In the Scriptures we are informed, that, notwithstanding the rebellion of mankind, God is still disposed to regard them with kindness; and that to such a degree as to proffer to them the forgiveness of their sins, and a restoration of their minds to the character and privileges from which they have fallen. To this end, as we are further taught, he has sent his only-begotten Son into this world, to die in our stead; and has promised, that whosoever believeth on him shall not perish, but have everlasting life.' In consequence of his mediation, God has i also sent into the world his holy Spirit, to sanctify our souls,

to purify our lives, to aid all our virtuous endeavours, and to conduct us in safety to the kingdom of the blessed. In this manner he has proved to us his mercy, the consummation and glory of infinite good-will. When all the circumstances of this wonderful scheme of dispensations are duly considered, even in such a manner as that in which we are able to consider them, we are forced to acknowledge, that no manifestation of benevolence within our comprehension can be compared to this; and to accord with the views which angels formed of it, and which they expressed in their divine hymn at the birth of the Redeemer; Glory to God in the highest, on earth peace, and good-will towards men.'

6. In the Law which he has given to mankind for the regulation of all their moral conduct, he has required no other obedience, except their love to himself and to each other.

This law, which was formed by him according to his own pleasure, is undoubtedly a perfect expression of that pleasure. But love is the only object of its requisitions. Towards him it is required to be supreme; towards other intelligent beings, sincere and universal. Of course, as he has made love the only object of that law by which he governs his moral creatures, it is undoubtedly the object in which he supremely delights; and by necessary inference is his own moral cha

racter.

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This truth is the more strongly impressed, when we remember, that the law regards nothing else as excellent, praiseworthy, or rewardable. He himself informs us, that love is the fulfilling of the law. This then is the only thing which it requires, and therefore the only thing which it esteems excellent or desirable. In all the various exercises of duty towards God, or towards our fellow creatures, in whatever form

they appear, or by whatever name they are called, there is no other real principle or performance of duty beside love. It is hence made the spring and directory of all our conduct towards friends and enemies, towards strangers and neighbours, towards those who can requite us and those who cannot. No being capable of happiness, is above or beneath the reception of its benefits and every moral being is under immoveable obligations to exercise it. Thus it is made by the law of God the foundation and the sum of all good, natural and moral; of moral good, as being the amount of all our duty; and of natural good, as in this way the means of all our blessings.

Still more strongly is this truth impressed by the Sanctions of this law. By it nothing, except love, is rewarded; and nothing, except the opposite character, punished. The reward is no less than endless life, the punishment no less than endless death. In these sanctions, God expresses in the strongest manner his supreme delight in benevolence, and his supreme detestation of its opposite. How forcible a proof is all this, that his own character is infinitely benevolent.

7. God requires the whole regard which he claims, to be rendered to him only as a benevolent God.

In the Scriptures we are required to love, worship, and serve, that is, to exhibit our love in different forms to a God of love, and to such a God only. Whatever being God is, he undoubtedly loves his own character, and must of course choose that this should be to creatures the object of their approbation and love. No other conduct is, I apprehend, consistent with the intelligent nature. But in the Scriptures he has not required us to approve, admire, or love himself, in any other character, except as a benevolent God. If this then be not his real character, he has not required us to love, admire, or approve his true character at all, but another which does not belong to him. Of course he has not, according to this supposition, required us to render this regard to himself, but to an imaginary God, an object diverse from himself in every moral characteristic. All therefore which he has done to enjoin, and to procure the veneration, love and obedience of his creatures; the pomp of miracles, the series of revelations; the humiliation, life and death, the resurrection, ascension and intercession of Christ; the labours of the Spirit of Grace, the establishment and support of his church in the world; have all been

accomplished, merely to gain our homage and service to a fictitious god, and not to himself, the true and only Jehovah. To the same end have been directed also his law, with its promises and threatenings, and his whole system of providence, with its long train of judgments and mercies. According to this scheme, God is exhibited as having laboured from the beginning for a being which has no existence, except in fancy; a mere nihility; and therefore as labouring without an end. According to this scheme therefore, all the wonderful works, both of Creation and Providence, have been accomplished for no end; and notwithstanding their amazing magnificence, are no other than a solemn farce, which he has informed us shall endure for ever. According to this scheme, God has been employed from the beginning, in inducing mankind by a series of most wonderful works to assume the most excellent of all characters, and the only really excellent character, for no conceivable end; and in this employment has without any reason exhibited a perpetual succession of mere deceit and illusion. Necessity of deceit cannot exist with God, because, without it, he can with infinite ease accomplish whatever he chooses. It must then, if existing at all, exist without cause or motive. He who can believe this, can believe any thing. But no man who understands what he believes, can seriously adopt so gross an absurdity.

