kind of taste they may have of those Powers c. 1. By the Powers of the World to come of which they are said to have a taste I understand are meant the Glorious Effects of God's mighty Power that was and shall be further exerted in bringing in the Kingdom of the Messiah first in those miraculous Operations which being to assure us of the certainty of the new World were wrought before these Mens Eyes 2. The Powers of the World to come do doubtless consist also in the dissolving of this present World and all the States and Kingdoms of the Earth Thou hast of old laid the Foundation of the Earth and though the Heavens are the Work of thy Hands they shall perish but thou shalt endure yea all of them shall wax old like a Garment as a Vesture shalt thou change them and they shall be changed compared with 2 Pet. 3. 10 11 12 13. The mighty Power of God shall be put forth in dissolving this old World 3. And not only so but also that God by his Almighty Power will bring in and establish the Kingdom of the Messiah in the Glory of it for as the dissolving of the old World appertains to the Power of the great God so doth also his bringing in according to his mighty Power the new Heavens and the new Earth The Heavens shall pass away with a great Noise and the Elements shall melt with fervent Heat and the Earth and the Things therein shall be burned up And all this is but to make way for the World to come or for the new Heavens and new Earth wherein dwelleth Righteousness 4. The Resurrection of the Dead also appertains to the Powers of the World to come and in it lies no small part of God's mighty Power neither Who shall change our vile Body that it may fashioned like unto his own glorious Body according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things to himself 5. The Power of the last Judgment and definitive Sentence together with the eternal Punishment of wicked Men and Devils may also be here intended Who shall be punished with everlasting Destruction from the Presence of the Lord and the Glory of his Power 6. Moreover the exerting of God's mighty Power the Power of his Grace Divine Love and Goodness in his glorifying of the Saints may be meant also here by the Powers of the World to come When he shall come to be glorified in his Saints and admired in all them that believe For as the letting out of the Power of his Wrath and Vengeance in the World to come upon the Wicked as was hinted before may hereby be comprehended so likewise the letting out of the Power of his Love and Goodness on the Godly Secondly I shall shew you now what a kind of taste the Persons in our Text may be said to have had of the Powers of the World to come 1. They had or might have a taste of the Truth and Certainty of the World to come which they clearly saw confirmed by those miraculous Operations in the extraordinary Gifts of the Spirit and wonderful Works that were wrought by the Apostles nay which perhaps some of them had Power to do themselves for many shall say at the last Day Have we not prophesied in thy Name and in thy Name cast out Devils and in thy Name done many wonderful Works To whom Christ will say I profess I never knew you depart from me ye that work Iniquity No doubt but as Saul and Balaam prophesied so Judas might as well as the other Apostles cast out Devils and do other wonderful Works 2. And as by those miraculous Operations they might have a taste of the Powers of Christ's Kingdom as it began then so this might cause them stedfastly to believe the Truth of the Powers of the World to come in the future State and Glory thereof Many Persons do not firmly believe this and therefore regard not how they live here in this present World but say let us eat and drink for to Morrow we shall die So also in another Place by the same Prophet it is said Come say they I will fetch Wine and we will fill our selves with strong Drink and to Morrow shall be as this Day and much more abundant These ungodly Wretches fear nothing of those Judgments that are come but lay their Hearts loose upon the Neck of their Lusts But the enlightned Persons in our Text did believe or give stedfast Credit to the Truth of that future State both of the Resurrection and Judgment-Day even of that Day of Reckoning when Sinners shall be punished for all their abominable Wickedness they believed God's Word and the Revelation thereof touching what will come upon the Ungodly in the World to come and so are said to taste of the Powers of it and this Persons may do and yet perish 3. They might not only have a taste of the World to come by a common Faith or by giving stedfast Credence to the Truth and Certainty of it but might also be under great Convictions of the Evil of Sin knowing that all the Sweet thereof will be turned into Bitter and that Sin in the World to come will be punished and the Sinner condemned to Everlasting Burning and that God will reward every Man according to his Deeds and might know also that some shall find greater Condemnation or a hotter Hell than others more intolerable Pain in that Day As 1. All such who draw others into Sin whether it be Drunkenness Pride Theft Uncleanness c. 2. All such who sin after strong Convictions and great Illuminations or that sin against Light and Knowledg 3. Such who have been often reproved and yet live in their wicked Practices and harden their Hearts let Ministers and godly Parents say what they will they regard it not 4. Such who have greater Means of Grace than others or who live under an awakening and powerful Ministry and yet go on in their Sins in Pride Swearing Drunkenness Uncleanness c. 5. Such who sin under Judgments or when God's Hand is lifted up and his Wrath poured out upon Men for their Abominations and greater Wrath denounced and ready to break forth 6. Such who sin boldly impudently in the Face of the Sun Shew their Sin as Sodom and hide it not 7. Such who expose the Holy Name of God which they profess to Reproach and harden the wicked World in their Sins and open the Mouths of many to blaspheme God and speak evil of his Ways and People 8. Such who delight in Sin or take pleasure in their Wickedness do boast and glory in that which is their shame 9. Such who despise and contemn Jesus Christ and his Ministers in their Hearts and wilfully cast off all Counsel 10. All thâ—se who abuse God's Patience Goodness and Long-suffering and make that an encouragement to them to continue in their evil Ways which should
the Gospel is true and that Christ is the only Saviour and that the Institutions and Ordinances of the Gospel are his Blessed Appointments Thus many of the Jews tasted of Christ's Word i. e. They believed in his Name when they saw the Miracles which he did But Jesus did not commit himself unto them because he knew all Men They gave a true Assent to the Proposition of his Word yet did not close in with him they did not consent to receive him to desire love and obey him they had no Union with him by saving Faith and the like may be said of these Persons in our Text. 2. Nay these Persons finding Jesus Christ to be the true and great Saviour they may taste the Word or believe with some kind of Joy though it be a false Joy Who would not be saved or have Christ as a Saviour This they like they would be saved from Hell and Wrath but do not consider that Christ came to save his People from their Sins He will save none who abide in their Sins who hold them fast and resolve not to let them go Many may taste some sweetness in hearing of the Power of Christ to save who go on presumptuously in their ungodly Practices It is expresly said that the stony-ground Hearers received the Word with joy they had a taste of it A common Faith seems to give a taste the Name of a Saviour relishes sweet 3. They may taste of the Promises of the Word but may not like the Precepts of it or what sometimes follows and overtakes such who profess the Gospel or may like some Precepts but not like some others of them every Word of God with these is not precious they cannot deny themselves and follow Christ whither soever he goes They are not like David who saith Every Word of God is pure therefore I love thy Commandments above Gold yea above fine Gold Therefore I esteem all thy Precepts concerning all things to be right and I hate every false Way 4. A bare taste or a simple taste of the Word is enough for these a great deal of the World may be they think is too little yet a little Religion a little of the Word short Prayers and little Preaching will suffice them A great Portion is too little for their Children but Six-pence or a Shilling they may think is too much for the poor Saints or a small matter a great deal to be given to the Children of God It is evident these Persons gave little or nothing to the poor Saints by what the Apostle speaks in the Verses following our Text and therefore no sincere Believers For God is not unrighteous to forget your Work of Faith and Labour of Love in that ye have ministred to the Saints c. You as if he should say are not of that sort I am a speaking of they do not love the Children of God though they have had a taste of the Word This one Vertue Brethren is more than all those five Attainments mentioned in my Text when that which a Man gives is given in love to Christ 5. Yet this bare taste as you have heard might have some Effect upon these Mens Hearts 1. They might find some kind of delight in that Knowledg they have of the Doctrine of the Gospel and might speak in the Commendation and Vindication thereof Thus Balaam seemed wonderfully to be affected with the State of Israel and with the Tabernacle and Tents of Jacob yet he loved the Wages of Unrighteousness 2. It may work as you heard last Day a visible Change in them such a Power may go along with that taste they like Saul might become other Men. 3. They might have the same Lamp of Profession with true Christians and be taken for real Converts not known to the Godly but to be such The wise Virgins doubtless thought well of the Foolish they did not know they were unsound or foolish Ones 4. Such a Work and Effect the Holy Spirit and tasting of the Word might have that they might be full of great Expectation of bâ—ing embraced by Christ when he comes if they fell not away before 'T is said the foolish Virgins went out to meet the Bridegroom they had much Confidence may be more Confidence tho it was Self-confidence that the Wise for true Believers may be attended with many Doubts Dr. Owen speaking of this sort mentioned in my Text saith and no doubt saith the Truth That there is an inferiour common Work of the Holy Spirit in the Dispensation of the Word on many to whom it is preached causing in them a great Alteration and Change as to Light Knowledg Abilities Gifts Affections Life and Conversation when the Persons so wrought upon are not quickned regenerated or