Existence and Attributes of God, Discourse 9 (3 of 4)

Existence and Attributes of God · Discourse 9 (3 of 4)

p. 3741. It is a hidden wiſdom. In this regard God is ſaid in the Text, to be only wiſe; and it is ſaid to be a hidden wiſdom, 1 Tim. 1.17. and wiſdom in a myſtery, 1 Cor. 2.7. incomprehenſible to the ordinary Capacity of an Angel, more than the abſtruſe qualities of the Creatures are to the underſtanding of man. No wiſdom of Men or Angels is able to ſearch all the Veins of this Mine, to tell all the threds of this Web, or to underſtand the luſtre of it; they are as far from an ability fully to comprehend it, as they were at firſt to contrive it. That wiſdom that invented it, can only comprehend it. In the uncreated Underſtanding only there is a clearneſs of light without any ſhadow of darkneſs. We come as ſhort of full apprehenſions of it, as a Child doth of the Counſel of the wiſeſt Prince. It is ſo hidden from us, that without Revelation, we could not have the leaſt imagination of it; and though it be revealed to us, yet without the help of an Infiniteneſs of Underſtanding, we cannot fully fathom it: 'Tis ſuch a tractate of Divine wiſdom, that the Angels never before had ſeen the Edition of it, till it was publiſh'd to the World. Eph. 3.10. To the intent that now unto Principalities and Powers in heavenly places might be known by the Church the manifold wiſdom of God. Now made known to them, not before; and now made known to them in the heavenly places. They had not the knowledge of all heavenly Myſteries, though they had the poſſeſſion of heavenly Glory: They knew the Prophecies of it in the Word, but attained not a clear Interpretation of thoſe Prophecies, till the things that were prophecied of came upon the Stage.

2. Manifold wiſdom: So 'tis called. As manifold as myſterious. Variety in the Myſtery, and Myſtery in every part of the Variety. It was not one ſingle act, but a variety of Counſels met in it; a conjunction of excellent ends and excellent means. The glory of God, the ſalvation of Man, the defeat of the Apoſtate Angels, the diſcovery of the bleſſed Trinity in their Nature, Operations, their combin'd and diſtinct Acts and Expreſſions of Goodneſs: The means are the conjunction of two Natures infinitely diſtant from one another; the union of Eternity and Time, of Mortality and Immortality: Death is made the way to Life, and Shame the path to Glory. The weakneſs of the Croſs is the reparation of man; and the Creature is made wiſe by the fooliſhneſs of preaching; fallen man grows rich by the poverty of the Redeemer, and man is filled by the emptineſs of God: The Heir of Hell made a Son of God, by God's taking upon him the form of a Servant; the Son of Man advanc'd to the higheſt degree of Honour, by the Son of God becoming of no reputation.

'Tis called Eph. 1.8. abundance of wiſdom and prudence. Wiſdom in the Eternal Counſel, contriving a way; Prudence in the Temporary Revelation, ordering all Affairs and Occurrences in the World for the attaining the end of his Counſel. Wiſdom refers to the Myſtery; Prudence to the manifeſtation of it in fit ways and convenient ſeaſons. Wiſdom, to the contrivance and order; Prudence, to the execution and accompliſhment. In all things God acted as became him, as a wiſe and juſt Governour of the World, Heb. 2.10. Whether the wiſdom of God might not have found out ſome other way, or whether he were, in regard of the neceſſity and naturalneſs of his Juſtice, limited to this, is not the queſtion: But that it is the beſt and wiſeſt way for the manifeſtation of his glory, is out of queſtion.

This wiſdom will appear in the different Intereſts reconciled by it. In the Subject, the ſecond Perſon in the Trinity, wherein they were reconciled: In the two Natures, wherein he accompliſh'd it; whereby God is made known to man in his Glory, Sin eternally condemned, and the repenting and believing ſinner eternally reſcued. The honour and righteouſneſs of the Law vindicated both in the Precept and Penalty. The Devil's Empire overthrown by the ſame Nature he had overturned, and the Subtilty of Hell defeated by that Nature he had ſpoiled: The Creature engaged in the very act to the higheſt Obedience and Humility, that as God appears as a God upon his Throne, the Creature might appear in the loweſt poſture of a Creature, in the depths of reſignation and dependance; the publication of this made in the Goſpel, by ways congruous to the wiſdom which appeared p. 375in the execution of his Counſel, and the Conditions of enjoying the fruit of it, moſt wiſe and reſonable.

1. The greateſt different Intereſts are reconcil'd, Juſtice in puniſhing, and Mercy in pardoning. For man had broken the Law, and plung'd himſelf into a Gulf of Miſery: The Sword of Vengeance was unſheathed by Juſtice, for the puniſhment of the Criminal: The Bowels of Compaſſion were ſtirred by Mercy, for the reſcue of the Miſerable. Juſtice ſeverely beholds the Sin, and Mercy compaſſionately reflects upon the Miſery. Two different claims are entred by thoſe concerned Attributes: Juſtice votes for Deſtruction, and Mercy votes for Salvation. Juſtice would draw the Sword, and drench it in the blood of the Offender; Mercy would ſtop the Sword, and turn it from the breaſt of the Sinner. Juſtice would edge it, and Mercy would blunt it. The Arguments are ſtrong on both ſides.

1. Juſtice pleads. I Arraign, before thy Tribunal, a Rebel, who was the glorious Work of thy Hands, the Center of thy rich Goodneſs, and a Counterpart of thy own Image; he is indeed miſerable, whereby to excite thy Compaſſion; but he is not miſerable, without being Criminal. Thou didſt create him in a ſtate, and with ability to be otherwiſe: The riches of thy Bounty aggravate the blackneſs of his Crime. He is a Rebel, not by neceſſity, but will. What conſtraint was there upon him to liſten to the Counſels of the Enemy of God? What force could there be upon him, ſince it is without the compaſs of any Creature to work upon, or conſtrain the Will? Nothing of Ignorance can excuſe him; the Law was not ambiguouſly expreſs'd, but in plain words, both as to Precept and Penalty; it was writ in his Nature in legible Characters: Had he received any diſguſt from thee after his Creation, it would not excuſe his Apoſtacy, ſince, as a Soveraign, thou wert not obliged to thy Creature. Thou hadſt provided all things richly for him; he was crowned with glory and honour: Thy infinite power had beſtowed upon him an Habitation richly furniſhed, and varieties of Servants to attend him. Whatever he viewed without, and whatever he viewed within himſelf, were ſeveral Marks of thy Divine Bounty, to engage him to Obedience: Had there been ſome reaſon of any diſguſt, it could not have ballanced that kindneſs which had ſo much reaſon to oblige him: However, he had received no courteſie from the fallen Angel, to oblige him to turn into his Camp. Was it not enough, that one of thy Creatures would have ſtript thee of the glory of Heaven, but this alſo muſt deprive thee of thy glory upon Earth, which was due from him to thee as his Creator? Can he charge the difficulty of the Command? No: It was rather below, than above his ſtrength. He might rather complain that it was no higher, whereby his Obedience and Gratitude might have a larger ſcope, and a more ſpacious Field to move in, than a Precept ſo light, ſo eaſie, as to abſtain from one Fruit in the Garden. What excuſe can he have, that would prefer the liquoriſhneſs of his Senſe before the dictates of his Reaſon, and the Obligations of his Creation? The Law thou didſt ſet him, was righteous and reaſonable, and ſhall Righteouſneſs and Reaſon be rejected by the Supream and Infallible Reaſon, becauſe the rebellious Creature hath trampled upon it? What? muſt God abrogate his holy Law, becauſe the Creature hath ſlighted it? What Reflection will this be upon the Wiſdom that enacted it; And upon the Equity of the Command and Sanction of it? Either Man muſt ſuffer, or the Holy Law be expunged, and for ever out of date. And is it not better, Man ſhould Eternally ſmart under his Crime, than any diſhonourable Reflections of Unrighteouſneſs be caſt upon the Law, and of folly, and want foreſight upon the Lawgiver? Not to puniſh, would be to approve the Devils Lye, and juſtifie the Creatures Revolt. It would be a Condemnation of thy own Law as unrighteous, and a Sentencing thy own Wiſdom as imprudent. Better Man ſhould for ever bear the Puniſhment of his Offence, than God bear the diſhonour of his Attributes: Better Man ſhould be miſerable, than God ſhould be unrighteous, unwiſe, falſe, and tamely p. 376bear the denial of his Soveraignty. But what advantage would it be to gratifie Mercy by Pardoning the Malefactor? Beſides the irreparable diſhonour to the Law, the falſifying thy veracity in not executing the denounced threatning, he would receive incouragement by ſuch a grace to ſpurn more at thy Soveraignty, and oppoſe thy Holineſs by running on in a courſe of ſin with hopes of Impunity: If the Creature be reſtored, it can not be expected, that he that hath fared ſo well, after the breach of it, ſhould be very careful of a future obſervance: His eaſy readmiſſion would abet him in the repetition of his Offence, and thou ſhalt ſoon find him caſt off all Moral dependance on thee. Shall he be reſtored without any Condition, or Covenant? He is a Creature not to be governed without a Law, and a Law is not be enacted without a Penalty. What future regard will he have to thy Precept, or what fear will he have of thy Threatning, if his Crime be ſo lightly paſt over? Is it the ſtability of thy Word? What reaſon will he have to give credit to that, which he hath found already diſregarded by thy ſelf? Thy Truth in future Threatnings will be of no force with him, who hath experienced thy laying it aſide in the former. 'Tis neceſſary therefore that the rebellious creature ſhould be puniſhed for the preſervation of the honour of the Law and the honour of the Lawgiver, with all thoſe perfections that are united in the compoſure of it.

