thing that results from their existence, and seems for this very reason the only cause of the miseries of his creatures. It is much to be wished, my brethren, that mankind were so apprized of the narrow limits of their own understandings as not to plunge themselves into some deep subjects, which they are incapable of fathoming, and so as to attribute to their natural incapacity their incompetency to answer some objections against the perfections of God. Some pagans have been more aware of this than many christians, and the Persians, followers of Mohammed, have endeavoured to make their disciples comprehend it by an ingenious fable. "There were, say they, three brethren, who all died at the same time; the two first were far advanced in age; the elder had always lived in a habit of obedience to God, the second on the contrary in a course of disobedience and sin, and the third was an infant incapable of distinguishing good from evil. These three brothers appeared before the tribunal of God, the first was received into paradise, the second was condemned to hell, the third was sent to a middle place, where there was neither pleasure nor pain, because he had not done either good or evil. When this youngest heard his sentence, and the reason on which the Supreme Judge grounded it, sorry to be excluded from paradise, he exclaimed, Ah, Lord! hadst thou preserved my life as thou didst that of my good brother, how much better, would it have been for me? I should have lived as he did, and then I should have enjoyed as he does the happiness of eternal glory! My child, replied God to him, I knew thee, and I knew, hadst thou lived longer thou wouldst have lived like. thy wicked brother, and like him wouldst have rendered thyself deserving of the punishment of hell. The condemned brother, hearing this discourse of God, exclaimed, Ah, Lord! why didst thou not then confer the same favour upon me as upon my younger brother, by depriving me of a life, which I have so wickedly mis-spent as to bring myself under a sentence of condemnation? I preserved thy life, said God, to give thee an opportunity of saving thyself. The younger brother, hearing this reply, exclaimed again, Ah! why then, my God, didst thou not preserve my life also that I might have had an opportunity of saving myself? God, to put an end to complaining and disputing, replied, because my decree had determined otherways*. L12 * Voyag. de M. Chardin, tom. vii. pag. 33. Were Were I to follow my own inclination, I should imitate this cautious reserve: but as silence on this subject is sometimes an occasion of imaginary triumph to the enemies of religion, and as it sometimes causes scruples in weak consciences, I think it absolutely necessary to say something toward removing this objection, and to prove, at least, that though we are incapable of fully satisfying ourselves on this subject, yet there is nothing in this incompetency favourable to the insults of infidels, or the doubts and fears of the scrupulous. Now, my brethren, it seems to me, we cannot possibly imagine any more than two ways to satisfy ourselves on this subject: the one is to obtain a complete idea of the decrees of God, and to compare them so exactly with the dispositions of sinners as to make it evident by this comparison, that sinners are not under a necessity of committing such crimes, as cause their eternal destruction. The second is, to refer the subject to the determination of a being of the most unsuspected knowledge and veracity, whose testimony we may persuade ourselves is unexceptionable, and whose declaration is an infallible oracle. The first of these ways is impracticale. To be able to demonstrate, by an exact comparison of the decrees of God with the nature of man, that sinners are not necessitated to to commit such crimes as cause their eternal destruction, is, in my opinion, a work more than human. Many have attempted it, but though we cannot refuse the praise due to their piety, yet, it should seem, we owe this testimony to truth, that they have not removed all the objections to which the subject is liable. I say more, I venture to predict, without pretending to be a prophet, that all future efforts will be equally unsuccessful. The reason is, because it is an attempt to infer consequences from principles unknown. Who can boast of knowing the whole arrangement, all the extent, and all the combinations of the decrees of God? The depth of these decrees, the obscure manner in which the scripture expresses them, and if I may be allowed to say so, the darkness in which attempts to elucidate them have involved them, place them infinitely beyond our reach. As this method hath been impracticable to this day, probably it will continue so to the end of the world. Let us try the second. The question is whether, allowing the decrees of God, God doth any violence to sinners compelling ="" | compelling them to commit sin? Hath not this question been fully answered by a being, whose decisions are infallible oracles, and of whose testimony we cannot possibly form any reasonable doubt? Yes, my brethren, we know such a being; we know a being infinitely capable of deciding this question, and who hath actually decided it. This being is God himself. To explain our meaning, and to shew the connection of the answer with the question, I will suppose you to put up this petition to God. Doth the eternal destination, which thou hast made of my soul before I had a being, force my will; do what they call predestination and reprobation in the schools destroy this propostion, that if I perish, my destruction proceeds alone from myself? My God, remove this difficulty, and lay open to me this important truth. I suppose, my brethren, you have presented this question, and that God answers in the following manner. The frailty of your minds renders this matter incomprehensible to you, It is impossible for men finite as you are to comprehend the whole extent of my decrees, and to see in a clear and distinct manner the influence they have on the destiny of man: but I who formed them perfectly