mind, in making these remarks; (though in some respects it increases the difficulty;) that an unexpected transition sometimes is made, from language most hostile to our sentiments, to that of concurrence and amity. Taking this passage together, there is scarcely any `thing, to which a moderate Calvinist would object. Indeed, as far as it goes, it expresses Calvin's views of the subject, as I shall make it appear, in a subsequent part of this work, by translations of some parts of the Helvetick confession, &c. I do not say, that it contains all Calvin's views. He certainly maintained, that the decrce of God, respecting man, extended much further, than merely to create him, and endue him 'with free-agency:' and the purpose of permitting his fall, and the entrance of sin and misery, must have formed a part of it. But as the Scripture says nothing explicit concerning that decree, I shall be silent about it. All the decrees of God, concerning those, who are, in any way, "appointed to wrath," were formed in foresight, that the persons concerned would deserve that wrath; all concerning the Saviour and his salvation, on the foresight that men would need such a Saviour and salvation; and all those, which relate to those, whom "God from the beginning chose unto salvation, through "sanctification of the Spirit, and belief of the truth," were formed on the foresight, that he would "save "them, and call them, with an holy calling, not according to their works, but according to his own purpose "and grace, which was given them in Christ, before

'aggregate and series of events, co-existing over immensity of space, and 'successive through endless ages of eternity; some resulting from the free. 'will of rational agents, and others dependent upon the operation of irra⚫tional or mechanical causes, are at once present to his all-seeing eye. However incompetent we may be to the full comprehension of such perfec. 'tion, it is impossible to contemplate it without feelings of devout admiration and religious awe.'

"the world began."*-It is worthy of the reader's notice, that the sacred writers, speaking on these subjects, continually call our attention to what preceded, or was coeval with, "the foundation of the world." "The kingdom prepared for you from the foundation "of the world." "He hath chosen us in him before "the foundation of the world." "Who verily was "foreordained before the foundation of the world." "The Lamb slain from the foundation of the world." "Whose names were not written in the book of life "from the foundation of the world." "In hope of "eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised be"fore the world began." This language naturally suits the Calvinistick system; but it is seldom used, or quoted, by Anticalvinists, except in attempting to prove, that it does not countenance our doctrine.-The rest of the quotation is very good, and the conclusion of it admirable.

P. ccxlix. 1. 7. C The effusions, &c.'s Had no expressions of this kind been found, in the language of the inspired writers, the method here taken of accounting for them, as used by pious persons, might be admissible: and it certainly is no discredit to them, that they naturally spring from humble convictions of deserving punishment, and are the effusions of piety and grati'tude.' But it cannot be admitted, that they, who wrote by immediate inspiration, expressed their internal

2 Tim. i. 9. xiii. 8. xvii. 8.

t Matt. xxv. 34. Eph. i. 4. 1 Pet. i. 20. Rev. + Tit. i. 2.'

§ The effusions of piety and gratitude, and the stings of remorse, would ' ultimately lead to expressions, which might seem to convey the idea of ⚫ divine decrees universally directing and controlling human conduct and 'human affairs. The finite derivative agency of man would be lost in the infinite self-existing power of God; and events, foreseen by God, as resulting from the free exercise of faculties conferred by himself, would be can. ⚫sidered as commanded and appointed by him.'

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feelings, in such language as did not accurately state the truth, which they were commissioned to make known to mankind. Events foreseen by God, as ' resulting from the free exercise of powers conferred 'by himself;' at least keeps out of sight, the change made in human nature by the fall; and the renewing grace of the Holy Spirit, from whom all holy desires, all good counsels, and all just works do proceed.' Calvinists are far from holding, that God commanded all those actions of men, which are done in accomplishing his appointments.

One

P. ccxlix. l. 18. 'There is, &c.'* No man'as'cribes to the Deity a mode of acting,' which he himself thinks to be inconsistent with the divine attri'butes.' Here indeed we all are liable to mistake. ascribes to God' a mode of acting,' which another man supposes to be inconsistent with his attributes.' But, whatever we may think on any subject, reverence of the infinite Majesty of heaven best becomes us. The rest of the passage is very just: but how it consists with what follows, the reader must determine.

