Vert. 28,29. the Epifitreto the Romans. 489 Fathers. The fecond is from the na- ture of God, who is evermore firme and unchangeable, and will not fru- ftrate his own ele &ion and calling. Therefore it is moil certain, that one day the Lewes 'muff be converted un- to the faith, becaufe God cannot for ever leave and forfake a people fo dear unto him, being his chofen peo- ple, partakers of his promifes and e- le &ion. T t M. How Both Paul paffe on, and tame unto thefe two arguments ? S t t. By a Preoccupation, where- in there is a ferret obje&ion anfwered. The objeaion is this : The Jewes are enemies of the Gófpell, they hate and hinder the preaching and fpreading of it, God haceth them ; and how theft may we thinke he will fave them,as you avouch ? Unto this the Apofile anfwer - eth by a diftinaion, thus : They are hated indeed for the Gofpels fake, unto which they are enemies, and for your fake whom they love fa little, as they thinke the work of the Gofpell,becaufe you profeffe it.But in other refpe &s they are beloved of God, becaufe of the pro- mifes made to their Fathers, and be caufe of Godsele&ion, whiclrcannot be made voydr by their prefent unbe- lief and refiflance of the Gofpell, be- caufe the gifts and calling of God never changeth. T t M. But how h it poßible,that thefol f e- fameperfoeufbould be both enemies, and be be- loved ? to hate and to love, are contraries, and cannot at one time be in a man, muoh ¡effe in God? S r L. Sundry anfwers may be fitted to this queftion and doubt, to fa- tisfie it. Fire }, the felt -fame Jewes may be hated and loved of God at fundry times; hated, whiles they continue in unbelief; beloved, when they be con- verted to the faith, as verfe 23. Se- condly, it may be meant of d`tverfe forts of Jewes, fuch as fpurne againft Chrìfl, are enemies and hated; but the remnant beloved, which belong to Gods eleaion, and do beleeve. Third- ly, it is true in divers confederations : in regard of their prefent minde to the Gofpell, hated : but in regard of their ele& Fathers, beloved and preci- ous : but the fittell anfwer hereunto is, to underffand this not of particular men and women among the Jewes, but of the whole Nation which was rejeaed and hated for their infidelity, yetn of ntïerly call out, becaufe of the Cove- nant made with their Fathers as the River is Hill the fame, although the wa- ter which runneth by, be not the fame : fgit is the fame Nation of the Jewes, becaufe of lineal¡ drfcent, though con- filling of divers generations, and of un- like conditions. Thus then the anfwer of Paul may furnniarily be colleaed: that if God looke upon the Jewes, according to their prefent efface; as they do not ad- mit,but kicke againft the Gofpell,he ha- tech them, and worthily abandoneth them but as he confiderech his peopled not after their evill defervings, but aca cording to his ovine free election, and that promifewhich God bath made td Abraham and his feed, God fo lo- veth them,and in his time wil vouehfafe his grace onto them; becaufe howfo- ever all men be lyars, yet God! renhai- neth tonflant, and aitereth Mat his will and counfell, ver. 29. T t M. But is not God changeable, teeing he fometimes lovetb , And fometimes hateth ? S 1 L. No verily, God Hill re- díaineth one and the fame, ever like himfelfe, howfoever things and perfons are often changed, filch as he Will have to change, and at fuch times as he ap- pointed their change. What God bath decreed to be perpetually, [hall be fo ; and what he bath ordained to be muta- ble, [hall be altered; but himfelfvarieth not, without him is no [hadow by tur- ning, 3ames r.1.ß. T r M. Come nom to thewords, and tell us to whom the ewes areenemies? S't t. Fiat, to God, whofe ene- mies they are, hating him, and hatefull to him. Secondly, unto all godly per ions, Paul and others : for Gods ene- mies- are our enemies, and his friends molt be our friends, Gen, ra. 3. Pfalme 139.'
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