the Old Teftament, and in the New; under the Law, and under the Gofpel; by Prophets, and by Apoftles; in paffages, too numerous to be fpecified, too prominent to be overlooked, and too plain to be misunderstood or misreprefented; that he is "no refpecter of per"fons," but that "he judgeth and rewardeth every man according to his works.". I ask not then, how is it reconcileable to our notions of juftice, that by an arbitrary, irrefpective, unconditional decree, he fhould confer happiness on a small portion of mankind, and condemn the bulk to inevitable mifery; but I afk, how is this reconcileable with the general tenor of Scripture, which uniformly affirms the impartiality and equity of God to be the rule of his dealings with men? For I cannot confider as any exception to this uniformity a few infulated paffages, of fome difficulty we allow, if feparately and fuperficially regarded; but harmonizing with the main import of Scripture, when examined by the fair laws of interpretation. And here let it not be pretended, that "the "works of God cannot be brought to any teft "whatever;" when he himself supplies us with a teft by an appeal to the equity of his proceedings. And let us not be told, that Toplady on Predeftination, p. 69. 66 "they who exclaim against unconditional decrees, as cruel, tyrannical, and unjuft, either "know not what they fay nor whereof they "affirm, or are wilful blafphemers of his name "and perverfe rebels against his fovereignty i;" that it is the effufion of "the pride of our car"nal reason, and the rebellion of our corrupt "nature." Did we difcover a clear revelation in Scripture, that the decrees of God are what our accufers reprefent them, we should fubmit to that revelation, however myfterious, ftrange, and hard to be understood, with all humility and proftration of foul, convinced that "the Judge of all the earth" cannot do otherwise than right. But when God himself authorizes, and encourages, and challenges us to examine his treatment of his creatures in the balance of the moft nice impartiality, we cannot feel inclined to admit a doctrine, which in our conception fubverts the equity of his proceedings; and "reduces them into a fyf"tem of favouritism1;" and attributes to him partiality, in proffering falvation to "fome "and not to all, feeing all are equally liable to damnation. Nor does it meet the difficulty to fay, that i Toplady on Predeftiuation, p. 70. * Mafon's Spiritual Treasury, p. 159. 1 Zeal without Innovation, p. 52. See Bishop Hopkins's Works, vol. ii. p. 504. 66 66 "the Jews were an elect nation, and fo the objection would lie as much against their "election, as against this we are confidering ":" for the election of nations to temporal privileges differs, in manifold particulars, from the election of individuals to eternal happinefs. Nor is it an answer to the objection to affirm, that "the fcope of the paffage plainly "intends, that God refpects no man's perfon, "either lefs or more, for his outward condi❝tion or carnal privileges"." It in truth conveys a much more univerfal meaning; it intends that God has no respect whatever for one man over another, as to their final acceptance, except what is founded upon their improvement of his grace; and that upon that ground alone will be established their refpective fentences, when he "will render unto every man according to his deeds." 2. Again, He is a God of mercy and goodnefs: an attribute, amidst all his wonderful perfections, peculiarly worthy of being admired P. "His mercy," fays the Pfalmift, "is "over all his works ;" and natural religion appears to avouch the fame, concurring with " Coles on God's Sovereignty, p. 100. • Ibid. • Θεος, οὗ πολλων όντων, εφ' ὡς θαυμάζεται, ουδεν οὕτως ὡς το παντας ευεργετειν ιδιωτατον. Naz. Orat. 26. 9 Pfalm cxlv. 9. "cy as the darling perfection of his nature, "and that, in the glory whereof he is moft "principally delighted." When the heathen defcribed the Deity by his two attributes of Optimus, Maximus, the Beft and the Greateft, it was not without reafon, that he gave precedence to that which denoted his goodness, over that which fignified his power. When on the delivery of the Law, revealed as it was in terror, the Lord proclaimed his name to Moses, he showed the quality of thofe attributes, wherein he moft delighted; for he placed in the front of the proclamation, "The Lord, the "Lord God, merciful and gracious, long-fuf"fering, and abundant in goodness and truth; "keeping mercy for thoufands; forgiving ini"quity, and tranfgreffion, and fin." And when the Apoftle of the Gofpel teaches us, that "God is love," he appears defirous of magnifying beyond measure this most adorable of the divine perfections; of concentrating in it (if I may fo exprefs myfelf) the reft of the divine attributes; and of identifying the Godhead with love. "His mercy is over all his works:" the Stebbing on the Spirit, chap. vi. fect. 7. Exod. xxxiv. 6, 7. 1 John iv. 8. predeftinarian acknowledges it, but denies that it is his faving mercy "." Yet what is this but to deny the moft glorious exercife of the attribute? "Doth God take care for oxen*?" faith the Apoftle: yea, faith this doctrine, much better than for man: for them he bountifully provides all that is needful for them; but man, finful, fallen, but ftill immortal man, formed in the image of God, and ftill retaining in his reasonable and living foul fome portion of his likeness to his divine original, from him he fhuts up the bowels of his compaffion, and excludes him from his loving-kindnefs and mercy. Delighting as he does in mercy and "in the exercife of loving-kindness";" abounding in love, even for his enemies; nay, even "waiting to be gracious," and "stretch"ing out his hands all the day long unto a re"bellious people;" and "not afflicting wil 66 66 b lingly nor grieving the children of men ;' how can we reconcile it to this attribute of the Godhead, that he fhould form millions and millions of rational and immortal creatures for the very purpose of making them eternally miferable; that he should place them in a state of pretended trial, where he has previously de "Whitefield, vol. iv. p. 69. Y Micah vii. 18. If. xxx. 18. lxv. 2. * I Cor. ix. 9. b Lam. iii. 33. |