In discussing this subject I shall endeavor to show,

I. WHAT I UNDERSTAND BY THE PURPOSES 0F GOD.

II. NOTICE THE DISTINCTION BETWEEN PURPOSE AND DECREE.

III. THAT IN SOME SENSE THE PURPOSES OF GOD MUST EXTEND TO ALL EVENTS.

IV, DIFFERENT SENSES IN WHICH GOD PURPOSES DIFFERENT EVENTS.

V. THAT GOD'S REVEALED WILL IS NEVER INCONSISTENT WITH HIS SECRET WILL OR PURPOSE.

VI. THE WISDOM AND BENEVOLENCE OF THE DIVINE PURPOSES.

VII. THE IMMUTABILITY OF THE DIVINE PURPOSES.

VIII. THE PURPOSES OF GOD ARE A GROUND OF ETERNAL AND JOYFUL CONFIDENCE.

IX. THE RELATION OF THE PURPOSES TO THE PRESCIENCE OR FOREKNOWLEDGE OF GOD.

X. GOD'S PURPOSES ARE NOT INCONSISTENT WITH, BUT DEMAND THE USE OF MEANS BOTH ON THE PART OF GOD AND ON OUR PART TO ACCOMPLISH THEM.

I. What I understand by the purposes of God.

Purpose, in this discussion, I shall use as synonymous with design, intention. The purposes of God must be ultimate and proximate. That is, God has and must have an ultimate end. He must purpose to accomplish something by his works and providence which he regards as a good in itself or as valuable to himself, and to being in general. This I call his ultimate end. That God has such an end or purpose, follows from the already established fact that God is a moral agent, and that he is infinitely wise and good. For surely he could not be justly considered as either wise or good had he no intrinsically valuable end which he aims to realize by his works of creation and providence. His purpose to secure his great and ultimate end, I call his ultimate purpose. His proximate purposes respect the means by which he aims to secure his end. If he purposes to realize an end, he must of course purpose the necessary means for its accomplishment. The purposes that respect the means are what I call in this discussion his proximate purposes.

II. Distinction between purpose and decree.

Purpose has just been defined, and the definition need not be repeated. The term decree is used in a variety of senses. It is much used in legal and government proceedings. When used in judicial or equitable proceedings; it is synonymous.

1. With judgment, decision, determination, and,

2. With order, direction, command.

When used in legislative proceedings, it is synonymous with ordinance, law, statute, enactment, command. The term is used in the bible as synonymous,

(1.) With foreordination or determination, appointment.

Job 28:10. He putteth forth his hand upon the rock; he overturneth the mountains by the roots. 26. When he made a decree for the rain, and a way for the lightning of the thunder.

Ps. 2:[7] I will declare the decree, the Lord hath said unto me, Thou art my son; this day have I begotten thee.

148:6. He hath also established them for ever and ever; he hath made a decree which shall not pass.

Prov. 8:29. When he gave to the sea his decree, that the waters should not pass his commandment; when he appointed the foundations of the earth.

Jer. 5:22. Fear ye not me? saith the Lord: will ye not tremble at my presence, which have placed the sand for the bound of the sea, by a perpetual decree that it can not pass it, and though the waves thereof toss themselves, yet can they not prevail; though they roar, yet can they not pass over it?

Dan. 4:24. This is the interpretation, O King, and this is the decree of the Most High, which is come upon my lord the king.

2. It is used as synomymous, with ordinance, statute, law.

Dan. 6:7. All the presidents of the kingdom, the governors, and the princes, the counsellors, and the captains, have consulted together to establish a royal statute, and to make a firm decree that whosoever shall ask a petition of any god or man for thirty days, save of thee, O king, he shall be east into the den of lions. 8. Now, O king, establish the decree, and sign the writing, that it be not changed, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which altereth not. 26. I make a decree, that in every dominion of my kingdom men tremble and fear before the God of Daniel; for he is the living God, and steadfast for ever, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed, and his dominion shall be even unto the end.

This term has been generally used by theological writers as synonymous with foreordination, appointment. To decree with these writers, is to appoint, ordain, establish, settle, fix, render certain.

This class of writers also, often confound decree with purpose, and use the word as meaning the same thing.

They seldom, so far as I recollect, use the term decree as synonymous with law, enactment, command, &c.

I see no objection to using the term decree in respect to a certain class of physical events as synonymous, with appointment, foreordination, fixing, rendering certain. But I think this use, of it, applied, as it has been, to the actions of moral agents, is highly objectionable and calculated to countenance the idea of fatality and necessity in respect to the actions men. It seems inadmissible to speak of God's decreeing the free actions of moral agents, in the sense of fixing, settling, determining, foreordaining them as he fixes, settles, renders certain physical events. The latter he has fixed or rendered certain by a law of necessity. The former that is, free acts, although they may be, and are certain, yet they are not rendered so by a law of fate or necessity; or by an ordinance or decree that fixes them so that it is not possible that they should be otherwise.

In respect to the government of God, I prefer to use the term purpose, as I have said, to signify the design of God both in respect to the end at which he alms, and the means he intends or purposes to use to accomplish it. The term decree, I purpose to use as synonymous with command, law, or ordinance. The former I use as expressive of what God purposes or designs to do himself, and by his own agency and also what he purposes or designs to accomplish by others.

The latter I use as expressive of God's will, command, or law. He regulates his own conduct and agency in accordance with the former, that is, with his purposes. He requires his creatures to conform to the latter, that is, to his decrees or laws. We shall see in its proper place that both his purposes and his actions are conformed to the spirit of his decrees or laws, that is, that he is benevolent in his purposes and conduct as he requires his creatures to be.

I distinguish between what God purposes or designs to accomplish by others, and what they design. God's end or purpose is always benevolent. He always designs good. His creatures are often selfish, and their designs are often the direct opposite of the purpose of God, even in the same events.

For example, see the following cases:

Gen. 44:4. And Joseph said unto his brethren, Come near to me I pray you; and they came near. And he said, am I Joseph your brother, whom ye sold into Egypt. 5. Now therefore, be not grieved, nor angry with yourselves, that ye sold me hither; for God did send me before you, to preserve life. 6. For these two years hath the famine been in the land, and yet there are five years, in the which there shall neither be earing nor harvest.

50:19. And Joseph said unto them, Fear not; for I am in the place of God? 20. But as for you, ye thought evil against me, but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive.

