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I THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY, | % Princeton, N. J. y"^

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Bequeathed by the Hon. E. BOUDINOT, LL.D.

I Cftse., Division,,,

fo Shelf, serj^

■''i\

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AN ILLUSTRATION

OF

SOME DIFFICULT PASSAGES OF SCRIPTURE,

ON THE DOCTRINE OF

Abfolute Predeftination :

ATTEMPTED IN A

SERMON.

Piihlijhedby rcqucfi oj many hearers.

7

By WILLIAM WOODBRIDGE, A. M.

® hcufs pf Ifrael ! are cot mj ways equal ? Are not jour v/sys unequal ?

Repent 3nd turn yootfelves from all your tranfiJief- fions ; /s tar^U'lj Jhall not he your ruin. For, I liave no pleajvre in the death oi him that dicth, faith the Lord God j ivkerefirs turn and live ye, Ezek, xviii. 29, 32,

Middleiozvn : PRINTED BY T. & J, B. DUNNING.

1805.

A Sermon,

Ephejians i. l ith, in whom alfo we have obtained an inheritance, beikc predks-

TIWATED ACCORDING TO THE PURPOSE OF HIM WHO WORKETH ALL THINGS AFTBR THE COUNIEL OF HIS OWN WILL.

GOD, the Creator, gives and continues the pow- ers of natural and moral afiion to his crea- tures.

In his providential government of the natural and moral world, (ome aftions and events are ordered and executed by his immediate influence ; fome take place according to the eflablilhed laws of na- ture } and fome are fuffered—thsit is, are not prevent' ed. All a6lions and events under the providential government of the world are, in this fcripture fenfc of the words, afcribed to the divine agency : fo the Lord fmote the iirfl born of Egypt, took away the fubftance of Job, fufFered the demons to enter into the fwine, and all nations to walk in their own ways.

God, the only wife, cannot err : God, the impartial Judge of all the earth, inu/l,/rom necejfity, do tight. Far from our thought, therefore, be every idea of arbitrary fovereignty exercifed by defpotic men, when we confider the government of the all perfe6l God, working all things after the counfel of his own will. To be mifled, or to miflead others, on this fubjeft is awfully hazdfdous. We tread on holy ground.— Let us not weakly, nor wickedly reprefent the agency

of the Moft High equally concerned in moral good and evil ; for the fcriptures clearly point out the fenfc in which we ought to fay of aftions and events^ " The Lord halh done it."

By the words of our text we are led to confider all things in the creation, government ?ir\(\ redemption of the world fo ordered, and direfted-Io fuffejed and executed, in exaft conformity to the plan,fin- iflied in the divine mind before the foundation of ihe world.

This plan in our text is called the counjel of God's oion will ; and all the events of time, with their con- fequences in eternity, are but the efFe6s of their caufe, the eternal counfel of God foto dirdt^ or not prevent them.

Some introdu6lory remarks may be very ufeful and proper before we attempt any illuftr.ation of our fubjea.

1. The counfel of God, and his judgments, to man who is of yeflerday and knoweth comprehenjivs- ly and comparatively nothing,, are a mighty and un-

JathomaMe deep. If the properties of the fmalleft vegetable feed, or even an atom cannot be perfect- ly known by the greateft philofopher, how muft a plan, comprifing numberlefs beings, and the injinite variety of things— di plan wide as the univerfe, and cndiefs as eternity— iurpafs all finite undcrilanding !

2. We can know nothing more of this plan than God is pleafed to manifeft by the word of prophecy, and the works of providence. ^' Who hath been his counfellor ?"

3. Time, without origin or end, can be compre- hended only by the high and lofty one that inhabiteth eternity. To God, therefore, all things are manifeft at one fingle viezo. The events before time, in time and through all future eternity, are forefeen by the Omnifcient Gcd. *' He knoweth the end from the beginning,"

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4. In that infinite mind, which viev/s at once all pail, allprefent, and all px)irible thingSj there can be nei{her memory nor deiiberation.

The wifdom of man then, cannot determine that j||^ foreknowledge ^5 noi the. canfe of the counfcl o*^^- God. Let not men dare to " darken this counfel by words without knowledge.''

