unto him in heaven and in Earth The exercise of which power he would first have to be manifested in discipling whole Nations of the Gentiles Matt. 28.18 19. receiving them into Covenant by the Sacrament of Baptisme as the Jews were by the Sacrament of Circumcision Where the word Nation in order to the Gentiles must without controversie be taken in the same sense as it was with a reference unto the Jews for as the Nation of the Jews was made up of all sorts and sexes old and young so in like manner are the Nations of the Gentiles And because his commission which he then gave unto his Apostles was not formed according to the erroneous fancy of these deluded people who in effect render it thus Go and Disciple all men But thus Go and Disciple all Nations baptising them in the name c. And Children being a part of the Nations we may conclude without any hesitancy that the intent and purpose of the Lord in this commission to his Apostles was that they should wheresoever they came baptise the Children as well as the Parents And seeing he came to break down the wall of partition that was between Jews and Gentiles which was actually done in the execution of this Commission It is not to be imagined that he would by it set up a partition-wall between Parents and their Children so as that they should be at as great a distance the one from the other in point of eternal Salvation as Heaven is from Hell A thing he never did in all the Ages before and undoubtedly whatsoever these Dreamers may blasphemously prate against him He hath not done it now because he is still the Same I will not dwell any longer upon the Conviction of these obstinate people least the more reason be shewed unto them out of the Scripture to lead them into the way of truth they be thereby according to their usual wont the more hardened in their errour The Lord open their eyes that they may see betimes what dishonour they bring unto Jesus Christ in the diminution of his power by their frantick Opinions What disturbance they create unto his Church and consequently what hazard they run notwithstanding their conceited assurance of their own everlasting Salvation We have now done with this second particular viz. Jesus Christ is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Same to day which he was yesterday that is The Same to his Church in the time of the gospel which he was in the time both before and under the Law CHAP. III. Sheweth how JESUS CHRIST shall continue to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Same for ever Vnto his Church WE should now according to our prescribed method come to speak of the third course or computation of time here mentioned in the Text and of that which is predicated of it viz. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Jesus Christ the Same or the onely He for ever But to avoid Prolixity which hath already spun out the former parts into a greater length then was intended we shall not distinguish this into several propositions as hath been done with those before Neither indeed can we be able to speak of what shall come upon the Church in the continuation of this day of the Gospel to the end of the world Onely this we can say because the Holy Ghost witnesseth it That persecutions and Afflictions do abide it but withall that Jesus Christ will be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 unto it which he ever hath been Hereupon therefore shall we fix the short remainder of our discourse deriving some inferences from it for the further edification of those that take pleasure in beholding the immutability of the Lord Jesus Observe then In the midst of all the various changes and chances that may come upon the Church to the end of the world Jesus Christ will be unto it still The Same No variableness nor shadow of turning shall ever be found in him either in his Mediation with the Father or in the dispensation of his power among his people But he will be Semper idem Alwayes the Same Now herein we can but speak of the exercise of Christs Mediatory office as we have already done and therefore it will be needless to spend many words about it As he began so he will continue to be the Prophet Priest and King of his Church The same word of truth which he hath revealed he will still continue no addition unto it or diminution from it will he ever suffer his Gospel is an everlasting Gospel Rev. 14.6 1 Pet. 1.25 His word abideth for ever And if an Angel from Heaven should come and preach any other we must therefore much more will he ho'd him accursed Gal. 1.8 He is a Priest for ever according to the oath of God not to be retracted saith the Prophet Hath an unchangeable Priest-hood saith the Apostle Ps 110.4 Heb. 7.24 A Priest established in his Dignity as master and Lord by virtue of his Son-ship not like unto the servants the Priests of Aaron's order Who when they entred into the most Holy place were not there to sit but otherwise to execute their office according to the order prescribed unto them by Moses Heb. 10 11 They stood as became servants saith the Apostle ministring before the Lord. But Jesus Christ when he had offered one Sacrifice for sins for ever and according to the Law entred into the holy place to finish the Atonement Sat down on the right hand of God noting the perpetuity of his office according to the dignity of his person and that he ever liveth which was not possible for any other to do to make intercession Dan. 7.14 Mach. 4.7 His Throne in like manner is for ever and ever His Kingdom an everlasting