of each other. Pious parents and pious children are mutually attached to each other; and place their own happiness in promoting the happiness of one another. So the kind Parent of the universe places his happiness in the happiness of his immensely numerous offspring; and it would diminish his blessedness, if he saw a single individual among his creatures, that was less happy than he could consistently make him. As Creator, he stands in the same relation to all his creatures, and regards the good of the lowest as well as the highest among them, according to its intrinsic worth and importance. But he has let us know that he cannot make all his creatures happy consistently with the highest good of the whole, nor some so happy as others. Nevertheless it would wound his benevolent heart, if one human person were not as happy as he could consistently make him. It is impossible that God should seek his own glory, without seeking to make his creatures as happy as his perfect wisdom, goodness and power can make them. His glory and their happiness are, therefore, inseparably connected. He knows infinitely better than creatures do, what is most for his glory and for their good; and he means to promote his own glory, that he may promote their greatest good. He will be happy in seeing them happy; and they will be happy in seeing him happy.

3. If God means to gratify his own benevolence in all his conduct, then we may be assured that he never has suffered, and never will suffer any thing to take place in the universe, but what he knows will promote the greatest good of the whole system of moral beings. As this is the supreme object he has in view in all his works, he will cause every thing to take place which will serve to promote his supreme purpose, and prevent every thing from taking place that would either obstruct, or not promote, his ultimate end in creation. Since he has caused both natural and moral evils to exist among his other works of creation, we may be sure that no more natural or moral evil shall exist, than he sees necessary to promote his benevolent purposes. As he designs that the wrath of man shall praise him, so the remainder of wrath he will restrain, or not cause to exist. As he designs that the punishment of his sinful creatures shall promote the holiness and happiness of the heavenly world, so he will not make a greater number miserable, nor in a greater degree, nor in a longer duration, than the accomplishment of his supreme benevolent design requires. He will not suffer any thing to exist in any part of his vast dominions, which will not only gratify his own benevolent heart, but every benevolent heart in the universe. "We know, that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called

according to his purpose." And the heavenly hosts say to God, "Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power; for thou hast created all things; and for thy pleasure they are and were created." God's original and eternal design in creation was to please himself and his holy creatures. He will not, therefore, suffer any creature, object or event to exist, which will not, all things considered, actually please and gratify the hearts of all holy beings. This appears not only from particular passages of scripture, but from God's supreme and ultimate end in creation. It is not a wild and visionary sentiment, as many represent it to be, that every natural and moral evil is the occasion of great good. It is a doctrine founded in the essential attributes of the divine nature; and as certain as the existence of the divine Being.

4. If it be God's supreme design to make himself and his creatures as happy as possible, then we have reason to rejoice that he is absolutely sovereign. If any of his selfish creatures could guide, or stay his hand, they would not suffer him to seek his own happiness, nor the greatest happiness of the universe, but constrain him to promote their own private, personal, selfish happiness. Or if his benevolent creatures could direct or control his conduct, they would prevent his governing the world in the manner he does actually govern it; for they do not discover the wisdom of his providence in ten thousand important instances; and consequently, if they were to direct his conduct, he would order things very differently. But he is infinitely above all his creatures; and his ways are above their ways, and his thoughts above their thoughts. He always knows what is best, can do what is best, and will do what is best, notwithstanding the short sighted views, or selfish desires of any of his creatures. And they all have reason to rejoice in his absolute sovereignty. Christ rejoiced in it. "I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes. Even so, Father, for so it seemed good in thy sight." All the inhabitants of the earth have reason to rejoice that the Lord reigneth as an absolute sovereign; and all the inhabitants of heaven do rejoice in his supremacy. The apostle John, speaking of what he saw and heard in heaven, says, "I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude, and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thunderings, saying, Alleluia; for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth." It is just matter of rejoicing to the whole intelligent creation, that God always acts as a sovereign, without the least control from any other being in the universe. His own blessedness, and the highest felicity of all his holy creatures, entirely

depends upon his being and acting as a sovereign. For by acting in a sovereign and irresistible manner, he will infallibly overrule all things for his own glory; which will necessarily secure the highest good of all his benevolent and dutiful

servants.