5. The fcriptures teach us, that whenever any event is deterniined in the divine counfels, the caufes and means., the conditions and co7ifequinces are aljo de- termined.

The connexion is infcparable, and promifes and threatnings, are conditionally made. David in Kei- Jah— Saul whom God "would have eftat>liRied ia his kmgdom"---Hezekiah -and Paul with his fhip- wrecked companions, who were to be preferved and could not be laved unlefs all remained in the fliip> are witnefles of this.

6. The plan, or counfel of GodVov;n will, is one, — The ohjel't of that plan is one ; viz. the Creator's glory, which is the creation's bolinefs and confequent happinets. Obedience brings glory to God in the highe[l---peace on earth, and goodwill to men.

The counfel of God, therefore, cannot be inco7iJI/l- entf nor counter aB itfelf.

7. On fuch a fubjefct we ought to fpeak and hear with holy caution— never attempting to be wife above what is written— -never daring "to darken counfel by words without knowledge."

Mindful of thefc remarks we will proceed to fome illuftration and ufeful improvement of -our fubjeft. We will endeavor to anfwcr objeftions— ufe the form of found words, and appeal to the law and the it\k\mciny--difclaimins; every Jentiment contrary to the tenor cf fcripkire—and to the doctrine of falvation by regenerating grace, through fantlijication and the be- liej of the truth.

J. All things were created according to the pur p of e of him who workcth all things after the counfel of his ewn wilt„ *

Our knowledge of the original ftate of the world, and of men, mu{t be derived from reafon— from the world as we find it—and from revelation. L Reafon teaches us that a God, benevolent and ^vife, creating a world to be inhabited by men who were made to be happy as the offspring of God,, would be rtiijde entirely good, without any mixture of evil. So mankind in all ages have believed that God made man, and the world, for his ufe of inflruc- tion and trial. In proof of this, we find the poets, and hiflorians ©f every age and nation celebrating the virtues and happineis of she golden age. Equal- ly have they lamented the vices, and mileries of fuc- ceeding agesjcach of which grew more vicious than the former.

The knowledge and experience of men unite to prove the prefent ftate of the v/orld very different from what reafon and revelation declare it tuai, AH parts of the natural v»'orld exhibit evident maiks of. abetter ftate, and univerfal diforder, arifing from fome ruinous caufe.

Thunders rend the heavens— earthquakes rock the world. The atmofpb^ere is infefi.ed with pefti- ience and agitated by de(lru61ive ftorms- the earth produces the thiftle and vegetable poifons in fj)on- taneous and vaft profufion ; while the precious har- veft is often blafled--f^o goad is attainable without toil— no enjoyment vv^ithout its attendant or confe- quent pain— no point of rejl or fecurity is left fur man— the animal world is hoftile and ever plunder- ing his ftores—enmity and war reign univerfal in the animal, the human, and the chrijlian v/orld.

" But it was not fo in the beginning."

Revelation declares that the Creator furveyedhis works and pronounced them good— -and very good— in their feparateparts.ar.d compleat, connededwhole.

Is man, then, ai wejind him, the offspring of God ? and is this the world once tnade perfedly good ar;d put under mz^i^ dominion ?

Tbis is, indeed, the world, though changed from paradile to a region of mifery and death— W-'c arCy in- deed^ his offspring^though deplorably fallen !

But, whence thefe changes ? and this awful rev verfe ? Revelation anfwerj, " Bv one maiv fin enter- ed into the world ; and death byjin.'*

The whole creation groaneth to be delivered ffom the curfe and confequent miferies of fin.

Is not the counfel of God, fruftrated and his will counteracted ? I anfwer, God's command is brok- en ; but his plan not difconcerted ; for when he promifed life to obedience, he was prepared to be- llow it— when he threatened death to rebellion, he was prepared to inflift it.

On the rebellion of man the nature of things and animals was changed. " Curfed is the ground for thy fake : thorns alfo and thillles fhall it bring forth unto thee."

St. Peter mentions " natural brute beafts made to be taken and deftroyed," which was no part of the original plan when every green thing was for their meat, and for the fuftenance of man. Under this clafs we may rank all noxious and poifonous animals, too vile to be named, but well calculated to humble the living apoftate, and devour this vile body of fm when dead. The ferpent was filled with enmity, and envenomed with poifon; which fhall ceafe when all men fhall know and obey their God. See Ifaiah xi.

The objector may here fay— If this apoilacy took place after the counfel of God's own will, it could not have been otherwife. It was by necef/ity—viho hath refifledhis will ?— Almighty power wight have prevent ted the fall

In anfwer to this we fay— It was, indeed, the di- vine will, not to prevent the fall : but it was direHre- hellion to tranfgrefs the command.

Can the power of God countera6l his wifdom, truth and juflice ? Or controulthe will Uft free by his determinate counfel .?— Again—Did God, with

whom guile is impoJjihU^ delude Adam with a promife of life on condition o^ impajjibk obedience ? Or did the Ahnighty forbid unavoidable tranfgreflion on pen- alty of a death eternal ? Let confcience draw the qonclufior:, and declare the anfvver.

II. In the providential dnd moral government of the worlds all things are ord<'red, executed, and Juffered ac- cording to the purpofe of God, who worketh all things after the counfel of his oiun xvill.

The inanimate parts of the world are fenfelefs, and fabjefts of no other government tlian abfulute con- trol. Certain laws, therefore, uniform in every place and age, regulate all the movements of the material and vegetable world. Thefe laws are fuf- pended at the Creator's will : fo rain inceiTant fliall fall for forty days to drown a guilty world, but be fufpended for years to puniih Ifrael with famine. Fire in the furnace fevcniimes heated fball not finge the holy captives of Babylon, though it Hew their ex- ecutioners.

There is a government of the animal rvorld fuited to the animal under/landing granted to moft creatures, but dejiied to the OOrich " which Godhalh depriv- ed of wifdom." Job, xxxix, 16, 17.

The general laws of animated nature are under divine control alfo; for the fame lions deftroyed the accufers of Daniel, but not that holy man.

Neither the inanimate or animal world can be the fubjeBs of moral government.

The moral governvient of the rational world is ad- miniftered upon different principles ; and fuited to the rational nature and immortal exiftence of man.

The infpiration of the Almighty hath given him underftanding, and freedom of will : therefore, he is made accountable for his moral condu6l.

The confequencesof his choice and v/orks are ev- erlafling ; and ferious beyond expreflion. Human virtue is an afl and habitual choice of hoiinefs; and to the holy chariictcr God hath proviifed the gift

«f eternal life. Man's fin is alfo an a£l and habitu- al choice of vice ; and the wages of this voluntary con- traH 'Are: death eternal. ---It men finally lie down in foiTow and everlafting burnings, the fire unquench- able arifes hom /parks of their czun kindling.

If (he b ackneis of daiknefs be the fiiial portion of finful men, it is the confcquence of their hatred to the light that difcovers and reproves their fin.

« O ! Ifrael, thou haji aejhoyid thyjelf !" ■

Opportunities to gain wildom and pra8ical holi- hefs, wiih time to improve them, are given to every man. " God fliall judge the righteous and the wicked ; for tliere is a dme for every purpofe, and for every work."

Of the appointed day of judgment "^ he hath giv- en affurance to all men.'' The heathen fhew the work of the law written on their heart ; their cori- fcience alio bearing witnefs. '' As many as have finned without lav;, fhail alfo perifh without law 5 and as many as have finned in the law, fiiail be judged by the law j in the day when God fhall render 10 every man according to the deeds he haih done in the body. Thofe to whom God hafh fpoken in thefc laft days by his Son, fhall be judged by his gofpeK" Thus v/c find numeroMs and clear declarations of the counfel cf God's own will in his moral government of the heathen, jewifh and chriftian world, in the dirpenfation of the means of grace iivid trial in this world; and ihe rewards and puniiliments of eternity.

The queiiicn may here arife — Are men, by this freedom of choice made independent of God ?

They are not— they cannot be fo ; for in God they live and move and have their being.

Theexercife of all their powers of natural and moral aftion are abfoluiely, and every moment, de- pendent on their Maker. Nebuchadnezzar's wnder- ihnding, and Ahithophel's counfel may be taken aiway---Jeroboam's hand be withered— Zechanali

I.®

be dumb—The AfTyrians blind at God's fovereigS plcafure. " A man's heart devifeth his way, but the Lord direBeth his Jifps." " Surely the wrath of man —freely ading out his rcbdlious heart --fhail praife thee; the remainder of wrath flialt thou reftrain."

