As it is thus for the credenda, things to be believed, so it is also 1for the speranda, things hoped for. The opinion of the Socinians and others is very wicked, which makes them before Christ, only to hope in temporal good things, and the notion of the Papists observing that the Church under the New Testament is called ecclesia, but never synagogue; and the meeting of the Jews, called always synagogue, but never ecclesia, doth suppose that the Jews were gathered together as so many beasts, rather then called together as men. But this notion is judged false; and they instance Heb. 10. and James 2. where the Church of the Christians is called synagogue; although Cameron, Praelect. de eccles. pag. 66. doth industriously labour to prove that the Apostles did purposely abstain from the word synagogue in reference to Christians: but his reason is not that the Papists urge; for howsoever the good things promised were for the most part temporal, and carnal, yet these figured spiritual and heavenly. It's Austins observation, showing that the Jews should first be allured ⟨p. 243⟩by temporal mercies, and afterwards the Christians by spiritual: As, saith he, first that which is animal, and then that which is spiritual: The first man was of the earth, earthly; the second man was of heaven, heavenly: Thus we may say of the Jew and the Christian, That which was animal was first, and then that which is spiritual. Hence Heb. 11. 16. Abraham and others are said to seek an heavenly country; so that although it be true which Austin (as I remember) said, though you look over the whole book of the Old Testament, yet you shall never find the kingdom of heaven mentioned there: yet we see David making God his portion, and professing that he hath nothing in heaven but him; which argueth, that they looked farther then mere outward mercies. These good things promised to the Jews were figurative; so that as a man consisteth of a soul and body, thus also doth the promises; there is the kernel, and the shell: but the Jews, for the most part, looked only to the outward. Hence Christ, when he opened those things to his Disciples, did like a kind father, that breaketh the shell, and giveth the kernel to his children.
As it is thus for the credenda, things to be beleeved, so it is also 1for the speranda, things hoped for. The opinion of the Socinians and others is very wicked, which makes them before Christ, onely to hope in temporall good things, and the notion of the Papists observing that the Church under the New Testament is called ecclesia, but never synagoge; and the meeting of the Jewes, called alwaies synagoge, but never ecclesia, doth suppose that the Jewes were gathered together as so many beasts, rather then called together as men. But this notion is judged false; and they instance Heb. 10. and James 2. where the Church of the Christians is called synagoge; although Cameron, Praelect. de eccles. pag. 66. doth industriously labour to prove that the Apostles did purposely abstaine from the word synagoge in reference to Christians: but his reason is not that the Papists urge; for howsoever the good things promised were for the most part temporall, and carnall, yet these figured spirituall and heavenly. It's Austins obseruation, shewing that the Jewes should first be allured ⟨p. 243⟩by temporall mercies, and afterwards the Christians by spirituall: As, saith he, first that which is animall, and then that which is spirituall: The first man was of the earth, earthly; the second man was of heaven, heavenly: Thus wee may say of the Jew and the Christian, That which was animall was first, and then that which is spirituall. Hence Heb. 11. 16. Abraham and others are said to seek an heavenly country; so that although it be true which Austine (as I remember) said, though you look over the whole book of the Old Testament, yet you shall never find the kingdome of heaven mentioned there: yet wee see David making God his portion, and professing that hee hath nothing in heaven but him; which argueth, that they looked farther then meere outward mercies. These good things promised to the Jewes were figurative; so that as a man consisteth of a soule and body, thus also doth the promises; there is the kernell, and the shell: but the Jewes, for the most part, looked onely to the outward. Hence Christ, when hee opened those things to his Disciples, did like a kind father, that breaketh the shell, and giveth the kernell to his children.
- 12. For the speranda.
