for every thing relating to God is called holy. Holiness is ascribed to each of the persons in the Godhead; and the third person is frequently called the Holy Ghost, or the Holy Spirit.-John xvii. 11; Psal. xvi. 10. Heaven is called God's holy habitation, and the habitation of his Holiness.-Deut. xxvi. 15; Isa. lxiii. 15. The Sabbath is called holy.-Exod. xvi. 23, and xxxi. 14. The Church is called holy, under different terms; as the Holy Sanctuary,-Lev. xvi. 33; the Holy House, Lev. xxvii. 14. God's people are called holy. -Dan. xii. 7. His angels are called holy.-Matt. xxv. 31. His ministers are called holy.—2 Pet. i. 21. And many other things relating to God are called holy.-Psal. xiv. 5, 17; 1 Sam. ii. 2.

We may here observe, that God puts a peculiar honour upon his holiness; for he singles it out as that attribute by which he swears, that he will accomplish whatever he hath spoken.-Psal. lxxxix. 35; Amos iv. 2.

The holiness of God appears,-1. In the works of creation. Every creature capable of holiness was made perfectly holy. Angels were made holy, and man was made holy.-Gen. i. 27; Eccl. vii. 29. 2. In his works of providence: in casting the angels that sinned out of heaven; in thrusting man out of paradise, when he rebelled against him; in the destruction of the old world by water, and of Sodom and Gomorrah by fire and brimstone; in the punishments inflicted on the Israelites in the wilderness, and in the destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans; and in his conduct towards his own people, when they transgress his just and holy commandments. 3. In his Word, or in the Scriptures, which are called the Holy Scriptures.-Rom. i. 2. His Word is holy in its commands, in its promises, and in its threatenings.Psal. cv. 42; 2 Pet. i. 4. 4. In the work of redemption. All the instances which God hath given of his hatred at sin, are nothing when compared with the display which he hath given of his holiness in the sufferings and death of his only Son, who was his delight from everlasting!

Obs. 24.-God is infinitely just.

The justice of God is that perfection of his nature by which he is infinitely righteous in himself, and just in all his works and ways towards all the creatures which he hath made.

The justice of God is exhibited in Scripture,-1. Positively; when God is expressly called just.-Deut. xxxii. 4 ;

Isa. xlv. 21; Acts vii. 52. 2. Negatively; when injustice of every kind, and in every degree, is removed from him.-Rom. iii. 5; Deut. xxxii. 4; Heb. i. 10; Psal. xcii. 15. 3. This perfection is also exhibited when he is said to render to every man according to his works, &c.-Deut. vi. 30; Job xxxiii. 26; Jer. xvii. 10, &c.

The justice of God has been distinguished into various kinds; such as his legislative justice, his distributive justice, his remunerative justice, and his vindictive justice; according to the various ways which he adopts in executing it.

1. God's legislative justice is his giving just laws to the rational creation, by which it is bound to obey and to submit to his will in all things.

2. God's distributive justice is his constant will and purpose to render to rational creatures their due, according to law, without respect of persons.-Job xxxiv. 11; 1 Pet. i. 17.

3. God's remunerative justice is his rewarding the sincere though imperfect obedience of his people to the law, as a rule of life, with the enjoyment of himself in glory. But then this reward is entirely of free grace, and not of debt. It is not on account of any worthiness in their obedience, but only on account of what Christ has merited by his obedience and sufferings.-Heb. v. 9; 1 Tim. iv. 8; Psal. lviii. 11; Psal. xix. 11; Rom. iv. 4, 5; Psal. cxv. 1; 1 Pet. ii. 5.

4. God's vindictive justice is his punishing sin in the sinner, and taking vengeance on all those who disobey his holy and just commandments.

The justice of God is displayed in various ways. 1. It is displayed in providence in the judgments which he executeth.-Psal. ix. 16. 2. It was displayed in a very striking manner in the sufferings and death of the Lord Jesus Christ. God cannot, in consistency with his perfections, and he will not, pardon sin without a satisfaction. 3. It shall be signally displayed at the general judgment; for he hath appointed a day in which he will judge the world "in righteousness." -Acts xvii. 31. 4. It shall be signally displayed in the everlasting punishment of fallen spirits, and of sinners of mankind condemned at the last day.-Jude 6; 2 Pet. ii. 4.

Obs. 25.-God is infinitely good and merciful.

The goodness of God is that perfection of his nature by which he is infinitely good in himself, and bestows on all his

creatures what they can receive of his goodness in this world. --Psal. cxlv. 9, and cxxxvi. 1.

The goodness of God is commonly distinguished into absolute and relative. 1. His absolute goodness is that essential goodness of his nature which can be imparted to none. 2. His relative goodness is that which he bestows upon his creatures.

In Scripture the goodness of God is distinguished by different names, according to the manner in which, and the objects about which, it is exercised. As it inclines him to promote the happiness of his creatures, and to delight in them, it is called love. As it inclines him to supply their wants, which he is not bound to do, it is called bounty.-Psal. cxvi. 7. As it inclines him to manifest himself to the undeserving, or to those who deserve nothing but what is evil, it is called grace. -Rom. iii. 24. As it inclines him not to execute judgment immediately on the sinner, but to forbear for a time, it is called patience or long-suffering.-Exod. xxxiv. 6; 2 Pet. iii. 9; 1 Pet. iii. 20, &c.

