^^ OF P^'/V^ ^""■"J-^-OGIC/ii SL^:S^ ^ BX 7250 .W54 1836 Williston, Seth, 1770-1851. The harmony of divine truth Digitized by tine Internet Arciiive in 2009 witii funding from Princeton Tiieological Seminary Library http://www.arcliive.org/details/liarmonyofdivinOOwill THE' HARMONY DIVINE TRUTH BY SETH WILLISTON, Anihoi- of R Vmilicatiun of llie Doctrmcj nf ilie Refoiimlinn, Revival Scrinom, Discourse! on the Sabbath, &:-c. '■Aiui ye shall knoir l/ic truth, and the truth shall make youfrei'." John 8 : 3^. UTICA. rPxINTEIi For. THE AUTHOR, BY BENNETT & BRfGIIT. 1 R .*? 6 ENTERED ACCORDING TO ACT OF CONGRESS, April 19, 1836, IN THE CLRRk's OFFICE OF THE NORTHERN DISTRICT OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK. CONTENTS. Introduction PART I TRUTH IN DOCTRINE. ARTICLE I. Being and attributes of God II. Creation and providence III. Moral government — perfection of the law IV. Man's apostacy and entire depravity V. Atonement for sin by the sacrifice of Christ VI. Benefits of the atonement proffered to all VII. All men naturally disposed to reject the offer of salvation VIII. Regeneration a radical change, effected by the Holy Ghost IX. Sovereignty of grace in regeneration X. Divine purpose relative to the salvation of men XI. Justification by faith in Christ — of grace, not of works XII. Perseverance of the saints — grace and glory connected XIII. Resurrection — general judgment — heaven and hell XIV. Counsel and agency of God .... Retrospect of Part I. . . . 17 39 51 65 82 100 110 125 153 167 182 198 212 228 244 PART II TRUTH IN EXPERIENCE. ARTICLE I. Disinterested benevolence II. Complacency in holiness III. Submission to the will of God IV. Repentance V. Faith VI. Hope VII. Humility VIII. Spiritual hunger IX. Spirit of forgiveness X. Self-denial XI. Thankfulness to Goil XII. Holy meditation Retrospect of Part II nnental religion 261 267 288 God 297 308 323 337 347 356 369 k ■ 382 392 403 . 413 PART III TRUTH IN PRACTICE. (leneral remarks on practical religion DUTIES TO GOD. ARTICLE I. Worship — prayer and praise II. Reading and hearing God's word III. Sanctification of the Sabbath IV. Public profession of godliness V. Consecration of property to the Lord 425 428 453 464 481 491 DUTIES TO MEN. P'lRST Division. — General duties I. Regard to the person of our neighbor II. his property III. his reputation IV. his soul 509 510 511 513 517 .Second Dn^isioN. — Relative duties I. Duties of rulers and citizens II. instructors and pupils III. ministers and hearers IV. husbands and virives V. parents and children VI. brothers and sisters VII. masters and servants 526 526 528 531 532 536 542 544 Third Division. — Personal duties 555 Men are bound to take care of their own persons, property, reputation, and souls . . . . . . . 556 Personal attention to the interests of the soul indispensable . 557 Every man is bound to be sober-minded, temperate, chaste, and industrious 559 Retrospect of Part III. ..... . 571 Concluding Remarks 582 INTRODUCTION It is becoming quite a common sentiment at the'present day, that it matters not what a man believes, if he is but sincere. As a man thinketh, so is he, is not unfrequently adduced as furnishing scriptural proof of the correctness of the sentiment. This half quoted text, like that employed by Satan when he tempted the Son of God to cast himselt down from the pinnacle of the temple, is made to speak a language foreign from its true meaning. When written out, it reads thus : " For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he : " and the connection makes it evident that the Thing intended by the passage was to mark the difference between the lips and the heart of the flatterer, for the sake of detecting his hypocrisy, and showing that his heart, not his lips, give him his real character. See Prov. xxiii. 6 — 8. But the language which this passage is very commonly made to speak, is to this effect : " Whatever a man thinks to be right, is right ; whatever he believes to be truth, becomes so to him ; be it what it may, his belief transforms it into truth ; so that henceforth for /tm it will answer all the purposes of the most orthodox creed which he could have adopted." Thus, according to this popular maxim, truth, in relation to God and the things of eternity, has no existence, except in a man's own mind ; and, since it is manifest, that there are "many men of many minds," the truth must be multiform and contradictory. But is this correct ? Is it possible that the truth should have such an unsolid foundation ? Can it be either created or annihilated by a freak of the brain ? What then could be the use of an inspired volume ? (for I speak to them who acknowledge that such a volume exists ;) was it not given to settle the grand question, What is truth 1 But if a man's belief be the thing which gives truth its existence, a revelation from God is useless ; for without a revelation every man will believe something ; and according to the foregoing maxim, his belief of this something, (no matter how inconsistent and false it was before he believed it,) immediately transforms it into truth. But do the scriptures speak of the truth as if it were originated by man's belief? Do they not manifestly represent it as having an existence which is entirely distinct from this ? How pointedly do they condemn those who believe not the truth, but who believe a lie in its room ! Nor is there any intimation given that their belief, even their cordial belief of a lie, serves to transform it into truth, or to divest it of its baneful influence. 2 Thess. ii. 11, 12. When the divine teacher told his hearers, that if they should know the truth it would make (hem free, the truth was evidently supposed to have existence indepcndentlv of their knowledge of it. Likewise, when he sent his 1 6 INTRODUCTION. disciples to preach the gospel to every creature, the commission they received supposed the gospel to be true, whether it should be believed or disbelieved ; else the disbelief of it would not have been threatened with so great an evil as eternal damnation. Mark xvi. 15, 16. How it can be accounted for, that the term t7iith should have been selected by the inspired writers, (or rather by the Spirit of inspiration,) to distinguish the religion which they exhibit, from eveiy other system in the world, if at the same time they had considered it as a mere moral chaos, made for our plastic hands to mould and shape into such creeds as should please every man's own fancy 1 It is worthy to be noted that the sacred volume makes a very copious* use of this term, applying it to every department of religion. For itself, as an inspired book, it claims the honor of being called " the scripture of truth,''^ and " the word of truth." Dan. x. 21. Eph. i. 13. Is not the Bible thus manifestly distinguished from the Koran of the Mahometans, and the Shasters of the Brahmins, and from every other book which sets up a claim to inspiration ? The God of the Bible is called " the true God," his beloved Son is called " the true Witness," and his Holy Spirit " the Spirit of truth ; " and why, except to distinguish Jehovah from idols, his Son from false Christs, and the Holy Ghost from Satan, and every other lying spirit ? The doctrines we are required to believe, are denominated the truth, to distinguish them from the doctrines of devils, and from delusive errors of every kind ; and the belief of these doctrines, when it is wrought in our hearts by the Spirit of God, is said to be truth and no lie, to distinguish it from a false faith which does not work by love. Also, that conduct which is required by the divine law, and which is the external expression of a heart conformed to it, is called " obeying the truth." 1 Tim. ii. 4. 1 John ii. 27. 2 John 4. " The church of the living God," when considered as a community, composed of men redeemed from iniquity, is called " the pillar and ground of the truth." 1 Tim. iii. 15. See also Isa. xxvi. 2. What an importance does it give to religious truth when we hear Christ Jesus witnessing this good confession before Pontius Pilate ! " To this end was I born, and for this cause carne I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth." John xviii. 37. Surely that must be a thing of no small consequence, the establishment of which was the end of our Redeemer's birth, and the sole cause why he came into the world. But what is trut'i ? It concerns every one to know what the sacred writers intend by a M'ord which they make so significant. Is it of such doubtful meaning that nothing can be determined by the use of it ? We all understand that t7-uth is the reverse of falsehood ; that it implies reality, in contradistinction from that which is fictitious ; the agreement of things with the representation made of them ; or such a representation as agrees with their actual state. The scripture, in using this word to characterize the religion which it reveals, manifestly assumes the ground, that this religion is a solemn reality ; that its doctrines, which claim our belief, are ]iot fables, but facts ; and * In John's two short f^pistfes, hoth of which contain bu( twenty-seven verses, the word truth ocoirg ten times. INTRODUCTION. 7 that those internal affections and external action.s, which it requires, are such affections and actions as correspond with these facts, and are therefore themselves denominated the truth, " truth in the inward parts," and " truth wrought," or done, that is, reduced to practice. Ps. li. 6. 2 Chron. xxxi. 20. By such a continual recurrence to this significant word, it would seem that truth is considered as that which gives to the religion of the scriptures all its excellency ; so that, were it to be divested of this quality it would cease to be worthy of our regard. The circumstance, that the scriptures resolve into truth the whole which they teach on the subject of religion, is calculated to impress us with the sentiment, that religion is not made or unmade by men ; that their belief or disbelief, though it may greatly affect their own well-being, does not affect the thing itself. Their belief does not make it true, nor does their unbelief render it false. What one doctrine of the scriptures is there, which depends on our belief for its truth ? Surely the existence of God does not depend on his creatures believing that he exists ; nor does the reality of his dominion over them depend at all on their believing in a divine government. Should the children of men believe themselves to be innocent creatures, uncontaminated with sin, it would not do away their depravity, nor replace them in their primeval state. It would still remain a fact, confirmed by every day's experience, that we are apostates. Nor will a disbelief of future punishment, to be inflicted on the impenitent and incorrigible, do any thing to annihilate that punishment. As well might one pretend that unbelief concerning a prison, erected by the state for the punishment of felons, would annihilate such a prison. It is true, that in view of the incredulous man it would be as though it were not ; and his incredulity might be the very means of bringing him within its walls. But as soon as he is locked up there, he will be convinced that the prison had existence at the very time that he ridiculed it as a fiction. Whatever exists, is a reality, independently of its being believed. But every one must perceive that religion depends not on the will of man, to give it its existence or character. Nor does it depend for either of these even on the sovereign pleasure of God. Whether a world of intelligent creatures should exist, or not, depended on his pleasure ; but when such creatures are once in existence, it does not remain for him to determine whether or not to place them under law and the obligations of religion. These obligations are necessarily connected with their very existence. When we contemplate the intellectual system, made up of the infinite Creator and his rational creatures, with the relations necessarily subsisting between them, we perceive that our obligations to love him supremely, and our fellow creatures as ourselves, result from these relations. With such a universe there must be such a law, and such a system of religion, as are presented to us in the holy scriptures. The truth of this system did not originate with its explicit appointment, but its appointment is to be considered as the result of its accordance with the real state of the universe. It is therefore called " a reasonable service." Even where revelation has not shed its light, the obligation to the duties of piety are such as to take away all excuse for not glorifying God. Rom. xii. 1, and i. 20, 21. 8 . INTRODUCTIOX. Though divine truth exists independently of its being revealed, still the experiment has shown, that without an explicit revelation from God, this rebellious world, circumstanced as it is, would never come to the knowledge of the truth : " The world by wisdom knew not God." 1 Cor. i. 21. The heavens and all the visible creation declare the glory of God ; but it is that declaration of divine glory which is made in the inspired word, which is honored as the means of converting the soul. Ps. xix. 1 — 7. If no other exhibition of the character and will of God, except that which is made in the holy scriptures, does actually bring men to know, love, and enjoy him, they well deserve to be prized above gold or rubies. The short period we spend in this world is probationary time. How important, then, on our first entrance into the world, that we should be apprised of the fact, and also be informed what the Lord our God requires of us, to render our term of trial a pi'eparation for a blessed eternity. In the scriptures, this disclosure is fully made. Here every thing needful on the subject of religion is taught, and that with great explicitness. The principles of natui'al religion are made so plain, that children can understand them. And here is revealed an atonement for sin, the very thing with which sinners need to be made acquainted. The book of nature would not have disclosed this mystery of grace ; but when the scriptures have made the disclosure, it is not difficult to see that this doctrine, which is peculiar to the Christian system, is in perfect harmony with the principles of natural religion. The inspiration of the scriptures, will be taken for granted ; for the object of this work is not so much the conviction of sceptics as the edification of believers, and the spiritual good of such as have become already convinced that the scriptures ai'e clothed with divine authority. Not that the writer feels an indifference about the immortal interests of that class of his fellow men who still remain in doubt concerning the claims of the Bible. Nor is he without hope of being made useful to them. Should he succeed in showing that the scriptures contain a system of religion which is harmonious in all its parts, this may do something towards convincing such as have hitherto been sceptical, that they can not be the product of designing men. Whatever doubt any of his readers may entertain in relation to this matter, the writer himself has no fear that he shall be guilty of misguiding them, so long as the scriptures shall be his guide ; for he can entertain no more doubt that whoever believes, loves, and reduces to practice the religion which is there inculcated, will meet the approbation of the divine Being, than he can doubt of the existence of such a being. Before I proceed to exhibit my views of divine truth, it may be usefiil to make several preliminaiy remarks concerning the holy SCRIPTUHES. I. They are to be viewed as an infallible standard, by which every doctrine, affection, and practice pertaining to religion, is to be tried. That the scriptures claim to be so considered, can be doubted by no one who has read them. The book which we call the Bible claims to be "the word of God." 1 Cor. xiv. 36. 2 Cor. iv. 2. An apostle INTRODl'CTIOX. U tells US, it is " in truth the word of God."* 1 Thess. ii. 13. If it be in truth the Avord of God, it must be infallible ; for God can neither mistake nor deceive. One inspired writer declares that " every word of God is pure ; " and another, that " the words of the Lord are pure words ; as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times." What, short of the perfect purity of the scriptures, is asserted in this declaration of Wisdom ; " All the words of my mouth are in righteousness ; there is nothing froward or perverse in them ? " Prov. XXX. 5. Ps. xii. 6. Prov. viii. 8. It is not strange that a book, asserting such perfect purity, should claim to bs the standard, by which eveiy thing relating to the subject of religion is to be tried and determined. If it is thus perfect, it may be well said, " To the law and to the testimony : if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them." Isa. viii. 20. All that which is contrary to the word of God, whatever may be its pretensions to light, is nothing but darkness. The scripture claims to be a complete, as well as a correct exhibition of the divine will. It is designed to make the ma7i of God perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works. 