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

And how great is that Mercy which hath raised Mankind more glorious out of its ruins! The Apostle breaks out with a Heavenly astonishment, Behold what manner of Love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the Sons of God! ¹that we who are Strangers and Enemies, Children of Wrath by nature, should be dignified with the honourable, and amiable title of his Sons! 'Twas a rare and most merciful condescension in Pharaoh's Daughter, to rescue an innocent and forsaken Infant from perishing by the waters, and adopt him to be her Son but how much greater kindness was it for God to save guilty and wretched Man from Eternal Flames, and to take him into his Family. The Ambition of the Prodigal rose no higher than to be a Servant; wha• an inestimable favour is it to ⟨p. 190⟩make us Children! When God would express the most dear and peculiar affection to Solomon, he saith, I will be his Father, and he shall be my Son: this was the highest honour he could promise;² and all believers are dignified with it. 'Tis the same relation that Christ hath: when he was going to Heaven he comforted his Disciples with these words, I ascend to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God. There is indeed a diversity in the foundation of it: Christ is a Son by Nature, we are by mere Favour; he is by Generation, we are by Adoption. Briefly, Jesus Christ hath made us Kings & Priests unto God & his Father: These are the highest Offices upon Earth, and were attended with the most conspicuous Honour; and the Holy Spirit chose those bright Images, to convey a clearer notice of the glory to which our Redeemer hath raised us. Not only all the Crowns and Sceptres in this perishing World are infinitely beneath this dignity, but the honour of our innocent state was not equal to it.

And how great is that Mercy which hath raised Mankind more glorious out of its ruines! The Apostle breaks out with a Heavenly astonishment, Behold what manner of Love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the Sons of God! ¹that we who are Strangers and Enemies, Children of Wrath by nature, should be dignified with the honorable, and amiable title of his Sons! 'Twas a rare and most merciful condescension in Pharaoh's Daughter, to rescue an innocent and forsaken Infant from perishing by the waters, and adopt him to be her Son but how much greater kindness was it for God to save guilty and wretched Man from Eternal Flames, and to take him into his Family. The Ambition of the Prodigal rose no higher than to be a Servant; wha an inestimable favour is it to