of this Faiths operation in Abraham who was a Father in this third degree of justifying Faith as first when God in his promise in Abrahams loynes gave Christ and his righteousnesse imputed to be the blessing of all Nations and consequently for his owne then to this object did he adhere by Faith working through all that did interpose betweene his beleife and this object of life Rom. 4.18 saith the Text He beleeved even God who quickneth the dead and calleth things which be not as though they were who against hope beleeved in boâ—e that hee might become the Father of many Nations according to that which was spoken so shall thy seed be and saith the Text hee being not weake in Faith he considered not his own body now dead when he was about a hundred yeares old neither yet the deadnesse of Sarahs womb hee staggered not at the promise of God through unbeliefe but was strong in Faith giving glory to God and being fully perswaded that what he had promised he was able to performe it and saith the Text therefore it was imputed unto him for righteousnesse but what this imputation for righteousnesse is is already handled in the 4 and 6 Chapters therefore here I passe it over Againe Heb. 11.17 Abrahams faith is brought in working up to God in this sacred object through the darknesse of death for saith the Text by Faith Abraham when he was tryed offered up Isaak that is by death to be destroyed he that had received the promises i. of all happines figuratively in this Child for mankinde and for himself offered up his only begotten Sonne of whom it was said in Isaak shall thy seed be called for Abraham accounting that God was able to raise him up even from the dead meaning Christ also in this figure whence also he received him in a figure as saith the Text Thus by perfection of justifying beliefe working to God through all difficulties in this sacred object saith Christ Abraham rejoyced to see my day and saw it and was glad that is as the life of his heart for all happinesse Iâ—h 8.56 And to conclude this point of Christ his impartiall proceedings as Priest for ever after the order of Melchizedeck without all respect of Persons by the operations of his Spirit in his sacred ordinances is also implyed Prov. 8.34 wherefore he thus saith blessed is the man that heareth me watching daily at my gates waiting at the posts of my dores for who so findeth mee findeth l fe and shall obtaine favâ—ur of the Lord bâ—t he that sinneth against mee wr ngeth his own soule all they that hate mee love death c. Is it so That Christ now is to the end of the world with his Ambaâ—sadors ordinarily and rightly divulging his Ambassage that hee will be by his Spirit so a Priest till time shall be no mo e Then hence observe Observ that it is unpossible for men or Divells or all the powers of darknesse in this world to extinguish Christ in his word and spirit from the minds of all mankinde because we see Christ will so be in the minds of some as the cornerstone to uphold his Ministeriall Kingdome as in the name of Peter hee did Prophetically demonstrate Mat. 16.18 and from this ground God in eminent and universall Apostasies from him in his truth doth preserve some mens mindes to him by his truth so secretly as the best of men sometimes perceive it not as in the daies of Eliah and the like Rom. 11.3.4 wherefore this is attributed to be Gods Seale or peculiar foundation in relation to Christ to know who are his in such * In times of such Apostasie because one Saint doth know another but according to the judgement of charity and God only infall bly knowes who in purenesse of heart adheres to him and who not therefore the Apostle calls this knowledge of God his foundation or seale because it is so knowne to him and none else times as 2 Tim 2.18 19. And from this ground it is unpossible that the greatest seducing powers of Satan to deceive the whole Church elect or gathered by his word and Spirit so as to extinguish all truth from all their mindes for as Mat. 24.25 besides his ordinary course God in such times will extraordinarily reserve as before is said some for the glorious praise of his grace in this world to believe his word in the object of justification wherefore it is stiled the Faith of Gods elect implying the certainty of Christs prevalency as Priest for ever after the order of Melchisedeck by his Ministeriall ordinances in the Church Militant till time shall be no more Againe is it so that the oracle of life for the universall Apostasie of the world was not so much as to appeare amongst the Gentiles about eighteene hundred yeares nor amongst Iewes but in Types figures and promises as obscured under the veile of Moses for many Generations untill God according to his purpose called these Gentiles Hence observe how rightly the Apostle applies this Doctrine at that time saying the grace of God that bringeth salvation to all men hath appeared teaching us to * Therefore the Negative part of the Morall Law as inclosed in the Arke oveâ—shadowed with the mercy Seat taught the same Doctrine of grace under that veile as now doth the Gospel unveiled Exod. 25.21 22. Heb. 9.4.8 deny ungodlinesse and worldly lusts that we should live soberly righteously and godly in this present world looking for the blessed hope c. Tit. 2.11.12 CHAP. XI Opening the third particular how GOD brings man to be perfect that is to the perfection of justifying Faith in the object of justification AS it is in the perfections of nature the life superior containes in it selfe the perfection of all inferior lives as in Adam Chapt. the first so the perfection of justifying beliefe containes in it selfe vertually all inferior beliefes hence it is that the improvement of this faith is various in its operations yet ever terminating to God in the object of justification as its most proper center and so it comes to its full perfection formerly described Hence Saint Iames saith of Abraham Seest thou how faith wrought with his workes and by works faith was made perfect James 2.20 Wherefore to prove the point I will take a briefe survay how by works Abraham came to his perfection of justifying beliefe * The perfection of the man in righteousnes is in the next life but faiths perfection and dissolution are both in this life and what man is a righteous man see the last Observation of Chapt. 