2 Tim. iii. 17. It professes to reveal all the truth which in our probationary state v/e need to be made acquainted with, in relation to God ; his works of creation and providence ; his justice and his grace ; man's original and present state ; his obligations to his Creator and fellow creatures ; the way of escape from sin and ruin ; and indeed in relation to every thing which concerns us as accountable creatures, both in our present and future state. To determine what is truth concerning these matters we must repair to the oracles of God. They are of higher authority than the Avritings of the fathers, the decrees of councils, or the creeds of the purest churches ; they are the witness of God himself; and surely the witness of God is greater than that of man. 1 John v. 9. II. The scriptures, being the testimony of the God of truth, can not speak both for and against any particidar doctrine. Things which are merely circumstantial, may be different, yet not contradictory ; for example, the posture of the body when we pray. This is not essential to prayer ; the scriptures may therefore consistently speak of standing, kneeling, and falling on the face, to praj^ There may be other modes of religion, for aught I know, which are similar to this. But where two things are of such a nature, that the truth of both is impossible, the scriptures, being purs truth, can not bear witness on both sides. They can say nothing against the truth. See 2 Cor. xiii. 8. Should the question, to be decided, relate to prayer itself, instead of the posture of the body, they could not take both sides. They could, with no consistency, affirm that prayer is, and is not, a duty. Should the question be this. Will all men be saved ? the scriptures can not both affirm and deny. The same may be said of such questions as these : Is the Redeemer possessed of infinite attributes ? Is the unrenewed heart entirely sinful ? Is a radical change necessary, in every case, * Because Christ is called "the Word of God," there are some who refuse to give this name to the scriptures ; whereas, it is much more frequently applied to them than to Christ. The phrase, word of Gcd, in its original and natural meaning, refers to what he speaks, rather than to the person by whom he speaks. 10 INTRODUCTION. to prepare men for heaven ? Is there an infallible connection between such a change and eternal life? On these, and similar questions, the scripture must deliver its whole testimony for one side ; else it will be as inconsistent and devoid of truth, as a witness who shall alternately testify in favor of two litigants, in relation to the same identical transaction. On such controverted points as those which have now been suggested, the friends of truth can by no means grant, (what is often affirmed,) that " both sides have a good deal of scripture for them." The side which has, in reality, any scripture in its favor, has it all, and the other side has none. No one, who has a cordial affection for the truth, is willing to make a compromise, and have the Bible divided between contrary systems of faith, giving half to the one and half to the other. It is certain that the testimony of God's word, like the living child in the case submitted to the decision of Solomon, belongs wholly to the one claimant or the other. Nor is it less certain in this case than in the one alluded to, that it does not belong to that claimant who manifests a willingness to have it divided. What ought we to think of the man who should say, he believed the Bible said a good deal in favor of the God of Israel, and a good deal in favor of the gods of the heathen ; that it said much in favor of the deity of Christ, and much against it ; much in favor of future and endless punishment, and much against it ? In fine, that it said much in favor of truth, and much, (or even any thing,) in favor of error ? Would you think that such a man believed the Bible to be an inspired book ? III. The word of God is harmonious in all its parts. It contains a system of truth. To denote this, the various parts are often condensed into the singular number, and are denominated " the truth," " the gospel," " the doctrine of Christ," and the like. Man's depravity constitutes one doctrine, regeneration another, justification emother. In this sense the Bible contains many doctrines and many truths. Yet, as in Ezekiel's vision, the many wheels which he saw were addressed as one wheel, to express a unity of design in all the events of providence, so here, to denote a system of truth, all the doctrines and truths of God's word are spoken of as making one doctrine, one truth, one gospel. S7/stem is essential to divine truth. Indeed it belongs to all the M^orks of God. We can not lift our eyes to the heavens, nor look down upon the earth, without making this discovery. And can we believe God's word to be chaos ? Matter might exist in a chaotic state, as it did when it was first originated ; but truth must always have harmony, else it is not truth. To matter, God can communicate what philosophers call the attraction of repulsion, as well as that of cohesion ; but not to the word of truth. If, between different passages or doctrines, there should seem to be a conflict, a patient and careful investigation will enable us to see that the conflict is but a seeming one. The tendency of all the true doctrines of God's word must be to support, not to destroy each other. Whatever creed we may have adopted, if we place full confidence in the scriptures, we shall come to this conclusion : That they contain a system of religion ; that this system is true in every distinct part ; and that, as a whole, it is perfectly harmonious. Wo shall also conclude that the whole weight INTRODUCTION. 11 of scripture testimony must be in favor of this system, (whatever it is,) and in favor of every one of its parts. Though every passage of scripture can not be adduced in proof of each doctrine, because it says nothing about it, we may rest assured that there is not a single passage, when rightly understood, which stands opposed to the true system, or to any of its doctrines. IV. Since the scriptures express the will of God, tlieir decisions must not be reversed either by the reason or feelings of men. And yet we are never to act otherwise than as rational beings. Nicodemus exercised his reason in arriving at the conclusion, that Jesus of Nazareth was a teacher who came from God. It was altogether reasonable that the miracles he saw should convince him of the fact. When he had become convinced of the fact, that he was a divinely commissioned teacher, he still had employment for his reason to enable him to understand the doctrines which he taught. But it was now too late for him to reject his doctrines on account of their apparent incongruity with his reason ; for this would have been to exalt human above divine knowledge. Had he made his own reason the criterion, he would at once have discarded the doctrine of regeneration, (a doctrine as fundamental to the gospel as any other,) for on its first announcement it appeared to him very strange and absurd. The sequel of the history of this Jewish ruler leads us to conclude, that by taking further opportunities to be instructed, he at length discovered a consistency and glory in that very truth at which his unsanctified reason seemed at first to revolt. The case which has now been referred to, wdll serve to illustrate the province of reason in our researches after divine truth. Reason must first be convinced that it is God who speaks, and then it must be diligently employed in ascertaining what he says. Among all the books claiming to be inspired, reason is to decide which, if any, supports the claim. They who have become satisfied that the Bible fully supports its claims to inspiration, need now to employ their rational powers to understand its true meaning ; not what it ought to have said, but what it has said. And to understand w'hat it has said, we must examine the natural signification of the words, phrases, and sentences, in connection with the context, and such circumstances as are calculated to make us acquainted with the truth which the Spirit of inspiration intended to communicate. Much light is obtained by reading the Avhole of the sacred volume, and comparing the different parts, especially such as by their relation to the same subject serve to explain each other. OvLT feelings are a still more unsafe criterion of truth ; for they may be nothing but the feelings of depraved" nature, which must necessarily be opposed to every thing that is holy. To a heart in love with sin, nothing can be more unpleasant than divine truth. Christ said to the Jews, " Because I tell you the truth, ye believe me not." That which should have induced them to receive him, w^as the very thing which led them to reject him. The truth which he told them must surely have been more worthy of their belief than error, but to them it was not as palatable. It is a very common fault that a doctrine is rejected, merely because it does not suit our depraved taste. In this way a 13 IM'KODLX'TION. false character of God is often substituted for the true. Let such men as those spoken of by the prophet, who say to their teachers, " Cause the Holy One of Israel to cease from before us," only make their feelings the standard by which to form their creed, and it is evident that the character of tJwir God will differ most essentially from that of the God of Israel. In our entrance on this work, I repeat it, that I must strongly protest against that practice, which has landed so many in fatal errors, and even in infidelity itself, namely, the suffering o( our feelings to set aside the plain testimony of the God of truth. His word is to decide on the character of our feelings ; therefore these have no right to exercise such a censorship over those things which the word teaches, as to admit or reject them at pleasure. Who can say that the feelings, which we are disposed to make the criterion of truth, do not proceed from that carnal mind which is enmity against God ? Should this prove to be the fact, will it not manifest our extreme folly that we ever placed such dependence on them ? " It is not our feelings," some will say, " on which we rely for guidance ; but the Spirit of God dwelling in us." If it be indeed the Spirit of God, his testimony in your hearts, will agree with his testimony in the scripture ; for he is " ihe Spirit of truth," and the scripture, being dictated by him, is " the word of truth." The Spirit of God would have all his motions in our hearts tried by what he has himself communicated in the written word ; and they who do not make this the standard by which to try their feelings, expose themselves to be deceived by their vain imaginations, and by that lying spirit which worketh in the hearts of the children of disobedience. Some may say, " We are the church, the pillar and ground of the truth, and therefore are not exposed to err." But the purest church is not as perfectly free from alloy as the inspired word. This is the standard by which every denomination of Christians is to be tried, to determine how far it ought to be considered a part of that church, which is " the pillar and ground of the truth." The scribes and pharisees had a place in the Old Testament church ; 5'et they were bitter enemies to the truth : Hymeneus and Philetus had a place in the New ; and yet their doctrine did eat like a canker. 2 Tim. ii. 17. If any particular branch of this sacred commonwealth pretend to possess such superiority over the rest, as to consider itself to be exclusively the church, its claims must nevertheless be decided by the inspired word ; and in case of a refusal to submit to this decision, its claims are proved to be utterly groundless. A true church can not be known by the most scrupulous adherence to its own creed and rules ; but by its conscientious conformity to the word of God. The reader is advertised, in the outset, not to expect every topic will be handled in this work, which is usually found in systems of divinity. It comes not within its plan to treat of the modes of performing divine worship, nor of administering the sacraments of the New Testament ; nor to advocate any particular form of church government. This omission is not intended to imply that such subjects are of no importance ; nor is it designed to eliminate those authors who have given them a place in their systems ; but as these things seem not to INTRODUCTIOX, 13 be of the most vital importance to holiness of heart or life, they will be wholly passed over in the present work, which it has been the author's design, if possible, to render useful to Christians of every name. On the subjects that will be discussed, w hich, according to the writer's own views of gospel religion, are its weightier matters, it is his earnest prayer that he may be kept from turning aside to the right hand or to the left, for the sake of accommodating himself to the opinions of any " master of Israel," or to the creed of any particular denomination of Christians.* At the same time, he is not without hope that the friends of truth of various denominations, who shall read this volume, will find these weightier matters exerting a greater influence to draw them together, than their differences in minor matters, to drive them apart. That divine truth, which it most immediately concerns all men of eveiy nation, and of every religious sect, to know, may all be com- prised in three grand divisions, namely, doctrinal, ex'perimental, and practical. " For true religion," says a late commentator, " consists of doctrine, experience, and practice ; and he who separates these destroys the whole. "f By doctrine is meant the creed of the scriptures, or the tiniths to be believed ; experience is the religion of the heart, by which an experiment is made of the excellence of these truths ; practice relates to external conduct. It is the religion of the heart manifesting itself in suitable actions. To each of these departments of religion, and in the same order in which they have now been mentioned, it is proposed to pay attention in the following work. Fundamentals pertaining to each will be introduced, and their agreement one with the other pointed out. Since a very special reason for undertaking this w^ork, was a desire to render more conspicuous that agreement which subsists between the various parts of the Christian system, I have entitled it " The Harmony of Divine Truth." This term belongs to music ; but is very properly extended to theology ; for, as in well performed music, so in divine * This remark is by no means designed to condemn the use of creeds. While so many different and contrary interpretations are given of the inspired word, they become a necessary means of ascertaining whether we are actually agreed in our belief of its fundamental truths. But our subscription to a formula of doctrines, does not give it the authority of an infallible standard. It does not make it proper, that, we should consider ourselves henceforth under obligation to make the formula, instead of the Bible, the rule by which to regulate our faith or practice. No, the Bible is still, as much as ever, to be the supreme arbiter to decide every controverted point. If it is not so, why do we undertake to convert papists, and others whom we consider as involved in dangerous errors, by showing them that though their sentiments agree with their own standard.?, they disagree with the word of God ? l{ we avow the right to make our own standards our supreme rule in matters of faith, they will wonder why we deny them the same right. What, then, it will be asked, is the benefit of creeds ? They are a bond of union, as they serve to show, when we subscribe them, that we are so far agreed in our views of the word of God. It also implies a mutual covenanting to watch over, and submit to be watched over, in matters of faith, for the sake of guarding each other against a departure from that, which we are now agreed in believing to be "the faith once delivered to the saints." But m preaching the word, writing a book, or in any other way communicating religious instruction, the constant inquiry should be. What hath the Lord spoken? what saith the scripture ? If, however, the preacher or author, in giving his views of the scripture, should so far deviate from the formula he has subscribed, as, in the appre- hension of his brethren, to constitute dangerous heresy, he ougiit not to characterize them as severe and injurious, if ihey should proceed to exclude him from their com- munion. t Scott's Pract. Observ. on 1 Pet. ii. 1—8. 