160 7be Harmorry of the Vivine Attributes N.._l\.../1 erchts Divine Power, and receives Divine Praife. Bri1fJ, The humane Nature in our Ch.!p. t o. Redeeme r is an Affociare wirh the Divine; and ~ing made a little lower than the An- ~ gelsfOratime, isnowadvancedfm·aboveaiiPrincipalitiaandPorl'erJ, Ephef. 1. 21. 2. lna\1 thofe who are Partakers of Grace and Glory by the Lord Jefus. Adam was the Son of God by Creation, but to be joyned to Chrill as our Head by a Union fo in. rimatc, that be lives in 1a, and counts himfelf incompleat wirhout us, and by that Union to be ~tdopted into the Line of Heaven, and thereby to have an Interefi in the exceeding great and precious Promifcs of the Gofpel ; to be conjl_ituted Heirs of God, aud Co-heirs with Chrifl, are fuch Difcoveries of the Dignity of our fupernatura l State, that the loweft Belienr is advanced above Ad(wt in all his Honour. Nay, the Angels, though fuperior to Man in the excellency of their Nature, yet are accidemally lower by the Honour of cur alliance : Their King is our Brother. And this relative Dignity which feerns to ecl ipfe their Glory, might excite their Envy: Bur fuch an ingenuous Goodnefs dwells in thofe pure and blelfed Spirits, that they rejoyce in our relloration and advancement. To this I fhall add, that as the Son of God bath a fpecial relation to Man, fo the moll tender Alfell:ions for him. To illullrate this by a fenfible ln rlance: Angels and fvlen are as two different Nations in Language and Cuf\:oms, but under the fame Empi re : And if a Prince that commands two Nations fhould employ one for the fafety and profperity of rhe other, it were an Argument of fpecial favour. Now the Angels arefe11t forlb to minifterfor them wbo are Heir.r ofSalvatioll, Heb. L 14. Befides, in two other things the peculiar Affection of the Prince would be moll evident to that Nation. r. !f he put on their habit, and attire himfelf according to their Fa!hion. 2 . If he fixt his refidence among them. New the Son of God was cloathed with our Fl e\11, and f~und i1z fnjbion a.; a lvJ.an, and for ever appears in ic in Heaven; and will at the !all day invell our Bodies with Glory like to his own. He now dwells in us by his Spirit, and when our Warfare is accompli!h"d, he fhall in a fpecial manner be prefent with us in the eternal Manfions. As God incarnate he converf\: with Men on Eanh, and as fuch he will converfe with them in Heaven. There he reigns as the firfl·born iu the miclfl of many Brethren. Now all the[e Prerogatives are the Fruits of our Redemption. And how great is that Mercy which bath raifed Mankind more glorious out of its ruines! The Apollle breaks out with a Heavenly Alloci!hment, 1 'jo. 3· L Behold, r()b,lt manmr of Love the Father hath beftowed upon 115, that wejho11ld be called the Son5 of God I that '"e who are Strangers and Enemies) Children of Wrath by nat11re) fhould be dignified with the honourable and amiable Titl e of his Sons! Twas a rare and mofl: merciful Condefcenlion in Pharoah's Daughter, to re[cue an innocent and forfaken Infant trom perilhing by the W~ters, and adopt him to be her Son: But how much greaterkindnefs was it for God to fave guilty and wretched Man from eternal Flames, and to take him into his Family? The Ambition of the Prodigal rofe no higher than to be a Servant; what an inefl:imable Favour is it to make us Children! When God would exprefs the mof\: dear and peculiar Affection to Solomon) he fairh, :2 Sam. 7· 14. I wiU be hh Father, aud he jball be my Son; this was the highell Honour he could promife; and all Believers are dignified with it. Tis the fame relation that Chrifl: hath: when he was going to Heaven, he comforted his Difciples with rhefe Words, I nfcen~ to my Father and your Father, to my God a11d your God. There is indeed a dive~lity in . the Foundation of it : Chrift is a Son by Nature, we are by meer Favonr; he 1s by Generation, we F~~~ZI~ ~J~~;~~11~re B;~:fl);i/b[ft ~te:Ja~h~~4~a::h~~;fd ~:~eP:r;1nd:d1~v~~~h~~~~ confpicuous Hononr; and the Holy Spirit chofe tbofe bright Images, to convey a clearer noti ce of the Glory to which om Redeemer hath raifed us. Nor only all the Crowns and Scepters in this peri!hing World are infinitely beneath this Dignity, but the Honour of our innocent State was not equal to it. Serondl;, The Gofpel is a better Cover:ant rhan that which was ~llabli!h"d with Man in his Crea tion: And the Excellency of 1t Will appear, by confidermg, 1. 'Ti5 more benefic ial , in that it admits of Repentance and Reconciliation after Sin, and accepts of Sincerity inllead of Perfellion. The Apo!lle magnifies the office of Chrif\:, 1-Jeb. 8. 6. By how mucb he i5 a_ Mediator of a better Covennn~,.which wtu eflablijbed up011 bet NI' Promife5. The companfon there, tS, between the M_m1ftry_ of th~ Gofpel, and the J.~loJ'~'·td Oecouomy. ~nd the exc.ell:ncy of the Gofpel _ts fpeCified, t? refpeCl: of tho[e 1nfinttely better Prom1fes that are m a. The Ceremonral law appomted Sacrifices for Sins of fgnorance and Error, and to"'obtain only lega l Impunity; bnt the Gofpel npon the accoun t of Chrif\'s aU ft/fident Sac:ifice, offers full Pardon for all;~~:
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