14 vi Declaratipn of the Glorious Mr ST ERy cellencies wherewith the mind ofrational creatures is immediately affected, and whereby it is obliged to give that religious honour and worlhip which is due unto that being, and neceffary from our relation thereunto. Upon this manifeftation all creatures capable by an intelligent nature of a fenfe thereof, are indifpenfibly obliged to give all divine honour and glory to God. The way alone whereby this manifeflation may be made, is by outward etas and e efts. For in it felf the divine nature is hid from all living, and dwelleth in that light whereunto no creature can approach. This there-. fore God firft made by the creation of all things out of nothing. The creation of man himfelf, with the principles of a rational intelligent nature, a confcience attefting his fubordination unto God, and of all other things declaring the glory of his wifdom, goodnefs and power, was the immedi- ate ground of all natural religion, and yet continues fo to be. And the glory of it anfwers the means and ways of the manifeftation of the di- vine being, exiflence, excellenciesand properties. And where this rnani- fèftation is defpifed or neglected, there God himfelf is fo; as the apoflle difcourfeth at large, Rom. t. x8, x9, 20, 21, 22. But of all the effeffs of the divine excellencies, the confutation of the perfon of thrift as the foundationof the new creation, as the myßery of goolnefs, was the molt ineffable and glorious. I fpeak not of his di- vine perfon abfolutely. For his diftinet porfonality and fubfiftence was by an internal, and eternal ad of the divine being in the perfonof the. Father, or eternal generation, which is effential unto the divine effence, whereby nothinganew was outwardlywrought ox did exift. He was not, he is not that fenfe, the effect of divine wifdom and power of God, but theeffential wifdom and power of God himfelf. But we fpeak of him only as incarnate, as he affumed our nature intoperfonal fubflftencewith himfelf. His conception in the womb of the virgin, as unto the integrity ofhumane nature, was a miraculous operation of the divine power. But the preven- tion of that nature from anyfubfiftence of its own, by its affumption into perfonal union with the Son of God, in the firft inftance of its conception, is that which is above all miracles, nor can be defigned by that name. A myftery it is, fo far above the order of all creating or providential operati- ons, that it whollytranfcends the fphere of them that are molt miraculous. Herein did God glorify all the properties of the divine nature, ailing in a way of infinite wifdom, grace and condefcenfion. The depths of the my- fiery hereof, are open only unto himwhof ,underftanding is infinite, which no created underftanding can comprehend. All other things were produced and effet&ed by an outward emanation of power fromGod: He faid, Let there be light, and there was light. But this affumption of our nature into hypollaticalunion with theSon of God, this conftitution ofone and the fame individual perfon in two natures fo infinitely diftinfr, as thofe of God andman, whereby the eternalwas made in time, the infinite became finite, the immortal, mortal, yet continuing eternal, infinite, immortal, is that fingular expreflion of divine wifdom, goodnefs and power,'wherein God will beadmired and glorified unto all eternity. Herein was that changein- troduced into the whole firft creation, whereby the bleffed angels were ex- alted, ratan and his works ruined, mankind recovered from a difinal apoftacy, all things made new, all things in heaven and earth reconciled and.gathered into one Bead, and a revenue of eternal glory raifed unto God,, incompa- rably above what the firft conllitution of all things in the order of nature could yield unto him. In
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