I am convinced that the preaching of the present day is not practical enough, or sufficiently distinguishing between true and false experience. I therefore speak more fully than most do of the moral character of the Deity: of the excellency, glory, and loveliness of that character as described in the word of God. From this I deduce the reasonableness and excellency of the holy law of God; which I endeavor fully to open in its extensive requirements. Thence follows man's obligation to love God, both on account of his infinite loveliness, and of our natural relations and obligations to him. Then I demonstrate the evil of sin, as apostacy from this lovely and glorious God and king, and transgression of his perfect law. Thence I shew the justice of God in the infinite, the eternal punishment of sinners; it being necessary that God should mark his hatred of this hateful thing, magnify his holy law, and shew his justice, that he might appear glorious in the eyes of all for ever, but rebels.—Thus I suppose I dig deep to lay the foundation for the gospel of free grace: the necessity, nature, and glory of the vicarious obedience and sufferings of Emmanuel; the sufficiency of his one sacrifice; and his ability and willingness to save to the uttermost all that come. Thence I shew that all who will may come, and ought to come, and that all sin atrociously in not coming: that, however, it is in no natural man's heart to come, because each man is proud, selfish, worldly, and carnal: therefore all are without excuse. But a God of sovereign grace, having mercy on whom he will, according to his own purpose make some willing, by regeneration. This changes the prevailing bent of the heart; and henceforth the man is not only humbly willing to be justified by faith, and saved by grace; but hates and repents of sin, loves God's law, loves holiness, and leads a holy life, sincerely, progressively, though imperfectly-daily receiving from Christ grace so to do; and that all experience which has not this effect is false. Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down and cast into the fire."*

* Life, p. 148.

PART I.

THE DIVINE CHARACTER.

THE first, or doctrinal part of the work commences thus: "All religion pre-supposes the existence of some superior Power, who notices human affairs, and is able and willing to reward those who please him, and to punish those who offend him. An assured belief of this fundamental truth produces an earnestness in religion of some sort. But true religion further pre-supposes an acquaintance with the perfections of this superior Power: otherwise we may zealously, indeed, but ignorantly worship an unknown God; and our religious earnestness may and will be found among our greatest sins. But an assured belief that there is a God of such perfections, and of such a character as the Bible represents, will produce earnestness in pure and undefiled religion, honorable and acceptable to the Lord, and profitable to men. This knowledge of God will mightily assist us in understanding what that worship and service are, which he must require and approve, and will discover to us the reasonableness and excellency thereof."

"The holy scriptures therefore, being a revelation of God to man, abound in declarations of his character and perfections. Besides multitudes of detached instructions on this point; dispersed throughout the Bible, that which forms its grand subject, even redemption by the death of the Son of God, is no other than a revelation of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. Here all the divine perfections are harmoniously displayed in all their glory. All the lines meet in this centre; and he, who well understands this doctrine, exactly in proportion well understands the character of God; nor can he remain ignorant of that worship and service which God requires, nor fail of perceiving how reasonable and excellent it is. Indeed the conversion of a sinner consists in given him a spiritual perception of this divine glory; which lays a foundation for every holy disposition, and all holy practice. God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined into our hearts, to give us the light of

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the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.* The revelation was before made in the word; but pride, and prejudice, and the God of this world, blinded our minds, and we saw not its glory: but now, these hindrances being removed by the Spirit of God, we see, and admire and love what we behold."

The author then enumerates the principal divine perfections, particularly the holiness of God, which, he observes, "is a law unto himself that he cannot transgress," rendering it "eternally impossible that he should do any wrong, or allow any other to do it." He then proceeds: "These are the general outlines of the divine character, the knowledge of which I apprehend to be fundamental to all true religion: and I would wish seriously to recommend it to all who may peruse this treatise, in reading the sacred scriptures, especially the Psalms, and the prophetical books, to observe carefully how very much is said concerning the character of God, particularly his holiness. The more I consider the scriptures with express reference to this subject, the more I am convinced of the importance of this knowledge of God in all true religion, doctrinal, practical, and experimental; and the more doth it endear the Bible to me, as fully revealing and communicating this knowledge, which was no otherwise attainable by fallen man.

