But Jehovah is alike ahle either to save or to destroy. See whether his justice be not marked in his conduct towards the fallen angels, whom he expelled from heaven for their sin ; and towards the antediluvian world, which, with the exception of a single family of eight persons, he destroyed with an universal deluge. See what is his indignation against sin, as marked in the judgments executed on Sodom and Gomorrha. See it, also, as demonstrated in the punishment of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram, or of Ananias and Sapphira. But the instances ai-e too numerous to be mentioned. No one can have read the Scriptures of truth, and not see that God is just in punishing iniquity ; and that to those who live in sin, he is, and will be, "a consuming fireV
On the other hand, he is a Saviour also to all who put their trust in him. Behold his interposition in behalf of Noah and his family, whilst all the rest of the world were destroyed. Or see the deliverance he vouchsafed to his people from their bondage in Egypt ; or how he carried them through the wilder- ness, and established them in the land of Canaan. Or view the miracles wrought by our blessed Saviour and his Apostles ; and then say, whether there be any bounds to Jehovah's mercy or power.
But the comparison between Jehovah and the heathen deities would be utterly absurd, if it were not that the more than brutish stupidity of mankind called for such illustrations, for the conviction of their minds.]
2. As shining forth in his own proper and harmo- nious perfections —
[It is in the union of these two perfections of justice and mercy that the glory of the Godhead is most fully seen. We must look at justice as exercised in a way of mercy, and mercy as displayed in a way of justice, if we would at all appreciate aright the character of our God. He, of his own unbounded love and mercy, determined to save our fallen race. But would he leave sin unpunished ? No : he would punish sin, and yet save the sinner : and, in order to that, he gave his only-begotten Son to be the substitute of the sinful man, that in him sin might receive its just recompence, and by him a righteousness might be wrought out for man ; that so God might be just, and yet the justifier of all who should believe in him. By this his justice shines forth more awfully than if he had executed vengeance on the whole human race ; and his mercy more richly than if he had pardoned all without such an atonement offered for them. The gift of his only-begotten Son reflects a light on these perfections which can be seen in
" Deut. iv. 24. and Heb. xii. 29.