Publicans and sinners Both with the Jews are unlawful either to enter into the Gentiles or to receive them Publicans and sinners are put together in many places of the Gospel because the Publicans or Farmers of the Customes which the Jews paid to the Romans were Gentiles or sinners amongst the Gentiles We must likewise consider the answer which our Saviour gave to the Jews when they enquired of his Disciples why he sat and did eat with publicans and sinners I came not sayes he to call the just but sinners to repentance which is I came not to call the Jews but Gentiles to repentance For Christ did prophesie there should be a call of sinners and Gentiles of all such as would hear his voice and a rejection of the sinners and Gentiles of all such which would not hear his voice Like to this is that Mat. 26. The Son of man shall be betrayed into the hands of sinners for the Son of man was betrayed into the hands of men or sinners or Gentiles which is the same that by the Romans who were Gentiles and not by the Jews he might be condemned and crucified Moreover by this observation of sins we excellently finde the meaning of that place to the Galathians Chap. 2. where you shall read this But if desiring to be justified in Christ we be found sinners is God the Author of sin c Which you must thus open and understand But if we Jews desiring to be justified in Christ for here he discourses of the Jews who would not live after the manner of the Gentiles If we Jews sayes he desiring to be justified in Christ the God of the Gentiles are found to be Gentiles that is to degenerate into sinful Gentiles shall Christ be the cause that we contrary to the Command of God have departed from being Jews to be Gentiles that leaving the Law of God we have turn'd to the Councel of the ungodly and walked in the way of sinners God forbid sayes the Apostle that we should think any such thing For Christ is not the cause of the Gentiles sins but of Faith which Gentiles who believe in Christ have in Christ Christ destroyes the sins of the Gentiles but is the Author of Faith to the Gentiles and wakens that Faith which he revealed to the Nations of sinners then in name but elected through Faith and called to the holiness of the Jews What then if we be called Gentiles so long as the Faith of the Gentiles is inherent in us and we are justified by Christ the God of the Gentiles CHAP. VIII Gentiles called children little ones and poor VVE must very attentively observe that which we read in the 9 of the Proverbs where Christ the wisdom of the Father speaks to the Gentiles whom being made a man he was afterwards to call in these words My speech unto the sons of men Understand ye little ones wisdom and ye foolish take heed Wisdom cried out standing in the streets and high-wayes speaking to the trivial commune and unclean Gentiles and who are here openly meant by the sons of men and by the unwise and likewise here called lutle ones That voice which was heard from Heaven which stirs up both Jews and Gentiles gathered into one Church Rev. 19. Give praise to God you his servants that fear him small and great did mean these same little ones that is praise the Lord both Jews and Gentiles as you were of old incorporal and unanimous or as Saint Paul translates and reherses it Romans 15. Rejoyce ye Nations with his people But of the agreement of the Jews and Gentiles in praising of God we shall speak more in its due place It is clear that the Gentiles are called little ones Psalm 64. The arrows of the little ones are made their wounds that is the Gentiles are wounded with the same Arrows which they shot against the Jews according to the 35 Psalm The snare which the Gentiles have laid for the Jews hath taken them and they are fallen into the same snare Wisdom cries out Chap. 1. Ye little ones how long will ye love childishness and ye fools those things that are hurtful to you and fools hate understanding The little ones fools and unwise in that place are the Gentiles who stammer like Infants who desire things hurtful to them and hate the knowledge which is of God Solomon calls those same little ones evil and wicked men Chap. 7. of the same Book where he sayes thus I looked out of my window through the casement and I see the little ones I observe the foolish young man who walks in the street by the corner walking in the dark when it 's almost night Understand those little ones here not such are borderers upon Infancy but those that are foolish of untam'd pleasure wicked men who apply themselves to whores which the following words do make appear The Gentiles are call'd little ones in regard of the Jews who are call'd the great Nation nor was there another Nation so great Deut. 4. And higher then other Nations Deut. 26. The Iews were called great and mighty and high not by reason of their stature for they seem'd to be locusts compar'd to the Canaanite whom they had view'd by their Spies and who Numb 13. were of the sons of Anac men of mighty stature and monsters in regard of the Jews who were but little men Therefore the Jews were great in that they were chosen and belov'd by God and because in that regard they excell'd all other Peoples and Nations On the contrary the Gentiles were neither chosen nor belov'd by God but for the contrary reason call'd low little small To this compare what is written in the 24 Rev. And I saw the dead great and small which ascribe not to the ages or statures of those that shall rise again but to the future resurrection of the Iews and Gentiles which St. Paul calls the 24 of the Acts the resurrection of the just and the unjust of which before Solomon gives the reason of this why the Gentiles should be call'd little and small in that Book to which they say he gave the the Title of Wisdom Chap. 12. Because they wander'd says he in the way of error esteeming those things Gods which were superfluous in beasts living like witlesse children for which cause God had given them a judgement as to foolish children In this sense understand these words which the Lord professes in the gospel Matth. 11. I praise thee O my Father that thou hast hidden these things from the prudent and wise and hast revealed them to little ones that is that Gospel which thou hast not reveal'd to the Jews thou hast made manifest to the Centiles For the Jews are called wise and prudent according to Exod. 4. Behold a prudent and a wise people The Little ones are understood the Gentiles For Christ did not come to the Jews whom he was not then rejecting because they believ'd not in him but to the
which in another place we shall speak more at large as in Deut. 26. Thou hast chosen the Lord to be thy God and the Lord hath chosen thee to day to be to him a peculâ—ar people and in the 27 Chapter Thou art made this day the people of the Lord thy God Therefore God as he is above Kings and as he is a God not only good but exceeding good was mov'd towards the people of the Jews with all those affections of love compassion and care above all the affections with which good Kings are mov'd towards their people That love by which the Lord chose the Jews to be his people was with command and â—ower inasmuch as he was made both their God and King Inasmuch I say as Kings govern their own people and God goâ—erns and commands the Kings themselves by which right and title God is called King of Kings and Lord of Lords But the Lordship and Government of God over the Jews was with majesty and power for their security and salvation not of tyranny to their ruine and destruction God said to Abraham Do not fear Gen. 15. I am thy defender and thy very great reward As also Deut. 33. Blessed art thou Israel who is like to thee a people who art sav'd by the Lord who is the shield of thy help and the sword of thy glory Therefore Gods chief rule and government was over the Jews for which reason he is called the Lord God of the Jews and the Jews were called the people of God a peculiar people and the Lords own Inheritance A people in respect of God by right of government and Kingly power A propertie in respect of the Lord and by right of Lordship By which signification also the Jews are called the lot and inheritance of the Lord Israel my inheritance Isay 19. To a part of which they come as servants and for which cause the Jews are call'd the servants of God The seed of Israel my servant Chro. 1.16 I have said to thee Israel thou art my servant Isa 14. And Psalm 123. Behold as the eys of the servants are in the hands of his master as the eys of the handmaid in the hands of their mistresses so are our eys towards the Lord our God Where observe that God is Lord and Mistresse of the Jews as he was before their Father and Mother It is so ordinary to call the Jews the propertie lot and inheritance of the Lord his servants his vineyard as also his vessels his houshold-stuff and whatsoever comes under the compass of inheritance and Lordship I say all these things are so frequent in holy Scripture that if I should stay longer in rehearsal of them I should lose time God was bound to the Jews and as it is in the 7. Chapter of Deut. God was joyn'd to them he chus'd and lov'd them that in requital the Jews might chuse God be joyn'd to God and entirely love God Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul and with all thy strength Deut. 6. Yea which was the greatest relation symnathie and tie of friendship betwixt God and the Jews God exalted the Jews to a name to a praise and to a glory that they might be honoured by thoâ—e who were renowned commended and glorious Praise becomes the upright Psal 33. As a girdle cleaves to the loyns of a man so have I joyn'd to my self all the house of Israel that it might be to me a people a renown a praise and a glory But first of all the Lord call'd the Jews unto holinesse that he might be sanctified by those that were holy Be ye holy as I am holy You shall be holy unto me because I the Lord am holy Levit. 20. and Exod. 19. You shall be to me a Kingly Priesthood and a holy Nation As you also may read every where the Jews anointed and elected to be Kings Priests and Prophets which are most exquisite and choice names of holinesse Because the Jews were elected unto holinesse they are commonly called a Holy Nation and a Holy People in the Bible yea and simply holy In which St. Paul is to be understood Eph. 3. where speaking of himself he says To me the least of the Saints that is to me least of the Jews For Paul who was a great example of Christian humility was not such a one as in regard of his sanctity would boast himself a Saint So must you likewise understand that Acts 16. That the nations may receive their lot amongst the Saints that is to say that the Nations may become partakers of the blessing and election of the Jews for the Saints in that place are the Jews That lot and those Saints the Apostle Peter hath expounded in his 2 Epist Chap. 1. Peter sayes he the Apostle to those who have their lot with us in the common faith which is in Christ But Peter wrote to the Gentiles who had the same faith with the Jews the same blessing the same election in Christ for which cause St. Peters Epistles are call'd General Epistles To this adde what Paul wrote to the Gentiles the Colossians chap 1. Giving thanks to God who makes us worthy of a part of the lot of the Saints in light The Apostle makes himself a gentile of gentiles when he writes who made us worthy In the light was meant the same Christ mentioned by St. Peter Further these things are clear'd by St. John who was himself a Jew in his general Epistle or in his Epistle written to all the Gentiles Chap. 1. That you may likewise have fellowship of blessednesse with us With us that is with the Jews Therefore the Jews are holy and the Nation unholy or the Gentiles Psalm 33. Judge me O Lord and judge my cause against the unholy Nation That is Gentile and not Israelitish For that holinesse from which the Jews were called holy the Lord taught his people as also for that he gave his word to Iacob and his judgements to Israel And in that regard that the Jews were called to the justice of God they were called a just generation Psal 14. The Lord is in the just generation that is the Lord is in the nation and generation of the Jews The Jews were likewise called simply just in which sense take those words of the Wife of Pontius Pilate advising him not to meddle with Christ Have nothing to do with that just man as likewise that of Luke And the Jews observing sent deceiptfull men to take him in his speech by pretending to be just who should feign themselves just that is Jews to whom as the Priests and Scribes believed Christ would easilier discover his opinion of not paying tribute to Caesar As likewise the Histories of the Jews are called the Books of the just Josue 10. Is it not written in the books of the just that is to say in the books wherein the acts of the Jews were written For that cause also was
