are, and where are rivers of holy pleasures for ever more. On the other hand, we are equally assured, in the word of God, that the wicked shall be turned into hell, with all the nations that forget God-that except men repent, they shall perish that he that believeth not shall be damned that those who know not God, and obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, shall be punished with everlasting destruction-shall not see lifeshall go away into everlasting punishment-that the fearful and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone, which is the second death. This God has said, and this he will do. These declarations are different from the threatening to Adam, which left room for repentance and pardon; they are of the nature of predictions, which God must fulfil, or forfeit his character for truth and veracity. If, then, men may know, what their characters and conduct are, in this world; then they may know what will be their condition, in the world to come. 5. Will God do as he has said? Then it is all important that men should be convinced of this truth. Until they are so, the Scriptures, though able to make them wise unto salvation, will do them no good. Until men believe that God will fulfil his word, they will give themselves no concern, either to gain his favor, or to shun his wrath. And hence we may see, why the great Adversary of men, has ever been so anxious to convince them that God will not do as he has said. He began with the first human pair, "And the Serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die "-Thus he contradicted God; and thus, ever since, he has exerted all his wiles, to hinder the deluded children of men from believing that God will keep his word. For he knows, that if he can effectually hinder this, he is sure of their souls. 6. If God will do as he says; then Saints ever have reason to rejoice. God has told them, that all things shall work together for good to them-that all their enemies shall shortly be subdued—that he will withhold from them no good thing-that he will hereafter receive them to himself. And, what is more and better, he has said that he will so order all things, as to glorify himself, and promote the highest good of his kingdom; which is the first wish and desire of all that love him. Finally. If God will do as he says; then sinners are in a dangerous condition. God has said, that wrath pursues them that their feet shall slide in due time and that their end will be destruction. Unless speedy repentance prevent, their endless perdition is as certain, as it is that God cannot lie. How, then, can they dwell at ease? Be entreated to consider your ways, and turn unto the Lord, before it is too late. "Behold, now is the accepted time "-To-day, therefore, if you will hear the voice of God, speaking in his word, harden not your hearts.' SERMON XVII. GOD'S END, IN CREATION AND PROVIDENCE. Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory, and honor, and power; for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are, and were created. REVELATION IV. 11. In this chapter, the apostle John begins his description of that series of prophetic scenes, exhibited to him, by the spirit of inspiration, on the island of Patmos. In the text and context, he describes a wonderful vision of the heavenly world, and the "burning throne." In the progress of this vision, he saw, 'twenty-four elders, and four beasts (living creatures) round about the throne.' The objects exhibited to the Revelator, in these visions, are symbols of spiritual things, and future events. By the elders, are supposed to be represented, the spiritual Church of God—the collective body of saints—in allusion to the twelve patriarchs and twelve apostles; and by the four living creatures, are supposed to be represented the true and faithful ministers of the word of God. whether these suppositions of expositors, be correct, or not; it will not be questioned, that the elders and living creatures represent some of those holy creatures, who are, or will be, tenants of the heavenly mansions. These, the apostle describes, as delightfully and unceasingly employed in praising God. "They rest not, day and night, saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come. And when these living creatures give glory, and honor, and thanks, to him that sat on the But, throne, who liveth for ever and ever; the four and twenty elders fall down before him that sat on the throne, and worship him that liveth for ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying ". . . . . Then follow, in the words of my text, the reasons, which these celestial inhabitants assign, for thus, incessantly, praising God: "Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory, and honor, and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are, and were created." If, then, this is a just representation of the heavenly inhabitants, who doubtless have correct views of God and his works, and are employed, as rational, wise and holy creatures ought to be; we may hence deduce this doctrine, for our present serious consideration: God is worthy of all praise, because he created and preserves all things for his pleasure. This doctrine comprises three propositions, which I shall endeavor to establish in their order: I. God created and preserves all things. II. He created and preserves them for his pleasure. And, III. On this account, he is worthy of all praise. The phrase, all things, in this connection, is very comprehensive. It includes whatever, in the universe, had a beginning, or was not self-existent. Angels, men, the animal kingdom, the material world, every being and every substance, besides God, is comprehended in the phrase, "all things." As God is the only self-existent or eternal being; so every being and thing, without or besides him, has had a beginning, and was created. That all beings and things, besides God, were created, is a dictate of right reason for that which was not created, must have been self-existent, i. e., must have contained the ground or reason of its existence, in itself; or, in other words, must have existed by a necessity of nature. But whatever exists by such a necessity-whatever contains the ground or reason of its existence, in itself—must have existed unchangeably the same, from eternity; and must exist equally in all places. To say that a thing exists of necessity, and yet that it may exist at one time, and not at another, or in one place and not another, or that it may have different forms and different properties, at different times, is a contradiction in terms. Whatever, therefore, was not created, must be self-evident, eternal, unchangeable, and omnipresent. But a being, that possesses self-existence, eternity, immutability, and omnipresence, is God. These are essential and incommunicable attributes of the Godhead. If any should here revive an error of the Pagan philosophy, long since exploded, but partially revived by a few modern sceptics, and say, that 'all things are God, and God all things; it might be a sufficient answer to such Pantheists, to say, that nothing which admits of change, in any respect, can be God, because God is a self-existent, eternal being: but angels, men, animals, and all material things are changeable, and, therefore, distinct from God. Pantheism is, of all kinds of atheism, the most absurd; as, under the pretence of admitting a God, it makes him. as blind as fate, and as fickle as chance. As it is demonstrable, that whatever is changeable, must have had a beginning; so it is equally evident that God must have created it. That which began to be, must have had a cause of its existence. But, before God com |
