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THE PROPER ETERNITY OFTHE DIVINE DECREES,

and of theMEDIATORIAL OFFICE OF

JESUS CHRISTBy John Brine, September 19, 1754

(Note: The regular article of StanleyPhillips will be omitted in this issue toprovide space for the following articleby John Brine. This is a rare work, andthe only copy we have seen to date.Rather than it be lost forever from ourpeople, we will print it in full.

John Brine was an Old Baptist ofEngland, and contemporary with JohnGill. Gill’s writings better pleased thepeople; and John Brine, like many ofus, was accused of being antinomian.He was a great defender of thedoctrines of Christ as understood byour people..)

“The Lord possessed me in thebeginning of His Way, before hisWorks of old. I was set up, fromEverlasting, from the Beginning, orever the Earth was.” Proverbs viii. 22,23.

These are the Words of Wisdom,which speak throughout the Chapter:different apprehensions have beenentertained concerning this divineSpeaker, viz. What, or who is meant byWisdom. I think there are clear reasonsto conclude, that by Wisdom, a Person,or intelligent Agent is intended: For,Wisdom all along speaks underpersonal characters, and personal

ACTS are attributed unto this Speaker.As searching, or finding out. “IWisdom dwell with prudence, and findout knowledge of witty inventions.”Also ACTS of love and affection: “Ilove them that love me.” and acts of joyand delight: “Then was I by Him, asone brought up with Him, I was dailyHis delight, rejoicing always beforeHim: rejoicing in the habitable partsof the earth, and My delights werewith the sons of men.” All which arepersonal acts, and, therefore, thisdivine Speaker, is a Person, or anunderstanding agent; and the thingswhich are predicated of this Speaker,are so grand and sublime, that theycannot be applicable to any personthan Christ, who is the Wisdom, aswell as the Power of God.

Understanding the words of ourblessed Redeemer, withoutcommenting upon what precedes, Ishall immediately proceed to theexplication of them.

And it will be proper to shew, whatis designed by the Way of the Lord;what the Beginning of His wayimports; what is implied in the Act ofpossessing Christ; what Works of Godare intended, before which Hepossessed our Saviour, and why theyare said to be of old; what the settingup of Wisdom designs: when this wasdone, from Everlasting, from thebeginning, or ever the earth was.

I. I would shew what is designedby the Way of the Lord. The Way ofGod sometimes intends His wise and

holy dispensations towards the world,and towards His Church in Providence,which are the accomplishment of HisDecrees concerning both, with respectunto their temporal estate. This is asense wherein it is frequently to beunderstood: and His way is to be takenfor His gracious Purposes andCounsels, which were formed in Hisinfinite and eternal Mind, concerningChrist, and His Church is designed byit in these words: “For My thoughtsare not your thoughts, neither are yourways My ways saith the Lord. For asthe heavens are higher than the earth,so My ways higher than your ways andmy thoughts than your thoughts.”

It is of pardoning grace and mercy,that the Lord there speaks: “For Hewill abundantly pardon.” We are tooapt to limit the Holy One of Israel, inHis acts of pardoning kindness andmercy. And it is His intention, in thesewords to assure us, that His purposesof Grace, Mercy, and Pardon, infinitelyexceeds those conceptions which weare apt to entertain thereof. Iapprehend, that in this sense, thedivine way is to be understood, in thetext: Or, that God’s thoughts andpurposes of love, and grace concerningChrist and His members are meant byHis way. Further I am to shew,

II. What the beginning of Hisway imports. If we understand it ofduration: That must either commence,or not commence, have limit, or nothave limit. The term beginning is putfor duration, which had notcommencement, in these words; “God

hath from the beginning chosen you tosalvation, through sanctification of theSpirit, and the belief of the truth.” Thisdivine act of Election was eternal:“According as He hath chosen us inHim, before the foundation of theworld.” (Eph. 1:5) From thebeginning, and before the foundationof the world mean the same. And, therenever was an instant, wherein theChurch was not the object of agracious choice unto salvation, or theenjoyment of eternal life.

A learned writer hath beenpleased to distinguish upon eternity, aparte ante, or that duration, which wasbefore the existence of the world, orthings created, and speaks of a first,and an after date therein. The firstdate respects, he says, God’sexistence, which was eternal, and hadno beginning: the after date refers untoHis Decrees, or acts within Himselfrelating unto Christ and the Church,which he affirms had beginning: Hesums up what he had before morelargely expressed, and pleaded for, inthis assertion, viz. God Himself wasbefore the conceptions and thoughtswhich lie entertained of his works: be-sure in order of nature; but how longbefore, the thing neither speaks northe word declares. Let us press thisgrape a little, that we may be able toform a judgment of the nature of itsjuice. The plain import of this assertionis, God was before He had infiniteThought and Consciousness; but howlong before, is impossible to be known,because neither the Thing speaks, northe Word declares it. This is a very

unsafe, a very offensive, and a mostabsurd way of speaking. If God everwas without infinite thought andconsciousness. He was not, lie thencould not be God. For, a Being withoutthought and consciousness can’t beGod. To be quite free with you uponthis subject: The assertion is soextremely absurd, that it excites myastonishment. The Divine Decrees areof the same date with the existence ofGod. His Being is not of one date, andHis Purposes of another, a later date.Besides, to suppose, that there was aneverlasting, or a duration, before theexistence of a creature, that really hada beginning, or commencement, is toimagine, that there was a duration,which was neither eternal, nortemporary; but something betweenboth, which is an highly absurdimagination. Duration is, eitherimmeasurable and without any limit:Or, it is measurable and hath a limit. Ifduration past is immeasurable, it iseternal, and could not have anybeginning. If it is measurable, it is noteternal, but temporary, and must havehad commencement. There can be nomedium between eternity and lime. Aduration which begins, is measurableand limited, whether it is measured anddivided into the parts whereof itconsist, or not, by the motion of body,or otherwise. Measurable and limited itis, and there must be some instant atwhich we must necessarily stop, whenwe contemplate a past duration, whichhad beginning. If, therefore, the DivineDecrees are later than the existence ofGod, or had beginning, they must, as toduration, have been infinitely short of

the existence of God. So that,according to the doctrine contained inthis most absurd assertion, there musthave been an infinite duration,wherein, God was without conceptionand thoughts of His works: that is tosay, without infinite thought andconsciousness; and therefore, for aninfinite duration, He was not God.

For, if His conceptions andthoughts really had beginning, theymust begin after Himself had existed,in a duration infinite: because such aduration must have been before ameasurable duration could begin, and,consequently, though God, in hisexistence is eternal, His love to Christ,and the Church, and his Decrees aboutthem, are not eternal; but onlytemporary. Which is no more true, thanit is, that the Almighty Creator, once,was not God.

A certain writer pours contemptupon some, whose works have praised,and will long praise them, in the Gatesof the Church, that have endeavoured,to prove Christ’s eternal existence, orproper Deity from this place. Hiscontemptous words concerning them,are these: I wonder not, that Arianismprevails as it doth, amongst us, at thisday, when such poor, blind, ignorantwretches, undertake to defend theDoctrine of the Redeemer’s Godhead;for sure I am, that going to the eighthof Proverbs to prove it, is for ever togive up the cause into the hands of theArians. This contemptuous languagethe author prevailed with himself touse, concerning some worthy persons,

as any perhaps, in the Church of Godwas blessed with in the formerCentury.

His great confidence and contemptwill not deter me from asserting, thatin this Chapter, clear proof is given, inabundance, and above all exception,unto the important Doctrine of theeternal existence, and proper Deity ofour precious Redeemer. I shall proceedso far, as to say, that, if that Doctrine isnot capable of proof from this context;proof of it cannot be brought from anypart whatever, of sacred Writ. Theterms and phrases, used therein,expressing the Eternity of HisExistence, are so full, strong, andexplicit, (sic) that none more so can beproduced. But this writer was led into amistake, by what the learned author, Ibefore referred unto, had advanced,concerning the import of the termeverlasting, as it is used, in relation toGod’s Decrees, and Acts withinHimself, as some other persons havealso been, which is not a little to belamented.