2 14 INTRODUCTION. truth, there is a real harmony. In vocal music there may be many voices employed at the same time, and yet there be no jar, because they all unite in the same sound. There may also be different tones, as well as voices, yet no discord, because they all unite to make a concord of sound. As the according tones and voices in singing, make one harmonious piece of music ; so do the different doctrines, experiences, and duties of the gospel, all sweetly accord, and constitute a harmony of divine truth. There is no doubt a harmony between the different doctrines, which make the creed of the scriptures ; also between all those graces of the Spirit, which form the inward experience of the Christian ; and between all those duties, which when taken together, constitute a holy life. As there is an internal harmony in the ramifications which proceed from each of these principal branches, there is undoubtedly a harmony equally perfect between the principal branches themselves ; they must all grow from the same root, and therefore make one tree. That experimental religion which is genuine, must harmonize with the true doctrines ; for it is produced by them, and must of consequence accord with them. That practice, which is right, will agree with experi- mental religion ; for it is its most natural fruit. And since a correct practice is the fruit of those experiences, which are the product of truth believed, a correct practice must also have an intimate connexion with an orthodox faith. After making two remarks, which have been suggested to my mind by an entrance on so interesting a subject as the harmonizing of divine truth, I shall proceed immediately to the main work, beginning with the doctrinal department. 1. There is great encouragement to engage in the study of theology, or divine truth. The subject is of all others the most important. It relates to the infinite God, and to things unseen and eternal. It opens a wider field for the employment of our expanding faculties than any of the human sciences ; and is perfectly superior to them all, inasmuch as it has a more dii'ect tendency to purify the heart and make us wise unto salvation. Here is truth of the most interesting character, and it can be known with entire certainty ; since a divinely inspired book is put into our hands to guide us in our researches. No human science can be compared with this, either in its importance, or in the facilities it furnishes to arrive at certainty, by ascertaining what is the very truth. Medicine and law occupy the attention of many of our educated men ; and these are no unimportant studies, since they not only im- prove the mind of the student, but qualify him to be more extensively useful. The study of divine truth is still more improving, and, its practical influence is of superior importance. The medical student employs his mind in acquiring that knowledge which will qualify him to be instrumental in removing the diseases of the body. In acquiring this knowledge he is assisted by books ; but his authors disagree, and in the controverted points he has not, like the student in theology, an infallihU standard, to which he can repair. It is conceded that theo- logical writers do not always agree ; yet their possessing a common standard renders an agreement practicable. By this means truth can be known, and that with certainty. INTRODUCTION. 15 Law has a nearer affinity to theology than medicine ; for while the latter contemplates man as an animal, the former considers him as an accountable agent : but theology, in importance, ranks above the civil law ; since it has to do more immediately with man's immortal inter. ests. It places him directly before the Supreme Judge, and seeks to influence him by the retributions of eternity. The law student has many valuable books to assist him in acquiring the knowledge of his profession ; but they do not afford him such effectual aid as the stu- dent in theology receives from that single volume, the Bible. The study of medicine is confined to physicians, and that of law to attornies ; but that of divinity need not, and ought not to be restricted to divines. The medicines of the physician may effect a cure on our bodies, while we are perfectly unskilled in his art ; and the attorney may successfully plead our cause, though we should remain ignorant of those principles of law on which his pleas are grounded. But the spiritual patient must himself be made acquainted with his disease, and the remedies which are administered, else they will effect no cure : for as his disease is of a moral nature, so it is with the medicines which are made use of for its removal. And that sinner, who em- ploys the Son of God to plead his cause in the court of heaven, must himself understand the principles on which his Advocate grounds the pleas which he makes in his behalf. Nor let any man, even in the humbler walks of life, think the knowledge of divine truth is something beyond his grasp. Let him search for it as silver, and dig for it as for hid treasure, and he will understand the fear of the Lord, and find the knowledge of God. Prov. ii. 4, 5. 2. Nothing can be more proper than prefacing and accompan} iag the investigation of divine truth with A Mm We prayer to God. With his word in our hands we are nevertheless greatly exposed to err, because sin has blinded our minds. David, with the word of God before him, felt that he needed still further assistance, and therefore prayed, " Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law." The Bible itself needs to be read prayerfully ; and every other book we read should be spread before the Lord ; and while it is read should be carefully compared with his word, that we may know what to receive and what to reject. Let me earnestly intreat every one who shall conclude to read the work which is now before him, to undertake it in a prayerful manner. The subject, you perceive, is one of great importance. A mistake on a subject so important as this, may be of such a nature as to prove fatal to the interests of your soul. As soon as you have finished reading this introduction, if you have not done it already, let me hope that you will present the book before the Lord, and seek for his aid in its peru- sal. Ask him to put your heart into a frame to receive all the truth it shall contain, and to reject nothing except that which shall be repug- nant to his word. To preserve your heart in this teachable frame you will need the Holy Spirit, whose aid is promised only in answer to prayer. Luke xi. 13. If you do not need the Spirit to give correct- ness to your opinions, it is certain that without his help you will never receive the truth in the hm of it. The improvement of my readers in the knowledge of revealed truth, 16 INTKODL'CTION. if I mistake not my own feelings, has been an object dear to my heart. It certainly has engaged many of my prayers. I tnist they will not consider me unreasonable, M'hen I request tliem to second these prayers which have been made on their behalf; and when I request them to implore the blessing of God to attend this book wherever it shall go. THE HARMONY DIVINE TRUTH iF^m.T I. TRUTH IN DOCTRINE. The Bible contains a system of Doctrines. These are as true as the Bible itself, and one doctrine is as true as another ; but they are not all equally fundamental to the religion it inculcates. The plan of this work will lead me to confine myself more particularly to the doc- trines which lie at the foundation. These will be considered under distinct Articles. ARTICLE I. There is one only living and true God, possessed of infinite natural and moral perfections ; and the jehovah »f the scriptures is that god. The first truth which presents itself to our view, on looking into the volume of inspiration, or of nature, is the existence and infinite per- fection of God. This truth is the basis upon which all others stand ; for without it none of the rest could have had an existence. Had not this been true, there had been no religion either revealed or natural : for had there been no God to ci'eate, there would have been no creatures to adore him. But since it is an incontrovertible fact, that there is a dependent universe, it is certain there is a creating Power. That something has always existed, is as demonstrable as that there is existence at the present time ; for non-entity cannot originate being. It is easy to account for the existence of the Avorld avc inhabit, and all those which are spread out before us in the heavens, when once we 16 EXISTENCE OF GOU. have adopted (he sentiment, that there is a God, whose existence is without beginning, and whose abiUty both to plan and execute, are without any Umits. The visible universe, especially that portion of it which falls within our more immediate observation, while it is manifestly the product of unlimited skill and power, seems, in the most of its parts, to be wholly unconscious of its own existence ; and in no part is there the least approach towards independence. " Every house," said the apostle, " is builded by some man ; but he that built all things is God." The house, while unconscious of its own existence, displays such skill and power as are possessed by no being on earth, except man. It must, then, be correct reasoning to say, that the man who is the builder had an existence antecedently to the house he built ; also that his antecedent existence is the cause why such a house exists at all. And do we not reason with equal correctness, when, from the existence of a manifestly dependent universe, in which are displayed infinite wisdom and power, we infer that there must be an infinitely wise and almighty builder ; and that he must have been before the world was 1 Heb. iii. 4. Should the demand be made, How will you account for the existence of the builder of the universe, any more easily than for the existence of the universe without a builder 1 it may be replied by asking. Why do you always infer the existence of a builder on the sight of a house ? Why do 5'ou not reason thus : " If I should undertake to account for the existence of the house by saying, it was built by some man, I shall still have to account for the existence of the man who built it ; I may there- fore as well stop at the threshold, and suppose the house to have existed independently of any cause beyond itself." Yet no man reasons thus in relation to the products of human skill and power. No one thinks of attributing self-sufliiciency to an unconscious house, however great may be its elegance and convenience. Nor does any one attribute such a product of skill to the sagacity of a brute. We do not rest until we have found a cause adequate to the effect. In man we find it. But now we need to find a cause adequate to the existence of man, and of all the animal and vegetable tribes w'ith which we are surrounded. And is it not just as evident, if we would rationally account for the existence of the world, that we must look for a cause beyond the world itself, as that we must do so in the case of the house ? But where, it may now be asked, shall we stop ? The answer is plain ; stop when you are carried back to that Being whose power is sufficient to give existence to the world. You can go back no further. That you must stop somewhere is certain. But you can not stop at the house, a thing unconscious of its own existence, v,ithout searching for its cause. You are irresistibly led back to man, its builder. Nor can you stop at man, who, though intelligent, is nevertheless as dependent as the house he builds. But when you are carried back to God, you can go no further in search of causes. In him you find a cause fully adequate to the production of all you behold. As his attributes are unlimited, they can not be dependent on any other being, either for existence or exercise. Here, then, must be the proper place to rest. The inquiry. How came such an itifinile, all-sufficient, eternal Being, to exist ? is going a step too far. That he does exist, and always has EXISTENCE OP GOD. 19 existed, we know with as much certainty as we do our own existence ; and this is all we can know concerning this deep mystery. The existence of one Infinite Being, is enough to account for that of the whole dependent universe : but myriads of finite beings would be wholly insufficient. That appearance of system, which is seen in the earth under our feet, and in the heavens over our heads, manifests a unity of design, and seems silently to tell us, that the whole frame of nature has but one builder. Concerning the unity of the Godhead, the scriptures are perfectly clear. They are no more explicit in declaring there is one God, than in asserting there is but one. As there is but one being in the universe who is God, so individu- ality belongs to him, as much as to any other being in existence. Though he is a spirit, immaterial and invisible, this does nothing to prevent his individuality. Angels are spirits, but each has a separate consciousness, as much as if they were clothed with bodies. There are those that talk of a divine being, who divest their deity of that which is essential to every intelligent being in the universe, viz. indi- viduality. They give to their deity the name of Nature, and evidently make him nothing different from the world itself. With such concep- tions of a divine being, it is not strange they feel under no obligation to render him worship or obedience ; for, according to this scheme, he is no more a proper object of love, worship, and obedience, than fire and air, or any of the elements of which material bodies are composed. Nor would such a God be in reality any thing distinct from ourselves. There is no man, I am persuaded, that can feel himself under obliga- tion to God, until he views him as an existence entirely distinct from himself, and from all the other beings in the universe ; just as much as one man is distinct from another. He is the author of all things, but they are no more a part of himself, than if they had been created by another hand. To different existences he has given different natures ; but no one of these, nor all of them taken together, constitute the divine essence. God existed before the dependent universe, and in as perfect a manner as he does now. To deny his individuality, confounding his existence with his works, is nothing better than downright atheism. There are different names applied to the God of the scriptures ; but JEHOVAH is the name which is most peculiar to him. The idols of the heathen are called gods ; but concerning the object of Israel's worship it is said, that his name alone is Jehovah. Ps. Ixxxiii. 18. Though this name is seldom found in the English Bible, it occurs with great frequency in the original language, and is rendered by the word LORD, commonly written with capitals, to distinguish it from the other Hebrew names which are translated by the same word. Having seen that it is reasonable to believe in the existence of one God, one independent cause of a dependent universe, it concerns us to know where this God is to be found. In our Article it is asserted, that the Jehovah of the scriptures is that God. To satisfy every mind that this assertion is well founded, it is proposed, I. To give a concise description of the character of Jehovah, the God of the scriptures ; II. To show that there are conclusive arguments for the belief that he is the true God. I. Let us look at the character of Jehovah, as we find it delineated 20 UIVIXK ATTUIUUTKS. in the scriptures. In tliese sacred writings, very much is said con- cerning that great Being, whom they exhibit to us as the object of our supreme regard. He is eveiy where represented to be absolutely perfect, both as to his natural and mo7'al attributes, that is, infinitely great and good* There is nothing can be imagined necessary to constitute a being great and good, amiable and blessed, which they do not attribute to him in the most unlimited degree. Those perfections of God, which he claims for himself, and which the scriptui'es ascribe or attribute to him, are usually denominated in .theological writings the divine attributes. God is an infinite spirit, uncompounded and indivisible. His infinite perfections are all seen by himself at one glance. But with our limited minds we are obliged to take them apart, looking first at one, and then at another. The distinction between Jiatural and mo7-al attributes is not arbitrary ; it is as well founded as that, which we have all been in the habit of making, between the understanding and the heart. Were we to say of a certain man, that he has a capacious mind, a great intellect, we should be considered as deciding nothing concerning the state of his heart, whether it be benevolent or selfish. Though in God natural and moral perfections always go together, still it seems entirely proper to consider them as laying a foundation for two distinct classes of attri- butes ; both of which will now be very briefly considered. Our attention will first be directed to the consideration of The Natural Attributes of God. These relate to his greatness, without distinctly bringing into view the holiness of his character. They are all infinite, or unUmited. " His greatness is unsearchable." Of this class of attributes, the following are the most prominent. 