declares, that they are objects worthy of his hatred. How is it, then, that God loves sinners, who, in themselves, are infinitely unworthy of his love, and infinitely worthy of his hatred? Here the Scriptures make a discovery which reason could never have found out. They show us that God loves sinners; and they show us a way in which sinners are perfectly worthy of the divine love. They do not bring to light a doctrine contrary to the fair deductions of reason, with regard to the proper objects of God's love: they do not tell us that God loves what reason tells us he ought to hate. We could not believe them were they to make such a report; but they tell us that God loves sinners; and that his wisdom has exhibited a way in which he has made them worthy of his love. In the death of Christ, the sins of his people are cancelled, and in their Substitute they are as innocent as if they never had sinned; as they are united to Christ, and as his righteousness becomes theirs, they are more worthy of the Divine love, than they were in their original innocence. Nay, as that righteousness is the righteousness of God, and as they become one with him who is a divine person, they are infinitely worthy of infinite love. Thus the Scriptures discover a way in which sinners are more worthy of Divine love than the angels that never fell; more worthy than they could have been in their original creation, had they been placed in the highest possible rank of created existence. Could such a thought have ever originated with man? Is there any thing like this in all the wisdom of the wise men of this world? Is such a glorious discovery the invention of imposture? The man who can think so, is a miracle of obstinacy or stupidity. Could any thing but divine wisdom discover a plan in which persons worthy of infinite hatred, became worthy of infinite love? It is still true that God hates sinners in themselves, and all who are not viewed by him in the Lord Jesus Christ, will for ever continue so. From eternity he loved his people, because from eternity he viewed them in union with his Son, their infinitely worthy Substitute.

THE TRINITY.

THE Scriptural representations of a distinction of persons in the Godhead, appear to me to afford evidence of their truth. Had the Scriptures been an imposture, I see no reason why their author would have incumbered himself with such a view, even had it in any way been presented to his mind. The history of the reception of this doctrine, as respects those who profess Christianity, supports me in asserting that it is not the offspring of human ingenuity: so great is the aversion to it, entertained by the pride of reason, that in opposition to the plainest and most numerous declarations of a book received as the Word of God, many find no such thing in the Scriptures. They cannot find a single decisive passage in all the Bible, to warrant the belief that Jesus Christ possesses supreme Godhead. Notwithstanding all that is taught on this point, by the writers whom they consider as giving a revelation from God, Jesus Christ is nothing but a mere man or an angel. If human wisdom exerts itself so violently to pervert what is so plainly written on the subject, it cannot be charged as having written it.

Again, even when the Divine nature of Jesus Christ is not denied, the apparent foolishness of the personal distinction in the Godhead, has been so felt, that various theories have been forced on the Scriptures compelling them to renounce this doctrine, and to admit that nothing more is meant than different characters, names, office, &c. Surely, then, had the Scriptures been the production of man, there was no motive to lead to such an exhibition of the Divine nature. There is every inducement to avoid it.

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There is still additional evidence of the same thing from the conduct even of those who believe the above doctrine. Let any candid man compare what the Scriptures teach on this subject, and the manner in which they teach it, with the writings and decrees of men in favour of the same doctrine, and he must be convinced of the characteristic difference. The one is evidently the wisdom of man, and the other is evidently

the wisdom of God. In this tract I suggest, rather than exhaust proof. But after a leisurely and full examination of the simple statements of Scripture on this point, and the indirect way in which it is brought forward, in contrast with the scholastic subtilities, the bold definitions, and blasphemous illustrations that human wisdom have employed to recommend this doctrine, it is impossible that candour can refuse to admit that the former are of God. Had the doctrine of a distinction in the Godhead been an invention of man, it would have been taught in the style of human wisdom.

HOLINESS.

