pression of hatred. If God's benevolence disposes God to hate sinners as long as they remain impenitent, then it must equally dispose him to express his hatred towards them, by punishing them as long as they remain impenitent. And his punishing them will have no tendency to diminish or take away his hatred of them. If his hatred of them arose from selfishness, and was of the nature of revenge, it is true, his punishing them might gradually diminish and finally take away his hatred of sinners. Sinners often punish one another in revenge to such a degree, as to soften and turn their own malignant hearts into compassion towards the objects of their hatred. But as God does not hate sinners from selfishness, so he will never punish them in malevolence and revenge, but only from benevolence, which necessarily disposes him to hate them, because they are really hateful. If we can only see that it is consistent with the benevolence of God towards impenitent sinners to hate them, then we can as clearly see that it is consistent with his benevolence to punish them; and to punish them as long as they remain sinners, and the proper objects of God's just displeasure and hatred. We have no evidence from scripture that God's hatred of the fallen angels has abated, or ever will abate. And we have no evidence in scripture that God's hatred of Judas, and of the human spirits in the regions of darkness, has ever abated, or ever will abate. Of course we have no evidence from scripture that the punishment of any impenitent sinners will ever abate, or cease. So long as they remain impenitent, they will remain hateful; and so long as they remain hateful, it is consistent with his benevolence towards them to express his displeasure and his wrath, by punishing them. That benevolence of God towards impenitent sinners which disposes him to hate them, will always dispose him to express his hatred, by giving them a just recompense of reward. 5. If God's hatred of impenitent sinners flows from his benevolence, then his punishing them must flow from his benevolence. He can be, and will be as benevolent in punishing, as in hating sinners. And this will give a peculiar weight and pungency to the punishment of the finally impenitent. They will know that God loves them, while he actually punishes them. A disobedient child cares but little about the punishment which his parent inflicts upon him in revenge; but he is obliged to stoop, when his parent corrects in love. The finally miserable will be as capable of seeing the benevolence of God towards them in another world, as they were capable of seeing it in this world, while God was pouring down upon them the blessings of his providence in a rich and astonishing profusion. And this incontestable evidence of his benevolence

will never be erased from their minds. So Christ says in the parable of Dives and Lazarus. When the rich man begged to have Lazarus sent to alleviate his torments, the request was denied on the ground of God's benevolence to him. "Son, remember, that thou in thy life time receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented." The benevolence of God carried conviction to his conscience that he did not punish him from malevolence, but from that goodness which disposed him both to hate and punish him. All the finally miserable will have the same conviction that God always did, and always will love them with benevolence, while he hates and punishes them for ever. How insupportable must that eternal punishment be, which flows from infinite and eternal benevolence!

6. If it be the benevolence of God that disposes him to hate and punish impenitent sinners for ever, then it is extremely absurd and dangerous for sinners to rely upon his mere benevolence to save them in the eleventh and dying hour. This many appear to do, who are not Universalists in theory, or sentiment. And the reason is, that they view God's benevolence, as implying the love of complacence. They cannot think that God, who has treated them so benevolently all their life time, does really hate them in their last and most distressing moments. But why do they form this idea of God's benevolence? It is because they love darkness rather than light, and error rather than truth. It is because they are totally depraved, and their total depravity blinds their understanding and conscience. But see, ye blind; and hear, ye deaf. That love of God in which you trust, may and will sink you to the lowest hell, if you remain impenitent and unbelieving. The wrath of God now abides upon you, and will abide upon you for ever, except you repent.

This subject now calls upon all to inquire and determine, whether they are saints or sinners. The distinction is great, and will draw after it the most serious and important consequences. If you are saints, God now loves you with both the love of benevolence and the love of complacence, and will for ever love you with both the love of benevolence and complacence. But if you are sinners, God's love of benevolence now disposes him to hate and punish you; and he will continue to hate and punish you to all eternity if you continue impenitent. Are you ready to decide the important question? If you delay to decide it, it will soon be decided for you. Though God can have no pleasure in your death, yet he can take pleasure in rewarding you according to your works. And you will know that, from his perfect and infinite benevolence, God will hate all workers of iniquity for ever and ever.

SERMON X.

THE REWARD OF MOSES.