When the wicked are to be puniflied, or the right- eous chaftifed, nothing more is neccflary for the prompt execution of this, than to talie off reftraints, and let loofe the legion of demons with their human accomplices. Even the lying fpiritbows to the Lord to obtain leave to deceive the prophets of Ahab ? and Satan with his legion pray that they moy enter the Jwine. Abfalom is eager for intrigue and paricide.

In the awful event of the Saviour's crucifixion he was delivered, into the hands of men and the powers of darknefs.

The unrejlraimd malice of Satan put it into the heart of Judas to betray the Lord— Judas " inftigated by the Devil," fold his blood— the priefts bought it— the Jews faid " his blood be on us, and our chil- dren, and crucified Jefus their God and King.

All thefe volunteers in their chofen and infernal work were left unreflrained- -their driving is lik.e that of Jehu executing vengeance in Jezreel.

That there was a neccffity that Aiefiiah fhould be cut off for the fins of the people, is clear ; for «' without the (bedding of this blood there could be no remiffian of fin :" but, that necejfity was laid upon men to do this with wicked hands cannot be admit- ted ; for it would cancel their guilt. The mariner neither raifes nor conrro's the wind that wafts his fhip— he drives not the tide that floats his merchant dize. Tides take their courfe ; winds blow as they will; while the mariner and the merchant ujethem for their purpnfes oj trade. So men alt freely ; they choofe the courfe of aHion : God leaves them to purfiie their'coiirfc, dnd for wife purpofes delivers men int§ their hcndi for corredion or merited deftru6lion.

LI

Of Job, God faid to Satan, aUthat ke hath is ik ihinc hand : and J^Jus was, as he foretold, accord- ing to the determinate counfel of God, delivered into the hands of men to be Jcourged and cruajicd.

In the hour of a^ony the Saviour faid, " This is your hour, and the power of darknefs." Luke xxii.

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HI. In the difp?nfGticn of the means of grace^ here and the gifts cf etc nal life hire after, God worketk all things after the counfel of his own zviU.

What that counfel is, the word and the providence of God manifeltly declare.

T. The eternal covenant of redemption was made with the Son that he fliould become man- - be obedient unto death— make his foul an of- fering for fin---be raifed from the dead and ex- alted to the right hand of majefiy on high.- That he fliould fee of the travail of his foul-be fausHed in bringing many fons to glorv--that his kingdom Ihould be univerfal and everlafting. At his refur- redion, accordingly, '• all power in heaven and earth was given unto him." When the faithful and true "witnefs revealed to John the things which fliould be hereafter, he faw "a multitude which no man could TiUraber, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues" afcribing their faivaiionto God and. the Lamb. Rev. vli. 9.

2. It is the declared counfel of God in his word, and fulfilled in his providence, that h.is laws, with their rewards and punifiiments, fliould be fo clearly made known to all men, as to leave even the heath- en without excufe, when they knov/ God, by his works, and glorify him not as God. Rom. i. 21. That his ftatufes in the written law fhould be made known unto Jacob, and his teilimonies unto Ifrael.

That, in the latter ages of the world, grace and truth, with fuperior fplendor, fhould come by Jefus Chrift ; and that life and immortality Ihould be Wought to light by the Cofpei.

3. It is the counfel of God, declared in his word and fulfilled in his providence— thai pl-ofperity and adverfity fliai! be (et before men, in this their ftate of trial and moral difcipline. We find, according- ly, the threads of forrow, toil and fufferin^ inter- woven with all the days of nian^s vain life which he fpendeth as a fhadow. The ground is accurfed f<^r his fin---he is of few days and fall of trouble. Yet the tender mercies of a long I'ufFering God, who does; x\oi willinp.ly afBitl and grieve the children of men, are witneffed by all living.

Precious promifes allure him to piety and heaven, — while a hoft of troubles and terrors urge his trem- bling foul to an almighty Saviour.

4. Ii is the declared counfel of God, that hia good fpirit fliail drive with men in this courfe of difcipline; but not always, for he will withdraw af^ ter long refiftance.

