the stars were ordained for times, | nefs in creatures are from God. for feafons for days and for years; The finning angels were, as juft that the inferior creatures were obferved, among the brightest, it made fubfervient to him; that the not of the first angelic orders. If fulness of the earth and feas was creatures as fuch had any power to made for his fupport and delight; perfevere in a state of holiness and and that he bimfelf was made to happiness independently of God, know and enjoy God, to the end they must have poffeffed it. Whatevthat God might be glorified. er difference there might be between them and those who kept their firft eftate, was probably in favor of the former; their fall therefore was not owing to any defect of nature or of temper, peculiar to themselves. However fin arose in their hearts, it is evident it could not be owing to a finful caufe in them, for this would fuppofe the firft fin was before itself. Whenever it exifted, and by whatever caufe, either pofitive or negative, it was enmity to God and his kingdom, and infinitely hateful; and they deferved that everlafting fire, which is prepared for them. Their ftate might have been different; but this must have been of divine appointment. If the trial of the angels was their prompt obedi ence to the will of God ordaining that one, made lower than they, fhould be their head and Lord for ever, as feems probable; their fupereminent greatnefs and dignity might have been the occafion of that pride which was their condemnation; or, which is the fame thing, the diftinguishing bounty of their Creator, might have been its occafion. Be this as it may; when it exifted, it was wholly their own; it was not the affection or exercife of any other being, either created or uncreated. whether it arofe from the withdrawment of that divine influence, which was at firft imparted; or, as feems most likely, from their peculiar ftate and circumstances; in which, difobedience, at a fatal moment, prefented to their minds 2d, The fame economy is obfervable in God's conduct towards the angels. Some of the angels God has upheld, through their time of probation, in their original ftate of holinefs and happiness; their election of God is now made fure. They excel in ftrength, they do God's commandments, harkening unto the voice of his word: They are miniftring fpirits fent forth to minifter for them, who fhall be heirs of falvation. They will always behold the face of God, and be of that glorious fociety, each member of which will be filled with all the fulnefs of God; and on whom the infinite love of God will reft and be fatisfied. Others, and probably of the brightest orders, who might be like Lucifer fon of the morning among the other stars, kept not their firft eftate; but fell into a ftate of fin and rebellion against God, and were turned out of heaven and referved in chains under darkness to the judgment of the great day. These have been in a ftate of open hoftility to God and his kingdom from the beginning, and they are heaping up wrath against the day of wrath and reve. lation of the righteous judgment of God, when the wrath of almighty God will be made known in their utter and eternal deftruction. This great event demonstrates, to the view of all, by fact and experience, and with irrefiftible evidence, that all holiness and happi But mind, for leaving those bright orders of angels to fall, which in fact did fall, rather than others; among which, that fuggefted, was probably one; that the defectibility of creatures as fuch might be inconteftibly demonstrated, and that the intelligent fyftem might have the proof of this truth for ever in view, That there is none good but one, that is God. It may vealed this truth to creatures, without having recourfe to measures fo expenfive; but, in anfwer, it may be obferved, that the proof, which God has chofen, is infinitely more impreffive on the minds of creatures; and it would feem, there cannot be too much evidence of a truth, which is the basis of the happinefs of God's univerfal kingdom, and of his own eternal praife. Befides, a good, which they viewed as fu- | There were reafons, in "the divine perior to that which they enjoy. ed, or might enjoy, through obe dience, it must have been the fruit of God's appointment and difpofal. Doubtless God could have upheld them in their firft eftate, if he had feen fit; as he did the other angelic orders, whom he had chofen to eternal life; and who are called, in fcripture, Elect Angels. Thefe were not elected, because they perfevered, but they perfever-be faid, that God might have reed because they were elected. The others fell becaufe they were not elected. God upheld the man Chrift Jefus, who was made a little lower than the angels, notwithstanding the trial of his obedience was inconceivably greater than that of any other creature, whom God had placed, in a state of probation. He overcame, not thro' his own ftrength, as a creature, but because God gave him the Spirit, not by measure. Though he was In this great difpenfation of united to the fecond perfon in the providence God has taught creaTrinity, fo as to become one per-tures a leffon of humility, in a way fon with him; yet, as a man, he in which none can teach but himwas as liable to fall as any other felf. The event will most powerman. It was indeed impoffible fully ferve to keep them from befor him to fall; but this de- ing lifted up with pride, and fo pended on the promise of effectual from falling into the condemnation fupport. He is the first of elect of the devil; to maintain in them creatures, and