SER M. ly and foolish to rafh and inconfiderate and prejudiced CXXXIX. minds; yet "to them that are called," to them

that do believe," both Jews and Gentiles, CHRIST,

"the power of GoD, and the wifdom of Gon;" CHRIST, that is, the way of our redemption by JESUS CHRIST, which the apostle preached, “the "wifdom of Go," an eminent instance of it.

So that the "redemption of man by JESUS "CHRIST" is a defign of admirable wifdom. This I fhall endeavour to confirm to you,

I. By general teftimonies of fcripture. And, II. By a more particular inquiry into the nature of this defign, and the means how it is accomplished.. I. By teftimonies from fcripture. You know I have all along, in my difcourfes of the attributes of Gon, ufed this method of proving them, from the dictates of natural light, and the revelation of fcrip-ture: but now I muft forfake my wonted method, for here the light of nature leaves me. The wif dom of the creation is manifeft in "the things "which are made; the heavens declare the glory "of God's wifdom, and the firmament fhews his handy-work." The works of Gop do preach and fet forth the wifdom of the creator; but the fun, moon, and stars, do not preach the gospel. The wif dom of redemption is "wifdom in a mystery, hid

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"

den wifdom, which none of the princes or philofo"phers of this world knew." The fharpeft wits, and the highest and moft raised understandings amongst the heathens, could fay nothing of this. Here the "wifdom of the wife," and " the understanding of "the prudent" is pofed, and we may make the apostle's challenge, ver. 20. of this chapter, "Where

is the wife? where is the difputer of this world??? There is no natural light difcovers CHRIST.; the

17

wife men cannot find him out, unless a star be creat- SER M. ed on purpose to lead and direct to him. Therefore CXXXIX. in this I fhall only depend upon divine revelation. 1 Cor. ii. 7, 8. the gofpel is called "the wisdom of "GOD in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, "which GOD ordained before the world unto our glory; which none of the princes of this world "knew." Eph. i. 7, 8. "In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of "fins, according to the riches of his grace, wherein "he hath abounded towards us in all wisdom and prudence. Eph. iii. 10, 11. "The manifold wisdom of God, according to the eternal purpose which "he purposed in CHRIST JESUS Our LORD." This work of our redemption by JESUS CHRIST" is fo various and admirable, that it is not below the angels to know and understand it. "To the intent, that unto principalities and powers in heavenly places, might be known the manifold wisdom of "God."

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II. By inquiring more particularly into the nature of this defign, and the means how it is accomplished. This is wisdom, to fit means to ends: and the more difficult the end, the greater wisdom is requir ed to find out fuitable and fufficient means for the accomplishment of the end. Now "the wifdom of redemption" will appear, if we confider the cafe

of fallen man; and what fit, and proper, and fuitable means the wisdom of God hath devised for our recovery.

First, let us confider the cafe of fallen man, which was very fad, both in respect of the misery, and the difficulty of it.

1. In refpect of the mifery of it. Man, who was made holy and upright by GoD, having by his voluntary

L 2

SERM luntary tranfgreffion, and wilful disobedience, fallen CXXXIX. from him, did prefently fink into a corrupt and degenerate, into a miferable and curfed condition of which heaven and earth, and his own confcience, bore him witnefs. Man being become a finner, is not only deprived of the image of Goo, but is liable to his juftice; here was his mifery.

2. The difficulty of the cafe was this; man could not recover himself, and raife himself out of his own ruin; no creature was able to do it; fo that our help is only in God; and, indeed, he is a merciful God, and doth not defire our ruin, nor delight in our deftruction: but fuppofe his mercy never fo willing to fave us, will not his holiness, and justice, and truth, check thofe forward inclinations of his goodnefs, and hinder all the defigns of his mercy? Is not fin contrary to the holy nature of GOD? hath not he declared his infinite hatred of it? hath not he threatned it with heavy and dreadful punishment? and faid, that "the finner fhall die," that "he will "not acquit the guilty," nor "let fin go unpunish"ed?" Should he now, without any fatisfaction to his offended juftice, pardon the finner, remit his punishment, and receive him to favour; would this be agreeeble to his holinefs, and juftice, and truth? would this become the wife governor of the world, who loves righteoufnefs, and order; who hates fin, and is obliged, by the effential rectitude of his nature, to discountenance fin?

So that here is a conflict of the attributes and perfections of God. The mercy of GoD pities our mifery, and would recover us, would open paradife to us but there is a flaming fword that keeps us out; the incented juftice of GOD, that must be fatisfied; and if he takes vengeance of us, we are eter

nally

CXXXIX.

nally ruined; if he fpares us, how fhall "mercy ER M. "and juftice meet together?" how fhall GoD at once exprefs his love to the finner, and his hatred to fin? here is the difficulty of our cafe.

II. Let us now enquire what means the wisdom of GOD ufeth for our recovery. The wifdom of GOD hath devised this expedient to accommodate all thefe difficulties, to reconcile the mercy and juftice of God. The fon of God shall undertake this work, and fatisfy the offended juftice of God, and repair the ruined nature of man. He shall bring GOD and man together, make up this gulph, and renew the commerce and correfpondence between GOD and us, which was broken off by fin. The work that God defigns is the redemption of man, that is, his recovery from a state of fin and eternal death, to a ftate of holiness and eternal life. The fon of God is to engage in this design of our redemption, to fatisfy the offended juftice of God towards us, fo as to purchase our deliverance from the wrath to come, and fo as to reftore us to the image and favour of Gon, that we may be sanctified, and be made heirs of eternal life.

For opening of this, we will confider,

1. The fitness of the perfon defigned for this work. 2. The fitness of the means whereby he was to accomplish it.

1. The fitness of the perfon defigned for this work, and that was the eternal fon of GOD, who, in respect of his infinite wifdom and power, the dignity and credit of his perfon, his dearness to his father, and intereft in him, was very fit to undertake this work, to mediate a reconciliation between GoD and man.

2. The fitness of the means whereby he was to accomplish it; and thefe I fhall refer to two heads, his L 3 humiliation,

SER M. humiliation, and exaltation. All the parts of thefe are very fubfervient to the design of our redemption:

CXXXIX.

I. The humiliation of CHRIST, which confifts of three principal parts; his incarnation, his life, and his death.

1. His incarnation, which is set forth in scripture by feveral expreffions; his being "made flesh, and dwelling among us," John i. 14. His being "made of the feed of David according to the flesh," Rom. i. 3. His being "made of a woman," Gal, iv. 4. The "manifeftation of GoD in the flesh," 1 Tim. iii. 16. His "taking part of flesh and blood," Heb. ii. 14. His "taking on him the feed of Abra"ham," and "being made like unto his bre"thren," Heb. ii. 16, 17. His "coming in the

flesh," John ii. 2. All which fignifies his tak ing upon him human nature, and being really a man as well as GOD. The eternal fon of Gon, in the fulnefs of time, took our nature; that is, affumed a real foul and body into union with the divine nature. Now this perfon, who was really both God and man, was admirably fitted for the work of our redemption.

In general, this made him a fit mediator, an equal and middle perfon to interpofe in this difference, and take up this quarrel between GoD and man. Being both God and man, he was concerned for both parties, and interefted both in the honour of GOD, and the happiness of man, and engaged to be tender of both; and to procure the one, by fuch ways as might be confiftent with the other.

More particularly, his inclination did fit him for thofe two offices which he was to perform in his humiliation, of prophet and priest.

1. The office of prophet, to teach us both by his doctrine, and his life.