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heaven? If the conduct of God himself had not given the answer to these inquiries, they would have remained unanswerable for ever. The redemption of men is so glorious a work, that it would eclipse all the other operations of Deity, did it not confer new lustre upon them, as the wisest and best preparation for this matchless display of divine glory. It now appears, that God was determined, "before the foundation of the world," to make manifest his infinite perfections to the best possible advantage in the great work of redemption. With this gracious intention he created the world, and has ever since continued it in being under his wise government; overruling all its events, even the most dark and dreadful, from the fall of man to the crucifixion of Christ, in such a manner as to secure the best opportunity of glorifying himself in the salvation of the lost. Here the darkness begins to be dispersed, which, to the eye of man, had so long enveloped the general scope of Providence. The human mind has been in much perplexity concerning the mysterious course of divine government; and the question has been repeated in every age, Why is the world so full of sin and misery, if its supreme Governor is infinitely powerful, wise, and good? On this formidable objection infidelity has founded its system, and atheism erected its fortress. But the difficulty is removed, the objection is taken away by the glorious Redeemer; and both the infidel and atheist are left without refuge. It was needful, that there should be clouds for the Sun of righteousness to dissipate, or he could never appear in his all-conquering and resplendent glory. As it is the established order in the natural system for the night to precede the day, so it is in the moral system for darkness to go before light. There must have been first a sinful, ruined world, which needed salvation, before God could possibly display his eternal mercy in its undeserved redemption. If man had been kept from falling, woful as his fall was, God could not have glorified himself in his recovery, pardon, and salvation. The most illustrious display of unbounded goodness depended upon that sovereign disposal of a righteous God, under which sin and misery have been permitted to take place. For pardon could be offered and mercy displayed to none but sinners. It was for God to determine whether sin should be permitted to enter Paradise or not. He was infinitely able to prevent it. He could have kept the tempter at an eternal distance from our first parents, or he could have strengthened them in the moment of temptation, and disappointed the adversary. But he thought it better, on the whole, that the temptation should be suffered to prevail. Though Satan meant it for evil, yet God in his holy providence meant it for good; intending to secure more glory in man's recovery, than it would have been to have kept him from falling. While, therefore, we are supremely concerned to hate sin as God hates it, let us adore the infinite wisdom of his sove

reignty in so ordering the train of events as to display most fully his opposition to sin by his just treatment of it, his infinite power over it, and his unabated good-will and compassion to its miserable subjects.

To behold the divine character in its real glory is the most consummate blessedness of intelligent beings. That plan of operations, therefore, by which God can most fully display himself, is unspeakably the most perfect. Infinite Wisdom has adopted it, and its full accomplishment is rapidly advancing. The increase of happiness, which the universe is to receive from the redemption and salvation of sinners, is evinced by the joy in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons that need no repentance and if the angels thus rejoice, what must be the blessedness of the redeemed themselves, when safely arrived in glory? How does the mariner, who has seen the heavens gathering blackness over him, and the ocean beneath swelling into mountains, and ready to overwhelm him--how does he enjoy the change, when the winds are hushed, and the sun looks forth without a cloud. What, then, must be the sensations of one, who, after feeling the guilt of sin, and danger of eternal wrath, finds himself in heaven, at the right hand of God, where sin and sorrow never enter?

Let it not be objected against the work of redemption, that all do not partake in its benefits. The atonement is sufficient for all, and the free offer of salvation is universal And if God in a sovereign manner graciously inclines some to accept his mercy, and yet leaves others to perish in their obstinacy, he wrongs no man. The destruction of impenitent sinners is, indeed, a great, but a deserved evil; and we are very unsuitable judges, whether it may not finally be necessary for the general good. But, when we are told that all will not be saved, we may be certain it is not best that all should be. For infinite power, wisdom, and goodness can make no mistake. It appears also highly reasonable that the ill-desert of sin should be thus strikingly manifested to the universe, in the punishment of the incorrigible sinner, as well as in the sufferings of the Savior. God thus reveals himself in the work of redemption, as a just God and a Savior, forgiving iniquity, transgression, and sin, and yet by no means clearing the guilty and impenitent.

From this general view of the character and works of God, we infer, in the first place, the greatness of our obligations to love and obey him with all the heart. If God is to be regarded at all, he is to be regarded supremely. If he deserves any place in our affections, he merits the first place. To give him any other than our supreme love is utterly impossible. We love him as God, or we do not love him at all. We give him the throne, or we wholly dethrone him in our souls. To render him a grudging homage from the natural principle of self-preservation, is no acknowledgment of his glorious perfections, nor any compliance with our high

obligations. We must therefore give him the throne of our hearts and the service of our lives.

It may be inferred, in the second place, from the infinite excellency of the divine character, that to be destitute of the love of God is to possess a heart entirely depraved. Whatever is worthy of love in moral beings is derived from the Source of all moral excellence. The goodness of creatures is but an emanation of the Divine goodness. Those, therefore, can have no true regard to real moral excellence, who do not love it in God. Their love to men must be of a partial and interested nature. It is generally admitted that love to God constitutes essentially a good man. But how many there are who call themselves good, and yet seem to live year after year without God in the world. Do such persons realize, that not to love God and enjoy communion with him, is to be without religion? Do they lay it suitably to heart, that, if they had any holy affections, they would find an object of delight in God? Do they consider, that nothing but entire depravity can account for their want of love to the supreme Excellency? A conviction of this humiliating truth should now alarm them. They should see themselves to be unworthy of any enjoyment, while unable to find it in God, the Source of all blessedness.

