Opinions of the pewsabout their Traditions, Chap. c i. v. To. TheRoot of Jetwhich the Jews grant to be the Mefliab, is to (land. for an Enfign unto the People, and to it thall the Gentiles fiek; even for that Salvation and Deliverance whichhe hadwrought ; and they are preferred therein before I/raet and yuda, v. 12..:typt andAfria, that is, the other Nations of the world, are to be brought into the fame Covenant of the Nief;iah with 'Jima, C/a ip. 19. V. 25. For all flesh, was to fee the glory ofGod, and not the Jews only ; Ch tp. 4o. v. 5. And the IJles, or utmosi parts of the Earth, were to wait for the Lawof the Promifed lcJfiaü, Chap. 42. v. 4. And thewhole of what we affect is fummed up, Chap. 9.9. V. 6. where God fpeaks unto the Promifed Seed, and fayes , h is a light thing that thou Jbot!chi be myServant to rate up the Tribes of Jacob, and to reffore the prserved of Iliad s I will alto give thee for a Light unto the Gentiles, that than mayff be my Salvation unto the Ends of theEarth ; Where he is as fully promifed unto the Gentiles to be their Salvati- on,as ever he was untoAbrahamor hisPolterity. SteChop. 5t.a.5. Chap. 53..ra. And On this account doth God call unto men in general to. come into his Covenant ; pro- miGng unto them an interefl in the mercies of David, and that becaúfe he bath given this Iced asa witnefs unto them, as a Leader and Commander, or the Captain of their Salvation, Chap. 55. V. 1, 2, 3, 4. The effeEt of which call in the Faith of the Gen- tiles, and their gathering unto the Promifed Seed is expreffed, e. 5. The like Prophecies and Predi6}ionsof the Gentiles partaking in the Redemption to be wrought occur in all the Prophets, efpecially Ezechiel, Micah, Zechariah, and Malachie, but the instances al- ready produced are fufficient unto our purpofe. 4.32. There feems yet to be fotnewhat inconfillent with what we have declared in the words of the Apoítle , Epb. 3. v. 5, 6. God by Revelati ea made known unto me the maicrie, which in other Ages was not made known unto the Sons ofmen, as it is now revealed unto his holy ApoJfles and Prophets by the Spirit ; that the Gentiles Jhould be fellow heirs, and of the fame body, and partakers of his Promite in CbriJi by the Gofjel. The Apostle teems to deny that this myftetie of the participation of the Gentiles in the Biding by the promifed feed was revealed or made known, before the time of its discovery in and by the Gofpel, and therefore could not be fo declared by theProphets under the Old Teflament, aswe haveevinced. But indeed he doth not abfolutely deny what is af. ferted, only he prefers theExcellency of the Revelationthen made, above all the dip: coveries that were before madeof the fame thing. The myfferieof it was intimated in many Prophecies andPrvdiecions, though before theinaccomplifhmeut they were at- tended with great obleurity, which now is wholly taken away. In firmer Ages, Ass Éyvenp'7411> it was not, faith he, fully, clearly, manifèffly known, 707s ÿ.7s ävenslosa, MIN 1317 to the Sons of men, in common and promifcuoufly, though it were inti- mated unto the Prophets, and by themobfcurely reprefefnted unto the Church; but it was not'made known ws tie, with that clearnefs, evidence, and perípicúity, as it is now by the Apoftles and Preached unto all. It is only then the degrees of the manifeftation of this myflerie, as to opennefs, plainness , and evidence , that are affected by the Apoftle, above all which of the fame 'kind went before; but the dif- covery of it abfolutely is not denyed. And thus much was neceffary in our paffage to fecure our own intereJk in themercy treated about. f, 33; We may now return a little again unto the Promife given unto Abraham. In the purfuit hereof his tobeerity was feparated , to be a peculiar people unto God. Their Church-Efate, thewhole Conftitution of their Worfhip, their Temple,-and Sa- crifices, were all of them assigned and appointed unto to the confirmation ofthe Pro- mile, and to the explanation of the way whereby the bleefed feed Mould be brought forth, and the Work that he íhould perform for the removal offin and the Curie, and the bringing in of everlaffing Righteoufiteß, as fhall elfewhere be manifested. More- over unto this Deliverer and Deliverance to be wrought by him, with the nature of it, and the means of its accomplifhmeut, by what he was to do andSaffer do all the.Prophetsbear witnefs. The full manifeftation hereof, feeing it requires anexpli- cationof the Whole Polesineof the Meeliah, concerning his Perlon, Grace, and Media- tion;"Lais Ofilces,Life,Death, and Intercefsion, the Juflification offinners through his Blood, and Sandtification by his Spirit, with all other Articles of our Chriftian Faith, all which are taught and revealed, though obscurely, in the Old Teftament, woUld take up an eniire %lump, and be unfuitable unto our percent defign. But three things in general the Prophets give Teflimony unto him by. Firff, By pee- ferting the prorniled relief and remedy above all theprefent Glory andWorfhip ofthe Church;
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=