It is therefore the prerogative of Him that liveth for ever and ever, and infinitely becomes the most Holy GOD fupremely to love bimfelf: Wherefore also it is infinitely right and fit that GOD fhould feek his own glory. But for any creature to love himself more than GOD, and to seek his own glory, is an infinite evil, and rebellion against the most high God, his Creator For thereby he denies the GOD that is above, who made him for himself, and formed him for his praise.

When God at firft created the Angels, they were all holy and righteous, bearing the image and likeness of their great Creator; and as fuch he loved them. But when Satan and his affociates rebelled against their Maker, they loft the divine likeness and as they abode not in the truth*, but embraced a lie in oppofition to the truth, GOD as fuch hated them, and caft them down to hell: Where they are referved in chains of darkness unto the judgment of the great day.-Again, when GoD created man, he made him alfo upright, in his own image and likenefs; boly, juft, and good: but, when he rebelled against the law of his God, he as a finner hated him, and drove him out of Paradife.

John viii. 44.

Thus

Thus the fupreme object of God's love cannot be any created image of his divine perfections, either amongst men or angels, because they are fubject to change; for this reafon GOD could not, nor hath put any truft in them. Therefore we must look higher than all creatures for the fupreme and unchangeable object of God's love: And the Scripture affures us that this object is CHRIST, the only begotten Son of God,; who is not a created image, or picture of the divine likeness and glory, as men and angels were: But CHRIST is the effential uncreated image of the invifible GOD, which is not fubject to any variation or change; neither could he poffibly rebel or fin against his FATHER, as men and angels have done; for he partakes of the very unchangeable nature and perfections of JEHO VAH's Being and effence, and therefore is himfelf JEHOVAH: He is the word that was with God, and was God; the brightness, or fplendor of the glory of the FATHER; and the express, or engraven image of his fubfiftence*, or fubftantial ef fence.- -This is the SON of GOD whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds; in whom God is infinitely delighted, and well pleased. In him God beholds himself in all the completeness, variety, blessedness, and glory of his own essence. Wherefore he faith, Jehovah possessed

THE UTTOSETEWS.

me

me in the beginning of his way, before his works of old: I was fet up from everlasting. When be prepared the beavens, I was there; when be established the clouds above; when he gave to the fea bis decree, that the waters fhould not pass his commandment ; when he appointed the foundations of the earth :THEN WAS I BY HIM, AS ONE BROUGHT UP WITH HIM; AND I WAS DAILY HIS DELIGHT, REJOYCING ALWAYS BEFORE HIM +.This is he of whom it is written, all things were created by him, and for him: And he is before all things, and by him all things confift-Thus, the Father loveth the Son, and bath given all things into his band; and he is worthy: For to the Son be faith, THOU HAST LOVED RIGHTEOUSNESS, AND HATED INIQUITY; wherefore God, even thy God, bath anointed thee with the oil of gladness, above thy fellows.

Thus the only begotten Son of God, who is in the bofom of the Father, is the worthy, and fupreme object of his infinite love, complacency, and delight.

It hath been already obferved, that God cannot love them that do evil; for God is good: Yet

he

+ Prov. viii. 22,- -31. ‡ Col. i, 16, 17.-' || John

i. 18.

he may, if he please, (for with God nothing is impoffible) deliver them from unrighteouinefs who have rebelled against him, and fave them from their fin and mifery. But thus to fhew mercy in pardoning the guilty, entirely depends upon his mere good pleasure*: Wherefore he faith to Mofes, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy; and I will have compaffion on whom I will have compaffion.-God spared not the angels that finned, but left them to perish in their rebellion, without mercy For God, who cannot but love righteousness, and hate iniquity, is under no neceffity, or obligation to re-create and pardon his ungrateful and rebellious creatures, that, by finning againft him, have destroyed themfelves: Neither is it confiftent with the perfections of God to justify the wicked, or to pardon the guilty; unless complete and adequate fatisfaction be made to the just and holy law of God, for all their fins, and iniquities which they have committed: For, fhall not the Judge of all the earth do right? And this fatisfaction, or reftitution, no creature that hath finned, neither angel nor man, ever hath made, nor can make But with God all things are poffible,When therefore God, in his juft indignation against fin and finners, paffed by the angels that finned; he looked upon fallen man with pity, and determined to fhew them mercy. But how could God

Eph. i. 5. + 2 Pet. ii. 4.

↑ Gen. xviü. 25.

in

in righteousness purpose, or do this for the guilty, feeing GOD cannot look upon fin, without conceiving infinite hatred against it; nor upon finners, without abhorring them? In order to accomplish the falvation of finners, confiftent with the honor and glory of his great name, he purposed to fave them by a MEDIATOR, who was also appointed and became a Surety, and covenant head unto GOD for them: Moreover, when man had tranfgreffed, and became obnoxious to eternal mifery, this able and divine Surety, in the fullness of time, was to become man, and make a perfect and complete offering, and atonement for all the fins and iniquities of every one of them: And this MEDIATOR IS CHRIST; who, to this end, was chofen of GOD, and set up to be the Head, Ranfomer, and Saviour of the Church, before the world was. In Him alfo GOD chofe not all, but certain of the human race, as it pleafed him; and gave them into the hand of his equal and only begotten Son, to be redeemed by him: Wherefore, fpeaking to the FATHER, he faith; thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him*-Thus in righteouf nefs confiftent with all the perfections of Deity, GOD from everlasting purposed to fhew mercy on his chofen in CHRIST; but upon them who were not chofen in CHRIST, there could be no fuck A a mercy John xvii. 2.