3.21 John 1.49 Rom. 1.7 1 Cor. 1.3 Matth. 28.20 Heb. 2.18 5.10 7.1 2 Ephes 5.25 26. Luk. 22.29 30. not onely Lord of all Men and Creatures but also King of the Nations general and of the Saints peculiarly The Law-giver to Men and to take the care of all ordering the Kingdom of God amongst and for them as best stands with his wisdom and their good while it is a Day of Salvation to them But especially as a King over his Subjects to take care of protect govern and defend them supplying all grace to them who hear his Voice as the Great Prophet and submit to his Kingdom Support them in Temptations and Afflictions Subdue their Enemies Fight their Battels hear and grant their Petitions subdue their Corruptions sanctifie them by his Spirit raise them from Death and give them glorious Kingdom and Inheritance 3. To be the Great High Priest Heb. 2.17 and 3.1 7. 1 Tim. 2.5 1 John 2.2 Luk. 24.46 47 48. Act. 17.30 31. Heb. 10.19 20 21. Psa 68.18 19 20. Isa 53.12 Luk. 23.34 Psal 119.4 to which by the offering up of his mo◠precious Body a spotless Sacrifice and by the Oath of God he was Consecrated and therein to be the Great Mediator 〈◊〉 God and Men the standing Propitiation for the Sins both of those that believe 〈◊〉 him and of the whole World That so to the world in general during the day of his Grace and Patience towards them respectively that door of Life opened and liberty for their Repenting and going back to God and opportunity in so doing of finding Mercy and Acceptance with him with means mercy and grace preventing them to inable and lead the◠thereto procured by his Death and Sacrifice for them might by his presentation of the same unto God his Father and Mediation or Intercession for Transgresson in the Vertues thereof made by him be kept open and continued to them so a◠that they not speedily listening to hi◠Voice as the Great Prophet and obeying him as the King and their sinning against the grace and goodness of God extended to them by him might not pull down Wrath upon them to the Reprobating and destroying of them But God might yet be patient toward them and be yet calling reproving striving with them by his Spirit using means and waiting with much long-suffering and goodness for their Conversion with respect to which Psal 68.18 he is said having led captivity captive to have received gifts in the man not onely for men as men simply considered in their First Fallen Estate but for the Rebellious also that the Lord God might dwell amongst them Whence they also are yet laded with Benefits and meet with manifold Salvations and Deliverances He as the Propitiation for them Gen. 6.3 Eccles 3.1 2 3. 2 Cor. 6.1 2. Rom. 2.4 5 6. Psal 68.21 covering them from the wrath of God so as their sins are not so minded before him as that he therefore casts them away and destroys them which Propitiation I say he is for them so long as he pleases that a day of Grace should be afforded them there being for every purpose an appointed time A time to love and a time to hate a day of grace and a day of vengeance to those that go on still in their trespasses till the day of grace be expired As appears in the Parable of the barren Fig-tree Luk. 13.6 7 8 9 c. Let it alone saith the great Vine-dresser this year also till I dig about with Chastisements and dung it with renewed benefits and if it bring forth fruit well but if not then afterwards thou shalt cut it down For Believers 1 John 2.1 2. Col. 1.21 22 23. Heb. 7.25 Acts 10.43 1 Pet. 2.5 Rev. 8.3 4 5. Heb. 5.1 2 3. 9.15 Eph. 5.25 26 27. 1 John 1.7 9. He is the Propitiation and Advocate to present them in himself as Righteous and to make their persons acceptable unto God obtaining for them the Dispensation of the Forgiveness of their Sins and whatever favour or Blessing may be fit and good for them even Grace and Glory Perfuming their Prayers and Praises with the odour of his own Sacrifice and so offering up Sanctifying and making acceptable their Gifts and Sacrifices taking away the Iniquities of their holy Things so as that through his Mediation no failings in their Faith and Love no mixtures cleaving to their Services no follies or failings of theirs through Temptation repented of may deprive them of the promised Inheritance 4. He is also appointed Judge of Quick Acts 10.42 2 Cor. 5.10 John 5.21 22 23. Rev. 1.5 3.7.19 and Dead All Authority is given him to Execute Judgment also both here to Absolve Acquit and Justifie from Sin and Condemnation even due to Men for and deserved by such Sins as they have committed against God's grace and goodness extended to them He hath power to unloose upon their Repenting such Bonds and take off such Punishments as they had brought upon themselves by their so sinning as also to bind or retain their Sins and order and inflict what Punishments he pleases upon them until they Repent and that both upon the Unconverted World that Believe not and upon his own Subjects that Sin against him Job 33.16 17 28 29. Lam. 2.33 Psa 75.8 Isa 1.4 5. 9.13 27.9 1 Pet. 4.16 17. 1 Cor. 11.30 31. But the Judgments now ordered through and by him who is Mediator are during the day of Grace to all full of Mercy the cup in his hand is full of mixture and tend to drive men home to God and to keep back their Souls from going down to the Pit by breaking their Enterprises and hideing Pride from them though yet some of them be smarter and sorer than others Rev. 21.2 Luke 13.9 24 25 26. 2 Thes 2 10 11 12. Jam. 4.12 Rom. 14.9 John 5.28.29 Matt. 25.31 34 41 46. 16. 27 28. 1 Thess 4.14 15 16 17. 2 Thess 1.7 8 9. Rev. 20.11 13 14. 21. 22. 1 6. Matth. 8.29 Jud. 1.6 for he hath power to let loose Satan upon men to bind harden or otherwise to buffet or affright and vex them and to let out evil men too one against another or against his People that Believe to judge exercise and try them Yea he hath Power for mens Rebellions persisted in to cease mediating for them and so to turn the Keys of the Kingdom against them put an end to his Patience give them up to strong Delusions and to Destruction For he is able to Save and to Destroy as seems good to him And so also Power as Lord and Judge over the Dead too to raise them up and finally Judge them at the Last Day both by Pronouncing Sentence upon them and Executing it also when Pronounced To which purpose he is appointed to and shall come again from Heaven in the glory of the Father with all his mighty Angels to
and ground and matter of Hope to beget them to God and nourish them up in God and what to require of them for Obedience and with what Arguments in part to provoke them thereto and deter them from Sin and Disobedience And Vse 4 4. It discovers and reproves many false and evil Opinions men have of God and Christ and Traditions and Documents of men too commonly preached for Truths as if God had only sent his Son for a part of mankind personally fore-purposed to eternal life and either made the rest to destroy them or left them in the fall of Adam without remedy sufficient to save them Principles tending to beget evil thoughts of God in the hearts of men and to make them give him the lye and throw away the foundation of Repentance and Faith and Hope and of Baptism and all Ordinances and Duties that he hath laid for them and sets forth to them and either to live carelesly and desperately as if sure already either of salvation or damnation inevitably or to establish to themselves a righteousness of their own and build upon foundations of Frames and Qualifications in themselves which are sandy and slippery and not of God's laying As also it reproves that evil way of too many Preachers who laying aside God's coner stone and foundation and neither daring to believe themselves nor hold forth to others the good will of God testified in the Gift and Death of his Son for all the true and right and clear bottom foundation of and medium for begetting all right Repentance Faith Hope Love and Obedience do teach men to lay such frames and conceipts of them for their bottom foundation of believing the Gospel And for the Vision of all the Rest wherewith the