DUTY OF LOVE TO GOD. 



*fon* of time, and to all those eternal scenes 

 which shall succeed the demolition of the pre- 

 stnt system of things, fully assurod, that God 

 is the universal Protector of his unnumbered off 

 spring that his power will never be interposed 

 to inflict an act of injustice that no intelligent 

 being will ever suffer a punishment beyond his 

 desert and that no happiness which his bene 

 volence has devised, and his word has promised, 

 will ever be withheld from those &quot; who put their 

 trust in his name, and hearken to the voice of his 

 commandments.&quot; 



Thus I have endeavoured to show, that love to 

 God, which is the first principle of the moral 

 law, is founded upon the natural and moral per 

 fections of the Deity that the attributes of omni 

 potence, wisdom, goodness, mercy, forbearance, 

 and justice, are calculated to excite this noble 

 affection to the highest degree in the minds of 

 all holy intelligences. I might also have illus 

 trated this subject from considerations drawn 

 from the infinity, the eternity, the immutability, 

 the holiness, and veracity of God. But the 

 illustrations already stated, will, I presume, 

 be sufficient to demonstrate, that this affection, 

 in conjunction with all its kindred emotions, 

 ought to occupy the highest place in the human 

 heart, and in the minds of all created intelli 

 gences. 



It may, perhaps, be insinuated by some, that 

 the preceding illustrations have been carried to 

 a greater length than the nature of the subject re 

 quired and it is readily admitted, that the mere 

 logical argument did not require so extended 

 illustrations. Every person who knows the 

 meaning of the terms made use of, will at once 

 admit, that, since God is a Being possessed of 

 almighty power, infinite wisdom, boundless 

 benevolence, mercy, forbearance, and perfect 

 rectitude he ought to be loved affectionately and 

 supremely. But such general and metaphysical 

 reasoning, though perfectly conclusive and in 

 controvertible, possesses but a slender influence 

 over the mind, in exciting it to the cultivation of 

 holy affections. For the sake of impression, it is 

 essentially requisite, that the various manifesta 

 tions of divine perfection should be presented 

 to the view, in order that the mind may have a 

 tangible train of thought before it, to stimulate 

 its activities, and its religious emotions. Ge 

 neral views and reasonings on any subject, and 

 especially on the subject of religion, produce a 

 very slight impression on the majority of man 

 kind. It is not owing so much to the want of 

 conviction of the truth of certain important pro 

 positions in religion, that divine truths take so 

 slender a hold of the mind, as to the want of 

 those definite and impressive conceptions which 

 can be acquired only by a minute and attentive 

 survey of the works and the dispensations of 

 God. And, in this point of view, the preceding 

 illustrations, had the limited natuie of the present 



work permitted, might have been prosecuted to a 

 much greater extent. 



I might also have illustrated this subject from 

 a consideration of ike relations in which God 

 stands to us, and to all his creatures. He is 

 our Creator, and we are the workmanship of his 

 hands. He formed our bodies, and he sustains 

 our spirits. His physical energy is felt by us 

 every moment, in making our hearts to beat, and 

 our lungs to play, and in impelling the crimson 

 fluid which circulates in our bodies, through a 

 thousand different tubes. To him we are in 

 debted for life, and all its comforts ; and for all 

 the powers, capacities, and privileges, which 

 dignify our nature, and exalt us above the lower 

 ranks of existence. He is our Preserver and 

 bountiful Benefactor, who &quot; sustains our souls 

 in life,&quot; who supports the course of nature, in 

 its diversified movements, and &quot; daily loads us 

 with his benefits.&quot; To his superintending pro 

 vidence we are indebted for the food we eat, the 

 water we drink, the clothes we wear, the air we 

 breathe, the light which cheers us, the splendours 

 of the sun, the milder radiance of the moot), the 

 magnificence of the starry sky, the rains and 

 dews which fertilize the soil ; the earth, with 

 its riches and abundance ; the trees, plants, and 

 waving grain, which enrich our fields ; the 

 flowers which deck the meadows, the beautiful 

 and magnificent colouring which is spread over 

 the terrestrial landscape, the succession of day 

 and night, and the vicissitude of the seasons. 

 In short, to him we are indebted for all the ob 

 jects and movements around us, which render 

 our abode on earth convenient, desirable, and 

 productive of enjoyment. 



He is our Fatfter, and we are his children. 

 He watches over us with a tender care ; and, 

 &quot; as a father pitieth his children, so the Lord 

 pitieth them that fear him.&quot; This tender and 

 indissoluble relation binds us to him by the 

 strongest ties, and is calculated to excite the 

 most ardent filial affection and gratitude. He 

 is our Sovereign and Lawgiver, and we are his 

 subjects ; and all his laws are framed on the 

 principles of eternal and immutable rectitude, 

 and are calculated to promote the harmony and 

 happiness of the whole intelligent creation. He 

 is our Master, \r.d we are his servants, and &quot; his 

 commandments are not grievous.&quot; He is our 

 Friend in adversity, our Protector in danger 

 and in distress ; our Instructor, who has impart 

 ed to us knowledge and understanding ; and our 

 Redeemer, who &quot; spared not his own Son, but 

 delivered him up for us all,&quot; that we might be 

 rescued from the gulf of depravity and ruin, and 

 exalted to a state of consummate felicity. In 

 fine, he is that being who is the inexhaustible 

 fountain of light, of life, and of joy to ail beings- 

 en whom depend all our future prospects in this 

 world, and all the transporting scenes to which 

 we look forward in an interminable state &amp;lt;/ 



