God: I
have put my trust in the Lord God, that I may declare all thy
works."

After man's first transgression, he was shut out from the tree of life,
and cast out of the garden, by which was signified his seclusion and
sequestration from the presence of God, and communion with him: and this
was in a manner the extermination of all mankind in one, when Adam was
driven out of paradise. Now, this had been an eternal separation for any
thing that we could do, (for we can do nothing but depart by a perpetual
backsliding, and make the distance every day wider,) except it had pleased
the Lord, of his infinite grace, to condescend to draw near to us in
gracious promises and offers of a Redeemer. If he had not made the first
journey from heaven to earth, by sending his only Son, we should have
given over the hope of returning from earth to heaven. But he hath taken
away the greatest part of that distance, in drawing near to our nature;
yea, in assuming our flesh into the fellowship of his glorious divinity.
He hath stooped so low to meet with us, and offered himself the trysting
place(274) between God and us, a fit meeting-place, where there is a
conjunction of the interests of both parties, and now, there is no more to
do, but to draw near to God in Jesus Christ, since he hath made the great
journey to come down to us. We have not that infinite gulf of satisfaction
to justice to pass over, we have not the height of divine Majesty, as he
is infinitely above us, and offended with us, to climb up unto. Certainly
we could not but fall into the lake that is below us, if we were to aim so
high. But the Lord hath been pleased to descend to us, in our mean
capacity in the flesh, and fill up the immeasurable gulf of justice by the
infinite merits and sufferings of his Son in our flesh. And now he invites
us, he requests us, to come to him in his Son and have life. We are not
come to mount Sinai, that might not be touched, that burnt with fire and
tempest, where there were terrible sights and intolerable noises. I say,
such a God we might have had to do with a consuming fire, instead of an
instructing light,--a devouring fire, instead of a healing Sun of
righteousness, considering that there is nothing in us which is not fit
and prepared fuel for everlasting burnings. But we are come--and that is
the eternal wonder of angels--unto mount Sion to be citizens in the city of
God and fellow citizens with blessed angels and glorified