FOR he had respect unto the recompense of the reward. - HEBREWS, xi 26

THE apostle employs the principal part of this chapter, in drawing the beautiful and amiable characters of the pious patriarchs. He represents them as having true love to God, and living in the habitual exercise of faith in future and eternal realities. Though they lived in this evil world yet they lived above it. Though they were deeply concerned in the public and private affairs of this life, yet their eyes and hearts were steadily fixed upon the invisible objects of the invisible world. They exercised that faith, without which it is impossible to please God; and that faith, by which both their persons and services met with the divine approbation. But it appears that these illustrious saints were influenced, in the general course of their conduct, by the promises of God, and had regard to their future and eternal happiness. They beheld the promises afar off, and embraced them; and though they gave up their earthly good, yet they steadily sought a heavenly inheritance. This is more expressly said of Moses, one of the brightest characters in this constellation of worthies. "By faith, Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter; choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season; esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches, than the treasures in Egypt; for he had respect unto the recompense of the reward." Here some may be ready to ask, Was not Moses mercenary and selfish in all his conduct, while he acted with a view to a future reward? To solve this question it is proposed to show,

I. What was implied in the reward to which he had respect. II. That he was truly disinterested in seeking that reward. I. Let us consider what was implied in that reward to which Moses had respect.

1. The glory of God was implied in it. He knew that God meant to glorify himself by fulfilling his promise to Abraham, and delivering his seed from the house of bondage, and putting them in possession of the land of Canaan. In bringing about this event, God would necessarily display his power, his sovereignty, his justice, his mercy and his faithfulness. Moses expected that the glory of God would be displayed in the eyes of all the nations of the earth, if he should lead the children of Israel from Egypt to the land of promise, by his instrumentality. Accordingly, he undertook the great and arduous task of conducting the chosen people of God to their promised inheritance, from a supreme regard to the divine glory. He desired to be instrumental of promoting the glory of God, in the view of a stupid, idolatrous and degenerate world. And in doing this he placed his highest happiness, and enjoyed an ample reward. All the while he was bearing the messages of God to Pharaoh, working miracles by divine power and authority, and transmitting the divine laws to Israel, he saw and enjoyed the glory of God; which he esteemed more precious than all the glories and treasures of Egypt. Besides, Moses expected to promote the glory of God through all future generations, by leading his people to the place where he had determined to establish his church and maintain his cause, amidst a frowning and opposing world.

2. The good of his nation was another thing implied in the reward to which Moses had respect. He knew that God chose the seed of Abraham for his peculiar people, whom he designed to set at the head of all the nations of the earth, and distinguish by the most signal temporal and spiritual favors. This was a great and noble object, simply considered. To form three millions of people into a regular and harmonious kingdom, give them the best civil and religious institutions, and prepare them for the enjoyment of the greatest temporal and spiritual blessings, was worthy of the greatest efforts of the Jewish lawgiver. Moses saw this end in all its magnitude and importance, and took a peculiar satisfaction in contemplating the future peace and prosperity of the people of God. It was to gratify this benevolent feeling towards his people, that God permitted him, just before he left the world, to go up to the top of Mount Pisgah and take a fair, full and rapturous view of that paradisaical spot, where the chosen tribes were to fix their residence, and enjoy the peculiar smiles of heaven. As a man,

and especially as a prophet, Moses had very clear and extensive views of the great interests of his nation, which he highly valued, and took peculiar pleasure in promoting. He must, therefore, have had respect to this, as a recompense of reward for his labors and sufferings with the people of God. Besides,

3. He had reason to expect a distinguished mansion in heaven, to which he had a proper respect. His own future and eternal happiness was a truly important and desirable object. All the world would say that Moses stood entitled to a superior seat among the faithful servants of God; and that he himself ought to have desired to be near, as well as like to God, in the kingdom of glory; or to be placed in a situation in which he might behold the brightest displays of the divine perfections. This we know he desired before he died. He said to God, "I beseech thee show me thy glory." Who can say that this was an improper desire and request? But if he might desire and beseech God to show him his glory in this life, why might he not as reasonably desire to be rewarded in heaven, by peculiar manifestations of the same glory? Moses had a right to regard his own future and eternal happiness according to its worth, and to seek to promote it in the way God required him to do it. This was, by leaving Egypt, giving up all his earthly prospects, and performing the duties of his self denying and arduous office. In the discharge of these duties, he had a right to derive courage and consolation in the prospect of that eternal and unfading crown of glory, which God had laid up as a reward for all his faithful servants. I now proceed to show,

II. That Moses was truly disinterested in seeking the reward set before him. This is a point of importance to establish; for if he was mercenary and selfish in having respect to a reward in all his conduct, it will be difficult to show the necessity of ever exercising disinterested love. And there are many who deny the existence of any such thing as truly disinterested benevolence. But if it can be made to appear that Moses was disinterested in acting under the influence of a future and eternal reward, then the doctrine of disinterested love will be confirmed by his conduct, as well as by that of many other good men, whose characters are recorded by the sacred writers for the instruction of mankind in all future ages. There are but two kinds of love, which are morally and essentially different; and these are interested and disinterested love. Interested love is selfish, and leads a man to seek his own interest, because it is his own. Disinterested love is pure benevolence towards God and all his creatures, and leads men to seek the good of all intelligent and unintelligent creatures, accord