The charge of Stephen againfi Ifrael mav be ap- plied to all incorrigible finners—" Ye do always re- iift the Holy GhoIL" God has promifed the holy fpirit to them that afk. him--The water of life fhall be given freely to the ihirfty ; the bread of life to the hungry.

To ail who feek by patient continuance in well doings God will render glory, honor and eternal life.

This proclamation is made unto ail men without any exception — Their fi^ns when confeffed and for- fakeujiliall be no bar in the way of their happinefs or God's boundlefs mercy. Whofoever cometh to the Saviour fliall in no wife be c aft out. All thef? promifes are made in the language of truth--repeaie4 with precept upon precept, fo clear and indifputable, that no man of common information, rational and honeft, can either mifunderltand or deny.

5 That God in the difpenfation of juftice, is no refpeQer of perfons— long fulFering -is flow to an, ger, and abundant in goodnefs and mercy, not choof- ing that any Ihould perifh, but that all fhould conie

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to the knowledge of the truih and be raved.---That he hath no pleafure in the death ofthe wicked, but rather that he fhould turn and live : yet he v;iil by no means clear the guilty.

To the truth of this, the Almighty has fworn by his own eternal cxiilence, in the prophet Ezckiel <' As I live Taiih the Lord."— The fcriptures cannot be broken; fooner (l:iall heaven and earth, and all creation return to nothing ; than one iota pafs from the law.

Eut, is it not faid--He hath mercy on whom he will have mercy? It is indeed To written ; and blefs- ed be God for this only fou^idation of hope. Mercy is unmerited favor to the guilty. No injuflice or psir- liality i.sfhewn when that mcrcv is equally, and on the condition of acceptance, offered in the gofpe!, to every creature. T'^e ground of condemnation is this — light hath come into the world ; but they will not come into that light.— It is a faithful faring and worthy of all acceptation, that Jefus Chrift came in- to the world to favc fmners ; and to thofe who re- je6t him, he faith, *' Ye -will not cotnc unto me that ye may have life.''

6. It is the declaimed counfel of God— that from eternity he hath' known and chofen the godly for himfelf--that they are the eleft according to the fore-knowledge of God, chofen to falvation in Chrift Jefus--through fanOifiication of the fpirit, and the belief of the truth. Rom. vii. 9. 10. 2 Thefs. ii. 13. We have before dated, that as there can be neither memory of the pad, nor deliberation in the divine mind; fo there may be no difference between de- cree and fore-knowledge. The unerring fpirit direct- ed the Apoftle to place every part of this bright chain of ekUing love^ and falvation in its proper place. Whom he did foreknow, &c. Rom. viii. 29, 30.

7. It is the declared counfel of God, that he hath appointed a day in which he will judge the world, by the Son of man whom he hath ordained. In this

final decifion, that every man, without refpeB of per- fons, fhall be judged according to the deeds done in the body, whether they be good or evil. That this judgment, like fire, (hall try every man's work what it is— That (he judge will render to every man ac- cording to his deeds— to thein who by patient con- tinuance in well doing have fouoht faivaiion, he wilS render eternal life ; but to them that obey not the truth, he will render indignation and wrath, tribula- tion and anguifli upon every foul of man that doeth, evil.

8. It is the declared counfel of God-that the different degrees of guilt and goodnefs, in the works, of men, fiial! determine the differefit degrees of final punifiimefit and reward.

For this purpofe the books Hiall be opened, and the fubjetls of each difpenfation of the knowledge and the means of falvation be accordingly judged out of thofe things which are written in the books.

They who are without law fliall be judged without law-- they who are under the law fhail be judged by the law--and they who are under the gofpel fhall be judged by the gofpel.

Where much is given^ much will be required. The heathens, who do by the light of nature, the things contained in the law, fhall rife up in judg- ment, and condemn thofe who would not come to the light. It fhall be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrah, than for Beth faida and Capernaum.

Nothing can be more clear, according to the fcrip- tures, than this, viz. that the habitual temper of the mind, manifefled by words and deeds, under the dif- penfation of knowledge more or lefs clearly declar- ing the will of God, muft determine the degrees of guilt orholinefs, and confequent punifliment or re- ward in every one's final doom.—" Are not my ways e^ual^ faith the Lord ? Arc net your ways unequal ?"