made new Creatures nor united to Jesus Christ that in the Persons thus wrought upon there is or may be such an Assent and Light and Conviction of the Truth proposed and preached to them as in its kind is true not counterfeit giving or affording to them a Profession of the Faith That is they are blinded and know not that they are unsound in the Main their Hearts for want of true Light deceive them as in the Case of the foolish Virgins nay and they may perhaps hold out in their Profession constantly unto Death nay may give their Bodies to be burned O see Brethren that your Faith is the Faith of God's Elect and that you are savingly renewed O look about you since it may be thus The Doctor adds That among these Persons are oft-times some that are endued with excellent Gifts and lovely Parts Qualifications and Abilities rendering them very useful to the Church of God being Vessels in his House to hold and convey to others the precious Liquor of the Gospel though never had their own evil Hearts changed To which let me add they are such or of this sort of Persons who are liable to sin the Sin against the Holy Ghost or so fall that it may be impossible for them to be renewed by Repentance Yet before they so fall it may not be impossible for them to become true Converts The Nature of which Sin against the Holy Ghost I purpose to open before I close with this Text. Fourthly I shall proceed to shew you what a taste of God and of his good Word it is which all true Believers have 1. 'T is a taste that arises from Spiritual Hunger There is a true sense of Want they have a craving Appetite and nothing but God in Christ can satisfy their Souls My Soul thirsteth for God for the living God saith David And hence it is that they are pronounced blessed Blessed are they which hunger and thirst after Righteousness for they shall be filled not have only a taste No no but they shall be filled they shall eat to satisfaction They see that they want a Righteousness whereby they may be declared Just and Righteous before God namely the
final falling away and that because it is said It is impossible to renew them again unto Repentance 2. It doth intend or comprehend such Persons that have received the Knowledg of the Truth or of the Way of Righteousness according to that in 2 Pet. 2. 20 21. They are such who have not only been enlightned but also are such who had tasted of the Heavenly Gift 3. Yet never were savingly illuminated wrought upon or regenerated by the Spirit and Grace of God Brethren there are great Attainments which Persons may arrive unto without one Dram of true saving Grace as the young Man also the foolish Virgins and those meant by the stony and thorny Ground Mat. 13. I shall now come to the Text it self And First Consider the Words with the Connexion of those things preceding and succeeding Secondly The Subjects or Persons spoken of under their divers Qualifications Thirdly What it is that is said concerning these Persons First As touching the Connexion of the Words with what precedes it is evident that the Hebrew Church or some among them had been slow and dull of hearing or very ill Proficients in the School of Christ viz. they had not attained to that Knowledg and Experience which for the time they had they might have arrived unto Chap. 5. 12. They seemed but Infants or Babes in Knowledg and had need to be taught again which were the first Principles of the Doctrine of Christ And from hence the Apostle acquaints them with the Danger of not persevering in the Knowledg of Christ and of not pressing forward or going on to Perfection And also intimates that this would give just Cause or Ground to fear that they were not sincere Christians and from thence gives them an Account of those that might sin the Sin against the Holy Ghost or of the miserable State and Condition of such who after high Illuminations and great Knowledg of the Divine Truth and a Profession of the Gospel do fall away whose Apostacy though at first it might be but partial yet might they not being truly regenerated end at last in a total and final falling away And that deadness dulness and non-proficiency in Godliness might and would end if their Hearts were not right with God in a final Apostacy Or as a worthy Writer notes he presupposeth Except they study to make Progress they shall go backwards and that going backwards tendeth to Apostacy And that voluntary and compleat Apostacy from known Truth doth harden the Heart from Repentance and cutteth off a Man from Mercy He accounteth our natural Security so great that there is need of most fearful Threatnings to awaken us out of it and that the way to be freed from final falling is to make a good Progression From hence note Doct. 1. That the severest Doctrine is not only useful but exceeding necessary towards Persons that are observed to be remiss and slothful in their Profession Yet Charity becomes a Minister nevertheless and not to censure a People from hence And this we may gather from what he saith with the Connexion of the Words with what succeeds But Beloved we are perswaded better things of you and things that accompany Salvation though we thus speak ver 9. Secondly We shall consider the Persons here spoken of under their divers Qualifications and great Attainments which are five-fold and yet notwithstanding all that they might fall away and perish for ever and if they did fall totally before they were