P. ccl. 1. 8.

'But that, &c.'t After what has been

• There is a great difference between the not being able to comprebend the whole or any particular part of the divine economy, and the ascribing to the Deity a mode of acting inconsistent with his attributes. Thus, I do ⚫ not attempt to explain, or pretend to understand, how the free-agency of man is reconcileable with the prescience of God. I cannot comprehend how those future contingencies, which depend upon the determination of ⚫ the human will, should be so certainly and infallibly foreseen, as to be the objects of the sure word of prophecy: still, however, I believe both in the 'prescience of God and free-agency of man, for the reasons already stateð; ⚫ and I see in them no contradiction to each other, or to any acknowledged truth. Here is a just exercise of my faith, upon a subject which exceeds the limits of my understanding; it is above, but not contrary to, reason.'

But that God should of his own good pleasure, without any respect to their conduct, irreversibly predestinate one part of mankind to eternal * happiness, and the other part to everlasting misery, is a doctrine which I ⚫ consider so inconsistent with the attributes of infinite justice and infinite

argued and stated, on the preceding part of this chapter, it is not needful to mark particularly, the misapprehensions of the Calvinists' doctrine, which this passage contains. God indeed irreversibly predestinates one 'part of mankind to eternal happiness:' and knowing that they would neither deserve it, nor be fit for it, but quite the contrary; nay, that if left to themselves, they would refuse the proffered blessing; he purposed, by "regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit," to bring them to repentance, faith, love, holiness, and heaven; as stated in our seventeeth article. But, few modern Calvinists, if any, maintain that God irreversibly decreed another part of mankind to everlasting misery, without respect to their foreseen deserving of it. Again, we do not hold, that God created some men for the purpose of being eternally miserable, without giving them the capacity of avoiding that "misery.' For first, we consider man as being at present far different from what God created him; a fallen apostate rebel, a "child of wrath," and "a vessel of "wrath fitted for destruction;" and "it is of the "LORD's mercies," that we are not all left finally to perish in our sins. Secondly, We consider even fallen man, as wanting no capacity, for embracing the gospel of free mercy, but a disposition, a willing mind: and it ⚫ is acknowledged, that man has not the disposition, and consequently not the ability, to do what in the sight ' of God is good; till he is influenced by the Spirit of

mercy, that I cannot bring myself to believe it. It is not merely that I am ⚫ unable to reconcile these two things, or to understand how they are consistent with each other; but it appears to me a palpable contradiction to say, that a just and merciful God created some men for the purpose of being eternally miserable, without giving them the capacity of avoiding that misery. And to add, as the Calvinists do, that God acted thus to promote his own glory, is so dreadful an assertion, that I should not conceive it ' possible to be made by persons calling themselves christians.'

'God.'*' And to add, as the Calvinists do, that God 'acted thus to promote his own glory, &c.' That 'God created man for the purpose of his being eternally 'miserable,' exclusive of his foreseen wickedness, and this to promote his own glory;' would indeed be 'a ' dreadful assertion, which I should not have conceived ' it possible to be made by persons calling themselves 'christians.' But quotations from our writings, and from several of them, expressly maintaining this doctrine, are indispensably necessary; when it is said As 'the Calvinists do.' It is true, some individuals, calling themselves Calvinists, but called by us Antinomians, if not blasphemers, have maintained very dreadful sentiments: but the body of Calvinists are no more chargeable with their extravagancies, than the refuters of Calvinism are with the heresies and iniquities of the multitudes, who oppose or ridicule our doctrines. Let us only be judged by our tenets, and not by the tenets of those whom we disclaim, and protest against to the utmost of our ability. Till quotations be adduced, from the writings of modern Calvinists, and of the evangelical clergy, clearly proving that we avow the sentiments here ascribed to us, I must confidently pronounce this to be an unfounded, and unsubstantiated charge against us. 'Aliud est maledicere, aliud accusare: accusatio crimen ' desiderat, rem ut definiat, hominem ut notet, argumento 'probet, teste confirmet, &c.' (Cicero.)—I shall show hereafter, that I am not Calvin's disciple; though I revere him, as no common man, either as a scholar, a theologian, or a christian: it will then appear, that, he used exceptionable words, at least in my judgment, on this very point; but by no means importing all, which is here implied. It is, however, exclusively the cause

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