that it has merited at the hands of God. Behold, then, for the honour of God's justice, the cup is put into the hands of our blessed Lord : and the very dregs of the cup of bitterness are given him to drink : nor is he released from his sufferings, till he can say, " It is finished." Contemplate, now, this mysterious fact ; the God of heaven and earth becoming man, and, by his own obedience unto death, satisfying the demands of law and justice, in order that God, through his vicarious sufferings, may " be just, and yet the justifier of them that believe in Christ k." But could justice be satisfied with nothing less ? Would it accept of nothing less ? Would it not consent to the salvation of a human being on any other terms than these ? Behold, then, I say, how exalted is its character ! how inalienable its rights ! how inexora- ble its demands ! Truly, in all that it inflicts, either on men or angels, it is not so glorified, as it is in this stupendous mystery.
Next, let us take a view of the same subject in
reference to mercy. This Divine attribute would
doubtless have been displayed, if man, by a mere
sovereign act of grace, had been pardoned. But it
did not seem good to the Deity that mercy should so
triumph over all his other attributes. It shall indeed
be brought forth to light, and have full scope for
operation ; but its actings shall be such only as shall
consist with the honour of every other attribute.
But what way shall be devised for this ? Divine
wisdom, as I have before shewn, contrived a way,
wherein God might be at the same time " a just God
and a Saviour1." The plan proposed was, that God's
only dear Son should be substituted in the place of
sinners. But shall mercy be exercised at such an
expense as this ? Better were it that all its gracious
purposes should be abandoned, than that Almighty
God should stoop to such n condescension as this.
What ! that mercy shall be shewn towards a number
of rebellious worms — of creatures that can never
k Rom. iii. 20. ' Isai. xlv. 21.