11. for the perfection of justifying beliefe is one thing and the perfection of the man is another thing as first when God by commandement separated him from his countrey and from his fathers house the operations of his faith then began to put forth for saith the Text He went out not knowing whither he went Hebr. 11.8 but when hee was
to the glory of Angells by his receiving Christs righteousnesse the object of life Adam and Eve now remained alone to possesse this day of Grace namely this world as a day of Grace for only with them remained the Oracle of eternall life that is a Promise of the seed to breake the Serpents head therefore this Oracle or object of justification as the ground of all true Religion to discend to posterity was altogether unsetled by reason of Abells ascent to blessednesse and Cains abiding under cursednesse as cut off from Gods presence of Grace for saith hee from thy face shall I be hid so went out from the presence of God therefore Cains Posterity as borne and bred remote from the pillar of truth and life of Religion under their Fathers exemplary concision were carried as a streame to all ungodlinesse wherefore when God gave Eve the next man-childe Gen. 4.25 she called his name Seth that is setled sure as saith Reverend and Learned Broughton in his Treatise upon the first ten Fathers And saith Moses Adam knew his wife againe and shee bare a sonne and called his name Seth for God said shee hath appointed me another seed â—nsteed of Abel whom Caine slew Againe Gen. 5.3 the Text saith Adam begat a sonne in his owne likenesse and called his name Seth implying the production of this Childe every way answered the image of Aâ—ams desire that is to enjoy issue which might stand in the same image or likenesse that himselfe did to enjoy this day of grace as a day of grace to convey the Oracle of life to ensuing posterity and therefore hee joyned with Evah in this childes name and called his name Seth So leaving his minde to posterity in his sonnes name that the conveyance of the pillar of truth was setled sure to future generations Againe also to Seth was borne a sonne and hee called hâ—s name Enos Kings translation addeth that then men began to call upon the name of the Lord that is Seths posterity began to multiply being the visible Church containing by tradition the pillar of truth or object of Faith once given to the Saints Yet learned Broughton saith the letters of the name of Enos in the appellative signifieth sorrowfull-grievous that is then beganne corruption touching the calling on the name of God The truth is this ground also is good The Kings translation and Broâ—ghtâ—ns â—econciled for then began the multiplication of Cains posterity as in number so in corruption by concision touching the calling on the name of the Lord For by their exemplary evill it came to passe that those which were the sonnes of God in the profession of this object of Iustification fell away by affinity with them and this is implyed Gen. 6. where it is said it came to passe when men began to multiply upon the face of the Earth and daughters were borne unto them then the sonnes of God saw the daughters of men that they were faire and they tooke them wives of â—ll that they chose implying not what God liked c. Wherefore Seth seeing the beginning of this evill hee in the appellative letters of his sonnes name left by tradition his minde to the world telling them this was sorrowfull and grievous unto him and all godly men for so it was to Enâ—s wherefore he named his sonne Cainan that is to lament saith reverend Broughton and yet he whose name signified Lamentation named his sonne Mahalaleel that is as the same Broughton saith a praiser of God implying notwithstanding this lamentable object yet to man believing truth there was remaining a two-fold ground of praise to God First for the light of eternall felicity which shined in his guift of Christs righteousnesse imputed the Lambe figuratively slaine from the foundation of the world and all included in the promised seed as the object of Faith once given to the Saints Secondly to praise God for his firme truth in the certaine destruction of the power of Satan although then it remained in a world of sinfull men for it shall breake thy head wherefore this Praiser of God also leaves his minde to the world by tradition in the name of his sonne calling him Iared that is descending saith Broughton foretelling the worlds descent in ungodlines to misery as without hope of returne wherefore this hopelesse man names his Son Enoch as saith Broughton signifying dedicated or consecrated to God implying he would dedicate him and his to God according to truth though the stream of the world run a contrary way following lying vanities forsaking