Were it at any time the intention of the Almighty to inflict deserved punishment on a particular district, or class of men, without deranging the whole structure of our globe, we have also an experimental proof how easily this could be effected, even without infringing the established laws of nature. He has only to condense the powerful energies of the electrical fluid in a large cloud, and to despatch it on the wings of the wind, to discharge its thunderbolts on any particular city, or mountain, or plain, -and the work of destruction is instantly accomplished. A striking instance of this kind happened, in the year 1772, in the island of Java, in the East Indies. On the 11th of August, at the dead hour of night, a bright cloud was observed covering a mountain in the district of Cheribon, and at the same moment several reports were heard, like those of a cannon. The people who dwelt on the upper parts of the mountain not being able to fly with sufficient swiftness, a great part of the cloud, about nine miles in circumference, detached itself under them, and was seen at a distance, rising and falling like the waves of the sea, and emitting globes of fire so luminous, that the night became as clear as day. The effects of this dreadful explosion were astonishing. Every thing was destroyed for twenty miles around. The houses were demolished; the plantations were buried in the earth; vast numbers of goats, sheep, and horses, and 1500 head of cattle were destroyed; and above two thousand human beings were in a moment plunged into the gulf of eternity.* "With God is terrible Majesty. Who can stand

*In this, and the other illustrations of this subject stated above, I consider the Divine Being as the grand agent in directing the operations of the elements, but without infringing those general laws which are found to operate with undeviating constancy in the system of the universe. To explore the manner in which these general laws are directed to produce certain specific effects, in reference to particular regions and tribes of mankind, must obviously be beyond the limits of our faculties; unless we could enter into all the designs of the Eternal Mind,, when he gave birth to the universe, and arranged its elementary parts and unless we could take a comprehensive view of the remotest tendencies of the elements of nature, and the times and circumstances in which they shall produce a specific and extraordinary effect. All these tendencies and circumstances were before the Mind of the Eternal Jehovah, when he established the plan of his moral

before his indignation? who can abide in the fierceness of his anger? The mountains quake before him; the hills melt, and the earth is burned at his presence. "Let all the earth fear the Lord; let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him."

Thus it appears, that God is not an unconcerned Spectator of the ways of men-that he has every moment at his command, the most destructive elements of nature-and that we have abundant proofs that these destructive elements have been occasionally used, for inflicting condign punishment on the workers of iniquity. Notwithstanding these resources of vengeance, we find, by experience, that his Mercy is exercised, from year to year, and from century to century, towards a world, the majority of whose inhabitants are daily trampling under foot his sacred institutions, and his holy laws. The instances which occur, of the devastations of the hurricane, the thunder, the volcano, the earthquake, and the pestilence, are comparatively few, and seem intended chiefly to arouse the attention of thoughtless and ungrateful man; to prevent him from running to the extreme of wickedness; and to convince him that "the Most High ruleth in the kingdoms of men," and that "verily there is a God who judgeth in the earth." Hence we may perceive the striking emphasis of the language of the inspired writers: "The Lord is slow to anger," and yet "great in power."

This display of the exercise of perfect self-command in the Divine Mind, is, therefore, calculated, as well as his wisdom and goodness, to inspire us with emotions of Reverence, Admiration, and Love. "The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy. As

government; and, therefore, whatever events may occur in the physical system, must be considered as the accomplishment of his moral purposes, in reference to the moral agents he has created.-It would be presumptuous in so limited a being as man, to determine, in every case, what is the precise moral reason of the extraordinary destructive effects of physical agents. We can only say, in general, that they are connected with the sin and depravity of man. But, at that solemn day, when the reasons of the Divine dispensations shall be laid open, it will perhaps be found, that such uncommon and alarming effects were the punishment of aggravated transgressions, the peculiar malignity and tendency of which were removed, in a great measure, beyond the sphere of general observation.

the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him. Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits."

SECTION VI.

Of the Rectitude of the Divine Character.

Another perfection in the character of God, which is calculated to inspire confidence and affection, is his Justice, or, the Rectitude of his nature.

