The Being, who made, upholds, and governs, the Universe, discloses in these acts his own proper character; a character infinitely greater and more glorious than the highest creature can sustain, or comprehend. All beings are before him as nothing, and justly accounted unto him less than nothing, and vanity.

We were not, indeed, present at the birth of this wonderful Work. We did not behold the boundless midnight enlightened with suns, or the desolate wilds of immensity filled with worlds and their inhabitants. We did not hear the morning Stars sing together, and the Sons of God shout for joy. But in the history of the Crea tion, dictated by the voice of God, we are presented with such sublime views of this amazing subject, as stretch our imaginations to the utmost, and fill our understanding with astonishing ideas. In the same work, as it is daily seen by our eyes, we discern wonders surpassing number and measure, and gloriously illustrating the Power by which all are accomplished. In the history of past events, also; in the Deluge; the Destruction of Sodom; the Wonders of Egypt, of Sinai, and of Canaan; in the miracles of the Prophets of Christ, and of the Apostles; are such manifestations of Almighty power, as cannot fail to astonish every mind, and fill every heart with the most awful apprehensions of its Maker.

In the daily providence of God, we are also witnesses of the amazing effects of his Omnipotence. In the rising and setting of the sun, and the revolutions of the heavens, we behold a hand, whose exertions disclaim all limit. We hear him, also, thundering marvellously with his voice; we see him sending forth lightnings with rain, making the earth to tremble, and the mountains to fall, pouring out rivers of fire from the volcano, and whelming cities and countries in a general conflagration.

On the other hand, what pleasing and glorious proofs of the same power are exhibited in its softer and gentler, its less awful, but not less solemn exertions through the circuit of the seasons: in the spring, particularly; when God appears as the light of the morn ing when the sun ariseth, even of a morning without clouds; and as the clear shining of the sun after rain upon the tender herb of the field. Then, with a hand eminently attractive and wonderful, he diffuses life, and warmth, and beauty, and glory, over the face of the world; and from the death of winter, bids all things awake with a general and delightful resurrection. The successive seasons are replete with successive wonders, wrought by the same almighty hand. Day unto day, indeed, uttereth speech, and night unto night showeth knowledge, concerning this great subject. He who does not mark these astonishing disclosures, made in heaven and in earth, in ten thousand and ten million forms, must be a brute; and he, who, surveying them, does not regard God as infinitely won derful in counsel, and excellent in working, has indeed eyes, but he sees not; ears, but he cannot hear; and a heart, but he cannot understand. Every good man, on the contrary, must admire and

adore Him, who doeth all these things; must rejoice with humble gratitude, and divine joy, in all the stupendous displays of his goodness; must tremble at the terrible things, which he doeth in righteousness, when his judgments are abroad in the earth; and must, on every occasion, be ready to exclaim: Who is like unto thee, O Lord: glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders?

SERMON VIII.

BENEVOLENCE OF GOD PROVED FROM THE WORKS OF CREATION AND PROVIDENCE.

1 JOHN iv. 8.-For God is love.

HAVING considered the existence, and the natural attributes, of God, at some length; I shall now proceed to the next subject of theological inquiry; viz. his moral attributes. In the order, best suited to the method of discussion, which I have preferred, that, which first offers itself for examination, is his Benevolence.

This perfection is ascribed to God in the text, in a singular manner. It is not asserted, that God is benevolent, but that he is Benevo lence; or that Benevolence is the essence, the sum, of his being and character. The force, and beauty, of this assertion, will be felt by every one, who attends to it, without any remarks from me.

That Ayarn signifies the kind of Love, which in English is called Benevolence, will not, I presume, be questioned. If any one is at a loss concerning this fact; he may be satisfied by reading St. Paul's extensive definition of this word, contained in the 13th chapter of the first Epistle to the Corinthians.

In canvassing this important subject, I propose to inquire in what manner it is exhibited to us, in the

I. place, by Reason; and

II. by Revelation.

I. I propose to inquire in what manner it is exhibited to us by Rea

son.

In examining this part of the subject I shall

1st. Allege several arguments, furnished by Reason, in proof of the Benevolence of God; and

2dly. Answer the principal Objections to this Doctrine.

The importance of the question, Whether God is a Benevolent Being, is no less than infinite. Every thing, therefore, which seriously affects it, must be of high moment to every Intelligent creature. The decisions of Reason on this subject, undoubtedly affect the question in a serious manner; and are of course very interesting to us. Although I can by no means admit, with many of my fellow-men, respectable for their understanding and worth, that the Benevolence of God is not capable of being completely proved, or that it is not in fact completely proved, by the Scriptures, independently of all other sources of argument; yet I cannot help believ ing, that, if the proof furnished by Reason be satisfactory also, and can be fairly exhibited as satisfactory, the minds of many men,

at least, will rest on this subject with a conviction more unmingled, a confidence less exposed to danger and disturbance. To compass this object, if it can be compassed, will, then, be very desirable.

