But righteousness and justice are sometimes used in the scriptures in a more limited sense, both when applied to God and to men; and to be just or righteous, is to be disposed to do no wrong to any, and actually to do none; but to give to every one, every thing to which he has a right, and may justly claim as his due, and is therefore opposed to doing wrong or injuring any being, by withholding or taking from him that to which he hath a right, which is called injustice, or unrighteousness. Justice and righteousness of a judge, and when ascribed to God, as such also denote, judging according to truth between opposing and contending parties, justifying the innocent and injured, espousing, vindicating and maintaining his cause; and condemning and punishing the guilty and injurious, according to his desert; especially when this is necessary to vindicate the character and cause of the injured in the best manner, and to make proper restitution for the injury done. Not to do this would be to pervert justice and judgment.

This justice, righteousness or uprightness, is essential to a perfect moral character, and therefore must be included in infinite moral perfection. It is needless to him, who reads the Bible with attention, to say that justice, in this sense, is there constantly ascribed to God; and that he who overlooks this, or has wrong notions of it, must be ignorant of the moral character of God.

It is important to observe here, that God, in the exercise of justice, or righteousness, has a proper regard to himself, and is disposed to maintain the rights of Deity, and properly to resent all injuries done to him. Therefore he requires his rational creatures to love him with all their hearts, because this is his due; and has annexed to his law a threatening of a punishment, which is the just desert of the transgression of it, or of any injury done to him. This regard to himself, and disposition to assert and maintain his rights and character, is expressed, when he styles himself a jealous God, who is jealous for his holy name ;* and will not give his glory to another, neither his praise to graven images :† "For my name's sake will I defer my anger, and for my praise * Ezekiel xxxix, 25. + Isaiah xlii. 8.

will I refrain for thee, that I cut thee not off. For mine own sake, even for mine own sake will I do it; for how should my name be polluted? And I will not give my glory to another."*"God is jealous, and the Lord revengeth, the Lord will take vengeance on his adversaries, and he reserveth wrath for his enemies."+

It belongs to God to vindicate his own rights, his name and character, and see that justice is done to himself; for there is no other being who can have the care of this, or can do it, or see that it is done. But he who is most upright, infinitely righteous, and can do no wrong, and sees what is right in all cases, without any possibility of mistake, is every way qualified to judge, decide and act in this matter, and it becomes him to do it; and not to regard his own rights, and do justice to himself, would be infinitely unjust and wrong. As God is infinitely the greatest, and the sum and perfection of all being, and his character, interest and rights, are of infinitely the greatest worth and importance; to disregard his rights, and injure him, is infinitely the highest instance of injustice that can be; and the exercise of justice and righteousness, in the first place, and chiefly, respects him; and were it possible for God to disregard his own character, and not vindicate and maintain his own rights, he would be infinitely far from being just and righteous; and this would be a greater instance of injustice, than every possible injury to all creatures, can be. Therefore when God is said to be just, it necessarily includes his being just to himself, so that he will do himself no wrong, but will regard and maintain his own rights, and claim and secure the honour due to his name: and if he be injured by any, he will see that complete restitution is made, whatever it may cost him who does the injury. And at the same time he is infinitely engaged to administer justice through all his dominions, and not to injure any one of his creatures in the least degree. "The Judge of all the earth will do right."

Before we leave this head, it must be particularly observed, that justice or righteousness, whether taken in a more extensive, or in a confined sense, is nothing really Isaiah, xlviii. 9, 11. it Nahum i, 2.

distinct from love or goodness; but is included in it, and essential to it, though it has been thus distinctly considered. For injustice is directly opposed to good will; and goodness will not injure any one. He therefore, who is perfectly good, must be perfectly just; and goodness always is, and always will be justice. And infinite benevolence or love disposes to maintain and vindicate the rights of all; to administer justice and judgment in all cases; to condemn and punish the injurious so far as is necessary to make compensation to the injured. For as universal goodness seeks the greatest general good, it can do no wrong; and is therefore opposed to all ill will, and every thing that is contrary to the rights of any being, and to the highest general good. Love, therefore, still appears to comprehend all moral rectitude and excellence; and justice or righteousness in the divine Being, is nothing but universal, infinite benevolence, considered with relation to particular objects, and as acted out in particular circum

stances.

