which he was conformed, ever ex- the elect and the fallen Angels, cited in him the affection of love are free moral agents, as has been the natural effect of which was, obferved; but they are not probafuch volitions and external actions, tioners. The reafon is, they are as were the proper expreffions of not now in a state of trial for their it. And when by the fall he be- future condition; or upon which came of a corrupt taftea partial, their treatment in a future ftate is unholy affection, he was ftill as put at iffue. But this is effential to much a free moral agent as before.a ftate of probation. It implies a His exercises were ftill voluntary. trial of character, by the prefentHe ftill acted as he pleafed, or ac-ation of objects of a moral nature, cording to the taste of his heart, tho' it was now corrupt. in fuch circumftances as will draw forth and exhibit to the view of créatures, the taste or difpofition of The fallen Angels alfo, are free moral agents; that is, if we con- the heart, in order to a fiate of retfider them as finful, or blame-ribution. worthy, in their exercifes. But This probation, or trial and prowhat freedom have they, except ving of hearts, by means of moral that of acting voluntarily, and ac- agency, or free volitions and according to the taste of their tions, thro' a particular period of hearts? If they, or any creature time, is not neceffary for the inhad power to act otherwife, or in formation of God He fees the oppofition to their own natures, hearts of all, intuitively. But for these volitions and external actions the information of creatures, it is could no longer be confidered as neceffary. In this way only can the expreffions of the heart. A they learn the dependance of crea man's living, externally, in total tures what they are when the di difobedience of the divine com- vine influence is withheld-what mands, would not afford any cer- the evil of fin is, and the implaca tain evidence of a corrupt tafte;ble and incorrigible nature of a finnor would the most perfect exter-ful heart; fo as to be prepared, to nal conformity be in the leaft de- the best advantage, to fee the rightgree evidential of a right temper or eoufnefs, propriety, and beauty of taste of heart. The tree could no the divine character and conduct in longer be known by its fruit. The the retribution he will make to absurdity and falsehood of thefe con- mankind in their final state. fequences,prove the falsehood of the doctrine or fuppofition from which they flow. Further. With respect to man kind, who have fallen and become finners, and are under the proba tion of the gofpel, it is to be ob ferved, that there is fome probabil ity, or reason to hope, that they will pafs thro' a change of character, and become of a new and holy tafte or difpofition: And thus become entitled to the future bleffedness propofed in the gofpeland be prepared for it. Upon trial the hearts of all men prove to be naturally corrupt, and wholly Secondly. In order to men's being in a ftate of probation, they *must not only be moral agents in the fenfe now explained, but life and death, good and evil, must be fet before them for their choice; and their future state and condition be fufpended upon their loving and choofing, or hating and refufing the one or the other; including thofe affections and volitions naturally connected with these. Both fo. The law of God which is a VOL. II. No. 1. B tranfcript of the divine character, and calculated to give the knowledge of fin, is prefented to them : But their free moral agency, or volitions and actions refpecting it, manifeft that their hearts are oppofed-yea, that they are enmity against God-that they are not fubject to the law of God, neither indeed can be, without a radical change. The gofpel of the grace of God is alfo prefented, containing the free offer of pardon and falvation thro' a glorious Mediator, with the alternative of a certain and aggravated deftruction if they neglect fo great falvation. But But from this alfo they turn away, and with one confent excufe themfelves, and refufe a compliance. Still, however, there is fome hope of them-fome probability that they may yet be of a taste or difpofition to embrace the gofpel; becaufe God waits upon them calls and invites them by his word and providence-gives the Holy Spirit to ftrive with them, and fet before them their fin and danger, and in numerous inftances, renews and fanctifies the hearts of finners-the confequence of which is, that they as voluntarily and freely embrace the Saviour, as they before rejected him. Now as the great defign of God in giving finners the means and advantages of the gofpel was, not only to prove them, and exhibit to the universe the implacable wickednefs of their hearts; but also to fanctify and fave many of them-And as he is in the way of faving finners, and is pleafed to do it in the ufe of means; therefore all who have thefe means, or enjoy the offers and advantages of the gospel, are "prifoners of hope:" And efpecially when they are in any meafure awakened and excited to attend to divine things. And this is a prin. 1 cipal thing implied in the probation of finners under the gofpel, viz. the probability that they may be come the fubjects of a change of heart, by the word and fpirit of God, and be heirs of falvation. It may be obferved, again, that the state of probation which men have under the gofpel, both thofe who embrace it, and those who continue impenitent, is a state in which the means used with them, and the moral objects prefented to their view, ferve not only to prove, their characters, and bring the nature of their