A26796:748
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.
THE Divine Power is admirably glorified in the Creation of the World; not only in regard of the greatness of the Effect, that comprehends the Heavens and Earth, and all things in them: but in regard of the marvellous way of its Production: for He made the great Universe, without the ⟨p. 415⟩concurrence of any material cause from nothing. For this reason the raising this glorious Fabric is produced as the distinctive character of the Deity from the troop of false gods. The Psalmist declares, The Lord is to be feared above all gods, 1for all the gods of the Nations are Idols, but the Lord made the Heavens. And as He began the Creation by proceeding from nothing to real existence, so in forming the other parts, He drew them from infirm and indisposed matter, as from a second nothing; that all his Creatures might bear the real testimonies of Infinite Power. Thus He commanded Light to arise out of Darkness, and sensible Creatures from an insensible Element. He created Man, the accomplishment of all his Works, from the lowest and grossest Element the Earth. Now although at the first view we might conceive that the visible World is the greatest Miracle that ever God performed, yet upon serious reflection we shall discover, that the works of Grace are as wonderful as the works of Nature, and that the Power of God is as evidently expressed in our Redemption, as in the Creation. For the fuller understanding of this, I will consider some of the principal Effects of the Divine Power in order to our blessed Recovery.
THE Divine Power is admirably glorified in the Creation of the World; not only in regard of the greatness of the Effect, that comprehends the Heavens and Earth, and all things in them: but in regard of the marvelous way of its Production: for He made the great Universe, without the ⟨p. 415⟩concurrence of any material cause from nothing. For this reason the raising this glorious Fabrick is produc•d as the distinctive character of the Deity from the troop of false gods. The Psalmist declares, The Lord is to be fear•d above all gods, 1