132 (4 Declaration ofthe Glorious MYSTERY miffìonof fin on any other terms, would leave the rule of God under un- fpeakable difhonour and confufion. For where is the righteoufnefs ofgo- vernment, if the higheft fin and provocation that our nature was capable of, and which brought confufion on the whole creation below, should for ever go unpunilhed ? The firft exprefs intimation that God gave of his zighteoufnels in the government of mankind, was his threatning a punifh- ment equal unto the demerit of difobedience, if man Gould fall into it. In the day thou eateff thereof thou (halt die. If he revoke and difanul this fentence, how Gall the glory of his righteoufnefs in the rule of all be madeknown? But how this punifhment shouldbe undergon, which confifled inman's eternal ruin, and yet man be eternally faved, was a work for di- vine wifdom tocontrive. This therefore was neceffary unto the honour of God's righteoufnefs, as he is the fupream governour and judge of all the earth. g.) It was neceffary that fatan Gould be juftly defpoiled of his advantage and power over mankind unto the glory of God. For he was not to be left to triumph in his fuccefs. And inafmuch as man was on his part rightfully given up unto.him, his deliverance was not to be wrought by an a& ofyabfolute dominion and power, but in a way of juftice and law- ful judgment which things Gall be afterwards fpoken unto. Without theft things the'recovery of mankind into the favour and unto the enjoyment of God was utterly impoffible on the account of the concernment of the glory of his divine perfeftions in -our fin and apoftafy. How all this might be effe&ed; how the glory of the holinefs and righteoufnefsof God in his law and rule, and in the primitive conftitution of our nature might be repaired ; how his goodnefs, love, grace and mercy might be manifefted and exalted in thiswork of the reparationofmankind, wasleft unto the care and contrivance of infinitewifdom. From theeternal fprings thereof muff this work arife, or ceafe for ever. To trace fome of the footfteps of divine wifdom herein, in and from the revelationof it by its effefts, is that which lieth before us, And fundry things appear to have been neceffary hereunto. As a. That all the things required unto our reftoration, the whole work whereinthey confift muff be wrought in our own nature, in the nature that had finned, and which was to be reftored and brought unto glory. On fuppofition I fay, of the falvation of our nature, no fatisfaftion can be made untothe glory of God for the fin of that nature, but in the nature it felfthat finned and is to be fared. For whereas God gave the law unto man as an effeft of his wifdom and holinefs, which he tranfgreffed in his difobedience, wherein could the glory of them or either of them be ex- alted if the fame law were compliedwithal and fulfilled in and by a na- ture ofanother kind, fuppofethat ofangels ? For notwithftanding any filch obedience,yet the law might be unfuited unto the nature of man whereunto it was originally prefcribed. Wherefore there would be a vail drawn over the glory of God, in giving the law unto man, if it were not fulfilled by obedience in the fame nature. .Nor can there be any fuch relation between the obedience and fufferings of one nature, in the fiend and for the difobedience of another, as that glory might enfue unto the wifdom holinefs and juftice of God, in the deliverance of that other nature thereon. The fcripture abounds in the declaration of the neceffsty hereof, with its. condecency unto divine wifdom. Speaking of the way of our relief and recovery; verily, faith the apoftle, he took not on him the nature of angels, Heb. if. i6. Had it been the recovery of angels which he defign- ed, he would have taken their nature on him. But this would have been no
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=