unbending regard to the dignity of universal government. But let us speak of the moral perfections also separately.

ter.

(1.) Of the spotless purity of the divine charac"God cannot be tempted of evil, neither

tempteth he any man."

"He is of purer eyes

cannot look upon in

than to behold evil, and iquity." Even the heavens are not clean in his sight!" What views do these and other scriptures give us of God's holiness, and consequent abhorrence of all evil! We expect not that they who yet love sin, and its polluted pleasures, should behold any beauty here; should find in the meditation of this perfection any transcendent sweetness. But the renewed mind will dwell on it with peculiar delight, when it knows, how in the redemption of our Lord Jesus Christ, holiness harmonizes with mercy. They who are taught of God to hunger and thirst after righteousness," will ofttimes recur hither. They who know what it is, with many sighs, and prayers, and endeavours, to gain a little portion of purity of heart, which they value more than the gold of Ophir, and who pant for holiness as "their chief joy,"-will see something more lovely, more delightsome than words can express, in moral purity that never was spotted; in holiness so rooted, that it never could be even assailed. Especially, will "the meditation of it be

sweet," when it is remembered, that this is the example to which we are one day to be made like. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God:" 66 They shall awake up in his likeness

and be satisfied," for ever.

(2.) Divine Justice is nothing but this perfect holiness, exhibited in the moral government of the universe. To us, who are ourselves exposed to its severest animadversions, it may wear an awful aspect. Yet there is no difficulty in proving it to be essential to perfect excellence of character, in the universal Sovereign. If it be fit that perfect laws should be enacted, and the laws of God can be subject to none of those imperfections, nor their execution be obstructed by any of those unforeseen circumstances, which attend all human laws-If, I say, it be fit that the world should be governed by perfect laws, and those laws supported, then perfect justice is necessary to the perfect Governor. Punishment in God arises not from defect of goodness, but from perfection of holiness; and the more we contemplate it with large and extended views-without the interference of inordinate self-love-and especially, as displayed in combination with infinite mercy in the cross of Christ, the more shall we be convinced that this is as necessary to the perfection of divine excellence, as any other attribute.

3. Time would fail us to speak at length of the inviolable Truth and Faithfulness of God,which indeed may form a branch of his justice,and of the Wisdom which abounds in the displays of all his other perfections. Let us only add a few words on that which we must ever contemplate with peculiar complacency and satisfaction.

(4.) The boundless Goodness of God. "God is love," and, "his tender mercy is over all his works." It shines through all the works of creation. His delight in the communication of being and blessedness, is apparent in all the works of nature. Ten thousand different orders of creatures, all made capable of happiness; all, from the insect to the archangel, furnished with sources of pleasure, suited to their varied natures and capacities, and all-except as sin has introduced evil-rejoicing in them: "the meditation of it is sweet!"

But mercy to sinful creatures;-mercy so unbounded, and mercy so conveyed, transcends all that could be done, for those that had never offended. That we should be permitted to rejoice in God; that the Lord God should dwell among the rebellious; that they should be admitted to the adoption of sons through Jesus Christ," through the Son of God dying for our redemption—this is grace without a parallel-" love which passeth

66

knowledge." All words must fail to do it justice. Here then let us close in silent meditation, on what is too big for utterance-the inestimable love of God in the redemption of the world by our Lord Jesus Christ-on the various peculiarities of mercy, which have led each one of us to the means of grace, and infused into many of our breasts the hope of glory. "The meditation may be sweet," and not more sweet than edifying.

Now great pleasure is often enjoyed in contemplating an excellent, lovely, and exalted character, with whom we have not any connexion, whom perhaps we never saw, nor ever can see. How much more if we can say, This illustrious man is my benefactor, my bosom friend, my father. The application of this remark to the relations which this glorious God bears to us, is easy. Even to say of him, This blessed Being is my maker; he gave me this body and this soul: he gave me my habitation, my friends, all my comforts with what pleasure and what gratitude should it not fill us? how should it inspire us never to rest till we can say also, He is my reconciled Father in Christ Jesus. And if we can add this too, then what gratitude, what satisfaction, what contentment, what joy in God-our portion, our eternal and exceeding great reward-should ever fill our hearts! What worldly evil should greatly dis

:

compose our minds! What should we dread but drawing down his displeasure upon us!

IV. I need add little upon my last head-the NATURE of the pleasure which arises from such meditations-in what their SWEETNESS consists. It consists, as I intimated before, in the holy affections which they excite in our minds. The ingredients of which the pleasure is composed, are such as these: admiration; reverence; love; gratitude; hope; confidence; expectation. These dispositions are what the happiness of the soul, (so generally, but so unwisely sought from outward circumstances,) must naturally consist in. Such dispositions, produced and called into exercise, by the agency of the Holy Spirit, constitute "the peace of God which passeth all understanding," "" the joy unspeakable and full of glory." And in the uninterrupted and unrestrained exercise and expression of such affections, towards their ever present Object, no doubt greatly consists the happiness of the blessed in heaven. Whence is evident the essential connexion between happiness and holiness.

Are we not then, my Christian Brethren, exceedingly defective in that, on which we feel so much of our duty and so much of our happiness to depend? You, who are true Christians, will all

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