It is hardly necessary for me to observe, that the question, concerning the amount of the evidence, which Reason gives concerning this doctrine, has long been, and is still, disputed. It is well known to many of this audience, that Divines and other Christians, as well as other men, differ in their opinions about it; and that the proofs of the divine benevolence from Reason are regarded by many persons of reputation as insufficient. I have myself entertained, heretofore, opinions on this subject, different from those, which I now entertain. As I have not seen it discussed in such a manner, as satisfied my own wishes; I shall now consider it with more particularity, than might otherwise be necessary.

The Self-existence, Eternity, Immutability, Omnipresence, Omniscience, and Omnipotence, of God have, I flatter myself, been clearly proved by arguments, derived from Reason. From these attributes it has, I trust, been unanswerably evinced, that God is absolutely independent; that all things, which can be done, or enjoyed, are in his power and possession; and that he can neither need, nor receive any thing. From these considerations it is evident in the

1st. place, That God can have no possible motive to be malevolent. It will not be pretended, that the nature of things can furnish any such motive. That to be malevolent is a more desirable character or state of being, than to be benevolent, cannot be asserted, nor believed. Nor can any motive to this character be presented to God from without himself, or from other beings. As all other beings, together with every thing pertaining to them, are, and cannot but be, just what he pleases; it is certain, that he can gain nothing to himself by the exercise of malevolence. Finite beings may discern good in the hands of others, which they may covet, and at the same time be hindered from possessing, unless by the indulgence of fraud, injustice, or unkindness; or by attacking, and injuring, such, as prevent from gaining the beloved object. Those who possess it, they may envy, or hate. Those, who hinder them from gaining it, they may regard with resentment or anger; and, under the influence of these malignant passions, may be induced to disturb their rights, and invade their happiness. But it is plain, that these considerations can have no more application to God, than the circumstances, which give them birth. All good is actually in his possession: there is, therefore, nothing left for him to desire. All beings and events are exactly such, as he chooses either to produce, or to permit; and such as he chose, antecedently to their existence. He can, therefore, have nothing to fear, or to malign. As he gave all, which is possessed by other beings; he can evidently neither gain, nor receive any thing. If he be malevolent, then, he must sustain this character without a motive.

2dly. An Omniscient Being cannot but see, that it is more glorious to himself, and more beneficial to his creatures, to sustain, and to ex hibit, a benevolent character, than its contrary: or, in other words in every respect more desirable.

The glory of the Creator and the good of his creatures involve every thing, that is desirable. That this character, in its existence and exercise, is on both these accounts more desirable than its contrary, cannot be questioned. We, narrow as our faculties are, per fectly know this truth. It is, therefore, absolutely desirable. That this truth must be seen by an Omniscient Being, in a manner infinitely superior to that, in which we see it, hardly needs to be asserted.

The desirableness of this conduct, arising from the glory of the Creator and the good of his creatures, seems to present, when we consider it as extending through Eternity, an infinite motive to the 'reator, to cherish a benevolent character, and to manifest it in all nis conduct. To the power of this motive there is at the same time no motive opposed. On the contrary, we know, and the Creator, in a manner infinitely more perfect, knows, that the existence and exercise of a malevolent character would be infinitely dishonour. able to himself, and in the progress of Eternity infinitely injurious to his creatures. Each of these considerations presents to the Crea tor an infinite motive to exercise Benevolence on the one hand, and not to exercise malevolence on the other. If, then, he has in fac exercised malevolence; he has done it without any motive, and against the influence of both these: each of them of infinite importance.

Thus it is I think clearly certain, that God cannot be induced to exercise a malevolent spirit, because malevolence is in itself a desirable character; nor because the nature of things offers any enjoyment, which, upon the whole, is good, to the indulgence of this disposition; nor because He does not perfectly know these truths. If he is malevolent, then, he is so from an original, inherent propensity in his own nature; a propensity, uninfluenced by truth, and immoveable by motives.

How far such a character can be rationally supposed to be possible in a being, who has all things in his power, it is difficult to determine. The observations, already made, clearly prove, that such a being must discern with absolute certainty the infinite disadvantage of indulging this spirit. The difference between rejoicing in all his works, as means of glory to himself, with a consciousness, that he has formed and conducted them to this exalted end, and feeling the gloomy, dreadful pain of boundless malice, is in itself obviously boundless. If, then, God has not chosen this enjoyment, he has failed to choose it, with a clear discernment, that it was in his power, and under the influence of a disposition, which would not yield to conviction, nor to motives, infinite in their magnitude. That he has not exercised this disposition I shall now proceed to show; and for this purpose observe,