Book II. CIIRIST THE EXPRESS IMAGE OF THE FATHER. 317 MET APHOR D 1 S PAR I T Y. I. A MongMen,theSubitanceof aThing hath the precedency, or is before the Sign or Image of it; the Perfon, and rhen the PiCture or Emblem of it. I. THAT which is faid of Chriit, " I'·'P~" e,. uwet.pxwv, bemg, or extfbng and fubfifrino– in the Form of God, that is, being fo e!fentially~ for there is no p.op~n Form in the Deity, bur what is e!fcntial unto it : This Chriil was abfolurely, . antecedently to his Incarnation, the whole Nature of God being in him, and confcguently he being in the Son of God. II. An Image, Figure, or Cha· II. Chrift is a lively, perfeCt, and compleat raCter amongMen, cannot fully and Image, CharaCter, and Reprefentation of all the perfeCtly, in every thing, exprefs or glorious Attributes, Excellencies and PerfeCtions reprefent the Perfon tt IS made for; of the Father ; the Fulnefs of the Godhead dwelling it differs in Matter, Life, and Mobodily in him, Col. ii. 9· Were it not fo, he could tion, &c. not gloriouily reprefent unto us the Perfon of the Father; nor could we, by Contemplation of him, be led to an Acquaintance with the Perfon of the Father. 1. The Father is from everlafling; fo is the Son. 2. The Father is a perfeCt Divine Perfon, or Subfiftence; fo is the Son. 3· The Father hath Life in himfelf; fo bath the Son Life in himfelf. 4· The Father created the World; fo did the Son. 5· The Father upholds all Things by the Word of his Power; fo doth the Son. 6. A ll T hings were made for the Father 1 fo all Things were made for the Son. 7· The Father is to be worlhipped ; fo is the Son. 8. The Father knows all Things, and fearches the Heart; fo cloth the Son. 9· The Father is in the Son; fo is the Son in the Father; 'I' he Father is in me, and I in him, John x. 38. The Father being thus in the Son, and the Son· in the Father, all the glorious Properties of the one lhine forth in the other. The Order and Oeco– nomy of the Ble!fed Trinity in Subfii1:cncc and Operation, requires, that the Manifefration and Communication of the Father to us be through the Son. . 10. All other Perfec1ions of the Father thine forth in Chrift; it is he that makes them manifeit to us, according to that of the Apoi1:le: For God, who commanded the Light to jhine out of Darknefs, bathJbin~d in our Hearts, to five the Lighi of the Know– ledge of the Glory of God tn the Face of Jefus Chrifl, 2 Cor. tv. 6. The Wrfdom of the F ather is great and infinite many ways; but wherein cloth it lhine more gloriouily, than in the Son's working about our Redemption, in reconciling Juitice and Mercy, in pu– nithing Sin, and pardoning the Sinner? 'ro the intent that now unto the Principalities and P owers in heavmly Places, might be made known by the Church the manifold Wifdom of God, Eph. iii. 10. , 1. The Father is full of Goodnefs and Love to Man; this appears in his making of him fupreme over all Creatures on Earth. But what is this Favor and Goodnefs, to that which is manifeftcd in and .by Chriit? in raifing him up (when a Rebel and vile Traitor) to the Honor and Dignity of a Son, and to accomplilh this, to-give his only begotten Son to die in his fread ? He made him to be Sin for us, who knew no Sin, that we might be made the Righteoufnefs of God in him, 2 Cor. v. ult. Chrifl bath redeemed us from the Curfe of the Law, being made a Curfe for us, Gal. iii. 13. There was much F aYor and Love in the Bleffings and Privileges of Creation; but in Redemption Mercy is magnified likewife to Admiration, and lhines in equal Glory. 12. God the Father is infinitely holy, jui1: and righteous. His Holinefs and Juftice appeared in cafting off the fallen Angels, and by executing his Severity upon our firfr P arents, ar.d by deflroying Sodom and Gomorrah, and the Cities about them, and in feveral other Refpects: Yet how much more abundantly doth his Holinefs and Juthce lhine forth in the Son, the Image of the Father, when he came forth to redeem Man– kind? in that he made his Soul an Offering for Sin, !fa. liii. 10. God letting Out his Wrath upon him, JParing him not, Rom. viii. 32. when he ftood in the place of the Sinner: For the 'rranfkrej}ions of my People was h~ftrickm, !fa. liii. 8. :'Is Mr. Burroughs obfcrves, there is nothing fets out God's Juitice,· HolineC,, and infintte Hatred of Sin, like this, &c. Our Natme is united to the Divine Nature of God, that fo by that myitical Union, Grace and Holinefs might be communicated in a glorious Manner UntO US. ' 3· The
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