planted the love of justice and the necessity of adhering to its laws so strongly in the human heart, that all mankind, in every age and nation, whether barbarous or civilized, agree that the violation of it deserves infamy and punishment; who has in the most decided manner, by his prophets Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Zechariah, declared, that he himself will punish its infraction, and who, in one of his three great injunctions to his creatures, has in the most express terms required of them to do justly do you think it possible that the same God, who has thus strictly required all men to do justly and to love mercy, should himself so infringe both, as to decree that a multitude of human beings should be doomed to suffer eternal punishment before they were born, and had in no respect offended him?—I believe every rational candid person will be of opinion, the people so met and interrogated, of whatever religion or persuasion they might be, would unanimously say, such conduct on the part of God was incredible, was impossible. I believe, if they were even infidels as to other points of natural or revealed religion, they would say the same; therefore we may fairly conclude this wicked doctrine of Calvin's to be disclaimed equally by reason and com mon sense. But the arguments of the greatest weight and authority against this vile superstition are to be collected from the Scriptures, because their premises establish in the mind conclusions diametrically opposite to those of Calvin. It is allowed by all the writers of his age, that Calvin was a man of a haughty, gloomy, and intolerant temper of such people Mr. Addison, in one of his Spectators*, observes as follows; "People of gloomy uncheerful imaginations, or of envious "malignant tempers, whatever kind of life they are engaged in, will discover their natural tinc"ture of mind in their thoughts, words, and ac 66 tions; and the most religious thoughts often "draw something that is particular from the "constitution of the mind in which they arise: "thus when folly or superstition strike in with "this natural depravity of temper, it is not in "the power even of religion itself to preserve the "character of the person who is, possessed with "it from appearing highly absurd and ridiculous." Calvin's natural temper thus soured his religious opinions, and made him combine and associate in his mind conclusions quite contrary to Scripture; for that holy record gives no warrant to any man to wrong and insult the merciful name and nature of the Deity, by a supposition which charges God with acting in a cruel and unjust manner towards his creatures. Archbishop Tillotson in his Ser to Vol. vii. No. 489. mon*, and likewise Dr. Samuel Clarke in his Sermont, both observe, that there are no such deerees in the Scriptures as absolute reprobation and predestination: on the contrary, they every where declare and express the goodness of God, and his intentions of making his creatures happy, if they love, honour, and obey him. Does not God proclaim this in the character he condescended to give of himself to Moses?" And the Lord passed by before him, (Moses,) and proclaimed, The "Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gracious, long-suffering, and abundant in goodness and truth, keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sint," &c. Further, "I am the Lord which exercise loving-kindness, judgment, and righteousness, in the earth: "for in these things I delight, saith the Lord §." Further, "The Lord is merciful and gracious, "slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy. He will "not always chide, neither will he keep his anger "for ever. He hath not dealt with us after our sins, nor rewarded us according to our iniquities. For as the heaven is high above the "earth, so great is his mercy towards them that "fear him. God is love. He is the God of peace, "the father of mercies, and the God of all com"fort and consolation. The goodness of God * Vol. i. p. 231. 12mo. + Vol. i. p. 93. 12mo. endureth continually. There is none good but one, that is God." These plain texts incontestibly assert the goodness of God, as the following do his justice: "The Lord is righteous, he is a just God, he is excellent in judgment, and in plenty of justice. The statutes of the Lord are right, just and true are his ways, and we are sure that the judgment of God is according to "truth. The Lord our God is righteous in all "his works which he doth. Thy righteousness, "O Lord, is an everlasting righteousness, and thy "law is the truth; every one of thy righteous judgments endureth for ever. Righteous is the "Lord, and upright are his judgments. Shall "mortal man be more just than God? shall a man "be more pure than his Maker? Therefore hearken "unto me, ye men of understanding. Far be it from God that he should do wickedness, and "from the Almighty that he should commit iniquity. For the work of a man shall he render “unto him, and cause every man to find according to his ways. Yea, surely God will not do "wickedly, neither will the Almighty pervert judgment." And the same sentiment is thus expressed by the author of the book of Wisdom: "For seeing thou art righteous thyself, thou or"derest all things righteously, thinking it not * Job xxxiv. 10, &c. 46 66 "agreeable with thy power to condemn him that "hath not deserved to be punished; for thy power "is the beginning of righteousness, and because "thou art the Lord of all, it maketh thee to be gracious unto all. With righteousness shall he judge the world, and the people with equity*. "Whatsoever good thing any man doth, the same "shall he receive of the Lord, whether he be bond or free: but he that doth wrong shall receive . "for the wrong he hath done, for God will ren"der unto every man according to his deeds, and 66 according to his deserts will he judge him; "condemning the wicked to bring his way 66 upon his head, and justifying the righteous "to give him according to his righteousness; so "that men shall say, there is a reward for the righteous; doubtless there is a God that judgeth "the earth." 66 That God intends, and ever did intend, the happiness of man, is plain and evident from his having created him originally in his own image, and placed him in Paradise; in his redemption of him after his fall; in man's being permitted to worship God and walk with him; and in the easy task enjoined him to obtain temporal and eternal happiness; from the pleasures he is permitted to derive both from sense and intellect, when these Psalm xcviii. 9. |