oracles, which should always be can properly be called wrath, indigexplained by comparing them with nation, or avenging justice. But, such passages as more fully state whatever there may be in such and unfold the doctrines of Christi- speculations, when cautiously mananity. The apostle John in another aged; or whatever use may be place, says, that "God is light;" made of them, in teaching us to James affirms, that "He is the exclude from our thoughts concernfather of lights, with whom is no ing the infinite God, every idea variableness or shadow of turn- which originates from the corrupt ing:" and Paul declares that "Our passions of our fallen nature: it is God is a consuming fire." Now, a evident that this is not the best man would not think of inferring method of addressing mankind ; from this last expression, that the neither the most intelligible, impres Lord cannot exercise mercy, but sive, or useful: for it is not the style must punish and destroy all sinners of the only wise God himself. In without exception; and this may speaking to us, he has seen good to show us, that limitations are also adopt that kind of language, which implied, when it is said, that GOD is commonly used by the unlearned, that is by an immense majority of the human species.

IS LOVE.

"Thus saith the high and lofty One, who inhabiteth eternity, whose We must therefore continue to name is Holy;" if then the Lord's discourse of the divine attributes, name be holy, he is holiness as cer- as distinct though harmonious: and tainly as he is love. The same when we read that "God is love," might be shown in respect of all we must suppose that a different his perfections; except that love instruction is intended, than when takes the lead, as it were, in all the we are told, that "Our God is a displays which he makes of his glo-consuming fire." The declaration rious character. that the Lord is "a holy and just

We discourse indeed on such God," has a different meaning from subjects like children; we are the encouraging assurance, that wholly incapable of conceiving" He is merciful and gracious, foraright of the divine nature; the giving iniquity, transgression, and attributes of the Diety doubtless sin." Yet these distinct attributes exist and operate with a simplicity perfectly harmonize in the divine that we cannot explain, and proba- character, and only seem to limit bly there is not that entire distinc- each other: for the Lord is infinite tion between the effects of mercy, in wisdom, justice, holiness, goodjustice, truth, and holiness, in the ness, mercy, and truth; exactly as divine nature and conduct, which if each attribute subsisted alone in appears to our contracted minds. his incomprehensible nature. Yet it may encourage us, under We must not, however, imagine, this our conscious incapacity, to when it is said, that God is love, reflect that the Lord himself speaks or truth, or vengeance, that these to us in our own language; as more properties are so essential to him, conducive to our benefit, though that they cannot but act to the utless flattering to our pride. Philo- most in all possible cases; as fire sophers, it is true, frequently reject cannot but burn, whether the effects the style of Scripture, and attempt be useful or destructive; or as water to prove, that there cannot be any must rush downward, when obstructhing in the divine nature which tions are removed, whether it fer

tilize or deluge the country. We impossible that any thing should be should remember that the Lord acts done of a contrary nature and tenwith most perfect freedom, and un-dency.

erring wisdom," according to the It may therefore suffice in general counsel of his own will.' It is to observe, that the Lord, in comtherefore impossible that any divine municating good, and exercising attribute could have been exercised mercy, acts freely and according to in a greater degree, or in a different his own perfections, and not by conmanner than it hath been; because straint, or reluctantly; that lovingthe works of the Lord's power, and kindness is his peculiar honour, the effects of his justice and love, which adds lustre to all his other have been exactly as many and attributes; that he delighteth in great, as infinite wisdom determined goodness and mercy, and rejoiceth they should be. in his boundless power of commu

We may perhaps discover a faint nicating felicity; that he is not in illustration of the subject, in the any respect less holy, just, and true, conduct of two affluent persons, than if he had shown no mercy; both apparently very liberal. The and that it is impossible he should one not duly estimating the real communicate more happiness, upon value of riches, or the true ends of any other plan, than he actually generosity, scatters abroad, with a will communicate in that way lavish hand, till he exhausts the which his infinite wisdom hath devery resources of his bounty; while vised; whatever ignorance or prehis indiscriminate liberality often sumption may imagine or assert. encourages vice, and does more

harm than good to society. The II. Then we proceed to illustrate other considers his wealth as an im- the truth and importance of the proveable talent: he gives and doctrine contained in the text, from spends only when he judges that it the dealings of God with his creawill answer some good purpose; he tures, especially with the human frequently rejects importunate ap- race.

