Bates - BT775 B274 1675

ContrivingAsa* Sri' EDe1 Y. theMajeffy ofGod is infinite againft whom fin is com- Chap.XII. mitted, the guilt of it can never beexpiated but by an infinite Satisfaecion. There is no name under Heaven, nor inHeaven that could lave us, but the Son of God, A&-4.12. who being equal to Him in greatnefs, became Man. If there had been fuck compaffion in the Angels as to have inclined them to interpole between Juf}ice and us, theyhad not been qualified for that Work : not on- ly upon the account of their different nature, fo that by fublcitution they could not fatisfie for us; nor that be- ing immaterial fubflances, they are exempted from the dominion ofdeath, which was the punifhment de- nounc'd againft the finner, and towhichhis Surety muff be fizbje red : but principally that being finite Crea- tures they are incaple to atone an incenfed God. Who among all their glorious Orders durft appear before fo confuming a fire? who could have been anAltar where- on to fanfifie a Sacrifice to Divine Juféice ? No meer Creature howworthy fo ever couldpropitiate the lu- preme Majefrywhen juflly provoked. Our Redeem- er was to be the Lord of Angels. The Apoffle tellsus that it pleated the Father that in himallfulnefs' fioulddwell. This refpeas not his original Nature, but his Office, and the reafon of it is, to reconcile by the blood of the Crofs, things in Heaven and in the Earth. From the greatnefsof theWork we may infer the qua- lity of the means, and from the qualityof the means, the Nature of the Perfon that is toperform it. Peace with God who was provoked by our Rebellion, could only be made by an infinite Sacrifice. Now in Chrifl the Deity it Pelf, not its influences, and the fulnefs ofit, not any particular perfection only, dwelt really and fubf}antially. God was prefent in theArk in a fhadow, and reprefentation ; He is prefent in nature by his fu- fraining Power, and in his Saints by fpecial favour, and Ff2 the 19

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