Kingdom and his Dominion endureth throughout all Generations No Salvation then to be expected for ever Act 4.12 but onely by him No other Name under Heaven given among men from the beginning of the world to the end of it whereby we must be saved For before him as he saith of himself there was no God formed Es 43 10 or rather as it may be rendred nothing formed of God for any such purpose as to be a Saviour Ec. 2.12 Ps 145.11 12. neither shall there be after him What alas can the man do that cometh after the King What He may speak of the glory of his Kingdom and talk of his power to make known to the Sons of men his mighty acts and the glorious Majesty of his Kingdom But to imitate him in his power and his mighty Acts or to compare with him in the Majesty of his Kingdom would not onely be a contempt cast upon his Crown and Dignity but an utter impossibility and a meere vanity for men or angels to attempt it They poor Creatures being infinitely unfit and unworthy must let that alone for ever and they that will expect it of them will finde it to be folly
pretensions made to rectifie all things amiss amongst us in a better way to the credit and furtherance of the Gospel then ever had been before yet even then was there not instead of purging the Land of these damnable Hereticks a more favourable indulgence given to some wretched Desperado's of that Crew then was formerly who in the face of the World both pleaded and printed against the Divine Honour and Dignity of the Lord Jesus And albeit after too long a deliberation in determining Businesses of that nature for as Cyprian said in another case so may we in this In re tam Sanctâ deliberatio non habet locum Away with all deliberation in the high and weighty Points of Faith Albeit I say there came forth at length some kind of disowning of such persons and their Fry of corrupt Tenets yet was there not a condign punishment inflicted upon them according to their Demerits that others might hear and sear and do no more such wickedness And why Liberty of Conscience must be given and a Latitude allowed unto men in points of Religion for a free People must not be beaten into the Faith but rationally convinced and perswaded unto it By this Trick it was that a Politick Interest was promoted and by this Craft did the Devil gain upon the poor Church of Christ But I ask Doth God command in his Law that the Blasphemer be stoned to death Lev. 24.16 and shall it be debated now whether any punishment at all should be laid upon such under the Gospel Did he ever totally repeal that Law Is not the matter of it agreeable to the Dictates of Nature and the Reason of it immutable Is not the Authority of the Law giver the same under both Administrations Old and New Are not the Consciences of Christians as well as Jews subject to his Sovereign and perpetual Jurisdiction Shall the clearer Light that we enjoy lead us to deal more favourably with such Miscreants whose whole endeavour and design is to obscure our Light And because Christ hath brought with him more abundant Grace should we therefore for his sake spare those that are open enemies against him pretending that we must express all meekness now under the Gospel Job 13.7.8 What I beseech you were this but to speak wickedly for Christ and to act deceitfully for him To accept the Person of the Mediatour and to contend for him unto the great dishonour of the Son of God Yea further shall a word spoken against the Person or Authority of a Prince be accounted Crimen laesae Majestatis a Crime of the highest nature and be adjudged worthy of death as it doth well deserve and shall a black mouth with a virulent Tongue utter blasphemous reproaches against the Person of God himself and escape with Stocks and Whipping As a horrid Blasphemer did in the City of Winchester in the time of the late Wars whereof I my self with thousands more were eye-witnesses Nay was there ever any punishment at all laid upon that blasphemous Best Paul Beast or Beast I know not well which but beast he might wel be called who openly before those that then sate in the Commons House of Parliament avowed his heretical Tenet in denying the Godhead of Christ which matter was to the grief of many a faithful heart held in suspense a long time yea so long that whereas there was much doubt then made concerning the Publick Faith of the Kingdom it might rather have been questioned whether the Christian Faith it self should have been established in the Land yea or no. And what became of that abominable Fry a Member of that Convention which was unduely called the Parliament who as one tells us had then blown his Blasphemy about the Nation with his own Bellows What befell him I say but only an Ejectment so far as I could learn out of the house wherein he with others had too long continued whereas he well deserved to be cast out of the Society of all the faithful people of God I confess we do not at present hear so much of the croaking of these Frogs that have crept out of the mouth of the Dragon c for the Scene is now changed and the Devil hath vomited out of the bottomless Pit a sort of quaking Locusts to act their part also against Jesus Christ but I hope and pray that the Lord will still incline the heart of his Majesty our religious King and Sovereign Locustae sunt meticulosae Job 39.30 whom he hath hitherto preserved blessed be his Name and substituted under him for that end to be zealous for his Glory and to be very vigilant in suppressing such bold Insurrections against his Crown and Dignity that