HEB. l.t, 2. 127 -~- the People made to Mofu, fee what God fays 'Deut.18.t7. They have weD jpokm that which they have Jpokw, therefore what w1/J he do? I will rmf' them up a Prophet from among[/ thrir Brethrm, (!ic. See h1s mercy upon their reque!t, he takes an advantage of promifing the Mrffias, being one of the clcar– e!t Promifes that they had till now. lt is true, he would fend many Prophets. bdrre, as fore-runners of Chri!t , but in the end he would fend Chri!t, which 1hould be a Prophet like unto Mofis, to fpeak unto them, &c. God doth take ad– vantages to make Promifes: when the poor People did ihiver and quake, becaufe God fpake to them: what doth he promife? he promifes Clui!t. Thus the Lord takes a fmall occaf10n to make the greate!t Promife of Chrifl, V[t 1 • Therefore, feeing the Lord when he doth fpeak doth fpeak by others, and there is a great deal ofreafon for 1t, becaufe lt 1s your own requefl, let not God fare the worfe in delivering his word, do not contemn it, becaufe men are fain to deliver it to you, for it is your own requefl. If he 1hould fpeak bimfelf, he would flrike you dead at every word ; therefore do not take advan– tage, becaufe God doth not back it with Thunder, but receive the word as the Word of God; for God himfelf would fpeak to you, 1f you were able to bear him but becaufe you are not, therefore he fpeaks by others. Vfe 2. It 1hould teach Miniflers not to ~bufe God's Voice, they 1hould take heed that they fpeak nothing but what God bath revealed; though falfe Pro• phets fpeak w~at is contrary to God's will, and God bear for a while, and cloth not manifefl hts wrath (for he can for a wh1le d1fpenfe w11h h1mfelf) yet the time will come when God's wrath 1hall wax hot againfl them, · They are not to abufe the People in veming their own thoughts inflead of Gods. For fee what God fays of fuch, 'Dmt.18.2o. That Prophet that/hall prefume tofpeak & word inmy lltlme wbJCb I have 11ot rommandea h1m to]peak, even that Prophet}halt die. God fpakt in his Propbets; we tranilate it, by them, but the Original is, Obforv. ~· inthtm, ivnm'"'"- A Kmg, though he be never fo far off, and IS not by to back · it yet he may be faid to fpeak by, though not i11 the Embaifadour; but when the . L~rd fpeaks by his faithful Miniflers, he doth not only fit in Heaven, and fpeak by them, but he fpeaks i11 them, aiJ.ifling them; h~ is in their hearts, and upon their tongue, and goes along With the Word tnt!} the hearts of the Hear- . . . ers. Vft• Let Miniflers therefore labour to get the Holy Ghofl ·it\to their own h carts, that he may not ~nly ~peak by them, (for fo he doth by wicked men,) but in them, that that Spmt winch takes poifeilion of them as Samts may fpeak in them as Miniflers, that fo the Word which they deliver, may be the admi· ni!lration of the Spirit to the heartS of thofe that hear them. • Wecometothe manner how God fpake to them of Old,,hefpake ""'",!'"'• Obferv- 4 . by parcels,py peace-meal, bymany parts, for fothe word iigmfies. Ex.gr. The Lord at firfl brought in but one Promife, and that obfcure, he let drop but a word to Adam in Paradife, of the Prom1fed Seed. He> gave only an intimation an hint that there il10uld aMeffia; come: Then he went on further and whe~ he came to Abraham, he renewed that Promife, and added a little O:ore, He6,6.fL1 J he adde·d an Oath, and he !hewed to Abrabam, not only that he 1hould be a Mali_ but that he 1hould come of his Seed, and that i11 him all the Nations of th~ Earth il10uld be bleifed; thus he enlarged the former Promife, But all ~his while there was no Sacrament_; here was a Promife and anOath, but no Sarrament; then he goes on and g1ves .116raham CircumCJjio1t, which anfwers to our Baptifm: afterwards he adds the Paffover, which anfwers to the Supprr of the Lord, and then he reveal• to Mofes divers types of the Crremoniat Law. Then he reveals more clearly to 'David the Refurreetion and Afceniion of Chrifl ; then to lfaiah, that he ihould be born of a Virgm, Chap. 5>· th'!t he 1hould be Circumcifed, that he ihould bear our for>;,ows, and be a Man ofJorrows, and po11r out hu Soul evm t111to death. Unto Zachariah he reveal'd his Poverty and unto Malachyhis fore-runner, Thus by piece·meals he reveals, not all a~ ones.
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