C AP. An Expotiots óftbe II. loftby fin, and reduceth the wholeCreation intoa newOrder and fubfexviency to Rlai Gloryofits Maker. Hence this great Projeüion and defign is called the Wifdomof r oa!, eat' it -map; as that wherein he was pleafed principally to lay open the fountain-.and fixing ofhis eternalWifdom, nom. 11. 33. 1 Cor. 1.24. And not only fo, but the ma- nifolduiflom ofGod, Ephef 3. ro. That is, infinite Wifdom, exerting it felt in great atad unJfreakgble variety of means and ways for the accomplifhment of the end de- figned. Yea all the Trcafisres of Wifdom are laid to be laid out in this matter, and laid up inCbrift Jefine, Cal. z. 3. As ifhe had laid, that the whole (lore of infinite mifdóm was laid outherein. And thus, though God made all things in wildom, yet that which heprincipallypropofeth unto our cónfidexation in the creationofall things, is his Sovereign Will and"'leafifre, joynedwith infinite Power. For his will orpleafetre were all things created, Rev, 5. r 1. But in this workof contriving the falvation of finners, he minds us of the counfelofhis will, Ephef 1. r1. that is, the inftnitemifdom, wherewith theHoly Ads ofhis Will concerning it were accompanied. And the myffery of. his good pleaftre, wherein he defigned to gather up all things into one head by Jefus Chr verfi 1 o. Certainly the product of infiniteandeternalWifdjm, of the Counfel of the Will ofthe molt lloly, wherein the Treafures of it were laid eat, with a difign to airplay it in manifald:variety, muff needs be Great, very Great, fo great as cannot be conceived or expreffed. Might we here flay to contemplate and admire in our dim anddawninglight, in our weaknefs, according to the meannefs of our apprehenfions of the refledtions ofit in the Glafl of the Gofpel, the Eternity of this contrivance, the tranfadionsbetween Father and Son about it, the Retrievtuent of the loft Glory of God by fin, and ruined creation in it, the fecurityof the Holinefs, Righteoufnefs, Ve. racily and VindiCive Juffice of God provided for in it, with the abundant over- flowingsofGrace, Goodnefs, Love, Mercy and Patience that are the lifeof it, wemight manifefl that there is enough in this Fountain to render the ffreamr flowing from it greatand glorious. And yet alafs, what a little, what al/la/portion ofits Glory, Ex- cellency, Beauty, Riches, ;sit, that we are able in this world to attain unto? How weak and mean are the conceptions and thoughts of littlechildren about the defigns and counfels ofthe wifemen of the earth ? and yet thereis a Proportion between the ünderf.landings ofthe one and the other a but there is none at allbetween ours and the infinite depths ofthe Wifdom and Knowledgeof Godwhich are laid out in this matter we think aschildren, we fpeak as children, we fee darklyas in a glafs, and the belt acting of our faith in this bufinefs is, humble Admiration andholy ThankfulnefL Now certainly it is not in thecapacity ofa creature tó call greater contempt on God, than to fuppofe he would let all his glorious Properties on work, and draw forth all the Treaft res of his Wifdom, to produce or effect that which fhould be low, mean, not every way admirable. And yet unto that height of impiety bath unbelief arrived amongfi many ofthem.unto whom theGofpel is andbathbeen preached, as to reject and contemn the wholemiller, ofit as meetfolly, as an empty notion, fit to be neglected and defpifed. So bath thegod ofthrs world blinded theeyes ofmen, that the light ofthe glorious Gofpel fhould not thine into their minds. But when God fhall come tobe admired inall them that believe, onthe account ofthis deign ofhis Grace and Wifdom, they will with aJtenifhment fee the glory ofit inothers, whenit *tall be too late for to obtain any benefit by it untothemfelves. Secondly, The Salvation preached in the Gofpel is Great upon the account of the way and means whereby it was wrought and aceomplifhed ; or the great effect ofthe infinite Wifdom and Grace ofGod in the IncarnationMediation andSuffering of his Son. Thus was it wrought,and no otherwifecould it be effected. We were not re- deemedwithfirer andgold, andcorruptible things, r Pet. 1. 18. Nofuch price would be accepted with God ; Salvation is moreprecious than tobe fo purchafed, PP, 49. d, 7. But itmay be it might beeffected and brought aboutby the law, which was God's ownInfitution ; either its Precepts or its Sacrifices might effeld thiswork, and SaL nation may be attained by the works ofthe Law ? But yet neither will this Inflict. For the Law is weakand infufcient as to any fuck purpofe, Rom. 8. 23. nor would the Sacrifices ofit be accepted unto that end, Heb. ro. 7, 8. How then *tall it bewrought? is there noneworthy in heaven or earthto undertake thiswork, and mu* it ceale for ever ? No, the Eternal Son of Godhimfelf, the Word Power and Wifdom of the Father, the brightneflofhis Glory, and the exprefl image ofhisPerfan, he bath undertaken this work. This renders it Great and glorious, that theSon ofGod in his - k lon fhould perform its it mull affuredly begreatfalvation which he came himfo
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