παραβολὴ in typo vertit Tremelius ex Syri interpretis מתלא quae vox Hebraicè משל est, & apud Evang. Matth. 13.35. Propheta Psal. 78.2. redditur παραβολὴ. Theod. in Epist. ad Hebr. 11.And if some of these be not lively expressions, it may seeme to be implyed in the very Promise: for how should the blessing promised come upon the posterity of Abraham, if the promised seed had not borne the curse of the Law, and by suffering removed it, that mercy might be glorious in conferring righteousnesse and life eternall.
In the former Covenant a secret honour was put upon Eve, as she was made (if we may so speake) the first pipe whereby God conveyed the grace of his Covenant unto her posterity, who did not degenerate into the seed of the Serpent. But here the Covenant is made with Abraham, who received it, not as an example only, nor as a type, Gen. 17.4.but as an Ordinance leading unto the conveyance of the same Covenant to all the confederates. In which sense it is plainly spoken to in the Epistles to the Rom. and Gal. and he called the Father of the faithfull. Rom. 4. 11, 12, 16. and they which are of the faith the children of Abraham. Gal. 3. 7. the seed of Abraham, Gal. 3. 29. Abraham is not the Father of the faithfull effectively, as if he should be the worker of faith in all, or that men should be borne faithfull of him: For so God only by the holy Ghost is the Father of the faithfull: But analogically for the grace of the Covenant given unto him on that condition and priviledge, that as Fathers transferre and passe over their rights and inheritance to their children: so he as a Father should propagate the righteousnesse of faith and free blessednesse to all the faithfull by Doctrine, Example and Covenant. So that all who receive this Covenant from God in Christ, doe likewise by faith draw it through Abraham, to whom the promise was made, Gal. 3. 16.
The Subfederates are described, and by that differenced from all the world, to be Abrahams seed. Gen. 17.7.I will establish my Covenant between me and thee, and thy seed after thee, in their generations, for an everlasting Covenant, to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee. Where these specialties are holden out. That God will be as good a God to Abrahams seed, as he is to Abraham himselfe, and that whatsoever right by the Covenant was invested upon Abraham, should descend as from a Parent under this Covenant, to all his seed by vertue of this Covenant made with him. But we must distinguish Abrahams seed. Gen. 18.22.
Gal. 3.16.For sometime by the seed of Abraham is meant Christ, who is the prime and principall seed, whofirst
