The Great Mystery of Godliness Opened, Exposition on verse · Verse 8
VERSE 8.
That is, they that are the children of the fleſh, are not the children of God; but the children of the Promiſe are counted for the ſeed.
IN this Verſe our Apoſtle doth deliver by way of Explication, that which he put down in the verſe foregoing, and having in the ſeventh verſe before affirmed, that not all they that came of Abraham by the courſe of nature, are the true ſeed of Abraham, becauſe Iſhmael was the ſeed of Abraham, but God ſaid, he ſhould not inherit the promiſe, but in Iſaac ſhould the ſeed be called, he ſhould participate in the promiſe: now this being brought by the Apoſtle, and ſet down in the verſe foregoing; In this verſe the Apoſtle explaineth himſelf, and layeth open his meaning a little further, ſhewing what he meaneth by children, and by the ſeed of Abraham; here he explaineth his meaning, Neither are they all children (in the verſe before,) becauſe they are the ſeed of Abraham, but in Iſaac ſhall thy ſeed be called; then he ſubjoyneth, in this eighth verſe, That is, they that are the children of the fleſh, are not the children of God; but the children of the Promiſe are counted for the ſeed.
And in this eighth verſe we have laid before us, an oppoſition between the children of the fleſh, and the children of the promiſe: Firſt of all, denying them to be the children of God, who are the children of the fleſh; and ſecondly, affirming. that they onelyonly are accounted the true ſeed, who are the children of the Promiſe. Now for the explication of this verſe, leſſe need it to be ſtood upon, and ſpoken of, if ſo be ſome erring ſpirits did not wreſt and pervert it, and labour to draw it to a wrong ſenſe; I will therefore endeavour to lay open the true ſenſe of it, viz.
That is, (my meaning is,) they which are the children of the fleſh] The Arminians and the Anabaptiſts joyn together hand in hand, and do underſtand by children of the fleſh, thoſe that ſeek for righteouſneſſe and ſalvation by the righteouſneſſe of the Law, and ſo ſeek for it by a carnal and fleſhly courſe, after the law and the fleſh; and ſo ſuch as are Juſtitiaries, and ſeek to be juſtified by the Law, this (ſay they) is meant by children of the fleſh; this is their conceit. But this cannot be the true ſenſe of the phraſe, fleſh; though I grant indeed, by children of the fleſh, we note out ſuch as are Juſtitiaries, in ſome places of Scripture, and ſuch as ſeek for ſalvation by their own righteouſneſſe, the righteouſneſſe of the Law, and that in and by the Law; yet here in this place, the literal ſenſe and the literal meaning is to be taken; and by children of the fleſh, we are to underſtand thoſe that diſcended of Abraham according to the courſe of nature, and by carnal generation, we are not to take it in a Metaphorical ſenſe, but in the very literal ſenſe of it.
For (to confirm the Expoſition) it is moſt evident and clear, that the thing which made the Jews to ſtand upon, and to think themſelves that they were within the Covenant, and had right and title to it, which is made to Abraham, the very cauſe they ſo thought; what was it? (the ſeeking of righteouſneſſe by the Law?) no ſuch matter, that he beateth againſt in the next Chapter. But becauſe they were the Iſraelites, becauſe they were of Abraham, in regard of carnal generation, and were Abrahams ſeed according to the fleſh, this they vaunted and ſtood upon; what may we think to be meant by Abrahams ſeed, (which the Apoſtle ſpeaketh of in the verſe foregoing, and here doth explain that term,) but ſuch as came of the ſeed of Abraham, and that by nature, not ſuch as ſought righteouſneſſe by the Law, no, his meaning is no ſuch matter, becauſe the matter they ſtood upon as a priviledge and prerogative belonging unto them.
are not the children of God] That is, they are not ſuch children as God bound himſelf unto by a ſpecial promiſe, to do good unto in a ſpecial manner: as he ſaid unto Abraham, I will be thy God, and the God of thy ſeed, ſuch as he had bound himſelf unto in a Covenant.