Isa. 10:5. O Assyrian, the rod of mine anger, and the staff in their hand is mine indignation. 6. I will send him against a hypocritical nation and against the people of my wrath will I give him a charge, to take the spoil, and to take the prey, and to tread them down like the mire of the streets. 7. Howbeit he meaneth not so, but it is in his heart to destroy and cut off nations not a few. 12. Wherefore it shall come to pass, that when the Lord hath performed his whole work upon mount Zion and on Jerusalem, I will punish the fruit of the stout heart of the King of Assyria, and the glory of his high looks.

Mk. 15:9. But Pilate answered them, saying, Will ye that I release unto you the king of the Jews? 10. (For he knew that the chief priests had delivered him for envy.)

Jno. 3:16. For God so loved the world, that he gave his is only-begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

Acts 2:23. Him being delivered by the determinate counsel and fore-knowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain.

III. There must be some sense in which God's purposes extend to all events.

1. This is evident from reason. His plan must in some sense include all actual events. He must foreknow all events by a law of necessity. This is implied in his Omniscience. He must have matured and adopted his plan in view of, and with reference to all events. He must have had some purpose or design respecting all events that he foresaw. All events transpire in consequence of his own creating agency; that is, they all result in some way directly or indirectly, either by his design or sufferance, from his own agency. He either designedly brings them to pass, or suffers them to come to pass without his interposing to prevent them. He must have known that they would occur. He must have either positively designed that they should, or, knowing that they would result from the mistakes or selfishness of his creatures, negatively designed not to prevent them, or, he had no purpose or design about them. The last hypothesis is plainly impossible. He can not be indifferent to any event. He knows all events and must have some purpose or design respecting them.

2. The bible abundantly represents God's purposes as in some sense extending to all events. For example:

(1.) He is represented as perfectly wise in his works and ways and plan of creation and government:

Deut. 32:4. He is the Rock, his work is perfect; for all his ways are judgment; a God of truth, and without iniquity; just and right is he.

Ps. 104:24. O Lord, how manifold are thy works; in wisdom hast thou made them all; the earth is full of thy riches.

Eccl. 3:14. I know that whatsoever God doeth it shall be forever; nothing can be put to it, nor any thing taken from it; and God doeth it, that men should fear before him.

If God is infinitely wise he must have had a universal plan.

(2.) The bible represents his purposes as universal and particular.

Job 14:5. Seeing his days are determined, the number of his months are with thee; thou hast appointed his bounds that he cannot pass.

Isa. 14:26. This is the purpose that is purposed upon the whole earth; and this is the hand that is stretched out upon all the nations.

Acts 17:26. And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation.

Eph. 1:11. In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will.

(3.) It represents his purposes as in some sense extending both to natural evil and to sin or moral evil.

Acts 2:23. Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken and by wicked hands have crucified and slain.

4:27. For of a truth against thy holy child Jesus, whom thou hast anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles, and the people of Israel, were gathered together. 28. For to do whatsoever thy hand and thy counsel determined before to be done.

13:29. And when they had fulfilled all that was written of him, they took him down from the tree, and laid him in a sepulchre.

1 Pet. 2:8. And a stone of stumbling and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient; whereunto also they were appointed.

Jude 4. For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God, into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ.

Rev. 17:17. For God hath put in their hearts to fulfill his will, and to agree, and give their kingdom unto the beast until the words of God shall be fulfilled.

(4.) It represents God's purposes as both ultimate and proximate, or including means and ends:

Acts 27:22. And now I exhort you to be of good cheer; for there shall be no loss of any man's life among you, but of the ship. 23. For there stood by me this night the angel of God, whose I am, and whom I serve, 24. Saying, Fear not, Paul, thou must be brought before Caesar; and, lo, God hath given thee all them that sail with thee. 30. And as the shipmen were about to flee out of the ship, when they had let down the boat into the sea, under color as though they would have cast anchors out of the foreship, 31. Paul said to the centurion and to the soldiers, Except these abide in the ship, ye cannot be saved.

2. Thess. 2:13. But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren, beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth.

1 Pet. 1:2, Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ.

(5.) The bible represents God's providence and agency as extending in some sense to all events; from which also we must infer the universality of his purposes:

Ps. 147.8. Who covereth the heaven with clouds, who prepareth rain for the earth, who maketh grass to grow upon the mountains. 9. He giveth to the beast his food, and to young ravens which cry. 15. He sendeth forth his commandment upon earth; his word runneth very swiftly. 16. He giveth snow like wool; he scattereth the hoar-frost like ashes. 17. He casteth forth his ice like morsels; who can stand before his cold? 18. He sendeth out his word and melteth them, he causeth his winds to blow, and the waters flow.

Isa. 26:12. Lord, thou wilt ordain peace for us; for thou also hast wrought all our works in us.

45:7. I form the light, and create darkness; I make peace and create evil. I the Lord do all these things.

Dan. 4:36. And all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing; and he doeth according to his will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth, and none can stay his hand, or say unto him, What doest thou?

Amos 3:6. Shall a trumpet be blown in the city, and the people not be afraid? shall there be evil in a city, and the Lord hath not done it?

Matt. 10:29. Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father.

Ro. 11:36. For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things.

Eph. 1:11. In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will.

Phil. 2:13. For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.

Heb. 13:20. Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, 21. Make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is well-pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ.

Ps. 104: He causeth the grass to grow for the cattle, and herb for the service of man, that he may bring forth food out of the earth; 15. And wine that maketh glad the heart of man, and oil to make his face to shine, and bread which strengtheneth man's heart. 21. The young lions roar after their prey, and seek their meat from God. 27. These wait all upon thee, that thou mayest give them their meat in due season. 28. That thou givest them they gather, thou openest thine hand, they are filled with good.

Matt. 5:45. That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven; for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.

6:26. Behold the fowls of the air, for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they? 28. And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin; 19.[29.] And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory, was not arrayed like one of these. 30. Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which today is, and to-morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?

(6.) The Bible also represents all creatures as dependent on the providence and of course on the purposes of God.

Job 12:10. In whose hand is the soul of every living thing, and the breath of all mankind.

Ps. 57:7. As well the singers as the players on instruments shall be there: all my springs are in thee.

Jer. 10:23. O Lord, I know that the way of man is not in himself: it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps.

18:6. O house of Israel, can not I do with you as this potter? saith the Lord. Behold as the clay is in the potter's hand, so are ye in mine hand, O house of Israel.

Jno. 15:5. I am the vine, ye are the branches: he that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.

Acts 17:26. And hath made of one blood all nations of men, for to dwell on all the face of the earth; and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation; 27. That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us. 28. For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we also are his offspring.

