perfection of his government to suppress expressions of displeasure, in any instance wherein iniquity takes place; we see not why he may not, also, as well withhold, to an equal degree, expressions of his approbation of righteousness. It is, therefore, manifest that, if the threatenings of the word of God fail in any instance whatever, its promises may also. And, if either, or both may fail in one instance, they, both, may, in all. And when, both threatenings and promises are given up, as to any worthiness of either fear, or confidence; what is there left in the book of the Scriptures, which deserves credit, or is of any real worth. On this ground it must appear, there can be no satisfactory evidence, that what are usually termed the holy Scriptures are from God-from a Being worthy to be feared, respected, and obeyed as GOD.

THESE are but the natural consequences of an opinion, that sinners, yea, any sinner may be forgiven, and received to the favor of God and eternal life, without any witness or manifestation that, in the estimation of the holy Governor of the world, he is deserving of endless destruction. These, of course, are consequences, which evidently result from a denial, that atonement has been made, by Christ, for sin— An, therefore, on the same ground, from a denial of the Divinity of Christ.

FOR if it be that Christ is not truly a divine person, no atonement is made for sin; And, consequently, if any sinners are saved, it must be without God's exhibiting any evidence, in his government, that he hol Is them guilty of death. And if the guilt of mankind do not in fact, arise to such a height as this, they need be in no apprehensions for their eternal safety in whatever light they view the character of Christ. And no one, it may be presumed, who views the subject in

this light, will feel his fears much excited by any threatenings he finds in his Bible; and, consequent. ly, will have as little just ground for placing any confidence in its promises. And when the threatenings of that holy book cease to awaken fear, and its promises, to ensure hope; nothing is left, which can, with any justice, be thought worthy of a revelation from God.

THERE are other, and still further consequences proper to be mentionel, which naturally flow from the sentiment, that sinners may be saved without an atonement-without any manifestation of the abhorrence, in which their characters are holden by the righteous Governor of the world.

WE trust it has been made evident that, if any of mankind may be finally and eternally saved, without witness given in the government of God, that he views them as deserving of his eternal anger, threatenings will naturally cease to be restraints from sin; and, of course, the promises contained in the holy Scrip tures, to encourage and excite to obedience. where there are, neither threatenings nor promises to operate on the minds of men, we can have but very faint ideas of any moral government exercised over them.

And

MORAL creatures act from motive: And we know of no other way in which moral government can be exercised over them, than by rules of conduct prescribed, and enforced by promises and threatenings. Creatures, incapable of influence from motives of good and evil, happiness and misery, are, neither themselves moral, nor proper objects of moral government. And where creatures are subjected to no rules of conduct enforced by promises and threatenings, we see no sense in which they can be under law. It is essential

to moral law, that it contain rules of action enforced by promises and threatenings.-These are fit to ope rate as motives on the minds of moral creatures. But if the force of the threatenings of the word of God be destroyed, the influence of the promises must equally cease; and, moral government will then be at an end.

IT will be in vain to consider men as under the moral government of their Great Creator, so long as they are not subject to rules of action enforced by: promises and threatenings: And equally in vain to expect, that threatenings will have the influence of motives, if no manifestations of divine displeasure. are seen, or to be expected to follow transgressions. If the promises and threatenings contained in the holy Scriptures, are set aside, we have yet to learn, both our duty and the motives by which it is enforced.-And when this is left to conjecture-each one having an equal right to decide on the subject; it is easily seen, that the rules of duty will be extremely vague. and uncertain, and the motives to the practice of it equally weak and feeble. On such an hypothesis, it must necessarily occur, that the evidence of our being under moral government is exceedingly small, if not wholly taken away. Should we feel ourselves subject to no rules of action, but such as our own minds collect from other sources than those of divine revelation; and these enforced by no other motives, no other sanc tions than our own reason and inclications suggest; we cannot but at once see, that the bands of moral obligation will be extremely weak; and, moral law nearly, if not wholly done away. If it be left to us to prescribe, either the rules of duty to our Creator, or the punishments, which shall follow their neglect; it is obvious, that the reins of government are not in the hand of God, but that his honor and glory must lie at our mercy.

On the principle now under consideration, it seems, therefore, necessary to admit, that the human race is not governed by law-by moral rules enforced by divine sanctions-by promises and threatenings from their Creator, GOD. And all this naturally and clearly results from the sentiment, that the holy Gov. ernor of the world pardons and restores sinners to his favor, without manifesting, at the same time, a displeasure and anger with them for their sins, equally fit ted to deter from disobedience, as the execution of the threatened penalty. When it is thought and expected, that sin is and may be forgiven without any such manifestation of divine displeasure as the threatenings of the word of God are fitted to awaken us to fear; it cannot but be seen, that these threatenings lose their influence to restrain. And, in proportion as it is hoped and believed, that sinners may be received to favor, without God's ever manifesting, in its natural fruits, the displeasure with them, which his threatenings naturally import; in that proportion will threatenings cease to be motives of action, and lose their influence to restrain us. And as far as the influ ence of these motives is destroyed, so far that of the promises must necessarily fail-And moral govern ment, for aught we see, come to an end.

THESE Consequences naturally flow from the doctrine, that sin may be, and is forgiven without an atonement that is, without divine manifestations of that displeasure and anger, which the threatenings of God's holy word naturally lead us to suppose, exist, whenever his holy law is transgressed. For on the plan of salvation without an atonement, it must unde niably follow, that fear of future punishment is greatly lessened, if not wholly taken away. An, if Christ be not a divine person, all ideas of atonement must be given up: And, of consequence it will be difficult for us to conceive, what sort of moral government, or

whether any, is exercised over us. These consequences, therefore, naturally result from a denial of the Divinity of Christ.

Ir is yet further to be remembered, that, as far as the evidence fails, of a moral government being con stantly exercised over the world-over men; so far are we from having evidence, that the world has a moral Governor. As far as we imbibe sentiments, and entertain principles, which, in their just and natural consequences, weaken the evidence of our being under moral government; we, so far, necessarily fall into doubt and uncertainty with respect to the existence of a moral Governor. On which principle, every thing before us is dark and uncertain-even whether we shall ever have any future existence, or not-and if we have, where, or under what circumstances it will be, lies wholly and entirely in the dark. What could ever originate principles, which naturally lead to such consequences as these, and terminate in them, but that disposition of heart, spoken of in the holy Scriptures, the language of which is, NO GOD!

Ir may serve further to illustrate the subject, to observe, that the perfect holiness of God necessarily implies his hatred of iniquity. God is LOVE: and this is a disposition, inclining him with infinite strength. to dogood-to diffuse happiness, and promote and advance the felicity of his moral kingdom. In proportion as the Great Governor of the world loves the good and seeks the welfare of his kingdom, He must of necessity abhor and detest whatever tends to obstruct its peace and prosperity. God's hatred of iniquity must necessarily be as great as his love of righteousnes, and bear an exact proportion to it.The truth of these observations will not, probably, be contested.

› HENCE it must follow, that, uniformity of charac