God would have the wearied Soul to rest and be refreshed and the foundation upon which all Precepts Reproofs Consolations c. are to be laid and by it supported for or instead hereof I say they lay Precept upon Precept Precept upon Precept Line upon Line Line upon Line here a little and there a little to mens destruction and making them have their fear towards God spring from and be ordered by the precepts of men bidding them believe repent hope love God and giving them directions and grounds of their own for so doing when they have taken away or made doubtful God's sure and certain ground for them even the Gift and Death of his Son and the Grace in his Son for them making the people also believe and look upon that as God's gracious will towards them which indeed was the false Prophets sin and God's judgment upon them as may be seen Isa 28.9 10 11 12 13 16. and 29.9 10 11 12 13. Many more evil Principles and Practices the Gospel-Doctrine reproves but this in brief from the first Branch of the Distinction leaving the rest to judicious Observation SECT 4. Brief Hints of Vsefulness from the other Branch about God's Purposes Dispensations and Operations and the diversity in them WHat we have noted about God's various Purposes Distributions and Operations may be also of good use upon divers accounts As Vse 1 First To stir us up to adore the manifold Wisdom and unsearcheable Counsels of God and with sobriety to acquiesce in what he hath revealed as being certain and sure Revelations of them and what was in them as also to acquiesce and rest in the equity and righteousness of God in all he saith and doth believed by us even in things we cannot fathom Vse 2 2. To admonish us not to judge of the Truth of the Gospel by what we see of the variety of God's Dispensations and Receipts of his Operations either with our selves or others seeing that the truth of the Gospel neither dependeth on them nor may be measured by them but to believe as Abraham did upon the Authority of God whose it is according to what is spoken and as the Scripture hath said Gal. 5.22 that so we may experience the Operations of God in our selves therethrough both towards God our selves and others such as the truth believed will work in us in all Godliness Sobriety Righteousness Peace Joy c. Rom. 4.17 Joh. 7.37.3 Vse 3 3. To admire and bless God for his more abundant bounty goodness and manifestations of his love and mercy in his Dispensations to us than to many other Nations and to take heed to make a right use and improvement thereof So as 1. Not to judge our selves thereby justified or accepted with God more than they because we have more for that is no good ground for so judging as appears Rom. 3.1 9 10 19. 2. Nor condemning and despising them as if because they have less therefore they are rejected of God and no hope of their salvation for neither is that true as hath been shewed and as appears Matth. 8.12 Rom. 2.25 26 27. Acts 10.34 But 3. Knowing that God requires more of us to whom he gives more 2 Cor. 6.1 2. Luke 12.48 see that we take heed that we receive not his grace in vain but walk more humblily and holily and suitably to God and his goodness least they rise up in judgment against us and while they appear many of them on the right hand of Christ admitted to fellowship with Abraham Isaac and Jacob in the Kingdom of God we our selves be cast out Math. 8.12 and 12.40 41 42. but walking in the grace bestowed upon us see that we pity and pray for them that God would give forth the clearer and revelations of his truth and of himself to them also that having means for more inâ—ged knowledge of him they may be also in more open way for obtaining his Salvation and render more full and ample praises to him generally then any of them now can or are capable of yea and endeavour we so to glorify God and his Name before and amongst them and carry it forth as we have opportunity to them that they may by us as good Stewards of the Graces of God and dispensers of his Mysteries to them be occasioned to glorify God for his mercy toward them for so much doubtless is required of us as of Israel of old toward us Psal 67. Exod. 19.5 6. 1 Pet. 2.9 10 11 12. Rom. 11.30 31. But truly we have great cause to fear that God hath a very great controversie upon that account with us because instead of receiving his grace effectually so as both by word and conversation to shine forth as lights to the residue of men that they might be drawn to seek God with us as was the end of God in taking us to be for a people to him Acts 15.16 and instead of seeking his Kingdom to promote it and inlarge it among the Nations and to all the ends of the Earth and his righteousness by declaring it and holding it forth to them we are walking in darkness prophaneness uncleanness covetuousness wickedness seeking to inrich our selves and inlarge our Kingdoms even
them that were nigh and to them that were afar off and is the Peace between God and Men and between Men and Men to them that accept him and are found in him to whom is and ought to be the gathering of the People To him Believers are now gathered by his Grace and they that are not gathered now shall hereafter be by his Power gathered to be Judged by him 3. He is the Great Prophet Deut. 18 15 18. Act. 3.21 22 23. raised up out of the Jews like to Moses yea above him both in immediateness of receipt of his Commands from his Father and in giving Laws and Doctrines binding to all people and in Meekness Faithfulness Miracles c. yea One Greater then He Numb 12.6 7 8. John 3.34 Matth. 11.27 John 1.18 Heb. 3.1 2 3 4. John 20.30 31. 21.25 Act. 2.22 in asmuch as Moses was but a Servant in God's House but Christ the Son in his own House To him therefore all ought to listen and he that refuseth him shall be destroyed by him 4. He is the Great King and Shepheard of Israel that God promised to raise up to David out of his Seed or Loyns To whom God hath given the Everlasting Kingdom both over All Men and over Israel or Believing Men in special which he also is Anointed to Govern and Order till he shall deliver it up to the Father and God become all in all Psal 2.6 7. John 10.11 1.49 with Psal 89.2 3 19 20 c. Luk. 1.33 34 35. 1 Cor. 15.24 Matth. 3.17 17.5 Acts. 3.22 23. Isa 11.1 10 11. 4.2 with Rom. 15.9 10 11 12 13. Dan. 9.24 25 26. John 1.41.45 25 26 27. 5. He is the Root of Jesse The Branch of the Lord. The Fruit of the Earth The Ensign for the Nations to flock to whose Rest is Glorious The Messias or Anointed One who was the Messias in Scripture is found in him Luk. 24.27 44. 6. Yea all things in Heaven Ephes 1.10 Rev. 3.14 Col. 3.8 9 10 16. Eph. 2.10 or Earth by which God represented Himself his Grace or Salvation to Men are gathered together and sum'd up in him and in the Spirit of them are to be met with by men in and through him as to instance He is the Beginning of the Creation of God in and by him and his Truth God Creates Men to be a People for himself as well as by him He Created all things at the First He is the True Sabbath bath or Rest Isa 28.12 Matth. 11.28 Isa 42.1 Rom. 15.12 13 14. John 1.14 16. Coll. 1.19 Prov. 3.15 16 17. Col. 2.8 9 10. Rev. 22.1 2 14 1 Pet. 3.20 Acts. 4.11 12. Isa 28.14 15 16 17. 42.6 49.6 7. Col. 2.10 11. Phil. 3.3 Gall. 5.24 Gen. 17.10 13. Matth. 