none of these his arch Enemies may be suffered to abide in the Land least for their sakes his jealousie as it hath done in former times smoak against the whole Nation And for us we have been long talking of Antichrist Antichrist how he hath grown upon us and threaten much to root him out and not to leave a ragg remaining But if in the mean time we should suffer Anti-Trinitarians Anti-Scripturists and Socinians who are Antichrists to purpose to continue amongst us what are we in effect but meer Anticks in Religion and our pretended zeal for Reformation will indeed prove nothing else but talk But what the Consequents will be which undoubtedly will follow upon such a perfidious Connivance let the lamentable miseries that lately over-spread the Country of Poland declare unto us It is well known that in Cracovia the Metropolis of that Kingdom Satan had erected his Throne for there hath this abominable Heresie been revived published and defended And we have heard how God did visite them in his sore displeasure though he be now for a while gone and returned to his place till they acknowledge their offence and seek his face The Lord in mercy open their eyes that they may look into the bottom of their Afflictions and cast out from among them that accursed thing with other their Abominations unto which they have been too inclinable before Wrath return again upon them to their utter destruction And let us and all Christian Kingdoms in this World take warning by them for assuredly God will not be mocked but will have a Controversie with those Nations who assent unto this Doctrine of the Eternal Generation of the Son of God and yet out of a Supine negligence or lukewarm indifferency will spare to testifie their zeal for the suppression of those blasphemous Heresies that are contrary thereunto I shall conclude this first Interpretation of my Text with the Exhortation of the Prophet in the second Psalm Be wise now therefore O ye Kings Psal 2.10 11 12. be instructed ye Judges of the Earth Serve the Lord with fear and rejoyce with trembling Kiss the Son least he be angry and ye perish from the way when his wrath is kindled but a little blessed are all they
all nations as the Lord once threatned you Which being so Whether then it be better to be under his grace or under his wrath judge ye There is no avoyding it will ye nill ye one way or other you shall ever be subdued unto him either as children or as captives as subjects or as slaves for the Lord hath sworn by himself the greatest oath that ever was heard of the word is gone out of his mouth in righteousness and shall not return That unto him every knee shall bow Esa 45.23 every tongue shall swear Esa 45.23 And if ever demonstrations were found among the creatures for the confirmation of any thing there have been such that are most convincing in this matter of subjecting the world to the irresistable power of Jesus according to this oath That these Oracles of the Heathen were struck dumb at that time the writings of the Heathen do sufficiently witness Two memorable occurrents I shall mention in order hereunto that are past all gain-saying First at his birth the Oracles of the Heathen testified of him by their silence not daring once to peep or mutter out an answer to their importunate suppliants after that this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Oracle of the Living God once appeared Secondly at his death The Sun in the firmament did also bear witness unto him by a total eclipsing of his light to the amazement of the world far and near In Egypt it was seen and admired by Dionysius Areopagita as appears in his Epistle to Polycarp wherein he desireth Polycarp to enquire of one Apolloohanes who would not it seems be reclaimed from his Gentilisme what he thought of that eclipse which he saw when he was with him at Heliopolis a city in Egypt at the time of our Saviours suffering when he could not but acknowledge that that with other remarkable wonders which they took notice of together were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vicissitudes or changes of Divine works Which Dionysius being at that time also a Heathen and much astonished at the unnaturalness of the said eclipse cryed out as it is reported of him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Either the Deity suffereth or hath sympathy with that which suffereth or the whole world is ready to be dissolved Adding withall Deus ignotus in carne patitur ideoqueVniversum hisce tenebris obscuratur concutitur that is An unknown God suffers at this time in the flesh which makes the world to shake under this obscurity But afterwards when the Apostle Saint Paul came to Athens and affirmed Jesus Christ to be the unknown God at whose death the Sun was so obscured the said Dionysius hearing him became a convert to the Christian Faith and all his life time after an eminent servant to Jesus Christ These reports possibly you will not regard howsoever the truth of the eclipse cannot be questioned by you which may let in so much light upon you to make you believe that somewhat extraordinary was then acted in the world which God would have the world to take special notice of And now to conclude What is it O ye miserably blinded people that you stick at If the Lord Jesus Christ the Son of the Blessed Virgin our Lord and our God hath not exactly fulfilled all that was Prophecied of the Messiah If he hath not done the works that no other man did or can do If you have not hitherto smarted enough under that heavy Curse which