Chap.z.Seds. Book II. ' his trees for fruit, then for fewel; hence he refolves that mankind, notwithftanding lin, lhould not be utterlydeftroye<l. 71 Hereupon the Trinity calls a Counce!; and the quefiion is, what u to be done with poor man ? the learned here frame a kinde of conflict in Gods holy attributes, and by a liberty which the holy Ghoft from the language of holy Scripture doth allow them, they fpeak ofGod after rhe manner of men, as / if he were reduced unto fome ftraits,and difficulties, by the crotfe · demands ofhis feveral attributes. { uftice calls upon him for the - condemnation of a linful, and therefore worthily accurfed creature; which demand is feconded by histt:uth, to make good that · threatning, In the day that thou eatefl thereof thou foalt die the death; U'vlercy on the other fide pleads for favour, aud com:. · paffion towards man, wofully feduced,and overthrown by Satan, and this plea is feconded by love and goodneffe, and the like attributes; at !all: when the bulineffe comes .to determination, ~if. dome findes out a way, which the Angels of heaven gaze on with ~ admiration and aftoniihment, how to reconcile thefe different .<.: pleas ofhis attributes together. A {efm is re,folved on, one of ,· ; the fame bleffed Trinity, who by his Fathers ordination, his own • voluntary fufception, at:Jd the holy Spirits fancrification lhould : be fitted for the bulineffe. To this purpofe ·this 1 efm lhould be · both aSurety and, an Head over linful.men; aSurety.to pay mens .; debts unto God , and an Head to reftore Gods image unto man; ; and thus in him ·~~rcy 11nd truth have met together, rig hteoufnefle Pfal. 8 5 :1 oJ'), 11nd peace have kjffed ench other. · ---- This is the great myftery oft he Gofpel; this is that which the Angels (as I tell yoo)-pry into ; nay, this is that which 'the Angels and Saints too fhall admire, and bleffe God for to all eternity; this is that which fet the infinite wifdome ofGod on ' work : fwm all eternity, Ifall the Angels in heaven, and all the men in the ~orld, had been put to it to fin de out a way to anfWer this . qNeihon, how /ball finne be pardoned, tht jinnet reconciled · m'ld God glorifie hiJ juftice ? they could never have done it ' thi;.coft · God dear, it coft'hirri the heart-blood· of his own So~ne and ; that's a fure figne that Gods heart was much in it llnd inde;d we : are not Chriftians, until in fome meafure we fee-,' and hav.e out:· he;trts taken with the glory ofGodin thismyfte'ry. 0 the .won-. ~~~fh~~~~!l ~n~ ~ar.!h !· ~~r.~~-.!~·~ ca(~ 3 ~~? !s !~!e!l thr<::ugh ' · E!!Il~ ~
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=