18 A VISION OV
the one, and not the other to himself by Christ. ' The Lord added to the church such as should be saved ;' Acts ii. 47. The purpose of saving is the rule of adding; to the church of believers. And Acts xiii. 48. ' As many be- lieved as were ordained to eternal life.' There fore-ordaining to life eternal, gives them right to faith and belief. The purpose of God's election, is the rule of dispensing saving grace.
2dly. His purpose of leaving some inexcusable*^ in their sins for the farther manifestation of his glorious justice, is the rule of dispensing the word unto them. Did you never see the gospel sent, or continued to an unthankful people,® brino-ino- forth no fruits meet for it? Wherefore it is so sent, see Isa. vi. 9, 10. which prophecy you have fulfilled, John xii. 41, 42. in men described, Jude 4. and 1 Pet. ii. 8. But here we must strike sail, the waves swell, and it is no easy task to sail in this gulf. The righteousness of God is a great mountain, easy to be seen; but his judg- ments like the great deep : who can search into the bottom thereof? Psal. xxxvi. 6. And so I have I hope discovered how all things here below, concerning the promulgation of the gospel, are, in their greatest variety, straightly regulated by the eternal purposes and counsel of God.
The uses of it follow.
Use 1. To discover whence it is, that the work of re- forming the worship of God, and settling the almost de- parting gospel, hath so powerfully been carried along in this nation ; that a beautiful fabric is seen to arise in the midst of all oppositions, with the confusion of axes and hammers sounding about it, though the builders have been forced oftentimes, not only with one hand, but with both to hold the weapons'" of war; that although the wheels of our chariots have been knocked off, and they driven heavily, yet the regular motions of the superior wheels of providence have carried on the design, towards the resting-place aimed at; that the ship hath been directed to the port, though the
ante mundi constilutionem, ek praedestinatione, qua Deus ipse sua futura facta praevidit : elect! sunt autem de inundo ea vocatione, qn& Deus id, quod praedesti- navit, implevit. August, de bon. persev. cap. 16, 17.
<> Matt. xi. 21. Acts xiii. 46.
« Luke ii. 31. 1 Pet. i. 7. Ezeit. ii. 5. Matt. xxiv. 1.5. Rom. ix. 23.
' Neliem. iv. 17.
UXCHANGEABLK. FKEE MF.IICV. 19
storm had quite puzzled the pilots and mariners : even from hence, that all this great variety was but to work out one certain, fore-appointed end, proceeding in the tracts and paths, which were traced out for it from eternity; which though they have seemed to us a maze or labyrinth, such a world of contingencies, and various chances hath the work passed through ; yet, indeed, all the passages thereof have been regular and straight, answering the platform laid down for the whole in the counsel of God. Daniel, chap. ix. makes his supplication for the restoration of Jerusalem, ver. 23. an angel is sent to tell him, that ' at the beginning of his supplication the commandment came forth,' viz. that it should be accomplished ; it was before determined, and is now set on work: but yet what mountains^ of opposition, what hinderances lay in the way? Cyrus must come to the crown, by the death or slaughter of Darius ;'' his heart be moved to send some to the work : in a short time Cyrus is cut off; now difficulties arise from the following kings : what their flattering counsellors, what the malignant nations about them conspired, the books of Nehemiah and Ezra sufficiently declare. Whence, ver, 25. the angel tells Da- niel, that from * the commandment to restore and build Jeru- salem unto Messiah the prince, shall be seven weeks, and sixty-two weeks ; the street shall be built again, and the wall in troublesome times;' that is, it shall be seven weeks to the finishing of Jerusalem, and thence to Messiah the prince, sixty-two weeks : seven weeks, that is, forty-nine years; for so much it was, from the decree of Cyrus,' to the finishing of the wall by Nehemiah : of which time the temple, as the Jews affirmed, was all but three years in
s Zech. iv.7. •> Seal, de Emend. Temp.
' I follow in this the vulgar or common account, otherwise there is no part of Scripture chronology so contended about as thesie weeks of Daniel ; most con- cluding, that they are terminated in the death of Christ, happening about the midst of the last week. But about their original, or rise, there is no small debate, of the four decrees made by the Persian kings about the building of Jerusalem, viz. 1st. By Cyrus, 2 Chron. iii. 6. 2dlj. By Darius, Ezek. vi. 3. Sdly. By Arta- xerxes, Ezek. vii. Of the same to Nehemiah, chap. ii. following the account of their reign set down in profane stories, the last only holds exactly. Tertullian ad lud. begins it from Darius, when this vision appeared to Daniel, whom it seems he conceived to be Darius Hystaspes, that followed the Magi, and not Medus, that was before Cyrus : and so with a singular kind of chronology makes up his account. Vid. Euseb. Demon. Evan. lib. 8. cap. Func. Com. in Chron. Beroald. Chron. lib. 3. cap. 7, 8. Montacu. Apparat.