"And we, minifters of Jefus Chrift, what is "our duty? Why are we fent to this people? Is "it to fathom the decrees of predeftination and re

probation? Muft this be the principal fubject "of our fermons ? God forbid we fhould fo ill "understand the end of our miniftry!-Let us "think of the account we must give to the mafter "who fent us. Let us take care that he doth not "fay to us in the great day of judgment, Get ye "behind me, ye refractory fervants! I fent you to "make the church holy, and not render it difputa"tious; to confirm my elect, and not to engage "them in attempts to penetrate the mysteries of "election; to announce my laws, and not to fathom my decrees.

"This fubject addreffeth itself to you, rafh "divine, you who perplex your mind by trying to "comprehend incomprehenfible truths, to you "whofe audacious difpofition obliges you to run "into one of these two extremes, either to embrace "error, or to render truth doubtful by the manner "of explaining it. For understand, my brethren, "the man who rejects a truth because he cannot "comprehend it, and he who would fully compre"hend before he receives it, both fin from the "fame principle, neither understands the limits of "the human mind. These two extremes are alike "dangerous. Certainly, on the one hand, we "must be very rafh, we must entertain very "diminutive ideas of an infinite God, we must be

very little versed in science, to admit only prin"ciples which have no difficulty, and to regard

"the

"the depth of a fubject as a character of falsehood. "What! a miferable creature, an ignorant crea"ture, a creature that doth not know itself, would "know the decrees of GOD, and reject them if they be unfathomable! But, on the other hand, 66 we must have very narrow views, we must have "a very weak mind, we must know very little of "the defigns of GOD, not to feel any difficulty, to "find every thing clear, not to fufpend our judg "ment upon any thing, to pretend not only to "perceive the truth of a mystery but to go to the "bottom of it. Infignificant man! Feel thy di"minutiveness. Cover thyfelf with duft, and learn "of the greatest of divines to stop where you "ought to ftop, and to cry on the brink of the ocean, O the depth !" ‡

I was induced to transcribe these excellent paffages as peculiarly well calculated to anfwer two valuable purposes; to ferve, firft, as a proper check upon myself and others; and, fecondly, as a feasonable admonition to the reader, that if he do not find all his doubts and fcruples removed in the following pages, refpecting fome of these adorable depths, he may be prepared to make due allowances. And happy will it be for author and reader when a fenfe of ignorance, and of the limits of human underftanding, leads to devout adoration. This is true wisdom. From the very ruins of our nature, we are enabled, by adopting fuch a method, to form an afcending step in the divine life.

§ 6. In

↑ Ibid. 308-313.

§ 6. In the pages of this Volume it is my defign, -after (chap. i.) explaining the principal terms relating to our fubject, with fuitable remarks,—to give (chap. ii.) a view of the equitable moral government of GOD, with respect to mankind ;—and then (chap. iii.) a view of fovereign grace ;-after which the way will be prepared to examine (chap. iv.) the fundamental principles of the Arminian fyftem, and particularly those of Dr. WHITBY on the Five Points, and Mr. FLETCHER'S controverfial writings. In the CONCLUSION will be fhewn, at fome length, how these leading principles are calculated to expose a number of other erroneous opinions, and their consequent advantage in reference to morals and religion. This is the general plan: but before I launch my small bark into this great fea of difficulties, where dangerous rocks lie, on which greater and stronger veffels than mine have been split ;-let me make a folemn pause, and for a few moments indulge that difpofition to which all theological and moral inveftigations ought to be fubfervient.

$7. Contemplating the bleffed GOD, I behold an ocean unfathomable and without fhore! But what am I?-Let me afk myself a few questions. Canft thou, worm of the earth, by fearching find out God? canft thou, fluttering moth, find out the Almighty unto perfection? a perfection high as heaven: what canft thou do? deeper than hell: what canft thou know ?* There is no fearching of his understanding.+

It

It is no wonder that my conceptions of an infinite Spirit, and his transcendent perfections, should be inadequate; for it is but a fmall part of his ways I can understand. And if his ways are past finding out, if his expreffed judgments are unsearchable, what must be his fecret counfels? Who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his counfellor? For of him, and through him, and to him are all things. To whom be glory for ever!*

Yet, that my foul be without knowledge is not good. This is life eternal, experimentally to know thee the only true GOD, and Jefus Chrift whom thou haft fent. Thy children have an unction from the Holy One to know the indications of thy will. Those who fear thee are favoured with a fecret unknown to others, and thou wilt Show them thy covenant.t What was my intellect given me for, but eminently for the purpose of contemplating, with reverence and attention, thy glorious nature and perfections, the fublime movements of thy providence, and the fublimer operations and effects of thy grace? How fhall I intelligently adore and love that GOD, of whofe equity as a Governor, and of whofe rights as a Sovereign, I have no fettled conceptions?

This, O my Creator, I understand, that thou art ALL, and I am NOTHING. On this condition I exift, that I confider myself as nothing and vanity. The moment I begin to think myself fomething without thee, I ftand condemned. O nothing, be fill for a few moments of that vain life which thou spendeft

Rom. xi 34, 35.

Psm xxv. 14.

fpendeft as a shadow; lofe thyfelf in folemn filence; be wholly abforbed in the greatness of GOD. O! the real happiness of felf annihilation. And as nothing can be more happy, fo nothing can be more equitable; more conformable to eternal rectitude.

Divine grace alone can fubdue the swellings and proud boaftings of the heart. When the creature claims any power, be it of the will or any other faculty, to do the leaft good, without the aid of him who faid, Without me ye can do nothing, it fets up an idol, and offers incense to it. This idol is felf. O vanity, O nothing, how blind art thou to thy nature! Thou canst no more at well without God, than thou couldst form a body or create a foul.

But though we have no power to do right, we have power of our own to do wrong, if he keep us in existence; a man has power to rob God of his due, to commit idolatry, to withdraw delight and affection from him. And is this a power to boast of? What good am I poffeffed of, what good have I done, which thou didst not furnish me with, or prompt me to? None at all. Think properly, and thou wilt find-not the leaft imaginable. O my Creator, Saviour, and Sanctifier, keep me from the evil to which every created nature is unavoidably prone, but from which, by fovereign interpofitions, thou canst effectually preserve me.

I beseech thee, fovereign Lord, let no falfehood of any kind be permitted to drop from my pen to thy dishonour; while I humbly join with thy fervants Ezekiel and Paul to difprove the impious