descension in forgiveness, tempered with exact justice and severity; Rom. iii. 25. God is said, 'to set forth Christ to be a propitiation in his blood to declare his righteousness in the forgiveness of sin:' his righteousness is also manifested in the business of forgiveness of sins; and therefore it is every where said to be wholly in Christ; Eph. i. 7. So that this gospel grace, and pardoning mercy is alone purchased by him, and revealed in him. And this was the main end of all typical institutions, to manifest that remission and forgiveness is wholly wrapped up in the Lord Christ, and that out of him there is not the least conjecture to be made of it, nor the least morsel to be tasted. Had not God set forth the Lord Christ, all the angels in heaven and men on earth could not have apprehended, that there had been any such thing in the nature of God, as this grace of pardoning mercy. The apostle asserts the full manifestation, as well as the exercise of this mercy to be in Christ only; Tit. iii. 4, 5. After that the kindness and love of God our Saviour towards man appeared;' namely, in the sending of Christ, and the declaration of him in the gospel, then was this pardoning mercy, and salvation not by works discovered.

And these are of those properties of God, whereby he will be known, whereof there is not the least glimpse to be obtained, but by and in Christ; and whoever knows him not by these, knows him not at all. They know an idol, and not the only true God. He that hath not the Son, the same hath not the Father;' 1 John ii. 23. And not to have God, as a Father, is not to have him at all; and he is known as a Father only, as he is love, and full of pardoning mercy in Christ. How this is to be had the Holy Ghost tells us, 1 John v. 20. 'The Son of God is come and hath given us an understanding that we may know him that is true;' by him alone we have our understanding, to know him that is true. Now these properties of God, Christ revealeth in his doctrine, in the revelation he makes of God and his will, as the great prophet of the church; John xvii. 6. John xvii. 6. And on this account the knowledge of them is exposed to all, with an evidence unspeakably surmounting that which is given by the creation, to his eternal

· Κατακαυχᾶται ἔλεος κρίσεως· James ii. 13.

8 Προέθετο.

power and Godhead.' But the life of this knowledge lies in an acquaintance with his person, wherein the express image and beams of this glory of his Father do shine forth; Heb. i. 3. of which before.

[2.] There are other properties of God, which though also otherwise discovered, yet are so clearly, eminently, and savingly, only in Jesus Christ. As,

1st. His vindictive justice in punishing sin.

2dly. His patience, forbearance, and longsuffering towards sinners.

3dly. His wisdom, in managing things for his own glory. 4thly. His all-sufficiency in himself and unto others. All these, though they may receive some lower and inferior manifestations out of Christ, yet they clearly shine only in him, so as that it may be our wisdom to be acquainted with them. 1st. His vindictive justice.

God hath indeed many ways manifested his indignation and anger against sin; so that men cannot but know that it is the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death;' Rom. i. 32. He hath in the law threatened to kindle a fire in his anger, that shall burn to the very heart of hell. And even in many providential dispensations, his wrath is revealed from heaven against all the ungodliness of men ;' Rom. i. 18. So that men must say that he is a God of judgment. And he that shall but consider that the angels for sin were cast from heaven, shut up under chains of everlasting darkness unto the judgment of the great day (theh rumour whereof seems to have been spread among the Gentiles, whence the poet makes his Jupiter threaten the inferior rebellious deities with that punishment); and how Sodom and Gomorrah were condemned with an overthrow and burned into ashes, that they might be examples unto those that should after live ungodly,' 2 Pet. ii. 6. cannot but discover much of God's vindictive justice, and his anger against sin: but far more clear doth this shine into us in the Lord Christ.

(1st.) In him God hath manifested the naturalness of this Η Ημιν ἑλὼν ῥίψω ἐς Τάρταρον ἠερόεντα,

Τῆλε μάλ', ἦχι βάθιστον ὑπὸ χθονός ἐστι βέρεθρον,

Ενθα σιδήρειαι τε πύλαι καὶ χάλκεος οὐδὸς,

Τόσσον ἔνεςθ ̓ ἀΐδεω, ὅσον οὐρανός ἐστ ̓ ἀπὸ γαίης.--Homer, Il. θ.

righteousness unto him, in that it was impossible that it should be diverted from sinners, without the interposing of a propitiation. Those who lay the necessity of satisfaction merely upon the account of a free act and determination of the will of God, leave to my apprehension no just and indispensable' foundation for the death of Christ, but lay it upon a supposition of that which might have been otherwise. But plainly God, in that he spared not his only Son, but made his soul an offering for sin, and would admit of no atonement but in his blood, hath abundantly manifested that it is of necessity to him (his holiness and righteousness requiring it), to render indignation, wrath, tribulation, and anguish unto sin. And the knowledge of this naturalness of vindictive justice, with the necessity of its execution on supposition of sin, is the only true and useful knowledge of it. To look upon it, as that which God may exercise or forbear, make his justice not a property of his nature, but a free act of his will; and a will to punish, where one may do otherwise without injustice, is rather ill-will, than justice.

