from what they are. The "word" in the text which shall not return void, but prosper in the thing whereto it is sent," is the prophetic word relating to the times of the Gospel, and which shall be effectual in all that believe, to save from the guilt, pollution, and condemnation of sin; and we might add, which shall be effectual in the final condemnation and punishment of all who reject the Gospel. But all this is done while their actions are their own, and are free.

Dan. iv, 35, is also produced to show the necessity of human actions. "He doeth according to his will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth: and none can stay his hand, or say unto him, What doest thou?" These words were spoken by Nebuchadnezzar, on occasion of his former insanity, and subsequent return of reason, in which he acknowledged the power of God; and they may be applied to any of those events in the life of man, or the kingdoms of this world, which are brought about by the providence and power of God; but were never intended to teach the necessity of the actions of moral and accountable creatures, and much less that "God works all things in all men, even wickedness in the wicked." We now see how little reason my opponent had to draw this horrid and blasphemous conclusion of the necessity of all human actions, from any of those passages which he adduced in proof of his position. And yet he calls the

evidence of these passages "direct proof" of his doctrine.

We have more of this kind of "direct proof" in the following passages, which are designed to show that "actions which we call sinful, and for which we incur punishment, are in accordance with the will of God." The first produced is Gen. xlv, 5, 7, 8, where Joseph says to his brethren, "Now, therefore, be not grieved, nor angry with yourselves, that ye sold me hither; for God did send me before you to preserve life. And God sent me before you to preserve you a posterity in the earth, and to save your lives by a great deliverance. So now it was not you that sent me hither, but God: and he hath made me a father to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house, and a ruler throughout all the land of Egypt."

We may remark here, 1. That God had a wise and merciful design in sending Joseph into Egypt, while his brethren had an envious, malicious, and murderous design in sending him thither. 2. We may remark that God so overruled their evil design as to accomplish his own merciful design, and produce great good to them, to their father's house, and to the Egyptians. 3. We remark, that Joseph, deeply penetrated with a sense of the wisdom and mercy of God, and full of the spirit of forgiveness and brotherly affection, apologized for his brethren, and directed their attention rather to the providence of God, than to their

own conduct în sending him into Egypt. And 4. That there is not in this whole account, or elsewhere, the least intimation that their conduct in selling their brother was in "accordance with the will of God," but the supposition is absurd, blasphemous, and abhorrent to the nature and will of God.

The next passage adduced to prove that the wicked actions of men are in "accordance with the will of God," is Exod. vii, 1-5, where we have an account of God's hardening Pharaoh's heart, and of his refusing to hearken to Moses and Aaron. The following remarks will comprise all that need be said on this subject, and will show whether Pharaoh's conduct was in "accordance with the will of God," or not.

1. Pharaoh was a haughty, tyrannical, idolatrous prince, the measure of whose iniquities was now full, and God determined on a course of retributive justice toward him, as well as of mercy to the Israelites.

2. Pharaoh's disobedience was the cause of his heart being hardened. Thus it is repeatedly said that "Pharaoh hardened his heart ;" and "Pharaoh hardened his heart at this time also."

3. When it is said that "God hardened Pharaoh's heart," it is not to be understood that he did this efficiently, but judicially, that is, by leaving him to the consequences of his own wickedness. And this he did, that he might "multiply his signs and wonders in the

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land of Egypt." In this sense the Prophet Isaiah made the "heart of the people fat, and their ears heavy, and shut their eyes," that is, these effects followed his preaching when the word of the Lord was rejected by them: see Acts xxviii, 26, 27. In this sense also the Gospel ministry proves a savour of death unto death," to all such as disregard it, when they are finally "given over to a reprobate mind." And we may observe that if we lay wax, and soft clay, before the fire, the same heat that softens the wax will harden the clay. This is not owing to a difference in the heat which affects these substances, but to the difference in the substances themselves. And thus it is with sinners under the Gospel. While one is made contrite, another is made more obdurate; but these different effects are not to be ascribed to a difference in the design and operation of God upon them, but to the difference in their conduct toward the Gospel. And thus it was with Pharaoh. Had he hearkened diligently to the voice of the Lord God, as he might have done, he would have been saved; but saying practically, as well as in word, "I know not the LORD, neither will I obey his voice," he became hardened in sin, and was finally destroyed.

4. There is no evidence in the whole account of Pharaoh, that his conduct was in "accordance with the will of God," but the direct contrary. God certainly expressed his will to Pharaoh in very plain terms, and

Pharaoh as certainly went contrary to his will.

Acts ii, 23, is produced as "direct proof" that the most wicked actions of men are in "accordance with the will of God." 66 Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain." Dr. Clarke observes upon these words, that "God had determined long before, from the foundation of the world, to give his Son a sacrifice for sin; and the treachery of Judas, and the malice of the Jews, were only the incidental means by which the great counsel of God was fulfilled: the counsel of God intending the sacrifice; but never ordering that it should be brought about by such wretched means. This was permitted; the other was decreed." We may add, that God foreseeing the treachery of Judas, and the malice of the Jews, "determined" to deliver his Son up to suffer all that was in their power, as free agents, to inflict upon him, and to overrule the whole for the good of mankind. But this was a very different thing from determining their wickedness, and is no proof that their wickedness was in "accordance" with his will.

There is only one passage more adduced by my opponent for the very strange purpose of showing that the worst actions of men are in "accordance with the will of God," and that is Acts iv, 27, 28, "For of a truth against