affection out to view, but alfo to ftrengthen and increafe that affection; and thus prepare them more and more, for thofe oppofite ftates to which the penitent, and impenitent, will be affigned.. When the rain, and the rays of the fun fall upon a field that is fown, they cause the feed to fpring up, and prove of what fort it is, whether wheat or tares. And by continuing to fall they strengthen and increase them, and bring them both to maturity, and thus prepare them for that end to which their natures are refpectively fuited-the one to be gathered into the barn, and the other to be burned. Thus when mankind under the gofpel have holy affection excited in them, or the Chriftian graces drawn into exercise by the truths held up and the means enjoyed, they are thereby proved to be vef fels of mercy. And by continu ing to exercife thefe graces under the power and influence of truth, they grow and increafe, and become more and more fitted for glo23 On the other hand, thofe who in view of the fame truths, have unholy affection excited and oppofition drawn forth, prove themfelves to be veffels. of wrath : And, coutinuing their oppofition, the greater the light and advanta ges they enjoy, the fafter will their guilt and wickednefs increase, till they are ripened and "fitted for deftruction." Having fuggefted these thoughts upon the fubject under confideration, it may be proper to add fomething more directly infupport of the idea, that mankind, in the prefent life are in fact in such a state of probation as has been described. 1. That mankind are free moral agents; or that they have underftanding, tafte and will, and are therefore proper fubjects of exhortation and command, is decidedly evident from the numerous commands and exhortations which are addressed to them in the fcriptures, which are the word of God. It is evident alfo from our own confcious feeling and experience. Weknow that we have understanding, and that thetruths of God's word, when attended to and realized, excite in us either pleasure or pain, love or batred. We know alfo, and are conscious, that all our volitions reffpecting these truths, or any thing of a moral nature, are the free outflowings of our hearts, or moral taste and difpofition. We cannot therefore conceive of any moral agency more perfectly free. 2. That the future condition of men is fufpended upon the present trial of their characters, or, that life and death are fet before them in the gospel for their choice, is alfo evident from the fcriptures. It is implied in all the invitations, calls and warnings of the gofpel, and is directly afferted in numerous inftances. It is written "whatfoever a man foweth that shall he alfo reap." This intimates that the prefent is a feed-time for Eternity, and that the future ftate will be a ftate of retribution to mankind, in which they will be treated according to the iffue of their prefent probation; or the character they form in this life. This is exprefsly taught alfo by. Chrift himself in the parable of the talents, Math. xxv. which rep refents the future state of mankind, as to happiness or mifery, to be according to their improvement of the prefent. And toward the clofe of the fame chapter, it is fet forth in a still more plain and literal manner, that there fhall be a general judgment, in which the characters of all, as formed and proved in this life, fhall be brought out to view. And that all who by their free moral agency in their treatment of Chrift and his caufe, have manifested themselves his enemies, and are proved to be of a taste and difpofition fuited to be companions with fallen apoftate beings, fhall be fentenced to depart accurfed into everlafting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels." But that the righteous thofe who have fub. mitted to Christ, and are proved to be his friends, fhall enter into life, and "inherit the kingdom prepared for them from the foundation of the world"! This fubject, in the light in which it has now been confidered, brings into view, and confirms the follow. ing particular, and very practical and important truths. 1. The neceffity of a regeneration of the hearts of finners, in order to their embracing the gofpel; and the confiftency of this doctrine. If mankind are moral agents, and are univerfally of a corrupt depraved tafte or difpofition, as is afferted in the fcriptures; then it is evident that there must be a change of tafte, or they will never have any holy affection, or love to God and the Savior, nor any holy or virtuous volitions and actions in the fight of God. It is neceffary, not only that the feed of the word fhould be Town, but that the ground alfo be good, in order to fruit being brought forth unto holiness. "Mere cultivation of a bad or barren foil, and fowing good feed upon it, will not change its nature; though it may prove it, and how that it is nigh unto curfing, in that, while it drinketh in the rain which cometh oft upon it and receiveth cultivation, it fendeth forth nought but briers and thorns. poffible for creatures to have. In rejecting the gofpel, and treading under foot the Son of God, they act out their hearts. Their ac tions are the free outflowings of their natures, which are thereby difcovered, as the nature of a tree is discovered by its fruit. They are in themfelves as conscious of freedom, in " their ungodly deeds, and hard fpeeches" against Christ, and his caufe, and in all their treatOr to change the figure; Cul- ment of him, as they are in any tivation, even when accompanied of their conduct towards each othe with the benign influences of the er. And when they are treated by