them to step out and they may gather up this heavenly Manna 2. Streets and lanes are places of concourse where there is continual going and coming they are thorow-fares passages in which some are daily and hourly passing by Prov. 7.8 Thus then the going into streets and lanes is the preaching of the Gospel unto men who are a company of Travellers upon earth exhorting them as strangers and pilgrims to abstain from sin 1 Pet. 2.11 whiles they are going to and fro God would have them hear that which may do them good for ever 3. Streets and lanes are places of pastime Boys and Girls are playing in the streets Zech. 8.5 Thus then the going into streets and lanes as the preaching of the Gospel unto the children of men to take them off from earthly vanities and to perswade them unto heavenly excellencies Act. 14.13 15. Eccl. 11.9 10. 4. Streets and lanes are places of merchandise your shops and markets are in your streets Thus then the going into streets and lanes is the preaching the Gospel to supply mens necessities for the good of their souls that they may have food and raiment for their souls The preaching of the Gospel is the holding forth spiritual wares Isa 55.1 where men by believing may make spiritual mercies as surely theirs as any thing is theirs which they have bought Every Lord's day is a market day for our souls 5. Streets and lanes are places for the proclaiming of Acts and Edicts Proclamations are read and posted up in the streets in allusion to which Jeremiah is bid to proclaim the word of the Lord in the streets of Jerusalem Jer. 11.6 Thus then the going into streets and sanes is the preaching the Gospel by an office-ministry sent of God to proclaim the glad tidings of the Gospel Wisdom stands in the tops of the high places and cryeth in the Gates Prov. 8.2 3. as the Herauld and Cryer standeth above the rest that he may be heard CHAP. X. The reasons why God will have the Gospel preached openly are 1. TO shew the soveraign use of the Gospel The leaves of this tree of life are for the healing of the Nations Rev. 22.12 it is for redemption out of every kindred and Tongue and people and nation Rev. 5.9 2. To shew the honourable employment of the work of the preaching of the Gospel it is a work none need be ashamed of Rom. 1.16 God's messengers appear openly in the streets they are not ashamed to hold up their wares against the Sun Their preaching in the light and upon the house tops Matth. 10.27 sheweth that preaching is justifiable before all the world 3. To shew the good will of God who would have all come to the knowledge of the truth 1 Tim. 2.4 he is no respecter of persons but in every place those that fear him are accepted with him Act. 10.34 25. he sends the gospel-invitation into the streets and lanes without prefering one house before another 4. To shew the inexcusableness of men in refusing the gospel-offer They cannot plead they never heard of it Not only the dust of the street but the stones and houses of the street will rise up in judgment against those who refuse the gospel preached CHAP. XI Use 1. THis informs us that a publick ministry is a great mercy The ministry of the gospel by publick persons such as are authorized thereunto and in publick places where any have free leave to attend upon means of grace which the Prophet mentions as a special favour when our Teachers are not removed into corners but our eyes see our Teachers Isa 30.20 teaching in our view not driven to hide themselves This also informs us of several sorts who are blame-worthy in opposing this truth as 1. Such as pretend themselves to be gospel-messengers and decline the publick dispensation thereof who instead of going into streets and lanes to convert men to and confirm men in the faith creep into houses to subvert the faith of some leading captive filly women 2 Tim. 3.6 2. Such as wilfully sit within their doors when the gospel is preached in their streets that come nor forth to hear the voice of wisdom that cries in their streets Matth. 12.42 3. Such as will not suffer the messengers of the gospel to preach openly or to teach in their streets contradicting or disturbing the publick preachers like those in Act. 13.45 or suspending and banishing them when it is in their power Use 2. Yet this doth not make but that upon occasion the gospel may be lawfully preached in private houses Paul taught publickly and likewise from house to house Act. 20.20 in every place Religious service is accepted if it be done in a right manner not but that the conveniency of publick houses to meet in is a great mercy as was hinted before let none then be prejudiced with the circumstance of place so as to be hindered of the substance of the gospel yet there is a vast