fo long as they continue obedient. Therefore nothing but tranfgreffion can put an end to the exiftence and happinefs of a moral agent: it hence follows that they who perfevere in obedience muft exift happy forever, and they who tranfgrefs muft fuffer evil without end; confequently every moral agent muft exift forever, in order to the proper and full exercife of moral government. Therefore whatever God does refpecting moral agents, (and he has refpect to thefe in all he does) in this fenfe, fhall be forever; he has a view to an endless duration, and aims at an end which never shall cease, but muft exist forever.

It has been obferved, that the moral world is the end of all God's works; and that the fubjects of moral government muft exift forever; and that, in this fenfe, all that God does fhall be forever. But the fubjects of moral government, and all the events that immediately relate to them, do not comprehend all the moral world: God himself must be confidered as included in this everlafting, moral kingdom, as the Supreme Head and Eternal King of it. And he, being infinitely greater, more important and worthy of regard than any or all creatures, muft therefore be the end of all that is done : that is, he must make himself the highest and last end, and do all for himself, as the fcripture afferts: "The Lord hath made all things for himself." The exercise, manifestation and difplay of his own perfections and glory muft be the fupreme end of all the works of God, which neceffarily includes the greateft poffible happiness of the obedient fubjects of his moral kingdom; which therefore must be forever, or without end: for a temporary difplay of the Divine Glory, and the temporary happiness and glory of the moral kingdom of God, would be infinitely lefs than an eternal and increasing duration of these, and nothing in comparison with this. In this view, we fee how whatfoever God doth is forever. His defign in all he does is his own glory, in his everlafting kingdom. This is his end, and the iffue of all is this, which fhall have no end. The kingdom of God

Oo

God is an everlasting kingdom, and of his dominion and glory there will be no end; which is abundantly afferted in fcripture, we all know. And this kingdom, glory and dominion is the end of all God's works. Therefore every thing he doth fhall be forever; it hath no end in his defign, and in the effect and confequence. Nothing can be more certain than this.

2. It is afferted in these words, that God has fixed a plan of operation, including all his works, all he doth or will do in time and to eternity; and that he is executing this plan or defign in all he doth: all his works having reference to this, and being included in it. This is implied in the former particular. For if in all God doth he hath refpect to that which is endless, he muft have formed a defign, and fixed a plan of operation, which is endlefs, including all he will do, and all events, to eternity. This the fcripture abundantly afferts: "He worketh all things according to the counfel of his own will. The counfel of the Lord ftandeth forever, and the thoughts of his heart to all generations :" [Pfal. xxxiii. 11.] He is in one mind, and who can turn him? And what his foul defireth, even that he doth:"[ob xxiii. 13.] "Known unto God are all his works from the beginning of the world:" [Acts xv. 18.] And, if we attend to the point, we cannot but know that it must be fo, it being impoffible that it fhould be otherwife; for to fuppofe the contrary is to fuppofe God is changeable, which is inconfiftent with infinite perfection, and with his being infallible, and to be trusted in all cafes. Indeed, if there were not a Being who is unchangeable, there would be no God. Befides, if God be infinite in power, knowledge, wifdom and goodness, which he certainly is, then he is able, and could not but fix upon a plan of operation, including all he would do, all his works of creation and providence, without end, or forever. He could not but propofe an end of all his works, and lay the wifeft plan to accomplish that end. Not to do this muft manifeft want of wisdom, or of ability, and therefore would be inconfiftent with

infinite

infinite power and wisdom. It is impoffible he fhould not know what is wifeft and best to be done in every inftance to eternity: he is able to do it, for nothing can be in the way to prevent his doing it: and it is equally impoffible he fhould be infinitely wife and good, and not fix upon and execute the wifeft and best plan of operation. Nothing can be more evident and certain than this. Well may we join with Solomon, and say, “We know, that whatsoever God doth, it shall be forever." He has propofed infinitely the best poffible end, which cannot be accomplished in time, but by an everlasting feries of works: he has fixed upon the wifest plan to anfwer this end, and all he doth has reference to this end: and the effect and confequence of all his works, for the fake of which they are done, will remain for

ever.

