A Third thing brought forward to our view, in this retail of the glory of goodness, displayed in all the divine perfections is, his grace and mercy-hence, he is proclaimed, "The Lord gra❝cious and merciful.". The object of mercy is misery and distress; the object of grace is not only misery and wretchedness, but demerit, guilt, and wickedness also. Mercy pities and administers relief to the forlorn and miserable; grace confers heavenly blessings upon the sinful and ill-deserving; where there is no present merit, nor any just ground to expect future favor.How charming ought the sounds of mercy and grace to be in the ears of our apostate and fallen world? They are sounds which fill the heart of the saint with joy and gladness, and how should they call up the listening attention of the guilty and impenitent sinner? O ye saints, who have experienced the power of sovereign grace, and know what it is to bask in the sun beams of divine mercy, let your souls ever be filled with extatic praises of these glorious perfections and goodness. And, O ye sinners, awake from your lethargic slumbers, to hearken to the voice of a gracious and merciful God, before your ears shall be stopped by eternal death, and the things of your peace be hid from your eyes. Mercy and grace, what delightful attributes in the name of our God? How precious the proclamation, "The Lord, the Lord "God, gracious and merciful?" Attend to what the Psamlist says, when describing these branches of the divine character, "The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plente"ous in mercy." Here is a diversity and variety of terms, that our conceptions of these glorious perfections might be enlarged, and wrought up to the highest degree possible. The sacred historian, Nehemiah, when describing Jehovah, uses almost the same language. "Thou art a God ready to pardon, gracious and "merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness." Thus speaks the prophet Isaiah, "I will mention the loving kindness of the "Lord, and the praises of the Lord, according to all that the "Lord hath bestowed on us, and the great goodness toward the "house of Israel, which he hath bestowed on them." I proceed,

all this supremacy and dominion, are only exhibitions of the greatness of his goodness. Therefore, with propriety may we exclaim with the Prophet, "How great is his goodness? How great is "his bounty?" Let us fear the Lord and his goodness.

A Second branch of the glory of divine goodness contained in this sacred description, is the sovereignty of it, which is expressed in these sublime terms, "I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will shew mercy on whom I will shew mercy." He is absolute proprietor of his own, and he makes what distinction in the bestowment of his gifts and benefits, as to him seemeth good. He is not debtor to any, neither accountable to any, therefore, may do what he will with his own. All his reasons for mer

cy

and goodness originate from himself, and not from any merit or supposed goodness in his earthly creatures. He extends or confers his grace and mercy according to his sovereign pleasure. He does according to his will in the armies of heaven, and among the inhabitants of this lower world. None can stay his hand, or say, what dost thou? It may be here observed, that all the descriptions of divine sovereignty given us in the holy scriptures, are all manifestations of sovereign goodness and beneficence. It is never said, "I will be angry at whom I will be angry;" for his wrath, and all the displays of it, are always perfectly righte ous and just. But he will shew mercy on whom he will shew mercy, for his grace and loving kindness are always sovereignly free. St. Paul quotes this very declaration to Moses, that though God was sovereign in the dispensations of his grace, yet there was no unrighteousness with him. "Is there unrighteousness with God? "God forbid. For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on "whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion, on whom I "will have compassion." God saves the children of men by the prerogative of his goodness, and never condemns any by the prerogative of wrath, but always justly, for their rebellion and transgressions. Therefore, the Psalmist declares, "Men shall abund"antly utter the memory of thy great goodness, and shall sing of thy righteousness.

