that whatever he does in time he purposed to do from eternity. This is our Predestination.

4. And what is there in this irrecon'cilable with the justice and goodness of God?' Is it unjust to shew favour to the unworthy? We own it is not the proper effect of justice, but this is far from implying that it is unjust. Mercy, a species of divine goodness, is sovereign; but to confer a favour arbitrarily, under the direction of wisdom, does injury to no one. If God were just only, there would be no room for mercy. If he had not a right to act the part of a sovereign benefactor, there could have been no plan of redemption and salvation. What is required by justice, is to give to every one his due; but in the plan of redeeming mercy, justice is honoured, while " grace reigns through righteousness unto eternal life, through Jesus Christ our Lord." In this Calvinistic Predestination, therefore, it is difficult to find even the semblance of infringement of either justice or goodness. It is not inconsistent with goodness, that some should be made holy and happy, who did not deserve it, nor inconsistent with justice, that God should "have mercy on whom he will have mercy."

§ 5. In the next place, his Lordship maintains, that absolute election and reprobation are

inseparable.' That CALVIN and other eminent

divines before and after him, have drawn this inference is allowed, as their writings testify;and it is equally manifest that their opponents have seized the concession with avidity and triumph. But if the concession has been erroneously made, which I am fully satisfied was the case, and shall endeavour to substantiate; the strongest objection ever made to the doctrine of Calvinistic Election, falls. While a decree of Reprobation, Preterition, or Nonelection, is admitted, as the inseparable concomitant of a decree of Election, it is not to be wondered at that the latter should have so many opponents, or that the Bishop of Lincoln should be of the number. If reprobation be unfounded, ' which some modern Calvinists allow, it follows, upon their own principles, that election is also 'unfounded, since the latter cannot exist without ' the former."*___""So that, says Dr.WHITBY, there 'is no possibility of asserting one of these decrees, 'without owning the other also; and so whatso'ever argument holds good against an absolute 'decree of Reprobation, must certainly destroy 'the opposite decree of absolute Election.""*

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§ 6. It might appear an adventurous attempt, to encounter what Dr. WHITBY, and with him

the Bishop of Lincoln, deem impossible; or to assert that "which there is no possibility of asserting." But the reader will be pleased to recollect, that many things have been for a time considered as impossible paradoxes, which after all were great truths, and which have been fairly demonstrated to be such. For want of patient investigation and the use of proper means, with which God has furnished us, we are too apt to pronounce one thing unfathomable, and another impossible to be surmounted,-a a person in a labyrinth asserts that there is no possibility' of his getting out of it. Many, for example, throw into the way of truth such a stumbling-block as the following: "Let us suppose the number of mankind to be two millions of men; if out of these, one million only, by the decree of Election, be infallibly appointed to eternal life, and these certainly and absolutely distinguished from others, not only as to their number, but their persons also; who can deny, but that one million also, and those certain as to their persons, are as absolutely comprized under the decree of Non-Election or Reprobation, as the others were under the decree of Election and Predestination." this argument, borrowed by his Lordship to refute Calvinism, contains a summary of many scattered objections, I shall now attempt to shew its fallacy.

As

§ 7. In the first place, it takes for granted what can never be proved, that Non-Election implies a decree. Non-Election is a negative idea, not electing; but to decrce a negation is as absurd as to decree nothing, or to decree notto-decree. The notion of decreeing to permit, involves the same absurdity; for to permit, in this connexion, is not to hinder: but to decree not-to-hinder, is the same as to decree to-donothing, or, as before, to decree not-to-decree. The fallacy consists in the supposition that NonElection is a positive idea, and therefore requires a positive determination, by way of decree. The truth of the case is, that on supposition of one million being elected to holiness as the means, and happiness as the end, the other million is not elected to holiness and happiness. These two things are as opposite as doing and not doing, but to suppose an infinitely perfect Being to decree what he does not do, is incompatible; for it supposes him to decree to do what he decrees not to do. It is indeed perfectly scriptural and rational, to say, that whatever is done by an infinitely wise Being, is done according to design, an unvarying purpose, which is commonly termed a decree; but what meaning can there be in his designing to do the contrast to his doing?

§ 8. The same reasoning is applicable to

preterition. The mind, without due attention to caution, is liable to be deceived by the fallacy which attaches a positive idea to the term, or the thing intended by it. We are disposed, by common associations, to conclude that as to pass by is an act of a person, so the object passed by requires a designed determination for that purpose. But this is a fallacious conclusion. When a shepherd, for instance, passes by a number of sheep, and fixes upon one, a voluntary act of choosing that one does not imply another voluntary act to pass by the others. He knows all alike, and his wisdom suggests the object of his choice, and this object he actually chooses; the others he passes by; but what is thus expressed by a positive term, implies nothing positive with respect to the objects. They are no more affected by it, than they are by simple knowledge and wisdom. Thus we suppose the divine Shepherd of Israel knows all mankind with infinite precision. He sees them in a wandering and deplorable state; and as they are rational and accountable beings, he pities their condition, and makes adequate provision for their wants by a Mediator.. He causes the appointed remedy to be proclaimed as glad tidings; and he orders this gospel of the kingdom to be preached to all these creatures, among all nations, for the obedience of faith. We also suppose, that not one is of himself so inclined