(4.) The perfection of the wniverse, or universality of beings, is to be regulated by their state, condition, and end. And this they had in their first creation, without any respect unto the incarnation of the Son of God; for the perfection of all things consisted in their relation unto God, according to the law and order of their creation, and their mutual regard unto one another, with respect unto the utmost end, or the manifestation of his glory. And also, their per- fection consisted in their subserviency unto the bringing of that creature to the enjoyment of God in blessedness for ever which was
SECT. 15.] PRIESTHOOD OF CHRIST. - 27
capable of it. And herein consisted the conjunction of the last crea- ture unto the First Principle, when, by the documents and helps of them that were made before, he was brought unto the enjoyment of God; for,—
(5.) That the conjunction of the last creature unto the First Prin- ciple, by way of personal union, was necessary unto the good of the universe, is a fancy that every one may embrace and every one re- ject at pleasure. But it may be justly conceived that it was more suitable unto order that the conjunction mentioned should have been between God and the first creature, namely, the angels; and reasons would have been pleaded for that order had it so come to pass. But the Son of God took not on him their nature, because he designed not to deliver them from sin, Heb. ii. 16, 17.
15. Secondly, It is further pleaded, “That human nature is not become more capacious of grace by sin than it was before; but now, after the entrance of sin, it is capable of the grace of union, which is the greatest grace. Wherefore, if man had not sinned human nature had been capable of this grace, neither would God have withheld any good from human nature whereof it was capable: therefore if man had not sinned God had been incarnate.”
Ans. (1.) Place angelical nature in the argument, as to that part of it which pleads that it must have all the grace which it is capable of, instead of human nature, and the event will show what force there is in this ratiocination; for angelical nature was capable of the grace of union, and God would not, it is said, withhold any thing from it whereof it was capable. But why, then, is it otherwise come to pass?
(2.) It must be granted (though, indeed, this argument is not much concerned therein one way or other) that human nature is both capable of more grace, and actually made partaker of more, after the fall, than it was capable of, or did receive before; for it is capable of merey, pardon, reconciliation with God, sanctification by the Holy Ghost, all which are graces, or gracious effects of the love and good- ness of God; and these things in the state of innocency man was not capable of. Besides, there is no difference in this matter; for the individual nature actually assumed into union was and was con- sidered as pure as in its first original and creation.
(3.) The ground of this reason lies in a pretence, that whatever any creature was capable of, not in, by, or from. itself, but by the power of God, that God was obliged to do in it and forit. And this is plainly to say that God did not communicate of his goodness and of his power unto the creatures according to the counsel of his will, but, producing them by the unavoidable destiny of some eter- nal state, he acted naturally and necessarily, “ad ultimum virium,” in their production. But this is contrary to the nature and being
28 THE ORIGIN OF THE [ EXERC. XXVI.
of God, with all the properties thereof. Wherefore, the creation is capable, in every state, of what God pleaseth, and no more. Its capacity is to be regulated by the will of God; and no more be- longed unto its capacity in the state of nature than God had assigned unto it by the law of creation.
(4.) It isa presumptuous imagination, to talk of the grace of union being due unto our nature in any condition. Why is it not so unto the nature of angels? or did our nature originally excel theirs? Besides, the Scripture everywhere expressly assigns it as an effect of free love, grace, and bounty, John ii. 16; 1 John iv. 9, 10.
(5.) That there should be an advance made beth of the glory of God and the good of the creature itself by the entrance of sin, is an effect of infinite wisdom and grace. Nor did Ged permit the en- trance of sin but with a design to bring about a glory greater and more excellent than the antecedent order of things was capable of. The state of grace exceeded the state of nature. In brief, God per- mitted that greatest evil, the fall of man, to make way for the intro- duction of the greatest good, in our restoration by the incarnation and mediation of his Son.
16. Thirdly, It is also pleaded, “That the mystery of the incar- nation was revealed unto Adam in the state of innocency; for upon the bringing of Eve unto him, he said, ‘This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh.’ But ‘ this,’ saith the apostle, ‘is a great mystery; but he speaks it ‘ concerning Christ and the church,’ Eph. v. 32. But man could not foresee or foreknow his own fall, no more than the angels could theirs; it follows, therefore, that he con- sidered the incarnation as it should have been had the state of inno- cency continued.”