difference between this going into houses to build up one another in our most holy saith and that creeping into houses as it were by stealth to subvert the faith of others The one is like the visit of a friend the other like the sly entrance of a Thief Use 3. Hear then and give ear you that inhabit the streets and lanes and villages about this Town Jer. 11.6 God sent his Seers to take notice what they did in Jerusalem according to their streets ver 13. your Town is divided into several streets and lanes Take therefore the word of God as though you had a particular message sent into every street and lane this day from heaven God knoweth Maidstone as well as he did Jerusalem ye therefore that inhabit the streets of this Town the High-street the South-side and the North-side of it Week-street Stone-street c. ye that inhabit the several lanes of this Town East-lane Ballock-lane c. look into your hearts and ways Moreover ye that are come out of your doors into the streets meeting the message of God thus openly consider wherefore ye are come as Christ said to the multitudes that went to hear John Baptist What went ye out for to see Mat. 11.7 the reasons why we hear any preacher should be well examined as to hear him because he is an officer in that work John was a Prophet and more than a Prophet John was not a reed shaken by the wind Be ye sure to seek Christ in the streets in the publick ordinances Cant. 3.2 3. Ask the watchmen that go about the City The Priests lips of old were to preserve knowledge Receive those messengers of God into your houses who preach in your streets Mat. 10.12 13. Give countenance and maintenance to their persons give audience to their Doctrine welcome those that come in the name of Christ and give them high esteem for their work-sake Receive us saith the Apostle 2 Cor. 7.2 make room for us in your houses and hearts let their peace
â—â—d to many 2 Cor. 4 2 3. as it is with the 〈◊〉 in the firmament it is often hid in a cloud when it shines in the air So it is with the Sun-shine of the Gospel it is veiled to some when it shineth round about them Use 3. Hearken to the will of God revealed to you in scriptural exhortations Prov. 4.1 yea so hear that your souls may live As Ministers must preach so people must hear according to the command of God It is a Rule in Divinity that active verbs are given to those things which do not properly and by an immediate influx effect that which the verbs do signifie but do concur to the same God said to Moses lift up thy rod stretch out thine hand over the Sea and divide it Exod. 14.16 Had Moses power to divide the sea No but because there was a certain concurrence of Moses using the rod according to direction therefore that is attributed to Moses which was the work of God alone In this sense of the use of means according to direction must those places of Scripture be understood which bid man believe repent c. Labour also to feel the will of God effected in you in a real conversion Make tryal of by this your keeping God's commandment Zanchy well observeth Zanch. there is a threefold keeping the commands The first is perfect and compleat as Christ upon earth did and the Saints in heaven do The second is imperfect but yet sincere as the Saints on earth do The third is external only and unsound as the hypocrites on earth do In the first sense it is impossible for us in this life to keep the commandments yet this impossibility is not by reason of the Laws rigidness but by reason of our corruption In the third sense it is sinful keeping the commandments when we rest in externals But in the second sense it is possible and honourable to keep the commandments It is possible upon this double account the will being accepted for the deed and the failings in all our duties being pardoned through Jesus Christ Wherefore answer this Doctrine by your sincere obedience that ye may be able to say Lord it is done as thou hast commanded Therefore do not only what God hath commanded but do it as God hath commanded it So do the work of grace that the fruits of the same may appear continually to be done by you see that your obedience be according to the full latitude of God's Law whose law is exceeding broad CHAP. IV. And yet there is room THe servant having related what had been done of the preaching and prevalency of the Gospel he addeth these words by way of notification that more was yet to be done And yet that is notwithstanding the conversion of so many Jews or the gathering in the wandring and lost sheep of the house of Israel There is room that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Aug. for the Gentiles those of any Nation that shall embrace the Gospel There is room or place the Greek word