but the children of the promiſe] For the underſtanding of this phraſe; and form of ſpeech, we muſt know, that Iſaac Abrahams ſon was a child of the promiſe, (what is that?) why ſurely, ſuch a child, as the promiſe gave birth unto, Abraham begot Iſaac, of his wife Sarah indeed according to the courſe of Nature, but not by the force, ſtrength, and vertue of nature, he was born merely by a ſpecial promiſe made unto Abraham, and by vertue and ſtrength of that ſpecial promiſe, cited by the Apoſtle, made in Gen. 18.9. Sarah thy wife ſhall have a ſon; and ſo though he was begotten by Abraham according to the courſe of Nature, but not by the force of Nature: For when this promiſe was made unto Abraham, Sarah thy wife ſhall have a ſon, Abraham and Sarah were old, and both ſtrucken in years, and not of ability by nature to have a child, ſo that in regard of the force of nature, it was as impoſſible for Abraham to beget, or Sarah to bear a Child, as for a ſtone to flye upward; ſo that he was begotten by vertue of the Promiſe, for ſhe was paſt childbearing, and Abraham very old, ſo that the force and ſtrength of Nature in Abraham, and Sarah was not the cauſe of Iſaac's birth, but by vertue of the promiſe; ſo that we are to underſtand by children of the promiſe, ſuch as after the manner of Iſaac are children of the promiſe, Gal. 4.28. Now we brethren, as Iſaac was, are the children of the Promiſe; That is, all ſuch as by vertue of the promiſe of grace, of life and ſalvation, are adopted and made the children of the Promiſe, by the vertue and force of the promiſe; the Goſpel being a quickening Goſpel, it being publiſhed, and they believing in it, they come to be the children of the promiſe, and born anew, not by nature, but by the Promiſe.
The meaning of the Apoſtle is this, That is, or my meaning is, that not they that are deſcended from Abraham, onelyonly by the courſe of Nature, and according to the fleſh, and by carnal generation; they are not ſuch children as God hath bound himſelf unto by promiſe, in a ſpecial manner, that is to do good unto, by a ſpecial promiſe, according to the ſpeech unto Abraham, I will be thy God, and the God of thy ſeed: But all ſuch that belong unto Gods election in time to be called, to be the ſons and daughters of God, the promiſe being publiſhed unto them, and are wrought upon by vertue of the Spirit, and the Promiſe, They onelyonly, and none but they, are accounted and reputed for the true ſeed and children of Abraham, to whom the promiſe of mercy, grace, righteouſneſſe, and ſalvation belongeth.
Come we now to the Doctrines. And here obſerve, That the Apoſtle doth expound himſelf, touching that, which is put down in the verſe foregoing, and delivereth his mind more plainly, then in the ſeventh verſe: the concluſion is this;
That the holy Prophets, and the holy Apoſtles of God, Doctrine. the Pen-men of Scripture, they do explain the things that are needful for the Church and people of God, and make them more eaſie that are hard to be underſtood, expreſſing them more plainly in one place, then in another: an uſual thing in the Book of God, for the Pen-men of Scripture, to explain ſuch things as is neceſſary, for the people of God, to expreſſe things that ſeem to be doubtful, obſcure and ambiguous, more in one place, then in another, and not to leave it obſcure and ambiguous: For the further manifeſtation of it, I might inſiſt on divers places of Scripture, but take theſe few, in Gen. 17.10. we read, that circumciſion is called the Covenant, and in the 11. verſe he explaineth it, and ſaith it is the ſign of the Covenant: ſo in Exod. 12.11. The Paſchal Lamb, is called the Lords Paſſeover, that ſhould be eaten in deſtroying the Egyptians; then in the 27 verſe, it is ſaid to be the ſacrifice of the Lords paſſeover, more plainly expounding it: ſo in 1 Cor. 10.4. Chriſt is called a rock, and by and by he ſubjoyneth unto it, a ſpiritual rock; ſo that phraſe uſed by Chriſt, (which the Papiſts