2225.] Excellency And Glory Of The Gospel. 477

contribute any thing to the happiness or honour of their God — of creatures, millions of whom, if neces- sary for God's honour, could be created in an instant, in the room of those that should perish ; that mercy, I say, might be shewn to these, shall the God of heaven divest himself of his glory ? shall the Creator of the universe become a man ? shall he have the sins of a rebellious world laid on him ? shall he become a victim, and be offered upon the altar of divine justice — that man, worthless man, may be spared? Surely mercy can never require this : it will be con- tent to lie hid in the bosom of the Deity to all eternity, rather than that such a sacrifice should be made for its honour. But no ; mercy cannot be so restrained : it pants for an opportunity of pouring forth its benefits into the souls of men. Its bowels are so moved at the sight of a perishing world, that it will not, it cannot, rest. Every thing but God's honour shall give way to it : and now that that can be secured, no price shall be too great for its descent from heaven to bless our ruined race. Go now to Bethlehem, and see in the manger that new-born infant, your incarnate God, " God manifest in the flesh." Who sent him thither ? Who brought him from his throne of glory, into this world of sin and misery ? It was mercy, struggling in the bosom of Almighty God, and prevailing for its own development in this mysterious way. Go again to Gethsemane and Calvary : behold that innocent sufferer : see him prostrate on the ground, bathed in a bloody sweat ! see him hanging on the cross, agonizing under a load of his creatures' guilt, crying in the depths of derelic- tion, " My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me ?" and expiring under the wrath of Almighty God, the wrath due to him as the Surety and Substitute of a guilty world ! Who has brought him to this state ? 'Twas mercy : mercy would not rest : it would break forth : rather than not exercise itself towards man- kind, it would transfer to God himself the penalty due to them, and write in the blood of an incarnate God the pardon it designed for sinful man. Say, now,