The harmony of the divine attributes in the contrivance and accomplishment of man's redemption…

The Glory of God is more visible in the recovery of lapsed Man, than if the Law had been obeyed, or executed. If Adam had persevered in his Duty, the Reward had been from Grace, for owing himself to God, he could receive nothing but as a gift from his Bounty; so that Goodness only had then been exercised, and not in its highest and most obliging Acts, which are to save the guilty and the miserable: for Innocence is incapable of Mercy. If the Sentence had been inflicted, Justice had been honoured with a solemn Sacrifice, but Mercy the sweet, tender, and indulgent Attribute, had never appeared. But now the Wisdom of God is eminent in the accord of both these Attributes. God is equally glorious, as equally God in preserving the authority of his Law by an act of Justice upon our Surety, as in the exercise of Mercy by remitting the punishment to the Offender.

The Glory of God is more visible in the recovery of laps•d Man, than if the Law had been obeyed, or executed. If Adam had persever'd in his Duty, the Reward had been from Gaace, for owing himself to God, he could receive nothing but as a gift from his Bounty; so that Goodness only had then been exerci'sd, and not in its highest and most obliging Acts, which are to save the guilty and the miserable: for Innocence is incapable of Mercy. If the Sentence had been inflicted, Justice had been honour'd with a solemn Sacrifice, but Mercy the sweet, tender, and indulgent Attribute, had never appear'd. But now the Wisdom of God is eminent in the accord of both these Attributes. God is equally glorious, as equally God in preserving the authority of his Law by an act of Justice upon our Surety, as in the exercise of Mercy by remitting the punishment to the Offender.

And 'tis no less honourable to God's Wisdom to ⟨p. 85⟩restore Man with infinite advantage. 'Tis a mystery in Nature, That the corruption of one thing is the generation of another; 'tis more mysterious in Grace, that the Fall of Man should occasion his more noble Restitution. Innocence was not his last End, his supreme felicity transcends the first. The holiness of Adam was perfect, but mutable: But Holiness in the Redeemed, though in a less degree, shall be victorious over all Temptations: for they are joined to the heavenly Adam in a strict and inviolable union. And those Graces are acted by them, for the exercise of which there was no objects and occasions in innocence. As Compassion to the miserable,