conduct. Nor would any, perhaps, ever have entertained a thought to the contrary, had it not been for their unreasonable disgust to the sovereignty of God, which leads them to judge of the divine conduct, by their own scanty measure.

Objection. By this scheme of doctrine, God knew from eternity what would be the event. When he made devils and men, he knew they would sin, and who would, and who would not repent and turn to him. Therefore, for him to complain when all things turn out agreeable to his expectation is unreasonable.

Answer. This objection arises, as I said, from judging of God by ourselves. But even this is done with great partiality; for we do not judge from cases as nearly parallel as our state of being compared with that of our Maker would admit of; when even this would be improper, and an absurd ground of judgment. Being inferior to the great Eternal, who foreknows all things with an absolute certainty, whereas we know nothing future, except what he has revealed, any further than as probable events, we cannot be brought to act upon those motives which he does. To pretend thus to do, would be to claim his prerogatives. He acts with regard to the whole system of being, with infinitely greater ease and perspicuity than we can with respect to the minutest object. Therefore, until we can look through the whole, we shall never be able to be influenced by his motives. As we, in such cases, are influenced to diligence and activity by the probability of success, and cannot easily conceive how we could seriously engage in, and strenuously prosecute any affair, the issue of which we certainly know would be unsuccessful, we are apt to judge in the same manner with regard to God; and so conclude, either that he must be ignorant of the event, or insincere in his manner of conducting matters.

I have already observed that the foreknowledge of God can never be any motive of action in men or angels, it being infinitely above their capacities. To this I now add, if God's infinite wisdom and absolute foreknowledge are any hindrance to his sincerity, so that he cannot be sincere, when he foreknows the event, then he never has been in earnest about any thing he has undertaken from everlasting ages to this day, nor can be to all eternity. Then his omniscience will be an eternal blot to his character, and (with reverence be it spoken) he had better have contented himself with fallible conjectures, so as to be capable of acting with as perfect sincerity as his creatures do, whose ignorance renders them capable of sincerely aiming at any thing where there is a probability of success. Thus he would have kept up a good moral character among his creatures. And as the least moral good is infinitely above any natural good, sincerity is preferable even to omniscience.

And if this be the case, the most ignorant and thoughtless

among this class of reasoners have done very wisely in stripping God of his foreknowledge, in order to make out his sincerity. For the moral perfections of God are more glorious than the natural. If, then, he must part with one or the other, so that he cannot be all wise and the God of truth at the same time, let them deprive him of that which will be the least scandal to him. They have, therefore, taken away his omniscience that so he may keep pace with his creatures, and represented him as in ignorance of future events. And when he gets disappointed, at any unexpected turn in his affairs, he may sincerely set himself to try some other scheme. But since they have undertaken to correct his mistakes in claiming absolute foreknowledge, they ought, to show their sincere affection for him, advise him not to lay his claims and pretences so high again.

It is necessary here to distinguish between natural and moral necessity. Nor are these metaphysical terms without a meaning, but really exist. Natural necessity is when such physical causes concur as have a natural tendency, whether we will or not, to bring about any event which is future. Thus there is a natural necessity that any ponderous body, which is not supported, should fall, from the natural principle of gravity. So there is a natural necessity that all men should die, because of the natural tendency of all bodies to dissolution. So, whether we will or not, we are all hastening to old age or death every

moment.

Moral necessity is that which arises from the concurrence of moral causes, which may all be resolved into the holiness or depravity of the moral taste, and such motives as, in consequence hereof, have a tendency to influence the will of moral agents. Thus, sinners, under total depravity, cannot cease from sinning.

However nearly these two kinds of necessity are connected, and sometimes blended together, both meeting in the same subject, yet they are plainly and distinctly to be perceived. And it is no vain or groundless distinction, but founded on the nature of things, and agreeable to scripture: and every one of but ordinary capacity may distinguish them, if he be but willing to have his eyes opened. He may see that there is no natural necessity that he should continue in sin, in darkness and ignorance, no physical cause impelling him to it. But he may be under a moral necessity from the corrupt taste of his heart, which inclines him so strongly to find fault with God, and his dealings with his creatures, that he has no inclination to listen to any thing which would serve to set God's character in a proper point of light. But the more of this necessity lies upon any moral agent, the greater is his criminality.

SERMON XXIII.

BY S. C. JENNINGS,

OF PITTSBURGH, pa.

THE EXCUSES OF SCEPTICS FOR REJECTING THE GOSPEL.

LUKE 14:18. I pray thee have me excused.

It will be recollected by the reader of the parables of our Lord, that the words of the text were used by Two individuals, as the conclusion of their apologies for not coming to the "great supper" to which they were invited: which supper, parabolically, exhibits the provisions and blessings of the gospel.

As it is not possible, to notice the endless variety of excuses made by different classes of persons, for not embracing the christian religion "in spirit and in truth," I will only give a summary answer to some of those which are founded in scepticism.

1. Says the modern Atheist, I do not believe that any religion is necessary for mankind, "I pray thee have ME excused from receiving the offers of the gospel."

To such an one I answer: 1st. The belief of a great Creator is absolutely necessary to account for the almost infinite variety of productions existing on the earth, evidently, the result of the design of a Being, uniting in his character, wisdom, power, goodness, &c. Every effort to account, rationally and consistently, for the existence of things without such a self-existent first cause, has failed. 2d. The belief of such a Being is necessary to elevate the faculties of man, in the contemplation of a perfect standard of moral excellence. 3d. Belief in the existence of a Being endued with power, and possessing a determination to punish transgression, is necessary to suppress the "vanity, ferocity, and unbridled sensuality," of men. 4th. A want of belief in the existence of 66 a Holy, Lord God," to whom men are accountable, leads not only to the neglect of all virtuous principles, but it saps the foundation of all morality.