Upon the whole, if beginning isunderstood of duration, Eternity mustbe intended: Or that immeasurableduration, which was before theCreation of the world, and had nocommencement. But, it may beobserved, that in the original, it is notin the “beginning”, as we translate; butthe Lord possessed me, the Beginningof His way: And the original wordsignifies the First, or Chief. By whichtwo things are suggested:

1. That Christ is the First andChief, in the Decrees of God, as theyare all calculated for His glory, aboveAngels and men. The supreme end ofGod in His Purposes and Operations, isthe Glory of His own infinitePerfections, Wisdom, Power,Goodness, &c. For He made, anddecreed to make all things for Himself.His next, subordinate end, which Heeternally had in view, was the Glory ofChrist, in the Character of Mediator, asan effect of his infinite Love unto HisPerson. Hence the Apostle speaking ofChrist in His mediatorial capacity, orof His Person, as constituted of thedivine and human natures, says: “Allthings were created by and for Him.”They were made by Him, as anefficient Cause, and they were alsomade for Him, as a final Cause.

Again, 2. When it is said, thatChrist is the First, or Chief of God’sways, it implies, that there is a moreglorious display of His Perfections inHim, than in any of, or all His otherworks taken together. All Divineworks are excellent and worthy of theirinfinitely good and great Author. Theworks of Creation point out unto us theinfinite Wisdom, unlimited Power, andBenevolence of the Creator. “For theinvisible things of Him, from thecreation of the world, are clearly seen,being understood by the things thatare made, even His eternal power andGodhead.” But, there is a far moreillustrious and superior display of theWisdom, Goodness, Holiness, Truth,and Justice of God, in the constitutionof the Person of Christ, and in the

amazing designs, which are therebyaccomplished. And, therefore, withgreat propriety, He may be said, asMediator, to be the Chief of His ways.I proceed to shew:

III. What is implied in the Act ofpossessing Christ. The original wordsignifies to have or posses by price, orby labour, and sometimes by birth. Inthis sense Eve uses it. When she hadconceived and bore Cain, she said: “Ihave gotten (the same word) a manfrom the Lord.” In this sense it may beunderstood here, for there is not thatwanting in the context, which givescountenance unto it. Wisdom, orChrist, says of Himself, “Before themountains were settled, before thehills was I brought forth.” The latterwriter, unto whom I before referred, onthe subject of the filiation of Christ,hath these remarkable words: I ampositive, that Christ as the eternal God(i.e, as a Divine Person) was neverbegotten, since it is impossible for meto conceive the begetter and thebegotten to be of equal date.

Why is he so confident that Christ,as a Divine Person, was neverbegotten? He was so, because He wasnot able to conceive how He could beof the same date with Him, by whomHe was begotten. Shall we poorworms, whose understandings arefinite and limited, take upon us, boldlyto pronounce, that, that cannot be inDeity, which we are unable to formadequate ideas of, or explain how it is?We must forget our own nature, andthe nature of God also, if we do. We

must forget our own nature, that it islimited and finite, and for that reason,incapable of comprehending thatwhich is infinite. And, we must forgetthe nature of God, viz, that it isinfinite, and therefore, unto usincomprehensible. That, therefore, maybe Deity, which we are sure cannot bein finite and limited beings. And, thatwhich involves a contradiction, inbeings finite and limited, may not, inthat Being, which is infinite. Forinstance, in the human nature, itimplies a manifest contradiction toconceive, that He who is begotten, isof the same date with Him that begotHim. But, it by no means follows, thatit is a contradiction to conceive, that aDivine Person, who is begotten, is ofthe same date with the Divine Begetter.This writer, notwithstanding hisconfidence in this matter, might havebeen asked, as puzzling questionsconcerning Eternity, as any he couldpropose relating unto this mysterioussubject. But, I suppose, he wouldscarcely have denied, that there is aduration, which had not beginning, andwhich will never end, though he mighthave found it impossible for him toresolve some difficult questionsconcerning it.

It is beyond contradiction, thatChrist is the Son of God. He is HisSon, therefore, either in a propersense, or only in an improper andmetaphorical one. That He is the Sonof God, in a proper sense, may beconcluded from His asserting, that Godwas His own Father: “My Fatherworketh hitherto, and I work:” The

Jews inferred, and very rightly, fromthis assertion, and not from Hisaffirming Himself to be the Messiah,that He made himself equal with God.Therefore, the Jews sought the more tokill Him, not only because He hadbroken the Sabbath, but said also, thatGod was His (idiovown, or proper)Father, making Himself equal withGod. He is so a Son, as to be of thesame nature with God, whose Son Heis. For which reason, He is calledGod’s own, or proper Son. God“spared not His own,” or proper, Son.God can’t be His proper Father, if Hebegat Him not; nor can He be God’sproper Son, unless He was begotten ofHim. But He is God’s begotten, andonly begotten Son: “for God so lovedthe world, that He gave His onlybegotten Son.”

Some have thought, and somethink, that Christ is called the Son ofGod, because He is invested withOffice. But, that is to confound thevery different characters, of a Son anda Servant, and it necessarily makesthem the same. As invested with theOffice of Mediator, He is God’sServant: “Behold my Servant, whom Iuphold.” Now if it is true, that He isGod’s Son, as invested with themediatorial Office, He is no otherwisea Son, than as He is a Servant, andthese very different characters, of Sonand Servant, can contain and conveyno different, but in all respects, thesame Idea, which there is no reason tothink. Besides, Christ was a Sonantecedent unto His Investiture withthe Mediatorial Office, which He could

not possibly be, if His being in thatOffice was the formal reason, or causeof His Sonship. That He was a Sonbefore His Investiture with Office is, Ithink, abundantly clear from thesewords of the inspired writer: “For thelaw maketh men high priests whichhath infirmity; but the Word of theoath, which was since the law, makeththe Son, who is consecrated forevermore.”

If Christ bears the character of Son, onaccount of His being the High Priest,or Mediator of the Church, He couldnot be a Son, before His Investiturewith that Office; but it is most clearthat He was: “For the Word of theOath, which was since the law, makeththe Son,” or constituteth the Son. Whatdoth it make or constituted Him? Itmade or constituted Him HIGHPRIEST, or Mediator: and, therefore,He was a Son before He was madeHigh Priest, or Mediator. This is soclear and illustrious a testimony untothe Truth of the Sonship of Christ, as aDivine Person, that I am persuaded; itwill be impossible for the wit of man,by any arts, or shifts, to cloud it, andenervate its force. Farther, Christ as aSon, was not under obligation to obeyand suffer. This is clearly suggested inthese words: “Though He were a Son,yet learned He obedience by the thingsthat He suffered.” The opinion of Hisbeing a Son, as invested with Office,must compel us to conclude this to bethe sense of those words: Though Hewas a Son, and as such underobligation to obey and suffer, yetlearned He obedience, by the things

that He suffered. But who can thinkthis to be the import of the DivineWriter? Surely none. As Mediator, Hewas under obligation to obey andsuffer: As a Son, He was not, andtherefore, His Mediatorial Office is notintended by His sonship; but His filialrelation unto God, as a Divine Person.

Again, the Father possessed Himof all those Treasures of Grace andGlory, which He intended the Churchshould receive here, and enjoyhereafter. And, there is that in thecontext, which favors this sense also:“That I may cause them that love meto inherit substance, and I will filltheir treasures.” Christ is capable ofmaking good His promise: For, “ithath pleased the Father that in Him allfulness should dwell.” “He hathblessed us with all spiritual blessingsin heavenly places in Christ.” And thatgrace, according unto which we aresaved and called, was given us inChrist: “Who hath saved us and calledus, with an holy calling, not accordingto our works; but according to Hisown purpose and grace which wasgiven us in Christ before the worldbegan.” All those precious benefits,which the Church of God partakes of,in this world, and all the bliss andglory, which she will possess in theheavenly state, were deposited, andlaid up for her in the hands of her ever-blessed and glorious Head. In whosekeeping they are eternally secure.Farther,

