principles, and motions, and acts of sin; and for all the abominations that are done under the sun. Such worship would make an Infidel shudder. Yet if Sin be his work, we ought to praise him for sin; for the word tells us to "Praise him for all his wonderful works." And if Sin be his work, Sin itself shall praise the Lord; for it is written, "All thy works shall praise thee."

Let it be known to all men that I pour contempt upon the doctrine of the holy ordination of Sin. Because it appears to me directly opposed to every principle of justice either human or divine. I pour contempt upon the doctrine because it is evidently opposed to the whole tenor of divine revelation. I pour contempt upon the doctrine because it bases the work of Christ, and the glorious attributes of Jehovah upon a disgraceful system. What can be more degrading to Jehovah, than to represent him as necessitating his creatures to Sin, in order to raise the glory of Christ by redeeming? What glory could possibly arise from redemption if based upon such a system. Nothing could possibly and more effectually sap the glorious work of redemption than such a system? It sets the work of the redeemer in the most contemptible light; and as such I dispise, I pour the utmost contempt upon the doctrine. The glories of redemption are not based upon a disgraceful system; for says the redeemer, "Then I restored that which I took not away."-Ps. lxix, 4. This portion of the sacred word, clears the blessed and gracious Redeemer from the foul imputation, of being the cause of the

fall, which the advocates for the ordination of Sin would palm upon him; and which Mr. TUCKER most artfully insinuates in the following words.

"His engagements with the divine Father in eternity, is a full and clear demonstration that Sin, or moral evil, is no accidental thing, but a wise and holy ordination of God, for the manifestation of his own glory, in the person of his dear Son, the adorable redeemer from it. Indeed I humbly apprehend that Christ is the beginning and end of all God's ways."-p. 112, 113.

Here mark, that Mr. T. is pleading for, and asserting that Sin is the ordination of God; and he winds up the business, with an humble apprehension, that Christ is the beginning and end of all God's ways; as much as to say, in plain English, that Christ is the beginning of sin, as well as the end of sin! Oh the horrid blasphemy of such a doctrine; and the devilish craft by which it is concealed. But bless the Lord for the scriptures of truth; they teach me different doctrine-" Then I restored that which I took not away." By which words I understand that our incarnate God, did not take away the creatures life and righteousness; but he restored it, when they had destroyed themselves. "I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly."-"Then I restored that which I took not away."-"O Israel thou hast destroyed thyself; but in me is thine help."-Christ did not cause the creature's to break the law; he was not the maker of the breach, but he was "The repairer of the breach." The scriptures no where tell us that Christ put sin in the way; but they tell us that he took it out of the way, that he finished transgression, made an end of sin, and brought in everlasting

righteousness.""Then I restored that which I took not away." O precious gem of heavenly truth.

"The works were finished from the foundation of the world." Heb. iv, 3. What works were finished? does it mean the works of Sin and the devil, in the kingdom of darkness? No; but the works of redemption and grace in the kingdom of God's dear Son: These are the works that were finished. How, and in what sense were these works finished? They were finished in God's eternal purpose, or better covenant, which is ordered in all things and sure, for, and in behalf of his elect. In this covenant or grace purpose, Christ was given to be sin for his people; in this covenant, "He was made Sin for us, that we might be made the righteous of God in him." In this covenant the elect were chosen in Christ before the foundation of the world, and predestinated to be conformed to the image of Christ before the foundation of the world; "predestinated to good works which God before ordained that we should walk in them." In this covenant, or grace purpose, Christ was slain for his people before the foundation of the world; and grace was provided for, and given to all the seed in him. Hence the apostle exhorts Timothy, saying, "Be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the

power of God, who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began." 2 Tim. i, 9. God's eternal purpose then, was not an eternal purpose that his pure creatures should fall, but

that they should be redeemed when fallen. The fall was foreseen, the redemption was ordained. The fall was the act of the creature; the redemption the act of God; his purpose in eternity and his act in time. Hence, "when the fullness of time was come, God (according to his eternal purpose) sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law to redeem them that were under the law."-" Who was fore-ordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifested in these last times for you who through him do believe."-1 Peter, i, 20.-"He sent redemption unto his people."-Ps. iii, 9. Thus God's ordination of redemption can be clearly proved by the word; but the ordination of Sin and the fall, cannot be proved by the word, there being no word in the volume of the book to prove the point. So that it is the works in the kingdom of God's dear Son, that were finished from the foundation of the world; and the rest that is spoken of in connection, is a gospel rest, which can only be entered into and enjoyed by faith. "For, (says the apostle,) we which believe do enter into rest.”

NINETEENTH.--The horrid appearance which this doctrine exhibits in the application thereof, forms another barrier in my way of receiving it.

The advocates for the doctrine affirm, that "whatsoever is done by rational creatures, is done by the sovereign appointment of God." Nor are we allowed to pick or to cull, as to say this act is of God, and that of man, and the other of the devil; but we are to at. tribute every act without exception, to God as being

the cause and worker thereof. We are by no means to leave out sinful and abominable acts; but to insist and maintain that every sin and abomination, is as verily the work of God as the creation of the universe, or the salvation of the Church. Hence says Mr. TUCKER,

"If God has any fixed and determinate will, relative to the being of the one, he must also of the whole." He likewise declares,

"That not an impure thought, word, or act, more or less, can arise among the creatures, than God has actually determined the being and permission of." T-R, L. xxiv, p, 195, 192.

Suppose a believer

Now to apply this doctrine. feels convicted in his conscience as to the commission of any Sin, or of the omission of any duty; the doctrine assures him, that his omission of duty or commission of sin, is in perfect accordance with the eternal purpose and good pleasure of God. Hence say they,.

"We neither can do more good than we do, nor less evil than we do; because God from eternity has precisely decreed that both the good and the evil be so done."-PISCATOR.

I would ask, can such a doctrine lead to repentanceto the forsaking of Sin-or to self abhorrence on account of sin? To me it appears impossible. To me it appears that a grounded belief of this doctrine must tend, not only to hush the mind to rest in sin, but also to encourage the soul to go on, in a careless, prayerless, impenitent and presumptuous continuance in sin, as being the will of God. Instead of the doctrine being a check in time of temptation, it opens a wide