grace prevent not. The other sort of disciples stuck to him, and no wonder, when it is affirmed that he had chosen them. When wicked freeagents get the bit in their teeth, and the reins on their neck, none know where their rage would end; but there is a bridle in their jaws, causing them to err, God holds the rein, directs their course, lets them loose, or pulls them in, as he thinks proper. They would have altered Pilate's title on the cross, but there was a stop: what was written was written. They would have broken the Saviour's legs, but a bone of him was not to be broken. They sealed the stone of his sepulchre, and set a watch, to prevent his being stolen, and that he might corrupt in the grave; but here was another let; Angels removed the stone, and struck the keepers with fear till they became as dead men: God's Holy One was not to see corruption. The Jewish free-thinkers, or Arminians, such I call them (for I defy the world to prove that there was one soul among the murderers of Christ that held the Calvinistic doctrines of the everlasting gospel, or that had the faith of God's elect; these were among the mourners, not among the murderers), acted freely with respect to themselves; yet they were overruled and directed by God: they would have concealed the Saviour's resurrection, and paid large sums of money to the soldiers, promising to persuade the governor and secure them; but twelve witnesses were sent out to proclaim it; and when these were opposed,

some were imprisoned, and some killed; the Lord appeared to five hundred more at once, and after that to Paul also; thus the resurrection of Christ got abroad, notwithstanding there was so strong a combination of free-thinkers against it.

The command, Thou shalt do no murder, stands immutably fixed; but that law was given to man: God's command to men given in time, did not overrule his sovereignty with respect to the decree of election settled in eternity: God works all things after the council of his own will. Is the law against the sovereignty of God? God forbid! for if it be, it is against his promise also. Then what becomes of the elect? The law is made for the lawless and disobedient: it is binding to all free-thinkers; hence they are called bond-children. God's law will be his rule of judgment in the great day with respect to them, because they will all be found under that covenant. But the elect will be judged by the book of life, in which their names are inrolled, and in which their life is secured. Their salvation, their resurrection to life, and eternal glorification, is according to God's own purpose and grace, who works all things after the council of his own will. It is God's good will toward them, and upon them he intends to display the riches of his free-grace in eternal glory by Christ Jesus. The command of the divine Master to a servant, does not control the sovereign will of the everlasting Father with respect to his regenerated children. Servants are under the law; they are not predestined to the adoption of

sons; his command therefore is to them; for the disobedient and lawless it is given, and by that he will judge them according to their works. But God's own children are the objects of his sovereign choice; he has formed them for himself; he views them in his Son, and has appointed them to obtain salvation by him; their names are in the book of life, and he will be their God in covenant, and they shall be the people of his love, with which he will plant the heavens.

To be short: God's law stands binding to the non-elect for ever, and the uncontrollable Jehovah will remain a free-agent for ever. "Thou shalt not kill," stands fast to the children of men, and God's free agency is displayed also. "And him that escapeth the sword of Hazael shall Jehu slay; and him that escapeth from the sword of Jehu shall Elisha slay." Do not kill, said the Saviour to the Arminian Jews, Mark x. 19. "The Son of Man shall be betrayed into the hands of men, and they shall kill him." Yea, and they shall kill many of his saints too, after the gospel has been preached for a witness, and the preachers of it brought before rulers for a testimony against them, Matt. x. 18. "Wherefore, behold I send you prophets, and wise men, and scribes; and some of them ye shall kill and crucify, and some of them ye shall scourge in your synagogues, and persecute them from city to city; that upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel."

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Mr. Skinner is dreadfully offended at Peter's saying, "They stumbled at Christ, being disobedient, whereunto also they were appointed." Appointed to disobedience,' saith he, is no less ' than a contradiction in terms.' He cannot allow that the sovereign will of God should precede, overrule, and interfere with the works of these free-agents they would sooner rob the Godhead of prescience, sovereignty, and uncontrollable will, than allow free-agency to be under any superior rule or restraint. But so it happens, that let them take what step they will as free-agents, it is according to God's sovereign will, predetermined and pre-revealed. They stumbled and fell;" "They shall stumble and fall;" "Have any of the rulers believed on him?" "I work a work which you shall in no wise believe, though a man declare it." "Their eyes have they closed." "The Lord hath poured upon you the spirit of deep sleep, and hath closed your eyes." "I am come in my Father's name, and ye receive me not; if another shall come in his own name, him ye will receive." 66 Many shall come in my name, saying I am Christ, and shall deceive many." The vile person will utter error against the Lord. "There shall be a bridle in the jaws of the people, causing them to err." This people have made lies their refuge. "God shall send them strong delusions, that they may believe a lie." They have not all obeyed the gospel. They are disobedient, whereunto also they were appointed, 1 Pet. ii. 8. "But

evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse." "He hath made the wicked for the day of evil.” "Many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many." "Ye will not come to me that ye may have life." They choose death rather than life. "That that dieth, let it die." "This is the portion of a wicked man from God, and the heritage [of his decree] from God," Job xx. 29. There are ungodly men, who were of old ordained to this condemnation, Jude 4.

Let the free-agent take what voluntary course he may, he shall never deviate from the rule, nor exceed the immutable bounds fixed by the uncontrollable and eternal Ruler. God has declared the end from the beginning; his council shall stand, and his pleasure shall be done; nothing shall be added to his work nor taken from it. Nor shall Mr. Skinner ever deceive one of God's elect, though he threaten to preach every Calvinist out of his meeting; and if God leave him to his own thoughts, to deceive many nominal professors, even then he is God's instrument and the deceived are God's fuel, and he will consume them as stubble fully dry; The deceiver and the deceived are the Lord's. Nor shall he, if he be given up of God, ever utter one thought more against the Lord, than what will fill up his measure; Israel wandered in the wilderness, till the iniquity of the Amorites was full. The Jews were to fill up the measure of their fathers, but none shall exceed their measure.