felicity and from Abrahams flesh and from the worth of their owne workes at best but conversant about the object of Faith and no way consonant to Faith in that object therefore God rejected this elect Spouse to the remarkable praise of his justice in all the world sixteene hundred yeares and more therefore he respects no mans person but according to his first Modell If thou dost well shalt thou not be accepted if thou dost not well sinne lies at the dore And from this ground it is the Apostle crieth out at the vast depth of Gods wise providence as being not able to compâ—ehend the depth of that righteous dispensation in his justice and mercies interminglingly eâ—tended to the Generations and Nations of man Rom. 11. from ver 28 to the end And to this point may be referred Ezekiels vision of wheeles full of eyes running one within another c. as Reveâ—end brought on rightly observes in his Consent of Sc iptures Exodus 33.19.34.6 7. And by this Nations rejection we may take occasion by the way to observe the manner of Gods proceedings with the Sonnes of Adam for as he would not give this Nation possession of the Land promised to Abraham untill the sinnes of the Inhabitants namely the Canaanites were full to their finall destruction so neither would he call in the Gentiles to inherit their promised blessing in the seed of Abraham in whom hee predestinated them to it untill the sinnes of this Elect Nation was full and transcendent by slaying the Sonne of God in which promised seed they received all their good as was prefigured to them when God said to Moses the Mediator in the Tipe I will cause all my good to passe before thee meaning Christ and upon his death then câ—me on their universall rejection totally but not finally for ever But it will here be objected Because God fore-appointed Christ to be slaine in the truth to answere the figurative Lambe in the Tipe consequently this did impose upon them a necessity that Christ must be slaine as he was and consequently this may seeme injustice in God to make that fact the fulfilling of this Nations sin to their remarkable destruction I grant that Christ must be slaine in the truth to answer the figurative Lambe in the Type I also grant that they were in some sort necessitated to slay Christ as they did but that necessity came not from God for God gave them severall demonstrative rules to the contrary As First by this exemplary punishment upon Cain that the blood of the just shall not goe unrevenged by him and this was recorded to them by Moses Secondly by giving a law to Noah and to his Sonnes that that man which spilt mans innocent blood his blood should be required of him that spilt it This also stood upon Record to them Thirdly to this elect Spouse God gave a figure how hee would have her to demeane her selfe in this fact of the death of Christ by the manner of their Father Abrahams offering Christ Tipically in Isaak as first to Abraham Isaaâ— was his dearely beloved although he used the knife to bereave him of life Gen. 22. 2. Abraham never intended nor attempted this fact untill from God he received an expresse commandement so to do Thirdly hee did slay him unwillingly in respect of his love to the promised child yet willingly in respect of his love to God and his commandement and so his unwillingnesse became a harmelesse nay-say to God But the fact of the children of Abraham in the death of Christ was a most wrongfull nay-say to God in all they did and therefore saith Christ to them Iob. 8.40 this did not Abraham presenting implicitly to their remembrance Abrahams Typicall fact in this businesse First that as Abraham slew Isaack really in his intention so might they intend and accomplish his death in the truth Secondly as Abraham did love him whom he really slew in his intention so much more ought they to love him in his death as the most proper child of promise Thirdly as Abraham never intended nor attempted to slay the promised seed untill there came an extraordinary command from God to doe so neither ought they much more in this fact of the death of Christ So it is one thing to do that which God before determined to be done by them and another thing to doe that thing as God would have them to do it Fourthly but when that commandement came then although in respect of their love to him they had beene unwilling yet in respect of their faith and love to God in this Mysterie they should have beene obediently willing to kill him as God should prescribe the manner as to Abraham he did for God in Abrahams typicall fact not onely intended to confirme their faith that Christ the seed promised should by the expiration of his life aspire the completion of all righteousnesse for the redemption of this world but also to teach them how to demeane themselves in the manner of Christs death in a harmelesse nay-say to God as did Abraham their Father The Negative precept of the Morall Law forbidding murther stood as their standing law to keepe them from all unjust taking away any innocent mans life much more not to take away the life of him which at least appeared to them a man sent from
