The application of redemption

First, That the Lord owns such as those in whom he hath an especial interest, and claims a special propriety, as though he left all the rest of man-kind to lie wast as a Common, that the World, and the Devil, and Sin may […], and use at their pleasure, reserving the Honour of his Justice, which by a strong hand he will exact as a Tribute due to himself out of all things in Heaven and Earth, and Hell and all; but persons whom he thus fits, he reserves for his own special Improvement. As Princes and Persons of place and quality, do lease out, and let ⟨p. 3⟩some Forests and Commons to the Inhabitants bordering thereabout, reserving some acknowledgement of Fealty and Royalty to themselves, but the choice and best Palaces or Granges of greatest worth, and profit, they reserve for their own peculiar to inhabit in. So here, the Lord leaseth out the World, and the wicked in it to the Devil and his Angels, and Instruments, reserving a Royalty and Prerogative to himself, as that he will have his Homage and Acknowledgement of dependence upon himself; but his broken-hearted ones are his own for his own Improvement, Deut. 32. 8, 9. When the most High divided to the Nations their Inheritance. and separated the sons of Adam, he set the bounds of his People according to the number of the Children of Israel, for the Lords Portion is his People Israel, the Lot of his Inheritance: Ye are the Temple of the Living God; 2 Cor. 6. 16. Yea, to them the Lord himself says, Ye are my People, and they shall say, thou art my God, Zach. 13. last. Therefore he professeth, that though in the course of his Providence he goes on progress over all the world, yet he takes up his dwelling and abode amongst his own People. For,

First, That the Lord owns such as those in whom he hath an especial interest, and claims a special propriety, as though he left all the rest of man-kind to lie wast as a Common, that the World, and the Devil, and Sin may 〈…〉, and use at their pleasure, reserving the Honor of his Justice, which by a strong hand he will exact as a Tribute due to himself out of all things in Heaven and Earth, and Hell and all; but persons whom he thus fits, he reserves for his own special Improvement. As Princes and Persons of place and quality, do lease out, and let