GOD All-sufficient must needs be his own happiness ; he hath his Being from himself , and his happiness is no other than his being radiant with all Excellencies , and by intellectual and amatorious reflexions , turning back into the fruition of it self . His Understanding hath prospect enough in his own infinite Perfections : his Will hath rest enough in his own infinite Goodness ; he needed not the pleasure of a World , who hath an eternal Son in his bosom to joy in ; nor the breath of Angels or men , who hath an eternal Spirit of his own : he is the Great All , comprizing all within himself : nay , unless he were so , he could not be God . Had he let out no beams of his glory , or made no intelligent creatures to gather up and return them back to himself , his happiness would have suffered no eclipse or diminution at all : his Power would have been the same , if it had folded up all the possible Worlds within its own arms , and poured forth never an one into being to be a monument of it self . His Wisdom the same , if it had kept in all the orders and infinite harmonies lying in its bosom , and set forth no such series and curious contexture of things as now are before our eyes . His Goodness might have kept an eternal Sabbath in it self , and never have come forth in those drops and models of Being which make up the Creation . His Eternity stood not in need of any such thing as time or a succession of instants to measure its duration ; nor his Immensity of any such Temple as Heaven and Earth to dwell in , and fill with his presence . His Holiness wanted not such pictures of it self as are in Laws or Saints ; nor his Grace such a channel to run in as Covenants or Promises . His Majesty would have made no abatement , if it had had no train or host of creatures to wait upon it , or no rational ones among them , such as Angels and men , to sound forth its praises in the upper or lower World . Creature-praises , though in the highest tune of Angels , are but as silence to him , as that Text may be read , Psalm 65.1 . Were he to be served according to his Greatness , all the men in the World would not be enough to make a Priest , nor all the other creatures enough to make a Sacrifice fit for him ; Is it any pleasure to him that thou art righteous , saith Eliphaz , Job 22.3 ? No doubt he takes pleasure in our righteousness , but the complacence is without indigence ; and while he likes it , he wants it not .

That such an infinite All-sufficient One should manifest himself , must needs be an act of admirable supereffluent Goodness ; such as indeed could not be done without stooping down below his own Infinity , that he might gratifie our weakness . Those two Hebrew words , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , which imports flesh or weakness , and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , which is to annunciate and declare good tidings , are of a neer affinity . In the mysterie of the Incarnation God came down into our flesh ; and in every other manifestation of himself , he comes down , as it were , into the weakness of creatures or notions , that we , who cannot hear or understand the eternal Word in it self , or enter the Light inaccessible , might see him in reflexes and finite glasses , such as we are able to bear . Every manifestation imports condescension . The World , as fair and goodly a structure as it is , is but instar puncti aut nihili , like a little drop or small dust to him . Creature-reason , though a divine particle , and more glorious than the Sun it self , is but a little spark for the Infinite Light to shew himself in . No words , no not those in the purest Laws and richest Promises , are able to reach him ; who , as an Ancient hath it , is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , Essence , Goodness , Wisdom , all in hyperbole , in a transcendent excess above words or notions . His Name is above every name ; nevertheless , he humbles himself to appear to our minds in a Scripture-image ; nay , to our very senses in the body of Nature , that we might clasp the arms of Faith and Love about the holy beams , and in their light and warmth ascend up to their great Original , the Father of Lights and Mercies .

