to Justice against Believers for their abuse of Mercy but presently it receives this or the like answer from Justice Though 't is true O Law what thou say'st concerning this Believer's abuse of Mercy yet I am resolved to stand by this Believer because my Mercy has shone forth so abundantly by their Surety God over all in their Nature that a finite Being is not able to comprehend for says Justice if there had been but one of Adam's Off-Spring saved my Mercy would have been more display'd thereby than it would have been in the Salvation of all Mankind had they continued in their Innoceney for then God had only extended Mercy only to Loyal Subjects But for God as an Act of his Grace to save sinners by the Death of his Son was an extending of Grace to Rebellious Adam and his Rebellious Off-Spring which is a great Amplification thereof 4. As this Doctrin does inform us That the Sovereignty Holiness and Mercy of God are no losers by Believers with respect to their Nature in the Person of God over all so likewise the power of God has been more display'd in the Conception Death and Resurrection of Christ than it would have been in keeping Adam and all his Posterity in their State of Innocency Oh what power did the Spirit of God manifest in forming the Pure and Spotless Humanity of Christ of the Substance of a sinful Virgin And how was the Power of God manifested in bearing up of that Spotless Humanity under that Wrath the thousand part of which would have sunk the whole Creation So that when the Law cries to Justice for Vengeance against Believers for contemning of God's Power by acting in his sight contrary to his Nature it receives this or the like answer from Justice Though it is true O Law what thou sayst That Man has greatly contemned God's Power yet I am resolved notwithstanding to stand by this Believer because my power shone forth more in the Conception Death and Resurrection of their Surety who is God over all than it would have been in preserving Man in Innocency And besides says Justice to the Law my power has been as much display'd in infusing the habit of Grace into the Hearts of Believers Eph. 1.19 1. Pet. 1.5 and in keeping up that habit by constant supplies of persevering Grace as in making of Heaven and Earth 5. As the Power of God has been more magnified by God over all in Man's Nature than it would have been in the perseverance of all Mankind so has his Wisdom likewise for as Man did put a slight upon God's Wisdom when he consulted with Satan for the mending of his Condition yet there has been for that slight such satisfaction made to the Justice of God in Man's Nature by contriving that way for our Redemption which was infinitely above the reach of Human and Angelical Wisdom that when the Law cries out to Justice against sinners for putting of slights upon God's Wisdom when we go not to him for Direction in our important concerns Justice returns this or the like answer 'T is true O Law what thou sayst concerning the slights that have been put upon my Wisdom by sinners yet I am resolved to stand by this Believer notwithstanding forasmuch as the essential Wisdom of God and in whom is hid all the Treasures of Wisdom has managed that Work of Man's Redemption at such a rate as would have puzzel'd all the Angels in Heaven for what Angel could ever have imagined that the same Person should be the Satisfier which was the Satisfied But thus it was with God over all in Man's Nature for Christ as God was satisfied but Christ as God Man or Mediator was the Satisfier 6. As the Wisdom of God so the Truth of God has been more display'd by God over all in Man's Nature in the management of the Work of our Redemption than for ought that is revealed in the Scripture it would have been by Adam and all his Posterity had they continued in their Innocency for such was the Zeal of the Man Christ Jesus for the magnifying of his Father's Truth that notwithstanding the unutterable Torments that he was in upon the Cross he would not put a Period unto them by his Death till all those Prophesies were fulfilled that were to be accomplished by his Death and therefore it said That Jesus knowing all things that the Scriptures might be fulfilled said John 19.28 I thirst and therefore Christ is called the Faithful and True Witness In a word had Adam and all his Posterity continued in their Innocency there had been many True Men but there would not have been one Man Truth it self but the Man Christ Jesus is Truth it self and the Fountain of all Truth so that the Truth of God is greatly Glorified by God over all in Man's Nature 7. Last of all the Justice of God shines forth greatly in the Man Christ Jesus by laying upon him unconceiveable Sufferings for Sin imputed to him though not committed by him And certainly could the Justice of God have dispensed with Sin it would when it found it only by imputation upon the Darling of Heaven but such was the Severity of God's Justice that if Christ would undertake to pay our Debts God would not dispense with the non-payment of them 8. If Christ be God over all and that the Dignity of his Person has put such efficacy into his Sufferings as has made them infinitely meritotorious so as to make