The na

ture of God's tef

off the former marriage with Nabal, which was not a state of marriage, but of adultery, it is joined to the heavenly David in a marriage covenant that cannot be broken? 4 and lastly, nothing can be more excellent, than that inheritance, which, in right of adoption, the fons of God obtain, and which is bequeathed to them by an irrevocable tefta

ment.

XXVIII. It will not be unprofitable to infist a little on this point, and, having opened the TESTAtamentex- MENT of our father, to enquire, wHAT and How plained. CONSIDERABLE THE GOODS, and under what STIPU

LATIONS, he has bequeathed them to us. By the TESTAMENT we mean, the last and immutable will of God. recorded in the writings of the Holy Sripture, and ratified by the death and blood of Jefus, whereby be bath declared his chofen and believing people to be his heirs of the whole inheritance. I fay the teflament is the will of God, or that counsel of his will, Eph. 1. 11, by which he has appointed both the heirs and the inheritance, and of which our faviour was speaking, Luke 12. 32, donosi tarp, it is your fathers good pleafure to give you the kingdom: I add, it is the last and irrevocable will of the father; for as, this is required to a valid teftament, Gal. 3. 15, fo it is not deficient in this refpect: wherein God willing more abundantly to fhew unto the heirs of promife the immutability of his counfel, confirmed it by an oath: that by two immutable things, in which it was impoffible for God to lie, we might have a strong confolation, Heb. 6. 17, 18. By this his will, he appointed or fettled both the inheritance as well of grace as of glory, of which we fhall fpeak juft now; and alto the heirs, not indefinitely, whofoever believes; but by name, this and the other perfons, whefe names are written in heaven, Luke. 10. 20, and graven upon the palms of God's bands, Ifa. 49. 16. This his will he has expreffed in the facred writings of both inftruments, which for that reafon, are alfo called Testament, 2

Cor.

Cor. 3. 14. In fine, that nothing might be wanting, the whole is confirmed and fealed by the blood and death of the Lord Jefus, Heb. 9. 16, 17. In order to understand this, we must observe, that God the father did, by teftament, give and bequeath that honour to his fon Jefus Chrift, to be the head of the elect in glory, and have a right to bestow upon them all his goods. Pf. 2. 8. Jefus again, does, by the power made over to him by the father, difpofe by teftament of his goods to be communicated to the elect: and I diarideal appoint by testament unto you a kingdom, as my father bath diedero appointed by teftament unto me,. Luke 22. 29. So that this making of the teftament is, indeed, originally from the father, yet immediately from Chrift the mediator; who died, not to vacate or annul, by his death, the inheritance; for, be is alive for ever more, Rev. 1. 18; but to feal the promises, and acquire for his people a right to the inheritance. Hence the blood, which he fhed, is called the blood of the teftament, Zach. 9. 11, Mat. 26. 28.

διέθετο

of the tef

tament.

XXIX. The goods or bleffings bequeathed by Thegoods this teftament, are of all others the most excellent; as became, 14. The riches and liberal bounty of our heavenly father, from whom we may expect fo extraordinary goods or bleffings, which neither eye hath feen nor ear heard, nor hath entred into the heart of man to conceive any like them, I Cor. 2. 9. Concerning this the Pfalmift defervedly fings, O how great is thy goodness, which thou haft laid up for them that fear thee, which thou hast wrought for them that trust in thee before the fons of men! PS. 31. 19. 2dly. The glory of our elder brother, whole jointbeirs we are, Rom. 8. 17, and who glories in his heritage, Pf. 16. 6. 3dly. As became that dignity, to which God hath raised us, having adopted us for his fons for to them he gives great and precious promifes, 2. Pet. 1. 4. Did we minutely profecute

thefe

1. Poffef

whole

world.

thefe points, we fhould write a large volume: at prefent we will reduce the whole to three principal heads.

1

XXX. The first is the poffeffion of the WHOLE fion of the WORLD: for, it was promised to Abraham and his feed, that they should be heirs of the world, Rom. 4. 13. On which place let us hear the commentary of Ludovicus de Dieu: as fin, by feparating us from God, and fubjecting us to his curfe, benifhed and difinherited us, fo that we have no fpiritual right or dominion, as became Sons of God, over the meanest creature :"So on the other hand, when God becomes our God, and we bis bleed people, we are restored, as fons, to the right and dominion of all our paternal inheritance: and feeing there is nothing befides God and the world, we are made heirs of the world, both the earthly, the heavenly, the prefent and the world to come. When God introduced Adam into the habitable earth, he conftituted him Lord of the world, and gave him a right and claim to use the reft of the creatures for his own advantage, Gen. 1.O 28. But Adam, by his fin, loft that right; fo that neither himself, nor any of his pofterity, while in a state of fin, have any true and spiritual right, which" can ftand in the court of heaven, to touch any creáture. But Chrift has made a new purchase of it, for himfelf and his brethren. P. 8. 6. Whence Cor. 3. 21, all things are yours; and among thefe all things, THE WORLD is mentioned v. 22, and what ever is in it, things prefent and things to come. For adds, the Apostle v. 23, ye are Christ's.