the Lord of angels a deep fenfe of their dependence and men; but he obtained eternal on God; to keep them in their life, because he was elected to proper place in the system; to fill eternal life, in a courfe of unfail- them with awe of the divine maing obedience. From the fall of jefty; and to infpire them with the finning angels, then, it appears, lively gratitude and praise for that all holiness and happinefs in diftinguishing and fovereign goodcreatures are from God, and are nefs. In view of this great a communication from him alone; work, and the other marvelthat all elect creatures will en-lous works of God, the winged joy eternal life as the free gift of Seraphim, in expreffions of humGod, fecured by his immutable ble reverence and prompt obedicounfel and decree, and not from ence, with twain do cover their indefectibility in the nature of crea-faces, with twain they cover their tures, however great and excellent they may be, and however intimately united to the divine nature. feet, and with twain do they fly, and cry one to another, and fay, Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God Al mighty. Be it fo, that elect creatures are fecured from apoftacy by God's eternal counsel and decree; ftill, God's counfels and decrees are brought to pafs by means. Thofe means, which ferve to give the most diftinct and impreffive views of God, feem to be effential to preferve creatures from falling away. And the great event under confideration is among the most important for this end. Doubtless it is effential to the order, felicity and perpetuity of God's kingdom. Again, As fin, in its nature, tends to destroy all happiness in the universe; and, if it became univerfal among creatures, would in fact do it, by wholly defeating God's benevolent defigns in his works, the gratification of which is the fource of his own bleffednefs, it is ftrictly an infinite evil. God muft therefore be oppofed to it with all his heart and with all his ftrength; and it seems fit that this oppofition fhould not only be expreffed, but fully expreffed. And the goodnefs of God will be as gloriously difplayed in making his power, that is Almighty power, known, in the eternal deftruction of finners, as it will be, in giving eternal life to the righteous. This truth is fully confirmed in fcripture. Thus when God, in anfwer to the requeft of Mofes, made all his good-, nefs pafs before him, and proclaimed the name of the Lord, he did it in the following words. Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gracious, long-fuffering, and abundant in goodnefs and truth; keeping mercy for thoufands, forgiving iniquity and tranfgreffion and fin, and that will by no means clear the gutly." It is to be obferved, that the guilty are not cleared who are pardoned for Chrift's fake, for their guilt is expiated by "The his suffering as their furety. God's not clearing, or his punishing the guilty then, is as real a difplay of his goodness, as the exercise of his grace and mercy; nor can all his goodnefs be proclaimed without it. Once more: It appears from this great event, that God is under no obligation to keep any of the holy inhabitants of heaven, or any other creature, from falling into fin and remediless ruin, in point of justice to them as creatures. There is nothing to fecure them, but his own good pleasure, in their prefent holy and happy ftate. He has, doubtless, pledged his faithfulness to those inhabitants, and alfo to thofe amongst men, who have fled for refuge, to lay hold on the hope fet before them, by two immutable things, in which it is impoffible for God to lie, that they might have strong confolation. But eternal life is the free gift of God to angels as well as to men. The former, indeed, are not ill deferving, as men are, but they are equally undeferving; they cannot claim it as a reward, on the ground of merit; they enjoy it as mere bounty; and this confideration will, above all things elfe, endear to them both the happiness of heaven; and will be the only ground of endless gratitude and praise. 3d, I proceed to confider, in feveral particulars, the work of Gąd in relation to man, in which it will more fully appear, That there is none good but one, that is God. By the fall of man we are taught many of the truths, which are taught by the fall of the finning angels. But, as these were of the higheft, fo man, in his original formation, was the lowest order of moral beings, of whom we have any account; and by his fall and apoftacy from God he rendered himself more vile and brutish than the beasts that perifh. But, as God had purposes of mercy towards man, he has, in the meafures taken for his recovery, difclosed a scene of wonders, which the angels defire to look into. And the manifold wifdom of God is made known through the church, unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places. The great object which God had in view in this wonderful work was to destroy the works of the devil, defigned to bring difhonor upon God and ruin upon man; to redeem an elect number of the human race from death and hell; to raise them into the place left by the finning angels, or to bring them into nearer union with himfelf than even the holy angels; to the intent, that they might be to the praise of his glory for ever. To attain this object, the glorious mystery of the Trinity of perfons in the Godhead is brought into view; a manner of fubfifting effential to the all-perfect Being; and the ground on which refts the whole fabric of redemption; and without which, it must have ceased for ever. Each Divine Perfon, purfuant