gravations, his goodness is infinitely sufficient to forgive. Whoever repents, confesses, and forsakes his iniquities, is sure to meet with a sin forgiving, and a sin pardoning God. "Though your "sins be as scarlet or crimson, they shall be as snow or as wool. "I, even I am he, that blotteth out thy transgression for mine 66 own sake, and will not remember thy sins. I will cleanse them "from all their iniquity whereby they have sinned against me; "and I will pardon all their iniquities, whereby they have sinned, "and whereby they have transgressed against me." hosts. The holiness of Jehovah is a distinguishing property of the Most High. This is a peculiar quality in all the attributes of his nature. Holiness is inscribed upon his whole name. He is holy in all the persons of Godhead, and in all his perfections; he is holy in his ways and in his work. He is commonly stiled the thrice holy God. Because this term holy, is frequently three times together pronounced, in order to shew forth, as far as possible, its superlative excellency. "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of Who is like unto thee, O Lord, glorious in holiness? "There is none holy as the Lord. And heaven is the habitation "of his holiness." This is the beauty of every divine attribute, and forms the glory around the throne of the great Supreme.And it is the indispensible duty of all his intelligent creatures, to be conformed hereto. Be ye holy as the Lord is holy. The happiness of saints is in proportion to their holiness. The greater degrees of holiness, the more felicity, and when their holiness. is perfect, their happiness will be perfect too. Holiness may be said to be the " abundance of his goodness." And not only is he the holy, but also the true God. His name, his operations, his judgments, his word, his laws and government are truth. Hence, in this description, it is declared, "That he is "abundant in goodness and truth." He is infinitely remote from every thing that deviates from the most perfect rectitude. Any variation from truth ascribed to God, must involve in it blasphemy. For it is his distinguishing characteristic, that he is "A God of truth, without iniquity; just and right is he. All "the paths of the Lord are mercy and truth. All his works are "truth, and his ways judgment. The Lord is good, and his truth. "endureth to all generations." This is the consolation of his people, the joy and strength of their hearts. They may have the most absolute confidence in all his declarations and promises. "His counsels of old are faithfulness and truth. Just and true are thy ways, O thou king of saints.” We come now, in the Last place, To speak of his righteousness or justice. This is contained in this part of the divine character. "And will by no 66 means clear the guilty." This is as much a branch of the name of God, as any other; and his justice and righteousness are equal manifestations of his glorious goodness. But here it will be asked, how is it possible that righteousness and justice can be a display of goodness? Is not justice continually exercised in the infiction of pain and punishment? Is it not a display of terror, of power and wrath, rather than goodness? These things are in part true. Yet there is no punishment inflicted by God, but what is a manifestation of his goodness. Is it not goodness to form good laws, and to enforce the same by good sanctions? The laws of God are all holy, just, and good; therefore, the execution of them must be good also. The laws of men which are good, the proper execution of them, can never be objected to as evil or bad. Much less can any objection of this kind, be brought against the perfect laws of heaven, or the execution of them. It is true, abstract punishment or misery, can never be considered as a good thing in itself, or an object of pleasure or delight-yet, when taken in all its bearings, relations and connections, it is an exhibition of supreme goodness. When punishment and misery are entailed for their own sake, it raises abhorrence and indignation in every virtuous and good mind. These are expressions of tyranny, cruelty. M malice, and iniquity among men, and justly held in the utmost detestation. But every idea of this kind is utterly inapplicable to the blessed God. What puritive justice was displayed in the aw ful sufferings and cruel death of Jesus Christ? What must be the excruciating pains he sustained in the garden of Gethsemine, when his sweat was, as it were, great drops of blood falling to the ground? What must be the tormenting agony of his horrid crucifixion And was there ever such discoveries of benevolence, love, and unbounded goodness made to the universe of intelligences, as in these dreadful transactions? Is not this tremendous tragedy the sole foundation of the salvation of all pious and good people? And that which encreases the felicity of angels, and secures the eternal blessedness of all penitent, believing, and righteous men, mast exhibit the goodness of Jehovah in the highest fullness and perfection. These are only a few imperfect hints of the goodness and glorious moral excellencies of the Most High. Your own meditations. may enlarge upon them, to the utmost extent of your capacities, but eternity itself can never fully develope, much less exhaust the subject of inconceivable and infinite goodness. "Justice and "judgment are the habitation of his throne, mercy and truth shall before his face. I will make all my goodness to pass before gy thee. A very few conclusions, must bring this theme at present to a period. First, We conclude that all who would repent, forsake their sins, and turn to God according to the gospel, must make his goodness, mercy, and grace their only plea. Their chief prayer must be, "God be merciful to us sinners." All imaginary merit and self-righteousness, must forever be banished from our hearts. O let us, with our whole souls, embrace the mercy of God in Christ Jesus; and let us trust and depend upon his abundant goodness and truth. Secondly, We conclude that these perfections of Jehovah, as displayed in the holy scriptures, afford the greatest encouragement to poor, helpless and broken hearted sinners, to repair to this overflowing ocean of goodness. Here, O distressed souls, are enough and to spare. What is your petition, and what is your request? What are your hungerings and thirsting, and the longing desires of your hearts? Come hither, and they shall be satisfied with the fullness of God, with a perfection of grace, mercy, and goodness. Yea, "the Lord will rejoice over you for "good. O taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the "man that trusteth in him." He keepeth mercy for thousands. A Third conclusion is, that the righteousness and justice of God, though dressed in all the amiable robes of celestial goodness, must be a terror and dread to all the workers of iniquity, and to all the finally impenitent. Remember, O sinners, "The "wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness "and unrighteousness of men." The compassionate Saviour himself, who is all goodness and love, "Shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels to take vengeance." He is now, as it were, shedding tears of tenderness and love over you. He is saying, "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, how often would I have ga"thered you as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings; "but ye would not. As I live, saith the Lord God, I have no "pleasure in the death of the wicked. How shall I give thee up "Ephraim? How shall I deliver thee Israel? How shall I make "thee as Admah and Zebaim? My heart is turned within me, "my repentings are kindled together." Wherefore, be entreated not to despise the riches of his goodness, but flee from the wrath to come; flee into the open arms of divine compassion, mercy, and love. Lastly, We conclude with the highest certainty, that if God be thus good, and abundant in goodness, that he ought to be loved with all our hearts, with all our minds, and wit all our |