ItheEpi f le to the gedwititnr. Chap3 Purther,Paul faith,that the promife isa cotenant confirmed,& that in refpeEl of C/ riff: becaufe he is the (cope $c foundation of all thepromifes of God : partly by merit, and partlyby tffica- ., tie. By merit; becaufe he bathprocuredby his death andpafFi. 5 on, rem finites of and life euerlafling. By bis eflicacie; becaufe he teaks vp vnto vs in our confciences, rcmiffìon of finnes, and withall rcfl'ores in vs the imageofGod. The s'fe. If Chyift be the ground ofthe promife , then is he the ground and fountains of all the blefhngs of God. And for this saute, so i the right way toobtaine any ble(l'ingofGod, is fisa to resents the promife, and in the promife Chrift: and Chrifl bceing ours ; in him , and from him,wc (hall receiue all things need. farle. The fecond anfwer ofPaul to the former obieftion, is, that /5 ifthe promife made to Abrahammight be difanullcd , yet the law couldnot doe it. And he gluesa double reafon. The firft is drawne,from the circumftance of time. 13:waufc the promife or cotenant was made with Abraham, and continued by God .4goFarts before the law was giuen : therefore faith Paul, the 20 km:was notgiven todiftwill the pranfrfr. Again!! this reafon it may be obiccrted, that Abrahams feed, was but ,t.o o yeare.1 in a flrange land. Gen.! 5 . i 3. An( Moles fpeakesof the time that was from thebeginniuz of Abrahams feede, or from the birthof Mac to then,iuing of the law : and 25 Paul here fpeakes of the time that wasbctwcene thegiuingof the promife to.Abraham , and the giuing of the taw' :and that was 3o ycares before the birth of lfaac. Agame, it may be obies`1ed,that the I fraeliteswere in Egypt 43oyeares.Exod. r 2.40. 'The a'»ellinç efthe chil.'ren of /frail, 30 while theydwelled in E';ypt, was 430ye.rex. Therefore it feemea there was more time betwecne the promife, and the law. Ar, The mcaniasg of Mofes in this place, is thus much : that the dwellingofthe children of; fracl,whilc theydwelt as pilgrims, was for the (pace of 4;o yeares : and that in part of this time 35 they dwelt in Egyptas flrangers. The words may thus be tran fated , The dwellsstQor Peres ivattonofthe children of lfrael, iv which theydwelt in Egypt, wu 4 i,e, ye.rres. And this peregrinati- on beginnesin the callingofAbraham,anct cndes at the gluing. ofthe law. InPauls example, finch icewhat it is to e the Scriptures, Dd 3 atoa; 213
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