CHRIST'S DEATH DISPLAYED GOD'S GLORY. 161

SECTION IV.

The death of Christ fully displayed the GLORY of God, and vindicated the honour of his righteous government in the grant of pardon to penitent sinners.

In the three last sections, we have endeavoured to lay before the reader sufficient evidence that the death of Christ did not raise man above the need of pardon, by discharging all penalties which law and justice could bring against him; but that he died to open the way for his transgressions to be blotted out by an act of mercy. The question now presents itself, "Could this be done consistently with the glory of God, and of that moral government of his rational creatures, which had been invaded? Can the honour of the law and of the holy attributes of the law-giver be clearly vindicated in the bestowment of pardon on penitent sinners, unless the full punishment of their crimes have been endured by their substitute?" We are of opinion that this may be done, notwithstanding the fears which nearly all parties seem to entertain on this delicate point.

To place this in as clear a light as possible, it will be necessary to ask, What is meant by the glory of God? or, wherein does his essential glory consist? To this

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question, God himself has graciously condescended to furnish us with an answer:-"And the Lord spake unto Moses face to face, as a man speaketh unto his friend. And he [Moses] said, I beseech thee, shew me thy glory. And he said, I will make all my goodness pass before thee, and I will proclaim the name of the Lord before thee, &c. And the Lord descended in the cloud, and stood with him there, and proclaimed the name of the Lord. And the Lord passed by before him, and proclaimed, the Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering and abundant in goodness and truth, keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity, and transgression, and sin, and that will by no means clear the guilty."*

There is one

Exod. xxxiii. 11, 18, 19.~xxxiv. 5, 6, &c. thing in these passages to which we wish particularly to call the reader's attention. After proclaiming his goodness in various forms of expression, and declaring that he forgiveth iniquity and sin, he immediately adds, "That he will by no means clear the guilty." Has not this the appearance of a contradiction? Does it not seem as though he will forgive sin; and as though he will not forgive it, at the same time? Let it be observed, however, that to pardon the guilty, and to clear the guilty, are not synonymous terms. It is said, in the most unequivocal manner, that he will forgive; but it is not said he will not forgive; but, that he will by no means clear the guilty. That is, he will not excuse the guilt, or grant them any legal discharge from the penalty, by rendering such a satisfaction to divine justice, and by so transferring it to them, as to constitute them innocent. If they would obtain deliverance from punishment, it must be by his goodness granting a free pardon; because no other kind of discharge will ever accord with his nature and government. There are means through which he will pardon the guilty; but he will not clear them in any other way; not even by the means of redemption. It was no part of our Saviour's design to exonerate sinners from guilt, but to introduce them to a throne of mercy, as guilty rebels, that di

It appears from these passages, to which many more might be added, that the glory of God, which was required to be displayed and vindicated in our redemption, consists first in goodness, under its various forms of mercy and long-suffering: secondly, in truth; and thirdly, in justice, that will by no means clear the guilty. Before we proceed to show that those attributes of our adorable creator were gloriously and fully displayed in the redemption of the world by Jesus Christ, it will be necessary to inquire into the meaning of those words, and endeavour to obtain clear conceptions of the moral attributes, to which they call our attention. For it is in vain we are told that, goodness belongeth unto God, unless we know what the term goodness means, and so of justice, and truth.

1. The word good, or goodness, signifies those qualities of matter or mind, which tend to the promotion of happiness. Those parts of matter which supply our wants, and contribute to our earthly comfort, we denominate good things, or natural good; and those qualities of a moral agent, which dispose him to exert his power in diminishing the misery and enlarging the happiness of his fellow creatures, we denominate good qualities, because of their tendancy to promote the welfare of all vine goodness might forgive them. To suppose that God will clear the guilty, or constitute them innocent, by means of a certain imputation, is directly opposed to the text, which declares that he will by no means do it. He has determined that they shall be delivered from the penalty by his goodness only, "Forgiving iniquity, and transgression, and sin.

creatures possessing conscious existence, and capable of torment or felicity. This is voluntary or moral goodness. The opposites of these are natural evil, which consists in misery produced by natural means, such as the poison of vegetables, or of serpents; or any thing else which naturally tends to destroy our life, health, or happiness :moral evil, which, in general, consists in those qualities of a moral agent, which dispose him to use his power in making those around him miserable.

2. Justice, abstractedly considered, is that rule of moral conduct which accords with, and is limited by, the rights of all beings in existence. Where there is a right of demand in any being, there is a corresponding obligation in others to act with a sacred regard to that right. The violation of justice consists in any voluntary action perpetrated by an agent, with a view to deprive another of his right; knowing, at the same time, his own obligation not to infringe upon it. Those actions, therefore, which tend to diminish the happiness, or enlarge the misery of mankind, are unjust. An injury done accidentally, or through invincible ignorance, however, is not unjust; because, injustice does not arise out of necessity, nor can a man be culpable for that which is not in his power.

A regard to universal right, or a perpetual desire and intention to promote it, without any exception, is that love of justice which constitutes the character of an hon

est man. One who pays his debts merely from a fear of being cast into prison, or from any other motive except that of a regard to justice, cannot certainly be entitled to that appellation; because, not being influenced by a regard to the rights of others, he may be expected to violate the rules of justice, when not prevented by selfish considerations.

3. The moral attribute of truth, consists in a perpetual disposition and determination to think, speak, and act, with a sacred regard to that which is true; and never, intentionally, to do any thing that is calculated to deceive ourselves or others. It implies such a love of truth, arising from a conviction of its tendency to promote the happiness of intelligent beings, as shall influence us to use all proper means to know, and assist others to know it-to guard ourselves and others against falsehood -and to abhor all lying, deceit, and dissimulation. So far as any man indulges prejudice, or refuses to give evidence a fair hearing, through party attachments, voluntary negligence, or any thing else that depends upon his will, so far he is deficient of the love of truth.

It is the union of those moral attributes which constitutes holiness or moral purity. A being that is perfectly benevolent, just, and true, we call a holy being; and so far as we are able to comprehend the subject, his holiness consists in the perfection of his justice, truth, and goodness, and in nothing else. On the other hand,