In the instances of Rahab, Ruth, Boaz, David towards Saul and his house, Obadiah towards the prophets of God, Ebed-melech the Ethiopian (or Cushite) towards Jeremiah, &c. God was pleased to give direct and important testimonies of his favour and approbation in blessing those, who had showed mercy to their fellow-men. On the other hand, he manifested in the most awful manner his displeasure against Saul and his house, for his cruelty towards the Gibeonites; against Ahab, Jezebel, Athaliah, Pashur, Herod, and many others, for their cruelty. These are all direct proofs, that mercy is highly acceptable to God; and that the implacable and unmerciful are an abomination in his sight.

4thly. In requiring all our homage and obedience to himself, as a merciful God.

On this argument, although unanswerable in its import, I shall not insist, because it will be easily understood from the application, already made of it, to the moral attributes of God, considered in former discourses.

5thly. In the mediation of Christ.

CHRIST is, to us, the channel, through which the divine mercy flows; and his mediation the procuring cause, for which it is exercised towards mankind. All the preceding arguments, therefore, so far as they are furnished by the Scriptures, have a reference to him, and are supremely illustrated by his mediation. This great subject claims, of course, a distinct consideration, more extended, and more particular, than the present occasion will permit. Such a minute examination will, however, be the less necessary at the present time, because the subject will recur in many forms during the progress of these discourses, and because it is the commanding theme in every desk, and the principal subject of information to every religious audience. I shall now briefly consider the mercy of God, as illustrated by the

Incarnation,
Life, and

Death, of the Redeemer.

At this time the divinity of Christ will not be at all insisted on; as it will be, of course, the subject of a future investigation. It is sufficient for my purpose, that he was, what he cannot with decency be denied to be, the beloved Son of God, in whom he is ever well pleased; the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person; as much better than the angels, as he has by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they; the first born of every creature; and the glory of God in the heavens, as well as in the earth. When this great and wonderful person, great and wonderful beyond any possible estimation of such minds as ours, became incarnate; he, who was rich in the best of all possessions, the unqualified love of his Father, for our sakes became poor, that we through him might become rich. He allied himself, in a manner intimate, eternal, and inseparable, to flesh and blood, to sinners and worms

of the dust; and was not unwilling, nor ashamed, to call them his brethren. The strength and intenseness of the purpose for which he interfered, the greatness of his tenderness and compassion for mankind, are exhibited, with the utmost possible force, in the greatness of the condescension and humiliation, which he thus voluntarily assumed. It ought here to be remembered, that he not only became man, but man in the humblest circumstances; was the son of a poor virgin, married to a poor man; and was born in a stable, wrapped in swaddling clothes, and laid in a manger.

In the life of the Son of God, the same character was exhibited in a great variety of forms. Throughout almost all his residence in the world, that is, during his minority, and about twelve years afterward, this glorious Person was entirely subjected to the commands and government of his humble parents; and wrought patiently in the business of a carpenter, laboriously earning his own bread, and theirs, by the sweat of his brow. After he began his public ministry, he went about doing good, particularly to those who were sick, blind, deaf, dumb, halt, maimed, and possessed of devils. To the poor, to publicans, and to sinners, he also preached the Gospel; and with supreme patience, labour, and benignity, invited them to eternal life. Samaritans, hated by the Jews beyond example, he brought into the divine kingdom; and, after warning, instructing, and exhorting Jerusalem, to the last limits of hope, he wept with the deepest compassion over its unbelief and ruin.

In his death, the same glorious attribute was still more wonderfully manifested. His death, like his incarnation and life, was wholly voluntary: for he, who drove the money-changers and their companions out of the temple; at whose presence the guards fell backward to the ground; whose voice, diseases, demons, and elements obeyed; and who re-summoned life to the breathless corpses of others; could undoubtedly have prolonged his own life, prevented every assault upon his person, and forbidden by his power the approach of danger and harm. Accordingly, he informs us, that he laid down his life for his sheep, and that no man took it from him, but that he laid it down of himself.

