hath a right to fay unto him what doeft thou. He will therefore acknowledge God's propriety in him-his right to dispose of him as he pleases, both as to his prefent and his eternal state. - He hath no will, but the will of God, is cheerfully resigned to the dealings of his Providence and makes it his last end to serve and glorify him. Again, The just man will render to God his dues as moral Governor, by obedience to all his commands, or compliance with all his revealed will. It is the high prerogative of God, as moral Goyernor of the universe, to enact a law infinitely binding upon the consciences of his creatures, for the regulation of all their exercises and actions to fanction this law with the most heavy denunciations of his wrath against the transgressor, and promises of the most glorious rewards to the obedient. Such a law God hath given, transcribed from his moral perfections, and exhibiting the beauty of his moral character. It is also sanctioned by promises and threatenings corresponding to the infinite dignity of the Lawgiver. This law however, is not a code of arbitrary rules, making virtues or crimes of actions in their own nature indifferent, and which might have been thus or otherwise, according only to the mere will of the Lawgiver, and for no other reafon: But the whole and every part of the divine law is founded in the highest reason the most perfect equity; and it is morally impossible that it should be in the least respect different from what it is; for the law of the Lord is perfect. It will not admit of the leaft alteration or amendment. It does the most perfect justice both to God and the creature. It explains and enforces the eternal rule of right, or fitness of things, which was antecedent to the existence of creatures, or the promulgation of any law, and is as neceffary as the being and perfections of God.God is love, and his character is fully expressed in his law. It is a law of love, and every part of it speaks the purest good will to being. Every act of obedience to God's law is an exercise of love to being as fuch, and is varied only according to the different objects or parts of being to which it has immediate respect. The rule by which we are to apportion our love is perfectly reasonable and juft; that is, to prefer the greater good to the less the univerfalto the lim. ited-to love every being in proportion to his worth and impor tance in the system, or according to his quantity of being, and capacity of enjoying happiness. This is a dictate of reafon, and is at once approved by the confcience as just and right. That law of God, therefore, which is built upon this foundation, is a most reasonable and just law. It is perfectly reasonable and right that the creature should be required to love the Lord his God, with all his heart, foul, strength and mindfor God is infinitely the greatest of all beings, and his happiness is of greater worth than that of all his creatures. He is therefore infinitely the most deferving object of affection. Hence we are to love him with the whole strength of our affections, and in the highest poffible degree. The whole of our love is due to God. Here, perhaps, a question may arife; how is this consistent with the duties of the second tablethe duties we owe to our fellowmen, comprised in this "Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself?" If the whole of our love be due to God, what remains for our fel- || low-creatures ? We cannot give more than the whole ? This doubt may be easily solved. The seeming difficulty will vanish, when once we entertain properly enlarged views of God, and the immenfity of his being. God is not only the fource, but the sum of all being. He doth neither diminish, nor add to his being, by giving existence to creatures. Infinitude can neither be lessened, nor increased. All creatures live in God, and have no existence independent of him; for it is in him, we live and move and have our beings. Love to God, therefore, is love to all beings; as the greater implies the less, and the whole includes all its parts. Creatures, then, having no being independent of God, we are not to love them, unconnectedly with him. The second command, we read, is like unto the first, "Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself." It is a love, the fame in kind, and has the same ultimate object. He that loves his neighbor as a creature of God, loves him for God's fake, as well as for his own fake, and this is as truly an exercise of love to God, as to love a child for the parent's fake, is an exercise of love to the parent. Such is the nature, the moral beauty and excellency of the law of God. It is the rule of conduct which God himself obferves both in relation to himself, and his creatures. It is an expression of the moral affections of the divine mind, and here they meet and centre with the feelings, affections and defires rof the just man. God is a being - of infinite justice, in acting according to his own daw. There is the fame reason why God should love himself infinitely, as that we should love him with all our heart and strength, and it is in the exercise of this love to himself, that he loves his creatures as the creatures of his power, and capable of partaking of his infinite happiness. And, therefore, it is true too, that God loves his creatures as himself - that is to say, with the same kind of love, and in degree according to the worth and importance of each one in the system. This law is the rule of