full Satisfaction to the Justice of God for all the Wrong that has been done to all his Attributes then this may inform us Rom. 3.26 1 Joh. 1.8 that the Justice of God is ingaged to Justifie a True Believer forasmuch as he has been fully satisfied by Christ the Believers Surety In a word though the Damned in Hell will never have satisfied Justice for which cause they must never come out of their Torment yet Christ who is God over all did satisfie the Justice of God to the uttermost Farthing 9. If Christ be God over all then this may inform us of the honourable and happy Condition of True Believers who are mystically one with Christ who is God over all by his Essential Union with the Father if it were such an honour to Hester to be relatively one with an Earthly Prince it must needs be a far greater honour to a True Believer to be mystically one with God over all who is King of Kings 10. If Christ be God over all this Doctrin may inform us what encouragement we have in this Day of Jacob's Troubles when contempt covers the Faces of the Saints to be importunate with God for the Deliverance of Sion and for the Exaltation of the Interest of Christ for if Christ be God over all he will make all his Implacable Enemies to feel the Force of his Irresistible Power in order to his own Glory and his Churches Good 11. If Christ be God over all this may
meritorious for the Satisfaction of the Justice of an infinite God over all for though I am not of the mind of Osiander and his Followers that we are justified by the imputation of the essential Righteouss of Christ as God yet it was the essential Righteousness of the Godhead of Christ that did make the Active and Passive Obedience of his Manhood infinitely meritorious as being in personal Union therewith for which cause the Blood of Christ's Humanity is called God's Blood Acts. 20.28 4. It was needful that our Redeemer should be God over all that he might be a suitable good to our Souls which are the very Breath of God over all and whose vast desires are such that none but God over all can satisfie them The World is empty of what it promises and enticing with what it has and therefore a wicked Man's desires after it are enlarged as Hell but can find no real satisfaction therein because they are below the excellent nature of his Soul but when God's Jehosaphats have a great confluence of outward Enjoyments God comes in the Creatures and so cures them of their emptiness and he come with them and cures them of their enticing property and between both he makes them Blessings to us and they yield unto us sweet satisfaction As the Spirit of the Living God enables us to make a sanctified use of them to the Glory of God from whom we do receive them and besides as the Soul of Man is a Spiritual Substance 't is only Christ who is a Spiritual Good that can be a suitable Good unto it and as the Soul of Man is an immortal Being so Christ is a suitablâ— Good unto it 5. It was needful that our Redeemer should be God over all that he might exalt our nature which was debased by sinning against God over all for however our first Parents were honourable Creatures as they came out of God's Hand having his Image stamped on them yet Man in precious honour lodged not a Night 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Psalm 49.12 but fell the same Day upon which he was created and by his Fall he made himself but little better thanthe Devils who was made but little lower than the Angels For in our first Creation there was such serenity in our Understanding that we knew the greatest Dimensions of our Maker's Will so far as was needful for our acknowledgment of his Sovereignty in our universal Obedience to his revealed Will and there was such a degree of Sanctity in Man's Will that it was ready to command that good to be done which the Understanding did dictate to be good and the Affections were ready to embrace that good which the Will commanded and the sensitive Soul which takes up its Residence in the Organical parts of the Body through which it issues forth by several Acts and receives in from several Objects were so sanctified as to make a Spiritual use of whatever was presented unto them But alas Man cannot be known by any Description that might have been given of him in his State of Innocency for now his Understanding is clouded with gross Egyptian Darkness and his Will is filled with Stubbornness and a Contumacious Spirit against the Lord and his Affections are irregularly set upon wrong Objects so that Man cannot be known in his lapsed State by any Description that might have been given of him before his Fall for which cause the Lord was please to say concerning Man that Man is as one 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from him that is one from the Devil through whose Temptation Man fell for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ever denotes the third Person singular and is so used four times in one Verse Zech. 10.4 whereas 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 denotes the first Person plural Now forasmuch as the Master-piece of God's Tetrestrial Workmanship had by Sin debased it self below the perishing Beast it was of absolute necessity