At the same time, his death was the most humiliating, which can be conceived, or suffered. It was the death of a malefactor, and that of the most scandalous kind; a death, also, pronounced by the voice of God to be accursed; and preceded and attended by every circumstance of contempt, abuse, and shame, which a furious rabble, and their more malignant masters, could devise, or inflict. Nor was it less distressing than humiliating. The clear foresight of it, in the garden of Gethsemane, threw even him, with all his lion-like fortitude, into an agony; and forced sweat from his body in the form of great drops of blood. The sufferance of it on the cross extorted from him that bitter cry, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? It is, however, to be remembered, that he made his soul an offering for sin, and that, in his soul, his peculiar dis

tresses were chiefly suffered. This death, together with all the anguish which it involved, he perfectly foresaw, and predicted; and in the full sight of this anguish devoted himself to the suffering. In the midst of his agonics, also, he prayed for the forgiveness of his murderers; and with such efficacy, that within fifty days from his crucifixion, several thousands of them believed on his name, through the preaching of St. Peter; and are now in the heaven of heavens, celebrating with songs of transport the divine compassion of their Redeemer.

The incarnation, life, and death, of Christ, were undertaken, and accomplished, by him, with a complete knowledge, not only of the distresses, which he was to undergo, but also of the character of those, for whom they were to be undergone. He knew perfectly, that they were sinners, rebels, and apostates, condemned and ruined; utterly indisposed to believe his testimony, to accept his person, or to become interested in his mediation. He perfectly knew, that to make them even reconciled to him, or grateful for the immense benefits which he proffered, it would be necessary, after all he had done, to send the SPIRIT OF GRACE into the world, to give them a new heart, and a better mind. Of course, he engaged in this wonderful employment from compassion only, to the miserable beings whom he came to redeem. As his own character and conduct are, therefore, the strongest possible exhibition of mercy; so God, who gave him up to all these sufferings for this end, and to whom he was plainly the dearest object in the Universe, has in this transaction equally exhibited mercy as his own character.

From these summary considerations on this subject, I remark, 1st. The Glory of this divine attribute.

No moral characteristic has ever been esteemed so lovely as this, or so honourable to an Intelligent being. To love virtue, and the virtuous, is undoubtedly excellent and commendable; and includes all which we intend by justice, candour, or complacency, as exercised towards the character of others. In those, who exercise this disposition, it is both honourable and lovely; and to those, who are thus loved, it is an eminent ingredient of happiness.

To love those, whose character has not been exhibited to us, as either virtuous or sinful; to love, for example, absolute strangers, merely because they are rational beings; seems plainly to be a still higher exercise of a virtuous and amiable character. But to love those, who are known to be enemies to us, as well as vile and hateful in themselves; and to endeavour, with peculiar self-denial, or with great efforts, to render them virtuous and happy; is a still nobler exercise of goodness, than either of the former. This, as mankind in the calm exercise of Reason have ever determined, and as the Scriptures have abundantly declared, is the crown, the splendour, the glory, of moral excellence.

In considering this subject, it is difficult to refrain from calling

to mind the views of it, which angels have formed, and expressed. At the birth of the Redeemer, these exalted and benevolent beings left their happy residence, and directed their flight immediately to this sinful world. Here, for four thousand years, they had in the course of their ministry witnessed little else in the conduct of men, beside rebellion against God, injustice to each other, and the debasement of themselves. Still, with a divine sympathy, they rejoiced in the prospect of seeing the guilty mind renewed, the impious and deformed life purified from its stains, and the salvation of the ruined children of Adam certainly accomplished. Eagerly they hastened to proclaim the glad tidings of great joy, that a Saviour was born unto men in the city of David. One soul animated them all; and with one voice, inspired by the same exalted benevolence, they sung, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace ; Good-will towards men.

