Father, but are of the world. So that they can by no means be palmed upon the Lord as being his doing and performing. The speaking of the world says "I Lord Jesus Christ, testify of it that the works thereof are evil."-John vii, 7. But he never testifies that God is the doer and performer of this evil; and that there is no evil in the city but the Lord hath done it. Men assert this, not the Lord : This language is not scriptural but traditionary; one great man having asserted it, another thinks he has a licence to assert it after him, and so on till it becomes established; and then if any one should gainsay it, of course he must be cast out of the synagogue. Thus Mr. TUCKER appears to have borrowed his licence from the following sentence of CALVIN. "He declares that he creates light and darkness, that he forms good and evil; and that no evil occurs which he hath not performed."-C-N, inst., b. 1, c. xviii, p. 249. This I consider is forcing the word and making it speak what it never meant. Now the evil intended in the above passage in Amos, is the punishment and judgments of God upon the wicked, such as sword, pestilence and famine; as it is written. "Hear O earth: Behold, I will bring evil upon this people, even the fruit of their thoughts, because they have not hearkened unto my words, nor to my law, And again "I and the wicked Hence we read that but rejected it."-Jer. vi, 19, 21. will punish the world for their evil, for their iniquity."-Is. xiii, 11. "Evil came down from the Lord unto the gates of Jerusalem."-Mic. 1, 12. This was not moral evil, but chastising judgments because of moral evil. As it is written. "By swearing, and lying, and killing and stealing, and committing adultery, they break out and blood toucheth blood. Therefore shal! the That is to say God will And "For these thing's land mourn."-Hos. iv. 3. bring evil upon the land. sake, cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience." But the advocates for the divine and holy ordination of Sin, will have it, that whatsoever comes to pass proceeds from the Lord; making no distinction between Sin, and the Judgments that come from the Lord on account of Sin. Hence says CALVIN, "It often occurs in the sacred history, that whatsoever comes to pass proceeds from the Lord, as the defection of the ten tribes, the death of the sons of Eli, and many events of a similar kind."-C-N, inst., B. 1, c. xviii, p. 246. Here CALVIN asserts that it often occurs in the sacred history, "that whatsoever cometh to pass proceeds from the Lord;" this assertion I dispute. Does it ever occur in scripture that Solomon's idolatry proceeded from the Lord?-For which cause, as a chastisement the Lord rent the ten tribes from under his government. Does it ever occur in scripture that the Sin of the sons of Eli proceeded from the Lord ? For which thing's sake came the wrath of God upon those children of disobedience. Does it ever occur in scripture that the Sin of Ahab proceeded from the Lord? For which cause God sent a lying spirit that he might fall. Does the scripture any where teach or hold forth, that the Sin of David (in committing adultery and murder) proceeded from the Lord? For which cause the sword should not depart from his house. Does it ever occur in scripture that the Sin of Sodom proceeded from the Lord?-For which cause it was destroyed by fire and brimstone. Does it ever occur in scripture that the Sin of our first parents proceeded from the Lord? Does it ever occur in scripture that the Sin of Angels proceeded from the Lord?-No; the sacred word of inspiration is entirely silent as to any of these occurrences proceeding from the Lord; Men, and men only, tell us that "Whatsoever comes to pass, proceeds from the Lord ;" God asserts no such thing; we have but man's word for the doctrine. If God cast the angels out of heaven, and man out of paradise, it was for Sin, he did not do it without a cause. If God sends men strong delusions, it is for Sin, he does not do it without a cause; "For this cause, God shall send them strong delusions." If God brings his judgments on his creatures, he does not do it without a cause; "They have chosen their own ways, and their soul delighteth in their abominations; I also will choose their delusions, because when I called none did answer."-Is. lxvi, 3. "For this cause cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience." "Because I have called, and ye refused; I have stretched out my hand and no man regarded; but ye have set at nought all my counsel, and would none of my reproof. Therefore shall they eat the fruit of their own way, and be filled with their own devices."-Pro. 1, 24, 31. "And ye shall know that I have not done without a cause, all that I have done in it saith the Lord God."-Ezek. xiv, 23. But the advocates for the divine and holy ordination of Sin, preach an opposite doctrine. "Hence (say they) we find every matter resolved ultimately, into the mere sovereign pleasure of God, as the spring and occasion of whatsoever is done in heaven and earth."-TOPLADY, vol. 5, p. 194. "Whatsoever comes to pass (says CALVIN,) proceeds from the Lord."-And again says he, "What we have before cited from the Psalmist, that "God hath done whatsoever he hath pleased," undoubtedly pertains to all the actions of men."-C- N's inst., B. 1, c. xviii, p. 244. REPLY. These are the assertions and perversions of men." Undoubtedly,"-is but a conclusion drawn from circumstantial evidence; as "Joseph is without doubt rent in pieces:" but when substantial evidence appears to the contrary, the conclusion is reversed: "It is enough, Joseph my son is yet alive." Without doubt, generally leaves room for a doubt. God's doing whatsoever he pleased, is no proof that it pleas. ed him to do every thing that is done; but rather that he left undone whatsoever he pleased: There is another passage most notoriously forced beyond its signification in order to support the doctrine of the divine and holy ordination of Sin; the words are "Who worketh all things after the counsel, of his own will."-Ep. i. 11. This passage is crammed with a supplement, and rendered thus, "Who worketh all things (without exception) after the counsel of his own will." Now by this supplement, the passage is made to speak what it never meant, and that in order to form a common hack for the ordination of Sin. "Divine sovereignty (says Mr. TUCKER) cannot consistently be supported, without maintaining also, that he worketh all things (without exception) after the counsel of his own will."-T-R, L. xv, p. 107. Now this" without exception," is added by man, in order to drag all sin into the passage, and to make it appear that sin and abomination was the work and appointment of God. For says Mr. TUCKER, He must not only know, fix and determine; but work all things (without exception) after the council of his own will.”—T—R, L. xii, 83. And again says he, All things without exception, are the objects of his decrees, will, and choice: and it is impossible it should be otherwise."-T-R, L. xi, 77. Thus Mr. TUCKER saddles the passage with his supplement, and mounts it as his hack throughout his subject; to shew how the scripture bears him up while he zealously contends for the divine and holy ordination of sin. But it is an awful pervertion of truth, a doing violence to the law. Paul as a wise master builder, has laid the foundation, but what a rotten fabric of wood, hay, and stubble, have men built upon this passage, Ep. 1, 11. If we turn to the Assembly's catechism we may discover how the doctrine of the decreeing of Sin is built upon this passage, i. e. Ep. 1, 11. Question 21, (on the decrees). Doth any thing come to pass in time, but what was decreed from eternity? |