their owne mercies And God answered this happy resolution in his sonne for hee by Faith in the faithlesse world that then was walked with God and he was not saith the Text for God tooke him away that is he never died but in soule and body joyntly ascended to the glory of Angels by which figure being the seventh from Adam God condemned the faithlesse world that hee really and mercifully prepared that glory in eternall felicity for them But they cast it away by their Apostacy from him and gave themselves up to fleshly and terrestriall contentments implied when God saith My spirit shall not alwayes strive with man for that hee also is flesh Therefore Enoch the seventh from Adam prophesied of the destruction of that world saying Behold the Lord commeth with ten thousand of his Saints to execute judgement and to reprove all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against them Jude 14. Wherefore this man leaves his mind by tradition to the world in the name of his sonne also for he called him Methusalah that is as saith Broughton God sends that is his certaine judgement upon the wicked of the world And Methusalah therefore named his son Lamech as saith the same Author signifying striking implying Gods finall stroke to the destruction of the world did now draw neere Againe Lamech prophesied that God would after that destruction by Christ give a comfortable restauration of the world and left it by tradition in the name of his sonne whom he called Noah which signifieth comforter or restorer as saith Broughton Againe by Noah God prepared the Arke which in a figure was Christ implying that although now God set up his flaming sword turning it every way that none could escape namely the flood signified by Noah's building the Arke Yet by this Arke so long a building was farther signified that God would rather glorifie his mercy in their salvation then his justice in their deserved destruction Wherefore Gen. 6. although he saith My spirit shall nâ—t alwayes strâ—ve with man for that be also is flesh as the bruit beast for that is implyed yet then he saith his dayes shall be an hundred and twenty yeeres implying so long time he would give them to returne to be accepted in his beloved sonne the Arke of salvation And this
yee in no wise shall believe although a man declare it unto you Likewise saith Christ unto them yee believe not because you are not my Sheepe (b) These Scriptures by Gods spirit are intended to this nationall Spouse for her transcendent sinnes and not to most of mankind as denied his grace because appointed by God personally to vnavoidable damnation Joh. 10.26 All plainly proving that God now when Christ was come into the world denied them the gift of Faith for their precedent refusing Gods way for their salvation Secondly it is further implyed in these words of our Saviour that there is a time limited for this their blindnesse and hardnesse of heart when he saith Yee shall not see me untill the time come when you shall say blessed is hee that cometh in the name of the Lord Implying that although this Nationall rejection was to be universall yet it should not be (c) Although it were not finall to them nationally in respect of the time to come yet it was finall to all or at least to most in the Interim finall for ever in the Spirit of unbeliefe (d) God sometimes to the glory of his grace eâ—tends his mercy universally to all as in the call of the Gentiles and as in time to come he will to these Iews yet sometimes when men are alike dead in sinnes by Apostasie he will leave some of them to perish finally and receive some of them to mercy although alike wicked yet not for any hatred or love to the one more then the other personally considered but onely in love to himselfe in the one from his love to Iustice in the other from his love to mercy that is to the love of his glory in either as heâ—e wee see some received to mercy and reserved alive to conferre a future call of their posterity to Christ and the rest were blinded and in this ease and the like fals that of Moses and the Apostle he hath mercy on whom he will and whom he will he hardeneth Likewise our Saviour gives another close glance to this point speaking of this elect Nation Mat. 24 22. hee saith the daies of their vengeance shall be shortened in the destruction of Ierusalem for the elects sake Implying else no flesh of Abrahams elect stock would be reserv'd for a future call to mercy Likewise for any mercy shewed to this Nation Saint Paul referres it rightly when he saith Isrâ—â—ll obtained not what it sought for but the election obtained it and the rest were blinded Rom. 11.17 And he saith as touching the election they are beloved for their Fathers sakes meaning Abraham Isaak and Iacob with whom in Christ the promised seed This Nationall Election was first established ver 28. And he also speakes to their restauration saying all Israel shall be saved as it is written the deliverer shall come out of Sion and shall turne away the ungodlinesse from Jacob. ver 26. And then gives a generall ground of all this future mercy because the guifts and callings of God are without repentance ver 29. And in the next verse hee gives a demonstrative reason thereof in the Gentiles who although by their precedent Apostacie were so long rejected yet now God gave Christ to them and calls them to him ver 30. Thereby implying likewise God would not repent his gift of Christ to this Spouse and therefore call them to him againe And therefore it is most cleere that Gods proceeding in this