that his Redeemer should be God over all to exalt his degraded Nature 6. It was needful that Man's Redeemer should be God over all that he might procure for us a new Covenant-right in God over all for by our Fall we lost not only our right in the Creature but that wherein our greatest loss did principally consist was that we lost our right and propriety in God now God being a Blessing of infinite worth it was neeful that a Person of infinite worth should by the merits of his Blood procure it for us 7. It was needful that our Reedeemer should be God over all because he had such Enemies to conquer for us that none but God over all could conquer for we had the Wrath of God the Curse of the Law and all the powers ofDarkness against us all which could never have been conquered but by God over all And had not these Enemies of our Souls been conquered by our Persons which could not have been expected but by a Redeemer in our nature we had been miserable for ever but to the eternal praise of God's Grace he was pleased to lay help upon one that was mighty who led Captivity Captive by conquering all his and our Enemies in our Nature Thus having shewed why it was needful that our Redeemer should be God over all I shall proceed to the Application 1. It may inform us of that Personal Union that is between the Father â—â—…l 2.2 Son and Holy Ghost â—â—…h â— 7 for the Father is God over all and the Son is God over all and the Holy Ghost is God over all and yet there are not three Gods over all but one God over all each Person in the Godhead having the whole essence of the Godhead in himself 2. If Christ be God over all then see from hence the infinite love of God the Father in giving to us such a Redeemer who is God over all If Jacob could say he was unworthy of the least of God's Mercies how are we obliged to him for Christ who is the greatest Mercy that he could have bestowed on us On which account we may say concerning the Love of the God of Knowledge as Job said concerning the knowledge of the God of Love That it is as high as Heaven what can we do 't is deeper than Hell What can we know the measures thereof are longer than the Earth and broader than the Sea 3. See the infinite love of Christ to sinners for if Christ had not been God over all his Death would have signified nothing for our comfort and being God over all John 3.16 Gal. 2.20 there could be no compelling of Christ to assume our nature but as God the Father did freely give his Son for sinners so God the Son did as freely give himself up unto Death for us 4. If Christ be God over all this may inform us of the Humility of Christ that he was pleased to take our Nature into a Personal Union with his Godhead after we had greatly degraded it by sin Oh what
infinite Humility did Christ manifest when he took upon him our Nature that he whom the Heaven of Heavens could not contain to be circumscribed in the Womb of a Virgin that he who dwells in inaccessable Light should be contented to be nine Months in utter Darkness Oh the condescending Grace of God over all that he who was from everlasting should be born in time That he who roles up the Heavens as a Scrole should himself be wrapped up in Swadling-bands that he who feeds all Creatures by his Providence should suck the Breast of a Woman for his maintenance that he who bares up the whole Fabrick of Heaven and Earth by his Power should be carried in the Arms of a Woman that he who is attened upon by Angels should be carried up and down by the Devils Luke 4.5 9. that he who is the Fountain of Joy should be contented to be a Man of Sorrows Isai 53.3 that he who is to be the Judge of Quick and Dead should be adjudged and condemned by a Man of his own making Oh the infinite Condescension of Christ that he who chastens the Heathen should be scourged by Mortals that he who is the Blessed God should hang upon a cursed Tree and that he who is the Fountain of Life should undergo the stroke of Death that he who hangs the Earth upon nothing should himself be hanged between Heaven and Earth And therefore the Apostle presents us with the Example of Christ as a Copy to write after Phil. 2.6 7. and a President to imitate 5. If Christ be God over all this amy inform us of our infinite Obligations to God the Holy Ghost for forming the Humanity of Christ of the Virgins substance so pure and holy that God over all did not disdain to take it into a Personal Union with himself and also for convincing us of sn whereby he emptyed the Soul of sinful worldly and righteous Self and thereby made room in our Hearts for the Reception of the Blessed efforts of the Death Resurrection Assension and Intercession of Jesus Christ 6. If Christ be God over all this may inform us that all the Perfections of God which have been affronted by Man's sin have gained by Man's Nature in the Person of Christ because of that Retribution that God over all has in our Nature made to God Perfections for which cause God is said to have received double for all our sins not by our Persons but by our Nature in the Peson of him who is God over all Isai 40.2 1. For the Sovereignty of God which has been prodigiously rejected by sinful Men whose Nature and Practice is