Part 294

constitution of his person, and the work of redemption to be accomplished thereby, unless we consider also the interest of the other holy properties of the divine nature in them. Such are his holiness, his righteousness, his sovereign authority, his goodness, love, and grace.

There are three excellencies of the divine nature principally to be considered in all the external works of God. (1.) His Goodness, which is the communicative property of that [Auto-modernized] . This is the eternal fountain and spring of all divine communications. Whatever is good in and to [Auto-modernized] any creature, is an emanation from divine goodness. "He is good, and he does [Auto-modernized] good." That which acts originally in the divine nature, to [Auto-modernized] the communication of itself in any blessed or gracious effects to [Auto-modernized] the creatures, is goodness. (2.) Wisdom, which is the directive power or excellency of the divine nature. Hereby God guides, disposes, orders, and directs all things to [Auto-modernized] his own glory, in and by their own immediate proper ends, Proverbs 16:4; Revelation of John 4:11 (3.) Power, which is the effective excellency of the divine nature, effecting and accomplishing what wisdom does [Auto-modernized] design and order.

Whereas wisdom, therefore, is that holy excellency or power of the Divine Being, in which [Auto-modernized] God designs, and through which [Auto-modernized] he effects, the glory of all the other properties of his nature, we cannot trace the paths of it in any work of God, unless we know the interest and concern [Auto-modernized] of those other properties in that work. For that which wisdom principally designs, is the glorification of them. And to [Auto-modernized] this end the effective property of the divine nature, which is almighty power, always accompanies, or is subservient to [Auto-modernized] , the directive