second part of time is without all respect of Persons And for a conclusion of this Chapter take these observations following First that to referre any mans faith and obedience to bee the condition of the Covenant of grace but Christ his faith and obedience is to derrogate from him and to arrogate to man that which is not his Because as the first Adam his second estate before his fall was an estate of Faith and obedience active and passive the somme of the conditions of the Covenant as precedently is proved Chapt. the 2. So likewise the Sonne of God the second Adam his obedience passive and active was an estate of Faith the condition of the Covenant for the Redemption of the world from whence the Covenanâ— was changed by him from a Covenant of wrathfull justice to a Covenant of Grace and mercy to all the world as Chap. 4. Likewise in this Chapter we see hee and hee alone was the man which by saith and love to God and his Neighbour did live in the pure naturalls of the Law to every tittle to redeeme man which by Apostasie brought himselfe under the Curse For although the life of all believers besides Christs is in this world an estate of faith and obedience and although Gods word of truth is his instrument to give to man Christs righteousnesse and mans faith his instrument to receive in that righteousnesse his blessednesse yet between God and mankind neither of these are the conditions of the covenant of grace For as God on his part hath not bound himselfe to either of these as a condition so neither hath he bound all mankinde absolutely to believe or not to be saved For if faith were the condition of the Covenant of Grace God in justice could not save one of mankinde which did not believe But it is already proved Chap. 4. that an innumerable number of mankinde departing this world in Infancie childhood or the like by the universall grace of the Covenant in Christ Jesus our Saviour are saved Likewise so was all mankind without faith saved from the damnation of Adams sinne to the praise of Gods grace to all eternity Therefore although to man capable of the use of reason faith * It is one thing that God require it's exercise as a necessary instrumentall qualification and another that hee should require it as a condition of the Covenant is the necessary instrument as his mouth to receive his meat and must be applyed to the object of Justification in some degree or hee must perish yet his faith and obedience is no condition of the Covenant of grace no more then mans mouth whereby hee receives his meate Secondly is it so that as first upon Adams fall so the second time in the promised seed with Abraham by Covenant that God elected predestinated and fore-appointed all mankinde alike from perishing in misery to grace and glory in Christ Jesus as here wee see Hence observe what is Gods most proper booke of life namely the promised seed for in him all mankinde were both times onely written for grace and glory as in a booke of life not onely when Adam fell but the second time as is registred by covenant with Abraham to life and glory therefore Christ Iesus is Gods most proper Booke of life out of which all that perish are blotted out for despising this gift of grace and glory Psal 69.28 Rev. 20 12 13. Rev. 5.13 c. Thirdly is it so that although at one and the same
to dignities and glory in the government of this world for saith the Text Iesus called them unto him and said yee know that the princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them and they that are great exercise authority over them but it shall not be so amongst you Mat. 20. vers 25. Likewise by a remarkeable fact he condemned the pride of the priests and others of this elect Spouse in their proud apostasie after the flesh couched under a pretence of the celestiall doctrine the worship and the Temple for the eternall Son of God rides upon an Asse in a contemptible manner into Ierusalem the Metropolis of this Nation and so despised the vanity of all that glory yet this fact tended to the consolation of the meeke in Sion by beliefe of truth as was fore-prophesied behold thy King commeth unto thee meeke and sitting on an Asse and a Colt the foale of an Asse and the common people and his Disciples gave him high praise and glory at which the proud apostate Priests Scribes and the like their hearts did rise for to him they said Hearest thou this but hee repelled this lying Satanicall spirit in evidence of truth and answered and said If these should hold their peace the stones would cry Also hee fore-prophesied the destruction of all their supposed present felicity Mat. 21. from verse 4. to the 16. Luke 19.36 and 42. So much for the second point his witnessing the truth against the spirit of Satan in sinners Thirdly Christ witnessed this truth hand to hand with Satan himselfe for when hee had denyed himselfe not the fruit of one tree as Adam was to have done but all food forty dayes together dedicating himselfe to the great worke of the Redemption of the world in obedience to his Father so mediating for mercy to the world he afterwards was an hungry then came Satan to him and said If thou be the Sonne of God command this stone that it be made bread and Christ by the word of truth repells his assault For Iesus answered him saying It is written That man shall not live by bread alone but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God implying that as mans temporary life is maintained by an influence from God in bread so his life spirituall here by faith is in every word of God from