damn a man for taking "a little pleasure in an irregular manner:" nor can the ambitious warrior, or covetous oppressor be convinced, that the supreme Being will demand a strict account of all the blood shed, or the injustice committed in their respective pursuits: a speculating philosopher may imagine a deity too dignified to notice the conduct, or too clement to punish the crimes of puny mortals; at least he will deem him very favourable to the self-wise, and such as are superior to vulgar prejudices, whatever he may do in respect of debauchees and sanguinary tyrants. Thus men's ideas of God are framed according to their own prevailing propensities; and then those ideas of him reciprocally tend to form their characters, and influence their conduct, both in respect of religious duties, and in the common concerns of life.

These observations suffice to show us the reason why "the world by wisdom knew not God," and to prove, that it is impossible in the very nature of things for a fallen creature to know him, except by revelation, and by faith appropriating the instruction which is thus vouchsafed: for self-love and carnal affections will so bias the mind as to defeat the design of the most patient investigation, and to deduce erroneous conclusions from the most accurate, and apparently most impartial reasonings upon this subject; except as they are conducted with a constant regard to the revelation which God hath made of himself.

Thus the Jews knew not the God they zealously worshipped: they totally mistook his character, and therefore they despised and rejected "the effulgency of his glory," and the express image of his invisible perfection; and they hated and persecuted, most conscientiously, his spiritual worshippers, (John viii. 54, 55; xv. 21–24; xvi. 3). If we would, therefore, know God in a saving and sanctifying manner, (John xvii. 3; 2 Cor. iii. 18; iv. 3—6), we must not "lean to our own understandings," nor "trust in our own hearts;" we must not resort to the schools, or sit at the feet of renowned philosophers, ancient or modern: but we must apply to the word of God himself, that we may thence learn, in humble teachableness and implicit faith, what we ought to think of his perfections, and the glory and harmony of them; remembering, that "his testimony is sure, and giveth wisdom to the simple;" and likewise, "that no man knoweth the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him,” (Matt. xi. 25-30.)

If then we carefully "search the Scriptures," we shall find that this subject constitutes a principal part of their contents; and that the Lord makes himself known to us in two ways. 1. By express declarations; and 2. By his works and dispensations, as illustrating and exemplifying his declarations. A few hints on each of these will constitute the remaining part of this Essay; it being chiefly intended to assist the serious student of the Scriptures, in profitably considering this important subject, as he proceeds with his daily researches.

I. We consider the Lord's express declarations concerning himself. There is a majesty in the passages of holy writ, that relate to the natural perfections of God, which vastly exceeds whatever is admired as sublime in Pagan writers. Jehovah speaks of himself, "as the high and lofty One who inha- ́ biteth eternity;" "heaven is his throne, and the earth his footstool;" "the heaven of heavens cannot contain him;" all "nations before Him are as nothing, they are counted to him as less than nothing and vanity;" ""from everlasting to everlasting he is God;" "the Almighty, the All-sufficient God;" "His wisdom is infinite;" "there is no searching of his understanding;' ;"" He knoweth all things, he searcheth the hearts of all the children of men;" yea, knoweth their thoughts afar off;" there is no fleeing from his presence; "the light and darkness to him are both alike;"" He dwelleth in light inaccessible, no man hath seen or can see him ;" "He doeth what he will in the armies of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth;" "His is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory for ever;" "He

is most blessed for evermore;" for "with him is no change or shadow of turning." These, and numberless other declarations, expressly and emphatically ascribe eternity, self-existence, omnipresence, omnipotence, omniscience, immutability, incomprehensible greatness and majesty, and essential felicity and glory in full perfection to the Lord our God.

