Discourses upon the Existence and Attributes of God

If it were Goodness to advance our Innocent Nature above other Creatures, the advancement of our degenerate Nature above Angels deserves a higher Title than mere Goodness. 'Tis a more gracious act, than if all Men had been transformed into the pure Spiritual Nature of the loftiest Cherubins.

If it were Goodness to advance our Innocent Nature above other Creatures, the advancement of our degenerate Nature above Angels deserves a higher Title than meer Goodness. 'Tis a more gracious act, than if all Men had been transformed into the pure Spiritual Nature of the loftiest Cherubins.

5. This Goodness is manifest in the Covenant of Grace made with us, whereby we are fre•d from the rigour of that of Works. God might have insisted upon the terms of the old Covenant, and required of Man the improvement of his Original Stock; but God hath condescended to lower terms, and offered Man more gracious Methods, and mitigated the rigour of the first, by the sweetness of the second.

5. This Goodness is manifest in the Covenant of Grace made with us, whereby we are fre•d from the rigor of that of Works. God might have insisted upon the terms of the old Covenant, and requir'd of Man the improvement of his Original Stock; but God hath condescended to lower terms, and offer'd Man more gracious Methods, and mitigated the rigor of the first, by the sweetness of the second.

1. 'Tis Goodness, that he should condescend to make another Covenant with Man. To Stipulate with Innocent and Righteous Adam for his Obedience, was a stoop of his Sovereignty: Though he gave the Precept as a Sovereign Lord, yet in his Covenanting he seems to descend to some kind of equality with that Dust and Ashes with whom he treated. Absolute Sovereigns do not usually Covenant with their People, but exact Obedience and Duty, without binding themselves to bestow a Reward; and if they intend any, they reserve the purpose in their own breasts, without treating their Subjects with a solemn declaration of it. There was no obligation on God to enter into the first Covenant, much less after the violation of the first, to the settlement of a new. If God seemed in some sort to equal himself to Man in the first, he seemed to descend below himself in treating with a Rebel upon more condescending terms in the second. If his Covenant with Innocent Adam was a stoop of his Sovereignty, this with Rebellious Adam seems to be a stripping himself of his Majesty in favour of his Goodness; As if his happiness depended upon us, and not ours upon him. 'Tis a Humiliation of himself to behold the things in Heaven, the glorious Angels, as well as things on Earth, mortal Men;