properly signifying that which containeth circumscribeth and terminateth our bodies and it doth figuratively signifie the feat or heads of Arguments They are called Topicks or Common-places the boundaries of reasonings containing the grounds and foundation of discourse This phrase yet there is room signifies the superabounding of divine grace spoken of before under the notion of a Feast or great Supper And yet that implyeth that many were already brought in to partake of this great Supper this Gospel-provision There is room this sheweth the sufficiency of it to feed and to satisfie many more Observ Notwithstanding the many that have been brought in by the power of the Gospel yet there is rome for more Acts 2.39 CHAP. V. THat many have been brought in thus appeareth 1. This way of bringing men in began very early in the world Christ being the Lamb slain virtually in the first age oâ— the world Rev. 13.8 Abel offered up acceptable sacrifice to the Lord Gen. 4.4 witnessing his Righteousness in this Gospel-sense Heb. 11.4 God testifying either by fire from heaven or some other visible expression of his gracious acceptation whereby Abel's faith was confirmed touching life and salvation through Christ Since that time many more have been brought in 2. God brought in many eminent persons in the old Testament for this very end that they might be instrumental to bring in others God saith of Abraham I know him that he will command his children and his houshold after him and they shall keep the way of the Lord Gen. 18.19 and he had an eminent Son for Religion viz. Isaac and a choice servant viz. Eleazar so Joshua saith I and my house will serve the Lord So for the good Prophets and the good Kings The conversion of some choice ones proves eminenly instrumental for the good of many 3. Multitudes have been brought in together at the same time and the same place about three thousand in one day at St. Peter's Sermon Act. 2.41 and the Lord added daily to his Church such as should be saved ver 47. Sometimes whole families together The Goaler believed in God with all his house Act. 16.34 So Lydia and her houshold 4. The Apostles did according to their commission preach the Gospel in all Nations and had very good success witness the many Churches that were formed in several Countries unto whom many of the Epistles in the new Testament are directed The door of faith was opened unto the Gentiles Act. 14.27 at which door the King of glory comes into the soul of man 5. In the darkest times both in the old and new Testaments when very few appeared there were thousands that kept close to the true God Seven thousand that did not submit to Baal 1 King 19.18 There were an hundred forty and four thousand sealed ones such as did not submit to Antichrist and his false worship Rev. 7.4 if it be thus in the dark times what is it in the clear ages for Gospel-light Yet notwithstanding so many have been brought in there is yet room for more in that house where Gospel-provision is made ready viz. in Mount Sion the Church of God where there is the Feast of fat things for all people Isa 25.6 This house hath two stories The lower rooms where God communicates himself in the use of means the Church militant The upper rooms where God communicats himself immediately the Church triumphant and in both these parts of God's house there is room for more than are in them I. In the Church militant yet there is room 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 non habitatis angustè in nobis So Piscator renders it In the hearts of the faithful preachers of the Gospel they wish well to the souls of their hearers O ye Corinthians ye are not straitned in us 2 Cor. 6.11 12. that is ye have room enough in our hearts Our serious thoughts run more of you than yours do of
restraints of Christian liberty is setled many errors confuted out of John 8. ver 36. A Treatise of the Sacrament both by Sam. Bolton D. D. The Lords Day enlivened or a Treatise of the Sabbath by Philip Goodwin The sinfulness of Sin and the Fulness of Christ two Sermons by W. Bridge A serious Exhortation to a Holy Life by Tho. Wadsworth Ovid's Metamorphosis Translated Grammatically by J. Brinsley Comfortable Crumbs of refreshment by Prayers Meditations Consolations and Ejaculations with a Confession of Faith and summ of the Bible The difference between the spots of the Godly and Wicked in four Sermons by Jer. Burroughs Four Centuries of Select Hymns collected out of Scripture by Will. Barton Sins Sinfulness by R. Venning Memento to Young and Old by J. Maynard The Christians Daily Monitor by Jo. Church Closet Prayer a Christians Duty by O. Heywood A Little Book for Little Children by Tho. White FINIS THE PARABLE OF THE GREAT