Here he rejoices in the habitable part of his earth, the Lord possessing of him, as ver. 22. He inhabits the habitable part of his earth, which is the elect sons of men. So we see plainly that up together as such. the whole body was set his favor, would have blunted the keen edge of his distress, obscured the glorious energy of that faith he received from above, and transformed that which was designed, a severe trial into real happiness. Such was the design of God in giving a positive command to Adam with respect to the forbidden fruit; for the admission of any other sentiment respecting the subject, would involve the following contradiction, viz. That though God designed that Adam should yield obedience to the command, yet, the inclination of Adam proved from the result of the whole, more powerful; and if so, his inclination to rebel, overcame the designs of God. When I view the circumstances that existed before, and that succeeded the event, I am additionally confirmed in my opinion, respecting its appointment; (and I will defy the world to prove, with all its subtilized sophistry, any difference between the fore-knowledge of God, and his detreéidivine decrees.) The circumstances I refer to, are from thee ver. 16, Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy book all my members were written. Thirdly. If he was set up in offices, the whole body must be considered in him; for what offices could he have without a body? therefore he was Lord of life, not only of a spiritual life, but of a natural are înseperably connected with the eternal settlements of the covenant of grace. In his creation state, man needed no grace; his creation-state being only the first approximating step towards that memorable epoch, that called forth a discovery on the part of God, of his gracious intentions. These circumstances are of a twofold nature, internal and external. The first I shall refer to, is the disposition of mind that God gave Eve, (for she could not give this disposition of mind to herself) an eager desire after an increase of knowledge, and the success of the temptation seems, according to the history, to have sprung from hence; for when she saw that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof; Gen. iii. 6: This tree was called, the tree of knowledge of good and evil. And it is plain and evident, that Eve knew nothing of evil till after the fall, and consequently was utterly ignorant of the existence of such a being as the Devil. Now a natural life also. John v. 26; So hath he given to the Son to have life in himself. John i. 4; In him was life, and the life was the light of men. From whence I assert, that his spirit or soul was the first of life, or the original of life; Col. i. 15, or the first-born of every creature, or the substance of every creature, as the French translation will allow. Rev. iii. 14. Now, if God meant Adam and Eve to have remained in that state, would he not have арprized them of his existence, and his meditated hostility against them, and pointed out to them the nature of the attack, together with the means of defeat: in the room of this, God, who is a 1 God of truth, as well as a God of knowledge, pronounces all that he did to be good, and superlatively good, for all was very good, although he knew that in a short space of time, that Adam would involve himself and his posterity, in the deepest misery. Causes did exist, and their every possible effects ascertained of God at the moment he pronounced them very good. Transfer this conduct from God to a fallen creature, and see whether any man would not feel indignant at such an imputation. will suppose an architect to have built an elegant and spacious mansion, he recommends it as a fit residence for his family, a family he loves, for it is a family perfectly agreeable to his wishes ; they ₹ We The beginning of the creation of God. And though his sensual substance was not yet existing, yet his human and reasonable soul was brought forth and possessed, if the Scriptures be John i. 4; In him was life, and the life was the light of men. That is, human life was the original of the life and reason of men; not only that men were made in its likeness, but the true. : life they, according to his desire, occupy the mansion, with gratitude they view its order, and they view it with increasing delight, as it stands as the best, the only proof of his skill; the conveniences they enjoy in its diversified compartments, they consider as proofs of skill united with unbounded liberality their benefactor visits them, and still animated with the noble principle of communicating happiness, he informs them that it is very good, all very good, "from the foundation to the dome." At that instant he knew the wind was veering, and that it would shift to that point from whence all its fury would beat upon the most vulnerable part of the edifice; its splendor cannot save it; its boasted conveniencies will soon be forgot, for the weight with which it will fall upon the devoted inhabitants, will crack every sinew, and cause every nerve to vibrate misery to the heart. But this is not all: did the evil cease with the then existing characters? it would life was the light of men. It was, (that is) it was their original, from whom their life, knowledge, reason, judgment, and all the powers of the soul and body had their being. So in the beginning was the word: thus he was the beginning; Col. i. 18: And in that beginning was the word, which was the eternal begotten Son of God. John i. 14; And the word was made flesh, appear tolerable, compared with the future effects of his treachery; for, connected with this edifice, are innumerable conductors, that transfer in all the certainty of human woe, the pain, the miserable inheritance to the latest posterity in all possible directions. Can you bear the contemplation even of such an hypothetical character without indignation? Can you witness such a flagrant instance of vile imposture, without feeling abhorrent? Would any one, for the riches of Europe, lie under such an imputation? Nature answers, and it recoils with indignation at the enquiry.-No.-Why then will any impute that to God, which would render a polluted wretch hateful and detestable to wretched men? Why should God's government be tarnished by such a foul and unfounded obloquy? or, do men think that they are to be serious in their discussion, and consistent in their views, of all subjects but God and his ways? When God said, All |