2 COR. v. 18.

All Things are of GOD, who hath reconciled us to himself by JESUS CHRIST, and bath given to us the Miniftry of Reconciliation.

HE Love of God, that fupremely glorious, and fupremely gracious Being, is of all other Tempers, the most delightful and divine. A facred Flower, which in its early Bud is Happiness, and in its full Bloom is Heaven.-To plant this noble Principle in the Breast, to cultivate its Growth, and bring it to Maturity, is the grand End of all Religion, and the genuine Fruit of Faith anfeigned.-Angels are happy, because the Love of GOD, triumphs eternally, and without a Rival, in their exalted Affections*. True Believers are happy, because the Love of GOD, in a prevailing Degree, is fhed abroad in their Hearts. The Gofpel is a Difpenfation of Happinefs, because it difcovers the fuper-abundant Loving-kindness of GOD to Man, and urges the moft

* To be good is to be happy :-Angels are happpier than Men, because they are better.

Guilt is the Source of Sorrow; 'Tis the Fiend,
Th' avenging Fiend, who follows us behind

With Whips and Stings; The Bleft know none of This,
But reft in everlasting Peace of Mind.

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ROWE.

engaging

engaging Motives for our ardent Love to his Almighty Majefty.

The Gospel represents the great GOD, not only as bestowing upon his Creatures, all the Good they enjoy; but as effecting their Reconciliation to his own adorable Self. Effecting this moft defirable of all Bleffings, not barely by vouchfafing a Pardon, but a Pardon procured by the Death of his Son: and, by this enriching Circumftance, infinitely enhanced; arrayed in all the Charms, that Heaven itself could give.To render the Purposes of his Love more effectual and extensive, he has inftituted an Order of Men to publifh these glad Tidings; and to invite, yea to beseech the World, to partake the exceeding Riches of his Grace. All which the Apoftle has expreffed in my Text, with his usual Energy and Concisenefs; "All "Things are of GOD, who hath reconciled us to "himfelf by JESUS CHRIST, and hath given to 66 us the Miniftry of Reconciliation."

From which Words, permit me with all that Simplicity, which becomes a Minifter of the humble JESUS,

I. To enlarge a little upon that glorious and amiable Representation of the bleffed GOD, discoverable even by the Light of Nature, All Things are of

Him.

II. To remind you, how much more illuftriously the delightful Attributes of the DEITY are difplayed in the Accomplishment of our Redemption; in that He hath reconciled Us to Himfelf by JESUS CHRIST.

III. To obferve the benign Import, and beneficial Tendency of the Gospel Ministry, expreffed in that remarkable Claufe, He hath given to Us the Miniftry of Reconciliation.

First,

First, Then let me enlarge a little upon that glorious and amiable Representation of the bleffed GOD, discoverable even by the Light of Nature, All Things are of Him.-Heaven, and the Heaven of Heavens are his, with all their Hofts. Thrones and Dominions, Principalities and Powers, all the happy Beings, that fit at the Fountain-Head of Felicity, were produced by his Power, and are supplied with Bleffings from his Hand, are filled with Joy from his Countenance. -If we trace the various Emanations of Comfort and Advantage, that refresh our lower World, we shall find Reafon to acknowledge with the Pfalmift," All "our fresh Springs are in GOD." The Day is thine, fays the fame facred Writer, and the Night is thine; Thou haft prepared the Light and the Sun. The magnificent Luminaries in the Sky, are Lamps of the LORD; hung up on high, to difpenfe the chearing Gift of Light amidst all the Families of Nature. The Interchanges of Night and Day, with the Viciffitudes of revolving Seafons, are his Minifters; all fent on Errands of Kindness, and bringing the most valuable Prefents in their Hands. The innumerable Variety of living Creatures, and of nutrimental Vegetables, are the Pertion, not which our own Induftry has procured, but which our heavenly Father's Bounty has fettled upon us.

Every great Endowment, beftowed on the Children of Men; every noble Atchievement, accomplished by renowned Perfonages; these derive their Original from the uncreated Fountain of Perfection and of Power. If Solomon is poffeffed of enlarged Wisdom, and kingly Qualities; he exprefsly acknowledges, It is from the LORD, fuperintending human Affairs, that fuch

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fuch Kings are advanced to reign; and by the LORD enlightening their Minds, that fuch Princes decree Juftice. If, at one Period, Nebuchadnezzar pursues his Conquests with irrefiftible Impetuofity, it is to fcourge the offending People of the LORD; and banish Idolatry from their Worship, as the driving Wind fwept the Chaff from their Floors. If, at another Juncture, Cyrus is equally victorious, and "comes 66 upon Princes as upon Mortar, and as the Potter "treadeth Clay;" it was the LORD of Hofts that raised up this accomplished Commander from the Eaft, and bid him execute his Defigns of reftoring Love to his reformed Nation.-All thofe Arts which meliorate, and Sciences which embellish Life, even these are from the LORD, "who is wonderful in Coun"fel, and excellent in Working."

The Time would fail me to enumerate Particulars. -Whatever is beneficial to Communities, or comfortable to Individuals; whatever springs from the Rain of Heaven, or is produced by fruitful Seafons; whatever adminifters to the Improvement, or chears the Heart of Man; all, all acknowledge GOD for their or. He is the Giver of every good and perfect Gift. The whole Earth is filled with the Profufion of his Beneficence. And where, where is the Creature, that has not tafted, that does not fubfift on, the inexhauftible Stores of his Bounty?-And though Affliction alfo comes from the Father of our Spirits, yet this is no Derogation from his tender Mercies. Since He chaftens, not with an arbitrary Severity, but with a parental Piéty; He chaftens, only to amend; and thefe light, thefe tranfient Tribulations, are Preparatives for an exceeding great and eternal Weight of Glory.

And

And is not fuch a Being worthy of our highest Admiration, and our devouteft Love? Has He not, by fuch ineffable Excellencies, fuch unmeasurable Benignity-Has he not an undoubted Claim, to the Affections of our Hearts, the Praifes of our Tongues, and the unintermitted Services of our Lives? He is the Source of all our Good; fhould He not alfo be the Centre of all our Gratitude, and of our whole Obedience?-But, our Obligations will rife immenfely higher, if we confider,

Secondly, How much more illuftrioufly the delightful Attributes of the DEITY are difplayed in the Accomplishment of our Redemption; in that He hathreconciled Us to Himfelf by JESUS CHRIST.—Man was created upright, immaculate, and in the Image of GOD. Heavenly Wisdom fhone bright in his Understanding, and true Holinefs fat enthroned in his Heart. But how foon, how fatally, did He fall! From what Height of Perfection, to what Depth of Degeneracy! Since that deftructive Tranfgreffion, all Flesh has corrupted his Way; every Man is become brutish in his Knowledge; and the Imagination of the Thoughts of his Heart, is only Evil continually. "Our Iniquities feparated between Us and our GOD, "and our Sins hid his Face from Us," as from an abominable Object. Nay, our Sins accufed Us at his righteons Tribunal, and, like the Blood of Abel, cried to Heaven for Vengeance. Vengeance and fiery Indignation was our expected Doom, and eternal Death the Wages due to our Offences.-What rendered the Mifery of Mankind still more exceffively deplorable, and only not defperate, was, That They were without Strength; without any Power to make Sati

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