The result of the effort to abolish all religion in France, fully justifies the preceding statements. Yea, the lives of modern Atheists adds to their confirmation. Facts, in some cases, would seem to justify the opinion, that the religion of some of the ancient heathen was better than no religion. The introduction of the Atheism of the Epicurus, into Rome, was followed by proscription, bloodshed, and an awful state of things, (as its direct offspring,) from which the republic could never fully recover-an example of warning to the American republic.

2. The modern freethinker says, I esteem all systems of religion

equally good for those who believe them, and "I pray thee have me excused" from giving an exclusive preference to the religion of Jesus Christ.

I ask him seriously to consider the following things: 1st. That that can only be a true religion which represents God as a being of infinite perfection. 2d. The limited nature of man's moral faculties, as well as the past history of the world, show, that he needs to be taught the proper mode of worshipping God. 3d. We need a religion which will inform us how we are to escape punishment for those sins which conscience accuses, and which the light of nature condemns. 4th. We need a religion which will make us happy, collectively and individually. 5th. We need a religion which will explain the causes of calamity, disease, and death. 6th. We need a religion which will give a consistent and correct account of the destination of the soul after death. That these first and important truths in religion are not found in the Koran of Mohammed, in any pagan, or every nominally christian system of religion, is evident to all who are acquainted with them. That they are only found taught in the Bible is equally evident, to those who have given it an impartial and sincere perusal. Any reflecting man, who abandons the sacred volume will find himself in distressing perplexity and in gloomy uncertainty on vitally important inquiries. The latter end of many sceptics who have been forced to think, in the prospect of death, fully confirms this declaration.

Farther, the benefits offered in the gospel of Christ are worthy to be offered by a Creator to his creatures. They excel the benefits of all other systems in the following particulars. They are adapted to persons of every description-they are chiefly spiritual in their nature, while those of the heathen are "earthly, sensual, devilish”—they are not only vastly greater in this life, than any benefits offered by any other system, but surpass all others, inasmuch as they are holy, glorious and ETERNAL. Other religions both corrupt the mind of the worshipper and degrade the supposed deity, while that of the gospel purifies the hearts, and reforms the lives of men; yet exalts the true God. Other religions bear the mark of human invention, while that of the Bible is worthy of God, its author.

In justification of this statement, I appeal, by way of comparison, to the state of the world. I direct the attention of the candid freethinker to the facts narrated by every accredited historian and traveler of ancient and modern times, respecting those portions of the world which are without the influence of the true gospel. I solemnly ask him to pause and consider them, before he gives himself to a destructive indifference about the invitations of the only Savior of sinners. I ask him to recollect that the adoption of the sentiment, "that all religions are equally good," and that it is a matter of indifference which he embraces, provided he is sincere, destroys all distinction between truth and error. It is to say, that there are not certain first truths, the belief of which is immutably essential to the welfare of every human being. It is to say, that all the abominable, cruel, and murderous rites of the heathen are just as good for them, as the benevolent and sacred precepts of Christ are for those who believe in him.

3. But a third person says, "I pray thee have me excused" from receiving instruction or benefit from the gospel. My reason and conscience are sufficient guides, and repentance is the only atonement necessary for errors.

The professed followers of human reason' do not know, or will not acknowledge, that the most of the light which they possess was received, either directly or indirectly, from the word of God. For some truths which they profess to believe, and some things which they acknowledge as duties could never be learned by the exercise of mere reason, or from the dictates of conscience. This has been fairly evinced, by the fruitless efforts of the most learned and able men of former times, who had not the revelation of the sacred scriptures. But do not many of these worshippers of reason strip God of some of his moral attributes? Do they not refuse to worship God, which is to deny this obvious truth, if there is a God, he should be worshipped? Have not some of them doubted of the immortality of the soul, and felt willing to lead men back into the uncertainty of the dark ages? Do not the lives, and generally the deaths of these men, make a sad commentary on their plan of being governed by reason and conscience; which, when illuminated by the "Sun of Righteousness," may help to ascertain truth and duty, but when left to themselves are blind guides leading to destruction, rather than to eternal life? Has it not been found that almost every rejecter of the Bible leads, either secretly or openly, a dissolute life, and that reason and conscience are not sufficient safeguards? Much less are they able to guide in every intricate path of duty, or to solve the most solemn and interesting inquiries.

Repentance for crime, in human governments, does not make an atonement for it, nor certainly secure forgiveness. Neither will a mere selfish repentance be followed by acceptance with God, where the divine Redeemer, who has satisfied the divine law and made it honorable, and consistent for God to forgive, is not embraced by true faith. Few men forgive their fellow men their debts, simply because they are sorry they have contracted them. Much less will the great Lawgiver forgive actual transgression of his laws without a satisfaction being rendered. He will maintain the rights of his government, confirm his truth, glorify his justice, and condemn every one to the prison of hell, who does not accept of Jesus as his surety. "For there is none other name given among men whereby we must be saved."

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4. A fourth person says, I pray thee have me excused" from following Christ; I have a right to refuse or choose what I will in matters of religion.

Knowest thou, O vain man, that in God we "live and move and have our being?" Before you can divest yourself of obligation to believe what he has taught, and to obey when he commands, you must become independent of your Creator and Preserver. You must show yourself in no need of a Redeemer, or else your guilt will be increased by a rejection of the salvation extended in the gospel. For thus saith the Judge of the "quick and the dead:" "This is the condemnation, that light has come into the world, and men loved darkness more than light, because their deeds were evil.”