The reafon of

this explained.

XXXI. Now this poffeffion of the world confifts in thefe following things. ft. That every Son of God does poffefs fo much of the good things of this world, as the wifdom of his heavenly father has ordained, to be fo fufficient for the fupport of his animal life, that his fpiritual may fuffer no detriment," and that he truly poffefs it in fuch a manner, as, in” the ufe and enjoyment thereof, he may tafte the love of his father, beftowing that upon him, as an

carnest

earnest of a far better good, and of his elder brother, who became poor, that his people might be rich, z Cor. 8. 9. This love of God the father, and of Chrift, when added to the least crumb of bread, or drop of cold water, makes thefe preferable, in the highest degree to all the most exquifite dainties of the rich of this world a little, that a righteous man bath, is better than the riches of many wicked, Pf. 37. 16. 2dly. That all the creatures ought to ferve them as fteps, by which to afcend to the creator. For, in all of them they view, as in a bright mirrour, his adorable perfections, Pf. 104. 24, and in that meditation they exult, Pf. 92. 4, 5. Above all, they perceive in them the love of God towards them. When they view the fun, the moon, the ftars, they rejoice, that their father has lighted up fo many tapers for them, at which they may work, what becomes the Sons of God; nor do they lefs admire this, than if every one had his own fun or his own moon, fhining upon him. Neither do they exceed the bounds of decency, Pf. 8.3, 4, when they think that the world remains in its prefent ftate on their account, and that the wicked are endebted to them for this: for, the holy feed is the fubftance (fupport) of the world, Ifa: 6. 13. 3dly. That all the creatures, and the whole government of God about them, may work together for their good, Rom. 8. 28. This is fo extenfive, that both angels and devils are obliged to this fervice: as to angels, are they not miniftring fpirits, fent forth to minifter for them, who fhall be heirs of falvation; Heb. 1. 14, Pf. 34. 7, and Pf. 91. 11. And with refpect to that infernal fpirit, the teacher of arrogance; was he not conftrained, by his buffetings, in fpite of himself, and acting from a different view, to teach Paul humility? 2 Cor. 12. 7, 4thly. If this world, which is fubjected to vanity because of fin, fhall not fuffice them; from its afhes, when perished, God is

to

2. A fpi

ritual

to form another; to make a new heaven and a new, earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness, 2 Pet. 3. 13. There is none of these things, which may not be included in that general promife of the inheritance of the world.

XXXII. The fecond good thing in this teftament is a fpiritual KINGDOM; I appoint unto you kingdom. a kingdom, LUKE 22. 29. To which, even the moft defpicable of the children of God in other refpects, even man-fervants and maid-fervants, are called: bath not God chofen the poor of this world, rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom, which he hath promised to them that love him? Jam. 2. 5. To this belong (1) the excellency of the Sons of God, whereby they furpass all other mcn, Prov. 12. 26. (2). Victory over fin, and the unruly lufts of the flesh, to which kings themselves and the most dreaded tyrants are fubject and enslaved, Rom. 6. 14, 18. (3). The bruifing of Satan under their feet, Rom. 16. 20. (4), Triumph over a whole conquered world, for, notwithstanding its rage, they fhall be for ever faved, 1 John 5. 4. 5 (5). Ineftimable riches of fpiritual gifts, Pf. 45. 9, even in the midst of poverty, Rev. 2. 9. (6). Holy peace of foul and joy in the Holy Ghoft, Rom. 14. 17. All these begin here in grace, and fhall be confummated hereafter in glory.

3. God himfelf.

XXXIII. The third benefit is God himself, Rom. 8. 17. Heirs of God: here is a mutual inheritance; believers are God's portion, and God is their portion, for these are made reciprocal, Jer. 10. 16, the portion of Jacob is the former of all things, and Ifrael is the rod (tribe) of his inheritance. In this poffeffion of God, his children find, (1). Protection against every evil, P. 91. 2, I will fay of the Lord, he is my refuge and my fortress. Why? He is my God, in whom I will trust, See Pf. 27. 1. 2; Ifa. 43. 2, 3, ~ (2). Communication of every good, Pf. 36. 7. For,