SVPPER OPENED LUKE 14.16 Then said he unto him A certain man made a Great Supper and bad many SERM. I. CHAP. I. THese words are a Parable delivered by our Saviour whose usual manner it was to propound Divine Truths under such Figurative representations Wherefore in the handling of a Parable let us observe how the genuine sence of the same may be found out for the mis-apprehension of Parables hath sometimes caused strange constructions of the holy Scriptures Tota difficultas parabolae ex tribus capitibus pendere videtur ex Radice Cortice fructu Salmero de parab Now in a Parable there are three considerable particulars to be observed 1. The root or scope of a parable 2. The rind or sensible similitude 3. The fruit or spiritual meaning And this all along we must hold as a Canon in the interpretation of a parable that there is nothing false absurd and impossible in the Parables of our Saviour Now farther that we may rightly understand the meaning of a Parable according to its true scope we must either look before upon the occasion of it Ex profabulatione vel affabulatione vel ipsa fabula Sic Graeci loquantur 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as ver 7. or else hehind upon the conclusion of it Matth. 25.13 or else into it upon the connexion of it This course the Grecians took in the understanding of their Apologues or Fables In this parable we are first to look upon the occasion of it which is 1. More remote occasioned from the invitation of one that made a Feast ver 12.2 More immediate occasioned from the communication of one who was at the feast ver 15. Then said he c. first it answers to that when he was bidden to the Feast He spiritualizeth that meeting with discourse proper to the occasion CHAP. II. Observ HEnce I observe that it is true Christian practice to spiritualize earthly things John 3.12 This may thus appear 1. Such practice is the imitation of Christ which may be shewn in some particulars of his practice 1. In his calling fishers to be preachers he spiritualized their work by making them fishers of men Matth. 4.18 19. Then they lest their other Calling being called unto this and sufficiently gifted for it let this be observed against the practice of some who would be accounted preachers yet are not gifted nor called nor perswaded to leave off their other Callings This of fishing is an apt Metaphor The world is the sea unsetled tumultuous the Church is the Boat continually tossed with waves The fishes are men which devour one another in the sea The word of God is the net which takes hold of all sorts of men Ministers are fishers whose work is toylsome yet various and delightsome Sometimes preparing sometimes casting the net sometimes drawing it Some count preaching no labour or toyl and so rashly venture upon it but these are like some idle companions that ever and anon go a fishing in fair weather for an hour or two Will ye call such fisher-men No Fishers are such as make it their work night and day wet and dry 2. When our Saviour saw one sick of the Palsy Morbus est corruptio totius entis he spiritualized his sickness by considering sin under the notion of sickness Matth. 9.2 Sin is the sickness of the soul and pardon the health of it The fall of our first-parents did wound us and that wound is putrified from thence is the râ—â— of all manner of distempers within us and every sickness may put us in mind of this 3. When he was at Jacob's well he spiritualized that water by discoursing of the water of life John 4.10 The grace of God being of a cleansing cooling and quenching nature like water which runs through several channels till it be swallowed up in the Ocean 4. When his Disciples prayed him to eat he spiritualized those words by making his father's work his meat John 4.31 34. He took as much delight in obeying the will of God as any do in eating their meat when they are hungry 5. When there was talking of harvest he spiritualized it by discoursing of the harvest for conversion of souls John 4.35 The harvest of the seed sown by the Prophets appearing as ripe fruit in the conversion of souls by the Apostles 6. When he and his Disciples viewed the Temple he spiritualized that sight by discoursing of the Temple's and the world's destruction Matth. 