2. Secondly, Mercy doth not want a Plea. 'Tis true indeed, the ſin of man wants not its aggravations: He hath ſlighted thy Goodneſs, and accepted thy Enemy as his Counſellor; but it was not a pure act of his own, as the Devils revolt was: He had a Tempter, and the Devil had none: He had, I acknowledge, an Underſtanding to know thy Will, and a Power to obey it; yet he was mutable, and had a capacity to fall. It was no difficult task that was ſet him, nor a hard yoke that was laid upon him; yet he had a brutiſh part, as well as a rational, and ſenſe as well as Soul; whereas the fallen Angel was a pure Intellectual Spirit. Did God create the World to ſuffer an eternal diſhonour, in letting himſelf be outwitted by Satan, and his work wreſted out of his hands? Shall the work of eternal Counſel preſently ſink into irreparable deſtruction, and the honour of an Almighty and wiſe Work be loſt in the ruine of the Creature? This would ſeem contrary to the nature of thy Goodneſs, to make Man only to render him miſerable: To deſign him in his Creation for the Service of the Devil, and not for the Service of his Creator. What elſe could be the iſſue, if the chief work of thy Hand, defaced preſently after the erecting, ſhould for ever remain in this marred condition? What can be expected upon the continuance of his miſery, but a perpetual hatred, and enmity of thy Creature againſt thee? Did God in Creation deſign his being hated, or his being loved by his Creature? Shall God make a holy Law, and have no obedience to that Law from that Creature whom it was made to govern? Shall the curious workmanſhip of God, and the excellent Engravings of the Law of Nature in his heart, be ſo ſoon defaced, and remain in that blotted condition for ever? This fall thou couldſt not but in the treaſures of thy Infinite Knowledge foreſee; Why hadſt thou Goodneſs then to Create him in an Integrity, if thou wouldſt not have Mercy to pity him in Miſery? Shall thy Enemy for ever trample upon the honour of thy Work, and triumph over the glory of God, and applaud himſelf in the ſucceſs of his ſubtilty? Shall thy Creature only paſſively glorifie thee as an Avenger, and not actively as a Compaſſionater? Am not I a perfection of thy Nature as well as Juſtice? Shall Juſtice ingroſs all, and I never come into view? 'Tis reſolved already, that the fallen Angels ſhall be no Subjects for me to exerciſe my ſelf upon; and I have now leſs reaſon than before to plead for them: They fell with a full conſent of will, without any motion from another; and not content with their own Apoſtacy they envy thee, and thy glory upon Earth, as well as in Heaven, and have drawn into their party the beſt part of the Creation below: Shall Satan plunge the whole Creation in the ſame irreparable ruine with himſelf? If the Creature be reſtored, will he contract a boldneſs in ſin by impurity? Haſt thou not a Grace to render him ingenuous in Obedience, as well as a Compaſſion p. 377to recover him from Miſery? What will hinder, but that ſuch a Grace, which hath eſtabliſhed the ſtanding Angels, may eſtabliſh this recovered Creature? If I am utterly excluded from exerciſing my ſelf on men, as I have been from Devils, a whole Species is loſt; nay, I can never expect to appear upon the Stage: If thou wilt quite ruine him by Juſtice, and create another World, and another Man, if he ſtand, thy Bounty will be eminent, yet there is no room for Mercy to act, unleſs by the Commiſſion of ſin, he expoſeth himſelf to Miſery; and if ſin enter into another World, I have little hopes to be heard then, if I am rejected now. Worlds will be perpetually created by Goodneſs, Wiſdom, and Power: Sin entring into theſe Worlds, will be perpetually puniſhed by Juſtice; and Mercy, which is a Perfection of thy Nature, will for ever be commanded ſilence, and lye wrapt up in an eternal Darkneſs. Take occaſion now therefore to expoſe me to the knowledge of thy Creature, ſince without Miſery, Mercy can never ſet foot into the World.

Mercy pleads, if man be ruined, the Creation is in vain; Juſtice pleads, if man be not ſentenced, the Law is in vain; Truth backs Juſtice, and Grace abets Mercy. What ſhall be done in this ſeeming Contradiction? Mercy is not manifeſted, if man be not pardoned; Juſtice will complain, if man be not puniſhed.

3. An expedient is found out by the wiſdom of God to anſwer theſe Demands, and adjuſt the Differences between them. The wiſdom of God anſwers, I will ſatisfie your Pleas. The Pleas of Juſtice ſhall be ſatisfied in puniſhing, and the Pleas of Mercy ſhall be received in pardoning. Juſtice ſhall not complain for want of Puniſhment, nor Mercy for want of Compaſſion. I will have an infinite Sacrifice to content Juſtice; and the Vertue and Fruit of that Sacrifice ſhall delight Mercy. Here ſhall Juſtice have puniſhment to accept, and Mercy ſhall have Pardon to beſtow. The Rights of both are preſerved, and the Demands of both amicably accorded in puniſhment and pardon, by transferring the puniſhment of our Crimes upon a Surety, exacting a Recompence from his Blood by Juſtice, and conferring life and ſalvation upon us by Mercy, without the expence of one drop of our own. Thus is Juſtice ſatisfied in its Severities, and Mercy in its Indulgences. The riches of Grace are twiſted with the terrors of Wrath. The bowels of Mercy are wound about the flaming Sword of Juſtice, and the Sword of Juſtice protects and ſecures the bowels of Mercy. Thus is God righteous without being cruel, and merciful without being unjuſt; his Righteouſneſs inviolable, and the World recoverable. Thus is a reſplendent Mercy brought forth in the midſt of all the Curſes, Confuſions, and Wrath threatned to the Offender.

This is the admirable temperament found out by the wiſdom of God: His Juſtice is honoured in the Sufferings of Man's Surety; and his Mercy is honoured in the application of the Propitiation to the Offender. Rom. 3.24, 25. Being juſtified freely by his Grace, through the Redemption that is in Jeſus Chriſt: Whom God hath ſet forth to be a Propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteouſneſs for the remiſſion of ſins that are paſt, through the forbearance of God. Had we in our Perſons been Sacrifices to Juſtice, Mercy had for ever been unknown; had we been ſolely foſtered by Mercy, Juſtice had for ever been ſecluded; had we, being guilty, been abſolved, Mercy might have rejoyced, and Juſtice might have complained; had we been ſolely puniſhed, Juſtice would have triumphed, and Mercy grieved. But by this medium of Redemption, neither hath ground of Complaint: Juſtice hath nothing to charge, when the Puniſhment is inflicted; Mercy hath whereof to boaſt when the Surety is accepted. The Debt of the Sinner is transferred upon the Surety, that the Merit of the Surety may be conferred upon the Sinner; ſo that God now deals with our ſins in a way of conſuming Juſtice, and with our Perſons in a way of relieving Mercy. 'Tis highly better, and more glorious, than if the Claim of one had been granted, with the excluſion of the Demand of the other: It had then been either an unrighteous Mercy, or a mercileſs Juſtice: 'Tis now a righteous Mercy, and a merciful Juſtice.

p. 3782. The Wiſdom of God appears in the Subject or Perſon wherein theſe were accorded; The ſecond Perſon in the bleſſed Trinity. There was a congruity in the Sons undertaking and effecting it rather than any other Perſon, according to the order of the Perſons, and the ſeveral functions of the Perſons, as repreſented in Scripture. The Father, after Creation, is the Law-giver, and preſents man with the Image of his own Holineſs and the way to his Creatures happineſs: But after the Fall, man was too impotent to perform the Law, and too polluted to enjoy a Felicity. Redemption was then neceſſary; not that it was neceſſary for God to redeem man, but it was neceſſary for man's happineſs, that he ſhould be recovered. To this the ſecond Perſon is appointed, that by Communion with him, man might derive a happineſs, and be brought again to God. But ſince man was blind in his Ʋnderſtanding, and an Enemy in his will to God, there muſt be the exerting of a Vertue to enlighten his mind, and bend his Will to underſtand, and accept of this Redemption: And this work is aſſigned to the third Perſon, the Holy Ghoſt.

1. It was not congruous that the Father ſhould aſſume Human Nature, and ſuffer in it for the Redemption of man. He was first in order, he was the Lawgiver, and therefore to be the Judge. As Lawgiver, it was not convenient he ſhould ſtand in the ſtead of the Law-breaker; and as Judge, it was as little convenient he ſhould be reputed a Malefactor: That he who had made a Law againſt ſin, denounced a Penalty upon the commiſſion of ſin, and whoſe part it was actually to puniſh the ſinner, ſhould become ſin for the wilful Tranſgreſſor of his Law. He being the Rector, how could he be an Advocate and Interceſſor to himſelf? How could he be the Judge and the Sacrifice? A Judge, and yet a Mediator to himſelf? If he had been the Sacrifice, there muſt be ſome Perſon to examine the validity of it, and pronounce the Sentence of acceptance. Was it agreeable that the Son ſhould ſit upon a Throne of Judgment, and the Father ſtand at the Bar, and be reſponſible to the Son? That the Son ſhould be in the place of a Governour, and the Father in the place of the Criminal? That the Father ſhould be bruiſed**Iſa. 53.10.Isa 53:10 by the Son, as the Son was by the Father;††Zach. 13 70.Zech 13:70 that the Son ſhould awaken a Sword againſt the Father, as the Father did againſt the Son; that the Father ſhould be ſent by the Son as the Son was by the Father**Gal. 4.4.Gal 4:4: The order of the Perſons in the bleſſed Trinity had been inverted and diſturbed. Had the Father been ſent, he had not been firſt in order; the Sender is before the Perſon ſent: As the Father begets, and the Son is begotten, Joh. 1.14. ſo the Father ſends, and the Son is ſent. He whoſe order is to ſend, cannot properly ſend himſelf.

2. Nor was it congruous that the Spirit ſhould he ſent upon this Affair. If the Holy Ghoſt had been ſent to redeem us, and the Son to apply that Redemption to us, the order of the Perſons had alſo been inverted: The Spirit then, who was third in order, had been ſecond in Operation. The Son would then have received of the Spirit, as the Spirit doth now of Chriſt, and ſhew it unto us, Joh. 1.15. As the Spirit proceeded from the Father and the Son, ſo the proper Function and Operation of it, was in order alter the Operations of the Father and the Son: Had the Spirit been ſent to redeem us, and the Son ſent by the Father, and the Spirit to apply that Redemption to us; the Son in his acts had proceeded from the Father and the Spirit; the Spirit, as ſender, had been in order before the Son; whereas the Spirit is called the Spirit of Chriſt, as ſent by Chriſt from the Father, Gal. 4.6. Joh. 15.27. But as the order of the Works, ſo the order of the Perſons is preſerved in their ſeveral Operations. Creation, and a Law to govern the Creature, precedes Redemption. Nothing, or that which hath no being, is not capable of a redeemed being. Redemption ſuppoſeth the exiſtence and the miſery of a Perſon redeemed. As Creation precedes Redemption, ſo Redemption precedes the application of it. As Redemption ſuppoſeth the being of the Creature, ſo application of Redemption ſuppoſeth the efficacy of Redemption. According to the order of theſe Works, is the order of the Operations of the three Perſons. Creation belongs to the Father, the firſt Perſon. Redemption, the ſecond work, is the Function of the Son, the ſecond Perſon. Application, the p. 379third work, is the Office of the Holy Ghoſt, the third Perſon. The Father orders it, the Son acts it, the Holy Ghoſt applies it. He purifies our Souls to underſtand, believe, and love theſe Myſteries. He forms Chriſt in the womb of the Soul, as he did the Body of Chriſt in the womb of the Virgin. As the Spirit of God moved upon the waters, to garniſh and adorn the World, after the Matter of it was formed, Gen. 1.2. ſo he moves upon the heart, to ſupple it to a complyance with Chriſt, and draws the Lineaments of the new Creation in the Soul, after the Foundation is laid.

