of his power, and who governs all his creatures and all their actions, is able to do whatever he pleases. Jeremiah says unto God," Behold, thou hast made the heavens and the earth, by thy great power and stretched-out arm, and there is nothing too hard for thee." God him self says, "Behold, I am the Lord, the God of all flesh. Is there any thing too hard for me?" Job says of God, "He is of one mind, and who can turn him? and what his soul desireth, even that he doeth." God is able to send the gospel to the ends of the earth, and to cause every human creature to hear, and to accept the glad tidings of salvation. It would be no more difficult for God to renew and sanctify those persons, who are lost, than it is to renew and sanctify those persons who are saved. "The king's heart is in the hand of the Lord; as the rivers of water, he turneth it whithersoever he will." As God was able to change the hearts of three thousand in one day, he is able to change the hearts of all mankind. He work. eth in all men both to will and to do of his good pleasure. He worketh all things after the counsel of his own will. With God nothing is impossible. Want of power then is not the reason why God has decreed to save only a certain part of the human race. Nor,

5. Is it because he has not wisdom sufficient to perceive how to dispose of immortal souls in the best manner. God clearly and fully perceives the end from the beginning. He has sufficient wisdom to form the best purposes, and

to devise and employ the best means for effecting his designs. He was able to see what number of rational creatures it was best to bring into existence. He was able also to see what character, and what condition it was best to appoint and ordain, for every rational being. God was never perplexed, or embarrassed, respecting the number and the persons, whom he should save, nor respecting the number and the persons, whom he should destroy. He was always able to see how many vessels of wrath, and how many vessels of mercy he should need to answer his desires and his designs. He always had sufficient wisdom to determine whom he should appoint unto destruction, and whom he should appoint unto salvation. His decrees then respecting the salvation of one part of the human race, and the destruction of the other part, do not arise from want of wisdom. For the wisdom of God always enabled him to see how to dispose of immortal souls in the best manner. Nor,

6. Is it because God has not goodness sufficient to choose, in the best manner, the eternal destination of human beings. "God is love." He always desires and chooses what is best. As his wisdom enables him clearly to see what number and what persons it is best to save, and what number and what persons it is best to destroy; so his infinite and immutable benevolence dispose him to desire, to choose, and to decree what is best, all things being considered, respecting the eternal charac

ter and condition of every human being. God then has not decreed that one part of the human race shall be saved, and that the other part shall be destroyed, because he has not sufficient goodness to induce him to form the best purposes respecting the eternal destination of immortal souls. From the considerations which have been mentioned respecting the present enquiry, we are bound to believe that God has decreed to save one part of mankind, and to destroy the other part, because it is best, all things being considered, that one part of mankind should be saved, and that the other part should be destroyed.-That this conclusion may be more evident, several other considera. tions may now be suggested.

1. God desires and chooses what is best.That God desires and chooses the greatest good, which can exist, is as evident as it is that he is a benevolent being. It is certainly desirable that the greatest good, which can exist, should be produced. As God is infinite and immutable in goodness, from his own nature, he desires and chooses, that what is best, all things being considered, should exist. To say that God does not know what is best, is to impeach his natural perfection. To say that he does not desire what is best, is to impeach his moral rectitude. There are then as good reasons to believe that God desires and chooses the greatest good that can exist, as to believe that he is a being of infinite perfection.

2. The happiness of God depends upon his

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effecting what he desires and chooses. What God desires and chooses, he desires and chooses with all his heart and soul, with all his mind and strength. He ever perceives what he ought to desire, and to choose respecting every creature, and every event. And his desire, and his choice respecting every thing is wisest and best. In proportion to the strength of the divine desires, and the wisdom and rectitude of the divine choice, must be the pleasure of God in gratifying his desires, and his satisfaction in effecting his chosen purposes. But should God, in one instance, fail of effecting what he desires and chooses, he would be disappointed. And his infelicity, from such a disappointment, would be as great as the ardor of his desires, and the wisdom and rectitude of his choice. If then, God should, in one instane, fail of "working all things after the counsel of his own will," darkness and death would involve and destroy the universe. " But our God is in the heavens; he hath done whatsoever he pleased. Whatsoever the Lord pleased, that did he in heaven and in earth, in the seas and all deep places." He declares, "the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, my counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure." God causes every creature, every action, every volition, every desire, and every event to be what he pleases and what he decrees. And his happiness depends upon his doing, in every instance, according to his will,

in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth.

3. By effecting what he desires and chooses, God gives the greatest glory to his great and holy name, The eternal and essental per

fections of God can receive no addition. Therefore the inherent and immutable glory of the name of Jehovah can never be increased. Goodness is the glory of the divine name.And God glorifies his name by displaying his goodness. Whenever he does good, he displays his goodness and glorifies his name. By effecting the greatest good, which can exist, God will give his name the greatest glory that can be given. Created good must be according to the extent of knowledge, holiness and happiness, which exist in created beings. God then will cause the greatest extent of knowledge, holiness and happiness, which can be imparted from the eternal fountain of light, love and joy. By causing the greatest extent of knowledge, holiness and happiness, which can exist in creatures, God will manifest his perfections in the most glorious manner. And by manifesting his perfections in such a manner, God will give the greatest glory to his great and holy name. But if God does not design and effect what is best, then he might have done better than what he will now do. And if he might have done better than what he will now do, his perfections will not be displayed in the most glorious manner. And if his perfections be not displayed in the most glorious manner, he