truly regenerated their Apostacy would be final or it would be impossible for them to be renewed again by Repentance either to that State in which they were before or unto a better from whence there is no possibility of their final falling In this general Description of the Persons here mentioned let us consider four or five things more particularly 1 st Consider the Apostle's Design which is to declare or discover the fearful State and just Judgment of God against the Persons here meant or intended 2 dly That those five Attainments he here speaks of are acquired by some who had been Professors of the Gospel and look'd upon as eminent Christians such that had made a Profession of Repentance from dead Works and of Faith towards God and had been baptized and owned all other Principles of the Doctrine of Christ See ver 1 2 3. 3 dly That all those high Privileges and Attainments whereof they were made Partakers by the Gospel they afterwards despised or when under their Apostacy did contemn which loudly proclaims their Destruction from God to be just and deserved 4 thly That all their Privileges and Attainments as Reverend Dr. Owen observes do consist in certain Operations of the Holy Ghost under the Dispensation of the Gospel and therefore not such Persons that never professed it or had been enlightned thereby 5 thly And let it be well and for ever observed that the Apostle mentions not one of those special and distinguishing Marks or Characters of true Believers or Sanctified Christians As 1. Here is not a word of the Covenant of Grace into which they had been received nothing spoken of the Faith of the Operation of God in all those five Attainments they had arrived at 2. Not a word of their having attained to Union with Christ or of the Implantation of the Holy Spirit though they had had some kind of taste thereof 3. Not a word of Regeneration he doth not say It is impossible for such that have been born of God begotten of the Spirit No no nothing of that 4 Here is nothing spoken of their being justified or of Justification unto Life 5. Not a word in all their fivefold Attainments of Sanctification by the Spirit we read not of any effectual Calling they had arrived unto 6. Nothing is mentioned of their Election of Adoption nor of their Love to God or to his poor Saints none of these things are expressed or assigned unto them which do all appertain to every true Christian 6 thly It ought also carefully to be noted that when the Apostle comes to speak of his Hope of the Saints to whom he wrote i. e. that they were not such he lays down or describes by way of Intimation the Characters of true Believers by other distinguishing Qualifications But Beloved we are perswaded better things of you and things that accompany Salvation though we thus speak Now observe if those Persons he mentions that had been once enlightned and had tasted of the Heavenly Gift c. had been true Christians what better things could the Apostle be perswaded was in these Hebrews than was in them Are there better things than Vnion with Christ than Justification than Regeneration true Faith Pardon of Sin Love to God and to his People Sanctification of the Spirit and Adoption No no there are no better things that any Christian can attain unto in this Life than these Moreover 7 thly The Apostle clearly intimates that they were such who
the Greatness of their Sin who do neglect this Salvation and the impossibility of such ever to escape God's Wrath. 1. From the Power and Authority of Christ who not only wrought this Salvation out but only first declared it or made it known which first began to be spoken by the Lord. Which some think may refer to his first declaring of it from the beginning to Adam upon his Transgression and to the Fathers under the Old Testament But I conceive he means chiefly our Lord 's preaching this Salvation in the Days of his Flesh when he entred first on his Ministry as verse 1. of the first Chapter God hath in these last Days spoken unto us by his Son 2. From the confirmation of it by Signs and Wonders I shall be very brief in speaking unto the Terms of our Text. How shall we escape avoid get clear of or deliver our selves from God's Wrath and Vengeance If we neglect if we mind other things more than this Salvation or seem to be indifferent in and about this great Business like those that made light of the Invitation to the Marriage-Supper Mat. 22. Luke 14. 16 17 18 19 20. So great Salvation namely the Salvation of the Gospel Great as it refers to God denotes the glorious Perfections of his Nature the Great God it signifies the infinite Power Wisdom Holiness Mercy and Glory of his Majesty Great as it refers to things may be considered as to the Nature and Quality of them as Great Riches Great Light as the Sun is called a great Light that is a Glorious Light excelling all other Natural or Created Lights or Artificial Lights Great Peace have they that love thy Law that is Glorious Peace So great Salvation denotes Glorious Salvation exceeding all Temporal Salvation So Great this so raises the Greatness and Glory of this Salvation God so loved the World So how Even so that it cannot be conceived much less expressed So this great Salvation is so wonderful so amazing so glorious and so affecting it calls for all to admire it consider it imbrace it and by no means to slight or neglect it From hence I shall note three Points of Doctrine Doct. 