likewise call the Jews the sons of Adam since they are also called the sons of Jacob the sons of Isaac the sons of Abraham I say for the same reason as Adam was the Father of Abraham Isaac and Jacob. The Jews by name are call'd the sons of Adam Psalm 58. If you truly speak justice and judge rightly ye sons of Adam for ye work wickednesse in your heart and your hands work injustice upon the earth The Kingly Prophet in this place reproves the Jews whom according to the Hebrew text he calls the sons of Adam because professing justice with their mouths they judg'd wickednesse and in their heart and affections wrought the wickednesse of the Gentiles Which reproach you shall often find cast upon the Jews Such is that of Isay 49. This people draw nigh to me with their lip but their heart is far from me and they have worship'd me according to the command of men and doctrine that is they have worship'd me according to the order commands and doctrine of the Gentiles The second reproach cast upon the the Jews in this Psalm is That their hands wrought wickednesse upon earth Which earth is to be understood that choice holy earth and Land of the Saints that is of the Jews Isa 26. It was a great crime in the Jews that they had wrought injustice but a greater crime that they had wrought it in the land of the Lord which was elect and holy which to fill with iniquity as Ezekiel 8 Chap. speaks was to provoke the Lord. Hence that laid upon the Church of the Iews Thou hast polluted the land with thy fornications and wickednesse which in another place he call'd to defile the earth Here the Iews are understood by the sons of Adam who spake justice with their mouthes but judg'd wickedly and wrought iniquities in their heart and fram'd injustice in the Land holy and elect which is as much to the Iews as to live like Gentiles And David to deterre the sons of Adam the Iews from such deeds of the Gentiles shows them what the Gentiles were and what punishment they were to expect for their wickednesse in the same Psalm and in the next words They erre say they being sinners from the womb they are sinners from their from their nativity they have spoken false things which read thus in that place That he meant they were sinners from the womb in the same sense as St. Paul speaks of the Gentiles Ephesians 2. Sons of wrath by nature for by nature is the same as from the womb It is added they have spoken lies which could be only ascribed to the Gentiles For the â—ons of Adam that is the Iews are here sâ—eaking justice and truly If you truly speak justice ye sons of Adam Yea truth was granted to the Iews according to that of Micah Chap. 20. Thou shalt give truth unto Jacob. That truth was the law and justice of God For which cause the Iews who had the Law of God were called a just Nation and observing truth On the contrary understand the Gentiles by those who spake lies according to that of the 5 Psal In the mouth of the Gentiles there is no truth And again Ye sons of men why wander ye in vanity and follow after lies And in the 62 Psalm The sons of men are vain and light in the ballance Vain and Lyars are joyn'd together And when St. Paul writes in the first of the Romans That all the creation is subject to vanity Understand the first creation which of it self is vain flying and like a first dream Wherefore Nature her self being bad made those of the first creation lyers and wicked Therefore the Iews who truly speak justice are the sons of Adam The sinners the Gentiles who spake lyes CHAP. XI The Jews are called by Moses the sons of Adam The 32. Chap. of Deut. is explained And Isaiah and Hoseas of Adam the first Father of the Jews The Gentiles called strangers the Jews a kinde of men distinct in species from the Gentiles The Gentiles earth-born The Psalm 49. is explained Abraham had servants born in his house and also bought who were not of his stock that is of Adam Who are the sons of men who is the son of man The difference 'twixt the brethren of the Jews and other strangers THere is a remarkableâ— place Deuteron 23. which is the song of Moses in which the Jews are prophetically restored into their Land and are separated from all the People and Nations but the people and the Gentiles separated from the Jews And whom the Jews being in the midst of them shall sometime separate are placed on this side and that side bordering upon the Jews where Moses sayes The most high divided the Nations when he separated the sons of Adam he appointed their bounds according to the number of Israel or which is the same according to the twelve Tribes of the Jews which is the number of the sons of Israel And in the 54 Chap. Behold a stranger shall come who was not with me and he who was a stranger to thee shal be joyned to thee The Gentiles shall adhere and be joyned to the Jews shall be neer to the Jews and neer to the borders of the Jews but shall not be mixed with them which observe for that was openly decreed and promised Deut. 33. Israel shall dwell with security and alone that is undefiled with the mixture of the Nations which is not yet but that it shall be we shall show in its due place Moses gave this reason of the separation of the Jews from the Gentiles in the same song and in the words immediately following His people are the inheritance of the Lord and his portion that is Although in that day the Lord bless all the Gâ—ntiles and in his second Election make them partakers of his inheritance although in that day according to the promise made to Abraham all the Nations be blessed in the seed of Abraham Notwithstanding the Jews who are the seed of Abraham blessed first and before the Gentiles shall be a better part and inheritance of the Lord and shall be accounted to God as a peculiar inheritance the most elect are set apart from the less elect as Saint Paul said that he himself was set apart for a most elect vessel for the Gospel of God Chap 1. Epist to Rom. Further these are applied to the Prophesâ—e of Isaiah and are expounded by it Chap. 19. In that day Israel shall be third 'twixt Egypt and Assyria a blessing in the midst of the earth which the Lord hath blessed Blessed be my people of Egypt and the Assyrian the work of my hands and Israel my inheritance Where note That Egypt is beyond Nile and the gulf of Arabia and Assyria beyond Euphrates placed on the one side and on the other borderers upon Israel that Israel is placed in the third plece betwixt Egypt and Assyria betwixt the Bounds of his Rivers I say observe that
Deut. 28. The Lord shall lead thee and thy King to a Nation whom thou and thy fathers knew not He says thy Fathers indeterminately in which are comprehended Adam himself the first Father and clay of the Jews Therefore all Nations were not known by Adam and the posterity of Adam the Fathers of the Jews according to Moses himself yea were utterly unknown But men are not ignorant of their own Off-spring Nor had these Nations been unknown to the Jews if they had been deriv'd from them or their fathers But these Nations unknown to the Jews and their ancestors were probably those of America the Southern and the Greenlanders and the rest to which neither the Jew nor the rest of the Gentiles as yet had accesse To this adde what is written concerning the King of the Jews Psalm 18. A people whom I know not shall serve me and expound and conjecture in this Psalm as in Deuteronomy And that by a most indubitable truth I may clear it that the Gentiles were different in kinred and their first original from the Jews take good heed to that which God says to Abraham at which time he enjoyns circumcision to him and all his house Gen. 27. says he The servant born in thy house and bought with thy money shall be circumcised and whatsoever of your own linage that is to say whatsoever is not of the stock of Adam who was the stock of Abraham The strangers were sprung from another stock then either Adams or Abrahams Nor will it be an ill supposition to take here for the linage of Abraham Abraham himself as he is taken for the father and the Jews with a regard to the promises made to Abraham the first of all the Jews in which sense he is called the first and the linage of the Iews the first Chapter of Matthew which is the genealogie of Christ And that thou maist know grant thy self that the linage of Abraham in this place is to be recall'd to Adam the father of Abraham read what is written in the end of that 17 Chap. of Genesis And all the men of that house as well born at home as bought with money and strangers were circumcised Abram then had domesticks his own Country people and those which were born in his house that is to say of of the same stock of Adam as he was born as also those that were bought who were of another stock and linage different from that of Abraham and who had not their original from Adam the stock of Abraham or which is the same with Adamits whom notwithstanding Abraham is said to have circumcised as if they had been Adamits and of the stock of Abraham The stock and originals of all Nations is confus'd and unknown for this reason because those created from an unknown beginning and innumerable ages ago upon all the earth propagation still increasing by which they were throng'd one upon another as likewise by manifold conjunction in which they were mingled one among another destroyed and confused the knowledge of their first beginnings But no such thing happened to the Jews For their proper and certain original and stock is in Adam from a beginning very well known and not very far distant and deriv'd by a continual line to these days by a line as yet different from the Gentiles We have Josephus a Jew himself and a most acute Writer of the affaires of the Jews witnesse of this truth where against Appion he asserts the proper original of his own Nation which he there calls a conjunction and which in his Jewish antiquities he likewise derives from Adam The Gentiles who according to my supposition were originally created in all the earth are call'd almost every where sons of men because they had their stocks and originals not from one man but innumerable fathers of the first creation But the son of man simply so called was a Jew who is likewise called the son of Adam and the son of Isch that is to say the son of Adam the first father of the Jews and only author of that Nation who is called Isch a man by way of eminence and his Wise called Ischa Gen. 2. The common opinion is that the Gentiles sprung from the Jews which fell over to the Gentiles as for example That some sprung from Cain who dishinherited himself from the sons of Cham whom Noe cursed from the sons of Ismael the Bastard of the sons of wicked Esau but every one ought to know those sort of Jews were never accounted Strangers and Gentiles but Jews and brethren of the Jews of which Moses is an eminent witnesse where he speakes of those that were fit to be denizen'd amongst the Iews Thou shalt not sayes he loath the Edomite because he is thy brother Nor the Egyptian because thou wast a stranger in his land Here observe that the Edomites having lost their liberty by falling off from the sons of Adam are again restored as brethren of the Jews and of the same descent And the Egyptians admitted as fellow citizens who had been their entertainers as strangers being of the stock of the Gentiles Moses likewise understood the Edomites to be the brethren of the Jews when he sent Messengers to Edam to tell them Thus saith thy brother Israel Numb Chap. 20. The Ismaelites are also reckon'd amongst the brethren of the Jews as they are the seed of Abraham Gen. 21. I will make the son of thy handmaid a great Nation because he is thy seed You may say the same of the Moabiteâ— and Ammonites the seed of Lot being sprung of the same seed Thare the father of Abraham and imagin the same of the sons of Cain and Cham who departed and were strangers from the Iews as being notwithstanding of the same stock All the Jews are called brethren because likewise deriv'd from Adam and all begoten of Adam But the Gentiles were neither brethren amongst the Iews nor thought the brethren of the Iews for all of them were almost of divers fathers because men innumerable were at first created for which they were call'd sons of men to distinguish them from the Iews who were all the sons of Adam and therefore were call'd sons of men The Gentiles were not numbred amongst the brethren of the Iews because they were esteem'd aliens strangers of a diverse stock from the sons of Adam Thou canst not make one King who is of another stock but only thy brother says God to the Jews Deut. 17. that is to say thou canst not make a Gentile who is not thy brother thy King but him shalt thou appoint whom God shall chuse of the number of thy brethren that is to say of the Jews which is set down in the same place Therefore let us resolve that the Gentiles are different in stock and original from the Jews which I was to prove The Third Book of this SYSTEME OF DIVINITY CHAP. I. The original of the Gentiles is proved to be different from the
