of the .CERSoNof CH1tIST. 141 cellencies could condefcend unto. And as this was needful forus, (though proud men and fenflefs of fin underhand it not,) fo if it be refufed it will be attended with the fore(} deftrudion, Hei,. xii. 25. 2.) This treaty principally confifts in a divine declaration, that all the muffs of fear and dread upon the account of fin, are removed and taken a- way. This is the fubftance of the gofpel, as it is declaredby the apoftle, o Col. v. 18, 19, 20, 21. Wherefore ifhereon we refufeto return unto God, to make him the objeft ofour faith, truft, love and delight, it is not by rea- fon of any old or former fin, not of that ofour originalapoftafy fromGod, nor of the effects ofit againft the law, by the means of a new fin, outdoing them all in guilt and contempt ofGod. Such is final unbeliefagainft the propofal ofthe gofpel. It bath more malignity in it, thanall other fins whatever. But by this way of our recovery, all caute of fear and dread is taken away, all pretences of a diftruhof the love and good will of God are defeated ; fo that if men will not hereon be recoveredunto him, it is from their hatred of him, and enmity unto him, the fruits whereof they muff feed on to eternity. 3.) Whereas ifwe will return unto God by faith, we are allo to return unto him in love, what greater motive can there be unto it, than that infi- nite love of the Father and the Son unto us, which isglorioufly difplayed in this wayof our recovery. See t John iv. 9, io. Si amare pigebit, fal- tem redamare nepigeat. q.) The whole raceof mankind falling into fin againft God, and apofta- fy fromhim, there was no example left unto them to manifeft how excel- lent, how glorious and comely a thing it is to live unto God, to believe and truft in him, to cleave unto hum unchangeablyby love. For they were utter ftrangers unto what is done by angels above, nor couldhe affeft- ed with their example. But without a pattern of thefe things, mani- fefting their excellency and reward, they couldnot earneftly endeavourto attain unto them. This is given us mofe confpicuoufly in the humane na- ture of Chrift. See Heb. xü. 13. Hereby therefore every thing needful for our encouragement to return unto God is in infinite wifdom provided for, and propofed unto us. Li 6. Divine wifdom in the way of our recovery by Jefus Chrift, God inanifeh in the flefh, defigned to glorify a Rare of obedience unto God, and-to-taft the reproachof the mofe inexpreffible folly on the relinquifhment of-that ftate by fin. For as God would recover and reftoreus, folic would do it in away of obedience on our part, of that obediencewhich we had forfaken. The defign ofman which was impofed on him by the craft of fatan, was to become wife like unto God, knowinggood and evil. The folly of this endeavour was - quickly difeovered in its effefts. Senfe ofna- kednefs with chame, mifery and death immediately enfued thereon. But divine wifdom thought meet to aggravate the reproach .of this folly. He would let us fee wherein the -true knowledge ofgood and evil did confift, and !how foolifhly we had afpired unto it by a relinquifhment of that ¡fate ofobedience wherein we were created. Job the 28th. from ver. t2. unto the end of the chapter, there is an enquiry after wifdom and the place of its habitation. All creatures give an account that it is not in them, that it is hid from them, only they have beard thefame thereof.' All the con- text is to evince, that it is elfentially andoriginally only in God lrnrfelf. But if we cannot comprehend it in it felf, yet may we not know what is aoifdem unto tie, and what is required thereunto? Iles faith he For unto man be fail, behold the thefear of the Lordir wifdom, andto depart from evil Chatitunderflanding,.ver. 28. >Man on the-other.laand by the luggeftion of
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