How different have been the feelings of mankind, for whom this Mediation has been accomplished! Mankind, when Christ appeared in the world, rejected, persecuted, and slew him. From that day to the present, they have discovered the same disposition, with evidence which cannot be questioned, in their unbelief and rejection of the Redeemer. We, as well as others, possess and prove this character. Were Christ now to be born, there is but too much reason to fear, that we like the Jews, should leave him in a stable, consign him to a manger, persecute him through life, and compel him to a violent death. The Jews began their warfare against him with disbelieving and rejecting him; and ended with his crucifixion. Our disbelief and rejection of Christ are but too fearful indications, that, were our circumstances the same with theirs, we should unite with them in nailing Him to the cross. In the single act of refusing to commemorate his death, how many, here present, declare, that even in their own view they are not his friends. Let every such person remember the declaration of Christ himself, that he who is not for him is against him.

Let us all remember also, that Christ was infinitely rich, in all good, before he became poor for our sakes. Of course, he needed not us, nor any thing which is ours. With infinite ease, and by the mere exercise of his will, he could have blotted us out of being, and then have raised up millions of virtuous, obedient and glorious creatures; all of whom would, throughout eternity, have employed themselves in his service with unchanging faithfulness and joy. Whence then, and let Reason answer the question, did he choose to become Man; to suffer, and to die, for the lost race of Adam; for you, and for me? The only answer he himself has long since given: God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth on him, should not perish, but have everlasting life. God was so benevolent, so disposed to show kindness, so full of long suffering and tender mercy, that even this exertion was not too great for him to make.

2dly. From these considerations we also learn the absolute necessity of divine Revelation to mankind.

On the question, Whether God will forgive sin, and accept sinners, evidently depends every hope of happiness beyond the grave. The question is, therefore, infinitely important to us; and needs, in the highest degree, to be satisfactorily answered. The doctrine, that God is merciful, is, I think, in the view of Reason, sufficiently probable to command our faith. But that it is, or can be proper for God to forgive sin in any case, Reason is utterly unable to evince. In what manner this conduct on the part of God would affect the government, and welfare, of the Universe, man, without Revelation, is utterly unable to determine. It is one thing to discern, that God is merciful; and wholly another, to know the objects, to which the divine mercy can with propriety be extended, or the cases, in which it can with propriety interfere.

If Reason can know, that God will forgive the sins of men, it must derive this knowledge either,

1st. From the nature of this attribute ; or

2dly. From the fact, that he has, in some one instance at least, forgiven sin; or

3dly. From some declaration, that he will forgive it; or 4thly. From some argument founded on analogy.

From the nature of the Divine Mercy, we cannot conclude, that God can, or will, forgive the sins of Mankind. Whatever is best, and on the whole, most proper to be done, we are warranted to conclude he will certainly do; but what this is can never be determined by our minds. Two things place this assertion beyond debate. The one is the extent of the divine kingdom, and of all its immense and eternal concerns, which must of course demand far other measures, than such, as we are able to comprehend, or devise: the other is, that God, in fact, does innumerable things, utterly contrary to all that we should expect, and wholly removed beyond the limits of our understanding. These furnish the most ample proofs, that he will do innumerable other things, equally contrary to our expectation, and decision; and, of course, that we cannot pre-determine what he will do.

Revelation apart, we know no instance in which he has forgiven, and possess no declaration, that he will forgive, the sins of Men. Equally destitute are we of any analogy, from which this conclusion can be rationally derived. The only ground even of hope, furnished by his Providence, is the patience with which he endures, and the blessings with which he surrounds us, notwithstanding our provocations. But this conduct seems to be connected by necessity with a state of trial; and furnishes no solid argument of a future and favourable reward. The gloomy and distressing circumstances, which attend our removal from this World by death, exhibit, on the contrary, awful premonitions of an unhappy allotment to us beyond the grave.