I 38 c/1Declarationof the Glorious MYSTERY the church into fubjedion unto angels or any other creature, but only unto the Son, who is Lord over his' own houfe, even he that made all things, who is God, Heb. iii. ¢, ç, 6, Wherefore we are reftored into our primitive condition to be in fpiritual fubjeftionunto God alone. He there- foreby whomwe are reftored, unto whom we owe all obedience and re- ligious fervice, is, and ought to be God alto. And as they utterly over- throw the gofpel who affirm that all the obedience of it is due unto him who is a man and no more, as do all by whom the divine nature ofChrift is denied; fo theydebafe themfelves beneath the dignity ofthe fiate of re- demption, and call dithonour on the mediation ofChrift, who fubjed themfelves in any religious fervice to faints and angels or anyother crea- tures whatever. On theft fuppofitions which are full of light and evidence, infinite wit.- dom did interpofe it Pelf, to glorify all the other concerned excellencies of the gloryof God, in fuch a way as might folve all difficulties, and fatisfy all the ends of God's glory, in the recovery and redemption of mankind. The cafe before it was as. followeth. Manby fin had raft the molt inconceiveable dithonour on the righteouf- nefs, holinefs, goodnefs and rule of GM, and himfelf into the guilt of eternal ruin. In this flute it became the wifdom and goodnefs of, God, neither to fuller the whole race of mankind' to come Ihort eternallyof that enjoyment of himfelffor which it was created, nor yet to deliverany oneof them, without a retriving of the eternalhonour of his righteoufnefs, holi- nefs and rule from the diminutionand wafte that was made of it by fin. As this could no way be done, but by a full fatisfafion unto juflice and and an obedience unto the law, bringing and yielding more honour unto theholinefs and righteoufnefs of God, than they could any way loofeby the fin and difobedience of man; fo this fatisfaftion mutt be made, and this obedience be yielded in and by the fame nature that finned or difobeyed, whereby alone the refidue of mankind may be interelted in the benefits and effeEls of that obedience, and fatisfa&ion. Yet was it necelfaryhereunto, that the nature wherein all this was to be performed, though dèlived from the fame common Rock with that whereof in all our perfons we are partakers, íhould beabfolutely free from the contagion andguilt which with it, and by it are communicated unto our perfons, from the common stock. Unlefs it were fo there could be no undertaking in it for others, ut would notbe able to anfwerfor it Pelf. But yet mu all thefe fuppofitions,no undertaking, no performance of duty of humane nature could poffibly yield that obedience unto God, or make that fatisfacîion for fin; whereon the deliverance ofothers might enfue, unto the glory of the holinefs; righ- teoufnefs and rule of God. In this fiate ofthings did infinite wifdom interpofe it felf, in that glori- ous ineffable contrivance ofthe perfon of Chrift, or the divine nature the eternal Son of God, and of ours in the fame individual perfon. Other ways this work could not be accomplifhed; at leaft all other ways are hidden fromthe eyes ofall living, no createdunderfanding being able to apprehend any other waywhereby it might fo have been unto the eter- nal glory of God. This therefore is fuch an effeft of divine wifdom, as will be the objet! ofHoly adoration and admiration unto eternity ; as unto this life, how little a portion is it we know of its excellency? CHAP.
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