The Son pays the price that was due from us to God, and the Spirit is the earneſt of the Promiſes of Life and Glory purchaſed by the Merit of that Death.**Amyra…t. Moral. Tom. 5. p. 478, 479, 480. 'Tis to be obſerved, that the Father, under the diſpenſation of the Law, propoſed the Commands with the Promiſes and Threatnings, to the Underſtandings of Men and Chriſt, under the diſpenſation of Grace, when he was upon the Earth, propoſeth the Goſpel as the Means of Salvation, exhorts to Faith as the Condition of ſalvation; but it was neither the Function of the one, or the other, to diſplay ſuch an efficacy in the Underſtanding, and Will to make men believe and obey, and therefore there were ſuch few Converſions in the time of Chriſt, by his Miracles: But this work was reſerved, for the fuller and brighter appearance of the Spirit, whoſe Office it was to convince the World of the neceſſity of a Redeemer, becauſe of their loſt Condition; of the Perſon of the Redeemer, the Son of God; of the ſufficiency and efficacy of Redemption, becauſe of his righteouſneſs and acceptation by the Father. The Wiſdom of God is ſeen in preparing and preſenting the Objects, and then in making impreſſion of them upon the Subjects he intends. And thus is the order of the three Perſons preſerved.

2. The ſecond Perſon had the greatest congruity to this work. He by whom God created the World, was moſt conveniently imployed in reſtoring the defaced World: Who more fit to recover it from its lapſed ſtate,John 1.4.John 1:4 than he that had erected it in its primitive ſtate? Hebr. 1.2. He was the light of men in Creation, and therefore it was moſt reaſonable he ſhould be the light of men in Redemption. Who ſitter to reform the Divine Image, than he that firſt formed it? Who fitter to ſpeak for us to God, than he who was the Word? Joh. 1.1. Who could better intercede with the Father, than he who was the only begotten and beloved Son? Who ſo fit to redeem the forfeited Inheritance as the Heir of all things? Who fitter and better to prevail for us to have the right of Children, than he that poſſeſſed it by Nature? We fell from being the Sons of God, and who fitter to introduce us into an adopted ſtate, than the Son of God? Herein was an expreſſion of the richer Grace, becauſe the firſt ſin was immediately againſt the wiſdom of God, by an ambitious affectation of a wiſdom equal to God: That that Perſon, who was the wiſdom of God, ſhould be made a Sacrifice for the expiation of the ſin againſt Wiſdom.

3. The wiſdom of God is ſeen in the two Natures of Chriſt, whereby this Redemption was accompliſhed. The Union of the two Natures was the Foundation of the Union of God, and the fallen Creature.

1. The Ʋnion it ſelf is admirable: The Word is made Fleſh, Joh. 1.14. One equal with God in the form of a Servant, Phil. 2.7. When the Apoſtle ſpeaks of God manifeſted in the fleſh, he ſpeaks the wiſdom of God in a Myſtery. 1 Tim. 3.16. That which is incomprehenſible to the Angels, which they never imagined before it was revealed, which perhaps they never knew till they beheld it. I am ſure, under the Law the Figures of the Cherubims were placed in the Sanctuary with their faces looking towards the Propitiatory, in a perpetual poſture of Contemplation and Admiration, Exod. 37.9. to which the Apoſtle alludes, 1 Pet. 1.12.

Myſterious is the wiſdom of God to unite Finite and Infinite, Almightineſs and Weakneſs, Immortality and Mortality, Immutability with a Thing ſubject to Change; to have a Nature from Eternity, and yet a Nature ſubject to the Revolutions of Time; a Nature to make a Law, and a Nature to be ſubjected to the Law; to be God bleſſed for ever, in the boſom of his Father, and an Infant expoſed to C…l…mities from the Womb of his Mother: Terms ſeeming moſt diſtant from union, moſt uncapable of conjunction, to ſhake hands together, to be moſt intimately conjoyned; Glory and Vileneſs, Fulneſs and Emptineſs, Heaven and Earth; the Creature with the Creator; he that made all things, in one Perſon with a Nature that is made; Immanuel, God and Man in one: That which is moſt Spiritual to partake of that which is Carnal fleſh and blood:**Heb. 2.14.Heb 2:14 One with the Father in his Godhead, one with us in his Manhood: The Godhead to be in him in the fulleſt Perfection, and the Manhood in the greateſt Purity: The Creature one with the Creator, and the Creator one with the Creature. Thus is the incomprehenſible Wiſdom of God declared in the Word being made Fleſh.

2. In the manner of this Ʋnion. A Union of two Natures, yet no Natural Union. It tranſcends all the Unions viſible among Creatures††Savana tri…mp. crucis Lib. 3 cap. 7. p. 211.: It is not like the Union of Stones in a Building, or of two pieces of Timber faſtned together, which touch one anot…er only in their Superficies and outſide, without any intimacy with one another. By ſuch a kind of Union, God would not be man: The Word could …ot ſo be made Fleſh. Nor is it a Union of Parts to the whole, as the Members and the Body; the Members are Parts, the Body is the whole; for the whole reſults from the Parts, and depends upon the Parts: But Chriſt being God, is independent upon any thing. The parts are in order of Nature before the whole, but nothing can be in order of Nature before God. Nor is it as the Union of two Liquors, as when Wine and Water are mixed together; for they are ſo Incorporated, as not to be diſtinguiſh'd from one another; no man can tell which Particle is Wine, and which is Water. But the Properties of the Divine Nature are diſtinguiſhable from the Properties of the Humane. Nor is it as the Union of the Soul and Body, ſo as that the Deity is the form of the Humanity, as the Soul is the form of the Body: For as the Soul is but a part of the Man, ſo the Divinity would be then but a part of the Humanity; & as a Form, or the Soul is in a ſtate of Imperfection, without that which it is to inform; ſo the Divinity of Chriſt would have been Imperfect, till it had aſſumed the Humanity. And ſo the perfection of an Eternal Deity would have depended on a Creature of Time.

This Union of two Natures in Chriſt is incomprehenſible: And it is a myſtery we cannot arrive to the top of, How the Divine Nature, which is the ſame with that of the Father and the Holy Ghoſt, ſhould be united to the Human Nature; without its being ſaid, that the Father and the Holy Ghoſt were united to the Fleſh; but the Scripture doth not encourage any ſuch Notion: It ſpeaks only of the Word, the Perſon of the Word being made Fleſh. And in his being made Fleſh, diſtinguiſheth him from the Father, as the only begotten of the Father, Joh. 1.14. The Perſon of the Son was the term of this Union.

1. This Ʋnion doth not confound the Properties of the Deity, and thoſe of the Humanity. They remain diſtinct and entire in each other. The Deity is not changed into Fleſh, nor the Fleſh transform'd into God: They are diſtinct and yet united: They are conjoined, and yet unmixt: The Dues of either Nature are preſerved. 'Tis impoſſible that the Majeſty of the Divinity can receive an alteration: 'Tis as impoſſible that the meaneſs of the Humanity can receive the Impreſſions of the Deity, ſo as to be changed into it, and a creature be metamorphos'd into the Creator, and Temporary Fleſh become Eternal, and Finite mount up into Infinity: As the Soul and Body are united, and make one Perſon, yet the Soul is not changed into the perfections of the Body, nor the Body into the perfections of the Soul. There is a change made in the Humanity by being advanced to a more Excellent Union, but not in the Diety; as a change is made in the Air, when it is enlightned by the Sun, not in the Sun, which communicates that brightneſs to the Air. Athanaſius makes the burning Buſh to be a type of Chriſts Incarnation, Exod. 3.2. The Fire ſignifying the Divine Nature, and the Buſh the human. The Buſh is a branch ſpringing up from the Earth, and the Fire deſcends from Heaven; as the Buſh was united to the Fire, yet was not hurt by the ſlame, nor converted into Fire, there remained a difference between the Buſh and the Fire, yet the properties of the Fire ſhined in the Buſh, ſo that the whole Buſh ſeemed to p. 381be on Fire. So in the Incarnation of Chriſt, the Human Nature is not ſwallowed up by the Divine, nor changed into it, nor confounded with it; But ſo united, that the properties of both remain firme: Two are ſo become one that they remain two ſtill: One perſon in Two Natures, containing the glorious perfections of the Divine, and the weakneſſes of the Humane. The fulneſs of the Deity dwels bodily in Chriſt, Col. 2.9.

2. The Divine Nature is vnited to every part of the Humanity. The whole Divinity to the whole Humanity; ſo that no part but may be ſaid to be the Member of God, as well as the Blood is ſaid to be the Blood of God, Acts 20.28. By the ſame reaſon it may be ſaid, the Hand of God, the Eye of God, the Arm of God. As God is infinitely preſent every where, ſo as to be excluded from no place; ſo is the Deity hypoſtatically every where in the Humanity not excluded from any part of it; As the light of the Sun in every part of the Air; as a ſparkling ſplendor in every part of the Diamond. Therefore it is concluded by all that acknowledge the Deity of Chriſt, that when his Soul was ſeparated from the Body, the Deity remained united both to Soul and Body, as light doth in every part of a broken Chriſtal.

3. Therefore perpetually united Coloſſ. 2.9. The fulneſs of the Godhead dwells in him bodily. It Dwels in him, not lodges in him as a Traveller in an Inn: It reſides in him as a fixed habitation. As God deſcribes the perpetuity of his preſence in the Ark by his habitation or dwelling in it, Exod. 29.44. ſo doth the Apoſtle the inſeparable duration of the Deity in the Humanity, and the indiſſoluble Union of the Humanity with the Deity. It was united on Earth, it remains united in Heaven. It was not an Image or an Apparition, as the Tongues wherein the Spirit came upon the Apoſtles, were a Temporary Repreſentation, not a thing united perpetually to the perſon of the Holy Ghoſt.

4. It was a perſonal Ʋnion. It was not an union of perſons, though it was a perſonal union; So Davenant expounds, Col. 2.9. Chriſt did not take the Perſon of Man, but the Nature of Man into ſubſiſtence with himſelf. The Body and Soul of Chriſt were not united in themſelves, had no ſubſiſtence in themſelves, till they were united to the Perſon of the Son of God. If the Perſon of a Man were united to him, the Human Nature would have been the Nature of the Perſon ſo united to him, and not the Nature of the Son of God, Heb. 2.14, 16. Foraſmuch then as the Children are partakers of fleſh and blood, he alſo himſelf likewiſe took part of the ſame, that through death he might destroy him, that had the power of death, that is, the Devil. For verily he took not on him the nature of Angels: but he took on him the ſeed of Abraham. He took fleſh and blood to be his own Nature, perpetually to ſubſiſt in the Perſon of the foreign, which muſt be by a Perſonal Union, or no way: The Deity united to the Humanity, and both Natures to be one Perſon. This is the myſterious and manifold Wiſdom of God.

