cession the immediate results of creating power, and the contrivances of wisdom and love, without feeling impressed with the extent of that goodness which pervades all his operations, and on which all his purposes are founded. The elements are the ministers of his will, and are carrying on the designs of his government. " Fire and hail, snow and vapour, and stormy wind, fulfil his word," and are the necessary agents in completing the scheme of paternal kindness. "The Lord is good to all; and his tender mercies are over all his works. The eyes of all wait on thee; and thou givest them their meat in due season. Thou openest thine hand, and satisfiest the desire of every living thing."

Further; the goodness of God is shewn in his providence, by his rendering all his dispensations in relation to the happiness and improvement of each individual, a subject of gratitude and praise. We are taught in the Scriptures, that the minutest circumstances are under his direction and control; that even a sparrow does not fall to the ground without his permission; and that the hairs of our head are all numbered. We learn that the bounds of our habitation are determined; that our days on earth are appointed; and that all things work together for good to them that love God. If each of us will take a survey of his own history, what illustrations will it afford of paternal goodness, and what grounds for thankfulness to our heavenly Father. It was he who provided for us the tender food that first nourished us, that implanted in the bosom of the mother that affection which made her sacrifice her own ease to our enjoyment, and whose endearing fondness awakened and cherished the kindly feelings of our infant hearts.

His providence our life sustain'd,
And all our wants redress'd,

When in the silent womb we lay,
And hung upon the breast.

Have not each of the years that have intervened been marked with innumerable blessings? May not each of us say, in the recollection of all the way through which the Lord our God has led us, My Father, thou hast been the guide of my youth? While on looking back we see the woeful extent of our disobedience, we cannot discover any abatement of the goodness and compassion of God. Even in the visitations of his providence which have been most painful, when deprived of parents, or friends, or sources of happiness, to which we had attached peculiar importance, have we not had reason afterwards to mark in these bereavements the kindness of God, the salutary chastisement of the Father of our spirits, correcting us for our profit, that we might be made the partakers of his holiness? Does not the experience of each justify him in saying, "It is good for me that I have been afflicted; that I might learn thy statutes; before I was afflicted I went astray; but now have I kept thy word."

Nor is it merely in affliction in general that the goodness of God is manifest, but in its peculiar adaptation to our individual circumstances. Our chastisements have had a designed reference to the dispositions which they are intended to improve, and to the faults in our character which it is their object to correct.

Whatever be the idol that withdraws our heart from God, and which engages those affections that should be fixed supremely on Him, the divine providence, which makes our moral and religious improvement in connexion with our happiness the object of its care, will sooner or later remove from us. And why should we repine at the pain which its removal may inflict, when it is the means of saving us from far greater evils, and forms a part of the discipline necessary for fitting us for the kingdom of our Father? The chastisement, while it is in all cases less than our iniquities deserve, is mercifully intended for our individual improvement. For though the Lord cause grief, yet will he have compassion according to the multitude of his mercies. For he doth not afflict willingly nor grieve the children of men. "Bless the Lord, O my soul; and all that is within me, bless his holy name. Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits; who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases; who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with loving-kindness and tender mercies."

Further; the goodness of God is shewn in his providence, by his preserving from age to age the order and happiness of society. In illustration of this we might notice the restraints which he lays on the passions of the people, not only by human government and laws, but by his invisible operation. We might also notice the way in which he promotes the good of the whole, by giving to the different members of the community different inclinations, and by allowing each to act according to the peculiar turn of

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endearing fondness awakened and cherished
feelings of our infant hearts.

His providence our life sustain'
And all our wants redress'd

When in the silent womb we
And hung upon the breas

On the Goodneer o

the idol that withdraws our
th engages those affections that l

on Him, the divine providence,
oral and religious improvement in
ppiness the object of its care,
ove from us. And why should
wing us from far greater
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discipline necessary for

Father? The chasti

than our iniqust our individual im

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Have not each of the years been marked with innumerabl each of us say, in the rec through which the Lord our thou hast been the guid looking back we see t obedience, we cannot goodness and compa tations of his provi ful,-when depriv of happiness, to portance, have in these beres tary chastise ing us for takers of each jus have b

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perity of

or instances of good of mankind us to admire the beneuder 'mercies are seen in

all the circumstances of life.

s is further manifest in providence on us so many religious advantages. Lot the less illustrative of the divine goodthey are partial in their distribution. In

se they are numerous, diversified, and long conged; commencing with our being entrusted to reigious parents who made it their business affectionately to teach us the way of salvation; and prolonged in a faithful ministry of the Gospel by which God has

" entreating us to be reconciled to himself. We

ich has been given by inspiration an exhaustless treasury of vilty world, which extends 'fe to the penitent and th its light the darkglory. We have race, and the to our deuch in

dness of

willing that

come to repent

us, who makes our

the object of his care, one more to my vineyard, at? Wherefore, when I looked orth grapes, brought it forth wild

On the Goodness of God.

241

he idol that withdraws our heart from gages those affections that should n Him, the divine providence, od religious improvement in is the object of its care, moval may inthet, And why sheal

CHAPTER X.

ON THE DIVINE GOODNESS.

I FORMERLY noticed, that unless we admit the moral corruption and the blame-worthiness of man, and that the present state is a state of imperfection preparatory to a higher dispensation, we cannot prove that God is infinitely good. But with this admission we have traced the infinitude of his benevolence through his works of creation, of providence, and of redemption, and have seen especially in the Cross of Christ a most