Men who complain that thefe ways of God are not equal, and men of honefl inquiry, may afk the following queflionsj and raife the following objeQions

16 the doBrine advanced in the foregoing difcourfe^

Q. 1. Is not God partial and a refpe^er of per- fons, in giving Ibme individuals, and fome nations and ages of the world more light than others ?

Anfwer. Men call their gifts their own, though all they have belongs to God. Will they complain •when God, with infinitely better right and fupreme wifdom, difpenfes the bleffings of his mercy to the guilty ? Light enough, if well improved, is given to every man. More light to thofe who mifimprove what they have, can not rationally promife any thing but increafed guilt. When all have a Jufficiency^ none ianjiiJHy complain o/.God, whofe ways are equal. Di- vine gifts are difpenfed with infinite wifdom by him who feeth not as man feeth, nor judgeth according to outward appearance.

Q. 2. Do not men who ule the means of grace with diligence, fail of the grace of God, while others among the abandoned become the fubjefls of his fpecial favor ?

Anfwer. God is the rewarder of thofe that dili- gently feek him.

I can produce no inftance from fcripture, nor do 1 believe any one can be found in the experience of mankind, wherein God did not draw nigh to thole that draw nigh to him : Nor yet wherein light and grace were refufed to him who renounced fm, and fought falvationyroTOy^n.

Objeftion 3. But no man can come unto the Sa- ■vlour except the Father draw him ? Why doth he yet find fault ?

Aniwer. Men are drawn— 2iT\,A by the abandant long fuifering and mercies of God. Knoweft thou nor, O man, that the goodnefs of God leadeth thee to repentance ? Rewards, that eye hath not feen, nor ear heard, and eternal, are freely offered, with ail needed grace, to encourage the finner, and allure him to holinefs. " The tender mercies of God are

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ever all liis works, and the earth is full of his good- nefs,"

But thou trtafurejl up unto thyfdf wrath againil the day of wrath.

Objection 4. But thefe offers do not appear to be made in fincerity ; hnce the fcripture declares it is not of him that wi'leth, nor of him that runneth but of God that flieweth mercy. It is the determination of God not to (hew that mercy j and 16 it his will that they fhou'd perifli.

Arf'A'er. Nay-but Oman I who art thou thst rcplitft in contradiflion againft Goi ?■- The golpel and the Prophets fliall aniwer thee. The Lord is not willing that any fhould perifh; but that all {houid come to repentance. 2 Pet. iii. 9. 1 Tim. ii. 4. Ezr^k. xxxiii. 11.

The fcriptnres, written to direft the millions of plain men,muft be written in the language of plain f.n- ccritVj and unequivocal truth. It is impoflibie for God to lye. Take heed to thy feh'^. and to thy fafety. The ground whereon thou liandeft is holy. One {Icp farther mig^it be blafphemousj and unpardona- ble iJuilt.

When Jacob obtained the birthright blefling, it was not given to Efau, who ran for the vmfon ; nor was it. .given accordin^^ to the ixnll oj Ifaac.—\ know not by what authority this palfage was ever applied 10 earncfl feekers of falvaiion.

Objjttion 5. But the fcriprure faiih. God cre- ates men for eternal deilruction, makir.g vcflels of efernal wrath and mercy ^ juil as the potter makes his v( Ifets of the fame ciay, fome for honor, and feme fordifhonor. Can clay refill Omnipotence?

AnCwer. And dart, any raan Jefioujly jay thn^ be- caufe God faid to Jeremiah go dowri lo the potter's houfe. and fay to the notion of Jjrael '• Are ye net. 0 f houfe of Ifrael, in my hand, as cla\ in the hand of the potter ^ Cannot I do zviihyQii as this potter I"

This refers to national dependance, and ginh, which mun; be puniflied with national calamities on earth, for nations exift not in eternity. Will any affertthis becaufe God faid of Pharaoh " For this purpofe have I raifed thee up"— ^A^i! is, to be a king^ thai I might mani/e/l my power on earth ? The eternal mifery of Pharaoh, in eternity where navions are no more, would not manifeft God's power on earth ; therefore, his eternal de/lrvMion could not be here in- tended, as the fuhjeft of the divine will and counfel.