A Third thing brought forward to our view, in this retail of the glory of goodness, displayed in all the divine perfections is, his grace and mercy-hence, he is proclaimed, "The Lord gra"cious and merciful.". The object of mercy is misery and distress; the object of grace is not only misery and wretchedness, but demerit, guilt, and wickedness also. Mercy pities and administers relief to the forlorn and miserable; grace confers heavenly blessings upon the sinful and ill-deserving; where there is no present merit, nor any just ground to expect future favor.How charming ought the sounds of mercy and grace to be in the ears of our apostate and fallen world? They are sounds which fill the heart of the saint with joy and gladness, and how should they call up the listening attention of the guilty and impenitent sinner? O ye saints, who have experienced the power of sovereign grace, and know what it is to bask in the sun beams of divine mercy, let your souls ever be filled with extatic praises of these glorious perfections and goodness. And, O ye sinners, awake from your lethargic slumbers, to hearken to the voice of a gracious and merciful God, before your ears shall be stopped by eternal death, and the things of your peace be hid from your eyes. Mercy and grace, what delightful attributes in the name of our God? How precious the proclamation, "The Lord, the Lord "God, gracious and merciful?" Attend to what the Psamlist says, when describing these branches of the divine character, "The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plente"ous in mercy." Here is a diversity and variety of terms, that our conceptions of these glorious perfections might be enlarged, and wrought up to the highest degree possible. The sacred historian, Nehemiah, when describing Jehovah, uses almost the same language. "Thou art a God ready to pardon, gracious and "merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness." Thus speaks the prophet Isaiah, "I will mention the loving kindness of the "Lord, and the praises of the Lord, according to all that the "Lord hath bestowed on us, and the great goodness toward the "house of Israel, which he hath bestowed on them." I proceed,

Fourthly, to direct your thoughts to his patience and his love. How richly is the super-eminent goodness of the Most High displayed in his forbearance, long suffering, patience, and love? These perfections are daily manifested before the world, in his long bearing with provoking and heaven daring-offenders. Instead of causing his jealousy to smoke against them, he exercises long suffering, and waits to be gracious. Long suffering is that attribute, whereby God suspends deserved punishment, and instead of wrath, he showers down a rich profusion of his beneficence, as if it were to see whether his goodness would not lead men to repentance. To you, O men, he calls, and the voice of his patience is to the sons of men. Let us not despise the riches of his goodness, and forbearance, and long suffering. When we speak of love, as an attribute of God, our souls are lost in admiration. Who can take a prospect of its height, contemplate its depth, or survey its length or breadth? Yea, when the Godhead would be comprehended in one word, the Apostle John employs the term love: "God is love." There is an incomprehensible extension in this concise phrase, that even the penetration of an archangel cannot reach. Its transcendent excellency and exuberant glory, celestial eloquence would sink into debility and meanness, in attempting the infinite description of it. God is nothing but love; love in his nature, love in his essence, love in all his operations, and love in all the exhibitions and revelations which he hath made of himself. What spoke this world into existence, replenished it with innumerable inhabitants, and filled it with all its variegated beauty and usefulness, but almighty love? What upholds it in all its order and harmony, but superlative love, and overflowing and unbounded goodness? What but love, inconceivable love, provided a Redeemer for the lost and ruined children of man? "God so loved the world, in such a marvelous and "astonishing manner, that he gave his only begotten son, that

whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have ever"lasting life." What but wonderful love, peoples the celestial

kingdom with inhabitants from this wretched and guilty world of ours? What is the hope of the saints on earth and the happiness of heaven, but divine ineffable love?" that we may be able to comprehend with all saints, what is the breadth, and length, "depth, and heigth, and to know the love of Christ which pass "eth knowledge, that we might be filled with all the fullness of "God." Let each one continually be uniting in David's prayer, "Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy loving kindness; hear me, O Lord, for thy loving kindness; turn to me "according to the multitude of thy tender mercies."

Let us proceed in our contemplations, and consider

Fifthly, The faithfulness, forgiveness, truth, and holiness of the great eternal, and how these perfections unfold the wonders. of his goodness. He is every where illustrated as the faithful God. Faithfulness enters into his nature, into his word, and into all his promises. His faithfulness is the great support and consolation of his people. To this perfection they look in times of trouble. It cheers the melancholy mind, heals the broken heart, cures the wounded spirit, is a sweet balm under all the discour agements of life, disarmas the king of terrors of his sting, and gives fortitude to the soul, to venture down into the gloomy mansions of the dead. "He is the faithful God. His mercy is in the "heavens, and his faithfulness reacheth unto the clouds. His "faithfulness is unto all generations. The heavens shall praise thy wonders, O Lord, and thy faithfulness also in the congregation of the saints."

The forgiveness of God, is also an amiable branch of his character. How delightful are these words in the proclamation? "The Lord God, keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniqui "ty, and transgression, and sin." That is, every manner and kind of offence he can pardon, all manner of sin and blasphemy, every species of transgression, whatever may be its nature or ag