ſo much abuſe, as the ground of their tranſubſtantiation, and would prove it, that the Body and Blood of Chriſt are really and corporally in the Sacrament, under the form of Bread and Wine,) it is expounded by the Holy Ghoſt, and by the Apoſtle in 1 Cor. 11.26. For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this Cup, ye do ſhew the Lords death untill he come: doth not this ſet out the meaning of that ſpeech abuſed by the Papiſts? Take, eat this is my body: For theſe are memorials, and viſible ſigns, and repreſentations of the Body and Blood of Chriſt. I might further inſtance in divers paſſages of the Scripture, to ſhew, that this is uſual in the Scripture, to explain in one place, what is difficult in another; the Reaſon is,
Reaſon. Becauſe it is Gods purpoſe, (the very purpoſe of the Lord) in his revealed Will, to make his will known unto man by Scripture, ſo much as he would have man to know neceſſary to ſalvation: And in the Scripture to give man a perfect rule of holineſſe, of righteouſneſſe, of faith, and of good life, of all things to be known, or believed, and to be practiſed, and therefore he maketh known in one place, what is difficult in another, to make man wiſe unto ſalvation, as in 2 Tim. 3.15. thou haſt known the Scriptures of a child, which are able to make thee wiſe unto ſalvation,) to make thee to come to the underſtanding of it, at leaſt ſo much as is needful to be known unto ſalvation; this being the very end of God, as appeareth, Joh. 20.31. ſaith the Evangeliſt, Many other things Jeſus did, but theſe are written, that you might believe that Ieſus Chriſt is the Son of God, and by believing might have life (i.e, faith and ſalvation) through his name; ſo that this is undoubtedly true, that the pen-men of the Scripture have thus explained it.
Ʋſe 1 Wickedly then deal the Papiſts, in that they lay a hardneſſe and obſcurity on the Word of God, and teach, that though the Scriptures be delivered in our Mother tongue, yet they are ſo hard to be underſtood, not onelyonly of the ignorant and common ſort of people, the laity, but the learned among themſelves, they cannot tell when they have the true ſenſe and meaning of the Word of God, no not of the things that are fundamental, unleſſe the Church conſent with them; Nay the greateſt Rabbins and Doctours amongſt us, cannot underſtand the Scriptures, without conſent of the Church: Oh conſider, hath God ſent unto us his Word, as a Letter, and Epiſtle, to teſtifie his mind unto us, and unto his Church, and hath he ſhut it up in ſuch doubtful terms, that a man cannot tell when he hath the underſtanding of it? he ſendeth it to teſtifie his mind and will unto us, and hath he ſo ſhut it up, that we cannot tell when we have the ſenſe of it? Oh fearful blaſphemy; why? It were better that we had no Scripture written at all, far better, then to have it ſo doubtful. But there is no jot of it but ſerveth for the good of his people, both in this life, and the life to come; God hath ſo ordered the tongues of the holy Writers and Pen-men of Scripture, his Prophets, and Apoſtles, that the meaning is eaſie to be underſtood, by ſuch as come unto it with attentive minds, that do read diligently, mark attentively, judge humbly, and pray heartily.
Ʋſe 2 But to make uſe of this to our ſelves: Is it ſo, that the holy Prophets and Pen-men of Scripture do deliver plainly in one place, what is hard in another, upon this ground it followeth, that the beſt way of expounding Scripture, is by Scripture it ſelf; we commonly give thus much to a man, that he is the beſt expounder of himſelf: ſo then learn we to apply and compare Scripture with Scripture: and in that we do not apply Scripture with Scripture, it is the reaſon why we do let ſlip other places that may help us in the true Application of Scripture: it is a ſubtilty that Satan, or the Divel, (and our hearts are ready to joyn with him,) that he maketh men to hale and draw unto themſelves ſuch places of