8. God has informed us in the Scriptures, that there is beyond the grave an immortal state of retribution, in which whatever seems irregular in the present state will be adjusted according to the most exact dictates of benevolence and equity.

At the final judgment, we are taught in the Scriptures, mankind will be universally tried by those rules of duty which have already been recited, according to the means of knowing them which God has placed in their power. Those who are possessed of the revealed law, 'will be judged by the law;' and those who are not, will be judged without the law.' In other words, every man will be judged according to his works.' At this time the whole state of mankind will be settled agreeably to the most consummate benevolence. Such as in this world have loved God and each other, will then, through the righteousness of Christ, be acquitted of all their former transgressions; delivered from the punishment which they had merited, and rewarded with everlasting life in the kingdom of

glory. Those who have not performed this duty, will be consigned to blackness of darkness for ever.' In this great transaction, and its consequences, the mystery' of the present world will be finished;' the dispensations of God, both to the righteous and the wicked, exhibited as perfectly accordant with infinite benevolence; and the difficulties, which to the eye of reason attend them here, explained in such a manner as to stop every mouth, and remove every objection.

By these several arguments the benevolence of God is, I think, completely evinced in the Scriptures.

REMARKS.

From the considerations which have been suggested in this Discourse, connected with those which have preceded it, I observe,

1. That the Benevolence of God is strictly infinite.

In the divine Mind every attribute is necessarily co-extended with the greatness of that mind. The benevolence of God is as truly thus extensive, as his knowledge or his power. To his love of happiness existing, to his desire of happiness as a thing to be produced, no limit can be affixed. Intense aud glowing beyond degree, although perfectly serene and complacent, it furnishes the most solid foundation for the truth of that remarkable declaration in the text; God is love;' or Infinite Love is the Infinite God.

It is equally evident, that the Benevolence of God is Immutable and Eternal. This divine Attribute is, like Omniscience and Omnipotence, plainly incapable of addition or diminution. How can it be increased? By whom or what can it be lessened? What can put an end to its existence? All these questions convey their own answer.

2. The Benevolence of God cannot but be ever active. Epicurus, and after him no small multitude of succeeding philosophers, have adopted the opinion, that God is either absolutely or in a great degree quiescent, or inactive ;' at least so far as a great part of what we have been accustomed to call his Providence is concerned. Some of these philosophers have denied the providence of God absolutely. Others have denied a particular providence. But all to whom I re

fer have attributed some degree of inactivity to the Creator. Their opinion seems generally to have been, that after he had ended the work of creating the universe, and set it in motion, he left it to take care of itself, and found his own enjoyment in something which demanded no active exertion on his part. Epicurus himself taught that the gods, whose existence he admitted, resided at a great distance from created beings in some unknown, happy region; where they passed their immortal life in a state of absolute quiet, and pleasurable enjoyment, without feeling any interest in the affairs of mortals, or exercising any government or providence over them.'

This opinion, in substance, but with several modifications, has been adopted by no small number of philosophers down to the present time. They indeed admit the existence of one God only; he acknowledged many; they suppose God to be separated from human affairs only by a voluntary inattention to them; he, by local distance also. The most specious foundation for this doctrine is the supposition that God, being infinitely perfect, and therefore infinitely happy in himself, can. have no inducement to attend to the concerns of his creatures, since no such attention can at all add to his happiness.' This supposition is plainly and wholly erroneous, although the terms in which I have expressed it, the same in which it is usually expressed, seem to convey an unquestionable truth. It is true that God is infinitely perfect, and therefore infinitely happy ; and equally true of course, that no addition can be made to his happiness. It is also true, that this happiness exists in himself in a manner perfectly independent; but it is not true, that God would be or would ever have been thus perfectly happy, had he not made the universe; or were he not to conduct it to the purpose for which it was made. Benevolence, like gold, finds its chief value in its use. It is, in the nature of the case, more blessed to give than to receive,' or to be in any other employment or situation.

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The happiness of God is perfectly independent, because he is able to devise and execute whatever he pleases; and thus to accomplish boundless glory to himself, and boundless good to his creatures, dictated by his benevolence, and comprehended by his Omniscience. There is nothing in the nature of the case which furnishes a shadow of evidence, that the happiness of God is or can be independent of his own active exertions.