Of Communion with God the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost

now all this beauty was defaced by sin, and the whole ^uCreation rolled up in darkness, wrath, curses, confusion; and the great praise of God, buried in the heaps of it. Man especially was utterly lost, and came short of the Glory of God, for which he was created; Rom. 3. 23. Here now doth the Depth of the Riches of the Wisdom and knowledge of God open it self. A design in Christ, shines out from his bosom, that was lodged there from Eternity, to recover things to such an estate as shall be exceedingly to the advantage of his Glory, infinitely above what at first appeared; and for the putting of sinners into inconceivably a better condition then they were in, before the entrance of sin. He appears now glorious, he is known to be a God ^*pardoning iniquity and sin, and advances the Riches of his Grace, which was his design, Ephes. 1. 6. He hath infinitely vindicated his Justice also, in the face of Men, Angels, and Devils: in setting forth his Son for a ^xPropitiation. It is also to our Advantage, we are more fully established in his favour, and are carried on towards a more exceeding ^yweight of glory, then formerly was revealed. Hence was that ejaculation of one of the Ancients, O faelix culpa, quae talem meruit Redemptorem! Thus Paul tells us, great is the Mystery of Godliness; 1 Tim. 3. 16. and that without controversy. We receive Grace for grace^z, for that Grace lost in Adam, better Grace in Christ. Confessedly this is a depth of Wisdom indeed. And of the Love of Christ to his Church, and his Union with it, to carry on this business, this is a great Mystery, Eph. 5. 32. says the Apostle, great Wisdom lies herein.