No. I abhor all this Blasphemy with all my Heart. I firmly believe that all the divine Conduct is "good, right, best"—"Right in Matter, Manner and Aim"—the Result of "supreme Wisdom, which cannot err."—But I affirm, that Sin is "no Part of God's Scheme; but a Device of the Devil."—"God's original Scheme was to have all holy and happy."—The Devil has disconcerted it by his Rebellion, and God is heartily grieved.—Did I believe ‘the present Scheme to be God's, I should think it extremely dangerous opposing it; and that it would argue the highest Vanity, Arrogance and Impiety.’ (p. 13, 14, 15, 16, 24, &c.)

IF by "Sin not being God's Scheme, but the Device of the Devil," you mean, that God did not voluntarily permit Sin; but that the Devil brought it in, in Spite of all that God could do to hinder him; why do you maintain, that God did not mean to do, in this Affair, what he knew was most for his own Glory? For according to this, God exerted himself to the utmost, to secure his own Glory, and the Good of the System too; and would have obtained his End, had not his almighty Power been overmatch'd by the Devil. This therefore cannot be your Meaning: unless you would be inconsistent with your self.

[Page 14]IF you only mean, that the Devil sinned, and not God; I grant it. But the Question still remains unanswered. Pray, therefore, tell me, why did the infinitely wise and almighty God permit such a glorious Angel, as Satan once was, ever to devise such Mischief? ever to perpetrate so shocking a Deed? a Deed pregnant with infinite and eternal Woes!—Pray, tell me plain­ly, did God act wisely in this Affair, or did he not?— He had some End in View, or no End.—Not no End: for that would reflect upon his Wisdom.—If some End, it was a good End, or a bad one.—Not a bad one: for he is a most perfect Being. Therefore it must be a good one. That is, when God determined to permit Sin, upon a full View of the whole Affair, he knew it wisest and best, to permit it—i. e. he knew, that that Plan, in which so much Sin and Misery should take Place, would be better, in the whole, than a Plan in which Sin and Misery should for ever be effectually prevented by his constant Interposition. And it he knew this to be the best Plan, it was doubt­less his "original" Plan: for an infinitely wise and perfect Being, who "cannot err," would originally chuse, what, upon the whole, he knew to be the best.^†

"THIS is what, I conceive, I have a Right, as a Man, and a Christian, to oppose." (p. 4.) It is a mere "Fallacy" to pretend, "that the present Scheme "is most for the Glory of God; because he must ne­cessarily always will and do that which is most for his own Glory." I think you much to blame for being [Page 15] so "positive." For my Part, I do not believe, "that God does in Fact, or that he is obliged to do, what is most for his declarative Glory." (p. 12, 13.) And I can prove by a Variety of Arguments, that it had been better, infinitely better, infinitely more for the Honor of God, and Good of the System, if Sin had never been. (p. 19, 24.)

WHAT!—plainly contradict yourself so soon, my Friend!—However,—pray, do give me an In­stance, wherein infinite Wisdom ever erred; and wherein God did not do what was on the whole most for his own Glory.

IT is plain God might, have made the World much better than he did: And if after he had made the World, he had hindered the Existence of Sin, it had been infinitely more to his Honor, and to the Good of the System. (p. 12, 13. compared with p. 20,—24.)

PRAY, how then do you think, the whole of the divine Conduct will appear at the Day of Judg­ment? If not only his Works of Creation are de­fective; but if, in this infinitely important Affair of the Permission of Sin, God has done what he knew was not for the best; permitted Sin, when it had been infinitely better, if he had hindered it.

I AM of the Opinion, that, at the Day of Judg­ment, all God's Works and Ways will appear to be good. ‘Full Day will be then poured on all the Ways and Works of God; to the unspeakable Joy of those, who now heartily acquiesce in the Dispen­sations of supreme Wisdom; and humbly admire and adore, where they cannot fully comprehend.’ (p. 31.) For I firmly believe, that all the divine Con­duct is the Result of "supreme Wisdom which can­not err." (p. 14.)

DEAR Sir, what do you mean?—All the divine Conduct the Result of "supreme Wisdom which can­not [Page 16] err."—So that "all his Works and Ways will bear the Light of full Day."—And when brought into the clearest View, will appear to be "the Dispensati­ons of supreme Wisdom," worthy to be "heartily acquiesced in" by all wise and holy Intelligences, with "unspeakable Joy."—Altho' they all will see in the clearest Light, that God has made and governed the World in such a Manner, as he himself knew was not for the best, not most for his Glory, nor most for the Good of the System!—What! will all holy Beings at the Day of Judgment, think it best, that God has not done best! and wisest, that he has counteracted his Wisdom!—And most glorious, that he should do what he knew was not most for his Glory, and for the Good of the System! And humbly "admire and adore" his acting contrary to his own infinite Wisdom, Holiness and Goodness, as firmly believing this was the Result of "supreme Wisdom which cannot err!"—Pray, explain yourself on this Point.

WHAT I say, is really true. "Supreme Wis­dom cannot err."—‘So far as God has been con­cerned in the Transactions of the System, they must be good, right, best.’ But "Sin is no Part of God's Scheme, but a Device of the Devil." (p. 14, 16.)

VERY well, Sir.—And do I understand you now?—Do you really mean, that God in permitting the Devil and other wicked Beings to do as they do— that God in this has done what was indeed "good, right, best"?—For if God's Conduct is but approved of (you may condemn the Devil as much as you please) my Point is gained—the Wisdom of God in the Permission of Sin is acknowledged.—Pray, speak plainly.—

INDEED, Sir, ‘I do doubt, whether God does in Fact, and therefore whether he is obliged to do, what is most for his declarative Glory.’ (p. 13.) And I do believe, it had been infinitely better if Sin had never been. (p. 20,—24.)

WHY then do you profess firmly to believe, that the whole of the divine Conduct "is good, right, best"? And that "supreme Wisdom cannot err"? And that "all the divine Dispensations are to be heartily acquiesced in, as being supremely wise"? (p. 14, 31.) How can these Things be consistent?

HAD you, Sir, justified your Maker, fully acknow­ledged the Wisdom of God in the Permission of Sin; and wherein my Solutions of Difficulties appeared to you not sufficient, had you given better; still endeavour­ing to justify the Ways of God to Men, and to assist the People of God in their Belief of the Wisdom of all the divine Conduct; and so to animate their Love, and quicken their Obedience; you had merited the Thanks of the Public, and the Love of all pious Peo­ple, and might have been approved of even in Hea­ven.— But do you think, Almighty GOD will be pleased, to have his Conduct in the Permission of Sin disputed against, and set in the "most horrible, de­formed Light possible," by one of his own Subjects, who ought to love him, approve of all his Ways, and plead his Cause, in this revolted World! Or do you expect, that the Friends of God in Heaven or Earth, will be suited with your ATTEMPT, who are all united in believing concerning God, as it is written in Deut. xxxii. 4. He is the Rock, his Work is perfect: For all his Ways are Judgment: a God of Truth, and without Iniquity, just and right is he!

WHETHER what I have published, is consistent or no, I should be extremely glad of a Reply to my Objections. (p. 30.)

A FULL Reply to almost all your Objections has been already given: partly in Mr. Edwards on Liberty, partly in My Sermons on the Wisdom of God in the Per­mission of Sin, and still more fully in Mr. Hopkins's Sermons on Rom. iii. 5,—8. to which you may be referred.

BUT there is one Argument, on which I lay great Weight. Yea, on which I build my whole Scheme, viz. that as "God does not in Fact, so he is not obliged to do, what is most for his declarative Glory."—An Argument you have none of you an­swered. I have expressed it in these Words, viz.

‘IT is allowed by all, that God is infinite in Power, and that Space is infinite. Now here is evidently Room for endless Displays of divine Glories. In no definite Period of Time; in no given Quantity of Space, can there be a full Discovery of God's Glories; because they are absolutely infinite. And therefore may we not with the utmost Safety affirm, there is not now such a Display? We know there is now a greater Display of God's various natural and moral Perfections, than seven thousand Years ago: for there are now Multitudes of rational Beings, which then were not; and an Infinity of other Objects; in which are surprising Manifestations of Wisdom, Power and Goodness, &c. Had God been obliged to make as great Displays, as he could, of his Perfections, he must from Eternity have pro­duced into Existence all possible Beings; the Con­trary of which is evident. And may we not be naturally led from this to doubt, whether God has so much Glory from the Things which now exist, as he might have had? Especially when we consider the obvious Defects and Blemishes there are; and can easily imagine how these might be corrected by infinite Wisdom.’ (p. 13.)

TRUE, Sir, we have none of us answered this Argument. Nor did we expect it would be used by any in this Country, as I believe it never was before. It has often been used by professed Atheists, in other Countries; who, from the pretended Defects of the natural World, have argued that it could not be the Work of an absolutely perfect Being; and so that we have no Evidence that there is such a Being. And [Page 19] it has been abundantly answered by some of the most learned Writers in our Nation, in their Attempts to establish the Belief of a God, i. e. of an absolutely perfect Being.

SUFFER me, Sir, to give you two or three short Extracts out of Dr. Cudworth's intellectual System, where, writing in Confutation of Atheism, he says, ‘Their first Objection is against Providence, as to the Fabrick of the World, from the Faultiness of the Mundane System, intellectually considered, & in order to Ends; quia tantâ stat praedita Culpâ; that because it is so ill-made, therefore it could not be by a God. Where the Atheist takes it for granted, that whosoever asserts a God, or a perfect Mind, to be the Original of all Things, does therefore ipso facto suppose all Things to be well made; and as they should be. And this doubtless was the Sense of all the ancient Theologers.’ (p. 875.)—As in some modern Theists, who pretend to solve the Difficulty by saying, "quia Deus non tenetur ad optimum, because God is no where bound or obliged to the best," he shews the Absurdity of their Scheme. p. 873, &c.—In p. 874, he says, ‘God is—an impartial Ballance—weighing out Heaven & Earth, and all the Things therein, in the most just and exact Propor­tion, and not a Grain too much or too little of any thing. Nor is the Deity therefore bound or obliged to do the best, in any Way of Servility, much less by the Law and Command of any Superior, but only by the Perfection of its own Nature, which it cannot possibly deviate from, no more than ungod itself. In Conclusion therefore, we acknowledge the Atheists Argument to be thus far good; that if there be a God, then of Necessity must all Things be well made; and as they should be; and vice versâ. But no Atheist will ever be able to prove, that either the whole System of the World could have been better made, or that so much as one thing therein is made ineptly.’

[Page 20]AND having spent several Pages in answering various Objections of atheistical Writers against the Works of Creation, & Providence, he concludes the whole (p. 899.) in these Words. ‘And now having fully confuted all the atheistical Grounds, we confidently conclude, that—there is one only necessary Existent, the Cause of all other Things; and this an absolutely perfect Being, infinitely good, wise, and powerful; who hath made all things that were fit to be made, and according to the best Wisdom, and exerciseth an exact Providence over all.’ Thus far Dr. Cudworth.

AND this doubtless is the Belief of Christian Divines in general, of whatever Denomination. To be sure Dr. Whitby is full in it. These are his Words, ‘As it would be in us an intolerable Piece of Insolence to say, against the plainest Declarations of the Scrip­ture, that God did not in Wisdom make the World, because we are not able to discern the Wisdom of all things framed in it; so must it be an equal In­solence in us to say, God doth not act in the pre­serving it, and in the ordering of Affairs in it, ac­cording to the Measures of true Goodness, because we—cannot dive into the Reasons of his Dispen­sations.’ See Dr. Whitby's Discourses, IId Edit. p. 495.

TO which let me add a short Extract out of Dr. Turnbull's Christian Philosophy, p. 35. ‘The Creation of an all-perfect Mind must be the Image of it's Creator; and therefore it must be perfect, it must be chosen by infinite Wisdom and Goodness as the most per­fect System, that is, the System in which the greatest Quantity of Happiness and Perfection obtains, that can in the Nature of things take Place; and this being the Case, all the seeming Imperfections and Evils in it, are such only in a partial View; and with Respect to the whole System they are Goods.’

YEA, Mr. Chubb himself, tho' justly numbered a­mong infidel Writers, had juster Notions of God's mo­ral [Page 21] Character, than to think, that God might do better than he does. These are his Words, ‘I shall take it for granted, that God is, and that he is necessarily an immense, eternal, all-knowing, all-powerful, a self-sufficient, and an unchangeable Being. This being allowed, from hence it will follow, that as God is always capable of doing what is most worthy and valuable, in it self, and which in the Nature of things, is right, good, best and fittest to be done, seeing he knows wherein the Goodness, Fitness, and Va­luableness of every Action lies: So he always will act thus, because right, good, fit, &c. are so very beautiful, and excellent in themselves; and are so preferable, in the Nature of things, to their Con­traries, that they always will afford a proper and sufficient Motive, &c.’ Tracts, p. 252.

BUT to come to a more particular Consideration of your Argument, the grand Argument on which your whole Scheme is built; yea, the only Argument you use, to prove, that God might permit Sin, altho' he knew it was not for the best; not most for his Glory, or the Good of the System: and that therefore we can have no Certainty that he would not, from the ab­solute Perfection of his Nature.—And this, in a few Words, is the Sum of it.

GOD in the Work of Creation has not done his best, but might have done infinitely better.—If this be so in one In­stance, it may in another.—Therefore we can have no As­surance, from the absolute Perfection of the divine Nature, that God means to do what is best in his Works of Provi­dence; but have Reason to think he might have done infi­nitely better.

WELL, if it be really so, that God does not mean to order the Affairs of the Universe in the best Manner, I have had too good an Opinion of God, and have put too much Confidence in him. And I must learn for the Time to come to have lower Thoughts of [Page 22] God, and higher Thoughts of my self. I must begin to think my self a suitable Judge, to set up and censure God's Works and Ways, and point out wherein he might have done better; not in the least suspecting, that God is wiser and better than I am, and more able and willing to order Things for the best; or that it savours of Arrogance and Pride, for a Worm of the Dust, to say to the infinitely wise God,—‘In This, O Lord, and in That, thou mightest have done better. Had I been at thy right Hand, chief Di­rector, I could have laid a Plan for a better natural World, and for a better moral System.’—Not once imagining, that God may have wise Reasons for all his Works and all his Ways, which lie beyond my Reach. But rather confident, that he had no good Reason; because I see none. Wherefore I may ven­ture safely to censure, as unwise, any Steps of divine Providence, the Wisdom of which I do not see. And so, the more blind I am to the Wisdom of the divine Ways, the more Faults I may find, and the more fully point out the divine Errata.—And so, God must no longer be esteemed as always acting agreable to in­finite Wisdom; because I cannot see it; and, in the Vanity of my Mind, am entered into a Way of thinking and reasoning, that is the Result of the greatest Folly, and pregnant with the grossest Blasphemy.

A MORE particular Answer to your Argument is, Sir, I humbly conceive, really needless. For if I can imagine, to my own Fancy, a better natural World, and a better moral System; yet, as I do not know that my own Imaginations are right I have not the least Reason to call in Question he Wisdom of the divine Conduct; unless I put more Confidence in my Imaginations, than in "supreme Wisdom which can­not err." But you expresly own, that you "cannot pretend to prove to a Demonstration, that the present Scheme is not the best." (p. 5.)—And merely because I cannot see the Reason and Wisdom of God's Works [Page 23] and Ways, at once, to doubt, whether God has acted so wisely as he might have done, just as if he might not have good Reasons in View, which never entered into my Mind, becomes me, neither "as a Man or a Christian." We, who do not see the whole of God's universal Plan, nay, not the millionth Part of it, are not in a Capacity to pronounce it a bad Plan. It be­comes us rather to put an implicit Faith in the di­vine Wisdom; and to believe it to be good, because it is God's.—I a little wonder, Sir, how you dare so freely censure the Works and Ways of God, your Maker and final Judge!

‘COULD it be made appear, that the present Scheme is God's, I readily own it would be extreamly dangerous opposing it: And argue the highest Va­nity, Arrogance and Impiety.’ (p. 13, 14.)

VERY well, Sir, and don't you know that the natural World is wholly the Work of God? God, and God alone was the Creator of the Universe. The Devil had no Hand in the Work of Creation. And yet, here you oppose, "dangerous" as it is. Yea, here you begin your Opposition. Here you discover such Defects and Blemishes, and can easily imagine how things might have been better done; the World might have been created much sooner and larger; and, it seems, you think, infinitely better in the whole; infinitely more to the Glory of God, and containing infinitely more Happiness.—So that, for aught appears, you have near or quite as low an Opinion of the natural, as of the moral World; and could mend the one, as easily as the other.—Yea, from God's not any more consulting his own Glory in the Works of Creation, you are led to doubt whether he has consulted it, so much as he might have done, in the Works of Providence.

BUT this arguing, you see, is directly and professed­ly against God's Works, and that considered as such. And yet you say, ‘If it could be made appear, that [Page 24] the present Scheme is God's, it would be indeed ex­tremely dangerous opposing it.’ But let the Dan­ger be greater or less, you have ventured to oppose, and censure the Works of Creation, which you own to be God's Work. Yea, and finding the Works of Crea­tion so little to the Glory of God, to what they might have been; you are induced to doubt, whether God means always to do that which he knows would be most for his own Glory. And from this grow bold to think, that God might, consistent with his Perfecti­ons, permit Sin (a thing he has done not merely once, but persisted in every Day, Hour and Moment, near six thousand Years, in almost an infinite Number of Instances) when he knew, that in the whole, it would have been infinitely more to his Honour and the Good of the System, if he had hindered it.—And so, at last, really give up the moral Character of the Deity.— For, it is capable of strict Demonstration, that infinite Wisdom cannot err. Find one Error therefore in all God's Works, and it will prove to a Demonstration, that he is not infinitely wise. Much more, if you find an Error infinitely great, and persisted in for almost six thousand Years.

SIR, I proposed this "with the greatest Humi­lity." (p. 13.)

PRAY, but how does it look, to make a Proposal "with the greatest Humility," which is of such a Na­ture, as that the Proposer himself, at the same Time, is obliged to own, must argue "the greatest Vanity, Arrogance and Impiety!"—And then by the mere Strength of such a Proposal, to attempt to overthrow the Wisdom of God's universal Plan, even to the Ruin of the moral Character of the Holy ONE of Israel!

IF, to all this, you should reply, ‘This Way of Reasoning does not convince me. I cannot believe, a Work is done in the wisest and best Manner, and most for God's Glory, merely because God has done it. If it is arrogant and impious to object, yet I [Page 25] feel inclined to object, and must do it.—I DO DOUBT, WHETHER GOD ALWAYS DOES IN FACT, AND THEREFORE WHETHER HE IS OBLIGED TO DO, WHAT IS MOST FOR HIS DECLARATIVE GLORY.’—I say, if you should make this Reply, pray suffer me, with­out Offence, to desire you to read Isai. xlv. 9. We unto him that striveth with his Maker. Let the Potsherd strive with the Potsherds of the Earth.—It may do, some­times, my Friend, for Worms of the Dust to find Fault with the Works and Ways of their Fellow­worms; but it is "extremely dangerous," to find Fault with the Works and Ways of the GREAT JEHO­VAH.—Besides,

YOU often insist, "that we should acquiesce in that Account of things we have in Scripture." But the Scripture no where leads us to think, that God, in the Works of Creation or Providence, ever does "what is not most for his own Glory": but every where to the Contrary. Yea, we ourselves are re­quired, "whether we eat or drink, or whatever we do, to do all to the Glory of God." And can we at the same Time imagine, that God allows himself, in the most important Affairs, to do "what is not most for his own Glory"? Would God have us aim at his Glory more than he himself does?—Besides, the Scriptures inform us, that when God had finished the Work of Creation, and surveyed the whole, he pro­nounced it all to be "very good;" notwithstanding all the Objections you have to make against it. And the pious Psalmist cries out, O Lord, how manifold are thy Works! In Wisdom hast thou made them all. Psal. civ. 24.

BUT why did not God ‘from Eternity produce into Existence all possible Beings?’ Would not this have displayed his Perfections more fully and to better Advantage? (p. 13.)

Is there not an Absurdity in the Notion of cre­ating from Eternity? Yea, does it not imply a Contra­diction, very evidently, to say, that any Being might have been brought into Existence from Eternity? For if it was from Eternity, it was always in Existence; and so could never have been brought into Existence.

I DID not mean strictly "from Eternity." But there is no "Period of Time" can be mentioned, in which, God might not have created the Universe. (p. 13.)

ACCORDING to Scripture, In the Beginning God created the Heavens and the Earth.—Then TIME be­gan.—Strictly speaking, there was no Time before — Nothing but Eternity.—

BUT you will say, God might have created the World SOONER.

"SOONER"!—Pray, in what Sense?—Not nearer the beginning of Eternity. For Eternity never had a Beginning.—Not so soon, but it might happen, that the World should be just as old as it is now, when it was no older.—Not so soon, but that the Inhabitants of the Earth, about five or six thousand Years after the Creation, might, with as fair Shew of Reason as can now be pretended by any, object and say, Why was not the World created SOONER?—Not so soon, therefore, as to obviate this Difficulty, any better than it is at present.

BUT God might have brought "all possible Beings" into Existence at once; which would have given a greater Display of his Perfections. (p. 13.)

I BELIEVE, that God knew exactly how large it was best to create the Universe; and in what Order to bring Beings into Existence, so as in the wisest Manner to answer the best Ends. And I believe, he created it exactly to his Mind: For he meant to please [Page 27] himself. Rev. iv. 11. Thou art worthy, O Lord, to re­ceive Glory, Honor, and Power: For thou hast created all Things, and for THY PLEASURE they are, and WERE CREATED.

AND how know we, dear Sir, if God thinks best to have a larger Number of Intelligences to behold his Glory, and be happy in him, but that he judges it best not to bring them into Existence, till the present "Grand Drama" shall be finished, at the Day of Judgment? That they may, without sharing the Hazard of the present confused State of Things, reap the Benefit of the whole, thrô eternal Ages; while Angels and Saints may be appointed their Instructors, to lead them into the Knowledge of all God's Ways to his Creatures, and of all their Ways to him, from the Time of Satan's Revolt in Heaven, to the final Consummation of all Things. And so, as the Jewish Dispensation was introductory and preparatory to the Christian; so this present Universe may be intro­ductory and preparatory to one, after the Day of Judgment, almost infinitely larger.^* That this will [Page 28] be the Case, I don't pretend so much as to conjecture. But I firmly believe, that what is best, in the whole, That infinite Wisdom always has done, and always will do.—And here I rest.

I WILL only add, that the Death of Christ, and the Work of our Redemption, gives a Display of the di­vine Perfections, infinitely fuller; and shews what God is, in an infinitely clearer and brighter Manner, than the Creation of Systems.—It is a small thing with the Almighty to create Worlds; a Work scarce worth our Notice, or worthy ever to be thought of, compared with the Work of Redemption by the Death of his Son. To be sure, God himself, who is infi­nitely the best Judge, views Things in this Light.— For behold! (saith the Lord, speaking of this very thing) I create new Heavens, and a new Earth: And the former shall not be remembered, nor come into Mind. Isai. lxv. 17.

THE SON of God only spake a Word, and the old Creation came into Being: an easy Work! But for the new Creation, all his Glory must be laid aside, he must put on the form of a Servant, groan in the Gar­den, and die on the Cross! And as his thus dying was a Work infinitely greater, than speaking a Word; so the new Creation will be proportionably more glo­rious than the old. As it is written, For behold, I create new Heavens, and a new Earth: And the former shall not be remembered, nor come into Mind.—But this greatest and most glorious of all God's Works, could never have been, had God interposed and prevented the Existence of Sin.—Did you, Sir, view the Work of Redemp­tion in the Light of Scripture, surely it must give you [Page 29] a different Idea of God's universal Plan. Nor could you, if you love what God loves, think so meanly of that, which to God appears so infinitely glorious.

BUT I have many Arguments to prove, that it had been infinitely better, infinitely more to the Ho­nour of God, and Good of the System, if Sin had never been. Yet it is plain Fact God has permitted Sin to be. Therefore it is certain, God does not al­ways mean to do that which is best. (p. 13. compared with p. 19,—24.)

HOWEVER, according to your own Concession, all your Arguments do not amount to a Demonstration. For you say, "that you cannot pretend to prove to a Demonstration, that the present Scheme is not the best." (p. 5.) But we may be as certain, that infinite Wis­dom and perfect Rectitude cannot err, as that two and two make four. Now to attempt to confute, what we are certain to a Demonstration is true, by Arguments, we are sensible, fall short of Demonstration, is very weak. And to give up the infinite Wisdom and per­fect Rectitude of the divine Nature and Conduct, on such Grounds, how can it be but inexcusable Im­piety?—To censure the Conduct of Civil Rulers, known to be Men of superior Abilities, and of great Integrity, when we are not under Advantages to enter into the Secrets of State, or to know scarce any of the Reasons they act upon, is always deemed arrogant and wicked. Much more must it be so here: As we have the greatest Certainty, that the supreme Ruler of the Universe is a Being of infinite Understanding, and of perfect Rectitude; and as we are at an infinite Re­move from a full Comprehension of his grand univer­sal Scheme.

I GRANT, this Reasoning looks plausible, and that "some pious conscientious Persons may have been induced to believe" the Wisdom of God in the [Page 30] Permission of Sin, by it. (p. 25.)—But it does not convince me.—For if once I should believe, that it was wisest and best in God to permit Sin, most for his Glory, and for the Good of the System; I should feel my self under a Necessity to look upon Sin as being in its own Nature a good Thing, for the Glory of God, and Good of the System; and that God delights in it as such. And that therefore in Stead of hating Sin, mourning for it in our selves, lamenting it in others; we ought rather to esteem it as really a good and ver­tuous Thing; and as such to rejoyce in it, and even to keep an everlasting Jubilee in Remembrance of Satan's Revolt, and Adam's Fall: Events so infinite­ly glorious! (p. 16, 17, 18, 19.)—Absurdities so shocking, that I never can believe them.

AND, Absurdities, let me tell you, that if you did but understand the Scheme you are opposing, you would know, are so far from following from it, that they are absolutely inconsistent with it.

FOR the Doctrine of the Wisdom of God in the Permission of Sin, supposes Sin, in it self and in all its natural Tendencies, to be infinitely evil, infinitely contrary to the Honour of God, and Good of the System. For herein consists the Wisdom of God in the Affair, not in bringing Good out of Good, but in bringing infinite Good out of infinite Evil, and never suffering one Sin to happen in all his Domini­ons, but which, notwithstanding its infinitely evil Nature and Tendency, infinite Wisdom can and will over-rule to greater Good, in the whole. So that all these Objections are the Result of Ignorance or Per­verseness.

FOR Sin, in itself, and its natural Tendencies, be­ing just as evil as thò God never meant to, and in fact never did, bring any Good out of it; it is as much, to be hated for its evil Nature and Tendency, to be [Page 31] repented of in ourselves, and lamented in others, mourned for, watched and prayed and preached a­gainst; as if no Good was ever to be brought out of it.

JUST as it was in the Affair of Joseph. It was a vile, an impious and barbarous thing, for his Brethren to do as they did: Hateful in itself, and in the Eyes of God, and of all good Beings: And to be mourned for, and lamented, and testified against, as such. It was dishonorable to God, whose Authority they de­spised, and whose Design to advance Joseph they in­tended to frustrate: Cruel to their aged pious Father, and barbarous to their Brother.—And in fact they were verily Guilty; as their Consciences testified, in the Day of their Distress. (Gen. xlii. 21.) —And if after all this, contrary to their Intentions, great Good comes out of this Affair, no Thanks to them for that. They were still verily Guilty; and even every Whit as much to blame, as ever; and had as great Reason for godly Sorrow, and true Repentance; as is plain to the weakest Capacity.—I appeal to the common Sense of all Mankind. ^*

SIR, I am of another Opinion. I affirm, that "if Sin is the Occasion of greater Good, in the whole, there is no Reason to repent of it." (p. 18.) "For it ceases to be Sin." (p. 19.)

YOU affirm so, it is true: But it is impossible, if you will consider the Case, that you should believe so.—Pray, tell me, was it not a sinful thing, for Joseph's Brethren to sell their Brother? Or for the Jews to crucify the Lord of Glory? Because God, in both Cases, contrary to their Design, brought great Good out of these great Evils.—I appeal to your own Conscience.

NAY, but if you appeal to me, I must frankly tell you, that if greater Good is brought out of Evil, we are not to be sorry, but rather to rejoyce that we have sinned. This Principle I take for granted, as self-evident. And on this Hypothesis I build my Rea­soning. (p. 17, 18.)

THEN it seems, you think, that Joseph's Bre­thren had no Cause to repent of their Sin, in attempt­ing to frustrate God's Design to advance their Bro­ther; because in Spite of all their Malice and Envy, God over-ruled all they did to bring about his de­signed Advancement, to the best Advantage. Their Sin, you say, ‘God in infinite Wisdom over-ruled for the Advancement of Joseph; the Preservation [Page 34] of Jacob and his Family; and a Train of the most happy Events to the Church of God, from that Day to this.’ (p. 6.) To which you add, ‘It must be confessed, much of the divine Power, Wisdom, Goodness, &c. was displayed in bringing so much Good from such Treachery.’ Therefore Joseph's Brethren ought, in Stead of Sorrow, rather to "keep an everlasting Jubilee" in Remembrance of their Malice, Envy, Cruelty and Impiety exercised in that Deed. This is one of the "pernicious Consequences" not of mine, but of your own Scheme. Nor can it be got rid of, as to those Instances of Sin, which you acknow­ledge God has over-ruled to greater Good. And as you own "you cannot prove to a Demonstration" but that greater Good will finally be brought out of all Sin, in general; so upon your Scheme you can­not be certain, that you or any other Sinner has Rea­son to repent of Sin. You do not know as yet, whe­ther to be sorry, or glad. Yea, according to you, "it is above your, or perhaps any human Talents" to decide this Question. (p. 5, 6.) Therefore upon your Scheme, all Sinners must put off their Repen­tance, until by some new Revelation from Heaven it is declared, that God never will over-rule all to greater Good. And as soon as ever we are assured, that God does not intend to over-rule all Things to his Glory and to the Good of the System; then, and not till then, must we begin to be sorry that we have sinned: —that is, to be sorry that we have not sought the Glory of God and Good of the System, with all our Might. — But why should we be sorry now? For, if God does not seek his own Glory, why should we? if He does not aim at the general Good, why should we? ought we to be more holy than God himself? No: the utmost Extent of our Duty is only to be perfect, as our Father which is in Heaven, is perfect.— So that finally, your Scheme, in whatever Light considered, will ex­clude true Repentance out of the World.—However, [Page 35] there is this Comfort by the way, that your Scheme is so plainly inconsistent with common Sense, that it can never be believed by a rational Creature. To suppose, that my Sin is lessened, because, contrary to my Design, Good is brought of it by another Being, let the Good be ever so great, instead of being self-evidently true, is really self-evidently false.

"CAN that be evil, which exactly coincides with the divine Will?" (p. 19.)

The Jews did nothing, but what God's Counsel determined before to be done; as the Apostles, full of the holy Ghost, expresly declare, and that even in their Prayer to God. (Act. iv. 28.) And they tell the Jews in so many Words, Him, being delivered by the deter­minate Counsel and Fore-knowledge of God, ye have taken, and by WICKED Hands have crucified & slain. (Act. ii. 23.) Which very Doctrine the Spirit of God set home on the Consciences of their Hearers, and they were prick­ed at the Heart, in a Sense of their Sin and Guilt; and cry, What shall we do? and the Apostles call upon them to Repent. But do you, Sir, verily think, that the holy Spirit, these divinely inspired Apostles, and their Converts, were all inconsistent with themselves! and will you contradict the Spirit of God, the A­postles, the primitive Converts, and the universal Sense of Mankind, rather than not oppose the Wis­dom of God in the Permission of Sin!

‘How an infinitely holy Being could lay a Plan, which was infinitely wrong and wicked to execute;’ I cannot conceive. (p. 16.)

You will doubtless readily own, that the fol­lowing Plan was laid by "an infinitely holy Being:" because you have it from his own Mouth. Exod. xiv. 1, 2, 3, 4. And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, Speak unto the Children of Israel; that they turn, and en­camp before Pi-hahiroth, between Migdol and the Sea, over [Page 36] against Baal-Zephon: before it shall ye encamp by the Sea.— But why? — For (says the holy One of Israel, who knew what the Consequence would be) Pharaoh—when he hears where you are encamped — will say of the Children of Israel, They are entangled in the Land, the Wilderness hath shut them in— They cannot escape: I have them at my Mercy.—And I will — by this Cir­cumstance— harden Pharaoh's Heart, that he shall follow after them, and I will be honoured upon Pharaoh, and upon all his Host: that the Egyptians may know that I am the Lord. — Here was a Plan laid by an infinitely holy Being, which was infinitely wrong and wicked for Pharaoh to execute." However, he did execute it.— Ver. 5. And it was told the King of Egypt, that the People fled: and the Heart of Pharaoh and of his Servants was turned against the People, and they said, Why have we done this, that we have let Israel go from serving us? And he made ready his Chariot and took his People with him.— And what was the issue? They sank like Lead in the mighty Waters. And Israel sang, The Lord hath tri­umphed gloriously.— And thus God ordered Things as he did, professedly on Design, that Pharaoh might do as he did. And when he had done what God in­tended he should do, he wrought a Miracle to de­stroy him. And Moses without the least Difficulty, saw the Holiness and Wisdom of God in laying this Plan, and the Wickedness of that bloody Tyrant in ex­ecuting it, and the Righteousness of his Destruction.

So again, the whole Plan of Christ's Crucifixion was laid by the holy ONE of Israel, before the World began; and was so very particularly described in the Types and Prophecies of the old Testament, some Hundreds of Years before it was accomplished; and so plainly foretold by our Saviour before his Death, and compared with the ancient Types and Prophe­cies after his Resurrection, that the Apostles plainly saw, that Jews and Gentiles had done nothing but what God had before determined should be done: and [Page 37] yet they could easily see, that this did not in the least Measure lessen their Guilt. And so can any Body else. For it is plain, that the Jews did not mean to accom­plish the glorious Scheme, which God had in View, in the Death of his Son; but only to gratify their Pride, Malice, Envy and Revenge, in the Death of One whom they hated, without a Cause.

BUT if God is perfectly pleased with his own Plan, why is he not perfectly pleased with wicked Men for executing of it? (p. 7, 8. Marg.)

THUS saith the Lord in Isai. x. 5, 6. O Assyrian, the Rod of mine Anger, and the Staff in their Hand is mine Indignation. I will send him against an hypocritical Nation; and against the People of my Wrath will I give him a Charge, to take the Spoil, and to take the Prey, to tread them down like the Mire of the Streets. This was God's Plan, and it was perfectly agreable to him, and the Assyrians executed it thoroughly in the Destruction of the Kingdom of Israel, a few Years after. (2 Kin. xvii)— But was God pleased with the Assyrians for what they did? No; so far from it, that He devoted them to Destruction therefor. (Isai. x. 12.) — But why? Because they did not mean to serve God, but only to gratify their own Lusts. ver. 7. He meaneth not so, neither doth his Heart think so: but it is in his Heart to destroy, and to cut off Nations not a few.

BUT ‘it is certainly most for God's Glory, that those Things should be done, which when done, most advance his Glory: for had they been neglected, some Things most for his Glory would have been neglected:’ Therefore all the Sin, that ever was or ever will be, "is best" on this Scheme; "most for God's Glory, and most for the Happiness of the Creation in general." (p. 26.)

AS to wicked Men, as has been said, they mean not so, neither doth their Heart think so. They are [Page 38] Enemies to God and to his Glory, and aim only to gratify their Corruptions. But as to God, it is true, as it is written in Psal. lxxvi. 10. The Wrath of Man shall praise thee; and the Remainder of Wrath shalt thou restrain. All the Sin, that has been or ever will be, God will turn to his Glory. Nor will he ever suffer any one Sin to be committed, but what, he sees with absolute Certainty, is best to permit in this View. And this is so far from reflecting upon God's Holiness, that it is the only way to vindicate his Conduct. And while you oppose this, you are obliged to say, that "in Fact God does not do that which is most for his Glory."

Can a Crime which is "infinitely to God's Dishonour, be infinitely to his Honour?" (p. 26.)

GOD can bring infinite Honour to himself out of such Crimes, as in their own Nature are infinitely dishonourable to him; as you your self will not deny. (p. 6.)

WELL, if this be so, the more Sin, the better. (p. 28, 29.)

I hope you have not forgot the Doom St. Paul gives those who say, Let us do Evil, that Good may come: viz. that their Damnation is just, Rom. iii. 8.

BUT upon your Scheme "all Sinners do sin­cerely seek the Glory of God in the Gratification of their Lusts: and so, they are all good Men, and will be saved." (p. 29.)

THAT is, Because God intended to glorify himself by all Pharaoh's Haughtiness; therefore Pharaoh him­self, when he bid Defiance to the God of the He­brews, sincerely sought the Glory of God; and so was a good Man, and is gone to Heaven! — Do you really believe this! or do you mean to banter, on so serious and grave a Subject!

I believe "your Scheme will encourage Wick­edness: and your Libertine young Gentlemen will be extremely obliged to you for a Scheme so favourable to their Indulgences." (p. 28.)

NO, Sir, by no Means. For it is a Prospect of Success, that encourages Men to Action. This encouraged Joseph's Brethren to sell their Brother; they hoped to prevent his Advancement: and this en­couraged Pharaoh to try his Strength with the God of the Hebrews: he hoped to conquer at last. Had they in both Cases foreknown how Things would have issued, they would have had no Courage to do as they did. But my Scheme is, that all Sinners will, sooner or later, be disappointed, as much as they were: And all their wicked Schemes and Conduct be over­ruled to answer Ends as contrary to their Intentions: therefore were my Scheme universally believed with all the Heart, it would put an everlasting End to all the Courage of all wicked Beings in the whole System.— Pray, Sir, put it to your own Case. Would you be encouraged to write against the Wisdom of God in the Permission of Sin once more; if you knew that God would over-rule it, to confirm the Doctrine, and bring you to Shame in the Sight of all the Country? that is, Is a Certainty of compleat Disappointment, the great Encouragement to Action?

BUT if God thinks it for the best, that Sin should be, why does he forbid it, and take so much pains to hinder it? (p. 27.)

ASK Moses, if God thought it best to suffer Pharaoh to refuse to let Israel go, why did God send him, so often, to say to Pharaoh, in the Name of the Lord, Let Israel go, that he may serve me? — Or, ra­ther, as your Question most immediately reflects up­on the holy Majesty of Heaven and Earth, whom you implicitly charge with inconsistent Conduct, if you have Courage, ask him. — Or, rather, recall your [Page 40] Question, as it is so plain a Case, that in the whole of that Affair God's Conduct was perfectly consistent. For, by the whole, God meant, to let it be known that he was the LORD, and to fill the whole Earth with his Glory. Which End was answered, by all the Methods he took to make Pharaoh sensible of his Duty, and by his leaving him after all, to harden his Heart, and act against the clearest Light; whereby he was prepared for so remarkable a Destruction; in which God shewed his Power, and caused his Name to be declared throughout all the Earth.

BUT can you forbid your Child to do a Thing, and then stand by and permit it to transgress, con­sistently with your self? (p. 16)

PARENTS and Tutors and Masters often do so; that while they catch their Children, or Pupils, or Servants, at their bad Tricks, they may be under the better Advantages to convict and reform them; and so have one and the same End in forbidding and in permitting: And Children of four Years old are able to see the Consistence of such Conduct.

JOSEPH'S Brethren were very proud and very en­vious: this prompted them to sell their Brother. God hated their Pride and Envy. God intended to reform them. God suffered them to exercise and gratify their Pride and Envy in selling their Brother, and then over-ruled this their Wickedness, so as greatly to humble them.— They bow to their Brother. Yea, they are glad to bow to him, and pay him Honour.— And all this was, in God, perfectly consistent, and perfectly wise.

BUT "this is making God do Evil, that Good may come of it." (p. 17.)

NO, Sir, not unless it is "doing Evil," for God to act in the wisest and most perfect Manner: i. e. not unless you call Good, Evil; and Evil, Good. And I leave it to the impartial World, which Scheme makes [Page 41] God the "Author of Sin": That which supposes that he always acts according to his infinite Wisdom and perfect Rectitude, and does what he infallibly knows is most for his Glory and the Good of the System; Or that, which supposes just the contrary, viz. "that in Fact God does not do what is most for his own Glory." (p. 13.) Pray, read Isai. v. 20. ^*

BUT "if Obedience had not been, upon the whole, for the best, a perfect Being could not have enjoined it." (p. 20.)

The very best things we can aim at, are the Glory of God, and the Good of the System: and the only way we can take, that we may actively promote these Ends is to do as God has bid us: Love the Lord with all our Heart, and our Neighbour as our selves. There­fore [Page 42] God, the most perfect Being, may well enjoin this upon us. About all this there is no Dispute.— The only Question is, What is wisest and best for God to do? To interpose and prevent Sin, in all Cases? or else, in some Cases, to suffer his Creatures to sin?— If God can promote the Glory of God and Good of the System, to better Advantage, by the Permission of Sin, than by hindering it by his own Interposition; it is best, in the whole, for him to permit it. As in the Case of Joseph, Pharaoh, and Christ's Crucifixion, &c. &c.—God could have sent more than twelve Le­gions of Angels, and rescued Christ out of the Hands of his Enemies; as is plainly intimated in Mat. xxvi. 53, 54. Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Fa­ther, and he shall presently give me more than twelve Le­gions of Angels? But how then shall the Scriptures be ful­filled, that thus it must be? — This would have dis­concerted the infinitely wise Plan, which God had laid in the Days of Eternity; of which he had given Intimations in the sacred Writings of the old Testa­ment. ^*

BUT ‘God, at first, made all rational Beings perfect in Holiness, and perfect in Happiness; which, with me, is a satisfactory Evidence, that such a State was most for his Glory and their Hap­piness.’ (p. 24.)

ALL the Evidence you can have, merely from this Fact, must depend upon the Truth of this Pro­position, viz. that "God always does what is most for his own Glory and the Good of the Creation." And if this Proposition is true, it will equally prove▪ both, that it was best God should "create all ratio­nal Beings perfect in Holiness," as he did at first; and that he should permit some of them to fall, as he did afterwards.— I believe the Proposition to be [Page 44] true: and I believe both the Consequences, which equally follow.— You believe the Proposition to be true, when you think it will serve your turn: but at another time say, "I do doubt whether God in fact does what is most for his own Glory."

AS God intended before the Foundation of the World to permit Sin, for holy and wise Ends, it was of the utmost Importance, that he should do it under such Circumstances, that the whole intellectual System might see and know, that he did not do it, as looking upon Sin, as being Good in it self, or as tending to Good: yea, under such Circumstances, that his Permission of it might not, in the Eyes of finite Intel­ligences, lessen, but rather infinitely increase the Hor­rors of it. Therefore he not only created all holy, at first; but also "forbid Sin under the severest Penal­ties;" yea actually executed the infinitely dreadful Penalty on the sinning Angels, who were the first Transgressors, without any Mercy. And while he exercised Mercy towards fallen Man, he did it in such a Way, as will finally, and on the whole, shew his Hatred of Sin, as much, nay more than it he had treated them as he did the fallen Angels. But while the whole Tenour of his Conduct thus joins to set his Hatred of Sin in a most striking Light; his actual Permission of it, at the same time, equally proves, that he did not think it best, to prevent it by his own immediate Interposition. Which demonstrates, that he saw a better Way than that, to advance his own Glory and the Good of the System. In what Respects his present Method is better than that, I have endeavour'd to shew in my Sermons. (p. 125,—209.) But while you take for granted, that God could not wisely permit Sin, unless he looked upon Sin, as in it self Good; you run your self into the utmost Confu­sion; and even necessitate your self to believe, either that God thinks Sin a good Thing, or that God did [Page 45] not act wisely, "did not do what was most for his own Glory," in permitting it. (p. 13, 16, 17.)

"Best to stand, and best to fall; best to obey, and best to rebel; sound at least like Contradictions." (p. 20.)

MANY Propositions may "sound like Contra­dictions," which are perfectly consistent. For the same thing may be best, and not best, in different Respects. As to the Crucifixion of Christ, for Instance, it may be said, it was best to be, & best not to be. For the Death of Christ, considering the Good to be brought out of it, was a most glorious Event. But the Death of Christ, considered as a Murder committed by the spiteful Jews, was a very horrid Crime.— So it was best that Joseph should be sold, considered as one Step towards that Advancement, which God designed; but it was not best, considered as an effectual Means to prevent his Ad­vancement, as his Brethren intended it.— So, it might be best that Adam should fall, if in the Eyes of the OMNISCIENT GOD, the only proper Judge, his Fall would give Opportunity for infinite Wisdom to bring more Glory to God and Good to the System, than otherwise could be: but it was not best, merely as an Act of open Rebellion against the Maker and Lord of all Things; subjecting all this lower World to Ruin.

BUT the holy Scriptures assure us, God is so far from thinking it best that Sin should be, that rather it grieves him to the Heart. Gen. vi. 6. And it repented the Lord that he made Man upon the Earth, and it grieved him at the Heart. viz. because they had become so exceeding Wicked. Wherefore the Lord destroyed the Earth by a Flood. (p. 19. 25.)

THAT Sin, in it self, is infinitely disagreeable to the divine Nature, is granted. That it was never­theless best, that Sin should be, with a View to the Good to be brought out of it by God; and that [Page 46] therefore God acted agreeable to all his Perfections in the Permission of it, is still affirmed. Nor do these Words, considered with their Context, militate a­gainst, but rather greatly confirm this Truth.

FOR the true Sense of those Words is plainly this, viz. that the sinful State of Mankind before the Flood was in it self infinitely disagreeable to God, who is an infinitely holy and benevolent Being; and viewed therefore merely in it self, had the greatest Tendency, in Fact, to grieve and distress the HOLY ONE; and make him sincerely repent that ever he made the World. And therefore, were Things always to be so, and no Good ever to come of it, he never would have made the World; nor would he have conti­nued it in Being when made, to grieve his Heart, and wear out his Life with continual Sorrow; infi­nitely vexed and grieved, crossed and disappointed, in a continued Series of Wickedness, from the begin­ning to the end of the World. Therefore as these Words, in the strongest Manner, express the infinite Holiness and Goodness of the divine Nature; so they are quite favourable to the present Truth.—For,

IF God does really look upon Sin in this Light, why did he ever make the World, as he knew how Things would issue? Or, why did not he destroy all Mankind at the general Deluge, as he knew what they were, and how they would prove afterwards? (their Imaginations evil from their Youth. Gen. viii. 21.) and make a new World, and People it with a better Race? Which he might have done with infinite Ease. —The plain and only Answer, which we can possibly give to these Questions, is, that altho' Sin was so in­finitely disagreeable to the Divine Nature, considered in it self; yet, on the whole, he chose the present Plan, with a View to the infinitely greater Good, he knew he could, & he knew he would, bring out of all this Evil. And so all this Evil, in the issue, be but like the Drops of [Page 47] Rain, in which the Rainbow is formed, when the Sun breaks forth in his Strength, (an Emblem of the Sun of Righteousness) and as the Blackness of the Cloud after a Storm, which does but add Beauty and Bright­ness to the Rain-bow; which the most High appoint­ed as a Token of his Covenant, and which, perhaps as an Hieroglyphic, was design'd to suggest the true Rea­son of God's continuing the World in Being.— Therefore, when Noah after the Flood offered Sacri­fice, a Type of the great Sacrifice of Christ; that Seed of the Woman, which was by Heaven's high De­cree, to bruise the Serpent's Head, and by superiour Wisdom turn all his Mischief to greater Good, the only Way to crush the Head and for ever perfectly subdue that old Serpent, which is the Devil: I say, therefore when Noah, according to divine Institution, offered Sacrifice, and brought into View the great Messiah, and all his glorious Work, God was well pleased — Good will come out of Evil — And the LORD smelled a sweet Savour; — (in the Hebrew, a Savour of Rest. God's Heart was now well pleased) and the LORD said in his Heart, (as being perfectly pleased with his perfect Plan, upon the whole,) I will not again curse the Ground any more for Man's Sake; altho' the Imagination of Man's Heart is evil from his Youth. Gen. viii. 21. — As if he had said, ‘I know Mankind will be as bad as ever. However, I will destroy them no more; but continue Sum­mer and Winter, Seed-Time and Harvest, for the Be­nefit of the human Race; because the Seed of the Woman will, in the issue, bruise the Serpent's Head, disappoint his whole Scheme, and bring greater Good out of all this Evil.’

BUT to return to the Sense you put on the Text. It repented the Lord that he had made Man on the Earth, and it grieved him at the Heart.—But, Dear Sir, why re­pent and be grieved at the Heart, that he made Man; [Page 48] and yet after all, continue this Race in Being! and so, practically prefer the present Plan before any o­ther: when, of all possible Plans, he still had his Choice; and the very best, by one Word's speaking, you think, might with infinite Ease have been, by him, brought into Existence; and so, He perfectly pleased for ever!—Or, when all Man kind, but eight, were destroyed by the Flood, it had been an easy thing to have destroyed them; and so made thorough Work: and to have created another Adam and Eve, and effectually prevented their Fall; and so have had all things perfectly to his Mind.—To be grieved with, and repent of his old Plan, considered in the whole; and yet to go on with it, at the same time; when of all possible Plans, he still had his Choice, even at the Flood, is perfectly inconsistent.—Your Sense of the Words therefore, Sir, cannot be right: and unless you will make the HOLY ONE of Israel inconsistent with himself, you must come into the Sense which I have given.

BUT we have had enough, quite enough, of this kind of Objections. I wish you would urge something more directly to the Purpose. Pray, prove, if you can, either that God has not in Fact permitted Sin; or, that he is not an absolutely perfect Being: for if both these are true, a thousand Objections cannot over­throw the Doctrine of the Wisdom of God in the Permission of Sin.—Rather, you will be found fight­ing against God; which, as you own, is an "extreme­ly dangerous" thing.

I do not chuse to say, that in Fact God has not permitted Sin: but this I am bold to say, that there is not "one single Scripture-Text," which teaches, that God ever permitted Sin, in one single Instance, with a View to the Good, that he intended to bring out of it.—(p. 3.)

WELL, this is to the Purpose indeed, were it true.— But it is strange that a Man, with his Bible in his Hands, and his Eyes in his Head, should ever say so.—Ye thought Evil against me, says Joseph to his Brethren. "Your Design, in what was done, was an evil Design. But God's Design, in what was done, was a good Design. God meant it unto Good." Which, it is plain, refers not to God's after-Act, but to his ori­ginal Intention. — God meant it, i. e. God meant I should be sold. He meant it as much as you did. Your Scheme was to prevent my Advancement. But God meant it unto Good. i. e. "God intended that Event should come to pass, to answer the good Ends he had in view."—What can be plainer!

BUT if you want another Instance, you may have it in Pharaoh: Where the Expressions used are much stronger than such as I have been wont to use, (as indeed Scripture-Expressions relative to this Subject generally are,) and evidently take in some Ideas over and above a more Permission, as I have explained that Word. For God not only left Pharaoh to the hard­ness of his own Heart, but ordered external Circum­stances so, as considering Pharaoh's Temper, God knew would infallibly strengthen his Obstinacy. Par­ticularly, in suffering the Magicians to imitate several of the Miracles of Moses, and from time to time remov­ing the Plagues, and so giving Opportunity for Pha­raoh to regain his Courage, and renew his Opposition &c. And God plainly intended by all, that Things should be carried to such an Extremity as they were, that he might the better answer his own holy, wise and glorious Ends. Yea, God expresly declares, that this was his Design. Exod. xiv. 1, 2, 3, 4. And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, Speak unto the Children of Israel, that they turn and encamp before Pi-hahirvoth, be­tween Migdol and the Sea, over against Baal-Zephon: be­fore it shall ye encamp by the Sea. For Pharaoh will say of the Children of Israel, They are entangled in the Land, the [Page 50] Wilderness hath shut them in. And I will harden Pharaoh's Heart, that he shall follow after them, and I will be honoured upon Pharaoh, and upon all his Host; that the Egyptians may know that I am the Lord.

WHEN God first sent Moses into Egypt to Pharaoh, he told him before-hand, I am sure that the King of Egypt will not let you go, no, not by a mighty Hand. And I will stretch out my Hand, and smite Egypt with all my Wonders, which I will do in the midst thereof: and after that he will let you go. Exod. iii. 19, 20. And the whole Scheme is open'd in Chap. x. 1, 2. Where nothing can be plainer than that God had holy and wise Ends in view in all he did. I have, says the HOLY ONE of Israel, hardened his Heart, and the Heart of his Ser­vants: — but for what End? — that I MIGHT shew these my Signs before him: — but to what Purpose?— and that thou MAYEST tell in the Ears of thy Son, and of thy Son's Son, what Things I have wrought in Egypt, and my Signs which I have done amongst them.— And all for what? — THAT YE MAY KNOW THAT I AM THE LORD.—Compared with Chap. ix. 16. And in very Deed, says God himself, for this Cause have I raised thee up, for to shew in thee my Power; and that my Name may be declared throughout all the Earth.— But as it is of Importance, to know in what Light the holy Scriptures set this Subject, pray read and compare Gen. xv. 12—16. and xlv. 5—8. and l. 20. Exod. iii. 18—20. and iv. 21. and vii. 3, 4, 5, 13. and ix. 12, 16. and x. 1, 2, 20, 27. and xi. 9, 10. and xiv. 1, 2, 3, 4, 8, 17, 18. Deut. ii. 30. Josh. xi. 20. 2 Sam. xii. 11, 12. and xvi. 10, 11, 21, 22. 1 King. xi. 9, 14, 23, 26—39. and xii. 15. and xxii. 19—23. 2 King. xxiv. 20. 2 Chron. x. 15. and xxv. 20. and xxxii. 31. Job i. 6 — 12, 21, 22. and ii. 1—6, 10. Psal. cv. 17, 25. Isai. x. 5—15. Jer. 25. 9. and xxvii. 1—7. and li. 20—25. Matth. xxvi. 53, 54. Luk. xxii 21, 22. and xxiv. 25—27. Job. xix. 24, 33—37. Act. ii. 23. and iii. 18. and iv. 24—28. [Page 51] Rom. ix. 18, 22, 23. and xi. 7 — 11. 1 Cor. xi. 19. 2 Thes. ii. 11, 12. Rev. xvii. 17. — Pray, read these "Scripture-Texts," my Friend, and then tell me, whether the Doctrine of God's permitting Sin for wise and holy and good Ends, be from Heaven, or of Man.

AS to the Affair of Joseph, which you so much insist upon, I grant, it was by infinite Wisdom over­ruled for Good. But however, it is not at all "to your Purpose." (p. 6.)

BUT, Sir, perhaps others will think it much to the Purpose. For, if God has, in only one Instance, permitted Sin for wise and holy Ends, it is at least possible, that he may have done so in all Instances. And if he always acts like himself, no doubt, this is, in fact, the very Case.

BESIDES, if God did permit Sin in the Affair of Joseph, for wise and good Ends, all your ten Objections in P. 16, 17, 18, 19. are answered all at once; and indeed the Substance of your Book.— Unless you will adopt the very Absurdities you pretend to abhor, and maintain for Truth, ‘that God was the Author of that Sin, and loved it; and that Joseph's Bre­thren acted like the greatest Saints in that Affair; had no Cause to mourn for their Sin, nor their Father to lament his want of Success in the Edu­cation of his Children, or to be at all grieved for their Wickedness. Yea, that their Sin was no Sin, but rather a Virtue. And if Jacob or Joseph approved and admired the Wisdom of God in that Affair, it must argue, they had very unworthy Conceptions of God, to think he could not bring about his good Designs without suffering so much Evil; and had they been consistent with them­selves, they must have turned Infidels; or at least have discarded all those Texts of Scripture, which represent God as hating Sin, being grieved with it, [Page 52] and angry because of it.’— If in fact God did per­mit Joseph to be sold, meaning it unto Good; if this was God's Scheme, in such a Sense as that Joseph might justly say, GOD sent me hither; then may you do well to reconsider your own Words, with Application to your self; ‘If the present Scheme be GOD's, it would be extremely dangerous opposing it; and argue the highest Vanity, Arrogance and Impiety.’ It is plain Fact, that Joseph viewed and considered that whole Affair as GOD's Scheme, as much as I do, and uses as strong Expressions, as I have any where done. Only read Gen. xlv. 5—8. and be impartial.

BUT ‘it is not parallel in one material Cir­cumstance. Nay, the Case is wholly different, and therefore quite foreign to the Purpose: For all concerned in the Conduct and Consequences of that Affair, were in a State of Sin; and therefore deserved all the Chastisements they received. They had all Blemishes in their Characters, which may easily account for their Sufferings.’ (p. 6, 7.)

TRUE. "They deserved their Sufferings." Nor did God ever inflict Pain, no, not the least De­gree of it, in any one Instance, in the whole intel­lectual System, but in which it was deserved, as much as they deserved their Sufferings.—To be sure, we in this World "are in a State of Sin," and deserve our Sufferings, and need our Chastisements, as much as they did. Nor did God begin to chastise us, until after we had become Sinners.

IF you should say, "that Joseph's Brethren deserved to be chastised for their Pride and Envy; and that therefore God left them to themselves, to fall into that Sin, that he might in the Issue humble them, and bring them to a better Mind:" this would over­throw your whole Scheme. For according to this, God did permit Sin for wise and holy Ends; the very Point, that I affirm, and the very Point, that you deny.

[Page 53]OR, if you should say, "However, as they were Sinners, God might justly leave them to Sin; but God could not, consistent with Justice, leave inno­cent Beings to Sin;" this would suppose, that God was obliged, in Justice, to keep all innocent Beings from falling. And consequently, that God's per­mitting Sin was an Act of Injustice; and consequent­ly, that God is not a just Being.

OR, if you should only say, that "they had provoked God to leave them; but innocent Beings had not;" it is easy to observe, that according to Scripture-account, God permitted Joseph to be sold, not so much in anger at Joseph or Jacob's Family; as out of love to them, for their Good. As it is written, God meant it unto Good. God had his own Glory and the general Good in View, in that Affair, just as I suppose he had in suffering our first Parents to fall.

OR, if I should grant, "God suffered Joseph's Brethren to fall into that Sin, out of Anger at them, as was doubtless the Case with Pharaoh, when God suffered him to pursue Israel into the red Sea:" yet it is plain, that in both Cases, he had his own Glory and the general Good in view. And so both Cases are analogous to his Conduct relative to the whole System, for Substance. And only granting, what none deny, that it was no Injustice to innocent Beings, for God to permit them to fall; there is no "ma­terial Difference," which at all hurts the "parallel," for the "Purpose," for which it is used in my Ser­mons. For this is my Argument, as I just now stated it: "If in some Instance; God permits Sin for wise and holy Ends, it is possible he may in all. And if he always acts like himself, then, no doubt, in fact, he always does." (See my Serm. p. 103, &c.) An Argument you have no way to answer, but by giv­ing [Page 54] up the absolute Perfection of the divine Na­ture. ^*

BUT Joseph needed humbling, and to have his Corruptions mortified: holy Beings did not need to be humbled, and had no Corruptions to mortify. (p. 7, 8, 9.)

FINITE Intelligences, holy as they originally were, needed to have their holy Biasses farther con­firmed; as is plain from the Apostacy of some of them. And they were capable of vast, and almost infinite Improvements in Knowledge, Humility, Holi­ness, and Happiness; and the greater Advantages for Improvement afforded them, the swifter would be their Progress; as was observed in the Sermons you object against

BUT I affirm, there might have been as great Advantages for all divine Improvements, in the in­tellectual System, if Sin and Misery had been for ever unknown, as on the present Plan. (p. 10, 11.)

THIS, Sir, you can never prove. And as the infinitely wise God has chosen the present Plan, we [Page 55] ought in honour to his Wisdom, and as we would not give up the moral Rectitude of his Nature, to believe it to be the best. For, as St. Augustine saith, ‘Unless it were good that there should be Evil, it would by no Means be permitted by the Almighty God, who is able to hinder the Commission of that Evil, if he would.’ (Enchi [...]id. Cap. 95.)

BUT it is "to limit the holy One of Israel," to say, that he could not manifest and communicate himself to finite Intelligences on any other Plan, so well as this. (p. 11, 18, 19.)

NO, Sir; but rather, if infinite Wisdom has chosen the best, it is the highest Arrogance in us, to say, there might have been a better. It is to set up our Wisdom above God's.—And to say, that God did not mean to chuse the best, is gross Blasphemy; as has been fully demonstrated.

HOWEVER, for my Part, I cannot see any good End, but what might have been as well, nay infinitely better answered, if Sin and Misery had been for ever unknown. (p. 9—12, 19—25.)

THAT is, you have lived in God's World, per­haps, these forty Years, his Works before your Eyes, his Word in your Hands; and while the Inhabitants of Heaven, in the view of the Divine Conduct, are constantly crying, The whole Earth is full of his Glory; to you, it is all as dark as Egypt. You see no Wisdom in God's present Plan. Yea, it appears infinitely to God's Dishonour, and to the Damage of the System. So that you are even tempted to look upon almost the whole of it, as the "Scheme of the Devil." And when you see how God permits the Devil to practise and prosper, you are ready to doubt, whether the holy ONE of Israel so much as means to do that which he knows is most for his own Glory.

But the Hypothesis you go upon, is entirely false, viz. that it was worth while, that all the Mi­sery which is or ever will be in the System, should be, merely to give holy Beings a higher Relish for their own Happiness. Just as if a View of Misery, as such, were the chief Source of the Happiness or Heaven; and a View of the Vengeance of God and Misery of the Creature, the most ravishing Sight in the Universe.—A shocking Scheme! (p. 9, 10, 11.)

YES, Sir, a shocking Scheme indeed! but it is one of your own Invention. It is none of mine.

I BELIEVE that "Love is the Sum of God's moral Perfections;" and in one Sense (an ill Sense) there is no such thing as Vengeance in the Divine Nature. I believe, that Love is the very essence of vindictive Justice.—‘Love to God, to Virtue, to the best Good of the System, bearing down in a wise and righteous Manner the Enemies of God, of Virtue, and of the System,’ is the Definition I gave of it in my Sermons. (p. 190.) —"An amiable Perfection in the Deity!" (p. 191.) — And I believe, that the chief Advantages, which will accrue to holy Beings from a View of the Misery of the Damned, will be, as the Scriptures teach, (Rom. ix. 22.) to give them the most lively and affecting Sense of the glorious Per­fections of the Divine Nature; viz. boundless Power, Holiness, and Goodness; or in other Words, God's infinite Hatred of Sin, and Ability to punish it, and the infinite Riches of his Grace in the Work of Re­demption by Jesus Christ. (p. 191.) For it is a View, not of Deformity, but of Beauty; not of Misery, as such, but of the glorious Perfections of the Divine Nature, manifested in the moral Government of the World, — an absolutely perfect Plan, which is the Source of the Happiness of the heavenly State.— And I believe, that it is Love, to God, to Virtue, and to the best Good of the System, which is the chief [Page 57] Source of the exalted Joys of the heavenly Inhabi­tants; who, on a View of the just Punishment of God's obstinate Enemies, cry, Amen! Hallelujah! for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth! — Again they said, Hallelujah. And her Smoke rose up for ever and ever.— Let us be glad and rejoyce, and give Honour to him: for the Marriage of the Lamb is come. (Rev. xix. 1—7.) —They do not rejoyce in their Misery as such, nor in their Misery as giving themselves a higher Relish for their own Happiness; but they rejoyce to see God exalted, his Authority vindicated, his Law honoured, Sin discountenanced, Satan and his Cause subdued, the Messiah victorious. And this "tremendous Scene," by Way of Contrast, tends to give the most affecting Sense of all the Divine Perfections, as shining forth in the Work of Redemption, the most glorious of all God's Works. So that, upon the whole, the Saved will be under the best Advantages for ever to have a fresh Remembrance of what they once were, and to see what they deserved, and where they might have been, and what God has done, and to behold all his glorious Perfections as shining through all his Works of Mercy and of Justice, in a Light infinitely bright, and under Circumstances most suited to en­gage their Attention, and affect their Hearts, and to give them the highest Sense of their Dependence on God, and Obligations to him. So that they will have the best Means to make the swiftest Progress in di­vine Knowledge, Humility, Holiness and Happiness for ever.—But you must be referred to my Sermons, where these Points are more fully discussed, than my intended Brevity will now admit.

BUT, "had we a just Sense of the Worth of our Mercies, could we need any thing to raise it higher?" And was our Gratitude equal to the worth of our Mercies, could we need any thing to make us more thankful? i. e. if we were perfect, could we be more than perfect? (p. 9, 10.)

THAT perfect Intelligences in Heaven may and will make Progress in Holiness and Happiness for ever, you may see proved at large by Dr. WATTS on the Happiness of separate Spirits.—It is too plain a Case to admit of Dispute. For the Favour granted to the meanest Inhabitant of Heaven, being of eternal Du­ration, is of infinite Worth. And so he never can have a full Sense of its worth; or exercise a Degree of Gratitude equal to its worth; i. e. be as thankful to God for it, as it deserves. No, not if his Progress in a grateful Disposition, if I may compare things spiritual to things natural, should be eternally as swift as a Ray of Light from the Sun; which they say, will fly eighty Millions of Miles in about seven Minutes.—

BUT it is a Reflection upon the intellectual System, to suppose they stood in Need of this "tre­mendous Scene" for their Instruction, or Confirma­tion. ^† And a Reflection upon "the Benevolent Fa­ther [Page 59] of the Universe," to suppose, that he really chose "this awful Expedient", when there was no Need of it; when all good Ends might have been answered as well without it; nay, infinitely better, infinitely more to the Honour of God, and the Good of the System. (p. 11.12, 19—24.) ‘The benevolent Father of the Universe wanted neither Power nor Will, in Ways inconceivable to us, to raise his Crea­tures Happiness to the highest possible Degrees, with­out this awful Expedient.’ (p. 11.)

IF "the benevolent Father of the Universe wanted neither Power nor Will" to lay and prosecute the very wisest Plan; then, to a Demonstration, God's present Plan is such; — "a most glorious Ex­pedient!"—And if the all-wise God knew, that of all possible Plans this was the best, most adapted to the finite Capacities of finite Intelligences, and most sui­table to answer all the good Ends he had in View; then, without any Reflection upon the intellectual System, or upon himself, he might prefer the present Plan to all others, as in fact he has.—And you say, "that you cannot pretend to prove, to a Demonstra­tion, that the present Scheme is not in fact the best." (p. 5)—Wherefore, since God has in fact chosen it before all others, and is so "benevolent, that he cannot want a Will" to choose the best; I appeal to you, I appeal to the World,—Which becomes us, as we would be consistent with our selves, or regard the Honour of "the benevolent Father of the Uni­verse;" [Page 60] either, to believe it to be best, because it is God's; or to "doubt whether God has in fact done what is most for his own Glory," in this Affair! (p. 13.)

BUT "would not the least Reflection have assured them, that if God delighted in Truth, Holi­ness and Justice, he must hate the contrary? that if "he rewarded the loyal, he must punish the disobe­dient?" (.p. 11.)

DOUBTLESS the Angels that sinned, had, be­fore their fall, Time for some Reflection: but it is not to be supposed, that they sinned in a full and cer­tain Assurance of being driven immediately out of Heaven into an eternal Hell. — 'Tis certain, our first Parents had time for Reflection, and did reflect; but their "Assurance of God's Holiness, Truth & Justice" was not sufficient, in the Hour of Temptation, to make them believe "he would punish the disobedi­ent." For altho' God had expresly declared, In the Day thou eatest thereof, thou shalt surely die, yet Satan perswaded them to believe they should be as Gods; and to disobey their Maker, in Expectation thereof.— These are Facts: and Facts are stubborn Things.— How know we therefore, but that God saw it really necessary for the best Good of his eternal Kingdom, that he should have Opportunity to exemplify all his Perfections in his Conduct, in the Manner he does [...] the present Plan? — After the present "Grand Drama" is finish'd at the Day of Judgment, a Sense of all the Divine Perfections will be impressed almost infinitely deeper, on the Minds of holy Beings, than when they first came into Existence. Then they be­lieved, that God was true; but now they will see it, and know it. Then they believed, that God hated Sin, and would punish it; but now, while Satan and all his Adherents are for ever tormented in the [Page 61] Lake of Fire and Brimstone, in their Presence, be­fore their Eyes, it will give them quite a new Sense of God's "Holiness, Justice and Truth;" and an in­conceivably greater "Assurance that he will punish the disobedient."—And if the Holiness and Happiness of Heaven arise from the Knowledge of God; the better they know him, the more holy and happy will they be. — Besides, God has had Opportunity to exemplify his Faithfulness as to his Promises, as well as his Truth in his Threatnings; and that in a great variety of Instances, since the Beginning of the World. And when at last all holy Beings shall see all God's past Promises fulfilled to a tittle, it will give them the highest Assurance of the Fulfilment of what will then remain; viz. of their secure Enjoy­ment of the Glories and Joys of Heaven to all Eter­nity. And they will believe it, and as it were see it, and enjoy it all at once.

BUT "would not the least Reflection "have given holy Beings all that Knowledge of the Divine Perfections, which was "essential" to their holiness and happiness, without "this tremendous Scene"? (p. 11.)

AS soon as they began to think, they would begin to know God, and love him, and rejoyce in him. And the more they thought of him, the more their Knowledge, Love and Joy would be increased. But yet there would be an infinite Degree of Per­fection, Glory and Beauty in God, still unseen. Their Knowledge, Love and Joy, altho' free from sinful Defects, were capable of an eternal Increase. And the more compleatly and clearly the Divine Nature should be exhibited to their view in the Di­vine Conduct, the swifter Progress would they make. And if the present Plan gives God Opportunity to make the brightest and fullest Manifestations of himself, then it is, in this Respect, of all possible Plans the [Page 62] best. And holy Beings will know more of God, and so love him more, and rejoyce more in him. But these Thoughts are largely dwelt upon in my Sermons; to which you may be referred. (See Pag. 155,—164.)

BUT could not these and all other Ends have been answered as well, "in ways inconceivable to us, without this awful Expedient"? (p. 11.)

CAN you conceive (pray, think a little and try!) of any possible Way, wherein the Divine Per­fections might have been set in so full, clear, and affecting a Light, and so well adapted to engross the whole Attention of all holy Beings, and fill them with the most exalted Thoughts of the Divine Ma­jesty, as that which God has taken in the Work of Redemption by the Death of his own Son?—But you say, there may be "Ways inconceivable to us."— True—But not inconceivable to God. For all possi­ble Ways lay open to his View; and he had his Choice: and in fact he has chosen the present Plan: but if this had not been the best Expedient, God would not have preferred it to all others; because, on your own Concession, he is ‘the benevolent Fa­ther of the Universe, who wants neither Power nor Will’ to choose and accomplish, of all possible Plans, the best.— And to call this "an awful Ex­pedient," as tho' it were the very worst in Nature, which "the benevolent Father of the Universe" esteems the best, casts no small Reproach on the in­finite Wisdom and perfect Rectitude of the holy One of Israel.— But, dear Sir, is it not true, that how­ever we feel, and whatever we say, yet God will in fact abide by his original Choice, and prosecute and ac­complish his original Scheme? And no other Plan, conceivable or inconceivable, will ever be come into. Nor will God ever own, however boldly we may push the Charge, that he does not do "what is most [Page 63] for his own Glory."— But rather, having endured with all Long-suffering the ill Treatment of an apostate World, his own Son will at last come, with ten Thou­sands of his Saints, to execute Judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly — of all their hard Speeches, which they have spoken against him, (Jude 15.) and all the Inhabitants of Heaven will cry, Amen, HALLE­LUJAH! (Rev. xix. 1—6.)

ALL this I had for Substance heard before, and I looked upon it "infinitely worse than nothing." Yea, I durst boldly tell the World, that I was "ready to embrace the Manichean Principles," rather than to come into your Opinion. (p. 8.)

THE Manicheans maintained, that there was an Evil Principle or Being, independent on God, and su­perior to his Controul, which loved and promoted Evil for its own Sake. And consequently, that a great Part of the present System is and eternally will be Evil; answer no good End; but be absolutely Evil. On the contrary, I maintain, that the whole Uni­verse is entirely under the Government of a Being infinitely Good. And that, consequently, there is not, nor ever will be, any Evil in the Universe, but what shall answer good Ends, in the whole. That is to say, There is no absolute Evil in the Universe.— Now, which of these two Schemes is the best, most agrea­ble to a holy and truly benevolent Mind?

THAT there is much Evil, much Sin and Misery in the Universe, now, and for ever will be, we are both agreed. The grand Question is, Whether, in the whole, all will be over-ruled to Good, or not? For if it will, no doubt God originally intended it should be; and conducted as he did, with that in View.

Now since it is plain Fact, that Sin and Misery do take Place in the System; methinks every one, who is a Friend to God and to the System, should re­joyce [Page 64] with all his Heart to hear, that the Seed of the Woman will bruise the Serpent's Head, bring Glory to God, and Good to the System, out of all the Evil, that ever has or ever will happen; (and the more Good the better.) And so compleatly disappoint the Devil.^*

[Page 65]PRAY, my Friend, what think you? When Jo­seph was in Fact sold, — that wicked Deed actually committed; which of the two, would good Jacob [Page 66] have chosen? either that no Good should ever be brought out of that Evil; or that it should be made the Occasion of an hundred, or a thousand, or ten thousand times more Good, in the whole, than to counter-balance the Damage done to his Family? ^‖— [Page 67] Joseph's wicked Brethren wished, no Good might come of it—But, I dare say, that neither the God that made them, nor the Father who begat them, were of that Spirit.—No. God meant it unto Good: and Jacob was even ravished with Joy, when God's glorious Designs began to open to his View.

INDEED, Sir, perhaps it may be the Opinion of all judicious Men, that the Manichean Scheme, bad as it is, is still preferable to your's. For they supposed, that God would have ordered the Affairs of the whole Universe in the wisest, best and most perfect Man­ner, if he [...]; but he was so counteracted by the Evil Principle, that he could not. So that even they be­lieved, that God's Intention was Good: But you think God never designed to do what he knew was most for his Glory; altho' he could have done it with in­finite Ease, and had not one, Motive against it, but all possible Motives, of infinite Weight, for it. But Want of natural Power is not a Detect so ill, by infi­nite odds, as Want of moral Rectitude.

YEA, my Friend, what if it should be thought, that your Scheme is little, if any, better than down-right Atheism? To be sure, if your Scheme is true, all Religion is overthrown. For if God has suffered in­finite Evil and Mischief to come into his own World, a World absolutely under his Government, in which he doth according to his Pleasure, absolutely without any good End; yea, contrary to his better Judgment; and when he could easily have hindered it; he is infinitely far from being an absolutely perfect Being, as has been proved. Nor can any holy, truly benevolent Being in the Universe heartily love him, or cordially acquiesce in his Government: For it is strictly im­possible, that absolute Evil should be acquiesced in by a good Being. For it implies a Contradiction. And if all holy Beings cease to love God and acquiesce in his Government, there is an End to all Religion.

BUT, Sir, I pray you carefully to mind, that I say it, and insist upon it, that "Sin is not God's Scheme, but a Device of the Devil." — It is "no Part of God's original Scheme," (p. 13, 14, 15, 16.)

AND I pray, Sir, what do you mean by this Manner of speaking?—Do you mean only, "that it was the Devil that sinned, and not God? that other wicked Beings sin, and not God? and that sinning Creatures act freely, and are solely and wholly to blame?"—All this is exactly true; but not at all to your Purpose. For the Question is not, Who is it that has sinned? God, or the Creature? About this there is no Dispute: The Creature, and none but the Creature, has sinned. But the Question is, Why did the infinitely wise and holy Creator and Governor of the World permit the Creature to Sin, when he could easily have hindered it?—To this Question, you say nothing; only "that you do not believe that God is obliged to do, or that in Fact he actually does, what is most for his own Glory." (p. 13.) Which is really to give up the absolute Perfection of the Di­vine Nature.

OR do you mean, "that it was God's original In­tention and Design, that Sin should never happen? and that God did all he could to prevent it? but un­awares the Devil laid a Scheme, and over-matched the Almighty; and by Craft or Power brought it in, not­withstanding all God could do? And so God's Scheme was disconcerted, and he disappointed, and his World in a great Measure ruined, in Spite of the utmost Exertion of his infinite Wisdom and almighty Power!" — Some of your Readers, perhaps, may think this your Meaning. But it cannot be; if you mean to be consistent with your self. For according to this, God did all he could to secure his own Glory. Which is a Point you do not believe, (p. 13.)

[Page 69]AND yet this must be your meaning: or what you say, is not at all to the Purpose. For if God knew, Sin was likely to happen, and could have hindred it, and yet in Fact did not; the whole Question re­mains entirely unanswered; viz. Why did God per­mit Sin?

THE Truth, perhaps, was, you had no distinct Meaning at all, in saying, that "Sin is not God's Scheme, but a Device of the Devil."

INDEED, Sir, I was greatly "embarrassed." (p. 31.) Expresly to deny, that God permits Sin; I durst not do. To justify his Conduct, I could not. Yea, I esteemed you guilty of great Vanity and Presumption in pretending to do it.— It was my Opinion, "that no satisfactory Account could be given" of the Divine Conduct in this Affair. (p. 15.) For I imagined, that in very deed God had not in this Affair done that which would have been "most for his Glory" to have done. (p. 13.) ^*

HOWEVER, I hope, by this time, you are tho­roughly convinced, that whether we can find out the Reasons of the Divine Conduct in this Affair, or no; yet it is of the utmost Importance, that we firmly believe, that God has acted wisely, and in a Manner agreable to all his glorious Perfections. For it is an Affair of so great Moment, and so infinitely interest­ing; that if we habitually believe, that God acted contrary to his better Judgment in it, we must en­tirely give up the absolute Perfection of his Nature. And if God is not an absolutely perfect Being, he is not God. We may compliment him with the Name; but we take away the Thing.—"We Christians" (saith Origen) ‘say, that God can do nothing which is in it self evil, no more than he is able not to be God. For if God do any evil, he is not God. God willeth nothing unbecoming himself—This is inconsistent with his Godship.’ (See Dr. Cudworth's intel. Syst. p. 874.) —Agreable to holy Scripture, 2 Tim. ii. 13. He cannot deny himself. Heb. vi. 18. It is impossible for God to lie.—And if we give up the absolute Perfection of the Divine Nature; and so ungod the Deity; it will become impossible, were our Hearts ever so holy, to love, worship, and trust in him as God, as an ab­solutely perfect Being; or rejoyce in his universal Government, and be sincerely glad that he is at the Head of the Creation, and can and will do according to his Pleasure in the Armies of Heaven, and amongst the Inhabitants of the Earth. —Yea, it would be a thing [Page 71] infinitely desirable, that some better Being, some ab­solutely perfect Being, might be in his Place and take his Throne.— And so your Scheme really justi­fies a Spirit of Discontent and Rebellion throughout all God's Dominions.—But this ill Idea of the Di­vine Majesty, which is harboured in many a Heart in this apostate World, is of the Nature of Blasphemy, the abominable Thing which God's Soul hates, and ought to be entirely rooted out of our Minds.

‘I think it of much greater Importance for us to endeavour to get Sin out of the World; than fruitlesly to enquire how it came in.’ (p. 15.)

A great Part of the Wickedness of this God­hating World consists in hard Thoughts and hard Speeches against God. (Jude 15.) Therefore "Sin cannot be got out of the World," till Men are brought to think well of God, and of all his Ways. At least, so far as to put an implicit Trust and Confidence in him, as an absolutely perfect Being, fit to be at the Head of the Universe, and to have the Management and Order­ing of all the Affairs of the whole System in his Hands.

IT is in vain, to pretend to make Men holy, with­out Love to God. For it is the first and greatest Part of Holiness, to love God; and the chief Foun­dation of all Religion. (Mat. xxii. 37.) And it is im­possible Men should love God, while they believe, habitually believe, that there is no God: i. e. no Being of absolute Perfection at the Head of the Universe, ordering all Things in the wisest and best Manner. (Psal. xiv. 1, 2.)

SIR, I did think my Attempt an unanswerable Piece: And that I had a good Right in the most public Manner to call upon you to "retract." (p. 30.) — But, ‘upon the whole, I think my self under the strongest Engagements to make the most grateful [Page 72] Acknowlegements for so distinguishing a Favour as your Reply to my Remarks.’ (p. 30.) — Indeed, the Permission of Sin has always appeared to me as an un­accountable Affair. (p. 15.) I could never see how God could do it, consistent with his own Glory or the Good of the System (p. 12, 13. 19—24.) or consist­ent even with his own perfect Happiness: as a Being of infinite Benevolence, I thought, must have had "greater Pleasure," if Sin and Misery had been for ever unknown in his World. (p. 22.) Therefore, I thought, that "Sin was not God's Scheme, but a Device of the Devil." (p. 13, 14, 15, 16.) And be­cause it is plain Fact, that God has not hindered the Devil from doing all this Mischief, as he might easily have done, I have been led "to doubt whether God does in Fact, and so whether he is obliged," from the absolute Perfection of his Nature, "to do, what is most for his Glory." (p. 13.) — You see my whole Scheme, and you have replied to the whole and every Part of it; but if after all, I should feel not satisfied, what shall I do?

I WILL tell you, Sir, what to do. And may the Lord give you an hearing Ear, and an under­standing Heart.

1. BE firmly perswaded, that not the Devil, but God, and God alone, is the absolute Governour of the World.

REASON teaches, that God never will, and never can, voluntarily give up the Government of his own World, into the Hands of his greatest and most a­vowed Enemy, the Devil. And, if the Devil is one of God's Creatures, as God himself has taught us in his Word, he is so inferiour to the God that made him, as to be in his Hands as the Clay is in the Hands of the Potter, absolutely at his Controul; un­able by Power or Policy to bring any thing to pass, but by the Permission of the great God; who from [Page 73] Heaven hath declared, saying, My Counsel shall stand, and I will do all my Pleasure, (Isai. xlvi. 10.) And whose Schemes cannot possibly be disconcerted, by the united Powers of Earth and Hell. — Nay, the Powers of Darkness are so entirely at the Controul of the Al­mighty, that Satan could not touch holy Job, or any Part of his Substance, nor so much as put a Lie in the Mouth of Ahab's lying Prophets, without the Di­vine Permission. Nor could the affrighted Devils so much as enter into the Herd of Swine, till our Saviour said, Go. (1 Kin. xxii. 22. Job i. 12. & xi. 6. Mat. viii. 31, 32.) How then could the Devil seduce our first Parents, and break up God's original Plan, and ruin his new-made World; in spite of the utmost Exertion of infinite Wisdom and almighty Power!

THE whole Tenour of Divine Revelation leads us to believe, that the Providence of God extends to all Things which come to pass. If the Devil or wicked Men were not under the Divine Controul, we should have Reason to fear them: but our Savi­our assures us, they cannot hurt an Hair of our Heads, without God's Permission; whose Providence extends even to the very Sparrows, a Bird so insignificant, that two of them were sold for a Farthing: and much more to the Concerns of Men, who are of more Value than many Sparrows: and he enjoins his Disciples, in the belief of this, not to fear the most cruel Persecutors; but to fear God only: for, says he, The very Hairs of your Heads are all numbered. Mat. x. 16—31. — And indeed wicked Men (so absolute and universal is the Divine Government) are, according to the Lan­guage of Scripture, which is the Language of God's Heart, in God's Hand, as a Rod, an Ax, or a Saw, and as much at his Controul. Isai. x. 5—15. And therefore St. Paul, viewing Things in this Light, taught Christians in his Day, to consider all their Persecu­tions, as coming from the Hand of their heavenly [Page 74] Father, and designed by him as kind loving Chastise­ments, for their Benefit: and on this Hypothesis, en­courages them not to faint, nor be discouraged: but rather to take all well, and improve all to their spi­ritual Good. (Heb. x. xi. xii.) And in this Light all the People of God, from the very earliest Ages, have been wont to view the Injuries they received from wicked Men, as coming from the Hand of God. So Job, when the Sabeans and Chaldeans had robbed him, views them only as Instruments used by God to ans­wer holy and wise Ends. The Lord hath given; and the Lord hath taken away: blessed be the Name of the Lord. (Job i. 21.) So when Eglon King of Moab came against Israel in the time of the Judges, it was looked upon that God had strengthened him to do it, thereby to chastise them for their Crimes. (Judg. iii 10.) So when Shimei in a most malicious manner cursed David, he saw the Hand of God in it, and said, The Lord hath bidden him. (2 Sam. xvi. 11.) So when Hadad the Edomite, and R [...]n the Son of Eliadah, endeavoured to disturb Solomon's peaceful Reign, it was believed by good People, that God stirred them up to do it, to chastise Solomon for his Sins. As was also the Case with Jeroboam the Son of Nebat, that wicked "Preten­der," who afterwards made Israel to sin. (1 King. xi.) And when Rehoboam the Son of Solomon, thro' the Pride of his Heart, and the ill Advice of his young Men, returned a rough Answer to his Subjects, which issued in the loss of ten Tribes, and was followed with a long Series of Calamities for many Generations, it was said, that the Cause was of God, that he might per­form his Word, &c. (2 Chron. x. 15.) And when A­maziah King of Judah, through the Vanity of his Mind, challenged Joash the King of Israel to Battle, which issued in his own Overthrow, it was viewed as coming from God. For it came of God, that he might deliver them into the Hands of their Enemies, because they sought after the Gods of Edom (2 Chron. xxv. 20.) And [Page 75] when Ahab was seduced by his false Prophets to go up to Ramoth-Gilead to Battle, to the loss of his Life, the whole Plan is represented as being laid in Heaven. (1 King. xxii.) And when that proud Tyrant, the King of Babylon, the Hammer of the whole Earth, had destroyed Jerusalem, burnt down the holy Temple, and laid all their Country in Ruins, pious People all saw the Hand of God in it, and believed, that at the Commandment of the Lord came this upon Judah, 2 King. xxiv. 3.—But time would fail, to mention all the In­stances of this Nature recorded in God's holy Word. And surely it must be needless, when, as in our pre­sent War, we, thro' all New-England, have in so pub­lick a Manner joined universally to profess and act upon this very Principle; that wicked Men are in the Hands of God, and can do nothing but by his Permission, and are absolutely at his Controul. For which Reason we have had public Fasts, and public Thanksgivings, relative to the War, as thô we firmly believed the universal Extent of Divine Providence.

BUT if the Providence of God extends to the lesser, it much more does to the greater Concerns of the in­tellectual System, as our Saviour reasons, Mat. x. 29, 30, 31. If it extends to the sinful Actions of Men in this fallen World, which are comparatively but of little Consequence; much more to the original Intro­duction of Sin into the moral System; which was an Affair, strictly speaking, of infinite Consequence. — If it extends to the Sparrows (one of which was va­lued at but half a Farthing) so that they could not any of them fall on the Ground without God's all-seeing Eye and all-ordering Hand; much more to the fall of Angels, and to the fall of Man, Beings of more Value than many Sparrows.—If the very Hairs of our Heads are all numbered; much more is God con­cerned about the spiritual and eternal Welfare of the whole intellectual System.— So that we may have the [Page 76] greatest Assurance, that ever since the Creation, not one evil Thing has come to pass, but under the Eye of the OMNISCIENT; determined, permitted, and over-ruled by infinite Wisdom and perfect Rectitude.— Do you believe this, my Friend? Indeed you must believe it with all your Heart,—for this is "the Scrip­ture-Account of the Matter." Besides,

2. GOD is a Being of absolute Perfection; infinite in Wisdom, perfect in Rectitude, boundless in Good­ness; who has an infinite Regard to his own Honour and to the Good of the System: as Reason and Reve­lation join to teach. And as, from the absolute Per­fection of the Divine Nature, it is impossible for God to Lie; so, for the same Reason, it is impossible he should counteract any of his Perfections. Therefore the whole of his Conduct towards the intellectual System is absolutely perfect. And is no more capable of E­mendation, than God is of becoming holier and wiser than he is. For he must necessarily chuse the best Plan from Eternity, and necessarily abide by it to Eternity.—For,

3. The holy Scriptures give us the fullest Assurance, that God is the same Yesterday, to Day, and for ever, (Heb. xiii. 8.) of one Mind, (Job xxiii. 13.) With whom there is no Variableness, neither Shadow of Change, (Jam. 1.17.) and that his Counsel shall stand, and he will do all his Pleasure. (Isai. xlvi. 10.) So that he never did, and never can, alter his original Plan; or suffer himself to be disappointed. (Psal. xxxiii. 10, 11.)

HE laid a Scheme to bring the Israelites to the Land of Canaan, and promised to do the thing: nor could all their Wickedness in the Wilderness provoke him to give up the Design. Yea, he was disposed to pro­secute it, just as much as if they had not sinned: as he informed Balaam, to the terror of Balak. God is not a Man, that he should Lie, neither the Son of Man that he should Repent: — he hath not behold Iniquity in Jacob, [Page 77] neither hath he seen Perverseness in Israel. (Num. xxiii. 16—21.)—He had laid a Scheme to continue the Jews his visible People, until the coming of the Messiah, and the setting up of the Christian Church: nor could all their Sins before the Babylonish Captivity, nor all their Perverseness afterwards, induce him to cast them off, and give up his Design. No. I am the Lord, says he; I change not, I abide by my original Plan: therefore ye Sons of Jacob, infinitely provoking as your Conduct is, are not consumed. (Mal. iii. 6.) — He wrought for his great Name's Sake, thrô the whole Affair. (Ezek. xx.) And his infinite Resolution to ac­complish his glorious Plan, kept him immoveable, and finally carried him through, in Spite of all possible Provocations from a most ungrateful perverse People even as he himself had declared, in Isai. ix. 7. when speaking of this very thing, he says, The ZEAL of the Lord of Hosts will perform this.

AND, as nothing could ever induce the unchangeable God to alter any of his Plans himself; ^* so none of his Creatures were ever able to disconcert his Schemes. Joseph's Brethren attempted to do it in one Instance, and Pharaoh struggled still much more to do it in another; but in both Cases all they did was over-ruled to accomplish the Divine Designs, to the best Advantage.— God had laid a Scheme to bring the Jews out of the Babylonish Captivity back again [Page 78] to their own Land. The Thing looked, to them, al­most impossible ever to be accomplished. They walk­ed in Darkness, and saw no Light: Trust in the Lord, and stay your selves on your God, said the Almighty, speaking of this very Thing. For my Counsel shall stand, and I will do all my Pleasure. (Isai. xlvi. 10. & l. 10.)— And if the Almighty would not suffer himself to be disappointed in his lesser Schemes, which were of smaller Importance; much less will he suffer himself to be frustrated in his Grand universal Plan, which is of in­finitely greater Concern, and in which his own Honour and the eternal Welfare of the whole System are infi­nitely interested.

BESIDES, if we do but really and firmly believe the absolute Omniscience and All-sufficiency of Him, who is King of Kings, and Lord of Lords, we cannot but see the Reason of the Thing; and be still farther assured, that he can neither alter any of his Plans himself, nor possibly be disappointed by any of his Creatures. For, from Eternity, all possible Plans lay open to his View, he had his Choice, he chose the best; and what in all Nature can induce him to alter his Choice, and prefer one not so good? Upon after-Consideration we often have new Thoughts, or view Things in a different Light, and so alter our Schemes for the better. But God has not had one new Idea since he has been in Existence. From Eternity he existed, and from Eternity all Things were perfectly in his View. It is therefore absolutely impossible, he should ever see any Reason to change his Purposes; and equally impossible, he should change them abso­lutely without any Reason at all. — And his infinite Wisdom and almighty Power, whereby he is abso­lutely All-sufficient, and able, with the greatest Ease, to do according to his Pleasure, in the Armies of Heaven, and amongst the Inhabitants of the Earth, renders it simply impossible that any of his Creatures, by Power or [Page 79] Policy, should be able to disconcert any of his Schemes. And this he knows; — and this lays a solid Foundation for his perfect Tranquillity, and compleat Self-Enjoy­ment. And in the view of this he can be perfectly happy, and even without one uneasy Thought, at the Head of the Universe, let the Storms here below rise ever so high. The Lord on high is mightier than the Noise of many Waters, yea, than the mighty Waves of the Sea. (Psal. xciii. 4.) And this renders him a fit Ob­ject of Trust, a secure Refuge to his People, tho' the Earth be removed, and the Mountains cast into the midst of the Sea. (Psal. xlvi. 1—7.) — But this leads me to add,

4. BE firmly perswaded of the perfect and unchan­geable Happiness of the holy One of Israel. Or in other Words, Believe with all your Heart, that he is, not only in Name, but in deed and in truth, over all, God BLESSED FOR EVER. (Rom. ix. 5.)

I GRANT, he is of purer Eyes than to behold Ini­quity; an infinitely holy and good Being; infinitely engaged to advance his own Honour and the Good of his own World. I grant, that Sin in its own Na­ture is infinitely to his Dishonour, and tends to the utter Ruin of the whole Universe. I grant also, that to set forth God's infinite Abhorrence of Sin, and its Contrariety to his perfect Felicity, & natural Tendency really to put him to Pain and distress his Heart, God is often said, in the Language of Scripture, to be grie­ved, to be vexed, to be wearied, to be tired, to be pressed as a Cart full of Sheaves; and could Sin finally disappoint God's glorious Designs, and frustrate the original Scheme he had in View in the Creation of the Uni­verse, break up the Plan on which his Heart was so infinitely set; could this be, I grant, that he would be not only less happy (as you inadvertently have in­timated that in Fact he now is, in saying, that he would have had "greater Pleasure," if Things had [Page 80] been otherwise, p. 22.) I say, not only less happy, but really miserable; and that to an infinite Degree: even equal to his infinite Regard to his own Honour, and to the Good of the Universe. — To see himself disappointed finally and for ever, in what was infi­nitely dear to him; and that in Spite of the utmost Exertion of his infinite Wisdom & almighty Power; and disappointed by his own Creatures, the Clay in his own Hands; headed by the Devil, his avowed Enemy (were such an Event possible) would make him feel himself not to be Almighty and All-suffici­ent; — not to be God;— not to be King, Supreme and Independent; but to lie at the Mercy of his Creatures; yea, (horrible as the Expression is) to lie at the Mercy of the Devil, the grand Enemy to God and to all Good. Which Feeling must render the Misery of such a Being as God is, absolutely compleat. For if the Devil can break up God's Schemes, just when he pleases; God is absolutely at his Mercy, as to the Accomplishment of any of them.

So certain, therefore, as we are, that he is, in Fact, over all God BLESSED FOR EVER; just so certain may we be, that his Counsel shall stand, and he will do all his Pleasure. And the whole Universe shall know that he is the LORD, and the whole System be filled with his Glory.

AND the Omniscient Almighty God, perfectly conscious to all this, perfectly enjoys himself, abso­lutely superior to so much as one uncomfortable Idea; and without the least Uneasiness, in perfect Tran­quillity, is possessed of an infinite Degree of Happiness. Or to express all in one Word, He is over all God blessed for ever.— Of whom, and by whom, and to whom are all things; to whom be Glory for ever. Amen.

AND what if we cannot see fully into the Reasons of the Divine Conduct in the Permission of Sin, shall we think he has acted unwisely? Shall we think he [Page 81] does not mean to do what is best? Shall we give up the absolute Perfection of the Divine Nature? Shall we ungod our Maker? rather than suspect our own Judgment! —Or shall we give up our belief of the perfect Happiness of the infinitely glorious and blessed God, and believe him to be a very miserable Being, rather than to think, that he can be pleased with that very Plan, which he has in Fact chosen, before all possible Plans? — Or if he is perfectly pleased with his own Plan, shall we fly in his Face? Charge him with being the Author of Sin? and represent the Devil, as the greatest Saint; and God, as the greatest Sinner? as you seem to have, dear Sir, with dreadful boldness, ventured to do. (p. 16, 17.) ^* Wherefore,

[Page 82]5. I pray you, lay it down for a Maxim, that Sin is in its own Nature, just exactly the same abominable odi­ous Thing, and not one whit the better, because God permits it to be, & because he intended, and because he will overrule it to Good. —And believe it firmly, & act upon it steadily, that there is not the least imaginable [Page 83] Reason to suspect the Wisdom of the whole, or of any Part of the Divine Conduct; because we cannot see what good Ends he can have in View. — The Truth of both which Observations has been at large illustrated already.

[Page 84]Is it not Pride, my Brother, unsufferable Pride, in us, poor contemptible Worms, to get up into the Judgment-Seat, call Almighty God to our Bar, exa­mine his Conduct, and then boldly pronounce it bad? And publickly tell the World, that he has not done that "which is most for his own Glory"? And all, because we cannot see the Reasons of his Conduct; althô we know at the same time, that our Views are so contracted, that we are no proper Judges; and that is impossible we should prove his present Plan not to be the best?—Yea, to be so engaged to slur our Ma­ker's Conduct, as to be vexed with a fellow-Worm, who thinks it impossible God should act unwisely, and would therefore speak in behalf of the injured Majesty of Heaven, and plead his Cause, and en­deavour to justify his Ways to Men? And with Indig­nation to cry out, "You have no Right to be so violently confident, that the present Scheme is most for God's Glory and the Good of the moral System;" — "I can offer Reasons sufficient to balance your's, and make the contrary appear highly probable!" (p. 5, 6.) For I think, I can prove "that in Fact, God does not do what is most for his own Glory": And it is "a mere Fallacy" to pretend that he "is obliged to!" (p. 12, 13.)

I PRAY you, Sir, Give up this impious blasphe­mous Principle, that "God does not do what is most for his Glory." And if you think it Condescension, pray condescend, at least, so far as to believe that God knows better than you do; and is infinitely more concerned, than you ever was, to do as well as he knows how. — You would think it an intolerable Reflection, if all your Acquaintance should join to give you this Character, viz. that in your daily Con­duct, and even in the most important Affairs, you do not make Conscience of acting according to your best Judgment.—O, blush, be ashamed, and be confound­ed, and never open your Mouth to justify the impious [Page 85] Reflection, you have, in the Sight of all the Country, cast upon the Character of the holy One of Israel. Lest, if you allow your self, Pharaoh-like, to oppose your Maker, you, in the End, meet the same dreadful Fate.

RATHER, let us seek Divine Grace, from the God of all Grace, that our Hearts may be prepared to approve and love the Works and Ways of God, that when they shall in the next World more fully open to our View, we may be ready to join the General Assembly of Heaven, and cry, "AMEN, HALLE­LUJAH!" —O, let us get an Heart to love his Law, and to love the Gospel of his Son, and hearti­ly approve the daily Dispensations of his Providence; all which, analogous to the whole of his universal Plan, are calculated to exalt God, and humble the Creature. And if we can but be heartily reconciled to those Parts of the Divine Government, which are more near to our View; we shall be prepared hear­tily to approve of those Parts, which are more re­mote; yea, and of the whole.—For it is all of a Piece.

WHEN a Sinner is at first savingly converted, he sees but a very small Part of God's universal Plan of Government; but what he sees, he heartily ap­proves and loves. And so he begins to be habitu­ally prepared to approve and love the whole. — He grows up into this Divine Temper. — At the Day of Judgment this Divine Temper will be perfect.—And so then he will be perfectly prepared to approve, ad­mire, and with all his Heart love and delight in God's universal Plan; which then will be opened to the View of the intellectual System. But those, who when on Earth, had not the least Disposition to ap­prove and love any Part of God's moral Govern­ment, rightly understood, but were Enemies to God, [Page 86] to his Law, and Gospel, and common Dispensations of his Providence towards Mankind in this World, will, when the whole of God's universal Plan is opened to View, feel no Approbation; but rather their Enmity against God, and all his Ways, will break out, and rage to Perfection, to eternal Ages.

Wherefore,

6. and lastly, in Stead of indulging a quarelling, cavilling, disputatious Temper, and spending our pre­cious Time in finding Fault with God's Ways; let us rather spend our leisure-hours, in reading God's holy Word, and in fervent Prayer for Divine In­struction.

IT had been infinitely wiser for the Israelites in the Wilderness, to have spent their Time in Prayer to God, than in murmuring against him. Their Cor­ruptions made them so blind, that they could not see: and then they laid all the Blame upon God. For which, God doom'd them to wander and fall in the Wilderness, and never reach the holy Land. — And they were our Ensamples; and these Things were writ­ten for our Instruction.—O, therefore, my Brother, let us in this benighted World, how dark soever things appear, not cavil against any of the Ways of God; but rather humbly cry to him for divine Grace, to enable us to believe, throughly to believe, that "supreme Wisdom cannot err;" And accordingly, "heartily to acquiesce in the Dispensations of supreme Wisdom; and humbly admire and adore, where we cannot fully comprehend;" in a firm Belief that all the Affairs of the Universe are by him conducted in such an infinitely perfect Manner, as that when "full Day shall be poured on all the Ways and Works of God," they will appear in such a Light as to bring the greatest Glory to God, and Good to the System; and [Page 87] so fill all holy Beings with "unspeakable Joy," and the most exalted Thoughts of God. And even be a Source of eternal Instruction, and Means of the swiftest Progress in Humility, Holiness and Happiness, in the intellectual System for ever and ever.—While all join in eternal Praises to the infinitely wise God, of whom, and through whom, and to whom, are all Things: To whom be Glory for ever. Amen.