Exercitations on the Epistle to the Hebrews

Lastly, We may add unto what hath been spoken the concernment of the glory of God in the Universe. For if man had been left for ever without Relief, the whole race or kind of Creatures, partakers of Humane Nature, had been utterly lost; nothing of that kind could ever have come unto the Enjoyment of God, nor could God have ever been glorified by them in a way of Thankfulness and Praise, which yet was the End why he made that sort of Creatures. For the whole race of them as to the Event would have been mere Objects of Wrath and Displeasure. But in the Fall of Angels, they were only a certain number of individuals, that sinned, the whole kind was not lost as to the first End of their Creation. Angelical Nature was preserved in its orderly dependence on God, in those millions that kept their Obedience, and Primitive condition thereon, which is continued unto them with a superaddition of Glory and Honour, as shall be elsewhere declared. God then having made himself two Families unto his Praise, amongst whom he would dwell, that above of Angels, and this below of mankind, had sinning Man, which was the whole Creation participating in Humane Nature, been utterly cast off, one Family had been lost for ever, though so great a Remnant of the other was preserved. Wherefore, as we shall afterwards see, it seemed good unto his Infinite Wisdom, as to preserve that Portion of his Superior Family which sinned not, so to recover a portion of that below, and to make them up into one Family in one New Head, his Son Jesus Christ, in whom he hath now actually gathered into One, all things that are in Heaven and Earth unto his Praise and Glory, Ephes. 1.10. It appears then that no certain conclusion can hence be drawn, that man is left remediless in his Sin and Misery, because Angels are so; seeing that although the whole Cause of the difference made is to be referred unto the Sovereign Will, Wisdom and Pleasure of God, yet there is that appearing unto Reason, which manifests a suitableness unto his Excellencies in the distinction to be put between them.

Lastly, We may add unto what hath been spoken the concernment of the glory of God in the Ʋniverse. For if man had been left for ever without Relief, the whole race or kind of Creatures, partakers of Humane Nature, had been utterly lost; nothing of that kind could ever have come unto the Enjoyment of God, nor could God have ever been glorified by them in a way of Thankfulness and Praise, which yet was the End why he made that sort of Creatures. For the whole race of them as to the Event would have been meer Objects of Wrath and Displeasure. But in the Fall of Angels, they were only a certain number of individuals, that sinned, the whole kind was not lost as to the first End of their Creation. Angelical Nature was preserved in its orderly dependance on God, in those millions that kept their Obedience, and Primitive condition thereon, which is continued unto them with a superaddition of Glory and Honour, as shall be elsewhere declared. God then having made himself two Families unto his Praise, amongst whom he would dwell, that above of Angels, and this below of mankind, had sinning Man, which was the whole Creation participating in Humane Nature, been utterly cast off, one Family had been lost for ever, though so great a Remnant of the other was preserved. Wherefore, as we shall afterwards see, it seemed good unto his Infinite Wisdom, as to preserve that Portion of his Superiour Family which sinned not, so to recover a portion of that below, and to make them up into one Family in one New Head, his Son Jesus Christ, in whom he hath now actually gathered into One, all things that are in Heaven and Earth unto his Praise and Glory,