idea of true holiness; nor understand the scriptures where they speak of holy love in God or creatures.

It is true indeed, that moral excellence, or the love of benevolence and complacency, may be the object of benevolence as well as complacency, for the more excellent any being is, the greater is his importance and worth, and his interest so much more valuable; and indeed, the more existence he has ; for excellence is real existence: Therefore there will not only be more complacence and delight in such a being; but he is more the object of benevolence, in wishing him well, prosperous and happy, and doing him good if he stands in need, and there is opportunity; and in being friendly to his existence, prosperity and happiness, and rejoicing in the same. But this is not the primary object of benevolence, but what may be called the secondary object, which appears from what has been said; for benevolence is good will to being, and seeks the greatest good of the whole; and therefore loves those who have no excellence, and wishes well even to enemies; but is exercised in a stronger degree, and a peculiar manner, towards those beings who are themselves be nevolent, and friends to the general good; while at the same time they are the only objects of complacence and delight.

III. Divine love or goodness is perfectly disinterested, in opposition to all self love, or selfishness. This is expressed by uprightness, or righteousness, and consists in it. Uprightness is ascribed to God in the scriptures, as essential to his character; yea, he is called "the most upright."* That is, perfectly, infinitely, and unchangeably so. This is opposed to partiality, which consists in self love, and is selfishness itself.

True goodness, or love, is in its own nature uprightness, or disinterested, in opposition to this self love, which is in its nature partiality and unrighteousness, and contains in it the essence and sum of all that which is opposed to true holiness, that is, all sin. Therefore we must exclude from the love in which the divine holiness consists, all that can be properly called self-love, all selfish, partial,

* Isaiah xxvi. 7.

interested affection; and consider the holiness of God as infinitely opposed to all this.

IV. God himself is the object of his own love and goodness. Or, in the exercise of his love he has respect and regard to Deity as well as to creatures. This is necessarily implied in perfect, universal, infinite benevolence, which includes impartial uprightness and righteousness; for it would be infinitely otherwise, and the most partial, unrighteous affection, if there were no regard paid to the infinite fountain and sum of all being and perfection. That which is friendly to the greatest universal good of existence, and is most pleased and delighted with the highest moral perfection, must regard the interest of the supreme Head of the universe, and delight in the most perfect beauty and excellence. And it hence follows that God is the chief and supreme object of his own love and regard; and he loves and regards himself infinitely more than the whole creation, and makes himself his highest and last end of all: and therefore has made all things for himself, as the scriptures assert. This has nothing of the nature of what is called self-love in creatures; but is directly and perfectly opposed to it. There is not the least partiality and selfishness in it; but the contrary, and is uprightness and righteousness itself, as has been shown; for if God did not love and regard himself, his rights and interest, according to his own existence, importance and excellence, he would not be just, impartial and upright. Impartial, disinterested benevolence and affection must pay the greatest regard to the greatest and best being; and therefore to suppose this is partiality and selfishness is most unreasonable, and a direct contradiction.

This evident truth, which may be so easily demonstrated, ought to be impressed on our minds, and never forgotten; for if it be out of view, and wholly disregarded, we cannot have right conceptions of God, or understand the holy scriptures: and must be in darkness with respect to the most important doctrines of christianity, and not know wherein true religion consists. Many, by making a mistake here, and considering the love of God as having no respect to himself, but wholly exercised to

wards his creatures, in seeking their good and happiness only, have conceived of him as an almighty tool or servant, existing only for the sake of his creatures, and seeking nothing but their happiness; and hence have gone into a scheme of doctrines and religion, which is wholly selfish, and as contrary to the holy scriptures, as darkness is to light.

Let it then be fixed and remembered, that God is LOVE. He is infinite benevolence and goodness itself; and that he himself is the first, chief and last object of this love; so that he regards himself supremely and ultimately in all his works, and does every thing for himself, for his own sake: And that his wisdom and righteousness consist chiefly in this, as he would be neither just, faithful, nor wise, should he forget himself, and have no regard to his own rights and character, in any one thing that he does through all his dominions; and therefore to suppose he does, is to entertain the most dishonourable thought of him, which in the highest degree tarnishes and ruins his moral character. In the light of this truth, rightly understood, and cordially embraced, we shall have great assistance in finding the meaning of the holy scriptures; and determining what are the important doctrines there revealed, and see their consistence and beauty.

