to theE P H E S I AN S. 2.. (Out ofv.).)The Grace of theHypoflatical Union infinitely tranfcends that~ of Adoption. Tl1e bemg God's Natural Son far furpaffeth our bemg l11s A- Strm. VI. dopted Sons and therefore was in order ordained firfl. And therefore it is that~· (as the Tex; alfo hath it) we are faid to be predefiinated unto Adoption through him; that is, through him as God's Natural Son, and that, as fuJ?pofed Man : For unto him as God-Man IS It, that we have this or any orher Re!anon. 3 .Yea,Thirdly, The work of Redemption it felf was ordained principally for Chri11's glory, more than for our falvauon. In Ph1l. 2 . 9· the Apoflle tells us; That JefusChrifl took upo11 him the form of a Servant, atJd buame obedtmt to the death, (there's the work of Redemption;) whrrt{ore (faith he) God bath highly exalted him, and given him a Name above every Namt, ~c. The Plot of Redemption therefore was fubjected to the glory of Chrift, and not Chriil: ro~ . 4.Nay, Fourthly, I might thew, that then when God took into his counfel and fore-knowledge, all his works projected by him, and this of Chrift's affuming our Nature as one among the re{( ; it was Chrifl's due, that he thouId be the end of all, and that all God;s Decrees thould be fo framed, as to make him the End of all, as well as God's own glory. So that in this there was that refpect had unto Chri!l in thofe Decrees of God , and He was fo made the end of all therein, as nomeer Creature (no not the moil: eminent) could have been. There is a tronfcendency on Chrift's part in this, that holdeth good in no Creature. God might have made the Angels and the Elect, and not ordained the Angels to ferve the Elect, That one Creature is any way made the end of another to ferve it, was a matter of liberty unto God, and depended meerl y upon his arbitrary in– ftitution . But if God will ordain Chri!t and a World, Angels and Men elect, or whatever elfe together with him; it is due that God's Decrees about all thefe be fo !haped and cafl, that all thould ferve him; for they muft all be his Inheri· tance, and fo he mu!t be fet up as the End of them all. And this is fuch reafori as no man can deny. But I have fpoken to this upon Coloff. 1.16, '7· That which J lhall lurther add to this point, and which is more proper to this place, is, whe· ther Chri!t's glory was confidered by God as a motive unto God in prede!tina" ring, as God's own Glory was, I know Orthodox Divines do grant, that Chri!l: was fer up as the end of all things Prede!tinated; who yet difpute and doubt, whether Chri!t was fo confidered of God in the ad: of Prede!tinating, as to be the Motive to move God's Will to predeflinate us, and ordain all things elfe with Chrill. For (fay they) nothing Out of Godis, or canbe any motive to him to l'redejlitMtt; for he pt~rpofethall things in himfelj: . For the refolution of this, I fay, ' · Tlut it is certain, that the on]y determining or fit!t moving Caufe that in– clined God's Will to predeflinate both Chri!t and all things elfe with him; was his own Will. .He was fo happy_in himfelf, that he needed not that glory whrch rs mamfefted 111 and by the Umon of the Second Perfon with an Human Nature. · Yet Secondly, It is as certain, that fo far as the manifeflation of the glory of aHor any of his Attributes, did, ot might move him to predeftinate us, or or– dam any of thofe works which he bath ordained; fo far might the glory of the Second Perfon move him to manife!t it in and by this Union, which was the h1ghe!t way of glorifying him. In the fixth Verfe you read (arid fo in the thir– teen~h,) that God prede!tinated us for the prai{t of the glory of his Graet : that IS there made an end that moved him. Now, what is theglory of his Graet? !t Is but the glory of one of God's Attributes. Suppofe then you put in!lead of It, [To t~t praife of the glory of his [So11.] Is not a Perfon of the Trin ity as near to hun as one of his Attributes? Is not his Son as much to him as his Grace? Certainly he is: And then he might •.s well aim at the highe!t glory of the Second Perfon (whrch anfeth from th1sPerfonal Union) as at the glory of h1s Grace m prcdeflmatmg us. Thm John 5'· 2 3· God bath givm ,,a ;udgmmt to thr So11 , that all mtght ho110t1r the So11 M thry ho11our the Father. He therefore took Ius Son's glory into conftd"ation, as well as his own. . And whereas it is objected, that nothing Otlt of God can move God. It's true, he prede!linates all things by his own Wdl and Effence, even as he under– flands
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