First. "There are many devices in a man's heart; "nevertheless the counsel of the Lord, that shall "stand." Here an opposition is undeniably implied betwixt man's devices, and God's counsel, and it also is implied, that because thus opposed, the one shall fall, and the other stand, whilst nothing is at all intimated of a fore-ordination of all things whatsoever, but the contrary, for, man's devices not being included in, but opposed to God's counsel, or decrees, they are in themselves evidence, that all things are not decreed by the Almighty, for they are not so decreed.

Second. "The Lord bringeth the counsel of the heathen to nought, he maketh the devices of the people of none effect. The counsel of the Lord stand"eth forever, the thoughts of his heart to all genera"tions." As in this text, like "man's devices," in the former text, we here behold the counsel of the heathen, and devices of the people, opposed to, and excluded from, the counsel of the Lord, and from the thoughts of his heart; so, this text, like the former, operates altogether against that sense of predestination, which comprehends all counsels, and excludes no devices.

Third. "For the Lord of hosts hath purposed, "and who shall disannul it ?" In this predestinarian text, there is not even a shred of the Calvinistick decrees. This is demonstrable from the context. "The

Lord of hosts hath sworn, saying, surely as I have "thought, so shall it come to pass; and as I have purposed so shall it stand. That I will break the "Assyrian in my land, and upon my mountains tread

"him under foot; then shall his yoke depart from off them, and his burden depart from off their shoulders. "This is the purpose, that is purposed upon the "whole earth; and this is the hand that is stretched "out upon all the nations. For the Lord of hosts "hath purposed, and who shall disannul it." Verses 24, 25, 26, 27.

Fourth. "I know that whatsoever God doeth it "shall be forever; nothing can be put to it, nor any "thing taken from it: and God doeth it that men "should fear before him." This instructive passage refers not to God's designs, but expressly to his doings. His works are here justly and truly represented, as being so exquisitely perfect, as not to admit of any further improvement. There is no defect, therefore nothing to be added. There is nothing superfluous, therefore nothing can be deducted. And with this perfection, stability is here declared to be visibly impressed upon the works of the Lord, throughout his kingdoms of nature, grace and providence; in order that men, beholding as in a glass, the contrast of their ignorance with divine wisdom, of their impotence with almighty power, and of their dependency with the sovereignty of the uncontroled Ruler of the universe, should thereby be induced to yield the homage of their hearts to that self existent Being, whose stupendous works proclaim his eternal power and god-head. Such are the instructive lessons taught in this text; but which contains nothing whatsoever, whereon to found that decree, which even Calvin himself pro nounced to be "horrible."

Fifth. "But he is of one mind and who can turn him? and what his soul desireth, even that he do"eth. For he performeth the thing that is appointed "for me, and many such things are with him." Job's expressions are here highly figurative. Of God he says, "What his soul desireth, even that he doeth." But God being a Spirit could have no soul distinct from his Spiritual essence. Job had now been long smarting under the rod of heavy affliction. In his bitterness of grief he had cried unto God, and yet was not delivered. Hence he said that "God was of one mind,” and asked "who could turn him?" for, from experience he found he could not. His sorrow still increasing, through the upbraidings of his mistaken friends; he submissively receives this additional affliction, as a providential allotment divinely assigned to him; saying, "He performeth the thing that is appointed for me, and many such things are with him.” Thus circumstanced, we behold Job tried like Abraham, to discover all that was in his heart. As a be. loved son chastened, he weeps under his father's rod: but it being for his profit, no parental weakness spares him for his crying; he is made to endure all that unerring wisdom sees needful to inflict. And as these dealings of divine love are with Job, so "many such things are with the Lord;" who, in like manner, scourgeth every son whom he receiveth; that all thereby may become partakers of his holiness. Such are the sentiments devoutly taught by Job in the words before us. And if these doctrines as thus explained, are the true signification of this scripture passage, then all who de,

duce the decrees of Calvin therefrom, must first infusé thereinto such meaning, merely by the force of their own imaginations. But on these points, a careful examination of the whole twenty third chapter will best enable each to judge for himself.

Sixth. "I am God, and there is none like me; "declaring the end from the beginning, and from an"cient times (the things) that are not yet done, saying, my counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure."

That almighty God should be well pleased in the advancement of his own glory, that his highest glory should require created intelligences to behold it; that these intelligences, in order to be rendered justly accountable for their conduct, should be endued with power of discernment betwixt moral good and evil, and be invested with moral and all other needed ability to refuse the evil and choose the good: And yet, that Deity should reserve the right for the display of his divine attributes, to suspend at pleasure, the freedom of all his creatures, by subjecting their wills and actions to a controling necessity, but never so as to expose innocence to unavoidable guilt and ruin; are most interesting truths and self evident to right reason. To these dictates of right reason, divine revelation adds other truths, no less reasonable when so revealed. Of this description is the glad tidings of redeeming love, wherein pardoning mercy and restoring grace display the brightest glories of the divine character. And also of this description is that doctrine of divine retaliation which teaches, that where the richest overtures of

tlivine mercy are long obstinately rejected, divine wrath often justly abandons such self destroyers, not only to the imperious influence of their own corruptions, but even to diabolical necessitating influence, whereby such miscreant wretches are hurried on to unavoidable and utter destruction. These premises thus previously laid down, we proceed now to consider the above text, and others. "Declaring the end from the beginning." This thing whose end was declared from its beginning, and in the doing of which God fulfilled his "pleasure," was accomplished by Cyrus, and is thus elsewhere expressed; "That saith "of Cyrus, he is my shepherd, and shall perform all my pleasure; even saying to Jerusalem, thou shalt "be built; and to the temple, thy foundation shall be "laid. Thus saith the Lord to his anointed, to Cy

rus, whose right hand I have holden, to subdue na"tions before him: And I will loose the loins of "kings; to open before him the two leaved gates, "and the gates shall not be shut: I will go before "thee and make the crooked places straight: I will "break in pieces the gates of brass, and cut in sunder "the bars of iron: And I will give thee, the treasures "of darkness, and hidden riches of secret places, that "thou mayest know that I the Lord, who call thee by name, am the God of Israel, &c." But though Cyrus is thus called the Lord's shepherd, because he was to restore Jerusalem, and the temple; yet, as he in fulfilling the divine pleasure, was to destroy the power of Babylon; he is also styled a ravenous bird. "Calling a ravenous bird from the east, the man that Ff