24.2 The Temple was set on fire by Titus his souldides but the industry of man could not quench it Titus would have preserved the Temple as one of the worlds wonders Thus all the world will be in a flame and irresistibly burnt one day CHAP. III. Quest HOw may we spiritualize earthly things Resp. 1. In our Meditation and that in a representative manner by way of resemblance Behold the Husband-man c. Jam. 5.7 that is with the eyes of your understanding Consider how he waiteth for the harvest Is the harvest precious to husband-men and should not the coming of Christ be much more precious to Christians doth he toyl for the Corn at harvest and should we think much to be at any cost and pains till we come to the reward in Heaven 2. In our Affection even in an exulting manner rejoycing in God above by the things we receive from him here below The mercies which we daily receive should more endear our souls to the God of mercies 1 Sam. 2.1 Psal 116.1 remembring and prizing the giver for the gifts-sake 3. In our Communication and that in an argumentative manner discoursing of the providence of God from what we see here below Thus Job reasons out the case with his wife to clear God's uprightness in his saddest dispensations Job 2.10 afterwards he reasoneth with his friends to clear his own integrity under those divine dispensations 4. In our Conversation and that in an exemplary manner leading stricter and holier lives from the consideration of those temporal mercies whereby our lives are maintained
the blind were not to be used in God's service Deut. 15.21 3. To confound the world viz. the men of the world in their wisdom and strength 1 Cor. 1.27 making them blush for shame to think how poor ideots learn the way to happiness in the conscientious practice of that little they know when they with all their speculative knowledge discoursing of happiness miss of it 4. To exalt himself that all that glory may glory in the Lord 1 Cor. 1.31 when mean men are exalted they cannot boast Though the Senator if chosen of God might perhaps boast of his dignity the Orator of his Eloquence and the Emperour of his power yet surely the poor fisher-man being chosen can boast of nothing but of him who made choice of him saith Augustine August 5. To conform the members to the Head now consider how poor he was who was the first-born of God's chosen A Carpenter's Wife was his Mother When he was born he was laid in a manger instead of a Cradle when he was grown up he had not wherewith to lay his head 6. To shew the soveraign pleasure of God it is so because so it seemeth good in his sight Matth. 11.25 26. CHAP. V. Use 1. HEre see that no kind of defects need keep off any from closing with the Gospel as 1. Not civil defects as want of worldly wealth The poorest need not scruple coming those that have no money may come and welome Isa 55.1 the Gospel-provision is not an ordinary where ye pay for what ye have but as a Feast whereto ye are freely invited and whereat you may fully feed 2. Not corporal defects as want of limbs The maimed the lame and the blind need not scruple coming The man sick of the Palsie was healed both in his body and soul Luke 5.25 3. Not mental defects as want of wit though you cannot so fully express your mind before God as others yet fall down before him 4. Not moral defects as want of good manners not leading a well-ordered life The lewdest persons need not scruple coming Publicans Sinners Extortioners Harlots are received by Christ when they come unto him Matth. 21.31 32. it is lawful for the most notorious sinners to believe and great sinners have become notable Saints Secondly here ye may see that God in his chusing is different from Satan and from men in their chusing Satan makes choice of the craftiest Heads and subtillest instruments to carry on his designs Gen. 3.1 he picks out a Goliah for strength an Achitophel for policy to do his work And no wonder for he cannot make men fit for his turn when he doth not find them so he cannot put new abilities into men though he doth excite those abilities which are in them Therefore he chuseth men fit for his turn seeing he cannot make them fit So men in their several choices they avoid defects as near as they can Use 2. Yet all that God chuseth are not obscure persons God chuseth some to grace and glory that are very eminent in the world Abraham the father of the faithful Isaac the heir of the Promise Jacob the man powerful with God were all very rich The elect Lady â— John 1. honourable women and men not a few believed Act. 17.12 So God chuseth some to be eminent in piety who are eminent in natural parts and moral accomplishments Such a one was St. Paul of whom Porphyry that great enemy to Christianity said it was pity such a man as Paul should be cast away upon the Christian Religion Now as God doth not make choice of none but mean persons so neither doth he make choice of all that are mean Many are deformed in their minds as well as in their bodies such as Thyrsues in Homer Do we not see many poor people live and die in gross ignorance and wickedness David saith the abjects gathered themselves against him Psal 35.15 sawcy dust as one calls them who will be