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

The Doctrine of the Cross ⟨p. 298⟩is the only foundation of the Gospel, that unites all its parts, and supports the whole building. 'Tis the cause of our Righteousness and Peace, of our Redemption and Reconciliation. How blessed an exchange have the Merits of his Sufferings made with those of our Sins? Life instead of Death, Glory for Shame, and Happiness for Misery. For this reason the Apostle with vehemence declares, that, to be the sole ground of his boasting and triumph, which others esteemed a cause of blushing. God forbid that I should Glory save in the Cross of Christ. ¹He rejects with extreme detestation the mention of any other thing, as the cause of his Happiness, and matter of his Glory. The Cross was a tree of Death to Christ, and of Life to us. The supreme Wisdom is justified of its Children.

1. 1Gal. 6.14.

4. The Satisfaction of Divine Justice by the Sufferings of Christ, affords the strongest assurance to Man, who is a guilty and suspicious creature, that God is most ready to pardon sin. There is in the natural Conscience when opened by a piercing conviction of sin, such a quick sense of Guilt, and Gods Justice, that it can never have an entire confidence in his Mercy, till Justice be atoned. From hence the convinced Sinner is restlessly inquisitive, how to find out the way of reconciliation with a Righteous God. Thus he is represented inquiring by the Prophet,¹ Wherewith shall I come before the Lord, and bow my self before the most High God? shall I come before him with Burnt-Offerings, with Calves of a year old? will the Lord be pleased with thousands of Rams, or with ten thousand rivers of oil? shall I give my first-born for my transgression, the fruit of my Body for the sin of my Soul? The Scripture tells us that some consumed