(2dly.) In the penalty inflicted on Christ for sin, this justice is far more gloriously manifested than otherwise. To see indeed a world made' good and beautiful, wrapt up in wrath and curses, clothed with thorns and briars; to see the whole beautiful creation made subject to vanity, given up to the bondage of corruption, to hear it groan in pain under that burden; to consider legions of angels most glorious and immortal creatures, cast down into hell, bound with chains of darkness, and reserved for a more dreadful. judgment, for one sin; to view the ocean of the blood of souls spilt to eternity on this account, will give some inlight into this thing. But what is all this to that view of it which may be had by a spiritual eye in the Lord Christ? All these things are worms, and of no value in comparison of him. To see him, who is the wisdom of God, and the power of God, always" beloved of the Father; to see him, I say, fear, and tremble, and bow, and sweat, and pray, and

i Vid. Diatrib. de Just. Vind.

k Rom. viii. 32. Isa. liii. 10. Heb. x. 7--9. Rom. i. 32. 2 Thess. i. 5, 6. Psal. v. 5, 6. Hab. i. 13. Psal. cxix. 135.

Gen. iii. 17--19. viii. 21. Rom. viii. 21. 22. 2 Pet. ii. 4--6. iii. 6. Judg. vi. 7. m 1 Cor. i. 20. n Matt. iii. 17. • Matt. xxvi. 37, 38. Mark xiv. 33. Luke xxii. 43, 44. Heb. v. 7. Matt. xxvii. 51. Mark xv. 33, 34. Isa. liii. 6.

die; to see him lifted up upon the cross, the earth trembling under him, as if unable to bear his weight, and the heavens darkened over him, as if shut against his cry, and himself hanging between both, as if refused by both, and all this because our sins did meet upon him; this of all things doth most abundantly manifest the severity of God's vindictive justice. Here, or nowhere, is it to be learned.

2dly. His patience, forbearance, and longsuffering towards sinners; there are many glimpses of the patience of God, shining out in the works of his providence; but all exceedingly beneath that discovery of it, which we have in Christ; especially in these three things.

(1st.) The manner of its discovery; this indeed is evident to all, that God doth not ordinarily, immediately punish men upon their offences. It may be learned from his constant way in governing the world; notwithstanding all provocations, yet he doth good to men, causing his sun to shine upon them, sending them rain and fruitful seasons, filling their hearts with food and gladness. Whence it was easy for them to conclude, that there was in him abundance of goodness and forbearance; but all this is yet in much darkness, being the exurgency of men's reasonings from their observations; yea, the management of it hath been such, as that it hath proved a snare almost universally unto them towards whom it hath been exercised, Eccles. viii. 11. as well as a temptation to them who have looked on; Job xxi. 7. Psal. lxxiii. 2-4, &c. Jer. xii. 1. Hab. i. 13. The discovery of it in Christ, is utterly of another nature. In him the very nature of God is discovered to be love and kindness, and that he will exercise the same to sinners, he hath promised, sworn, and solemnly engaged himself by covenant. And that we may not hesitate about the aim which he hath herein, there is a stable bottom and foundation of acting suitably to those gracious properties of his nature, held forth; viz. the reconciliation and atonement that is made in the blood of Christ. Whatever discovery were made of the patience and lenity of God unto us, yet if it were not withal revealed, that the other properties of God, as his justice and revenge for sin, had their actings also assigned to them to the full, there could be little consolation gathered from the

p Matt. v. 45. Acts xiv. 17, 18.

former. And therefore, though God may teach men his goodness and forbearance, by sending them rain and fruitful seasons, yet withal at the same time upon all occasions ' revealing his wrath from heaven against the ungodliness of men,' Rom i. 18. it is impossible that they should do any thing, but miserably fluctuate and tremble at the event of these dispensations; and yet this is the best that men can have out of Christ, the utmost they can attain unto; with the present possession of good things administered in this patience, men might and did for a season take up their thoughts, and satiate themselves; but yet they were not in the least delivered from the bondage they were in by reason of death, and the darkness attending it. The law reveals no patience or forbearance in God; it speaks, as to the issue of transgressions, nothing but sword and fire, had not God interposed by an act of sovereignty. But now, as was said, with that revelation of forbearance which we have in Christ, there is also a discovery of the satisfaction of his justice and wrath against sin, so that we need not fear any actings from them, to interfere with the works of his patience, which are so sweet unto us. Hence God is said to be in Christ reconciling the world to himself;' 2 Cor. v. 19. manifesting himself in him, as one that hath now no more to do, for the manifestation of all his attributes, that is, for the glorifying of himself, but only to forbear, reconcile; and pardon sin in him.

(2dly.) In the nature of it; what is there in that forbearance which out of Christ is revealed? merely a not immediate punishing upon the offence; and withal giving and continuing temporal mercies; such things as men are prone to abuse, and may perish, with their bosoms full of them, to eternity. That which lies hid in Christ, and is revealed from him, is full of love, sweetness, tenderness, kindness, grace. It is the Lord's waiting to be gracious to sinners; waiting for an advantage to shew love and kindness for the most eminent endearing of a soul unto himself; Isa. xxx. 'Therefore will the Lord wait, that he may be gracious unto you, and therefore will he be exalted, that he may have 4 Animula vagula, blandula, Hospes comesque corporis, Quæ nunc abibis in loca pallida, rigida, nudula?"

Nec ut soles dabis jocos.-Had. Imp.

r Rom. ii. 4, 5. ix. 22.

18.