advance tlie honour of his justice hy pardoning the believing soul more than in damning the impenitent sinner. And surely God had no less design in the gospel covenant than this, that he would not the death of a sinner, but to vindi- cate his justice. He would not certainly have consented to the death of his only Son, but for the higher advance and farther glorifying of his justice in the eye of his creature. Christ saith he came not only that we sinners might have life, but that we might have it more abundantly, John x. 10; that is, more abundantly than we should have inherited it irom innocent Adam. May we not therefore say that Christ did not die that God might only have his due debt, but that he niight have it more abundantly paid by Christ than he could have had at the creature's hand ? But more particularly the justice of God will ajjpear here clothed with four glorious circumstances, that cannot be foimd in the payment which the sinner by his own personal sufferings nuikes unto it. First, If we consider the person at whose hand Divine justice receives satisfaction. When the sinner is dannied for his own sins, it is but a poor sorry creature that is punished ; but when Christ suffereth, the debt is paid by a more honourable hand ; God hath it from one that is near to himself, yea, equal with himself. ' Awake, O sword, against my shepherd, and against the man that is my fellow, saith the Lord of hosts,' Zech. xiii. 7. Who will not say a judge gives more eminent testimony of his justice when he condemns his own son than when he arraigns a stranger? llere God indeed declared his utmost hatred of sin, and inflexible love of justice, in that he spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all. Secondly, If we consider the manner inv.'hich the debt is paid. When the sinner is damned, it is in a poor beggarly way by retail, — now a few pence, and then a few more ; he is ever paying, but never comes to the last farthing, and therefore must for ever lie in prison for non-payment. But at Christ's hands God receives the whole debt in one lump, so that Christ cuuld truly say, ' It is finished,' John xix. 30 ; as much as if he had said. There are but a few moments, and the work of redemption will be finished. I have the sum now in my hand to pay God his whole debt, and as soon as I have bowed my head, and the breath is once out of my body, all will be finished. Yea, he hath his discharge for the receipt of the whole sum due to (iod's justice from the mouth of God himself, in which we find him triumphing, — ' He is near that justifieth me; who will contend with me?' Yea, still more, Christ hath not only discharged the old debt, but by the same blood hath made a new purchase of God for his saints : so that God, who was even now the creditor, is become the debtor to his creature, and that for no less than eternal life, which Christ hath paid for, and given every believer authority humbly to claim of God in his name. See them both in one place, Heb. x. 12—14: ' But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins, for ever sat down on the right haiul of God ; from henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool : for l)y one ofFeinng he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.' He hath not only crossed the debt-book for believers, but perfected them for ever; that is, made a certain provision for their perfection in glory, as for their salvation from hell's punishment : from which he exhorts them, ver. 22, to draw near in full assurance of faith. Let us not fear but we shall receive at God's hands what Christhath paid for. Thirdly, When God damns the sinnei-, his justice indeed appears. Those condemned miscreants have not one righteous syllable to charge their Judge withal ; but mercy is not seen to sit so glorious on the throne in this sentence pronounced on the sinner. But when Christ suffered, justice and mercy met ; indeed, justice appears never more glorious in God or man than when it is in conjxmction with mercy. Now, in the Lord Christ's death they shone both in all their glory, and did mutually set off each other. Here the white and the red, the roses and the lilies, were so admirably tempered, that it is hard to say which pre- sented the face of justice most beautiful to our eye, — God's wrath upon Christ for us, or his mercy to us for his sake. Fourthly, When God damns the sinner, justice is glorified only passively, (iod f )rceth his glory from devils and danmed souls ; but they do not willingly pay the debt. 'Fhey acknowledge (Jod just, because they can do no other, but at the same time hate him, while they seem to vindicate him. Now in the satisfaction that Christ gives, justice is glorified actively, and that both from Christ, who was not dragged to the cross, as the damned are to their prison and torment, 'But gave himself for us, an ofl'ering,
504 ABOVE ALL, TAKING THE SHIELD OF FAITH.