3. The end of this Ʋnion.

1. He was hereby fitted to be Mediator. He hath ſomething like to Man, and ſomething like to God. If he were in all things only like to Man, he would be at a diſtance from God: If he were in all things only like to God, he would be at a diſtance from Man. He is a true Mediator between Mortal Sinners, and the Immortal Righteous One. He was near to us by the Infirmities of our Nature, and near to God by the Perfections of the Divine; as near to God in his Nature, as to us in ours; as near to us in our Nature as he is to God in the Divine. Nothing that belongs to the Deity, but he poſſeſſes; nothing that belongs to the Human Nature, but he is clothed with.

He had both the Nature which had offended, and that Nature which was offended; a Nature to pleaſe God, and a Nature to pleaſure us: A Nature whereby he experimentally knew the excellency of God, which was injured, and underſtood the Glory due to him, and conſequently the Greatneſs of the Offence, which was to be meaſur'd by the Dignity of his Perſon: And a Nature whereby, he might be ſenſible of the Miſeries contracted by, and endure the calamities p. 382due to the Offender, that he might both have Compaſſion on him, and make due Satisfaction for him.**Gomb. de relig. p. 42. He had two diſtinct Natures, capable of the Affections and Sentiments of the two Perſons he was to accord; he was a juſt Judge of the Rights of the one, and the demerit of the other. He could not have this full and perfect Underſtanding, if he did not poſſeſs the Perfections of the one, and the Qualities of the other: The one fitted him for things appertaining to God, Heb. 5.1. and the other furniſht him with a ſenſe of the Infirmities of man, Heb. 4.15.

2. He was hereby fitted for the working out the happineſs of man. A Divine Nature to communicate to man, and a Human Nature to carry up to God.

1. He had a Nature whereby to ſuffer for us, and a Nature whereby to be meritorious in thoſe Sufferings. A Nature to make him capable to bear the Penalty, and a Nature to make his Sufferings ſufficient for all that embraced him. A Nature capable to be expoſed to the flames of Divine Wrath, and another Nature uncapable to be cruſht by the weight, or conſum'd by the heat of it: A Human Nature to ſuffer, and ſtand a Sacrifice in the ſtead of Man; a Divine Nature to ſanctifie theſe Sufferings, and fill the Noſtrils of God with a ſweet ſavour, and thereby atone his wrath: The one to bear the ſtroak due to us, and the other to add merit to his Sufferings for us. Had he not been Man, he could not have filled our place in ſuffering; and could he otherwiſe have ſuffered, his ſufferings had not been applicable to us; and had he not been God, his Sufferings had not been meritoriouſly and fruitfully applicable. Had not his Blood been the Blood of God, it had been of as little advantage as the Blood of an ordinary Man, or the Blood of the Legal Sacrifices ††Heb. 9.12.Heb 9:12. Nothing leſs than God, could have ſatisfied God for the injury done by Man. Nothing leſs than God, could have countervail'd the Torments due to the offending Creature: Nothing leſs than God, could have reſcued us out of the hands of the Jaylor, too powerful for us.

2. He had therefore a Nature to be compaſſionate to us, and victorious for us. A Nature ſenſibly to compaſſionate us, and another Nature to render thoſe Compaſſions effectual for our Relief; he had the Compaſſions of our Nature to pity us, and the Patience of the Divine Nature to bear with us. He hath the affections of a Man to us, and the power of a God for us: A Nature to diſarm the Devil for us, and another Nature to be ſenſible of the working of the Devil in us, and againſt us. If he had been only God, he would not have had an experimental ſenſe of our Miſery; and if he had been only Man, he could not have vanquiſh'd our Enemies: Had he been only God, he could not have died; and had he been only Man, he could not have conquered Death.

3. A Nature efficaciouſly to inſtruct us. As Man, he was to inſtruct us ſenſibly; as God, he was to inſtruct us infallibly. A Nature whereby he might converſe with us, and a Nature whereby he might influence us in thoſe Converſes. A Human Mouth to miniſter Inſtruction to Man, and a Divine Power to imprint it with efficacy.

4. A Nature to be a pattern to us. A Pattern of Gr…ce as Man, as Adam was to have been to his Poſterity.‖‖Amyrant. morals Tom. 5. p. 468, 469. A Divine Nature ſhining in the Human, the Image of the inviſible God in the glaſs of our Fleſh, that he might be a perfect Copy for our Imitation. Col. 1.15. The Image of the inviſible God, and the firſt-born of every Creature in conjunction The Vertues of the Deity are ſweetned and tempered by the Union with the Humanity, as the Beams of the Sun are by ſhining through a colour'd Glaſs, which condeſcends more to the weakneſs of our eye.

Thus the Perfections of the inviſible God, breaking through the firſt-born of every Creature, glittering in Chriſt's created ſtate, became more ſenſible for Contemplation by our Mind, and more imitable for Conformity in our practiſe.

p. 3835. A Nature to be a ground of confidence in our approach to God. A Nature wherein we may behold him, and wherein we may approach to him. A Nature for our comfort, and a Nature for our confidence. Had he been only Man, he had been too feeble to aſſure us; and had he been only God, he had been too high to attract us: But now we are allured by his Human Nature, and aſſured by his Divine, in our drawing near to Heaven. Communion with God was deſired by us, but our Guilt ſtifled our hopes, and the Infinite Excellency of the Divine Nature, would have dampt our hopes of ſpeeding; but ſince theſe two Natures, ſo far diſtant, are met in a Marriage-knot, we have a ground of hope, nay, an earneſt that the Creator and believing Creature ſhall meet and converſe together.

And ſince our ſins are expiated by the Death of the Human Nature in conjunction with the Divine, our Guilt, upon believing, ſhall not hinder us from this comfortable approach. Had he been only Man, he could not have aſſured us an approach to God: Had he been only God, his Juſtice would not have admitted us to approach to him; he had been too terrible for guilty Perſons, and too holy for polluted Perſons to come near to him: But by being made Man, his Juſtice is tempered, and by his being God and Man, his Mercy is enſured. A Human Nature he had, one with us, that we might be related to God, as one with him.

6. A Nature to derive all good to us. Had he not been Man, we had had no ſhare or part in him: A Satisfaction by him had not been imputed to us. If he were not God, he could not communicate to us Divine Graces and Eternal Happineſs; he could not have had power to convey ſo great a good to us, had he been only Man; and he could not have done it, according to the Rule of inflexible righteouſneſs, had he been only God. As Man, he is the way of Conveyance; as God, he is the ſpring of Conveyance. From this Grace of Union, and the Grace of Unction, we find Rivers of Waters flowing, to make glad the City of God. Believers are his Branches, and draw Sap from him as he is their Root in his Human Nature, and have an endleſs duration of it from his Divine. Had he not been Man, he had not been in a ſtate to obey the Law: Had he not been God as well as Man, his Obedience could not have been valuable to be imputed to us.

How ſhould this Myſtery be ſtudied by us, which would afford us both Admiration and Content! Admiration, in the incomprehenſibleneſs of it; Contentment, in the fitneſs of the Mediator. By this Wiſdom of God we receive the props of our Faith, and the fruits of Joy and Peace. Wiſdom conſiſts in chuſing fit means, and conducting them in ſuch a method, as may reach with good ſucceſs the variety of Marks which are aimed at. Thus hath the Wiſdom of God ſet forth a Mediator, ſuted to our wants, fitted for our ſupplies, and ordered ſo the whole Affair by the union of theſe two Natures in the Perſon of the Redeemer, that there could be no diſappointment, by all the buſtle Hell and helliſh Inſtruments could raiſe againſt it.

4. The Wiſdom of God is ſeen in this way of Redemption, in vindicating the Honour and Righteouſneſs of the Law, both as to Precept and Penalty. The firſt and irreverſible deſign of the Law, was Obedience. The Penalty of the Law had only entrance upon Tranſgreſſion. Obedience was the deſign, and the Penalty was added to enforce the obſervance of the Precept. Gen. 2.17. Thou ſhalt not eat; there is the Precept: In the day thou eateſt thereof thou ſhalt dye; There is the Penalty, Obedience was our Debt to the Law, as Creatures; Puniſhment was due from the Law to us, as Sinners: We were bound to endure the Penalty for our firſt Tranſgreſſion, but the Penalty did not Cancel the Bond of future Obedience: The Penalty had not been incurr'd without tranſgreſſing the Precept; yet the Precept was not abrogated by enduring the Penalty. Since Man ſo ſoon revolted, and by his Revolt fell under the threatning, the Juſtice of the Law had been honoured by Man's ſufferings, but the holineſſe, and equity of the Law had been honoured by mans Obedience. The Wiſdom of God finds out a Medium to ſatisfie both: The Juſtice of the Law is preſerved in the Execution of the Penalty; and the Holineſs of the Law is honoured in the obſervance of the Precept.

p. 384The Life of our Saviour is a Conformity to the Precept, and his Death is a Conformity to the Penalty; the Precepts are exactly performed, and the Curſe punctually executed, by a voluntary obſerving the one, and a voluntary undergoing the other. It is obeyed, as if it had not been tranſgreſt, and executed as if it had not been obeyed.

