1. We have in the word a display of the holiness of the divine nature and law, and our obligation in conformity thereunto, to the exercise of holiness in heart and life, as God says, _Be ye holy, for I am holy_, Lev. xi. 44. And to this we may add, that it contains a display of the holiness of God in his threatenings, which he has denounced against every transgression and disobedience, which shall receive a just recompence of reward; and in all the instances of his punishing sin in those who have exposed themselves thereunto, that hereby he might deter men from it, and lead them to repentance: thus the apostle speaks of _the law_ of God as _holy, and the commandment holy, just, and good_, Rom. vii. 12, 13. and of its leading him into the knowledge of sin, by which means it appeared to be sin, that is, opposite to an holy God, and, as he expresses it, _became exceeding sinful_. 2. Hereby persons are led into themselves; and by comparing their hearts and lives with the word of God, are enabled to see their own vileness and want of conformity to the rule which he has given them, the deceitfulness and desperate wickedness thereof, and what occasion there is to abhor themselves, and repent in dust and ashes; thus the apostle, in the place but now mentioned, speaks of himself as _once alive without the law; but when the commandment came, sin revived and he died_, and concludes himself to be _carnal, sold under sin_, Rom. vii. 9, 14. This is a necessary means leading to repentance. And we may farther add, that God not only makes use of the word, but of his providences to answer this end; therefore he speaks of a sinning people, _when carried away captive into the land of the enemy_, as _bethinking_ themselves, and afterwards _repenting and making supplication to him_ therein, 1 Kings viii. 46, 47. And we read of sickness and bodily diseases as ordained by God, to bring persons to repentance; thus Elihu speaks of a person’s being _chastened with pain upon his bed, and the multitude of his bones with strong pain; his soul drawing nigh to the grave, and his life to the destroyers_, Job xxxiii. 19, 27. and then represents the person thus chastened, and afterwards recovered from his sickness, as acknowledging himself to _have sinned, and perverted that which is right, and_ that _it profited him not_. And the apostle speaks of _the goodness of God_ in the various dispensations of his providence, as _leading to repentance_, Rom. ii. 4. But these dispensations are always to be considered in conjunction with the word, and as impressed on the conscience of men by the Spirit, in order to their attaining this desirable end.