1. That the Salvation of the Gospel is a Great and Glorious Salvation Doct. 2. That the Means of this Salvation may be neglected Doct. 3. That all such who do neglect this Salvation shall not cannot escape I purpose to speak to all these three Propositions and shall begin with the first namely That the Salvation of the Gospel is a Great and Glorious Salvation First I shall prove and fully God assisting demonstrate the Truth of this Doctrine Secondly I shall improve it by way of Application First It is a Great and Glorious Salvation comparatively or when it is compared with all other Salvations 1. That was a Great and Glorious Salvation which God wrought for Israel at the Red Sea But what a Salvation was that Who were they saved from It was from Pharaoh a bloody and cruel Persecutor but this is from Satan and all cruel Enemies of our Souls 2. That was from the Wrath of Men this is from the fearful Wrath of God which none are able to conceive of according to thy Fear so is thy Wrath. 3. That was a Salvation of the natural Lives of the Children of Israel this a Salvation of our Immortal Souls and Bodies too for ever 4. That was a Type of this Salvation a Shadow of it and as far as the Substance exceeds the Shadow of a Thing so far doth this Salvation exceed that and all other Salvations 5. That was a Temporal Salvation this is an Eternal Salvation Now that Salvation at the Red Sea being one of the greatest Temporal Salvations that ever was wrought I need not mention any other Israel had many great Salvations wrought for them afterwards and so have many of the Saints had great Salvations and Deliverances wrought for them in the Times of the Gospel Nay we in these Nations have seen and heard of great and wonderful Things which God hath wrought for us and for our Forefathers It was a great Salvation that was wrought in 1588 at the Spanish Invasion and from the Powder-Plot and also that in 1688 when We and the Protestant Interest were brought very low and we could not see which way Relief and Deliverance could come But alas what are all these Salvations to this in my Text Pray remember that Gospel-Salvation is Great and Glorious comparatively But Secondly The Salvation of the Gospel is not only great comparatively but also positively not only in respect of all other Salvations but also in regard of it self And to demonstrate this consider that it is great and glorious in respect of the Time or rather that Eternity in which it was contrived and graciously promised This Salvation Brethren was contrived and found out by the Wisdom of God before the World began Hence Christ is said to be a Lamb slain from the Foundation of the World that is in the Decree Counsel and Purpose of God Christ was set up from Everlasting as the great and glorious Mediator and Saviour of all that should believe in him or that were given unto him by the Father The Lord possessed me in the beginning of his Way before his Works of old I was set up from Everlasting or ever the Earth was When there were no Depths I was brought forth As these Scriptures prove the Deity and Eternal Generation of the Son of God so also there was a Designation of him by the Father as Mediator to be our Saviour before all Worlds Hence God saith of miserable Man Deliver him from going down into the Pit I have found a Ransom And as it was found out before the beginning of the World or from Eternity so it was also as early promised to us as the Elect in Christ in hope of Eternal Life which God that cannot lie promised before the World began Compared with that in Timothy Who hath saved and called us with an holy Calling not according to our Works but according to his Purpose and Grace which was given us in Jesus Christ before the World began God thought of us poor Sinners and found out this way of Salvation before we had a Being yea even from Eternity foreseeing us fallen in the First Adam brought into a deplorable Condition of Wrath and Misery Thirdly The Salvation of the Gospel is great and glorious in regard of that Counsel that was held before all Worlds about bringing of it in Christ the great Saviour was delivered up according to the determinate Counsel of God Acts 2. 23. Should all the Wise Men and Great Potentates of the Earth be called together and sit in Council about the doing of some great and wonderful thing which unless it was effected all the Kingdoms and States of the Earth would sink and be dissolved would not all say that would be an amazing Thing
satisfy the Law and Justice for you Friend you are acquitted Brethren thus it is here Christ offered himself and the Father accepted him in our stead to die for us and to bear that Wrath that was due to us for our Sins and this he did then even when we first sinned in Adam So that we may say in due time Christ died for the Ungodly just as the Stroke of Wrath and Divine Justice was falling on us for it was all one as if he had then actually suffered And also his Blood was as efficacious to save and absolve Adam and all that did believe and apply the Virtue thereof before it was shed as it is to us who believe in these latter Times of the World after it has been shed more than sixteen hundred Years Would not such a guilty Malefactor I mentioned say O this is a great Salvation indeed nay stand and admire at it he expecting nothing but Death and had none to help him or afford any hope or relief to him in the least APPLICATION 