A26796:256
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.
1. There was no discovery of it in the Creation: the Voice of the Heavens instruct us concerning the being of God, but not in the secrets of his Will. The economy of Mans Redemption is the merciful design of God, which hath no connection with the existence of the creatures, but depends only upon his good pleasure. 'Tis as impossible to read the Divine Decrees in the Volume of the World, as for the eye to discover a sound, which hath neither Figure, Colour, nor visible motion. Besides, the Glorious Nature of God in three Persons, which is the foundation of this Mysterious Mercy, is not made known by the visible frame of the Universe. 'Tis true in all External Works the three Persons are equally concerned: being of one Essence, they are of one Efficacy, and the Essential perfections of the Deity as they concur, so they are evident in the production of all things. The first motive is Goodness, that which orders and directs is Wisdom:1 that which executes is Power. And the several ranks of Creatures, according to their state, reflect an honour on their Author. Things endued with life, declare him to be the fountain of Life, and intellectual creatures represent him to be the Father of Lights. But the personal being as Personal, operating nothing out of the Divine Nature, ⟨p. 109⟩there is no resemblance in the World that expresses the Distinction, Propriety, and Singularity of the Persons, so as to discover them to the humane understanding. Those deeper Mysteries of the Deity are only made known by the Word of God.
1. There was no discovery of it in the Creation: the Voice of the Heavens instruct us concerning the being of God, but not in the secrets of his Will. The oeconomy of Mans Redemption is the merciful design of God, which hath no connection with the existence of the creatures, but depends only upon his good pleasure. 'Tis as impossible to read the Divine Decrees in the Volume of the World, as for the eye to discover a sound, which hath neither Figure, Colour, nor visible motion. Besides, the Glorious Nature of God in three Persons, which is the foundation of this Mysterious Mercy, is not made known by the visible frame of the Universe. 'Tis true in all External Works the three Persons are equally concerned: being of one Essence, they are of one Efficacy, and the Essential perfections of the Deity as they concur, so they are evident in the production of all things. The first motive is Goodness, that which orders and directs is Wisdom: