charge, and remove the foul calumny, which is virtually uttered by many of thy profeffing people, who fay; "If God hath decreed to bestow more "grace upon one than upon another, his ways are "not equal: if I have no power to convert myself, "why doth he yet find fault?"—Let this effort, fincerely intended, however weak, ftand as a monument for God, against the idolatrous felfifhnefs of every creature.

CHAP.

СНАР. 1.

Containing an explanation of the principal TERMS relating to the subject under confideration.

§ 1. Introduction. § 2. the term EQUITY defined. § 3, 4. And further illuftrated. § 5. The term SOVEREIGNTY defined. § 6. Explanatory remarks. § 7. Some inftances of fovereign acts. § 8. A MORAL AGENT defined. $9. What things are effential to an accountable moral agent in a state of original probation. § 10. MORAL EVIL, or fin, defined and explained. § 11. That LIBERTY which is essential to moral agents. § 12. The different kinds of necessity to which a moral agent is fubject.

$ I.

AVING occafion, in this Effay, to treat

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of Equity and Sovereignty, and a variety of fubjects connected with these leading thoughts, relating to moral agency and moral evil, liberty and neceffity; it may be proper in the first place, to define and explain these terms with care; for it cannot be doubted, that much ambiguity and misunderstanding have been the effect of omiffions of this kind, especially when fubjects fo abftrufe, and fo much controverted, have been the matter of difcuffion.

§ 2. By the term " equity," I understand much the fame thing as is commonly meant by the words "diftributive

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« distributive justice;" and which in its exercise, denotes," a giving unto all their due." That GOD poffeffes a principle of equity is almost felf-evident; for, if he be not equitable, he is not poffeffed of rectitude; and if not poffeffed of rectitude, he is not perfect; and if not perfect, he is not GOD, and vice versa. There is not, there cannot be, any injuftice with God. He is the rock, his work is perfect; for all his ways are judgment: a God of truth, and without iniquity, juft and right is he.* Is God unrighteous who taketh vengeance? how then shall he judge the world? The Judge of the whole earth fhall do right, and nothing but what is right; that is, by giving to all their due, he will wrong no man in his matter. Whether, therefore, the object of this equity be God himself, or the creature he hath made, he gives to all to the utmost extent of what they can, in truth, claim. And in proportion as We are equitable, we fhall give to GOD the things that are God's, and to the creatures the things that are theirs.

§ 3. Further to illuftrate the Definition, and to prevent mistake, it is needful here to obferve the following particulars :

1. A thing is properly due from one Being to another, when there is a true ground of claim. Thus in whatever point one has a true ground of claim on GoD, that perfection of his nature which we call equity engages to grant it; but when no fuch ground exifts, the engagement ceafes.

* Deut. xxxii. 4.

2. GOD

2. GOD owes to himself every thing that does not imply imperfection or contradiction; or, which amounts to the fame thing, he can do nothing inconfiftent with his own infinite excellence and real dignity. Whatever is of him, is due to him. This is the rational caufe of all thanksgiving and praise on earth and in heaven: Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power; for thou haft created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created;-Blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and thankfgiving, and honour, and power, and might, be unto our God for ever and ever.*

3. GOD owes to a creature, as fuch, nothing; for the very idea of derivation and absolute dependence, which are effential to a creature, excludes all claim on the Creator for being itself, and confequently for any of its enjoyments. Who hath first given unto the Lord, that he may be recompensed again? If I be wicked, woe unto me; and if I be righteous, yet will I not lift up my head.

4. GOD owes (and it is all he owes) to an accountable creature, as fuch, that he should be poffeffed of intellect, will, and freedom; and fhould have for his choice objects fuitable to his wants. I do not fay, that the preservation of his being is due to him; because if that be not preferved, accountablenefs expires with it. That a creature poffeffed of fenfation, with a capacity and liableness to perpetual fuffering, to a degree worse than non-existence, or in any degree as a penal evil, fhould be accountable, and yet destitute of intellect, will, and liberty, appears inconfiftent with all true grounds of juftice. And, though

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*Rev. iv. 11. vii. 12.

though poffeffing these powers, if he has to choose only fuch objects as are utterly unfuitable to his wants, (and having an active principle of volition he must choose something) he is unavoidably neceffitated, from his make and circumftances, to be always miferable; which is inconfiftent with all proper views of equity.-And is it not self-evident, that whatever the accountable creature enjoys more than this, is not a matter of right but of favour?

§ 4. When I fay that equity requires the giving to every one his due, the meaning is not, that the rigid operation of mere equity can in no cafe be fufpended; but, that the creature has no ground of claim against that operation. Though the creature is fafe from fuffering any thing but what strictly is its due; yet, it does not bind God against fuch acts of favour, contrary to our deferts, as may fecure and illuftrate, in the manner of conferring them, the honour of his extenfive government. For instance, no offender can claim, on the fcore of mere equity, the pardon of fin; this, however, does not hinder, but that he may, in an honourable manner, forgive fin. This must be granted, if there be mercy in GOD. Hence Juftice thus viewed, taken not strictly on both fides the line of rectitude, if I may fo exprefs myself, but guarding only against the injuring of the creature, and referving a mode of doing it good contrary to its demerit, has been defined by fome, "Goodness, diftributed with wifdom; or, goodness attempered with wifdom."*

And

*Vid. STAPFERI Inflitut. Theol. vol. I. cap. iii. § DLXVI.