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

The object of it is Man in his lapsed state. In this respect it excels the goodness that prevented him at the beginning. In the Creation as there was no object to invite, so nothing repugnant to mans being and happiness: the dust of the Earth did not merit such an excellent condition as it received from the pure bounty of God, but there was no moral unworthiness▪ But the Grace of the Gospel hath a different object, the wretched and unworthy, and it produces different operations, 'tis healing and medicinal, ransoming and delivering, and hath a peculiar character among the Divine Attributes. 'Tis goodness that crowns the Angels, but 'tis Mercy, the Sanctuary of the guilty, and refuge of the miserable, that saves Man. The Scripture hath consecrated the name of Grace in a special manner, to signify the most excellent and admirable favour of God in recovering us from our justly deserved misery. We are justified ⟨p. 152⟩freely by his Grace: ¹By Grace we are saved: Grace and Truth is come by Jesus Christ: 'tis the Grace of God that brings Salvation. And this is gloriously manifested towards Man in that, 1. considered in himself he is altogether unworthy of it. 2. As compared with the fallen Angels, who are left under perfect irremediable Misery.

The object of it is Man in his lapsed state. In this respect it excels the goodness that prevented him at the beginning. In the Creation as there was no object to invite, so nothing repugnant to mans being and happiness: the dust of the Earth did not merit such an excellent condition as it received from the pure bounty of God, but there was no moral unworthiness▪ But the Grace of the Gospel hath a different object, the wretched and unworthy, and it produces different operations, 'tis healing and medicinal, ransoming and delivering, and hath a peculiar character among the Divine Attributes. 'Tis goodness that crowns the Angels, but 'tis Mercy, the Sanctuary of the guilty, and refuge of the miserable, that saves Man. The Scripture hath consecrated the name of Grace in a special manner, to signifie the most excellent and admirable favour of God in recovering us from our justly deserv'd misery. We are justified ⟨p. 152⟩