Chap.x.Seet.9. Looking unto j.eftu. Book II. man before all worlds; 0 'twas an hard qucfl:ion, how fin fhould be pardoned, the finner reconciled, and yet God glorifie his jufl:ice? none but ~he wifdome of God could ever finde out a way to have had mercy on the man, and yet to take vengeance on the· finne. but herein appeared the depth of the riches both of the . wifdo:ne 11nd /eztowledge' of G_od; he devifed the way to tranflate this mansfinne (fuppofe thme own finnes) on anothers perfon. who was able to bear them, and.to interefl: t~is mans perfon (fup- , pofe thine own felf) in anothers righ~eoulnelfe who was able to· ~ cover him. 3. Study the foreknowledge ofGod, how the Lord knew his from everlalling wi~h a knowledge oflove and appro~ bation; after the projeCt was laid, and thecounfels ofGod were agreed upon it, then God fore-knew, or ~ore-faw whom to imbrace in his eternal love; And,O my foul, tfthou.art one of his, 87 ifGod in Chrifl hath of his own free love fet thee apart to life and falvation, then k_.now it for thy fet[; it is inward expetimen- , tal knowledge we fpeak of. 4· Study the purpofe ofGod con- Job P7~ cerning thy falvation; this purpofe of God fpeaks the llability and certainty ofthy falvation in Chrifl:; his purpofe is in, and from himfdf, who is God and not man, and therefore cannot repent; hath he [aid, and foa/1 be not do it? hath he jpokfn, and Numb.z3: t9"\. · foalt he not makf it good ? 5. Study the decrees ofGod, they are . altone with predellination, the book of life, the feale ofGod; what, hath the Lord decreed, predeftinated, booked, fealed thee for falvation '? 0 how ble.lfed is the people that ~now this joyful found! they jha!l walk.., in the light of thy countenance, 0 Lord. . 1 , 6. Study the Covenant of grace; remember how the bullnelfe Pi.89· 15,, , of eternity lay thus; here ie every '!'an loft (faid God to his So.n) 6ut thou jhalt in fulne.lfe of time go , and be f?orne of flefh and blood, and die for fome of them, and ]ati.1jie my juflict, andthey ,fhall be thine for a portion, and they fhall be calltd the . holy people, the rdeemed of the Lord. To whom the Sonne anfwered, be it .(0 Lord, I will go and fulfil thy p!Ntfure, and the; foall be m!ne for ever. . Obferve, and be acquainted with. thts Covenant tn that very Dtalugue, fir!l: God demands of his Son that he lay down his life,and for his labour he promifeth that. he fhall be his feed, and God fhall give him many children,. · And. lra.f 3 .To;, ' fecondly, the Sonne confents to lay down his life,. and faith, Heb~ I0· ~·5l•· ~ -.&_~r~ { am t.o ~~ t.h~ will' 0 qod, thon haft givm. me a body~. :W.l~~~
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