༔

3

dering in the ways of sin, and departing from | that celestial life, for the enjoyment of which they were created; appointed his own Son to be the Saviour of the world. And could the Eternal Father bestow on us a more excellent gift, than he "who is the image of his own invisible Godhead, the first-born of every creature by whom the world was made, his first born, his only begotten, his well beloved Son, in whom he declares himself well pleased, who was crowned with glory and happiness, in the bosom of the Father, before the world was?"

But when he appointed this beloved Son to be the deliverer of the human race; to the accomplishing this end, and the fulfilling of this divine commission; he gave him power over all men, power to raise them from the dead, and to judge them; authority to reign over them, that he might bring them all to God.

But previous to the exercise of this mediatorial authority, it was necessary that he should become the light of the world; and not alone instruct us by his precepts, but shew us in his person, what those virtues were, which we were enjoined to practice, in order to fit ourselves to be partakers of this great salvation. He was therefore not only appointed to be the teacher, and deliverer; but the model, and guide, of the human race.

To this end the Son of God, became the son of man, emptied himself and became like to us, by taking with our mortal nature all its infirmities and miseries; and submitting to death, that by his resurrection, and ascension to heaven, the glorious certainty of our future destination might appear.

First, Which way soever we turn our thoughts on this astonishing subject, we behold the traces of infinite goodness; and not the traces only, but the most resplendent and convincing marks of this amiable, this adorable attribute, in the great Author of our being. his gift, was that of the most excellent, the most sublime intelligence, and therefore the most tender object of his affection. He gave him in a manner not less surprising, he spared him not, but delivered him up to die upon an ignominious cross: if we next consider on whom he conferred so transcendent a favour, it was on a whole race of men, alienated from him, and enemies in their minds by wicked works. Or if we turn to the purposes for which he gave him, we shall discover, that he was designed to exhibit, even in his death, the most perfect model of all virtue, and that the consequences of that death, were to be our glorious destination to a happy, and eternal life. Need we then doubt that our salvation is his will, and our happiness his delight; when he employs such means to secure it? and after this wonderful token of his love, with what confidence may we not depend, that we shall forever remain the happy objects of his infinite compassion, and love; and that he will deny us nothing that can contribute to our everlasting well being? Such is the conclusion which St. Paul derives from this marvellous dispensation: "He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him, also freely give us all things?"

Thus does experience discover to us the infinite love of our Maker; and how evident soever truths founded on reason may appear, the instruction we receive from experience, brings home to our hearts such strong and lively impressions, that we are unable to resist the conviction.

cause they are the declarations of Him, who is not a man that he should lie, nor the son of man that he should repent; yet even these, were we destitute of all experience of their truth, could never create in our hearts, the intimate conviction, the perfect assurance which only that can give.

Now to accomplish this, it was necessary that the Divine Being should give his wellbeloved Son to a sinful world; that he should not spare him, but should deliver him up. Thus we behold our Saviour, in conformity The most positive declarations, the most to the will of his Father, quitting the celes-immediate promises, from the mouth of God tial abode of divine glory, condescending to Himself, that he will neither leave nor forsake be born of a virgin, living amongst us in aus, may put tranquillity into our minds, bemean and abject condition, exposed to contradictions, to hatred, and to all the cruel malice of his enemies; becoming a prey to their machinations, abandoned to their barbarous rage, placed in the rank of a criminal, loaded with reproach, and indignity, and condemned to the most bitter sufferings: nailed to an infamous cross, and there expiring in grief and agony. And is it thus, O God of justice! that thou permittest thine innocent, and holy Son to become the victim of a wicked and corrupt world, a world of sinners, of unjust and cruel rebels! O the depth of the riches of the goodness and love of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out.

Such is the gift which God has bestowed upon us in his Son, such the striking and ever memorable act by which he has signalized his infinite goodness to us; and what goodness may we not discover, what evidence may we not draw from it? Two reflections certainly merit our attention.

For could I ever from these declarations, and promises, have inferred, the inestimable gift of such a Saviour? I might indeed have hoped, from the principles already established, that my Almighty Father would refuse me nothing which he saw necessary to my happiness; but who could presume to expect such things, as eye has not seen, nor ear heard, surely they could never enter into the heart of man to concieve?