V. Infinite benevolence or goodness, which seeks and promotes the greatest good of the whole, is infinitely opposed to all malevolence or ill will, which opposes all the good of being, and tends to universal evil; and must be infinitely displeased with it. This is just as evident and certain, as it is that he who loves and is friendly to any particular character, or desirable object, is displeased with the contrary, and hates it, to as great a degree as he loves and is pleased with the other. And this displeasure and hatred is implied in his love to the opposite object and pleasure in it; and is really the same affection acting towards opposite objects.

He who is a friend to the greatest good, and therefore is pleased with such friendship, must be equally an enemy to all who oppose this good, and proportionally displeased and angry with them. And this displeasure, hatred and anger, in a perfectly benevolent being, is noth

ing in nature different from benevolence. It is nothing but goodness opposing its contrary; which it must do, or else cease to be love and goodness.

Agreeable to this, the scriptures represent God, who is infinite love and goodness, to be in a proportionable degree displeased with all sin, which is in its nature opposition to benevolence, and to the general good. This is represented as the object of his implacable hatred; and as exciting his anger, indignation, wrath and fury. This is so far from leading us to conceive of any thing in God contrary to infinite love and goodness, or really distinct from it, that it is nothing more than benevolence acting according to its own nature towards objects that oppose it. For love of good is itself opposition to evil, and hatred of it, and benevolence must be displeased with ill will, and hate and oppose the same. Nor are these opposite or different affections; but the same affection, love, acting towards different objects.

This displeasure, anger and wrath of God against sin, and the sinner, may therefore with propriety be called a just, benevolent, kind displeasure; which is the same with holy displeasure; all proceeding from love, and implied in it. Therefore, when we read in the scriptures of the divine displeasure, anger, wrath, &c. we must not form the same idea of this, as we do of those passions, as they exist in man; for this would be to conceive of God as exercising affections and passions, contrary to love; and as very imperfect, changeable and miserable. We must exclude, in our minds, every thing that implies imperfection or change, and that is inconsistent with infinite benevolence and felicity; and understand those expressions in the scriptures, as meaning perfect, unchangeable opposition of God to every thing in moral agents that is contrary to infinite benevolence or goodness; for which they are wholly blameable and answerable, and deserve to be punished. And these words are doubtless the best chosen, and most fit to convey to us this idea of infinite love, considered as opposed, injured and affronted by selfish creatures, and acting accordingly.

VI. The infinite love and goodness of God, which has been described above, which is opposed to every

thing in creatures that is contrary to itself, and with which it is displeased, must be disposed to manifest this displeasure and opposition to sin, in all proper ways, and to punish the sinner according to his desert whenever this is necessary in order to show his displeasure, to assert and vindicate his own character, and secure and promote the greatest good of the whole. It is proper and desirable that infinite benevolence and goodness should be manifested and acted out, in all instances, where there is opportunity for it; and therefore in its opposition to sin. For if it does not appear how opposite the moral character of God is to all sin, it cannot be set in the most clear and advantageous light; but this cannot be done, if opposition to this character be not punished in any instance or way, according to its desert. Besides, when thus to punish is necessary, in order to support the character of God, and secure the general good; not to do it would be injustice to himself and the creation: Therefore to punish, in this case, is the proper and necessary exercise of justice and righteousness, which has been shewn is included in goodness, and is an exercise of the same. It is therefore evident, that God's manifesting his displeasure and anger with the creature who is an enemy to his goodness, is not only consistent with infinite benevolence, but an expression and exercise of love and goodness itself; and it would be contrary to the nature and dictates of the most perfect goodness not to punish. And it may be added, such punishment is not the least evidence of want of benevolence to the creature who is punished. When a judge orders a criminal who is guilty of treason against his king and country, to be put to death, he does nothing contrary to perfect benevolence and goodness, but this very conduct is an expression of it, and dictated by goodness itself; for he herein acts as a friend to his king and country; and not to inflict this punishment would be unfriendly, and contrary to true goodness. Nor does he manifest any want of benevolence to the criminal, or of a proper regard for his life and welfare, by punishing him according to his deserts, when the public and general good requires it.