them too impotent to take revenge, and too contemptible to deserve regard. Does God treat us with this indifference? The stars are not clean in his sight: How much less man who is a worm ?"-"Yet he visits us every moment."

He is selfsufficient. His happiness is in himself. "If we sin, what do we to him? And if we are righteous, what receiveth he at our hands ?" His mercy is wholly disinterested. It is what we did not deserve, and cannot remunerate. Our impotence cannot give, nor can his fulness receive a recompense.

"He is not worshipped by men's hands, as if he needed any thing." All creation was his work, and is at his command. If this were not sufficient for his purpose, he, who has the residue of the Spirit, can call into existence other systems to display his goodness, wisdom and power. There is reason to believe, that men make but a small part of the intelligent universe. Certainly there are orders far more noble than we; and probably they are far more numerous. How wonderful it is, that amidst the immensity of God's works, our race is so mercifully remembered!

His mercy appears more rich and glorious, when we contemplate it in connexion with his purity. His holiness abhors sin, and yet his mercy can forgive it. Our readiness to forgive is often an indifference to sin, rather than a love of mercy. But God's mercy to sinners is not at all restrained by his hatred of their sins. He would not that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance; and them who repent he abundantly pardons.

The gospel gives us the most exalted conceptions of God's character. That he is good and merciful is a dictate of reason: But that great love wherewith he loved us is discovered only by the revelation of Christ. The light of nature, whatever hints it may be supposed to give us concerning the character of God, could never teach us that he will be merciful to sinners

merciful to us-merciful in this or that particular way; for his mercy is directed by wisdom; and we cannot determine how, and to whom it will be exercised, because without information from him, we cannot judge what his wisdom will see to be best. To revelation therefore we are wholly indebted for our assurance, that God will pardon sin on repentance, give his Spirit to them who ask it, and bestow eternal life on them who patiently continue in well doing.

III. We are, lastly, to consider the general purpose of God's particular mercy to these Ephesians. "God quickened them that in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness to them by Jesus Christ." "For this cause also Paul obtained mercy, that in him first Jesus Christ might shew forth all longsuffering for a pattern to them who should afterward believe."

God's ways are not as ours. It is by a labored process that we accomplish a single purpose: He by the same means brings about many purposes. In the exercises of his mercy toward particular sinners he designs not their benefit only, but that of others also. His mercy in reclaiming one transgressor may operate to the salvation of thousands in ages to come. The conversion of this sinner not only encourages others to seek God's mercy, but also places this person in a situation for more extensive usefulness. He who before destroyed, now promotes much good. What a vast and lasting benefit to the world was the conversion of the Apostle Paul? He obtained mercy, not for his own sake only, but rather that he might stand an encouraging pattern of divine grace, and might go and preach among the nations the unsearchable riches of Christ. Paul calls himself the chief of sinners. Some not so guilty as he, may have perished in their sins. Is God partial then in bestowing his grace? No; but he is sovereign. And may he net do what he will with his own? They who perish have abused and for

feited his grace. Is he unjust in withdrawing it? What if some more criminal than these are recovered by abundant grace ? Is there unrighteousness with God? By no means: For the recovery of these is designed for the benefit of many, and is a prejudice to none. Paul, who had been a great sinner, was reclaimed by a divine voice and supernatural light from heaven. Why was not the same favor vouchsafed to many others, who had done less than he to injure Christ's cause? The answer is; God had done much for them: They had no ground of complaint. But he reclaimed this offender, because he was a fit instrument to carry into effect the grand purposes of grace, in behalf of fallen men. "He was a chosen vessel to bear Christ's name before the Gentiles and kings, and the children of Israel." His capacity, education and circumstances, rendered him a proper person to be employed in spreading the gospel. And therefore, God's special mercy to him in his conversion, was general goodness to mankind.

The gospel dispensation, in which we are more immediately concerned, was intended to serve some useful purposes among other intelligences. Christ is made head over all things in heaven, as well as in earth. The angels desire to look into the marvellous scheme of man's redemption. The unsearchable riches of Christ are preached to men, not only to make them understand the mystery, which from the beginning has been hidden in God, but also that unto principalities and powers, in heavenly places, might be known by the church, the manifold wisdom of God.

And not only God's gracious dispensation to fallen men, but also his righteous severity toward irreclaimable offenders, is designed for extensive beneficial influence. His providential chastenings are intended for the warning of beholders, as well as for the reformation of the sufferers. His judgments are sent abroad, that the inhabitants of the world may learn righteousness. And even the final punishment of the impenitent may VOL. III.

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probably promote some of the benevolent ends of God's moral government, and be forever of use to other intelligent beings.

We are not to imagine, that God will injure one for the greater good of another, or of a number. To inflict undeserved punishment, would be injustice to the involuntary sufferers, whatever benefit might result to others. And there is no unrighteousness with God. But we may suppose, that his wisdom and goodness will make the just punishment of particular offenders, 'redound to the greater and more extensive happiness of his virtuous subjects. We know not but the most rigorous acts of his justice may, in some view or other, be acts of mercy and goodness.

How should we be filled with admiration of that Being, whose particular favors are general kindnesses; whose righteous judgments are acts of goodness; and who in the exercises of his justice makes mercy triumphant?

What abundant cause of gratitude have we, for the discoveries of divine grace, made to us in the gospel? What else could save the sinner, roused to an apprehen. sion of his own guilt and of God's justice, from running into distraction and despair? Nature gives him no more reason to conclude, that God will pardon him on future repentance, than that he will punish him for past disobedience. And be sure, when he finds his repentance imperfect, his resolutions unstable, his offences again repeated, and his strength unequal to the conquest of his vicious habits, what positive hope can nature give him, that God will assist him by his grace or pardon him by his mercy? To the awakened sinner the gospel comes as tidings of great joy.

Let believers adore the riches of God's grace. Some in the high road to destruction have been mercifully arrested and reclaimed. These should love much. And even they who have carlier found mercy in the diligent use of means, must acknowledge, that by the grace of God they are what they are.

Every unreclaimed sinner must be utterly inexcuseable; for he has received the grace of God in vain.

Let the awakened be encouraged to seek salvation. Draw hope from the examples of God's mercy to others; improve every good beginning in yourselves; let every conviction excite you to seek more grace; wait upon God, and hope in his mercy, that the work begun in you will be performed to the day of Christ.