2 Cor. 3:5. Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing, as of ourselves, but our sufficiency is God.

(7.) The Bible also represents all creatures as preserved by the providence of God, from which also we must infer that his purposes extend to them.

Neh. 9:5. Thou, even thou, art Lord alone: thou hast made heaven, the heaven of heavens, with all their host, the earth, and all things that are therein, the seas, and all that is therein, and thou preservest them all; and the host of heaven worshippeth thee.

Job 7:20. I have sinned; what shall I do unto thee, O thou Preserver of men? why hast thou set me as a mark against thee, so that I am a burden to myself?

10:12. Thou hast granted me life and favor, and thy visitation hath preserved my spirit.

34:14. If he set his heart upon man, if he gather unto himself his spirit and his breath; 15. All flesh shall perish together, and man shall turn again unto dust.

Ps. 36:6. Thy righteousness is like the great mountains; thy judgments are a great deep. O Lord, thou preservest man and beast.

63:8. My soul followeth hard after thee; thy right hand upholdeth me.

66:8. O bless our God, ye people, and make the voice of his praise to be heard; 9. Which holdeth our soul in life, and suffereth not our feet to be moved.

121:7. The Lord shall preserve thee from all evil: he shall preserve thy soul.

Heb. 1:3. Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high.

(8.) The Bible also represents the Lord as in some sense and in some manner influencing the hearts of men.

From this also we must infer that his purposes in some sense extend to the moral exercises of men.

Ezra 7:27. Blessed be the Lord God of our fathers which hath put such a thing as this in the king's heart, to beautify the house of the Lord which is in Jerusalem.

Prov. 16:1. The preparation of the heart in man, and the answer of the tongue, is from the Lord. 9. A man's heart deviseth his way; but the Lord directeth his steps.

21:1. The king's heart is in the hand of the Lord, as the rivers of water; he turneth it whithersoever he will.

Isa. 64:8. But now, O Lord, thou art our Father: we are the clay, and thou our Potter; and we all are the work of thy hand.

Zec. 12:1. The burden of the word of the Lord for Israel, saith the Lord, which stretcheth forth the heavens, and layeth the foundation of the earth, and formeth the spirit of man within him.

Acts 16:14. And a certain woman named Lydia, a seller of purple, of the city of Thyatira, which worshipped God, heard us: whose heart the Lord opened, that she attended unto the things which were spoken of Paul.

Ro. 9:20. Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus? 21. Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honor, and another unto dishonor?

(9.) The bible represents God as often, at least, controlling public sentiment.

Gen. 39:21. But the Lord was with Joseph, and showed him mercy, and gave him favor in the sight of the keeper of the prison.

Ex. 3:21. And I will give this people favor in the sight of the Egyptians.

Dan. 1:9. Now God had brought Daniel into favor and tender love with the prince of the eunuchs.

Acts 7:9. And the patriarchs. moved with envy, sold Joseph into Egypt: but God was with him, 10. And delivered him out of all his afflictions, and gave him favor and wisdom in the sight of Pharaoh king of Egypt; and he made him governor over Egypt, and all his house.

From these passages we must infer that the purposes of God extend to these events.

(10.) The bible also represents the providence of God as extending to moral evils and delusions; from which again we must infer that his purposes in some sense extend to them.

Ex. 7:3. And I will harden Pharaoh's heart, and multiply my signs and wonders in the land of Egypt.

9:7. And the heart of Pharaoh was hardened, and he did not let the people go.

10:1. And the Lord said unto Moses, Go in unto Pharaoh; for I have hardened his heart, and the heart of his servants, that I might show these my signs before him.

14:8. And the Lord hardened the heart of Pharaoh king of Egypt, and he pursued after the children of Israel. 17. And I, behold, I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians.

Deut. 2:30. But Sihon king of Heshbon, would not let us pass by him: for the Lord thy God hardened his spirit, and made his heart obstinate, that he might deliver him into thy hand, as appeareth this day.

Josh. 11:19. There was not a city that made peace with the children of Israel, save the Hivites, the inhabitants of Gibeon: all other they took in battle. 20. For it was of the Lord to harden their hearts, that they should come against Israel in battle, that he might destroy them utterly, and that they might have no favor, but that he might destroy them, as the Lord commanded Moses.

Jud. 7:22. And the three hundred blew the trumpets, and the Lord set every man's sword against his fellow, even throughout all the host.

2 Sam. 24:1. And again the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel, and he moved David against them to say, Go, number Israel and Judah.

1 Kings 22:23. Now therefore, behold, the Lord hath put a lying spirit in the mouth of all these thy prophets, and the Lord hath spoken evil concerning thee.

Job 17:4. For thou hast hid their heart from understanding: therefore shalt thou not exalt them.

Ps. 105:25. He turned their heart to hate his people, to deal subtilly with his servants.

141:4. Incline not my heart to any evil thing, to practice wicked words with men that work iniquity: and let me not eat of their dainties.

Isa. 19:14. The Lord hath mingled a perverse spirit in the midst thereof: and they have caused Egypt to err in every work thereof, as a drunken man staggereth in his vomit.

29:10. For the Lord hath poured out upon you the spirit of deep sleep, and hath closed your eyes: the prophets and your rulers, the seers hath he covered.

44:18. They have not known nor understood: for he hath shut their eyes, that they cannot see; and their hearts, that they cannot understand.

45:7. I form the light, and create darkness; I make peace, and create evil; I the Lord do all these things,

63:17. O Lord, why hast thou made us to err from thy ways, and hardened our heart from thy fear? Return for thy servant's sake, the tribes of thine inheritance.

Ezek. 14:9. And if the prophet be deceived when he hath spoken a thing, I the Lord have deceived that prophet, and I will stretch out my hand upon him, and will destroy him from the midst of my people Israel.

Zec. 8:10. For before these days there was no hire for man, nor any hire for beast; neither was there any peace to him that went out or came in because of the affliction: for I set all men every one against his neighbor.

Luke 10:21. In that hour Jesus rejoiced in spirit, and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes: even so, Father; for so it seemed good in thy sight.

John 12:39. Therefore they could not believe, because that Esaias said again, 40. He hath blinded their eyes, and hardened their heart; that they should not see with their eyes, nor understand with their heart, and be converted, and I should heal them. 41. These things said Esaias, when he saw his glory, and spake of him.

Rom. 9:18. Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he hardeneth.