"And now," he goes on to ask, "must it not, even from this imperfect sketch, needs appear, that this character of God is infinitely lovely, and would certainly be admired and loved, as such, by all rational creatures, who had the opportunity of being acquainted with it, were not their hearts evil and their judgments perverted?"

CREATION.

"Now let us consider this eternally glorious God, moved by his own goodness, creating the world, and, amongst the other productions of his Almighty power and wisdom, forming rational agents, capable of knowing good from evil, and of choosing the one and refusing the other, bearing his holy image, without the least bias to moral evil, but entirely, though not immutably, disposed to imi

* 2 Cor. iv, 3.

tate the divine holiness; and formed capable of immortality and blessedness."

DIVINE SOVEREIGNTY AND LAW.

"LET us consider Jehovah, conscious of his undoubted right to sovereign authority, and that he alone is capable of exercising it, taking the throne as monarch of the universe. As sovereign he gives a law to his subjects: as infinitely wise and holy, and perfectly acquainted with his own rights, with what is fit and right in the nature of things, with the capacities of his creatures, with their relations and obligations to him and to one another, and with the glory and stability of his throne, and the good of his universal kingdom through eternal ages; his law must needs be perfect: holy, and just, and good.—The sum and substance of this law is love.......All its precepts are included in, and may be referred to the two great commandments to love God (who is infinitely lovely, and to whom we owe our all,) with all our heart and to love our neighbor (who is our equal; and whose happiness is of just as much consequence as our own,) as we love ourselves, with equal estimation and benevolence. More than this the perfect law of God doth not require: less than this cannot be reasonable and equitable; and therefore God cannot require less. a king who is indeed the father of his people he says to them, Love me, and love one another, and be happy.

As

"Lay these things together, and may we not, ought we not, nay, if nothing were wrong within should we not unanimously and exultingly sing, The Lord reigneth, let the earth rejoice?"

EVIL OF SIN, AND FALL OF MAN.

"BUT, the more undoubted the title which any prince has to the throne; the greater the obligations of his subjects to him; the more excellent his character, for wisdom, justice, and goodness; the more reasonable and equitable his laws; the more impartially they are executed; and the greater the happiness which his loyal subjects enjoy under him; the more execrable is the wretch, who, out of pride, ambition, envy, or resentment, excites rebellion in the kingdom, aims to overturn such a government, to dethrone such a king, and to ruin the happiness of such a nation.

By this plain rule of judgment, rebellion in any of God's subjects must, in every point in which we can view it, appear inconceivably evil. Not only does language fail in describing, but imagination must be incapable of conceiving the monstrous baseness of him, who, receiving his being and all he enjoys from God; being the absolute property of his Maker, and his rightful subject; ungratefully rebels against such a benefactor, breaks such a law, and, as far as in him lies, attempts to overturn such a throne, and to ruin the happiness of the world. And all this is implied in sin.”

Hence the writer proceeds to vindicate that everlasting punishment which God has denounced against sin: and thence to consider the introduction of evil by the fall of angels and of man.

The transaction with Adam," as the representative of all the human race, he observes, "is not only expressly mentioned in many places of scripture literally interpreted, but is every where implied, and forms, so to speak, the master key by which to open all the principal obscurities in the book of God, and all the otherwise unaccountable appearances which strike us, when we consider what is going forward in the world." And he adds: "Whatever difficulties our narrow views, and perverted judgments, and selfishness in a case in which we are in the event such sufferers, may find in considering this subject, and reconciling it to the divine perfections; without all doubt it did and doth appear to all holy beings holy, and just, and good. Evidently it did and still doth appear so to God; or he would never have proposed it, or dealt with man according to it: for shall not the Judge of all the earth do right? Nor can we reasonably question that it appeared thus to Adam; or he would have humbly objected to it. Nor is there more reason to doubt that it appeared so to the holy angels: for they are ever represented as adoring the holiness of God, as displayed in his dealings with mankind: And finally holy men of old, as speaking under the teaching of the Holy Ghost, while they record, acknowledge, and mourn over, or comment upon this transaction, ever with harmonious voice declare, that God is righteous in all his ways, and holy in all his works."

Again: "Known unto God are all his works from before the foundation of the world: and he not only foresaw, but in his infinite wisdom provided for this event. Far be it from