BUT is not "every imagination of the thoughts of finners hearts," faid in fcripture to "be only evil continually ?”

SUCH is faid to have been the ftate of antediluvian finners, when the fpirit had ceased to strive with them, agreeably to the threatening.* It is a representation of the laft grade of human deprav ity; but not applicable to every natural man. Those who are unrenewed are not all equally depraved. Some" are not far from the kingdom of God."-In fome are things lovely in the Savior's eyes. "Then Jefus, beholding him, loved him."+

It is further afked, Whether every motion toward a return to God, is not the effect of divine influence? And whether divine influence doth not neceffarily produce effect ?-We answer,

To suppose man not capable of acting, but only of being acted on, or acted with, is to exculpate his enmity against God, and oppofition to his law and gospel. To fuppofe his enmity and oppofition to be the effect of divine influence, is to excuse them. Blame refts with the efficient. The creature cannot be culpable, because he is what God made him; or while he remains what he was made of God. To denominate either temper or conduct morally good or evil, confent is necessary. to suppose consent, in the creature, to be the effect of almighty power operating upon it, nullifies it to the creature, in a moral view. The work of God cannot be the fin, or holiness, of the creature.

*Genefis vi. 3.

Mark xii. 34. x. 21.

Bur depravity and wickedness are wrong, and criminal, apart from all confideration of their fource-they are fo in themselves.

THEY cannot therefore be from God, but must have fome other fource. The creature which vitiates another, is viewed as culpable, though it on. ly tempts to wickedness, which is all a creature can do to vitiate another, and leaves the tempted ability to retain integrity; what must then be our views of a being whom we conceive to produce the fame effect by an exertion of Almighty power?

"God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man." man." Is it then supposeable that he can produce it by direct efficiency?

BUT suppose him to produce it. Suppofe it to derive immediately from him. Is its nature altered? Is it lefs criminal or odious?

GOD forbid that we fhould make the fuppofition! It is a compound of abfurdity and blafphe. my! As well may we fuppofe the fun to diffufe `darknefs! They "trufted in lying words, who faid of old, We are delivered to do abominations.” We fear the Lord; " and will afcribe righteouf. nefs to our Maker."

BUT doth not God choose fome to eternal life, and to this end bring them into his kingdom, and leave others to perifh in their fins?

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GOD chooseth those who hear his voice, and cherish the divine influences, and leaves those who refufe his grace and grieve his fpirit. Behold, I ftand at the door and knock; if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him,

Every one findeth ; Afking finding ;.

and fup with him, and he with me. that asketh receiveth; he that feeketh, and to him that knocketh it is opened." is antecedent to receiving; feeking, to and knocking is the work of those yet without. When trembling, aftonished Saul, of Tarfus enquired, "Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?" he was directed by one fent of Chrift-" The Lord faid to Annanias, Arife-go-enquire-for one called Saul of Tarfus: For, behold, he prayeth."

It is further asked, Whether God doth not act as a fovereign, in his choice of those whom he fanctifies and faves?

GOD acts as a wife and impartial fovereign. God is not a fovereign in the fenfe in which moft earthly monarchs are so. Whim, caprice, paffion, prejudice often influence their preferences of fome to others. Not fo the divine fovereign. There are reasons for all his discriminations. They may be veiled at prefent from our view; but will one day appear" The day will declare them," and justify God in them.*

BUT the elect, it is faid, "are chofen from the foundations of the world; before they have done either good or evil."

FLECTION is indeed," according to foreknowledge." "Whom God did foreknow, he also did predeftinate to be conformed to the image of his Son."

BUT God could not foreknow, fay fome, how a free moral agent would act, unless he had first determined how he fhould a&t!

A FREE moral agent, all whofe volitions and actions, are fixed by an immutable decree! We are ignorant how God knows, or how he foreknows. Perhaps past and future relate only to creatures. Every thing may be present to the divine mind—with God there may be an eternal Now. "Beloved,

be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day." Much which is known to us, is locked up from creatures below us-they can form no ideas about it. Still lefs do we know of God, or the manner of the divine perceptions. The distance between God and us, is infinitely greater than between us and creatures of the loweft grade. It is therefore impoffible for us to make deductions from the divine perceptions, or determine any thing about them. When tempted to it we should remember the caution given by Zophar, "Canft thou by fearching find out God? Canft thou find out the Almighty to perfection? It is high as heaven; what canst thou do? deeper than hell; what canft thou know ?*”

BUT as the whole human race are finners, deferving only of punishment, is not God at liberty to choose from among them, whom he pleaseth to fanctify and fave, and pass by, and leave whom he pleaseth, to punifh in their fins?

We have no claim on divine justice. All mankind might have been left to perish. But they are not thus left of God. He hath found a ranfom; and offers falvation to all. No differences will be

* Job xi. 7; 8.

eventually made among men without reasons. And the reafons will be in them-For there is no refpect of perfons with God.

BUT fuppofe two perfons to be equally guilty and deferving of condemnation, may not God make one of them a veffel of mercy, and the other a veffel of wrath? Would the latter have occafion to complain? Or could injuftice be charged on God?

We should not dare to charge him with injus tice, did we know such a cafe to happen-neither do we presume to determine what God hath a right to do. But we are fure that no such case ever will happen-that God will not make an eventual difference in those who are alike. For there is no refpect of perfons with God.

SOME may find mercy who may appear to us lefs guilty than fome others who may perish in their fins. But it belongs not to us to estimate comparative guilt. It requires omnifcience. "The judge of all the earth will do right."

INFERENCES.

MANKIND are here on trial. Different talents are committed to them. God acts as a fovereign in apportioning betruftments, and will observe exact impartiality in adjusting retributions.

THE idea of talents implies ability to improve them. Gospel applications speak such to be our ftate-they are adopted to no other state.

THE fatalift, and thofe who conceive every human volition and action to be the effect of di vine agency, have no rational motive, to do,

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