and to remind us, that all that perturbation which anger and revenge excite in our minds, and all those effects which flow from them, should be excluded from our apprehensions of the Deity, they would be very proper. But surely, the only wise God knows best what language to use concerning himself! and we may safely "speak according to "his oracles." Abhorrence of evil, and indignation against evil doers, are not sinful passions, but are requisite to perfect holiness; and to execute vengeance on criminals is the indispensable duty of a ruler. We pretend not to explain how these things subsist in the divine mind: but we know who has said, "Vengeance is mine, and I will re"compense;" and we hesitate not to repeat his words, without attempting to explain away their awful import.

When we add to this delineation, the enlarged goodness and liberality of the Lord, who delighteth in communicating being and blessedness, and "openeth his hand to fill all things living with

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plenteousness;" we perceive a character completely amiable, adorable, and glorious; and must allow the reasonableness of the command, "Thou "shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, "and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and "with all thy strength." Yet these perfections thus combined, though peculiarly encouraging to all obedient creatures, are most tremendous to sinners, who must be alarmed, and verge to despair,

1

in proportion as they become acquainted with
them; unless they attend to the discovery of the
Lord's plenteous, rich, and everlasting mercy.
But mercy respects misery, and transgression as the
cause; it pities and relieves misery, and pardons
sin; and without this attribute, even the providen-
tial goodness of God would tend to aggravate our
guilt, and increase our condemnation. Mercy,
therefore, is spoken of in Scripture as the peculiar
glory of God, and the grand subject of the be-
liever's confidence, joy, and grateful praise. Yet,
when the Lord "proclaims his name," as "mer-
"ciful and gracious, slow to anger, long-suffering,
"and ready to forgive; he commonly gives somic
intimation, that he "will by no means clear the
'guilty," or the impenitent and unbelieving.'
All his declarations of compassion and love to
sinners, are connected with holy abhorrence and
righteous indignation against their sins; and con-
tain some intimations of that change, which his
grace effects in those who share his pardoning
love.
Yet even this would be insufficient to reu-
der the exercise of mercy, (especially in that ex-
tent spoken of in Scripture,) consistent with the
perfection of holiness and justice: for should mercy
be shown to those who merit vengeance, and
nothing done to counteract the tendency of such a
measure, justice would appear imperfect, its rights

1 Exod. xxxiv. 6, 7.

Nah. i. 2—8. Rom. iii. 19-24. 2 Pet. ii. 4-9.

would be violated, and its glory eclipsed; the law would be in a measure degraded, and the divine purity would not shine forth in its full splendour. Some intimations, therefore, were given from the beginning, that mercy would be exercised in harmony with justice: and that Jehovah would, through the promised Seed, be." a just God and " a Saviour.”—Under the old dispensation, however, his servants seem rather to have believed that it would be so, than to have had clear perceptions of the mysterious way in which it would be effected: but the New Testament has removed the veil from the subject, as we shall easily perceive if "the veil do not still remain upon our hearts." This appears to be the only method in which the divine perfections could be displayed to us in all their glory at least, all created understanding must for ever have proved incapable of conceiving in what way the largest exercise of pardon and love, to the vilest sinners, could consist with, and illustrate, the infinite justice and holiness of God, and establish his law in honour and authority. Infinite wisdom alone could devise a plan adequate to these purposes; it must spring from boundless love; and we may be sure, that the plan revealed to us was the most approved, of all that were possible, by infinite wisdom and love.

Every intimation, therefore, of a Messiah, a Mediator, a mercy-seat, a High Priest, or an atoning sacrifice, should lead our minds to the

great doctrine of redemption through Emmanuel's blood, as the central point in which every part of the revelation, that God has made of himself to man, must meet. But, without further anticipating this part of the subject, we may observe, that the Scriptures every where describe Jehovah, as perfect in wisdom, holiness, justice, truth, goodness, and mercy in all its various exercises; they represent these attributes as the glory of his nature, and as constituting him the proper object of our supreme love, adoration, and service; as all harmonizing in his consummate character; and each subserving the exercise and glory of all his other perfections.

II. In more exactly investigating the Scriptures, we find these attributes exempliñed, in the works and dispensations recorded of God. The display of his omnipotence and other natural perfections,, in the works of creation, and in the miracles which he wrought for the deliverance of his servants or the punishment of his enemies, is too obvious to need a particular discussion; nor is it requisite to enlarge on his providential goodness. But that combination of justice, holiness, truth, and mercy, which has been stated as comprising the divine character, is manifested in his dealings with his rational creatures.-Infinite in holiness and justice "he spared not the angels that sinned, "but east them down to hell." He denounced on

fallen Adam and his race, the awful sentence, "Dust thou art and to dust thou shalt return;" and, in consequence of it, unnumbered millions have been swept into the grave by various dire and torturing diseases. The destruction of the old world by the deluge; that of Sodom and the neighbouring cities by fire; the plagues of Egypt; the vengeance executed on the Canaanites; and all the judgments inflicted on the rebellious Israelites in the wilderness, in the promised land, and through every age; are such exhibitions of these awful attributes, that our minds naturally turn from the narrative with aversion: nor can any man fully understand them, till he has acquired a deep sense of the evil of sin, and of the justice of God. Indeed the corrections inflicted on Lot, David, and other offending believers, whose sins were eventually pardoned, display the same attributes, and authorize the same conclusions; so that the Psalmist might well say, "My flesh trembleth for fear “of thee, and I am afraid of thy judgments.'

On the other hand, the Lord's patience, compassion, mercy, and grace are exhibited in all his dealings with fallen man: "he endured with "much long-suffering the vessels of wrath;" he hath ever appeared ready to forgive the penitent, to pity the wretched, to relieve the distressed, to lift up the self-abased, and comfort the brokenhearted. "His mercy is on those that fear him "from generation to generation:" his dealings