This vision God accompanied with a distinct and audible annunciation of his own attributes, as a God of infinite majesty, of almighty power, of unbounded mercy, and of immaculate and inexorable justice ; all of which perfections were illustrative of his goodness d. Here it is of importance to observe, that God's justice, no less than his mercy, is an essential part of his goodness. As in human governments the exercise of justice, however painful to those who by their violations of the law have incurred a sentence of condemna- tion, is beneficial to the whole community ; so is it in the divine government, which, if it allowed impunity to trans- gressors, would be disparaged and dishonoured.
The particular perfection of sovereignty is supposed by many to be in direct opposition to the attribute of goodness ; and is therefore denied by them as having any existence, or at least any exercise, in the divine government. But, the very moment that God says to Moses, " I will make all my goodness pass
d Exod. xxxiv. 5 — 7.
b ver. 20.
2 ver. 20—23.
530 EXODUS, XXXIII. 18, 19. [m.
before thee," he adds, " and I will proclaim the name of the Lord before thee, and 1 will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will shew mercy to whom I will sheio mercy." This perfection, therefore, in conjunction with all the rest, must be considered as constituting an essential part of the divine character, and as properly illustrating his " goodness."
And here let me remark, that it is not in any single per- fection that God's glory consists, but in the united and harmonious exercise of all. " God is light," we are tolde. Now light consists of many different rays, some of a more brilliant, and others of a more sombre aspect : and we can no more detach from it those which are of a darker hue, than those which are more bright and vivid. It is in the union and just admixture of all, that light consists. And so it is with respect to the divine glory ; to which all God's perfections — the more forbidding or terrific attributes of sovereignty and justice, no less than the more endearing perfections of love and mercy — are necessary. And this view of the divine glory fully answered the wishes of Moses, which a more literal compliance with his petition, even if it could have been endured, would not so well have satisfied.]
A more distinct explanation of the particulars con- tained in this answer to Moses will more properly arise, whilst we make^
II. Some reflections arising out of his success —
Behold here,
1 . The excellence of the Gospel —
[In the Gospel, all that was vouchsafed to Moses is im- parted to us with tenfold advantage : because, whilst a fuller insight into the revelation itself is granted to us than was ever vouchsafed to him, we can contemplate it at our leisure, and without any such emotions as would tend to embarrass our minds. Behold then, I say, that Almighty God, " who dwelleth in the light which no man can approach unto, whom no man hath seen or can seef," is become visible to us in the person of his Son : as it is said, " No man hath seen God at any time : the only-begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared himg." The Lord Jesus Christ, "having in himself all the fulness of the Godhead11," is, on this very account, called " the image of the invisible God1;" because Jehovah, who in his own essence is invisible to mortal eyes, is become visible to us in the person of his Son, who is " the brightness of his Father's glory, and the express image
e 1 John i. 5. f 1 Tim. vi. 16. s John i. 13.
i' Col. ii. 9. J Col. i. 15.