flying in the faces of God's people And the rage of such many times proves the more furious for want of an ingenious disposition and civil education Vse 3. Doth God make choice of mean persons then hearken unto this ye that are mean in the world and not good this Doctrine tells you of a way whereby your outward wants may be supplyed with spiritual abundance You that are deformed and decrepit look into the glass of God's word and dress your souls by that glass As you should labour to supply your outward wants with spiritual excellencies so you should labour to see your spiritual wants by your outward wants Secondly ye that are poor and godly that are decrepit and deformed in your body and yet adorned with the graces of God's spirit in your souls learn to spiritualize your outward wants though the world neither know you nor regard you yet you are both known and esteemed of by the Lord and though you possess little or nothing of the world yet possessing God you possess all things Bless God for giving you spirituals though he hath denyed you temporals ye may rejoyce in the God of all mercies when you have not many outward mercies to rejoyce in Habak 3.17 18. Expect a change for the better death will perfect the souls of Saints after death the spirits of just men are made perfect Heb. 12.23 The Resurrection will perfect the bodies of Saints the weak body is raised in power 1 Cor. 15.43 the crooked body will be raised streight the maimed body will be raised whole the Resurrection will cure all infirmities the thought of which comforted the Martyrs when they gave their bodies to be burnt to ashes At Stratford-bow in Queen Maryes dayes were burnt at one stake a lame man and a blind man The lame man after he was chained bid the blâ—nd man be of good comfort for they should both be healed Ye that are not mean in the world do not ye despise whom God makes choice of Jam. 2.5 6. He that despiseth the poor despiseth his Maker Prov. 17.5 he contemneth the wise dispensation of God who would have the world consist of hills and valleys of high and low people intermingled And he that despiseth the godly Poor defaceth the image of God twice despising the immateriality and immortality of God upon the man and despising the holiness and Righteousness of God stampt upon the new man Let both high and low consider that these outward degrees are only calculated for this world the Grave takes away all civil differences Job 3.19 Bodies under ground are alike The dust of the rich and poor intermingleth one is not known from the other Besides many that are now despicable will appear honourable at the great day Those that are now so obscure that they are lost in the count of the world shall be taken into the arms of Christ and made much of before all the world 1 John 3.1 2. Luke 12.8 SERM. XIV LUKE 14.22 And the servant said Lord it is done
which is implanted by the spirit of grace and expressed in the life of grace That peace whereby the members of Christ's mystical body do sweetly agree together That joy whereby we delight in such righteousness and peace Use 4. This Doctrine is consolatory 1. If we look at God's Elect yet not called There is room enough to entertain all the Elect of God as they come in one after another God shall enlarge Japhet and he shall dwell in the Tents of Shem Gen. 9.27 and Christ saith other sheep I have them also I must bring and there shall be one ford John 10.16 a fold big enough to hold them all 2. If we look at the called ones who are at present straitned Hereafter they shall be so enlarged as to have room enough here they are straitned 1. Outwardly straitned so much the Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifyeth 2 Cor. 6.4 translated distresses as it were in Little Ease pent up so that they know not which way to turn I have read of a French Martyr who was pent up in such a narrow room for seven weeks together in Paris that he could neither sit nor lie down Sometimes they are straitned in their Estates kept at short allowance but hereafter there will be room enough 2. Inwardly straitned straitned in their knowledge know ng but in part and that darkly but hereafter it will be fully and clearly 1 Cor. 13.11 12. straitned also in their obedience there is some reluctancy in their obedience while the mind is for serving the Law of God the flesh is for serving the Law of sin Rom. 7.25 The unregenerate part pulls backward while the regenerate part puts us forward to any good So likewise straitned in love and other graces the comfort is that these graces will act with more scope or room in heaven Oh welcome that happy day SERM. XV. Luke 14.23 And the Lord said unto the servant Go out into the high-ways and hedges c. CHAP. I. THe two former invitations Exierunt Apostoli extra Judaeam ad Gentes Salmeron ver 16. 