1. Independence. It is peculiar to God to have existence of himself, without receiving it from another. He is the only being in the universe who knows, chooses, and acts, independently of all aid or control. There are many and great disparities among other existences ; since some are iuei-t and others have life, some are irrational and others are rational, some unholy and others holy ; but they are all, one as much as another, entirely dependent on him, Avhile he is absolutely indepen- * Every thing relating to an intelligent being or moral agent, which does not directly bring into view his cliaracier as hoJy or sinful, is termed natural ; not in contradistinc- tion from that wiiich is unnatural, but from that which is of a moral quality. Intellectual as well as muscular strength is called natural. The good enjoyed, whether by brutes or men, by creatures or their Creator, is denominated natural good. Moral is a term restricted to intelligent beings, because they alone are capable of moral actions, i. e. of doing right and wrong ; and it is restricted to those properties and actions of theirs which are either holy or sinful. Natural good and evil are of the same import as happi- ness and misery, while moral good and evil are nothing different from holiness and sin. Natural ability to do good implies a capacity sufficient for it, and a moral ability, a dis- position to do it. These terms thus applied, being much used in theological discussions and sermons, it is important they should not be misapprehended. When we .say that justice and mercy are among the moral, and not the natural attributes of God, let no one imagine that we mean to say that God is not natitraUy inclined to such moral excellencies as justice and mercy. And if we assert that sinners are under no natural inability to love God, this does not imply a denial of their entire depravity, nor of its being their very nature to go astray as soon as they are born. There is a nature to things which are purely moral, as well as to those which are physical. All the moral agents in the universe, considered as such, have their respective natures. 2. Pet. i. 4. Eph. ii. 3. DIVINE ATTRIBUTES. 21 dent of them all. They could neither begin, nor prolong their exist- ence, without his aid ; but if they were all driven back into non-entity, he would remain the same. Ps. cii. 26. " Who hath first given to Him, and it shall be recompensed unto him again ?" Rom. xi. 35. If a creature can be found who has presented the least thing to God, which he did not first receive from the divine hand, let him exhibit his account, and he Avill undoubtedly be recompensed. 2. God is eternal. The period of his existence infinitely exceeds that of any other being. There is no other whose existence reaches back to an eternity past ; nor is there any other whose duration will be co-extensive with an eternity to come. He only is from everlasting to everlasting. Ps. xc. 2. There are other intelligences whose duration will never come to an end ; and yet the high and lofty One, that iahabiteth eternit}^, infinitely surpasses them in the extent of his dura- tion. They will always inhabit or dwell in eternity ; but he will inhabit eternity itself, filling up this immeasurable duration at once. While we live by moments, his existence pervades an immensity of duration. 3. God is omnipresent. Every other being is limited as to place, so that he cannot occupy a new place, unless he leave the one which he before occupied. When an angel comes doM'n to earth, he leaves heaven ; and when he returns to heaven, he leaves the earth. He is not in both these parts of the universe at once. But the Divine exist- ence has no such limitations : " Am I a God at hand, saith the Lord, and not a God afar off? Do I not fill heaven and earth? saith the Lord." Jer. xxiii. 23. 24. God does not leave one part of the uni- verse to go to another, but is equally present (as to his essential pre- sence) in all parts at the same moment. We cannot go from his presence or flee from his Spirit, by ascending into heaven or descending to hell. Ps. cxxxix. 7, 8. 4. God is omniscient. There are no bounds to his knowledge. " His understanding is infinite." " The eyes of the Lord are in every place." " The Lord searcheth all hearts, and understandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts." Ps. cxlvii. 5. Prov. xv. 3. 1 Chron. xxviii. 9. The divme knowledge extends net only to all parts of the universe, but to all periods of its existence, present, past, and future ; and is as perfect in relation to the most remote of the past and future events, as to those which are now passing. "They consider not in their heart," said God, " that I remember all their wickedness." But it is now true, and will always remain so, that he does remember all the wickedness and all the righteousness which have existed in his creation. If the Lord can search all the hearts in the universe ; if he will always be able, at every point of a never-ending duration, to know all that has ever transpired, and foresee all which will be disc iosed by the revolving ages of eternity, truly his knowledge can be nothing less than absolute omniscience. 5. Omnipotence is another of the natural attributes of God. The pov;er which the scriptures ascribe to God is without limits. It was a high provocation, of which the Israelites in the wilderness were guilty, when they set bourda to the power of him who brought them out of their house of bondage, and led them through the Red Sea : 3 22 DIVINE ATTRIBUTES. " they limited the Holy One of Israel." Ps. Ixxviii. 41. " Is any thing too hard for the Lord ?" is one of those unanswerable questions, of which we have many examples in the scriptures. It was not too hard for the Lord to originate a universe of material bodies and rational minds. Neither is it too hard for him to govern both bodies and minds agreeably to their respective natures, and in accordance with the coun- sel of his own will. 6. God is incomprehensible. No understanding, except his own, does now, or ever will have a full and comprehensive knowledge of his perfections : " Canst thou by searching find out God ? canst thou find out the Almighty unto perfection ?" Job xi. 7. Of the existence of God there is as much evidence as there is of our own ; and of his infinite greatness there is no want of proof: but infinite greatness, of necessity, admits not of comprehension by created minds. A line that has ends can never sound an ocean which has no bottom. I have merely glanced at the most material of the natural attributes of (jod. I shall now consider, The Moral Attributes. These, it will be remembered, exhibit to us the character of God ; they show us his heart. The moral, as well as the natural attributes, are of an unlimited extent. They can not be perfect without being unlimited. If a being, possessed of infinite natural abilities, is perfectly holy, he must be infinitely holy ; if he is entirely benevolent, he must be so to an infinite degree. The infinitude of the natural attributes constitutes a capacity for infinite moral perfection. Intelligent beings of every grade must be either holy or unholy, be- nevolent or selfish. No conception can be formed of any that do not possess one or the other of these characters. The Supreme Intelligence cannot be destitute of character. He must of necessity be either a good or an evil being. On this interesting point (more interesting than all others) the scriptures have not left us in the least suspense. On no point is their testimony more unequivocal, full and uniform. The being they reveal to tis as the true God is holy — perfectly, yea, infinitely holy. They exclude from him every unamiable characteristic, and represent him as possessed of an excellence of character sufficient to eclipse, and as it were annihilate, all that which is found in creatures. They say, " God is light, and in him is no darkness at all." " There in no unrighteousness in him." They call him " the Holy One ;" and declare, " there is none holy as the Lord ;" that he is " glorious in holiness :" and, to give us an impressive idea of his underived and unparalleled holiness and goodness, they speak of him as the only holy and good being in the universe : " Who shall not fear thee, O Lord, and glorify thy name ? for thou only art holy." " There is none good bu^ one, that is God." The scriptures do not deny that clouds and darkness are round about him, which may often prevent us short- sighted mortals from discovering the wisdom of his designs ; but they assure us that righteousness and judgment arc the habitation of his throne — and, however thick the darkness may be which surrounds him, that in him there is none at all. 1 John, i. 5. Ps. xcii. 15. Hab. iii. 3. 1 Sam. ii. 2. Ex. xv. 11. Ps. cxix. 68. Rev. xv. 4. Mark x. 18. Ps. xcvii. 2. It is hot so easy to class the moral as the natural attributes. Each DIVINE ATTRIBUTES. 23 of these, as eternity, omnipresence, omniscience, and omnipotence, is so different from the others as to convey a distinctive idea concerning the. greatness of our Creator; wliile holiness, love, justice, mercy and truth, seem to be nothing but different modifications of the same moral excellence, displaying itself according to the variety of objects and occasions for calling it forth. Unless this matter be rightly under- stood, there is danger that we shall divide God's moral attributes into two opposite classes, the lovely and the unlovely. But when it is rightly understood, we perceive that if one of these attributes is lovely, they are all lovely ; since they have a common nature, and are nothing but different slreams flowing out from one and the same unmingled foun- tain. To make this matter more intelligible, let us take a concise view of each of those moral attributes, which I have just mentioned. First. Holiness. This word describes no particular modification of moral excellence, but seems to comprehend the whole. Every intelli- gent being has a character which is either good or bad ; if good, it is denominated holy ; if bad, unholy, or sinful. When the scriptures in- form us concerning any intelligent being, that he is holy, it is the same as to tell us, that the frame of his mind, or disposition of his heart, is as it should be ; that it is of such a nature as to constitute the reverse of moral deformity. The scriptures apply the term beauty to moral objects ; they speak of " the beauty of holiness" — of " the beauty of the Lord" — of the beauty of the Lord our God being upon us — and of his beautifying the meek with salvation, i. e. salvation from sin, which is moral deformity. 2 Chron. xx. 21. Ps. xxvii. 4 ; xc. 17 ; cxlix. 4. From these scripture expressions it appears that moral beauty consists in holiness, either derived or underived, preserved or restored ; and that this term is used to describe all that is morally excellent in an intellectual being. That God is a being possessed of moral excellence to an unlimited degree, is asserted by those portions of scripture which declare his unspotted holiness ; but it is not the province of these, so much as of some other portions, to give us a definite idea of the nature of this excellence. That this matter may be better understood, let us immediately proceed to the consideration of a Second moral attribute, viz. Love. In one chapter the declaration is twice made, " God is love — God is love." 1 John, iv. 8, 16. This mode of expression, it is well known, has more emphasis than though it had been said, God is a loving or benevolent being. The word love is made much use of in the scriptures, to describe goodness of charac- ter, both in application to God and his creatures. The persons of the Godhead are described as loving each other, and as loving the children of men. Good men are characterized by their loving their feUow men, and also by their loving God. The affection of love has two distinct branches. The first of these is good will, which is now more usually termed benevolence. This implies the existence of a desire (whether it be more or less intense) for the good of the object of its regard. If the love be disinterested, it is unbounded ; its field is no less than the world, the whole universe of sensitive beings. It is drawn out towards every object susceptible of enjoyment, irrespectively of the character which that object may now possess. At the Saviour's birth, the angels gave glory to God in the 24 mVINK ATTKIUUTRS. highest, for that pacific spirit ami good will which he was then so M'on- derfully manifesting toward the cliildren of men. This good will of God toward the race of Adam, did not contemplate them as worthy and ami- able ; but, on the contrary, as ill-deserving and hateful. The most direct contrast of disinterested benevolence is selfishness. Though the Lord hath made all things for himself, he is at an infinite remove from being actuated by that contracted principle which we denominate selfishness. His regard to himself, does not exceed his worthiness to bo regarded by all other intelligent beings, to whom he is made known.* His be- nevolent regard to his creatures, the subjects of his moral dominion, is not counteracted, nor diminished by the least degree of malice, or pride, or unconcern for their happiness ; as appears by such declarations as these : " As I live, saith the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked." "Though the Lord be high, yet hath he res- pect unto the lowly." "The Lord is good to all; and his tender mercies are overall his works." Ezek. xxxiii. 11. Ps. cxxxviii. 6 ; cxlv. 9. The other branch of holy love is distinguished from good will or benevolence, by being called delight or complacence ; and this requires goodness of character to constitute an object worthy of its regard. God's love of complacency is limited to those who possess a holy character ; to all such, in whatever world they are found, it extends, and in exact proportion to their degree of holiness. In this sense of the word love, " the righteous Lord loveth righteousness," and that alone ; and " his countenance doth behold the upright," while " the wicked and him that loveth violence his soul hateth." Daniel was not only beloved of his God, but greatly beloved. Why was he greatly beloved ? Not because he was clothed in scarlet and had a chain of gold about his neck ; not because he was the first minister of state ; but because an uncommon degree of piety and integrity adorned his character. Ps. xi. 5, 7. Dan. ix. 23. Love is as comprehensive an attribute as holiness, and yet more descriptive. It is as comprehensive, since there is no moral excellence, of which we can form a conception, that is not some one of its modifications : it is more descriptive, since it is an affection of heart of which we can form a more definite idea than of holiness. Christ taught us that all the law and the prophets were comprised in two brief commands, the one enjoining love to God, and the other love to men ; and Paul represented all the law to be fulfilled in one word, and that one word was love. Such representations assume the ground, that any being, whether Creator or creature, Avho is possessed of a loving or benevolent spirit, in distinction from malice, selfishness, or indifference, has in his heart the whole of that good treasure, from which every thing spiritually rich and excellent can be drawn forth, as occasion shall call for it. Such benevolence characterizes all the inhabitants of heaven ; but the God of heaven possesses infinitely more of it than all the rest. His benevolence has originated theirs, and continually supports it. It Ls the benevolence of God which renders heaven a world of glory ; and every thing of the same nature on the earth, is to * See more on this subject under the next Article. DIVIXE ATTRIBUTES. 25 be traced up to the same inexhaustible source. I proceed to the consideration of the next moral perfection. Thirdly. Justice belongs to this class. This is that modification of benevolence which prevents our wronging others, and prompts us to give to all that which is equal and right. It is applicable to our commercial dealings, as appears by that statute which we find in the law of Moses : " Just balances, just weights, a just ephah, and a just hin shall ye have." Levit. xix. 36. It is still more applicable to governmental concerns. Wisdom, in commending herself, says, " By me kings reign, and princes decree justice." It is in connection with the account of David's reign over all Israel, that we are told he executed judgment and justice to all his people ; that is, in the administration of the government entrusted to his hands, he treated his subjects according to their respective characters ; he neither condemned the innocent, nor cleared the guilty. And it is in view of the moral government, which God exercises over his accountable creatures, that justice is attributed to him. As a God of holiness, he necessarily possesses entirely different feelings towards holy and unholy creatures. If therefore he has any government at all, it must be of a character to accord with such feelings, and must sei-ve to manifest them. It must require holiness and forbid sin, require benevolent feelings and actions, and forbid those of a contraiy nature. In correspondence with such enactments his government must be administered, in order to entitle him to the character of a just Ruler. And has not this been the spirit of his government and of its administration ? It has been such as fully to entitle him to be called *' the just Lord," and " him that is most just." He accepteth the persons of none, no not of princes ; nor regard- eth the rich more than the poor ; but always has both his feelings and decisions in exact accordance with the character of his subjects. He never condemns the righteous, nor does he ever clear the guilty. Far be it from him, who is the Judge of all the earth, so to administer his government, that the righteous should be as the wicked. Zeph. iii. 5. Job xxxiv. 17 — 19. Ex. xxxiv. 7. Gen. xviii. 