because I am good?" Rather, however, than murmur, let each one embrace the gospel salvation to which he is welcomed for himself; and whatever difficulties may remain, let him remember that it is yet a true saying, "It is the glory of God to conceal a thing;" and that, if it is the duty of a child to place an implicit reliance on his father's wisdom and integrity, though he cannot perceive the reasons for his conduct at present, it is manifestly much more so to rely on the wisdom and equity of the God of infinite perfection, provided we are satisfied, on due examination, that he has revealed the doctrine.

And to prevent bitterness of spirit and alienation of heart on account of difference of opinion on this and similar topics, the writer would close this Introduction by some remarks, that, under a Divine blessing, may not only answer this end, but promote a spirit of christian charity amongst brethren who are built upon the same foundation, Christ Jesus. He would observe, then,

AS TO DISBELIEF,

1. It is one thing to disbelieve and oppose a doctrine from pride and prejudice; and another to disbelieve it on account of its numerous difficulties, and the dreadful abuses to which certain views of it may be liable.

2. It is one thing to disbelieve a doctrine because misrepresented and misunderstood; and another to disbelieve it, when it is fairly understood.

3. It is one thing to disbelieve a doctrine because, from its apparent contrariety to the known character of God, as well as to many passages of Scripture, we

may imagine that men have mistaken the sense of the passages that bear upon it; and another thing to disbelieve it, merely for want of a spirit of submission to Divine teaching.

AND AS TO BELIEF,*
*

4. It is one thing to believe a doctrine without an insight into its difficulties and liableness to abuse; and another thing to believe it with a full view of these difficulties and abuses, and a godly fear of the consequences.

5. It is one thing to believe, upon the whole, that such a doctrine is a scriptural truth; and another to believe it, in connexion with considerable doubt.

6. It is one thing to believe a doctrine so as to make a personal use of it; and another to believe it so firmly, and so unclogged with difficulties, as to publish it before a promiscuous assembly, under the uncertainty how far it may be misunderstood or abused. And, finally,

7. When a doctrine has been abused so as to cause some to impeach God's righteousness,-others, both saints and sinners, to be discouraged, others, to indulge in indolence and supineness,-and others to become presumptuous,-it may be easily accounted for, that a reflecting, conscientious minister, tremblingly alive to the correctness of his people's views and feelings, should be backward to bring such doctrine forward, unless he can, at least, bring it to full view, and freed from those mis-statements and misconceptions of it which have led to such abuse.

* Dr. Watts's Improv. of the Mind, pp. 276, 277.

Preliminary Dissertations,

Bearing upon the Moral Government of God on the one hand, and upon his Sovereign Grace on the other; and upon Man as a Subject of Government, or as an Object of Sovereign Favour.

CHAPTER I.

ON THE UNIVERSAL AND PARTICULAR ASPECT OF THE GOSPEL REVELATION, CONTAINING SUCH SCRIPTURAL PASSAGES AS EITHER EXPRESS

OR

IMPLY SUCH ASPECTS.

SECTION I.

On the Universal Aspect.

THE great subject of the salvation of man, and perhaps its design and plan, was communicated to our first parents after the fall: what information have we in Scripture as to its extent? Let us begin

1. With the period from Adam to Noah.

Doubtless our first parents would make known the glad tidings of a Redeemer to all their children; nor is the least hint given of any limitation of the promise to any part of Adam's seed during this period of 1656 years. Cain, indeed, and his posterity seemed to exclude themselves from its benefit; but God did not exclude them. Nor were those institutions that were designed to prefigure the blessing promised, or to represent man's obligations to his Maker, restricted. All might offer, or at least, avail themselves of the

sacrifices that prefigured the great sacrifice; all might use the purifications that were intended to signify sanctifying blessings; and all might adopt the distinction of clean and unclean animals, prescribed, probably, to teach them morals. We read, too, of God's "holy prophets since the world began ;" and there is no reason to think that their services were then confined. The original promise, as the antidote of the poison taken, assuredly was available for all who would use such antidote. And when God says, My Spirit shall not always strive with man," the declaration must refer to man universally,-to the whole race of man then coming into existence.

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2. From Noah to Abraham.

Noah, the second father of mankind, would obviously do as our first progenitor did before him; and there can be no reasonable doubt that sacrifices, and priests, and altars, and purifications, and distinction of meats, have obtained ever since the commencement of this second epoch of time; and, if so, gospel blessings were exhibited and proffered to all on the part of God; that men forgot the original design of these institutions, or abused them to superstitious and sinful purposes, was their fault. And, while these figures" of promised "good things to come," would indicate to a renewed, but still apostate, world the sacrifice and blessing of a future redemption, the covenant of Noah, being evidently universal in its aspect, accompanied with the token of the rainbow, would have the effect of a universal announcement that God was merciful, and disposed to peace; and that," in every nation," he who, in the faith of God

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and of these " good things to come," should "fear God and work righteousness," would-not be justified for his working righteousness-but, as a manifested believer," be accepted of," or be pleasing to him, as all such now are under the Christian dispensation. Of these was "Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of the most high God."

3. From Abraham to Moses.

"The gifts of God are without repentance ;" and, having given the covenant promise of a Redeemer to Adam as the first father of mankind, and renewed the grant to Noah, as the second common father, God never withdrew the promise, although men neglected, and probably would have lost it, if they had been left to themselves. God, therefore, now sovereignly interposed to secure a regard to it by the call of Abraham. In the family of that illustrious patriarch it was conveyed down from generation to generation, not only in Isaac's chosen line, but by Keturah and her descendants. Nahor, also, and his family by Lot, and even his descendants, would hand down by tradition the promise, and the things appended to it. But, as just observed, both it and they would, probably, have been utterly lost, as to their true intent, if the Lord had not graciously and sovereignly interposed, and formed a sort of conservative enclosure by establishing a visible church in the posterity of Abraham.

This then he did about the year of the world 2083, and before Christ 1921. Abraham was called from an idolatrous family, and the original covenant promise, together with such oracles of God as had been "spoken by the mouth of his holy prophets