unto you again these same Verses of the Apostle 5 to the Romans because they are boundaries of this Systeme 12. As by one man sin entred into the world and by sin death even it so passed upon all men because all men had sinned 13. For until the Law sin was in the world but sin was not imputed when there was no Law 14. But death reigned from Adam till Moses likewise upon those who had not sinned according to the similitude of the transgression of Adam who is a type of the future First we must observe that this is a singular place where he intends to speak of that sin commonly called original which passed from Adam upon all men nor is there any other observed in the whole Bible through the whole Old and New Testament where clearly and openly this sin of Adam is handled Hence it is proved that Adam is meant by that man of whom the Apostle speaks by whom sin entred into the world and by sin death by whom also death passed upon all men as in him all men had sinned But for the same reason that the Apostle spoke of that sin of Adam which brought guilt upon all men it follows that he likewise meant that Law in this place the transgression of which caused the sin of Adam as likewise that Law be understood to be the Law of Adam which is to be thought to be given to all men just so as all men in Adam are thought to have transgressed it Therefore we will banish hence the Mosaical Law which had nothing to doe with Original sin because it was not given to Adam nor to all men in Adam and therefore the transgression of it could not be imputed to Adam nor to all men in Adam And certainly the Mosaical Law was only given and publisht to the Jews and not to other men the transgression of which ought only to have been imputed to the Jews and not to the rest of the Nations which were not of the kinred and family of Jews who were not held nor tyed by any bond or Covenant He gave his words to Jacob and his testimonies to Israel He did not so to all Nations nor did he manifest his judgements to them as sung the Prophet in the 148 Psalm and many such are read in holy Authors which for brevities sake I omit If the Apostle meant here the Law of Adam not the Law of Moses sin was in the world until the Law of Adam by the same Apostle and therefore before the Law of Adam and it must be that these men come to my presupposition which sinned before the Law of Adam or before Adam which is the same Besides it is clearer than clear fire That the Apostle in this place sets down two sorts of sins in time and quality different Different in time where he mentions sin after the Law and sin before the Law Different in quality where he meant That sin before the Law was not imputed sin following the Law was imputed For sayes Paul Sin until the Law was in the world but sin was not imputed or is not imputed as some translate it when there was no Law But if sin was in the world until the Law it was also before the Law And that sin which did violate the Law was without doubt after the Law You see here sins designed before and after the Iav different in time Again if sin be not imputed when the Law is not who will say that that sin was imputed which was before the Law or which was committed before the Law But if on the other part that was the transgression of the Law which caused imputation we shall call that sin imputable which broke the Law and so was after the Law You see here sins distinct in quality Sin that was not imputed before the Law we may call Natural since it depended upon no prohibition of the Law but had its original from the meer ill disposition of humane nature Sin which was imputed after the Law because it had its original from the meer transgression of the Law let us call it Legal And let us again call that death which upon my supposition ensued Natural sin Natural death and that Legal death which punished Legal sin Which that it may appear more clearly we must first know That humane nature is considered two manner of wayes right and perverse Right which had the image of innocence and perfection in so farr as man could be created right and perfect Perverse which turned away from the righteousness of that perfection which I call natural We must know secondly That the Law was appointed not to make men perfect but to reduce men to their perfection which were depraved and corrupted Not to make perfect but to teach and prescribe perfection And those whom shame of transgression could not deter from misdemeanour fear of punishment might keep them within the rules of honesty The Perfection of men is directed by Law and right reason Right reason is natural and born with us The Law is a stranger and prescribed to us But that was born before this was written and was constituted not by opinion but by nature The Law teaches us that which we have forgotten by the corruption of our Nature and Right reason for we should not know what were sin if the Law had not taught us And hence it is that the Law simply so called is styled a School-master by the Apostle and all other Laws are called Instructions Commands Precepts in both Authors sacred and prophane Men sinned only with a natural sin before the Law and till the Law as oft as they fell from that perfection to which by the nature of their creation they were born and as oft as they erred from that right reason which guided them to their perfection All men sinned two manner of ways after the Law and after the Law was given to them For first they sinned against that perfection of their nature They sinned secondly against the prescript and ordination of the Law which called them back into the right way And this is that which I call legal sin and which St. Paul Rom. 7. thinks to be the highest sin against the Law that is to be a sin against the Law a degree higher than the sin against nature And whatsoever sin there is be it natural or legal hath its own natural or legal punishment attending it And death is the inseparable wages of every sin whether you ascribe it to Nature or to the Law Natural death which is begotten by natural corruption never fails sooner or later to overtake depraved nature which is before it Legal death sits behind the Law-breaker as an avenger And Legal sin is as it were grafted into natural sin and legal death added to the natural Legal death added to the natural causes a civil death which in imagination and spirit is conceivable Humane lawes have provided that men should not stray without the limits of right
upon all things created but gave it particularly to men Neither hath he yet given that Spirit to all men by vertue of which they may know God as he is by the essicacies of which all men may be holy as God is holy by whose power lastly all men may gain eternal life which is Divine immortality Yea God has onely imparted that Spirit to elected men whom he has advanced from the degree and rank of men to the highest rank and degree above all men whom he had adorned with his Divine Gifts with his Knowledge and Holiness and taken them into his fellowship as Gods so that most truely and fitly we may say of this that God who is the Lord of all things yet is the God of very few and only of the Elect. Election is in all things created Things that have a living soul are more elect than those which have not Then of things animated sensitives As also in stones and metals one stone in better than another one metal better than another There is also elected earth and reprobate earth The choiceness is in choicer flowers both for colour and smell The Cedar is more choice than the shurb the true than the wild vine and the pleasant fruits of Trees are sweeter than the wilde ones Among Creatures Lions excel in strength Harts in swiftness Lambs in mildness Amongst Birds Nightingals excel for singing the Eagle for flight As likewise of the flesh of beasts and birds some make choicer dishes than others What shall I say of men Some are more commendable for the gallantry of their integrity some higher spirited than others fairer more noble more fortunate in honour and riches others more excellent in the study of Vertue in cleerness of wit and knowledge of things There is likewise an election in life and permanency of things Some things quickly grow and quickly fade The Crow lives nine times the just age of a Man The Hart lives four times the life of the Crow The Rook lives thrice the life of the Hart. The Phenix lives nine times the Rook's life And if we believe the most ancient Traditions before Hesiod's times The Hamadryades lives ten times longer than the Phoenix To these adde if you please the life or duration of Heaven and Earth and that eviternal Marriage by which the Heaven descends into the lap of the Earth and by which the Earth fructifies with continual Buds towards Heaven and the order of the Stars surrounding the Heaven from aeternity as also the unwearied motions of the Sun and Moon by which they are inceslantly mov'd and by which eviternity it self is accounted But the Divine Election is not in all these created things I say that Election by which God did elect to himself all men which is not of kin or blood with the first Creation which surpasses all kinde of things created and is infinitely above them and which is the Election of Regeneration that is of the second Creation not of the first Certainly if there be any thing in the first Creation either exquisite precious or choice delicate strong high or fair or noble or fortunate or abstruse in wisdom or long in continuance of permanency and life That is in the second Creation much more exquisite beyond exquisitness far more precious beyond preciousness far more choice beyond choiceness far more delicate beyond dalicateness far more strong beyond strength far more fair beyond fairness far more noble beyond nobility far more fortunate beyond fortune far more wise beyond wisdom far more permanent beyond permanency But of this we must hear Baruch Chap. 3. of his Book Where are sayes he the Princes of the Nations that have Dominion over the Beasts of the Earth who treasure up silver and gold wherein men trust they are rooted out the sons of Agar have sought for wisdom which is of the Earth idle speakers and seekers out of understanding They were those which from the beginning were called Giants men of great stature great warriours Those the Lord hath not chosen He sayes The Election of God was not towards Kings and Princes of Nations not towards learned Men and excellent in humane wisdom not towards the Rich and Noble not towards the strong and the Renowned those famous Thunderbolts of War because they fulfilled that Law of Nature and their first Creation by which all men are born and created to die and attained not to that Eternal Life which consisted in the power of Divine Election and the vertue of the second Creation God is said to chuse and to take to himself those whom he intends to frame a-new and to new create them to whom he made manifest and discovered himself whom he has gifted with his sanctity whom he has made partakers of his immortality and Life Eternal and whom from Men he advanced to be Gods Moreover God is said to reject those and to cast them out whom he is pleased to create but not to regenerate into whose hearts he has not shined whom he suffers to live defiled with the pollution and wickedness of their flesh whom being subject to the power of Death he has not redeemd from Death and whom he suffers not to savour any thing above man Not to elect signifies to reject and cast out which is common in sacred Authors Samuel comming into the house of Jesse that he might anoint one of them whom he knew not King over Israel as soon as he saw Eliab Jesse's first-born in whose countenance was a royal majestie straight he believ'd that he had been chosen by God But God admonishes Samuel Look not upon the countenance of Eliab for I have rejected him Sam. 1. Chap. 16. I have rejected him is in that place directly I have not chosen him This will more clearly appear by the Gospel of St. Matthew Chap. 24. concerning the judgement of the Elected and Reprobate which shall be in the day of the Lord Then sayes the Evangelist one shall be taken another left shall be left in that place is cleerly the same which is cast off and rejected Thus prayed Solomon 1 Kings 8. Let our God be with us not leaving us nor casting us off but enclining our hearts towards him where observe first to leave and reject with the most wise Prince are the same Mark secondly That God enclines the heart of man which again when he does not encline he is said to harden as also to hate when he does not love As that is to be understood I have loved Jacob and hated Esau Lastly that is a remarkable place in the Prophet Jeremy where he brings in God threatning destruction to the Jews I will sayes the Lord turn my back and not my face to them in the day of their destruction There to turn his back to the Jews is to fight against them to leave forsake and fly from the Jews is to overthrow cast them down and destroy them Men therefore rejected and reprobate are properly such who are left by God
Therefore the Election of the Jews must be brought back to Adam the first Father and the first head of the Jews And although the Jews are properly said to be the posterity of Judah Jacob's fourth Son yet taking the denomination largely we shall call those Jews likewise who were begotten even from Adam unto Judah Therefore God elected the Jews the Posterity of Adam and Abraham because he was joynd to their Fathers Adam and Abraham that is because he formed the Jews in Adam and blessed them in Abraham The promises of this mystical Election are found from Adam unto Moses both before and after the Flood repeated often and many wayes to the Fathers of the Jews but confirmed more peculiarly to the Jews in Moses by a Covenant as Deut. 7. Where Moses speaking to the people of the Jews sayes The Lord thy God hath chosen thee to be a peculiar people to himself of all the Nations that are upon Earth God himself called that Nation his First-born Exod. 4. Israel my first-born as also the first fruits of the Harvest of the Lord Jeremiah Chap. 2. Both upon the same account by which all the first-born and first fruits belong to God by property of Election as also because the Jews first of all received the mystery grace of election In which sense I say is to be understood Ch. 49. The Lord from the wombe hath called me as also the Kingly Prophet Psalm 22. Thou art he that took me from the wombe thou art my hope from my mothers brests Vpon thee was I cast from my mothers wombe From the wombe of my mother thou art my God God called and chose Israel from the wombe of mystical Election that is to say the Jews were his first-born natural Children by mystical Election nor did he think that they were to be esteemed as the Gentiles who were not called from the wombe nor chosen nor esteemed as his natural Children but adopted into this mystical Election by a second Election and only esteemed the Sons of adoption Hence it is that the Apostle Romans 2. ascribes first Salvation honour and glory which is Election to the Jews first then to the Greeks who are the Gentiles for the Greek in that place is the finer Gentile That the Jews had the first Election not of their own desert but of the meer grace and mercy of God from hence is apparent because that mystical Election proceeded from that eternal Election by which the Jews were chosen from eternity that is by which they were chosen before they were born when they had done neither good nor harm Not for their works as Paul says but of the meer bounty of God who call'd and chose them This eternal Election Isaiah meant Chapt. 