but the orderly education of a just and
loving Father, whose mercy endureth for ever; who chastens men as a
father chastens his children, for their profit, that they may be
partakers of his holiness, in which alone is life and joy, health
and wealth.

Surely, here is a Gospel, and good news;--news so good, that it
turns what seems to the superstitious the worst of news, into the
very best. For it seems at first sight the worst of news that which
the ninth Article tells us, that our original sin, in every person
born into this world, deserves God's wrath and damnation. And so it
would be the worst of news, if God were merely a judge, inflicting
so much pain and misery for so much sin, without any wish to mend us
and save us. But if we remember only the blessed message of this
psalm; if we will remember that God is our Father; that God is
educating us; that God hath neither parts nor passions; and that,
therefore, God's wrath is not different or contrary to his love, but
that God's wrath is his love in another shape, punishing men just
because he loves men;--then the ninth Article will bring us the very
best of news. We shall see that it is the best thing that can
possibly befall us, that our sin deserves God's wrath and damnation,
and that it would have been the worst thing which could possibly
have befallen us, if our sin had not deserved God's wrath and
damnation. For if our sin had not deserved God's anger, then he
would not have been angry with it; and then he would have left it
alone, instead of condemning it, and dooming it to everlasting
destruction as he has done; and then, if our sin had been left
alone, we should have been left alone to sin and sin on, growing
continually more wicked, till our sin became our ruin. But now God
hates our sin, and loves us; and therefore he desires above all
things to deliver us from sin, and burn our sin up in his
unquenchable fire, that we ourselves may not be burned up therein.
For if our sins live, we shall surely die: but if our sins die,
then, and then only, shall we live.

Do these words seem strange to some of you? I doubt not that they
will: but if they do, that will be only a fresh proof to me, that
the Bible is inspired by the Holy Ghost. Yes, nothing shews me how
wide, how deep, how wise, how heavenly the Bible is, as to see how
far average Christians are behind the Bible in their way of
thinking; how the salvation which it offers is too free for them,
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