in Contriving Man's R~demption. r. It was moO: decem that thejirji Breach of the Di vine Law lbould be punilb'd to fecu re Obedience for the future. Pru<lem Lawgivers are fevere agai nrt the lirO: Tranrgrelfors, the Leaders in Difobedience: He that firO: prefumed to break the Sabbath, was by God's Command put to Death. And Solomon the King of Peace, punHh'd the lirft attempt upon his Royalty with Death, rho' in the Perfon of his Brother. 2. The Malignity of their Sin was in the highert degree: For fuch was the cleam.efs of the Angelica/ Underfl:anding, that there was nothing of Ignorance and D:cei t to lelfen the volumarinefs of their Sin: Twas no Mirtake, but Ma lice: They fell in the Light of Heaven, and rendred themfelves incapable of Mercy. As under the Law, thofe who ~;~~~~th;:~ ~:lif~n~ .. n~t ~~b~,~~~y ~~~~ i~r~~J~~uJe?~/.~n~~:n~o~~ljn~~e~~~:?•Pr~~ !umption was inexpiable, no Sacrifice was appointed for it. And the Gofpel, rho' the Declaration of Mercy, yet excepts thofe who fin the great Tranfgreflion aga~nrt the Holy Ghort. Now offuch a nature was the Sin of the Rebellious Angels. (Phi/. 3·) it being a contemptuous Violation of God's MajeO:y, and therefore unpard onable. Befides, they are wholly Spiritual Beings, without any aUay of Flefh, and fo fell to the utmort in Evil, there being nothing to fufpend the intirenefs of their Will: Whereas the Human Spi rit is more Oow by its Uni on with the Body. And rha t which extreamly aggravates their Sin is, that it was committed in the fiate of perfeCt: H3ppinefs. They difpifed the full Fruition of God: Twas therefore congruous to the Divine Wifdom, that their final Sentence fhould depend upon their firO: Election: Whereas Man's Rebellion, though inconceivably great, was againfl: a lower Light and lefs Grace difpenfed tohiin. 3· They linn'd ":irhout a Tempte.r,. and we~e .not in the. fame. Ca~aci tr_ with Man to be reftor'd by a Savtour. The Devll IS :m Ongmal Propneror m Sm, t1s of hii own, John 8. 44· Man was beguiled by the Serpent's Subtilty: As he fell by another's Malice, fa he is recover'J by another's Merit. 4· The Angelica] Nature was not intrely loO:: Myriads of blelfed Spirits frill continue iri the place of their lnr.ocency and Giory, and for ever afcribe to the Great Creator that incommunicable Hon::> :.::-, ·.vhich is due to Him; and perfeCtly do his CoNtn~~tndl!lents, Pfal. 103. But all Mankind was loO: in Adam, and no Religion was left in the lower World. Now afthough in thefe and other refpects it was moO: confifl:ent wi th the Wifdom and JuO:ice of God, to conclude them under an irrevocable Doom, yet the principal Caufe that inclin'd him to fave Man, was meer and perfetl: Grace. The Law made no diO:intlion , but awarded the fame Punifhment : Mercy alone made the difference : And the reafon of that is in Himfelf. Millions of them fe ll Sacrifices to JuO:ice, and guilty Man was (pared: Tis not for the Excellency of our Natures, for Man in his Creation was lower than the Angels; nor upon the acLount of Service, for they having more eminent Endowme!'tS of Wifdom and Power, might have brought greater Honour to ~~di; ~~~f~~ ~~~f;.'do~!~~;ha~0l:~~~%%Z~~ffi')~ait,~,!t;~;~ ~~,;;~~~~ ~~~~~~~n~!w~ Pleafure of God that preftrr'd Babes before the Wift and l'rudent, Mat. 11. and herein <?race is m?rt glorious. He in no wife took,_ the nature of Angels, though immortal SpitltS; He d1d not put forth hrs hand to help them, and break the force of their Fall . He did nothing for their Relief, they are under unallayed Wrath: But He took,_ the Seed of Abraharn , and plants a new Colony of thofe w'ho fprung from the Earth, in the Heavenly Country, to fill up vacant places ofthofe Apofl:ate Spirits. This is juO: matter of our higheft Admiration, why the milder Attribute is exercifed towards Man, and the feverer on them! Why the Velfels of Clay arechofen, and theVelfelsof Gold neglected! How can we refletl: upon it without the warmefl: Affections to our Redeemer! We fual! never fully underO:and the Riches of diO:inguifhing Grace, till our Saviour fhall be their Judge, and receive us into the Kingdom of Joy and Glory , and condemn them to an Ji:- ternal Separation from his Pr.fence. CHAP. 149
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