God hath manifested himself many ways . He set up the material World , that he , though an invisible Spirit , might render himself visible therein : all the hosts of Creatures wear his colours . Sensible things ( say the Platonists ) are but the types and resemblances of spiritual , which are the primitive and archetypal Beings . Every thing here below ( say the Jewish Cabalists ) hath some root above , and all Worlds have the print and seal of God upon them . Eternity shadows forth it self in time ; infinite Power , Wisdom , and Goodness , pourtray out themselves upon finite things in such legible characters , that , as soon as we open our eyes upon them , we see innumerable creatures pointing to the Creator , and teaching that Wisdom , which Archytas the Philosopher placed in the reduction of all things to one great Original . Almighty Power hath printed it self upon the World , nay , upon every little particle of it : all the creatures came out of nothing , and between that and Being is a very vast gulf . It was an infinite Power , which filled it up and fetched over the creatures into Being ; it was an Almighty Word , which made the creatures at an infinite distance hear and rise up out of nothing . The old Axiom , Ex nihilo nihil sit , is Natures limit and a true measure of finite powers ; but when , as in the Creation , Nature overflows the banks , when Nullity it self springs up and runs over into a World , we are sure , that the moving Power was an Infinite one . And as infinite Power appears in the being of the creatures , so doth infinite Wisdom in their orders and harmonies . The curious Idea's and Congruities , which before were latent in the divine breast , are limned out upon outward and sensible things , standing in delicate order and proportion before our eyes . The World is a System of contraries made up into one body , in which disagreeing natures conspire together for the common good : each creature keeps its station , and all the parts of Nature hang one upon another in a sweet confederacy . Meer natural Agents operate towards their ends , as if they were Masters of Reason , and hit their proper mark , as if they had a providence within them . Such things as these teach us to conclude with Zeno , that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , Reason , is the Great Artist which made all ; and to break out with the Psalmist , O Lord ! how manifold are thy works ? in wisdom hast thou made them all . And as the two former Attributes shew forth themselves in the creatures , so also doth infinite Goodness : all the drops and measures of goodness in the creature lead us to that infinite Goodness , which is the Fountain and Spring of all . Pherecydes the Philosopher said , That Jupiter first transformed himself into Love , and then made the World ; he , who is essential Love , so framed it , that Goodness appears every-where : it shines in the Sun , breathes in the Air , flows in the Sea , and springs in the Earth ; it is Reason in Men , sense in Brutes , life in Plants , and more than meer Being in the least particles of matter . The Manichees , who would have had their Name from pouring out of Manna , did brook their true name from Mania , that is , Madness , in denying so excellent a World to be from the good God . The light in their Eyes , breath in their Nostrils , bread in their Mouths , and all the good creatures round about them , were pregnant refutations of their sensless Heresy : the prints of goodness everywhere extant in Nature , shew the good hand which framed all .

In the making of Man in his original integrity , there was yet a greater manifestation . In other creatures there were the footsteps of God , but in Man there was his Image ; a natural Image in the very make of his Soul , in the essential faculties of Reason and Will , upon which were derived more noble and divine prints of a Deity than upon all the World besides . And in that natural Image there was seated a moral one , standing in that perfect knowledg and righteousness , in which more of the beauty and glory of God did shine forth , than in the very essence of the Soul it self . His Mind was a pure Lamp of Knowledg without any mists or dark shades about it , his Will a mirrour of Sanctity and rectitude without any spot in it ; and , as an accession to the two former images , there was an image of Gods Soveraignty in him , he was made Lord over the brutal World ; without , the beasts were in perfect subjection to him : and within , the affections . Now to such an excellent creature , in his primitive glory , with a Reason in its just 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or full stature , the World was a very rare Spectacle ; the stamps and signatures upon the creatures looked very fresh to his pure Paradisical eyes : from within , and from without , he was filled with illustrious rays of a Deity : he saw God everywhere ; within , in the frame and divine furniture of his Soul , and without , in the creatures and the impresses of goodness on them : he heard God every-where , in his own breast in the voice of a clear unvailed Reason , and abroad in the high language and dialect of Nature . All was in splendor , the World shone as an outward Temple , and his heart was in lustre like an Oracle or inward Sanctuary ; every thing in both spake to Gods honour . Such an excellent appearance as this , was worthy of a Sabbath to celebrate the praises of the Creator in . But alas ! Sin soon entred and cast a vail upon this Manifestation ; on the World there fell a curse , which pressed it into groans and travelling pains of vanity ; the Earth had its Thistles , the Heavens their spots and malignant influences , all was out of tune , and jarring into confusion . In Man all the Images of God more or less suffered , the orient Reason was miserably clouded , the holy Rectitude utterly lost : without , the beasts turned rebels ; and within , the affections . Nevertheless God , who is unwearied in Goodness , would further manifest himself . Promises of the Messiah , and of grace in him , brake forth unto lapsed man ; and as appendants thereof there came forth Sacrifices and other types to be figures of heavenly things , and a kind of Astrolabe to the pious Jews , that by earthly things they might ascend unto Celestial . Also the Moral Law was given forth by God , the spiritual Tables being broken , material ones were made ; Holiness and Righteousness being by the fall driven out of their proper place , the heart of man , were set forth in letters and words in the Decalogue . This was so glorious a manifestation , that the Rabbins say , that Mountains of sense hang upon every Iota of it . The Psalmist in the 19th Psalm , having set forth how the Sun and Heavens shew forth Gods glory , raises up his discourse to the perfect Law , which , as it enlightens the inward man , is a brighter luminary than the Sun which shines to sense ; and , as it comprizes all duties within it self , is a nobler circle in Morality , than the Heavens which inviron all other bodies are in Nature . The Commandment , saith the Psalmist , is exceeding broad , Psalm 119.96 : it is an Ocean of Sanctity and Equity , such as humane Reason , the soul and measure of civil Laws , cannot search to the bottom . Love to God and our Neighbour is the center of it ; and as many right lines as may be drawn thither , so many are the duties of it . Whatsoever it be , that makes up the just posture of man towards his Maker or fellow-creatures , is required therein . Humane Laws are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , movable orders , such as turn about with time ; but the Moral Law is by its intrinsecal rectitude so immortalized , that , as long as God is God , and man man , it cannot be altered .

