A Golden Chain

But we plainly deny, that there was or could be the like unbelief and contempt of Gods grace in their posterity, which for the most part never so much as heard of any covenant: their ancestors endeavouring always to bury and extinguish the memory of that which they hated. It is objected again, that the covenant was made with Abraham and with all mankind after him,¹ Because, saith the Lord, thou hast obeyed my voice, in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed. Ans. Paul gives a double answer, first that the place must be understood of many nations: secondly that it must be understood not of all nations in all ages, but of all nations of the last age of the world. For, saith he,² the scripture foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, in the shall all thee nations be blessed. Well, to conclude this point, in the making of the covenant there must be a mutual consent of the parties on both sides, and beside the promise on Gods part, there m•st be also a restipulation on mans part; otherwise the covenant is not made. No•e then, it must needs follow that all unbelievers contemning grace offered in Christ are out of the covenant; as also such as never heard of it, for where there is no knowledge, there is no consent: and before the coming of C••ist• the greatest part of the world never knew the Messiah, nor heard ⟨p. 261⟩of the covenant, as Paul saith to the learned Athenians,³ the time of this ignorance God regarded not; but now he admonisheth all men every where to repent.

But we plainely denie, that there was or could be the like vnbeleefe and contempt of Gods grace in their posteritie, which for the most part neuer so much as heard of any couenant: their ancetours indeauouring alwaies to burie and extinguish the memorie of that which they hated. It is obiected againe, that the couenant was made with Abraham and with all mankind after him,