A26796:821
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.
Now that Christ is the Son of God, and Redeemer of the World, was miraculously declared from Heaven by the whole Divinity, There are Three that bear Record in Heaven, the Father, and the Word, 1and the Holy Ghost, and these three are One. The Father testified by a Voice as loud as Thunder at his Baptism, and Transfiguration, Thou art my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. 2The Son by his glorious apparition to Paul, when He struck him to the earth with these words, Why persecutest thou me? The Light was so radiant, the Voice so strong,3 the impression it made so deep and sensible, that he knew it came from God. And He manifested Himself to St. John with that brightness, That he fell at his feet as dead, till in compassion He revived him, and said, ⟨p. 468⟩I am He that liveth and was dead, 4and behold I am alive for evermore. And the Holy Spirit by his miraculous descent in the shape of a Dove upon Him, and in fiery Tongues upon the Apostles, gave a visible testimony that Jesus Christ was sent from God to save the World. I will particularly consider one Effect of the Divine Power, the Resurrection of Christ, this being the most important Article of the Gospel, and the demonstration of all the rest. For 'tis not conceivable that God would by his Almighty Power have raised Him from the Grave to a glorious Life, (and it is impossible He should be otherwise) if He had taken the Name of the Son of God in vain, and arrogated to himself Divine Honour, and only pretended that he was sent from Him. By the Resurrection He was declared to be the Son of God with Power. 5For that being the proof of his Mission, justifies the truth of his Doctrine, and particularly of the quality of God's Son, which He always attributed to Himself. Now if Infidelity object, that we who live in the present Age have no sensible testimony that Christ is risen, and what assurance is there, that the Apostles who reported it were not Deceivers or deceived? In Answer to this, I will briefly […] how valuable the Testimony of the Apostles is, and worthy of all acceptation; and that 'twas equally impossible they should be deceived, or intend to deceive. His Death is attested by his Enemies. […] a Pagan relates that He Suffered under Pontius Pilate. And the Jews to this day […] so unhappy as to boast of their being the causes of his Crucifixion, and call him by a name that is the mark of his Punishment.