A26796:231
The harmony of the divine attributes in the contrivance and accomplishment of man's redemption…
The harmony of the divine attributes in the contrivance and accomplishment of man's redemption by the Lord Jesus Christ, or, Discourses wherein is showed how the wisdom, mercy, justice, holiness, power, and truth of God are glorified in that great and blessed work / by William Bates.The harmony of the divine attributes in the contrivance and accomplishment of man's redemption by the Lord Jesus Christ, or, Discourses wherein is shewed how the wisdom, mercy, justice, holiness, power, and truth of God are glorified in that great and blessed work / by William Bates.
London: printed by J. Darby for Nathaniel Ranew and Jonathan Robinson and Brabazon Aylmer, 1674
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
2. It was not fit that the Father should be incarnate, for He must then have sustained the part of a Criminal, and appeared in that quality before the Supreme Judg: But this was not consonant to the order among the Persons. For although they are of equal Majesty, being one God, yet the Father is the first Person, and to him it belongs most congruously to be the Guardian of the Laws and Rights of Heaven, to exact Satisfaction for offences, and to receive Intercessions for the Pardon of the Penitent.
2. It was not fit that the Father should be incarnate, for He must then have sustained the part of a Criminal, and appear'd in that quality before the Supreme Judg: But this was not consonant to the order among the Persons. For although they are of equal Majesty, being one God, yet the Father is the first Person, and to him it belongs most congruously to be the Guardian of the Laws and Rights of Heaven, to exact Satisfaction for offences, and to receive Intercessions for the Pardon of the Penitent.
3. Neither was it fit that the Third Person should undertake that work. For besides the Sacrifice for Propitiation, it was necessary the Divine Power should be exerted to enlighten the Minds, and incline the Wills of men to receive the Redeemer, that the Benefits of his Death might be applied to them.1 Now the Redeemer is considered as the Object, and the Holy Spirit as the Disposer of the faculty to receive it. And in the natural order of things, the object must exist before the operation of the faculty upon it. There must be Light before the Eye can see it. So in the disposition of the causes of our Salvation, the Redeemer must be ordained, and Salvation purchased before the Divine Power is put forth to enable the Soul to receive it, and accordingly 'tis the Office of the Spirit, who is the Power of God, 2and by whom the Father and the Son execute all things, to render effectual the Redemption procured by the Son: