is an account given why the Gospel should extend to the Gentiles because God will be glorified among them 3. Ephes 21. He is able and ready to do for his People above what they can either ask or think That he might have glory in all ages even to the to the end of the world Secondly We are under the same encouragements because we are under the same promises that they were and what there is of difference is rather of advantage to us above what it was to them the promises to us are more clear and plain We have the same Covenant now that they had 3. Gal. 14. That the blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles we have the same Covenant to plead And the terms and conditions upon which mercy is tendered in the promises is the same as faith and repentance which was accepted then is accepted now and these conditions are more clear now then at that time 3. The great design and intent of God in singling out such Persons is that he might give sufficient antidotes against all objections this is the account S. Paul gives in this place That in â—e first Jesus Christ might shew forth all long-suffering for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe Now how hath God been pleased by such examples to provide against all the discouragements of poor humbled and doubting sinners 1. God hereby shews that as great and notorious sinners as we can think our selves to be have been pardoned I obtained mercy saith S. Paulâ— who was a blasphemer therefore let no man hence forward despair of mercy for there is riches and fulness enough of mercy in the bosome of God for the greatest sinners Manasseh whom the Scripture discovers to be as a summary or an abridgement of all kind of wickedness 2 Chrâ—â— 33.2 had done like the heathen in all their abominations 9. vers He made them equal with them in Witchcrafts and Idolatry and in all manner of abominations Nay to exceed the heathen and yet when he was in Affliction in the 12 13. vers he besought the Lord his God and humbled himself greatly before the God of his Fathers and prayed unto him and he was entreated of him Great sinners may be pardoned 2. Some object the unworthiness of their Person but consider as unworthy Persons as you can be have obtained mercy and been made instruments of mercy to others 36. Ezek. 31.32 3. Persons as unwilling as you have found mercy 5. John 40. It s our Saviours great complaint you will not come to me that you might have life he is willing to give it what can poor dead Persons more need then life he is willing to bestow it he invites them to accept of it but they would not come to him that they might have life But yet many of those obtained mercy Nay Let me adde farther is it your inability that discourageth you As unable as you have found mercy our Saviour tells us 6. John 44. No man can come to me except the Father which hath sent me draw him We are all naturally unable unwilling and unworthy yet God gives encouragement by these instances and standing monuments of his favour to answer all objections Vse 1. This may serve by way of reproof to three sorts of Persons Hath God left such standing Monuments of his mercy to Notorious offenders even such as is sufficient to answer all objections if they be but once humbled and come to him upon his own terms Then this may reprove such as Consult not the Scriptures that know not what monuments God hath left upon record for our encouragement at what a loss are such Persons for the making use of such examples 2. It reproves such as are careless in making use of them that seldom concern themselves about the case of their souls that neither Consider how it is with them at present nor how it is like to be with them for the future 3. It reproves such as make a perverse use of these examples in turning the grace of God into Lasciviousness and Wantonness in making use of these examples of mercy either for the imboldening of themselves in sin to the hardening of their hearts against Gods fear or to encourage themselves in the delaying their repentance and applying themselves to God for mercy but let loose the reins of their Corruptions because such great sinners have been pardoned Therefore a Pardon is easie to be had it is but crying God have mercy upon me Oh take heed of such bold Presumption in sin it is a most dangerous thing to play the wantons with the tender grace and mercy of God how many are apt to plead for the justification of their sins because many have been saved who have been guilty of their sins I do not know of any kind of sins but God hath given us instances of his saving some from such sins But what a high degree of blasphemy is this to pervert the grace of God to such contrary ends to what God intended it All along in Scripture these Monuments are mentioned to keep us humble thankful and lively in the service of God and not to enbolden us in sin this is quite contrary to the whole design of the Gospel Hence see also the necessity of keeping these famous instances fresh in your thoughts for the supporting of your Spirits Oh think what their case is how difficult and dangerous who forget these examples and what success they will find who improve them faithfully and not wantonly And consider the great difficulty of believing it is what God Commands in a way of Condition and it is what God hath promised in a way of grace it is beyond our power to believe who hath believed our report to whom is the Arm of the Lord