plications, but on other occasions This will be rendered very evihe is bountiful without waiting to dent, by considering a gradation of be solicited. He studies to exercise events, in which the Lord hath exbeneficence in consistency with jus-ercised love and mercy to the full tice, and to retain the ability of per-extent of the explanation already manent usefulness: he aims to ren-given; yea, far beyond all that ever der his liberality subservient to the could have entered into the heart best interests of mankind, and uni-of man to conceive, had it not been formly to discountenance sloth, revealed.

profligacy, and ungodliness.- And Let us then endeavour to realize, thus, while he seems to limit his as far as such poor worms are able, bounty, he renders it more abun- the infinite and self-existent God, dantly and durably useful, by regu- from all eternity possessed of such lating it with prudence and discre- essential glory and felicity, as were tion. In like manner, the wisdom incapable of increase or diminuand justice of God may appear to tion.

restrain the exercise of his love: Thus circumstanced, he could but they only direct it in that man-have no other possible inducement which is most worthy and hon- but love, or a disposition to delight ourable to his name, and render it in communicating happiness, in

ner,

creating the universe, and producing | Bible, must allow the human race a vast variety of beings capable of to have become sinful and mortal life and enjoyment. The inanimate by the fall of Adam: and they who creation was formed perfectly good, reject revelation, will not find less and exactly suited to the use and difficulty than others, in accounting benefit of living creatures. The for the present condition of mannumerous orders of these, from the kind. If, then, every branch fell invisible animated atom, to the when the root was overthrown ; bright Seraph before the throne," if we are born in sin, and the were all made complete in their children of wrath;" it behoves us kind, adapted to the place and to be silent on this subject, and to design of their existence, and capa- wait for the clearer light of "the ble of a measure of enjoyment: great decisive day. For indeed it and, except as sin has deranged is highly probable, that the case of the original constitution of infinite infants will not only then appear love, no creature is left destitute of consistent with the divine justice, a degree of happiness equal to its in respect of their present sufferings, capacity. In meditating, however, but one grand display of the divine on this subject, we must recollect mercy and goodness, in the felicity that "the creation groaneth and by which these sufferings were travaileth in pain," through the succeeded.

sins of man: his cruelty and tyranny The Lord having created various add immensely to the sufferings of orders of rational creatures, hath innocent animals, and he is punished manifested his love, by condescendin them, as his property and the ing to become their moral Governor. subjects of his original dominion. Infinite wisdom, justice, goodness, It is also worthy of observation, and truth, are indispensably requithat no rational creature has ever site in the Sovereign of the universe. been deprived of that adequate fe- Such a government must be infinitely licity allotted to it, except in the case perfect, and of the highest possible of transgression; at least we have advantage to all creatures. "The no intimation of such a fact, either Lord reigneth, let the earth rejoice;" in the works or in the word of God. for nothing, but enmity and rebelNone has been degraded to an in-lion, can be dissatisfied with this ferior situation, rendered uncertain arrangement. The law, also, being in respect of the future, or dis- holy, just, and good, was dictated tressed by terror, bitterness, or by perfect love. Like a wise and vanity. On the contrary, we have kind father, the Lord requires us every reason to conclude, that the to love him with all our hearts, and capacities of all obedient creatures to love others as ourselves: every continually expand; that their en- other requirement may be readily joyment proportionably increases; resolved into these two great comand that they all will become more mandments; and if they were uniand more blessed to all eternity.versally obeyed, universal harmony In these things surely GOD IS LOVE. and felicity would be the conseIf the case of infants should be quence. Yet this is the law, against thought an exception, seeing they which the corrupt passions of man's suffer and die without personal heart rise in desperate enmity !— criminality; we may observe, with- Who then can deny that GOD IS out entering upon an intricate con- LOVE? troversy, that all who believe the