Scripture as they think do favour them in their ſin, by their abuſe of it, they lay hands upon thoſe places that ſo ſeem, & willingly and purpoſely forgetting other places, that do draw them back from ſuch conjecturing; as the Uſurer, wil draw ſuch places as may countenance his ſin, (to his ſeeming) and neglect thoſe that draw him to the contrary: Yea many men they turn Gods grace unto wantonneſſe, to go on in ſin with an high hand, and ſtiffe neck, adding drunkenneſſe to thirſt; they are impenitent in their ſins, and will not be reformed, and yet for all this they perſwade themſelves that they ſhall find mercy from the Lord: And why? whence cometh this? The Devil is ready to ſuggeſt unto them, and to furniſh them with remembrance, of a number of comfortable places of Scripture that ſet forth Gods mercy, as that in Pſal. 103.8. The Lord is full of compaſſion and mercy, ſlow to anger, and of great kindneſſe: and in Pſal. 145.9. The mercy of the Lord is over all his works; theſe the devil maketh to intitle to themſelves; yea, with a Pſalm of mercy, to carry them up to the higheſt pitch of preſumption, and to lay violent hands upon thoſe places of Scripture that are full of comfort, and to ſay, certainly God is merciful, and forgiveneſſe is with the Lord; and though I go on in ſin, yet I ſhall find, mercy; purpoſely forgetting many other places of Scripture, that ſhew, God is a revenging God, and a conſuming fire, that puniſhes thoſe that go on in ſin, Pſal. 25.10. that mercy and truth go together; God is merciful, but he is alſo true, true in his threatnings, as well as in his promiſes; yea forgetting to apply theſe places full of comfort, with the conſideration of that which Moſes ſaith, Deut. 29.20 If any man go on in the ſtubbornneſſe of his own heart, and adde Drunkenneſſe to thirſt, one ſin unto another; the Lord will not be merciful to that man. They never remember this, the devil teacheth them to forget, that God is juſt, and full of judgment, and that his jealouſie ſhall ſmoke againſt thoſe that go on in their ſins, ſurely the Lord will render vengeance upon them: Oh therefore in the fear of God, take notice of it, of this manner of expounding and applying of Scripture, therefore learn we to compare Scriture with Scripture, and ſee what qualification thou haſt, before thou lay hold on the promiſe of God, and learn to compare Scripture with Scripture, that we may mitigate the comfort of it, and draw us back from wreſting and perverting of it, elſe we ſhall make that which ſhould be our life, our death, and that which ſhould adminiſter comfort and ſweetneſſe unto us, to be a means to encourage us to ſinne, and to adde ſinne to ſinne, and ſo to ruſh upon our own ruine and deſtruction; In the fear of God therefore conſider it, and the Lord give you all underſtanding.
That is, they that are the children of the fleſh, are not the children of God; but the children of the Promiſe are accounted for the ſeed.
TOuching the Apoſtles Denyal, that they that came of Abraham according to the fleſh are not the true ſeed, theſe words being an Expoſition of the words foregoing, the point hence offered, is the ſame which hath been ſtood upon before, which I think needleſſe to ſtand upon: the Doctrine being, That the coming or deſcending of good and godly parents is not ſufficient to intitle us to be heires of the promiſe, and Gods children. I ſay the point hence ariſing being the ſame, therefore I will not here meddle with it; But come to the Apoſtles affirmation, leaving his negation, That they onelyonly are accounted the true ſeed of Abraham, who are the children of the promiſe, that is, (as we ſhewed you in opening the Text,) they only that are after the manner of Iſaac, children of the promiſe, belonging unto Gods election, by the ſpecial grace of God, and made Gods children, hy the vertue of Gods promiſe, they onelyonly are reckoned and accounted for the true ſeed of Abraham, to whom grace and ſalvation belongeth.
