the crime is looked upon a trifle; the fame crime against a government, would forfeit my liberty, if not my life. Thus the magnitude of a crime is not looked. upon, according to the dignity of the offender, but according to the dignity of the offended: Of courfe, a finite being finning against an infinite God, there is an infinite demerit in the tranfgreffion : of courfe juftice demands infinite fatiffaction. A finite being can make finite fatisfaction only, although the crime demands an infinity of punishment.-A finite being cannot bear an infinity of punishment at once: Therefore the punishment must be made up in duration, and of courfe be eternal, that it may be adequate to the crime.

But fays one, why was not a mediator provided for fallen angels, as well as for fallen men? Answer-It was impoffible, in the reafon and nature of things; for when mankind fell, it was by the action of one, and they multiply. So the Godhead and Manhood could be united, as in the perfon of Chrift : But not fo with the Devils, for they were all created active beings, and each food or fell for himself, and of course

was actually guilty, and therefore must have actual punishment, except a Mediator was provided; which could not be, for the Devils do not multiply; therefore the Godhead and Devilhood, could not be joined together.-But fuppofing it could, yet fays Paul, without fhedding of blood, there can be no remiflion, and fpirits have no blood to shed: And upon this ground it appears, that the Devils' restoration or redemption, muft fall through.

The fcripture which fayeth, Rom. 9. 11. &c. The children being yet unborn, having done neither good nor evil, that the purpofe of God, according to Election. might fland, it was faid unto her, the elder fhall ferve the younger" as it is written, "Jacob have I loved, and Efau have I hated," &c. any perfon by examining Genefis, 25. 23. and Mal. 1. 1. 2. may fee that Paul's talk doth not mean their perfons, but that, undeniably it must be applied to their pofterities. And to apply them the other way, as tho' one was an Elect, the other a Reprobate, on purpose to be damned, without a poffi

bility of efcape, is a plot of the Devil, to blindfold mankind by a multitude of words, without knowledge; for no fuch inference can be drawn from that paffage, that Jacob was made for falvation, and Efau for damnation.But obferve, it must be applied to their pofterities: See Gen. 25. 23. "And the Lord faid unto Rebecca, two nations are in thy bowels, and the one people fhall be ftronger than the other people, and the elder fhall ferve the younger." Which came to pass in the reign of king David, when the Edomites were brought in fubjection to the Jacobites. (2 Sam. 8. 14. 1 Chron. 18. 13.) and that paffage, Jacob have I loved, and Efau have I hated," was not fpoken before the children were born, but hundreds of years after they were dead, by (Mal. 1. 1, 2.) Now, cannot any perfon who is unprejudiced, plainly difcover, that the word " Jacob" here means the Jewifh nation, which God faw fit to exalt to high national privileges, becaufe Chrift was to come thro that lineage, &c. Efau have I hated," the word hate in fcripture, frequently means loving in a lefs

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And as to

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degree, &c. for inftance-Chrift fayeth, except a man hate his father, mother, and his own life alfo, he cannot be my difciple-the word hate here, means loving in a lefs degree, as we are to love God fupremely; and lent favors in a lefs degree, as belonging to him: So the paffage Efau have I hated" meaneth that God did not fee fit to exalt the Edomites, to fo high national privileges as the Jews; yet they were the next higheft, for their land was given to them for a poffeffion, which the Jews were not permitted to take from them, as they were going from Egypt to Canaan, (Deuteronomy, 2 c. 4. 5 v.) and that paffage (Heb, 12, 17.) which fayeth," that Efau was rejected, and found no place of repentance, though he fought it carefully with tears," we must not therefrom infer, that it was God who rejected him, because he was a reprobate, but his father Ifaac.

Take notice, at a certain time Efau went out a hunting, and on his return home, being at the point to perifh with hunger, fell into Jacob's tent, and defired refreshment; but Jacob attempt

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ed to make Efau's extremity his oppor tunity to grow rich; and to cheat him out of his birthright, for a mess of pottage: And Efau rather than starve, promifed to give it up; and who can blame him, confidering his diftrefs.All that a man hath, will be given for his life, faith Satan, this is the truth, and you cannot deny it, (Gen. 23. 30. &c.) but there is no account that ever Jacob got the birth-right, but by Efau's continuing with his father, and being fo rich on Jacob's return; it appears he lived with his father, and was heir to the inheritance. Jacob got not any thing from Efau; but Efau got a prefent from him. After this Ifaac was determined to blefs Efau, and commanded him to get venifon for that purpofe. while he was gone for it, Rebecca tells Jacob to kill kids, &c. and he should get the bleffing: He faith, "I fhall get a curfe inftead of a bleffing"-fhe faid, the curfe be on me, &c. and it appears as tho' fhe got it, as it was the means of her loofing her idol's company during her life time, for there is no account of her being alive at his return.Scarcely had he told the lies to Ifaac

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