Second. The JUSTICE of God is here more seen than in punishing all the damned. 'He spared not his own Son' is a sentence that reveals the nature of God's justice more than if it had said that He spared not all the world. True, he cast angels from heaven and drowned the old world; he turned Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes, with many more of like nature, but what were all these to the cursing of his Son? What were ten thousand such manifestations of his ireful indignation against sin, to that of striking, afflicting, chastising, and making the darling of his bosom the object of his wrath and judgment? Here, it is seen that he respected not persons but judged sin and condemned him on whom it is found; yea, although on Jesus Christ, he is well-beloved (Rom 8:32; Gal 3:13).
Third. The mystery of God's WILL is here more seen than in hanging the earth upon nothing, while he condemned Christ, though righteous, and justified us, though sinners, while he maketh him to be sin for us, and us the righteousness of God in him (1 Peter 3:18; 2 Cor 5:20).
Fourth. The POWER of God is here more seen than in making of heaven and earth; for one to bear and get the victory over sin, when charged by the justice of an infinite majesty, in so doing he showed the height of the highest power; for where sin by the law is charged, and that by God immediately, there an infinite majesty opposed, and that with the whole of his justice, holiness, and power; so then, he that is thus charged and engaged for the sin of the world, must not only be equal with God but show it by overcoming that curse and judgment that by infinite justice is charged upon him for sin.
When angels and men had sinned, how did they fall and crumble before the anger of God? They had no power to withstand the terror, nor could there be worth found in their persons or doings to appease displeased justice. But behold here stands the Son of God before him in the sin of the world; his Father, finding him there, cursed and condemns him to death; but he, by the power of his Godhead, and the worthiness of his person and doings, vanquished sin, satisfied God's justice, and so becomes the Saviour of the world. Here, then, is power seen: sin is a mighty thing. It crushed all in pieces save him whose Spirit is eternal (Heb 9:14). Set Christ and his sufferings aside, and you neither see the evil of sin nor the displeasure of God against it; you see them not in their utmost. Hadst thou a view of all the legions that are now in the pains of hell, yea, could thou hear their shrieks and groans together at once, and feel the whole of all their burden, much of the evil of sin and of the justice of God against it would be yet unknown by thee, for thou would want power to feel and bear the utmost. A giant shows not his power by the killing of a little child, nor yet is his might seen by the resistance that such a little one makes, but then he showed his power when he dealt with one like himself; yea, and the power also of the other is then made manifest in saving himself from being swallowed up with his wrath. Jesus Christ also made manifest his eternal power and Godhead, more by bearing and overcoming our sins than in making or upholding the whole world; hence, Christ crucified is called 'the power of God' (1 Cor 1:23,24).
Fifth. The LOVE and MERCY of God are more seen in and by this doctrine than in any other way. Mercy and love are seen in that God gave us rain and fruitful seasons; he filled our hearts with food and gladness; from that bounty, he bestowed upon us as men, as his creatures. O! but herein is love made manifest, in that 'Christ laid down his life for us.' 'And God commended his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us' (1 John 3:16; Rom 5:8).
Never love like this, nor did God ever make such a discovery of his love from the beginning to this day. 'Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins' (1 John 4:10).
Here is love that God sent his Son, his darling, his Son that never offended, his Son that was always his delight! Herein is love, that he sent him to save sinners, to save them by bearing their sins, their curse, dying their death, and carrying their sorrows! Here is love, in that while we were yet enemies, Christ died for us; yea, here is love, in that while 'we were yet without strength, Christ died for the ungodly' (Rom 5:6).
