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Excerpt from Discourses, on the Sovereign and Universal Agency of God, in Nature and Grace Secondly, That God's own will is the only rule, by which he makes, governs and directs all things.(4) I am then, in the first place, to show, that the agency of Divine Providence produces and governs all things. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.

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Excerpt from A Practical Discourse of God's Sovereignty: With Other Material Points Derived Thence; Namely, of the Righteousness of God, of Election, of Redemption, of Effectual Calling, of Perseverance I have known the Author long (full twenty-eight years) to have had a spirit greatl addicted to, andffi'ected with, the savory knowl edge of the truths ere delivered. And though he hath not had the use and help of fetei languages, wherein these points have been mostly written; yet may say of him (as 1 Tim. 4: He hath been long nourished up in the words of faith and good doctrine; and thereunto he hath so far attained, as to be able to cut_the strongest sinews of the principal objections which the adversaries have inva. Ded these truths with. And further, to establish the positive truth, hath backed and confirmed the same by solid arguments, and perti nent scriptures genuinely explained and Opened. And, which to me is yet more, he hath extracted the most spiritual, quickening cordials, which the doctrine of grace and election afi'ords plenty of, whereby to comfort all sorts of believers; exhorting and directing the whole company and body of them, how to manage their faith between God and their own souls, in point of election: persuading them all to com mit and betake themselves wholly to God's carrying on their salva tion, in the way of election: and all along hath strewed his discourse with useful exhortations and applications of the doctrines he does deliver; mixing uses lor practice, with the rational discussions, and the ruggeder controversials; which hath been a defect complained of in others, to the reproach of the doctrine itself; and made an argu ment, that the doctrine is not true, seeing 0mm serum est barium, and both are inseparable affections of being. Upon these and like considerations, I de heartily commend this treatise to the judicious reader, nothing doubting, but that it will satisfy the weakest Chris tians, as it hath approved itself to several divines; heping also that this edition will do as much good to men's souls as the termer cdi. Tions have done. The blessings of heaven go with it. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.

Excerpt from Discourses on Various Subjects Relative to the Being and Attributes of God, and His Works in Creation, Providence, and Grace, Vol. 2 He to whom God says, I am thy God, in this peculiar sense, has reason for eternal exultation. And that He had shewn himself to be God, the good Being, to Israel, he adds which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. I need not here enter into the ancient history of the Israelites, and of their 430 years servitude in Egypt, where they were at all times ill used, and towards the latter part of their sojourning there, most cruelly oppressed; these things are well known. From that land, in which the true God was not acknowledged - where they had no means of grace, and no spiritual or intellectual advantage of any kind - out of this place of slavery, - this house of boncen, God, by a strong and mighty arm, redeemed them; and was now actually guiding them to a land where they were to eat bread without scarceness; where God alone should be their King - where they were to have the essence of civil liberty -and, with all other good things, the means of grace, and the hope of glory. All these were obligations of the highest kind, and reasons why they should receive His laws immediately from Himself; and take them for the regulators of their heart, and the rule of their conduct. There are two points of view under which this Law of God appears both singular and important. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.

Excerpt from The Decrees of God: A Discourse Second - It is objected, that if God fore-ordains whatsoever come to pass he is the author of sin. Some may say and think so, but Presby terians neither say nor think so. We do not understand the term ordain or fore-ordain to mean fatality or physical necessity. When it is said that Christ was verily fore-ordained before the foundation of the world, we do not mean that he was under the physical necessity of dying or was compelled by fate to die. But this is Our meaning when we speak of fore ordaining an event: It is to form such a purpose respecting it, as retr ders certain its future existence, through positive or permissive agency. Now, does it follow that because God fore-ordained or purposed to save a portion of our race, and fore-ordained to permit another portion to go on in sin, or to leave them to themselves to pursue their own course, that he is the author of their sins? Take an illustration: Suppose you knew that by preaching the Gospel to five men, one of them would repent and turn from sin, but you also knew that the repentance of that one would so enrage the others that they would curse the very God of their existence, and cruelly persecute the man that repented. Knowing these things with certainty, you determined to preach to the five men, and thus save one instrumentally; do you not at the same time decree, IN one sense, the cursing and persecution of the others and yet you are in no sense the author OF their wickedness. Because God enlightens some, and others are hardened by the use of the same means and God punishes them for the neglect and abuse of the means of grace, does that make God the author of sin? There certainly is a vast difference between the sun's being the source of heat and light and being the cause of darkness. When the sun sets darkness follows, but would any man in his senses say, that the sun, which is the fountain of light, was also the fountain of dark ness 7 SO God is not the source of sin, but when he withdraws his pre sence and influence, sin invariably follows but that no more makes God the author of sin, than the setting of the sun makes it the source of darkness. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.