quences attached to the actions of men beyond their knowledge at the time, (which often is the case,) in such cases men are only instruments in the hand of God (or some one else) in producing those consequences; and therefore such consequences are not chargeable at all to the account of the poor ignorant instrument, who knew nothing about them, and of course had no design in them; but they are chargeable to him, and to him only, who both knew and designed them. Now the question is, whether HE designed them for evil, or for good? O how easy it is to see here, that man's accountability is ever limited by the extent of his knowledge! But as God only is infinite, he only has infinite knowledge, and of course infinite designs; and therefore all eternal consequences, whatever they are, can only be imputed to HIM as their sole AUTHOR and CAUSE. To contend that man, or any other being, has been the cause of eternal consequences, either good or evil, is only to contend that man, or some other being, possesses one attribute of the Deity, viz. infinite knowledge; and therefore, acts from an infinite motive, and with an infinite design.

From the above considerations, it evidently appears, that God, in the creation of man, must have had the same propitious designs towards each individual of the human race. The Lord is good to all, and his tender mercies are over all his works." (Ps. cxlix. 9.) Amen! Hallelujah! The Lord God omnipotent reigneth!

4. I am to speak of the immutability of the purposes of JEHOVAH.

This proposition is so self-evident, it is hardly susceptible of proof. Immutability seems to be a property essential to the Deity. Being infinite in all his attributes, nothing can be added to them or taken from them; and therefore they are not liable to change: hence he is unchangeable in all his per

fections: And, what is very comforting, he gives this as a reason why the objects of his love are not consumed. "I am the Lord, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed." (Mal. iii. 6.) "My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure." (Isa. xlvi. 10.) "The counsel of the Lord standeth for ever, the thoughts of his heart to all generations." (Ps. xxxiii. 11.) The above passages, though few out of many that might be quoted to the same effect, are sufficient to prove that God is immutable in his nature, in his purposes, and in all his ways. Hence his love and affection towards his creatures cannot be weakened, much less destroyed, by sin; neither can it be strenghtened, much less produced, by the sinner's forsaking his sin and turning unto the Lord. The only difference there is, is altogether in the creature, and not in the Creator. The sinner, while in a state of sin, does not, nay, cannot, enjoy the love of God. Sin beclouds his understanding, and he sees his Maker through a false medium. He believes his God to be offended, yea, angry with him, when, at the same time, this supposed anger is nothing more than a disapprobation of sin, growing out of real love to the sinner. is so with all good [earthly] parents. The displeasure which they manifest, on account of disobedience, grows out of real love and affection to their children.

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This will lead us to discover the nature of forgiveness. Forgiveness, in imperfect and changeable ereatures, i. e. in man, may be a real relinquishment of a punishment which was absolutely intended to have been inflicted: but not so with the Deity.He changeth not. Therefore, forgiveness in him can be nothing more than a manifestation of his unchangeable nature to the sinner. When this is done, the sinner discovers that his sins, however great, have not alienated the affections of his Maker. That

the same love, and the same merciful disposition of his heavenly Father, towards him, as his offspring, still exists. This is all that is necessary; and this is all that can, with any sense of propriety, be meant by the forgiveness of sin. Forgiveness, therefore, does not militate against the idea of the sinner's being punished according to strict justice. For all the punishment which strict justice can require, without the least regard to mercy, must be designed. either to do good to the punished, or to prevent evil; neither of which is incompatible with the nature of forgiveness. But to suppose a punishment not designed to do good, nor to prevent evil, such punishment is revenge, which can only arise from a spirit of malevolence; and to apply such a principle to the Deity, would be an impeachment of the divine character. But all punishment, either productive of good, or preventive of evil, must be limited in its nature; for it is succeeded by the good done, or by the absence of the evil prevented, which is equally good; because the prevention of evil is good.

The selling of Joseph, by his wicked brethren, was wisely ordered by HIM who meant it unto good, and therefore necessary to keep much people alive. The keeping much people alive was the good done. And the destruction of that very people, who were thus kept alive, was the evil prevented. So the most afflictive dispensations in divine providence, we are often brought to see, are nothing more than blessings in disguise. Good old Jacob was led to say, "All these things are against me!" Yet how comfortable was the evening or close of his life made by that very son whom he thought had been torn in pieces by wild beasts. And shall we one day hear our spiritual Joseph, even JESUS, say, not only to us, but to all his brethren, as sinners, "I am Jesus, whom ye, by your sins, have often crucified afresh, and put to an open shame; but now be not angry nor

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grieved with yourselves that ye did it, for ye indeed meant it unto evil, but God meant it unto good, even your salvation, for I have died that ye might live?" Yes, methinks, this will be the language of Jesus to every ransomed soul. O, what emotions of mingled joy and sorrow, gratitude and grief, must fill every heart, when they thus behold their Redeemer, and thus shall hear the melting words of eternal truth! Sorrow and grief, to think they have been guilty of sinning against the best of Beings, or that they should ever have performed acts so unworthy of him, or of them, as his children (for sinning against the messenger of God, is sinning against God himself;) and at the same time overwhelmed with joy and gratitude, to think that his wisdom, his goodness, and his gracious designs towards them, had been neither altered nor changed by their evil dis positions!

All our confidence in the Deity rests in our firm belief in his immutability. Did we believe him changeable, or even capable of changing, we could not place unlimited confidence in him. But believing, as we do, in his immutability, that with him there is "no variableness, or even shadow of turning," whatever he has promised, we feel sure will be performed. "It is impossible for God to lie."(Heb. vi. 18.) It is on this ground that we place confidence in man: and hence our confidence in our fellow beings is only in proportion to the evidence we have of their firmness and stability; and also of its being in their power to carry their good intentions into effect.

Now, if there be any of the human race, to whom God is not love, for whom he has no thoughts of mercy, and who are not included in the covenant or purposes of his grace, how is it possible, in the very nature of things, that we should place full and unlimited confidence in him, as being love, or pos

sessing any thoughts of mercy towards us? If there be but one individual of the human family, who is in this predicament, I may be, for aught I can know to the contrary, that very individual.

But perhaps it may be said, there is evidence by which the elect may be assured that they belong to this happy number, and are appointed to obtain salvation. But I may be permitted to ask, in my turn, if there be such a contradiction in the character of God, on what evidence can I rely?

I will suppose that you are under the dominion of a king, whose laws, you know that not only you, but that all the rest of his subjects, have transgressed; and you also know, notwithstanding there is much said about his sovereign and all-conquering grace, that he has predetermined to bestow that grace only on a very few, and that all the remainder are consigned over to irremediable wo and misery; would you, in such a case, be satisfied with any evidence, as coming from him, that he meant to do any better by you? I think not.

The objector may still say, as an apology for the character of this king, that he has promised to forgive all who repent and turn to perfect obedience : the subjects, therefore, have only to repent, and return to their allegiance, and he will certainly forgive them; for the king is faithful to forgive all who shall faithfully repent. But here, in answer, the same difficulty again occurs; it is the goodness of the king, and nothing short of a manifestation of that goodness to the subject, which can lead him to repentance: short of this, he has no power to repent: and the king, inasmuch as he has predetermined that some should not be forgiven, so he has determined to withhold that goodness from them, which alone can lead them to such a repentance as he will accept. Here, again, we are brought up!

It is perfectly clear to my mind, and, from what