ready to utter this wicked Language of Pharaoh Who is the Lord that I should obey him VVe will not have this man to reign over us This gloriour Perfection of God Exod. 5.2 Luke 19.14 has gained more by our Nature in the Person of Christ than it has lost by us for Christ who is God over all has owned and acknowledged the Sovereignty of God by praying to him and by obeying of him even unto Death so that when the Law is ready to cry to Justice for Vengeance against a Believer because of his sin says Justice 't is true Law what thou saiest concerning the sinfulness of those Believeing Repenting and Returning Sinners but yet I am so far from complying with thee to Damn them that I am resolved to stand by them and to justifie them Isai 40.2 for I have received double at their hands for their rejection of my Sovereignty for their nature in Personal Union with God over all has by all its Obedience unto Death honoured my Sovereignty more than Adam and all his Posterity could have done had they continued in their Innocency for then my Sovereignty had been honoured only by Creatures but now it is honoured by God over all in Man's Nature 2. As the Sovereignty of God has been more honoured by Christ than it could have been by Adam and all his Posterity had they continued in their Innocency so likewise the Holiness or God wherein consisted God's Image which Man defaced by his Fall has got more ground in our Nature as it is in Personal Union with God over all than it lost by the Fall of Adam for if Adam and all his Posterity had continued in their Holy State there would not have been so much Holiness in all their Persons as is in our Nature in the Person of Christ into whose Lips Grace was pouered Psal 45.3 and who received not the Spirit by measure John 3.24 So that when the Law is crying to Justice for Vengeance against True Believers for the loss of their Holiness says Justice I cannot Damn this Believer though their Persons have lost their Holiness because their Nature in Personal Union with God over all has more Holiness in it than ever they lost And beside says Justice as there is the Perfection of Holiness in their Political Head and representative God over all so I have likewise by the Almighty and irresistable power of my Spirit implanted my Image of Holiness in them as they are by Faith United to God the Fountain of Holiness from whom they do derive such Streams of Holiness which carry them with an Holy Holiness against the Wind and Tide of their corrupt Affections and Satans Temptations and the Worlds Allurements and the Frowns and Flatteries of wicked Relations in which respect the Holiness of true Believers is of a higher Nature than the Holiness of the Angels forasmuch as they in their Acts of Holiness meet with none of that Opposition as the Saints do while they are here in this World and though all this will not justifie them because of Adam's sin imputed to them and that sin which is implanted in them yet forasmuch as God over all has in their Nature not only purchased Justifying Grace for them but also Sanctifying Grace in them I am resolved to glorifie them notwithstanding all that thou O Law dost alledge against them for though they were deeply in my Debt I have received double at the Hands of their Surety and it would be an Act of Injustice in me to exact one Debt of two Persons 3. If Christ be God over all this may inform us that the Mercy of God has been no loser but a gainer by our Nature in the Person of God over all for the Mercy of God is more display'd in redeeming of us by the Death of Christ than it would have been by God's keeping of Adam and all his Posterity in their Primitive State of Happiness Oh who can take the Dimensions of that boundless Grace and Mercy of God that was display'd in sending of his only Son out of his Bosom to undergo his Wrath for sinners For though the Godhead of Christ was uncapable of suffering yet he was in Personal Union with the Manhood that did suffer the intolerable weight of God's Wrath for sinners and no sooner does the Law cry
inform us That a True Believer has nothing to do with the Condemning Power of the Law whensoever the Law threatens a True Believer for its Breach and Violation he may with comfort return it this answer Thou Holy Just and Good Law I know that I have deserved the Wrath and Curse of God for my Breach and Violation of thee but thou didst lay Violent Hands upon my Nature in Personal Union with God over all thy Maker and thou wouldst not leave him till thou hadst brought him to the cursed Tree where his Soul was made an Offering for Sin and a Curse for me that I might be Blessed through him and now Law though thou hast enough against my Person I fear not all thy Threatning Power forasmuch as I am by Faith United unto him who is God over all and who has answered all they Demands for me and as my Breach of thee was imputed to him so his Obedience of thee is imputed to me and though I do resolve in the strength of God's Grace to yield Obedience to God's Commands yet I shall rest only upon the Imputative Righteousness of Christ for Life and Salvation 12. If Christ be God over all this may inform us what encouragement Ministers have to Preach the