AN ESSAY. 503 Was so supremely fit also, that it was not possible for him to make any other covenantor any tither proposal of salvation. Verse 17. God sent not his Son to condemn the world, that is, because he saw it unfit that he should do so, and therefore he could not have sent his Son on this dreadful errand. Romans v. S. God corn- mendeth his love towards us, in that while we weresinners, Christ died fir us ; but according to this doctrine he was so neces- sarily determined to give this particular instance of love to sin- ners, and to save them in this manner, that he could not have refused to give his Sou to die for them. What contrary turns would this sort of philosophy give to this most divine instance of free and rieh mercy in all the bible ? Give me leave at the end of this catalogue of scriptures, to cite two or three which represent to us in a moreexpress manner, that the will of God often determines itself without such a suppo- sition ofsuperior fitnesses, that he may display his own godhead, and the independence of his actions. Rom. ix. 15. cited from Exod. xxxiii. 19. Iwill make all mygoodness to pass before thee, and Iwill proclaim the name of the Lord belbre thee : and I will be gracious to whom Iwill begracious, and Iwill shew mercy on whom Iwill shew mercy. Now, as the name of the Lord is, I amwhat I am, or I will be what Iwill be ; Exod. iii. 14. so his correspondent character in matters of pure grace and bounty is, I will do what I trill do ; that is,' the will of God in mat- ters of mere bounty is a self-governing principle, and is deter- mined only by itself in his most free and sovereign instances of grace and blessing ; he hath no other determination but what arises from within himself, even thegood pleasure of his own will. How often is this thought repeated in the word of God ? I-low frequently is this given as the only reason of his conduct,' in his works of creation, and in his distributions of blessings in the kingdom of providence and the kingdom of grace ? Mat. xi. 26. Even so, Father, because it pleased thee. Rev. iv. 11. Thou hast created all things, O Lord, and for Mypleasure they are andwere created. Isa. xlvi. 9, 10. I am God, and none else I will do all my pleasure. Mat. xx. 14, 15. Is it not latful for me to do what I will with nay own ? Iwill give to this last even as unto thee. Rom. ix. 18. He hath mercy on whom he will. The blessed God, considered as a Creator and as a Bene- factor, worheth all things accordingto the counsel oflds own will ; in a thousand instances his own will is his counsellor : lie acts according, to the good pleasure of his will which he hathpur- posed within himself ;. Eph. i. 5, 9, 11. And here let me conclude with the words of St. Paul, Rom. xi. 33, 36. who, when he hadbeen tracing out the methods of the conduct of God towards the Jews and. Gentiles, leaves the springs and reasons of them all entirely within himself, and
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