63. Thou sayes he Lord art our Father Abraham knew us not and Israel had no knowledge of us The Prophet means That God was the Father of the Jews when their Fathers were not born at which time Abraham knew not the Jews and Israel had no knowledge of them The Lord did chuse thee because he lov'd thee Abraham and Israel are here indifferently taken Deut. 7. Not for their righteousness he chose them To which adde that place of 9 Deut. He sav'd me because he lov'd me Psal 18. He hath made us and not we our selves sung David King of the Jews Psalm 100. If you look upon the matter whereof the Jews were created you will find nothing that shall make them appear worthy of the Election For they were made up of the same flesh and bloud as the Gentiles and were temper'd with the same clay of which other men were fram'd As is the clay in the hand of the Potter so art thou O house of Israel in the hand of the Lord. The Prophet alluded to that very clay of which Adam the first Father of the Jews was made That same common and impure clay which is observable This we are taught Gen. 3. In which God is said to have cast Adam out of the Paradise of pleasure which was most choice Land that he might till the ground of which he was made Ground not choice but common unclean of which Adam and all other men were made for common and not elect and unclean are the same Act. 10. and many other places of both Testaments And for the same cause for which Adam was made of common and impure clay God is said to have found Israel in a place of horror and wast wilderness Deuteronom 32. Ezekiel likewise bears witnesse that the Jews were born unclean as other men were born unclean Chapter 16. Where God speaks to the People of Israel his Spouse and the Jews in these words Thy root and thy linage was from the land of Canaan thy Father was an Amorrhite and thy Mother a Hittite And when thou wast born thy navel was not cut and thou wast not wash'd with water to salvation nor salted with salt nor wrapp'd up in clouts No eye spar'd thee to do any of these things for thee but thou wast thrown out upon the face of the earth in the affliction of thy soul in that day wherein thou wast born Passing by thee I saw thee trampled in thy bloud And a little after I spread my garment upon thee and cover'd thy shame And I swore to thee and enter'd into a Covenant with thee saith the Lord and thou wert made mine and I wash'd thee with water and clens'd thee from thy bloud and anointed thee with oyl By which famous Text it appears that the Jews sprung from the same root and were made of the same common earth as all the Gentiles were made of For the Amorrhites and the Hittites here are taken for any manner of Gentiles as likewise the Land of Canaan for a Land not yet chosen an earth common and unclean I say God meant that the Jews being born of a Father and Mother sprung from an unelected earth were likewise themselves born unelected that they were born unclean and defil'd with the bloud of their first creation naked and cast out but by the bounty of God passing by them and pitying them they were wash'd cloath'd and receiv'd into the Covenant of mystical Election By no better signification could the love of God to the Jews have been expressed or rather that holy love by which God in his mystical election was joyn'd to the Jews than by that mystical Marriage in which God is said to have spred his garment over his Spouse the people of Israel Nor is there any other more holy or near knot than that by which two Lovers in the cement of Matrimony make such a mixture of their souls that two become one Hence these sweet Dialogues of Lovers as it were equally match'd with which Solomon has besprinkled his book of Loves where God the Bridegroom lover-like speaks to his Bride the people of Israel And where Israel his Spouse likewise enflam'd with love speaks to God her Husband with reverence and love Hence
God so intimate with the Jews that he entrusted them with his laws and decrees that they were admitted to the secrets of God that they were called a wise and understanding people Deut. 4. Nor was there any other Nation so honourable which had those Ceremonies just Judgements and the whole Law In the same Chapter What is all flesh that it should hear the voice of the living God which speaks out of the fire and can live cries out Moses Deut. 5. where observe the prerogative of the chosen Jews and of the second creation of men which is not granted unto flesh that is to say to the first creation for flesh the first creation consumes at the hearing and sight of God here the same Moses in the same Ch. Behold the Lord our God shews unto us his Majesty and his greatness ye have heard his voice from the middle of the fire we have found this day that a man can speak with God and live The holy Prophet could not be satisfied thinking upon the beginnings and first fruits of the Jews regeneration what should be their full election by force of which they received the fery words of God into their eyes and ears and by which they shone and did not burn with that holy lightning Enquire of the days of old which were before thee from that day on which God created man upon the earth from the height of heaven to the foundation of it if at any time there was such a thing done or was ever known that a people should hear the voice of God speaking out of the middle of the fire as thou hast heard and lâ—v'd Hence it is that they were the chief and choice in Gods esteem that the Jews were called a Nation drawing near unto God that they were stiled a great Nation nor that there was any other Nation so great which had Gods drawing near to it Ch. 4. For this cause you shall read That God carryed them upon Eagles wings Exod. 9. and very often that he freed them and took them with a strong hand and stretched out arm What Nation is like thy people Israel for whom thou hast done so great and horrible things upon earth to redeem them Sam. 2. Chap. 7. And that was the matter that God appointed the Jews to be the head and not the rail of the Nations Nor did God only chuse the Jews for a time according to the distiny of empires and people but God did chuse his people for ever Thou hast confirmed Israel to thy self for an eternal people As David prophecies Sam. 2. Chap. 7. And many things to that sense we read in the Prophets which I must handle another time and which was a special token of their election The Lord would not have the Jews defil'd by mixture of Nations but set them apart for an inheritance out of all the Nations of the earth 1 Kings Chap. 8. I have set you aside from all people that you might be mine Lev. 20. Hence it is that God is said to have hedg'd enclos'd and as it were with a wall of fence surrounded Israel his possession his land his vine Hence it is that the Church and the Israelitish Spouse is called a fenced garden and a sealed fountain in the Canticles least being plac'd in the high-way it might be trodden by passengers nor the South wind spoyl her flowers nor the Boar spoil her waters Because the Nations were not partakers of that mystical Election by which God had elected the Jews Neither would God that the Jews should enter into fellowship with the Nations either in body or mind either in Matrimony or Religion either in civil affairs or in divine Thou shalt not enter into a league with the Nations or joyn thy self in marriage with them Deut. 7. Thou shalt not give thy daughter to his son nor take his daughter to thy son that the Jews might not be mingled with other Nations who taught the worshipping of Idols CHAP. III. To the elected Iews an elected Land was given A holy Land because the Land of the holy And the land of Promise because it was promised with an Oath to the Fathers of the Iews A description of the Holy Land That was a choice Land not of its own nature but according to the pleasure of God who bless'd and chus'd it The land of the Iews And for the Iews only to dwell in TO the elected Jews God gave elected ground which was likewise called holy because the Land of the Holy That there is elected and blessed earth as likewise rejected and cursed earth is witnessed in the Epistle to the Hebrews Chap. 6. A land says he drinking the shower that comes upon it and bearing seasonable fruit to them who tills it receives a blessing from God But that which brings forth thorns and bryars is rejected and almost curs'd the end of which is to be burnt Which the Gospel according to St. Matthew express'd in these words Chap. 13. God loves not that earth which is in the way that is commune trodden and unclean nor that which is full of briars but he loves good ground in which the son of man may sow good seed Nor am I ignorant that these things are allegorically spoken of the hearts of the Elect but we must likewise know that Christ here meant literally the Holy Land in which the sanctified Jews who are meant by good seed shall be sown by Jesus Christ which sowing we shall have occasion to set forth more at large That the Land of Canaan which the Jews inhabited was that choice blessed earth and belov'd of the Lord is set down in the 8. of Deuteronomy where Moses call'd it A Land of rivers waters and fountains in the fields of which should break out pools of water A Land of corn barley and vines in which grow olives and pomgranats A Land of oyl and honey where the Iews should eat their bread without want and should enjoy abundance of all things A Land which Ezechiel Chap. 20. calls An excellent Land amongst all Lands and chief of all Lands Which therefore God call'd a high land Deut. Chapt. 32. God hath plac'd Israel upon a high land to eat the fruit of the field to suck honey out of the rock and oyl out of the most hard rock butter from the heard and milk from the sheep with the fat of the Lambs and Rams of the sons of Basan with the marrow of wheat and that he might drink the most choice bloud of the grape Canaan was call'd a high land not for the lying of it for it is a Valley according to that in Numb 14. The Canaanite and Amalekite dwell in the valleys which he had said in the former and thirteenth Chapter By the Sea and near the streams of Iordan For which cause Esdras called that Land a Furrow Book 4. cha 5. Thou hast saies he of all the world chosen one furrow that is Canaan which is a valley Therefore it was
election advanced its Head above the rest was called the Princess of the Provinces in the first of the Lamentations of Jeremiah which God had peculiarly chosen out of all the Provinces and Cities of Israel it was called Jebus which is a treading under foot when it was numbred among the Cities of the Nations but being chosen and made a City of the Jews it was called by God Jerusalem that is The sight of peace Baruc. 5. Her foundations are in the holy mountains and glorious things are spoken of her Psalm 87. For that called the faithful City a City holy and elected and adorned with other great Titles well known in holy Writ The Temple placed in it was adorned with an Elogy of most choice holiness I have chosen and sanctified that place that my name may be there for ever and my eyes and my heart continue there alwayes 2 Chron. 7. That Temple was built upon the Mount of Sion God laid the foundation of the mount Sion for everlasting Psal 48. Hence those eternal Hills Deut. 33. as also Genesis 49. which are probably those two on the forked Hill of Sion upon the which the Temple of the Lord was built as likewise the City of David or of the King for which cause Jerusalem is said to be built upon the holy Hills Psal 87. now cited It was called The Temple of the Lord the rest of the Lord and his foot-stool the place of the Throne of God the place of his footsteps where he dwells in the midst of the sons of Israel Ezech. 