higher relish for their own happiness. Just as if à view of misery, as such, were the chief source of the happiness of heaven; and a view of the vengeance of God and misery of the, creature, the most ravishing sight in the universe. A shocking scheme! (p. 9, 10, 11.)

B. Yes, sir, a shocking scheme indeed! but it is one of your own invention. It is none of mine.

I believe that "love is the sum of God's moral perfections;" and in one sense, (an ill sense,) there is no such thing as vengeance in the divine nature. I believe, that love is the very essence of vindictive justice." Love to God, to virtue, to the best good of the system, bearing down, in a wise and righteous manner, the enemies of God, of virtue, and of the system," is the definition I gave of it in my Sermons. "An amiable perfection in the deity!" And I believe, that the chief advantages, which will accrue to holy beings from a view of the misery of the damned, will be, as the Scriptures teach, (Rom. ix. 22.) to give them the most lively and affecting sense of the glorious perfections of the divine nature; viz. boundless power, holiness, and goodness; or in other words, God's infinite hatred of sin, and ability to punish it, and the infinite riches of his grace in the work of redemption by Jesus Christ. For it is a view, not of deformity, but of beauty; not of misery, as such, but of the glorious perfections of the divine nature, manifested in the moral government of the world; an absolutely perfect plan, which is the source of the happiness of the heavenly state. And I believe, that it is love to God, to virtue, and to the best good of the system, which is the chief source of the exalted joys of the heavenly inhabitants; who, on, a view of the just punishment of God's obstinate enemies, cry, Amen! Hallelujah! for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth! Again they said, Hallelujah, And her smoke rose up for ever and ever. Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come. (Rev. xix. 1. 7.) They do not rejoice in their misery as such, nor in their misery as giving themselves a higher relish for their own happiness; but they rejoice to see God exalted, his authority vindicated, his law honoured, sin discountenanced, satan and his cause sub

sense

dued, and the Messiah victorious. And this "tremendous scene, by way of contrast, tends to give the most affecting of all the divine perfections, as shining forth in the Work of redemption, the most glorious of all God's works. So thai, upon the whole, the saved will be under the best advantages for ever to have a fresh remembrance of what they once were, to see what they deserved, where they might have been, what God has done, and to behold all his glorious perfections as shining through all his works of mercy and of justice, in a light infinitely bright, and under circumstances most suited to engage their attention, and affect their hearts, and to give them the highest sense of their dependance on God, and obligations to him. best means to make the swiftest progress in divine knowledge, humility, holiness, and happiness, for ever. must be referred to my Sermons, where these points are more fully discussed, than my intended brevity will now admit. A. But, "had we a just sense of the worth of our mercies, could we need any thing to raise it higher?" And was our gratitude equal to the worth of our mercies, could we need any thing to make us more thankful? i. e. if we were perfect, could we be more than perfect? (p. 9, 10.)

to him. So that they will have the

But you

B. That perfect intelligences in heaven may and will make progress in holiness and happiness for ever, you may see proved at large by Dr. WATTS on the happiness of separate spirits. It is too plain a case to admit of dispute. For the favour granted to the meanest inhabitant of heaven, being of eternal duration, is of infinite worth. And so he never can have a full sense of its worth; or exercise a degree of gratitude equal to its worth ; i. e. be as thankful to God for it, as it deserves. No, not if his progress in a grateful disposition, if I may compare things spiritual to things natural, should be eternally as swift as a ray of light from the sun.

A. But it is a reflection upon the intellectual system, to suppose they stood in need of this "tremendous scene" for their instruction, or confirmation*. And a reflection up

* If a consideration of the dreadful consequences of sin is of no use to confirm holy Beings, as this author thinks, (p. 12.) why was Death threatened to deter Adam from sin? If a mere threatening tends to deter, much more an actual

on "the benevolent father of the universe," to suppose, that he really chose "this awful expedient," when there was no need of it; when all good ends might have been answered as well without it; nay, infinitely better, infinitely more to the honour of God, and the good of the system. (p. 11, 12, 19 -24.) "The benevolent Father of the aniverse wanted neither power nor will, in ways inconceivable to us, to raise his creatures' happiness to the highest possible degrees, with●ut this awful expedient." (p. 11.)