25. Fourthly. Mercy is one of the moral perfections of God. A disposition to pity and relieve the wretched, though their wretchedness may have been the fruit of their own folly, is an amiable trait of character wherever it is found. In Jehovah, the God of our salvation, it is found in the highest possible degree. This is proved by scripture declarations, and by facts which speak louder than declarations. The scriptures declare, and that with great frequency, that " God is mer- ciful," and " of great mercy," " plenteous and manifold in his mercy ; " that he has " tender mercies," and " a multitude of tender mercies ; " and that "his mercy is from everlasting, and endureth forever." Nor do they merely declare that he has a merciful heart, and feelings of compassion, but refer us to facts which have developed these feelings, and proved their reality. They tell us not only that his heart is full of mercy, but also that the earth is full of it, that is, of its displays. How could the Most High have given greater proof of the mercifulness of his nature, than to have selected our guilty, wretched world, as a theatre for the display of it ? Do you ask what mercy he has shown to our revolted world ; I answer by asking, what could he have done 26 DIVINE ATTRIBUTES. more ? Creatures of our character live on mercy every moment. But passing by every common favor, let me entreat you to turn your eyes to the cross, and contemplate that expensive provision which he has made for our redemption from iniquity and ruin. Contemplate this as you ought, and you will ask for no additional proof that God is merciful. Fifthly. Truth is a moral attribute. An utter aversion to falsehood, and a disposition to represent things as they really are, accompanied with a strict punctuality in the fulfilment of engagements, form an essential characteristic of a good being ; and this characteristic is denominated truth. Among those attributes, which constitilte the moral perfection of Jehovah, truth holds a conspicuous place. He is not only called " a God of truth," but is said to be " abundant in truth," and a " God that can not lie." As he can not be deceived, so he can not practise deceit. His truth, when displayed in the fulfilment of his promises, is called faithfulness ; and this is said to reach to the clouds, to be established in the very heavens, and to be that which he will never suffer to fail. Deut. xxxii. 4. Ex. xxxiv. 6. Tit. i. 2. Ps. xxxvi. 5 ; Ixxxix. 2 — 33. The attributes which I have now described are sufficient, when well understood, to make us acquainted with the holiness of God. Other shades of character might be exhibited, but it is unnecessary to mention further particulars. Blessedness is not so properly one of God's attributes, as the happy result of them all. He is not only called " the blessed God," and " God blessed forever," but he is distinguished from all other beings in the uni- verse by being called the blessed. 1 Tim. i. 11. Rom. ix. 5. Mark xiv. 61. In respect to \io\y enjoyment,i\ve Supreme Being diflfers as much from all his creatures, as he does in the greatness of his understanding and the goodness of his heart. Both in degree and duration his blessedness is unbounded. All the means of promoting it are in his own power, since he is a God in whom all fulness dwells. The infinite, eternal, and unchangeable felicity of the divine mind, is as pure as it is great ; and must therefore be regarded by every benevolent being as a good of immense value. Let me now turn your attention to the harmony which this Article has exhibited as existing between the divine attributes. Among them all, no discord can be found. It is certain none can be found among those of the class termed natural attributes. These are faculties or capabilities, such as are necessary to render an intelligent being as great as possible ; they are therefore all of them described as unlim- ited. Infinity is applied to the place and duration of God's existence ; also to his knowledge and power. He fills immensity, inhabits eternity, knows all things, and can do all things. Had he been represented as eternal, but not omnipresent ; or as omniscient, but not omnipotent ; there would have been an infinite disproportion in his attributes : but now they are completely harmonious. His ability to plan and to exe- cute are equally unlimited. Between the moral attributes, the harmony is no less apparent, nor any less perfect. God is infinitely holy in his nature, and " holy in all his works." To him there belongs no unholy attribute nor unholy DIVINE ATTRIBUTES. 27 work. He lias infinite love ; nor has he any attribute of a contraiy nature. That love, which comprehends the whole of his moral perfection, is differently denominated, according to its particular dis- plays. When exercised towards creatures susceptible of enjoyment, irrespectively of their character, it is called good will, a word of the same import with benevolence. When it is exercised toAvards good characters, as such, it is oflen distinguished by being termed delight, favor, and the light of his countenance ; each of which expressions is of the same import with complacency. Towards the character of selfish creatures, infinite benevolence must feel a total aversion ; and this aversion is expressed by such words as hatred, displeasure, abhor' rence, and the like. In consistency with an abhorrence of their character, God desires their happiness, so far as it can be promoted, and yet not interfere with a greater good : and this desire for their happiness is called compassion, grace, mercy, &c. Is there not a sweet harmony between these varied exhibitions of Jehovah's character? Do we not intuitively discover a harmony between his extending his benevolent regard to all, and his restricting the love of delight to holy characters ? If holiness is lovely, and sin hateful, a holy God must love the one, and hate the other. Never- was a discord in music more apparent, than that which would be made in theology, by supposing that Grabiel and Satan, with characters sa totally diverse, should both of them be objects of divine complacency ». Those attributes which, at a first glance, seem to possess discordant properties, are in the light of revealed truth seen to be harmonious^ " Mercy and tmth have met together ; righteousness and peace havfr kissed each other." Ps. Ixxxv. 10. Vindictive justice, which calls for the destruction of transgressors, and mercy, which pleads for their- forgiveness, make no discord. Punishing justice and pardoning mercy are not the same thing ; but they resemble those different tones in music which unite to make a concord of sound. Mercy acknowledges the claims of justice, and by means of an atonement she adds new lustre to that stern attribute, at the very time she displays her own milder glory. As there is a very discoverable harmony between the attributes belonging to the same class, I think it is no less apparent between those which belong to the different classes. Hence it is, that there are cases where it is difficult to determine to which class we are to assign an attribute ; whether to consider it as belonging to the natural or moral class. The truth is, there is such an entire harmony between God's natural and moral perfections, that some of the attributes are of a mixed character, partly natural and partly moral. This appears to be the case with wisdom, immutability, and condescension. Wisdom is a mixed attribute, having omniscience and perfect bene- volence for its component parts. It comprises knowledge to discover all the means necessary to accomplish the best end, and a heart bene- volent enough to choose and adopt those means. The divine under- standing is never employed in wicked devices, though as a mere natural attribute it is capable of this ; but is always employed in devising good, and the most eligible methods of accomplishing it. See Rom. xi. 33. 1 Cor. i. 21. Eph. i. 8, and iii. 10. 28 DIVINE ATTRIBUTES. Immutability is a mixed attribute. Eternity, ubiquity, omniscience and omnipotence are necessarily incapable of augmentation or diminu- tion, and are therefore unchangeable. So far immutability is a natural attribute. But when God is spoken of as incapable of the least change in his holiness, goodness and truth, his immutability is represented to be a moral excellence. And tliis is the representation which is made in the following passages : " For I am the Lord, I change not ; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed." " Every good gift, and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variableness, neither shadow of turning." " That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie," &c. Mai. iii. 6. Jam. i. 17. Heb. vi. 18. Immutability, in the most absolute sense, belongs to no being in the universe besides the all-sufficient God. This may be considered as the crowning attri- bute, because its province is to give a perfect stability to all the rest. Condescension is also a two-fold attribute, compounded of greatness and kindness. In Jehovah it is unsearchable greatness and majesty stooping infinitely low. Humility, since it implies a sense of depend- ence and of comparative insignificance, is not an attribute of God ; but his unbounded condescension makes it evident, that he possesses nothing of that haughty spirit which is the opposite of humility. This attribute was celebrated by EUhu, when he said, " Behold God is mighty, and despiseth not any ;" and by David when he said, " Though the Lord be high, yet hath he respect unto the lowly ;" and by God himself, in the following passage : " For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy, I dwell in the high and holy place ; with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones." Job xxxvi. v. Ps. cxxxviii. 6. Isa. Ivii. 15. That a being so great and exalted, should hold such intimate communion with creatures so insignificant and unworthy, is very aftecting. It throws around the throne of the Most High an ineffable glory. It is condescension without degradation. No instance can be pointed out, where one divine attribute makes war upon another. Omnipotence, considered as a natural attribute, could do infinite mischief, could destroy all good ; but it is always employed in doing good, in accomplishing that which wisdom decides is best to be done. It is therefore with propriety called a " glorious power." While it terrifies the wicked, it excites the confidence of the holy part of the creation. Those who have attended to the distinction which has been made between the two classes of divine attributes, must readily perceive that it is the moral attributes which give a lustre to the natural. The moral perfection of God is that which imparts beauty and glory to his un- searchable greatness. So he views the matter himself; for when Moses besought him to show him his glory, he returned him this answer, " I will make all my goodness pass before thee ;" implyiiig that his glory consisted in the goodness of his nature. Could infinite natural attri- butes be divested of goodness, there would be nothing in them glorious. The God of Israel conceded, that if his people found iniquity in him, they would have had some justifiable reason for having gone far from DIVINE ATTHIBTUKS. 29 hiin. Jer. ii. 6. By the psalmist he called on them to praise his great and terrible name, because it was holy ; and to give thanks to him because he was good, and because his mercy endured forever. Ps. xcix. 3, and cxxxvi. 1. Natural attributes are either desirable or undesirable, according to the character of the being who possesses them. It is because the infinite natural attributes of Jehovah are wholly under the direction of goodness, that they are ineffably lovely and glorious. Thus have we seen, that various portions of scripture combine their testimony in establishing the point, that there is one God, infinite in greatness and goodness : and such greatness and goodness they ascribe to Jehovah, the God of the Hebrews. Every man who has read the Bible knows that a multitude of other passages stand ready, if called upon, to testify to the same point ; and that not a single text can be found to bear any counter testimony. Every verse in the Bible does not assert the being and perfections of God ; for there are verses and chapters, and even one entire book,* in which no name or title of the Supreme Being is found ; yet in this very book his hand is clearly seen, and his glory strikingly displayed. I hardly need to say, that jthe mere silence of a text in relation to any point of doctrine, amounts to no proof against that doctrine. As a thousand witnesses who testify nothing relative to a certain fact, will not put to silence one witness who declares he saw it take place ; so a thousand texts, which say nothing concerning any particular article of doctrine, Avill not set aside one single text which asserts its truth. I wish this remark to be considered as one of general application, and hope it will not be lost sight of, either by the writer or his readers, through the whole work. That position, Avhich was assumed in the Introduction, namely, that the scriptures, being the testimony of the God of truth, can not speak both for and against a doctrine, needs also to be kept in remembrance. These inspired writings can not bear any coun- ter testimony to this most fundamental truth, namely, the existence and unity of God, and his infinite perfection, both natural and moral. We are aware, however, that on this veiy article the scriptures are thought by some to deliver contradictory testimonj^ It is objected, First. That while many passages declare that there is but one God, others are found which tell us there are three. The scriptures, we acknowledge, speak of the one living and true God as existing in a manner mysterious and incomprehensible, so as to contain in himself a plurality of subsistences ; or so as to possess a kind of plural unity. We know that the God of the Bible is represented as saying, " Let us make man in our image, after our likeness." And when this was done» it ie thus recorded : " So God created man in his own image." When these passages are compared, we learn that the plurality is not such as to destroy the unity of the Godhead. By means of other passages we learn that this plurality is a trinity. " There are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost ; and these three are one." 1 John, v. 7. The Savior commanded his apostles to bap- tize their converts in the name of the Father, and of the Son» and of * The Book of Esther. 30 DIVINE ATTRIBUTKS. the Holy Ghost. Matt, xxviii. 19. In blessing the Christian church, instead of repeating the name of the Lord, (or Jehovah, as it is in the Hebrew,) three times, according to that form by which the sons of Aaron blessed the church of Israel, the apostle implored on them " the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost." Compare Num. vi. 22 — 26, with 2 Cor. xiii. 14. It is acknowledged that these, and similar representations, occur with considerable frequency ; but we aver that there is nothing in them Avhich is repugnant to the unity of God. In the apostolic benediction, it is the blessing of one God which is implored for the church. It is in the name of one God that we are baptized, though this one God is de- clared to be the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost. And the three that bear record in heaven, are expressly declared to be one. There is nothing in the trinity which the Bible reveals, and in which Christians, even trinitarian Christians believe, that has any real resemblance to the polytheism of the pagans. Between the persons of the Godhead there is no difference in their attributes. Each is eternal, omniscient, almighty, and infinitely holy. They are one in their supreme object, one in counsel, one in affection, and even one in essence ; since the three constitute but one being. The doctrine of a triune God, as it is revealed in the scriptures, appears to have no tendency to lead us to polytheism and idolatry. They, who are the most devoted to the ser- vice of the God of the scriptures, have a perfect abhorrence of idols.* Secondly. It is said, while some portions of scripture speak of God as absolutely knowing all things, others limit his knowledge. The pas- * I have just above spoken of the Persons of the Godheail. There may be some, even nmong the orthodox, who will object to the use of this word. It seems to be needed, however, to distinguish the sentiments of trinitarians from what has been called the Sa- bellian heresy. And I would ask, whether the use of the word is not justified by what we find in the scriptures ? Paul speaks ofthe jierson of Christ, and oi the j'erson of his Fa/her, of whom he was the express image. 