hath, in the creation of all things, implanted in every particle of the creation, a special natural inclination and disposition, according to which it is ready to act, move, or work regularly; but he hath not placed this nature and power absolutely in them, and independently of his own power and operation. The sun is endued with a nature to produce all the glorious effects of light and heat, the fire to burn, the wind to blow, &c. But yet neither could sun, or fire, or wind preserve themselves in their being, or retain the principles of their operations, did not the Son of God, by a continual emanation of his eternal power uphold and preserve them; nor could they produce any one effect, did not he work in them, and by them; nor are the sons of men excepted, or any other agents, however free in their choice and operations; for "by him all things consist." It is utterly repugnant to the very nature and being of a God, that he should produce any thing without himself, that should have either a selfsubsistence or a self-sufficiency, or be independent on himself. When we name a creature, we name that which hath a derived and dependent being. And that which cannot subsist in and by itself, cannot act so neither. He did not create the world to leave it to an uncertain event; to stand by and to see what would become of it; but the same power and wisdom that produced, doth still attend it, powerfully pervading every particle thereof. To fancy a Divine providence without a continual energetic operation, or a Divine wisdom without constant care and inspection of the works of his hands, is not to form apprehensions of the living God, but to erect an idol in our own imag inations.

§14. This work is peculiarly assigned to the Son, not only as he is the eternal power and wisdom

of God, but also because by his interposition, as undertaking the work of mediation, he reprieved the world from an immediate dissolution upon the first entrance of sin; that it might continue, as it were, the great stage for the mighty works of God's grace, wisdom, and love to be wrought on it. Hence the care of the continuance of the creation, and the disposal thereof, is delegated unto him, as having undertaken to bring forth and consummate the glory of God in it, notwithstanding the hideous breach made upon it by the sin of angels and men. When the work of the reconciliation of all things to God shall be accomplished, the glory of God will be fully retrieved and established for ever.

(1.) We may see from hence the vanity of expecting any thing from the creatures, but what the Lord Christ is pleased to communicate to us by them. They that cannot sustain or actuate themselves, by any power or virtue of their own, are very unlikely of themselves to afford any real relief or help to others. They all abide and exist severally and consist together, in their order and operation, by the powerful word of Christ; and what he will communicate by them, that, and that alone, they will afford us. In themselves they are broken cisterns that will hold no water; they who depend upon them, without the consideration of their constant dependence on Christ, will find at length all their hopes disappointed, and all their enjoyments vanish into nothing.

(2.) Learn hence also the full self-sufficiency, and absolute sovereignty of the Son of God our Savior. A king bears rule over the subjects of his kingdom, but he doth not give them existence; he doth not uphold and actuate them at his pleasure; but every one of them stands upon an equal bottom with himself. He can, indeed, by the permission of God, take away

their lives, but cannot continue their lives at his pleasure one moment, or make them so much as to move a finger. But with the Lord Redeemer it is otherwise; he not only rules over the whole creation, disposing of it according to the rule of his own counsel and pleasure; but they all derive their beings, natures, inclinations, and lives from him: and as this argues his all-sufficiency, so it demonstrates his absolute sovereignty over all other things. Let this teach us our constant dependence on him, and our universal subjection to him.

(3.) And this abundantly discovers the vanity and folly of them, who make use of the creation in opposition to Christ, and his peculiar interest in this world. His own power is the very ground that they stand upon in their daring opposition to him; and all things which they use against him, "consist in him." They hold their lives absolutely at the pleasure of him whom they oppose: and they act against him, without whose continual support and influence they could neither live nor act one moment; which is the greatest madness, and most contemptible folly imaginable.

§15. Obs. 4. So great was the work of freeing us from sin, that it could no otherwise be effected but by the self-sacrifice of the Son of God. Our apostle makes it his design in several places to evince, that none of those things, from whence mankind usually expect relief in this case, would yield them any at all.` The best that the Gentiles could attain, all that they had to trust to, was but the improvement of natural light and reason, under the conduct of which they sought for rest, glory, and immortality. How miserably they were disappointed in their aims, and what a woful issue all their endeavors had, the apostie shews at large, Rom. i. The Jews, who enjoyed the

whole rule

benefit of Divine revelation, having lost for the most part the true spiritual import of them, sought for the same ends by the law, and their own diligent observance of it; "They rested in the law," Rom. ii, 17. Now within the compass of these three, natural light, the moral law, and the institution of sacrifices, consist all the hopes and endeavors of sinners after deliverance and acceptance with God. And if all these fail them, as assuredly they will, it is certain there is nothing under heaven that can yield them the least relief. Jehovah is the superior governor of all, and as sin dissolveth the dependence of the creature upon him, should he not avenge that defection, his and government would be disannulled. But now if this vengeance and punishment should fall on the sinners themselves, they must perish under it eternally; not one of them could escape, or ever be freed from their sins. A commutation then there must be; that the punishment due to sin, which the holiness and righteousness of God exacteth may be inflicted, and mercy and grace shewed to the sinner. And this should teach us to live in an holy admiration of this mighty and wonderful product of the wisdom, righteousness, and grace of God, which appointed this way of delivering sinners, and gloriously accomplished it in the sacrifice of the Son of God. The Holy Ghost every where proposeth this to us, as a mystery, a hidden mystery, which none of the great, or wise, or disputers of the world, ever come to the least acquaintance with. And three things he asserts concerning it:

(1.) That it is revealed in the gospel, and is thence alone to be learned. Whence we are invited again and again, to search and inquire diligently, to this very end, that we may become wise in the knowledge and acknowledgment of this sublime mystery.

(2.) That we cannot in our own strength, and by our own most diligent endeavors, come to an holy acquaintance with it, notwithstanding the revelation that is made of it in the letter of the word; unless moreover we receive from God, the spirit of wisdom, knowledge, and revelation; opening our eyes, making our minds spiritual, and enabling us to discover these depths of the Holy Ghost in a spiritual manner.

(3.) That we cannot, even by these helps, attain in this life to a perfect knowledge of this unfathomable truth; but must still labor to grow in grace and spiritual knowledge.

The scripture every where sets forth the blessedness and happiness of them, who by grace obtain a spiritual insight into this grand mystery, and themselves also find by experience the satisfying excellency thereof with the apostle, Phil. iii, 8. All which considerations are powerful motives to this profitable duty, wherein we have the angels themselves for our associates.

§17. We may also consider the unspeakable love of Christ in this work of his delivering us from sin. And this he did, when we were sinners, when we were lost, when we were children of wrath, under the curse, when no eye did pity us, when no hand could relieve us. And if John mourned, greatly mourned, when he thought there was none found worthy in heaven or earth to open his book of visions, and to unloose the seals thereof; how justly might the whole creation mourn and lament if there had been none found to yield relief, when all were obnoxious to this fatal ruin! And this is an exceeding commendation of the love of Christ, that he set his hand to that work which none could touch; and put his shoulders under that burden which none else could bear, when all lay in a desperate condition. Again: it is a deliverance from eternal