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But in this respect their declarations do not so materially differ from the deductions of man's reason on this subject, or at least from what it approves and allows; and it is principally to be observed, that such an infinite Agent can, with most perfect ease, superintend the affairs, whether vast or minute, of the universe: whereas, some philosophers have supposed that such an attention would be either a degradation or an incumbrance to him; thus virtually ascribing to him imperfection, and attempting to deprive him of his throne, as if he were not qualified to fill it! But as infinite power, knowledge, and greatness, if they could subsist without infinite truth, justice, and goodness, would be terrible indeed beyond conception, yet not at all adorable or amiable; so these natural perfections do not so much constitute any part of the Divine character, as define and describe Him to whom it belongs. Accordingly we continually read in the sacred Scriptures, that Jehovah righteous in all his ways, and holy in all his works." "He is (not only) a God of knowledge;" but " by him actions are weighed ;" a God of truth without iniquity; just and right is he." "Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?" "for he is of purer eyes than to behold evil." So that he is declared to be both infinitely holy in his nature, and unalterably righteous in his government of the world: for God is jealous, and the Lord revengeth; the Lord revengeth and is furious; he will take vengeance on his adversaries," &c. (Nah. i. 2-6). We are indeed told by speculating men, that such expressions are only an accommodation to human infirmity, and that there are no such passions in the Divine nature. Now, if this merely were intended to direct our interpretation of them, and to remind us, that all that perturbation which anger and revenge excite in our minds, and all those effects which flow from them, were to be excluded from our apprehensions of the Deity, it would be very proper. But surely the only wise God knows best how to speak of himself; and we may safely "speak according to his oracles." Abhorrence of evil, and indignation against evil doers, are not sinful passions, but requisite to a holy character; and to execute vengeance on criminals is the indispensable duty of a ruler. We pretend not to explain how these things subsist in, and are executed by the Divine mind; but we know who hath said, " vengeance is mine, and I will recompense and we hesitate not to repeat his words, without attempting to explain away their awful import.

When we have added to this delineation, the enlarged goodness and liberality of the Lord, who delighteth in communicating being and blessedness, and "openeth his hand to fill all things living with plenteousness;" we perceive a character completely amiable, adorable, and glorious, and peculiarly animating to all obedient creatures; and must allow the reasonableness of the command, "thou shalt love the Lord with all thy heart," &c. Yet is it most tremendous to sinners, who must be discouraged, and verge to despair, in proportion as they become acquainted with it; except as they attend to the discovery of his plenteous, rich, and everlasting mercy. Mercy respects misery, and transgression as the cause of it; it pities and relieves misery, and pardons sin; and without this attribute, even the providential goodness of God would tend to aggravate our guilt, and increase our condemnation. Mercy, therefore, is in Scripture spoken of, as the peculiar glory of God, and the grand subject of the believer's confidence, joy, and grateful praise. Yet when the Lord proclaims his name as " merciful and gracious, slow to anger, long-suffering, ready to forgive," &c. he commonly gives some intimation," that he will by no means clear the guilty," or the impenitent and unbelieving, (Exod. xxxiv. 6, 7; Nah. i. 2-7; Rom. iii. 19-31; 2 Pet. ii. 4-9): and all his declarations of compassion and love to

sinners, connect with his holy abhorrence of, and righteous indignation against their sins; and contain some intimations of that change, which his grace effects in those who share his pardoning love. Yet even this would be insufficient to render the exercise of mercy, (especially in that extent spoken of in Scripture) consistent with the perfection of his holiness and justice for should mercy be shown to such as merit vengeance (without any provision made on that behalf), justice would appear imperfect, its rights violated, and its glory eclipsed; the law would be in a measure degraded, and the Divine purity would not shine forth in its full splendour. Some intimations, therefore, were given from the beginning, that mercy would be exercised in harmony with justice; and that Jehovah would, through the promised Seed, be " a just God and a Saviour;" yet, under the old dispensation, his servants seem rather to have believed that it would be so, than to have had clear perceptions of the mysterious way in which it would be effected; but the New Testament hath removed the veil from the subject itself, provided the veil do not still remain upon our hearts. This, however, seems to be the only way in which the Divine character could be displayed to us, in all its glory: at least, all created understanding must for ever have proved incapable of conceiving, in what way the largest exercise of pardon and love to the vilest sinners could consist with, and illustrate the infinite justice and holiness of God, and establish his law in honour and authority. Infinite wisdom alone could devise a plan adequate to these purposes; it must spring from boundless love; and we may be sure, that the plan revealed to us was the most approved of all that were possible, by infinite wisdom and love.

