r Here 1s laid down the form and matter of God's Oath, the form in Gen. 22, 16.-is implied in the Particle 1 in this Text well ren- cred ſurely, chap. 3. 11, The other defettive Expretfions are forms of Swearing, as if, except, unleſs ; but here it is poſitive, ſurely, or , verily, which Chriſt frequently uſeth ; it is a vehement Afertion of what He faith ; the whole matter of God's Oath 1s not repeated, but the ſubſtance and comprehenſive part of it, which made for the Apoſtle's purpoſe here. By Bleſſing, in the Hebrew manner of ex- preſſing, 15 carried the abundance and certainty of all that Tempo- ral and Spiritual Good, which He would convey unto him in and through the Bleſſed and Promiſed Seed, our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, with the multiplicity, abundance, and certainty of theSeed natural, and believing, to whom he ſhould be related as a Father through Chriſt, as is evident, Gen. 22.16, 17, 18. and all this fo uttered, as if God could not expreſs how much He loved him.
i5 And lo after he had patiently endured /, he ob- tained the promiſe ?.
# Abraham's Carriage was ſuitable to this Sworn Promiſe, his Soul did patiently wait for ir full Thirty Years, enduring and ſuffering many Temptations about it; yet he overcame all, and continued firm in the Covenant to the end ; his Faith extended- his Soul in a patient expe&ation of its accompliſhment, without doubting, or murmuring, knowing God would fulfil it in the beſt time ; he was a long-breathed Believer, John 8. 56. Rom. 4. 20, 21. and fames 1. 2, 3. © He did not fall ſhort of any piece of the Promiſe, but fully. pofleſſed it at laſt, both in 7/aac, the Type of the bleſſed Seed, and the Meſſiah himſelf, as to all the Spiritual and Eternal Good promiſed in Him, and by Him, in the Heavenly Canaan, Matth.
22. 32.
16 For men verily {wear by the greater z, and * an oath for confirmation zs to them an end of all {trite . |
u For here is only Narrative, introducing the amplification of the Argument drawn from God's Promiſe and Oath, for the quickning thoſe and all Believers to make out after the full Affurance of Hope, the Promiſe and Oath of God concerning them as well as Abraham. That fince Men's Oaths procure Credit, and put an end to Doubts, Strife and Contradidtion amongſt them, much more ſhould God's Oath put an end to Doubts, and Gain-fayings of Creatures, and make them to pive Faith to Him: Men are not Inventors and Au- thors of this Ordinance of Swearing, but ſubje& to God's Precept, requiring this trom them, and in this ſpecial part of God's Worſhip inſtituted by Him, they ought to ſwear juſtly, and according to His Will; and ſwear they muſt by God only, who knows the intentions and ſecrets of the Heart, and who 1s abſolutely greater than all ; the Omniſcient, Omnipreſent, Omnipotent and Sovereign Lord of all Perſons, who knows falſe Swearers, and inflifts on them not only Temporal, but Eternal Puniſhments. The ſwearing by any other, God rebukes, Deut. 6. 13. Fo. 4- 2. w And in this ſpecial part of God's Worſhip, God 1s called in as a Co-witneſs of the Truth of what is ſworn, and as 2 Judge and Avenger of it, if it be other- wiſe; and ſo the Oath becomes a confirmation of Faith and Confi- dence of Men one in another, and of Love accompanying the ſame; ſo that if Strife, Doubt, Suſpicion, or Jealouſie, ariſe among them about either Words or Deeds, which are not knovn to thoſe who doubt, and cannot be cleared by Senſe or Reaſon, or any other way, but a Teſtimony of ſome Perſon who knows them, whoſe being in- ſufficient of it ſelf, calls in God by an Oath as Co-witneſs, with whom it is ſuppoſed he would not break his Intereſt, nor invocate Him againſt himſelf, by declaring what is falſe : On this all Strife and Contradiction is to be decided among Men, and to ceaſe, and fo the Controveriie to be determined,
Vol. Il,
counſel s, + confirmed 77 by an oarh 72. x The Apoſtle having tated the Nature of an Oath in the Ant: cedent, fubjoins and applics it in a Conſequent, 1n which he f:c1vs
ilC back tv
which matter or caſe, viz. God's a& of Promiſe and Oath t9 4tr.:- ham, 1t was not limited to his Perſon, but to all his Believing Sred, Rom. 4. 23, 24 Out of his own mecr Grace and free Will, his Goodneſs and Atcthion to them, without any coni:deration 1n them moving Him, but his tree, unexpected, as undeſerved Mercy, dic farſt Reveal, then Promiſe, then Swear : What more could He Go ? How liberal and abundant 1s His Love in theſe over-tlowing dilcoye- ries of 1t? So to reveal and make known His gracious Thouzitz, making them manifeſt, perſpicuous and glorious, when none was privy to them, nor could reveal them but Himſelf. y The Seed ot Abraham's Faith, all true Believers, whom God had made Children and Heirs by Promiſe, as Taac, Gal. 3. 22,26, 25. and 4. 25, 27, 28. Joint-Heirs with Chriſt, Rom. 8. 17. Theſe alone. did God in- tend to fecure, and make certain of their Salvation, x God's unchangeableneſs in his Will and Decree, as in himſelf excludes ail hefitancy, alteration or tranſpofition of what it was from Eternity ; God &1d never, will never change one Tota or Title of his Eterns! Will and Decree of ſaving, perfetting, and gathering into one, p:
nitent Behtevers by the Promiſed Seed Jeſus Chrift, which He 9: reveal to the World, any without which maniteſtation, a Bciicv. ; could have no comfort, and without its Immutability, rotany latt- ing and permanent comfort. a 'Eu:nmaw is proper for a Media- tor, one who cometh im between twa Parties as a Surety ; and fo 1+ juſtly applicable to God the Son, who interpoſeth betwixt God t!1c Father promifing, and Believers to whom the Promiſe is made, 12 Heirs, as a Surety engagin;z to ſee his Father's Promiſe made £00. to his Seed ; and therefore confirms it to them with an Oath, tht they might know the Promife was immutable,and ſhould be punttu- ally fulfilled ; by which means he removes a!l doubts, fears, and jea- louſtes about it from them. If they will believe Men who twear, how much more ought they to do fo, and reſt ſatisfied with the Oath of the Mediator.
18 Thar hy two immutable things b, in which 7 wx Impoſſible for God ro lie c, we might have a {trong conſolation d, who have fled for retuge to lay hold upon the.hope ſer before us e.