IV. God possessed Christ “beforeHis works of old.”

1. The works which are intended, arethe works of Creation; and this 1 thinkthere can be no doubt: BecauseWisdom, immediately after the text,proceeds to give an elegant descriptionof the creation: “When there were nodepths. I was brought forth: whenthere were no fountains aboundingwith water: before the mountains weresettled, before the Hills was I broughtforth: while as yet he had not made theEarth, nor the fields, nor the highestpart of the dust of the world. When Heprepared the heavens, I was there:When He set a compass upon the faceof the depth. When He established theclouds above: When He strengthenedthe fountains of the deep: When Hegave to the sea his Decree, that thewaters should not pass Hiscommandment: when He appointed thefoundations of the earth.” These arewonderful works designed, whereinDivine Wisdom and Power aremanifested. Creation is proper to God.Omnipotence only could giveexistence unto body, out of non-existing matter: Which it did. For,“Things which are seen, were notmade of things which do appear.” Andinfinite Wisdom and Power alonecould form the beautiful fabric of theuniverse, out of that rude mass ofmatter, unto which existence was firstgiven: “The earth was without form,and void: and darkness was upon theface of the deep.” Creation therefore,is a Work Divine, and peculiar to God.And He challenges it, as His own.“Lift up your eyes on high, and beholdwho hath created these things, that

bringeth out their host by number; Hecalleth them all by their names, by thegreatness of His might, for that He isstrong in power, not one faileth.” (Isa.40:26)

2. These works were wrought ofold. Many ages had then run out sincethe creation of the world, and,therefore, they are said to be of old.And as things created invariably keepthose laws, through all successive agesof time, unto which they weresubjected, in their creation, it is anevidence, that they were formed byinfinite Wisdom, and are preserved andupheld in that beautiful Order, whereinthey were at first fixed by ImmensePower. And,

3. Christ was possessed of theFather before a creating Act was putforth: Or before being was given to anycreature, and, consequently. inEternity: Or in that infinite,immeasurable duration, which wasbefore time commenced. TheBeginning of God’s Way, therefore,cannot possibly mean a finite andlimited duration. If proper Eternity isnot expressed by these phrases, it willbe impossible to produce any fromScriptures, which expresses it. But thenext general thing in the Text demandsmy attention.

V. Christ was set up: “I was setup”. The original word, signifies“pouring forth,” or “anointing,” andas oil was poured? forth upon a personwho was invested with office: Or, as aperson was anointed with oil when

appointed unto office, Christ’sappointment unto and Investiture withthe Mediatorial Office, is intended bythis phrase. The latter writer, some ofwhose words I took notice of before,entertaining the notion of the pre-existence of the soul of Christ, laboursto prove it from this place. He objectsunto the application of the phrase toChrist, as a divine Person, in this verynonsensical manner: Now this cannothave the least relation to his Godhead,because we cannot say that waspoured out. No, nor can we say, thatHis soul was poured out, when He wasappointed unto Office. The Personanointed to Office is not poured out,but oil IS poured forth upon Him, orHe is anointed therewith. He adds:These words may likewise denote HisUnction; and so it may be read, “I wasanointed from everlasting.” In thissense it cannot be applied to HisDivinity. The phrase being understoodin its true sense, it will quickly appear,that it may be very well applied to thePerson of Christ, as designed unto aUnion with the human nature. For, itintends designation to Office. And thedivine Person of Christ, as He was tobecome incarnate, was invested withthe Mediatorial Office: which wasdone in the Everlasting Covenant, thatwas entered into by the DivinePersons.

Of that Covenant, and the partiestherein contracting, he speaks thus: Iam not writing about the counsels andpurposes of God in Himself, but of Hiscovenanting and contracting with aPerson to fulfil and execute these

counsels and purposes, and of thePerson’s willingness, that wascovenanted and contracted with toundertake such a work. — I freelyconfess, that the Platform of Salvationwas laid in the eternal Mind; and thatthe whole Scheme of our happinesswas drawn in Eternity, infinitely aboveall date; but yet the contract betweenthe Father and Christ was not so,unless the Man Christ be infinitelyeternal, (it is absurd to think thateternity is finite) or else an infiniteBeing must contract with Himself. Thisis the sum of what this goodly author,had to object to the Eternity of theCovenant of Grace, and unto its beingan agreement between the divinePersons. The whole of his discoursewill be removed out of the way withoutthe least difficulty.

For, though the divine Being didnot contract with Itself, the divinePersons, existing distinctly in thedivine Essence, entered into Covenantwith each other.

As the eternal Three, Father, Son,and Spirit, are personally distinct,though essentially one, they each actdistinctly, in the divine Essence: Or thedivine Wisdom and Will, which areessentially the same, acts distinctly ineach divine Person, by reason of theirdistinct personal subsistence in thedivine nature.

Thus the divine Wisdom and Will,acting distinctly in the distinct Personof the Father designed and resolvedupon the Incarnation of the Son, and

His accomplishing our redemption, inour nature, as personally united untoHimself, by doing and suffering all thatLaw and Justice required, unto thatimportant end. And this was theFather’s proposal unto the Son, toundertake that great and arduous work.And thus also:

The divine Wisdom and Will,acting distinctly in the Person of theSon, who subsists distinctly from theFather in the divine Essence, approvedof this design, or concurred with theFather therein; which approbation andconcurrence, was the Son’sengagement to fulfil the Will andCounsel of the Father, relating untothat wonderful affair, and it broughthim under an obligation, to do andsuffer in our nature, when taken intopersonal union with Himself, thewhole of what Law and Justicerequired, in order to our salvation.

Again, the divine Wisdom andWill acting distinctly in the ever-blessed Spirit, who is a Person distinctfrom the Father and the Son, Heapproved of the gracious design, of thesalvation of the elect: And, as thedivine Wisdom and Will, in the Personof the Father and the Person of theSon, willed that He should glorifyChrist, and sanctify the Church; Heagreed, and consented unto the Will ofthe Father, and the Will of the Son.Thus He took upon Himself the workand office of glorifying Christ, andsanctifying the Church, which is thatpart that He bears in the oeconomy(sic) of our salvation. And, therefore,

as the Son became obliged unto theFather, as He was to be incarnate, toredeem His people and members: Sothe Holy Spirit became obliged untoboth the Father and the Son to glorifyChrist and sanctify the Church.

And, I humbly apprehend, that it iswith especial relation unto this, thatthe Holy Spirit is so frequently styledthe “Spirit of God,” and the “Spirit ofHis Son,” or of Christ; that for thisreason also, He is said to be sent bothby the Father and Son. By Hisengagement He came under obligation,(in the Covenant) both unto the Fatherand the Son, to perform His part, in thebusiness of our salvation. And, this isthe foundation of His being sent by theFather, and of His being sent by theSon. Right arises from hence, untoboth to send Him: And, accordingly,He is sent by both. He comes at thepleasure of the Father: “Whom theFather will send in My name.” “Godhath sent forth the Spirit of His Soninto your hearts.” He likewise comesat the will of the Son: “If I depart Iwill send Him unto you,” says Christ,concerning the Holy Spirit, under thecharacter of Comforter.

These distinct and mutual actingsof the divine Persons, betweenthemselves, are the Covenant of Grace,wherein the method of our salvationwas fixed, and that gracious designeffectually secured.

And, therefore, this author hath onlydiscovered his weakness, in saying,that the contract between the Father

and Christ was not infinitely beyondall date, unless the Man Christ beinfinitely Eternal, (as he nonsensicallyspeaks, for there is no finite Eternity)or else an infinite Being must contractwith Himself. The infinite, distinctPersons, in Deity, contracted, orentered into mutual engagementsbetween Themselves, in this federalTransaction. This was not the contractof the divine nature with Itself; but itwas the contract of the divine Father,the eternal Son, and the blessed Spirit,who are personally distinct, thoughessentially one. Nor, can the distinctactings of the divine Wisdom and Will,which are essentially the same, bedenied, without the denial of thedistinct Personality of the Father, Son,and Spirit. If they are distinct Persons,without all question they act distinctly:Or the divine Wisdom and Will actdistinctly, in each of the eternal Three,Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

Besides, to imagine, with theauthor, that the human soul of Christexisted when the Covenant of Gracewas entered into, and that it was acontracting Party, in that Covenant,absolutely destroys the eternity of it,which he is obliged to grant. Hence itundeniably follows, that once therewas no Covenant of Grace: OnceChrist was not the Mediator and Headof the Church, if what he says iscorrect. It was in that covenant, that liewas constituted such: If therefore, thatCovenant once was not, it must beallowed that once Christ was not theMediator and Head of the Elect ofGod: and, consequently, once, His

Delights were NOT with the sons ofmen. This is that blessed divinity,which this writer recommends unto theembracement of Christians: But itought to be eternally abhorred, as thatwhich saps the very foundation of alltheir faith and hope.

Farther, the notion of the pre-existence of the soul of Christ, or of itsexisting before the creation of theworld, is repugnant to Scripture. Thatopinion is as certainly false, as it istrue that “in the beginning Godcreated the heavens and the earth.” Ifthere was before creation a limitedduration, that duration must have hadcommencement, and was measurable,though not measured and divided intoits parts, by any regular motion ofbody, as I have before observed. And,that instant, at which we mustnecessarily stop, in our conceptionsconcerning it, was the beginning, andnot that instant, wherein God’s act ofcreation was put forth. And, therefore,if this notion is true, what Mosesaffirms must be false, and God did notin the beginning create the heavensand the earth, but after the beginning;and how long after, it seems, is notknowable, perhaps millions of ages.Into such absurdities will some menrun, in order to support theirmisconceptions of things, or a darlingopinion, which they have happened toembraced.

Once more, for I have not yet donewith this vain conceit. To suppose, asthis writer does, that the soul of Christwas a contracting Party in the

Covenant of Grace, and not His divinePerson, is to detract from His glory asa divine Person, and is advancing Hishuman soul unto such dignity, as is byno means its due. May the good Lordeternally preserve me, from lesseningthe Glory of a precious Jesus, in Hishuman nature, which ought ever to bedear to my soul! I humbly hope, that Ishall never express any thing,detracting from His honour, in Hishuman nature. My heart can’t possiblybear the killing thought: and, yet, withintrepidity I say, that it was a Glorypeculiar to Christ, in His divinePerson, to contract with the otherdivine Persons, the Father and theHoly Spirit, and that it was an honourinfinitely too great for the human soulof Christ, to become a contractingParty in the Covenant of Grace. TheParties contracting were equal, as itwas condecent and fit, that so theyshould be.

Indeed, the Will of Christ as Man,upon His subsisting, in His humannature, freely and fully consented, untoall the articles agreed on in theCovenant, relating unto both Hisobedience and sufferings: but it wasHis engagement, as a divine Person,which brought His human nature underobligation to obey and suffer, as it hathits subsistence therein. And it was fit,that the infinitely superior constituentpart of Christ, in His complexcharacter, should undertake for hisinferior constituent part as Mediator.So that it was not necessary, that Hishuman nature should subsist, in eitherpart of it, His soul no more than His

body, at his undertaking the work ofRedemption, in the Covenant of Grace.

In the setting up of Christ, or Hisdesignation unto the MediatorialOffice, various particulars may beobserved. As,

1. The divine Father purposed andproposed to Him, that in “the fulnessof time” He should assume our nature,into union with Himself. The divineWisdom and Will, acting distinctly inthe Person of the Father, as is aboveexplained, moved this to Him. Thiswas a Fore-ordination of Him tobecome Man, “before the foundationof the world.” (Eph. 1:4; Acts 2:23; &4:28)

2. Christ consented unto thisdesign, and proposal of the Father: Orthe divine Wisdom and Will, actingdistinctly in the Person of the Son, asis before expressed, He approved ofthis design and proposal of the Father,and the concurrence of the divine Will,in His Person, was His engagement, totake our nature into a personal unionwith Himself, at the time appointed.His language in this Transaction was:“Lo I come. “(Heb. 7:7-10.) Hence,

3. Though the human nature ofChrist did not then subsist, He wasconsidered, as God-Man, by the divinePersons of the Godhead. Not that thedivine Understanding, in either of thedivine Persons, accounted Him to havesubsistence then, as Man; for that Hehad not; and, therefore, it was notpossible, that the divine Understandingcould conceive Him to be thenexistent, in His human nature; but lie

was had in repute, by the divinePersons, as God-Man, by reason of Hiscertain future incarnation, which wasthen resolved upon, betweenthemselves. And in this character, theCovenant of Grace was made withHim. I observe,

4. The work assigned unto Him, asincarnate; or what was required ofHim, as His Person is constituted ofthe divine and human natures, in orderto the salvation of His Body, theChurch. And,(1) It was required of Him to comeunder the command of the Covenant ofworks. That Covenant, without aspecial appointment, could have hadno concern with, or power over him,either in its precepts, or threatenings,not only because He was notrepresented by Adam, with whom thatCovenant was made, nor a naturaldecendant of his: but also, because Hishuman nature, as united unto his divinenature is raised above the state andcondition of a mere creature: And,therefore, it was a gracious act ofcondescension, in His divine Person, toconsent, that, that constituent part ofHimself, as Mediator, should comeunder the obligation of the Covenantof works: “Being found in fashion as aman, He humbled Himself, inbecoming obedient unto death.”Again,

(2) Another thing required of Him,was to suffer and die for His people, tomake Atonement for their sins: “WhenThou shalt make His soul an offeringfor sin; He shall see his seed. -- “ Thisarticle His divine Person also agreedunto. And the consent of His divine

Will brought His human nature, underobligation to submit to death: “Oughtnot Christ to have suffered thesethings?” It was an act of infinitecompassion in Christ to poor sinners,to consent, to give up His humannature, to the most dolorous sufferings,and unto the most ignominious, andalso an accursed death, to redeem themfrom justly deserved destruction.

(5) The human nature of Christbeing united unto His divine Person,these two things follow upon it:

[1] As Man He was at the disposalof His divine Will. As God, or a divinePerson, He had absolute power overHis human nature, which was aconstituent part of Himself, asMediator, and, therefore, He had fulland proper right, to covenant andagree, that His human nature shouldboth obey and die, in obedience untothe Will of the Father. For, that naturewas His own in a peculiar sense, and itwas fit, that it should be absolutely atthe disposal of his divine Will. Hisassumption of it into union withHimself was with a view, that it mightso be. And our blessed Lord clearlyexpresses the right of His divinePerson to dispose of His human nature,according unto His own absolutepleasure, in these words: “No mantaketh My life from Me; I lay it downof Myself; 1 have power to lay it down,and I have power to take it again. Thiscommandment have I received of MyFather.” The glory of Christ as Man isunequaled. in consequence of Hispersonal union with the eternal Son ofGod: Hut this union is so far fromraising His human nature, above an

absolute subjection unto His divineWill, that it necessarily infers it: Or theabsolute subjection of His human Will,unto His divine Will, necessarilyfollows upon it. His engagement,therefore, as a divine Person, in theeverlasting Covenant, brought anobligation upon Him, as Man, to doand suffer all that was included in thatfederal engagement of His, though Hishuman nature was not then existent.

[2] When the blessed Jesus hadsubsistence as Man, his human Will,which is absolutely distinct from H isWill, as God, was wholly under thedirection and influence of His divineWill. And it was fit, that it should sobe, for it would have been the highestincongruity, if the human Will ofChrist had not been under thedetermining influence of the Will ofHis divine Person. Hence, it waspossible, that the Will of Christ, asMan, should be in any instance or atany time, clash with His divine Will.And it is hence also, that the holymoral operation of the human nature ofChrist, are to be esteemed the acts ofHis Person as Mediator, and that theybecome infinitely meritorious:Because they are the acts of HisPerson, who is God as well as Man,though the human nature only, is theimmediate subject from which theyspring; therefore, infinite merit attendsthem.

5. The Father gave the elect toChrist as His jewels, or His ownpeculiar people: “Thine they were,and Thou gayest them me” He wasconstituted a Head to them, and theybecame His members. And He came

under obligation to preserve them safe,and to conduct them to that state ofdignity and happiness, which theFather, as the Effect of His infinitelove, designed them unto theenjoyment of. For which reason ourblessed Lord says: “This is theFather’s will which hath sent me, thatof all which He hath given me, Ishould lose nothing; but should raiseit up, at the last day.”

6. A glorious reward waspromised unto Him, for the importantservices, which He undertook toperform. All the Glory that liepossesses, as Mediator, was thengranted to Him, on condition of hisobedience, sufferings and death. And,therefore, He speaks of His having thisGlory before the world was: “With theglory which I had with Thee before theworld was” He had it, in promise andgrant, when He engaged to fulfil theFather’s pleasure, concerning theRedemption of His people.

