to be the object of the displeas- | the human mind must be by turns ure of a holy God.

excited in them, by a view of 4. The different temper or those objects, which must be taste of mind, which will be pos- present before their minds. The sessed by the righteous and the righteous, on the contrary, will wicked in a future world, will be prepared to be completely prepare them to have opposite happy in view of the same obfeelings in view of the same ob- jects. The more clearly they jects. "He that is unjust, let see the divine perfections, and him be unjust still; and he that the object of the divine governis righteous, let him be righteous ment; the more extensive is still," will be one part of the sen- their acquaintance with that vatence pronounced by an omnis-riety of objects, which the spircient Judge. The wicked, there-itual world will disclose, and fore, in possession of an evil their various relations one to temper or taste of mind, will be another, the more happy will they in no degree prepared to relish be. It will be impossible, therethose spiritual objects which must fore but that the future situation of be present to their view. They the righteous and wicked should will doubtless behold clearer ex-be widely different. If they have hibitions of the divine perfec-any just views of the objects tions, than can be seen in the around them, they cannot but present life; but these exhibi- have totally opposite feelings; tions will afford them no satisfac-one must inevitably be miserable, tion, because they do not love while the other is happy. them. They will even prove When all these considerations sources of the most distressing are duly attended to; the differpain, because their heart will be ent characters of the righteous filled with enmity against them. and the wicked-the different They will see also the various principles on which they will remethods of divine government, ceive their portions--the differand particularly the great object ent ways, in which they are preof it, to display the benevolence pared to be useful--and the difof God, by making the righteous ferent taste of their minds, precompletely happy, and covering paring them for directly opposite the wicked with shame and dis-feelings in view of the same obappointment. These views, how-jects, do not the declarations of ever, must be to them a source inspiration respecting their fuof peculiarly painful sensations, ture situations, appear to be perbecause they are directly oppo- fectly just and rational ? site to the wishes of their hearts. Let no one, then, foolishly They will behold also saints and think it a matter of indifference, angels happy in each other and to which of those places he shall in their God, but for such soci-go, when he leaves this world. ety they will have no relish. Let no one think that by mainThey will hear their songs, but taining a fair exterior in the view will not perceive in them any of men, he shall escape the more thing pleasing, because they aggravated punishments of the celebrate the praises of the tri- wicked, or obtain a situation litune God, whom they do not love. the infior to that of some of the In short, every painful feeling of righteous, though his heart may

EUBULUS.

is made up of all the innumera

never have been renewed by divine grace. Let it be deeply en-ble events, things, and circumgraven on every heart as an in- stances, which compose this teresting truth, that the cup, general state of things, and so which will hereafter be put into are all included in the prophecy. the hands of the wicked, will be If then these are accomplished, a bitter cup, in which not a sin- they certainly prove the decrees gle drop of consolation will be- of God, concerning all which go mingled. in to make out that general state of things, which God has foretold. And have not these prophecies been, and do they not continue in a train of accomplishment to the present time? If all matters were not fixed, they could not be foretold; and if not fixed by God, by whom were they fixed? by a visionary power called chance? But if the latter be absurd, let us acknowledge the decrees of God.

The Fore-ordination of all things, the greatest encouragement to the use of the means of grace.

MESS'RS EDITORS,

I once heard of a minister of the word of God, who, on his death bed, deeply lamented, that he had not more laboriously That God has fore-ordained inculcated on his congregation, whatsoever comes to pass, dethe gospel doctrine of fore-or- rives also much evidence from dination. This is the most prom-the consideration, that God doinent trait of the divine adminis- eth his will in heaven and on trations, and that, against which, earth, that the Lord reigneth, the pride of the enemies of God and causeth all things to work is most violently opposed. You together for the good of them have not indeed been silent on that love him. If God does his this subject, in your evangelical will-if he has projected a plan publication, and it is presumed how all things may subserve his you will continue to ascribe king-church-if his counsel shall dom and dominion to our God. stand, and he will do all his If the following pages meet your pleasure, as we are assured in approbation, they are submitted his word, then he has fixed his to your disposal. will and counsel, which can be nothing short of fore-ordination.

HAT God hath fore-or

Unless God has adopted some

Thained whatsoever comes purposes, then all things are

to pass is evident from prophecy and its accomplishment. Prophecy embraces the general state of this world, especially of the church and its most active enemies, from the days of Abraham, to the end of the world. This general state of the Jews, and of surrounding nations, of successive empires, of the Christian church, and of its enemies,

governed by chance, or rather, are under no direction; and unless he has fixed his purposes concerning all things, and even the most minute, then these may defeat his purposes concerning others, and his designs, threatenings, promises and prophecies fail of accomplishment. But God hath not exposed himself to such disappointment: all

things are therefore pre-deter-] in such relation to each other, mined. then one event may perfectly The bare consideration that depend on another, which preGod is perfect in wisdom, is ev-ceded it, and yet be absolutely idence that he has decreed all fixed in the counsels of God. things. Even the husbandman, though he cannot secure himself from being exposed to disappointments, is not so void of all wisdom, as to have no fore cast how to manage his concerns. It is the definition of a lunatic, that he acts from present impulse, without any preconcerted plan. But God has unquestionably fixed his purposes with infinite propriety.

It is also desirable that all things should be made to work together for the good of them that love God, and therefore, that all things should be directed on a wise calculation, to answer this end, according to the counsel of God. This is the sole ground of any confidence which we can reasonably have, that the final issue of all things will be to the glory of God, and the good of his people.

