ThefamePromife farther opened. CAP.VI. §:25,26. Venant; and furely they are Spirituali Mercies. 149 3. TheMercies mentioned arefuch, as never had a literall accomplifh- ment to the Lewes in Temporalls, norcan have; and when things promifed exceed all accomplifhment as to the outward and temporallpart, it is thefpi- 'rituall, that is principally and mainely intended; And fuch are thefe, v. 18. Iwill breake the bow, and the [word, and the battenout of the earth, and make you to lye downeinfafety: How I pray wasthis fulfilled towards them,whileft theylived under the power ofthe Perfian,Gr ecian and Raman Empires, to their utter defolation? and v. 23. he telleth them that hewill fowe them unto himfelfe in the Earth, andhave mercy on them : which, as I Paid before , Paul himfelfeinterpreteth,and applieth to thefpeciall MerciesofEaith,and 7n,füfi- cation in the blondofChrift; So thatboth the verfes going before, and thofe that follow after, to theconfideration whereof we are fent, containe dire&- ly, and properlyfpirituallMereies,though expreffed in words,and termesof thingsofa temporall importance. Thus notwithftanding any Exception to the contrary, the Context iscleare, as it was at firft propofed; Let us then in thenext place, confider the intendment of God in this Promife , with that in- fluenceofDemonftration, which it bathupon theTruth we are in the confi- deration of, and then free thewords from that corruptingGloffe, which is en- deavoured to be put upon them. In the firft Ifhall confider. ß 25. j. ThePerfons towhom this Promife is made. 2. The Natureof thePromife itfelfe. 3. Thegreat undertaking and engagement oftheProperties ofGod ,for the accomplifhment of his Promife. t. The Perfons hereintimated arefuchas are under thepower, and enjoy- ment ofthe Grace and kindneffementioned in v. 14, r6,17,18. Nowbecaufe a right underftanding,oftheGrace of thofe Promifes,addethmuch, to the Ap prehenfionoftheKindneffeof thofe particulars infifted on, the openingof thofe words may be thoughtneceffary. i. V.14. they are thofe,whomGodallureth into the Wilderneffe,and [peak- S. 26. eth comfortablyunto them: He allureth, and perfwadeth them ; there is an al- lufion in thewords, to the great originali Promife of the converfion of the Gentiles, and the way whereby it shall be done.Gen:9. 27. God perfwades Ia- phet to dwell in the tents ofsheen. Their alluring is by the powerful! and fweet perfwafionof the Gofpell,which here is fo termed, tobegin theAllegory of Betrothingand Marriage, which is afterwards purfued. It is God's beginning toWooe theSoule byhis Embafradors: Godperfwadeth them into theWilder- nefre: perfwadeth them,but yet with mighty power, as he carried themof old out of/Egypt, for thereunto he evidently alludeth,asin thenext verfe ismore fully expreffed. Now the Wilderneffe condition,whereunto they are allured, orperfwaded by the Gofpell, comprizeth two things. 1. Separation. 2. Intanglement. I. Separations as the Ifraelites in the Wilderneffe were feparated from the refidueofthe 'World, and thepleafures thereof, the peopledwelling alone, be- ing not reckonedwith the Nations, having nothing to doe with them. So God feparateth them to the love ofthe Gofpell., from their carnal] contentments, and all the fatisfactions which before they received intheir Lufts, untili they fayto them, Getyou hence, what have we to doewithyou anymore?They are fe- paratedfrom thepra&ice ofthem, and made willing to bid themeverlafting, ly farewell. They feetheir "Egyptian Lefts lye flaine, or dead, or at leaft dy- ing by the croire ofChhrift,and delire to feethem no more. U 3 2.
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