But leaving this consequence, we may return to the word ordained, which means, to appoint, put in office, or invest with certain powers o privileges. Thus Matthias was ordained, to take part of that ministry and apostleship, from which Judas, by transgression fell. In this sense also the seven deacons were ordained. And yet one of them introduced that offensive doctrine, so emphatically denounced in the Revelations. c. 2. v. 6, 15. (Dupin's Church His. Vol. 1. p. 30.) The Bishops, in the primitive church, were ordained; and these again ordained elders. Tit. 1. 5. In all these cases we see nothing that conveys the idea of irrevocable decrees. We can speak of ordaining an apostle, a deacon, a bishop, or elder, yet suppose that a preparation for such office was necessary, and of course became a condition: and further conceive, that in case of apostacy, they might become unfit for such office, and be cast out of it.

But if it be said, that the ordinations that have been mentioned, were the acts of men, while the other is the act of God: it may be replied, that in those cases which have been quoted, the Holy Spirit did concur, and therefore they are not to be considered as cases of mere human appointment.

But there are cases, purely of divine ordination, which might further illustrate the subject. In the message delivered to David, when he had proposed to build a temple, it is said: "Also I will ordain a place for my people Israel, and will plant them, and they shall dwell in their place, and shall be moved no more."1 Chron. 17. 9. And yet this ordaining was evidently conditional; because the temple has been demolished-the nation has been destroyed, and the remnant of the Jewish stock, are scattered from that place, through all civilized nations upon the earth.

Cases parrallel to this might be found in numerous periods of the Jewish history. But I conceive it unnessary to multiply quotations of the kind. A few cases however from the New Testament, may not be improper. It is said in Mark, 3. 14, that Jesus "ordained twelve, that they should be with him,"-"and to have power to heal sicknesses, and to cast out devils." Judas was one of the twelve: and though he was ordained by our Lord Jesus Christ himself, yet he did not retain the office, powers, or privileges, to which he was ordained.

In allusion to choosing his disciples from the rest of mankind, and ordaining them to the important mission that has been recited from Mark, our Lord made use of the following expressions to them. “Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that you should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain." John, 15. 16. But if it should be supposed that these expressions had no allusion to Judas, it should be remembered that the same evangelist, c. 6, v. 70, relates that Jesus said: "Have not I chosen you twelve, and one of you is a devil?" Judas therefore was chosen: was ordained of Jesus Christ-to the same high offices with the other apostles-in which he had power to cast out devils-but he kept not the station to which the Lord had ordained him; and came himself, under the power of the devil.

But some may stumble at the terms, eternal life. Much of the difficulty in which controverted subjects are involved, arises from inattention to the different ideas, attached to certain terms. Thus the terms eternal life, may be understood to relate to the duration of existence. But it is also applied, and seems more properly to belong, to that divine principle, which has been denominated by different forms of expression. Thus, it is called Grace, from its

being the free gift of God to man, in order to enable him to obtain salvation. It is called Light, from its illuminating nature and effects on the human mind. It is called Life, from the capacities and powers which it communicates to those who receive it. And it may be, and is, called eternal life, not only for the last reasons which are given, but also to shew its divine source and nature: and that it is, in itself, a living, indestructable principle. In the text before us, I conceive the terms, eternal life, relate to a principle, rather than to the duration of existence. Nor is this exposition new, or unprecedented. There are numerous passages of Scripture that will bear this construction, and some that cannot bear any other. "When Christ, who is our life, shall appear." Col. 3. 4. "The power of an endless life." 7. 16. "Thou hast the words of eternal life." John, 6. 68. "This is life eternal, that they might know thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent." ib. 17. 3. "This is the true God and eternal life." 1 John, 5. 20. No murderer hath eternal life abiding in him." ib. 3. 15. This last passage, is very conclusive on the point, and cannot be construed in any other way. The apostle, speaking of the Word, and his incarnation, says: "In him was life; and the life was the light of men." John, 1. 4. The same inspired writer, also uses the expressions: "For the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bare witness, and shew unto you THAT eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us." 1 John, 1. 2. And as this Grace, Light, and Life, (to which the epithet eternal, so properly belongs,) may visit, influence, and animate us-as we may be placed in it as in a new capacity, power, or of fice, we may, by a mode of expression, analagous to those cases already quoted, be said to be chos

sen, appointed, or ordained, to it. But though this life itself, is eternal, yet, after possessing it, we may be separated from it, and that separation be properly denominated death. (Vide Art. Perse

verance.)

The meaning of the passage, quoted from the Acts, I conceive, amounts simply to this: that as many as received, or were invested with, or come under, the influence of the divine principle,"believed.” For I cannot suppose, that we are to infer any more from this passage, than that these Gentiles, on hearing the glad tidings of the Gospel, preached by the apostles, and under the influence of that Grace which brings salvation, had become ingrafted into the true Church, and placed precisely on a footing with those to whom itwas said: "Ifthou continue in his goodness, otherwise thou also shalt be

cut off."

We do not represent the Supreme Being, as bringing mankind into existence, for the very purpose of making them miserable to all eternity: or calling on them for the performance of certain duties, and, at the same time, rendering obedience absolutely impossible, and punishing them to all eternity, for what was the effect of his own irrésistible, secret will.Such an idea is too shocking to be ascribed to infinite goodness.

But if it be said that the disobedience of sinners, though under the direction of the secret will of God, is still voluntary: It may be replied, that this is too plain a contradiction to be offered to even the lowest capacity. As well might we talk of the voluntary act of a machine, or the voluntary or wilful movement of a cloud. It is all the effect of force, which the subject has neither power nor will to resist.

If it be said that the will of the creature is in ac

cordance with the secret will of God: I answer, so much the more is he an object of acceptance, not of punishment. But what ideas can men entertain of the Deity, to suppose that his secret and revealed will are different! That he pretends to will one thing, and secretly wills another-That there is no reality in the revealed will-it is nothing but an appearance, and yet, that an undeviating performance of the secret will-which is nothing more than his real will, is to draw down his judgments and everlasting wrath!!!

It has been urged by some, that God does not work without a plan-and that predestination is nothing more than the plan of divine operations.

Suppose we admit that the Supreme Ruler of the Universe, does not work without a plan: it does not follow that unconditional election and reprobation is that plan. Such a conclusion could not be drawn without proving that such a plan would be consistent with the attributes of the Deity, and also, that the doctrine of free agency would not. But this has not been done. On the other hand, it may be urged, both from Scripture and from reason, that the plan which the Almighty has laid down, for the government of his rational creatures, is, that man should be free to choose and to act-instructed in his duty-enabled to perform it, and made subject to the consequences.

It has also been supposed, that as the Deity foreknows all things-what is certainly fore-known must certainly come to pass.

All those who have pretended to digest the doctrine into any thing like a system, and all who have held it so digested, have distinguished between the fore-knowledge of the Deity, and his deThe one is an attribute, the other an act. The prescience of the Almighty is as much an attri

crees.