Ver. 2 T. tbe 8th Chapter to the ROMANS. \ S. 201 je&ed he fame in hope ; that the creature its felf alto fhall be delivered from the bon- dage of corruption ); for the word eabasruano rtes affetted into freedom ; for it is now in bondage, as the following wordsdeclare. 2. Explained : Firft, the terminus a quo ; that which he called vanity before, he nem- calleth bondage of corruption ; therefore this ¡aides vaoeps mutt be explained as the vanity was, that figniÿetheither diforder or alteration,and corruption or diffolution, or perver. lion from its ufe, as it ferveth wicked men, efpecivlly as 't is abu(èdby them to the fulfil- ling of their lofts ; allthis.vanity, and all this bondage is an heavy yoke to the creature, and from all this it shall be freed. 2. The term to whieh ; Into theglorimrs liberty of the cbildren of Gad. But here a doubt arifeth; Shall the'fenflefs creatures be made partakers of the fame glory with Gods Children ? That's abfurd to be conceived : To folve this, Chryfoftoei thinketh to is put for 0,4 as thefe particles are often exchanged ; fo we Tsui {> 4féao fhould be rendred, by the glorious liberty ; others to prevent this abfurdity, make it not the term of the change, but the term of expeâation ; when the children of God are advanced into their glory ; then, and not till then, (hall the creatures be freed from the bondageof corruption; but the Apoftles words do lignifie not only time, but eflare; not at, but into ;'tis no fuch abfurdity to fay, that the creature (hall in its kind and man- ner partake of the glorious eftate of the faints, for there is fomewhat common to them both, and that is incorruption, i Cor. t g. 42. So the meaning is, it (hall be tranllated from a flare of corruption to a (late of incorruption, and fueh a meafure of beauty and glory as dothagree thereunto, Two Points I (hall obferve'from this Verfei r, Do &. That the creatures pall he freed from corruption, and be made partakers of d better eflate than now they have. 2. Doit. That the liberty to which Godschildren are, refereed, is a glorious liberty, Firft let me (peak of the reftauration of the creature, and then of the glorious liberty of the. Saints. For the firft, Let me Rate it how far the creatures (hall be delivered from the prelent. vanity and mifery, and for what reafons : We mull keep to Scripture generals, left we run into curiofities ; that rule of Augufiine is good ; Melins dubitarede occulti,, quern li- tigare de lacerias ; 'Tis better to doubt of what is hidden, than to contend about what is incertain a We may define things with danger, but we may be ignorant of them with- out danger; therefore as to creatures that (hall be reftored, and not reftored, we muft , not be too nice and inquifitive: Poffibly this is one of thole difficulties mentioned by St. Peter, 2 Pet. 3. 16. That in his beloved Brother Pails Fpiftles, there are 4rr'tnTà awe: i am fore thefe concern the matter there treated of t. For things that are not to be re/fored. 1. What ever -came in by fin, will be- utterly deflroyed, as Thorns, Thiftles, poyfot . ous Weeds, Gen. 3. 17, i a. Curled is the ground for thy fake, thorns and thiflles fhall it bring forth to thee. The reafon is, when the caufe is taken away, the effefl ceafeth. If the Curse of God upon the Earth, be a part of mans punifhment ;. then upon mate deliverance the creature is delivered alto. Now it coutinueth for a mark of Gods dif- pleafure, and our Humiliation, becaufe man is reftored but in part; but upon our full deliverance, no more of this is found. 2. All creatures that arife out of corruption and putrifadlion, asToads, Mice, Flys, Bats; as they were not in the firft Creation, fo they fhall not appear in this refiitution of all things, at the coming of the Lord, 3. All living creatures which perifh before, or at the end of the world. 'Tis probable thefe (hall not be renewed, and reftored again: Partly, becaufe thefe ferve only for the ufe, and the fuftenance of the eanthly Life ; but in glory freed from this neceffity, t Cor, 6. 13, Meat is for the belly, and the belly for meats; but God /hall defiroy both it and them: In this Life the Body hath an abfolute nece(fity of them; but in the next Life the meat its (elf, as well as the earing, or defiling of meat, (hall be taken away. Partly, becaufe, if thefe fhpuld be reftored, these muft be a laefurrelion, of theta, which is only promifed to mien. And the,Apoiles, when they fpeak, reftrain It to man- kind, who have reafonable Souls living to God. while their ßpdies are not rotting its 9G the
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