An Expojition of tbe Epiftle ~ Thirdly, The fidt fort are founded meerly upon our relarion to the Perfo1J of Ser. V[ll. Chrilt, as is manifefted in all rhofe three mentioned, ver, 4,),6. [Cho(m it1 him,] ~ and therefore Holy; bccaufe as he being the Son of God,was to be holy,(Luke r. ~)· That holy thtttg which (haft be.6om of tha, jhafl6tcalledtht Sott Of God,) fa are we, we being Members of h1m. And as thts ts true of hohnefs, fa of the other two iris more plain. Bur this fecond fort are lounded meerly upon the Me· rits of Chrill: As,R.edemrtion through his blood, and fo Forgivencfs, Conver– fion &c. In a word, 'Thele latter blellings are bur the removings of rhofe Ob– ftacies which by reafon of Sin ftood in our way to that intended Glory. In the fulnefs of Time God fenr his Son to redeem them that were under the Law, that they might receive the Adoption of Sons. Galdt+ )·· I come now to the Second thing propounded. That glorious harniony of Wif– dom and Grace, &r. that fhines in rhefe two defigns, and in the reducing them unto thele two heads; the one fubordinate and fubferving the other. It is true, if we fpeak rigidly, there is but one Act and one entire Object of God's Decrees; for God doth all at once. Yet accordtng to the Language of the Scriptlllfc ( wherein God condefceoderh to our apprehenfions, and harh plotted all tbiogs to our apprehenfion , to take us the better ) you lhall find that there are two plots or defigns that God had towards us. He had a primary Plot, which was firft in his intention ; and he had an after plot fubordinate to the other. His fitft Plot was to choofe us to that ftate which we lhall be in in Heaven , His after plot that he had towards us whilft we are in our way, was to Redeem us, and reconcile us unto himfelf by his Son Jc~ fus Chrifi. To open the glory of this Myfiery unto you. Firfi, God made two Worlds for us; He made this Worl<l, and put us into it holy once, in Adam. But alafs! we flood not long in that ftate, but fell into Sin. Then God hath made the World after the day of Judgment. Now, anfwerably, he bath two defigns about us. Whilit we are in this World, under Sin and Mife– ry and imperfect holinefs, he hath the defign of Redemption, to jultilie us, to forgive us our Sins, and to abound towards us in all wifdom aod prudence. And when we come into that other World, namely, Heaven, th<re he bath ordained perfect holinefs for us, and acceptation with himfelf in Chrift's pcrfon as the Be" loved. Agam anfwcrably, as God hath two worlds into which he puts us, and two defigns about us in thofe Worlds, fo he hath ordained us two forts of blellings anfwerable to thofe two defigns;the one for this World the other for that to come, He harh perfeCl:Holinefs , Glory, and Acceptation of our perfons, for the world to come ; and he hath other blellings, Redemption, Juftilication, Forgivenefs of Sins, Calling us,&c. for this life and this World. Secondly, Anfwerably, Cluilt runs through a double ftatc; 'one that was in" tended him firft and fimply, which in 1oh. '7· )· he calls the glory he bad with his Ft~ther before the Worldwas;that is,to fpeak the loweft fenfe of thofc words, the glory which God firft and abfolutely intended him before he had created the World, and before or without the confideration of Chrifi'scoming into this wicked World or Earth, For he cannot hereby mean the glory of the fecond perfon, for that muft not be begged or prayed for, and ver, 24, ir is faid to be given him; and therefore it is a glory which he hath as God.man. He hath a glory now in Heaven which was intended him before the world was. But then Chrift had an other ftate even a frail ftate, clothed with our frail Flelh and Blood, he came down here, and takes upon him the likeuefs ofji11(ul Fltjh in all the infirmities of it, and here he drinks of the Brook by the way; he fuffers, and fa redeems us. In the Third Place; Chrift by both thefe ftates comes anfwerably to have a double Relation to us; the one of a Head and Common Perfon, fimply confi– dered as an Author of falvatio~t, (as he is called, Heb.z.r o.) more firictly con– fidered; the other,as he is a Redeemer.You have them both in Go/of{. 1.1 8,, 9,zo,. Verfes compared together; where the Apoftle defcribeth our Saviour Chrift in both thefe his Fulneffes. Firft, he tells what Chrift is abfolutely ordained unto, and hi• body with him, ver.I8. He is the HMd of the Body the Church: he is the b•gitmi11g, the :firH-hornfrom the dead, (and fo the founder of that ftate we fhall have after the RefurrectioJ1,) that in all thhJgs he might have thi prt· emituncc
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