A26796:696
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. In order to the restoring of Holiness to lapsed Man, the Lord Christ purchased and conveys the Spirit to them. A state of Sin includes a total privation of Holiness, and an active contrariety against it. The Sinner is dead as to the Spiritual Life, and a•••nable to revive himself, as a carcass is to break the gates of Death and return to the light of the world: but he lives to the Sensual Life; and expresses a constant opposition to the Law of God. He is without strength as to his Duty, not able to conceive an holy thought, or to excite a sincere and ardent desire towards Divine things; but hath strong ⟨p. 370⟩inclinations of Will, and great Power for that which is evil. Now to restore Spiritual Life to the dead Soul, and to conquer the living enmity that is in it against Holiness, no less than the Divine Power was requisite. And the effecting this is peculiarly attributed to the Spirit. Our Saviour tells Nicodemus, 1Except a man be born of water, and of the Holy Ghost, he cannot see the Kingdom of God. And the Apostle saith, That according to his Mercy He saves us, by the washing of Regeneration, and by the renewing of the Holy Ghost. 2As in the Creation, where all the Persons concurred, 'twas the motion of the Spirit that conveyed the Life of Nature; So in the Renovation of the World, where they all cooperate, 'tis the powerful working of the Spirit that produces the Life of Grace. He visits us in the grave, and inspires the breath and flame of Heaven to animate and warm our dead hearts. 'Twas requisite not only that the Word should take Flesh, but that Flesh should receive the Spirit, to quicken and enable it to perform the acts of the Divine Life. 'Tis for this reason the third Person is frequently styled in Scripture the Holy Spirit. That Title hath not an immediate respect to his Nature, but to the Operations which are assigned to Him, in the admirable Economy of our Redemption. 'Tis not upon the account of his essential and eternal Purity, which is common to all the Persons, but in regard of his Office, to infuse Holiness into the depraved Soul, and renew the Divine Image, that he is so called. Now Jesus Christ purchased the Spirit by his Humiliation and Sufferings, and conveys Him to us in his Exaltation and Glory.