It became the Wiſdom, Juſtice, and Holineſs of God, as the Rector of the World, to exact it, Heb. 2.10. and it became the holineſs of the Mediator to fulfill all the righteouſneſs of the Law ††Rom. 8.3. Matth. 3.15.Rom 8:3Matt 3:15And thus the Honour of the Law was vindicated in all the parts of it. The Tranſgreſſion of the Law was Condemned in the Fleſh of the Redeemer, and the Righteouſneſs of the Law was fulfilled in his Perſon: And both theſe acts of Obedience, being counted as one Righteouſneſs, and imputed to the believing ſinner, render him a ſubject to the Law, both in its preceptive and minatory part. By Adams ſinful acting we were made ſinners, and by Chriſt's righteous acting we are made righteous. Rom. 5.10. As by one mans diſobedience many were made ſinners, ſo by the obedience of one ſhall many be made righteous. The Law was obeyed by him, that the righteouſneſs of it might be fulfilled in us, Rom. 8.4. 'Tis not fulfilled in us, or in our actions, by inherency, but fulfilled in us by imputation of that righteouſneſs which was exactly fulfilled by another. As he died for us, and roſe again for us, ſo he lived for us. The Commands of the Law were as well obſerved for us, as the Threatnings of the Law were endured for us. This juſtification of a ſinner, with the preſervation of the holineſs of the Law in truth, in the inward parts, in ſincerity of intention, as well as conformity in action, is the wiſdom of God, the Goſpel-wiſdom which David deſires to know, Pſal. 51.6. Thou deſireſt truth in the inward parts, and in the hidden part thou ſhalt make me to know wiſdom; or as ſome render it, the hidden things of wiſdom. Not an inherent wiſdom in the acknowledgments of his ſin, which he had confeſt before; but the wiſdom of God in providing a Medicine, ſo as to keep up the holineſs of the Law in the obſervance of it in Truth, and the averting the Judgment due to the ſinner. In and by this way methodiz'd by the wiſdom of God, all doubs and troubles are diſcharg'd. Naturally if we take a view of the Law to behold its Holineſs and Juſtice, and then of our hearts, to ſee the contrariety in them to the command, and the pollution repugnant to its holineſs; and after this caſt our eyes upward, and behold a flaming Sword, edg'd with Curſes and Wrath; Is there any matter, but that of terrour, afforded by any of theſe? But when we behold, in the life of Chriſt, a conformity to the Mandatory part of the Law, and in the Croſs of Chriſt, a ſuſtaining the minatory part of the Law; this wiſdom of God gives a well-grounded and rational diſmiſs to all the horrours that can ſeize upon us.

5. The wiſdom of God in Redemption is viſible in manifeſting two contrary Affections at the ſame time, and in one act: The greatest hatred of Sin, and the greateſt love to the Sinner. In this way he puniſhes the ſin without ruining the ſinner, and repairs the ruins of the ſinner, without indulging the ſin. Here is eternal love, and eternal hatred; a condemning the ſin to what it merited, and an advancing the ſinner to what he could not expect. Herein is the choiceſt love, and the deepeſt hatred manifeſted. An implacableneſs againſt the ſin, and a placableneſs to the ſinner. His hatred of ſin hath been diſcovered in other ways; in puniſhing the Devil without remedy; ſentencing Man to an expulſion from Paradiſe, though ſeduced by another; in accurſing the Serpent, an irrational Creature, though but a miſguided Inſtrument. The whole tenor of his Threatnings declare his loathing of ſin, and the ſprinklings of his Judgments in the World, and the horrible expectations of terrified Conſciences confirm it. But what are all theſe Teſtimonies to the higheſt evidence that can poſſibly be given in the ſheathing the Sword of his wrath in the heart of his Son? If a Father ſhould order his Son to take a mean Garb below his Dignity, order him to be dragg'd to Priſon, ſeem to throw off all Affection of a Father for the ſeverity of a Judge, condemn his Son to a horrible Death, be a Spectator of his bleeding Condition, withhold his hand from aſſwaging his Miſery, regard it rather with Joy than Sorrow, give him a bitter Cup to drink, and ſtand by to ſee him drink it off to the bottom, dregs and p. 385all, and ſ…aſh frowns in his face all the while; and this not for any fault of his own, but the Rebellion of ſome Subjects he undertook for, and that the Offenders might have a pardon ſeal'd by the Blood of the Son the ſufferer; all this would evidence his deteſtation of the Rebellion, and his affection to the Rebels; his hatred to their Crime, and his love to their Welfare. This did God do; He delivered Chriſt up for our Offences, Rom. 8.32. the Father gave him the Cup, John 18 18. the Lord bruiſed him with pleaſure, Iſa. 53.10. and that for ſin: …e transfer'd upon the ſhoulders of his Son the pain we had merited, that the Criminal might be reſtored to the place he had forfeited. He hates the ſin ſo, as to condemn it for ever, and wrap it up in the Curſe he had threatned; and loves the ſinner believing and repenting ſo, as to mount him to an expectation of a happineſs exceeding the firſt ſtate, both in glory and perpetuity. Inſtead of an Earthly Paradiſe, lays the Foundation of an Heavenly Manſion, brings forth a weight of Glory from a weight of Miſery, ſeparates the comfortable light of the Sun, from the ſcorching heat we had deſerved at his hands. Thus hath Gods hatred of ſin been manifeſted. He is at an eternal Defiance with ſin, yet nearer in alliance with the ſinner, than he was before the Revolt: As if man's miſerable Fall had endeared him to the Judge. This is the wiſdom and prudence of Grace wherein God hath abounded, Eph. 1.9. A wiſdom in twiſting the happy reſtoration of the broken Amity, with an everlaſting Curſe, upon that which made the breach, both upon ſin the Cauſe, and upon Satan the Seducer to it. Thus is hatred and love in their higheſt glory manifeſted together: Hatred to ſin, in the death of Chriſt, more than if the torments of Hell had been undergone by the ſinner; and love to the ſinner, more than if he had, by an abſolute and ſimple Bounty, beſtowed upon him the poſſeſſion of Heaven; becauſe the gift of his Son, for ſuch an end, is a greater token of his boundleſs Affections, than a reinſtating Man in Paradiſe. Thus is the wiſdom of God ſeen in Redemption; conſuming the ſin, and recovering the ſinner.

6. The wiſdom of God is evident in overturning the Devil's Empire, by the Nature he had vanquiſh'd, and by ways quite contrary to what that malicious Spirit could imagine. The Devil indeed read his own doom in the firſt Promiſe, and found his ruin reſolved upon, by the means of the Seed of the Woman, but by what Seed, was not ſo eaſily known to him**And indeed the … … racles, managed by the Devils, declared that they were not long to hold their Scepter in the World, but the Hebrew Child ſhould vanquiſh them And the methods whereby it was to be brought about, was a Myſtery kept ſecret from the malicious Devils, ſince it was not diſcovered to the obedient Angels. He might know from Iſa. 53. that the Redeemer was aſſured to divide the Spoil with the ſtrong, and reſcue a part of the loſt Creation out of his hands; and that this was to be effected, by making his Soul an offering for ſin: But could he imagine which way his Soul was to be made ſuch an Offering? He ſhrewdly ſuſpected Chriſt juſt after his Inauguration into his Office by Bapiſm, to be the Son of God. But did he ever dream that the Meſſiah, by dying as a reputed Malefactor, ſhould be a Sacrifice for the expiation of the ſin, the Devil had introduced by his ſubtilty? Did he ever imagine a Croſs ſhould diſpoſſeſs him of his Crown, and that dying groans ſhould wreſt the Victory out of his hands?

He was conquer'd by that Nature he had caſt headlong into ruin: A Woman, by his ſubtilty, was the occaſion of our death; and a Woman, by the conduct of the only wiſe God, brings forth the Author of our Life, and the Conquerour of our Enemies. The Fleſh of the old Adam had infected us, and the Fleſh of the new Adam cures us. 1 Cor. 15.21. By man came death; by man alſo came the reſurrection from the dead. We are killed by the old Adam, and raiſed by the new. As among the Iſraelites, a fiery Serpent gave the wound, and a brazen Serpent adminiſters the Cure. The Nature that was deceived bruiſeth the Deceiver, and razeth up the Foundations of his Kingdom. Satan is defeated by the Counſels he took to ſecure his Poſſeſſion, and loſes the Victory by the ſame means whereby he thought to preſerve it.

p. 386His tempting the Jews to the ſin of Crucifying the Son of God, had a contrary ſucceſs to his tempting Adam to eat of the Tree. The firſt death he brought upon Adam, ruined us, and the death he brought by his Inſtrum…nts upon the ſecond Adam, reſtored us. By a Tree, if one may ſo ſay, he had Triumphed over the World, and by the fruit of a Tree, one hanging upon a Tree, he is diſch…ged of his power over us, Heb. 2.14. Through death he deſtroyed him that had the power of death. And thus the Devil ruins his own Kingdom while he thinks to confirm & inlarge it. And is defeated by his own policy, whereby he thought to continue the World under his chains, and deprive the Creator of the World of his purpoſed honour. What deeper Counſell could he reſolve upon for his own ſecurity, than to be inſtrumental in the death of him, who was God, the terror of the Devil himſelf, and to bring the Redeemer of the World to expire with diſgrace in the ſight of a multitude of men? Thus did the Wiſdom of God ſhine forthin reſtoring us by methods ſeemingly repugnant to the end he aimed at, & above the ſuſpition of a ſubtle Devil, whom he intended to baffle.

Could he Imagine that we ſhould be healed by ſtripes, quickned by death, purified by blood, crowned by a croſs, advanced to the higheſt honour by the loweſt humility, comforted by ſorrows, glorified by diſgrace, abſolved by condemnation, and made rich by poverty? That the ſweeteſt hony ſhould at once ſpring out of the belly of a dead Lion, the Lion of the tribe of Judah and out of the boſom of the living God? How wonderful is this Wiſdom of God! That the ſeed of the woman, born of a mean Virgin, brought forth in a ſtable, ſpending his days in affliction, miſery and poverty, without any pomp and ſplendor, paſſing ſome time in a Carpenters ſhop, with Carpenters tools, and afterwards expoſed to a horrible and diſgraceful death,Mark. 6 6.Mark 6:6 ſhould by this way pull down the gates of Hell, ſubvert the kingdom of the Devil, and be the hammer to break in pieces that power, which he had ſo long exerciſed over the World! Thus became he the Author of our life, by being bound for a while in the chains of death, and arrived to a principality over the moſt malicious powers by being a priſoner for us, and the anv…l of their rage and fury.

7. The Wiſdom of God appears, In giving us this way the ſureſt ground of comfort and the ſtrongeſt incentive to obedience. The Rebel is reconciled, and the rebellion ſhamed; God is propitiated and the ſinner ſanctified by the ſame blood. What can more contribute to our comfort & confidence, than Gods richeſt gift to us? What can more enflame our love to him, than our recovery from death by the oblation of his Son to miſery and death for us? It doth as much engage our duty as ſecure our happineſs. It preſents God glorious and gracious, and therefore every way fit to be truſted in regard of the intereſt of his own glory in it, and in regard of the effuſions of his grace by it. It renders the Creature obliged in the higheſt manner, and ſo awakens his induſtry to the ſtricteſt and nobleſt obedience. Nothing ſo effectual as a crucified Chriſt to wean us from ſin and ſtifle all motions of deſpair; a means, in regard of the Juſtice ſignaliz'd in it, to make man to hate the ſin which had ruined him; and a means, in regard of the love expreſt, to make him delight in that Law he had violated, 2. Cor. 5.14, 15. The love of Christ, and therefore the love of God expreſt in it, conſtrains us no longer to live to our ſelves.

