are debarred from confolation? But we, not admitting the paffages adduced from the New Testament, as expreffive of the divine counfel to tranflate any from hell to heaven, the immutability of thofe counfels can contribute nothing to establish the argument.

What I before afferted, I now repeat, that my defign is not to enter into the great argument, Whether any promiffory intimations of scripture may, or may not, be pertinently pleaded in favour of the restoration; but to fhew that endless punishment, in the fenfe before explained, is perfectly confiftent with, and fairly the refult of the equity of divine government.

CHAP.

CHA P. III.

Containing a View of Sovereign Grace.

SECT. I.

Of the Sovereignty of Grace in propofing an ultimate End.

§ 1. The moral fyftem confidered in reference to end and means. § 2. Divine wisdom alting from defign requires the fixing of an ultimate end for a free fyftem. § 3. Hence man the subject of liberty and neceffity. § 4. The expediency of fixing an ultimate end from the defectibility of free agents, and the dif play of equity and mercy. § 5. Difplay of mercy the higher end, and what the ultimate. § 6. The immediate enquiry is not, What is the chief end; because no alt of fovereignty. §7. How SOVEREIGNTY appears in fixing on the praise of glorious grace in the falvation of the church as the ultimate end of our fyftem.

HAV

AVING taken a view of divine moral government, and the perfect equity that reigns in every part; we now proceed to take a view of fovereign grace: and as every system implies an ultimate end, and means of accomplishment; we

fhall

shall confider the moral fyftem in reference to these two general parts, beginning, as it is most natural, with the former.

§ 2. GOD is infinitely wife. But it is the dif criminative character of wisdom not to act without defign; and of infinite wisdom to propose the best end to be accomplished in the best manner. If, therefore, moral government be conducted with wisdom, it must needs refer to fome ultimate end worthy of that wisdom. That is, the refult of free agency must have been a fettled point before any creatures began to exercise their liberty. Prior to decretive choice every thing stood in the rank of mere poffibles; the adoption, then, of one hypothetical fyftem in preference to another must have been an act of fovereignty, and confequently the ultimate point in which all the means terminate.

§ 3. This matter duly confidered, it must follow, §3. however paradoxical it may appear at first view, that man is at the fame time, but in different refpects, the fubject of liberty and neceffity. As in the hand of the moral Governor he is free; but as in the hand of fovereign wisdom he is neceffitated. Liberty is effential to government, and neceffity is effential to wisdom. If not free he is not accountable, if the refult of his conduct be not fixed he is not fafe. The creature's ability not extending to active goodnefs without fovereign aid, liberty is fure to degenerate into fin if left in the hand of mere equity; if,

then,

then, the fatal confequence be in any cafe avoided it is owing to neceffitating fovereignty.

§ 4. Infinite prefcience viewing the defectibility of free agents, and the moral fyftem inevitably falling if left in the hand of its own counfel, and tending to endless disorder, distance, and mifery; and seeing neither strict equity nor fovereign mercy could be difplayed without fuffering the introduction of moral evil, wisdom interpofed to fix an ultimate end which every thing, however contingent in human estimation, should infallibly subserve. If the question be put, Why were free agents permitted to fall? The anfwer is, indirectly, If they are not liable to fall, they would not be free; but more directly, Because it was good that the divine attribute of equity fhould be manifefted ad extra, which without leaving the creature to itself could not be done; and to leave the creature to itself is the fame thing as the fufferance of moral evil. And if the question be put, Why are any redeemed from fin and mifery? The answer is, principally, Because it was good that the divine attribute of mercy fhould be displayed ad extra, which without a plan of redemption could not be done; and, in a fecondary view, it was good to promote the happinefs of the creature as far as wisdom permitted, which could be effected only by

mercy.

$5. From what has been faid it appears, that a difplay of mercy, or redeeming grace, is a higher end than the difplay of equity; the latter ferving as a fubordinate

fubordinate mean to the former. Behold, then, the goodness and feverity of God! Towards fome goodnefs; towards others feverity. But the ultimate end that fovereign wisdom feems to have placed for the harmonious co-operation and tendency of all the parts of the human moral fyftem is, THE PRAISE OF REDEEMING GLORIOUS GRACE IN JESUS CHRIST.' (Eph. i. 6.)

§ 6. The

. But

*Since GoD can act only for his own glory, and can find this no where but in himself; he could have no other design in the creation of the world, than the establishment of his church. joining Jefus Chrift to his church, and the church to the reft of the world it is taken from, you raise to the glory of GoD a temple fo majestic, magnificent and holy, that you will wonder perhaps he GOD loving himself by the laid the foundations of it fo late. neceffity of his being, and willing to procure an infinite glory, an honour on all hands worthy of himfelf, confults his wifdom for accomplishing his defires. This divine Wifdom, filled with love for him from whom he receives his being, by an eternal and ineffable generation, feeing nothing in all poffible creatures worthy of the majesty of his Father, offers himfelf, to establish to his honour an eternal worship, and to prefent him, as high priest, a facrifice which, through the dignity of his perfon, fhould be capable of contenting him. He reprefents to him infinite models for the temple to be raised to his glory; and, at the fame time, all poffible ways to execute his defigns. The holy fcripture teaches us, that it is Jefus Chrift who ought to make all the beauty, the fanctity, the grandeur, and magnificence of this work. If holy writ compare it to a city, it is Jefus Chrift who makes all the luftre; it not being the fun and the moon, but the glory of GoD and the light of the Lamb that fhine upon it. When representing it as a living body, whereof all the parts have wonderful proportion, it is Jefus Chrift who is the head of it. 'Tis from him the spirit and life are communicated into all the members that compose it. Speaking of it as a temple, Jefus Chrift is the chief corner ftone, which is the foundation of the building. "Tis he who is

a

the