understand them. I am truth itself, as I am wisdom. I do declare to you then, that none of my decrees offer violence to my creatures, and that your destruction can proceed from none but yourselves. As to the rest, you shall one day perfectly understand what you now understand only in part, and then you shall see with your own eyes what you now see only with mine. Cease then to anticipate a period, which my wisdom defers, and laying aside this speculation attend you to practice, fully persuaded that you are placed between reward and punishment, and may have a part in which you please. Is it not true, my brethren, that if God had answered in this manner, it would be carrying, I do not say rashness, but insolence to the highest degree to object against the testimony, or to desire more light into this subject at present? Now, my brethren, we pretend that God hath given this answer, and in a manner infinitely more clear than we have stated it. He hath given this answer in those pathetical expostulations, in those powerful applications, and in those exhortations, which he employs to reclaim the greatest sinners. Now if the decrees of God forced sinners, if they did violence to their liberty, would the equity of God allow him to to call men out of bondage, while he himself confined them in chains? God hath given this answer by tender complaints concerning the depravity of mankind, yea by tears of love shed for their miseries. O that my people had hearkened unto me ! O that thou hadst known, even thou, at least in this thy day, the things which belong unto thy peace! Psal. lxxxi. 14. Luke xix. 42. Now if the decrees of God force sinners, if they offer violence to their liberty, I am not afraid to say, this sort of language would be a sport unworthy of the divine majesty. He hath given this answer by express assurances, that he would have all men to be saved; that he hath no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live; that he is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. Now if the decrees of God force sinners, and do violence to their liberty, contrary propositions are true; it would be proper to say, God will not have all men to be saved, he will not have the sinner come to repentance, he is determined the sinner shall die. He hath published this answer by giving us high ideas of his mercy; when he prolongs the time of his patience and long suffering, he calls it riches of goodness, forbearance and long suffering. Now if the decrees of God force sinners, if they offer violence to their liberty, God would not be more merciful, if he grants fourscore years to a wicked man to repent in, than if he took him away suddenly on the commission of his first sin. He hath given this answer expressly in the text, and in many other parallel passages, where he clearly tells us, that after what he had done to save us, there are no difficulties insurmountable in our salvation, except such as we choose to put there. For if the divine decrees force men to sin, and offer violence to their liberty, the proposition in the text would be utterly false, and the prophet could not say on the part of God, O Israel, thou hast destroyed thyself. As the first way of removing our difficulties is absolutely impassible, the second is fully open. God hath not thought proper to give us a distinct idea of the connection between his decrees and the liberty of sinners: but he hath openly declared that they do not clash together. Let us make no more vain efforts to explain mysteries, a clear demonstration of which God hath reserved for another life: but let us attend to to that law, which he hath required us to obey in the present state. But men will run counter to the declarations of God in scripture. Things that are revealed, which belong unto us and our children for ever, we leave, and we lay our rash hands on secret things, which belong unto the Lord our God. We lay aside charity, moderation, mutual patience, duties clearly revealed, powerfully pressed home, and repeated with the utmost fervour, and we set ourselves the task of removing insuperable difficulties, to read and turn over the book of God's decrees. We regulate and arrange the decrees of God, we elevate our pretended discoveries into articles essential to salvation and religion, and at length we generate doubts and fears, which distress us on a death bed, and oblige us to undergo the intolerable punishment of trying to reconcile doctrines, the clearing of which is beyond the capacity of all mankind. No, no, it was not thy decree, O my God, that dug hell, and kindled the devouring fire, the smoke of which ascendeth up for ever and ever! In vain the sinner searches in a decree of reprobation for what comes only from his own depravity. Thou dost not say to thy creatures, yield, yield miserable wretches to my sovereign will, which first impels you to sin, in order to compel you to suffer that punishment, which I have decreed for you from all eternity. Thou reachest out thy charitable arms, thou appliest to us motives the most proper to affect intelligent minds. Thou openest the gates of heaven to us, and if we be lost amidst so many means of being saved, to thee belongeth righteousnes, and to us shame and confusion of face. O Israel thou hast destroyed thyself. II. You will see the evidence of this proposition much better, my brethren, if you attend to the discussion of the second class of difficulties, to which the subject is liable. They are taken from the nature of religion. There are men so stupid, or rather so wicked, as to consider religion, that rich present which God in his great love made mankind, as a fatal present given in anger. The duties required seem to them vast vallies to fill up, and huge mountains to level, and attributing insuperable difficulties to religion, which are creatures only of their own cowardice and malice, they cannot comprehend how men can be punished for not performing such impossible conditions. Let us examine this religion; nothing more is neccessary to remove this odious objection. 1. Observe |