Objcaion. 6. I'.ut the fouls of men, even before they are born, and have done good or evil, are the objetls of divine hatred, that the purpofe of God according to eledton (and reprobation) might Hand ; for it is written, Jacob have I loved, and Efau have I hated, that is, predejfinated to eternal death.

Anfwcr, How readeft thou, O ! Obj.e6>or ? Un- derftandeft thou what thou readeft P -My bible tells me no fuch thing. It is not pofliblc that God, the father of the fpirit, who is no refpefcter of perfons, and jadgeih every man according to his works, Oiould fo hate the works cf his hand. Turn to ihofe paflage-s read them again and again. It is not faid, Jacob have I Icvedami Efau have I hated before they were .horn. This zva.yfaid thirteen hundred years after their death, in the prophet Malachi, concerning the r.ation IfraeU whom God had eminently profpered— and the nation Edcm, or Efau, whofe heritage God had, in his jufl aoger for their national fins, " laid wafte for ihe dragons of the wildernefs." This is Jaid, before the children were born ; "That the elder flvould ferve th? younger." Compare this quotation of the Apoftle with Gen. :cx. 23. defcribing two na- tions and of different charatlers— two manner of people, and ihe elder people (hall ferve the younger people, which v;as fulfilled eight hundT-ed years af- ttr, when David putgarrifons in Edom, and fubjeft- ed them to tribute. The fcriptures are the beft and only interpreter of ihemfelves, C

ObjeQion. 7. But God hath made all things fcf!" himfelf ; and even the wicked for the day of evilj that is, of eternal deftruftion. Prov. xvi. 4.

Anfw'er. God, who in his wife providence mak- €th the rich and the poor, the honorable and dif- honorable in this zvorldi maketh the tabernacles of the wicked to profper, and aids the impious to raife thenifelves to the throne of power, to prepare them for the fignal monuai*ntvS of his juftice in the day of evil, {h&i is, the day of calamity and temporal dejlruc- tion.

ObjeQion. 8. But ftill there are difliculties attend- ing this plan of underftanding the fcriptures ?

Anfwer. There may be more and greater diffi- culties upon any oiher plan. While we know but in part, and fee through a glafs darkly, we muft ex- peft to mee< with diiiiculties. Great is the myftery of godlinefs.

The mifimprovements, and proper improvements of our fubje6l now remain. Men often mifimprove this fubjetl, as follows :

1. Ail things future are determined after the eounfel of his will. He is of one mind, and none can turn hira. Prayer then is of no avail.

We anfwer, God is of one mind, and that mind n declared. He that feekethiliall find. Allvand thou fhalt receive. It is therefore unchangeably decreed, that he that feekethj in the appointed way Ihall find» God is " the prayer hearing God," therefore, it is the unalterable appointmeni of God to anfwer pray- er. The prayer of the righteous isforefeen, and an anfwer provided, before it is offered, as in the in- itance of Hezekiah againft Sennacharib.

2. If 1 am to be faved, I fliall be faved 1— if 1 am to be loft, I fiiall be lolt, let me do what I will. I may live as 1 choofe. It will make no difference.

Anfwer. You may live as you choofe, for God hath fet obedience and life, difobedience and deatk

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before you ; and by his determinate counfei leu yoa to the freedom of your own will. But what you do zuilhnake an infinite and tverlajiing di^trcnce in your Juture ejlatt.

If you are chofen to falvation hereafter, it is be- caufe you will choofe holinefs here, and leek, eternal life by the patient continuance in well doing. If the end be decreed, the means of fanBirication through the belief of the truth are alfo decreed. If you are predeftinaied to eternal death, it is not be- caufe God defires your deftru£lion--it is not be- caufe you are finners ; but, becaufe you wi!l not confefs and forfakc your fins. It is not becaufe you are in ignorance and darknefs ; but becaufe you will not come to the light that your ^Qcd^?, may be reproved, confeffed and forfaken. The ccuiifcl of God conneBs the charaBer, means, and end, injeparably together.

3. All things are known to God : confequently my future eftate, whether I am to be faved or loO, is known to him ; and what he knoweth rnuft take place. Nothing I can fay or do will make any al- teration.