16.24 25. Luke 14.25 26. Exod. 12.4 5. with Joh. 1.29 Isa 55.4 John 6.40 14.1 15 16 17 25. Mat. 21.44 John 8.12 12.48 1.14 Heb. 9.11 12. John 14.8 9 10. in whom the weary labouring Souls have Rest given them and may in coming to him find it The Garden of God's and Man's delight where man may meet with and converse with his Maker and find all variety of Grace Blessings and Satisfaction good for him The Tree of Life giving Immortality to them that Eat of Him The River of living Waters affording living Influences to them that come and Drink of Him Joh. 4.14 and 7.37 38. The Ark of safety where alone we may be preserved in the midst of the over-flowing Deluge of Miseries that over-top all the Mountains of this World and destroy those that stay thereon The Governant God hath given to the People in whom we may have him our God and become a people to him in whom also we have the true Circumcision or cutting off of the foreskin of the Flesh i. e. all confidences in the Flesh with the corrupt Affections and Lusts thereof which we must needs submit to if we will be in Covenant with God through Christ He is the true Passover slain and sacrificed for us 1 Cor. 5.9 The cloud of God's Protection over us Isa 4.4 5 6. in our marchings after him our Leader and Commander out of the Spiritual Aegypt of the Worlds state and condition in him God Protects and guides us and looks upon the Enemy to disperse and destroy them The Pillar of Fire to give us Light in all our Marchings and consume the Rebels The Tabernacle which God hath pitched Isa 63.9 John 16 33. Eph. 6.11.14 15. Heb. 9.14 15. Rom. 3.25.1 John 2.1 2. Isa 56.7 8 9. Rev. 8.3 4 5.1 Pet. 2.5 John 1.4 5 9. 12.46 6.32 33 43 51.35 1 Cor. 1.30 31. Ephes 2.10 Isa 56.8 with Heb. 10.5 6 10. 2.17 5.1 5 10. Acts 3.22 23. Isa 55.4 5. Matth. 11.28 29 30. Heb. 12 2. Rev. 1.11 22.13 Heb. 3.2 3 4 5 6. 5 4 5 10 4.6 8 9. Isa 33.22 and in which he dwells and walks amongst his People The Ark of his strength and presence in and with which he walks before us divides the waters of affliction drives out our Enemies and brings those that are faithful to him into the Possession of the Eternal Kingdom The Mercy-seat or Propitiatory through faith in his blood The Altar of Incense perfuming the services of those that come to and worship God by him The Golden Candlestick in whom the true Light is held forth to us yea the true Light it self lightning every Man that comes into the World but chiefly those that believe in him The Bread of Life the Laver of Regeneration the Sanctification and true Washing by whom believed in we are cleansed from our Sins The Altar of Burnt-offerings and the Sacrifice it self that makes the Attonement for the Sins of the People and obtains Peace and Reconciliation Yea the Priest of God the Great High Priest that offers up Gifts and Sacrifices for us especially for the Worshippers by him The Prophet and Leader of the People The Redeemer out of Bondage and the Bringer of them into Rest who faithfully follow him The Alpha and Omega The Beginning and the End the Author and Finisher of the Faith Greater than Moses or Aaron or Joshua Yea answering to all of them being both the true Law-giver Act. 4.11.12 10.42 1 Cor. 10.1 2 3. John 4.10.14 7.37 38 39. High-priest Saviour and Judge the Deliverer from Sin World and Satan the Preserver Leader and Guide in the way to Happiness and the Possessour of us to it The Heavenly Manna or Bread from Heaven John 6.48 The Water out of the Rock or rather the Rock that being smitten for us gives forth the Living Waters of Life even the knowledge grace and spirit of God to us to refresh and satisfie us John 3.14 15 16 17. 6.40 The Antitipe to the Brazen Serpent in looking to whom we may be healed of all our wounds even of those also which we
teach and lead him pour out his Spirit to him make known his Words shew them the Mysteries of his Kingdom which are not for People one or other till they turn at his Reproofs and be in some measure Discipled to him They that reject him wink with the Eye and will not see stop the Ear least they should hear and understand and be converted shall not have his Secrets and Mysteries opened to them for them Christ prays not the Father to give that Dispensation of Spirit for leading them into all Truth filling them with his Consolations and Satisfactions and fitting them to be Lights to others Joh. 17.9 Nor are they yet capable while unturned to him of receiving it of him Psal 25.8 9 12 14 Ezek. 43.10 11. John 14 15 16 17 21 23. Joh. 14.17 But his Secret is promised to be with them that fear him and that he will shew them his Covenant guide them in Judgment teach them his ways give them a farther and more exact knowledge of the Form of his House and the fashion thereof the goings out thereof and the comings in thereof even a more distinct and experimental knowledge for he will manifest himself to them and give them the Spirit of Truth to abide 2 Cor. 6.16 17. John 4.14 and dwell with and in them and so will thereby dwell in them and be a spring of Living Waters by his Spirit and Spiritual Understanding given them 1 Cor. 12.7 springing up in them unto Everlasting life Filling them with his Vertues Matth. 5.13 14 15 16. 1 Pet. 2.10 12. Eph. 4.7 14 15. John 10.2 3 4. Levit. 26.11 12. 2 Cor. 2.14 15 16. and furnishing them with such useful Gifts as by which they may in some way or other be profitable to others both in the World and in the Church as the Salt of the Earth as the Light of the World and as Members in the Body of Christ in their places and capacities useful for the glorifying of God and provoking men to seek and glorifie him too and for furthering the growth of them that believe in their exercise of themselves in which gifts with sobriety and faithfulness and walking in his vertues He also will go forth with them walk in and amongst them direct guide help and bless them in all their out-goings towards God in seeking him praying to him and praising of him trusting in and submitting to him and in all their walkings by his grace amongst men so to bless them and render them a blessing to and amongst them 4. 1 John 1.7 9. Eph. 5.25 26 27. Jer. 31.31 32 33 34. 32.40 41 42. John 8.32 36. 1 Tim. 4.18 That He will cleanse them from their Corruptions and Subdue them in them so as they shall not have Dominion over them nor shall they unless they wilfully chuse it Serve and Obey them Yea in following on to seek and know him He will so mould their wills into his will and put his fear into their hearts as to take away their will of sining and inlarge them to run the ways of righteousness with delight according to the riches of his glorious grace and wisdom so keeping them to the Inheritance of the Heavenly Kingdom 5. That to that end Joh. 10.28 29. Ezek. 34.24 25. 37.24 25 26. Gen. 15.1 Psal 84.11 48.3 12 13 14. John 16.33 Isa 43.1 2. He will take special care over them as a shepherd over his Flock lead them into Unity with all his Holy Ones and therein also nourish and feed them with Knowledge and Understanding be a Shield to them against Satan and his Temptations and against the World its fury rage and oppositions be with them in all Adversities their God and Guide to and in Death strengthning and supporting them under all their Sufferings and unto all their Services he calls them to Administring to them sweet and seasonable Consolations and Deliverances 6. Yea Matth. 6.33 Psal 34.9 10. John 15.1 3 7 2 Cor. 1.8 9. that He will also feed them with Food convenient for them even with what he sees good for them in the matters of this Life and nurture them with seasonable and faithful Reproofs and Chastisements and be wanting in nothing to them that may make for their good and happiness Such things the Gospel holds forth as matter to be hoped for in and through Christ in listening to and obeying him in this Life 2. For the Life to come it holds forth wholly as matter of Hope 1. That Christ will himself in due time come again from Heaven Coll. 3.4 in the Glory of God and of all his Holy Angels to compleat their Happiness To which end 2. Tit. 2.13 1 Thess 4.14 15 16. Rom. 8.23 Phil. 3.21 Act. 3.19 20. 1 Thess 4.15 16. That he will raise up all such at his Coming as have dyed in the Faith of him and change the then living Believers fashioning their now vile Body into the likeness of his Glorious Body free them from all their Sins Sorrows Fears Dangers and Temptations in a full and perfect Redemption and Salvation 3. Rev. 11.17 Luke 22.28 29 30. 