To

grafted in; for God is able to graft them in.' Rom. 11:23. And how can they abide in unbelief, when, according to the promise of God, of which he will never repent, the seed of Abraham shall have a new heart, and a right spirit given to them? The supposition calls in question the veracity of God! doubt on this subject, is to question his power and his truth, the reality of the Christian religion, and the omnipotence of the Holy Spirit! Believers in the Scriptures are not permitted to doubt. The thing is certain. The decree has gone forth, stamped with Heaven's own seal upon it. Jehovah hath sworn by himself, that every knee shall yet bow to Jesus, and every tongue confess that he is Lord."

"The day and the hour, when all which has been promised may be fulfilled, we may not know. It is not essential that we should know them. But the promises of God, the facts which he has declared shall take place, are certain.'

99 1

'Sermon at Ordination of W. G. SCHAUFFLER. The following, from Dr. POND, of the Bangor Theological Seminary, is conclusive on the point:

"The question therefore comes to this, Is it IMPOSSIBLE for God to convert and save all men?

But in what sense can this be considered as impossible? Is it inconsistent with the nature of the human mind, and with the freedom and accountability of man? Such a supposition is a priori incredible; because God made the minds of men, as well as their bodies made them free, accountable agents-and it is not likely that he would give existence to a being which it was impossible for him to control. Besides, is it not a fact that God does control the minds of men, of all men, in perfect consistency with their freedom and accountability? I speak not now of the manner in which this is done, whether by a direct efficiency in view of motives, or by the mere influence of motives ;-the fact that it is done will not be denied, except by those who deny that God exeecutes his purposes and governs the world. The Scriptures too—by

The result, then, of our Scriptural investigations respecting the omnipotence of God is substantially this: That his power over spirit is as absolute as is his power over matter-that he can do his will as easily, and that he will do it as certainly, in the moral world as in the material world — that he not only has the power to lead his children from darknes into light, from unbelief and sin into faith and righteousness, to take away their evil heart and give them a new heart and a new spirit, and finally to reconcile and restore all things to himself; but that "in the dispensation of the fulness of times," he will do it, teaching through Christ, sanctifying through his Holy Spirit, and so establishing the reign of Love and Holiness throughout the universe forever more!

SECTION

IV.

THE GOODNESS OF GOD INFINITE AND UNCHANGEABLE.

It would be a work of supererogation to enter upon an elaborate argument to prove that God is infinitely good. Goodness is his nature and essence"God is Love," 1 John iv. And the very word "good" is but another way of saying "God;" for

necessary implication, by direct assertion, and in almost every form of representation and expression-exhibit the free minds of men as subject to the control of Him who ruleth all.

God's control over the free, responsible mind is also exhibited in every instance of conversion. Every conversion which takes place is the work of God's Spirit, accomplished in perfect consistency with the nature of the mind, and without any infringement of human freedom or accountability. But are not all minds constituted essentially alike? And if it is possible for God to convert one sinner in the manner above described, why not two? why not as many as he pleases? why not all ?”

in the old Saxon, God and Good are one word, and not two, as with us. The word meant "goodness or "the good," and hence, because of the infinitely benevolent character and disposition of the Divine Being, it was used to designate him, both as a name and a title.1

The evidences and manifestations of God's goodness, are co-extensive with his creation; and its universality and eternity are affirmed everywhere in the Sacred Scriptures. The heavens, the earth, and the sea, are his witnesses; and prophets and apostles, Moses and Jesus, bear the same testimony to the truth, that "the Lord is good unto all, and his tender mercies over all his works."

If, then, the very essence of the Deity is Love, if he is infinitely, and, of course, unchangeably good, all his actions must be good, everything he does, or ever will do, must proceed from his eternal love. The creation of man, the government of the world, his providence, his laws, his penalties and punishments, the mingled joys and sorrows, the good and evil of our lot, all originate in beneficent wisdom, and must have a beneficent end.

Of course, we cannot judge safely of the means, but we are sure of the end. God says, truly :- "My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are my ways your ways. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts."-Isa. lv. Often

'It is worthy of note that, while God is so frequently called Love, he is never said to be Wisdom, or Power, or Justice. These are only attributes, or manifestations of the Deity; but Love is his essence, the very nature and substance of God.

he accomplishes his designs in ways far above ours, and which we cannot understand; but, whatever the ways and means employed, when the end is reached, it will be found to be full of blessing. This is the necessary consequence of the fact of infinite goodness. No other conclusion is possible.

By the help of this plain and indisputable truth, let the reader interpret the language already cited in part, in a previous section:" By the decree of God, for the manifestation of his glory, some men are predestinated unto everlasting life, and others foreordained unto everlasting death. Those of mankind, that are predestinated unto life, God, before the foundation of the world was laid, according to his eternal and immutable purpose, and the secret counşel and good pleasure of his will, hath chosen in Christ, unto everlasting life, out of his mere free grace and love, without any foresight of faith or good works, or any other thing in the creature, as conditions and causes moving him thereunto."1

And that I may not seem to make the present responsible for the past, I give the following, copied verbatim, from the Presbyterian Confession of Faith, as ratified by the General Assembly, in May, 1821, and amended in 1833, and published under the sanction of the Assembly in 1834. The Presbyterians in the United States, number more than 4500 Ministers.

"God, from all eternity did, by the most wise and holy counsel of his own will, freely and unchangeably ordain whatsoever comes to pass.

*

By the decree of God, for the manifestation of his glory, some men and angels are predestinated unto everlasting life, and others foreordained to everlasting death.

These angels and men thus predestinated and foreordained, are particularly and unchangeably designed, and their number is so certain and definite, that it cannot be either increased or diminished.

Those of mankind that are predestinated unto life, God, before the

Now, it is a matter of little consequence, so far as it concerns the character of God, whether this awful result was foreordained by immutable decree, or simply foreseen by an all-comprehending knowledge, (and this is a point which those who reject the decrees with horror, and yet hold to endless punishment, do not seem to understand,) for the principle, the moral element involved, is the same in both cases. There can be no foreordination without a foreknowledge and choice of what is to be foreordained; and, on the other hand, there can be no certain foreknowledge of what is to come to pass, with

foundation of the world was laid, according to his eternal and immutable purpose, and the secret counsel and good pleasure of his will, hath chosen in Christ, unto everlasting glory, out of his mere free grace and love, without any foresight of faith or good works, or perseverance in either of them, or any other thing in the creature, as conditions or causes moving him thereunto, and all to the praise of his glorious grace.

As God hath appointed the elect unto glory, so hath he, by the eternal and most free purpose of his will, foreordained all the means thereunto. Wherefore, they who are elected, being fallen in Adam, are redeemed by Christ, are effectually called unto faith in Christ, by his Spirit working in due season, are justified, adopted, sanctified, and kept by his power, through faith unto salvation. Neither are any other redeemed by Christ, effectually called, justified, adopted, sanctified and saved, but the elect only.

The rest of mankind, God was pleased, according to the unsearchable counsel of his own will, whereby he extendeth or withholdeth mercy as he pleaseth, for the glory of his sovereign power over his creatures, to pass by and to ordain them to dishonor and wrath for their sin, to the praise of his glorious justice.

The doctrine of this high mystery of predestination is to be handled with special prudence and care, that men attending the will of God revealed in his word, and yielding obedience thereunto, may, from the certainty of their effectual vocation, be assured of their eternal election. So shall this doctrine afford matter of praise, reverence and admiration of God, and of humility, diligence, and abundant consolation, to all that truly obey the gospel." Compare this with the Andover Confession.