Thus, I think it appears very clearlythat Christ the eternal Son of God, asHe was to become incarnate, enteredinto Covenant with the Father, andundertook to accomplish the whole ofHis Will, relating to the recovery ofthose unto whom He was appointed aHead, in such a way, as magnifies thelaw, and is becoming all the divinePerfections: And, that all that Glory,which He hath possession of, wasgiven to Him by promise, in thecharacter of Mediator, though neitherconstituent part of His human nature,his soul, or His body, then subsisted.

VI. And lastly: The Constitution ofChrist Mediator, was from everlasting,from the Beginning, or ever the Earthwas.

These phrases express either ameasurable duration, or animmeasurable one. It is I think allowedby all, that a duration is intended,which was before-the existence of theworld. That duration either hadbeginning, or it had not. If itcommenced, and had beginning, it wasproperly time, and not eternity. Timeand eternity differ, as finite and infinitediffer. Time is finite, and eternity isinfinite. And it is impossible, that thereshould be a medium between eternityand time: As there cannot be a meanbetween infinite, and finite. Whateveris, must be either infinite or finite,unlimited, or limited. And,consequently, this duration, if it began,it was time, it could not be eternity: Itwas measurable, and certainly had alimit, at which we must necessarilystop, in our conceptions about it; if not,it was eternity: Or a duration infinite.To say, that it was not measured by theregular motion of body, as time withus, is measured by the course of thesun, will not prove it immeasurable,nor can that be intended; because thenit must be granted, that it was eternity,which it is not allowed to be, by thoseunto whom I have reference; but it issaid to be an AFTER DATE ofEternity, by the learned author beforementioned, which had beginning, orcommencement, which if it had, it wasproperly time, and it must differ frometernity, as that which is finite differs

from that which is infinite. And what isto be proved by all this? No otherthing, than, that God’s Decrees arelater than His existence, and howmuch later he could not determine,because neither the thing speaks, northe Word declares it. The Being ofGod was eternal, or had no beginning;but all His Decrees, if this is true, weretemporary, or had beginning. Andtherefore, for an infinite duration,which must have been, before thisAfter Date, or beginning, could takeplace; God was without anyconceptions and thoughts of Hisworks. That is to say, Once God hadno love to Christ as Mediator, norconceptions concerning Him: Once Hehad no love to the Church, northoughts about her: Once He waswithout infinite thought andconsciousness, and consequently Heonce was not God. For, a Beingwithout infinite thought andconsciousness can’t be God. As I havebefore said.

The other writer mentioned above,in order to support His notion of theexistence of the soul of Christ beforethe Creation of the world, interpretsthese phrases, in the same manner; inthis, copying after that learned author,as some others also do, to defend anotion which is absolutely useless, thathath not the least connection with.Dependence upon, nor is inferriblefrom any branch of evangelical Truth.But is wholly dissonant to theScripture, and everts the eternalCovenant of Grace, wherein theSalvation of God’s Elect was

everlastingly provided for and secured.

If there was a duration before theproduction of the world, which hadcommencement, why may there not bea duration, after the dissolution of it,which will have an end? And if theformer is called everlasting, though ithad beginning, why may not the latterbe so called, though it should have anend? As some imagine it will; but bothare foolish dreams and alike untrue.

Farther, if this liberty may be takenin interpreting the Scripture, I am sure,it will be impossible to prove fromthence, the Eternity of God Himself;for His eternal existence is notexpressed in stronger language, than isused about His decrees, and thedesignation of Christ unto theMediatorial Office, in respect to thatduration, wherein the divine Decreeswere formed, and Christ was set up, orconstituted Mediator. And such libertycan be taken, only to maintain thatwhich is directly absurd, and repugnantunto some of the most glorious Truthsof the Gospel, viz, Christ’s eternalrelation to the Church of God, and Hiseternal engagement in her favor, in theCovenant of Grace.

These phrases, “from everlasting,from the beginning, or ever the earthwas,” so fully express Eternity, or thatimmeasurable duration which wasbefore Creation, that I have scruplewhether any, which do more stronglyexpress it in Scripture, can beproduced. So operose was Solomon, insetting forth the Eternity of Wisdom,

lest it should be thought that he spakeof created Wisdom, as the learnedGejerus observes. When Godrepresents unto us His eternalexistence, it is thus: “Yea, before theday was, I am he.” (Isa. 43:13) Andwhen He asserts the eternity of HisDecrees, it is thus: “Calling thegenerations, from or before thebeginning.” (Isa. 41:4) And the plainsense of the phrases here used, is,duration before the commencement oftime, or the existence of any thingcreated. Christ was set up before theworld or time, before the beginning,and before the earth existed. I humblyhope that the proper Eternity of thedivine Decrees and the proper Eternityof the Mediatorial Office of Christ, areestablished beyond sober and modestobjection; which were the importantends that I had in view, in thisdiscourse. I shall close it with makingthree observations:

First Observation. The EvangelicalScheme is wholly new: It is a system ofTruths, which reason in its highestperfection, could not possibly haveacquired any knowledge of. There arethree principles, from which we deriveall our ideas, viz. Sensation, Reflectionand Abstraction; by neither of whichwe could ever have obtained, the leastacquaintance with the deep things ofGod. And this is, I humbly apprehend,the meaning of the Apostle in thesewords: “Eye hath not see, nor earheard, neither have entered into theheart of man, the things which Godhath prepared for them that him.” (ICor. 2:9) The eye hath seen much, and

the ear hath heard much: A veryconsiderable part of our ideas, aregained by sight and hearing; whichincludes in it, the whole of theinstruction that we receive from others,relating to the nature of things. But itwas not possible that by these meanswe should ever have discovered anyevangelical Truths: Sensation couldnot enable us to make such importantdiscoveries; neither could Reflectionon those ideas gained by sensation,help us in this matter: Nor couldAbstraction, which is a separation ofour ideas; by which acts of the mind anew kind of ideas are obtained, whichare purely intellectual, assist us in thisthing. The reason hereof is clear. TheTruths of the Gospel have neitherconnection with, nor dependence upon,any branch of Truth, which a finiteunderstanding is capable ofdiscovering.

If we had a complete knowledge ofthe first Covenant, in the wholecompass of its principles, precepts,promises and threatenings, we thenshould be absolutely unable to makethe least discovery of the Doctrine ofthe second Covenant; for that isentirely new, and altogether distinct inits nature, from the first Covenant. Andit being so, none of its Truths comewithin the verge, even of unimpairedand perfect Reason; which fully provesthe absolute impossibility, of thehuman mind gaining the knowledge ofits truths, by any acts it is able to putforth. Angels themselves could neverhave known any thing at all ofevangelical mysteries, without

supernatural revelation. Truths theyare, which were hid in God, whocreated all things by Jesus Christ.

To imagine, as some have imagined,that the second covenant is founded onTruths contained in the first; or uponthose natural notions, which we haveas men, of the moral perfections ofGod; is effectually to destroy bothCovenants: For, that imagination, isinconsistent with the nature of theCovenant of works, and with thenature of the Covenant of Grace. TheMediatorial Scheme, hath no relationunto, nor agreement, in its nature withthe Doctrine of the First Covenant;though it is calculated to secure thehighest honour to it, by the obedienceand death of Christ.