1. We may from hence infer God's Love to Mankind is inconceivable nay his Love to sinful Man to lost Man rebellious Man What is Man that thou art mindful him such a vile Creature a Worm a filthy and loathsom Worm a cursed Rebel and Traitor against God that God should let out his Thoughts from Eternity upon him when the Sentence was past against him and he ready to go down to the Pit of Everlasting Wrath and Misery that he should say Deliver him from going down into the Pit I have found a Ransom 'T is not he that is Man himself hath found a Ransom No no I have saith God found a Ransom the Just for the Vnjust or in the room and place of the guilty Sinner It is not I have found Man's good Works Man's reformed Life his Repentance his Faith his Tears his sincere Obedience no but it is the Obedience of Christ the Blood of Christ the Sacrifice of Christ the Merits and Righteousness of Christ this God hath found to be our Ransom God hath found a full Ransom a perfect Ransom God accepted of Christ's Sacrifice for a Compleat Satisfaction it is more satisfactory than if we had lain in Hell for ever for we must always have been paying but never could have made Satisfaction O who could have thought of such a Ransom of such a way of Salvation in this lies the Depth of Divine Wisdom and the Great Mystery of the Gospel How should we adore and admire the Grace of God in Jesus Christ 2. To you poor Sinners let me speak one word by way of Exhortation Did God so early contrive our Salvation O then do you set your Hearts on work to seek this Salvation I mean an Interest in it be early at it do not defer it You young Men think upon it in the morning of your Days this Salvation calls for your utmost diligence to understand and find out the Gospel is a Mystery 't is not easily understood The Preaching of a Crucified Christ is to some Men Foolishness but to them that are saved it is the Power of God Many stumble at the Stumbling-stone God hath laid in Sion Christ is to some a Stumbling-stone and a Rock of Offence but take heed he is not so to you 3. Was there a Council held in Eternity about our Salvation O then consult with all Wisdom the grand Design of God herein It is to exalt his own Glory his own Name his own Free Grace and this being so let it be all your care to advance the Riches of his Grace and let God be wholly exalted and do you lie low at his Feet O close in with God's Counsel accept of this way of Life do not think there is any other way 4. And lastly Consider that the Greatness of God's Mercy and Divine Goodness to us was also one grand End and Design in finding out this Salvation It doth display his unspeakable Love and Bowels towards his poor Creature Man True he had the like regard to his Justice but his Justice had been magnified in our Destruction if his Mercy had never appeared But that his Mercy might be manifested what hath he done his own Son hath born our Sins he hath laid the Hand of his Justice and let out that Wrath that must have lain upon us for ever upon his own Son that Mercy might flow forth to us This should teach us to study Acts of Mercy and contrive that way to be like unto the Holy and Merciful God This is that which he requires of us even to do justly love Mercy and to walk humbly with our God HEB. II. 3. How shall we escape if we neglect so great Salvation I AM upon the Proof and Demonstration of the first Point of Doctrine raised from our Text viz. That Gospel-Salvation is a Great and Glorious Salvation I have spoken to this already under five Considerations Sixthly The Salvation of the Gospel is Great and Glorious if we consider the Glory and Greatness of those Persons who sat in Counsel about bringing of it in and working of it out for sinful Man We commonly judg of the Greatness of the Undertaking and the Glory of the Work by considering the Dignity Glory Wisdom Power and Greatness of the Persons concerned in it Now if this Work I mean the Salvation of sinful Man had been put into the Hands of the mighty Angels and they had called a Council about it and shewed their uttermost Skill Wisdom and Power in order to the actual accomplishment thereof would not all say this must needs be some great and wonderful Work or a great Salvation But alas they could neither have sound out a way of Salvation for us much less have wrought it out Could they any way have thought how the Glory of every Attribute of God might have been raised and have shone forth in equal Lustre could they have secured the Glory of God's Justice and Holiness and have made up the Wrong we had done to God by our Sin and so have opened a Way for Mercy and Goodness to run down like a mighty Stream and secured the Sanction of the Law and yet have delivered Man from the Curse thereof God must not will not lose the Glory of any one of his Attributes let what will become of the Rebellious Sinner Alas they could never have found out a way whereby the Attributes of Mercy and Justice might meet together and Righteousness and Truth kiss each other the Persons then who found and wrought out this Salvation were not the Holy Angels of God No no none but God himself could do it The Salvation of Israel is of the Lord He is our Saviour How often is this expressed in the Psalms and in other places of the Holy Scripture Salvation is ascribed to the Lord to him only yea to his own Arm to the greatness of his Power Therefore my own Arm brought Salvation