praise from fallen but redeemed finners, while these have an eternal portion of happiness and holy rest. 3. The ultimate end might have been greatly different in refpect of the numbers, and the identical perfons to be faved. But fovereignty fays; "The decree was wifely made-if fome are more "favoured than others, none are injured." Well may we exclaim on the brink of this ocean, O the depth !* "However it be a foundation difallowed of men, every obferving christian fhall find, that without acknowledging Divine fevereignty for the original, fupreme and unaccountable disposer of perfons and things, he shall want a principal means of supporting his faith, and quieting his understanding in the course of common providences; much more of thofe myfterious occurrences, and Supernatural truths which he is eternally concerned about. - To make of the fame lump one veffel to honour and another to dif. honour, is the fublimeft act and most apparent demonstration of Sovereign power concerning men. The reafon of which (and that to fatisfaction) might have been given, and would, had it befitted the greatness of GOD, or the truft and reverence we owe to him: but for the prefent he is pleased to give none other but that of his right; He may do what he will with his own. Rom. ix. 18." COLE'S Practical Difcourfe on God's Sovereignty, p. 1, 14. Edinb. 1788. SECT. SECT. II. Of the Sovereignty of Grace in the choice of MEANS to accomplish the end proposed. § 1. How the propofed end is profecuted, and made infallibly certain. § 2. First, God conducting himself towards the creature in ftri& equity. § 3. Secondly, fixing on fome, rather than others, as veffels of mercy. 4. A third mean, the choice of a Mediator, § 5. Fourthly, the decretive Speciality of Chrift's mediation. $6. The inftances of fovereignty in the choice of means, numberless. § I. E VERY fyftem may be confidered under the twofold notion of end and means; and as we have confidered the moral fyftem in reference to an ultimate end, and the influence of fovereignty in the choice of it, we now proceed to confider the fame exalted attribute in reference to the means adopted for accomplishing that end. The ultimate point to which the whole system is destined to move, as we are affured from the highest authority, is the praise of glorious grace in the falvation of the church; but how is this to be effected? Redemption or falvation, implies a being loft; but what certainty can there be of a free agent falling into a loft condition, from which mercy may extricate him to the praife of glorious redeeming grace? If a perfect free agent, how is the defection infallibly certain? L 4 which which it must be in order to fecure the ultimate end of the human moral fyftem. Hence, § 2. The first inftance of fovereignty in the choice of means to accomplish the high end of falvation, appears to be God's refolution to conduct himself towards our moral fyftem, for a time, in Strict equity. Nothing else was necessary to render our defection from rectitude infallibly certain. Every entity, whether being or act, is from God as its efficient caufe; all paffive power, whether physical or moral, is from the creature; confequently, fuppofing a non-communication of the former, or, which is the fame thing, a non-prevention of the latter, on which we have no claim in equity, the creature's act terminates in defection.* § 3. A fecond inftance of fovereignty in the choice of means, is the designation of fome of the fallen human race as veffels of mercy, in preference to others. To fay that all are alike chofen decretively, is to say that there is no election at all; which is to contradict the whole tenor of scripture, and univerfal analogy. Befides, if all are in themfelves loft, and none decretively chofen to falvation, then none are or can be faved. But the vindication of this point is referred to the next chapter. $4. A third inftance of high fovereignty, in fubferviency to the fame end, is the choice and appointment of a Mediator. Mankind, having deviated from rectitude, * See the profeffed investigation of the above fentiments, Chap. IV. Sect. i. § 5, &c. rectitude, their equitable doom was the fuffering of natural evil in proportion to the defection. The dif ficulty in the way of pardon and restoration lay in the honourable Jufpenfion of the penal confequence. Wifdom fixed on a mediatorial plan. By this method the divine law and equity were confulted and their glory fecured. Hereby GoD has declared his righteousness, and fhewn himself to be just while the juftifier of him who is conftituted one with the Saviour, not by works but by fovereign grace. The mediation of Chrift is fo far from degrading the divine benevolence, that nothing can be conceived more expreffive of it. It includes benevolence to the law, which is magnified and made honourable; to equity, which hereby is declared ; and to every divine perfection, as well as to mankind. Hereby God COMMENDETH HIS LOVE toward us, in that while we were yet finners, CHRIST DIED for us. He so LOVED the world that he gave his only begotten Son. For if by one man's offence death reigned by one; MUCH MORE they who receive abundance of grace, and of the gift of righteousness, shall reign in life by one, Jefus Chrift. In the redeeming plan, according to the riches of his grace, he hath ABOUNDED toward us in all WISDOM and PRUDENCE; in all long-fuffering and loving-kindnefs, mercy and faithfulnefs, as well as love. § 5. A fourth inftance appears in the decretive Speciality of Chrift's mediation, whereby he not only procured fuitable means for all, but alfo became a furety for the application of efficacious grace grace to all eventually faved. The Meffiah while procuring the means of falvation appears partly as the meffenger of equitable government; but while raising the dead in fin, pouring light into the mind, conviction into the confcience, joy to the troubled heart, and vigour into the whole man, he feems to be folely the minifter of fovereign grace. In as much as atonement made for fin contains only a part of falvation, the fundamental part indeed; the discriminative peculiarity of Chrift's mediation includes the certainty of his applying that atonement in all its divine virtue. Thus redemption eventually, and therefore from decretive intention, is PARTICULAR; and thus the fpeciality of the substitution flows from fovereign pleasure. § 6. Why should I multiply instances of divine difcrimination in the choice of means to attain the ultimate end of the human fyftem? Time would fail to enlarge on the Saviour's incarnation with all its attendant circumstances of time, place, and humble appearance; his parentage, rank, and manner of life; the miracles he wrought, and the fins he pardoned. Time would fail to enumerate the wonderful inftances of his imputation of righteousness, and impartance of life, to men who had been perfecutors, and women who had been prostitutes; to fhew where the fins of the vileft characters have abounded, and the grace of Chrift hath much more abounded. Time would fail to declare in what wonderful inftances the righteous have been pre. ferved in fafety and happinefs, kept by the power of God, |