Let us now proceed to confider the following words: Nothing can be put to it, nor any thing taken from it." These are part of the fame fentence, and have respect to the foregoing, and affert, that nothing can be put or added to what God doth, or taken from it. In these words the following particulars are expreffed or implied; which also imply each other.

I. These words contain a more strong and exprefs declaration than the foregoing; That the divine plan of his endless operations, including every thing which he doth and will do to eternity, is unalterably fixed, so that It is impoffible that any change or alteration fhould be made, in any refpect, or in the leaft degree. His defigns are fixed from eternity. He has determined what he will do, and what he will not do, in every inftance, greater or lefs. And his plan admits of no alteration; nothing can be added to it, or taken from it. It has been obferved, that this is abundantly afferted in fcripture, and that reafon teaches it must be fo; and that to deny this, or ever doubt it, is to deny or doubt of the exiftence of a God, fupreme, omnipotent, infinitely, intelligent, wife and good.

2. Thefe

2. These words imply that all things, and every event from the greateft to the leaft, from the first to the laft, are included in the divine plan, and are unalterably fixed by the counfel and decree of God. This must be fo, unless creatures and things may exift, and events may take place, independent of God, and with which his power and operation has no concern, without the leaft dependence on his determination and will, and, it may be, contrary to it: which no rational man can ad. mit, as it is abfolutely impoffible.

If all the works of God are known to him, which they could not be, unless he had determined and fixed what he will do; then every thing, every event which fhall take place or exift, must be known, and confequently certain, and made fo by the divine decree, determining what he would do. If any one event, even the leaft that can take place, were not fixed, but uncertain whether it will take place or not; then what God will do, fo far as his works refpect that event, must be uncertain, and cannot be known or fixed. Therefore God, by determining his own works, equally determined and fixed what every creature fhould be, as the latter is necef farily included in the former. The divine will and ope, ration has refpect to, and concern with, every thing, every event, even the least that takes place; and it comes to pafs and actually exifts by fome act of his, without which it could not take place, whether it be in the natural or moral world. The existence, the time and circumftances of the existence, of every bird, even the leaft, and the time and means of its beginning and ceafing to exist, are all fixed by what God does. Every hair of our heads, and of every head, and creature, that ever did or fhall exift, is made by God. He numbers them all, and orders every circumftance, the growth, length, bignefs, ufe, decay and lofs, or difpofal, of each one. Every tree on the earth, every plant, leaf and fpire of graís, he produces by his power, energy and care. He caufes every drop of rain or hail, and every flake of fnow, that falls, and determines the bignefs, the fhape and time of

the

the falling of each one. All these are the work of God, as are innumerable others, whether greater or lefs. These therefore must be all fixed from eternity, by Him who worketh all things according to the counfel of his own will.

And it is equally certain that every event, and all that comes to pass in the moral world, depends upon the will and determination of God, and could not exist, if he determined and did nothing concerning it. Every action of moral agents, and every perception, motion and every thought which takes place in their hearts or minds, is comprehended in what God doth, and is affected by his power and operation. "The heart of the king, and confequently of all men, "is in the hand of the Lord, as the rivers of water: he turneth it whither foever he will." Every thing in the moral world, even the least motion and thought of the heart, is of unspeakably more importance than the events in the natural world, and are as much dependent on the will and operation of God; and therefore must be as much fixed and certain. And this is neceffarily implied, in God's determining and fixing what he will do, so that there can be no alteration of his plan of operation; nothing put to it, or taken from it, for it comprehends all things, and all events, great and fmall, which shall take place and exift from the beginning of time, to eternity.

Thus certain is it from this text, as well as from innumerable other paffages of fcripture, and from the reafon and nature of things, that God has, by determining what he would do, neceffarily "foreordained whatsoever comes to pass.

3. Thefe words affert that the divine plan of operation, which is endless, and includes all things and every event that ever did or fhall take place, is the wiseft and best that can be; fo that to make any alteration in it, in any refpect or the leaft degree, to take any thing from it, or add any thing to it, which is not included in it, would render it lefs perfect, wife and good. In this refpect, "nothing can be put to it, nor any thing taken from it,"

without