come to the promised Land there God tryed the strength of his faith for hee was driven to depart this land of his hope to sustaine his life in Egypt and there fell into danger of death so that his strength began to stoope as appeares by his excuse to Abimelech to save his life yet God that will in point of triall lay as much weight as faith's measure can beare and worke through to his faithfulnesse yet he will lay no more then it can so worke through if it be improv'd So to Abraham with the temptation he gives an issue by his happy returne to the land of promise the figure of eternall felicity and there Abraham refreshed his faith in Gods promise of Christ the object of all felicity in his satisfactory sacrifice Gen. 12.3.10 11 12 13. Gen. 13.3 4. 1 Cor. 10.13 Againe God having given Christ to Abraham figuratively in Isaacke to proceed from his owne loynes yet deserring the accomplishment of what Abraham much desired to see his beliefe began againe to stoope for he pitch'd upon Eleazar his servant to be his heire to what God had given him yet God that will lay no more then that strength will beare to worke to him if it be improved gives an issue with the temptation by confirming Abrahams operating beliefe saying This shall not be thine heire but hee that shall come out of thine owne bowels he shall be thine heire Gen. 15.4 Againe Gen. 18.14 God having further confirmed Abraham beliefe by setting a certaine time for the birth of the promised seed to be the blessing of all Nations of the earth who together with Abraham God made of one blood he then further drawes out Abrahams faith to worke by love to all mankinde as to himselfe and accordingly Abrahams faith in operations of love wrought to all but especially to the houshold of Faith I say to all for he entertained strangers in fervour of spirit and received Angels unawares Gen. 18.4 Heb. 13.2 Likewise so kindly courteous was he to the children of Heth his Idolatrous neighbours yet not as Idolators for so they are contrary and a vexation to man believing truth yet he lov'd them as his owne flesh and as Gods in Christ by right of redemption wherefore they esteemed him as a Prince of God amongst them Gen. 23.4 5 6 7. Esay 50.7 Gen. 27.46 Deut. 7 4. So likewise in fervour of spirit he humbly invocates for the safety of the ciâ—ies of the Sodomites Secondly his Faith in fervour of love wrought more specially to those which in beliefe of truth were rightly related to the object of life together with himselfe for it was for their sakes hee pray'd for the Sodomites safety So for righteous Lot he ventured his family and his person in the perill of warre and rescued him out of his enemies hands Gen. 18.23 Gen. 14.14 Againe Isaack being now borne and Abraham by Faith having received the end of the promise namely Isaack from Gods faithfulnesse to a furâ—her confirmation of all blessednesse hereupon God drawes out his Faith to worke by love also according to the first Table of the Law It came to passe saith Moses after these things that God tried Abraham and said unto him Abraham and hee said here I am and hee said take now thy sonne thine onely sonne Isaack whom thou lovest (a) Although faith and love in themselves be two different vertues yet the Scriptures includes love in justifying faith the one as receiving from God the other as co-operatively working to God and therefore so doe Iâ—in the prosecution of justifying faith and so farre forth as mans affections dieth to this corruptible world so farre forth his affections liveth to the inco ruptible God and so on the contrary 1 Ioh. 2 15. and get thee into the Land of Moriah and offer him there a burnt offering upon one of the mountaines that I will tell thee of Gen. 22.1.20 and Abraham obeyed to extinguish the child of Promise upon whom depended the felicity of the world consequently his owne thus by exercise of beliefe to God in the object of life Abraham obtained the perfection of justifying Faith for by workes was Faith made perfect saith Saint Iames. And also thus by workes variously terminating in Gods gift of Christ and his righteousnesse imputed for all happinesse was Abraham justified in the receptive obedience of Faith to the object of life For saith Iames Was not Abraham â—ur Father justified by workes when hee had offered Isaac his sonne upon the Altar that is Christ in that figure Whereupon the Lord out of heaven called unto him and said Abraham Abraham and he said here am I and he said lay not thy hand upon the Lad neither doe any thing unto him for now I know that thou fearest God seeing thou hast not withheld thy sonne thine onely sonne from mee * Thus to operate is to be upright and to abound therein And to this uprightnesse God in mercy hath intailed the promulgation of the All sufficiency of his favourable mercy as to Abraham Gen. 17.1.2 And according to ths point saith Christ hee that hath my Commandements and keepeth them hee it is that loveth me and hee that loveth me shall be loved of my Father and I will love him and manifest my selfe unto him and wee may the rather believe him because we see him so doing to Abraham Joh. 14.21 2 Peter 1.11 Againe saith Moses the Angell of the Lord called to Abraham the second time and said because thou hast done this thing that is wrought up to me as the object of life through so great difficulties and hast not withheld thy sonne thine onely sonne that in blessing I will blesse thee that is in a superlative degree so Christ doth not onely say I lead in the wayes of righteousnesse in the midst of the paths of judgement that I may cause those that love mee to inherit substance and I will fiâ—l their treasures but hee further saith him that overcommeth I will make a Pillar in the Temple of my Gâ—d and hee shall goe no more out Prov. 8.20 Rev. 3.12 And the ground why God manifests himselfe so publiquely by oath thus to blesse Abraham so operating to him leaving it upon record for the ages to come was because God willâ—ng more abundantly to shew unto the * That is to the heyres of promise not onely as descended in Isaac from Abrahams flesh but also to all that are hey es of the same gâ—ft of faith with Abraham therefore when St. Iohn saith in hi. 1. Epist 2.19 they went out from us because they were not of us hee meaneth of us that thus follow faiths object as here did Abraham for in the 17. Verse he saith he that doth the will of God abideth for ever therefore he meanes not men personally but men whose persons are thus disposed in the pursuite of Christ in the object of faith heyrs of promise the immutablenesse of his counsell bound himselfe by