Every intimation, therefore, of a Messiah, a Mediator, a mercy-seat, a high priest, or an atoning sacrifice, should lead our minds to the great doctrine of redemption through Emmanuel's blood, as the central point in which every part of the revelation God hath made of himself to man must meet. But without farther anticipating this part of the subject, we may observe, that the Scriptures everywhere describe our God as perfect in wisdom, holiness, justice, truth, goodness, and mercy in all its manifold exercises; they represent these attributes as the glory of his nature, and as constituting him the proper object of our supreme love, adoration, and service; as all harmonizing in his consummate character, and each of them subserving the exercise and glory of all the rest.

II. In more exactly investigating the Scriptures, we find these attributes exemplified in the works and dispensations recorded of our God. The display of his omnipotence, and other natural perfections, in the works of creation; or the miracles he wrought in delivering his servants, or punishing his enemies, is too obvious to need a particular discussion in this place: nor is it requisite to enlarge on his providential goodness. But that combination of justice, holiness, truth, and mercy, which hath been stated as comprising the character of God, is manifested in his dealings with his rational creatures. Infinite in holiness and justice," he spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell." He denounced on fallen Adam and his race, the awful sentence, " dust thou art, and to dust thou shalt return;" and unnumbered millions have been swept into the grave, by most dire and torturing diseases. The destruction of the old world by the deluge; that of Sodom, &c. by fire; the plagues of Egypt; the vengeance executed on the Canaanites; and all the judgments inflicted on the rebellious Israelites in the wilderness, in the promised land, and through every age, are such exhibitions of these awful attributes, that our minds naturally turn from the narrative with aversion; nor can any man fully understand them, till he hath acquired a deep sense of the evil of sin, and the justice of God. Nay, the corrections inflicted on Lot, David, and other offending believers, whose sins were eventually pardoned, display the same attributes, and authorize the same conclusions; so that the Psalmist might well say, "My flesh trembleth for fear because of thee, and I am afraid of thy judgments." On

the other hand, his patience, compassion, mercy, and grace, are exhibited in all his dealings with fallen man: " he endured with much long-suffering even the vessels of wrath:" he ever appeared ready to forgive the penitent, to pity the wretched, to relieve the distressed, to lift up the self-abased, and comfort the broken-hearted. "His mercy was upon those that feared him from generation to generation:" his dealings with Israel as a nation, and with individuals, proved this: nor did any sinner ever humbly seek his face in vain. The faithfulness of God is so illustrated in accomplishing his promise concerning the seed of the woman, &c. four thousand years after it was given, that other instances need not be adduced: his judgments coincided with his threatenings, except as repentance intervened; and a reserve of mercy was in that case implied in them all. The manifold wisdom of God is also most conspicuous in arranging these displays of justice and mercy, so as to secure the glory of all his attributes, and to leave no man any ground to presume, or to despair. And the whole of the discoveries given us of the future judgment, and the eternal state of happiness or misery, most perfectly coincides with the declarations relative to his harmonious perfections. But of this, and redemption by the incarnation of Emmanuel, and his atoning blood, we must forbear to speak further in this place. We may, however, observe, concerning this last (which is doubtless the greatest of all the discoveries that God hath given of himself), that it leads us to contemplate those mysteries of the Deity, which are so peculiar to revelation, that they who "lean to their own understandings" would represent them as contradictory and impossible. Yet it will be shown, that they are certainly revealed in Scripture; and thence it will follow, that they are appropriated to the true Object of all adoration, and distinguish him from every idol: so that they cannot be said to worship the God of the Bible, who reject the peculiar mysteries which it reveals, and adore not the One Name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, into which Christians are baptised. And as all the Divine perfections are only seen in perfect harmony" in the face of Jesus Christ;" so they "whose eyes are blinded, that they should not see the light of this glory," (2 Cor. iv. 3-6), certainly worship the invention of their own minds, and not the God who hath revealed himself to man, in the person of Jesus Christ. Indeed this is manifest from the imperfection of the object of their worship, whom they imagine so clement, that he cannot hate and punish sin as it deserves; by the blasphemies which they often utter against God's justice and holiness, and the judgments which he hath executed and threatened. Let us then regard this as a matter of the greatest possible importance, and seek the knowledge of God from his word, and the teaching of his Spirit, as the fundamental concern in all our religious inquiries, that so we may be engaged, above all things, to fear, love, confide in, worship, and serve him; and to seek all our happiness in enjoying his favour, and glorifying his name.

