sons, and that too under the same circumstances, as friends or as enemies, uniformly exhibit one and the same excellent character.

WHEN God has devised a method in his providence, wherein he exhibits sensible conviction of his hatred of iniquity; the pardon of the sinner cannot counteract the spirit of that law which exhibits the same disposition, in the divine mind, towards the offender: Especially when the great end and excellency of the law consists in its making a true exhibition of the divine moral character; and this is the great consideration which makes it important that government should be administered in conformity to the law. In whatever method an uniformity of character with what originally appears in the law, is preserved in administration, the ends of divine government are answered, and the honor of the lawgiver secured. But unless dispensing rewards and punishments indiscriminately to the good and to the bad, naturally exhibits the same character, and pictures the same disposition which appears in the promises and in the threatnings of the law; it must of necessity be consistent with the law, to pardon the sinner without an atonement; or without ministering, at the same time, effectual conviction of God's infinite hatred of his sins.

If it be not necessary to the honor of the divine character and government, that God should exhibit his wrath in some sensible fruits against sinners, it is not necessary that he should threaten it. Nothing need be threatened in the law, which is not necessary to be exhibited in government. Uniformity of character cannot require that anger should be expressed in words, where there is no necessity of exhibiting it in fruits in government. For in cases wherein it is not necessary to the honor of the divine character, to witness anger by sensible fruits, it cannot be that anC

ger should exist in the divine mind. And to suppose that God threatens his creatures with his anger, in cases wherein he hath in reality no anger against them; at once denies the moral law to be an expression of the mind and will of God-a transcript of his moral perfection. But it is obvious, at first view, that the act of pardoning, that is, saving a person, and receiv ing him to the enjoyment of the everlasting favor of God, doth not in itself discover any anger or wrath : Consequently, consistently with the moral law, this never can be done without God's exhibiting his anger against the sinner, in sensible fruits, in some other way.

It

FURTHER; for God to save sinners of mankind without an atonement, would suppose the law and the gospel to speak a different language, and exhibit characters exceedingly diverse, one from the other. would make the former breathe nothing but indignation, where the latter speaks nothing but peace, comfort and good. And therefore, on this supposition, the gospel, instead of establishing, would make void the law.

IT hence appears to be as essential to the honor of the divine government, and to an uniformity of character in God, that he should exhibit anger in sensible fruits against sin, in every instance wherein it takes place; as that, in sensible fruits, he should exhibit his approbation of righteousness. God hath as real displeasure against sinners, as he hath approbation of the righteous: The former is as essential to the perfection and glory of the divine character, as the latter. That the government of God, therefore, may express his real character, and that, too, in the same point of light in which it is exhibited in the law; it is as necessary that he should express anger against the sin

ner, in his administration of government, as approbation of the righteous.

THEREFORE is it necessary, in order to a consistent exercise of mercy, that the honor of the law should be maintained: and that the government of God, in every instance, should be expressive of the same disposition which the law, taken in all its parts, naturally exhibits. It is necessary that the supreme Ruler of the universe should appear, in his administration, equally to respect the penal as the preceptive parts of his law; and, pay as much regard to the threatnings of punishment, as to the promises of reward. And in whatever way this is done, in God's conduct toward his creatures, the ends of divine government are answered; and, all the good effected which naturally flow from a display of his true and proper character.

And,

THE penalties of the law, we are to remember, express the displeasure of the lawgiver in the pain and sufferings of the transgressor. But however closely and inseparably these two objects may be connected together they are yet really two, and capable of an entirely distinct and separate consideration. as these objects are two, they are in themselves considered, of very different importance; and of course, the penalties of the law must be of infinitely greater importance as being expressive of God's righteous displeasure against sin, than as bringing pain and torment on the sinner. Accordingly, the great ends of divine government, which are to make a true and proper exhibition of the divine character, cannot be answered, whatever be the fate of the sinner, without convincing testimonies to the world, of God's infinite purity and hatred of iniquity. The clearer views we have of the importance of the divine character, and of the original designs of the Supreme Being in the creation of the world; the more sensibly shall we discern

the necessity of an atonement, in order to the exercise of pardoning mercy: And, the more clearly shall we discover the inconsistency of forgiveness with the true spirit and import of the law, unless full conviction be exhibited, in the moral government of God, of his infinite hatred of iniquity.

FROM this view of the necessity of an atonement, in order to a consistent exercise of mercy, the following observations naturally flow, viz.

1. THAT the honor of the divine law, agreeably to the true spirit and import of it, is fully preserved in the government of God, when his displeasure against sin is made to appear, to equal advantage, as it doth in the execution of the penalties of the law; in whatever way it be done. And it appears on the other hand, that whatever method of administration would throw a veil over God's hatred of iniquity, and render it more obscure to the views of creatures than it would be in the execution of its penalties; would dishonor the law itself; and naturally tend to bring it into contempt. The law is really honored, when that character of God which is exhibited in the various parts of it, is supported and maintained in his government. Therefore, the penalty of the law is really answered, and its demands satisfied, whenever God's hatred of iniquity is as clearly exhibited in acts of government, as it is expressed in the language of the law, in whatever way this be done. The law of God is satisfied and its penalties answered in the final condemnation of the sinner, only because the true character of God is herein visibly manifested, and his just displeasure against iniquity clearly discovered: At least, this is the most important and valuable end that is answered by the sinner's final destruction. Were not this the case, the execution of punitive justice would not be to the glory of God; because it would not serve to

display the true beauties of his infinitely excellent and glorious character.

THAT the moral character of God should be truly delineated in his government, is what is of primary and principal importance; because with this is certainly connected the order, the harmony and the greatest good, of the universe. The character of God being infinitely excellent, and in itself most perfectly harmonious; when it is truly delineated in his government, must of necessity be productive of the greatest good and harmony among his creatures. To manifest the real excellencies of the divine character, therefore, it was that the law was originally given; and, for the same end was it established by such awful sanctions. The honor of the law of course is evidentiy maintained, and the ends of government answered, when that character, with which the supreme Ruler invests himself in the various parts of his law, is exhibited and supported in administration. So that whenever God's just and real displeasure against sin, is exhibited in some other way, to equal advantage as it would be in the final destruction of the sinner; atonement is then made for his sins, and a door opened for the exercise of pardening mercy.

2. It would be as inconsistent with the design of God, in the government of the world, to suffer the sins of his creatures to pass unnoticed, as their virtue to go unrewarded. The end of God in his moral government, as much requires that he should testify his hatred of iniquity, as his love of holiness. And if the moral government of God be designed truly to delineate his character; if we are here to expect a sensible discovery of the feelings, the disposition, of his own infinite mind, toward the several characters of his creatures; it must appear, every way, as inconsistent for God to neglect expressing his righteous displeas