well aware, that whoever allows the eternal and perfect foreknowledge of God, cannot consistently deny his decrees respecting the final state of men. This the Socinians have freely acknowledged. Ad 6 mitting,' say they, the infallible prescience of all future contingencies, CALVIN'S doctrine of the predestination of some, by name, to life, and of others to death, cannot be refuted.'* They therefore do their utmost endeavour to prove (horrid to think!) that He who formed and governs the universe, is not possessed of such a foresight; in other words, that he is not God. This they do, by much the same arguments that others use, in opposition to the doctrine here maintained. To the foregoing objections some, perhaps, may be ready to add, with an air of confidence, Does not this doctrine, in its inseparable connections, represent the Most High as partial in his conduct towards his creatures, and as a respector of persons? as dealing hardly, if not unjustly, with all the greater part of mankind? In answer to which I observe, That as to the charge of partiality and respect of persons, here exhibited against the divine conduct, it is entirely void of the least foundation. For wherever such a charge may be advanced with propriety against the conduct of any one, it must be in the affairs of remunerative, or of punishing justice, and where the rules of equity are more or less transgressed: but cannot possibly have place in matters of sovereign favour and mere bounty, of which kind is election. For instance, if we consider a person in the capacity of a magistrate, as invested with the executive * Apud Witsium, Econ. Fæd. 1. iii. c iv. § 12. power of the crimnal laws of his country, and behold him inflicting upon such offenders as are poor and mean, and of little account in the world, the penalties annexed to their respective crimes, while he suffers others of nobler birth, of more elevated rank, and of affluent circumstances, to escape with impunity; we have great reason to remonstrate against such a procedure, as a culpable partiality, a criminal respect of persons, and as no other than a perversion of justice. But if we consider the same person under the character of a benefactor, and behold him dispensing his favours among his indigent neighbours, in order to relieve their wants and render them happy; we never imagine that he is under any obligation to show an equal regard to all that are distressed with poverty. Supposing he distribute his bounty in great variety to the favoured objects of his beneficence; nay, supposing he indulge some with favours, while others, who stand in the same need, are entirely overlooked, shall we arraign his conduct, and call him a respector of persons? By no means. For were that the case, there would be nothing indecent, if, after he had manifested his beneficent regards to some, others were to come with a commanding voice, and require his assistance in the same way, and to the same degree; than which nothing could be more impertinent. Besides, though men are under obligation to love and assist one another; though, being only stewards of what they possess, they are accountable to the supreme Judge for the manner in which they use their faculties, their time, and all their talents; yet God has the most perfect right to do what he will with his own. For no creature, and especially no offend If Jehovah must be denominated a respecter of persons, and his conduct pronounced partial, on supposition that he loved and chose some to everlasting happiness, while he rejected others and left them to perish under his righteous curse; if the equity of his proceedings, in the affairs of grace must be called in question, because he bestows eternal blessings on some, and entirely withholds them from others; how shall we vindicate the methods of Providence in ten thousand different instances? Does not God, as to the concerns of religion, afford those means of grace, his word and ordinances, to some, while they are entirely withheld from others? and where they are enjoyed, does he not regenerate and sanctify some by the Spirit of truth, while others, who have the same external means, continue in spiritual darkness and finally perish? If, then, the uncontrollable God may do that in time for some, which he is under no obligation to do for any; none can doubt whether he might from eternity form such a resolution: for divine Providence is nothing but the execution of God's eternal purpose. Similar to this, is the conduct of God toward mankind, as to temporal things. For nothing is more evident, than that the supreme Governor of the world is liberal in communicating enjoyments of every kind to some; while others, more worthy, are all their lives exposed to the greatest distresses. And though there is a vast disparity between temporal and eternal blessings, yet, if to distinguish between his creatures, in bestowing, or in withholding the latter, would any way impeach his character, it must in proportion to do so in the former; for the Judge of all the earth must do right. And as none can, without open blasphemy, quarrel with the sovereign dispensations of Providence, on account of that difference which subsists between one man and another in the present life; so none should indulge a captious humour in finding fault with the methods of grace, because their Maker does not manifest an equal regard to all. Nor can it be inferred from any thing implied in this doctrine, that our eternal Sovereign deals hardly, much less unjustly, with any part of mankind. Here let me ask the objector, and let him ask his own conscience, Have all mankind sinned? Is sin a transgression of divine law? Is the law they have broken righteous, just in its requisitions, and equitable in its penalty? If so, every man is guilty before God, and every mouth should be stopped; for all have deserved to die-to perishto be destroyed with an utter destruction. Either these things are acknowledged as undoubted truths, or the authority of the Bible is rejected. These truths being admitted, reason itself must allow, that if all mankind had perished under a curse, the honour of their Maker, as the supreme Governor, and righteous Judge, must have been unimpeached. But if so, it is impossible to conceive, how his choosing some to life and happiness, and his rejecting others, can afford the least occasion for the charge suggested in the objection. For the election of those whom God determined to save does not in. jure the non-elect. Their situation would not have been at all the better, if none had been chosen, nor any saved. For non-election is not a punishment; it is only the withholding a free favour, which the sovereign Lord of all may bestow on whomsoever he pleases. He When the whole world is considered as guilty before God, we must allow that he had an unlimited right to determine about the final state of men. was at perfect liberty to determine whether he would save any, or not. He might have left all to perish, or he might have decreed the salvation of all. Or, he might purpose to save some, and reject others: and so determining, he might love and save, he might condemn and punish, whom he pleased. Surely, then, it cannot be absurd in reason, or inconsistent with the divine character, to suppose that he actually has chosen some to infinite glory, and determined to punish others according to their demerit. To acknowledge that all have sinned against God, forfeited his favour, and deserve tó perish, and at the same time to suppose, that he might not leave what number he pleased to condemnation and wrath, imply a contradiction. For those who might not be rejected, whether more or fewer, must have a claim on Jehovah's favour, consequently, not justly liable to perish, which is contrary to the supposition. It is eternally fit that God should order all things according to his pleasure. His infinite greatness, majesty, and glory, certainly entitle him to act as an uncontrollable Sovereign, and that his will should in all things take place. He is worthy, supremely worthy, of making his own glory the end of all that he does, and that he should make nothing but the dictates of his own wisdom, and the deter |