43. for which cause the Hill of Sion is called the City of God because God dwelt in it God is great and very highly to be praised in his City in his holy hill This God is our God for ever Psalm 48. Our God is onely excellent in Sion cries out Isaias in the ravishment of his Spirit Chap. 3. onely that is cheifly by excellency and beyond all others excellent In which sence that Hill is likewise called a fat mountain and curdled Psalm 68. For all the rest of the Land of Canaan and Jerusalem flowed with the milk of election and sanctity of the Lord but the Hill of Sion was the cream of that milk that milk thickned and curdled a fat cheese pressed out of the milk of the election and sanctity of the Lord but that City was likewise called The city of the solemnity of the Jews Isay 33. Because all the Jews met there to pay their Vows and Sacrifices to God as also for their solemn joy and festivals according to the command of the Lord Deut. 12. In Sion you shall be joyful before your God you and your families in all wherein the Lord shall bless you there you shall feast before the Lord your God you your sons and daughters and your Levites there shall be the rest of the Lord and your rest The Temple and Jerusalem are for the most part joyned 2 Kingâ— 12. In this Temple and in Jerusalem will I put my name for ever And in Joel In the hil of Sion in Jerusalem there shall be salvation he that calls upon the Lord there shall be sâ—ved We must hear the Prayer of Solomon wherein he attests God in the behalf of Jerusalem and the Temple Kings 1. Chap. 8. Wheresoever said he thou shalt send thy People they shall pray to thee toward the City which thou hast chosen and towards that house which I have built to thy Name and thou shalt hear their prayer in heaven More I will say of the holy and chosen Land of Jerusalem and of the Temple of God when I shall speak of the return of the Jews which shall be their full Election In the top of the hill of Sion stood the Palace of the King which was called The City of David and which the Lord himself call'd the City of the great King Of this David and of this great King we shall afterwards have a great discourse In the mean time we must speak something of the Kings of the Jews who sat upon the high Throne of the City of David of whom this was the original We said before that the Lord God was King of the Jews A God to help them with heavenly assistance A King to stand for them in the battel to advance the shield draw the sword and put to flight the â—nemies of the Jews But because when the Jews began to be very stiff-necked it often came to passe that God turn'd from them and going from home as the Gospel speaks conâ—inued long absent then the Jews wthout a King and a Defender were open to the incursions of their enemies who spoyl'd them and most cruelly did destroy them utterly They fearing lest this might again befall them when Samuel their Judge was deed as also his Sons not walking in his ways requested a King who might judge them according to the manner of other Nations who might go out before them and fight their battels for them Which troubled Samuel Nor did the Lord slight the Petition of the Jews Hearken to them in all that they say to thee for they have not rejected thee but me Sam. 1. Chap. 8. Which open thus I was saith the Lord God and King of the Jews by Covenant And I appointed thee O Samuel by that Kingly power which I had over the Jews and thy sons to be their Judges Therefore having rejected thee and thy sons from being Judges they have not rejected thee but me who appointed thee And in that wherein they trespasse against thee they more hainously and grievously trespassed against me For in this they plainly discover'd their thoughts how little confidence they have in me and how weakly their hopes are fix'd upon me But because they are so unbeleeving and hardned in the foolishnesse of their hearts Harken to them and set a King over them Yet truly God had promis'd before in the desert that he would set a King over the Jews Deut. 17. Yea God had promis'd the Jews Kings at what time he blessed Abraham and the Jews in Abraham Kings shall come out of thee And Jacob prophâ—cying and in his sons blessing all the Jews The Scepter shall not depart from Juda. CHAP. V. The Gentiles elected in the Jews by a mystical â—lectâ—on Esteem'd the sons of God because elected in the Jews And grafted in the Jews AFter we have spoken of the election of the Jews it is fit that in order we should speak of the election of the Gentiles which sprang from the Jews as our Lord Jesus Christ himself most openly expresses to the Samaritan Woman in the fourth Chapter of the Gospel according to St. John Salvation is by the Jews But that which God the Son told this Gentile woman God the Father long before promis'd the Fathers of the Jews first to Abraham Genesis Chapter 12. All the kinreds of the earth shall be blessed in thee Then in the following Chapter That all the Nations of the earth should be
blessed in Abraham The Angel which was the Lord himself did bear witnesse Likewise this promise gave God unto Isaac In thy seed shall all the Nations of the earth be blessed Gen. 26. And to Jacob Chap. 28. All the nations of the earth shall be blessed in thee and thy seed Therefore it appears that in the Fathers of the Jews and in their seed and in the Jews themselves all the Kinreds all the People all the Nations and Tribes of the earth were to be blessed but these Kinreds Nations People and Tribes we shall meerly call those Gentiles which are without the Kinred Nation People and Tribe of the Jews That blessing by which the Gentiles were blessed in the Jews is The election of God in mystery which was first proper to the Jewes and which by derivation and participation was from the Jews powr'd upon the Gentiles Therefore if God have preferr'd the Jews in a mystical election let the Gentiles have next place with him in the same election But by no nearer title did the Jews cleave to God than by this that they were the first-born in this mystical Election That mystical begetting of the Jews was a kind of a mystical nature by which the Jews were acknowledged as natural Sons For which God is said to have carried them in his womb Isa 46. To which portion or degree of nature because the Gentiles were neither called nor chosen adoption was granted to them which is an imitation of Nature by which being adopted into the family of the Jews they were esteem'd the Sons of the Jews not according to flesh and nature but according to that adoption which is perfected by mystical nature I say by that same election by which the Jews are the Sons of God in the first degree of nature and by which the Gentiles adopted in the Jews are called the Sons of God but because they come in by a second degree by adoption are onely call'd and esteem'd adoptive Sons In which sense St. Paul is to be understood Eph. 1. where he says That God did prâ—destinate or chuse the Gentiles into the Election of the sons of God that is to say of the Jews The Gentiles were adopted into the family of the Jews by that mystical election at which time they were made the sons of Abraham And they were made the sons of Abraham when Abrams name was chang'd and instead of that he call'd Abraham and then when Abram was made Father of the Gentiâ—es Thou shalt be called Abraham sayes the Lord to Abram Gen. 17. Because I have appointed thee father of many Nations Abraham was made father of the Gentiles by the same right as the Gentiles were made sons of Abraham and sons of the Jews in Abraham St. John Baptist meant that election where reproaching the Jews he affirms That God out of these stones could raise up seed to Abraham For he can raise up stones who can call things that are not as if they were as to this purpoâ—e St. Paul spoke Rom. 4. That is to say who can call men out of stones and turn the stones themselves to be men stones I say that are distant from men in the whole scheme of animals I say God that could doe these things which are without and beyond nature could likewise adopt Children to Abraham which is an imitation of nature Adoption sayes he is an holy thing which imitates the benefit of nature But by how much truth is more holy than Imitation by so much is nature more holy than adoption Nature and adoption make sons nature true ones adoption feign'd ones Adoption transfers men from one Family to another and from one name to another It changes the kinred which is fiction and imitation but cannot change the bloud which belongs to nature and truth But neither can adoption alter the condition of the linage As for example it can make sons but of libertines cannot make free or of servants freemen The mystical adoption is otherwise by the force of which the nature of the Gentiles is turn'd into the nature of the Jews That which is imitation of nature in civil adoption is nature it self in the mystical And truth whose image is pretended only by the Law is by the mystery of this adoption really begotten Therefore the Gentiles change both their kind and their linage by adoption and translation into the Nation and family of the Jews And because they change their stock they change likewise the condition of their stock for the Gentiles become by that adoption not only sons but of servants free-men and free-born For all the efficacie of this adoption is to liberty and all such who by right of that adoption come to a part of the liberty of the sons of God claim a liberty That mystery is the force and power of the Spirit of Christ by which the Gentiles are changed into spiritual Jews and into the true sons of Abraham not according to the nature of the flesh but according to the nature of Promise and Spirit which is the true adoption and election of the Gentiles Yea Promise is that election by which alone the Jews are what they are by which the Jews themselves are the sons of Abraham true Israelites and true Jews not according to the flesh but according to Promise and to Spirit For all those that descended of Israel are not Israelites nor those who are the feed of Abraham all his sons but in Isaac shall thy seed be call'd that is to say not the sons of the flesh or the Jews but those that are called sons of the Promise in his seed Rom. 9. I say that promise is it which makes true Israelites and true sons of God But also the Jews without that shall lose their own family which is Gods and their father Abraham they would leave off to be what they are and of Jews become Gentiles and by crosse-changing of their kinred of sons of God become sons of men The Scripture more significantly expresses this conversion of the kinred of the Gentiles into the kinred of the Jews where it affirms them not only to be adopted but ingrafted in the Jews That as a branch which is grafted grows to be one with the tree wherein it is grafted whether it be grafted by plastring or incision I say as by incision one tree is chang'd into another and of two arises one so the Gentiles by ingrafting become one with the Jews as also by force of that ingrafting are chang'd to be the very Jews and so from two Nations are made one people of God Besides there is a difference betwixt grafting of one tree into another and grafting of the Gentiles into the Jews for an unfertil tree uses not to be grafted in an unfertile one nor a wild one on a kindly and right stock but the branches of the Gentiles bâ—rren of holinesse were grafted in the Jews who were holy and fruitful in holinesse of works and those wild ones implanted in the
right and manur'd stock Which St. Paul hath taught us Rom. 11. where he compared the Gentiles to a wilde Olive but the Iew in which the Gentile is engrafted to a good and right Olive Likewise Saint Paul in that place made that wild Olive partaker of that juice and fatness which is in the true Olive Therefore the Gentile being sanctified or this wilde Olive turn'd into a a true Olive may well wonder at the new fruits of his works his new sap which is none of his own CHAP. VI. Gentiles different from the Jews in Kinred and Original in as much as they are ingrafted in them Gentiles called Atheists because without a God called simply men and Sons of men and foolish wicked c. WE shall prove the Gentiles different in their Original from the Jews both by their adoption and by their engrafting in the Jews for adoption concerns strange Families and trees of several kindes are grafted one in another Nor am I ignorant that Kinred by the Female side and Cosens might be adopted for Sons but we must observe that Saint Paul Ephes 2. set down the Gentiles that were received into the Family of the Jews strangers aliens unknown far distant from the Family of the Jews which in that place the Apostle calls a Commonwealth and in regard of that calls the Gentiles their fellow-Citizens with the Saints that is to say of the Jews But this Commonwealth so to be understood as that the Jews and the Gentiles are both the Domesticks and Sons of God I know likewise that in Trees of the same kind sweet are grafted in sweet and true stocks in true ones but you must take notice that in Rom. 11. Saint Paul has a two-fold grafting according to Nature and against Nature The Apostle has given us in that place one example of grafting according to nature when he sets down that by which he tells us the Jews shall sometimes be again grafted in their own Olive Again he has given us an instance of grafting against Nature which the Gentiles are grafted in the Jews That against Nature he calls this when the Gentiles different in original from the Jews against the Nature of their stock were grafted the wilde stock in the tame one Nature then which is the Original and Linage of the Gentiles is different and not the same with the Original and Linage of the Jews And by no more distinguishing congruous difference could the Gentiles have been noted different in stock and Original from the Jews thâ—â— by such a presupposition which grants the original of the Gentiles or of the first men to have such a beginning as was determinable from Adam and accounts them created many Ages before Adam and which again affirms that the Jews were later and created in their first Father Adam from whom to us according to the vulgar account there is no more then five thousand six hundred and seventeen yeers Yea you will say If adoption admits onely in imitation of Nature the younger into the Family of the elder according as Sons ought to be younger than their Fathers What Monster of adoption is that by which the Jews being younger adopted the most ancient Gentiles to be their Sons And again if in regard of the same age a Tree is said to adopt a graft I say if a tender and new plant is grafted in an old and strong stock what new manner of grafting is that by which the most ancient Gentiles shall be grafted in the later Jews and if you look upon the original quite green I answer That the Gentiles in their Creation and Nature are indeed ancienter then the Jews but the Gentiles are said to be adopted into the Jews by that mystical Election not by Creation and Nature of which Genesis gives a fair instance where Esau was elder but younger in election The Apostle calls those Gentiles who according to my supposition were the men of the first Creation Atheists or without a God in respect to that opposition by which that true God the Creator of Heaven and Earth was not the God of the Gentiles as he was God of the Jews and as the Gentiles did not enjoy him for their God as did the Jews And that was for this reason because God had discovered himself to the Nation of the Jews and to them alone but not so to other Nations wherefore the Jews are called The people of God Hence it is that God speaks to them friendly Ezekiel 34. You are my flock you are the flock of my pasture you are my men The Jews are the men of God