Baxter - Houston-Packer Collection BT70 .B397 1675

Abradafi'S PlOmii'e. Of god's Cjovernlnent, world that even to this day arenot under fuchmercies, means, and obli- gations ; and therefore none thatare left as the Devils in Defpair, under the unremedyed Covenantof Innocency alone. 18. But though the Law of Grace made to Adam be it which the worldwas then put under, and to be Ruled by, and the tenor of it extended to all Mankind ; yet thofe that would partakeof the Blengs of it, were to coisfint to it as Covenanters with God , and to Believe in and obey God their Redeemer pardoner and reftorer, in the thank- ful fence of all this mercy; which becaufe the ungodly did not, they and their pofierity fell undera double guilt and curte, both as violaters of the Law of Innocencyand of Grace : and therefore incurred a fpecial penalty : Cain andhis off- fpring being firft thruft out further from the believingobedient peopleof God, andat lati the whole world except tight perfons perishing in the deluge. 19. Noahwith hishoufe being faved to be the Root of all Mankind that fhould fucceed him, God renewed with himand Mankind in him, the fameLaworCovenant ofGracewhich he had madewith us in Adam, with fome additionals : To thew us that though the wicked and their feed had forfeited the benefits, yet the Covenant was not altered., but ftood in its firft fencein force to all, and would pardon andCave all true Confenters. 20. Chain for his tranfgreffionbrought a new Curie on himfelf and his pofterity béfides the meer fruit of Adam's Sit. So that though God altered not his Law ofGrace, yet they became a curfed Gene- ration. 21. By multiplÿed tránfgreffions, theSons ofmen did (till more dege- nerateand revolt fromGod, till Nimrod and others by wickednefs and prefumptions brought downthe newand grievous penaltyofconfounded tongues, (thegreat hinderanceof the propagationof the truth to this day) Andat laft, the moft fell to odious Idolatry, not knowingthe true God, but givenup to fenfuality and wickednefs. 22. Abraham being faithful andefcaping the Idolatry and wickednefs of the world, waseminently favoured and beloved ofGod, and'belie- ving and trufting God in his promifes and in the great tryal ofhis Son, ishonoured with the name of theFather of the Faithful : And God re- newedwith him theCovenant of Grace which he had madeto all men in Adam andNoah, with fpecial application to his comfort; and added a fpecial peculiar Promife to hies, that his seed'ihould be a holy Nation chofen out ofall theworld to God, and that of him the Mefahfhould come, of both which Promifes (the commonand the fpecial) Circumci- ! on was a Seal. '3. Yet this was no repealing of the Law of Grace which had been ma.:e to allthe world, nor wasit an excommunicating or rejeaing of all others, or a confiningof Gods Graceand Church to him and hispof$e- rity alone; but only an exalting them aboveall others in thefe peculiar dignitiesand priviledges. For at that time holy sem was living, and long after, who in all likelyhood was a King, and its like that the Po- fierityof him and japhet werenot all fain away fromGod ; andMelchi- zedekwas fuch a King of Righteoufnefs and Peace and Priefl of the midi high God as was a great type of Chrift'sown Heavenly Priefthood, and thereforeit's like had fome Subje&s that feared and worshipped God. TheScripture giving us the Hiftoryof the 7ewifh Nation, and affairs as the principal, and of the reft of the world but a little on the by, we cannot know by it the full state of all other Nations, nor what Religion and

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