Second Observation. Hence welearn what will be the noble employ ofthe saints in the heavenly state: viz.The contemplation and adoration ofthe divine Perfections, as displayed inthe astonishing affair of their recoveryand salvation. Some men to pleasethemselves with the thoughts of this,that in heaven they shall becomeperfect philosophers, and have a moreextensive knowledge of things created,than Adam had in Paradise: That theyshall be able to unravel nature in hersecret causes, numerous operations,and multiplied various effects. I canfind nothing in Scripture, whichfavours this tickling imagination: ThisI know, that the souls of the saints, willbe eternally entertained, with what isinfinitely more noble, sublime andgrand, than any thing which nature can

possibly suggest to the mind. I amclearly of the opinion of an eminentdivine in this matter, who speaks thus:“Is it not much to be lamented thatmany Christians content themselveswith a very superficiary knowledge ofthese things? (i.e., Gospel Truths)How the studies, the abilities, the timeand diligence of many excellentpersons, engaged in, and laid outabout the works of nature, and theeffects of divine Wisdom and Power inthem, by whom any endeavour toenquire into this glorious Mystery (ofChrist’s Person) is neglected, if notdespised! Alas, the Light of DivineWisdom, in the greatest works ofnature, holds not the proportion of themeanest star unto the sun in its julstrength; unto that Glory of it whichshines in this Mystery of Godmanifested in the Flesh, and the workaccomplished thereby. A little timeshall put an end unto the subject oftheir enquiries, with all theconcernment of God and man in themfor evermore. This alone is that whichfills up Eternity, and which although itbe now with some as nothing, yet willshortly be all.” (John Owens, Of ThePerson of Christ, p. 290-291) Theconstant contemplation on theseglorious and sublime Mysteries, fillsthe minds of the Blessed with thehighest complacency and delight, andwill maintain in them a holy Adorationof God unto Eternity.

Third Observation. If we approveof these things, and they are delightfulunto us, as the Glory of God shinesforth in them; it is an evidence in itself,

whether we allow it or not in our ownfavour, that we are the happy subjectsof a gracious illumination from God.For such is the nature of theseheavenly Mysteries, that the carnalmind hath not, nor can have anypleasure in them. That receives themnot, they are foolishness unto it,whatever is pretended to the contrary;it cannot know them, because they arespiritually discerned. And, therefore, ifthe things themselves are agreeable tous, if they are our chief joy, and thatstate is most desirable to us; whereinwe shall perfectly know them, and befor ever conversant about them, we arecertainly meet for the enjoyment of it.

Our present satisfaction andcomplacency in these sublime Truths,as they are glorifying unto God in allHis infinite Perfections, is a fullevidence of our future happiness in thecontemplation of them, in the world ofLight and Glory above. For, ourapprobation of heavenly things is aclear proof, that God, who commandedthe light to shine out of darkness, hathshined in our hearts, to give the lightof the knowledge of His Glory, in theface (or Person) of Jesus Christ.FINIS.

In a Discourse delivered, in a monthly-Exercise of Prayer with a Sermon, onthe 19th of September, 1754, JohnBrine.

Please check your address labels foryour expiration date, and renew assoon as possible. Thank you, TheEditors.

ARTICLE CRITIQUEBy S. C. Phillips

We realize the article by JohnBrine is much too lengthy for mostreaders, and rather deep for some. Yet,we believe it has some value in ourown day.

Brine was replying to two authorsof his period. The first was a Mr.Hussey’s The Glory of ChristUnveiled; the second a Mr. Stockell’sThe Redeemer’s Glory Unveiled. Thesecond extended the earlier conceptsadvanced by Mr. Hussey. Briefly put,Hussey denied the eternity of theEverlasting Covenant of Grace, andStockell advanced a reincarnation,rather than the Incarnation of Christ.

To a modern reader, it appears inplaces to be a mere play on words. Butit is not. Our forefather in this case wasable to sense the results of these viewslong before they came to fruition.

Eventually, Hussey’s andStockell’s views grew into a denial ofthe eternal Sonship of Christ. In the1860’s, the issue split the Baptist inEngland.

So we see that small departures indoctrines often bring about greatdoctrinal heresies, discord, anddivisions in the Church.

Ministers MUST be exceedinglycareful to maintain doctrinal purity.There is in human nature a tendency asdescribed by Luke in Acts 17:21,where the Athenians and strangers

there “spent time in nothing else, buteither to tell, or to hear some newthing.” Only God knows how muchelders desire to flavor their sermonswith novelties!

How shocking would such eldersfind their pet new concepts when fullgrown! Andrew Fuller advanced aview that in the atonement for our sins,that Christ died sufficiently for allmankind; but efficiently for the Electonly. Thus he found his excuse topreach “honest invitations” to allmanner of men. Yet, his later followerspreached it as being sufficient for allmankind, and inefficient for any!

In the 1920’s and 1930’s, manyamong the Old School began to utilizea new concept of an eternal salvationand a time salvation, whereby gracewas effectual in producing goodworks. Yet, they heard their childrenproclaiming a time salvation whichwas ineffectual to produce good worksseparate and apart from a conditionalduty-faith!

Today, we see many using theword regeneration for resurrection;and resurrection for regeneration; andsome thus denying both doctrines! Wefind some even separating Christ Sonof God from Jesus the Son of andclaiming that “It was not Christ thatdied for sinners”! - - - flying fully intothe face of ALL Scripture!

Multitudes use the word saved tomean regeneration, and regeneration tomean conversion, as if these are the

same things! In fact, the whole of theArminian system believe that theGospel regenerates, and finds no usefor conversion which is by the Gospel!

Very few today believe the HolySpirit regenerates; the Gospel is usedin conversion; that Christ was theMediator from eternity; that all theregenerated will be sanctified by theSpirit and belief of the Truth; and thatsalvation from start to finish is byGod’s free unmerited grace.

“Know ye not that a little leavenleaveneth the whole lump?” (I Cor.5:6)

GOD’S PROVIDENCE OVER THEEVIL ACTS OF MEN

By Frank B. Beck (deceased)

Why does God allow sinners toexit on the earth? Why does God allowsin? Why ‘doesn’t God saveeverybody? Why doesn’t God destroythe Devil? Or, is God powerless inthese matters? Are the sinful acts ofmen a part of God’s eternal purpose, orsomething apart from His purpose?

The Problem of Sin

There is the problem of sin. Howdid sin originate? Did God purpose it,or permit it, or did it come inunexpectedly?

If we shall say that sin came inunexpectedly or unforseen by God,then we. charge God with imperfect

knowledge. That is not the kind of Godwe know in the sacred Scriptures. Heis perfect in Wisdom. “Hisunderstanding is infinite” (Psalm147:5) “He knoweth all things.” (John21:17)

That God did know beforehandthat sin would enter into the world isgathered from At-ts 15:18: “Knownunto God are all His works from thebeginning of the world.” This includedthe work of redemption from SIN andhell, which included sin.

If God saw beforehand that sinwould enter into the world, why did lienot prevent it? Suppose that we saythat He could not, then we charge Godwith imperfect power. Again this is notthe God with whom we are acquaintedin sacred Writ, lie does as He pleases(Psa. 115:3) and “all power” is givenunto Christ “in heaven and in earth.”(Malt. 28:18)

We cannot say that He could not.

Then we must say that lie would not. Ifwe conclude that God could preventsin from entering the world but wouldnot, then it must be that the sinful actsmen are included in the purpose ofGod.

Concerning the evil acts of men, beit said, THAT MEN SIN OF THEIROWN DEPRAVED WILLS. God doesNOT “force” men to sin against theirwill. He doesn’t have to — He leavesthem TO THEMSELVES and theyWILLINGLY sin. But God uses thesinful acts of men to His OWN

GLORY. either in justice or in grace,in that He prevents sin permits sin,directs sin in courses wherein lie canmanifest His Glory, and determineshow far the sinner or the Devil shallgo.

I. God, In His ProvidencePrevents Sin

God oftentimes prevents sin. Thisis according to His grace and is not amatter of obligation. He does not haveto prevent it and sometimes does not.

In the case of Abraham, Sarah, andAbimelech God prevented sin.Abraham and Sarah had journeyed intoAbimelech’s country and Sarah was a“fair woman to look upon..” (Gen.12:11) Therefore Abimelech tookSarah, but God warned him not totouch her. (Gen. 20:3-6) Indeed,Abimelech “had not come near her.”(vs. 4) Why was that? Surely that wasnot the natural thing to do, except thatit was God withholding Abimelechfrom sinning against Him, as we readthat He, in fact, did. (vs. 6)

On the other hand God did notprevent Shechem from committingadultery with Jacob’s daughter Dinah.(Gen. 34)

Well may we pray in the words ofthe Psalmist: “Keep back thy servantalso from presumptuous sins... “(Psa.19:13) Let God but withdraw his graceto keep us from sinning and we will beas the lowest demons in hell.

