34 ---Oftbe Creatures, and tbe Condition - -- ~ Now to add a true Rcafon why God i~ pleafed thus in hiS Worl<s to proceed BooK I[,· in general : '-~ " Todhew the Perfection of his Efficiency and Workman01ip. It argues a weakncfs in Bill ellicient to do worfe, when it hath done better; but Perfection flill fo toetceed, ahd put down theformer~ · . . ' 2. It lhews his various and mamfold Wrfdom, m>u:t"'l"' "~I·, or hu much or might_y varying Wifdom, as Chryfoflome expounds that Phrafe, Eph. >· rr. His Wifdom is in it felf one, but we could not fee It tn 1t fe!f at once. There– lore he fl1ews it by feveral Reprcfentationsof it ~nd him(elf, in feveral effects; and that ~ews Wifdom a!fo not !imply vanous, but much, mtghnly differing and excellmg, to fl>ew the vaflnefs of h•s Wtfdom, who could cafl htmfelf into fo many forms, and frame fo many feveral Patterns of Worlds and Con– ditions , not only infinitely differing from, but as much excelling each 0 • ther. And thirdly, This is a way and courfe he knew would rake the Creature moll, tor unto irs CapaciJy hath God herein applied himfelf. Now we find that our Spirits are taken and led on with much more pleafure, and brought in: to a greater wonderment and admiration of a thing tranfcendently excellent, when things of lefs worth, yet to our apprehenfions ( whilll we fee no better) moll excellent, are prefented firll. So we have heard, in entertainment of great Ones, thoir cunning Suitors have led them into flately Rooms, where fumptuous Banquets have been prepared, and from thence carried them into other far more exceeding, to fet off the latter fo much the more, and make it great indeed: So it is in Mafques and Shews, in which there are feveral Pre· fimrments involved one beyond another; And thus doth and will God enter– tain his Children. And what can be more to draw the Creatures into wonder· menr, than firll to prefent [hem with fuch a Work, fo perfed in their Appre· hcnfions, as they know not where any thmg fhould be addep to it, to make it more perfed, or takm away, as Solomo" fpeaks of God's Works, Ecclefs· '+ (though haply in a further fenfe alfo ;) And yet then to bring them unto ano· ther frame and building differing, infinitely exceeding the other: What is there will wrap up in more allonilbmentsl Now, never did the Art of Man pref€nt fuch a profpeltive piece, which as you know, carries the eye through feveral Rooms, one beyond another, as is this which God hath made, and the World reveals unto us. As for the fecond Head propounded, the Scheme of thefe feveral E!lates, and the Subordination of them, 1 . The Scheme of them. 1. There is the Ellnte of Pure Naturr, wherein Adam was created, and in him we, which he and we fhould have enjoyed on Earth, which had an Hap· pinefs in its l<ind moll perfelt and compleat. · The fecond, is the Efiate ofGrace we are brought into here by the fecond Ad~m un~er the Gofpel, and the Priviledges enjoyed _by Faith and Hope, whtch tl rt were made up cornpleat, (though but wahm tts own Sphere,with– out addition of glory) would afford an higher and fuper-excelling happinefs, than that of Adam. The third !•• T~Je Ejlate of Glory hereafter, in which there might h 3 ply be found out 111 Scnpture three degrees; whereof two are but lleps to the high· ell Throne we fhall be fet in. · I. That of the Souls of Men feparate, till joyned to the Body , during which time, though made perfed in Grace, and with addition of Glory, yet not with that degree, which at the Refurrcction Soul and B_ody fhall re· Ce!VC. 2. That Ellate of the Soul and Body, when firll joyn'd in Chrifl's vifible Kingdom, and the day of Judgment, which tranfcends that of the Souls a– lone. :;. That of the Soul and Body, when Chri!l fhall have given up bis Kingdom to his Father, when Go cl !hall be all in all. All
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