the mind of any finite intelligence. Whether such an exercise of mercy could have consisted with God's honour, it is not for us to determine. None but God can know what is within the power of God to do. But we may safely declare, that, even supposing such an exercise of mercy, under the existing circum- stances, possible, it was not the way which was most suited to the occasion, nor the way that would bring the most honour to God : and therefore it was not the way which a God of infinite wisdom thought fit to adopt. God, at all events, determined to make the fall of man an occasion of displaying his own glorious perfections : and, therefore, the question to be resolved was, How the removal of man's guilt, and the restoration of a ruined world to the favour of God. should be made to subserve that end ? — in a word, How God should be glorified, and the sinner saved 1
The holiness of God was called, to express its ab- horrence of sin. The justice of God was called, to execute vengeance on those who had committed sin. The truth of God was called, to fulfil the threatenings denounced against sin. But how shall holiness be displayed, justice be honoured, and truth be kept inviolate, if the offender receive a full, gratuitous remission of his guilt ? Here are difficulties, which not all the wisdom of men or angels could surmount. No means had been devised for the restoration of the fallen angels ; nor was it within the reach of any finite intelligence to declare, how any remedy could be found for fallen man. Suppose that the idea of a substitute had entered into the mind of any, how could an innocent creature be punished in the place of the guilty ? How could it be conceived, that God should ever consent to accept such a vicarious offer- ing ? and how could it be imagined, that he should ever be induced to inflict, with his own hand, on one that was innocent, the wrath due to the guilty, and to punish the innocent for the guilty ?
But, suppose such a thought suggested, where was there to be found one capable of representing the