Let me then exhort the impenitent; Be ye reconciled to God. He has graciously set on foot a plan of reconciliation through the mediation of his Son Jesus Christ; offering pardon and blessedness to all who will renounce their opposition and become his friends. There is every possible motive to immediate compliance with this overture. We must either comply, or, by obstinately reiecting it, widen the distance between God and ourselves, and render it eternal. God cannot make a more benevolent offer. He invites us to become his friends, and upon that condition engages to befriend us throughout eternity. He opens before us all the sources of pleasure which heaven contains, and urges us to take freely. He promises as large a share of blessedness to every one of his friends as their capacity will admit. Nor is this all; he engages to enlarge their powers of enjovment with a perpetual increase. Who can imagine to what heights of blessedness man may be raised by that Almighty Being, who created worlds and upholds them in existence ? All that God can do to make us happy, will certainly be done, if we obey him. But, on the contrary, if we continue disobedient, all his perfections are of necessity arrayed against us. God is no neutral character, and he acknowledges no neutrality in any other being. Those who are not his friends he ranks among his enemies, and with them he fixes their eternal portion. His glory is displayed by the punishment of his enemies, as well as by the happiness of his friends. And how totally beyond conception must be the wretchedness of those on whom God shall

pour out his wrath, without mixture and without end. The destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah was but a faint representation of that eternal destruction which awaits the impenitent. To be imprisoned for ever among the enemies of God and of universal being, where no tear is shed in compassion for the general misery, where enmity is the reigning temper, and mutual vexation the only employment-this alone is dreadful enough; but to have the omnipotent God for your eternal enemy—who can think of it without horror? Who, then, that hears me will remain another moment at enmity with Him.-breathing out hatred against his holy sovereignty? That moment may be fatal. "Now, then-as though God did beseech you by us-we pray you, in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God."

SERMON LXXX.

BY LEONARD WOODS, D.D.

Abbot Professor in the Theological Seminary at Andover.

FATAL HINDRANCE TO PRAYER.

Ps. LXVI. 18.—If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me.

THERE is no subject on which the Prophets and Apostles speak with more earnestness and decision, than on the necessity of holiness. They inform us that God, who is himself infinitely holy, has given us a law, requiring every thing that is virtuous and pure, and forbidding every thing sinful; and that he will, by the most unequivocal acts of his government, show his love of the one, and his hatred of the other. And when they come to treat of the infinite mercy of God in redemption, of the grace which superabounds where sin hath abounded, they still set forth the holiness of God, and the necessity of holiness in man. They teach, that although God will save sinners, he will give no encouragement to sin; that the whole work of redemption is intended to promote moral purity,-to establish a kingdom of holiness. Such, evidently, is the plan of Divine Wisdom in this work, that the greater the number and the guilt of those who are saved, the more fully will the evil of sin be exposed, and the more illustriously will divine purity be displayed.

The sentiment, that God is holy and cannot look upon sin, was deeply impressed upon the mind of David. It was a truth familiar to his thoughts, that, although God was so much inclined to hear prayer, and to grant the desires of all who call upon him, he would have no favorable intercourse

with those who lived in sin. "If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me." If I look upon sin with desire,—if I love it,-if I allow myself to commit it,-if I am reluctant to part with it,-a holy God will be displeased, and will have no friendly communication with me; and the prayers which I may offer up will be an abomination in his sight.

That God will not hear the prayer of those who regard iniquity in their hearts, is made very evident from the infallible instructions of holy writ. "The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord; but the prayer of the upright is his delight "The Lord is far from the wicked; but he heareth the prayer of the righteous." "He that turneth away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer shall be an abomination." These texts, and various others which might be quoted, plainly teach, that God cannot show such favor to those who live in sin, as to hear their prayers; that this token of his kindness and complacency can be granted to those only who forsake sin, and live in holy obedience. How tremendous was the declaration of God to the wicked Israelites in the time of Isaiah. After telling them, that their sacrifices, and their days of devotion, and all their outward observances were loathsome to him, he adds, "Yea, when ye make many prayers, I will not hear." He then proceeds to tell them what they must do to be heard and accepted: "Wash you; make you clean; put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes; cease to do evil; learn to do well." The same is taught in the New Testament. I shall cite only one passage; "Beloved, if our hearts condemn us not," (that is, for allowed sin,) "then have we confidence towards God. And whatsoever we ask we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do the things which are pleasing in his sight." Here the Apostle represents it as a well known and certain truth, that God's hearing prayer was a proof of his approbation, and that none could enjoy this who did not keep his commands.

The same truth may be deduced from a consideration of the known attributes of God. It would be manifestly inconsistent with our best views of the infinite benevolence and wisdom of God, to suppose that he will show such favor to unrepenting sinners, as to hear their prayers. Being infinitely benevolent, he desires and seeks the happiness of intelligent creatures. In the exercise of his infinite wisdom, he determines, that the only way to promote their happiness permanently, and in the highest degree, is, to maintain a moral government. In this government there must be law. Those who obey, must receive marks of divine favor; and those who disobey, marks of divine displeasure. The very nature of law implies this. Now can it be, that God, who possesses such a character, and has published such a law, will hear the prayers of those who regard iniquity in their hearts, and thus bestow upon them

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