revealed it is onely the mighty Arm of God that can work faith in such hearts as ours are How much prejudiced are we against every thing of Faith as the Person of Christ and the righteousness of Christ What a hard task had S. Paul with many of the Churches as the Romanes and Galatians to bring them off from their self-righteousness and trusting to their works Oh it is not an easie matter to bring our hearts to close with Christ to think that Christ will entertain thoughts of mercy towards us These are the two Capital Mistakes by which most of the world miscarry either to think so slightly of sin as not to regard it or so blackly of sin as to think themselves past all remedy Let what hath been said encourage you to make this use to strengthen your faith and to lay hold humbly and thankfully on the promises made to you it is to this end that God hath left such paterns of mercy on record for us and consider it is the principal design of Satan to rob you of faith to weaken believing and to keep you off from believing Satan hath desired to winnow thee as wheat If Satan can but destroy our
unworthiness but it is an evidence that mercy is then in mercy when it doth not onely elevate and lift up our hearts in admiration and praising God but in commending him to others as the object of their trust and hope 3. Doct. That the scope and aim of every Person should be everlasting life 4. Doct. That the onely way to obtain this everlasting life is in a way of believing 5. Doct. That the work of beleiving is a difficult work 6. Doct. Because it is a difficult thing to believe therefore God hath appointed all kind of helps for the working of faith in the hearts of believers But I shall wave all these and speak to this Doct. God is pleased sometimes to single out Capital and notorious offenders to make them the objects of his special and distinguishing mercy to the end they may be as standing instances and famous Monuments of his mercy in after ages and thereby prevent all occasions of doubts suspicion and jealousies which humble sinners are in danger of This Doctrine must be warily understood I do not say God always or ordinarily doth so this cannot possibly be it is contrary to the holiness and truth of God As God is a holy God be cannot but abhor sin Though he hath mercy sometimes on the greatest sinners yet he bears a perfect detestation to sin therefore sin is called ant abominable thing do not that abominable thing that I hate He cannot but have an infinite displeasure against sin because it is so unsuteable to his holiness 11. Psal 5 6 7. The Lord trieth the Righteous but the wicked and him that loveth violence his soul hateth His countenance doth behold the upright and those only with approbation and delight So as to the truth and veracity of God in his threatnings against sin which he hath so severely pronounced his displeasure against he is in point of his truth and faithfulness obliged to make good what he hath threatened as well as promised Therefore God doth not always nor ordinarily make notorious sinners the objects of his pardoning mercy because this would make God a seeming approver of what himself hates and a countenancer of what he puts a great discountenance upon but sometimes God singles out some notable sinners and leaves them as instances and monuments to after ages and it is to this end and purpose that they might be as so many Beacons on a hill to warn others to take heed of their sins and to give light to others to encourage them notwithstanding their objections doubts and fears Sometimes you finde S. Paul admiring the grace of God shewed to him that he who was at that remoteness and distance from mercy should find mercy and favour You have a notable instance in the 2 Ephes 2. Wherein in times past speaking of them in their Gentilism ye walked according to the course of this world c. This was a sad condition to be under the power to be captive to the will and pleasure of such an usurper Vers 4. But God who is rich in mercy hath quickned us together with Christ In the 7. vers That in the ages to come be might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness towards us through Jesus Christ That he might leave such standing objects of his mercy as might obviate and prevent all discouragements in doubting Christians and because S. Paul propounds himself singly in this Text I shall confine my self to that particular instance and the end and account upon which he obtained so much mercy it was that he might be a pattern to others In opening the Doctrine I shall speak to three things 1. What those sins were that S. Paul before his conversion was guilty of and notwithstanding which he obtained mercy which was in his eye so great a wonder 2. What mercy he did obtain notwithstanding those great sins 3. What there is of Encouragement from these instances of S. Paul and others recorded in the Scripture for the encouragement of doubting Christians in after ages 1. What were those sins S. Paul was guilty of before his Conversion You find them summ'd up in the 13 vers of this Chapter I was a blasphemer That is the first Now blasphemy was a capital crime and to be punished with death and by stoning to death There are two things remarkable in the punishment of blasphemers It was no less then death and every person who was not guilty was bound to purge himself from so great a crime by witnessing his detestation of it Thy hand shall be first against him The tender Father must be severe against the Child of his own bowels Blasphemy is branded in Scripture with many black titles and the punishment of it was very severe This was the great crime objected against Naboth he must be carried out of the City and stoned as a vile Person not fit to live because he blasphemed God and the King 1 King 21.9.13 A greater crime then this the enemies of our Saviour notwithstanding all their combinations against him could not alledge a stronger charge then that of blasphemy they could not lay against him 26 Matth. 