the falvation of men. That no flefh fhould glory in his prefence, but that he that glorieth fhould glory in the Lord.

But in the diftribution of punishments to his creatures, the foundation, meafure, and rule of his conduct, is entirely dif ferent. In this cafe God never acts arbitrarily, or from mere fovereign will and pleasure. The proceedings of his adminif tration in this refpect are altogether of another nature. Here the unchangeable principles and rules which refult from his own effential rectitude, and the inviolable nature of his perfections, a copy of which he has ferved us with in the holy fcriptures, and attefted it in all cafes of this nature, to be the invariable ftandard of his proceedings.

Obferve that this establishment for the punishment of inqui ty, is not an arbitrary meafure, but aries from the nature, reafon and relation of things, from the attributes of God, and the propriety of his adminiftering the government of his extenfive dominions. And every degree of punishment afligned to the tranfgreffors of reafon and the eternal laws of rectitude, is no arbitrary act. Punishment or affliction in all its nature and degrees, can never under an infinitely wife government, exceed the bounds of fitness and reafon. No finner in earth or hell can jufly fay his punishment is exceffive, or arifes in the least measure beyond his demerits. The very fuppofition of any excefs in this bulineis would be destroying the natural as well as the moral difference of things. It would be cafting God from his throne of perfect juftice and judgment, def troying the diftin&tion between virtue and vice, fin and holinefs, and involving the whole univerfe in tremendous rain. The leaft deviation from perfect rule in the diftribution of punishments, would be worfe than the wreck of nature and the crush of worlds. But if the punishment of fin arifes from the perfections of God, and every degree of it is founded on the holinefs of his law, then it is demonftrably evident, that no

instance of affliction or punishment is or can be an arbitrary act on the part of God.

Fourthly, we remark, that God never afflicts or punishes his creatures without an adequate and fufficient caufe; nay. not without the greateft neceffity, founded in the nature of things, and in his own unchangeable exiftence. This conclufion is perfectly accurate with regard to both worlds, to the future as well as the prefent ftate. We fee the miseries and distresses of this world are exceedingly great, but the evils of the other world to which impenitent finners go, according to divine revelation, are infinitely greater. There is a demerit in the nature of fin, and in the temper and conduct of finners, which renders it indifpenfably neceffary in the judgment of infinite wisdom, which cannot be fufpected of weakness or partiality, to inflict punishments with all due proportion. In this world all punishment, however dreadful, is ever from the compaffion and forbearance of God, directed in the lowest proportion to creatures in a ftate of probation for their correc tion and amendment ; and in the future ftate, no punishment will in one iota exceed the laws of equity and reason. Perfect righteoufnefs holds the reins of government in all worlds. And this is an invariable maxim in all the divine difpenfations, "He doth not afflict willingly, nor grieve the children of

"men."

We have in time paft experienced innumerable evils and diftreffes in this life, and our lives are continually chequered with them, therefore we ought feriously to confider that all this is not accidental-it is from God. Thefe calamiThere is fometies are not to please himself or displease us. thing in us in respect to the law and perfections of the Most High, which renders it abfolutely neceffary we fhould be treated in this manner. It is an immutable principle, that the God

of all the earth always does that which is right. The treat ment therefore from a moft righteous being, argues fomething extremely wrong, and infinitely offenfive and provoking in us that can lay the ground for fuch a neceffity, compelling as it were a character of such extreme amiableness and unspotted purity, to the infliction of evils abhorrent to his nature. God is love-punishment is his ftrange work-we are finners, and the miseries of this life, and the pains of hell, demonstrate, that fin is exceeding finful.

Too numerous are the inferences, and too extensive the application this fubject naturally requires, therefore what remainsmust be crouded into a few intimations, which may serve for the enlargement of private meditation.