11:7. What then? Israel hath not obtained that which he seeketh for, but the election hath obtained it, and the rest were blinded. 8. (According as it is written, God hath given them the spirit of slumber, eyes that they should not see, and ears that they should not hear,) unto this day.

2 Thess. 12:10. And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be. saved. 11. And for this cause God shall send them strong delusions, that they should believe a lie; 12. That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

Rev. 17:17. For God hath put in their hearts to fulfill his will, and to agree, and give their kingdom unto the beast, until the words of God shall be fulfilled.

These passages will show the general tenor of scripture upon this subject.

IV. Different senses in which God purposes different events.

1. The great end of all his works and ways he must have purposed positively, that is, absolutely. This end, namely his own good and the highest good of the universe, he set his heart upon securing. This end he no doubt properly intended or purposed to secure. This must have been his ultimate intention or purpose. This end was no doubt a direct object of choice.

9. God must no doubt also have in some sense purposed all the necessary means to this result. Such means as tended naturally or on account of their own nature to this result, he must have purposed positively, in the sense that he delighted in them, and chose them because of their own nature or of their natural relation to the great end he proposed to accomplish by them. Observe, the end was an ultimate end, delighted in and chosen for its own sake. This end was the highest good or well-being of himself and the universe of sentient existences. This has been sufficiently shown in former lectures, and besides it follows of necessity from the nature and attributes of God. If this were not so, he would be neither wise nor good. Since he delighted in and chose the end for its own sake or value, and purposed it with a positive purpose, he must also have chosen and delighted in the necessary means. He must have created the universe both of matter and of mind and established its laws with direct reference to and for the sake of the end he purposed to accomplish. The end was valuable in itself and chosen for that reason. The necessary means were as really valuable as the end which depended upon them. This value, though real because of their tendency and natural results, is not ultimate, but relative. That is, they are not, in the same sense that the end is, valuable in themselves; but they being the necessary means to this end, are as really valuable as the end that depends upon them. Thus our necessary food is not valuable in itself, but is the necessary means of prolonging our lives. Therefore, though not an ultimate good, yet it is a real good of as great value as the end that naturally depends upon it. The naturally necessary means of securing a valuable end we justly esteem as equally valuable with the end although this value is not absolute but relative. We are so accustomed to set a value on the means equal to the estimated importance of the end to which they sustain the relation of necessary means, that we come loosely to regard and to speak of them as valuable in themselves, when in fact their value is not absolute but relative.

God must have purposed to secure, so far as he wisely could, obedience to the laws of the universe, both physical and moral. These laws were established for the sake of the end to which they tended, and obedience to them must have been regarded by God as of real, though not ultimate value, equal to that of the end, for the accomplishment of which they were ordained. He must have delighted in obedience to these laws for the sake of the end, and must have purposed to secure this obedience so far as he could in the nature of things; that is, in so far forth as he wisely could. Since moral law is a rule for the government of free moral agents, it is conceivable that in some cases this law might be violated by the subjects of it unless God resorted to means to prevent it, that might introduce an evil of greater magnitude than the violation of the law in the instances under consideration would be. It is conceivable that in some cases God might be able so to overrule a violation of his laws, physical and moral, as upon the whole to secure a greater good than could be secured by introducing such a change into the policy and measures of his administration, or so framing his administration as to prevent altogether the violation of any law. God might, and no doubt does prefer that every creature should, in the precise circumstances in which he is placed, obey all the laws of his being. But if under these circumstances, voluntary agents will in any case disobey, their disobedience, though a real, may be a less evil than such a change in the administration of his government as would prevent the violation, would be. In this case he might regard the violation as the less of two evils, and suffer it rather than change the arrangements of his government. He might sincerely deplore and abhor these violations of law, and yet might see it not wise to prevent them, because the measures necessary to prevent them might result in an evil of still greater magnitude. He might purpose to suffer these violations, and take the trouble to overrule them so far as was possible for the promotion of the end he had in view, rather than interpose for their prevention. These violations he might not have purposed in any other sense than that he foresaw them and purposed not to prevent them, but on the contrary to suffer them to occur and to overrule them for good, so far as this was practicable. These events, or violations of law, have no natural tendency to promote the highest well-being of God and of the universe, but have in themselves a directly opposite tendency. Nevertheless God could so overrule them as that these occurrences would be a less evil than that change would be that could have prevented them.

Violations of law, then, he might have purposed only to suffer, while obedience to law he might have designed to produce or secure.

3. We have seen that God, and men may have different motives in the same event as in the case of the brethren of Joseph, already alluded to:

Gen. 45:4. And Joseph said unto his brethren, Come near to me, I pray you. And they came near. And he said, I am Joseph your brother, whom ye sold into Egypt. Now therefore be not grieved nor angry with yourselves that ye sold me hither; for God did send me before you to preserve life. 6. For these two years hath the famine been in the land; and yet there are five years, in the which there shall neither be earing nor harvest;

As also in the case of the king of Assyria:

Is. 10:5. O Assyrian, the rod of mine anger, and the staff in their hand is mine indignation. 6. I will send him against a hypocritical nation, and against the people of my wrath will I give him a charge, to take the spoil, and to take the prey, and to tread them down like the mire of the streets. 7. Howbeit he meaneth not so, neither doth his heart think so; but it is in his heart to destroy and cut off nations not a few. 12. Wherefore it shall come to pass, that, when the Lord hath performed his whole work upon mount Zion, and on Jerusalem, I will punish the fruit of the stout heart of the king of Assyria, and the glory of his high looks.

Also,

John 3:16. For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

Acts 2:23. Him being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken and by wicked hands have crucified and slain.

These and such like instances show that the wicked agents may, and often do, and when wicked always do, have a very different reason for their conduct from what God has in suffering it. They have a selfish end in view, or do what they do for a selfish reason. God, on the contrary, has a benevolent end in view in not interposing to prevent their sin; that is, he hates their sin as tending in itself to destroy or defeat the great end of benevolence. But foreseeing that the sin, notwithstanding its natural evil tendency, may be so overruled as upon the whole to result in a less evil than the changes requisite to prevent it would, he benevolently prefers to suffer it rather than interpose to prevent it. He would, no doubt prefer their perfect obedience under the circumstances in which they are, but would sooner suffer them to sin than so change the circumstances as to prevent it; the latter being, all things considered, the greater of two evils. God then always suffers his laws to be violated, because he can not benevolently prevent it under the circumstances. He suffers it for benevolent reasons. But the sinner always has selfish reasons.

