A continuation of the exposition of the Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the…

6. There is the Description of the Persons unto whom God designs this Consolation by the Promise confirmed with his Oath; [Greek or Hebrew]. ¹There are three things in this Description of Believers, or the Heirs of the Promise. (1) The way whereby they seek for Relief; they fly for Refuge. (2) The Relief it self which they seek after, which is the Hope set before them. (3) The way whereby they are made Partakers of it, they lay hold upon it.

6. There is the Description of the Persons unto whom God designs this Consolation by the Promise confirmed with his Oath; 〈non-Latin alphabet〉. ¹There are three things in this Description of Believers, or the Heirs of the Promise. (1) The way whereby they seek for Relief; they fly for Refuge. (2) The Relief it self which they seek after, which is the Hope set before them. (3) The way whereby they are made Partakers of it, they lay hold upon it.

1. 1[Greek or Hebrew].〈non-Latin alphabet〉.

1. They are [Greek or Hebrew]; say we, that fly for Refuge; Qui cursum corripiunt. It is the Judgement of many that here is an Allusion unto him who had slain a man unawares under the Law, whose safety and life depended on his speedy flight unto one of the Cities of Refuge, Numb. 35. 11, 12. And hereunto our Translators had undoubtedly respect, whereon they rendered the word, flying for Refuge. And indeed the word it self signifies such an Action as is there ascribed unto the man-slayer. For [Greek or Hebrew] properly, cursum corripere, hath respect unto two things. (1) An apprehension of Danger, or a real surprisal with it, whereon a man takes his flight for Deliverance. And so it was with the man-slayer; his apprehension of the approach of the Avenger of Blood, to take away his Life, stirred him up [Greek or Hebrew], to fly from the place and condition wherein he was, lest Evil should overtake him. (2) Speed and Diligence in an endeavour to attain that place or company, or End which a man proposeth unto himself, as the means of his Deliverance; and whereby he hopes to find safety. He that doth so fly, casts off all Tergiversation, stirs up himself, gives no place to sloth or vain hopes, and useth his utmost diligence in the pursuit of his safety. And hereby doth the Holy Ghost lively express the state and condition of all the Heirs of Promise in this matter. In themselves, by Nature, as they are Children of the first Adam, they are all exposed upon the Guilt of Sin Original and Actual unto the Sentence of the Law. God by various means is pleased to awaken them unto the consideration of the Danger wherein they are, the Execution of that Curse which they are obnoxious unto being impendent over them. In this Condition they see a necessity of seeking out for Relief, as knowing that if it be not obtained they must perish, and that Eternally. Love of Sin, compliance with the World, hopes of Righteousness of their own, do all endeavour variously to retard and hinder them in their Design. But when God proceeds to shut them up, to sharpen their Convictions, and continually to represent their Condition unto them, giving them to conclude that there is no hope in their present Condition, at length they stir up themselves unto a speedy flight to the Hope set before them in the Promise. And,