After all these Manifestations , God revealed himself to the World in and by Jesus Christ ; this is the last and greatest appearance of all . In the inferiour creatures there is a footstep of God , but not his Image ; in man there is his Image , but a finite , a created one : but Jesus Christ is the infinite increated Image of God . The nearer any creature doth in its perfections approach to God , the more it reveals him ; life shews forth more of him than meer being , sense than life , Reason than all the rest : but oh ! what a spectacle hath Faith , when an humane nature shall be taken into the Person of God , when the fulness of the Godhead shall dwell in a creature Hypostatically ! Here the Eternal Word which framed the World was made flesh ; the infinite Wisdom which lighted up Reason in man , assumed an Humanity ; never was God so in man , never was man so united to God , as in this wonderful Dispensation : more glory breaks forth from hence than from all the Creation . We have here the Center of the Promises , the substance of the types and shadows , the Complement of the Moral Law , and Holiness and Righteousness , not in letters and syllables , but living , breathing , walking , practically exemplified in the Humane nature of Jesus Christ .

JESUS CHRIST , as he is the eternal Son of God , is the brightness of his glory , and the express Image of his person , Heb. 1.3 . But because our weakness could not bear so excellent a Glory without being swallowed up by it , he veiled himself in our flesh , that he , who was light of light in the eternal Generation , might become the light of the World in an admirable Incarnation ; and such he was under a double notion . He may be considered either as revealing the Gospel , and thus he is the great Prophet , who from his Fathers bosom brought down so many pretious truths and mysteries to the World ; or else as set forth in the Gospel in his conception , birth , life , death , resurrection and exaltation at Gods right hand ; and thus he is speculum Theologiae , a pure glass of Divinity . Hence the Apostle tells us , that the light of the knowledg of the glory of God is in the face of Jesus Christ , 2 Cor. 4.6 . This latter Notion is that which this discourse aims at , to contemplate those many Truths which are either lively expressed in the Incarnate Word , or may be reasonably drawn from that incomparable Dispensation .

God , that he might help our weakness , and attract our faith to himself , hath been pleased to come , as it were , out of his unapproachable light , and manifest himself in Attributes , such as Wisdom , Holiness , Justice , Grace , Mercy , Power , with the like . These Rays of the divine Perfection are let down on purpose , that we might sanctifie him in our hearts , that our souls might be in a posture of holy humility , faith , fear , love , joy , and obedience , suitable to those Excellencies in him . My first work therefore must be , to shew how these Attributes are displayed in Jesus Christ : We all with open face behold as in a glass the glory of the Lord , saith the Apostle , 2 Cor. 3.18 . Jesus Christ is that pure Glass wherein the glory of God , that is , the divine Attributes , so eminently shine forth to us , that we may contemplate them with open face .

To begin first with the Attribute of Wisdom ; this is the great Disposer , which in all things places the Center and draws the lines , fixes the end and harmonizes the means thereunto . There is a fair impress of it in the work of Creation , much more in that of Redemption : a Nobler end there cannot be than Gods glory in the Salvation of lost man , nor a more admirable means than God manifest in the flesh . This is the Wisdom of God in a Mystery , 1 Cor. 2.7 ; a thing more sublime than all the secrets in the Creation . Humane reason may by its own innate light go into the outward Temple of Nature , but into the Sanctuary of Evangelical mysteries it cannot , unless supernaturally illuminated , ever enter ; and when it is there , it is capable but of a little portion thereof : nay , the very Angels , who stoop down to pry into it , are not able to search it to the bottom , nor to tell over the treasures of Wisdom which are in it . This is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the manifold wisdom of God , Ephes. 3.10 . Never was such a constellation of Attributes as there is here : that Power , Wisdom , and Goodness which appeared in Creation , are here in greater lustre ; and over and above Holiness , Justice and Mercy shine forth in their orient Excellencies : never did the glory of God so break forth , as it doth in this wonderful Dispensation .