the just man'sconformity to God. It alfo lays a foundation for his highest complacency in the divine character. He loves fupremely that infinitely benevolent character, which the law expresses. He approves of the law as holy just and good. It is the subject of his daily and most delightful meditation. It is written upon his heart and every precept of it copied out in his life, in acts of chearful constant obedience, thro' all the various duties both to God, and his fellow men. The law of love is the rule of his life. He renders unto all their dues tribute to whom tribute is due, custom to whom custom, fear to whom fear, honor to whom honor. In all his intercourse with his fellow men, and in the various relations he sustains he exercises the spirit of his station, and has a facred regard to that golden, universal rule of equity, " to do to others, as he would that they should do to him."-But 2. The just man, not only renders to God, and his fellow creatures their dues, but he gives to himself his due. He is just to himself. There is more importancein this thought, than what, perhaps, may at first be imagined. It is one diftinguishing mark of the just man; and certain it is, that if destitute of this he forfeits the character. Unless he does justice to himself, But the just man has different views of the subject. He does himself better justice. In his application of the law he is impartial. He hears it as speaking to, commanding and threatening himself as well as others. His convictions of truth begin at home. He reads them in the humble penitent, exercises of his own heart, realizing the penalty of the law, as aimed directly at himself. His heart says amen to the sentence, even tho' he should be the subject of it. He feels it is just. He acknowledges it to be right that he is a hell-deferving creature, and divine justice would shine bright and glorious forever in his destruction. He is vile and guilty in his own view, and tho' he loves himself as a creature of God, yet he can exercise no complacency in his own char. acter. Humility is his honesty. Pride is a dishonest exercise. Supreme, exclusive self love is the highest kind of injustice, of which a creature can be guilty. It is withholding from God, and all creatures their dues, and paying them to myself. he does justice neither to his God, not infinitely guilty, and deserving nor his fellow creatures. There to be eternally curst and sent to are many who professedly approve hell." of the law of God, and profess to love that character of God, which thelaw exhibits; theirvisible conduct too is unimpeachable-none can charge them with injustice to their fellow men; when at the same time they are unjust to themselves they refuse to render to themselves their dues. This fully proves their hypocrify. It evidences that the law was never written upon their hearts, and that they render to no being his dues. They will acknowledge that the penalty of the law is entirely, infinitely just that mankind are universally tranfgreffors of the law and confequently justly deserving to suffer its penalty. This acknowledgment is perhaps but conforming to the established orthodoxy of the society to which they belong, and which from infancy they were taught to believe; it is therefore easily made in wholesale-it costs them nothing; for the fact is they have a secret reserve in their own favor, and do not bring themselves into the account. But when they really come to apply it to themselves the cafe is materially altered -they are so dishonest they will not own their true character-will not acknowledge the guilt, the law charges upon them, and the justice of its threatened punishment. The language of Hazael is the reply their proud hearts will immediately suggest-" Is thy fervant a dog that he should do this? I have no enmity towards my God I love my heavenly Father, who is so kind and beneficent to me, does me fo much good-it is impoffible not to love him, and not to feel a disposition to obey him. Some fins of ignorance and human frailty, it is true I have committed, but I am 3. The just man renders to Christ his dues. He ascribes to him the appropriate titles, and incommunicable character of the supreme God. He also cordially acknowledges and embraces Christ in his Mediatorial character and offices, as God and man united in one perfon-the promised Messiah, the anointed and fent of God, the faithful and true witness; the light of the world, the Redeemer and Saviour of men-the King of Zion-the Lord of heaven and earth and the judge of quick and dead. He believes the record God hath given of his fom of his doctrines, miracles, life, death, refurrection | in the fight of God. And if God and afcenfion- that he is feated at condemns us it is of no confequence to us, who else shall justify us. If God accounts us unjust, it is not the united voice of the universe of creatures can reverse the judgment, or make us justfor it is God who justifieth. If we have taken a correct view of the character of the just man, it is certain that none but the regenerate are just, or render any part of their dues, either to God, or their fellow-men. It is in vain for us to flatter ourselves that we are just, while our hearts are at enmity with God, and opposed to his character and law. We must be born of God, before we can be led by his Spirit. The heart must be made good ground before it can yield the fruits of righteoufness. Let all realize this important truth, and feeling justly condemned, and