An Expofttion of the Epiftle ~ r. A fir!1: and fecond gathering of thefe .11# things, or a doubt~ union of Serm. X. thefe Creatures to God; whereof the fir!1: being {]jppery and failing, he ordained ~the !aft firm and fixed in Chri!1:, never to be broken or dilfolved again, The fir!1: was not firm enough, but foon and eatily dilfoluble. 2 , This;,,,<, or agai11, imports a miferable fcattering of the fir!1: gathering, to fall out between the fir!1: and fecond gathering; a dilfolution of all jirfl, oh pur– pofe decreed and permitted by God, to make thi~ Jecoud gathering and Onenefs with himfelf, and umty one With another ( wluch was the ulumate a1m of h1s defign,) more illuflrious. 3 , A Third thing, is the way, and manner, and means of doing it; it is in Clmj/. The firfl ferves to magnifie his Grace in Chrifl, the Head, to Angels, who are All thi11gs in Heaven: And the fecond to magnifie his Grace to the Sons of .Men, the .110 thi11gs in Earth, both as a Head and Redeemer. And all put to– gether contains the whole Counfel of God unto both, God united Man and Angels to himfelf in their firfl Creation , and one to another. The Eletl: Angels that fiood in need of a fecond union, orgatheri11g of them in Chrifl, as a Head; to put them out of danger and pollibility of being fcattered, as their Fellows had been : and therein lies their obligation. And Elect men having all run into an actual Riot and Rebellion; and were feparated from God, and fcattered from one another; they needed a gathering together agai11; and both in and through Chriit, to fix either for ever from a perpetual hazard of departing. And the opening thefe things, and being added to the former, bring in an infinite reve– nue of Glory unto God and Chrifl ; and do give us indeed an account of the whole Counfel of God: and flill he renders it more and more compleat. For the firfl Branch : There was an union of Man and Angels to God by the meer Law of Creation, and Covenant of Nature or Works: and though the Angels, (for I fpeak of them now in common; and fo of the Etefl A11gds, in the general condition with them that are fallen in their firfl Creation,) were created in Heaven, and Man upon Earth; yet the fame Law of Na– ture, and the fame terms and tie of Union, were alike enjoyed; and thereby they had an Union and Communion with God; but meerly by their Graces, and the exercife of them, according to the Covenant of Works: fo, as long as that held,their Union held, but not a moment longer. · For though the Law of Creation, that was common both to Men and Angels, had this meet duenefs in it; as was faid, .that God lhould create them in that ·efl:ate, and afford them helpfuitable thereunto; yet no Law of Nature or Crea– tion, either to Angels or Men, hat! a promife, that God lhould keep them, and preferve them in that cflate from falling. They were as Glalfes without a bot– tom, which foon fell and broke; which by the event was made good, by the fall both of Men and fame Angels: which !hews the weaknefs and the Jlipperinefs of this tirO: Union in either of them. I. For Angels. As concerning the Angels; If God would alfure them to himfelf from the pollibility of falling, they mufl be headed in Chrifl, or by Chrifi; they mufl be gathered by agatherhzg together hz Chrij/, as a Head, a fecond time; and then all is in fure hands. If therefore theQyery be, Whereinjhou!dthe Grace vot~chJ'afed to them tie, [o as they had tued of Chrijl to i11terpo[t, a11d to make this JecotJdgatheri1lg of them; whereas they never hadfallen at:lually? For it may /Je thought ?utdlefi. The necellity lay in this; r. If it were no more but the weaknefs and llipperinefs of their firlt Union : therefore, if there were no more, it was necelfary they lhould be fixt in him, by an immutable Relation to him, who is the Rock of Ages, and then they are in fure hands: For Chrifl, he is as fure and immutably fixr, as the Son of God him– felf, by perfonal union· with the Son of God; and they, if they be chofen in him, and accepted in him, and have a relation unto him, as to their Head, they aremadeasimmutableasChriftis. Job.+ r8. BehoiJ, he pnts 110 tru(li11his Srr'ilallts,
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