fall under fufpicion, is sure to bear the whole weight of our refentment.

Whereas the very confideration of our own ignorance, and the difficulty of coming to the truth; fhould work in us a quite contrary effect.-In facts that are known and ascertained, we fhould fear to exceed the bounds of. justice: And where it amounts to a fufpicion only, we fhould not only suspend, but even endeavour to suppress our resentment.

4. But that which paints the goodnefs of God and the cruelty of man, in the strongest light, is this; our most merciful father, as he is thoroughly acquainted with our frailties and infirmities, is graciously pleased to make all the allowances in our favour that

our

1

our cafe will bear; he pities us, as a father pitieth his own children; nay, he even points out the way to a reconciliation, and immediately, upon our repentance and compliance with his orders, reinftates us fully in his favour: Nay! further, he enjoins fuch eafy terms of our acceptance, that it is a pleasure to perform them.

Thus, as foon as David had uttered this pathetic deprecation for his people, " Lo! I have finned, and I have "done wickedly; but thefe fheep, what have they done? Let thine “hand I pray thee, be against me,

and against my father's houfe!" God inftantly stopped the arm of the deftroying angel, who was hovering over Jerufalem, and ready to cut off it's numerous inhabitants at one blow;

blow; and inftantly dispatched Gad with directions to David to facrifice on the threshing floor of Araunah the Jefubite. David flew with transport to Araunah, he facrificed, God accepted him, and the plague was ftayed.

In like manner, but far more extenfively, is the mercy of God, in a most surprizing and astonishing manner, exhibited to mankind, by the redemption of all the world by Chrift Jefus.

An offended God, in his anger, thinketh upon mercy; himself propofes the means of our falvation; causeth his only begotten Son to be facrificed for us; is infinitely fatisfied with the atonement; accepts us into his favour

on

on earth; affists us with his Holy Spirit that we may continue to please him; continually liftens to the interceffion of his Son for the pardon of our repeated offences; freely pardons them for his fake; and at last will receive us into his heavenly kingdom of infinite happiness and eternal glory.-And all the conditions that he requires on our parts, are only, faith and repentance,

But I have been endeavouring to defcribe in few words, that infinite goodness and mercy of God, which must be our employment and delight to praise and adore for endless ages in the blessed regions above: and yet I am so far from apologizing for the attempt, that it grieves me to call off your attention to a more disagreeable prospect. It is necessary however, for

our

our own improvement, that we should next confider, how directly opposite is the behaviour of man to that which I have been defcribing.

And here, although we cannot be ignorant of the frailties and infirmities of our neighbour; yet whenever we chance to be offended at him, we make no allowance for the weakness of his understanding, the ftrength of his temptation, nor the height of his paffions, which might, any, or all of them, occafion his offence: Neither yet do we once reflect on our own imperfections, or the provocations we may have given him; but expect as blameless a behaviour from him, as if he were beyond human nature perfect, and we quite spotless and innocent.

And fo far are we from being

gentle