Thus the deliverance of all the ship's company, which sailed . with Paul for Rome, though foretold, depended on the continuance of the mariners on board, this too depended on the cutting away the boat, so that they should not be able to desert the ship, this depended on the communication of Paul to the soldiers, and this again on the revelation from God, that the seamen must be retained. The whole train of these things was decreed, before it was predicted, that all on board should be saved from the danger of the seas, and accordingly the seamen put the ship in, so near the shore, that when it was broken, all escaped to land. This also was the means by which Paul was preserved to see Rome, and preach the gospel there, as was foretold, while he was yet in Ju2. The decrees of God are an dea; and probably his preaching establishment of an endless train at Rome was the means of the of events, in successive depend- salvation of many, and so of a ence on each other, so as to be train of events, reaching through the means of securing the ac- time and eternity; and these complishment of the whole in again are connected with innusucecssion. It is easy to see, merable other events, and they that if every event is pre-deter- with others. In this way the mined in particular, then the disposal of all things is connectwhole train of them is fixed, ined into system, and every event all the relations in which they is dependent on its connections, stand to each other; and the re-according to the decree and lation in which one stands to an- providential agency of God. other, is itself as much the sub- One thing may be so dependent ject of a divine determination on another, that it could not as any thing. We know that take place, if that should fail, and one event is in some respects the yet this be no objection to the cause of another, as wind is the doctrine of absolute decrees, for cause of waves, temptations the the cause is as much fore-ordaincause of sin, and motives of mor-ed as the effect. Thus the al action. Since events stand whole train of events in the

world, though they are all in suc- | sent, and yet these are but the cession dependent on preceding accomplishment of that train of causes and means, are, notwith- things, which was concerted by standing, all fixed by the decrees God, before time began, and of God, who has ordered the con- were designed to be the means nection of all in his plan. Means of accomplishing them in eternal and ends, causes and effects, an- succession. God has fixed from tecedents and consequents, are eternity the connection between all ascertained in his eternal causes and effects. counsels and the means secure the events dependent on them, according to his eternal pur-established the accomplishment

poses.

The view we have taken of the manner in which God has

of his purposes, affords ministers, parents and all christians encouragement to be laborious and faithful in their services for the cause of Christ; and it was designed from everlasting, that this should be a motive to their faithfulness. When proper

complish the salvation of souls, and the edification of his people, it is not to be supposed, that he would have decreed the means. Where the apostles preached, souls were renewed, but when Christ was not preached, souls were not saved, for faith comes

It depended on innumerable voluntary acts of men, that Christ was born, in Bethlehem, of the seed of David, that he was put to death, and that all things which were decreed, and foreteld concerning him, came to pass. If Judas had not betray-means are used by them for the ed him if Pilate had not con- salvation of men, they are work. demned, and if the people had ers together with God in this not been disposed to do every matter, and there is the greatest thing, that had been predicted, encouragement, from this ar then those prophecies could nev-rangement of the means under er have been accomplished. The providence, to expect the event. volitions of free agents are e-If God had not intended to acrents, as much as other things, and the decrees and providence of God, are as much concerned with them; and moral causes and means have their use as much, in bringing about moral events, as natural causes and means, in producing natural events; and these are all equal-by hearing, and how can they ly the care of providence; there believe on him, of whom they is therefore no impropriety in have not heard? So when the saying, a thing is decreed, and means of grace are used in any that it is dependent on the will country, more or less are usualof man, whether it shall come ly brought into the kingdom of to pass; for our wills and actions God. When God was about to are decreed, and are decreed as save souls at Macedonia, he sent the means of such an event. In- Paul, and he sent the apostles deed almost all the events, which to other places, when he intendtake place among men, are de-ed to give success. pendent on our free volitions, and sometimes on the volitions of millions. Generations back have an influence on things pre

When we see an husbandman repair, with his workmen, teams and proper implements, to a certain field, we conclude, he has

determined that it shall be cultivated; but if the proper season passes, and no preparations are made, we justly infer, he does not intend to till that field. So if we see parents faithful and unwearied, in impressing divine truths and duties on their families, we may be almost assured, that God intends salvation for more or less of them. But if children are left to themselves, and especially if they are educated under evil examples, and occasionally hear divine things spoken of with opposition, or contempt, we have great reason to fear, that God is giving them over to destruction.

If God gives much grace and faithfulness to his ministers, it is probably, because he intends a blessing in their congregations. Where there are artful deceivers, who plead the cause of licentiousness, infidelity, error and irreligion, and are fit means to ruin men, and poison the minds of youth, and where such books are read, and evil company kept, there is reason to believe, that these destructive means will produce their ruinous effects.

and events, which give an astonishing view of the amazing reach of divine Providence; and let men but believe in the foreordination of all things, in a train of connections, and they cannot feel, as though this cut off all encouragement to the use of means, but they will be convinced, that their salvation, and the salvation of their families, depends on using them, and on their attending on them, with earnest seriousness. Whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.

consists especially in the sufferings and death of Christ, will completely purge the conscience from dead works, and prepare the person, to whom it is applied, to serve the living God, is obviously the leading idea in this passage. By dead works we are undoubtedly to un

The connection which God has established between means and events, is a proper and so-derstand sinful works; but as lemn motive for all to be faithful conscience is not an active facin the use of means, both to pro- ulty of the mind, as it is the seat vide food and raiment for the bo- of neither sin nor holiness, a dy, and to promote their own question naturally arises, in what salvation, and that of others. If sense it can be defiled with dead God had not decreed a connec-works, and why it is necessary tion between means and ends, it is not seen, that there would have been any encouragement, to use any means for soul or body.

Finally, it appears that under the supreme direction of God, there is a wonderful system, or combination of agencies, means VOL. V. No. 8.

that it should be purged from them in order to serve the living God. To prepare the way for a discussion of this subject, some observations on the nature and office of conscience seem to be necessary.

By conscience we understand that branch of the human mind, M m