4. The bible informs us that God brings good out of evil in the sense that he overrules sin to promote his own glory and the good of being:

Ps. 76:10. Surely the wrath of man shall praise thee; the remainder of wrath shalt thou restrain.

Ro. 3:5. But if our unrighteousness commend the righteousness of God, what shall we say? Is God unrighteous who taketh vengeance? (I speak as a man.) 7. For if the truth of God hath more abounded through my lie unto his glory; why yet am I judged as a sinner? And not rather (as we be slanderously reported, and as some affirm that we say,) Let us do evil, that good may come? whose damnation is just.

5:20. Moreover, the law entered, that the offence might abound; but where sin abounded, grace did much more abound.

8:28. And we know that all things work together good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

5. The bible also informs us that God does not aim at producing sin in creation and providence; that is, that he does not purpose the existence of sin in such a sense as to design to secure and promote it, in the administration of his government. In other words still, sin is not the object of a positive purpose on the part of God. It exists only by sufferance, and not as a thing which naturally tends to secure his great end, and which, therefore, he values on that account and endeavors to promote, as he does obedience to the law.

Jer. 7:9. Will ye steal, murder, and commit adultery, and sware falsely, and burn incense unto Baal, and walk after other gods whom ye know not? 10. And come and stand before me in this house, which is called by my name, and say, We are delivered to do all these abominations?

1 Cor. 14:33. For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints.

James 1:13. Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God; for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man; 14. But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. 15. Then when lust hast conceived, it bringeth forth sin, and sin when it is finished bringeth forth death. 16. Do not err, my beloved brethren. 17. Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.

3:14. But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth. 15. This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish. 16. For where envying and strife is, there is confusion, and every evil work. 17. But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and hypocrisy.

1 John 2:16. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.

Obedience to law is an object of positive purpose. God purposes to promote it, and uses means with that design. Sin occurs incidentally, so far as the purpose of God is concerned. It need not be, and doubtless is not the object of positive design or purpose, but comes to pass because it can not wisely be prevented. God uses means to promote obedience. But moral agents in the exercise of their free agency, often disobey in spite of all the inducements to the contrary which God can wisely set before them. God never sets aside the freedom of moral agents to prevent their sinning nor to secure their obedience. The bible every where represents men as acting freely under the government and universal providence of God, and it represents sin as the result of or as consisting in an abuse of their freedom.

Gen. 42:21. And they said one to another, We are verily guilty concerning our brother, in that we saw the anguish of his soul, when he besought us, and we would not hear; therefore is this distress come upon us.

Ex. 8:32. And Pharaoh hardened his heart at this time also, neither would he let the people go.

9:27. And Pharaoh sent, and called for Moses and Aaron, and said unto them, I have sinned this time: the Lord is righteous, and I and my people are wicked.

10:16. Then Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron in haste; and he said, I have sinned against the Lord your God, and against you. 17. Now therefore forgive, I pray thee, my sin only this once, and entreat the Lord your God, that he may take away from me this death only.

Deut. 30:19. I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live.

Josh. 24:15. And if it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord, choose ye this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.

2 Sam. 24:1. And again the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel, and he moved David against them to say, Go, number Israel and Judah. 10. And David's heart smote him after that he had numbered the people. And David said unto the Lord, I have sinned greatly in that I have done: and now, I beseech thee, O Lord, take away the iniquity of thy servant; for I have done very foolishly.

Prov. 1:10. My son, if sinners entice thee, consent thou not. 29. For that they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the Lord: 30. They would none of my counsel; they despised all my reproof: 31. Therefore shall they eat of the fruit of their own way, and be filled with their own devices.

16:9. A man's heart deviseth his way. but the Lord directeth his steps.

23:26. My son., give me thine heart, and let thine eyes observe my ways.

S. Songs 1:4. Draw me, and we will run after thee. The King hath brought me into his chambers: we will be glad and rejoice in thee; we will remember thy love more than wine: the upright love thee.

Is. 5:3. And now, O inhabitants of Jerusalem, and men of Judah, judge I pray you, betwixt me and my vineyard.

Hosea 13:9. O Israel, thou hast destroyed thyself; but in me is thine help.

Matt. 13:15. For this people's heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.

18:7. Wo unto the world because of offences! for it must needs be that offences come; but wo to that man by whom the offence cometh!

Luke 22:22. And truly the Son of man goeth as it was determined: but wo unto that man by whom he is betrayed.

23:39. And one of the malefactors which were hanged, railed on him, saying, if thou be Christ, save thyself and us.

John 5:40. And ye will not come to me, that ye might have life.

Acts 4:27. For of a truth, against thy holy child Jesus, whom thou hast anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate with the Gentiles and the people of Israel were gathered together. 28. For to do whatsoever thy hand and thy counsel determined before to be done.

Ro. 2:15. Which shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing, or else excusing, one another.

Philip. 2:12. Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling: 13. For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.

The following things appear to be true in respect to the purposes of God as taught both by reason and revelation:

(1.) That God's purposes extend in some sense to all events.

(2.) That he positively purposes the highest good of being, as a whole, as his end.

(3.) That he has ordained wise and wholesome laws as the necessary means of securing this end.

(4.) That he positively purposes to secure obedience to these laws in so far forth as he wisely can, and uses means with this design.

(5.) That he does not positively purpose to secure disobedience to his laws in any case, and use means with that design; but that he only purposes to suffer violations of his law rather than prevent them, because he foresees that by his overruling power he can prevent the violation from resulting in so great an evil as the change necessary to prevent it would do. Or in other words he sees that he can secure a greater good upon the whole to suffer the violation under the circumstances in which it occurs, than he could by interposing to prevent it. This is not the same thing as to say that sin is the necessary means of the greatest good. For should all moral agents perfectly obey under the identical circumstances in which they disobey, this might and doubtless would result in the highest possible good. But God, foreseeing that it were more conducive to the highest good of being to suffer some to sin rather than so change the circumstances as to prevent it, purposed to suffer their sin and overrule it for good; but he did not aim at producing it, and use means with that intent.

(6.) Obedience to law he purposes to secure.

(7.) Disobedience to law he never proposed or aimed to secure, but on the contrary purposed to prevent it so far as he wisely could.

(8.) When he can not wisely prevent it, he wisely suffers and overrules it, so as to render it, not a less evil than obedience would have been in the identical circumstances in which the disobedience occurs, but as a less evil, than the change of circumstances necessary to prevent it, would be.