Let the Nations know because they are men sayes David Psal 19. The Gentiles are called Men simply not the men of God in that regard because at first being simply created they could have no rellish of God for God is above men and because they could have no taste of God nor draw neer to him they were without God nor deserved to be called the men of God Wherefore men simply so called in holy writ are meant the Gentiles so in Psal 66. Thou hast put men over our heads that is to say thou hast set the Gentiles over our heads which are to be understood of the Jews vanquished by the Gentiles to which refer that of Jeremiah Thou hast given Israel to the Nations and made him contemptible to men Where Nations Gentiles and men are the same Isaiah exhorts the Jews Chap. 51. Fear not the revilings of Nations Then in the 6 Chap. of restoring the Jews and putting the Gentiles to flight God sayes he shall set the men a far off and she that was desolate shall be multiplied in the midst of the earth Men in that place are the Gentiles whom God â—hould drive out of the Land of the Jews that the Jews might again be restored to it But for the same reason as the Gentiles were called Men they were likewise called the sons of men Of which there is as many witnesses as there are Chapters almost in both Testaments for which cause it will be here in vain to quote those innumerable Autorities The Gentiles were called the sons of men by way of opposition as the Jews were called the sons of God Those Gentiles which were called Atheists and without a God were called wicked foolish corrupt abominable in their iniquities Psal 9. Thou hast reproved the Nations and the wicked shall perish that is the Gentile Again in the Psalm 14. which is likewise the 53. The fool hath said in his heart That there is no God Which are to be understood of the Atheistical Gentile They are become corrupt and abominable in their in quities There is none that doth good God looked down from heaven upon the sons of men that he might see if there were any that understood and sought after God They have all gone astray they are become unprofitable there is none that doth good no not one This was a lively portraiture of the Gentiles because they
are and are simply called the sons of men and have nothing in their Nature to seek or reach God The Prophet mean'd the Gentiles in that Psalm as it appears by the following Verse VVill they not all know who work iniquity who devour my people as one would eat bread Which could not be understood but of the Gentiles devouring the Jews I know that Saint Paul did cite this Psalm to shew that both the Jews and Gentiles were involved in sinne but it is to be observed that the Apostle in that Chapter did take the Jews not as they were elected but as they were simply men as they were of the same peccant matter and subject to be defil'd with the same sin The Psalm calls the Gentile here foolish which the Psalm 92 calls a fool The foolish man shall not know and the fool shall not understand these things Wherefore the Lord threatens the Jews he would provoke them with the foolish Nation Deut. 32. Which foolish Nation are the Gentiles taken for a Nation opposite to the Jews which is call'd a wise Nation The Gentiles are call'd in this place wicked abominable in their iniquities Whom Sam. 2. Chap. 7. you may hear called The sons of iniquity The sons of inquity shall not afflict the Jews as before This is written in the 1 of Chron. Chap. 17. The sons of iniquity shall not tread upon them as at the beginning By which it is meant that the Jews shall sometimes shake off the yoke of the Nations For the sons of iniquity are in that place the Gentiles So understand that in the 24 of Acts where Paul says this of himself to the Jews Having sayes he hope in God whom they also expect the resurrection of the just and the unjust By the just understand the Jews By the unjust the Gentiles for so meant the Apostle of the Gentiles that the Gentiles should be partakers of the blessings of the Jews according to the faith of the Jews and they should be partakers also of the resurrection of the Jews according to the belief of the Pharisees Which the Pharisees did expect and which St. Paul according to the doctrine of the Gospel foretold should be common to both Jew and Gentile You shall hear the Jews standing on the bottom of their election for a different reason not call'd wicked but the worshippers of the true God not unwise and foolish but wise holy and uncorrupt just not abominable in their iniquities in all holy writ CHAP. VII That the Gentiles are called Sinners IT is likewise common in both the Testaments that the Gentiles are are call'd Sinners by way of opposition as the Jews are call'd holy and just This was Gods intention that the Jews might be turn'd away from the fellowship and customs of the Gentiles Therfore David calls him Blessed which had not gone into the councel of the ungodly and had not stood in the way of sinners but whose will was in the Law of the Lord. That is to say he thought that Jew blessed who had not betaken himself to the Gentiles but had stood close in his estate of Jewish election and sanctity who was a Jew not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit and was constant in the meditation of Gods Law For a Jew in this place is he who is addicted to Gods Precepts Gentiles called those who were wicked and sinners every where in the same Kingly Prophet Psa 37. The sinner watches the just man And a little after The sinner watches the just man and seeks to put him to death That is to say the Gentile lies in wait for the Jew For the sinner is the Gentile and the just man is the Jew yea understand this whole Psalm of the Jews and Gentiles for there is a perpetual opposition betwixt the Jews and the Gentiles There is a remarkable place in the 85 Psalm of that mix'd cup which God in revenge of the Jews shall give at the end of time to the Nations to drink and which the Revelation speaks of Chap. 14 18. All the sinners of the earth says the Psalmist shal drink the dreggs of it Which in its own place I shall show to be understood of the Gentile and in most places of the holy Scripture The Psalm 109. is likewise sung of the last rejection and curse of the people of the Jews where you shall read among other things Appoint thou a sinner over him that is put the Gentile over the Jew and let the Jew be the tayl who was before the head The New Testament hath more expresly taken notice of the Gentiles for sinners especially St. Paul in the second to the Galatians where he says concerning himself and Saint Peter We says he by nature are Jews and not sinners of the Gentiles which were by nature and original Jews not Gentiles To this adde what our Saviour says Luke 6. speaking to the Iews If you do well by them which do so by you what thanks have you for sinners doe that likewise Sinners in that place are Gentiles for it belongeth to a Gentile and to humane nature to do good to such as doe good to them Yea it is common to all other creatures to return a like for a like which is a natural retaliation The Ox knoweth his owner and the Ass his masters crib Isaiah 1. It is a natural thing therefore to return thanks and one good thing for another but it is a supernatural blessing to return a good deed for a bad And God to this supernaturality invites his Jews To these adde that which follows in the same Saint Luke in the same Chapter If you lend to those from whom you hope to receive what thanks have you for sinners lend to sinners that they may receive alike but love you your enemies Which is the same as if the Lord had said The Gentiles lend to their Friends for usury and benefit but O you Jews my men do not lend upon use to the Gentiles but lend them freely and without use and hope of gain Yea let all thy things be common to him as to thy Friend which is your duty as being holy and elected in the Lord and to whom it were base and shameful to emulate the deeds of the Gentiles who were neither elected nor holy The Jews thought Christ a Gentile not a Jew because he had healed a blinde man on the Sabbath day in the Gospel of Saint John Chap. 9. This man say they is not from God who regards not the Sabbath but a sinner Which is as much as if he had said This man is not a Jew but a Gentile for the man from God or of God as we said before is the Jew the sinner the Gentile It is likewise known the Jews were wont to reckon Christ amongst Eaters and gluttons of the Gentiles because he was a Friend of Publicans and sinners and because he came into their houses and sat with them as also because he received
taken for a foolish and an ignorant person For a fool and an ignorant person hath nothing to say The Jews called the Gentiles foolish and ignorant because they knew not their Law nor thought they that any speech which spake not of the Law of God Lord open thou my lips and my mouth shall shew forth thy praise Straight the Prophet would have thought himself dumb if he had spoken any thing besides the praise of God his justice and his law which was the chief duty of the elected Jews whose lips therefore were said to be circumcised but the Gentiles were of uncircumcised lips And therefore were rightly call'd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Infants The Gentiles were call'd little ones for the same cause as they were esteem'd poor and because God had opend to them as to the Jews his treasures of election and grace Little small and poor the same as Servius upon that of Virgil Take from poor Micon Goddess in good part This wild boar's head these horns of an ag'd Hart. Little Micon that is poor Micon The Gentiles by the poor are chiefly meant by Authors in both Testaments There was not a poor man nor a beggar amongst the Jews because the Law did forbid it And those which begged within the Ports of the Jews were strangers and gentiles nor did the Lord so earnestly recommend the poor to the Apostles as they were meerly poor for the Apostles being likewise poor themselves how should they have holpen the poor but because the Gentiles were poor whom by his comming Christ call'd to the participation of election and grace which is by the Jews and to whom he open'd the door of his gospel CHAP. IX The Gentiles called the sons of wrath the enemies of God beasts and so esteemed by the Jews yea unclean beasts the opposite comparison betwixt the Jews and the Gentiles IN the Epistle to the Ephesians Saint Paul call'd the Gentiles the sons of wrath and reckoned himself amongst the Gentiles being the Apostle of the Gentiles when he sayes And we by nature are the sons of wrath whether we conceive them to be the sons of the first Creation whom the Lord abhors or whether we take them as opposite to the Jews who by the Nature of their Election are esteemed the sons of love The Gentiles likewise called the Enemies of God in as much as the first Creation which is Elesh is enmity with God or because the Gentiles by a narural imbred hatred are Enemies to the Jews Let all thy enemies perish did Deborah sing who had destroyed the Gentiles who were Enemies to the Jews and to God but concerning the Gentiles Enemies to God and the Jews more at large in its due place Furthermore that which is the chief disgrace of the Gentiles is that they are compared every where to Beasts in sacred Authors and are accounted Beasts beneath men by reason of that great opposition by which the Iews are accounted Gods The 22 Psa thus complains of the Nations who had assaulted Israel Many Bulls have encompassed me fat Bulls have beset me they opened their mouth upon me like a ravening and a roar-Lion Psalm 57. Deliver me from the Lion's whelps the sons of men whose teeth are weapons and arrows Yea the 74 Psalm called the Gentiles Beasts Give not the beasts souls that trust in thee that is Deliver not the Jews who acknowledge thee to be the God of the Iews to the Gentiles their enemies who neither know thee nor acknowledge thee to which apply that of Baruch Chap. 3. Where the Princes of the Nations shall have dominion over the beasts of the earth that is over the Gentiles their flocks and their people There is a remarkable place to this purpose in Isaiah Chap. 3. Thou are made honourable and glorious in my eyes said God to the people of the Jews I have loved thee I will give men for thee and Nations for thy soul That is I will expiate and redeem thee by the death of men and people that is of the Gentiles whom like Beasts I will sacrifice for thee There could be no thing granted to the Jews more honourable and glorious than that honour and glory to become honourable and glorious before the eyes of God As likewise the Gentiles are numbred among the Beasts and Creatures walking upon the Earth in the same Chap. Isaiah 24. So sayes the Lord who created the heavens giving breath to the people upon the earth and life to them that tread upon it The people walking there upon the earth is indifferently taken for men and beasts for which cause the Gentiles are called a people not a people Deut. 32. I will provoke you by a Nation which is not a Nation and a people which is not a people in which words Deuterònâ—my meant the Gentiles as also the men of the first Creation who were properly in flocks like Cattle nor made up in Cities and Civil Societies of men The Jews did not value men by their reason but by their understanding I say by that intellect by which the true knowledg of God is gained which is above reason by which the manifestation of the Divine Law was given to the Jews and by which the granting of the Spirit of Christ was revealed to the Jews Hence that famous promise to Israel Psalm 32. I will give thee understanding and inform thee in the way wherein thou shalt walk Then immediately after a Precept given to the Jews Be ye not like to horses and mules which have no understanding And cettainly Divine understanding makes all men quite different from brutes Which although men have excellent beyond horse and Mule yet have they it in a manner commune with horse and mule so really did the Jews believe that the Gentiles were not men because they thought them altogether destitute of the knowledge of God But you shall likewise finde the Gentiles reckoned amongst the unclean Beasts Mat. 15. It is not good to take the bread of the children and throw â—t to the dogs said the Lord to the Gentile a Caâ—aanitish Woman In which the Jews are the sons and the dogs the Gentiles The Lord meaning so likewise said to his Disciples Jews Gave not that which is holy to dogs nor cast your pearls before swine That is beâ—â—ow not that which belongs to the sanctified Jews upon the Gentiles whom the Evangelist here call dogs and swine It is meant that the Apostles ought to preach the Gospel to the Jews first before they addressed themselves to the Nations Lastly it is excellent which the Lord advises us Luke 12. God sayes he caeres not for the sparrows or the crows which are said of the Jews and the Gentiles whom God should esteem and care for without any difference is here meant by the unclean sparrowâ— the Jews the foul Crows the Gentiles The Gentiles are esteemed unclean by thâ— Jews Acts 10. where Saint Peter sayes thuâ— You know how abominable it is to a man who is a