the influence of his spirit Likewise then the Divell taking him up into an high mountaine shewed him all the Kingdomes of the world in a moment of time and the Divell said unto him All this power will I give to thee and the glory of them for that is delivered unto me and to whomsoever I will I give it if thou therefore wilt fall downe before me all shall be thine Iesus answered and said unto him get thee behind me Satan for it is written Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and him onely shalt thou serve implying that himselfe was personally God-man and ought therefore to be worshipped by him Likewise he brought him to Ierusalem and set him on a pinacle of the Temple and said unto him if thou be the sonne of God as thy words import then cast thy selfe downe from hence for it is written He shall give his Angells charge over thee to keepe thee and in their hands they shall beare thee up lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone And Iesus answering said unto him it is said Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God implying what he had said before was his answer Luke 4. So that although the first Adam believed a lye to the destruction of all yet the second Adam was constant in Gods truth dissolving Satans lies for the restauration of all and Satan saith he hath nought in me He likewise discovers to the world what Satans operations was and is for Iohn 8. he saith Saâ—an was a murtherer from the beginning and abode not in the truth because no truth is in him when he speaketh a lye he speaketh of his owne for hee is a lyar and the fâ—ther thereof verse 44. Fourthly Christ now witnesseth Gods truth against Satans lyes by faith and flames of love to God under Gods most dreadfull wrath so offering himselfe as a whole burnt offering to God yet not but that Gods truth may be witnessed under divine justice and not under wrath likewise under mercy and not under wrath Also under Justice in exceeding great wrath The first was Adams estate in the Covenant before his fall The second is the Estate of the Saints witnessing Gods truth in some conformity to Christ in which respect hee which sanctifieth and they which are sanctified are one Hebr. 2.11 The third was the estate of Christ as the Redeemer of the fallen world for as hee was for our sinnes in Adam and for the Iewes and Gentiles apostasie a sinner imputed Hee therefore in this respect was a man as hated of God as himselfe saith reckoned amongst the transgressors And the truth is so it was with him from his conception to the expiration of his life for although his conception and birth was not in sinne but * Christ partaking mans nature as do children viz. seminally in the womb is a twofold pledge to us first that it was to destroy the workes of Satan in our behalfe secondly after man believeth truth to free him from the feare of death to which precedently all his life long hee was subject Hebr. 2.14 conceived and borne an holy thing the Sonne of God yet his conception and birth was from her in whom was sinne the seed of the Serpent wherefore shee rejoyced in him as her Saviour and salvation So likewise no sooner was he borne but Satan in Herod attempted to bruise his heele Likewise his breeding under his supposed father was but meane a Carpenter Likewise with his kindred which nationally was his Spouse he was reputed but a meane fellow a friend of Publicans and sinners a mad man a conjurer an impostor a blasphemer of God a Divell Therefore rightly doth the Apostle incourage the Saints to undergoe the hatred of the world to consider him that indured such contradiction of sinners against himselfe Hebr. 10.13 Againe the first Adam by the justice of the Covenant in point of triall against Satans lyes was estated not onely in the sweet perfections of the glory of nature but also in the splendor of the Garden relatively drawing him by faith to enjoy God in the heavenly glory but the second Adam not onely under wrath but under exceeding great wrath as appeares in two particulars First by his feares of the neere approach of that wrath Secondly by what it was when he was directly under it first when this houre and power of darknesse did draw neere although it was a thing greatly by him desired as his aspired end to his fathers glory for when he commeth into the world he saith Sacrifice and offrings thou wouldst not have but a body hast thou prepared mee then said I
Priest-hood successively after his departure from this world corporallâ— he made choyce of men meane and contemptible for his Ambassadors that so the efficacy might app are to be hiâ— â—nd none of theirs to which end also he loved them as his owne more * The Lord Iâ—sus having made choice of twelve whom the Father had given him of whom Iudas was one and therefore Mat. 1â— he called him as the otheâ— eleven and gave him like power to pâ—each the Gospell and worke miracles as to the rest ver 1.4 7. yet Ioh. 13. â—e excluds Iudas fâ—oÌ„ thaâ— choice veâ— â—8 for as the cal of Christ 〈◊〉 someâ—imes unive sally extâ—aoâ—dinary as was this of the Gentiles â—nd sometimes his call and choice is extraordinary and speciall as was that of the 70 Disciples and to some extraordinary and more peculiar as was this call and choice of the 12 Apostles for the Restauration of the world by their labours but the most neerest choice and conjunction of Christ with man is in the object of Iustification by his Spirit imbreathing upon their Spirits by right beliefe of him for so they are his Spouse in the neeâ—est relation yet mans ungodlinesse may be foâ— tâ—anscendent as that for it God will cut him off from the most glorious priviledge then much more to Iudaâ— see Cap. 12. see Gods decree in Chapt. 