2 Cor. ii. 10. Heb. i. 3. Here, then, we have scripture authority for calling the Father and the Son persons ; why, then, shall we not apply the same word to the Holy Ghost ? Words, which serve to distinguish one man from another, are made use of to distinguish between the Father, and the Son, and the Spirit. Take a few examples : " For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Fathrr." Eph. ii. 18." And I, (i. e. the Son,) will pray the Father, and he (i.e. the Father) shall give you another Comforter, that fte (i.e. the Holy Ghost) may abide with you forever. But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in ?ny name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remem- brance." John xiv. 16, 26. " Ajid when the Comforter is come, whom / will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me." John xv. 26. " Nevertheless I tell you the truth ; it is expedient for you that I go away ; for if/ go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you : but if /depart I will send him imto you. And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin," &c. John xvi. 7, 8. In these scriptures we perceive that nouns and pronouns denoting distinct personality are applied to the three subsistences in the Godhead. We also perceive that personal acts are attributed to each of them. And to prove that there is something answering to personal identity, the three are represented as having each his respective work ; — and yet as all acting in perfect concert to accomplish the same grand object, the redemp- tion of lost men. The Son departs to make room for the coming of the Spirit ; who, though an omnipotent agent, is said to be sent both by the Father and by the Son. At another time, the Son is said to be led and driven by the Spirit. See Matt. iv. 1. Mark i. 12. While the language of these quotations, and of many other passages which might be introduced, naturally leads us to contemplate something in Jehovah answering to distinct personality, there is enough in the scriptures to hold us back from embracing tri-theism, or the doctrine of three distinct and separate deities, whose union is by acci- dent, rather than by nature. DIVINE ATTRIBUTES. 31 sages which declare his omniscience are numerous, and need not be quoted. Of those which have been thought to Umit his knowledge, I will quote one or two of the most distinguished : " They have set up kings, but not by me : they have made princes, and I knew it not." " They have built also the high places of Baal, to bum their sons with fire for burnt offerings unto Baal, which I commanded not, nor spake it, neither came it into my mind." Hos. viii. 4. Jer. xix. 5. It requires but a slight attention to these passages, to satisfy any one, that neither of them intimate an intellectual defect in the Most High, or any want of the most perfect knowledge of events past or future. Both of them clearly teach one and the same thing, namely, that the conduct com- plained of was abhorrent to his feelings, and was therefore done wholly without his approbation. Knowledge is applied to the heart as well as to the understanding ; and when it is so applied, it expresses approba- tion or complacency. In the first Psalm it is said, " For the Lord knoweih the way of the righteous ; but the way of the ungodly shall perish." Here it is manifest, that the Lord's knowledge of the way of the righteous, in distinction from the way of the ungodly, relates to his heart, not to his understanding. The same is true of the passage where Christ is represented as saying to hypocrites, in the day of judgment, " I never knew you." Thirdly. It is objected, that the scriptures make very discordant representations concerning God's uncJmngeableness ; that while some passages speak of him as always of one mind, and incapable of so much as the shadow of a turning, others represent him as having great changes and frequent turnings. Of those which are thought to belong to the latter class, the following are some of the most prominent : " And it repented the Lord that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart." " Then came the word of the Lord unto Samuel, saying. It repenteth me that I have set up Saul to be king ; for he is turned back from following me, and hath not performed my command, ments." " And God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way, and God repented of the evil that he had said that he would do unto them, and he did it not." Gen. vi. 6. 1 Sam. xv. 10, 11. Jo- nah iii. 10. That these texts present a seeming difficulty, we do not deny ; yet I am persuaded that a careful and candid attention to it, will effect its removal. In seeking to obviate the objection, I remark, 1st. Those passages which inform us that God is always the same, without variableness or shadow of turning, were never designed to impress our minds with the belief, that divine perfection consists in an apathy, which implies a sameness of feeling towards moral objects of a different character. It is essential to the very nature of a holy and benevolent God, that he should take complacence in holy beings, and their consequent happiness, in distinction from taking complacence in the sin and misery of the unholy. The unchangeableness of his character is an eternal security for this uniform difference of feeling towards objects so totally diverse. I proceed to remark, 2dly. That the passages which represent God as being grieved at what has taken place ; as repenting of what he has done, and as apparently altering his plans, do not imply, either that his mind has become unhappy ; that he wishes he had done otherwise ; or that he 3'i DIVINIS ATTRIBUTES. has now struck out a new plan, different from his original calculations. " As for God," said one who was guided by the Spirit of truth, " his work is perfect." This is the view which God entertains of his own work. When the great work of creation was accomplished, it is said, " God saw everything that he had made, and behold it was very good." He saw nothing he wished to alter. There was nothing deficient ; there was nothing redundant. But is it still true that the work of God is perfect ? Is it still true that he sees nothing deficient or redundant ? Is there not now very much that he wishes to alter ? Here arises an important inquiry ; Is God as well pleased with that system of events, which have transpired and are now transpiring, as he was with that system of creation, which by his power he brought out of nothing ? To give a proper answer to this important inquiry, it is necessary that we make a distinction between an event, when considered by itself, and when considered in its relation to the whole system. The work of creation and providence will be more particularly considered under the next Article ; but I cannot fully meet the present objection, without anticipating some of the remarks which belong to the subject of provi- dence. The scriptures lead us to view all events, of every character, and by whatever instrumentality they are brought into existence, as being so directed and controlled by God, the supreme Agent, as to con. stitute one system of events ; and this system is his providence. Viewed as an aggregate, he has no less complacency in it than he had in the work of creation, when on the seventh day " he rested from his work and was refreshed J'^ We have not the least reason to believe, if God were to begin the work of providence anew, and do it all over again, that he would discover any place where he could make an improve- ment, or where he would wish, all things considered,, to make the slightest alteration. " Nothing can be put to it, nor any thing taken from it," which would in the least degree better it. Eccl. iii. 14. When he looks at these events in all their connexions and final results, he sees the wrath of man and the malice of devils praising him, and the remainder of their wrath and malice he will effectually restrain. Ps. Ixxvi. 10. I have already intimated that this subject requires a distinction to be made between events in themselves considered, and all things con- sidered. To say, that God is well pleased with his whole system of providence, comprehending events of every sort, is to do him honor : but should we hence infer that he is equally pleased with good and evil agents ; or that the misery of hell is, in itself, as pleasing and gratifying an object to him as the blessedness of heaven, it would be a high impeachment of his character. Who does not see that we give honor to the God of Israel, when we express our confidence in the wisdom and benevolence of that manifestly concerted scheme of provi- dence, by which he brought his people into Egypt ? We may well say, as for this work of God, it Avas perfect. So it was viewed by Joseph. See Gen. xlv. 5 — 7. And so God himself viewed it. But if, because the scheme, as a whole, was perfect, we were to say, that God must have looked with equal complacency on each individual agent and event, which made a part of it ; implying that he must have had the same delight in the envious and murderous brethren, as in the object of their DIVINE ATTRIBUTES. 33 envy ; or that he must have been as much gratified with the anguish of Jacob's heart, when he exclaimed, " Joseph is without doubt rent in pieces," as when he ssid, " Joseph my son is yet aUve," we should entirely misrepresent the divine character. In pointing out the entire difterence of feeling which God has towards good and bad characters, also towards the happiness and misery of his creatures, his word is remarkably explicit. If I mistake not, it is the strong expression of this difference of feeling, which is the very thing that has given rise to the objection now before us. In each of the three passages which were introduced at the head of the present objection, as being among the most prominent which are thought to lend it support, repentance is ascribed to God. In one of them he is said to be grieved at his heart ; and in all of them is he represented as changing the coiirse of his conduct, in view of changes which were seen to take place in his creatures. Whenever men are said to repent of what they have done, it always implies a change of feeling towards their own character and actions. But since the cha- racter of God is unchangeably good, and all his works are done in wisdom, repentance, when it is attributed to him, however forcibly it may be expressed, must always be understood to refer to to his altered feelings towards the character and conduct of his mutable creatures. While man remained innocent, God had complacency in him ; but when he became a rebel, he abhorred the creature which his own hands had formed ; and this abhorrence he expressed in very emphatic language, by declaring it repented him that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart. Whoever, since man's apostacy, whether our first parents themselves, or any of their sinful posterity, have returned unto the Lord, he has repented of the threatened evil and returned unto them. But does not the repentance Avhich is attributed to him in both these instances, veiy clearly imply that his holy nature is unchangeably the same ? Man, while innocent, is delighted in — he becomes an apostate, and is abhorred — he returns to allegiance, and again becomes an object of delight. All this while the Holy One maintains immovably the same ground. Man has undergone (accord- ing to the statement now made) two very great changes, first from holiness to sin, and then from sin back to holiness. Of consequence, He, whose holiness is without the least shadow of turning, must twice have changed his feelings towards his creature man ; first when he turned away from obedience to rebellion, and next when he turned back from rebellion to obedience : and the change in both cases is expressed by repentance, that significant word by which men describe the changes which take place in their own minds. In addition to what has already been advanced to obviate the objec- tion, I would say ; if matters had been so circumstanced, that the universe could in no way have been benefitted by our apostacy, the Creator must have regretted, even all things considered, that he had made man on the earth ; but since it has prepared the way not only for his justice, but also his mercy to be displayed ; and since the display of mercy in the work of redemption, is spoken of in the scriptures as exceeding all other displays of divine glory ; and because there Avould have been no opportunity for this display unless man had been created, 34 DIVINE ATTltlltUTES. and even suffered to fall ; therefore, I should think, none but an uifidel would pretend that the passages brought forward in the above objection, ought to be understood to describe any such regret in the Divine Being, relative to his own counsels and acts, as is incident to beings whose knowledge and powei and goodness are all limited. But while we do much to cause regret and make us ashamed of ourselves, we are requir- ed to rejoice in the Lord alway. Phil. iv. 4- 1 Thes. v. 16. Why are we to rejoice in the Lord alway ? Because he is always the same ; his plans are all perfectly wise, and his operations irresistible. It is the duty of the children of men, short-sighted as they are, to repose such unwavering confidence in the counsels and works of the Supreme Agent, as to prevent the least interruption of their rejoicing in him ; and can it be that he has ever, for a moment, been so distrustful of the wisdom of his own plans, or of his ability to execute them, as to inter- rupt his rejoicing in himself or in the works of his hands ! Having given a sketch of the character of JEHOVAH, as it is ex- hibited in the scriptures, I proceed in the n. Place, to show what reason we have to believe that he is the only living and true God. 1. Let it be remembered that this is what he claims. *' Is there a God besides me ? Yea, there is no God. I know not any." Again, " I am God, and there is none else." Isa. xliv. 8 ; and xlv. 22. Jesus Christ, in his intercessory prayer, addresses his Father (who is the same with the God of the scriptures) as the only true God : " That they might know thee, the only true God." John xvii. 3. Paul speaks of the God, to whom the Thessalonian converts turned, as the living and true God, in distinction from those gods which they forsook, which he denominates idols. 1. Thes. i. 9. Many have been called gods, and have been worshiped ; but I do not know as this broad claim, to be called the only true God, has been made for any except the God of the Bible. Most of the heathen gods, according to their own mythology, are restricted, either as to place or the sphere of their ope- ration. I do not know that any one of them is represented as claiming for himself divine attributes to the exclusion of all others. Their wor- shipers are never represented as addressing them, as the psalmist addresses the God of the Bible : " That men may know that thou, whose name alone is Jehovah, art the Most High over all the earth." If Jupiter v/as worshiped by some nations as the supreme divinity, he was never considered even by them as the only God. 2. The natural and moral attributes, which the scriptures ascribe to Jehovah, are every way worthy of the true God. We have already seen, that there is no attribute necessary to constitute a being great and good, Avhich is not ascribed to him in an unlimited degree. His duration is eternity, his place ubiquity, his knowledge omniscience, his power omnipotence. These nutnral attributes are described as being wholly directed by moral perfection, by unmixed, yea by infinite holi- ness. And this holiness is branched out into impartial justice, enduring mercy, undeviating faithfulness, and every other trait of character which is necessary to render an intelligent being superlatively amiable, and worthy of love, confidence, and veneration. Among all those DIVINE ATTRIBUTES. 35 which have been called gods, and worshiped, there is none who has ever had a character attributed to him, which will bear a comparison with the scriptural character of Jehovah. " To whom, then, will ye liken me, or shall I be equal 1 saith the Holy One." If the gods ot the heathen were equal to the pretensions of their own worshipers, still there would not be one among them all, great and good enough to lay a claim to supreme divivity, so as to be considered as the true God. 3. The God of the scriptures has been known from the foundation of the world. No claims were earlier than his. We read of " new gods that came newly up ;" and it is evidently made an objection to the validity of their claitns. See Deut. xxxii. 17. According to the heathen mythology, the greater part of their gods were of this sort. They were deified on account of some exploit they had performed ; of course, antecedently to this they had no divinity. As these deities came newly up, so there were many of them which soon disappeared, and were known no more. But the God of the scriptures is from everlasting ; and from the foundation of the world unto the present day he has been known and worshiped. The same God, who is now worshiped by Christians, was the God of Abraham. And the God of Abraham had been worshiped before the flood by Enoch ; and earlier still by Abel and Adam. 4. The very existence of such a book as the Bible is a good proof that Jehovah is the true God. In the same way that the heavens and earth prove their Creator to be the true God, does the Bible prove the supreme deity of its author. No other but the eternal all-sufficient God could give existence to this stupendous creation. Nor can the existence of the Bible be traced to a less perfect source. That a rev- elation from the Creator to his rational creatures, in this world of ignorance and error, is desirable, no one can reasonably doubt. What can be of more importance than to know the character, will, and designs of him on whom we depend for existence and happiness ? And yet it is true, that on no subject are there a greater number, and more discordant opinions entertained. We manifestly need a divine revelation to be a light to the moral world, as much as we need the sun for a light to the world of nature. And here is a book which claims to be a revelation from that infinite Being who made heaven and earth. We read, and find it exhibits a divine character altogether worthy of the Supreme Being. No other book, claiming to be a revelation from heaven, exhibits such a glorious God, or such a wise and pure system of religious doctrines and precepts. Nor has any thing else had such an effect in extermi- nating polytheism and the worship of idols ; or in counteracting and weakening the reign of sin. Does not the very existence of a book making these interesting disclosures, and producing such salutary effects, prove that the Father of our spirits has been mindful of us, and that the God which is here presented to our view is no other than the creator of the world ? 