1 Cor. 6.2 Coll. 3.3 4. Rev 5.10 20.4 5 6. That then he will make to himself his great Power and Reign The Kingdoms of this World shall become the Kingdoms of God and Christ and then also they who have owned and believed on him and followed him in Temptations and Sufferings shall be glorifyed with him and Reign in Glory Judging the World with Christ and as Kings and Priests Reign with him upon Earth a Thousand Years and Minister before him with unspeakable Happiness 4. Isa 66.14 15. a Pet. 3.7 10 12. Act. 3.20 21. Rom. 8.19 20 21.22 That to that end of his Coming He shall destroy all the Wicked of the Earth take away their Power and Glory from them and burn up the Earth with the Works thereof and make all things New A new heaven and a new earth in which dwells righteousness 2 Pet. 3.7 10 11 12 13. Isa 65.17 In which Christ and his Saints and Servanss which have been faithful to him shall Reign together As in Rev. 21. and 22. 1 Cor. 13.10 11 12. 5. That then they shall enjoy Peace and Joy without mixture of Sorrow Oppression or Trouble have a perfect Knowledge of Christ and God in Christ so as not to need to be taught by one another ever injoy the presence and see the face of Christ and God in Christ that Lamb of God that was Slain for them Rev. 5.9 10. Exod. 12. Rev. 21.4 5 6 7. Jer. 31.33 34. Heb. 8.10 11 12. 1 Thess 4.16 17. Rev. 7.16 17. 22.1 2 3 4. and Redeemed them by his Blood unto God from the Kindreds of the Earth by the sprinkling it upon them also as in the Redemption of Israel out of Aegypt that they might serve him and be Kings and Priests unto God and himself And he
he purposing more and more choise Dispensations and to some less and less choise To some a longer and to some a shorter time of waiting upon them for their turning to him with respect to the former of which it is That the Apostle as I understand speaks of some sometimes as Elect and chosen Persons above others namely as to God's making choise to dispense more special means and mercies to them Rom. 9.10 12 16. c. both for their own and others good and others not so neglected but passed by as to such an Election and that meerly according to the good pleasure of his Will without respect to Birth or Works yea or of good or evil found or foreseen in them as also that He hath mercy on whom he will have Mercy and whom he will he hardens as to his continuing his gracious Dispensations to them and Operations in them and with them after they have sinned against former Dispensations and deserved Wrath from him So we may say He did graciously purpose to prefer Isaac before Ishmael as to his Dispensations of choise Priviledges to him for his own and others good in chusing to have his Son take Flesh of him and betrusting his choise Oracles with him and his Seed And of his Seed he freely purposed to dispense more favour and priviledge to Jacob than to Esau without respect to Good or Evil in them but according to his free Election of Jacob to be He of whom Christ should come and so to be exalted to more Honour Exod. 19.5 Deut. 4.20 37. 7.6 7 8. 14.1 2. Rom. 3.1 9.3 4 5. Jer. 3.1 Luk. 1.13 14 15. He and his Seed with respect to Christ to come of them that they should be to him a peculiar People betrusted with his Oracles and Ordinances and so to be as a Kingdom of Priests to and amongst all the Nations about them Yea to be betrusted with the Blessing of Abraham that concerned all the Nations and Families of the Earth Thus God fore-knew and sanctifyed Jeremy in the Womb and ordained him to be a Prophet to the Nations and John the Baptist and its probable that Paul signifies the same of himself in saying That God seperated him from his Mothers Womb Gall. 1.15 God in Christ as Lord and Governour of his Creatures having that Power and Priviledge to appoint and Design them some to more honourable uses and imployments and others to less honourable or dishonourable Services as pleases him without any other reason but because so it seems good to his Wisdom Isa 45.9 10. Even as the Potter hath power over the clay as the Apostle says Rom. 9.21 of the same to make one a vessel of dishonour and another a vessel of honour though this he doth in and through Christ and in subordination to his Great Design by Christ of Glorifying himself to and amongst men and prosecuting their good and Salvation Even as a Lord or Master of a great houshold who purposes one to Office of Honour near himself and another to be in a lower Rank a Scullion or Stable-Groom and yet designs the publick welfare of them all and reserves to himself a liberty of advancing the lowest higher as he shall judge fit or of putting down the highest lower Rom. 9.15 2 Tim. 2.19 20 21. as he may find him demeaning himself unworthily in his greater honour for this is to be minded That though God's purposes of dispensing his Grace and favour to men as to his honouring some above others is altogether free and may be irrespective to good or evil in them yet neither is that Honour and Excellency to which he chuses them in his purpose and according to his choise of them to which he purposes to call them and dispense to them for themselves alone but for the Publick good and behoof of others from amongst whom he chuses them and that are not so chosen by him As Israel freely chosen from other Nations and so as no other Nation was chosen and in due time called to be honoured with the Blessings of God that pertained not to him alone but to all Nations also even those not so chosen both Christ who was to come of him and the Oracles concerning him being not sent nor speaking good concerning them onely but for and to all Men thence that Prayer God be Merciful to us Psal 67.1 2 3 4. and bless us and cause thy face to shine upon us that thy way may be known upon earth and thy saving health unto all Nations Let the people praise thee O God yea let all the people praise thee O let the Nations be glad and sing for joy c. Even as Josiah singled out from the rest to Execute Judgment on the Idolaters And Cyrus to restore Israel And John Baptist and Jeremy and Paul to Preach the Truth of God to others were not singled out for some private Personal good to themselves onely but for the Publick good and benefit of all others amongst whom and for whom they were so singled out Such purposes for Dispensation and so the Dispensations according to those purposes being not to prejudice but to promote the Publick good of Persons Isa 49.7 8. Luk. 2.30 31. not so chosen as they even as Christ was chosen out of and from all other men so as none but He was chosen yet not for the prejudice but for the good of all other Men so aâ— they might have good by him did they not willingly refuse and put it from them Nor was the good and honour purposed to them as to Israel Jeremy John the Baptist c. purposed to be so dispensed to them and estated on them as that they be Personally thereby necessitated to Eternal Life or to such use of them as that they might not possibly forfeit them by abusing them but God left himself at liberty to reject even those so purposed to honour they dishonouring him and waxing wanton against him and exalt to honour those purposed to dishonourable stations they therein submitting to him or otherwise as he pleased to assay to bring them to submission to him by shewing them more Mercy as Jeremy fore-known and Ordained to be a Prophet held that honour upon termes of Obedience and Faithfulness to God to which also God prevented him and afforded him sufficient Grace and Incouragement Jer. 1.5 17. 15.19 20. otherwise he might be confounded before the People and rejected of God as for some time it seems he was in way to have been And Paul understood the same concerning himself that though a chosen Vessel to carry the name of Christ amongst the Gentiles yet unless faithful to God and Christ therein woe to him God would reject him as he implys 1 Cor. 9.16.27 proving the righteousness of his Apprehension therein from God's dealing with the Fathers honoured by him and yet with many of them abusing God's goodness God not well pleased but they were destroyed
