Father-king; his subjects are his own children, and his government of them--in its origin, its spirit, its laws, and even its penalties--is strictly paternal. God's kingship is a _figure_, his fatherhood is the profoundest _reality_.[507] This correlation between the spirit of man and the spirit of God is the living indissoluble bond which has ever held, and shall forever hold the hearts of men to the living God. Humanity has not been enchained to the throne of God by servile fear, and held in subjection to his government by the dread of future punishment. Fear never made men virtuous, never can insure virtue. Man has been held to God by spiritual affinities and a conscious kinship. Men have always felt that the Ruler of the world is merciful and just, and that his claim upon their allegiance and loyal obedience is reasonable and right. Therefore they have in all ages hoped in his mercy, and confided in the righteousness of his administration. This has been the consolation of the wise and good in seasons of danger and adversity. To this Being innocence and weakness under oppression and wrong have made their proud appeal, like that of Prometheus to the elements, to the witnessing world, to coming ages, to the just ear of Heaven. When, therefore, Paul at Athens announced that "God is not far from any one of us, for in Him we live and move and are," he touched a chord which vibrated in every heart. For in every age men have had a presentiment of some nearer relation to God than the rest of creation--a relation not of dependence only, but of kinship and sonship. In moments of deep feeling the poets, who are the best interpreters of nature, have given oracular utterance to the native feeling of the human heart: "We are all thine offspring, The image and the echo of thy eternal voice."--CLEANTHES. "All need his aid, his power sustains us all-- For we his offspring are."--ARATUS. Finally, as the spiritual nature of man is derived from and correlated to God, he may become inwardly conscious of the Divine favor, or may be sensible of the Divine displeasure. These are the sanctions of the moral law--the reward and the penalty awarded to men. The smile of God is heaven, the frown of God is hell. Here we have found the deepest ground of a Divine government--the paternity of God. CHAPTER XI. MORAL GOVERNMENT. II. ITS NATURE, CONDITIONS, METHOD, AND END. "The times of this ignorance God overlooked, but now commandeth all men every where to repent; because He hath appointed a day in the which He will judge the world in righteousness."--ST. PAUL.