5. Many of those who have worshipped other gods have acknow- ledged the superiority of Jehovah, the God of Israel ; and some of them have acknowledged that he was God alone. Moses testifies concerning the heathen nations, " For their rock is not as our Rock, even our 36 DIVINE ATTRIBUTKS. enemies themselves being judges." Deut. xxxii. 31. Cyrus, the Persian, was a worshipper of other gods, and yet he says concerning the God of Israel, "He is the God." Ezra i. 3. Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, after he had seen the deliverance of Shadrach, Me- shack and Abed-nego, from the fiery furnace, declared, " There is no other God that can deliver after this sort." And after he had been restored to his reason and to his kingly throne, he says concerning the God of the Jews, " He doeth according to his will in the army of hea- yen, and among the inhabitants of the earth." Darius, the Median, made a decree, that in eveiy dominion of his kingdom men should fear before the God of Daniel, (Jehovah was Daniel's God,) and then adds this as the reason for his decree, " For he is the living God." After Manasseh had for a long time, served the gods of the surrounding nations, it is said of him, " Then Manasseh knew that the Lord he was God." 2 Chron. xxxiii. 13. None but the worshiper of Jeho- vah could ever know the » object of his worship to be the very God. If deists are right, in distinction from atheists, in believing there is a God, and, in distinction from polytheists, in believing there is but one God, then Christians are right (can there be any doubt of it ?) in their belief that it is his character which is presented to them in the scrip- tures. If there is a living and true God, where, if not here, is he to be found ? 6. An argument in favor of the claims of Jehovah may be derived from the existence, character, and preservation of the people which are called by his name. If our sinful world is not wholly reprobated, (and there are events of providence which seem to intimate that it is not,) it might reasonably be expected that he, who is the God of the spirits of all flesh, would reserve to himself a people ; that he would have some true worshipers, whose character would be more excellent than that of their fellow men, and whose preservation should be the special object of his paternal care. The God of the scriptures has had a people ever since man was placed upon the earth. He had a people before the flood. They were then distinguished from their fellow men by being called "the sons of God." They survived the destruction ot the old world. Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob were his Avorshipers, and he owned himself to be their God. In their descendants, this peculiar people was perpetuated until the advent of Christ ; and since that period " the Israel of God" have been chiefly found among the gentiles. The argument in favor of the divine claims of Jehovah, which is derived from the existence of his people on earth, is two-fold — their character, and their preservation. The character of the Lord's people furnishes one proof that the Lord is God. All have not been the Lord's people who have professed to be so. Nor do the scriptures represent the most sincere to be without spot. But the saints of the Lord, with all their imperfections, are the excellent of the earth. There have been no other such people as they. While the children of Jacob were his chosen people, there were men among them that displayed an excellence of character altogether supe- rior to their cotemporaries who worshiped other gods. And at the present day, what other worphipers manifest as much piety, integrity, and benevolence, as those who call on the name of the Lord ? Some DIVINE ATTRIBUTES. 37 of these were but a few years ago idolaters ; and there are many wit- nesses who testify that a very surprising improvement of their character, in every respect, has been connected with their changing the object of their worship. Now if the worshipers of Jehovah have exhibited a character superior to the worshipers of pagan deities, it furnishes no inconsiderable argument to sustain the claims of the scriptures in favor of his being universally acknowledged as the true God. Does not the remarkable preservation of this people on the earth, prove that the Lord is God ? It would be difficult to prove a perpetu- ation of the worshipers of Baal, Dagon, Ashtaroth, and many other deities, who once had spacious and crowded temples. But the wor- shipers of Jehovah are still to be found. They have changed their location, but not their religion. They first lived in Asia, then in Europe, and now many of them are in America. Immediately after the flood, and for a long time afterward, Jehovah was the God of Shem ; and now for many centuries has Japheth, according to the prediction of Noah, been enlarged and dwelt in the tents of Shem. Gen. ix. 27. The Lord's people have often drawn on themselves the hand of persecution, from those that are without, and from false brethren within ; and yet they have not been destroyed. Is there any other set of worshipers which has been so evidently the care of Providence ? What has already transpired seems to show that " Israel must live through every age, And be the Almighty's care." • If the Almighty Maker of the world has a people, which he has formed for himself to show forth his praise, the worshipers of Israel's God are undoubtedly that people ; and if there is any people on earth to which he is, in a special sense, their God, and against which he has determined the gates of hell shall not prevail, here they are to be found. Therefore the existence and preservation of such a peculiar people, serve to prove their God to be the true God. REMARKS. 1. In closing this first and most fundamental Article of theology, we do well to inquire, whether it has our full and firm belief. Do we believe that God is ; that his existence is a reality as tmly as our own ? If he is possessed of such attributes as have been described, he must have been present all the while I have been presenting, and you have been perusing these communications. We have either approved or disap- proved of his character ; we have been delighted or displeased with it ; and he has witnessed all that has passed in our minds. Since our most secret thoughts are naked to his view, let us not attempt to conceal or disguise them. How foolish is it to practise hypocrisy with a Being who is omniscient ; or to think of fleeing out of the hand of omnipotence ; or to imagine, that, with a selfish heart and an unholy life, we can please a God of unspotted holiness ! 2. How unspealiably valuable is a divine revelation ; since it 38 DIVINE ATTRIBUTES, acquaints us with Jehovah, the only hving and true God ! What can be more important and desirable, than to be made acquainted with that Being, who has in himself more greatness and moral excellence than all other beings taken together ! And it is manifest, that if our apostate world had been left destitute of such a revelation, it would never have obtained the knowledge of the God who made it. Just look at the gods of those nations who remain unenlightened by revealed truth. How evident is it that they are no gods ; that their claim to divine titles and honors is M^holly unfounded. Never has a single nation been enligh- tened on the subject of the being and perfections of God, except by an express revelation of his will. I grant that the book of nature exhibits the God of Israel and not the idols of the heathen, but facts show that unless we have the inspired word, we still remain ignorant of Jehovah. Therefore, they who esteem it a privilege to have been made acquainted with him, must greatly prize his word. " He showeth his word unto Jacob, his statutes and judgments unto Israel. He hath not dealt so with any nation." When the question was put, " What advantage hath the Jew?" it was answered, " Much every way ; chiefly, because that unto them were committed the oracles of God." These oracles, once committed to them, are now, with important additions, placed in our hands. " Is he the God of the Jews only ? is he not also of the gentiles ? Yes, of the gentiles aLo." 3. In view of the foregoing truth, idolatry appears a sin of no small magnitude. If it is tnie, that there is one being whose attributes are unlimited, and that all other beings are infinitely inferior to and wholly dependent on him, then the two conunands which stand at the head of the decalogue, can not be disregarded without great criminality. " If the Lord be God," said Elijah, " follow him ;" which was as much as to say, " If JEHOVAH be the true God, (as the nation of Israel has professed to bolieve,) give him his place, and worship none besides him. Let him have no rival, either in your temples or in your hearts." The idea of a dispute for divine honors between a multitude of claim- ants, should not for a moment be tolerated. Jehovah claims not only to be supreme, but to be God alone ; and declares that all the gods of the nations are idols, mere vanities. Since divine perfections are found in him alone, all attempts to exalt another to his place, must be unreasona- ble and impious in the extreme. This is the very sin, against which the Lord declared his indignation, when he sent his prophets to say unto his people, " O do not this abominable thing that I hate." Jer. xUv. 4. 4. They who have been made acquainted with the true God, are under pressing obligations to extend to their fellow men that knowledge which is so important and necessary. How dreadful to be ignorant of him, whose " loving kindness is better than life." Whatever else men know, if they are without the knowledge of God, their case is pitiable indeed. When Paul visited Athens, he found it full of philosophers and learning, but with this he was not at all satisfied, since he also found it full of the worship of demons, accompanied with a total ignorance of the true God. His spirit was so stirred within him, that he could not refrain from making an effort to dispel the thick darkness with which he saw they were covered. The zeal he had for the honor of God, accompanied with a concern for the salvation of dying men, would not suffer h'vm to remain silent. CREATION AND PROVIDENCE. And what believer is there at the present day, who can see so large a portion of mankind enveloped in the darkness of paganism as there still is, and not bum with zeal to go and carry, or (if this be not practicable) to send them the knowledge of that infinite Being, who has hitherto been to them THE UNKNOWN GOD ! ARTICLE II. Creation and providence are the works of Jehovah the God OP THE scriptures, AND ARE DESIGNED TO PROMOTE HIS GLORY BY GIVING HIS INFINITE ATTRIBUTES THE MOST PERFECT AND DURABLE DISPLAY. By the work of creation is meant the giving of existence to a dependent universe. The universe, in the largest sense, comprehends all that exists, the Creator as well as his creatures. All besides God is dependent on him, and may therefore be denominated the dependent universe ; and his giving it existence is the work of creation. The act of creating, in the most appropriate sense, implies the origination of existence, or making something to exist where before there was nothing. But, in the language of the scriptures, it includes the giving of form and a regular disposition to the original materials. These were pro- duced at once on the first day of time ; but the work of creation was protracted to the end of the sixth day, when the heavens and earth were finished and all the host of them. Gen. ii. 1, 2. The work of providence begins where that of creation ends. The creation is not made, and then abandoned ; but is provided for by Him from whom it received its existence. The work of providence com- prehends all which God does for the created universe, in upholding, directing, and controlling it. In the most extensive sense, it includes the establishment of moral government over rational creatures, and the provision of a Savior, together with the means of grace, for this revolted world. All the events which have transpired since the first six days, are parts of the system of providence ; just as all the things which came into being during those days were parts of creation. And the work of providence will go on, down to the end of the world, and thence through the endless ages of eternity. This Article divides itself into two branches. The first asserts creation and providence to be the works of Jehovah ; and the second, that these works are designed to make the best and most durable display of his infinite attributes. I. It is important to ascertain who that being is, to whom tJwse stupendous works are to be attributed. Is it said, they are to be attrib- uted to God ; I ask, to what God ? to the God of the "Hindoo ; or to the 40 CREATION AND PHOVIDENCfi. God of the Mussulman ; or to the God of tlie Christian ? It is impor- tant we should know which, among all those for whom divine honors are claimed, is the Creator and Preserver of men. That it is Jehovah, the Christian's God, I think, can be no less certain than the existence of a divine Being. Some of my reasons for thinking so, I will now state : 1. The God of the Christian is fully adequate to the performance of these mighty works. By which I mean to say, if there is a Being possessed of such unlimited attributes, as the scriptures ascribe to him whom they call the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, he must be fully able to originate and manage the whole creation, including spirits, as well as material existences. An eternal, infinitely intelligent, omnipresent, almighty Being, must be able to contrive and execute a system of creation and providence of ever so wide an extent. To adapt every thing in the works of creation and providence to a good end, needs not only an infinite understanding, but also a benevolent disposition ; and this the scriptures attribute, in an unmeasurable degree, to that God whose claims they support. 2. These works are expressly ascribed to Jehovah. Creation is declared to be his work. The first verse in the Bible tells us " God created the heaven and the earth." And let it be remembered that the Bible acknowledges no God except Jehovah : For who is God save the Lord ? [Jehovah.] Ps. xviii. 31. When the apostle made the declaration, " He that built all things is God," he undoubtedly meant to give us definite information concerning the builder of the universe.. And what other being, except him whom the scriptures declare to be " God alone," could he have intended ? The God of the scriptures is also declared to be the God of providence. He is said to uphold all things by the word of his power ; to work all things after the counsel of his will ; to preserve man and beast ; and to have his tender mercies over all his works. Heb. i. 3. Eph. i. 11. Ps. xxxvi. 6 ; cxlv. 9. 3. The claim which the scriptures make in favor of Jehovah as the God of creation and providence, is not merely asserted, but well sup- ported. " I know," said one of his ancient worshipers, " that our Lord [our Jehovah] is above all gods." He then informs us how he knew it : " Whatsoever the Lord pleased, that did he in heaven and earth, in the seas and all deep places." Ps. cxxxv. 5, 6. By mana- ging the world at his pleasure, he shows it to be his own. When he stopped the sun in its course, he showed that it was he who made the sun and directed its course. W^hen he opened a path through the sea, he gave a striking proof that the sea was his, and that he made it. Ps. xcv. 5. The God of the scriptures has, in very many instances, given notice beforehand what he was about to do ; and he has invariably fulfilled with his hand what he had spoken with his mouth. This is a clear proof that the future, as well as the present, is under his inspection, and that all events ai'e under his control. 4. His claim to the work of creation and providence has not been set aside by any rival. Had his claim been unfounded, \*hy has not the real author of these works come forward to put it down ? The God of Israel declares himself to be the sole Creator of the world. Take the following passage as a specimen : " I am the Lord that maketh all CREATIOJS' AAD PKOVIDENCE. 