V E R. 5. Ephefians, Chap.3, 359 and the houreofdarkneße, even wherein that fogge ofthe battemle[repit fhouldprevaile, there could not then be the light which now there is when the little book is opened. For God is a Soveraigne Lord holding of no other, hee may doe with his owne as pleafeth him, and he doth ufe his liberty to drew his freedome, to move us to thankfulneffe, feeing he leaveth fome alto- getherwithout his ordinances, asthe Gentiles, whom heea long time regarded not fo farre,and tohis owne people he revealeth fometime more fparingly,fomenme more plentifully,as pleafeth him. Heb. s. a. At fundry times and indiverfe manners God fpake unto the Fathers in eldtime. God did notat thefirft at once reveale hiswhole will, but at fundry times, byparts, by many feverall,and particularparts, now one part, and then another. For marke how Chrift was revealed: firft to God by dc- vldam: TheSeed ofthe woman(hall breakthe Serpents head; there was a Brs rerealed Saviour promifed to deftroy our enemies that fhould come out ofour the a Merahto nature, the Seed ofthe woman: After more particularly to v16raham s people. God Paid, In thy Seed /hall all nations be bleßed; there he makes a pro- Geaix.f mite that the Mefsiah fhould come from his loynes : further God did more particularly declare him when he faid, hee fhould come ofthe tribe of Iudah, Gen.49. Then after more diftinttly of a particular fa- mily, namelyofDavid,Efay It . r . That there fhouldcomefoi¢tba rod out ofthefemme ofJeffe, anda branch fhallgrow out ofhisrettco. And in fuc- ceffion of time more diftinttly layd downe, how this c tefsiah mould beborneof a virgin, theplace at Bethlehem, and fet doweie what hee fhoulddoe, andhow he fhould fuffer. So that by thefe degrees was , God diverts theRedeemer, the Saviour of the world revealed more and more as ordered h;s his time did more neerely approach, that the faith and hope of Gods Churchbefore people might be moreand more raifcd up , as he was more evidently chr;ll, and clearely revealed unto them. So in regard of thegenerals govern- ment ofthe Church, anddeclaration of the will ofGod; before God had gathered the Ifraelites together to bee a peculiar people tohim- felfe, andcommitted his natures to them , his will was declared by particular revelation, onely of fuch things as were needful) for thofé times and perfons. Again when God had eftablifhed hisChurch whichwas tocontinue divers generations, then the Lord gave them ordinances and rites,by which hedid declare hiswill;thus did the Lord fet forth himfelfe by degrees unto that people then living , before the exhibitionofChrift, in the infancy of the Church. But doth hee fonowNo, but now under theGofpell God hath revealed hiswhole will and counfell fo,farre as is needfuli for the Church to know;for Chrift comming downe from the bofome of his Father , hath made Now all is fut- knowne the whole will of God to us ; and therefore hee giveth this ly revealed. charge tohis Difciples ; Whatfever I have commandedyou teach ; and thereuponPaulisbold to fay in his excellent farewell to the Church of é::a Ephefus, that he had deliveredunto them the wholeceunfellofGod. This confiderationdoth rebuke both learned and unlearned : thefe thinke all newdoctrine that their Fathers, meaning this or that gene- I i z ration
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