word. (5.) How valuable his promises to the righteous. (6.) At what an infinite expense God has sustained his truth, while pardoning rebels doomed to die. Ps. lxxxv. 10. Rom. iii. 26.

8. The Mercy of God. (1.) What mercy is. (2.) Contemplate mercy as a disposition inherent in the divine character. (3.) The only way in which mercy can be exercised by him towards those who have merited anger and punishment, consistent with the moral rectitude of his character, and the great ends of his government. Ps. lxxxv. 10. Isa. liii. 5, 6, 10. Acts iv. 12; v. 31. Rom. iii. 25, 26. (4.) How this attribute is manifested in his providence. Matt. v. 45. (5.) How in his word. Neh. ix. 17. Ps. iii. 8. Matt. v. 7. Rom. v. 6. (These two may embrace several subdivisions.) (6.) Consider whether, by the light of nature, we could discover any possible way for God to exercise mercy towards the guilty.

(3.) The great guilt and

Practical Reflections. (1.) The loveliness and glory of this attribute. (2.) How we should feel in view of it. Ps. cxviii. danger of indulging an unmerciful or cruel dispo sition. Prov. xi. 17, l. c.; xxi. 13. Mark xi. 26. Jas. ii. 13. (4.) The advantage of being merciful. Ps. xviii. 25. Prov. xi. 17, f. c. Matt. v. 7. Mark xi. 25.

What wisdom is.

How from cun

9. The Wisdom of God. (1.) How it differs from knowledge. ning or subtilty. Whether that is wisdom which does not design to accomplish a good end. Whether

this is a natural or moral attribute, or both. (2.) How the wisdom of God is manifested in the works

of creation. Ps. civ. Prov. iii. 19. Examine particular objects, [and see how exactly every thing is fitted for the end for which it is designed, and that a good end; such as the seasons; day and night; provision made for the wants, and for the comfort and pleasure, of men and animals; the body and mind of man; the laws which govern the material world, carried out in a great variety of ways; in the infinite variety, and yet extensive and convenient classification, of objects; human languages; moral agency of intelligent beings, &c. (3.) The wisdom of God, as exhibited in his word; first, its perfect adaptation to the wants of the world; its variety of authorship, style, matter, manner, &c.; second, the truths revealed; particularly the plan of redemption. Rom. xi. 33.

Practical Reflections. (1.) Ps. xlviii. 14. (2.) The folly of setting up our own reason in opposition to the word of God. Isa. xl. 13, 14. Rom. xi. 34, 35. (3.) The folly of self-conceit. Prov. xxvi. 12. (4.) From whom all wisdom comes. Prov. ii. 6. (5.) What is the only true wisdom. Job xxviii. 28.

II. DOCTRINES.

1. The Decrees of God. Doctrine: That God foreordains whatsoever comes to pass.

Proved, (1.) By reason. Otherwise, he would work without a plan, and could not certainly know

what would take place hereafter; which is inconsistent with the idea of infinite wisdom. Acts xv. 18. (2.) From Scripture. Job xxiii. 13. Isa. xlvi. 10. Jer. x. 23.

This doctrine does not destroy the freedom and accountability of the creature. Acts ii. 23. This is not to be understood in any such sense as to make God the author of sin. Jas. i. 13. If the will of God is done, the greatest possible good will be accomplished. Ps. cxix. 68, f. c. How we ought to feel, in view of this doctrine. Phil. iv. 4. Duty of submission. Luke xxii. 42. Jas. iv. 7.

2. The Sovereignty of God. Doctrine: That God rules the universe, according to his own pleasure, independently and without control, giving no further account of his conduct than he pleases.

Proved, (1.) By reason: first, his will the greatest good; second, he has power to accomplish it; third, if he fails to accomplish his will, he will be under constraint, which is inconsistent with the idea of an infinite being. Were he to fail of accomplishing his own will, he would not be qualified for a righteous governor. (2.) From Scripture. Ps. cxv. 3. Dan. iv. 35. Job xxxiii. 13.

