A26796:454
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.
3. He that interposed as Mediator must be perfectly Holy, otherwise he had been liable to Justice for his own Sin. And guilty Blood is impure and corrupt, apter to stain by its effusion and sprinkling, than to purge away Sin. The Apostle joins these two as inseparable,1 He appeared to take away Sin, and in Him is no sin. The Priesthood under the Law was imperfect; as for other reasons, so for the sins of the Priests. Aaron the first and chief of the Levitical Order, was guilty of gross Idolatry, so that Reconciliation could not be obtained by their Ministry: For how can one Captive ransom another, or Sin expiate Sin? But our Mediator was absolutely innocent, without the least tincture of Sin original, or actual. He was conceived in a miraculous manner, infinitely distant from all the impurities of the earth. That which is produced in an ordinary way receives its propriety from second Causes, and contracts the defilement that cleaves to the whole species: Whatever is born of blood, and the will of the flesh, that is formed of the substance of the Flesh, and by the sensual Appetite is defiled: but though He ⟨p. 233⟩was formed of the substance of the Virgin, yet by virtue of an Heavenly Principle, according to the words of the Angel to her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, 2and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee; therefore also that Holy thing that shall be born of thee, shall be called the Son of God. He came in the appearance only of sinful flesh. As the Brazen Serpent had the figure,3 and not the poison of the fiery Serpent. He was without actual Sin; He foiled the Tempter in all his arts and methods wherewith he tried Him. He resisted the Lust of the Flesh, by refusing to make the stones Bread to assuage his Hunger; and the Lust of the Eyes, in despising the Kingdoms of the World with all their Treasures; and the Pride of Life, when he would not throw himself down, that by the interposing of Angels for His rescue, there might be a visible proof that He was the Son of God. The Accuser himself confessed Him to be the Holy One of God: 4