fun and the rain, will not change a fellow creature in any meafure as the nature of the feeds in a field that they treat God and the divine Sav is fown; but it will bring them ior, they are ready to refent it as forth, and prove them, and prepare criminal and vile, and deferving a them for that end to which their retribution of evil. Thus they are nature is fuited, whether good or condemned by their own daily cont bad. And thus it is with refpect duct and out of their own mouth to the means ufed with finners, and might juftly be cut down, imor the cultivation they receive mediately, as "cumberers of the under the gofpel. Such means are ground." And God, by waiting ufed with them, and fuch ob- upon them, and continuing the free jects prefented, as would draw and gracious offer of falvation, forth holy affection and its fruits, while they continue to harden were they not of an unholy nature, their hearts, and turn away from or a depraved corrupt tafte. But it, evinces his long fuffering goodfince they are, nothing fhort of a nefs, and lays a foundation for the radical change of heart or tafte, or fupport of his character, and the being" born again," will effect difplay of his mercy and juftice, this, and bring them to a compli-in the great decifive day. Then, ance with the gofpel. And this is if not before, every excufe and agreeable to the doctrine of Christ." falfe refuge of finners, will be We must make the tree good or its fwept away every cavilling, refruit will not be good. A good plying mouth will be stopped and tree bringeth not forth corrupt fruit: all the world become guilty before neither doth a corrupt tree bring God. forth good fruit." 2. The inexcufableness of finners in rejecting the gofpel. Life and Death are fet before them. Light has come into the world and fhines around them, but they hate it, and turn from it, as it is not congenial to their natures, and choofe darknefs the way which leads to death. This they do with all the freedom which it is How folemn, therefore, is the fituation of mankind in the prefent life! It is a probation for Eternity, and every circumstance involves eternal confequences. We are all, either veffels of wrath fitting for deftruction, or veffels of mercy preparing for glory, Nor is there any hope refpecting those who are still impenitent, except in the fovereign mercy and grace of the divine decrees. WE ; E conftantly find that perfons who appear to be fuitably awakened and humbled, have ever been ready to own and profefs their belief of, and fubjec tion to the truth of this doctrine although before they oppofed, and quarrelled with it: Which methinks, ought to be confidered in favour of it; and indeed, it is difficult for me to have concep tions, which I can think to be any ways juft, of a being of infinite knowledge, power and fovereignty, without conceiving of that Being, as having fixed purpofes, refpecting things pertaining to that univerfal dominion, which he doth exercife over the whole creation which he hath made. God, who is able to humble and Some thoughts on the dottrine of renew their hearts, and thus carry on his own work. The Lord is indeed carrying on his work, and will continue to carry it on, by bringing finners into his kingdom, and fealing them by his Holy Spirit, unto the day of redemption. But with refpect to any individuals who are ftill impenitent, we know not whether God will difplay his grace in their repentance and falvation, or glorify his juftice in their deftruction giving them over to hardness to eat of the fruit of their own way and be filled with their own devices. But this is certain, and a truth which ought to fink deep into the mind of every impenitent finner, that unless he is bro't to feek the Lord in earneft, and with a renewed humble heart he muft perish. A confideration of these things, and of the fhortness and uncertainty of life, ought to awaken and alarm the thoughtless and vain, and excite the children of God to diligence and to a careful examination of their ftate. Soon, at fartheft, the day of death will arrive, and the awful day of judgment and final retribution, when every one will receive according to the deeds done in the body--the character formed while here in this life. There, he that is filthy will be filthy ftill, and he that is holy will be holy ftill.without much fin, and danger. There will be no more facrifice for Instead of the many places in fcripfin, nor hope, to the wicked, of ture I might alledge in proof of -deliverance from wrath. For as this doctrine, I fhall mention only the gift of God to the heirs of the the following ones, which appear promife, thro' Chrift, is "eter- to me fufficient, for that purpofe ; nal life," fo" the wages of fin” 1 Theff. i. 4. 66 Knowing brethren proper wages which the impen-your election of God." Rom. itent will receive, is death-eter- viii. 33. Who fhall lay any nal death." O that they were thing to the charge of God's wife, that they understood this, elect?" 2 Theff. ii. 13. " But. that they would confider their lat- we are bound to give thanks always ter end." unto God, for you, brethren, becaufe God hath from the beginning the PHILOS. But I here fpeak more particu larly of the divine decrees refpecting his creature man, which if it be a fcripture doctrine, and truth, is, by us to be believed and profeffed; notwithstanding difficulties which are thrown in the way. There is a great difference between managing it with neceffary prudence, as it ought to be, both by minifters, and private chriftians, and profeffedly renouncing, and difcarding it; which, if a fcripture doctrine, may not be done |