But when to the express assurances, to the most magnificent promises of divine goodness, we are able to add that evident demonstration which arises from the experience of the infinite goodness of God in the gift of his Son, what strength does it not convey to them?

a flood of light pours in upon the mind; the whole man lays hold on the delightful truth, by every faculty of his soul; he not only knows, comprehends, and believes it; but he sees, contemplates, tastes, and in a word feels, in the inmost recesses of his heart; that his Eternal Creator is a father infinitely kind. It is thus we may be filled with all the fulness of God. It was this consideration which led St. Paul to express himself with such heartfelt eloquence, and such strength and energy of language. "I am persuaded," says he, "that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord."

CHAPTER III.

Consequences deduced from the infinite goodness of God.

AFTER having in the two preceding chapters explained and proved, the infinite goodness of God, it should seem that this foundation of the systein of his government of moral agents was sufficiently known, and that I might here terminate the first part of this work. But this sublime and delightful proposition, is a truth too interesting to content myself with having demonstrated it; we must stop and contemplate the most affecting object that can ever engage our attention: the Being who made us, and who is goodness itself; the eternal will, who is love, and breathes nothing but love! If the Psalmist said it was a good thing, O most High! to shew forth thy loving kindness every morning; how much reason have we to say it is a good thing to contemplate, to meditate, to reflect upon this ineffable goodness? Our minds no sooner employ themselves thus, but our hearts are touched, and penetrated, and we are ready to exclaim, O God of love! in thy presence is fulness of joy!

But it is not only the beauty of the subject that detains me: I have another and more imtant reason, which makes it necessary that I should dwell upon it; and this is, that the infinite goodness of God is not known, or what amounts to the same, that it is ill known. I say that to know improperly, or not to know, amounts to the same thing. St. John does say, he that loveth not has improperly known God, but, he that loveth not, has not known him.

And here I perceive that many of my readers will be alarmed at the apparent injustice of the accusation, and ask how this complaint can be made among Christians, when there is not a sect, a single communion amongst them, which does not profess to believe the infinite goodness of God? Is there a divine, of what denomination soever, who does not acknowledge and expressly teach this truth? is there even an individual in Christendom who does

To

not profess it: insomuch that the epithet of a
good God, is in the mouth of every one?
all this I agree; mankind acknowledge and
profess to believe the infinite goodness of
God: it is preached, it is taught, and notwith-
standing all this, it is not known.

But it is necessary here to explain what I advance, not only to make the propriety of this chapter appear, but of the whole of this treatise. For why write to explain and establish a truth already known to all, and which no one contests?

I say then first, that the goodness of God, is not known to all such, as attribute to him, a will, and actions, absolutely incompatible therewith, and which can only belong to infinite malevolence and cruelty.

Secondly, it is not known to those, who have doubts, difficulties, and objections concerning it.

Thirdly, it is not known to all such, as have not for the Supreme Being, for his providence and for his laws, the sentiments which infinite goodness deserves; for his providence and his laws are no other than his perfect and gracious will.

And when tried by these rules, how many will be found who know thee not, O merciful God! how many labour under the dreadful misfortune of misconceiving thine adorable goodness, through the means of prejudice, ignorance, or passion! Lord lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon them!

Since such is the case, it was necessary to determine the precise idea, and to demonstrate the perfect certainty of this truth, as I have done hitherto; but this is not enough; I therefore devote this chapter to the enumeration of the principal consequences which flow from the infinite goodness of God; which will in the first place entirely refine it from the dross of error, which has corrupted, and even totally destroyed, our ideas of it.

Secondly, reconcile it with every appearance, with every event in the course of nature, with every dispensation of providence, which may seem in contradiction to it.

Thirdly shew, what are the sentiments which the knowledge of the infinite goodness of God infallibly produces in the heart, when the mind is rightly informed, and thoroughly convinced of it.

This chapter will be divided into two sections; the first of which will contain the consequences respecting the theory; and the second, the practical consequences to be derived from it.

SECTION I.

THE first consequence resulting from the infinite goodness of God, is its incomprehensibility, or in other words, the utter impossibility of any finite creature ever comprehending the extent of this attribute, as possessed by the Supreme Being.

And this must appear with the clearest evidence; for as this perfection is constantly em

ployed in doing all the good, that is possible, we must in order to comprehend it, know all the good which every creature, is, and will ever be, capable of receiving; we must be ignorant of none of the works of our Maker, must know the whole universe as he does, must know God himself; and this is to advance, that our knowledge must be infinite. Thus it is evident that the infinite goodness of God, is incomprehensible by us; because we can never possess infinite knowledge.

