some hurt; it is not, therefore, a matter of entire indifference, whether it happen or not. If it be possible, that all events, even the minutest, should be included in the divine plan, then certainly the perfection of the Divine Being will lead him to include them; and if they cannot all be included, it is difficult to see how the Most High can be perfectly independent.

The scriptures appear to discover no difficulty in ascribing to God the entire management and control of the world and creatures which he has made, any more than in ascribing to him the work of creating them. They represent him as giving and withholding rain at his pleasure; as sending and recalling diseases; and as managing, with perfect ease, the actions, the words, and even the thoughts of men. "The preparation of the heart and the answer of the tongue is from the Lord.” "The king's heart is in the hand of the Lord, and he turneth it whithersoever he will." If the actions, words, and thoughts of men are managed by the Supreme Ruler, then there is no difficulty in supposing that they were all included in his plan or counsel, after which he worketh all things. And the perfection of his nature made it necessary they should be included, as the only way effectually to secure the great end of all God's works, viz. the greatest possible good of the intelligent universe.

As the decrees do not appear in their glory, without we look at the object which God had in view in forming such purposes or decrees, it will be useful to spend a few moments in attending to this branch of the subject.

"The Lord hath

made all things for himself;" and as he has made all things agreeably to his original plan, he must have laid this plan for himself, i. e. to show forth his infinite glory. "The heavens declare the glory of the Lord." This is the case with all God's works of creation and providence taken together. They all conspire to bring into view the glorious wisdom, power and holiness of God. It is also said, that all things shall work together for good to them who love God. This is perfectly reconcileable with his always regarding his own glory. The divine decrees make sure the existence of that system of events, which will be most for the glory of God, and at the same time most for the happiness of all who love him. These decrees also made it sure, that no more rational creatures would apostatize, or remain in apostasy, than the greatest good of the universe made necessary. The decrees may therefore well be called, as in the context, "the good pleasure of his will." It was eternally his pleasure to do good, even to do all the good which could be done, notwithstanding the opposition and unworthiness of creatures. This fixed purpose of the eternal God, to bring into existence, such a world and such events, as would make the fullest display of his benevolence, and ensure the greatest sum of enjoyment in the intelligent creation, is that counsel, decree, or foreordination, which, we are now attempting to show, necessarily results from the infinite perfection of the Godhead. Opposition to the immutability of such a decree, must arise from our selfish affections, and in proportion to its violence, it betrays a want of regard to general good.

I shall in this place, just notice one objection which is made to the arguments drawn from the divine perfection. It is said, that if God has foreordained whatsoever comes to pass, then he has foreordained sin, and this must be inconsistent with his perfection.

It would be inconsistent with the holiness of God, for him to sin, or determine to sin; but it is quite a different thing, to determine to have sin exist in some of the rational creatures which he purposed to bring into existence. He could

from benevolent motives, determine the existence of sin. Influenced by such motives, he determined Christ should be put to death with wicked hands. Nothing could be more benevolent than the motive, which influenced the Father to give up his beloved Son to die by the wicked hands of his murderers; while on their part, there was nothing but spite and malice.

It is thought by some, to be inconsistent with the perfection of the Supreme Being, that his decree should be different from his command. Some by decree understand the same as command. So the word is commonly used when applied to the decrees of kings and courts; but when it is used in divinity, it means the purpose of the divine mind. It was the command of God to the Jewish nation, "This is my beloved Son, hear him." "Reverence my Son." But it will by no means follow as a consequence, that their rejection of his Son, was contrary to the purpose of God, though most evidently, contrary to his command.

II. That all things which exist, and all events

which take place, were included in the divine plan, may be proved from the manifest design and harmony, which are seen in all the works of creation and providence, Nothing can be more evident, than that creation is the effect of design. It is not a blind stroke here, and a blind stroke there It is all most manifestly the effect of counsel and contrivance. God did not create the sun, without determining to have a world for it to enlighten. He did not make a world, without making inhabitants for it; or make inhabitants, without a world for them to inhabit. He did not make creatures to be supported by food, and provide no food for their support. This harmony, observable in the different parts of the work of creation, confirms the truth of the text, that God worketh all things after the counsel of his own will.

The same kind of harmony is noticeable in the different events which take place in the kingdom of providence. Harmony proves a plan. The moment you cast your eye on a well proportioned edifice, you are irresistibly led to this conclusion, that this edifice did not come together accidentally, but that it was built according to a plan previously contrived by the artificer. If you were to be present on the day when such an edifice was reared up, and were to notice all the different pieces of timber, of which it is composed, to come together with the greatest exactness, you could not have a single doubt, whether these different pieces of timber were designed and prepared to be put together: So, if we can see the different events of providence coming togeth

er, as by joints and bands, to make one system, we can no more doubt but that these events were all fixed upon by the wisdom of God. The fall of angels was connected with the fall of man.--The preservation of a part of the angels from apostasy, and the recovery of a part of the human race, appear to be events which harmonize. It appears to have been the original design of the Creator, to have some holy and happy subjects eternally to enjoy his favor, who should be taken from both these orders of intelligent creatures. It is not a rational, nor scriptural way, to account for this, by saying, It so happened, that some of the angels stood, while others fell, and that men have returned, while angels have continued in rebellion; and that it has so happened, that some men have returned to God, while others perish in their apostasy. The fall of man and the work of redemption, appear to be events connected in one system. There is, therefore, reason to believe, that they were both included in the same plan of divine operation. The law of ceremonies, given to the Jewish church, was connected with the rejection of the Gentiles, until the coming of the Messiah, when that law should be abrogated. By that law, all the worshippers of the God of Israel, were to offer sacrifices, and keep the passover; and these were to be done only in the city which he chose to place his name there. From the establishment of such a law, it appears, that during its continuance, it was not the design of Jehovah, to gather all nations to his church. These things serve to convince us, that God, in the kingdom of providence, acts according to the counsel of his own will,