The goodness of God is displayed,-1. In the works of creation in giving being to so many things, of which he stood in no need, and without which he was infinitely happy. But especially in the creation of man: in making him for his worship and service in this world, and for the enjoyment of him in the world to come. 2. In the works of providence : in respect of which it is either common or special. The common goodness of God is that which he bestows on all his creatures, rational and irrational, without distinction.-Psal. xxxiii. 5, and xxxvi. 6; Matt. v. 45. His special goodness is that which he manifests to a certain number of lost mankind in their redemption through Jesus Christ.-John iii. 16, and xv. 13. 3. The goodness of God will be displayed in a glorious manner at the "day of final retribution."-Psal. xxxi. 19; Matt. xxv. 34; 1 Cor. ii. 9.

Obs. 26.—God is infinitely true and faithful.

The truth or faithfulness of God is that perfection of his nature by which he is true in himself, and by which it is impossible for him not to fulfil whatever he hath promised, or not to bring to pass whatever he hath purposed.-Deut. xxxii. 4; Exod. xxxiv. 6.

We may here observe, that this perfection of God has respect chiefly to the revelation of his will in the Scriptures. -Matt. v. 18.

The truth of God is displayed,-1. In his works of providence. No providential act which strikes the observation of a number of mankind, takes place in the world, but what is founded on the declarations of his Word.-Gen. viii. 22; Psal. xxv. 10, and cxi. 7-9. 2. In his Word; both in its promises and in its threatenings.-Matt. xxiv. 35; 1 Kings viii. 56; Numb. xxiii. 19; Isa. xlvi. 11; Jer. iv. 28; 2 Sam. vii. 28; Isa. xxv. 1; Ezek. xii. 25; Heb. x. 23, and xi. 11; 2 Cor. i. 20. 3. The truth and faithfulness of God will be fully manifested at the last judgment. All his promises to his people in this world, and all his threatenings against the wicked, shall be, as it were, concentred here.

INFERENCES.

From this subject we learn the following things :

From the spirituality of God we learn,-1. The necessity of worshipping him in spirit and in truth. 2. That we ought to speak of God with reverence. 3. The sinfulness of form

ing any representation of him, either externally or internally. 4. That God alone can be the chief good of our souls, which are spirits.

From the infinity of God, and the attributes included in it, we learn,-1. That no affliction or temptation can befall the righteous without his knowledge and sympathy. 2. That God is well acquainted with the most secret retirements of the sinner. 3. That if the sinner continue to go on in his sins, God will be present with him in the place of everlasting punishment, displaying his awful justice for ever.

From the eternity of God we learn,-1. That the righteous have reason to rejoice, because their God liveth and reigneth for evermore. 2. That the wicked have great reason to tremble. Eternity is a word which will break the hearts of sinners in that place which mercy never enters.

From the unchangeableness of God we learn,-1. That it is a source of strong consolation to the righteous, that God rests in his love; that whom he loveth, he loveth to the end. 2. What terror the consideration of the unchangeable purpose of God concerning the wicked may cause to arise in their minds.

From the being of God we learn,-1. That he will assuredly accomplish all his purposes to his people. 2. The necessity of an interest in this God, whose name is "I am," and who remaineth unchangeably the same.

From the wisdom of God we learn,-1. That no evil can

befall the righteous which shall not work for their spiritual good. Job v. 13; Rom. viii. 28. 2. That God is acquainted with the thoughts of the heart, and with the secret wickedness of the sinner, although concealed from the world.-Heb. iv. 13. 3. The necessity of worshipping God in spirit and in truth; seeing he knows whether our hearts are right in his sight or not. 4. Gratitude to God for the wonderful display of his wisdom in the plan of redemption.

From the power of God we learn,-1. That he will perform whatever he hath promised. 2. That the people of God ought to trust in him in the greatest difficulties. 3. To learn to do well; to cease to do evil: God is able to save ; he has power to destroy. 4. That sinners ought to take warning to flee from the wrath to come.-Job. ix. 4. 5. To beware of abusing the power of God, by "limiting the Holy One of Israel."-Psal. lxxviii. 19-41.

From the holiness of God we learn,-1. The contrariety of sin to his spotless nature. 2. The danger to which they expose themselves, who are strangers to holiness, or who love the ways of sin. 3. The necessity of evangelical holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord.-2 Cor. vi. 17. 4. The necessity of hating sin with a perfect hatred, of walking in the ways of God, and of obeying his commandments. 5. The necessity of an interest in Jesus Christ, in whose righteousness alone we can stand with confidence before God.

From the justice of God we learn,-1. That we ought to acknowledge his ways towards us to be faithfulness and truth. 2. That he will not allow sin to pass with impunity. 3. The danger of impenitence. 4. The truth of the general judgment. 5. That we ought to endeavour to imitate God in justice.-Mic. vi. 8; Matt. xxii. 21.

From the goodness of God we learn,-1. That God alone is the portion of the soul. 2. To beware of abusing his goodness. 3. Gratitude to him for the goodness which he bestows upon us. 4. To be resigned to every dispensation of his providence. 5. That we ought to imitate God in this perfection.

From the truth of God we learn,-1. That we have most sure ground to believe, that what God hath said shall be accomplished. 2. That secure and careless sinners have reason to be afraid. 3. To beware of hypocrisy in the worship of God, and of deceitfulness in our dealings in the world.