vin First Judgment, then Mercy. 153 



system; namely, the absolute duty of obedience to 

 the moral law and the commandments of God, the 

 " sinfulness of sin," the sacredness of justice, and the 

 certainty of judgment. And, forasmuch as it is use- 

 less to hold up to men an evidently unapproachable 

 ideal, we might expect that from the first there 

 should be hints and suggestions of salvation 

 promises from God that He will take the part of 

 good against evil, not only in a future judgment, but 

 in the present strife. We should also expect that 

 revelation should be progressive, so that the Law of 

 Justice should be earlier made known than the 

 Gospel of Grace. Further, it would not appear 

 strange if the formation of an elect Church, to receive 

 blessing itself from the first and to be the channel of 

 ultimate blessing to the rest of mankind, should be a 

 conspicuous part of the Providential plan. After the 

 revelation of justice, we might expect a revelation of 

 mercy ; and after the formation of an elect Church, 

 the revelation that the fact of election is temporary 

 and provisional, and destined to merge and end in 

 the conferring of Divine favour on all. But we 

 should expect the utmost prominence to be given to 

 the manifestation of the righteousness of God in 

 judgment, and the total overthrow of whatever is 

 opposed to His righteous will : while all beyond this 

 any more decisive purpose of final and universal 

 mercy and grace than that which we now see at 

 work should be revealed, not clearly, but only in 

 doubtful hints and suggestions. 