Now from theſe words, thus underſtood, two things are offered unto our conſideration, (to be ſtood upon in particular,) the firſt is, the efficacy and force of the words of Gods promiſe, the force, and ſtrength, and vertue of it, concerning mercy, grace, righteouſneſſe, life and ſalvation, to all that believe in Chriſt, and repent of their ſins. In a word, the efficacy and force of the Word of the Goſpel, which indeed is a word of promiſe, it propoundeth to all true believers that are repentant for their ſins, mercy, grace, righteouſneſſe, life and ſalvation: the obſervation is this,
That the Word of Gods ſaving promiſe, the Word of the Goſpel, is a moſt powerful, and a moſt effectual Word; it is of a begetting nature, it is able (as an Inſtrument) to beget children unto God, and it doth (in Gods appointed time) effectually work upon Gods choſen, and make them actually the Children of God, ſo that they may be truly called the children of the promiſe; as that ſpecial promiſe in Gen. 18. Sarah thy wife ſhall have a ſon, as that gave birth and being to Iſaac, (when there was no likelihood or poſſibility of his being and birth from his parents, Abraham and Sarah,) ſo the Word of Gods ſaving promiſe, the words of the Goſpel, giveth a ſpiritual being and birth to Gods choſen, and make them actually the children of God, (in his appointed time) when there is no likelihood nor poſſibility in nature; Yea, when their Nature is in flat oppoſition, and contrariety unto it; then doth the Word of the Goſpel make them actually the children of God. And to this purpoſe ſpeaketh that holy and Evangelical Prophet, the Prophet Eſay, Eſay 11.6, 7, 8.9. the holy Prophet ſheweth, that in the dayes of Chriſt, ſuch ſhould be the force and powerful working of the Goſpel, that it ſhould make men of Wolves to become lambs, and of Leopards, as meek as kids, and men that were as Lions, (of a Lioniſh nature) to be as meek as a fat beaſt, and as gentle, that children ſhould lead them, ſuch as were of a wolviſh and lioniſh Nature; (for ſo we are by nature fierce, and cruel, and ſavage, to become meek and gentle,) and ſo he goeth on in ſetting forth the powerful working of the Goſpel: ſo in Joh. 5.25. ſaith the Lord Jeſus, Verily, verily, I ſay unto you, the hour cometh, and now is, when the dead ſhall hear the Word of God, and they that hear it ſhall live: where by dead 'we ſhall underſtand, thoſe that are ſpiritually dead, and not corporally dead, for of thoſe he ſpeaketh in the 28 verſe; he ſaith, that the voyce of the Spirit of God ſhall come to thoſe that are in the graves, and they ſhall ariſe; but hereby thoſe that are dead in ſins and treſpaſſes, Epheſ. 2.1. and ſuch as are ſpiritually dead, to put the life of grace, and of faith, and of holineſſe into their hearts and ſoules; in the 1. of James 18. ſaith the Apoſtle; (ſpeaking of God,) of his own will begat he us with the Word of truth; by an emphaſis, or excellency, a begetting word, the word of the Goſpel, and not to adde more places, this doth ſufficiently prove, that the Goſpel of God is an effectual Word, and doth work upon Gods choſen, in time, and make them to become Gods children actually; whereas before they were potentially, and may be called the children of the Promiſe: The Reaſons and grounds are theſe;
Firſt of all, the Goſpel it is the arm of the Lord; ſo ſaith the Prophet, Reaſon 1 Eſay 53.1. to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed, that is, the word of the Goſpel, yea it is the power of God, ſo the Apoſtle ſaith, Rom. 1.16. 1 Cor. 1.18. it is the arm of the Lord, and the power of God, it is a power far paſſing the power of man, or of hell it ſelf, and of all the devils, it is ſtrong, powerful, and prevailing, there is no oppoſition whatſoever is able to gainſay it, or withſtand it, but it is able to bear it down to the ground.
The word of the Goſpel, it adminiſtreth to Gods choſen, Gods Spirit; Reaſon 2 whence it is that the Apoſtle in Gal. 3.2. demandeth of the Galathians, What? ſaith he, Received ye the Spirit by the preaching of the Law, or rather by the preaching of the doctrine of Faith? the doctrine of the Goſpel, that is the means of conveying unto you the Spirit, namely, the Goſpel of God which conveyeth it. Now the Spirit of God ſtirreth up the unbelieving, (that are Gods choſen,) and inableth them to believe, yea it doth beget faith in their hearts, and doth certainly and infallibly (and that without reſiſtance) actually incline their hearts to believe in Chriſt, and ſo to become actually Gods children; thus doth the holy Spirit of God (given to Gods choſen,) bend and bowe their hearts inabling them to believe, and make them certainly and infallibly Gods Children, ſuch is the power of the Goſpel.
