Sermons preached

There are three things which commend any Favour done unto us. 1. The good Will of him that giveth. 2. The Greatness of the Gift. 3. The Unworthiness of him that receiveth. All concur here.

1. The good Will of him that giveth. Nothing moved God to do this, but his own Love. It was from the free Motion of his own Heart, without our thought and asking. No other Reason is given, or can be given. We made not suit for any such thing; it could not enter into our Minds and Hearts, into our Minds to conceive, or into our Hearts to ⟨p. 297⟩desire such a Remedy to recover the lapsed Estate of Mankind. Not into our Minds, for it is a great Mystery; 1 Tim. 3. 16. And without Controversy great is the Mystery of Godliness, &c. Not into our Hearts, to ask or desire; for it would have seemed a strange Request that we should ask, that the Eternal Son of God should assume our Flesh, and be made Sin and a Curse for us. But Grace hath wrought exceeding abundantly, above all that we can ask or think, Eph. 3. 20. Above what we can imagine, and above what we can pray for to him.

2. The Greatness of the Gift. Great things do even force their way into our Minds, whether we will or no. The Gift of Jesus Christ is so great, that the Love of God is gone to the uttermost in it. He hath not a better Christ, nor a more worthy Redeemer, nor another Son to die for us, nor could the Son of God suffer greater Indignities than he hath suffered for our sakes. God said to Abraham,