The Life of Faith. 789 Dire . 2. See therefore that you joyn no conceit of Cbri"ft, which diJhonouretb God, and is contrary to this charatler, and to Gods defign.. Many by mifiaking the dodirine of Chrifis Interceffon, do think of God the Father, as one that is all wrath and jail ice, and unwilling ofhimfelf to be reconciled unto man : and of the fecund perfon in the Trinity, as more gracious and mer- ciful, whole mediation abateth the wrathof the Father, and with much ado maketh him willing to have mercy on us. Whereas it is the Loveof God, which is the original of our Redemption, and it was Gods loving the world, which pro- yoked him togive his Son tobe their Redeemer, John 3. i6. Rom. 8. 32. And God WJr in Chriff reconciling the world unto bimfelf, not imputing to there their trefpaffes, 2 Cor :. 19. And therefore wefill read of Chrifis reconciling man to God, and not the phrafeof his reconciling God to man: Not but that both are trulywrought by Chrifts mediation ; (For the Scripture frequently fpeakethofGods bating the workers of iniquity,and ofhis vindiiïiveJuftice,and of thatpropitiating and atronement, which fignifieththe fame thing :) But the reafon is, becaufe the enmity began on mans part, and not on Gods, by mans forfaking God, and turning his love from him to the creature, and not byGods forfakingman ; and the change of mansfate and heart towards God, by true reconciliation, will make him again capable ofpeace with God andas loon as man is made an objell fit for the complacency of God, it cannot be but that God will again take complacency in him ; fo that the real change mull be only on man ; and then that relative or denominative change which mutt be on God, will thence immediately refult. Some alfo there be who gather from Chrifis death, that God defired the fuferingsof Chrift as pleafrng tohim in it felf as ifhe madea bargain with Chrift to fell to much mercy toman, for fo much bloodand pains ofChrift; and as if he fo delight- ed in the blood of the innocent, that he would the willinglyer dogood to no, ifhe might and crucifieChrifi. Put, "his is to contradict Chrifis bufnels in the world, as if he who carne from Heaven todeclareGods Love, had come to de- clarehim to delight indoing hurt ; and as if he who came ßb3 TV
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