65. Then the high Priest rent his clothes saying he hath spoken blasphemy What was the blasphemy 61 vers This fellow said I am able to destroy the temple of God and build it in three days Here was reproachful Language this fellow this contemptible fellow spake thus and thus and you have heard his blasphemy what need you any more witnesses This is such a sin that Herod though he was not guilty of blaspheming God himself yet because he did seem to countenance others who did when he made that eloquent Oration when the People cryed out it is the voice of a God and not of a man 12. Act. 21.22 for his bare connivance at this sin brought ruine upon himself because he took the glory to himself Because David had but occasioned the enemies to blaspheme God dealt so severely with him the Child must die 2 Sam. 12.14 I might shew at large with what severity the Magistrates were bound to bear witness against this sin 5. Levit. 1. And unless we express a detestation of this sin we make it our own That is the first a blasphemer 2. A persecutour and that he was to purpose do but observe those emphatical expressions by which S. Paul sets out the hainousness of his guilt of this sin 7. Act. 58. And cast him out of the City and stoned him 8. Act. 1. And Saul was consenting to his death 9. Act. 1. And Saul yet breathing out threatnings and slaughter against the Disciples of the Lord c. And this is the next step to blasphemy perfecution He would neither imbrace Christianity himself nor could he patiently endure that others should but with all the rage and fury imaginable he laboured to oppose the ways of Christ 3. He was Injurious the word in the Greek is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is but once more used
14.22 4. A Reverent esteem of the wisdom goodness and faithfulness of God in all his dispensations that all his works are in weight and measure and that he who hath the disposal of all things does dispose of all things to the best though we cannot many times see these truths because the ways of God are so great a deep Yet to believe it is necessary to our waiting upon God to entertain good thoughts of him what ever thoughts he seems to entertain concerning us 5. A resignation of our selves into the hands of God a submitting our wills unto his a laying our selves down at his feet that if God see it best both in reference to his glory and our own good that we should rather honour him in away of suffering than doing to pray with our Saviour If it be possible let this Cup pass from me nevertheless not my will but thine be done Mat. 26.39 Vse What height of folly then is it when God seems to cast off all regard of us for us to cast off all regard of him as do all impatient and froward persons who upon every withdrawing of God are so bold as to call the glorious Majesty of Heaven before their petty Tribunal and charge him either with rigorousness or unfaithfulness as 2 Kings 6.33 And oh how apt are all men so far to forget their subjection and dependence upon God as when he breaks in upon them by his judgments they break out against him in their complaints and murmurings Others there are who in their distresses betake themselves to indiredct and sinful means of safety as the Jews here to their confederacies with the bordering Heathens How many are there who think no course bad by which they may shift off dangers and shelter themslves from an approaching Storm But this is not to wait upon the Lord but a course quite contrary to what is commended here Now in these perilous times lest we should make use of deceitful refuges consider these few Arguments 1. The absolute impossibility of ever finding benefit by any way of Sin Sin is a depargting from God and in departing from him we forsake our strength and refuge Can we ever be safe while we are from under Gods Protection Sin is a putting our selves out of Gods Protection The lord is with you while you are with him but if you forsake him he will forsake you 2 Chron. 15.2 Can any kind of means do us good without Gods concurrence whatever there is of virtue in them it is derived from him does Food nourish 't is God that makes it nourishing Mat. 4.4 Does Physick cure 't is God that makes it effectual Do Creature helps Friends c. stand us in stead 't is God that gives them both hearts and power To use indirect means is to blast means and render them ineffectual It 's true that God sometimes permits many to flourish not only in their sinful courses but by their sinful courses This was Asaphs temptation Psal 73. But alas much better would it have been for such rather to have been without their comforts than to have purchased them thus 2. This kind of carriage in stead of relieving us in our distresses does but increase them Those towards whom God hath any purpose of mercy if gentler means prevail not God like a careful Physitian applys sharper if milder corrections do not humble them like a tender Parent he is more severe if cords of love will not draw them he uses the bonds of affliction but if mercies move not and afflictions prevail not God takes another course with them and never leaves till he brings them upon their knees In natural causes resistance does but increase the vigour and operation of contraries When fire and water meet in strong opposition how does the stronger rage till it hath got the victory God tryed many ways with Ephraim but his heart yielded not God sometimes over till he hath humbled him Isa 57.16 17. with Jer. 31. 