Besides, we see that this atrribute is con- I solicit my readers to pardon this digres nected with his wisdom, and power: thus sion in favour of human reason, which I conwhen we say that his goodness is incompre-sidered necessary, since, under the pretext hensible, it is equal to saying that all the that the goodness of God is incomprehensible, attributes of our Creator are infinite, and that the ignorance and weakness of reason have he himself far exceeds the limits of our been exaggerated to such a degree, that some understanding. "Canst thou by searching might be tempted to infer, that it was a find out God? Canst thou find out the Al- treacherous and dangerous guide. It was mighty to perfection? It is high as heaven, therefore requisite to explain, how far it might what canst thou do? deeper than hell, what be deemed weak and imperfect, without preeanst thou know?" judice to the excellence and dignity of this valuable faculty.

But here some will say, if the goodness of God is incomprehensible to us, because it is infinite, have we not just reason to fear that all researches into it, will be vain, and all our arguments, uncertain conjectures? shall the limited powers of man, his weak, and shortsighted reason, presume to advance any thing on a subject so dark, and impenetrable; and must not all the arguments of his feeble rea-perceive with the clearest evidence, that the son be uncertain and rash, if not absolutely false? How then are we to argue on an incomprehensible subject?

Let us now take up the question, How we are to reason on an incomprehensible subject?Now when we say that the Divine Goodness is unsearchable, we do not mean that the subject is so dark, and impenetrable, that we can form no ideas of it; that we cannot comprehend what goodness is; and that we do not

Such are the declamations I have often heard, and sometimes even read. For when men will not admit the consequences that follow from the infinite goodness of their Maker, they think to avoid them by taking refuge in its unsearchable nature; and declaim on the darkness, the weakness, and temerity of hu

man reason.

Let us for a moment examine what that faculty is, which we hear so often censured. It is true that it is originally covered with profound darkness; but it is also true, that it is the mean by which we may acquire light, and that, in an endless progression. It is true that in its first dawn it is weak and feeble; but it is not less so, that it acquires strength by exercise, and that the more it is exerted, the more vigorous it becomes. This reason, however obscure and feeble in its origin, is nevertheless the grand mark of distinction between us, and the brute creation; it is the faculty by which we are rendered capable of contemplating and resembling in any degree, the infinitely perfect God; in a word, therein can only consist his image stamped upon man. Reason is the excellence, the perfection, the dignity of human nature; and God addresses himself to it, in nature, and in revelation. He, who made us for happiness, determined to raise us from the dreadful wretchedness of ignorance, and sin, to perfection and felicity; and to accomplish this end he gives us the means, of developing, of exercising, of fortifying, and of enlightening it by the knowledge of the truth. Ah! let

Supreme Being is infinitely good. This would be a very false and absurd conclusion, and what the two preceding chapters are intended to overthrow; we mean therefore to express, that in the extent of Divine Goodness, there is, and will ever remain, infinitely more than we can comprehend; and thus, that the sublimest ideas we can form, will continue at an infinite distance from the reality of that attribute in our Maker. We mean also to signify, that we can never ascribe more goodness to God than he possesses, or exceed its bounds in our expectations of happiness from it. We cannot indeed determine the time, and manner, in which Infinite Wisdom may see fit to dispense his blessings; because our knowledge is finite; but we may with certainty affirm with the apostle, that he is able to do exceedingly and abundantly more for us, than we can ask or think."

Lastly, when we say that the infinite goodness of God is incomprehensible, we mean that it is inexhaustible with respect to us, and that our progress in the knowledge of it will last forever; for in the riches of his love consist those rivers of pleasure, of which he will cause us to drink. This is the true and interesting signification of the term, and first consequence that the infinite goodness of God is incomprehensible.

The second, contains the absolute impossibility of there being any thing in the supreme mind contrary to his infinite goodness. This truth is so apparent, that many of my readers may call it a self evident proposition; as if I were to say, that it is impossible for a thing to be, and not to be at the same time. And yet evident as it certainly is, its discussion is both

shall I venture to complete this horrid proposition? or even to will with equal indifference good or evil. And is this then the infinite liberty of our Creator? would it in your estimation be an amiable, and glorious perfection, equally to will the happiness or misery of his creatures; indiscriminitely to love, or hate them; and to decide indifferently for good or evil? and is it possible that prejudice can so far blind many whose minds are in other respects intelligent, and upright? But alas! such is its baneful influence! The necessity of defending a doctrine which they venerate, however horrid, because they believe it revealed in the word of God; this necessity leads men to hold a language the sense of which is revolting; contrary to the natural dictates of their hearts; and which they have in a thousand instances contradicted, when they only meant to express the simple and natural ideas, of the adorable goodness of the Lord.

