Chap.8. An Expofition upon the Baokof J OB. rerC7, trimly called the daughter oftime, yet (in a Cenfe) it is the mother of time, for it was beforetime was; and therefore(no queftion) that which is ancicntef is true[. Yetthere is a great abuíe of this principle. Look back to anti- quity,and confult with your fathers (faymany) and fee what they did, how they believed. But what is the antiquity they call us to . confult with ? It is not (as Mofes fpake in that place of Deute. ronomy) antiquity, finceGod created man upon earth, or fincc Jefus Chrift was upon the earth,and gave out his Gofpei -laws; but it is the antiquityof Come later ages and editions,an antiquity far fhort of what is indeed the ancient time. The Apoftle (a job. 2.7.) gives us the definition oíanold commandment,2 is the old corn - mandment which wasfrom the beginning. Our finful nature is called theold man, and yet it is a corrupt mid. It is called the oldm in,not that it is older then the newman ; tle newman is not ofa younger honk, or later date then the old man. Holinefs was before cor- ruption. And the Image of God upon man, elder then lin, the imageof the devil. There are many corruptions in doarine, in o- pinion, in worfhip, in prac`fice, which go for very old ; And there are manydoarines which we call new truths;is it becaufe thole cor- ruptions are older then the new truths ? No, new truths are elder then theoldell corruptions. That which we call the new world, was created in the beginning,though difcovered but yefterday. So new truths were given from the beginning,only they were unknown till of late; and we may well conceive that fome goodly Regionsof truth are Will (terra incognita) undifcovered ; God having refer- ved them for the honour, and indufiry of fome divineColumbus, whomay give us an exaCer fea-cardof divine mylieries, then the world hath yet Ceen, though enough bath been feen from the be- ginning for the fafe Reefingofour courte toheaven.He that would enquire and make a diligent fearch for truth, muli go to the heft inflitutions, That's the oldcommandment which was from the beein- ning. The Prophet EzeVel (Chap. 23..3.) fpeaks of Lome who weregrown old in adulteries.,that is, old in adulterating and corru- pting the truth, and woifhip of God, That which is old moy be old in evil, andfuller ofcreators then it is ofdays. We find wucn the good Kings ofJudah reformed,they did not fearch only into what was done in the ages immediately before them, or what their nexc fathers had done; "but they fearcht what was done in the time; of their godly fathers, howmany removes foevcr difeant from thorn. 1 2 'zz.e
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