their defigns. We may therefore ftill fing; "The "LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is "our refuge."

It is a fpecial ground of confolation, that this defignation belongs to Jefus, the Saviour of the Church. That King, who appeared in vifion to Efaias, was the LORD of hofts; and we know that it was the glory of Chrift, which the prophet faw. Jefus is often reprefented as the bridegroom and hufband of the Church: but of this glorious Husband it is faid, "The LORD of hosts " is his name "." Chrift is that King and "Lord "of glory," who afcended in the midst of his angels. And "who is this King of glory? The "LORD of hofts, he is the king of glory e."

This character conveys a comfortable affurance of the Church's triumph over all her incorrigible enemies. The Lord comforts his Church with the proclamation of this name, as her fecurity for victory over ancient Babylon. "Thus faith the "LORD of hofts, The children of Ifrael, and the "children of Judah, were oppreffed together; " and all that took them captives held them fast ;

they refused to let them go. Their Redeemer "is ftrong; The LORD of hofts is his name: he "fhall thoroughly plead their caufe, that he may "give reft to the land, and difquiet the inhabi"tants of Babylon f." As that kingdom of graven images was a type of myftical Babylon, the fate af the one prefigured that of the other. Hence

we are directed to the fame almighty power, as the ground of our confidence: "Strong is the "LORD God who judgeth her s."

SECTION IV.

Of the Holiness of God.-Of his Justice, as manifefted in the Threatening and Curfe, of the Law-in the Antediluvian Hiftory-in the Deluge-in the Deftruction of the Cities of the Plain-in the Refemblance between Sin and Punishment ;-in the Mofaic Economy ;-in the Sufferings of the Meffiah.

ACCORDING to the nature of this work, it is not neceffary that we fhould nicely diftinguish be tween the Holiness and Juftice of God. As his holinefs is the perfect rectitude of his nature, according to which he infinitely loves what is morally good, and hates what is evil; his juftice, as it regards his creatures at leaft, is the actual dif play of this effential holinefs. God hath manifefted his holinefs, indeed, in various refpects, in which there was no call for the operation of his juftice. A few of these may be mentioned. 'He difplayed his holiness in making all things very good. For the evil of fin was not the work

E 4

of

g Rev. xviii. 8.

of God. His rational creatures were endowed with moral goodnefs. As revelation is meant for man, a very particular account is given of his original rectitude. He was created" after the image of God, in his likeness;" that is, " in 66 righteoufnefs and true holiness h."

To his rational creatures he alfo gave a perfect law. Man was fubjected to a pofitive precept. But we are by no means to fuppofe that the law was confined to this. The moral law was written on his heart by the finger of God: and this, as to the fubftance of it, is the tranfcript of infinite holiness. In every refpect, it is holy, juft and good. It was fo, even in its covenant-form. It is fo, as a rule of life to believers. Although they are in no refpect juftified before God by their obedience to this law; yet, fuch is his holiness, that he requires that they fhould be "perfect as "their Father in heaven is perfect," and still press forward toward this perfection.

That law of ceremonies which God gave his ancient people, contains a ftriking representation of his holiness. Whence did God enjoin fo many washings and purifications? Had they, or could they have, any virtue in themselves? Often did he affure them of the contrary. But by the obfervation of thefe, according to the imperfect nature of the dispensation, he would still remind them of his infinite hatred of fin. Did the touch of a dead body communicate ceremonial defilement ? Thus the Supreme Lawgiver taught, in the most

Gen. i. 26.; Eph, iv. 24%

lively

lively manner, the contaminating nature of all the actions of a natural man, and the neceflity of being "purged from dead works, that we may "ferve the living God." Why were there fo many perfons, places and things, confecrated by him, as partaking of an external holinefs? Can mere outward rites render a man well-pleafing to God? Can any place be in itself more facred than another, to him who is LORD of the whole earth? Can irrational or inanimate creatures be the fubjects of true holiness? Nothing of this kind was ever meant. But it was the will of God, by these fhadows and fenfible reprefentations, daily to inculcate on a grofs and obdurate people the neceffity of purity of heart, of being really devoted to the LORD, of being holy in all manner of converfation.

In a great variety of inftances, the holiness of God is practically demonftrated by the operations of his juftice. 1. Deeply to impress the mind of man with the majesty of divine juftice, feems to have been one fpecial defign of the Spirit of inspiration, especially in the writings of the Old Teftament. This appears as the moft prominent feature in the history given us of the covenant made with Adam. We have scarcely had time to contemplate and admire the goodness of God in the formation of man, and in the ample provifion made for his fuftenance and comfort; ere we are made to tremble at the appearance of a more awful perfection. A promife this cove

nant

nant undoubtedly contained; but it lay hid in that terrific threatening, "In the day thou eat"eft,-dying thou fhalt die " How foon is the voice of bleffing fucceeded by that of the curfe! The one would almost seem to be uttered, only to give tenfold energy to the other. The effect of the bleffing, pronounced on the earth, has barely appeared, ere we are aroufed by that alarming denunciation, ever fince verified in the experience of guilty man; "Curfed is the ground for thy "fake k." When God had created "an help "meet" for man, he blessed them both, faying, "Be fruitful and multiply." When he pays them another vifit, this very increase, which originally flowed from the bleffing, is converted into a curfe; "I will greatly multiply thy forrow, and thy "conception." How quickly is the threatening changed into a fatal fentence actually pronounced; "Unto duft fhalt thou return!" No fooner is it pronounced, than it is partly executed; "So "he drove out the man," drove him out of that delightful garden, which had been created for his use, and in which he had been placed but a short time before.

1

We advance but a fingle ftep further in the history of mankind, when we are arrested by another difplay of divine juftice. The firft man, born of woman, receives from the Supreme Judge a folemn warning as to the neceffary connexion between fin and punishment. To Cain he

faid,

i Gen, ii. 17. k Chap. i. 24.; iii. 17. 1 Chap. i. 29.; iii. 16.