3. Perfect truth and faithfulness are essential to the moral character of God, and included in his holiness. His declarations are all perfectly agreeable to the truth: and none can be deceived by believing what he says. Whatever he promises may be relied upon with the greatest safety; and all his predictions, promises and threatenings he punctually and completely accomplishes.

And here again, it must be observed, that truth and faithfulness are not to be distinguished from goodness, as though there were any thing in them different from it, and not contained in it, and essential to it; for there is no foundation for this, and it would be contrary to the truth. He who is infinitely benevolent must be perfect and unchangeable in truth and faithfulness; for love or goodness is itself truth and faithfulness, acted out in that particular manner, and towards those particular objects in which it obtains this denomination. There can be no truth and fidelity, where there is no goodness; and where the latter is, there, in the same degree, is the former.

We have now had some view of the moral character of God, or his holiness; and find it to consist in love or

goodness, wisdom, righteousness or justice, truth and faithfulness. And that all is comprehended in love or benevolence, there being not only nothing contrary to this; but nothing really distinct from it, and that is not essential to it: The whole being nothing but infinite goodness, in different views of it, and as it respects different objects; and on this account, and that we may better understand it, the scriptures speak of it by parts, and call the parts of this whole, by different names.

But this very important and interesting subject requires yet further consideration; and it is hoped the following observations will not be useless; but tend to cast more light upon it.

I. When it is said that the moral character of God, or his holiness, consists in LOVE, in which sense "God is love," universal, infinite benevolence or good will is meant by love, and all that which this necessarily implies. This has been supposed, and taken for granted, in all that has been already said on this subject; but needs to be more particularly explained, and made evident. When God is said to be love, it is evident that the love of benevolence, or the goodness of God, is here meant from the context, where the meaning of the apostle is explained. When it is said, "God is love," the words immediately following are these, "In this was manifested the love of God towards us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. HEREIN IS LOVE: Not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins." Here the love of benevolence or good will only, is mentioned as that in which the love of God was manifested and acted out: Therefore this is the love here intended, when it is said, "God is love." It is love of good will to enemies, to men in a state of rebellion against God; and therefore the most disinterested, generous love and goodness. This is the love and goodness spoken of by Christ, when he says, "God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." This is by the angels, called good will to men. This is the highest instance of the most pure disinterested benevolence or

goodness; in which God has made the clearest discovery of his infinite goodness, and so of all his moral perfections, that creatures have ever beheld. This benevolence has the highest good of being in general for its object: Being capable of life and happiness. It discerns what is the supreme, greatest good, and this it seeks and pursues with unerring wisdom; and being attended with omnipotence, all the infinite good, the proper object of infinite benevolence, which is discerned, willed and sought, must take place in the highest possible degree, without the least defect. This is universal benevolence; disinterested, unlimited, infinite goodness, which has the highest possible good of being in general for its object, that is, infinite good; which must infallibly take place, and be enjoyed forever.

II. This love of benevolence does not exclude, but necessarily includes, that which is called love of complacence; for he who is good, benevolent and friendly, must delight in goodness. He will not only take pleasure in the exercise of goodness; but will be pleased with benevolence wherever it exists. Therefore a complacency and delight in holiness, or moral excellence, is always implied in holiness. God is therefore God is therefore represented in the scriptures as delighting and taking pleasure in the upright, in them that fear him, and are truly holy, and delighting in the exercise of loving kindness, judgment and righteousness. But it ought to be remembered that love of complacency is not the primary or chief part of holy love; for holiness must exist as the object of complacency, in order to the existence of the latter. And what can this holiness be, which is the object or complacency and the spring of holy delight, but the love of benevolence or goodness? This is the primary and most essential part; yea, the sum of holy love, which implies the love of complacency in its nature; the latter being a branch and emanation from the former. Therefore when we think and speak of holy love, benevolence should be the primary and chief idea in our minds, as being the sum of all, and implying the whole: For holy complacency, is complacency in benevolence and a benevolent complacency. And if we leave benevolence out of our idea of the love of complacency, we have no