Israel is placed in the third place betwixt the Egyptians the Assyrians as also that he is a blessing in the midst of the earth that Holy earth which God is said here to have blessed Therfore we may here see the Egyptian and Assyrian placed on this side and that side according to the number of the Sons of Israel and placed neer the banks of the Tribes of the Jews That the Sons of Adam or the Jews were separated from the Egyptians and the Assyrians betwixt whom being placed they are parted from them by the Rivers Nilus and Euphraies is briefly set down in that Geographick Table which is inserted in the third Chapter of this Book Therefore the Sons of Adam are set apart in the Song of Moses The Nations divided by interposition of the Jews are the Egyptians and Assyrians Gentileâ— The Jews are called the sons of Adam upon the same account as Adam is called the father of the Jews Isaiah 43. God reproâ—ing Israel in that Chapter for their sin objects this to him Thy father sinned first Which the Prophet meant of the father of the Jews and not of the Gentiles for he spake onely to Israel and for that reason he said Thy father O Israel who was not likewise the father of the Gentiles that first father of the Jews is without doubt Adam because there was no sinner before him nor none after him can be understood But let us hear Hosea the Interpreter of Isaiah in the sixth Chapter of his Prophesie where God layes the same reproach against the Jews They sayes he have transgressed my Covenant as Adam did Adam then as he was the Father of the Jews so was he the Prototype of the Jews sin according to whose example the Jews were sinners begotten a sinful by father transgressed the Covenant of God and as Adam is the first Father of the Jews so the Jews are all the sons of Adam as likewise Adam was the son of God and derived from God Wo be to the Nations that riseth up against my kinred Judah sung when he had overcome the Nations Wo be to the Gentiles who rise up against the Jews On the contrary The Gentiles were called strangers who did not derive themselves from God and Adam to which strangers and Gentiles it was not lawful for the Jews to approach Act. 10. It is abominable to a Jew to be joynedor draw nigh to a stranger that is to a Gentile besides they were called by the Jews strangers unknown because they were aliens not onely from the Nation but family of the Jews nor were not onely received as brothers into the Holy Cities Ephes 7. The sons of strangers shall build the walls Isaiah 60. and in the 61 Chap. And strangers shall stand up and feed their cattel and the sons of strangers shall be labourers and dressers of vines Which ought to be understood of the servants of the Iews or their hirelings to which adde six hundred such which you may every where finde in holy Writers But not onely by kinred and exposition of kinred did God distinguish the Iews from the Gentiles but would have them different in the species it self He chused it for his inheritance the kinred of Iacob whom he loved Psalm 47. Where observe that the kin of the Iews is distinguished from the kin of the Gentiles whom God did neither love nor chuse for his inheritance Certainly the Philosophers make the brures a distinct species from men and with the holy Writers the species of the Iews is distinct from that of the Gentiles whom you shall every where read confusely mentioned with beasts and esteemed beasts in regard of the Iews who by excellency are called men or by a more excellent title are called the men of God You shall finde the species of the Iews peculiarly made and formed by God in Adam you shall finde the species of the Gentiles promiscuously created with the rest of the creatures in the same day of Creation which is diligently to be observed that a day did not distinguish them whom the nature of their Creation did not distinguish The Iews were properly and apart from all other things created the frame and work of the second Creation in Adam the Gentiles properly were the promiscuous buds of the first Creation together with all things else created and the off-spring of that earth which likewise brought forth other creatures Therefore did David call upon all Nations in these words Hear all you Natious hearken all you inhabitants of the earth and ye sons of men David spoke palpable to the Gentiles sons of men the Inhabitants of all the earth whom he likewise calls born upon the earth to distinguish them from the Jews who were not born upon the earth or born from the earth as the Gentiles who were not created in the beginning of things but form'd out of the clay in Adam Furthermore the Psalmist comparing here the Gentiles to foolish beasts sayes They were made like to them who like beasts were allotted to death to eternal death from which they should not return to life their graves are their houses for ever sayes the Psalm as also in the same place they shall not see light for ever likewise David distinguishes the Jews from them in the same Psalm in which he exhorts them not to fear those beasts born upon the earth who should sometime be governed by the Jews The just shall have power over them in the morning the just are the Jews of whom we spoke before that power of the Jews upon the Nations as also that morning shall be expounded in their own places This Psalm has given us a reason why the Iews ought not to fear these earth-born Gentiles of the first Creation in the words following immediately Their help shall grow old in the grave from their glory but God shall redeem my soul from hell David mixes his soul with the souls of the Iews none of the Gentiles sayes he shall redeem his soul God shall redeem the souls of the Iews when he shall receive the Iews or at such time as he shall receive the ejected Iews the Gentiles shall rise to eternal death or which is the same they shall die eternally by the fate of their Creation the Iews shall rise again to eternal life or which is the same they shall live eternally by the prerogative of their regeneration Therefore let the Jews who shall receive eternal life little regard the Gentiles destind to eternal death So farre were the Gentiles different in relation and kindred from the Jews as those divers species of creatures in unknown Countries are from those which we know so likewise were there more Nations unknown to the Jews than were known that is to say in those Countries which the Jews knew not Nor were these Nations only unknown to the Jews but likewise to their Fathers I say to their Fathers who were deriv'd from Adam Which God having a regard to threatens the Jews
original of the Jews out of Genesis The Gentiles were created in that creation which is mentioned Chap. 1. All creatures and all men male and female were created on the sixth day of the creation as plants trees and fleeing fowls upon their own days through all the world Why upon that day one man and he alone from whom all should arise was not created BUt go to that I may leave nothing un-essay'd that may conduce to the clearing of this famous Argument I 'll prove out of Genesis it self that the Gentiles are different in stock from he Jews which being understood it shall appear â—leares thâ—n the Suâ— That 〈◊〉 of the first But indeed to read that which â—erlwaded by your Ottinâ—onâ— of 〈…〉 with superstition you dare nor will not understand is not to read it Hereâ—â—en 〈◊〉 of such Pâ—itâ—â— as in holy mysteries is entertained and betake my self to that Faith which is the Sister of a good Understanding and which loves right Reâ—son Henâ—e then those ill contriv'd and ill hanging together miracles which such fain to themselves who use to have their recourse to needless Faith and the power of God not necessary in such cases when there own reason is weak This they gain that without choice believing every thing no body believes them in any thing for where reason is absolutely weakened there Faith is quite destroyed especially in those things where there is a natural rational or historical connexion such as are related in the first Chapter of Genesis of the Creation of the first men of the framing of Adam and of the framing of Eve his Wife as also of Cain and Abel brothers the chief heads of which I shall only touch here It is clear then from the beginning of Genesit in that sixth day wherein the earth brought forth all Creatures That God upon the same day 〈◊〉 man and created the male and femal◠〈…〉 Oenesis speaks here of the species 〈…〉 them and relates the individuals Mate and Pemale he declares that every Male was created with the Female for the Male and Female are taken for one man for he manifests that without interruption and by one action and the same tenour of creation man were created by God Male and Female they two being one man but Genesis called that one man being Male and Female Adam for if the Scripture at any time has occasion to mention one man indifferently or all mankinde it uses to express them all in the same word by the proper name of Adam Moreover for the same reason as the earth brought forth grass and trees and all things were enlivened I say as all things were created according to their own species and in their own dayes in the self-same progressive Creation upon the whole earth whether known to our Fore-fathers or but lately or not yet known According to the same Analogy of Creation we must believe that men were made by God Male and Female in one day with an uninterrupted Creation and upon the whole earth and that there was no place in the whole earth which brought forth grass fostered trees cattel which before the sixth and last day of the absolute Creation had not its own men and its own Lords Besides these things were certainly created to serve man their Lord speaking in specie or men their Lords mentioning the individuals and God would have seem'd to have created something in vain inconvenient if upon that same day when he ordained these things for the service of men he had not created men at the same time who had either used them or might have used them wheresoever they were But if we affirm Adam to be the first and the onely man by whom afterwards the colonies of men were drawn out and dispersed over the earth to what purpose in that vast space of time in which the whole earth must needs receive its people from one man I say to what purpose should the Countries of Mesopotamia the Antipodes bring forth grass and herbs for what Lords use should the fruit have hung upon the trees in those Countries the cattel of them whom should they have helped being meerly created for that purpose to help men for either in that long space of time you must confess that they were created in vain or created to an use that God had never appointed them for or else that men were there created to make use of them The world was created in the beginning every way perfectly adorned every way perfectly good every way perfectly fair But the World had been created in the beginning every way without ornament every way imperfect in fairness every way imperfect in goodness which is a sin to think if all the places in the earth had at first wanted their own men The earth had been deformed if it had wanted grass trees and creatures but they had been absolutely deformed indeed if they had wanted at the beginning their comliness and ornament their men for whom the earth was created and all that therein is and if the ground had wanted Tillers as it requires What was the intention of God in the Creation of the world is found by God's Decree in the preservation and Government of the World It is written Exod. 23. That God when he led Israel out of Egypt to lead them into the Land of Canaan did thus provide for him I will not throw on t the people of the Land of Canaan before thy face least the Land become waste and wild beasts multiply against thee I will by little and little drive them out of thy sight till thou be encreased and possess the Land That is likewise written in Deut. 7. these words The Lord shall consume these Nations in thy sight by little and little thou canst not overthrow them at once least the wilde beasts encrease against thee Here is a two-fold condition why God would not in one year and at one push throw out all the Nations of the Land of Canaan in whose place he was to settle the Jews The first was because he would not have that earth which he was about to bless to become ugly and ill-favoured for there is horror not comliness in desolation yea solitariness is a mark of cursing Therefore did the Prophet weep when she was cursed Why dost thou sit a solitary City that was full of people And afterwards All the comliness of Sion is departed from her her Princes her young men and her virgins are gone into captivity And Isaiah ch 64. The city of the holy one is laid waste Jerusalem is desolate The second caution was Lest the Beasts should grow and multiply in Canaan against the people of God The first caution was for comliness the second for security God would not as hâ— might easily have done quite destroy the Nations of Canaan but drive them out by little and little till the people of the Jews might encrease and that Land might have its ful number of its own men
