theEpi(Ile tethe Calatirvts. Chap.3. i8z regard the writingsofPaul are thewordofGod. For there he rcucales and fcts down inwriting,more thenwooyears after, what was the intention ofGod , whenhe laid to Abraham, In thee /Ballallthe Gentiles be 6lefred. y The fccond point is , what is forefeene ? Anfwer ismade, that God infhifieththeGcntiles,that is,God will as cm-rely iuflifie them in time to come, as ifhe had then done it , when he fpakc the words. Some teach that the Predcflination of God, is his decree, in whichhe purpofeth to redeeme,and iufttfic all men, X o ofall ages, and times, fobe it they will beleeue. But I finde no fuch decree in the word. Herewe fee Godsdecree, is onely to iuflifie all the Gentiles in the lafl ageof the world. And thus the text ofPaul mutt be vnderflood , God would he all men to befitued, r . Tim. 2. namely, all men, or all the Gentiles in the r 5 lafl ageatticworld , and not all the Gentiles, ofall ages, and times. In the next place , the manner of the fpeech and teflimonie of Godmull be confidered , in that he is Paid to preach the Go- /pel to Abraham. Here marke the Antiquitieof the Gofpehand 20 the makesoftrucrcligion ,which for his fubflancewasknown not onely to the Apoflles, but allo to the Prophets, and Patri- arks. So ancient is the trueway ofhfe,and the dofìrine ofiufli- ficationby faithwithout workes. Papifls piead antiquitic for their religion : but in vaine : for theproper points and heads 25 oftheir religion, were taken vp lince the dales oFChrifl, fome, 200yeares after: fome,4co.fome,Goo.fome,800.fome,athou - fand:and fome,1400yeares after. The thirdpoint, is thefpcach, or teflimonieit felfe : do thee ,?,allall the Gentiles beblefled. In thee,that is,in thy feede, Chrífl, 3o Gcn.22.1 8.who is in thy loynes: into whome the Gentiles are ingrattedby faith, and confecluently into thee. For they arc the feedeofChri.fl, Ifa. 5 3. r o. who is the feede of Abraham. A- gaine,here it is laid,All the Gentiles: but Gen. t 7.4. Abraham is called thefuther,not ofall,but ofmarrnat:ons.An /. He is the â 5 father of many, in refpeCt of his flelh; and he is a father of all the Gentiles, in regardof his faith. Againc, it is vfuall in fcrip- ture, to put theword,All, for many. Rom. 5. s 5. r 8. And the benediaion here mentioned , comprehends all the fpirituall graces of G od,as vocation, iullification, glorification Eph. r v.3. Z3
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