THE atonement manifests also God's infinite holiness, and hatred of sin. How hateful must sin be to God when he punished it even to its utmost desert in the person of his own Son? Can infidelity, can philosophy, produce any such proof of God's displeasure at sin? Did ever any philosopher conceive a God so holy as to punish every sin to its utmost desert? No, the god of philosophy is very moderate in his hatred of sin, and makes many allowances for human infirmity. He must accommodate himself to the necessities of his worshippers, otherwise, like Saturn, he will be dethroned. As human nature is bankrupt, he must give an acquittance for a reasonable composition: as men have such passions, he must indulge them in some occasional deviations from duty. He is like a good-natured old man, who himself has no relish for folly, but indulgently winks at the levities and indiscretions of youth. This, Sir, I suppose is your god, and it is not strange that you should love him. But the infinitely holy God of the Scriptures has revealed his wrath against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men. Affliction and anguish are donounced as the portion of every one that doth evil. The smallest violation of the Divine law subjects to the curse. Every sin of men and angels will be visited with punishment. Divine holiness is unsullied in the pardon of the sin of believers, nay, it is rendered infinitely more illustrious in the death of Christ. Now, sir, is an infinitely holy God the God of

impostors? No, sir, he is the dread of the wise and virtuous, and cannot therefore be the delight of men who could have no refuge from his vengeance. If the highest human virtue dare not meet such a God, how could deceivers escape his wrath? Here is an infinitely holy God, yet such a God is naturally the aversion of all men. It is, then, a self evident truth that this character of God came from himself.

CONCLUSION.

SUCH, sir, are some of the attributes of the God of the Scriptures. What is your god to this God? Here is a God who must be the true God, because he is perfect in every attribute. That cannot be the true God, a greater than whom it is possible to conceive. That cannot be God, whose attributes are capable of additional perfection. Now, the god of the wisdom of this world is imperfect in many of his attributes, and I have here shown one infinitely perfect. Can it, then, be a question which of these is the true God? Shall imposture and ignorance invent an infinitely perfect God, while wisdom and virtue fail? Shall I give up my God, the harmony of whose attributes secures my salvation, for yours, who cannot look upon me with an eye of pity, without being at war with himself?

Then, sir, I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ. In it alone the character of the true God is manifested to the world. I cannot read a page of the Scriptures without seeing proofs that they are not the work of man; but the character of God manifested in the atonement, independent of all other proofs, demonstrates the truth of the gospel. It is intrinsically light. It is utterly impossible to understand it, and not believe it. It is impossible to see God, and not believe him to be God; but here God is seen. He that hath seen Jesus hath seen the Father. The glory of God shines in his face. The view of this perfect character overwhelms the soul with evidence irresistible as the

light of heaven. A man may as well look upon the sun, and yet be uncertain whether he sees that luminary, as discern the harmony and infinite perfection of this character, and doubt whether this is the true God.

This is the reason why the gospel is called light in the Scriptures. This is the reason that the knowledge of God is represented as amounting to the same thing with the belief of it. It cannot be known without being credited. The plan of salvation here revealed not only harmonizes the Divine attributes, but appears absolutely necessary for the practical illustration of the Divine character. Had sin never entered, mercy could have had no scope, justice could have had neither operation nor adequate reparation; love would have wanted an opportunity of manifesting its infinite perfection; sovereignty would have been totally hid; holiness could not have been seen in the same strong light. Without the atonement, God could not have been seen in all the glory of his perfect character. It is not an after-thought to repair an evil that could not. have been prevented; it is the only light in which the lustre of the Divine character could appear.

If, then, the knowledge of God is the noblest branch of philosophy, the gospel is the most noble science in the world. Here alone is to be found the knowledge of the true God. Philosophers, as well as infidels, are in the habit of looking on Christians with contempt. It is the contempt of the rustic for the Copernican system. The weakest and most illiterate Christian knows more of the most excellent of all sciences, than the greatest philosopher who is ignorant of the gospel. The Christian is the only man on earth who knows God. "For the preaching of the cross is, to them that perish, foolishness; but unto us who are saved it is the power of God. For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent. Where is the wise? where is the scribe? where is the disputer of this world? Hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? For after that, in the wisdom of God, the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God, by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe."