favor; while hatred and disobedience forfeit his favor forever. Holy creatures can claim his continued smiles, in no other way than by their continuing to possess an amiable character. Nor ought they to consider their Creator to be under any necessary obligation to secure to them that character which renders them the proper objects of his love. One holy exercise of heart does not lay him under obligation to cause another; but one sinful exercise deserves that dereliction which will render certain a succession of sinful exercises that will never cease, unless interrupted by a gracious interposition.

Let nothing which has been said concerning the comparative merit and demerit of holiness and sin, lead any one to entertain undervaluing thoughts of the excellence of holiness. It is the perfect opposite of sin, and is as beautiful as sin is deformed, though not as meritorious as sin is ill-deserving. To be perfectly holy, is the best an intelligent creature can do; just as being perfectly sinful is the worst he can do. So the matter is contemplated by the sanctions of the divine law. Holiness has the promise of God's favor, which is the greatest possible good; and sin is threatened with his wrath, which is the greatest of evils. But mere simple law, when not qualified by some covenant transaction, can never ensure eternal favor to any thing short of an eternity of obedience; while one act of disobedience incurs punishment without end. The scriptures, however, would lead us to conclude, that God has not left any of the subjects of his moral government to remain in that state of eternal uncertainty, concerning their future character and destiny, which would be the consequence of the mere law system.

A covenant of works, which is something more favorable than mere law, places innocent creatures for a season in a state of trial; and promises to that probationary obedience, which shall be performed by each individual, (as in the case of angels) or by some constituted representative, (as in the case of Adam, the father of the human race,) a confirmation in obedience, beyond the fear of future apostacy; and with this confirmation in obedience is necessarily connected the promise of eternal blessedness. But while creatures are under a constitution of mere law, or while they remain in a state of trial under a covenant of works, divine favor is not insured to them a moment longer than their obedience shall continue without defect. A promise to those who shall return, is found in the Bible; but it is no appendage to the law system, nor does it belong to the covenant of works.

The difference which we have seen to exist between the good promised, and the evil threatened, in the law, creates no discord in the system of revealed truth. The same difference exists in human governments. No longer than obedience to the laws is continued, does it insure favor and protection. A life of obedience, though it should be protracted to threescore years and ten, can not be pleaded against the execution of the penalty on the man who has incurred it, though the commission of his crime did not occupy so much as a single hour. A man may commit murder or treason in a very short space of time. His refraining from these crimes is no more than his duty, and entitles him to no reward beyond the period of his innocence; but his commission of them is such an outrage on the interests of society

as forfeits his protection from the laws, and exposes him to their se verest penalties. So it is under the government of the Supreme Ruler; and so it must of necessity be, if life and death are both set before us. If eternal life had been promised to one act of obedience, then neither eternal death, nor any other evil, could have been threatened at all. At least, the fulfillment of such a promise to creatures, who commenced their existence in a state of innocence, would forever preclude the possibility of their apostacy and ruin. The very idea of a liability to fall, renders it impossible that eternal blessedness should be promised to one single act of obedience.

That law, the outlines of which I have given, is manifestly perfect. It could undergo no alteration without being injured. Were it, for example, to be so altered, that selfish affection, under certain modifications, should be reckoned for obedience, there would be an infinite difference between the altered law and the one we now have; since one's own private interest is an object infinitely less than the good of the universe. Were the law to undergo such an alteration as to admit a mere external conformity to divine requirements to be acceptable obedience, it would amount to the same; since such conformity is nothing but selfishness. Were the penalty to be so changed, as to substitute a limited in the room of an eternal punishment, the altered law would be infinitely different from the original. The influence it

would exert, to make us stand in awe and not sin, would be greatly diminished. But we may rest assured that the law of God is never to undergo such changes as these. Not a jot or tittle is to pass from it. Matt. v. 17, 18.

Types and positive precepts, which enjoin observances not in themselves obligatory, may be altered or abrogated. The typical ceremonies which were required of the ancient church, are sometimes distinguished from the New Testament dispensation, by being called the law. They are so called, "Heb. vii. 12. "For the priesthood being changed, there is made of necessity a change of the law." This particular way of serving God might be changed, and give place to a more luminous dispensation; but the obligation to perfect holiness can never be in the least degree altered. When the apostle told believers in Christ that they were not under the law, but under grace, he must not be understood to say, they were not under obligation to be as perfectly holy as the moral law required them to be. Believers are not now under the law, as to its condemning power, as those are who depend on the works of the law for acceptance; but they are still under the law as the rule of holiness in heart and life. It is the immutable standard of holiness, not only for those creatures that have kept their first estate, but also. those that have apostatized. Every penitent sinner, who has laid | on the hope set before him, however imperfect, is no longer under curse of the law; but every such sinner is bound by the prece of the law and the gospel.

THE ARTICLE HARMONIZED,

We have seen that the law of God, in its tions, its promises and threatenings, is perfe

St. Let us now see how it will compare with the truths contained in the two Articles which stand before it.

:

Under the second Article it was shown, that God gave existence to all things, and governs them all for his own glory. It was also shown, that he is the most glorified by the best display of his infinite attributes also, that this display is made by giving existence to the best created system which could be produced: and that the best created system is that which contains the most holiness and enjoyment. How entirely in accordance with this is the Article which has now been considered. This holy law, which we have been contemplating, does more to display the glory of God than the whole material universe. The glory of God eminently consists in his moral perfection; and this perfection is clearly exhibited in the law. He says to his creatures, "Be ye holy, for I the Lord your God am holy." By all the descriptions he has given us of that holiness he enjoins on us, we learn that it is a pure affection, free from selfishness, pride, malice, and every thing else which has a tendency to discord, confusion, and misery. Such, then, is the holiness of the Lord our God. The holiness he requires of us, is perfectly pure; and the holiness which he himself possesses is as pure as that which he requires. And in addition to its being perfectly pure, it is unbounded in its fullness. The work of creation displays the goodness of God; but the law does it more directly, and with additional clearness. The law is a transcript of his own benevolent heart. It is his own character exhibited in the form of a rule, designed to shape the character and regulate the conduct of his intelligent offspring. In scripture language, to have the law written in the heart, and to be renewed after the image of God, is the same thing: therefore the law is the image of God. An infinite fullness of such holy affection as that which the law requires, must constitute a character supremely excellent and lovely.

It must, I think, be clear to every reflecting mind, that the intellectual system is essential to the perfection of the creation, and that a moral law is essential to the perfection of the intellectual system. And is it not equally clear, that such a holy law, as that revealed in the scriptures, is the only one which is calculated to make intelligent creatures virtuous, amiable, and happy? Any system of rules, less perfect than the one which God has given us, would have failed in this leading object of all his works, viz. the manifestation of his glory. Such a God, as the scriptures represent Jehovah to be, must make such a law, requiring perfect holiness, if he make any; and a law he must make, provided such creatures as moral agents have a place among his works. He could not manifest benevolence towards his rational offspring, with. out giving them such perfect rules to regulate their conduct. would his benevolence be properly manifested, if these divine rules, so necessary to be regarded for his glory and our felicity, had been given in the form of advice. Even benevolence required, that they should be given with all the weight of supreme authority. The penalty annexed, which shows this authority, is no indication of the want of benevolence, but is in reality a strong proof of its existence. The curse of the law, no less than its holy injunctions, manifests the love of God to his intelligent creatures. Nor is the exceeding dreadfulness

Nor

of the evil, contained in the penalty, any proof that his love to them is small; but is a strong proof of its greatness. The law of God is the basis of a government as extensive as the universe, and lasting as eternity. But the law, if destitute of a penalty, or of one which threatens utter destruction, would not form a basis solid enough to support such a government.

In the preceding Article, we saw God seeking his own glory in all that he did; and in this, we see that he requires us to seek his glory in all which we do; for in truth, an entire obedience to his law will not allow us to fall short of this. One of those divine commands, which may be considered as comprehensive of all the rest, is found in this direction: "Whether, therefore, ye eat or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God." 1 Cor. x. 31. There would be no harmony between God's doing all things for his own glory, and his allowing us to do all things for our own glory: for this would create war between him and us. Let the Creator and his creatures only set up two different supreme objects, and there can be no communion between them. God would not make a supreme object of his own glory, were it not fit and proper that he should do it; and if it is proper that He should do it, it must also be so for us.

In showing the harmony of this Article with the second, I have been led unavoidably to show, in part, its agreement with the first also. Under the first Article the existence and character of the one living and true God were brought into view. We saw him to be independent in his existence, unsearchable in his greatness, and unspotted in holiness. To whom, I now ask-to whom does it belong to be the moral Governor of the universe, except to Him who is the only living and true God? A being of such unlimited attributes is fully qualified for this immense task; and every other being, or collection of beings, is infinitely incompetent for it. As God is the only being who has attributes to qualify him to reign over the universe, so he is the only one whose right it is to reign. It is his own creation. The beings to whom he gives law are the work of his own hands. We are under obligation to love him, because he is transcendently glorious in himself, and to submit to him as our supreme Lord, because "it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves." It is in favor of the law which the scriptures have laid before us, that it gives to Jehovah his proper place in the moral system. Had it given him a less exalted place, or demanded for him a less degree of love and obedience, it would not be a good and holy law; nor would it be worthy of our regard.

Between this and the first Article there is another point of agree. ment, which I am unwilling to pass in silence. Is not that law, which requires all created intelligences to be cordially united to their Creator and to each other, in perfect accordance with the union between the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost, who are one in affection, as well as in essence? The Word was with God before he was made flesh; he had eternal life and dwelt with the Father before he was manifested unto us. He had glory with the Father, and was loved of him before the foundation of the world. And this love was reciprocated by the Son, who came into the world to glorify his Father, and to finish the work which he gave him to do. Nor is the love of the

Spirit any less intense. This is manifested by his coming to glorify both the Father and the Son. Now if the trinity of the Godhead be any thing more than three official names; if there be something in the very mode of divine existence, to lay a foundation for a three-fold distinction, whether any such work as man's redemption had been performed or not, then we can discover a pleasing harmony between the law and the Lawgiver. In the three equal persons which unite in Jehovah, the supreme Lawgiver, there is a perfect exemplification of the law which he has given to the moral system. These Divine Persons, as they are exhibited to us in the scripture of truth, appear to have been from the ages of eternity counselling together, and acting in the sweetest concert, having no such thing as a separate interest; so that if they did not centre in the same essence, they would nevertheless be held together by a mutual and infinitely strong affection, a bond which nothing in the universe can dissolve.

The children of God can not be one with the Father, as the only begotten Son and the Spirit are one with him; for they can not be of the same essence; nor can they ever possess unlimited attributes. But the same kind of holy affections it is practicable for them to possess. This is what is required in the law, and for the attainment of this the Savior intercedes in this petition in their behalf: That they all may be one, as thou, Father, art in me and I in thee; that they also may be one in us. John xvii. 21. A conformity to the law of love, is nothing short of a transformation into the image of the triune God.

The law, which is presented to us in the Bible, is manifestly the truth, and no lie, because it perfectly accords with the true state of things in the moral system. The tendency of any law of an opposite character, would be to derange and disorganize the whole. Instead, therefore, of its being the result of arbitrary power, that this law has been enacted, it is an expression of the most perfect benevolence, guided by a comprehensive and accurate knowledge of all the beings who compose the intellectual universe, and of all the relations subsisting between them.

REMARKS.

1. This Article presents an interesting subject to employ the thoughts and excite the admiration of intellectual beings. It presents to our view a moral government, a government sustained by law, not restricted to one family, or to one city, or country, or world: but extending to all worlds, and embracing all the intelligent creatures in the universe. All these belong to one great moral empire, under the rule of an omnipresent, omniscient, omnipotent, and righteous Sovereign. For the whole of this empire there is, for substance, but one law, a complete subjection to which would produce entire and universal concord. It is the existence of this great and holy government, which sheds a glory on the works of the Creator; for without it the intellectual universe had been nothing better than a moral chaos. This dominion, that ruleth over all, imparts energy to subordinate governA conviction that we are accountable to the Supreme Ruler,

ments.