1. It is a ground of the higheſt comfort and confidence in God. Since he hath given ſuch an evidence of his impartial truth to his threatning for the honour of his Juſtice, we need not queſtion but he will be as punctual to his promiſe for the honour of his mercy. Tis a ground of confidence in God, ſince he hath redeemed us in ſuch a way as glorifies the ſteadineſs of his veracity, as well as the ſeverity of his Juſtice; We may well truſt him for the performance of his promiſe, ſince we have experience of the execution of his threatning; his m…rciful truth will as much engage him to accompliſh the one, as his juſt truth did to inflict the other. The goodneſs which ſhone forth in weaker rays in the Creation, breaks out with ſtronger beams in redemption. And the mercy which before the appearance p. 387of Chriſt was manifeſted in ſome ſmall Rivulets, diffuſeth itſelf like a boundleſs Ocean. That God that was our Creator, is our Redeemer, the Repayrer of our Breaches, and the Reſtorer of our Paths to dwell in. And the plenteous Redemption from all Iniquity, manifeſted in the Incarnation and Paſſion of the Son of God, is much more a ground of hope in the Lord, than it was in the paſt Ages, when it could not be ſaid, the Lord hath, but the Lord ſhall redeem Iſrael from all his iniquities, Pſal. 130.8. It is a full Warrant to caſt our ſelves into his Arms.

2. At incentive to obedience.

1. The Commands of the Goſpel require the obedience of the Creature. There is not one Precept in the Goſpel which interferes with any rule in the Law, but ſtrengthens it, and repreſents it in its true exactneſs: The heat to ſcorch us is allaied, but the light to direct us is not extinguiſht. Not the leaſt allowance to any ſin is granted; not the leaſt affection to any ſin is indulg'd. The Law is temper'd by the Goſpel, but not null'd and caſt out of doors by it; It enacts that none but thoſe that are ſanctified, ſhall be glorified; that there muſt be Grace here, if we expect Glory hereafter; that we muſt not preſume to expect an admittance to the Viſion of Gods face, unleſs our Souls be clothed with a robe of Holineſs, Heb. 12.14. It requires an obedience to the whole Law in our intention and purpoſe, and an endeavour to obſerve it in our actions: It promotes the honour of God, and ordains a univerſal Charity among men; it reveals the whole Counſel of God, and furniſheth men with the holieſt Laws.

2. It preſents to us the exacteſt pattern for our Obedience. The redeeming Perſon is not only a Propitiation for the ſin, but a pattern to the ſinner, 1 Pet. 2.21. The Conſcience of man, after the fall of Adam, approved of the reaſon of the Law, but by the corruption of Nature, man had no ſtrength to perform the Law. The poſſibility of keeping the Law by Human Nature, is evidenced by the Appearance and life of the Redeemer, and an aſſurance given that it ſhall be advanc'd, to ſuch a ſtate, as to be able to obſerve it: We aſpire to it in this life, and have hopes to attain it in a future: And while we are here, the Actor of our Redemption is the copy for our Imitation. The Pattern to imitate is greater than the Law to be ruled by. What a luſtre did his Vertues caſt about the World? How attractive are his Graces? With what high Examples, for all Duties, has he furniſh'd … out of the copy of his Life?

3. It preſents us with the strongeſt motives to Obedience. Tit. 2.11, 12. The grace of God teaches us to deny ungodlineſs. What Chains bind faſter and cloſer than love? Here is love to our nature, in his Incarnation; love to us, though Enemies, in his Death and Paſſion; Encouragements to Obedience by the proffers of Pardon for former Rebellions: By the diſobedience of man, God introduceth his redeeming Grace, and ingageth his Creature to more Ingenious and excellent returns than his Innocent ſtate could oblige him to. In his Created ſtate he had goodneſs to move him, he hath the ſame goodneſs now to oblige him as a Creature, and a greater love and mercy to oblige him as a repaired Creature; and the terror of Juſtice is taken off, which might invenom his Heart as a Criminal. In his revolted ſtate he had miſery to diſcourage him; in his redeemed ſtate he hath love to attract him. Without ſuch a way, black deſpaire had ſeized upon the Creature expoſed to a remedileſs miſery: And God would have had no returns of love from the beſt of his earthly Works: But if any ſparks of Ingenuity be left, they will be excited by the efficacy of this Argument.

The willingneſs of God to receive returning ſinners, is manifeſted in the higheſt degree; and the willingneſs of a ſinner to return to him in duty hath the ſtrongeſt engagements. He hath done as much to incourage our Obedience, as to illuſtrate his Glory. We cannot conceive …hat could be done greater for the ſalvation of our Souls, and conſequently what could have been done more to enforce our obſervance. We have a Redeemer, as man, to copy it to us, and as God to perfect us in it. It would make the heart of any to tremble to wound him that hath provided ſuch a ſalve for our Sores, and to make Grace a warrant for Rebellion: p. 388Motives, capable to form Rocks into a flexibleneſs. Thus is the Wiſdom of God ſeen in giving us a ground of the ſureſt confidence, and furniſhing us with incentives to the greateſt Obedience by the horrors of wrath, death and ſufferings of our Saviour.

8. The Wiſdom of God is apparent in the Condition he hath ſettled for the enjoying the fruits of Redemption, and this is faith, a wiſe and reaſonable Condition: And the concomitants of it.

1. In that it is ſuted to mans lapſed ſtate and Gods Glory. Innocence is not required here; that had been a Condition impoſſible in its own nature after the Fall: The rejecting of Mercy is now only condemning, where mercy is propoſed: Had the Condition of Perfection in Works been required, it had rather been a condemnation than redemption. Works are not demanded whereby the Creature might aſcribe any thing to himſelf; but a Condition which continues in man a ſenſe of his Apoſtacy, abates all aſpiring Pride, and makes the reward of Grace not of Debt: A Condition whereby Mercy is owned, and the Creature emptied: Fleſh ſilenc'd in the Duſt, and God ſet upon his Throne of Grace and Authority: The Creature brought to the loweſt debaſement, and Divine Glory raiſed to the higheſt pitch. The Creature is brought to acknowledge Mercy, and ſeal to Juſtice, to own the Holineſs of God in the hatred of ſin, the Juſtice of God in the Puniſhment of ſin, and the Mercy of God in the pardoning of ſin: A condition that deſpoils Nature of all its pretended excellency: Beats down the glory of man at the foot of God, 1 Cor. 1.29.31. It ſubjects the Reaſon and Will of man to the Wiſdom and Authority of God; it brings the Creature to an unreſerved ſubmiſſion and intire reſignation. God is made the Soveraign Cauſe of all; the Creature continued in his emptineſs, and reduced to a greater dependance upon God than by a Creation; depending upon him for a conſtant influx for an intire happineſs. A Condition that renders God glorious in the Creature, and the fallen creature happy in God: God glorious in his Condeſcenſion to Man, and Man happy in his emptineſs before God.

Faith is made the Condition of mans recovery, that the lofty looks of man might be humbled, and the haughtineſs of man be pulled down, Iſa. 2.11. that every towring imagination might be levelled, 2. Cor. 10.5. Man muſt have all from without doors; he muſt not live upon himſelf, but upon anothers allowance. He muſt ſtand to the proviſion of God, and be a perpetual Sutor at his Gates.

2. A Condition oppoſite to that which was the cauſe of the Fall. We fell from God an unbelief of the Threatning, he recovers us by a belief of the Promiſe; by Unbelief we laid the Foundation of Gods diſhonour, by Faith therefore God exalts the Glory of his free Grace. We loſt our ſelves by a deſire of ſelf dependence, and our return is ordered by a way of ſelf-emptineſs. 'Tis reaſonable we ſhould be reſtored in a way contrary to that whereby we fell: We ſinned by a refuſal of cleaving to God, tis a part of divine Wiſdom to reſtore us in a denial of our own righteouſneſs and ſtrength**Laud against Fiſher. p. 5.. Man having ſinned by Pride, the Wiſdom of God humbles him (ſaith one) at the very root of the Tree of Knowledge, and makes him deny his own Ʋnderſtanding, and ſubmit to Faith, or elſe, for ever to loſe his deſired Felicity.

3. It is a Condition ſuted to the Common Sentiment and cuſtome of the World. There is more of belief than reaſon in the World. All Inſtructers and Maſters in Sciences and Arts, require firſt a belief in their Diſciples, and a reſignation of their Underſtandings and Wills to them. And it is the Wiſdom of God to require that of man, which his own reaſon makes him ſubmit to another which is his fellow Creature. He therefore that quarrels with the Condition of Faith, muſt quarrel with all the World, ſince Belief is the beginning of all Knowledge††Bradward p. 28.; yea, and moſt of the Knowledge in the World, may rather come under the title of Belief, than of Knowledge: For what we think we know this day, we may find from others ſuch Arguments as may ſtagger our Knowledge, and make us doubt p. 389of that we thought our ſelves certain of before: Nay ſometimes we change our Opinions, our Selves, without an… Inſtructor; and ſee a reaſon to entertain an Opinion quite contrary to what we had before. And if we found a general Judgment of others …o vote againſt what we think we know, it would make us give the leſs Credit to our ſelves and our own Sentiments. All Knowledge in the World, is only a belief depending upon the teſtimony or arguings of others; for indeed it may be ſaid of all men as in Job, 8. Job. 9. We are but of yeſterday, and know nothing: Since therefore Belief is ſo univerſal a thing in the World, the Wiſdom of God requires that of us which every man muſt count reaſonable, or render himſelf utterly ignorant of any thing. It is a Condition that is common to all Religions. All Religions are Founded upon a Belief: Unleſs men did believe future things, they would not hope nor fear. A Belief and Reſignation was required in all the Idolatries in the World; ſo that God requires nothing but what a univerſal cuſtome of the World gives its ſuffrage to the reaſonableneſs of: Indeed juſtifying Faith is not ſuted to the Sentiments of men; but that Faith which muſt precede iuſtifying, a beliefe of the Doctrine, though not comprehended by Reaſon, is common to the cuſtome of the World**J…neway p. 88.. 'Tis no leſs madneſs not to ſubmit our Reaſon to Faith, than not to regulate our Fancies by Reaſon.