V. God's revealed will never inconsistent with his secret purpose.

It has been common to represent sin as the necessary occasion, condition or means of the greatest good in such a sense that upon the whole, God secretly, but really prefers it to holiness in every case where it exists; that while he has forbidden sin under all circumstances, upon pain of eternal death, yet because it is the necessary occasion, condition or means of the greatest good, God really prefers its existence to holiness in its stead, in every instance in which it exists. It has been said, Sin exists. God, does not therefore, prevent it. But he could and would prevent it if he did not upon the whole prefer it to holiness in the circumstances in which it occurs. Its existence, then, it has been said, is proof conclusive that God secretly prefers its existence to holiness in every case in which it occurs. But this is a non sequiter. It does not follow from the existence of sin that God prefers sin to holiness in the circumstances in which it occurs, but it may be that he only prefers sin to such a change of circumstances as would prevent it. Suppose I require my son to do a certain thing. I know that he will do it if I remain at home and see to it. But I know also that if I go from home he will not do it. Now I might prefer that he should do as I command and consider his disobedience as a great evil; still I might regard it as a less evil than for me to remain at home and keep my eye upon him. I might have just reasons for supposing that under the circumstances a greater good could be secured upon the whole, by my going from home, although his disobedience might be the consequence, than by remaining at home and preventing his disobedience. Benevolence therefore might require me to go.

But should my son infer from my leaving him under these circumstances that I really, though secretly, preferred his disobedience to his obedience, under the identical circumstances in which I gave the command; would his inference be legitimate? No, indeed. All that he could justly infer from my leaving him, with the knowledge that he would disobey me if I did, would be that although I regarded his disobedience as a great evil, yet I regarded remaining at home a greater.

Just so, it may be when sin exists. God is sincere in prohibiting it. He would greatly prefer that it should not exist. All that can he justly inferred from his not preventing it is, that, although he regards its existence as a great and real evil, yet he upon the whole regards it as a less evil that would result from so great a change in the administration of his government as would prevent it.

He is, therefore, entirely and infinitely sincere in requiring obedience, and in prohibiting disobedience, and his secret purpose is in strict keeping with his revealed will. Were the moral law universally obeyed under the circumstances in which all moral agents exist, no one can say that this would not be better for the universe, and more pleasing to God than disobedience is in the same circumstances. Nor is it fair to infer that upon the whole, God must prefer sin to holiness, where it occurs from the fact that he does not prevent it. As has been said, all that can justly be inferred from his not preventing it is, that under the circumstances he prefers not sin to holiness, but prefers to suffer the agent to sin and take the consequences rather than introduce such changes in the policy and administration of his government as would prevent it. Or, it may be said that the present system is the best that infinite wisdom could devise and execute, not because of sin, but in spite of it, and notwithstanding sin is a real though incidental evil.

It is a palpable contradiction and an absurdity to affirm that any being can sin, intending thereby to promote the greatest good. This will appear if we consider,

1. That it is admitted on all hands that benevolence is virtue.

2. That benevolence consists in willing good or the highest good of being as an end.

3. That it is duty to will both the end and the necessary means to promote it.

4. That right and benevolence are always at one, that is, that which is benevolent must always be right, and can in no case be wrong.

5. That consequently it can never be sin to choose the highest good of being with all the necessary occasions conditions and means of promoting it.

6. It is impossible therefore for a being to sin or to consent to sin as an occasion, condition or means, or designing thereby to promote the highest good of being; for this design would be virtue and not sin. Whether all virtue consist in benevolence, or not still it must be admitted that all forms of virtue must be consistent with benevolence, unless it be admitted that there can be a law of right inconsistent with, and opposed to the law of benevolence. But this would be to admit that two moral laws might be opposed to each other; which would be to admit that a moral agent might be under an obligation to obey two opposing laws at the same time, which is a contradiction. Thus it appears that there can be no law of right opposed to, or separate from the law of benevolence. Benevolence and right must then always be at one. If this be so, it follows that whatever benevolence demands, can not be wrong, but must be right. But the law of benevolence demands, not only the choice of the highest good of being as an end, but also demands the choice of all the necessary occasions, conditions, and means with a design to promote that end.

It is naturally impossible to sin, in using means designed and known to be necessary to the promotion of the end of benevolence. It is, therefore, naturally impossible to do evil or to sin that good may come, or with the design to promote good thereby. To deny this and to maintain that a man can possibly sin in intending to promote the highest good of being, and in fulfilling the necessary conditions and in using what he regards as the necessary means, is, I say again, to hold that there is a law of right separate from and opposed to the law of benevolence; which is, as before said, to hold that two moral laws are opposed to each other and require opposite courses of conduct in the same agent at the same time; which is, to hold that there are two opposing laws of nature and of God at the same time; which is to hold that a moral agent may justly be required on pain of eternal death to choose, design, and act in opposite directions at the same time; which is to hold that it is his duty to sin, and not to sin at the same time; which is to hold that a moral agent might sin in doing his duty or in obeying moral law.

Let those who hold that right and benevolence may be opposed to each other, and that a moral agent can sin with a benevolent intention, see what their doctrine amounts to, and get out of the absurdity as best they can. The fact is, if willing the highest good of being is always virtuous, it must always be right to will all the necessary occasions, conditions, and means to that end. It is therefore a contradiction to say that sin can be among the necessary and intended occasions, conditions and means; that is, that any one could sin intending thereby to promote the highest good.

But it is not pretended by those who hold this dogma, that sin sustains to the highest good the same relations that holiness does. Holiness has a natural tendency to promote the highest good; but the supposition now under consideration is, that sin is hateful in itself, and that it therefore must dissatisfy and disgust all moral agents, and that its natural tendency is to defeat the end of moral government, and to prevent rather than promote the highest good; but that God foresees that notwithstanding its intrinsically odious and injurious nature, he can so overrule it as to make it the condition, occasion, or instrument of the highest good of himself and of his universe, and that for this reason he really upon the whole is pleased that it should occur and prefers its existence, in every instance in which it does exist, to holiness in its stead. The supposition is that sin is in its own nature infinitely odious and abominable to God, and perfectly odious to all holy moral agents, yet it is the occasion of calling into development and exercise such emotions and feelings in God and in holy beings, and such modifications of benevolence as do really more than compensate for all the disgust and painful emotions that result to holy beings and for all the remorse, agony, despair, and endless suffering, that result to sinners.

It is not supposed by any one, that I know of, that sin naturally tends to promote the highest good at all, but only that God can, and does, so overrule and counteract its natural tendency as to make it the occasion or condition of a greater good, than holiness would be in its stead. Now in reply to this, I would say, that I pretend not to determine to what extent God can and will overrule and counteract the naturally evil and injurious tendency of sin. It surely is enough to say that God prohibits it, and that it is impossible for creatures to know that sin is the necessary occasion or condition, or means of the highest good.