water 's nigh That is 〈◊〉 suffers thirst God could indeed by his miracle in which he is wonderfully powerfull have done all that that the Jews should not be hungry nor dry nor their clothes be worn nor their shoes be spent And there haâ—â—â—en need of these miracles if they had had no wool nor no leather but they wanted none of these things nor was any such miracle needfull Yea this miracle would rather have manifestly evidenced the want of clothes and shoes if for want of clothes and shoes and by the virtue of that miracle they had always put on the same clothes and the same shoes which could never wear out On the other side it shew'd the abundance of clothes and shoes which they had because neither their clothes nor shoes grew old because they chang'd both so often And ascribe this to the providence and care of the Lord by which all things which were necessary for the Jews were provided for them because he led them sometimes through pleasant and plentifull places from whose Inhabitants Deut. 2. and elsewhere They bought mâ—at for money and did eat and bought water for money and did drink for which the Israelites were beholding to the Edomites and Moabites And when Sehon forbad them this privilege they smote him with all his people and all his Cities and took the prey and spoil of his Towns Deuteronomie Chap. 2. And in the third Chapter they destroyed Og the King of Basan And that time they took the land from the Amorites which is beyond Jordan Moses himself would have said On this side Jordan which observe And that amongst the prey and spoils of these two Kings there were garments and shooes found and more than enough of materials to make both clothes and shooes This you may imagin also of the Amalekites oververcom by the Jews Exodus Chap. 17. before the Law given in Sinai To this you may add that the Jews for many years compassed Mount Seir inhabited by the Edomites from whom they bought victuals and water which I made now appear and from whose Cities they had clothes and shooes at a price CHAP. VII That the Flood of Noah was not upon the whole earth but only upon the Land of the Jews Not to destroy all men but only the Jews GIve us leave to discusse this last miracle of the flood of Noah which is believ'd to have overflow'd the kingdoms of the earth with most mighty overflowings and which I rather believe overflow'd only Palestine and the Land of the Jews The causes of this conjecture are chiefly the causes of the Deluge which here I shall mention from their beginnings I show'd you before that the Jews were framed in Adam and esteem'd the peculiar sons of God that they were separated from all other Nations which God had created in the beginning And that those Nations were call'd the sons of men in many places of holy writ I have set forth at large The Lord likewise set the Jews apart from all Nations when he plac'd them in his holy Land as in a fenced garden whither it should not be granted to other Nations to come God then had forbidden the Jews to make any mixture with other Nations Chiefly he suffer'd them not to defile their sons with the daughters of men Against the command of God the Jews had admitted the Gentiles into their land Who sayes Genesis when they began to multiply upon the earth the sons of God seeing the daughters of men that they were fair or which is the same the sons of Adam who were after called Jews seeing the daughters of the Gentiles took to themselves wives of all which they chose and by that copulation Giants were begotten For the Jews being made strong and lively by Gods late framing of them and going in to the daughters of men as strong men are begot by strong and divine seed mix'd with humane begets Heroes the sons of God lying with the daughters of men begat Heroes valiant men as they are set down in that same place by valiant and famous men in their age It repented God being angry at the wickednesse of the Jews that he had made men and wrought the clay of which he fram'd Adam of whom the Jews were born an earthie and corrupt generation of men The cogitation of whose heart was bent upon evil continually at all times that is from their first beginning both in Adam their Father who had transgressed the commandement of God and in themselves who had likewise broken the covenant of God I will cut off saith the Lord in that place man whom I have created from the face of the earth from the man to the beast from the creeping thing to the fowl of the heaven for I repent my self that I have made them Here take notice that by earth we understand Palestine according to the Hebrew who by earth simply express'd mean their own As I observ'd of the darknesse before in the death of the Lord. God then had decreed to destroy man whom he had created from the face of the earth By the man whom he had created understand the Jews the posterity of Adam I say of that Adam whom he had created or fram'd for creation and framing here is the same By living creatures understand also the Gentiles mingled amongst the Jews and causes of the sins of the Jews according to what I formerly set down at large where I made it appear that the Jews are simply call'd men in comparison of the Gentiles that the Gentiles on the other side compar'd to the Jews were call'd beasts and a people which was not a people in holy Scripture And such was Gods anger that he resolved not only to destroy all those Jews and Gentiles but all the men of that Land and all the cattel of it from the creeping things to the birds of the air except only Noe the Jew who according to Gods command fram'd an Ark to escape the violence of the Deluge The treasures of the great depth were opened sayes Genesis and the windows of heaven were opened and it rained upon the earth forty dayes and forty nights And there was a deluge upon the earth and the waters were multiplyed and they lifted up the Ark high from the earth for they increas'd exceedingly and fill'd all things upon the face of the earth And the waters preval'd exceedingly upon the earth And all the high hils were cover'd under the whole heaven The water was fifteen cubits above the mountaines which it had cover'd And all flesh upon the earth was destroyed birds living creatures and beasts and all creeping things All men and all things wherein is the breath of life died And he destroyed all things that was upon the earth from the man to the beast as well creeping things as fowls of the heaven and they were cut off from the earth Only Noe remained and those that were with him in the Ark. All which Genesis prophetically expressing and opening
evidenc'd this to us in the last Chapter of the Epistle to the Romans and in the third Chapter of the Epistle to the Ephesians and in the first Chapter of the Epistle to the Colossians when he call'd the Gospel in these places An opening of the mysterie which was hidden and conceal'd from ages and eternal times In his 1 Epist to the Cor. 2. Chap. he defined tother The hidden wisdom of God which he appointed before all times As also in his second Epistle to Tim. Chap. 1. The Grace which was given to us in Christ before the times of eternity And in his Epistle to Titus The hopes of eternal life which God had promis'd before eternal times St. Peter speaking of the same in his first Catholick Epistle ch 1. sayes That Christ was foreknown before the foundations of the world were laid By which places that difference of eternities which I observ'd is evidently found That eternity is call'd first before ages and eternal times That eternity is called secondly from all time and from all things That the eternity which is before eternity and before eternal times is the same which Peter calls before the foundation of the world Therefore the eternity from the foundations of the world is the same with that from eternal times and that therefore the foundations of the World were laid from eternal times or from eternity in regard of us or from times and ages to us unknown or from that beginning of which there is no certain knowledge That eternity of the world is not that eternity of God but the resemblance of it according to that of Mercurie in Asclepius God eternal says he had the World before it was found within himself But as the World is the image of God it is also the imitation of eternity CHAP. XI Of eternity beyond eternity Of eternity to eternity The Kingdom of Messias how eternal AS God is call'd eternal before eternity he is likewise call'd eternal after eternity or beyond eternity God shall reign to eternity and beyond it said Moses in his â—ong When the Scripture would expresse the continuance of any thing not to eternity which is only attributed to God but to eternity according to the duration of the world it uses to expresse it by the eternity of the Sun and the eternal course of the Moon and Stars Thus says the Lord who gives the Sun for the light of the day and the Moon and Stars for night If these Laws be left before me then shall the seed of Israel fail before me that it shall be no mâ—â—â—a Nation before me That Covenant made with the Israelites is call'd an eternal Covenant Genesis 17. Isay 55. Ieremie 32. Ezech. 37. and many other places eternal and for ever which is the same The Sun then and the Moon and the Stars are plac'd with Israel for eternity Take that eternity not beyond eternity but to eternity in which sense Ecclesiasteâ— is to be understood But the earth continues to eternity God does prove that the Kingdom of Messias shall continue to eternity by this argument Ieremie 33. If says he my Covenant with the day can be frustrate and my Covenant with the night that night and day be not in their own time then can my Covenant be in vain with my servant David which not in the same words but in the same sense the 72 Psalm has â—et down and it shall abide with the Sun and Moon from generation to generation Where observe that the Sun and Moon there answer to the night and day of Jeremy that is expounded in the 72 Psalm In generation and generation In the 88 Psalm I have once sworn to my holy one if Iâ—le to David his seed shall last for ever and his throne as the Sun in my sight and as the Moon perfect unto eternity as a faithfull witnesse in heaven Where a faithfull witnesse is the same with one permanent and eternal The tenth Psalm speaks that openly The Lord shall reign for ever And in the tenth of Daniel His kingdom shall not perish As also in the 6 of Chronicles I will confirm his Throne for ever That was it which was written in the 11 Chapter of Iohn Christ endures for ever But that the Kingdom of Messias should be eternal and for ever The Angel did most expresly say speaking to the blessed Virgin concerning her Son and of his Kingdom there shall be no end And notwithstanding there shall be an end of the Kingdom of Messias as Paul firmly bears witnesse of in the 15 chapter 1 Cor. And then an end shall be when he shall have delivered up the Kingdom to the Father but he must reign till he have put all his enemies under his fect The eternity then of the Kingdom of Messias in the forementioned places is to be underhood of that only which being taken in the second acception shall continue till eternity and not beyond eternity as in the same regard there was no beginning of the eternal beginning What the Kingdom of Messias was and what it shall be we may clearly see out of the forementioned Chapter of the Proverbs as also out of this place of St. Paul to the Corinthians thus says the Wisdom of the Father who is the Messias and Christ Proverb 8. The Lord hath possessed me from the beginning of his ways before he made any thing in the beginning the great depth was not when I was conceived and the fountains of water had not as yet broke out nor the mountains were rais'd up before the hills I was brought forth As yet he had not made the earth the winds and the hinges of the world which are to be understood of the eternity of Christ before eternity of that eternity I say which was before ages before the times of eternity and before the foundations of the world I was ordained from the beginning says the same Wisdom or I had a rule from the head from the beginnings of the earth when he prepared the heaven I was there when he confin'd the depths when he placed the heaven above and weigh'd the fountains of waters when he gave bounds to the Seas and gave a law to the waters least they should passe their limits when he weigh'd the foundation of the earth I was with him Framing all things Which are to be understood of the eternity of Christ by whom all things were made who moderates all things and rules over all things of that eternity I say which was from ages from eternal times from the foundations of the world The Kingdom of Messias begins thâ—n from the creation of the world from the laying of the foundation of the world and from eternal times It was from the beginning which was without beginning And that Kingdom shall also end within that eternity which shall have no end by which the world which had its beginning from ages times eternal shall be swallowed in eternal times and in the end of ages Then shall