ver have entered the thought of men or angels;--all
men once to be drowned under a deluge of sin and misery, and made subjects
to God's righteous judgment, and then to find out a way how to deliver and
save so many! All the wisdom that shines in the order and beauty of the
world seems to be but a rude draught to this. Then, herein doth the glory
of his mercy and grace shine most brightly, that he transfers the
punishment due to man's sin upon his own Son, that when no ransom could be
found by man, he finds it out, how to satisfy his own justice, and save
us. Truly, this is the most shining jewel in the crown of God's glory,--so
much mercy towards so miserable sinners, so much grace towards the
rebellious. If he had pardoned sin, without any satisfaction, what rich
grace had it been! But truly, to provide the Lamb and sacrifice himself,
to find out the ransom, and to exact it of his own Son, in our name, is a
testimony of mercy and grace far beyond that. But then, his justice is
very conspicuous in this work. And indeed these two do illustrate one
another; the justice of God, in taking and exacting the punishment of sin
upon his own well-beloved Son, doth most eminently heighten the mercy and
grace of God towards us; and his grace and mercy in passing by us, doth
most marvellously illustrate the righteousness of God, in making his own
Son a curse for us. What testimony can be given in the world, of God's
displeasure at sin, of his righteousness in punishing sin, like this!
There was no such testimony of love to sinners and no such demonstration
of hatred at sin imaginable. That he did not punish sin in us, but
transfer it over on his most beloved Son, O what love and grace! And that
he did punish his own Son, when standing in the place of sinners, O what
righteousness and justice! This is that glorious mystery, the conjunction
of these two resplendent jewels, justice and mercy, of love and
displeasure, in one chain of Christ's incarnation, into which the angels
desire to look, 1 Pet. i. 12. And truly they do wonder at it, and praise
from wonder. This is it, that the praises of men and angels shall roll
about eternally. David, (Ps. ciii. 20,) foreseeing this day, foretold that
angels should praise him, and now it is fulfilled, when all these glorious
companies of holy, powerful spirits, welcome the Son of God into the
world, by that heavenly harmony of praise. Luke ii. 14.

What lumpishness and earthliness is in us, that we