1. As to the Design. God was well-pleased, that lapsed Mankind should be restored, at the first God was pleased with his ⟨p. 139⟩Creation, Exod. 31. 17. on the seventh day he rested, and was refreshed, that is recreated in the View of his Works, as the effects of his Wisdom, Power and Goodness. And Psal. 104. 31. The Lord shall rejoice in his works. The Lord saw all to be good, in the beginning and working not to be repented of: This was Gods Rest and Sabbath, to take delight in his Works. When he looked on it altogether, behold it was exceeding good; but afterwards Man, the ungrateful part of the Creation, though the Masterpiece of it, in this visible and lower world, fell from God his Creator, and preferred the Creature before him, to his Loss and Ruin; then God was so far displeased, that he had Reason to wish the destruction of Mankind; it is said Gen. 6. 6. That it repented God that he had made man. That is, he was displeased with us, estranged from us; no more contented with us, than a man is in what he repenteth of: For properly God cannot repent, but this is an Expression to show how odious we were grown to him, Psal. 14. 2, 3. The Lord looked down from heaven upon the children of men to see if there were any that did understand and did seek after God. They are all gone aside, they are altogether become filthy, there is none that doth good no not one. Alas ⟨p. 140⟩there is a lamentable appearance of Mankind to Gods sight, now nothing good to be found in them; an universal Defection, both in Piety and Humanity. But then Christ undertook the Reparation of Mankind, and the Design was pleasing to God, that he might not lose the glory of his Creation, and all flesh be utterly destroyed, Col. 1. 19, 20. It pleased the father that in him should all fullness dwell, and having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things to himself. The restoring of fallen Man to Friendship with God, and all things tending to it, were highly pleasing to God, namely, that Jesus Christ, the second Person in the Trinity should become a Mediator, for that end he had a great Affection and liking to this thing. [Greek or Hebrew], it is the same word used here, the thing is highly pleasing to God, that the Breach should be made up;
1. As to the Design. God was wellpleased, that lapsed Mankind should be restored, at the first God was pleased with his ⟨p. 139⟩Creation, Exod. 31. 17. on the seventh day he rested, and was refreshed, that is recreated in the View of his Works, as the effects of his Wisdom, Power and Goodness. And Psal. 104. 31. The Lord shall rejoyce in his works. The Lord saw all to be good, in the beginning and working not to be repented of: This was Gods Rest and Sabbath, to take delight in his Works. When he looked on it altogether, behold it was exceeding good; but afterwards Man, the ungrateful part of the Creation, though the Masterpiece of it, in this visible and lower world, fell from God his Creator, and preferred the Creature before him, to his Loss and Ruine; then God was so far displeased, that he had Reason to wish the destruction of Mankind; it is said Gen. 6. 6. That it repented God that he had made man. That is, he was displeased with us, estranged from us; no more contented with us, than a man is in what he repenteth of: For properly God cannot repent, but this is an Expression to show how odious we were grown to him, Psal. 14. 2, 3. The Lord looked down from heaven upon the children of men to see if there were any that did understand and did seek after God. They are all gone aside, they are altogether become filthy, there is none that doth good no not one. Alas ⟨p. 140⟩there is a lamentable appearance of Mankind to Gods sight, now nothing good to be found in them; an universal Defection, both in Piety and Humanity. But then Christ undertook the Reparation of Mankind, and the Design was pleasing to God, that he might not lose the glory of his Creation, and all flesh be utterly destroyed, Col. 1. 19, 20. It pleased the father that in him should all fulness dwell, and having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things to himself. The restoring of fallen Man to Friendship with God, and all things tending to it, were highly pleasing to God, namely, that Jesus Christ, the second Person in the Trinity should become a Mediator, for that end he had a great Affection and liking to this thing. 〈non-Latin alphabet〉, it is the same word used here, the thing is highly pleasing to God, that the Breach should be made up;