41 things ; that stretcheth forth the heavens alone ; that spreadeth abroad the earth by mysehV Isa. xhv. 24. And concerning the work of providence, he says : " I will work, and who shall let it ? " Isa. xliii. 13. The claims which are made in behalf of pagan deities by their worshipers, he takes notice of, and shows them to be groundless. He shows that they had not declared the end from the beginning ; that they had not first told what they would do, and then brought it to pass. He challenges them to do good or to do evil against the counsels of his will. Isa. xU. 21 — 23. Now if Jehovah had been a false God, why has not the true God, the Creator and Governor of the world, come forward with a counter claim, and established it ; as he must, in that case, have been fully able to do ? Should - any account for this neglect by saying, " Though he is able to vindicate his rights, he feels himself above entering into a contest with the rival who has usurped his prerogatives," such an answer is wholly unsatisfactory ; since it would suppose him to have created the world in vain, having no proper end to be accomplished by it. It would make him resemble the slothful man, whom Solomon describes, as not roasting that which he took in hunting ; as not finishing the work he begins, but as losing, through an unconquerable indolence, all the benefit of the labor which he had already expended. Prov. xii. 27. The UNKNOWN GOD, to whom the Athenians had an altar inscribed, and whom they ignorantly worshiped, is so fully declared to us in the Christian scriptures, and shown to be that God who made the world and all things therein, that we should suppose all who believe in any God, and in one only, would believe in Him. We should think all would exclaim, with the IsraeUtes on mount Carmel, " Jehovah, he is God ; Jehovah, he is God."* II. It being ascertained that Jehovah, the God of the Bible, is the Author of creation and providence, we are now naturally led to inquire, * But why, some will say, is not this the most liberal sentiment ; to consider all as intending to worship the same God, though they call the object of their worship by different names ? Why may we not therefore say, Father of all, in every age. In every clime adored, By saint, by savage, and by sage, , Jehovah, Jove, or Lord 1 " It is evident, that the God of the scriptures acknowledges no fellowship with the gods worshiped by the heathen. There is none of the conduct of the children of men which is more pointedly reprobated than their worship of idols. Ex. xx. 3 — 6. Jer. x.8; xliv. 3, 4. Acts xiv. 15. But if the God of the Christian and the God of the pagan idolater be different beings, may not the Christian's and the Mahometan's God be the same ? By no means. Their characters differ essentially. The God of the Bible, in distinction from the God of the Koran, exists in a trinity of persons ; he gives us a law which requires real holiness ; he saves the transgressors of it not by their own righteousness, but through that of a Mediator, and by means of a renovation of their depraved natures, effected by his own Spirit. And the heaven of the Bible differs from the paradise of the Koran, as much as the temple of God differs from that of idols, — as much as holiness differs from sin. The God of the Christian is also an entirely different being from the God of the deist. If it were not so, a man might be a deist and a Christian at the same time. But this can not be. If the Christian becomes a deist, (i. e. adopts the principles of deism,) he ceases to be a Christian. And when the other embraces the principles of the Chris- tian religion, he puts his trust in the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ ; and henceforward has no more confidence in the God of deists, than he has in the gods of the Hindoo.«. 42 CREATION AM) PROVIDENCK. What is the object which these works are designed to promote ? They are clearly designed to promote the glory of their divine Author, by giving his infinite attributes the most perfect and durable display. That this matter may be made intelligible to every mind, I shall begin by showing, 1st. What is meant by the glory of God, when it is considered as an object of pursuit. The glory of God is internal or external, essential or declarative. The internal glory of God is that which is seen by himself, without needing any works to make it better known ; and is no less essential to him than his existence. His internal and essential glory can in no way be augmented. It is a fullness of natural and moral perfection which is absolutely unlimited. When we are said to glorify God, or he is said to glorify himself, it never has reference to his essential, but only to his declarative glory. This supposes the previous existence of that ; since nothing can be declared or mani- fested which does not already exist. It is impossible that the declarative should exceed the essential glory, or even equal it, though its approxi- mation towards it may go on without end. Before the creation, though God had the same internal fullness he has now, he had no declarative glory at all : nor would the declaration of his glory have properly commenced till the sixth day of creation, had there not been some other world besides this ; for a declaration or manifestation of his glory must imply the existence of rational beings to whom it can be made. Tf angels were created the first of the six days, (according to the sup- position of President Edwards,) they witnessed the progressive work of creation. Job xxxviii. 7. The display of divine glory increased every day of creation, and has been increasing eveiy day since ; while the internal fullness has ever been the same. " The heavens declare the glory of God : " they do not originate it. His sending his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him, manifested his love towards us, but did not give it existence. 1 John iv. 9. To declare and manifest his perfections, is all which is accom- plished in his most stupendous works, both in the kingdon:ks of nature and of grace. So when creatures arc spoken of as glorifying God, and giving him glory, it is not meant that they increase the divine fullness ; but his declarative glory may be as really promoted and increased by them, as by himself. 2dly. Having shown what is meant by the glory of God, considered as the end of actions, I am now prepared to show, that the scriptures represent him as making this his chief end in all that he does. They represent this as the end for which he made and manages all things : " The Lord hath made all things for himself." " Thou art worthy, O Lf)rd, to receive glory, and honor, and power ; for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are aiid were created." " The heavens declare the glory of God." " All thy works shall praise thee." Prov. xvi. 4. Rev. iv. 11. Ps. xix. 1 ; cxlv. 10. These quotations are sufficient to establish the point, that all things were first created, and are now preserved and managed for the same great end, namely, to please their Creator ; that the heavens and all the other works of his hands were designed to declare his glory, and lay a foundation for his praise. CREATION AND rROVIDENCE. 43 The Creator does not need the works of his hands for his own Use, in the same sense that we need them. He does not need the sun to give himself hght ; for the darkness and the light are both aUke to him. He does not need the air to breathe in ; for he is a spirit. He needs no food to eat, nor raiment to put on, nor the solid ground on which to tread. And yet it is true that he hath made the sun, the atmosphere, the solid ground, and all things else, for himself : For himself they were made, because they declare his glorious perfections and gratify his benevolent heart. Were he not his own ultimate end, what could be the meaning of expressions like these : " For my own sake will I do it ; " " For my name's sake ; " " For my glory ; " " That I may be glorified?" Isa. xlviii. 11. Ez. xx. 9. Isa. xUii. 7; Ix. 21. Do not these, and similar expressions, imply that in all which God brings to pass, he has a supreme regard to his own glory ? If the works of creation and providence did not display the all-sufficiency, the wisdom, power, and goodness of God, they would, in no sense, answer their desired end. I proceed to show, 3dly. That this display of divine glory is perfect, the best it possibly could be. God could not have been honored, nor his creatures bene- fited, by his making them acquainted with his existence, if he had not also favored them with a display of his wonderful and amiable attri- butes. To suppose that he should by his works make an absolutely bad display of himself, would be so derogatory either to his greatness or goodness, or to both, that none of those who have any respect for his character pretend to indulge the supposition. Yet among those who declare their full conviction, that the works of creation and prov- idence furnish us with a glorious exhibition of their divine Author, some are found who entertain doubts, whether that exhibition is abso- lutely the best which could have been made. To say, it is the best, appears to them as if it implied some limitation of the infinite God. But how do we limit him, by saying, it was not possible he should act at ail, Without acting in the very wisest manner, any more than by saying, he could not do that which was absolutely unwise ? If a man, who is reputed for wisdom, were to act unwisely, he would injure his reputation as a man of wisdom ; and how would it be possible that our respect for the only wise God, should remain undiminished, were we to believe his scheme of creation and providence to be less perfect than it might have been ? It could certainly be no more difficult for him to devise the best plan, than one which was less good ; and since he is omnipotent, it must be equally easy for him to give it existence : and surely to his benevolent heart the best plan must be more pleasing than one less good ; just as a good plan must be more pleasing than one absolutely bad. Thus, from the moral perfection and all-sufficiency of the divine Workman, we should naturally infer the perfection of his works. Let us now look into the scriptures and see what they have said on this point ; for it is safer to trust in their decisions than in our own rea- sonings. " As for God," says David, " his way is perfect ; " and Moses, " his work is perfect." God's toay is the course he pursues, particularly in his providence ; his worh is all which he does, comprising creation and providence. What is intended by perfection, when applied to 44 CREATION- AND PROVIDENCE. God's way and work ? Does it not intend the perfection of an all-suf- ficient God ? And can it imply any thing less than his having done his best ? Such an interpretation of these texts is confirmed by this pas- sage : " O Lord, how manifold are thy works ; in wisdom hast thou made them all." Ps. civ. 24. Here there is a confidence expressed that though God had many and various works, yet he had made them all in wisdom. Could they all have been made in wisdom, had not every thing been adapted to answer the best end ? And could the best end be answered, short of their effecting the most pefect display of the divine glory ? When Solomon says concerning the work of God, that " nothing can be put to it, nor any thing taken from it," does he not manifestly teach us, that it is absolutely perfect, so that no place can be found in all that he has done, or ever will do, where it could be improved either by adding to it or subtracting from it ? It is calculated to confirm our opinion, that we have not mistaken the import of the passages, which have been adduced to prove the absolute perfection of God's work, when we find there are other pas- sages, which seem expressly designed to relieve our minds concerning the most unpromising events, by informing us that even these are made to subserve a good end. The stormy wind, it is said, fulfils his word, and the Avrath of man praises him. Ps. cxlviii. 8 ; Ixxvi. 10. These events, in the natural and moral world, seem to be arrayed in opposi- tion to the perfection of God's providence ; and yet we are here taught that they will be made to subserve it. The scriptures lead us to con- template God, as intending to accomplish good by those actions of men, to which they are prompted by base motives. " Ye thought evil against me," said Joseph to his brethren, " but God meant it for good." Where the accomplishment of any mischievous device, which wicked men have imagined, would actually mar the plan of divine wisdom, they are represented as being hindered in their attempts to perform it. Ps. xxi. 11. When we are assured the wrath of man shall praise God, we are made equally sure that the remainder of wrath (i. e. all which will not praise him) shall be restrained. God can have no sincere praise from his creatures, any further than it is obtained by his disclosing to them the perfections of his nature. From the passage just referred to, it would seem that the wrath of man, or human wick- edness, will give him opportunity to make that disclosure more complete; and where it can not, by the wisdom and power of the Almighty, be overruled to promote this desirable object, its existence will be effect. ually prevented. Thus we see that the same conclusion concerning the perfection of God's work, to which reason would conduct us, is clearly sanctioned by the voice of scripture. 4thly. The grand object of this display of divine glory, made by the works of creation and providence, is the promotion of Jioly bless- edness. Holiness is moral excellence ; and blessedness, when distin. guishe'd from " the pleasures of sin," is that happiness in which holiness naturally results. The fruit of the Spirit is both love and joy ; the one is holiness, and the other happiness. There is no good, of which we can form a conception, that is superior to the holy blessed- ness of intelligent beings. If the universe, which the Almighty has brought into existence, is designed to embrace in it the greatest possible CREATION AND PROVIDENCE. 45 sum of holiness and blessedness, it is then the best created system which could have been originated. By the works of creation and providence, God does not add to the benevolence of his own mind, but he brings it into a delightful exercise ; for he is blessed in so doing. He is as really blessed in acting wisely and benevolently, as in possessing these amiable perfections. When he had accomplished the stupendous and glorious work of creation, " he was refreshed : " and the psalmist tells us, "the Lord shall rejoice in his works." He is truly happy in doing what he does. Among all the conceivable systems of creation and providence, he saw no other which would afford such pleasure to his holy mind, as the one he chose. And this circumstance furnishes one important reason for calling it the best. To say, that all sin and suffering are incompatible with the best system, would be to argue against known facts. We Imow that sin and misery exist ; and we have seen them overruled for good. I will here advert to a single instance : the sin of those who crucified the Lord of glory, and the sufferings he underwent, have been productive of immense good ; but neither his suffering, nor their sin, was con- sidered as being in the least degree desirable, except in connection with the influence they were designed to exert in promoting the holy blessedness of the moral system, which is in itself a real good, and dear to the heart of God. Since both moral and natural evil have already been made to further the cause against which they were arrayed, their continuance may consist with the general interests of Jehovah's government. But were these evils to spread through his whole empire, none of his subjects would retain such a character as to derive any benefit from them. We may therefore be assured that so long as there is a creation, there will be holy and happy creatures. Were it to be otherwise, the end for which the worlds were made would be completely lost. If holiness of character, and consequent blessedness, are of such primary importance to the perfection of God's works of creation and providence, we may safely conclude that these works are in the best manner adapted to promote this great and desirable object. That creatures of a holy character exist among his works, is no contingent event. He gave them their superior faculties on purpose to render them capable of possessing a holy character ; and has filled the cre- ation with lessons of moral instruction, calculated to form and sustain such a character. " The invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead ; so that they are without excuse." Rom. i. 20. The world of nature furnishes means not only for the expansion of our minds, but also for the sanctification of our hearts, and to lead us up to nature's God. The events of providence show the finger of God, and are well adapted to the promotion of piety, benevolence, and uprightness among creatures who are endowed with reason and conscience. When Sol- omon was speaking of God's work and the perfection of it, he says : " God doth it that men should fear before him." By what is passing before our eyes God makes himself known, and that with a view to attract our attention and engage us in bis seiTice. Prosperity an