(2.) I grant the nature of man was not reparable nor recoverable by any such actings of the properties of God as he had exerted in the creation and rule of all things. Were there not other properties of the divine nature than what were discovered and revealed in the crea- tion of all — were not some of them so declared capable of an exer- cise in another way or in higher degrees than what had as yet been instanced in — it must be acknowledged that the reparation of man- kind could not be conceived compliant \vith the di^dne excellencies, nor to be effected by them. I shall give one instance in each sort ; namely, first in properties of another kind than any which had been manifested in the works of creation, and then the actings of some of them so manifested, in another way, or farther degree than what they were before exerted in or by.
[1.] Of the first sort are love, grace, and mercy, which I refer unto one head — their nature being the same, as they have respect unto sinners. For although these were none of them manifested in the works of creation, yet are they no less essential properties of the divine nature than either power, goodness, or wisdom. With these it was that the reparation of our nature was comphant — unto them it had a condecency ; and the gioiy of them infinite msdom designed therem. That wisdom, on which it is incumbent to provide for the manifestation of all the other properties of God's nature, contrived this work unto the glory of his love, mercy, and grace ; as in the Gos- pel it is everywhere declared.
[2.] Of the second sort is divine goodness. This, as the commu- nicative property of the divine nature, had exerted itself in the crea- tion of all things. Howbeit, it had not done so perfectly — it had not done so to the uttermost. But the nature of Goodness being communicative, it belongs unto its perfection to act itself unto the uttermost. This it had not yet done in the creation. Therein " God made man," and acted his goodness in the communication of our being unto us, with all its endowments. But there yet remained another eifect of it ; which was, that God shoidd be made man, as the way unto, and the means of, our recovery.
These things being premised, we proceed to inquire more particu-
192 THE PERSON OF CHRIST.
larly by what way and means the recovery of mankind might be wrought, so as that God might be glorified thereby.
If fallen man be restored and reinstated in his primitive condition, or brought into a better, it must either be by himself, or by some other undertaking for him ; for it must be done by some means or other. So great an alteration in the whole state of things was made by the entrance of sin, that it was not consistent with the glory of any of the divine excellencies that a restoration of all things should be made by a mere act of power, without the use of any means for the removal of the cause of that alteration. That man himself could not be this means — that is, that he could not restore himself — is openly evident. Two ways there were whereby he might attempt it, and neither jointly nor severally could he do anything in them.
1. He might do it by returning unto obedience unto God on his own accord. He fell off from God on his own accord by disobedience, through the suggestion of Satan ; wherefore, a voluntary return unto his former obedience would seem to reduce all things unto their first estate. But this way was both impossible, and, upon a supposition of it, would have been insufficient unto the end designed. For —
(1.) This he could not do. He had, by his sin and fall, lost that power whereby he was able to yield any acceptable obedience unto God ; and a return unto obedience is an act of greater power than a persistency in the way and course of it, and more is required there- unto. But all man's original power of obedience consisted in the image of God. This he had defaced in himself, and deprived him- self of. Having, therefore, lost that power which should have enabled him to live unto God in his primitive condition, he could not retain a greater power in the same kind to return thereunto. This, indeed, was that which Satan deceived and deluded him withal; namely, that by his disobedience he should acquire new light and power, which he had not yet received — he should be " like unto God." But he was so far from any advantage by his apostasy, that one part of his misery consisted in the loss of all power or ability to live to God.
This is the folly of that Pelagian heresy, which is now a third time attempting to impose itself on the Christian world. It supposeth that men have a power of their own to return unto God, after they had lost the power they had of abiding with him. It is not, indeed, as yet, pretended by many that the first sin was a mere transient act, that no way vitiated our nature, or impaired the power, faculty, or principle of obedience in us. A wound, they say, a disease, a weakness, it brought upon us, and rendered us legally obnoxious unto death temporal, which we were naturally liable unto before. Where- fore, it is not said that men can return unto that perfect obedience which tlie law required; but that they can comply with and perform