the nature and evidence of true godliness are delineated with so much clearness as in the cxix Psalm. The Psalmist declares his design at the commencement of the Psalm, and keeps that design in view all along to the end. The law of God, that grand expression of the holiness of the divine nature, is every where represented as the food and entertainment,--the great object of the love and rejoicing of the gracious soul.

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A holy love has a holy object. The holiness of love, is the love of that which is holy, on account of its holiness; so that the holiness of the object is the quality on which it fixes and terminates. holy nature must love that in divine things chiefly, which is most agreeable to itself; and that in divine things, which above all others is agreeable to a holy nature, is holiness.

Again, a holy nature undoubtedly loves holy things on account of that for which sinful nature hates them; and that for which sinful nature hates them is their holiness. It is for this that the carnal mind is enmity against God, against the law of God, and against the people of God. Now it is accurate arguing, to argue from opposites, that is, from opposite causes, to opposite effects; from opposite natures, to opposite tendencies. Holiness is directly opposite to wickedness, and therefore, as it is the nature of wickedness to hate and oppose holiness; so it must be the nature of holiness to love and delight in holiness.

In heaven, where its true tendency is best ascertained, the holiness of divine things is what principally attracts the holy nature of the saints and angels. This is the divine beauty which chiefly engages the attention, admiration and the praises of the Seraphim: "And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, boly is the Lord of Hosts,

the whole earth is full of his glory," Isa. vi. 3. "They rest not day and night, saying, Holy, holy, holy Lord God Almighty," who "was, and is, and is to come," Rev. iv. 8. The glorified saints are engaged in the same way. "Who shall not fear thee, O Lord, and glorify thy name?" for thou only art holy," Rev. xv. 4.

The scriptures represent the saints on earth as adoring God chiefly on this account. When they praise God for his power, his holiness also engages their attention : "O sing unto the Lord a new song, for he hath done marvellous things; his right hand and his holy arm" have "gotten him the victory," Psa. xcviii. 1. When they praise him for his justice and terrible majesty, they likewise have respect to his holiness: "Let them praise thy great and terrible name, for it is HOLY," Psa. xcix. See also ver. 5, 9. When they praise God for his mercy and faithfulness, they also notice his HOLINESS : Light is sown for the righteous, and gladness for the upright in heart. Rejoice in the Lord, ye righteous, and give thanks at the remembrance of his HOLINESS," Psa. xcvii. 11, 12.

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By this circumstance therefore professors may try their affections, particularly their love and joy. Various kinds of creatures manifest the difference of their natures,by choosing different things as their chief good, one delighting in what another abhors. Such a difference is there between real saints and unregenerate men. Natural men have no love for the excellency of holy things, at least not on account of their holiness: they have no taste for that kind of good, and may therefore be said not to know it. The saints by the grace and of power God, have it discovered to them; they have that spiritual perception communicated to them, by which they perceive it; and it is this that capti

ates their hearts, and fills them with delights. By this we may examine our love to God. Does it arise from a supreme delight in this kind of beauty, without being primarily excited by our imagined interest in spiritual blessings? There are often high affections, with great apparent love and joy, which have nothing of this holy relish belonging to them.

More particularly, by what has been said, we may try our discoveries of the glory of the grace and love of God, and our affections arising from thence. The grace of God may appear lovely in two ways; either as BONUM UTILE, a profitable good, that which greatly serves our interest, and in consequence suits our self love; or as BONUM FORMASUM, a beautiful good, part of the moral and spiritual excellency of the divine nature. In this latter respect it is that the saints have their hearts primarily affected, and their love excited by the free grace of God.

From what has been said, it appears, that our having a clear sense of the natural perfections of God, even if we are greatly affected by them, or having any other view of God than that which arises from a perception of his moral perfections, is no certain evidence of grace. In particular, we may have a sense of the greatness and majesty of God, for these are only natural perfections, and yet be entirely blind to the beauty of his moral perfections.

It has been shown already, in what was said upon the first distinguishing mark of gracious affections, that that which is spiritual, is entirely different in its nature from all that any unregenerate man can possibly experience. But those who are without grace, may possess a clear view, and a very affecting sense of the majesty and power

of God; for this is what the devils possess, though they have lost the spiritual knowledge of God, a sense of the excellency of his moral perfections. They are without any sense of that kind of beauty, yet they have a clear knowledge of the natural glory of God. They behold this, are affected by it, and therefore tremble before him. At the day of judgment, all intelligent creatures shall behold this glory of God. When Christ shall come in the glory of his Father, and every eye shall see him, he will manifest his infinite majesty to every one in the clearest and most striking manner. Then the wicked shall call to the mountains to fall on them, and hide them from the face of him that sitteth upon the throne. The enemies of God shall behold his glory, and live in a clear and affecting view of it, in hell forever. He hath declared bis immutable purpose as to this subject, in so often annexing these words to the threatenings he denounces against the wicked; "And they shall know that I am the Lord." Wicked men and devils will have a deep sense of every thing that belongs to the glory of God, except the beauty of his moral perfections. They will have a deep sense of every thing belonging to his moral perfections themselves, except their beauty and amiableness. They will know and acknowledge that he is perfectly just and righteous, that he is of purer eyes than to behold moral evil with approbation, and that he cannot look upon iniquity but with the greatest abhorrence. Nebuchadnezzar had a very affecting view of the infinite greatness and majesty of God, of his supreme and absolute dominion, of his mighty and irresistible power; and was convinced that he, and all the inhabitants of the earth were as nothing before him. He had likewise a clear conviction of the justice of God, and a most affecting

view of his great goodness, Dan. iv. 1, 2, 3, 34, 35, 37. And the sense that Darius had of the perfections of God, seems to have been similar to his, Dan. vi. 25, &c. But the saints and angels behold the glory of God, as that glory results from bis holiness; and it is this sight only that will humble the hearts of men, draw them to God, and effectually change them. A sight of the majesty and greatness of God, may overpower the mind; but if the moral beauty of God is hid, the enmity of the heart will remain in its full strength; no love will be enkindled, the WILL will remain inclined to evil; whereas the first glimpse of the moral and spiritual glory of God, shining into the heart, will produce holiness of disposition,as it were with omnipotent power, and absolute certainty.

The view which natural men may have of the greatness of God, may affect them in various ways: it may not only terrify them, but it may excite their joy and gratitude. From the principles of nature, this will be the effect of it, upon the real or supposed communication of some extraordinary mercy. It has been already shown, that the receipt of favours may, by the influence of natural principles, affect the heart with gratitude and praise to God; but if a person, at the same time that he receives particular favours from God, has a sense of his infinite greatness, and of his own comparative meanness, his gratitude and praise will be still more elevated. At his restoration, a sense of the greatness of God had this effect upon Nebuchadnezzar, after he had been driven from the society of men, and had had his dwelling with the beasts. A sense of the infinite majesty of God excited his gratitude, so that in the most lofty terms, he extols and magnifies him, and calls upon all the world to join in the exercise. Now if a natural man, at the