Of this character impartiality constitutes an essential part.  “God is a rock, his work is perfect; for all his ways are judgment; a God of truth, and without iniquity; just and right is he.”

This representation agrees with reason.  According to his sense of it, every man will subscribe it.  Yet different apprehensions are entertained respecting the divine impartiality, as respecting every thing else.  The ideas which some receive others reject as unreasonable.  This is not strange.  Minds differ, no less than bodies.

We propose, with deference, now to exhibit our views of this interesting subject, the divine impartiality, especially as it respects man.

This is the branch of divine impartiality referred to in the text, and commonly in the scriptures—­There is no respect of PERSONS with God.

It is important that we form just apprehends on this subject.  Mistakes might inspire groundless expectations, and occasion practical errors, dishonorable to God, and mischievous to man.  But those which are just, have a tendency to produce sentiments of rational respect and reverence for the supreme Governor and to point to the way of peace and blessedness.

Impartiality doth not require an equality of powers or advantages —­that creatures should in this view be treated alike, or made equal.  Infinite wisdom and power are not restricted to a sameness in their plastic operations, or providential apportionments.  Neither is this sameness the order of heaven.

The number of creatures is great.  We cannot reckon them up in order; nor the different species.  Among the myriads of the same species, are discriminations, sufficient to distinguish them from one another.  We observe this in our race.  And in the creatures beneath us.  Among mankind these differences are most noticeable and most interesting.  They relate to every thing which belongs to man—­to the mind, and to the body, and to the powers of each—­to the temper—­appetites—­ passions—­talents—­trials—­opportunities, and means of information.  There is in every respect an almost infinite variety—­differences which run into innumerable particulars.  Variety may be considered as a distinguishing trait in the works, and ways of God.  And all is right.  When we consider the hand of God and his providential influence in them, we seem constrained to adopt the language of the psalmist, “O Lord how many are thy works?  In wisdom hast thou made them all:  The earth is full of thy riches.”

These are displays of divine sovereignty.  They are beyond our comprehension.  “We see, but we understand not.”  Of many things brought into being by divine efficiency, we know neither the design nor use—­ can only say, “Thou Lord hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.”

The same observation is applicable to the different situations in which God hath placed creatures of the same class, and the different talents committed to them—­God hath doubtless his reasons for these discriminations, but hath not revealed them.