4. This Condition of Faith and Repentances is ſuted to the Conſcience of Men. The Law of Nature teaches us, th…t we are bound to believe every revelation from God, when it is made known to us: And not only to aſſent to it as true, but embrace it as good. This Nature dictates, that we are as much oblige… to believe God, becauſe of his Truth, as to love him, becauſe of his Goodneſs. Every mans Reaſon tells him, he cannot obey a Precept, nor depend upon a Promiſe, unleſs he believes both the one and the other. No man's Conſcience, but will inform him upon hearing the revelation of God, concerning his excellent contrivance of Redemption, and the way to Enjoy it, that it is very reaſonable he ſhould ſtrip off all affections to ſin, lye down in Sorrow and bewail what he hath done amiſs againſt ſo tender a God. Can you expect that any man that Promiſes you a great honour or a rich donative, ſhould demand leſs of you than to truſt his word, bear an affection to him, and return him kindneſs? Can any leſs be expected by a Prince than obedience from a pardoned Subject, and a redeemed Captive? If you have injured any man in his Body, Eſtate, Reputation, would you not count it a reaſonable Condition for the partaking of his Clemency and Forgiveneſs, to expreſs a hearty ſorrow for it, and a reſolution not to fall into the like Crime again? Such are the Conditions of the Goſpel, ſuted to the Conſciences of men.

5. The Wiſdom of God appears, in that this condition was only likely to attain the end. There are but two Common Heads appointed by God, Adam and Chriſt: By one we are made a living Soul, by the other a quickning Spirit: By the one we are made ſinners, by the other we are made righteous. Adam fell as a Head, and all his members, his whole Iſſue and Poſterity fell with him, becauſe they proceeded from him by natural Generation. But ſince the ſecond Adam can not be our Head by natural Generation, there muſt be ſome other way of engrafting us in him, and uniting us to him as our Head, which muſt be Moral and Spiritual; this can not rationally be conceived to be by any other way than What is ſutable to a reaſonable Creature, and therefore muſt be by an act of the Will, Conſent and Acceptance, and owning the terms ſetled for an Admiſſion to that Union. And this is that we properly call Faith, and therefore called a receiving of him, John 1.12.

p. 390Now this Condition of enjoying the Fruits of Redemption could not be a bare Knowledge; for that is but only an act of the Underſtanding, and doth not in itſelf include the act of the Will, and ſo would have united only one Faculty to him, not the whole Soul: But Faith in an act both of the Underſtanding and Will too; and principally of the Will, which doth preſuppoſe an act of the Underſtanding: For there cannot be a Perſwaſion in the Will, without a Propoſition from the Underſtanding. The Underſtanding muſt be convinced of the truth and goodneſs of a thing, before the Will can be perſwaded to make any motion towards it; and therefore all the Promiſes, Invitations and Proffers are ſuted to the Underſtanding and Will; To the Underſtanding in regard of Knowledge, to the Will in regard of Appetite; to the Underſtanding as true, to the Will as good; To the Underſtanding as practical and influencing the Will.

2. Nor could it be an intire Obedience. That, as was ſaid before, would have made the Creature have ſome matter of boaſting, and this was not ſutable to the Condition he was ſunk into by the fall. Beſides, mans Nature being corrupted, was rendered uncapable to obey, and unable to have one thought of a due Obedience. 2 Cor. 3.5.

When man turned from God, and upon that was turned out of Paradiſe, his return was impoſſible by any ſtrength of his own; his Nature was as much corrupted as his re-entrance into Paradiſe was prohibited. That Covenant, whereby he ſtood in the garden, required a perfection of action and intention in the obſervance of all the Commands of God: But his Fall had crack'd his Ability to recover happineſs, by the terms and condition of an intire Obedience; yet man being a perſon governable by a Law, and capable of happineſs by a Covenant; if God would reſtore him, and enter into a Covenant with him, we muſt ſuppoſe it to have ſome Condition, as all Covenants have. That Condition could not be works, becauſe mans Nature was polluted. Indeed, had God reduced mans Body to the duſt, and his Soul to nothing, and framed another man, he might have govern'd him by a Covenant of Works: But that had not been the ſame man that had revolted, and upon his revolt was ſtain'd and diſabled. But ſuppoſe God had by any tranſcendent Grace, wholly purified him from the ſtain of his former Tranſgreſſion, and reſtored to him the ſtrength and ability he had loſt, might he not as eaſily have rebelled again? And ſo the Condition would never have been accompliſht, the Covenant never have been performed, and Happineſs never have been enjoyed. There muſt be ſome other Condition then in the Covenant God would make for mans Security.

Now Faith is the moſt proper for receiving the Promiſe of Pardon of Sin: Belief of thoſe promiſes is the firſt natural reflection that a Malefactor can make upon a pardon offered him, and acceptance of it is the firſt conſequent from that beliefe. Hence is Faith entitled a perſwaſion of, and embraceing the Promiſes, Heb, 11.13. and a receiving the atonement, Rom. 5.11.

Thus the Wiſdom of God is apparent in annexing ſuch a Condition to the Covenant, whereby man is reſtored, as anſwers the end of God for his glory, the State, Conſcience, and neceſſity of Man, and had the greateſt congruity to his recovery.

9. This Wiſdom of God is manifeſt in the manner of the publiſhing and propagating this Doctrine of Redemption.

1. In the gradual diſcoveries of it. Flaſhing a great light in the face of a ſuddain, is amazing; ſhould the Sun glare in our Eye in all its brightneſs on a ſuddain, after we have been in a thick darkneſs, it would blind us, inſtead of comforting us: So great a work as this muſt have ſeveral digeſtions.

p. 391God firſt reveals of what Seed the Redeeming Perſon ſhould be, the Seed of the Woman, Gen. 3.15. Then of what Nation, Gen. 26.4. then of what Tribe, Gen. 49.12. of the Tribe of Judah; then of what Family, the family of David; then what works he was to do, what ſufferings to undergoe. The firſt Predictions of our Saviour were obſcure. Adam could not well ſee the Redemption in the Promiſe, for the puniſhment of death which ſucceeded in the Threatning; the Promiſe exerciſed his Faith, and the Obſcurity and bodily Death, his Humility. The Promiſe made to Abraham was clearer than the Revelations made before, yet he could not tell how to reconcile his Redemption with his Exile. God ſupported his Faith by the Promiſe, and exerciſed his Humility by making him a Pilgrim, and keeping him in a perpetual dependance upon him in all his motions.

The Declarations to Moſes are brighter than thoſe to Abraham. The delineations of Christ by David in the Pſalms, more illuſtrious than the former. And all thoſe exceeded by the Revelations made to the Prophet Iſaiah, and the other Prophets, according as the Age did approach, wherein the Redeemer was to enter into his Office.

God wrapt up this Goſpel in a multitude of Types and Ceremonies, fitted to the Infant ſtate of the Church, Gal. 4.3. An Infant State is uſually affected with ſenſible things; yet all thoſe Ceremonies were fitted to that great end of the Goſpel, which he would bring forth in time to the World. And the Wiſdom of God in them would be amazing, if we could underſtand the analogy between every Ceremony in the Law and the thing ſignified by it. As it cannot bu… affect a diligent Reader to obſerve that little account of them we have by the Apoſtle Paul, ſprinkled in his Eipſtles, and more largely in that to the Hebrews. As the Political Laws of the Jews flowed from the depth of the Moral Law, ſo their Ceremonial did from the depth of Evangelical Counſels, and all of them had a ſpecial relation to the honour of God, and the debaſing the Creature.

Though God formed the Maſs and Matter of the World at the firſt creation at once, yet his Wiſdom took ſix days time for the diſpoſing and adorning it. The more illuſtrious truths of God are not to be comprehended on a ſuddain by the weakneſs of men: Chriſt did not declare all Truths to his Diſciples in the time of his life, becauſe they were not able at that preſent to bear them, John, 16.12. Ye cannot bear them now. Some were reſerved for his Reſurrection, others for the coming of the Spirit; and the full diſcovery of all kept back for another World. This Doctrine God figured out in the Law, Oracled by the Prophets, and unvail'd by Chriſt and his Apoſtles:

2. The Wiſdom of God appeared, in uſing all proper means to render the belief of it eaſie.

1. The moſt minute things that were to be tranſacted, were predicted in the ancient foregoing Age, long before the comeing of the Redeemer: The vinegar and gall offered to him upon the Croſs, the parting his Garments, the not breaking of his Bones, the piercing of his Hands and Feet, the betraying of him, the ſlighting of him by the multitude, all were exactly painted and repreſented in variety of Figures. There was Light enough to good men not to miſtake him; and yet not ſo plain, as to hinder bad men from being Serviceable to the counſels of God in the crucifying of him when he came.

2. The tranſlation of the Old Teſtament from the private Language of the Jews, into the most publick Language of the World. That Tranſlation which we call Septuagint, from Hebrew into Greeks, ſome years before the coming of Chriſt, that Tongue being moſt diffuſed at that time, by reaſon of the Macedonian Empire raiſed by Alexander, and the Univerſity of Athens, to which other Nations reſorted for Learning and Education: This was a preparation for the Sons of Japhet to dwell in the p. 392Tents of Shem. By this was the entertainment of the Goſpel facilitated: When they compar'd the Prophecies of the Old Teſtament, with the Declarations of the New, and found things ſo long predicted before they were tranſacted in the publick view.

3. By ordering concurrent Teſtimonies as to matter of Fact, that the matter of Fact was not deniable. That there was ſuch a Perſon as Chriſt, that his Miracles were ſtupendous, that h…s Doctrine did not incline to Sedition, that he affected not Worldly Applauſe, that he did ſuffer at Jeruſalem, was acknowledged by all: Not a man among the greateſt Enemies of Chriſtians, was found, that denied the matter of Fact. And this great truth, that Chriſt is the Meſſiah and Redeemer, hath been, with univerſal conſent, owned by all the Profeſſors of Chriſtianity throughout the World: Whatever Bickerings there have been among them about ſome particular Doctrines, they all centred in that Truth of Chriſt's being the Redeemer. The firſt publication of this Doctrine was ſealed by a thouſand Miracles, and ſo illuſtrious, that he was an utter Stranger to the World that was ignorant of them.

4. In keeping up ſome Principles and Opinions in the World to facilitate the belief of this, or render men inexcuſable for rejecting of it. The Incarnation of the Son of God could not be ſo ſtrange to the World, if we conſider the general belief of the Appearances ††foreignof their Gods among them; that the Epicureans, and others, that denied any ſuch Appearances, were counted Atheiſts **Dioniſ. Halicar. Antiq. l. 2. p. 128.And Pythagoras was eſteemed to be one, not of the inferiour Genij and Lunar Daemons, but one of the higher Gods, who appeared in a Human Body, for the curing and rectifying mortal Life††Iamblych. Vit. Pythag. l. 1. cap. 6. p. 44. & lib. 2. c. 19. p. 94.. And himſelf tells Abaris the Scythian, that he was foreign, that he took the fleſh of man, that men might not be aſtoniſhed at him, and in a fright fly from his Inſtructions. It was not therefore accounted an irrational thing among them, that God ſhould be Incarnate: But indeed the great ſtumbling block was a crucified God. But had they known the holy and righteous Nature of God, the Malice of ſin, the univerſal Corruption of Human Nature, the firſt threatning, and the neceſſity of vindicating the honour of the Law, and clearing the Juſtice of God; the Notion of his crucifixion would not have appeared ſo incredible, ſince they believed the poſſibility of an Incarnation.