to the eternal counfels of God, affumes an appropriate office, in the economy of redemption. The Father, that of a righteous governor and judge, demanding fatisfaction of men for his violated law; the Son, that of a mediator to reveal the mind of God to men, to declare the divine righteoufnefs, to atone for fin, and for this purpofe to become manifeft in the flesh, and to offer up himself without fpot to God, to fet up a glorious kingdom, to reign in the hearts of his willing fubjects, and over all things for their good; and to plead his merits before the throne of God in their behalf; the Holy Ghoft, that of the comforter, to convince, renew, fanctify and prepare for the vifion and fruition of God, here in foretaste, and hereafter in perfection. Pursuant to this economy the Son of God, in due time, affumed human nature, declared the truth of God; obeyed the divine law for himself and his followers; died an accurfed death on the crofs to fatisfy its penalty on their behalf; arofe from the dead.; afcended on high; and intercedes before the throne of God for all who were given to him in the cov. enant of redemption; exercifes univerfal dominion over all creatures and things; will judge the world in righteoufnefs; fubdue all his enemies under his feet; and, in the end, deliver up the kingdom to the Father; when God fhall be all in all. The Father is well pleafed with the righteousness of his Son; is propitious to thofe who belive on his name; and always hears with grace and favor his interceffion; and the Holy Ghoft is fent down to convince the world of fin, of righteoufnefs and of judgment; to renew and fanctify the elect; and to form a holy and fpiritual kingdom which, when perfected, fhall be a full expreffion of infinite power, wisdom, and goodness; the view of which, always perfect in the mind of God, is the fource of his own eternal enjoyment. Man being juftly obnoxious to the penalty of the law which he had broken, being eternal death, it is manifeft, that the plan for his recovery in its origin, developement, and completion, must be grace, or unmerited favor. For who, in this, hath known the mind of the Lord, or who hath been his counsellor, or who hath nor yet favor to men of fkill; but time and chance happeneth to them all. One dies in infancy, another dies in full ftrength; his breafts are full of milk and his bones are moistened with marrow; another dies in the bitterness of his foul and never eateth with pleafure. Some enjoy uninterrupted health till old age; others are tortured with difeafe, and linger out a life of mifery. Some poffefs eafe friends, affluence; others fuffer the lofs of all things. The bafe and the wicked are often preferved to old age, and are a burden to all around them; while others, who are pillars in church and state, are cut down in the meridian of life, and in the midst of their usefulness. One builds a houfe, and another inhabits it. One plants a vineyard, and another eats the fruit of it. Some enjoy the powers of reafon; while others fall under the power of distraction. And while most first given unto him and it fhall be recompenfed to him again? And the peculiar glory of this moft excellent part of the work of God is, that it is the higheft expreflion of divine power and wisdom, in concerting and employing the means of exhibiting to creatures, in the most glorious light, this truth, That there is none good but one that is God, and that his good nefs is difinterested, free and infinite. -But to be more particular; 1ft, The events which take place in the courfe of God's common providence, which are a part of the means which God ufes in man's recovery, are calculated with defign to prove, and to keep forever in view, this great truth. Some regions of the earth, which formerly were as the garden of the Lord, are become brimftone and falt and burning; while, in others, the wilderness has become a fruitful field. Some are deftined to eternal froft or drought; while oth-men are, through the mercy of ers are impregnated with the genial rays of the fun and the rain of heaven. God caufes it to rain on one city, and he caufes it not to rain on another city. One piece is rained upon; and the piece whereon it raineth not, withereth. The most promifing hopes of the husbandman are often cut off by froft, drought, mildew, locuft or caterpillar. The great and the honorable are often tumbled from their feats; and the poor are raifed out of the duft, and feated among princes. Riches make to themselves wings and fly away as an eagle towards heaven. keth the wife in their own He ta crafti God, folicitous to preferve their own lives and the lives of their dearest connections, fome are fuffered to be impelled by the temptations of the devil, with horrid rage and madness, to lay violent hands upon them, and to close the dreadful fcene, upon themfelves. The fubjects of the great monarchies of the East, from age to age, fuffer the lowest degradation under the preffure of unrelenting defpotifm. The Tartars, the Arabs and the wild men of America, and of the iflands in the South Seas, while they retain more perfonal liberty, fuffer the fharpeft viciffitudes of perpetual wars, which, nefs, and the counsel of the wick-in their state of fociety, reach the ed is carried headlong. We find that the race is not to the fwift, nor the battle to the ftrong, neither yet bread to the wife, nor yet riches to men of understanding, condition of individuals, and inflict on them the most poignant diftrefs. The Hordes of Africa, in addition to this, are fubject to the mifcries of personal flavery to |