Eccl. viii. 3, l. c.

Reflections. (1.) God does not act arbitrarily, without sufficient cause, or merely for the sake of doing his own will. His actions are controlled by a supreme desire for the greatest good, and always founded on the best of reasons. (2.) The consummate folly of those who resist his will. (3.) The

feelings with which we ought to regard the sovereignty of God. 1 Chron. xvi. 23-34. Ps. xcvii. 1. (4.) How terrible this doctrine to sinners. Ps. xcix. 1. Isa. xxxiii. 14. (5.) What ground of confidence, comfort, and joy to the righteous. Ps. xlv. 6. Hosea xiv. 9. Rom. viii. 28.

3. Human Depravity. (1.) How extensive. Rom. iii. 23. Corroborated by facts. (2.) How great in degree. Gen. vi. 5. Rom. iii. 10-18. (3.) From whom derived. Rom. v. 12-19. (4.) How hereditary depravity becomes personal. Ps. lviii. 3. (5.) How human depravity manifests itself. Rom. viii. 7. John iii. 19, 20; v. 40. Acts vii. 51. Gal. v. 19-21.

Practical Reflections. (1.) How we ought to feel, in view of our own depravity. Ezra ix. 6. Job xlii. 6. Ps. xxxviii. 1-7; li. 4, 17. Dan. ix. 8. (2.) The necessity of regeneration. Heb. xii. 14, l. c. (3.) How this load of guilt may be removed. Matt. xi. 28-30. 1 John ii. 1, 2. (4.) What it will bring us to, if we do not obtain deliverance from it. Rom. vi. 23, f. c.

4. Regeneration. (1.) Its nature. 2 Cor. v. 17. Eph. iv. 24. (2.) Its Author. John iii. 5, 6. (3.) Influence of the Spirit; how exerted; not miraculous. John iii. 8. (4.) Man's agency in the work of regeneration. Isa. lv. 6, 7. Acts ii. 38; xvi. 31. Phil. ii. 12, 13.

5. The Condition of fallen Man. (1.) Alienation from God. Job xxi. 14, 15. Rom. i. 28. Eph. ii. 1, 2. (2.) Exposure to his wrath. Deut. xxxii.

35, 41. Ps. vii. 11, 12. John iii. 18, 36. Eph. ii. 3. (3.) Personal misery. Isa. lvii. 20, 21. Misery the natural consequence of sin. Jer. ii. 19.

Practical Reflections. (1.) How Christians should feel, in view of this subject. Isa. li. 1. 1 Cor. xv. 10. (2.) How they should feel, in view of the condition of the impenitent. Rom. ix. 1-3. (3.) How act. Acts xx. 31, 1. c. Rev. xxii. 17. (4.) The necessity of a Mediator between God and man. Gal. iii. 10.

(4.)

6. The plan of Redemption. (1.) Why sin could not be pardoned without an atonement. Gen. ii. 17. Deut. xxvii. 26, compared with Deut. xxxii. 4, l. c. Heb. ix. 22. (2.) What a mediator is. Job ix. 33. 2 Cor. v. 18, 19. (3.) Why it was necessary that our Mediator should be God. Why, that he should be also man. (5.) Why it was necessary that he should obey the law. Isa. xlii. 21. Gal. iv. 4, 5. (6.) Why that he should suffer. Gal. iii. 13; iv. 4, 5. Heb. ix. 22, 28. (7.) Why that he should rise from the dead. Rom. iv. 25. 1 Cor. xv. 17. 1 Pet. i. 21. Heb. vii. 25.

Practical Reflections. (1.) How the love of God is manifested in the provision of such salvation. John iii. 16. Rom. v. 8. (2.) How we should feel and act, in view of the amazing love of Christ. 2 Cor. v. 14, 15. (3.) What effect his love should have upon sinners. Zech. xii. 10. Rom. ii. 4. (4.) How Christians should feel, in view of the ingratitude of the impenitent. Ps. cxix. 136, 158.