Mercy dispensed in any other way than that exhibited in the Gospel were cruelty to the community at large. The execution of a just penalty as much belongs to a good and gracious governor, as the prescribing of good and equitable laws; They are, indeed, one and the same thing when viewed in relation to the collective system. The grace of God is, indeed, absolutely sovereign and free; but it is exercised through a medium which exhibits it as in strict accordance with infinite wisdom, and with the unbending equity of the Divine government. Mercy and grace, if dispensed contrary to law and justice, were in fact also contrary to goodness, because opposed to the general interest of the intelligent creation. The sufferings of the Redeemer became the soil out of which to infinite per, every excellence grew fection: They were the means of exciting and manifesting all the righteousness that human nature in union with Deity could exhibit; and thus they at once glorified God, and benefited his creatures. While they expiated sin, they so manifested the Divine character as to be the great means of furnishing a remedy for the moral maladies of man, and at the same time the strongest preservative of all holy intelligences from the commission of sin. The Scriptures, accordingly, repre sent the work of the Redeemer as the cause of heartfelt joy to the whole of the heavenly hosts. What a differ ent view had been given of God if sin had been par doned without a proper expression of the Divine displeasure against it; and who can calculate the evil effects which in that case had been produced on the moral system! Had his grace been manifested in this way after all that his law had said, how could he have been revered? Such is not the grace of Jehovah, buț the foolish fondness of weak compassion, which even men when possessed of magnanimity are above. Even in the brightest displays of his goodness, he is not ex rcy and fond indulan nsullied holiness, ahe God of love. hibited as a Being who is all on of sinners, duce him to forgive e may tone '', dispense with the high claims of his law, at to magnify and make it honourable in the means ness. If it is said that because God is love, therefore expect him to save sinners without an ment, it may be replied that he is also just, and therefore we need not expect him to show mercy at The latter argument is as good as the former, becaus his justice is equal to his mercy. An offence committed against the king as a man, or as a private individual, he may forgive without any public satisfaction; but an offence committed against him as a king, and of course against the state through him, is a crime which cannot thus be passed over without betraying his trust, and invading both law and justice. The royal prerogative in pardoning offences, it is presumed, will ever be exercised according to the design and spirit of the law, and not to its dishonour and the consequent injury of society. Whence is it that men plead for the Divine mercy at the expense of the Divine justice, but from an unwillingness to admit what is implied in the Scripture doctrine of redemption? Often is there a vague, or even a confident, reliance on the Divine mercy at the very time when the Gospel displays the most delightful harmony between it and the high claims of the Divine righteousness. From this display the mind turns away and pertinaciously clings to a kind of mercy which is nothing but pitiful weakness, or an unprincipled indifference to all that is just and venerable. It is doubtless true that Jehovah delighteth in mercy; but to suppose that he exercises it at ousness, and consequently to the the expense of Fes, is to impeach his character, and ruin of his whole tenor of the Gospel. An erto contradicfject is fearfully dangerous. The most ror on this interesting question that can possibly importar attention is-How shall a sinful and polengagature find acceptance with the God of truth luteoliness? We need a revelation which can supane mind in the clearest view of the Divine chaer, the most enlarged view of the Divine law, and e fullest view of our own guilt and pollution,—a revelation which can with these views furnish a ground of hope in the hour of dissolution, and in the immediate prospect of standing before Him whose eyes are as a flame of fire. Now, the Redeemer, by his obedience unto death, hath vindicated and glorified the perfections of God, and satisfied the claims of his law: He hath displayed his justice and holiness by exhibiting the evil of sin, its awful consequences, and the Divine abhorrence of it. In this wonderful transaction the riches of his grace and the rectitude of his character are made manifest in perfect harmony; and his infinite knowledge and wisdom are laid open in this combination of righteousness and mercy. The law of God is thus magnified and made honourable; so that the Saviour might well say, "Then restored I that which I took not away." Psalm lxix. 4. The justice of Heaven, which in connection with the law appeared to be an insuperable bar to the salvation of sinners, is more illustriously glorified in their redemption than it could have been in their universal condemnation. This is a revelation of the Divine character, in which there is such a combination of mercy and justice-such a display of God as at once a kind Father and a righteous Judge-and such a suitableness to the circumstances of a sinner ready to perish, as is admirably calculated to reliev in most guilty of men, in the most de mind of the stances in which he can possibly find ble circumworld of woe. f in this It is refreshing to dwell on this plan o and to observe the progress of the new creation, advances from its commencement to its consum it There is an unspeakable happiness in tracing the of that love which moved the Saviour to engage work. To his blessed cross all must be ascribe Through his work God hath become propitious to sinners; and hence it is said that his anger is turned away: Not that there is in him a change from hatred to love; for the propitiation of Christ respects not the production of love, but its consistent and righteous manifestation. Anger in man is often a turbulent passion prompting to revenge; but when applied to God, it must be separated from every thing that implies mutability, imperfection, or evil: It expresses his decided abhorrence of sin, and his determination to punish it: It is not the sudden effervescence of passion, but the wise, calm, and dignified expression of his high regard for truth, rectitude, and goodness, and his benevolent zeal for the moral order and happiness of the universe. He is to be considered in the light of a public ruler, vindicating, for public and not for private purposes, his government from contempt. In civil society, punishments are necessary; and the magistrate who inflicts them is said to be an avenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil. This by no means implies that he punishes with passion or personal hatred: On the contrary, every thing like this in a judge is reprobated in all civilized countries; and the most severe judgments are pronounced and executed, not only with calmness, solemnity, and dignity, but often with deep and tender sympathy and commiseration. You will see, then, that 4 when God is said to turn from his anger, the meaning which he had, in his just disis, that as the grounds on pleasure, separated sinners from his fellowship are honourably removed, he can now, in the harmonious exercise of all his perfections, reverse the sentence of condemnation, and embrace them as his children. way The in which sinners come to be partakers of the benefits of redemption, I shall consider in my next letter.-In the meantime I remain, &c. LETTER XIX. ON FAITH AS THE MEDIUM OF JUSTIFICATION. The nature of faith-Its connection with Justification-The evil of discussions about the manner of believing-Importance of the object of Faith-Hindrances to it-Its influence corresponds with the nature of its object-Is connected with trust in the Saviour Has its immediate issue in coming to Christ. MY DEAR FRIEND, IN my former letter I considered the nature and the ground of Justification: Allow me now to direct your attention to the medium through which this blessing is obtained, I need not tell you that Faith is this medium. Sinners become partakers of the blessings that flow from the atonement by believing the Gospel. Acts xvi. 29, 30, 31. Rom. iv. 5. Gal. ii. 16. In regard to the nature of faith, I have only to remind you that it is giving credit to a report. Like every other simple operation of mind, it does not admit of strict definition: yet every person may easily understand what it is. The |