the Gospel of the Kingdom to the greatest of Sinners for tho' we cannot Convert Sinners by our Preaching God over all can do what he pleases and he that has commanded us to Preach the Gospel John 9.6 Luke 13.13 and whose Glory is concerned therein is as able to open the Eyes of Men's Understandings as he was to open the Eyes of those that were born Blind he that made crooked Bodies straight is able to make crooked Wills straight in the Day of his Power Psal 110. He that raised Dead Bodies Eph. 2.1 is able to quicken Dead Souls and therefore let us be found in our Duty and leave the issue of all to God 13. If Christ be God over all then see what encouragement you Hearers have to be found in the discharge of your Duty towards Ministers forasmuch as God over all has said â—…ov 3.9 10. That if you honour the Lord with your substance and with the first-fruits of all your increase that your Barns shall be filled with plenty and your Presses shall burst out with new wine You Hearers What do you say to this Do you think that God over all is not able to make good his Promises or do you think to honour God more with your Substance than to contribute towards the Necessities of such Ministers who Study Night and Day to promote God's Glory and the Good of your Souls And beside you know not how little a time you have to shew your Love to the Ministers of Christ â—…ch 1.8 â—…ek 37. for though now all the Ministers of Christ are as Myrtles in the Bottom and as dry Bones in the Vallies God can put them under better Circumstances that they may have no need of your Bounty And therefore remember what the Apostle said to such that had contributed towards his Necessities That it was an odour of a sweet smell a sacrifice well-pleasing to God And for their incouragement to persevere in that Duty he adds But my God will supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus Phil. 4.18 19. And beside consider that when you come to lie upon a Death-Bed how will your Consciences torment you when you shall think what opportunities you have had to incourage a faithful Minister of Christ and either you did nothing at all of your Duty or that which was next to nothing And you are to remember that God expects your Contributions should be proportionable to what he has lent you in the World they that have but little God will accept of a little from them but those to whom God has given more he does expect more from them 14. If Christ be God over all this may inform us what incouragement Godly Parents have to send up strong cries to God for Rebellious Children seeing that when God over all ascended up on high and led Captivity Captive he received Gifts for Men even for the Rebellious also that the Lord God may dwell among them and therefore if any of you that are here present have Rebellious Children for whom you have poured out your Souls before the Lord and as yet you can perceive no change in your Children in answer of your Prayers be not discouraged God can answer your Prayers in the Conversion of your Children when you are Dead and Rotten And remember God's time is the best time he that Governs the World by his Wisdom and has founded the Earth by his Understanding and makes every thing beautiful in its Season knows the properest time for the answering of the Prayers of his People but suppose your Prayers should not be answered in the Conversion of your Children your desires thereof will find acceptance with God and your Prayers shall return to your own Bosom 15. If Christ be God over all this may inform us of the excellency of Faith whose Work and Office it is to Unite the Soul to Christ for which cause we are said to be Justified by Faith as it Unites us to a Justifying Christ 16. If Christ be God over all it may inform us of the evil of Sin which could be expiated by nothing short of the Death of Christ the malignity of 〈◊〉 does more appear in those Sufferings it brought where it was only by Imputation than in all the Forments of the Damned in whom it was by Implantation 17. Lastly see the Folly of Wicked Men that will for the Profits and Pleasures of Sin which are but for a season venture the loss of the Blessedness that is to be enjoyed in the enjoyment of Christ who will make True Believers Blessed so long as himself will be Blessed who is over all God blessed for ever Amen To conclude Let us make it our great Work and Business to clear up our Interest in him who is over all God blessed for ever and that by making of it sure to our Souls that he has Blessed us in turning of us from our Iniquities and in making of us to see our want of him and the worth of him so for as with the Spouse to say with our whole Souls That he is White and Ruddy the Chiefest among ten thousand and that he is altogether Lovely Songs 5.10 17. And that we may have the same Apprehensions of him as Moses had when he esteemed Reproaches for him to be greater Riches than all the Treasures of Egypt and in so doing though not for so doing we need not question but that Christ who is God Blessed for ever will make us for ever Blessed with him through his Merits without us as certainly as he has Blessed us with Preparation for that Glory by his Spirit within us FINIS