If sin is known by God to be the necessary occasion, condition, or means of the highest good of himself and of the universe, whatever it may be in itself, yet viewed in its relations, it must be regarded by Him as of infinite value, since it is the indispensable condition of infinite good. According to this theory, sin in every instance in which it exists, is and must be regarded by God as of infinitely greater value than holiness would be in its stead. He must, then, upon the whole, have infinite complacency in it. But this leads me to attend to the principal arguments by which it is supposed this theory is maintained. It is said, for example,

(1.) That the highest good of the universe of moral agents is conditionated upon the revelation of the attributes and character of God to them; that but for sin these attributes, at least some of them, could never have been revealed, in as much as without sin there would have been no occasion for their display or manifestation; that neither justice nor mercy, nor forbearance, nor self-denial, nor meekness, could have found the occasions of their exercise or manifestation had sin never existed.

To this I reply, that sin has indeed furnished the occasion for a glorious manifestation of the moral perfections of God. From this we see that God's perfections enable him greatly to overrule sin and to bring good out of evil, but from this we are not authorized to infer that God could not have revealed these attributes to his creatures without the existence of sin. Nor can we say that these revelations would have been necessary to the highest perfection and happiness of the universe had all moral agents perfectly and uniformly obeyed. When we consider what the moral attributes of God are, it is easy to see that there may be myriads of moral attributes in God of which no creature has, or ever will have, any knowledge, and the knowledge of which is not at all essential to the highest perfection and happiness of the universe of creatures. God's moral attributes are only his benevolence existing and contemplated in its various relations to the universe of beings. Benevolence in any being must possess as many attributes as there are possible relations under which it can be contemplated, and should their occasions arise, these attributes would stand forth in exercise. It is not at all probable, that all of the attributes of benevolence, either in the creator or in creatures, have yet found the occasions of their exercise, nor will they ever. As new occasions rise to all eternity, benevolence will develop new and striking attributes and manifest itself under endless forms and varieties of loveliness. There can be no such thing as exhausting its capabilities of development.

In God, benevolence is infinite. Creatures can never know all its attributes nor approach any nearer to knowing all of them than they now are. For it is infinite and there can be no end to its capabilities of developing in exercise new forms of beauty and loveliness. It is true that God has taken occasion to show forth the glory of his benevolence through the existence of sin. He has seized the occasion, though mournful in itself, to manifest some of the attributes of his benevolence by the exercise of them. It is also true that we can not know how or by what means God could have revealed these attributes if sin had not existed, and it is also true that we can not know that such a revelation was impossible without the existence of sin, nor that but for sin the revelation would have been necessary to the highest good of the universe.

God forbids sin and requires universal holiness. He must be sincere in this. But sin exists. Shall we say that he secretly chooses that it should, and really though secretly prefers its existence to holiness in the circumstances in which it occurs? Or shall we assume that it is an evil, that God regards it as such, but that he can not wisely prevent it; that is, to prevent it would introduce a still greater evil? It is an evil and a great evil, but still the less of two evils; that is, to suffer it to occur, under the circumstances, is a less evil than such a change of circumstances, as would prevent it, would be. This is all we can justly infer from its existence. This leaves the sincerity of God unimpeached, and sustains his consistency and the consistency and integrity of his law. The opposite supposition represents God and the law as infinitely deceitful.

(2.) It has been said that the bible sustains the supposition that sin is the necessary means of the highest good. I trust the passages that have been quoted disprove this saying.

(3.) It is said that to represent [s]in as not the means of the highest good, and God as unable to prevent it, is to represent God as unable to accomplish all his will, whereas he says he will do all his pleasure and that nothing is too hard for him.

I answer: God pleases to do only what is naturally possible, and he is well pleased to do that and nothing more. This he is able to do. This he will do. This he does. This is all he claims to be able to do; and this is all, that in fact, infinite wisdom and power can do.

4. But it is said that if sin is an evil and God can neither prevent nor overrule it so as to make it a means of a greater good than could be secured without it, he must be unhappy in view of this fact, because he can not prevent it and secure a higher good without it.

I answer: God neither desires nor wills to perform natural impossibilities. God is a reasonable being and does not lust after impossibilities. He is well content to do as well as in the nature of the case is possible and has no unreasonable regrets because he is not more than infinite, and that he can not accomplish what is impossible to infinity itself. His good pleasure is, to secure all the good that is possible to infinity: with this he is infinitely well pleased.

Again, does not the objection that the view of the subject here presented limits the Divine power, lie with all its force against those who make this objection? To hold that sin is the necessary means or condition of the highest good, is to hold that God was unable to promote the highest good without resorting to such vile means as sin. Sin is an abomination in itself; and do not they as really and as much limit the power of God who maintain his inability to promote the highest good without it as they do who hold that he could not wisely so interfere with free actions of moral agents as to prevent it? Sin exists. God abhors it. How is its existence to be accounted for? I suppose it to be an evil unavoidably incidental to that system of moral government which, notwithstanding the evil, was upon the whole the best that could be adopted. Others suppose that sin is the necessary means or condition of the greatest good, and account for its existence in this way; that is, they suppose that God admits or permits its existence as a necessary occasion, condition or means of the highest good; that He was not able to secure the highest good without it. The two explanations of the admitted fact that sin exists differ in this:

One method of explanation holds that sin is the necessary occasion, condition or means of the highest good, and that God actually, upon the whole, prefers the existence of sin to holiness in every instance in which it exists, because in those circumstances it is a condition or means of greater good than could have been secured by holiness in its stead. This theory represents God as unable to secure his end by other means or upon other conditions than sin. The other theory holds that God really prefers holiness to sin in every instance in which it occurs; that he regards sin as an evil, but that while he regards it as an evil, he suffers its existence as a less evil than such a change in the administration of his government as would prevent it, would be. Both theories must admit that in some sense God could not wisely prevent it. Explain the fact of its existence as you will, it must be admitted that in some sense God was not able to prevent it and secure his end.

If it be said that if God could neither wisely prevent it, nor so overrule it as to make it the means or condition of the highest good, he must be rendered unhappy by its existence, I reply that this must be equally true upon the other hypothesis. Sin is hateful, and its consequences are a great evil. These consequences will be eternal and indefinitely great. God must lament these consequences. If sin is the necessary condition or means of the greatest good, must not God lament that he can not secure the good without a resort to such loathsome and such horrible means? If his inability wisely to prevent it, will interfere with and diminish his happiness, must not the same be true of his inability to secure the highest good, without such means as will prove the eternal destruction of millions?

