That God proposed and promised to the fathers not an earthly, but heavenly beatitude, may appear by these arguments: First, because they were called by the apromise of the Gospel, wherein it is evident that men are called unto an heavenly bfelicity. Secondly, for that they had the samec Sacrament with us, the same I say, in signification, that is, seals of the same grace. Thirdly, for that God vouchsafed to make these holy fathers partakers of his word, whereby souls are dquickened, and men are lift up unto the hope of life everlasting. Fourthly, for that God promised those fathers that he would be theire God, that is, that he would be not only the God of their bodies, but also & principally the God and Saviour of their souls for ever: and therefore he promised to knit their souls unto himself in righteousness, that he might make them partakers of life feverlasting. Fifthly, for that God in his covenant testified, not only that he was now their God, but also promised ⟨p. 44⟩that he would be their God for gever: in which promise assuredly the heavenly felicity & life everlasting is plainly signified unto us. Sixthly, for that God promised also that he would be the God of their hseed after them, that is, of the posterity of them after their death, for their sake and for their comfort. Seventhly, for that God iprofessed of Abraham, Isaac & Jacob after their death, that he is their God. Eighthly, because those holy fathers were exercised with many and great kmiseries in this life: whereby it is manifest, that they waited and looked to receive at Gods hand, not an earthly but an heavenly rest and happiness: otherwise they should be frustrate of their hope, and so deceived by the oracles and divine promises of God. Ninthly, for that Paul to the Hebrews testifieth, that Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, did by faith labide in the land of promise as in a strange country, looking for, desiring, and minding their heritage, and City, and country in heaven. Tenthly, for that if these fathers had not expected the complement ⟨p. 45⟩of Gods promises in heaven, they had bin more blunt and mvoid of understanding then very blocks: for that they so eagerly sought after these promises, for the which there could be no hope that ever they should be performed on earth. Eleventhly, for that those fathers Abraham, Isaac and Jacob nconfessed that they were strangers in the land of Canaan:
That God proposed and promised to the fathers not an earthly, but heauenly beatitude, may appeare by these arguments: Frist, because they were called by the apromise of the Gospell, wherein it is euident that men are called vnto an heauenly bfelicitie. Secondly, for that they had the samec Sacramēt with vs, the same I say, in signification, that is, seales of the same grace. Thirdly, for that God vouchsafed to make these holy fathers partakers of his word, whereby soules are dquickened, and men are lift vp vnto the hope of life euerlasting. Fourthly, for that God promised those fathers that he wold be theire God, that is, that he would be not onely the God of their bodies, but also & principally the God and Sauiour of their soules for euer: and therefore he promised to knit their soules vnto himselfe in righteousnesse, that he might make them partakers of life feuerlasting. Fiftly, for that God in his couenant testified, not onely that he was now their God, but also promised ⟨p. 44⟩that he would be their God for geuer: in which promise assuredly the heauenly felicitie & life euerlasting is plainly signified vnto vs. Sixtly, for that God promised also that he would be the God of their hseede after them, that is, of the posteritie of them after their death, for their sake and for their comfort. Seuenthly, for that God iprofessed of Abraham, Isaac & Iacob after their death, that he is their God. Eightly, because those holy fathers were exercised with many and great kmiseries in this life: whereby it is manifest, that they waited and looked to receiue at Gods hand, not an earthly but an heauenly rest and happinesse: otherwise they should be frustrate of their hope, and so deceiued by the oracles and diuine promises of God. Ninthly, for that Paule to the Hebrues testifieth, that Abraham, Isaac and Iacob, did by faith
- aRom 1.2. Rom. 3.21.
- bEphe. 1.13 2. Thess. 2.14
- c1. Cor. 10.3. and 4.
- d1. Pet. 1.23
- eLevi. 26.12 Math. 22.32.Leui. 26.12 Math. 22.32.
- fPsal. 144.15 Psal. 33.12. Haba. 1.12. Deut. 33.•9.
- gGen. 17.7.
- hIbid.
- iExod. 3.6. Math. 12.32.
- kGene. 4.8. Gen. 6.7.8.9. Gene. 12.13. &c. Gene. 26.27. Gene. 28.29. &c.
- lHeb. 11.9.1•0
- m
