Bates - HP BX5200 B3 1700

in Contriving Man's Redemption. Prieflly Office; in that quality he acquired it. But that Title fignifies his giving mofl W righteous Laws for the Government of the Church, and his difpenfing righteous Rewards Cljap. 2 J' and Puni!hments, eternal Life and Death, by which he preferves the Majefly ofhis Laws,~ and fecures the Obedience ofhis Subjects. And he is King ofPe<ce., by which we are not to underfland his Temper and Difpofitlon, nor our Pence with God, for Reconciliation is grounded on his Sacrifice, nor Peace with C•mfcience the elfel.t of rhe other; bur that which depends on his Royalty. As the King of Peace, he keeps his SubjeCts in a calm and quiet Obedience; all their Thoughts and Pailions are regulated by his Will. The Laws of fecular Kings are only expo[ed to the Eyes, or proclaimed to the Ears of their Subjects; but His are engraven in their Beans. By the inward and almighty Efficacy of his Spirit he enclines them to their univerfal Duty; and will bring them to Eternal Peace in his Glorious Kingdom. Firfl, From hence we have an irrefragable Argument of the Truth and Divinity of the Gofte!: For 'tis evident by comparing the ancient Figures with the pre[ent Truth, the Copies with the Original, the Pictures with the Life, that Eternal Wi[dom contrived them. For no created Underflanding could frame fo various Reprefentations of Chrifl, and all, exaCtly agreeing with him at ruch a difla 0 ce before his Appearance. And if we compare the PrediCtions with the Events, 'tis mofl clear that only the divine Knowledge could reveal them. For otherwi[e how was it poilible, that the Prophets fo many Ages before the Coming of Chrifl !hould prediCt rhofe things concerning Him, that exceeded the forefight of all theAngelsofLight? What Intelligence could there be between Mofes, and David, and Jfdinh, thaf lived fuch a diflance of rime from one another, to deliver lucl{ things as meet in him as their Centre? And the[e Prophecies are conveyed tous by the 1ews, the moll obflinate Enemies of Chriflianity, wHo altho' they reverence the . Letter, ;~g~~~£:~en~d~0~:;Ji~F':~!~~; ~:~ =~~~n~~~;i:~f~e~d~ci~~e.no t~2b~~c~~m~~0~u\~~~. ing is a perpetual Miracle to juflify the Truth of our Religion. Our Saviour u[ed this method for the JnllruCI:ion of his Dilciples. Thefe are the Words which I fpaf<.,e ~mto JO~J, that aU things mufl be folfiUed which were written in the Law of Mofes, ad in the Prophets, and in the Pfalms concerning me, Luk. 24. 44· As by dilfel.ting a dead Body we fee the or- ~~~c~~~r ~~~t:~~roff~a~"g!h~,S~n;fl~rf~s.by Z~~~~1~~J~~~/hp.~,~gr;.!1J'~· ;~.~fJi r.ed~~g~::~o:;,~r~~d~~;s ~f'ift:~~:V:0a~d0;e~~~~?t6:~~i1sr~di7:~te~ th~nF~~~ ~~~~m engraven by the Divine Artificer. Briefly, by !hewing the con[em.between the1wo Tellaments, he illullrares the Old by the New, and confirms the New by the Old. Now what ~1i~~u~;~ t;t~i~Ct;';';;t~~~' ab~~~!':~Z::t!~"fe::.0b~~~~ ~[,v~~eex~~b~~~~ ~fW~~~~ DoCtrine perfel.tly accords with the mofl ancient, venerable and Divine Writings ?' Can that religion be any other than Divine, which God did fo expreOy predill, and pourtraj in [uch various manner, for the receiving whereof He made fuch early Preparations in the World? Certainly without offering the greatefl violence to our rational Filcufti.es', none' can disbelieve it. He degrades himfelf from the Dignity of being a Mirt, that refu[es td beaChrifliaff. . 2. From hence we may underfland the excellent priviledges of. ChrifliaiiJ, not only a" bove the Heathens who by Divine De[e~tion were wholly StrangerJ to the C.vennnt of Mercy, bur above God's peculiar People. The Meffiah was the expeCtation and defire ofHeaven and Earth. Before his Coming the Saints bad fome glimmerings of Light, which made them inwardly langui!h after the blelfed Manifeflation of it: But rha't wa's re'ferved for Believers in the lafl Ages of the Wo,rld; That ancient pro'mi[e ( ihe Morning-blu!li s;,;~:t ~~;ift1;,tt:zhr.~;ifie~·;~:a:~~0;it:t;~~:~/M~:~e~~·~;~~~~r~·::: ·;.~::~ bur how 1. ittle of it was underflood? One may as well from the fight of the R.oot forete}l ~he D1menfions of a tree, the colour, figure, and tafte of its Fruit, as frbm that PredtCI:IO.n have difcover'd all the parts of our Mediator's Office, and the excellent Benefits reru_lrmg from it. The Incarnation, Crucifixion, Refurrel.tion and Afcenfion of Chrifl, are tn the Types and Prophecies of the Old Teflarilent, as CorporeniBeings are in the Dark-. ne[s of the N1ght; they have a real exiflence, but no Eye Is fo clear as to enlighten the ~bfcurity. The ':'ofl !ha.p·fighted Seer might fay, I p,.u fee him, b11t not tzow. The Mimflry of r~1e Law IS compar'd to the Light of a Cnndle, o Pet. I. 12. that is, !hadowy, a_nd confin d to a fmall Place: That of the Golpel is like the S11n in its flrength , that enlightens. the World. The Prophets who were nearer the Coming of Chrifl, had clearer RevelatiOns, but did not bring perfeCt Day: As fome mw Stars appearing in the Firma" mem,

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