But let us turn from this dreadful phantom, raised by ignorance and prejudice, and consider the liberty of the Divine will, as the determinations of design, and choice, from motives worthy of him; and which his infinite wisdom can never be at a loss to suggest. Thence his infinite goodness must remain unalterably, and immutably the same throughout endless ages. His essence is goodness and love, he cannot act contrary to his nature, or deny himself.

Let us reject with horror all such erroneous opinions of Divine liberty, as destroy every idea of his goodness; and let us resolve it into that absolute prerogative, which God alone can possess, of executing every purpose of his will without constraint from external, or internal causes. This is perfect, and infinite liberty;

; a liberty, which far from opposing goodness, will ensure its eternal exercise. The holiness of God, far from being averse to his goodness, is itself a capital branch resulting from it.

laws, which he requires us to obey, because he wills our utmost perfection. Agreeable to this he declares, that his will is our sanctification. He commands us to tend towards perfection, to be pure, as he is pure; holy as he is holy; perfect, as he is perfeet; merciful, as he is merciful; in a word, to be imitators of him as dear children.

From this disposition in the Deity, to advance the moral perfection of his creatures, must result his hatred to moral evil; sin, is that will in us, which is in opposition to the law, and contrary to the love of God, and our neighbour; it is the imperfection, the depravity, the wickedness of our wills. As surely then as God by his holiness desires the perfection of our wills, so surely must he condemn and detest in us the impurity of vice; he hates it, with a perfect hatred, he has it in abomination, he is its implacable enemy, and he will pursue and combat it, as long as we are infected by it. He declares that nothing unclean shall enter into his holy city; that without holiness no one shall see the Lord; that he is of purer eyes than to behold iniquity; and that there is no peace to the wicked.

Such is the nature of Divine holiness as it relates to us. The psalmist had the same idea, when he said "thou Lord lovest righteousness, and hatest iniquity. Thence the frequent exhortations in scripture to hate and fly from evil, to love and to do good. Thus far all mankind are agreed, and no one will deny this to be a just idea of the holiness of the Deity.

But here begins the distinction. Those who oppose holiness to goodness, by their definition make it so formidable an obstacle, that, infinite as that goodness is, it becomes checked and conquered. For under pretext that the holiness of God consists in an infinite hatred of sin, they draw this horrid conclusion, that he hates the obstinate and wicked offender, with an infinite and implacable hatred; such a hatred as will by its effects consign them over to infinite and eternal misery.

The word holiness is made use of in scripture, to express the moral perfection of an intelligent nature; and all will allow that excellence to consist in the perfection of the will. Thus is the Supreme Being called But if the object is painful, it is happy to thrice holy, because his will is sovereignly reflect with what ease it may be removed, to good and perfect. Now this perfect holiness give place to that more just and comforting of God,evidently results from his perfect good-idea, that the infinite and implacable hatred of ness already established. I shall not there- God to sin, proceeds from his infinite love of fore go over these proofs again, but conclude the sinner. Thus, he is infinitely holy, bethat if holiness consists in the perfection of cause infinitely good; and thus is his holiness the will, the Supreme Being must be most branch of his divine and infinite goodness. holy, because he is infinitely good.

How injurious to the holiness of the Almighty Being is an idea, so contrary to goodness, which converts holiness into cruelty.

a

The opinion I am about to combat, that God Such is the holiness of God with respect to hates the wicked, is as universal, as it is perhimself: view it in relation to his creatures; nicious, and revolting. We are naturally it consists in a disposition invariably to will inclined to the belief in which we are edutheir moral perfection, or in other words, to cated, and one of the first ideas the infant desire the greatest perfections of our wills. mind receives is that of the eternal sufferings In conformity to this, he commands us to which divine vengeance will inflict on the love him with all our hearts, who is supreme-wicked. When our understandings, though ly perfect; and to love our neighbour as our naturally just and consistent, have once adselves; to the end that our wills may partake mitted this proposition as an indisputable of that perfection, which resides invariably in truth, it is natural that we should see in the his. This is the summary of all the divine Supreme Being an infinite hatred to the