of all things, and the Authour of Salvation to all that obey him. Heb.11.13,14, 15,16, Heb.11.5. King. 2.11. Luke 9.31. to fit at Gods right hand. It is alfo faid, The Fathers received Heb. 11.19. not the Promife,fcil, of Chrifts comming in the flesh to performe the worke of our Redemption: but as they received the promife of forgiveneffe, and of the Spirit of Sanctification, fo after their death they were taken into Heaven. They whofe Pilgrimage and fojourning ceased with this life, they could not but be in their Countrey at home after this life. But Heaven is the Countrey of the Saints; for where their Father is there is their Countrey Thofe who walked as ftrangers here on earth, because they looked. for an heavenly Jerufalem, a City whofe Maker was God, they leaving this earth were tranflated thither. The translating of Enoch, Mofes, and Elias feeme to figure out no other thing. Chrift was the fore-runner of Enorb, not in act, in refpect of the affumption of his humanity into Heaven, but in vertue and merit. From the beginning of the world, a place was prepared for all, whom God had chofen in Jefus Chrift, Matth.25.31 and 20.23. but a place was to be prepared of Chrift, for us, in refpect of the promifed paiment,by the force and efficacy whereof the effect was. before obtained, but with respect to future labours, which were both certaine and prefent with God. For a morall caufe, though it be not prefent in act, if it be fuppofed as future,may have its effect! The faithfull before Chrift, when they removed out of thefe earth ly tabernacles, were received into everlafting habitations. Luke16.9. Now if the godly at the inftant departed, were beftowed in any place but Heaven, they then did goe to manfions, which they were to leave in a short time, even then when Chrift did afcend. Our Saviour promised to the penitent Theefe upon the Croffe, This day fhalt thon be with me in Paradife : which if it was not. Luke 23.43+ into Heaven,but into Limbus, it was but for a short tihej for that. was to be broken up within a few houres space... But to returne to the matter in hand, The Covenant of Promife and the new Covenant are to one for fubftance, that what is in the first for weight and effentiall,is in all the degrees following, and co be underfood, though not mentioned, and whatsoever in any after degree appeares as fubftantiall to the Covenant, that was included in in the first propounding of it but in fundry accidents, which no thing hinder their fubftantiall unity, they are diftinguished. -First on the part of the Object, Chrift exhibited in the New Covenant, is promised as to come in the Covenant of promise. For it was meete the promife (hould goe before the Gospell, and be fulfilled in the Gofpell, that fo great a good might carnestly be deftred before it was beltowed, and that the expectation of them that waited for the confolation of Ifrael might not be fruftrated. Secondly, In the manner of adminiftration and measure of faith. For the knowledge of Chrift, and faith in him to come, was more obfcure and darke, then the knowledge of him already come, and faith which doth behold him prefent. The manner of Chrifts Mediation was more fparingly and obfcurely revealed: his perfon, the manner of execution of the office of Mediatour, and the bene fits that we receive in him, more darkly unfolded, fometimes propounded in generall words, fometimes fhadowed in types and figures, feldome more fpecially defcribed. And the reafon why thefe things at firft were more dar kely delivered, may be: first,because things prefent or paft are feene more clearely then things to come: prophefies be obfcure before the accomplishment. 2. The Church was then in her Infancy and rude, not come to her ripe age, the Lord in his infinite wifdome fo difpofing the matter. 3. It was meete the cleare and fall revelation of this myftcry fhould be referved to Chrift the chiefe Prophet. The Authour of life was to lay open and make manifeft the way to life: Till the way into Heaven was really entred by the true high Prieft, after the order of Melchifedech, it was not fully manifested: Heb.9.8. Under the Old Testament the way into the Holieft was not ablolutely fhut, but vailed, not altogether untraced, but not fully laid open: because our true and reall high Prieft had not made fatif faction by the offering up of himselfe a facrifice once for all, not confecrated that new and living way through the waile, that is to fay,his fefh. 4. The minds of men were to be held in a longing defire and expectation of Chrift and the obfcure revelation of Chrift and his benefits did ferve to raise their hearts to an earneft defire of his comming, in refpect of the cleate revelation and great and glorious bleffings they might then expect. But in this obfcurity we may obferve fome degrees: Before the Law given by Mofes the promife was more obfcure: the Law being given, C 3 even to the times of the Prophets leffe cleare: in the times of the Prophets even to lohn the Baptift, more cleare. Even from the firft giving forth of the promife untill the comming of Christ in the fefb, the revelation was more cleare, diftinct, ample, as the comming of the Meffiah did approach neerer and neerer. For the Church by how much it was neerer to her beginnings, by fo much it was the ruder,and therfore to be inftructed in a more rude forme. As the time of the Sunne approacheth neerer, or if further off, fo is the light that goeth before it, greater or leffer: and as the time of the arifing of the Sonne of righteoufneffe is more remote or nigh at hand,fo was the revelation that went before more dimme or cleare. It was meete and expedient that when the comming of the glorious King of peace and righteoufneffe did draw nigh, the hearts of men fhould be raised up in defire and expectation of him: But the better they were acquainted with his perfon and office, the more diftinctly they understood the time of his comming, the more lively taft they had of the benefits they fhould receive by him, and the greater tokens they faw of his glory approaching, the more their hearts would be enlarged to defire and expect him. Moreover it was the