Anfwer. All things are indeed and muft be known to God. But how are they known ? They are known as the confequences of your own choice and conduft. Whether yovi will go on in fpiritual floth, complaining of your hard fate, till the light oF eternity (hall flafli conviftion and horror into your underftanding, we know not. Whether you will grieve and refift the fpirit till he will ftrive no morcj man cannot tell, but God knoweth. God alfo know- eth whether you and your families are to live, and be fed and warmed through the feverities of the com- ing winter. And what God knoweth will come, ta pafs.

Why did you plant your fields, and fow your wheat and barley ? Why prepare your wool and your iax-your dwelling and your fuel ? Why ? For

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this beft of rcafcns, wc knovr that if God knoweiht that we arc to live in health and comfort, it is in the life of means. He is an idiot or a madman, who thinks^ or who afts othcrvvife. Are the folly and diflraOion ofnegleft in the affair of your falvation lefs clear and deiku6live ? Surely not : but greater as the foul and eternity are more important, than time and the body. When— O ! when ! will men exercife the fame common fenfe, and praBical wifdom in la- boring for the meat that endureth to eternal life I Be not deceived, then ; for God cannot be mocked. Whaifocver a man foweth, ihalffiall he alforeap.

In the iuiprovcraent of our fubje6t we infer, a. Th'ji the zvays of God in creation are equal.

In all the created forms of dull, the gift of being, its continuance and its death may be ordered ac-v cording; to the Creator's fovereign pleafure ; for no, injury is dowG: it: and from all we can judge of the. nature and ilate of his creatures, who filleth the earth with his goodnefij their condition is better than non* exiilencc.

2. In the providential govemnuni of the world God's- •n) ays are equal. No injury can be done his crea- tures in ihe adverfiiies and calamities that men by fin bring upon ihemfelv.es ; or thofc which providence brings upon them for their trial i^nd inllruftion. If the mercies of God v;hich naturally tend to, lead men to repentance, be raifimproved, the fault is not in the giver. Shall the fun be- darkened becaufe it lights the wicked to iniquity ?• Is the fire ufelefs becaufe mad-men burn them- felves ? Is the fun no bleiTmg to the world becaufe it lights fom.e men tt) their voluntary deliruc- lion ? /\ re bread and wine no bieffing becaufe the luxurious and intemperate thereby dtihoy them- feves? Is God not good becaufe mcn.abufe his goodnels ?

3. God's ways of mercy are equal. The bleffings and gift ofeiernal life are equally and freely cffcrtd.

toallwho are under the gofpel : zndoWsrcd -onths> Jame condition of acceptance- -w the high and the lo\v ...the rich and the poor.. .the unlearned and the wife.. .the leaft and the greateft iinners. Whofoever will, let him come and take the water of life freely. A!l the world is giiiltv before God, and under juft fentence of wratli. Mercy is his free gift. Juitiy may he have more abundant mercy on whom he will, for real'ons unknown to us.

4. How hoicndle/s are the patience and long' fufftving of God. His ways are not like our ways : but far above them as the heaven is above ihe earth.

5. Our fiihje^i leaves the firmer without any ground of complaint. He choofes his own courfe, and is juft- ly accountable for the confequences. '• O ! Krael thou haft deQroyed thyfelf."

6. How adorable is the fuprtvie God, only wife f Mow confummate that wifdovi which comprehends at one fmgle vi&w^ all prrfnt, all pajl, and all poffibk things.

Tills unerring Vv-ifdom prefides over the move- ments of univerfal nature. ..informs every intelligent creature. ..fupports and controuls the animated, and material worlds, by his almighty word.

O ! the depth of the riches both of the wifdom and the power of God. How unfearchable are his judgments and his v>?ays, pad finding out.

7 . Howfaje, how happy is the whole creation under the dirtdion of his zvifdom, and the proteciion of almighty power. The mighty whole is made up ofall its connec- ted parts; every part then will claim divine attention. All his works, yVcJTO archangels to animated atoms, and from the beginning of the creation are known to him. Not one of them, for one moment, is forgotten be- fore God. All creatures wait upon him and re- ceive their portion in due feafon. God is light and iliines with benificence on all. His tender mercies are over all his works, and like the beams of his (un, or the dew of hh heaven, ready to defcend on

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