from before him 1 Cor. 10.1 12. According to that in Exod. 32.33 Whosoever hath sinned against me him will I blot out of my Book And that general Assersion to Israel Ezod 19.5 6. If ye will obey my voice indeed and keep my Covenant c. ye shall be a peculiar treasure to me a Kingdom of Priests an holy Nation c. And that in Deut. 7.6 12 13. and 8. 19 20. The Lord thy God hath chosen thee to be a special people to himself c. therefore thou shalt keep the Commandments and the Statutes and if ye harken to these judgments and keep and do them the Lord thy God shall keep with thee the Covenant and the mercy he sware to thy Fathers and he will love thee and bless thee c. but if thou at all forget the Lord thy God and walk after other Gods c. I testifie against you this day that ye shall surely perish as the Nations which the Lord destroyed before your face c. And so we find Israel Rebelling against God and Christ and nor submitting to him not seeking righteousness by faith after much striving of God with them and long-suffering toward them cast off from being his People Rom. 11.20 21 22. Matth. 21.41 42 43 44. as to the body of them the Kingdom taken from them and given to the Nations that were Vessels of dishonour comparatively to them The vessels of dishonour being made vessels of Mercy and the vessels of Honour vessels of Wrath. Such the Soveraignty of God over both the Honoured and Dishonoured notwithstanding his purposes of honouring the one above the other and dispensing that Honour freely to them according to his purpose onely in this the purpose of God toward them the Jews seems Absolute Rom. 11.25 28 29. Jer. 30.11 33.25 26. 46.27 28. and not to be Repented off that a remnant of them shall be reserved in all Ages from Perishing from off the Earth by any or all the Judgments that shall befall them who also shall at length see and be convinced of their Evil way and return to God again though that and the Promise to David of a perpetual Seed may be accomplish'd in Christ the Seed of Jacob and David after the Flesh and a Seed or Church to be always through the grace of God reserved to him which yet may and will be through this or that particular person abusing the grace and honour he is chosen to may be rejected and hardened by him and that also for the Publick good and warning of others not to presume to Sin against God because of any such Honour chosen to even as his more Exemplary mixing of Mercies with his Judgments having Mercy on whom he pleases Act. 9.3 4 5 6. with Gall. 1.16 17. and Act. 26.19 when he might harden and destroy them as on Paul when he Judged him and smote him down upon the Earth and might have destroyed him yet humbling himself in that Judgment and being not Disobedient to the Heavenly Vision he shewed such Mercy as not onely to forgive and spare him but upon his Submission to take him into special Favour and Honour that he might be a Pattern of his Mercy and Long-suffering and readiness to Save Sinners in submitting to him and so might be an Incouragement to others As 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Act. 22.16 is Why tarryest or delayest thou to Believe that do 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 delay to Believe on him 1 Tim. 1.15 16. Such Dispensations of Mercy are for the Publick Good and incurragement of all others to betake themselves to Christ in whom there is such Mercy But I have spoken to these things before Part. 1. Chap. 1. Sect. 3. And am fallen upon God's Dispensations to which it remains that I nextly speak CHAP. VI. Of God's Dispensations of the knowledge of himself and of his Truth to Men. The Preface HItherto we have considered of the Purposes of God touching which it is safer I conceive thus to understand and speak with sobriety as I hope I have done then to climb Metaphorically into the nature of God's Willing Knowing and Purposeing so as to Clash with his Declarations of himself and Pervert the Truth of his Heavenly Doctrine to Mens Destruction making them believe That what ever God says yet he hath purposed Mens Sin and Misery so and upon such termes as they could not possibly avoid them And that they were never their own Mercies that they miss and deprive themselves of never had any thing afforded to them conducing to their Peace c. But now let us come to view the Dispensations of God to Men as briefly as we may not to speak of all his Dispensations which are various yea innumerable not possibly to be comprehended or conceived by us though all according to his good pleasure in Christ Jesus and none of them clashing with the Truth of his Doctrine but onely of the Dispesations of the Knowledge of Himself his Truth and Doctrine to men and so such means and mercies as tend to their Repentance and Salvation as considered in some general heads of them SECT 1. Of the Means or Mediums made use of by God and vouchsafed to men for making known his truth to them and leading them to Repentance GOd vouchsafeth unto men divers Mediums of dispensing or holding forth the knowledge of himself and truth in Christ to them Joh. 1.18 Exod. 33.20 who is not to be known immediately or by any direct sight of his essence and being by us mortals but by some Mediums declaring him to us and those are of two kinds generally by one or both of which he hath always declared his Being and Mind to men viz. 1. By his works of Creation and Providence upheld by Christ Psal 75.1 2 3. and ordered through him for and about sinners since the fall which though they speak not distinctly and audibly who this God is or that Jesus is the Christ or that there hath been such a sacrifice offered up for us as the Scriptures mention yet they do in the wisdom of God more confusedly Psal 19.2 3 4. 145 10. but always truly and righteously though by reason of our great ignorance and darkness less intelligibly to us hold forth the substance of the doctrine to be believed by us 1 Cor. 1.21 Job 1.4 5. Psal 19.1 Rom. 1.19 20 21. Job 5.8 9. Act. 14.15 17. 17.26 27. Rom. 1.32 2.4 5 14. Psal 36.7 145.9 16 17 18. and of the obedience required of us namely that there is a glorious God the Maker and Orderer of all things and that he is Eternal Almighty Infinitely Wise Good c. That he is to be sought after loved worshipped and cleaved to by us that we are sinners against him and deserve death and wrath and yet that God is Gracious and Good to sinners loath to destroy them in a word that God is and that he is the
and City to destruction and both their People and Prince of the Seed of David to Captivity for the space of seventy years Yet was he very gracious in the midst of his judgements to remember mercy and both before and in and after the Captivity he gave them Prophets and Holy Men to and by whom he poured forth the knowledge of Himself and Son for their Eternal Salvation as well as for support under and instruction to profit by all the Calamities that then and in after Ages were to befall them which Calamities also upon them both involving their Kingdom in the Line of David none of his Seed after that Calamity ever sitting any more upon his Throne and their Temple and Temple-worship never restored to its first glory again as to their external form of Worship and testimony of Gods presence with them in it were both ordered as means and helps to make them more spiritual in the understanding of their former promises concerning Davids Seed and the Temple and to look upon the Messiah as the compleatment and fulfilling of both mainly pointed to in both who also with the grace brought in by him was very much insisted upon and more lively set before them together with the mercy of God through him for the gathering them back again to himself after that for their often and constant rejecting him both in the more mystical and typical tenders of him and in his addresses to them by his Spirit by the Prophets and in his personal appearing they should be cast off and given up to spoil and misery and the Gentiles taken into their place and prividges to provoke them to jealousie by the several Prophets in that time sent them As before their Captivity by Isaiah Micha and Jeremy in their captivity by Ezekiel and Daniel and after their captivity by Haggai Zecchary and Malachy who all spake of Jesus Christ the Messiah very clearly and plainly to them and in many things more plainly than had been before spoken Isa 11.1 2 10 11. 42.1 2 3 4. 