12. peculiarly â—hen other men Ioh. 13 1. only hee excluded Iudas because treacherous from that peculiar respect ver 18. But to those whom he had chosen as before is said he gave promise of his residence with them in his Spirit for hee breathed on them and saith unto them receive yee the Holy Ghost whosoever sinnes you remit they are remitted unto them and whosoever sinnes yee retaine they are retained implying that in their Ambassage as rightly divulging their Commission he in his word by his Spirit will be resident (e) Excommunication rightly administred is an externall manifestation of Gods internall and invisible proceedings upon the spirits and persons of men in the visible Church as did Saint Paul in cutting off the incestuous man from Christs body and afterwards admitted him againe to be ingrafted loosing mankinde from the guilt punishment and prevalencie of sinne but to men obstinatly persisting in their precedent Apostasie in the light of truth and grace hee will detaine the influence of that efflux by his spirit from their spirit as men bound over in Chaines of their own corruptions to their eternall damnation Ioh. 20.22 23. likewise Jesus came and spake unto them saying All power is given unto me in Heaven and Earth goe yee therefore and teach all Nations Baptizing them in the Name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the holy Ghost teaching them to observe al things which I have commanded you and loe I am with you untill the end of the world Implying otherwise not if you from my right Ambassage depart Mat. 28. 28. Likewise to continue the succession of this everlasting Priest-hood to future ages Christ by his Spirit in Saint Paul at Miletus sent to Ephesus and called the Elders of the Church and when they were come to him Saint Paul said unto them Yee know from the first day I came unto Asia after what manner I have been with you â—t all seasons Acts 20.27 ver 26. he saith wherefore I take you to record this day that I am pure from the blood of all men for I have rot shunned to declare unto you all the counsell of God take heed therefore unto your selves and to all the flock over which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers to feed the Church of God which he hath purchased with his own blood for I know this that after my departure shall grievous Wolves enter in among you not sparing the fl ck Also of your own selves shall men arise speaking perverse things to draw away Disciples after them therefore saith hee watch c. Likewise to the same end in his Epistle to Timothy he saith I exhort therefore that first of all supplications prayer interessions and giving of thanks be made for all men for Kings and all that are in Authority that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in â—ll godlinesse and honesty that is to the end that from the efflux of of Christ his spirit in the Oracles of life men may be drawn from the shade of death to life for that 's implyed because he saith this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour who will have all men to be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth 1 Tim. 2.4 But what this truth is I need not now stand to treate of because it is but the same which God preached to Adam in the promised seed of the woman and to Cain interrogatively and the same which hee renew'd to Abraham in the predestination of Jewes and Gentiles and which was wrapt up under the glorious vaile of Moses and now preached with open face without the veile therefore Christ is a Priest for ever after the order of Milchisedeck in his own Ambassage rightly delivered till time shall be no more Wherefore rightly saith the Apostle Christ yesterday and to day and the same for ever Christ also manifests his impartiall proceedings unto the Spirits of men intending and extending eternall life to all and all alike in this ordinary call of the Gentiles as appears Luke the 8. for there he compares the Oracles of life for Doctrine of the Kingdome of grace to seed and all mens mindes to whom the Gospell comes to ground variously dispos'd and that from those various dispositions in the hearts of men the oracle of life ordinarily did variously take effect by the influence of his spirit and in the opening of this parable he referres those various dispositions of men to foure heads for saith hee the parable is this the seed is the word of God ver 12. from which seed of life the first sort of men received only a glance of the object of faith and no more for saith hee those by the high way side are those that heare then cometh the Divell and taketh the word out of their hearts least they should believe and be saved therefore these do not believe in any degree they have onely a glance and no more and the reason is because their mindes were as a common roade for Satan his allurements and persisting in their precedent Apostacie extinguishing all light of the enlivened principle of enmity to Satan wherefore saith Christ to such if the light that is in thee be darknesse how great is that darknesse Mat. 6.23 Againe the second sort of mens mindes under the seed of life receive a further disposition to the object of Faith for they believe to consolation verse 13. they on the rocke when they here receive the word with joy and these have no root which for a while believe and in time of temptation fall away and the