176 FORGIVENESS OF SIN. good, than that God made it. It was the effect of infi- nite holiness, wisdom, righteousness, goodness, and grace ; and therefore in itself was every way perfect ; for so are all the works of God. Besides, it Was such that man, when through his own fault he cannot obtain any good by it, and must perish everlastingly by its curse, yet cannot but subscribe to its righteousness and ho- liness. The tenor of it is contained in the law, and saith the apostle, whatever becomes of the sin and the sinner,. " { the law is holy, and the commandment is holy; and just, and good." Rom. 7: 12. Holy in itself, as being the order and constitution of the most holy God. Just and equal with reference to us; such as we have no reason to complain,of or to repine against ; and the terms of it are most righteous. It is good, and, not- withstanding the appearance of rigor and severity with which it is accompanied, had in it an exceeding mixture of goodness and grace, both in the obedience required in it, and the reward annexed to it. In particular, it was good, holy, and righteous, in all its commands, in the obedience it required. Its precepts were all suited to the principles of the nature of man as created by God, in acting according to which con- sisted his perfection. God in the first covenant required nothing of man, prescribed nothing to man, but what . there was a principle for his doing it ingrafted and im- planted in his nature; which rendered all those com- mands equal, holy, and good, And further, all its com- mands were proportionate to the strength and ability of those to whom they were given. God, in, that cove- nant, required nothing of any man but what he had be- fore enabled him to perform; nothingabovehis strength or beyond his power; and thence was it righteous. It was also exceeding good, in respect to its promises and rewards. Do this, saith the covenant ; this which thou art able to do, which the principles of thy nature are fit-
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