The works of George Swinnock, M.A

3. The matter of them is heavenly and divine, ³the epitome of all equity and righteousness, the compendium of whatsoever is fit to be believed or ⟨p. 400⟩practiced. The Scripture is a perfect rule, both for faith and manners; It informeth us fully in our carriage towards God, and towards men; how we ought to walk in all relations and conditions; it forbiddeth evil, all evil, in the very thoughts; it commandeth good, whatsoever is good, in the whole course of our lives; It speaketh of such things as are far above reason, and yet nothing that is contrary to reason. The truths delivered in it, are many of them such as no humane or created capacity could have possibly invented, yet such as are all agreeable to a rational understanding. It would have exceeded the wisdom of an Angel • to have thought of such a sweet mixture of justice and mercy, as is discovered in the Gospel, about the redemption of fallen man; It teacheth the nature and excellency of God, the trinity of persons, the unity of essence, the immensity of all his attributes, how he is infinite in his being, wisdom, knowledge, holiness, mercy, and faithfulness; how he is a pure act, without the least passion; a perfect being, uncapable of any addition; eternal, without either beginning or ending; immutable, without the least alteration; incomprehensible, beyond all conceptions; omnipresent, without any circumscription; It instructeth us in the person, and offices, and states of the blessed Redeemer, how he being the Son of God, was partaker of the humane nature, that the Sons of men might be partakers of the divine nature. How God and Man were united in one person, that Man and God might be united in one Covenant; How the eternal God married our natures, that he might exalt ⟨p. 401⟩his boundless grace in marrying our persons; How man was the debtor, God-man the surety, who made satisfaction to God the Creditor. How he was born of a mean woman, that we might be born of the most high God; he was tempted, that he might conquer Satan for us, and succour us when tempted by him; what a life he led, filled with miracles and miseries; what a death he died, embittered with shame and pain, and all that we might be exalted to eternal honour and pleasure. How he triumphed over Death, the Grave, the Curse of the Law, Satan and Hell, in his Resurrection, and ascended into Heaven, leading Captivity Captive;