21. were to the Jews this latter is to the Gentiles In which invitation of the Gentiles we have 1. The designation of the messenger sent to invite them the same that was sent to the Jews The same servant from the same Lord. The Lord said to the servant Go out 2. The description of the place of their residenc The high-ways and hedges 3. The illustration of the manner of bringing them in Hic Gentium votatio describitur Marlor in loc And compel them to come in 4. The confirmation of the end thereof That my house may be filled From the first I observe Obser That the Gentiles now have the same Authority and Priviledge to embrace the Gospel as the Jews once had Col. 3.11 The distinction of Jews and Gentiles comes not from Adam but from Abraham God called him from his idolatrous kindred Gen. 12.1 making his Covenant of grace with him and his posterity renewing and confirming it by the seal of the Covenant circumcision Gen. 17.1 2 9 10. called a seal of the Righteousness of faith Rom. 4.11 which Covenant with the seal thereof was confined to Abraham and his posterity and continued among them till Christ came in the flesh which posterity of Abraham were called by three names Heber from Hebrews as it is judged out of whole loyns Abraham descended Israelites from Israel Abraham's Grand-child And Jews from Judah one of the Sons of Israel Which Jews were the Nation by way of eminency An holy Nation Exod. 19.6 inhabiting the Land of Judea Canaan the Type of heaven And all other people who came not from Abraham's loins were called Gentes the Nations of the world or Gentiles Others say from the Epithet given to Abraham who is called Abraham the Hebrew Gen. 14.13 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to pass over or pass through because from Mesopotamia he passed over Euphrates into Canaan and so passed through the Land Abraham the Hebrew or the passenger or passer-through This denomination seemeth the more probable Heber being far from Abraham Gen. 11.17 CHAP. II. NOw concerning the priviledges which the Jews once had the Apostle gives us a Catalogue of them an Inventory of very choice goods Rom. 9.4 who are Israelites to whom pertaineth 1. The Adoption Israel was God's first-born and so higher than the Kings of the earth Psal 89.27 Though God had a natural son of his own yet he adopted the Jews out of his abundant grace 2. The glory the Temple and the Ark so called 1 Sam. 4.22 because tokens of God's glorious presence and Types of Christ the King of glory whence Judea is called the glorious Land Dan. 11.41 all the while God manifested his presence there but now sin hath made it vile enough 3. The Covenants the moral law in two Tables or the Covenant of grace often renewed 4. The giving of the Law the judicial Law for the ordering their common-wealth 5. The service the ceremonial Law for the ordering of their worship of God As God had adopted them so he would have them brought up under his Law as under a Tutor Gal. 4.1 6. The promises the rich Legacies in the old Testament 7. The fathers they descended of honourable ancestors Abraham Isaac and Jacob. 8. Christ after the flesh who took on him the seed of Abraham Heb. 2.16 as if a King should marry into some poor family of his subjects and be glad at the match CHAP. III. THat the Gentiles have as good leave and priviledge to believe the Gospel as the Jews had appeareth thus 1. Abraham received the seal of the Gospel-righteousness being uncircumcised that he might be the father of those who should believe God being able of such stones to raise up children to Abraham Matth. 3.9 even of the Gentiles whose hearts were as hard as stones and who worshipped stocks and stones 2. The prophesies of old were that Christ should be a light to the Gentiâ—es Isa 49.6 that the eyes of their understanding might be opened to see the way to heaven and walk in it And Isaiah and Moses told the Jews so to their face though they despiâ—ed the Gentiles Rom. 10.19 20. now the Prophecies were all to be fulfiâ—â—ed in due time 3. Gentiles are put into the Genealogy of Christ it is observable how among all the men in Christs Genealogy only four women are put in beside Mary the Mother of Jesus two of which were Gentiles viz. Rahab of Canaan Ruth of Moab The other two of the Jews Thamar and Bathsheba notorious for incest and adultery Vid. Spanhem dub Evang. dub 25. part 1. St. Ambrose and Chrysostom give several reasons for this as 1. To curb the insolency of the Jews to stain their pride who boasted much of their progenitors 2. To shew that no blot in predecessors is an hinderance to vertue in their posterity 3. To shew that the greatest sort