good pleasure of God to manifest the riches of his grace, not all at once, but by degrees, as he saw it most expedient for the glory of his great Name, and the good of his people in feverall ages and states of the Church, of which we fhall have occafion to fpeake largely in the Chapters following. But here two things must be noted to prevent fome doubts that may arife. Firft that cleareneffe of Revelation is twofold. One on the part of the revealer, when the revealer dealeth fo, that unleffe he have a rude hearer, or altogether malitious, it may be understood of the hearer what he meaneth. The other cleare, even on the part of the hearer, when it is fo great that the rudeneffe of the hearer cannot hinder, that he should not perceive what is fpoken, but his malice only. In the first fence, the reve lation of Chrift in the Covenant of the promife was cleare but the teftimony concerning the Kingdome of Chrift could not be understood of a rude hearer before the accomplishment. If it be objected, how then could they be faved? In the fecond place it is to be obferved, that Chrift doth not fave as clearly knowne, but as he is fincerely acknowledged. But when the Revelation was fparing and darke,no man can deny that F Chrift Exod.247.8. Heb.10.1. Gal.3.16, Heb.8.1,2 & Rom. 3:25. 4.1 Chrift was truly and unfainedly acknowledged in the Church of the Lewes. The word of God is the measure of faith, and that is true and faving faith, which believeth all things which are revealed, and in that manner wherein they are revealed, and therefore the faith of the Fathers was found and effectuall, because they be lieved what God was pleafed to reveale, and after that manner wherein it was revealed of God. A Third difference arifeth from this; for Chrift with all his benefits was propofed to the Ifraelites under types and figures. As the Priefts, Alcars, Sacrifices, Propitiatory, were all types of Chrift his Prieft-hood and Sacrifice: and the Land of Canaan a type of Heaven & the Lord leading the lewes by the help of earthly things to heavenly and fpirituall, because they were but young and tender : which was one caufe why the Covenant was more obfcure, heavenly things being wrapt up under earthly. But in the new Covenant Chrift is offered to be feene with open face; the truth, fubftance and body of the things themselves is exhibited; and all vaile of figures removed,our minds are streight directed to heavenly bleffedneffe. 4. The variety of administration doth offer a fourth difference : Gal, 4.12.& 3. for the Apostle compares the Nation of the Lewes to an heire as yet an Infant, that is under Tutours and Governeurs. The Chriftian Church to an heire come to ripe yeares. 13,25. And from this arifeth a fifth difference, That as an heire not come to yeares, not differing from a fervant, the Church was held under the Ceremoniall Law,from which they that believe in Chrift are delivered after the expiration of the time of nourture appoin ted of the Father. Sixthly they differ in the number of them that are called to the participation of the Covenant. The Covenant of promife was at rit concluded within the Families of the Patriarkes, the rest having excommunicated themselves, and then within the confines of Limits of Iudea: that in the lewes there might be a most illustrious type of Election, and of rejection in the Gentiles, that is, of the Church of God and Sachan. But the partition wall betwixt lew & Gentile being broken downe, the Covenant of grace was made with all Nations. Seventhly,the efficacy of Chrift promifed is leffer then of Chrift xhibited. In the Covenant of promife, certaine promifes con cerning cerning corporall bleffings, were made unto the Fathers; and externall bleffings were more efteemed, as Symbols of fpirituall and heavenly: But under the New Covenant, bleffings fpirituall, and the gifts and graces of the Spirit are in more ample and plentifull manner powred upon the Church. Remiffion of finnes though it was certaine with God, was leffe felt under the Covenant of Promife, because the cloud of the Law put betwixt the mercy of God and the eye of the foule; the grace of God was more obfcurely revealed, and the meanes of expiating finne by the death of Chrift; as alfo because remiffion of finnes was not really obtained by our furety, for as yet he had not made the fatisfaction promiLed. The Spirit was powred in leffe plenty upon the faithfull: becaufe that benefit was to be referved to the times of Chrift, who was first to receive the Spirit above measure in his humane nature, and thence to derive grace unto all us. The lewes as heires were partakers of the Spirit of Adoption, but tempered with the spirit of Servitude, because they were Infants, under the yoke of the Law, the way to heaven not as yet clearely manifested: But the heire come to ripe yeares, is altogether led by the Spirit of Adoption. The fenfe of future glory was alfo more obfcure, because there is more obfcure mention of it, and of the way thereunto in the Old Teftament. If we fpeake of fome particular perfons under the first Covenant, they were endued with greater gifts of the Spirit then many under the New: but more light of knowledge, and greater plenty and abundance of Grace is beltowed upon the Church in the time of the Gofpell, if we refpect the body of the Church and faithfull in Generall. Eighthly, the feales of the Covenant of promife were in number more, in fignification more obfcure, in ufe painfull and burdenfome, peculiar to fome people as the Covenant was, and to continue only untill the time of reformation: But the feales of the New Testament are in, number few, in fignification cleare, in ufe cafy, common to all nations, and to endure for ever. And from thefe grouds it may be concluded, That though the Fathers being delivered from the Tabernacle of the body, were made Heb.8.6. & 10: partakers of life eternall in Heaven. yet they had not before Chrift 20. that perfect ftate in Heaven, which now we and they are prefently poffeffed of: for they were not to be perfected without us, as neither fhall we be perfected before that bleffed day of the fecond Heb.18.39.40. F2 comming |