Sidor som bilder
PDF
ePub

| tor, showed no inclination to favor sinners to the dishonor of God, or to the prejudice of his law, and authority; nor the least desire that they should be exempted from the curse of the law without such an atonement as, in regard to them who be

same purpose, which their suffering would otherwise have answered. And though, acting as the Redeemer and Saviour of sinners, he expresses infinite benevolence and mercy towards them; yet this same Jesus, when he comes to act the part of the supreme and final Judge, in passing the last decisive sentence, and distributing rewards and punishments, will clearly prove by his conduct, that he hath the same hatred of sin with the Father, and the same disposition to punish it, when necessary, according to its demerit.

special care is taken, to have it stated, and declared in the most plain, express and decisive language, that all that Christ doth for the salvation of men, is according to the will of God the Father, and in execution of his eternal purpose. Yea, the whole plan and work of redemp-lieve and are saved, answers the tion are abundantly represented in the scriptures, as originating with God, in his free love and self-moved goodness. "God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." "He loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins." "Christ also loved us and gave himself for us." Thus do the Father and the Son perfectly coincide in their love to mankind. Nor has Christ ever done, nor will he do, a single thing in accomplishing our redemption and salvation, but according to the will of God It is therefore a great misthe Father. And God's becom- take, and directly contrary to ing the Father of believers, by the plainly revealed truth, to adopting them in Christ, is the think or feel, as though God the effect of his own free purpose Father was not as benevolently and choice, according to the disposed towards sinful mankind, good pleasure of his will. Eph. as his Son Jesus Christ; or as i. 1-6. Nothing is or can be though any were under greater more evident and certain, ac- obligations to the Son than to cording to the scriptures, than the Father, for their salvation, that the Father and the Son have and particularly, as though the the same disposition towards Father's good will towards us mankind, the same good will, was caused, procured, or purthe same benevolence and com- chasedby Christ's obedience and passion that they are equally sufferings. And if any think or disposed and engaged to effect persuade themselves, that they their redemption and salvation, are well affected and friendly to and equally opposed to their Christ, and trust in him, whilst sins, and equally resolved, that they are in heart unreconciled the honor and authority of the and opposed to God and his law, divine character, law and gov- they deceive themselves with ernment, shall, at all events, be a false persuasion. All suchperfectly supported. Accord-like ideas and feelings are deingly, Christ, acting as Media- lceitful and delusive, and direct

ly tend to render or keep those who admit them, blind to their own true character and state.

and giving him glory. But while creatures and worlds had no existence but in his omniscience and purpose, there was nothing beside himself to attract his love and be a motive of ac

GOD in absolute sovereignty seeks tion. He was the only being in

his own glory.

ELF existence, eternity, infinite wisdom and almighty power are essential to God. And omnipotence implies absolute sovereignty. It cannot be controlled. God's prerogative is to do "according to his will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth and none can stay his hand, or say unto him, what doest thou?"

the universe; and on him, if other beings and things should be made, they would entirely depend. In determining to create them, all that he consulted was his own glory, the satisfaction of his own benevolence, and the fulfilling of the counsel of his own wisdom. It was with him to say, Shall creatures be made? In what form shall they have being? And to what end shall they tend? According to his own pleasure Whatever his wisdom dictates, he determined their existence, or his will determines, his pow- their respective natures and proer performs. He acts wholly perties, and ordained the laws.by according to his own pleasure, which they were to be governand does all things to his owned. In fixing the whole plan or glory. For himself he gave ex- scheme of creation and proviistence to worlds, creatures and dence he regarded only his own things. And he governs and will and the glory of his own disposes of them to the honor of name. his own name. "Of him, and through him, and to him, are all things; to whom be glory for ever."