B. If the benevolent Father of the universe wanted neither power nor will,” to lay and prosecute the very wisest plan; then to a demonstration, God's present plan is such; "a most glorious expedient!" And if the all-wise God knew, that of all possible plans this was the best, most adapted to the finite capacities of finite intelligences, and most suitable to answer all the good ends he had in view; then, without any reflection upon the intellectual system or upon himself, he might prefer the present plan to all others, as in fact he has. And you say, "that you cannot pretend to prove, to a demonstration, that the present scheme is not in fact the best." (p. 5.) Wherefore, since God has in fact chosen it before all others, and is so "benevolent, that he cannot want a will," to choose the best; I appeal to you, I appeal to the world, which becomes us, as we would be consistent with ourselves, or regard the honour of " the benevolent Father of the universe;" either to believe it to be best, because it is God's, or

execution. Since satan and his hosts were driven out of heaven, down to an eter. nal hell, for sin; and Adam turned out of Paradise, and all this lower world doomed to death, for the first transgression; there has not been one instance of the apostacy of a holy being in all God's dominions. This author seems to think, that because holy beings love God supremely, therefore they love themselves not at all. Which is contrary to reason, and to scripture. Gen. ii. 17. Heb. xii. 2. However, he attempts to prove the point, from 1 John iv. 18. Perfect love sasteth out fear. Although it is plain from the context, that the perfect love there spoken of, is nothing more than that high degree of love, to which some good men attain in this life. Which, although it delivers them from that fear which arises from want of evidence of their good estate; yet by no means tends to set them above being moved to watch and pray, from a sense of the infinitely. dreadful consequences of sin. As is plain from Luke xxi. 36. Rom. viii. 13, L Cor. ix. 27.

to" doubt whether God has in fact done what is most for his own glory," in this affair! (p. 13.)

A. But" would not the least reflection have assured them, that if God delighted in truth, holiness, and justice, he must hate the contrary? that if he rewarded the loyal, he must punish the disobedient?" (p. 11.)

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B. Doubtless the angels that sinned had, before their fall, time for some reflection: but it is not to be supposed, that they sinned in a full and certain assurance of being driven immediately out of heaven into an eternal hell. It is certain our first parents had time for reflection, and did reflect; but their cr assurance of God's holiness, truth, and justice," was not sufficient, in the hour of temptation, to make them believe "he would punish the disobedient." For although God had expressly declared, In the day thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die, yet satan persuaded them to believe they should be as gods; and to disobey their Maker, in expectation thereof. These are facts; and facts are stubborn things. How know we, therefore, but that God saw it really necessary for the best good of his eternal kingdom, that he should have opportunity to exemplify all his perfections in his conduct, in the manner he does on the present plan? After the present grand drama" is finished at the day of judgment, a sense of all the divine perfections will be impressed almost infinitely deeper, on the minds of holy beings, than when they first came into existence. Then they believed, that God was true; but now they will see it, and know it. Then they believed, that God hated sin, and would punish it; but now, while satan and all his adherents are for ever tormented in the lake of fire and brimstone, in their presence, before their eyes, it will give them quite a new sense of God's " holiness, justice, and truth ;" and an inconceivably greater "assurance that he will punish the disobedient." And if the holiness and happiness of heaven arise from the knowledge of God; the better they know him, the more holy and happy will they be. Besides, God has had opportunity to exemplify his faithfulness as to his promises, as well as his truth in his threatenings; and that in a great variety of instances, since the beginning of the world. And when at last all holy beings shall see all God's

past promises fulfilled to a tittle, it will give them the highest assurance of the fulfilment of what will then remain; viz. of their secure enjoyment of the glories and joys of heaven to all eternity. And they will believe it, and as it were see it, and enjoy it all at once.

A. But" would not the least reflection have given holy beings all that knowledge of the divine perfections, which was "essential" to their holiness and happiness, without this tremendous scene?" (p. 11.)

B. As soon as they began to think they would begin to know God, and love him, and rejoice in him. And the more they thought of him, the more their knowledge, love, and joy, would be increased. But yet there would be an infinite degree of perfection, glory, and beauty, in God still unseen. Their knowledge, love, and joy, although free from sinful defects, were capable of an eternal increase. And the more completely and clearly the divine nature should be exhibited to their view in the divine conduct, the swifter progress would they make. And if the present plan gives God opportunity to make the brightest and fullest manifestations of himself, then it is in this respect, of all possible plans the best. And holy beings will know more of God, and so love him more, and rejoice more in him. But these thoughts are largely dwelt upon in my sermons; to which you may be referred. (see page 75-89.)

A. But could not these and all other ends have been answered as well," in ways inconceivable to us, without this awful expedient?" (p. 11.)

B. Can you conceive (pray, think a little and try !) of any possible way, wherein the divine perfections might have been set in so full, clear, and affecting a light, and so well adapted to engross the whole attention of all holy beings, and fill them with the most exalted thoughts of the divine majesty, as that which God has taken in the work of redemption by the death of his own Son? But you say, there may be "ways inconceivable to us." True; but not inconceivable to God. For all possible ways lay open to his view; and he had his choice and in fact he has chosen the present plan; but if this had not been the best expedient, God would not have.