49.5 6 7 8. Especially Isaiah had that great grace poured forth to him as to instruct him into and furnish him to set forth the whole tenure of the Gospel 〈◊〉 amply particularly that the Meâ— should not only be of the Seed of Daâ— a root of Jesse that should arise and reâ— over the Gentiles upon whom Gods Spirit should gloriously rest so as that theâ— by he should bring forth judgement 〈◊〉 the Gentiles Chap. 7.14 be the light of them 〈◊〉 Gods salvation to the ends of the earth which was also in substance shewed 〈◊〉 and by David but also that he should born of a Virgin should be despised of 〈◊〉 Jews Chap. 53. should suffer death should be 〈◊〉 sed or live again and justifie many by knowledge having borne their sins aâ— many things of like import yea spake of the New Heavens and the Nâ— Earth Chap. 65. 66. and New Jerusalem the Glâ— of the Righteous therein and the evâ— lasting punishment of the Wicked Aâ— in many things the Prophet Micha wâ— prophesied in the same times spake 〈◊〉 very same things and almost in 〈◊〉 same words with him as appears Miâ— 5. Joel also prophesied of the pâ—ring out of the Spirit in the last days â—remy and Ezekiel indeed were much take up about the Sins of the people Jer. 3.16 17. 31. 32. Ezek. 11. 33. 34. 36. 37 c. and the Captivities yet not without intermixâ— very clear prophesies of Christ and 〈◊〉 goodness of God through him to all meâ— especially to them in their returning agaâ— Of the new Covenant and the restauratâ— of the Church to a fuller Glory by him his appearing To Daniel also in the Caâ—tivity was shewed and signified the time 〈◊〉 the Messiah's coming Dan. 9.25 26 27 c. his being cut off but not for himself that he should make an end of sin make reconciliation for iniquity bring in everlasting righteousness seal up the Vision and Prophecie confirm and perfect it and anoint the most holy yea to Dan. 2. 7. 8. 10. 11. 12. and by him were shewed the afflictions and persecutions which that people should be exposed to and tried with till the time of the end and their restauration afterward with the Resurrection of the Dead the Kingdom of Christ and its greatness and glory very plainly also spake the other Prophets of him Hag. 2.5 6 7 8 9. Hagai that he should come into that Second Temple which was then building and fill it with the Glory of his Presence Lachary that he should come meek and lowly riding upon an Ass Zech. 9.9 10 11. 12.10 11 12. and upon a Colt the Foal of an Ass into Jerusalem should be peirced by them should cut off their worldly Props the Chariot from Ephraim and the Horse from Jerusalem should speak peace to the Heathen Chap. 4. 6. 14. have a large or universal Dominion calls him the Branch speaks of him under the name of Zerubbabel as he was then in his loins as pertaining to the flesh as the Author and Finisher of the Faith the Layer of the Foundation the Builder and Bringer up to Perfection of the Spiritual Temple or House of God Yea speaks of the destruction of Jerusalem Mal. 3.1 2 3 4. 4. the coming again of Christ with his Saints and of the times of the restauration of the things prâ—sed Malachy also spake of Christ as 〈◊〉 nigh at hand to come but not to be endured by them when he came and 〈◊〉 the coming of his Messenger or forerunner to come before his face even Joâ— the Baptist and of his coming again to execute vengeance on the proud and save them that look for him and of the coming of Elias before that great day To say nothing of those other Holy Men Ezra and Nehemiah with many others during the times of those Prophets promoting the Knowledge and Worship of God or of the writings of other Good Men though not Prophets who drawing from the words of the Prophets abundance of understanding imployed themselves amongst the people to instruct them such discoveries of God and his truth with manifold Instructions Counsels and Reproofs they had in those Ages yea all those Writings of their Holy Men and Prophets contained in the Scriptures they had the help of till the coming of Christ though under many and great Changes and Afflictions under the Monarchies of the Persians and Grecians often times And though from Malachy to about Christs birth they had no more Prophets sent them vet they had all those discoveries given forth both by Moses and the Prophets in former times to instruct and help them and to furnish them with the truth for the Instruction of others amongst whom they had dealings and began to be dispersed more than in former times and these Ages contained about the
space 700. years according to Bishop Vsher 717. SECT 8. Of the Age of Christ his Incarnation and Manifestation in the Flesh to men and thenceforth to the Destruction of Jerusalem by Titus and so on WHat should I need to speak of the times of Christs appearance and since when the day-spring looked down from on high and visited us more gloriously than ever and what was all along pointed to before as to come was it self brought forth and as to the works of his coming in the Flesh accomplished Surely then God gave forth the truth yet more abundantly And yet we may consider some diversity in his Dispensations then with reference to divers times 1. Immediately before the appearing of Christ his Birth and manifesting amongst men there was given certain notice to some that he was about to come as also by the Writings of the Prophets there was ground to expect him and he was expected about that time but more particularly notice was given to Simeon Luk. 2.26 an holy and devout man and as some write one of Sanhedrim or Great Council of the Nation that he should not 〈◊〉 before he had seen the Lords Christ 〈◊〉 Zachary the Father of the Baptist 〈◊〉 revealed that he should have a Son 〈◊〉 his Wife Elizabeth Luk. 1.13 14 17. that should be 〈◊〉 forerunner and go before his face according to what was prophesied by Malachy Luk. 1. To the Virgin also that she should conceive and bring him forth And both by the Virgin and Zachary and Elizabeth was he witnessed to before his Birth After his Birth he was made known to 2.10 11 12 13 14 17 27 28 29 30 36 37 38. and by the Shepheards by Simeon also and Anna a Prophetess as also to and by certain Wise Men or Magi that came out of the East Country to seek and worship him Matth. 2. Before his being manifested by way of ministration to the people John the Baptist was sent of God to bear witness to him who also did clearly testifie of him and point to him as a person then born and amongst them Behold John 1.5 6 7 15 16 29 30 31 32 33 34. Matt. 3.16 17. saith he to them the Lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the World witnessing that he had seen the heavens open upon him when he was baptized by him and that the Holy Ghost in a visible form like a Dove as it was fore-given him of God as a sign to know him by descended and sat upon him and God himself out of Heaven witnessed to him that he was his well-beloved Son in whom he was well-pleased so that God vouchsafed to John and by him to the people a clearer discovery of him than 〈◊〉 or by any of the Prophets that went before him with respect to which it is said That amongst those that were born of women there had not arisen a greater then John the Baptist Matth. 