IN THE CONSTITUTION OF THE PERSON OF CHRIST. 107 Accordingly, in the purchase of us, the Lord Christ be- came our absolute Lord, unto whom we owe all religious subjection of soul and conscience, Rom. xiv. 7, 8, 9. It would follow therefore, that if we were redeemed and recovered by the interposition of a mere creature, ifsuch an one were our redeemer, saviour, and deliverer, into the service of a mere creature, that is, religious service and obedience, we should be recovered. And so they believe, who affirm the Lord Christ to be a man and no more. But, on this supposition, we are so far from an advancement in state and dignity by our restoration, that we do not recover what we were first enstated in. For it belonged thereunto, that we should owe religious service and obedience unto him alone, whowas God by nature over all blessed for ever. And they bring all confusion into Christian religion, who makea mere crea- ture the object ofour faith, love, adoration, invocation, and all sacred worship. But in our present restoration we are made subject anew, as unto religious service, on- ly unto God alone. Therefore the holy angels, the head of the creation, do openly disclaim any such service and veneration fromus, because they are only the fellow ser- vants of them that have the testimony of Jesus, Rev. xix. 10. Nor bath God put the world to come, the gospel- state of the church, into subjection into angels or any other creature, but only unto the Son, who is Lord o- ver his own house, even he that made all things, who is God, Heb. iii. 4, 5, 6. Wherefore we are restored into oar primitive condition, to be in spiritual subjec- tion.unto God alone. Fie therefore by whom we are restored, unto whom we owe all obedience and religious service, is, and ought to beGod also. And as they ut- terly overthrow the gospel, who affirm, that all the obe- dience of it is due unto him who is a man and no more, as do all by whom the divine nature ofChrist is denied; so they debase themselves beneath the dignityof the state of redemption, and cast dishonour on the mediation of Christ, who subject themselves in any religious service to saints or angels, or any other creatures whatever. On these suppositions, which are full oflight and evi- dence, infinite wisdom did interpose itself, to glorify all the other concerned excellencies ofthe gloryof God, in such a way as might solve all difficulties, and satisfy all the ends ofGod's glory, in the recovery and redemption of mankind. The case before it was as followeth. Man by sin had cast the most inconceivable dishonour on the righteousness, holiness, goodness, and rule of God, and himself into the guilt of eternal ruin. In this state it became the wisdom and goodness of God, neith- er to suffer the whole race of mankind to come short e- ternally of that enjoyment of himself for which it was created, nor yet to deliver any one of them, without a retrival of the eternal honour of his righteousness, holi- ness, and . rule from the diminution and waste that was made of it by sin. As this could no way be done, but by a full satisfaction unto justice and an obedience unto the law, bringing and yielding more honour unto the holiness and righteousness of God, than they could any way lose by the sinand disobedience ofman; so this sat- isfaction must be madd, and this obedience be yielded in and by thesame nature that sinned or disobeyed, where- by alone the residue of mankind may be interested in the benefitsand effects of that obedienceand satisfaction.. Yet was it necessary hereunto, that the nature wherein, all this was to be performed, though derived from the same common stock with that whereof in all our persons we are partakers, should beabsolutelyfree from the con- tagion and guilt, which with it, and"by it are communi- fated unto our persons, fiotir that common stock. Un- less it were só, there could be no undertaking in it for others, it would not be able to answer for itself. But yet, on all these suppositions, no undertaking, no per- formance of duty in human nature could possibly yield that obedience unto God; or make that satisfaction for sin, whereon the deliverance of others might ensue unto the glory of theholiness, righteousness, and rule of God. In this state of things, did infinite wisdom interpose itself, in that glorious ineffablecontrivance of the person of Christ, or of the divine nature in the eternal Son of God, and ofours in the same individual person. Other- wise this work couldnot be accomplished; at least, all other ways- are'hiddenfrom the eyes of all living, no created understanding being able to apprehend any other way, whereby it might so have been unto- the eternal . glory of God. This therefore is such an effect of divine wisdom as will be the object of holy adoration and ad- miration unto eternity;.as unto this life, how little a por tion is it we know of its excellency? 11111r..-. -_
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