The same supreme motive governs the execution of his purposes and decrees. He is unchangeable in his being and Before the worlds were made counsels; "with whom is no he possessed infinite fulness, and variableness nor shadow of turnhad no need of creatures to adding." Since creatures exist they to his being, exaltation or hap-are all his, and he does as he piness. Unlimited in every perfection his immensity is immeasurable, and can neither be increased nor diminished. It it an eternal fulness, an infinitude of being, dignity, and felicity.

will with his own. His will is alway good, just and wise. He delights in his creatures as works of his hands. When he had made the world and had created man, he saw what he had done that it was very good.

His motive to create other beings originated in his sovereign The scheme of his governbenevolence. He was pleased to ment is perfect. He is prepared contemplate creatures as deriv- for all, events, and is ever ready ing existence from himself, sub-to do what will be for his glory. ject to his disposal, and according to their varying capacities acknowledging their dependence

The fall of man was foreseen, and mercy was ready to interpose to accomplish the purpose

of sovereign grace. In giving his Son to redeem the world it was the will of the Father, that he should take on him not the nature of angels but the seed of Abraham, and be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to men. It was all the sovereign determination of God, "according to the good pleasure of his will, to the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved." The gospel, which reveals his mercy, makes known "the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure, which he hath purposed in himself.”"That we should be to the

[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]

though great, and in our view far beyond comprehension, is finite. The idea would be absurd, to suppose that the view of infinitude is increased by joining any thing finite with it. An object cannot be contemplated of greater extent and importance than God, the infinite Jehovah.

If the greatest possible good of creation be included, or implied, in the glory of God, then it is secured in his seeking his glory. But if, in any respect, it be a separate and different interest from that of God, so as not to be included in his glory, he doubtless will honor himself:

praise of his glory." And saith" Yea, let God be true, but every an apostle, "Ye were sealed with man a liar :" let him possess all the Holy Spirit of promise, which glory, whatever may be the glois the earnest of our inheritance, ry, or happiness of creation. until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory."

The good of creatures is considered by God as they are his work; and to show justice, truth and benevolence in his treatment of them is necessary to the display of his glory.His nature being love, including every moral excellence, he cannot do wrong, and acting in infinite wisdom he certainly will do right. In the inspired passages which have been adduced, all things are said to be to him, as well as of him and through him; and the redemption of men, which of all works is the greatest, is to the praise of his glory. Christians also, who are to be imitators of him, are commanded," Do all to the glory of God." Deity, in the immensity and eternity of his being, is the infinite object of his own regard in doing all things to his own glory. The good of creation VOL. VI. No. 7.

Is the accomplishment of the greatest possible good of creatures necessary to the glory of God? Is it essential to the display of his infinite benevolence? The question is vast, and is it certain that a finite mind and one affected by sin, can comprehend it? Let man pause, before he decides on a subject so high and full of glory.

God has seen fit to create finite intelligences, and to make himself known to them in works, which to them appear of vast extent. The glory of God in them is adorable. But are men prepared to say that he has exerted almighty power as far as is possible, and that infinite wisdom is, or ever will be, exhausted, or will do its utmost, in contriving varieties of created beings with capacities nearest possible to infinity, and means of happiness so multiplied and vastly enlarged, that Deity himself can do no more? To use I i

the language of the psalmist, one | would think more modest, "Our God is in the heavens; he hath done whatsoever he hath pleased."

evidenced in creation and providence; if his grace declared in his word, secure our happiness, then we are safe. But as to those who reject Jesus Christ, and yet have opportunity to re pent, it may be answered, "He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved, but he that be

[ocr errors]