This Doctrine (in the firſt place) doth point out unto us one main difference Ʋſe 1 that is between the Law and the Goſpel, the law doth onelyonly diſcover ſin unto man, and what the leaſt ſin of man deſerveth, and is able to go no further, it cannot deliver unto a man any means of comfort, but ſeaveth a man liable to the curſe of the Law, it ſheweth them not the means to eſcape the curſe, onelyonly as a Schoolmaſter it ſendeth men to Chriſt, not by teaching and inſtructing, but by whipping and ſcourging, by terrifying upon the ſight of ſin, it ſheweth them no pity, nor no compaſſion, it driveth them from it ſelf, to ſeek unto a better Schoolmaſter, and better Phyſitian, to go unto Chriſt, Gal. 3.14. the Law is our Schoolmaſter to drive us to Chriſt. But now the Goſpel is of force to work upon Gods choſen, effectually, it is able to confer, and to adminiſter unto Gods choſen, the Spirit of God, which Spirit doth beget faith in their hearts, and ſo they become actually the Children of God; this is the efficacy and power of the Goſpel.
Is this ſo, that the Word of Gods promiſe, (the Goſpel) is ſo powerful, Ʋſe 2 and ſo effectual, and able (as an Inſtrument) to beget children to God? Oh then I beſeech you, in the fear of God, look unto it; learn we upon this ground, that the Word of the Goſpel (we living under the preaching of it,) be thus powerful in our hearts and ſoules in particular, let us never reſt, untill we find that the preaching of the Goſpel hath ſo wrought upon our hearts and ſoules, that it be ſo effectual in us to bear down the ſtrength of nature, and whatſoever ſtandeth in oppoſition againſt it, and to caſt down the ſtrongeſt hold of ſin and Satan in our hearts, and that it hath conferred, and conveyed the holy Spirit of God, and thereby wrought faith in our hearts; Oh let us never reſt, untill we find this working. And conſider, the Goſpel, it is the arm of God, it hath made ſome men of wolves, to become as lambs; of Lions, fat beaſt; it hath beaten down the pride of their hearts, it hath hammered, their hard hearts, it hath quelled and overmaſtered their over-ruling and predominant corruptions: take onelyonly the example of the Apoſtle Paul, that was changed by the voyce of Chriſt from heaven, (and the voyce of the Goſpel is as powerful,) from a bloody and tyrannical perſecutor, to a famous and renowned Preacher of the Goſpel, Gal. 1.22. And we read not onelyonly in the primitive ſtories of the Church, but have found alſo in our own time, that the Goſpel of God hath been of ſuch force, that it hath made many to leave their Fathers, their Mothers, wives, children, friends, their lands and livings, and all their riches, and poſſeſſions, and to loſe their lives by fire, and ſword, and faggot, and by cruel tortures, yea by as cruel torments, as their tormentors could lay upon them. And is not the voyce of the Goſpel now as powerful, is not the Goſpel able to make thee now to lay aſide thy profits, or pleaſures, as thy Carding, or Dicing? nay not to lay aſide a cup of beer or wine, not needful for thee, is not the Goſpel able to make thee to lay aſide a needleſſe new fangled attire on thy head? to make thee cut off thy long ſhag, and ruffian-like hair? to make thee leave off thy covetouſneſſe, thy Drunkenneſſe, thy whoring thy common ſwearing by faith and troth? is it not able to do this? is the power of the Goſpel abated? can it not make thee leave off thy darling ſin? it was wont to do this in former time. And the Goſpel is as powerful now, and as able to throw down the ſtrongeſt hold of ſin and Satan as ever, 2 Cor. 10.4. to throw down imaginations and ſtrong holds of corruption, if thou live under the Goſpel, where the Goſpel is truly and faithfully preached, and aſſuredly either the Goſpel hath thus wrought in thee to the purging out of corruptions, and thoſe ſins thou once delightedſt in, or it ſealeth up unto thee a heavy and fearful concluſion; what is that, you will ſay? Take it from the Apoſtle, not from me, in 2 Cor. 4.3. mark what he ſaith, The Apoſtle in the ſecond verſe of the Chapter ſheweth, that he, and the reſt of the Apoſtles, handled the Word of God not deceitfully, but in the declaration of the truth, in plain evidence of the Spirit, and of power, they approved themſelves to every mans conſcience, then mark what he bringeth in