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V
ER.IO.
Ephefians,Chap.i.
teach
in
every generation.
Laftly, thewords
fit
no fenfe but
this, which
to
Thew
we mull fearch
a
little the meaning
of
them.
Firft,
touching
the
time.
Secondly, the thing to
be done
in
time. In
the time
two
things
muft
be opened
; firft,
what
is
meant by
Difpenfa-
tian ,
fecondly, by
fulneffe
of
tintes.
Diffienfation,
is a
word
taken from
Stewards,
and fuch
as
have the keeping
of
things
in
common,
and are
to diftribute them
as
they
fee
fit,
for fingularperfons
and
occafions:
To
difpenfe
then,is
to
diflribute
that
I have
in
common,
as
is
fitting
in
wife
-
dome,
to
perlons
and
occafions
in
particular.
Now
the difpenfation
of
times,
is
put
by
a
Melon.
of
the adjunél,for
fulneffe
oftimes
wifely dilpenfed.
The
fulneffe
of
times indefinitely, unviverfally,
noting the confum-
mation
of
all
thofe
feafons fucceflively,
which God hath appointed
for thegathering
of
his
children.
In the thing to be done, markethe AQion, that
çodmightgather
to
a
head
in Chrift
;
that
is
the force
of
the word. Secondly, marke the
Object of this
a6tion,
all things ;
that
is
all
perlons, who
in
Gods
coun-
fell
belonged,
as
members making that body
whereof
Chrifk
is
head.
Thirdly
;
Note
the point
as
it
were
in
which
all are
to
be
gathered into
one,or united
in
Chrift,in
him
:
Having'propoundedthe objeét,he doth
explaine
them
by
a
diftribution taken from the
place;
all
things which
now
are in heaven
with
Chrift,
glorioufly conjoyned to him
;
and
all
who are
in
earth, that is,who
are
in all
places, and
all
times,to be gathe-
red
to Chrift
in
the earth.The
fumme
of
them
is
thus much.
God
I
told
you
did
open
to
us
the Go(pell
of
falvation,
which
thing'
he
did
according
to
that
his gracions
pleafure,
whereby
it
pleafed
him
to
open
it
to
all
his
chafe,
which
he
purpofedfteely
within
himfelfe, that
thus
by
opening his
will
he
might
in
the
con
ummation
of
all
obofc
fea
.
fns,
which
his wifedome
bath
difpenfed,
that
he
might
(I
fay)
have
gathered
as
it
were to
a
head,
all things
in Chrifi,
both
shaft' members
who
had
in
their
times this r.2cyflery revealed
to
them and
are now
glo-
rioafly united
to
him
in
the heavens
:
and
all
chafe
who
by
wanes
of
this
revelation,lhall
in
all
places
andthrough
all
times,ro
the
end
of
the
world,,
be
gathered
upon
earth,
as
it
were to
one
head
in
him.
Thus
we have to my conceit
the moil probable
connexion and mea-
ning
of
thefe
words
;
we
have
feene
the parts
alto into
which they
may
be divided
:
Now
it
remaineth that we come
to the
infiruElions.
Fit-a,
when
he
fairh,that
in
the
fulnefi'e
of
times
in
which God hath
dif-
penfed,
God
will
doe thus
and thus
;
obferve hence,
that God
hath
fet
feafons
wherein he
will
accomplifh
all his
purpofed
will,
Ecclef. 3.
He
bringeth out every
thing
beautiful!
in
the
feafon
of
it.
As he
bringeth
things natural!, the
Spring, Summer,
Autumne,
Winter,
every
thing
in
feafon,
fo in all
the
workes he will doe about his children,
whether
it
be
thepunifbing
of
wickednefle
for their
fake,
the
delivering his chil-
dren from evils,
the
giving
them benefits, he will bring them
all
forth
in
the
fit
appointed
feafons:
The
Canaanite,when his
iniquity
is
full and
ripe,
fhall
be vilited
;
Ifrael,
when 430,
yeares
expired,
(hall
be
delive-
L
a
red,
111
2.
Doli
le