(1.) The Wisdom of Grace. The Gospel is a mere Riddle to Carnal Reason, a great Mystery; 1 Tim. 3.16. Great is the Mystery of Godliness. There we read of God and Man brought together, and Justice and Mercy brought together by the Contrivance of Grace. Here we only see this Mystery, that is without Controversy great, for these Things could not come into the Heads of any Creatures. If Angels and Men had been put to study, and set down their Way of Reconciliation to God, how it should be, they could never have thought of such a Remedy, as the bringing of God and Man together in the Person of Christ, and Justice and Mercy together by the Blood and Satisfaction of Christ; this came out of no Breast but God, he brought the Secret out of his own Bosom. When the Question was put in the Counsel of the Trinity, How Man that was fallen might be brought again to God, from the Depth of Misery, to the Height of Happiness? Grace interposed, and propounded Christ to be God-Man in one Person. O the strangeness and wonderfulness of this Contrivance! If you consider the Weakness and Vileness of Humane Nature, the Infiniteness and Excellency of the Divine Nature, certainly such a Plot could not enter into the Head of any Creature. Upon what Grounds could any Creature expect such a Condescension, that Mortal and Immortal, Infiniteness ⟨p. 12⟩and Finiteness should come together? And as the Person of Christ is wonderful, so also is his Work and Business, which was to bring Justice and Mercy to kiss each other; that Justice might have full Satisfaction for Mens Sins, and Mercy have full Content in procuring their Salvation, that Grace might be glorified, and yet Justice be no Loser. When God redeemed the World, he had a greater Work to do than to make the World at first: The Object of Creation was pure Nothing; but then, as there was no Help, so no Hinderance: But now in Redemption there was Sin to be taken away, and that was worse than any thing. We deserved Ill, his Justice and Truth had a Quarrel against us, and therefore this was the harder Work, and needed more of his Wisdom, which now is discovered fully to us in the Gospel. When God was to make Man, though he was to be his noblest Creature, next the Angels, it was nothing to the Divine Power to make him of the Dust of the Earth. Now Sin makes us worse than Earth: Job 30.8.
(1.) The Wisdom of Grace. The Gospel is a meer Riddle to Carnal Reason, a great Mystery; 1 Tim. 3.16. Great is the Mystery of Godliness. There we read of God and Man brought together, and Justice and Mercy brought together by the Contrivance of Grace. Here we only see this Mystery, that is without Controversy great, for these Things could not come into the Heads of any Creatures. If Angels and Men had been put to study, and set down their Way of Reconciliation to God, how it should be, they could never have thought of such a Remedy, as the bringing of God and Man together in the Person of Christ, and Justice and Mercy together by the Blood and Satisfaction of Christ; this came out of no Breast but God, he brought the Secret out of his own Bosom. When the Question was put in the Counsel of the Trinity, How Man that was fallen might be brought again to God, from the Depth of Misery, to the Height of Happiness? Grace interposed, and propounded Christ to be God-Man in one Person. O the strangeness and wonderfulness of this Contrivance! If you consider the Weakness and Vileness of Humane Nature, the Infiniteness and Excellency of the Divine Nature, certainly such a Plot could not enter into the Head of any Creature. Upon what Grounds could any Creature expect such a Condescention, that Mortal and Immortal, Infiniteness ⟨p. 12⟩and Finiteness should come together? And as the Person of Christ is wonderful, so also is his Work and Business, which was to bring Justice and Mercy to kiss each other; that Justice might have full Satisfaction for Mens Sins, and Mercy have full Content in procuring their Salvation, that Grace might be glorified, and yet Justice be no Loser. When God redeemed the World, he had a greater Work to do than to make the World at first: The Object of Creation was pure Nothing; but then, as there was no Help, so no Hinderance: But now in Redemption there was Sin to be taken away, and that was worse than any thing. We deserv'd Ill, his Justice and Truth had a Quarrel against us, and therefore this was the harder Work, and needed more of his Wisdom, which now is discovered fully to us in the Gospel. When God was to make Man, though he was to be his noblest Creature, next the Angels, it was nothing to the Divine Power to make him of the Dust of the Earth. Now Sin makes us worse than Earth: Job 30.8.