19. As for others God sometimes deals with them as he did with Pharaoh who by his stubbornness encreased his Plagues or else as he dealt at last with Ephraim Hos 4.17 He gave him up to his incorrigibleness either they hasten their ruine in this world by their perverseness or else they ripen themselves for judgment in another world 3. In stead of removeing or shortning our tryals this carriage does prolong and continue tthem The Chyrurgeon continues his Plaisters while the Sore is unhealed the Child does but prolong his Fathers displeasure by his obstinacy A Prince that hath once begun to reduce rebellious Subjects leaves not off till he hath subdued them there 's no standing it out against God no other way to prevail with him but by repentance and submission Vse Exhort To follow the Prophets Example here in taking the same course in this day of Jacobs trouble as he did in that God had hid his face from Jacob then he hath hid his face from Jacob now let us be persuaded to wait upon the Lord to look for him 1. The recovery of those pledges of Gods love whereof we are at present deprived is a mercyworthy th waiting for Hath God hid his face from this Nation in general by depriving us in a great measure of the means of Communion with himself remember how supporting how refreshing how improving and strengthning you have found those Ordinances of which you are at present in a great measure scanted and yu cannot but be sensible that there are Priviledges worthy the waiting for God hath exercised us in this Nation with many years of affliction but what affliction ever like to this hath God hid his face from any soul in particular be persuaded to wait 't is a mercy worthy the waiting for to regain his favour 1. There are no comforts in all the world like the comforts of Gods presence he that hath once tasted the sweetness of these conforts can not but comparatively despise all other as in the primitive Christians they despised estates liberties Friends yea and life it self rather than submit ot any thing that might endanger Gods withdrawing from them 2. 'T is not the baâ—e presence and favour of God but the evidence and sence thereof that renders our condition comfortable In the favour of God is life his loving kindness is better than life but while the soul hath its evidences blotted its hopes darkned the higer it prises the favour of God the more afflicting is the inevidence thereof Is God the fountain of all good and is this God mine enemy are all my fresh springs in him and are all these stop'd and shut up against me Is he the supreme disposer of all things and am I under his displeasure that soul that considers what God is in himself what he is to others of his servants and what he hath been to it self in times past cannot but be sensible how grievous a thing it is to lose such a Friend such a Father c.
is stiled The Great God and the true God 1 Epist St. John 5.20 And we are in him that is true even in his Son Jesus Christ This is the true God and eternal life The true God is to be taken in opposition to all Idol-Gods and all those Metaphorical expressions where we finde this Name Elohim as sometimes given to Creatures Again he is stiled The Mighty God Isa 9.6 For unto us a Child is born his Name shall be called Wonderful Councellour the Mighty God He is called God blessed for ever Rom 9.5 Whose are the Fathers speaking of the Priviledges of the Jews and of whom concerning the flesh Christ came who is God blessed for ever He is stiled also The Lord of Glory 1 Cor. 2.8 Which none of the Princes of this world knew for had they known it they would not have crucified the Lord of Glory Nay the Name Jehovah which throughout all the Scripture is not so much as singly ascribed to any Creature is ascribed to Jesus Christ He is called The Lord our Righteousness Jehovah our Righteousness That is the first 2. He in whom are all those high and eminent perfections those glorious Attributes which transcend the capacity of any Creature must needs be God and these the Scripture ascribes to Christ I shall only give you some few hints He who is Omnipotent whose Power is boundless and unlimited whose Government reacheth Heaven and Earth He that can do all things must needs be God Take all the Power that is in the Creature there is 〈◊〉 confinement and limitation of their Power but Jesus Christ is Almighty Rev. 1.8 I am Alpha and Omega the Almighty Rev. 19.6 The Lord God Omnipotent reigneth 'T is true Angels do excel in Power but Omnipotencie is peculiar to the true God for they are but his Creatures and their power is limited by him they are his Messengers whom he imploys Again Omnisciencie this is ascribed to Jesus Christ He searcheth hearts and tryeth reins he hath a window open into all mens breasts and discovers what is their thoughts he needs not that any should tell him any thing because he knows it and therefore he must needs be God John 2.25 And he needed not that any should testifie of man for he knew what was in man that is as he is God John 13.19 He that knoweth all things before they come to pass must needs be God Now I tell you says he before it come that when it is come to pass you must believe that I am he believe him to be God So Rev. 2.23 I am he that searcheth the Reins and Heart and will give to every one of you according to your work◠Now this is only peculiar to the great God 3. He is said to be Omnipresent He was in Heaven even while he was upon the Earth John 14.3 I go that where I am ye may be also He was on Earth but as God He was even then in Heaven Matth. 