11.12 2. In the time of Christ's Personal Appearing and Manifesting Himself to and amongst Men from the time of his Baptisme to his Ascention he Ministred the Knowledge of God to Men by his Personal Preaching and Miracles and gave himself a Ransom for many accomplishing by his Death and Resurrection the Prophecies in that behalf going before concerning him Therein both by Words and Works he made manifest the way of Life both to the World and to his Disclples more especially to whom it was given to know The Mysteries of the Kingdom even such Mysteries as many wise Men and Prophets had desired to see and saw not and to hear but heard not they being blessed with a sight and knowledge of these things which were peculiar to that Age even to be Eye-witnesses of the Sufferings and Glory of Christ and to have familiar Converse with him their Eyes feeing and their Ears hearing and their Hands handling of the Word of Life that was before Promised from the Beginning but then was Manifest in the Flesh and Conversed therein with them of which the wise and prudent of the Jews and the greatest part of the People deprived themselves by not seeing what they see and 〈◊〉 hearing what they heard but closeing the Eye least they should see and stopping the Ear lest they should hear and understand with their Hearts and be Converted and Healed by him Matt. 13.11 12 13 14 15 16. For before them also his Doctrine and Miracles were such as might have convinced them that he was the Christ But to his Discipls he opened all things they see and followed him in his Temptations see his Sufferings and Eat and Drank with him after his Resurrection till he was taken up into Heaven of which also they the Apostles especially were Eye-witnesses But yet 3. In the times after his Ascension was the clearest manifestation of the Mystery that ever was vouchsafed by his pouring forth his Spirit the Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation and power into and upon those his Apostles and Disciples giving them to see into and understand the Mystory of his Will even the ends and vertues of and the grace of God to Mankind in all those things of Christ done and suffered by him and the meaning of his Words and Doctrine delivered to them by him by which also they were furnished being thereto before his Ascention Commissionated to open the Mysteries and grace of God to all Men to Jews and Gentiles according to the utmost opportunities thereto given them And they also during their continuance upon Earth reased not faithfully and fully to declare the mind and Testimony of God to men and to endeavour to make them see the fellowship of the Mystery God mightily bearing Witness to them by many Signes and Wonders and Gifts of the Holy Ghost to the filling the Earth with the Knowledg of him and of his Salvation so as that by that time Jerusalem was Destroyed and their Nation dispersed and carried Captive they had sounded forth the word of Truth in and unto most if not all Nations so as that though they were but an handful of Corn in the top of the Mountains yea their Fruit shaked like Lebanon as was fore-told Psal 72.16 Yea and afterwards too the word they had sowed up and down the world took Root and sprang up and filled the world with Fruit till through many Persecutions and Cruelties endured by those that Believed and by the Blood of the Lamb and Word of their Testimony they leavened the face of the World so as that the Emperours and Rulers of it imbraced the Profession of it also and their Word and Doctrine they the Apostles also delivered in Writing to be transmitted to Posterity which even to these times yet remaineth with us Though it is true that 4. In the succeeding times the Watchmen being not so Vigelant as Satan the envious One the Tares of false Positions or Doctrines and of loose and evil Live◠too presently began to be sown in the World after
far Countries and Solomon positively Asserts in his Paper That the Nations far off should hear of his Name so as that they might come some of them at least while the Temple yet stood to inquire after God What else signifie those Expressions 1 King 8.41 Moreover concerving a stranger that is not of thy people Israel but comes out of a far country for thy Names-sake For they shall hear of by Great Name and of thy strong hand and of thy stretched out arm And so we find that in all the Four Monarchies Israel was so known of them and had such dealings with them that they had opportunity by them to hear of the Great Name of God and his Works with the Syrians and Assyrians we find they had sometimes Wars sometimes Peace and Leagues and the Miracles done by Elias and Elisha and the healing of Naâ—man might spread his Fame with them We find the Ten Tribes were at length carryed Captive by the Assyrians and plaâ—d in the Cities of the Medes and other places and that some of them had the knowledge and fear of God in them may most probably be conceived though 〈◊〉 generality of them while in heir own and were corrupted yea and the History of Tobit being one of the Captives 〈◊〉 Israel makes it evident In that Monarchy Preached Jonas to Niniveh the Grâ— City and Head then of that Empire and by his Preaching it was Converted and spared And the Storm that beâ— in his running from God and what the Marriners see and heard of him and his deliverance out of the Whales Belly and his Preaching to Nineveh and their Repentance could not but spread the â—mour of God's Name far and near 〈◊〉 those times Afterwards then the Empire was Translated to Babilon God made known his People and Himself then to them Isa 38. and 39. Hezekiah's sickness and recovery and the Sign given him and the Shaddows going back in Ahaz Dyal was there declared insomuch that thereupon they sent Embassadors to Jerusalem to Congratulate Hezekiah about it and after that Manasseth was thither carried Captive and there Repented and no doubt but by those Wars with Israel and Conquest got they had some opportunity given them of hearing of their God and his Great Name and Works yea those two Kingdoms of Aegypt and Babilon and all the Kingdoms between them had then Commerse with them and could not but hear much of them and of the Name of God amongst them as also the Captivity of Jehoiakim and Jeconiab and especially the great Piety and Wâ—dom of Daniel and the Three Worthâ— then in Babilon and therewith many good Jews for divers years living spread the knowledge and fame of God amongst them Yea the Interpretations of Nebuchadnezzars Dreams the Deliverance of the Three Worthies from the fiery Furnace the turning out of Nebuchadnezzar and restoring him again were very famous and begat very publick and notorious Proclamations of the Name of God amongst or to all Peoples Nations and Languages that dwelt in the Earth that they should reverence and acknowledge him Dan. 3. and 4. In the Persian Monarchy also Daniel was in great repute with Cyrus and Darius The Jews Ezr. 1.1 2 3 4. and their Cause was known to them Cyrus made a Decree in favour of them for re-edifying the House of the Lord whom he acknowledged to be God The Lord God of heaven Darius also exceedingly loved and favoured Daniel and his Religion was famously known to the other Governours and Rulers and both it and the God whom he worshipped was exceedingly glorifyed in his Deliverance from the Lyons when cast into their Denn upon that account so as that Darius also publickly Proclaimed or Decreed That in every Nation men should tremble and fear before the God of Daniel Dan. 6.25 26 27. as being the Living God and stedfast for ever and his Kingdome that which should never be destroyed c. And after Daniel Ezra and Nehemiah Mordecai and Esther were of great Note and well known to the Persion Court and Empire in several Kings Reigns And God got himself a Name and discovered himself gloriously by his prospering and helping them and appearing miraculously for their help and for the Confusion of their Enemies as the Books of Ezra Nehemiah and Esther testifie Where also it is evidenced That the Jews the Worshippers of God were scattered up and down and seated amongst the Nations and Professing God's Religion Est 3.8 both in the Imperial City of Susa and in all the many Provinces of that large Empire as is clear in that of Haman where he informes the King of them That they were scattered abroad and dispersed among the People in all the Provinces of his Kingdom and their Laws divers from all People c. And commandment was given to the Jews in every Province to stand upon their own Defence and to the Rulers and Lieutenants in the Provinces to Assist them and doubtless that great Deliverance did mightily fame them and their Religion yea it 's expresly Noted That thereupon many of the People of the Land became Jews Est 8.17 And those Dispersions of the Jews continued to and in the days of the Grecian or Macedonian Monarchy too to the beginning of which the Records