tory of his high claims to perfect harmony, obliges us strongly to suspect that there is, somewhere or other, a very considerable discordancy between the ministry of Doctor Hawker and the ministry of Christ and his apostles.

This dissimilarity becomes additionally manifest, when the frame of mind with which the apostle Paul contemplated the subjects of his ministry, is placed in contrast with that evinced by Doctor Hawker. Thus the apostle: "O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out! For who hath known the mind of the Lord, or who hath been his counsellor ?"* For my own part,' says Dr. Hawker,' I am free to confess, (and I care not who knows it, though it expose me to the contempt of both professor and profane,) that these things are as familiar to me by faith, as the objects of sight to sense, with which I am daily occupied.'†

*Rom. xi. 33, 34. + Best of Remedies, p. 17.

2. In the specimen which the Doctor has given us of all he preaches or writes, the salvation of the church is the great and only end designed by the Divine Being in the economy of grace. In this specimen the Doctor neither states, nor even alludes to any other end. Whilst we rejoice that the salvation of sinners is an end, and a blessed end, both designed and accomplished in God's gracious dispensations, we most readily and cheerfully acknowledge that there is a much higher end, which may be justly denominated" the first and the last," and to which the salvation of men is but a means.

God who is before, and infinitely above all other beings, has made all things for himself. He hath made "known the riches of his glory in the vessels of mercy." All his dispensations towards the church, from first to last, are" to the praise of his glory." In the above specimen, the Doctor, in his fond solicitude for the privileges of the church, appears to have forgotten the glory due to his God.

The angels themselves teach us to ascribe "glory to God in the highest," and then peace on earth, and good will towards men."*

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3. In the specimen which the Doctor himself has given us, as containing the first and the last of all points to be insisted upon in the gospel ministry, there is an evident defect in the exhibition of the character of God. The only attributes with which he has clothed the Divine Majesty are those of sovereignty and grace. These, most undoubtedly, belong to him in their highest degree: but he is also infinitely holy, righteous, and just. He is

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righteous in all his ways, and holy in all his works." We rejoice that he is the "King of Kings and Lord of Lords;" that he "doeth whatsoever pleaseth him," in heaven above and in the earth beneath; that in all parts of his dominion his counsel shall stand, and he will do all his pleasure. But we rejoice in his sovereignty, because "righteousness and judgment are the habitation of his

Luke ii. 14.

+ Ps. cxlv. 17.
Il Isaiah xlvi. 10.

Eccles. viii. 3.

throne."* In these he always resides. The Judge of all the earth uniformly does right.† "He is the Rock, his work is perfect; for all his ways are judgment; a God of truth and without iniquity, just and right is he." All his sovereign purposes are invariably carried into execution in perfect righteousness, in the government both of the world and of the church. He is equally holy, righteous, and just, in the dispensations of his mercy, and in the manifestations of his wrath.

One can scarcely conceive of any system. of religion, that will not recognize both sovereignty and placability in the deity that is to be worshipped. Mahomet scrupled not to give these a very prominent place in the system which he promulgated. But it is in the gospel of Jesus Christ alone, that mercy. and truth meet together, that righteousness and peace embrace each other. It is in the gospel only we behold a just

God and a

Saviour. It is here, in this revelation of T mercy exclusively, that righteousness goes

*Ps. xcvii. 2. + Gen. xviii. 25. || Ps. lxxxv. 10.

Deut. xxxii. 4.
Isa. xlv. 21.

before the Divine Majesty, and sets us in the way of his steps. Here it is, indeed, that grace in full sovereignty reigns; but it is "through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord."+

Now it is lamentable that such a man as Doctor Hawker should give the greatest, if not the only prominency in his ministry, to that which is in some degree common to all religions, to the great neglect of that which is the most distinguishing peculiarity of the glorious gospel of the blessed God, and gives it its brightest lustre. It is not the sovereignty or favour of God absolutely considered, or as exercised towards innocent creatures, that excites the supreme admiration of the angels; with these they have been acquainted from their creation, in their own election, preservation, and happiness: but they come to the church,+ and desire to look into the manifold wisdom of God, evinced in the honours paid and secured to the divine. holiness, righteousness, and justice, in the salvation of fallen men through the mediation of our Lord Jesus Christ.

• Ps. lxxxv. 13.
·

+ Rom. v. 21.

Eph. iii. 10.