Lastly, We may add unto what hath been spoken, the concern- ment of the glory of God in the universe; for if man had been left for ever without relief, the whole race or kind of creatures, par- takers of human nature, had been utterly lost. Nothing of that kind could ever have come unto the enjoyment of God, nor could God have ever been glorified by them in a way of thankfulness and praise, which yet was the end why he made that sort of creatures; for the whole race of them as to the event would have been mere objects of wrath and displeasure. But in the fall of angels, they were only a certain number of individuals that sinned; the whole kind was not lost as to the first end of their creation. Angelical
SECT. 15.] PROMISED OF OLD. 159
nature was preserved, in its orderly dependence on God, in those millions that kept their obedience, and primitive condition thereon ; which is continued unto them with a superaddition of glory and honour, as shall be elsewhere declared. God, then, having made himself two families unto his praise, amongst whom he would dwell, that above of angels, and this below of mankind, had sinning man,— which was the whole creation participating in human nature,—been utterly cast off, one family had been lost for ever, though so great a remnant of the other was preserved. Wherefore, as we shall after- wards see, it seemed good unto his infinite wisdom, as to preserve that portion of his superior family which sinned not, so to recover a portion of that below; and to make them up into one family, in one new head, his Son Jesus Christ; in whom he hath now actually gathered into one all things that are in heaven and earth, unto his praise and glory, Eph. i. 10.
It appears, then, that no certain conclusion can hence be drawn that man is left remediless in his sin and misery, because angels are so; seeing that although the whole cause of the difference made is to be referred unto the sovereign will, wisdom, and pleasure of God, yet there is that, appearing unto reason, which manifests a suitableness unto his excellencies in the distinction to be put between them.
15, There is, then, no necessary reason inducing us to believe that God hath left all mankind to perish in their sin and misery, under the curse, without any provision of a remedy; yea, there are on the other side evidences many and certain that there is a way provided for their recovery: for,--
First, The glorious properties of the nature of God, whose mani- festation and exaltation in all the works that outwardly are of him he designeth, do require that there should be salvation for sinners. Hyen this matter of the salvation of sinners conduceth, yea, is neces- sary, unto the manifestation of some of those divine excellencies wherein no small part of the glory of God doth consist. God had, in the creation of all things, glorified his greatness, power, wisdom, and goodness. His sovereignty, righteousness, and holiness, he had in like manner revealed in that holy law which he had prescribed unto angels and men for the rule of their obedience, and in the as- signation of their reward. Upon the sin of angels and men, he had made known his severity and vindictive justice, in the curse and punishment inflicted on them. But there were yet remaining un- discovered, in the abyss of his eternal essence, grace and pardoning mercy; which in none of his works had as yet exerted themselves or manifested their glory. And in case no remedy be provided for mankind under the evils mentioned, and their utter ruin, as they must have perished accordingly, so those glorious properties of the nature of God,—all ways of exerting their proper and peculiar acts
160 MESSIAH, THE DELIVERER FROM EVIL, [EXERC. VIII.
being secluded, all objects of them removed,—could not have been equally glorified with his other holy attributes. The creatures know nothing in God but as it is manifested in its effects. His essence in itself dwells in “ light inaccessible.” Had never any stood in need of grace and mercy, or, doing so, had never been made partakers of them, it could not have been known that there was that kind of goodness in his nature, which yet it is his design principally to glo- rify himself in. The necessity, therefore, of the manifestation of these properties of God, his goodness, grace, mercy, and readiness to forgive, which can only be exercised about sinners, and that in their relief and salvation from sin and misery, do require that the deliverance inquired after be admitted, and justly expected. And this expectation is so much the more just, and firmly grounded, in that there is nothing in himself which the Lord more requireth our conformity unto himself in, than in this condescension, goodness, grace, and readiness to forgive; which manifests how dear the glory of them is unto him.
Secondly, To what end shall we conceive the providence and patience of God to be exercised towards the race of mankind for so long a season in the earth? We see what is the general issue and event of the continuance of poole in the world; God saw it and complained of it long ago, Gen. vi. 5, 6. Shall we now think that God hath no other design, in his patience towards mankind for so many generations, but merely to suffer them all and every one with- out exception to sin against him, dishonour him, provoke him, that so he may at length everlastingly destroy them? That this, indeed, is the event with many, with the most, through their own perverse wickedness, blindness, and love of the “ pleasures of sin,” cannot be denied ; but to suppose that God hath no other design at all but merely iby his patience to forbear them a while in their folly, and then to avenge himself upon them, is unsuitable unto his wisdom and goodness. It cannot be, then, but that he would long since have cut off the whole race, if there were no way for them to be de- livered out of this perishing condition. And although this way, whatever it be, is not effectual towards all, yet for their sakes to- wards whom, through the grace of God, it is and shall be so, is the patience of God exercised towards the whole race of mankind, and their being is continued in this world. Other reason of this dispen- sation of divine wisdom and goodness can none be assigned.