28.20 His promise to his Disciples is And loe I am with you always to the end of the world and so he is as God He is with them while he is in Heaven As Ubiquity is only peculiar to the great God he fills Heaven and earth with his presence for the Heaven of Heavens cannot contain him Now I will be with you when I am taken up from you when you cannot see me nor converse in the flesh with me any longer 4. Immutability and Eternity are ascribed to Jesus Christ Prov. 8.22 it is applied to him who is the Wisdom spoken of there principally The Lord possessed me in the beginning of his way before his works of old ver 23 24 25 26. I was set up from everlasting from the beginning or ever the Earth was c. This shews that Jesus Christ was Antecedaneous to all Creatures and that speaks him to be Eternal Psal 90.2 Before the Mountains were brought forth or ever thou hadst formed the Earth and the World even from everlasting to everlasting thou art God So everlasting is peculiar to God which is ascribed to Christ Micha 5.2 Whose goings forth have been from of Old from everlasting Your Margent reads it From the days of Eternity Heb. 13.8 Jesus Christ the same yesterday and to day and for ever It is said of him There is no variableness nor shadow of changing and he is called The everlasting Father Isa 9.6 Lastly He that hath life in Himself and is the Principle of life to others must needs be God It is a Contradiction to be a Creature and to be self-Originated So is it said of Jesus Christ Acts 3.15 And killed the Prince of Life v. 16. And his Name through Faith in his Name hath made this man strong that shews the greatness of his power through faith in his Name John 5.26 For as the Father hath life in himself so hath he given the Son to have life in himself 3. He to whom works of Infiniteness are ascribed must needs be God No Creature can possibly do any act of Infiniteness because it is above the rank of a Creature The work of Creation which is a work of Infiniteness is ascribed to Jesus Christ John 1.3 All things were made by him So the work of Supportation is ascribed to him Heb. 1.3 Vpholding all things by the Word of his power He that not onely brought all things out of nothing by the Word of his power but he that upholds them from falling back into their first nothing again by the same All-mighty power must needs be God and this is ascribed to Christ So the work of Redemption this is attributed to Jesus Christ He that could subdue him that had the power of death that is the Devil He that could conquer Principallities and Powers and lead Captivity captive He to whom all things are made subject both in Heaven and in Earth Principallities Dominions and Thrones and every thing that is named that is every thing that is excellent are made subject to him Eph. 1.22 And hath put all things under his feet and hath left nothing unsubdued and gave him to be Head over all things to the Church That is the third Argument 4. He whom Angels adore and Creatures worship must needs be God and thus they do Jesus Christ God is very jealous of his own Honour and will not suffer them to be given to any other But honour and worship is by the Command of God to be given to Jesus Christ Heb. 1.6 Let all the Angels of God worship him And we are baptized in the Name of Christ Mat. 28.19 And we are bound to pray in the Name of Christ Whatever you ask in my Name that will I do John 14.13 And to believe in Christ John 14.2 Let not your hearts be troubled ye believe in God believe also in me Now to believe in any thing is to make a God of it weare taken off from setting our faith on any Creature Trust not in man nor in the
and reverence from us on the one hand and love and obedience on the other It is the Doctrine of God and therefore it requires awe and reverence and it is the Doctrine of God our Saviour and therefore requires our love and chearful acceptance Oh! was this truth but throughly believed what strange wonders might the Gospel do in the Conversations of men How would it Conquer all prejudice against it How would it destroy all those false foundations that men build their hopes upon and make way for Christ to take hold of their hearts therefore labour to be fixt in the belief of this great Truth that the Gospel is the Word of God the Doctrine of God our Savior Doctr. 