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I have thought about God's using such means as would finally issue in the recovery of all things; I suppose others have thought of the same. Paul fairly states that God is able to do "exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think." I am very sensible" that none by searching can find out the Almighty to perfection." Job Xi, 7. And there fore the Calvinistic and Arminian systems only discover the weakness of the wisdom of man in endeavoring to fix a system, in which God should be reconciled to the eternal misery of man; and they might properly be asked, as in verse 8, "God is high as Heaven, what canst thou do? deeper than hell, what canst thou know ?"

But as the Holy Scriptures plainly show that God is infinite, we may safely argue that nothing else is infinite but God. And furthermore, that whatsoever is opposed to any of his attributes, cannot prevail, so as to hinder the working of his love, his wisdom, his knowledge, his power or any of his divine attributes. And if it is true, that there is no counsel against the Lord, as in Prov. Xxi, 30. It is certain that the Calvinistic system is false in denying that the Counsel of infinite love will prevail, and the Arminian system equally false in denying the final prevalence of infinite wisdom and power.

And although there are, and hath been before now (I doubt not) many godly people who have labored to support those systems. Yes, I once had an affectionate and beloved father who (I suppose) was as faithful and sincere a man as ever lived in America, who was a believer in, and preacher of the Arminian system. Yes, I have for many years been a preacher of the same myself; yet when I discover an idea to be false and groundless, I cannot support it and at the same time be an honest man.

And having been satisfied that both of those systems are opposed to the Scriptural idea of God,

I have offered the foregoing considerations in hope of assisting the understanding of others; and shall now proceed to show by as sound reasoning as I am capable of, and from Scripture testimony, that the creation of man, and permitting him to sin and fall into calamity, and even into death, all flowed from the goodness or benevolence of God: forasmuch as a greater display of grace in the final : happiness of man was the object.

I know that it is said, that God created all things for his own glory, &c. and this idea is correct, if it is meant that the things and creatures of his creation shall be so clothed with his nature and sound his praise so as to make a greater display of his glory. But it is not easy to understand how God could appear any more glorious by the creation of man, if the greatest part of them should be so miserable in endless ruin, as to blaspheme their Maker for giving them existence. But the Holy Scriptures are not wholly silent on this subject; for they inform us Rev. IV. 11, "Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power for thou created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created."

Here it is plainly said that the motive of God in creation, was his own pleasure. Now if we can ascertain from sacred testimony, what state or condition of man fulfils the pleasure of God, we shall readily see, what God intends shall be the final state or condition of man. So now we will search the Scriptures with this view.

1. Chron. xxix, 17, "I know also, my God, that thou triest the heart, and hast pleasure in uprightness." Psalm Lxix, 30, 31," I will praise the name of God with a song, and will magnify him with thanksgiving, also shall please the Lord." Psalm Cxlvii, 11, "The Lord taketh pleasure in them that fear him, in those that hope in his mercy." Philippians, Iv, 18, "I am full, having re ceived of Epaphroditus the things from you; an

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odour of a sweet smell, a sacrifice acceptable, well pleasing to God." Heb. XIII, 16, "But to do good and to communicate, forget not; for with such sacrifices God is well pleased." Psalm V, 4, "For thou not a God that hast pleasure in wickedness." Eccl. v, 4, "When thou vowest a vow unto God, defer not to pay it for no pleasure in fools." Ezek. Xviii, 32, "For I have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth, saith the Lord God." Rom. Viii, 8, "So then, they that are in the flesh cannot please God." Heb. Xi, 6, "But without faith it is impossible to please him."

Thus we see, as it respects the qualities of man, that God hath pleasure in uprightness; that man should praise him with thanksgiving, should fear him and hope in his mercy; and communicate and do good to the needy. That on the other hand, he hath no pleasure in wickedness, in fools, in man's unbelief, nor in the death of him that dieth.

Now, I suppose it is unnecessary to quote Scripture to prove that the state or condition which unbelief, wickedness and foolishness leads to, is indignation and wrath, tribulation and anguish upon every soul of man that doeth evil. Rom. Ii, 8, W, And that faith, hoping in God's mercy, praising him with thanksgiving, communicating and doing good, directly leads to glory, honor and peace to every man that worketh good. Rom. Ii, 10. As I suppose this is readily acknowledged.

We see, therefore, with the utmost plainness, that the state or condition of man, which God hath pleasure in; and of course was the motive of his creation, is, that man should have glory, honor and peace.

Having (as I think) fairly brought to view, from sacred testimony, that the glory, honor and peace of the creature was the Creator's motive in creation, I shall now attempt to show, by reasoning from the nature of God, that we have good ground

for faith, that this motive will finally be satisfied in the restitution of air things.

As I shall now proceed on a supposition that God is infinite or unbounded in all his lovely, and adorable qualities or attributes; as the Holy Scriptures declare, and Christendom universally acknowledges; I would have it remembered, as I stated before; that infinite is a great word, that is, it means so much, that we can but just begin to think of that boundless ocean which has neither depth nor shore;

Now, as love desires the pleasure and happiness of its objects, God being boundless in love, desired to see creatures rise and stand in his own image that they might enjoy that love in which he was infinitely happy. And being infinite in knowledge he knew what would be the consequences, the fruit and effect of every movement to the boundless range of eternity. Being also infinite in wis dom, he could devise a system of operations, (which although it proceeds with thousands of thousands of movements or operations; and the movements or operations may appear to finite creatures to be contradictory one to another,) which should finally issue in the complete fulfilment of the good pleasure of his will. For the judgments of God are a great deep, Psalm Xxxvi, 6, "He covereth himself with light as with a garment." Psalm civ, 2, "O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out. For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his counsellor ?" Rom. Xi, 33, 34.

And being Almighty, or infinite in power, he could (without the least pains) create what he pleased, and as he pleased to compose a vast system, and set it in order, and preserve all its numerous motions until the purpose for which it was created should be accomplished. And this is all! B2

substantiated by the following declaration of God himself. Isaiah Xlvi, 9, 10, "Remember the former things of old; for I God and none else: I God, and none like me, declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times that are not done, saying, my counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure."

As the foregoing reasoning is supported by such a testimony, I consider it conclusive that the will and purpose of God from the beginning of all things, will in the end be accomplished. And I have shewed already, that his purpose in creation was his own pleasure; and that his pleasure is, that man shall have glory, honor and peace. We shall now presently see what the unavoidable consequences are, if we may believe sound reason or Holy Scripture, particularly with regard to the eternal state of man. For if the pleasure of God in the happiness of creatures was the motive of creation, it necessarily follows, (as God is infinite or boundless in knowledge, wisdom and power,) that all his creatures will ultimately be happy.

And it need not be objected here, that the will and purpose of God may be accomplished (for aught we know) if only a part of his creatures are finally happy. For it is self-evident (although our ideas of infinity are so scanty) that the desire of infinite love and goodness is never completely fulfiled so long as any creature is miserable. For you must know, if there could be one creature any where to whom the love of God did not extend; then his love would not be infinite; and as it is necessarily true, that infinite love cannot exempt any creature, so he whose love is infinite loves all his creatures more than we can think.

But now comes an objection, to answer which, has perplexed the minds of philosophers in past ages; and still perplexes the minds of many; and has been the cause of inventing many discordant systems. The objection is offered in the following language:

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