f the PERSON of CHRIST. 119 ceive as pearls of price, to enrich and adorn our fouls. For fecret things belong unto the Lord our God, but thofe things which are revealed, unto us, that we may do the words of his law, Deut. xxix. 29. We iliall not therefore in our enquiry into this great myftery, intrude our felves into the things which we have not feen, but onlyendeavour a right underftanding of what is revealed concerning it. For the end of all di- vine revelations is our knowledge of the things revealed, with our obedi- ence thereon; and unto this end, things revealed do belong unto us. Some things in general are to be premifed unto our prefent enquiry. I. We can have no view or due profpe l of the wifdom of God in any of his works, much lefs in this offending his Son in the likenefr offin- ful flefh, or the conflitution of his perfon, and the work of redemption to be accomplilhed thereby, unlefs we confider alío the intereft of the other holy properties of the divine nature in them. Such are his holi- nefs, his righteoufnefs, his fovereign authority, his goodnefs, love and grace. There are three excellencies of the divine nature principally to be con- fidered in all the external works of God. (t.) His goodnefs, which is the communicative property thereof. This is the eternal fountain and fpring of all divine communications. What- ever is good in and unto any creatures, is an emanation from divine good- nefs. He isgood, and he doth good. That which ads originally in the divine nature, unto the communication of it felf in any bleff'ed or gracious effefts unto the creatures, is goodnefs. (2.) Wifdom, which is the directive power or excellency of the divine nature. Hereby God guides, difpofeth, orders and direfts all things un- to his own glory, in and bytheir own immediate proper ends, Prov. xvi. 4. Rev. iv. tt. (3.) Power, which is the effedive excellency ofthe divine nature, ef- fefling and accomplifhing what wifdom cloth deign and order. Whereas wifdom therefore is that holy excellency or power ofthe di- vine being, wherein God deigns, andwhereby he effects the glory of all the other properties of his nature, we cannot trace the paths of it in any work ofGod, unlefs we know the intereft and concernment of thofe other properties in that work. For that which wifdom principally defigns, is the glorification of them. And unto this end the effective property of the divine nature, which is almighty power, always accompanies or is fubfervient unto the directive or infinite wifdom, which is requifite unto perfeftion in operation. What infinite goodnefs will communicate ad extra, what it will open the eternal fountain of the divine being and al- fufhciencyto give forth that infinite wifdom defigns, contrives and di- reds to the glory of God and what wifdom fo defigns, infinite power effects. See Ifa. xl. 13, t4, 15> 17; 28. 2. We can have no apprehenfions ofthe intereft of the other properties of the divine nature in this great myftery of Godlinefs, whole glory was deigned in infinite wifdom, without the conideration of that date and condition of our own wherein they are fo concerned. That which was designed unto the eternal glory ofGod in this great work of the incar- nation ofhis Son, was the redemption of mankind, or the recovery and falvation of the church. What bath been difputed by fome concerning it without refpeft unto the fin of man, and the falvation of the church, is toriofity, and indeed prefumptuous folly. The whole fcripturecondant- ly aftigneth this foie end of that effect of divine goodnefs and wifdom, yea tifferts it as the only foundation of the gofpel, John iii. 16. Wherefofe unto a due contemplation of divine wifdom in it, it is neceffhry we Mould confider
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