II. God, In His Providence,Permits Sin

God permits sin. This does notmean that He approves of it, for Hejudges it with the fiercest punishment.By permitting sin God, in righteousjudgment withdraws His grace andleaves men to their sinful selves,

After David had committedadultery with Bethsheba God said tohim: “Because thou hast despised Me,and hast taken the wife of Uriah theHittite to be thy wife, thus saith theLord: Behold, I will raise up evilagainst thee out of thine own house,and I will take thy wives before thineeyes and give them unto thy neighborand he shall lie with thy wives in thesight of this sun. For thou didst itsecretly, but I will do this thing beforeall Israel and before the sun.” (II Sam.12: 10-12)

God hates adultery, but willwithdraw His grace from David’s ownhouse so that those nearest David willtake his wives openly in adultery. Godwill punish David with his own sin!

In order to deceive sinful anddeceitful King Ahab, the Lord “put alying spirit” in the mouth of all ofAhab’s prophets (I Kings 22:23)assuring him victory if he went forth tobattle. This is what Ahab desired. Hedid not want to hear any othermessage. So God gave him up to hislies though He warned Ahab that hewas being tricked. (I Kings 22: 13-28)

It is the same principle that runsthroughout the Word of God. Godpermits the wicked to have his ownway, gives him up to his sin. That thisis so, examine the followingreferences:

“But My people would not hearkento My voice and Israel would none ofMe, so I GA VE THEM UP unto theirown heart ‘s lust and they walked intheir own counsels.” (Psa. 81: 11-12)

We are informed that in OldTestament times God “suffered allnations to walk IN THEIR OWNWAYS.” (Acts 14: 16)

We are instructed that the Gentilenations gave themselves over toidolatry and that “Wherefore God alsoGAVE THEM UP to uncleanness,through the lusts of their own hearts todishonor their own bodies betweenthemselves.” (Rom. 1: 23-24)

That the Gentile nations changedthe truth of God into a lie andworshipped the creature more than theCreator and that “For this cause GODGA VE THEM UP UNTO VILEAFFECTIONS. - (Rom. 1: 25-26)

“And even as they did not like toretain God in their knowledge, GODGAVE THEM OVER to a reprobatemind to do those things which are notconvenient.” (Rom. 1:28)

The wicked who have not therevelation of God in the Old and NewTestament and in the Person of Jesus

Christ reject the truth and lovefalsehood. Therefore, God will givethem over to falsehood. “And for thiscause GOD SHALL SEND THEMSTRONG DELUSION that they shouldBELIEVE A LIE, that they all might bedamned who believe not the truth, buthad pleasure in unrighteousness.” (IIThess. 2:11-12)

Why is this? “Because they receivenot the LOVE of the Truth that theymight be saved.” (Vs. 10) All whocontinue in unbelief of the truth are tothis end “appointed” (I Peter 2:8) andwere “before of old ordained to thiscondemnation.” (Jude 4)

God permits the sinful acts of menas a means to an end, to shew forth theGlory of His Justice and Holiness.“For the Scripture saith unto , Evenfor this same PURPOSE have I raisedthee up, that I might shew My power inthee, and that My name might bedeclared throughout all the earth.”(Romans 9:17)

THE UNCHANGEABLENESS ANDPERFECTIONS OF GOD

Selected from Gospel Standard,1843 The unchangeableness orimmutability of God is a strange stab atthe littleness, the contemptibleness,and naughtiness of free will, Fullerism,and all universal redemptionists. And Iask, what is this unchangeableness orimmutability? It is the immutability ofGod. And who is God? The Being

whose perfections are Himself, andHimself His Perfections. Thus thePerfections of God are searched intoby any one in whom, throughregeneration, dwells the Spirit ofillumination.

When I think of those Perfectionsof God, as, for instance, immutability, Istand back, and tremble, and keep mydistance, in reverence and godly fear ata Being possessed of such atremendous quality as this ofunchangeableness. “What!” say I, “canit be, that I, — a worm, a creature of aday, a moth, and a shadow, — can everworship such an amazing Being as onewho, infinitely more stable than themountains, cannot ever be rooted up oraltered in the least of His purposes?Can it be that I can worship Him?”Thus godly fear and every grace, withreverence and with admiration, takepossession of his breast in whom isdisplayed, by the Spirit’s power, this orany other admirable quality in God.

When I consider, also, that to thisunchangeableness are also added thestrictest justice, the most rigid justice,the most unalterable justice, the eternaland infinite determination to “bringthe wheel over the wicked,” and “notto clear the guilty,” no, not in the leastdegree; when I consider a Being armedwith such formidable qualities,(formidable to such a guilty wretch asman,) I stand amazed before Him!And, feeling my carnal mind enmityagainst Him, I wonder not that theunregenerate priests, and rabble, andreligious folks among the Jews, called

out and roared out for Barabbas, amiscreant, rather than the God-Man.The beautiful attribute of hatred to sin,and power and determination to punishit, vexed the carnal professors of letter-godliness to distraction, theunchangeableness of God heighteningit all, and the even-handed stroke ofInfinite Justice blazing before theircrooked goings-on. I say, need any onewonder that human nature roared outfor l3arabbas rather than Christ, if, inthe self-existent light of God in anatural conscience, they saw theunchangeable hatred of God againstpride, the show of a mere outwardtinsel religion, and His unconquerablepower to punish it; when they saw theunchangeable liking to humility whichChrist showed; when they saw Hisunchangeable batterings against thelove of the world, against ambition,against laying up money, the modes oflife, the wisdom of man, and all thepainted drapery of humanproceedings?

I declare, for my part, that Ihave “stood and trembled” when Ihave thought of even this one attribute,the unchangeableness of this AlmightyBeing. What! will He not alter? Andhas tie power to execute His purposestoo? O the stun that it gives to thelittle, the great, the serpentine andtwisted self-importance of such awretch as myself! And I find that thepatriarch Job shared with me in this;for he felt himself to be a wretch, orelse he would never have indulged inthat supernatural apostrophe, “I abhormyself.” I say that the patriarch Job

shared in this, to be brought to amighty deep, when, in God’sregenerating light, he was led tocontemplate God’s immutability. “ForHe performeth the thing that isappointed for me; therefore am Itroubled at His presence. When Iconsider, I am afraid of Him.” (Job23:14-15)

When I consider, again, the LordJesus Christ, in whose obedience andblood-shedding I stand acquitted andgloriously righteous before God; inwhich Lord Jesus Christ all thePerfections of the Deity centre,harmonize, and shine in behalf of theredeemed; when I think of thedifference between Him and myfellow-creatures, — He God as well asman, and taking on Himself the formof a servant, and being a penny-lesscarpenter; (for poor women had aminister to His wants;) when I think ofHim a servant, though He was Lord ofall, and contrast this with the blazinghaughtiness of man; He a servant, andman galloping with the swiftness of aracer after respectability; He having nowhere to lay His head, and mancheated with the whim of a fine house;He called “a fellow” by the religious,and swarms of self-made Christiansglorying in an honourable name; Hecrucified, and they stretched on theirbeds of ease; He almost pennyless, andthey with their handsome incomes; Helaid in wait for from the cradle byHerod, the slaughterer of innocents;hunted much through life by nominalprofessors, and strung by the crueldeath of the cross; when I think of all

His troubles internally, which nonescarce but God know anything of; Isay, when I thus consider Christ, inwhom harmonized and con-centred, inbehalf of the redeemed, all thePerfections of Deity, and contrast Himwith man or self, how my soul bubblesup with unutterable feelings, and seesthe world to be a wilderness, andmyself carnally and naturally a fiend!O God! how unsearchable are Thythoughts! how high thy glories swell!

And I would observe that theunchangeableness of God stops in methe mouth of free-will prayer; it showsme that GOD HAS A WILL; it makesme WAIT for indited prayer; it makesme look to the Spirit to teach me topray; it makes me see that all prayernot according to the will of God iswildfire; it makes me feel that I knownot what to pray for; and it makes myransomed soul (in which the Spirit ofsupplication dwells) look to the HolySpirit alone, to teach me how to pray.

