1'22 The Harmony of the Divine Attributes "-A..r' tcr we are like to be inftruc:\ed. Now there are two things which render finful Man in- ~~ capable of immediate Converfe with God. . r. The Jnfrmity of his Nature. 2. The Guilt that cleavts to him. Firjf. 1he Infirmity of Man's Nature cannot endure the Glory of God's Appearance. When the Law was. dehver'd on Mount Sinai, the lfraelites were under great Terrors at the Sights and Prodigies which accompanied the Divine Prefence, and they deored that God would fpeak to them no more in his Majefiy and Greatne{s, lefl they fhould die, Deut. )· 2). There is fuch a Difproportion between our Meannefs and his Excellencies, that Daniel, though a Favourite of Heaven, yet his Comclinefs was turned into Corruption at the fight of a Vijion, Dan. ro. .I7. And the beloved Difciple fell down as dead at the appearance of Chrift tn his Glory, Rev. r. 17· When the Eye gazes on the Sun, 'tis more tormented with the Brightnefs than pleafed with the Beauty of it; But when the Beams a~c tranf~itted through a col<:m.r'd 7!'edi1_1m, they are more temperate and fwec~neU t? the Sight. 1: he eternal Word fhmmg 10 hiS full Glory, the more bright, the lefs VIoble IS he to mortal Eyes; but the Incarnate VVord is "lipfid and allayed by a Veil of Flejb, Heb. Io. 20. and fo made acceflible to us. God, out of a tender R.efpect to our Frailty and Fears, promifed m raijt 11p a Prophet cloathed in our Natttre, Deut. 18. t ~· that we might co~.fo~:~:y~~~~~u~~t~a~f~li~f t\~ 1£~r~~~~~ns.The Approach of God awakens the Confcience, which is his Spy in our Bofoms, and caufes a dread ful Apparition of Sin in its .view. VVhen one Beam of Chrifr's Divinity broke forth in the miraculous Draught of Fi01es ; Peter crios out, DepArt from me, for I am a ft>iful Man, 0 Lord, Luke I· 8. Holinefs arm'd with Terror /hikes a Sinner into Conflernation. Now when the Mind is (\")ken with a Storm of Fear, it cannot calmly attend to the CounfelsofVVifdom. But tlie Son of God appearing in our Nature, to expiate S1tl, and appeafe Divine Ju!lice, we are encouraged to draw near to him, and fit at his Feet, to ~ear the words of eternal Ltft. Thus God complied with our Neceflity, that with a lreer Difpen!ation we might receive tbe Counfels of our Saviour. . l· He is qualified for his TVngfy Office, by the Union of the two Natures in him. He mul1: be God to Conquer Satan, and Convert the VVorld. As emment an Act of Power was neceffary to Redeem, as tO Create. For although the Supreme Judge was to be fatisfi. cd by humble Sulferings, yet Satan , who ufurp'd the Right of God ( for Man had no l'ower ( Joh. I z. 20.) to altenate himfell) was to be fubdued: Having no JUft Title, he was robe caft out by Power, Luke I 1. 38. And no lefs than the Divine Power could accOmplilli our Victorious Refcue from him. In his Love he pitied us, and his holy Arm got him the J/iflorJ, Ha. 6~. 9· ~e is the Author of eternal i:)alvatton, Heb. 7· 23. .which no inferior Agent could ever accomplilli. 'TisGod alone can O"l..ercome Dtath, and him that had the Po•ver of Death, and bring us fafely to Felicity. Befides, our King muft be Man, that by the Excellency of his ,Example, he might lead us in the way ot Life. The moft rational Method to reform the VVorld, is, not only to ena{f Laws to be the Rule of virtuous Actions, but for Law-givers to make Virtue honourable and imitable by their own Practice. And to enco.urage us in the Holy VVar againft our Enemies viflble and invifible, 'twas congruous that the Prince of our Salvation il1ou\d t1ke the Human Nature, and fubmit to the Jnconveniencies of our 1var[aring State. As Kings, when r.hey defign. ~ glorious ~·onquejt, go forth in Perfon, and willingly endure the Hard llups of a Military Condition, to animate their Armies. The ApoHle tells us, Heb. 2. 10. That it became him, for whom are all thint,s, and by whom are 11/1 things, in bringing mal1J Sons to Glory , to mttl:e the. Cttptain of t.heir SalvAtion perfec1 Jhrough ~tifierin,•t,s. God, the great Dcjigner of all thmgs, !~re fcemg the Su~erings to which the Godly would be expofed in the World, ordained It as moll convement, that the Author of thei r Deliverance, fhou{d, by Suffcrings, obtain the Reward, that, by his Example, he might llrengthen and deliver thofe that fufier to the end. Again, the Son of God cmred into our Family,and is not t~Jhamed to call f/S Brethren, Heb.z. 11. To make his Sccpter ami.1bt~· to us, He exercifeth his Dominion with a natural and ftnfible touch of Pity, he Pardons our Failings, and puts a value on our finccre though mean Services, as an Honour dolie to him. Briefl y, in him there is a Combin:~tion of Power and Love; The P?wer of. the Deity with _the Tcnderncfs and Clcmen~y of the Ht~man Nature. ]{_e tS the mrgh~] God, an_d Prmce of Peace~ Ha. 6. ~· He u a K!n.r jufl and powerfttl agarnfl ottr Enem~es, bttt rmld and gentle to lm People, l ee, 9· He IS wlilmg to remove frQm us all the Evils we cannot endure·, our Sins and Sorrows; and able· to convey
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