The Rectitude of the Divine Being, in its most extensive sense, consists in doing that which, in all cases, is right upon the whole; or, in other words, that which will have the greatest tendency to promote the order and happiness of his universal empire. It includes under it, the idea of distributive justice, which consists in rewarding the good, and punishing the bad, according to equitable laws, calculated to produce harmony and happiness throughout the whole intelligent system. This perfection of the Deity may be considered as a branch of his general benevolence, which appears to be the source of all his moral attributes, and the spring of all his actions. The display of his natural and moral perfections, and the general happiness of the intelligences which exist throughout his immense and eternal empire, appear to be the great objects in view, in his moral government of the universe: and, in order to secure these objects, it is requisite that justice be impartially administered, according to the eternal rules of rectitude, and that “ every one be rewarded according to his works."

That this attribute is possessed by the Divine Being, in the highest degree, appears from the following considerations. He exists, and has always existed, completely independent of all his creatures; he is in the actual possession of boundless felicity, which no other being can interrupt; and is consequently liable to no evil, nor diminution of enjoyment. He is Omnipotent, and therefore can accomplish whatever he pleases, and can

effectually prevent whatever might detract from his happiness, or disturb the order of his government. He has, therefore, nothing to fear from any other being, and can desire nothing from his creatures to increase his felicity. Consequently, no possible motive or temptation can exist, to induce him to inflict an act of injustice on any of the intellectual beings he has formed. Injustice among men, proceeds either from want of intelligence to discriminate between what is right and wrong; from wantof power to bring their purposes into effect; from the fear of some evil or disadvantage which may arise from the impartial distribution of justice; from the idea of some imaginary good of which they might be deprived; from some mental defect incident to the present state of humanity; from some prejudice against the individuals towards whom justice ought to be administered; or from the indulgence of some cruel and depraved dispositions. But none of these causes or motives can exist in the mind of the All-perfect and infinite Creator. His comprehensive eye takes in, at one glance, all the circumstances, even the most minute, on which a righteous decision depends; he is no "respecter of persons ;" he can indulge no malevolent dispositions; he can expect no accession of enjoyment from an act of injustice; he has nothing to fear from the execution of his decisions; his power is all-sufficient to bring them into full effect, at the time, and in the manner, which is most conducive to the happiness of the universe; and his benevolence, which is displayed throughout all his works, effectually prevents him from withholding good, or inflicting evil, beyond the desert of the subjects of his government.

This character of the Deity is amply exhibited and confirmed in the declarations of Sacred Scripture; where it is asserted, that "He is a God of truth, and without iniquity; just and right is he." "Thou art just," says Nehemiah, "in all that is brought upon us; for thou hast done right, but we have done wickedly." "Shall mortal man be more just than God? Surely God will not do wickedly, neither will the almighty pervert judgment. Wilt thou condemn Him that is most just? Is it fit to say to a king, Thou art wicked; or to princes, Ye are ungodly? How much less to him who accepteth not

the persons of princes, nor regardeth the rich more than the poor ?" "The righteous Lord loveth righteousness; he shall judge the world in righteousness; he shall minister judgment to the people in uprightness. Justice and judgment are the foundation of his throne. The Lord our God is righteous in all his works which he doth," "I am the Lord who exercise judgment and righteousness in the earth." "God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love which ye have showed towards his name. Great and marvellous are thy works, Lord God Almighty; just and true are thy ways, thou King of saints." The equitable laws which he has promulgated to his creatures; the justice he requires to be, exercised. by one man to another; his promises of reward, and his threatenings of punishment; and the impressive judgments which he has executed on individuals, on nations, and on the world at large, all bear testimony to the existence of perfect rectitude in the Divine character.

But, although Scripture and Reason combine in attesting the immutable Justice of God, we are unable, in many instances, to trace the display of this perfection in his dispensations towards the inhabitants of our world. This is owing, in part, to the false maxims by which we form a judgment of his procedure; to the limited views we are obliged to take of the objects of his government; to the want of a comprehensive knowledge of the whole plan of his dispensations, and the ends to be effected by them; to the limited views we have acquired of the whole range of his universal dominious; and to our ignorance of the relations which may subsist, between our world and the inhabitants of other provinces of the Divine Empire. We behold many of "the excellent of the earth" pining in the abodes of poverty, and almost unnoticed by their fellow-men; while we behold the wicked elevated to stations of power, and encircled with riches and splendour. From a false estimate of true enjoyment, we are apt to imagine, that misery surrounds the one, and that happiness encircles the other; and that there is an apparent act of injustice in these different allotments; whereas, God may have placed the one in the midst of worldly prosperity as a punishment for his sins,