First, we infer that the evil and demerit of fin is inconceivably great. It is generally thought little of by mankind. Its intrinfic turpitude is neither obvious to a darkened understanding, nor affecting to a ftupid heart. The ill effects of it on earthly comfort they often feel, and attribute them to a thoufand varient fources; but the nature and confequence of it, fin itfelf removes from their view. Hence they proceed on in inconfiderate indulgences, as their difpofitions and fashions of the place where they live, direct the way, until they plunge deep into endless pain. No preaching, no warnings of provi dential difpenfations, can inftru&t their minds or change their views; yet it is an abfolute certainty that fin will not pafs without an adequate punishment. In the eternal eftimation of wifdom, infinite mifery is only deemed a rational punishment for iniquity, and this is actually entailed on millions in torment and will be perpetuated forever and ever.

We who are now in a state of repentance, and in the only world where mercy and grace are exercifed, let us immediately fly for refuge to the atonement made for tranfgreffion. Christ

took upon him the punishment and iniquities of us all, that all who repent and believe might be redeemed from the curfe due to fin. From the exceeding great evil of fin and the unchange able conftitution of the divine law to punifh it, made it neceffary that the captain of our falvation fhould become perfect through sufferings.

Hence it is of the highest importance, that we should per ceive and feel fome degree of the odioufnefs of fin, from which all genuine humiliation, contrition and repentance originate. In proportion to the sense we have of the vileness and turpitude of iniquity will be the meltings, forrow and brokenness of heart for the fame. If this fenfible feeling of the evil of fin be wanting, we remain deftitute of every meetness for the friendship of God, according to the gofpel. If this be prefent, it breaks the proudest and most unrelenting heart into the tenderness of contrition, and infpires it with the love of God and Christ Jefus.

Secondly, from hence we infer that the eternal punishment of finally impenitent finners is abfolutely certain. The text and whole doctrine irrefragibly confirm this inference. The punishment of finners is not an arbitrary act, but arifes from the holiness of the divine nature, the perfection of the law, the intrinfic demerit of fin, and the nature and reafon of things. If the infliction of mifery was an arbitrary or capricious act, there might be hope of an efcape, for caprice is always a changing and unfteady principle, and there is no fuch thing with God.

This fhould awaken all to flee from the wrath to come. Let all who are at eafe in Zion confider the horror of their fituation, while impenitent and unbelieving. You must affuredly perish without a faving closure with Jefus of Nazareth. How inconceivable and indefcribable the nature of fin, which renders it neceffary, that the God of compaffion and love should

hate and punifh us forever. He has no pleafure in this unhappy bufinefs, objectively confidered; he cannot afflict willingly, but it arifes from the holy propriety and beauty of vindicating the luftre of his character, magnifying the excellency of his law, and rendering it honorable in the view of all intelligences.

Thirdly, it appears from this fubject that God is tranfcendantly amiable, not only in himfelf, but in all the branches of his administration. "He is righteous in all his ways and holy "in all his works." He is as equally lovely in the pain and affliction of tranfgreffors, as in the difpenfations of his mercy and goodness. His prefent conduct toward the diforderly inhabitants of this world, in all the calamities retailed upon them, is no diminution of his loveliness in itself, nor in the view of faints or holy beings. Sinners, it is true, form a different opinion, as their whole minds and conduct are perverfe, and they declare that their diftreffes are arguments of rigour and feverity; this boils up the enmity of their hearts, and they can not think with patience of a God of punitive juftice. But could they fee their own hearts, they would rife as much against the fweet and amiable parts of the divine character as any other, for the whole of God, his laws and government, are the objects of their hatred. Not fo with holy beings; all that is in God is lovely in their eyes, his judgments, wrath and vengeance, as well as his compaffion, mercy and love. All heaven above and faints below unite, faying, "Righteous art thou, O "Lord, and upright are thy judgments. The Lord is good "and he doth good continually."

Fourthly, we infer, there can be no ground for murmuring and repining against God. All these heart burnings, heart rifings, and hard thoughts, are perfectly unreasonable and unjuft. However common they were with Ifrael of old, and till are with us, and however prevalent in all ages, they are