estimated morally, in reference to solid felicity and content, are indeed none; or are not absolutely made by God, but framed by men unto themselves. For,

God is indifferently affected toward persons as such, nakedly and privately considered; or as divested of moral conditions, qualifications, and actions: he in his dealing, whether as benefactor or judge, purely considereth the reason and exigency of things, the intrinsic worth of persons, the real merits of each cause; he maketh no arbitrary or groundless discriminations; he neither loveth and favoreth, nor loatheth and discountenanceth any person unaccountably: he doth utterly disclaim partiality, or respect of persons, as a calumnious aspersion on him, and a scandal to his providence.

Such in holy Scriptures he representeth himself, on various occasions; declaring his perfect impartiality, and that nothing beside the right and reason of cases doth sway with him; all other considerations being impertinent and insignificant to him. For instance,

:

It is declared that he hath no partial respect to nations; for the piety of Job, an Edomite; of Melchisedeck, a Canaanite; of Jethro, a Midianite; were very pleasing to him he favorably did hear the prayers and accept the alms of Cornelius, a Roman soldier; whereon St. Peter made this general reflection Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons; but in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him.'

He is declared not to regard the external profession of true religion, but real practice according to it: He rendereth,' saith St. Paul,' to every man according to his deeds—tribulation and anguish on every soul of man that doeth evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile; but glory, honor, and peace to every man that worketh good, to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile; for,' addeth the Apostle, assigning the reason of this proceeding, there is no respect of persons with God.'

He is said not to respect faces' or any exterior appearances, however specious in the eye of the world; according to that saying of God to Samuel, at the choice of David before his brethren; Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature, because I have refused him: for the Lord seeth not

as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance; but the Lord looketh on the heart.'

It is expressed that he hath no respect to the outward estate or worldly rank and dignity of men; but that princes and peasants, masters and servants, the honorable or wealthy, and the mean or poor, are of equal consideration with him; He,' saith Job, accepteth not the persons of princes, nor regardeth the rich more than the poor; for they are all the work of his hands;' and St. Paul biddeth masters to deal fairly with their servants, knowing,' saith he, that your Master is also in heaven; neither is there respect of persons with

him.'

We are taught that he doth not regard even the most sacred offices, or more worthy accomplishments of men, in prejudice to the verity of things, or equity of the case; for hence St. Paul maintaineth his resolute behavior toward those great pillars of religion, St. Peter and St. James; Of those who seemed to be somewhat, whatsoever they were, it maketh no matter to me: God accepteth no man's person.'

It is frequently inculcated that he hath no consideration of any gifts, of sacrifices, of services presented to him with sinister intent, to compound for sin, or excuse from duty, to pervert justice, or palliate wrong; according to that [declaration of Moses, The Lord your God is God of gods, and Lord of lords, a great God, a mighty, and a terrible, which regardeth not persons, nor taketh reward;' and that] charge of king Jehoshaphat to his judges, Let the fear of the Lord be on you; take heed, and do it; for there is no iniquity with the Lord our God, nor respect of persons, nor taking of gifts.' And, 'Do not think,' saith the Hebrew wise man, to corrupt (him) with gifts; for such he will not receive; and trust not to unrighteous sacrifices; for the Lord is judge, and with him is no respect of persons.'

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In fine, it is often generally declared that God impartially dispenseth recompenses, in just proportion, according to the deeds of men : He,' saith St. Paul, that doeth wrong, shall receive for the wrong which he hath done, and there is no respect of persons:' And if,' saith St. Peter, 'ye call on the Father, who without respect of persons judgeth according to

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every man's work, pass the time of your sojourning here in fear.'

There is nothing more frequently asserted, or more seriously urged in holy Scripture, than this point, that God will judge and deal with men, not according to his absolute, antecedent affections, but according to their own works,' or the tenor of their practice, duly scanned and estimated by the rules of justice; so that the really better man will certainly prove the happier, and the worse man shall be the more wretched: 'He will reward every man,' saith our Lord, sarà tùy πpāķiv avroū, ' according to his practice: Every one,' saith St. Paul,' shall receive the things done in his body, πpòs rà eрya, suitably (in just proportion) to his works;' and each man shall receive idior poor, his own wages according to his own labor; and then praise (or a due taxation) shall be to every man from God: Behold,' saith he in the Revelation, I come quickly, and my reward is with me, to recompense each man is rò avtov epyov čoraι, as his work shall be.'