VI. Wisdom and benevolence of the purposes of God.

We have seen that God is both wise and benevolent. This is the doctrine both of reason and of revelation. The reason intuitively affirms that God is, and is perfect. The bible assumes that he is, and declares that he is perfect. Both wisdom and benevolence must be attributes of the infinite and perfect God. These attributes enter into the reason's idea of God. The reason could not recognize any being as God to whom these attributes did not belong. But if infinite wisdom and benevolence are moral attributes of God, it follows of course that all his designs or purposes are both perfectly wise and benevolent. God has chosen the best possible end and pursues it in the use of the best practicable means. His purposes embrace the end and the means necessary to secure it, together with the best practicable disposal of the sin which is the incidental result of his choosing this end and using these means, and they extend no further; they are all therefore perfectly wise and good.

VII. The immutability of the Divine purposes.

We have seen that immutability is not only a natural, but also a moral attribute of God.

The reason affirms that the self-existent and infinitely perfect God is unchangeable in all his attributes. The ground of this affirmation it is not my purpose here to inquire into. It is sufficient here to say what every one knows, that such is the affirmation of the reason. This is also every where assumed and taught in the bible. God's moral attributes are not immutable in the sense of necessity, but only in the sense of certainty. Although God is not necessarily benevolent, yet he is as immutably so as if he were necessarily so. If his benevolence were necessary, it would not be virtuous, for the simple reason that it would not be free. But being free, its immutability renders it all the more praise-worthy.

VIII. The purposes of God are a ground of eternal and joyful confidence.

That is they may reasonably be a source of eternal comfort, joy, and peace. Selfish beings will not of course rejoice in them. But benevolent beings will and must. If they are infinitely wise and good, and sure to be accomplished, they must be a rational ground of unfailing confidence and joy. God says:

Isa. 46:10. Declaring 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.

Ps. 33:11. The counsel of the Lord standeth for ever, the thoughts of his heart to all generations.

Prov. 19:21. There are many devices in a man's heart, nevertheless, the counsel of the Lord, that shall stand.

Acts 5:39. But if it be of God, ye can not overthrow it, lest haply ye be found even to fight against God.

These and many parallel passages are reasonably the source of perpetual confidence and joy to those who love God and sympathize with him.

IX. The relation of God's purposes to his prescience or fore-knowledge.

We have seen that God is omniscient, that is, that he necessarily and eternally knows whatever is, or can be an object of knowledge. His purposes must also be eternal and immutable, as we have seen. In the order of time, therefore, his purposes and foreknowledge must be coeval, that is, they must be co-eternal.

But in the order of nature God's knowledge of what he could do, and what could be done, must have preceded his purposes: that is, he could not, so to speak, in the order of nature, have formed his purpose and made up his mind what to do until he had considered what could be done and what was best to be done. Until all possible ends and ways and means were weighed and understood, it was of course impossible to make a selection and settle upon the end with all the necessary means, and also settle upon the ways and means of overruling any evil, natural or moral, that might be seen to be unavoidably incidental to any system. Thus it appears that, in the order of nature fore-knowledge of what could be done, and what he could do, must have preceded the purpose to do. The purpose resulted from the prescience or fore-knowledge. He knew what he could do before he decided what he would do. But on the other hand the purpose to do must, in the order of nature, have preceded the knowledge of what he should do, or of what would be done or would come to pass as a result of his purpose. Viewed relatively to what he could do, and what could be done, the Divine prescience must in the order of nature have preceded the Divine purposes. But viewed relatively to what he would do and what would be done and would come to pass, the Divine purposes must in the order of nature, have preceded the Divine prescience. But I say again, as fore-knowledge was necessarily eternal with God, his purposes must also have been eternal, and therefore in the order of time, neither his prescience could have preceded his purposes, nor his purposes have preceded his prescience. They must have been contemporaneous and co-eternal.

X. God's purposes are not inconsistent with, but demand the use of means both on his part, and on our part, to accomplish them.

The great end upon which he has set his heart necessarily depends upon the use of means, both moral and physical, to accomplish it. The highest well-being of the whole universe is his end. This end can be secured only by securing conformity to the law of matter and of mind. Mind is influenced by motives, and hence moral and physical government are naturally necessary means of securing the great end proposed by the Divine mind.

Hence also results the necessity of a vast and complicated system of means and influences, such as we see spread around us on every hand. The history of the universe is but the history of creation and of the means which God is using to secure his end with their natural and incidental results. It has already been shown that the bible teaches that the purposes of God include and respect both means and ends. I will only add that God's purposes do not render any event, dependent upon the acts of a moral agent, necessarily certain, or certain with a certainty of necessity. Although, as was before said, all events are certain with some kind of certainty, and would be and must be, if they are ever to come to pass, whether God purposes them, or whether he fore-knows them or not; yet no event, depending upon the will of a free agent, is, or can be certain with a certainty of necessity. The agent could by natural possibility do otherwise than he will do and than God purposes to suffer him to do or wills that he shall do. God's purposes, let it be understood, are not a system of fatality. They leave every moral agent entirely flee to choose and act freely. God knows infallibly how every creature will act and has made all his arrangements accordingly, to overrule the wicked actions of moral agents on the one hand and to produce or induce the holy actions of others on the other hand. But be it remembered, that neither the Divine fore-knowledge nor the Divine purpose in any instance sets aside the free agency of the creature. He in every instance acts as freely and as responsibly as if God neither knew nor purposed any thing expecting the conduct or his destiny.

God's purposes extend to all events in some sense, as has been shown. They extend as really to the most common events of life as to the most rare. But in respect to the every day transactions of life, men are not wont to stumble and cavil and say, Why, if l am to live, I shall live whatever I may do to destroy my health and life; and if I am to die, I can not live, do what I will. No, in these events they will not throw off responsibility and cast themselves upon the purposes of God, but on the contrary they are as much engaged to secure the end they have in view as if God neither knew or purposed any thing about it.

Why then should they do as they often do in regard to the salvation of their souls, cast off responsibility, settle down in listless inactivity as if the purposes of God in respect to salvation were but a system of iron fatality from which there is no escape? Surely "madness is in their hearts while they live." But let them understand that in thus doing they sin against the Lord, and be sure their sin will find them out.