your fathers brought upon you when they crucified the Lord Jesus crying out His bloud be upon us and our children go on then still in your pertinacy deny him to be the Lord that bought you look for another that can do more for you then he hath done For us in the mean time we will bewail before the Lord your woful blindeness and hardness of heart and though we cannot converse with you as brethren because of your perversness in your present infidelity yet we will pity you as those who were once a people in whom the Lord delighted yea as those of whom we have good hope upon the return of your Captivity to see you made the glory of Nations a Praise in the earth Which hope as we may be confident it will not fail us in the time and season which the Father hath put in his own Power so may the consideration of those grounds and reasons hereafter specified whereon this hope is built in time prevail with you to bethink your selves of your long estrangement from your God and to quicken your return unto him Lastly Since it is so that Jesus Christ is the Same to day which he was yesterday then have the Churches of the Gentiles good reason to rejoyce in that they submitting themselves to Christs yoke may be sure that the same Divine Love which was of old manifested to the Jews is in as full measure according to their capacity extended towards them What high account was made of Israel heretofore the holy Scripture doth every where tell us How God entred into a Covenant with them was nigh unto them in all that they call'd upon him for esteemed them his Inheritance his Vineyard his peculiar Treasure when all other Nations were rejected as unclean 1 Cor. 9.11 proclaimed Out-laws and cast forth as dogs not suffered to intermeddle with the childrens Priviledge But now since the Holy Ghost hath not onely told us that Jesus Christ the messenger of this Covenant the parchaser of this Inheritance the planter of this Vineyard the great Lord-Keeper of this Treasury hath broken down the wall of Partition that was between Jews and Gentiles Eph. 2.14 making both one but that he is also the Same to day which he was yesterday as able now to save them to the uttermost whosoever they be that come unto God by him and as ready to do the will of the Father in being a Light to lighten the Gentiles according to the Prophecies of old as to be the glory of his people Israel we may therefore be confident in our approaches before the Lord looking for mercy and grace to help in time of need being as much interessed in all the happy Priviledges of the everlasting Covenant of Promise as ever were the Jews there is no difference now saith the Apostle between the Jew and the Greek for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved Now is the true heavenly sound gone into all lands the Gospel preached to every creature which the Apostles carried about when they had their Commission given them to go into all the world their Line reached to the ends of the earth Psal 19 4 5. insomuch that the Orb or Tabernacle of the Sun so the Divine Spirit of the Psalmist is interpreted by the Apostle was bounded within the limits of their Commission Rom. 10.18 Saint Paul had his circuit from Jerusalem to Spain
for the whole number But because there are some amongst us who with much pertinacy do affirm that the Jews shall never be a people again so long as the World endures which assertion doth thwart the Doctrine of Christs Immutability which we have here maintained hear therefore what the spirit speaketh of it to the Churches out of the New Testament For even therein also have we a full and clear testimony from the mouth of Jesus Christ himself and his Apostles to assure us of this truth against all Cavils whatsoever First Luk 21.23 24. Then see what the Lord saith Luk. 21.23 24. There shall be great distress in the Land and wrath upon this people and they shall fall by the edge of the sword and shall be led away Captive into all Nations and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled See here how in wrath the Lord remembreth mercy saith venerable Bede upon the place Quia non in perpetuum donec tempora Nationum impleantur the judgement here written is not to be perpetuated till time be no more but onely to continue till the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled Concerning which times though it be true that the Father hath reserved them to himself as a secret not fit to be imparted to the World in which regard it hath been and will be too much boldness to prescribe the very instant of their expiration yet we may safely say of them the words of our Saviour here importing no less that whensoever they do expire Jerusalem shall be delivered from her bondage and consequently that light and gladness joy and honour shall come upon the Jewish Nation Let us then for this end make a little enquiry into them and consider what is meant by these times of the Gentiles Sundry constructions are given of them by Interpreters nevertheless I doubt not but that which hath a tendency to our present purpose we shall finde to be most genuine Two Expositions I have met with which though the Authours thereof be of great note in the Church are not in my poor judgement to be allowed the one reaching beyond the sense of the Holy Ghost the other coming short of it as it shall here evidently appear First That which goeth too far makes the filling up of the times of the Gentiles to be contemporary with the final Consummation of all things and so consequently holdeth that neither