That we may the better view it , it will be requisite to consider , first , the obstacles in the way , and then how admirably the divine Wisdom did pass through them and accomplish the great Work .

The Obstacles were such as these :

1. Man turning apostate from his God and primitive Integrity , justly sunk himself into an horrible gulf of sin and misery . Sin lay upon him , and wrath for sin ; the broken Law pronounced Death , an eternal curse against him ; divine Justice appeared through the threatning like devouring fire , ready to catch hold on him as fit fuel for eternal flames ; unless Satisfaction were made , he must have gone into Hell , the proper place for irremediable sinners : in this forlorn estate , what may he , can he , do ? Shall he melt himself into repentant tears , or consecrate himself unto perpetual Holiness ? Alas ! depraved Nature cannot elevate it self unto these , nor will Grace dispense them to an unatoned sinner : nay , could they be had , they would be as finite nothings in comparison of that infinite Satisfaction which Justice calls for . Sin is an infinite evil , objectively infinite , a kind of deicidium , a striking at the Majesty , Holiness , Justice , nay , the very Life and Being of God , and without another deicidium , a crucifying the Lord of glory , which is a Sacrifice of infinite value , not to be expiated . Which consideration also tells us , that all the Angels in Heaven , though creatures without spot , could not have been able to have satisfied for the sin of man ; all that they have is but finite , the burden of Gods wrath was much too heavy for them : one sin sunk their fellow-Angels into chains of darkness , and how could they stand under a world of iniquity ? The titles of Saviour and Redeemer , which equal , if not exceed that of Creator , were too high for them : and how could they who knew their own station , and were confirmed therein , attempt or so much as cast an aspiring glance after them ? Upon the whole matter , we see this first Obstacle is such , as no creature in Heaven and Earth was able to remove out of the way .

2. Ex parte creaturae , the impossibility is apparent : may we look up to Heaven ? There seems to be a division above , a kind of variance among the divine Attributes : On the one hand Mercy , that tender indulgent Attribute , seems to melt and cry out over fallen man ; What! shall man , made after the divine Image ; a poor seduced creature , shall he , nay , his whole race Eternally perish ! shall I have never a Monument among the sons of men , nay , nor in the whole Creation ? shall nothing of the humane nature serve God or enjoy him ? On the other , Justice pleaded , That every one must have his due , the wages of sin is death ; the Majesty of Heaven must not be offended , nor his sacred Law violated without a just recompence . Holiness , which cannot but abhor sin , could do no less than stand on the same side . Truth remembred , that that threatning , moriendo morieris , Thou shalt surely die , was too sacred a thing to be made nothing of ; some way or other it ought to be satisfied . Thus the Attributes themselves seem to be at a distance .

3. Could a Ransom be found out to the content of Justice , how should man , depraved polluted man , be made capable of receiving such a benefit ? who should unscale his eyes , that he might look upon such a mystery ? who should break his iron-sinewed will , that he might yield to such terms , as Salvation was to be given upon ? It is certain , that blind impenitent creatures cannot enter into Heaven ; before they can arrive thither , their eyes must be opened upon the great Offer , their hearts must be dissolved into the divine Will ; and how this shall come to pass , is another difficulty . Now after the difficulties , let us see the admirable solution of them : when all finite understandings were posed and nonplust at the case of fal'n man , when neither men nor Angels could so much as start a thought touching a remedy , infinite Wisdom found out a way of Salvation for us . The incomparable contrivance was thus : A creature , a finite person could not satisfie Justice , but an infinite one shall do it . There are three persons in the sacred Trinity , but the Son of God shall do it ; He shall assume an humane nature ; in it He shall obey and die upon a Cross , and thereby he shall satisfie divine Justice , and purchase Grace and Eternal life for us . That the Son should do it rather than any other person , was very congruous many ways . Gods beloved One was fit to reconcile us , his essential Image was fit to repair the gracious one ; none could be more meet to usher in Adoption than Gods natural Son , nor to enlighten the World than the brightness of his glory : the Eternal Word Incarnate must needs be an excellent Prophet , the middle person in the sacred Trinity a most congruous Mediator . The blessed Father shewed forth himself in a former work in Creation ; the holy Spirit appears in a subsequent work , in Sanctification ; it was therefore very meet that the Son , the second person in the Trinity , should manifest himself in the middle work , in Redemption . But that we may look a little further into this admirable Design , it will not be amiss to fix our eyes upon those rare Conjunctions , which the divine Wisdom hath framed in order to our Salvation .