A26796:343
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.
4. Every Man as descending from Adam, is born a Sacrifice to Death. His condition in this world is so wretched and unworthy the original excellency of his Nature, that it deserves not the name of Life: 'Tis a continual exercise of sinful Actions dishonourable to God, and damning to himself, and after the succession of a few Years in the defilements of Sin, and the accidents of this frail state, in doing and suffering evil, Man comes to his fatal Period, and falls into the bottomless Pit, the place of Pollutions and Horrors, of Sin and Torments. 'Tis there That the wrath of God abides on him; 1and who knows the power of his wrath? According to his fear so is his wrath. Fear is an unbounded Passion, and can extend it self to the apprehension of such Torments, which no finite Power can inflict: But the Wrath of God exceeds the most jealous fears of the guilty Conscience. It proceeds from infinite Justice, and is executed by Almighty Power, and contains eminently all kinds of evils. A Lake of flaming Brimstone, and whatever is most dreadful to Sense, is but an imperfect Allusion to represent it.
And how great is that Love which pitied & rescued us from Sin and Hell? This Saving Mercy is set out for its tenderness and vehemence by the commotion of the bowels, at the sight of one in misery:1 especially the working of the Mother's, when any evil befalls her Children: Such an inward deep resentment of our distress was in the Father of Mercies. When we were in our blood, He said to us, Live. 2And that which further discovers the eminent degree of his Love is, that He might have been unconcerned with our Distress, and left us under despair of Deliverance. ⟨p. 166⟩