the Jews nor Jerusalem shall ever be restored again Thus the Lutheran Expositors generally understand it But against this it may be Objected First We no where finde in Scripture that the fulfilling of the times of the Gentiles is rendred in such a sense viz. For the end of the World and in such cases the Holy Scripture hath been still wont the wisdom of God so ordering it to explain it self by some reiterations and paralel places to the end that the Church might in a form of sound words fully know the minde of the spirit Secondly It is inconsistent with the Prophecies that went before concerning the Gentiles that in the time of the Gospel they should generally submit unto the Church of the Jews as we have before undeniably proved when Jerusalem shall be again inhabited and made a praise in the earth Thirdly it is plain that our Saviour in this 21 of Saint Luke puts a difference between the desolation of Judea Vide Albertum magnum super locum and the dissolution of the world making the former a portentous omen and sad prefiguration of the latter As therefore the dissolution of the world shall be seconded with an eternity of rest to all Believers so that the type may sute the Anti-type shall the desolation of Judea be also attended with a sweet peace and happy deliverance to Gods antient people the inhabitants of that Land even in this World before the dissolution thereof All which considered this cannot be the meaning of our Saviour in this place The other exposition which I mentioned that cometh too short is given by a late learned and industrious writer amongst us Doctour Hammond by name who affirmeth that the times of the Gentiles here fore-told by our Saviour are already past having had their full end at that last and notable destruction both of the City Jerusalem and the people which was brought upon them by Aelius Adrianus sixty five years after the burning of the Temple by the Romans under the conduct of Titus the Son of Vespasianus All which time of the Romans possessing the City he makes the full extent of this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 untill and will have it reach no farther For then saith he Adrian rebuilt a part of the City and called it by his own name Aelia inhabiting it with Gentiles whereupon it followed that as all the Jews remaining such in opposition to the Christians were utterly banisht the City c. So the believing Christian Jews returned thither again from their dispersions and inhabited it again and joyned and made one Congregation one Church with the Gentiles which had there by that time received the faith also and till then continued a distinct Church from the Jews Thus he But against this novel conceit for so it may Salvo honore Docti defuncti Authoris well be called which as I said cometh short of the sense of our Saviour in the fore-cited place some just exceptions offer themselves to our consideration First If we examine the story upon which the said Authour groundeth his assertion we shall finde that the truth of this Prophecy concerning the treading down of Jerusalem by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles were fulfilled was so far from receiving its final accomplishment at that remarkable change under Adrian that it might well be thought it did then more then ever before begin most eminently to appear The story of which times related both by Ethnick and Christian Authours in short is this The Emperour Adrian being willing it seems to vex the Jews caused an Idolatrous Temple to be erected in Jerusalem dedicating it to Jupiter and commanding withall a certain number of Romans and other Foreiners devoted to that Idol to dwell in the City that they might resort unto his Temple whereat the Jews who till then had a toleration both for the exercise of their Religion and their abode in that Countrey being thereby much provoked and because as some report the Emperour had issued out an Edict against their Circumcision They brake out into open Rebellion whereunto they were stirred up by a Seditious person who called himself by the name of Barchochebas that is the Son of a Star pretending thereby and making the Jews believe that he was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sent to be as a light from Heaven unto them according to the Prophecy of Balaam and that he would deliver them out of their present bondage To him they are easily perswaded to yeild their Consent being deluded by
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifie for that is not a blindness in the mind onely but a spiritual obduration overspreading the whole soul whereby they are become utterly unsensible of their sin and misery And thus we finde the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rendred before verse 7. by Beza and others reliqui occaluerunt that is the rest were hardened or covered all over with a brawny thickness Thus also is it written of them Act. 28.27 The heart of this people is waxed gross and their ears are dull of hearing and their eyes have they closed least they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their hearts c. For why God hath given them in his just displeasure saith the Apostle verse 8. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A slothful spirit a spirit that luls them asleep in their sin leading them in the dark or as the word may imply A spirit that pierceth them through railing them fast to their infidelity pricking their eyes that they should not see and boring their ears that they should not hear unto this day Hence it is that they obstinately reject all means of their conversion they blaspheme Christ in their Synagogues and whensoever any mention is made of him they cry out Deleatur nâ—men ejus let his name be forgotten and then spit thrice upon the ground in detestation of him they inure their Children from their Child-hood to curse the Lord Jesus and the blessed Virgin his Mother and if any do undertake to refute their errours out of the word they presently stop their ears refusing to hear c. Thereby verifying the Word of the Apostle 2 Cor. 3.15 2 Cor. 3.15 even unto this day when Moses is read the Vaâ—l is upon their Heart In a word as the same Apostle summeth up their wickedness in another place They killed the Lord Jesus and their own Prophets 1 Thess 2.15.10 and have persecuted us and they please not God and are contrary to all men Forbidding to speak to the Gentiles that they might be saved to fill up their sins alway for the wrath is come upon them to the uttermost Surely a very fearful and sore judgement it is that is fallen upon this people And what should we do in this day wherein the avenging hand of God lieth so heavy upon them Should we now forget the brotherly-Covenant and with Edom insult over them in the day of their calamity Obad. v. 12 speaking proudly in the day of their distress That be far from us Rather let us for our humiliation consider so long as they are under so severe a lash of Gods just indignation we that are sinners of the Gentiles shall still have a taste given us of the cup of Gods anger none of all our Churches must look to be delivered from their present troubles they must and shall be still haunted with a spirit of division among themselves and with persecution from the Devil and his Anti-Christ For loe the Lord hath begun to bring evil upon his people and upon the City which is called by his name and should we be utterly unpunished Thus argueth the Apostle Saint Peter 1 Pet. 4.17 18 Whose words we may make use of to this purpose When God had begun to cast off the Jews for of them it is probable the Apostle in this place is especially mindful because otherwise the order which he there observeth that God used in bringing his people under his rod before he poured out his fury upon his enemies was no new or strange matter but had been of old He thus writeth 1 Pet. 4.17 18. The time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God and if it first begin at us that is the Jews for these Epistles were written to them whether it be those amongst us that profess the faith or the generality of our Nation that deny it what shall the end be of them viz. the Gentiles who obey not the Gospel of God that is Who when they have received it are not easie to be perswaded by it but are refractory and unruly under it as we all are to this very day And if the righteous such were all the Jews whiles they continued the house of God scarcely be saved where shall the ungodly and the sinner of the Gentiles appear Whether this be the proper sense of the place or no I will not contend but will leave it to consideration nevertheless our argumentation cannot be refelled if the green tree suffer in this manner shall the dry tree escape If the children the dearly beloved of Gods soul be thus severely punished shall we in the mean time that were strangers reckoned no better then dogs feeding under our Masters table bee without chastisement especially when now grace hath abounded towards us there are with us also even with us sins against the Lord our God The consideration hereof may I say teach us to walk humbly and should put us to our prayers yea to earnest importunities that God would be pleased once again to look upon his antient people with an eye of compassion and the rather should we be willing hereunto because there is hope in Israel concerning this thing for behold here the unspeakable goodness of God in a mystery made manifest by this scripture of the Apostle according to the commandment of the everlasting God this obduration which is upon Israel is but in part till the fulness of the Gentiles be come in Observe first It is but in part that they are thus hardened 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In part I say not as if the Jews for the generality had not wholly rejected the grace of God for alas the judgment written in that respect is as it hath been said before come upon them to the uttermost the whole way of God for their salvation being hidden from their eyes but it is in part How because all the Nation hath not fallen under this judgement say some so Saint Austin Ex parte dixit quia non omnes excoecati sunt He saith in part because all are not hardened Epist 59. Tom. 10. Molli locutione significare vellet plurimos non omnes aut non omnino Grotius Ambr. Tom. 5. But if this were the meaning wherein lay the mystery For it was manifest by the Apostle himself and sundry others with him that there was a remnant of Believers among the Jews in those dayes according to the election of grace Rather therefore I conceive with Saint Ambrose He saith in part because this obduration was to be but for a time so that this restriction of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is not set by the Apostle as Calvin and others would have it to temper the asperity of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so as to be an extenuation of their sin for that appears still to be exceeding sinful but it referreth to Gods decreed boundary for the time of the worlds continuance implying that