2. But the Apostle speaks not only of the great love of God as the source of the benefits bestowed on us, but also of the "richness of his mercy." Love was the moving cause; but this love had been abused and requited with ingratitude: our sins also had separated between us and our Creator; his image in our souls was defaced, and there was nothing left in us calculated, if we may so speak, to attract the kind regard of an equitable and Holy Being. On the contrary, he was justly displeased with us on account of our transgressions, and even the love which he bore to his once innocent, but now fallen and rebellious creature, would not interpose to thwart the claims of truth and justice. Under these circumstances love took the form of mercy. He loved us because he had created us; and he compassionated us because we had fallen from the high privileges of our creation. Love was his inclination to do us good mercy was pity added to love, and displayed in compassing and completing our redemption.

3. But the Apostle adds yet another motive which co-operated in the Divine Mind in the work of our salvation; namely, "that in the ages to come God might shew the exceeding riches of his grace, in his kindness towards us through Christ Jesus." He saw fit to connect the exhibition of his own glory with the re

demption and sanctification of our fallen race. He determined to add lustre to his attributes in the eyes of his universal creation, by making mercy and truth meet together, righteousness and peace kiss each other. "The ages to come," that is, both the times of the Gospel dispensation and the eternal ages of futurity, were to witness this exuberance of the Divine compassion, and to celebrate and adore the Author of this inestimable gift. Greatly as the perfections of God were exhibited in the works of creation and the ordinary dispensations of an all-wise Providence, it was his "kindness towards us in Christ Jesus," in mercifully effecting our redemption, in bringing us to the knowledge of it, in leading us to newness and holiness of life as the grateful recipients of it, and in bestowing on us its blessed fruits in a future world, that was most emphatically to exhibit "the exceeding riches of his grace." Human happiness could add nothing to the unalterable self-derived felicity of the Supreme Author of all blessings; yet God has not disdained to humble himself to our capacities by representing the exhibition of his glory as a motive with him for causing his love to operate for our redemption, sanctification, and eternal happiness.

What then remains but that we seriously ask

our own hearts, Are we partakers of these benefits? Are we quickened by the Holy Spirit? Are we raised from the death of trespasses and sins? Are we exalted in our affections to spiritual and heavenly objects? Or, on the contrary, are we still living without God and without hope in the world, dead to religion and heedless of our everlasting welfare. Let conscience seriously answer these momentous inquiries; and let it be our earnest prayer that God would bestow on us a new heart, and renew a right spirit within us; and that we may henceforth live as becomes those who profess to be quickened and raised with him who is, in name at least, and ought to be in truth, our Lord and Master and Example.

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SERMON XXV.

THE GOODNESS AND SEVERITY OF GOD.

ROMANS XI. 22.

Behold, therefore, the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell severity, but towards thee goodness, if thou continue in his goodness; otherwise thou also shall be cut off.

THE whole Bible is designed to shew us the justice and the mercy of God; his displeasure against the sinners, and his favour to the righteous. This great truth is exhibited in various ways it is foretold in prophecies; it is illustrated by examples; it is declared in promises and threatenings. The rejection of the apostate spirits from heaven, and the unchangeable bliss of those who kept their first estate, teach us in an impressive manner this almighty goodness and severity. The same Divine attributes appear also conspicuously in the creation and fall of man; who was placed in paradise, happy in the favour of God, and surrounded with whatever could prove the goodness of his bountiful Creator, but who, when he broke the command

of that infinitely good and powerful Being, fell under his just displeasure, and incurred the awful penalty due to his transgressions; from which no way of escape would have been open, had not he against whom he had sinned, devised, through the incarnation and death of his beloved Son, a plan of grace and reconciliation, by which the transgressor might be pardoned and accepted, in full accordance no less with the justice than the mercy of his offended Creator. We might proceed throughout the sacred volume to point out the exhibition of these two attributes, always in unison with each other, and both affording the strongest proof of the excellence and perfection of the character of God. The history of the Jews, in particular, which occupies a large portion of the sacred page, is the most remarkable illustration upon record of the course of his providence, both as respects his severity and his goodness. Oftentimes he delivered them: but they rebelled against him, and then his anger fell upon them, till they repented and turned again to him; when his mercy was ever prompt to pardon their transgressions, and to relieve their necessities. His goodness delivered them out of Egypt; his just severity punished them in the wilderness; his goodness brought them into an inheritance flowing with milk and honey; his severity banished them, for their rebellion and