in Nehemiah reach or to times immediately preceding it for mention is made Neh. 12.22 of the Priestâ— that were to the Reign of Darius the Persian Probably the last Darius that was subdued by Alexander for Jaddua and Jaddua was High Priests in the time of Alexander the Great is there mentioned And how God made known Himself his People and Truth in that Monarchy may be in part seen in what Josephus Records Of God's appearing in a Vision to Alezander in the form or habit of the High-Priest of the Jews and his acknowledging it and doing Homage to the High Priest upon the sight of him when he went in his Priestly Habit to meet him and his Army Marching against them with a purpose to have Destroyed them his publick owning of whom and relating his Vision and the Immunities given to the Jews thereupon could not but give advantage of inquiring into their Religion and of being instructed into the Knowledge of God worshipped by them yea we may find in the Histories of Josephus Polybius and others That the Jews were not onely dispersed here and there in the Countries but also Served in their Wars And in the Reign of Ptolomy Philadelphus their Law or Books of the Scriptures were by Seventy and two Interpreters Translated into the Greek Language and deposited in his Library which was a great advantage for the dispersing the Knowledge of God and his Word amongst the Nations What should I speak of the many and marvelous Victories and great help 〈◊〉 Streights afforded to them in the times of the Macchabees Heb. 11.34 35 36 37. their constancy in their Religion even to Sufferings and Death in the times of Antiochus Epiphanes and Ptolomy
the Miracles wrought by him as they were confirmations of him and his Doctrine so they had also some significant intimation of the grace brought in by him As the spiritual healing enlivening and saving of men But this was the General and first end of all God's Miracles to demonstrate himself his Truth and People to Men touching which Miracles I note 1. That they were not at all times nor ordinarily wrought for then would they not have been taken for Miracles but upon some special times or upon special occasions As 1. When God brought Israel out of Aegypt to manifest himself to be the true God and Israel his People and to prepare them for his Law and evidence it to be his and so in his Call in them to be and setting them up for his Church with whom his Truth and Worship should be deposited that the residue of the Nations all about might know which was the true God and which his Church and 〈◊〉 where to seek and find him and hiâ— Truth Therefore he set his signes in Aegypt and in the Wilderness to get himself a glorious Name or an everlasting Name as Isaias says and to make his Name known in all the Earth as he said by Moses Isa 63.12 14. Exod. 9.16 We read of few Miracles before except we account the preservation of Noah in the Ark and the Destruction of Sodom for such and surely there might be less need then because of the long Lives of the Patriarks and first Fathers amongst men to hold forth the truth to them 2. In the time of the Apostacy of Israel to manifest to the halting People who was the true God and which his Worship and so to turn their hearts back again as in the times of Elias and Elisha 1 King 18.36 37. 2 King 2. and 3. and 4. and 5. and 6. and 7. c. 3. In the time of the Captivity Jonas 1. 2. 3. Dan. 3. 3. 6. Isa 38. 39. Job 20.31 and a little before in Jonah's time for making known himself and his people amongst the Heathen to prepare them to receive his Message and confirm his poor Captives that waited upon him and give them favour amongst their Enemies 4. At the coming of Christ in the Flesh and his Actual Preaching the Kingdom of God and accomplishing the things of our Salvation to make him manifest to be the Christ and that to be the truth that was Preached by Him and his Apostles in his Name Mat. 11.5 6. Heb. 2.3 4. 〈◊〉 In seting up or taking to himself from aâ—ong the Gentiles a people to be his church 〈◊〉 which the residue of men might resort to seek him Dent. 4. Act. 15.3 4 12 14 15 16 17. 2. That though God wrought many of his Miracles so as they were conspicuous to and amongst the Gentiles yet Israel were Witnesses of more of them then the Gentiles till after Christ's Ascention Israel had the preheminence too in this Dispensation 3. That it was not God's mind that people should look for Miracles to be the foundation and ground of their Faith but that they should believe and have their Faith grounded upon his Doctrine to which he bare Testimony by those Miracles and gifts of the holy Ghost as and when he pleased especially after he had by such Miracles evidenced the Truth and therefore he faulted it as an evil and unbelieving and adulterous frame of heart to be requiring signs after he had sufficiently evidenced Himself Psal 44.1.2 3. 77.11 12. Isa 63.7 8 9 c. Psal 78.3 4 5 6 7 105.5 6 7 8. Joh. 20.29 7.37 38. Rom. 4.17 18. Heb. 4.2 and his Truth to men as Matth. 16.1 2 3 4. Joh. 〈◊〉 .48 Directing them to the Wonders and Miracles formerly wrought by him and to acquiesce and rest in his Authority and Truth as Witnessed thereby and not to be doting upon new Signes to satisfie thâ— vanity of their Minde thence we finâ— David and other holy Men of God ofteâ— mentioning and looking back to 〈◊〉 Works and Wonders of old and Goâ— ordering men so to do they that believâ— because they see being not so happy noâ— their Faith usually so firm as they thâ— believe and see not but believe accordiâ— to what is spoken and as the Scripture saith 4. That God having given a full Testimony to his Truth and to the Revelation of his Truth in these Last Days by his Son and confirming it also by divers Signes Miracles and Gifts of the holy Ghost would have us henceforth acquiesce in them and not either look after more Miracles to perswade us to believe nor receive any because they may work them for he hath fore-warned us that he will suffer Antichrist to come with Power and Signes and lying Wonders yea to shew great Signes and Wonders to try whither we will and do heartily love his Son and the Truth Revealed to us by and concerning him that so such as love him not nor acquiesce in his Truth as already witnessed and confirmed might be deceived by him and go to destruction Matth. 24.22 23 24. 2 Thess 2.9 10 11 12. 5. That though the generality of these Miracles wrought of God were wrought by his servants and people yet he gave not to all his People either to have the sight of them or much less power to work them but onely to some few and in some Ages as he pleased So that in these additional Dispensations also both of Ordinances and Miracles God hath used his own liberty and there hath been both as to Persons Peoples and Ages great diversity But we have been large enough upon this Branch of the Distinction as to God's Dispensations Let us now proceed to his Operations in and upon Men in and with these his Dispensations CHAP. VIII Of Gods Operations and first of those of them that are in Mercy and Directly his SECT 1. That the Operations of God are many of them very secret and not to be known or discerned but by his Word concerning them and therefore to be soberly treated of GOds Operations in and with the Dispensations of his Truth and the means thereof are certainly very intricate secret and incomprehensible as to the manner of them and therefore also great sobriety is to be used in our assertions concerning them taking the word of Truth altogether for our guide therein yea it is better soberly hereabout to profess our weakness and ignorance than to be rash and presumptuous for though its evident by the Scriptures that God and his Spirit accompany the means he affords to men Gen. 6.3 whence that My spirit shall not always strive with man implying that during the day of his patience He is striving as it is also asserted in 1 Pet. 3.19 That Christ by his Spirit preached to the Spirits of men now in prison and in Prov. 9.3 That Wisdom cries with and as well as her maidens unto men to call them to