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fulness, condescension and compassion; and of every attribute, which can be conceived of, as admirable, adorable, and lovely: and, could they be convinced of the contrary, they would (at least many of them) renounce their principles. For they cannot conceive, that a scriptural creed should exhibit the glorious God any otherwise than as acting in character: not merely as not doing what is inconsistent with his perfections; but as doing every thing which, (when properly understood,) is suited to display the glory of them, to all holy creatures, and to all eternity, in the most advantageous manner imaginable; and indeed far beyond created imagination or conception. We may be mistaken, for we are fallible, as well as our opponents: but (I can answer only for myself, though I am assured numbers can say the same,) we read every thing that is supposed by the public most ably to combat our sentiments; we compare what these publications say with the scriptures: and we pray to the Giver of all wisdom to enlighten our minds, and open our understandings to understand the scriptures: and yet, we are so far from being convinced that our sentiments are dishonourable to God, that we feel an increasing assurance that they are directly the contrary. Either some more effectual method, therefore, must be taken of setting us right, or the difference must be left to be settled at the day of judgment, and by the light of the eternal world.-Quotations from those Calvinists who triumphantly ask, Had not the glorious Being who created the universe a right, &c.;' would have given an energy to the whole passage which it now wants. No doubt

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some men have used this kind of language: but it is very unbecoming such poor, erring, sinful mortals as we are, to speak in this manner concerning God. Indeed even where we do not see his justice and mercy, it behoves us to be silent: but to allow that the Judge of all the earth dooms men to hell without their demerit; and then to step forward to justify this, on the ground of the divine sovereignty, is highly reprehensible. "Will ye "speak wickedly for God, and talk deceitfully for "him?

Will ye accept his person? Will ye "contend for God?" Indeed I should be far less liberal in concession on this subject than his Lordship is. I am sure that the glorious Sovereign of the universe has a right to do whatever he pleases: but I am equally sure that it is absolutely impossible he can please to consign his rational creatures to any kind or degree of misery which they have not deserved. "Shall not the "judge of all the earth do right?" His sovereignty is that of infinite wisdom, justice, truth, goodness, and mercy. It is far more possible for the sun to produce cold and darkness, than for any thing unjust to proceed from God: and to speak of a sovereign 'right' to do what, when done, would be wrong, and inconsistent with the goodness, and mercy, and justice of God,' is inconsistent with sound logic and sober reasoning. In many things, it is our duty to be silent, and to adore the depths which we cannot fathom: but surely we ought never to step forward, as claiming a right for God to do what it is impossible he should do; and which he no where has so much as intimated a

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Job xiii. 7-10.

fulness, condescension and compassion; and of every attribute, which can be conceived of, as admirable, adorable, and lovely: and, could they be convinced of the contrary, they would (at least many of them) renounce their principles. For they cannot conceive, that a scriptural creed should exhibit the glorious God any otherwise than as acting in character: not merely as not doing what is inconsistent with his perfections; but as doing every thing which, (when properly understood,) is suited to display the glory of them, to all holy creatures, and to all eternity, in the most advantageous manner imaginable; and indeed far beyond created imagination or conception. We may be mistaken, for we are fallible, as well as our opponents: but (I can answer only for myself, though I am assured numbers can say the same,) we read every thing that is supposed by the public most ably to combat our sentiments; we compare what these publications say with the scriptures: and we pray to the Giver of all wisdom to enlighten our minds, and open our understandings to understand the scriptures: and yet, we are so far from being convinced that our sentiments are dishonourable to God, that we feel an increasing assurance that they are directly the contrary. Either some more effectual method, therefore, must be taken of setting us right, or the difference must be left to be settled at the day of judgment, and by the light of the eternal world. Quotations from those Calvinists who triumphantly ask, Had not 'the glorious Being who created the universe a right, &c.;' would have given an energy to the whole passage which it now wants. No doubt

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some men have used this kind of language: but it is very unbecoming such poor, erring, sinful mortals as we are, to speak in this manner concerning God. Indeed even where we do not see his justice and mercy, it behoves us to be silent: but to allow that the Judge of all the earth dooms men to hell without their demerit; and then to step forward to justify this, on the ground of the divine sovereignty, is highly reprehensible. "Will ye "speak wickedly for God, and talk deceitfully for "him? Will ye accept his person? Will ye

" contend for God?" Indeed I should be far less liberal in concession on this subject than his Lordship is. I am sure that the glorious Sovereign of the universe has a right to do whatever he pleases: but I am equally sure that it is absolutely impossible he can please to consign his rational creatures to any kind or degree of misery which they have not deserved. “Shall not the "judge of all the earth do right?" His sovereignty is that of infinite wisdom, justice, truth, goodness, and mercy. It is far more possible for the sun to produce cold and darkness, than for any thing unjust to proceed from God: and to speak of a sovereign'right' to do what, when done, would be wrong, and inconsistent with the goodness, and mercy, and justice of God,' is inconsistent with sound logic and sober reasoning. In many things, it is our duty to be silent, and to adore the depths which we cannot fathom: but surely we ought never to step forward, as claiming a right for God to do what it is impossible he should do; and which he no where has so much as intimated a

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4 Job xiii. 7-10.

purpose of doing!'-There is indeed no ground of difference whatever, in man's deservings, between those who are chosen to salvation, and those who are not; but all deserve to perish: they who are left deserve their doom, as it will appear "in "the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God;" and they who are saved are saved by mercy and grace, in all respects undeserved, and contrary to their deservings.

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'If a law be made, that death shall be the consequence of the commission of any particular 'crime, (theft for example,) is not a man who 'steals as much sentenced to the punishment of 'death, by a decree promulgated by absolute authority, as a slave condemned to die by the order of his master, without having done any thing worthy of death? The slave had no means of escaping 'death. The thief, if he had not stolen, would 'not have been punished by the law. In one case, the death of the man proceeds from the 'will of a capricious tyrant; in the other, from 'the transgression of a known law: but this law originated in the will of the Sovereign.' 2

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This illustration, of what his Lordship supposes (groundlessly) is forgotten by Calvinists,' shews

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'His Lordship seems to substitute power instead of right, when he says afterwards We know that the power of God is 'competent to every thing, which contains not in it the idea of 'impossibility or contradiction. But because God was able to 'create man for this or that purpose, it does not follow that he ' actually hath done it.'-Ref. 259. But power and right are perfectly distinct things.

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