ness of parents for their children are unholy and sinful,—and tell me not that the gratitude, love, and obedience of children to their parents are odious in the view of him who has commanded them; although they operate in the bosom of an unregenerate heathen. On the other hand, look at those who profess to have passed through this great and marvellous change, even those who have been truly regenerated by the influence of God's spirit; are any perfect in good works? Are there any who possess or exercise no unholy passions or propensities? No; not one. And is sin, committed by a regenerate person less odious in the sight of God than if it were committed by one who had never enjoyed the light of divine truth? To suppose this, would be to reverse all our ideas of propriety; and to disregard the maxims and instructions of our Redeemer.

The truth is, in the human character there is every gradation and degree of virtue and vice,from the most perfect Christian, to the most abandoned wretch who disgraces humanity.These degrees and gradations are very numerous, and consequently minute; and such is the nature of human actions-so various are the springs from which they flow, that it is often difficult to tell

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Where ends the virtue or begins the vice."

As the man who should claim heaven and immortal felicity, for even the most perfect rightconsness of which human nature is capable would be altogether more unreasonable in his bemands than the laborer, who, for one day's services, should claim a rich estate; so it is equally unreasonable and absurd to suppose that a frail, finite mortal can deserve the pains of an endless hell, for the sins of this transitory life; or that a God of infinite justice and mercy will inflict these pains on his dependent children.

SERMON....No. 2.

THE DOCTRINE OPPOSED TO THE ATTRIBUTES OF GOD.

I JOHN IV. 16...."God is love."

Various are the systems which have been introduced and supported in the world, among different nations, and at different periods of time, respecting the existence and essential attributes of Deity; and would time, and the limits of one discourse permit, it would be not only interesting, but instructive to notice these different theories. From the most remote periods of antiquity to which the faithful records of history reach; and among all the nations of the earth, whether civilized or barbarian, the belief of a Supreme First Cause of all things has existed. While the theology of some nations has assigned to him a rank and character but very little superior to human beings, ascribing to him the same feelings and desires as exist in men; that of others has considered it a derogation from his dignity, to suppose him the creator of the material universe; which they considered the work of inferior gods, or cons, as they were called by the Persians and some other nations. Some have considered him as all light, holiness, goodness, and purity; and hence, whatever of imperfection and evil there is in the universe, has been ascribed by them to a self existent evil spirit. Others have ascribed to him such attributes and principles, as are calculated to repel all true and sincere affection from the heart; and fill the mind with dread, and slavish fear. Hence, different kinds of worship,

originating in different motives and feelings, have been instituted and kept up amongst men. Some have worshipped him to procure his favor, and others to avert his wrath;-some from a desire of happiness, and others from a dread of misery; but too few, it is feared, render him the sincere homage of the heart for what he is, and for what he has already done for them; and from a sense of the peace and happiness which flow from true spiritual worship.

Whilst reason teaches us there must be a God whilst the whole creation proclaims. his being, and the infinitude of his perfections whilst "the heavens declare" his glory, "and the firmament showeth his handy work," they all continually remind us that none can "by searching find out God," none can "find out the Almighty unto perfection." But although it is impossible for frail, short sighted mortals to obtain a perfect knowledge of him whose ways are inscrutable and "past finding out"; yet he has been pleased to make all those revelations of himself, which are necessary to promote the well being of his intelligent offspring. The immense volume of natare which is spread open before us, is full of useful instruction. In it we behold magnificent displays of the creative energy, the directing wis dom, and preserving goodness of the Almighty,we can here trace with ever new and increasing delight, the evidences of his parental care for all his dependent creatures.

But it is in the volume of divine inspiration, that our Creator has most fully revealed himself to the children of men. It is here he has proclaimed his name, "The Lord God, merciful and gracious, long suffering, abundant in goodness. and truth, keeping mercy for thousands, forgiv ang iniquity and transgression and sin, and that

will by no means clear the guilty."

Here we learn his nature, which is spiritual; and his character, which is that of a Father. Here we learn his essence, which is love; and here also, we are made acquainted with his glorious purpose in the creation of man, and his gracious designs respecting the final and eternal destination of his earth-born children. And by a careful examination and comparison of the lessons of instruction imparted to us in the book of nature and the book of grace, we shall find them all to harmonize, and perfectly to agree. With these means of instruction within our reach, and with capacities to understand all which is necessary for our real good, if we fail of obtaining a suita ble knowledge of our heavenly Father, it must be in consequence of our own neglect. Let us then, with a humble, though firm reliance on God for his assistance, enter on the investigation of the subject before us, with all that candor which its importance demands; and let us endeavor, from the lights of nature, of reason, and revelation, to draw forth that knowledge of the attributes and perfections of our great Creator, which will render us truly wise.

That God is ONE, undivided and indivisible in his essence and his existence, is not only one of the plainest dictates of reason, but is in accordance with the whole testimony of scripture,The unity of God is demonstrable from the same evidences in nature which prove his existence. Throughout the immensity of his works, so far as the lights of science and philosophy have been able to penetrate, the same unerring laws prevail. Unity, not only of design, but of operation, is every where apparent. The same principle which regulates the motions of the earth, controls the movements of all the heavenly bodies.

The principle of animal life is the same in all Hving creatures; the same in man as in beast.— These are incontrovertible evidence that God is one; and the scriptures abundantly corroborate this truth.-"Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God is one Lord," is called "the first of all the commandments;" and not only our Saviour, but the apostles taught this as a fundamental article of the Christian faith. This principle we shall find of great importance in the illustration of our subject.

What some have called the natural, but which, perhaps, may with propriety be termed the necessary and incommunicable attributes of Deity are self-existence, independence, omnipresence, immutability, and eternity; but, as we are not competent to form any very clear or adequate conceptions of them, and as they are not necessary in the illustration of the subject before us, any further than they serve to give us some idea of his infinity, and show us the necessary perfection of his other attributes, they will require no additional remarks.

The attributes of God with which we are at this time more particularly concerned, are those, by the exercise of which he created the universe, and gave to it, its fixed and immutable laws,by which he imparts life, and all faculties to animated beings,-governs the moral world,-dispenses suitable rewards and punishments to the subjects of his moral government, and communicates happiness to all creatures, according to their various capacities for enjoyment. These have usually been denominated knowledge, wisdom, power, love, truth, justice and mercy. As we are ourselves capable, in a degree, of possessing and exercising these principles or attributes, we are consequently able to understand some