spiritually flain by the law, be led by faith to Chrift, who is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believes. the right hand of God, and ever liveth to make intercession for his people that he is continually carrying on the work of redemption by giving repentance unto Ifrael and forgiveness of fins, and apply ing by his fpirit to all his redeemed, the saving benefits of his death and purchase; as the King and Law- ❘ giver the head of all authority, and of all vital influences to his elect Church, unto whom he is made of God, wisdom, righteoufness, sanctification and redemption. Such is the high and holy character of the Lord Jesus Christ, to which the heart of the just man is conformed and assimilated. He rejoices in the manifestation Christ hath made of the divine righteoufness, and the honor he hath paid to the divine law. His character and offices, cause and interest, interceffion and mediatorial government are unspeakably endeared to him. Christ is precious to his foul the object of his fupreme affection the foundation of all his hope and trust, and his only way of access to the Father. He reveres his authority, submits to his government, renders obedience to his laws, and devotes himself to his service, and thus renders to Christ the things that are his due. ASAPH. (To be continued.) Prayer, a weapon peculiar to those. who fight under Chrift, the Captain of our falvaton. [Continued from page 220.] NUMBER II. I T is good for me to draw These are the outlines and diftinguishing marks of the character of the just man. It is but imperfectly sketched, yet may be profitably improved. Let me intreat the reader to bring the subject home to his heart in a realizing self-application of the truth. In this exercise, we shall be led to fee that the character of the just man, and the happiness attending it, are neither so easy, nor so common attainments, as are by many imagined. It is a great thing to be just | We have shewn, in a former num. near to God," said the holy Pfalmift: And so says every one, who ever did draw near to God, in the duty of prayer. There is a present pleasure in it, which cannot be described to men, who have not felt it. Besides, prayer is one of the greatest means of procuring those blessings, which we need for time and eternity. ber, what victories the old-testament faints obtained over their enemies, when they fought with this their peculiar weapon. By it they stew kings, yea famous kings. One chased a thousand and two put ten thousand to flight. Let us now look into the newtestament, and fee if we cannot find fomething there to encourage Christians to be more abundant in prayer. No doubt, Herod that proud tyrant, who fought the life of the Babe of Bethlehem was overcome by prayer: Not by the prayers of those superstitious, hypocritical Pharifees, who stood at the corners of streets, that they might be heard of men; but by the prayers of fuch humble fupplicants, as Jofeph and Mary, Zacharias and Elizabeth, Simeon and Anna. The prayers of Anna alone were enough to counteract the malice and wiles of Herod. St. Luke says, "She was a widow of about fourscore and four years; who departed not from the temple, but ferved God with fastings and prayers night and day." Simeon waited for the consolation of Ifrael. Prayer is one thing neceffarily implied in waiting upon God. Thefe praying few, who were, at that time, scattered thro' the land of Ifrael, will no doubt be honored of God as the champions, who, by their prayers, refcued the infant Saviour from the hands of those, who fought his life. Jesus of Nazareth had many powerful and bitter enemies. They were continually feeking to get something, whereby they might accuse and condemn him. At last, they came out against him with fwords and staves to take him. They employed carnal weapons against him; but during the whole of his life, he ufed no fuch: weap ons. That paffage in the 109th Pfalm has a very particular reference to Chrift; "They fought against me without a caufe.* For my love they are my adversaries; but I give myself unto prayer." By this passage we learn how it was that Christ opposed his enemies; he gave himself to prayer. He was eminent for prayer. In this thing, he was the true antitype of David, whose prayers and praifes make a most precious part of the holy scriptures. We read of Chrift's spending the whole night in prayer; and of his rifing up a great while before day to retire into a folitary place to pray. This, my brethren, is the man, who hath left us an example, that we should follow in his steps. In that memorable night, when his Father took off restraint, and let his enemies loofe upon him, he gave himself unto prayer. He first prayed with his difciples, and then he poured out his foul to his Father in secret. He prayed and he prevailed. They came against him with swords and staves he was given up into their hands to mock, to condemn and crucify. He fell; but when he fell, he conquered. "Who in the days of his lesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications, with strong crying and tears, unto him that was able to fave him from death, and was heard in that he feared." The prayers and interceffions of Christ are very prevalent. In answer to them, God will bestow pardon and eternal life upon all the redeemed. It is the Father's appointed way, in bestow. ing blessings upon our fallen world to have respect to the interceffion of Chrift; " Afk of me," my Son, " and I shall give thee," &c. |