Will any object that to say, God does all things to his own glory, represents him as acting with contracted views; and that the representation gives coun-lieveth not shall be damned."tenance to selfish men in their And, as to the question, whether having no higher principle than it be probable that his grace will love to themselves? Infinitude renew those who are sinners, cannot be a contracted object of the reply is, "He hath mercy regard; neither is it a reproach on whom he will have mercy,' to the great Eternal, whose are and " It pleased God by the foolall things, to say, that he su-ishness of preaching to save premely loves himself, and looks them that believe." on creatures as they are, the So long as the final character work of his hands, originated by of any one is not ascertained, he him and wholly dependent on cannot know what will be his his power. But man is finite, a everlasting state. God is holy, creature lately brought into ex- and holy creatures will be hapistence, having nothing of hispy he is gracious to mankind, own, placed among fellow crea- and those who accept his grace, as tures alike dependent, and hav-offered in Christ, will be saved: ing a common interest in the he also is just, and those that defy will mercy favors of the Creator. To him his law and refuse his the first duty is to love God with perish. God cannot deny himall the heart, the mind and self; the creatures therefore strength, and then to love his which will eternally partake of neighbor as himself. His char-his blessedness will be happy in acter as a creature of the being the display of his glory. The who is infinitely greater than redeemed of mankind will be himself, and a fellow creature saved "to the glory of his with others of the same God, grace," and "to the praise of requires all this of him, that he his glory.” may act suitably to his nature and condition.

EGRAPHE.

Memoir of the Rev. Lynde
Huntington.

MESS'RS. EDITORS,

Will there be a wish to ask, If the glory of God be his highEst object, what security have creatures, that the sovereignty of his power will not destroy them? The answer is easy. HAVING found from exTruth, justice, goodness, and all other divine perfections are esperience and observation, that sential to God's glory. In these biographical sketches of persons he maintains an unchanging eminent for piety are not only amiableness of character. If entertaining, but really animat his wisdom and goodness, asing and instructive, I have at

tempted a brief memoir of the want of clear evidence of grace, life of the Rev. Lynde Hunting-however prevented him, for ton late of Branford; to which are annexed some extracts from his diary. The whole is now submitted to you for publication if you judge proper, by a friend,

&c.

T

D.

some time, from commencing a preacher of the gospel. At length it pleased God to afford him light and hope, in richer measures; and he entered upon the work with a zeal and firmness, becoming the importance of the cause in which he engaged.

Having deliberately, and of choice, devoted himself to the service of God, and the souls of men, and after a requisite preparation, he was licensed and recommended as a preacher of the gospel in May 1793. In the summer 1795, he received a call to take the pastoral charge of the first church and society in Branford, which after mature deliberation and prayer for divine direction, he accepted; and on the 28th of October following he was ordained to the

HE Rev. Lynde Huntington was a son of Mr. Oliver, and Mrs. Anne Huntington of Lebanon, in the state of Connecticut, who were pious and respectable. He was born March 22d, 1767. He early manifested a disposition to acquire knowledge, and while quite young, had many serious impressions. In 1784 he became a member of Yale College, where he was respectable as a scholar, and beloved by the friends of virtue. In the early part of his collegiate life, he became a subject of very serious impressions and conviction of sin, which termi-pastoral office. nated in a hopeful conversion and union with Christ. He made a public profession of religion, and joined the church at college, September 3d, 1786, and ever after adorned his profession. About this time he began a diary, which he continued, with some intermissions, during his life; from which it appears, that he ever had a great sense of the evil of sin, the purity of God's law, and the vileness of his own heart. Though he was, at times, great-kingdom. In the manner of his ly distressed with darkness and doubts, yet he had many lucid intervals, in which he enjoyed much divine consolation, and communion with God.

In 1788 he received the honors of college, expecting soon to commence the study of divinity. A state of doubt, and al

The natural talents with which he was endued, and the genuine piety which enriched and warmed his heart, eminently qualified him for the evangelical work; and afforded a happy presage of fidelity and usefulness in the vineyard of our Lord. Nor were these expectations disappointed. His strong mental powers, clear understanding, with a fixed application to theological studies, rendered him a scribe well instructed in the things of the

life, and in the doctrines which he taught, he was truly a burning and a shining light. In his life and conversation, he was an example worthy of imitation.He adorned the profession of a Christian, and dignified the station of a gospel minister.

The doctrines, which he in

« FöregåendeFortsätt »