But the law is enforced by an
EE

awful sanction, and it denounces it would not be deemed an impeachan awful curse against every trans- ment of his paternal love to his gressor: what then shall we say to people. On the contrary, the prince, this? It would not perhaps be diffi- who under the plea of clemency cult to prove, that the punishments should neglect to punish evil doers, threatened in the law, and inflicted and to protect his peaceable subby the justice of God, result from jects, might indeed be the favourite love directed by infinite wisdom: of the fraudulent and rapacious, not love of the individuals, whose but his conduct would be reprobated final condemnation is determined, by all honest men. but enlarged benevolence to univer- But as we are not capable of fully sal being through eternal ages. comprehending the plan of the diThis however would carry us too vine government; and it would far from our subject: it must there- therefore be presumptuous to enter fore suffice to observe, that in the further upon such reasonings; let government of accountable crea- us turn our thoughts to another tures, who act voluntarily, and are view of the subject.-The Lord influenced by motives, the denunci- hath shown that he is love, in his ation of punishment must form a dealings with sinful men, by his part of the system: and if this pun-patience and providential bounty. ishment be only inflicted on the Could we possibly witness all the disobedient, and do not exceed the crimes of every description, with all heinousness of their crimes; while their aggravations, which are perit tends to retain multitudes in petrated in this city during a single obedience, and preserve the universe day; could we see the malignity from the effects of general rebellion, of every sin, and conceive of them it must prove a public benefit, and all as committed against us by perconsist with wise and holy love. sons on whom we had conferred the That must be the most beneficent greatest favours; and did we posplan, which secures the greatest, sess the unrestrained power of most extensive, and permanent ad- executing vengeance; I am persua vantages to the most excellent part ded that our patience would be of moral agents; and the philoso-wearied out before evening.—But phical notion, that the felicity even the Lord at once sees all the sins of sinful creatures is the ultimate committed in the whole world, end proposed to himself by the Go-together with the desperate wickvernor of the world, is not more re-edness of the human heart; he pugnant to Scripture, than to the abhors with unalterable and infinite common sense and opinion of man-hatred every kind and degree of kind in similar cases. A wise ruler unholiness; he is able at any moof a nation, in proportion as he ment to punish sinners with irresisloved his people, would be careful, tible vengeance; he could sustain by good laws impartially executed, no loss, if he destroyed all the to restrain the ill-disposed from workers of iniquity, and he might injuring their fellow-subjects, and do it consistently with most perfect disturbing the peace of the commu-justice. Yet he bears with the nity and if this made it necessary rebellions of mankind from age to to punish with death some indivi- age; he endures the provocations duals, these would be considered as of guilty lands, during the course suffering for the public good: and of revolving centuries, while their provided they deserved their doom, presumptuous ingratitude continu

"the

ally increases; he prolongs the various similar instances, lives of individuals to fifty, sixty, Lord is loving unto every man;" seventy, or eighty years, while they He maketh his sun to rise on the defy his justice, ridicule his works evil and on the good, and sendeth and word, or persecute to death his rain on the just and on the unjust." inoffensive worshippers! This is a "O that men would therefore praise very affecting illustration of the the Lord for his goodness, and for subject, and a convincing proof that his wonderful works to the children GOD IS LOVE. It is of the Lord's of men."

mercies that we are not consumed;"

These are, however, subordinate and besides the value of a reprieve proofs that GOD IS LOVE: and the to a condemned criminal, many of apostle did not so much as stop to us are under unspeakable obligations notice them: but with a beautiful to the long-suffering of our God; abruptness hastened to select the as he spared us during many years grand illustration and demonstrawhen we lived in unrepented sin, tion of his doctrine: "In this was that he might at length make us manifested the love of God topartakers of his great salvation. wards us, because that God sent

But, as if exemption from de- his only-begotten Son into the served misery were a small matter, world, that we might live through the Lord confers on sinful men an him. Herein was love, not that we exuberance of temporal comforts loved God, but that he loved us, and benefits. From year to year and sent his Son to be the propitiahe fills the earth with his riches: tion for our sins." The Lord's summer and winter, seed-time and purpose of pardoning sinners, and harvest, do not fail: things most advancing them to a higher degree necessary to the life of man are of glory and felicity, than that from most plentifully bestowed; but the which they had fallen, is not consirevolving seasons bring us a constant dered as the grand proof that God is succession of valuable productions, love; though the knowledge of him to regale us with an agreeable and of ourselves will convince us, variety of indulgence: and though that it is too vast for our capacities, we too commonly abuse this bounty and exceeds all computation: but to the dishonour of the Giver, every the means of our recovery and reconsense is liberally gratified with its ciliation are represented as exhibitproper object. The Lord holdeth ing a still more astonishing illustraour souls in life; his arm protects tion of the subject. Could the us, and his providence watches blessings designed us have been over us; while perhaps we proudly honourably conferred by an act of refuse to supplicate his favour, or sovereignty, without the intervenungratefully neglect to acknowledge tion of a mediator and an atoning his mercy. He defends us from sacrifice, as a prince pardons and sickness or heals our infirmities; he then prefers a man who hath been corrects with gentleness, and seems guilty of treason; the obligation in haste to relieve our distresses: would have been immense. But it he sometimes shows us the danger, appears that this was impossible, bethat our deliverance may be the more cause the Lord cannot act contrary affecting; but more frequently he to his own perfections. When spares us the alarm, though he therefore the honour of his law knows this will render us less atten- and justice seemed to place an intive to his kindness. In these and surmountable barrier to the exercise