Another Principle was that univerſal One of Sacrifices for Expiation, and rendring God propitious to man, and was practiſed among all Nations. I remember not any wherein this Cuſtom did not prevail; for it did even among thoſe People where the Jews, as being no trading Nation, had not any Commerce; and alſo in America, found out in theſe latter Ages. It was not a Law of Nature, no man can find any ſuch thing written in his own heart, but a Tradition from Adam. Now that among the loſs of ſo many other Doctrines, that were handed down from Adam to his immediate Poſterity, as in particular that of the Seed of the Woman, which one would think a neceſſary Appendix to that of Sacrificing; This latter ſhould be preſerved as a Fragment of an ancient Tradition, ſeems to be an Act of Divine Wiſdom, to prepare men for the entertainment of the Doctrine of the great Sacrifice for the Expiation of the ſin of the World. And as the Apoſtle forms his Argument from the Jewiſh Sacrifices in the Epiſtle to the Hebrews, for the convincing them of the end of the death of Chriſt, ſo did the Ancient Fathers make uſe of this practiſe of the Heathen, to convince them of the ſame Doctrine.

5. The wiſdom of God appeared in the time and circumſtances of the first ſolemn publication of the Goſpel by the Apoſtles at Jeruſalem. The Relation you may read in Acts 2. from verſe 1. to the 12th. The Spirit was given to the Apostles on the day of Pentecost; a time wherein there were multitudes of Jews from all Nations, not only near, but remote, that heard the great things of God ſpoken in the ſeveral Languages of thoſe Nations, where their Habitations were fixed; and that by twelve illiterate men, that two p. 393or three hours before knew no Language but that of their Native Country.

It was the cuſtom of the Jews, that dwelt among other Nations, at a diſtance from Jeruſalem, to aſſemble together at Jeruſalem at the Feaſt of Pentecoſt: And God pitched upon this Seaſon, that there might be Witneſſes of th…s Miracle in many parts of the World: There were ſome of every Nation under Heaven; verſe 5. that is, of that known part of the World, ſo ſaith the Text. Fourteen ſeveral Nations are mentioned; and Proſelytes as well as Jews by Birth. They are called devout men, men of Conſcience, whoſe teſtimony would carry weight with it among their Neighbours at their return, becauſe of their Reputation by their Religious Carriage.

Again, this was not heard and ſeen by ſome of them at one time, and ſome at another, by ſome one hour, by others the next ſucceſſively **Faucheur in loc. p. 294, 295., but altogether, in a Solemn Aſſembly, that the teſtimony of ſo many Witneſſes at a time, might be more valid, and the truth of the Doctrine appear more illuſtrious and undeniable. And it muſt needs be aſtoniſhing to them, to hear that Perſon magnified in ſo miraculous a manner, who had ſo lately been condemned by their Country-men as a Malefactor.

Wiſdom conſiſts in the timing of things. And in this Circumſtance doth the wiſdom of God appear, in furniſhing the Apoſtles with the Spirit at ſuch a time, and bringing forth ſuch a Miracle, as the gift of Tongues, on a ſuddain, that every Nation might hear in their own Language, the wonder of Redemption, and as Witneſſes at their returns into their own Countreys, report it to others; that the credit they had, in their ſeveral Places, might facilitate the belief and entertainment of the Goſpel, when the Apoſtles, or others, ſhould arrive to thoſe ſeveral Charges and Dioceſes appointed for them to preach the Goſpel in. Had this Miracle been wrought in the preſence only of the Inhabitants of Judea, that underſtood only their own Language, or one or two of the Neighbouring Tongues, it had been counted by them rather a Madneſs than a Miracle. Or had they underſtood all the Tongues which they ſpoke, the news of it had ſpread no further than the limits of their own Habitations, and had been confin'd within the narrow bounds of the Land of Judea: But now it is carried to ſeveral remote Nations, where any of thoſe Auditors then aſſembled had their Reſidence.

As God choſe the time of the Paſſeover for the Death of Chriſt, that there might be the greateſt Number of the Inhabitants of the Country, as Witneſſes of the Matter of Fact, the Innocence and Sufferings of Chriſt, ſo he choſe the time of Pentecost for the firſt publiſhing the value and end of this Blood to the World.

Thus the Evangelical Law was given in a Confluence of People from all Parts and Nations, becauſe it was a Covenant with all Nations: And the variety of Languages ſpoken by a Company of poor Galileans, bred up at the Lake of Tiberias, and in poor corners of Canaan, without the Inſtructions of men for ſo great a Skil, might well evidence to the hearers, that God that brought the Confuſion of Languages firſt at Babel, did only work that Cure of them, and combine all together at Jeruſalem.

3. The wiſdom of God is ſeen in the Inſtruments he employed in the publiſhing the Goſpel. He did not employ Philoſophers, but Fiſhermen, uſed not acquired Arts, but infus'd wiſdom and courage. This Treaſure was put into, and preſerved in Earthen Veſſels, that the Wiſdom, as well as the Power of God, might be magnified. The weaker the means are which attain the end, the greater is the skill of the Conductor of them.

Wiſe Princes chooſe men of moſt credit, Intereſt, Wiſdom, and Ability to be Miniſters of their Affairs, and Embaſſadors to others. But what were theſe that God choſe for ſo great a Work, as the publiſhing a new Doctrine to the World? What was their quality but mean, what was their Authority, without Intereſt? What was their Ability, without eminent Parts for ſo great a Work, but what Divine Grace in a ſpecial manner endowed them with? Nay, what p. 394was their diſpoſition to it? as dull and unweildy. Witneſs the frequent rebukes for their ſlow-heartedneſs, from their Maſter, when he converſed in the Fleſh with them. And One of the greateſt of them, ſo fond of the Jewiſh Ceremonies and Phariſaical Principles, wherein he had been more than ordinarily principled, that he hated the Chriſtian Religion to extirpation, and the Profeſſors of it to death; by thoſe ways which were out of the rode of Human wiſdom, and would be accompted the greateſt abſurdity to be practis'd by men that have a repute for Diſcretion, did God advance his Wiſdom. 1 Cor. 1.25. The fooliſhneſs of God is wiſer than man. By this means it was indiſputably evidenc'd to unbyaſſed Minds, that the Doctrine was Divine. It could not rationally be imagined, that Inſtruments deſtitute of all Human Advantages, ſhould be able to vanquiſh the World, confound Judaiſm, overturn Heatheniſm, chaſe away the Devils, ſtrip them of their Temples, alienate the Minds of men from their ſeveral Religions, which had been rooted in them by Education, and eſtabliſhed by a long ſucceſſion. It could not, I ſay, reaſonably be imagined to be without a Supernatural Aſſiſtance, an heavenly and efficacious working: Whereas, had God taken a Courſe agreeable to the prudence of Man, and uſed thoſe that had been furniſhed with Learning, tip'd with Eloquence, and armed with Human Authority, the Doctrines would have been thought to have been of a Human Invention, and to be ſome ſubtle Contrivance for ſome unworthy and ambitious end: The nothingneſs and weakneſs of the Inſtruments manifeſt them to be conducted by a Divine Power, and declare the Doctrine it ſelf to be from Heaven.

When we ſee ſuch feeble Inſtruments proclaiming a Doctrine repugnant to Fleſh and Blood, ſounding forth a crucified Chriſt to be believed in, and truſted on, and declaiming againſt the Religion and Worſhip, under which the Roman Empire had long flouriſhed; exhorting them to the Contempt of the World, preparation for Afflictions, denying themſelves, and their own Honours, by the hopes of an unſeen reward, things ſo repugnant to Fleſh and Blood. And theſe Inſtruments concurring in the ſame Story, with an admirable Harmony in all parts, and ſealing this Doctrine with their Blood; can we upon all this, aſcribe this Doctrine to a Human Contrivance, or fix any lower Author of it than the wiſdom of Heaven? 'Tis the wiſdom of God that carries on his own Deſigns in methods moſt ſutable to his own Greatneſs, and different from the Cuſtomes and Modes of Men, that leſs of Humanity, and more of Divinity might appear.

4. The wiſdom of God appears in the ways and manner, as well as in the Inſtruments of its propagation. By ways ſeemingly contrary. You know how God had ſent the Jews into Captivity in Babylon, and though he ſtruck off their Chains, and reſtored them to their Country, yet many of them had no mind to leave a Country wherein they had been born and bred. The diſtance from the place of the Original of their Anceſtors, and their affection to the Country wherein they were born, might have occaſioned their embracing the Idolatrous Worſhip of the place. Afterwads the Perſecutions of Antiochus ſcatter'd many of the Jews for their ſecurity into other Nations; yet a great part, and perhaps the greateſt, preſerved their Religion, and by that were obliged to come every year to Jeruſalem to Offer, and ſo were preſent at the effuſion of the Spirit on the day of Pentecoſt, and were witneſſes of the miraculous effects of it: Had they not been diſpers'd by Perſecution, had they not reſided in ſeveral Countries, and been acquainted with their Languages, the Goſpel had not ſo eaſily been diffuſed into ſeveral Countreys of the World. The firſt Perſecutions alſo raiſed againſt the Church propagated the Goſpel; the ſcattering of the Diſciples enflamed their courage, and diſpers'd the Doctrine‖‖Acts 8.3.Acts 8:3, ccording to the Prophecy of Daniel, Dan. 12.4. Many ſhould run to and fro, and knowledge ſhould be encreaſed. The flights and hurryings of men ſhould enlarge the Territories of the Goſpel. There was not a Tribunal, but the primitive p. 395Chriſtians were cited to; not a horrible Puniſhment, but was inflicted upon them. Treated they were, as the dregs and offals of Mankind, as the common Enemies of the World; yet the Flames of the Martyrs brightned the Doctrine and the Captivity of its Profeſſors, made way for the Throne of its Empire. The impriſonment of the Ark was the downfal of Dagon. Religion grew ſtronger by Sufferings, and Chriſtianity taller by Injuries. What can this be aſcribed to, but the conduct of a Wiſdom ſuperiour to that of Men and Devils, defeating the methods of human and helliſh Policy; thereby making the wiſdom of the World fooliſhneſs with God? 1 Cor. 3.19.