5. Since God places his highest happiness in promoting the highest happiness of his creatures, we have solid ground to believe that he will fulfil all his great and precious promises to believers. He has inseparably connected their happiness with If he will certainly seek his own blessedness, he will as certainly seek theirs; and if he is able to make himself most perfectly blessed, he is as able to make all those whom he has set apart for himself, completely blessed. He has made as rich and large promises of good to his people as he can make. He has promised that all things shall work together for good to them that love him; and that all things are theirs; whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come; all are theirs. All the promises which God has made to his people, are founded in his pure and perfect benevolence, and can no more fail than his benevolence can fail. And his love to his creatures can no more fail than his love to himself, because it is pure disinterested love, which regards their good as his own. The same perfectly benevolent spirit which moves him to seek his own blessedness, equally moves him to seek the blessedness of those whom he has renewed and sanctified. As he has begun a good work in them, he will irresistibly carry it on until it is completed. Though they may meet with a thousand difficulties, embarrassments, discouragements and fiery trials, in their Christian course, yet these will no more prevent their receiving the end of their faith, even the salvation of their souls, than they will prevent God's obtaining his supreme and ultimate end, even his own supreme and everlasting blessedness. For the very same things which will promote his glory, will equally promote their final felicity. Hence Christ said to his followers, just before he left them to go to heaven, "Because I live, ye shall live also."

6. If God places his own blessedness in promoting the highest good of the universe, then there is the same solid ground to believe that he will fulfil his threatenings to the wicked, as there is to believe that he will fulfil his promises to the righteous. For the only reason why he determined to save a part and not the whole of mankind, was, because he saw that by saving only a part he could promote the greatest good of the universe, and most clearly act out the benevolence of his heart. His decree of reprobation originated in the same benevolence in

which his decree of election originated. So that there is the same reason to believe that he will carry into effect his decree of reprobation, as there is that he will carry into effect his decree of election. His own blessedness, and the good of the universe, both necessarily require him to execute his decree of reprobation, as well as his decree of election. God's threatenings to the finally wicked stand upon the same immovable foundation that his promises to the finally righteous do. They both stand upon the perfect, immutable benevolence of God. The argument, the principal argument, therefore, which is usually employed to prove that God will not fulfil his threatenings to the wicked, demonstratively proves that he will. The argument is taken from his infinite benevolence. It is said that God is too good to make any of his creatures, even his most sinful ones, for ever miserable. But it was owing to his benevolence to himself and to the universe, that he decreed to save a part and not the whole of the human race; and the same benevolence will infallibly move him to execute this decree. There is precisely the same reason to believe that God will fulfil his threatenings, as that he will fulfil his promises; and the same reason to believe both, that there is to believe that he is perfectly benevolent and infinitely blessed.

7. We learn from what has been said, that none can be miserable, in time or eternity, but those who are unwilling that God should promote the highest good of the universe. Those who are desirous that God should do this, must be completely gratified and blessed, when they shall see this glorious and benevolent design accomplished. But those who are unwilling that God should bring about this happy event, must of necessity be completely disappointed and wretched. And do not those who are hostile to the highest good of the universe, deserve the disapprobation and condemnation of all holy and benevolent beings? Do they not deserve the tokens of God's displeasure, and of the displeasure of all the heavenly world? But who are they that are unwilling God should promote the highest good of the universe? They are certainly such as are unwilling that God should glorify himself, by punishing the finally impenitent and incorrigible. And are there not many such in this world, who would rather God should not be glorified in promoting the highest blessedness of himself, and the highest happiness of the universe, than that he should make either themselves or others miserable for ever? All unrenewed sinners possess such selfish feelings, and desire that God would make them happy, though it should diminish his own blessedness, and obstruct the highest good of the universe. And they bitterly complain of God, if he will not gratify their selfish feel

ings. But it is morally impossible for him to gratify their selfish and sinful desires. He must pursue and accomplish his benevolent purposes, though it sinks them in endless perdition. But this they might escape, if they would only renounce their unreasonable and selfish desires, and exercise pure and disinterested benevolence, which is their indispensable duty. God's ways are equal; he regards the good of the whole, more than the good of individuals; but their ways are unequal; for they regard the good of individuals more than the good of the whole. It would be infinitely wrong for God to renounce his benevolent object, and pursue their selfish object. But it would be perfectly wise and right in them to renounce their object, and pursue his. Therefore "let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts, and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon."

Finally: Let all the friends of God appear on his side, in this murmuring, repining, unbelieving, rebellious world, who hate him and oppose him without a cause. Let them go on their way rejoicing, while others murmur and complain. Let them unite with God in carrying on his designs, while others attempt to counteract and oppose them. Let them love and promote truth, while others run into errors and fatal delusions. They have the greatest encouragement to do this; for God is on their side, and employing all his perfections for their good. He is promoting the most benevolent design, which he will infallibly accomplish. By its accomplishment, he will raise the holiness and happiness of the universe to the highest possible perfection, which shall continue for ever and ever. And in the highest holiness and happiness of the universe, God will perfectly gratify his infinite benevolence, and enjoy infinite and everlasting blessedness. Amen.