O blessed and soul enrichingcontemplations! My soul as a weanedchild waits upon God. I sun myself inthe blaze of His unalterable andcountless Perfections. It makes me feelHim to be the habitation also of allamiableness, as well as of all power;for what is more amiable than perfectgoodness, and what more beautifulthan beauty itself? Gladness, goodness,and beauty are in God’s tabernacle.(Joel 1:16; Psa. 96:6) I trust that thefurnace of affliction will be sanctifiedto cleanse my misty eve-sight to seemore of these things. I trust that I may

be brought to say, “My soul faintethfor the living God,” the self-existenthabitation of all His manyexcellencies. May I be able even tosay, with one of old, “I opened mymouth and panted” for the very ferventdesire that I have towards God’s ways“at all times.” — signed I.K.

“BE YE SEPARATE”A personal experience, by S. T., 1843

Note:Most all the elders now servingour churches in the MississippiValley were called out of Arminianbondage. The call: “Be ye separate”is a hard call on the flesh; made easyby the Spirit.

It pleased the Lord to stop me inmy mad career when I was abouteighteen years of age, by opening myblind eves and causing me to seesomething of my lost state as a sinner.I then went among the so-calledreligious; and that I thought must beright; for I imagined that everypreacher was almost an angel fromheaven, and that he knew all mysteries.O how I did wish that I was like one!Yea, such was my blind zeal, that Ideclared that I durst trust my soul towhat any preacher said. But still Icould not get the thing 1 wanted,which was the approbation of God.The preachers told me to believe justnow; but I felt guilt upon myconscience, so that I could not believe.

I went to prayer-meetings, where twoor three were praying at once; and atone meeting, a person was preaching atthe same time; so that there was a greatuproar. A man came to me, and put hismouth against my ear, saying, “Whatan awful thing it would be, after allthese privileges, if our souls should belost!” and then he thundered out,“Amen!” When they were weary, theywanted to know how many were set atliberty, which they made out to betwelve, and reckoned me among thenumber, though I never said so.because I knew that it was not the case.I then began to think and to feel that Iwas worse than any of them, and oneof the worst sinners in the world. Ithought that I had committed the sinagainst the Holy Ghost, and that what Ithen felt was only the beginning of thetorments of hell, which I should haveto endure to all eternity.

At this time, I kept falling into sinin secret, and found my heart to be aseat of every foul fiend and everyunclean and hateful bird, yea, of sinsthat I dare neither write nor hint at.

I went on in this state for a great lengthof time, under the Wesleyan Preachers,who preached perfection in the flesh,and that we were not safe without it,and how blessed it was to enjoy it;which I could readily believe, becausenothing troubled me but sin, and Iknew that all would be right if I couldget rid of that. The class-leader wouldtake up the subject with each of one ofthe members of the class, and pressthis perfection upon us, telling us that

to rest in justification or sins forgiven,was to be in danger of a greaterdamnation than to die in our wickedstate. This I believed, because I wasmore miserable now than formerly; andI therefore justified all that they said,and remarked within myself, “That isthe religion which I want; and it is apure religion;” for I knew that heavenwas holy, and that God was holy, andthat “without holiness no man shouldsee the Lord” Being determined tohave it, if possible, I read the word ofGod, attended to family prayer, closetprayer, pray-meetings, and preachingstwo or three times on a Lord’s Day(SIC); and I watched my thoughts, andwords, and looks, and walk, to beperfect, if possible; for I knew no otherway of being saved. But, alas, alas!instead of getting better and better, Igot worse. The more I watched againstsin, the more sin I did; and the more Istruggled to be free, the faster I wasbound. I fell into secret sin over andover again. Like poor Job, I cursed theday in which I was born; and I cursedthe sins that had brought me into thatstate; yea, I wished that I had neverbeen a professor. I could open mymind to no one; for I knew that theywere all too holy to be like me.

One Lord’s Day evening (FirstDay,— Ed.), as I was going to chapel,I was so miserable that I did not knowwhat to do; and my guilt was so heavyupon my conscience that I thought,“What shall I say at class to-day?” Idreaded to tell lies and speak all thetruth, I could not. I therefore turned

into the fields, to brood over mymisery by myself, and sat down uponthe ground, weeping, and cursing theday of my birth. But there was a secretsomething within me, which told methat more was to be known than I hadyet heard of; and this kept me fromdespair.

Some times afterwards, I waselected clerk, sexton, and Sunday-school teacher in the: parish church,which offices I filled for fourteenyears; and I was a Methodist at thesame time! I never once thought thatthere was anything good for aught inthe church, and did not choose it; butmy friends thought that it would do megood, as it respects this world:;, andtherefore, I accepted it, and was wellpleased with it for a time. It made memany fleshly friends, and so betteredmy condition in life. Whilst here, theLord was pleased to show me, by His.Holy Spirit, the emptiness of all form;and not only that, but to show me thepower of godliness, and to reveal thedear Lord Jesus Christ upon the cross,bearing the curse for me, as my Surety,and suffering for my sins, andgroaning, bleeding, and dying to savemy soul from death and hell. I saw thatmy sins were laid upon Him, and thatby His stripes I was healed. At thatsight my sins fell of, and the guilt wastaken from my conscience; so that itwas now impossible to help believing.This was no “Act faith in theatonement,” “Get an interest in Christ,”“Get your sins pardoned,” “Get thefavour of God,” and the rest of themiserable stuff of those blind-guides

called Methodists. They (as well. as allothers in general — Ed) justify thewicked, and condemn the just; andthey bite with their teeth, and cry peacewhere there is no peace.

When it pleased the dear Lord toshow me the way in which He savespoor sinners, through the blood andjustifying righteousness of Christbeing imputed to them, I could nothelp telling my religious brethrenabout it; for I began to see that theywere unacquainted with it.

As to the (Established) Church, Icould see death written upon everything belonging to it, even from thepinnacle to the foundation stone, inreference to both ministers and people.But flesh and blood said, “Bear it; foryou have many friends among them;and if you leave, they will all turnagainst you.” I prayed to the Lord,scores of times, that He would directme, lest I should do what I shouldafterwards have condemned myself fordoing; arid the Lord, by His HolySpirit, sent these texts with power intomy soul: “Let the dead bury theirdead. Follow thou me;” “Come out ofher, my people, that ye be notpartakers of her sins, and that yereceive not of her plagues.” I told theLord that they were very kind to me,that I was almost like one of their ownfamily, that I never had such friendsbefore, and that they would do almostanything to serve me. The Lordreplied, “By faith, Moses refused to becalled the of Pharaoh ‘s daughter,choosing rather to suffer afflictions

with the people of God, than to enjoythe pleasures of sin for a season.” Hewould not suffer me to pray any moreabout it; and, when I tried to pray,something would say unto my mind,“Thou hast been convinced oftenenough. If thou regardest iniquity inthine heart, the Lord will not hear thyprayer.”

When, in the ceremony of infantsprinkling, the clergyman dipped hisfingers into the water, and marked thechild on the forehead, I used to say,“That is the mark of the beast;” andwhen he prayed that it might lead therest of its life according to thebeginning, I thought that his prayerwould not be answered; for it began inlies and ended in hypocrisy. I oftensaid to the old font, “Thou art awitness against us.”

But all this, was not enough tomake me quit the old Harlot. The Lordlaid His rod heavily upon me for otherthings. No ordinary affliction wouldcure mc: I was too rebellious. His rodwas, to choke me almost to death,when my sins were upon myconscience, and I, in my own feelings,was near the gates of hell; but I knewwhat it was far. And one Lord’s Day,while I was in the reading desk, Hespoke powerfully to my mind, “I shallhave to choke you again,” which mademe fear that He would kill me in theChurch. Thus was I driven out, or Ishould never have been out; and I amsaved because the Lord would not letme die. Therefore, free grace is writtenin my very soul by the finger of God

the Eternal Spirit.

I have to say, to the glory andpraise of God’s holy name, that thoughI lost many fleshly friends, and havehad to endure much persecution, I havepeace of conscience, and the Lord hasgiven me more and better friends. Mybread has been given,, and my waterhas been sure; and, with respects tothis world’s things, I get on as well asever, and, I think, rather better. I havelearned that all things beneath theheavens are the Lord’s, both gold andsilver.

For twenty years I saw, in the letterof the Word, that immersion was theonly proper mode of baptizing; but itwas not powerfully laid upon myconscience until several years since,while I was witnessing the ordinance. Icould not stand, my grief was so great;and I wished to follow my dear Lordthrough Jordan, which I have beenenabled to do.