by way of inference, if the Gospel be hid, it is hid to them that periſh; if the Goſpel that hath been ſo plentifully and powerfully preached, and ſo painfully delivered in the evidence and demonſtration of the Spirit, work not in your hearts and ſouls, It is to be feared you are in the way to deſtruction, and in a fearful condition: Oh then let us look that we find the power of the Goſpel in our hearts and ſoules, and conſider, it will nothing at all avail us to know, that the Goſpel is the power of God to ſalvation, though it were to thouſands, yea to all the world beſides, if we find it is not ſo to us, to commend the Goſpel, and the Doctrine of the Goſpel, and the comforts of it, and to ſay it is a bleſſed Sermon, an excellent Sermon, the beſt ſermon that ever I heard; it may be worthy to be commended, but hath it wrought upon thee? thou finding it not powerful to thee, it will not be available to take notice of the Goſpel, to be a Word of power in the general, and in the abſtract, and not find it ſo in the particular to thy ſelf, is the caſe of the Devil; he knoweth the Goſpel is a comfortable Word; but ſee what good haſt thou gotten by knowing it, hath it beat down thy pride, thy covetouſneſſe, thy earthly mindedneſſe? happy art thou; otherwiſe, it will not be available: therefore in the fear of God, let us never reſt till we find that we living under the ſound preaching of the Goſpel, that hath been effectual to our ſoules and hearts, and hath beaten down our pride, our earthly mindedneſſe, and predominant corruptions, and hath been of force and efficacy to the conferring upon us the holy Spirit of God, and ſo made us actually Gods Children, and heires of grace, mercy, and ſalvation, then happy art thou.
Now the ſecond thing that we are to ſtand upon, is this,
That the children of the promiſe, Doctrine. ſuch as are effectually wrought upon by the Word of the Goſpel, and by that word begotten to the faith, and to believe in Chriſt, they are accounted the true ſeed, and the true children of Abraham, and they have this honour to be of his ſeed. And all the nobility of Chriſts Anceſtors, of Abraham, of David, is communicated unto them, whether they be not of the race of the Jewes, but Gentiles, as it's our caſe: if the Goſpel hath conferred the Spirit unto thee, thou art a ſon, or a daughter of faithful Abraham, and all the Nobility of Chriſts Anceſtors is communicated unto thee, Gal. 3.7. they which are of faith, the ſame are the children of Abraham.
Becauſe Chriſt himſelf concerning the fleſh, came of Abraham, Reaſon. as the Apoſtle ſpeaketh in Epheſ. 5.30. and they being in Chriſt, they are bone of his bone, and fleſh of his fleſh, they are members with him, and therefore partakers with him.
Oh then what excellent comfort is this to them that are ſure of it, Ʋſe. that the Goſpel hath a working upon their hearts and ſoules; that it hath hammered their ſoules; and made them believe in Jeſus Chriſt, and though it be ſo that thou art of mean and baſe condition in the world, yet thou art a child of Abraham, (an honour far ſurpaſſing that, to be the ſonne, or daughter of an Emperour, or the greateſt Monarch or Potentate in the world,) all the Nobility of Chriſt his Anceſtours belongeth unto thee, if thou be a child of Abraham the friend of God, 2 Chr. 20.7. as Jehoſaphat calleth him; what canſt thou want, either for thy proviſion, or for thy ſafety and protection, or defence? the Lord hath made many ſweet, gracious, and comfortable promiſes to Abraham, that he will be his God, his ſhield, his buckler, and his exceeding great reward, a friend to his friends, and an enemy to his enemies, and thou haſt right and title to all theſe gracious promiſes, thou being a true believer, God is thy ſhield and buckler, a friend to thy friends, and an enemy to thy enemies, what canſt thou want either for thy proviſion and ſafety, or thy protection?
And therefore, in the fear of God, think upon it, whoſoever thou art, that findeſt thy ſelf wrought upon by the powerfull Word of the Goſpel, that it hath beaten down thy pride, thy covetouſneſſe, and hath conferred unto thee the Spirit, and that Spirit wrought faith in thy heart, thou art a child of Abraham, and all the Promiſes of God touching this life, and the life to come, thou haſt right and title to, as a child of Abraham.