4. That this Doctrine of God our Saviour is a Priviledge so ominent that it both deserves and requires the utmost diligence of them that live under it to adorn it according to the capacity wherein they are Three things are to be spoken to in the opening of this Doctrine 1. That it is a priviledge very eminent to enjoy and be acquainted with this Doctrine of God our Saviour 2. That it is the duty of all that live under this Doctrine to adorn it to beautifie it to render it amiable and lovely to do what they can to gain it credit and reputation 3. Though there be difference in Persons some of a higher and some of a meaner capacity yet it concerns all to do what they can to adorn this Doctrine of God our Saviour 1. That it is an eminent privilledge to enjoy this Doctrine of God our Saviour it is meationed as the great Priviledge of the Jews Rom. 3. 2. Vnto them were committed the Oracles of God This single Priviledge the Apostle magnifies to the heigth this was the favour wherein God commended his love to them above others Psal 147.20 He bath not dealt so with any Nation and as for his Judgments they have not known them It is called the Grace that is the favour of God So in the Verse next the Text For the Grace of God that bringeth Salvation hath appeared to all men that is this Doctrine of Grace or the Grace of God hath appeared in vouchfafeing this Gospel and so Jude 3 verse Christians are commanded to contend earnestly for the faith which was once delivered to the Saints the word in the Greek is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which was once out of the favour of God vouchsafed and committed to the Saints And that it is so eminent a Priviledge to live under this Doctrine of God our Saviour I shall prove by three Arguments 1. From the grand matters wherein this Doctrine doth instruct us 2. From the grand oppositions that all the enemies of Gods people have made against this Doctrine whereby they have laboured to deprive the Church of God of so great a mercie 3. From the singular Providence of God in ordering things so that the Church should not be destitute of this Doctrine to the end of the world from so many ages past since the publication of it and we our selves may be witnesses of it 1. It is an eminent priviledge because of the grand matters this Gospel instructs us it it is called the Doctrine of Salvation and the Doctrine of Godliness it is a Doctrine that teacheth us how we may be good and how we may do good and how we may enjoy for ever all that we call good Now these three things are of a vast comprehension and in all these it is infinitely transcending all the instructions of the most wise Moralists and the capacity of all humane accomplishments However the Philosophers in their time and others in after tlmes have by their endeavours gained renown to their names by this attempt yet how short have their Aphorismes come of the Gospel and what defects are there in their Rules in comparison of this Doctrine of God our Saviour Though in some things they have hit the right yet that light that was in them is as far different from the light of the Doctrine of God our Saviour as the light of a rush Candle differs from the Sun at noon day Now what ever was spoken of any of those matters contained in the Gospel by them obscurely this Doctrine of God our Saviour speaks our fully and clearly I shall shew in eight or nine instances thereof those great Principles wherein the design of this Doctrine of God our Saviour is to establish poor Creatures 1. That every mans truest self is his Soul This is a principle often inculcated in this Doctrine most men take their lusts for themselves and therefore our Saviour when he would shew the necessity of self-denial he calls to the plucking out of right eyes and to the cutting off our our right hands These are our very selves the limbs and members of us Our lusts are as the whole body of corruption is compared in the Scripture to the whole man for it is called the old man as a man consists of several members so by reason of the corruption of our Nature every lust is called our Member every part of man being corrupted Ephes 4.21 Put off the old man which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts So the work of Mortification is commanded in the Members Col. 3.5 it branches forth this old man in its several members as fornication uncleanness covetousness Idolatry and the like Sinners are apt to account their lusts themselves their pride and ambition c. and if they be toucht in any of these sins it is as a dagger to their very hearts Again others account their natural selves themselves though not their corrupt members thus did that rich person Luke 12.19 he speaks to his Soul saying Soul thou hast goods laid up for many years c. he thought these to be proper food for his Soul for himself That which any man makes his chief Idol or that which is the reigning lust in any particular person that sin is predominate in any person that he is apt to account himself and is very tender and nice of and is not willing that it should be prejudiced or hurt But it is the common Language of the Scripture to speak of the Soul as the man as if it ws the person The Soul being the principal part of man it is srequently put for the whole man Gen. 14.21 The King of Sodom said give me the Persons and when Abraham â—â—conmted those five Kings and rescued Lot that was taken by them in the Hebrew it is Giveme the Souls Souls is taken there for 〈◊〉 s Genes 17.14 That Soul shall be 〈◊〉 rom his people even those that should deipâ—sâ—â—r neglect Circumcision which was then an instâ—â—tion of God in force the Soul that is the â—â—â—en Gen. 36.6 And Esau took his wives and his sons and his daughters and all the persons of his house in the Margin it is read and all the Souls of his house and so it is in the Hebrew Gen.