ESSAY IV.

A Brief Exposition of the Ten Commandments, as comprising the substance of the Moral Law.

FROM the Scripture character of God, we proceed to the consideration of his moral government, as made known to us by revelation; and a clear knowledge of his holy law is peculiarly requisite in forming our judgment on this subject. This was delivered to Israel by Jehovah himself, from Mount Sinai, with most tremendous displays of his majesty, power, and justice; and though other Scriptures must be adduced as a divinely inspired comment, yet

the decalogue may properly be taken for our text, in examining the demands of the moral law. It is evident, that there is a distinction between moral precepts and positive institutions. Some things are in themselves so indifferent, that the same authority which commanded might have forbidden them; as the use of bread and wine in one ordinance, and that of water in another: but it is absurd to suppose, that God could have required his creatures to despise him, or to hate one another; or have forbidden them to speak truth and to do justice.

Some traces of the moral law are discoverable by our natural reason, and the whole accords to it; it has its foundation in the nature of God and man, in the relations men bear to him and to each other, and in the obligations that result from them: so that it is immutable in its nature, and demands obedience from all mankind, as far as they have an opportunity of becoming acquainted with it. Different circumstances may indeed occasion a coinci dent variation; as the entrance of sin hath rendered patience and forgiveness of injuries exercises of our love to God and our neighbours; but though, these will cease in heaven, yet the grand principles whence they are deduced will continue the same to eternity.

The law is also spiritual; it takes cognizance of our inmost and most secret thoughts, desires, purposes, and dispositions, and demands the exact regulation of the judgment, will, and affections. Love is its principal requisition, without which the best external obedience is condemned as hypocrisy. This is peculiar to the law of God, who alone can search the heart; but, in common with other laws, it requires entire, uninterrupted, and perpetual obedience, for no law can tolerate the transgression of itself. From the entrance to the close of life, the Lord enjoins upon us exact conformity to every precept; every omission or commission, excess, defect, or deviation from this perfect rule is sin, and every sin deserves wrath, and needs forgiveness, (Rom. iii. 19-23).

As the ten commandments are divinely commented upon in all the preceptive parts of Scripture, so the substance of them is summed up in the two great commands of " loving God with all our hearts," and of " loving our neighbours as ourselves:" and we are authorised, by our Lord's example, to interpret every one of them in the strictest, most spiritual, and most extensive sense of which it is capable. Indeed, repentance, faith in Christ, and all other evangelical graces and duties, are exercises of supreme love to God, and required of a sinner, as placed under a dispensation of mercy, though originally the law had nothing to do with redemption, but lay at the foundation of another covenant. We may, therefore, drop the controversy concerning the rule of duty, whether it be the ten commandments, or the whole word of God; for the one, properly understood, will be found as "broad" as the other, seeing we cannot love God with all our hearts, unless we love every discovery he is pleased to make of his glory, believe every testimony, and embrace every promise which he gives, and seek his favour in the use of all the means he is pleased to appoint. Yet this relates only to the law, as the rule of duty, and as given in subserviency to the gospel; for originally it contains nothing about mercy, repentance, or acceptance of imperfect obedience; but only says, "do this and live," and "cursed be every transgressor."

Thus the law was given to Israel, not only to show them their real condition, according to the covenant of works, but also with reference to their national covenant, and as the rule of duty to redeemed sinners; and therefore mercy is mentioned in the second commandment; not, indeed, as communicated by the law, but as shown by the Lord to his obedient people. The remainder of this Essay will consist of a compendious exposition of the ten commandments, as introductory to a further consideration of the Divine government.

The great Lawgiver préfaced his injunctions, by proclaiming his essential glory and immutable excellency, "I am Jehovah." Being the source of