thus raised; but if men be not thus made alive to God, by his life-giving Spirit; the gospel will be the inevitable cause of their more heinous wickedness, and sorer punishment." We are unto God a sweet "savour of Christ, in them that are saved, and in "them that perish. To one we are the savour of "death unto death, and to the other we are the "savour of life unto life."-Again, will any true christian say, (while he beholds multitudes rejecting the gospel, or perverting it to their deeper condemnation,) that God might not justly have left him, to the pride and lusts of his depraved nature to copy their example? Will he not say, 'It is wholly an act of unmerited mercy, which has made the difference between me and them, and if I be a true christian, by the grace of God I am what I am?" The example of Pharaoh, in respect of his conduct towards Israel, does not apply: his requisition was unjust in itself, and the impossibility actual: but the impossibility, in the case of sinners, is that of a servant insuperably slothful, not of one who is sick or lame: it is the absolute want of inclination, not of natural power; and God denies the possibility, no otherwise, than by not exerting his power to make them willing and active. The commands of God, are our rule of conduct; and it is his command, that we should do what we can for the salvation of all men: but he has not promised to save all; nor does he actually save all men, whatever his decrees may be: and the day of judgment must determine, whether the number of the elect, or of those who are saved, be small or no; and whether smaller, than that of

to

those who perish. Of this we know nothing. Hitherto "strait is the gate and narrow the way, "which leadeth to life, and few there be that find "it." But when one said to Jesus, "Lord are "there few that be saved?" Instead of gratifying his curiosity, or answering the objection, which seems to have been implied in the question, "He "said unto them, Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, shall seek to enter 'in, and shall not be able."2

In respect of the argument taken from what we P ought to do, as shewing what it becomes the inct finitely wise God to do, in his moral government of ce the world, or his dealings with sinners; it may easily be shewn to be inapplicable. The mercy and clemency of a judge, in his private character, must not influence him to justify the wicked, or to neglect the punishment of criminals, in his publick station; S- when that punishment is conducive to the peace of the community. But let me seriously ask the reader, whether, if it were in his power, and no other obligation intervened; would it not be his duty to save the soul of every human being? But will he thence g infer, that God, being omnipotent, is bound to save every man? Here they, who contend for the universal salvation of men and devils fix themselves. ne God is love, God is power. He can, and he will; 'for we, if we had power ought to do it.' And they seem to themselves to stand as firm, as his Lordship supposes that he does.

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1 Matt. vii. 13, 14.

2 Luke xiii. 23-30.

But further, were it in our power, would it not be our duty, to heal the diseases, supply the wants, and remove the distresses, and preserve the lives, of men, both near and far off? Now is not the Almighty able to do it? Yet it is not done. Wherefore ? Because he has wise reasons for not doing it of which we are ignorant...

If

1 we were present, during the horrors of a tremendous earthquake; or when a large ship, full of men, was on fire, or dashed upon a rock; should we not be bound, even at the hazard of our lives, to do all in our power, to rescue the wretched sufferers. But is not God present? Is he not omnipotent ? Could he not rescue them? Yet he leaves them to perish. Let us then not imagine, that the infinitely wise God is bound to do all, which he has made it our duty to do, in similar circumstances. He requires from us, what it is proper that we should do: and he decrees and acts, in a manner worthy of himself; but he giveth not account of any of his "matters." He declares, that he "visits the ini"quities of the fathers upon the children:" yet he forbad the judges of Israel to do this.' It was proper for God to do it, but not for man. He commanded Joshua and Israel to slaughter the Canaanites indiscriminately; and many have been the blasphemies, uttered on that subject: yet it was proper for the Judge of all the earth to give this command; and for them to execute it: but if any person, without such a command, should presume to copy the ex

* Deut. xxiv. 16.

ample, he would be exposed to most severe punishment for so doing.

If the salvation of sinful men be altogether a dispensation of unmerited mercy; every part of it must be the same. Had not "God sent his only begotten "Son to be the Saviour of the world," which he, surely, was not bound to do; we must all have perished; and he would have been glorious in justice, though not in mercy, on account of our condemnation. Yet, if in the immensity of creation, there are other orders of rational offending creatures, (which may be the case for what we know,) he might have glorified his mercy in their salvation. Having sent his Son into the world, and all things having been made ready, by the redemption and glorification of the great Mediator; he might have withheld from us "the word of the truth of the "gospel;" which was not in justice due to any one. We then should have "perished for lack of know"ledge:" he would have glorified his justice in our merited condemnation: and sending his word of life to other regions, he might have glorified his rich mercy in their salvation. Or having sent it to us, when we were, as all are of themselves, indisposed to embrace it with due valuation, and rather to put it from us; he was not bound on that account in justice, to do any thing further: he might have left us to our perverse choice, and glorified his justice in our condemnation, and his mercy in the salvation of others," who through grace obeyed the call.' No claim, of any kind, can by a sinner be made on his offended Creator; till he actually believes with a true

and living faith; and then the only claim is grounded on the faithfulness of God to those promises, which he has mercifully given, and which by his grace he has enabled us to believe, with a true and living faith. Nothing, which God has given to any one of Adam's fallen race, was, in any sense, due to him: all and every part of it, might have been withheld, consistently with divine justice, and every other perfection. He has done for us, and given to us all, far more than we had any right to; and as much, as in his infinite wisdom, he saw proper to bestow; as well as immensely more, than we deserve. But in this sinners, in their own cause, are not likely to be impartial judges." What could have been done

more, to my vineyard, which I have not done in it? wherefore when I looked for grapes, brought it "forth wild grapes ?" Instead of replying against God, as if he were bound to do more for us, than he has done; it behoves us, to bless and thank him, for what he has, of his rich and wholly unmerited mercy, done for us; and beg of him, without ceasing, that we may so profit by his past benefits, as to receive of his abundant grace, whatever is still needful to our everlasting salvation.

P. cxcvii. 1. 24. He, &c." Do the words, "by "whom he was sanctified," refer to Christ, or to

1 Is. v. 4.

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2 "He who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath "done despite unto the Spirit of Grace," that is, he who has rejected the offered terms of salvation, is said to be "sanctified "by the blood of the covenant," that is, to have been capable of sharing in the benefits of Christ's death.'

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