Wherefore by sacred testimonies it is abundantly manifest that impartiality is a divine attribute and perfection of God; the which (for our greater satisfaction, and farther illustration of the point) may be also evinced by divers arguments, some proving that it must be so, others showing that it is so; some inferring it a priori, from the prime, most avowed attributes of God's nature, and from his relations to men; others arguing it a posteriori, from principal instances of God's proceedings and providential dispensations toward men.

Of the first sort are these:

1. God is impartial, because he is perfectly wise, and thence doth truly estimate persons and things.

Wisdom doth look evenly, with a free and pure (an indifferent and uncorrupt) eye on all things; apprehending and esteeming each as it is in itself; making no distinction where it findeth none; not preferring one thing before another, without ground of difference in them. It doth not fix a valuation on its objects, but acknowlegeth it, and taketh it for such as it is in themselves.

Wherefore God cannot have any blind affection or fondness toward any person grounded on no reason, or on any unac

countable prejudice. No person can seem amiable or odious to him, who is not in himself truly such.

This argument is often used in Scripture; and to assure us of this truth, it is there frequently affirmed that God doth search the hearts, doth try the spirits, doth weigh the actions of men: The Lord,' said Hannah, is a God of knowlege, and by him actions are weighed:'All the ways of man,' saith Solomon, are clean in his own eyes; but the Lord weigheth the spirits: His eyes,' saith the psalmist, behold, his eyelids try the children of men :' And, O Lord of hosts,' saith Jeremiah, that judgest righteously, that triest the reins and the heart-Thine eyes are open on all the ways of the sons of men, to give every one according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings:' [ I the Lord search the heart, I try the reins, to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings.']

2. God cannot be partial, because he is perfectly righteous, just, and holy. This reason adjoined to the former doth make up a complete demonstration: for partiality doth proceed either from blindness of mind, or from perverseness of will, he therefore who hath both an exact knowlege of things, and a perfect rectitude of will, can nowise be partial; the one enabling him to judge, the other disposing him to affect things as they are and deserve; to esteem and love that which is indeed worthy and lovely; to despise and, dislike that which is despicable and odious; to have no opinion or affection toward a person, abstracted from all qualifications; such an one being no special object of a wise and just either esteem or contempt, love or hatred.

As these causes are always inseparably connected, (for what is justness, but a disposition of will to follow, without deflexion, the dictates of wisdom?) so the effect must necessarily follow; according to numberless testimonies in Scripture, importing that The righteous Lord loveth righteousness; but the wicked, and him that loveth violence, his soul hateth 'The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous-but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil.'

3. God is impartial, because he is infinitely great and potent; whence all creatures are in the same degree inferior, at the same

distance remote from him; all are equally at his discretion and disposal; he hath no need of any: what therefore should incline him to regard one before another, excepting only goodness, wherein he delighteth? So the wise man discourseth, 'He that is Lord of all shall fear no man's person, neither shall he stand in awe of any man's greatness; for he hath made the small and great, and careth for all alike.' So Moses did imply, The Lord your God is God of gods, and Lord of lords, a great God, a mighty, and a terrible, which regardeth not persons.'

4. God is impartial, because he is immensely good and benign; both intensively in the degree, and extensively as to the objects of his goodness; so that he favoreth all equally, because all thoroughly, so far as may well be according to their condition and capacity; whence if there be any difference or defect, the ground thereof is not in his nature or will, but in the different qualifications of creatures.

There is a double goodness or love of God; one absolute, preceding all regard to personal qualities or deeds; the other conditionate, and consequent on special regards: in both these God is impartial; for the first is general and unconfined, according to that of the psalmist, The Lord is good to all, and his mercies are over all his works;' and those sayings in the gospel, 'He is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil:' He maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good; and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.' The second is grounded on special reasons of the case, and adapted to the rules of justice demanding it; according whereto, The Lord is rich (in mercy) toward all that call on him.' 'He will fulfil the desire of them that fear

him, and preserveth all them that love him.'

In the first there is no difference; in the second the difference is made by ourselves, being founded in our voluntary de

meanor.

5. God is impartial toward all persons, because he hath the same (natural and original) relations toward all.

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1. He is the Maker and Father of all; according to that of the prophet, Have we not all one father? Hath not one God created us?' and that of the Apostle, there is one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all:' he therefore hath the same parental kindness toward a'l,