198 ?."he Harmony of the Vivine Attributes ~~~--~----~~~--------------~--~-- ~.:~~~fi~~mo7~\~ ~ffi~~: th~ti:h~e~~~[de;:'~~e~~lhc~h:r~ct~~nt~f t~:~~{pe~: ~i~e:J~d~~ VV"\..1 ed it abfurd, to expect Life from one that was fubjected to Death, and Bleffednefs from him that was made a Curfe. To thofe who look on the death of Chrift with the Eyes of carnal Wifdom, and according to the Laws of corrupt ReafoH, it appears folly and weak- ~P)"'"''" nefs, and mo!l unworthy of God: (p) but if we confider it in its Principles and Ends, ~£~;;~~,;. !Me~~i~~eu~ci7d~~i~~:~, w~~d~;rs ~~doJ~ra\~~0 ~f ~~d~0~c:r~~;~dr{em~~: '""'';, & J;. fUe tells the Jews, Him being delivered hy the determinate Counfel, and fore-k.nowledge of /::%1/;";/:;~: God theJ h.t~ve _tal<!n, ~~~d bJ wi~k..ed hands have cr11cijied and jlain. The ~nfrruments were ~.~~;J ~;~: ~~·f~~J,u~~ ~~c~et~~ntt!~~~;~m~a~i~fe~~~;wh~r:~~~~~dt ~::;';"~~~~~t~h~t~~ A;'ri. '""·vent came to pafs. To the Eye of Senfe 'twas a fpectacle of Horror, that a perfect Innocent thould be cruelly tormented; but to the Eye of Faith, under that fad and ignominious appearance, there was a Divine Myfiery, able to raife our Wonder, and ravith our Affections. For he that was nailed to the Crofs, was really the Son of God, and the Saviour of Men: his Death, with all the penal Circum!lances of Dithonour and Pain, is the only Expiation of Sin, and Satisfaction to Juftice. He by offering up his Blo•d, appeas'd the Wrath of God, quench'd the Aaming Sword that made Poradife inacceffible to us; he took away Sin, the true di!honourof ourNatures, and purchafed for us the Graces of the Spirit, the richeft Ornaments of the reafonable Creature. The Doltrin of the Crofs is the only Foundation of the Gofpel, that unites all its Parts, and [upports the whole ·Building. 'Tis the caufe of our Righteoufnefs and Peace, of our Redemption and Reconciliation. How bleffed an Exchange have the Merits of his Sufferings made with thofe of our Sins? Life inftead of Death, Glory for Shame, and Happinefs for Mifery. For this reafon the Apojlle with vehemence declares, Gal. 6. 14. ~~~fi:~t ~:J~o~b~d0~h~~ I~~!~d~l~~'?.v~~! :~eu~;.}. ifh~~~J~he~;~:~~a: ~~:hr~~~ . treme dete!lation the mention of any other thing, as the caufe ofhis Happinefs, and matter of his Glory. The Crofs was a Tree of Death to Chrift, and of Life to us. The Supreme Wifdom is juftified of its Children. 4 • The fatisfaetion of Divine Juftice b y the Sufferings of Chrift, affords the ftrongeft affurance to Man, who is a guilty and fufpicious Creature, that God is moft ready to pardon Sin. There is in the natural Confcience, when opened by a piercing conviction of fin, fuch a quick [en[e of Guilt and God's Juftice, that it can never have an entire Confidence in his Mercy till Juftice be atoned. From hence the convinced Sinner is reftJe{)y inquifitive, how to find OUt the way of Reconciliation with a righteous God. Thus he is reprefented inquiring by the Prophet, Mic. 6. 6, 7· Wherewith p1aU I come ~{o;:,:~ffi~~;~;, a;~tc./::!.1=~::~ :~,tt'IMJ:t:L~:j fe :t.:J,J :~h~h::t;.:4!':iR::::, or with ten thoufand Rivers of Oil; ShaH I give mj firft-born for my Tranfgreffion, the Fruit f.e"'/ t~o%t&:h~:~lr o{d';;{s s;:~:u~~l~~~i~~:~~ell~,~:~ljht~e~r:~~~f~~r:di~~~;ct~~\1~ their mo!l coftly Sacrifices were only Food for the Fire. Nay, inftead of expiating their old, they committed new Sins; and were fo far from appealing, that they inAamed the Wrath of God by their cruel Obl>tions. But in the Gofpel there is the moft rational R~~h:~;{s'orF~h1,,~1!hro~~h~:~~J.~~; ~~~~~~h;nt:~~.1~1:!~;~~~~~~~~ J::.~ ~:n:. £:!;t;;' !hr~i;:.1:fl~oc:~t.1::J ;~vB2 it th:,~ ~:ft ~'[;j;t ~::ht:/,;':!~~~tft~h! Lord Jefos, and foalt beliwe in thy Heart that God hoth r.ifed hin; from the dead, thou Jh.all befaved, Rom. 10. 6, 7, 9· The Apoft!e fets forth the anx1ety of an awakened Smner he is at a lofs to find out a way to efcape Judgment: For things that are on the furfac; of the Earth, or floating on the Waters, are within our view, and may be obtained; but thofe which are above our Underftanding to difcover, or Power to obtain, are proverbially faid to be in the Heavens above, or in the Deeps. And 'tis applied here to the different ways of Juftification, by the Law, and by the Gofpel. The Law propounds Life upon an impoffible condition; but the Gofpel clearly reveals to us, that Chrift bath ~~f~~tt~~aatnis,~~~;:rtrfnf~:. ouf&~~~~:t}e~~sab~i~~a~r~~n~;Z"1 6at~n~it"e":~;1a F:~~~ vincing Proof, that the Propitiation for our Sins is perfect: For oth_e~wife he had not been received into God's Sanctuary. Therefore to be under PerplexitieS how we may be juftified, is to deny the value of his Righteoufnefs, and the truth of his Afcen~n~
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