go free. But had God cast fallen angels
into hell, and, without any regard to His word, admitted fallen men
to heaven, what had angels, what had devils, what had men themselves
thought of a God who conducted his government with such
caprice--playing fast and loose with His most solemn words? "The way
of the Lord," said ancient Israel, "is not equal;" and in such a case
there had been ground for the charge, and none for the indignation
with which He repels it, saying, "Hear now, O Israel, is not my way
equal? are not yours unequal?"

There was only one way of restoring peace; but it involved a sacrifice
on God's part which the most sanguine had never dared to hope for. If
the Lord of heaven and earth, veiling His glory, would assume our
nature, would take the form of a servant, would stoop to the work of a
subject, would die the death of a sinner, we might be saved--not
otherwise; if He would leave heaven, we might enter it--not otherwise;
if He would die, we might live--not otherwise; if He would enter the
grave its captor, we might leave it its conquerors--not otherwise; if
He, as our substitute, would fulfil the requirements of the law, both
in doing our work and discharging our debt, both obeying and suffering
in our stead, peace could be restored--not otherwise. For these ends
God did not spare His Son, but gave Him up to death, "that whosoever
believeth in him might not perish, but have everlasting life;" and the
"set time" having come at length, Jesus descended on our world, to
make peace through the blood of His cross--His angel-train, ere they
returned to heaven, holding a concert in the skies.

Dying, the just for the unjust, He has made peace; and these are the
easy terms, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be
saved." How gladly should we accept them? If men reject peace, what
chance for them in war? "Hast thou an arm like God? Canst thou thunder
with a voice like him?" "Let the potsherds strive with the potsherds
of the earth; but woe to the man who striveth with his Maker!" He has
proclaimed a truce--granting a suspension of arms, and offering most
generous proposals of peace. How should men improve the pause, and
accept the overtures!--as eagerly seizing salvation through the cross
of Christ as a drowning man life through the rope some kind hand
flings within his reach. In warfare patriots have stood up gallantly
against overwhelming odds, and, closing their broken ranks, have said,
"Better