§. 87. Of Gods glory in giving his Son to dye.
IF we take a view of Gods special Properties, we shall finde the glory of them so set forth in Christs Incarnation and Passion, and the Redemption of man there∣by, as in nothing more. I will exemplifie this in five of them.
- 1. The power of God hath been often manifested by many wonderfull works of his since the beginning of the world. The book of Iob and book of Psalms do rec∣kon up catalogues of Gods powerfull and mighty works: but they are all inferi∣our to those works which were done by the Son of God, becoming man, and dying: For hereby was the curse of the Law removed, the bonds of death broken, the de∣vil and his whole host vanquished, infinite wrath appeased. The Son of God di•…•… all this, and much more, not by araying himself with Majesty and power, but b•…•… putting on him weak and frail flesh, and by subjecting himself to death. Herei•…•… was strength made perfect in weakness, 2 Cor. 12. 9.
- 2. The wisdom of God was greatly set forth in the first creation of all things i•…•… their excellent order and beauty, and in the wise government of them: but af•…•… that by sinne they were put out of order, to bring them into a comely frame again, was an argument of much more wisdom: especially if we duly weigh, how by the creatures transgression, the just Creator was provoked to wrath. To finde out •…•… means, in this case, of atonement betwixt God and man, must needs imply muc•…•… more wisdom. For who should make this atonement? not man, because he wa•…•… the transgressor: Not God, because he was offended and incensed: yet God b•…•… taking mans nature upon him, God-man, by suffering, did this deed: he made the atonement. God having revealed this mystery unto his Church, every o•…•… that is instructed in the Christian faith, can say, Thus, and thus it is done. But h•…•… not God by his infinite wisdom found out, and made known this means of recon∣ciliation, though all the heads of all creatures had consulted thereabout, their counsels would have been altogether in vain. We have therefore just cause with 〈◊〉〈◊〉 holy admiration to break out, and say, Oh the depth of the riches both of the wisd•…•… and knowledge of God! Rom. 11. 33.
- 3. The justice of God hath been made known in all ages, by judgements execu∣ted on wicked sinners: as the punishment of our first parents, the drowning o•…•… the old world, the destroying of Sodom and Gomorrah with fire and brimstone, the casting off the Jews, the casting of wicked Angels, and reprobate men into 〈◊〉〈◊〉 fire: but to exact the uttermost of the Sonne of God, who became a Surety for man, and so to exact it as in our nature he must bear the infinite wrath of his Father, and satisfie his justice to the full, is an instance of more exact justice then ever was manifested.
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4. The truth of God is exceedingly cleared by Gods giving his Son to die, and that in accomplishment of his threatning and promises.
For threatning God had said to man, In the day thou eatest of the tree of the know∣ledge of good and evil, thou shalt surely die, Gen. 2. 17. How could Gods truth have been accomplished in this threatning, and man not utterly destroyed, if Christ 〈◊〉〈◊〉 not died in our nature?
For promise, the first that ever was made after mans Fall was this, The seed of th•…•…