The rule of faith, or, An exposition of the Apostles Creed so handled as…

The fifth point is, the time when the Son of God was Incarnate, and that was not as soon as man was fallen, but long after, it being deferred by the Wisdom of God of purpose, that man being left to himself might both feel his disease, and see need to call for the remedy, and exercise his Faith in the expectation of it, and that it might appear that all mankind was unrecoverably fallen into mischief of themselves. And at that time was this wonderful work done, when most fitly an example of the Justice of God towards the Jews, and his mercy towards the Gentiles, might be showed: for at that time, when the Word was made flesh, was the sin of the Jews almost full, and among the Gentiles, in that ripe Age of the world were innumerable Elect ones ready for the ⟨p. 251⟩spiritual harvest, Matthew 9. 37. Luke 10. 2. John 4. 35. Gal. 4. 4.

The fifth point is, the time when the Sonne of God was Incarnate, and that was not assoone as man was fallen, but long after, it being deferred by the Wisdome of God of purpose, that man being left to himselfe might both feele his disease, and see need to call for the remedie, and exercise his Faith in the expectation of it, and that it might appeare that all mankinde was vnrecouerably fallen into mischiefe of themselues. And at that time was this wonderfull worke done, when most fitly an example of the Iustice of God towards the Iewes, and his mercy towards the Gentiles, might be shewed: for at that time, when the Word was made flesh, was the sin of the Iewes almost full, and among the Gentiles, in that ripe Age of the world were innumerable Elect ones ready for the ⟨p. 251⟩spirituall haruest, Mathew 9. 37. Luke 10. 2. Iohn 4. 35