"Will the reader now exclaim, and say, This makes God the author of all the evil and sin which exist? Well, suppose it does, does that prove the axioms false? These are self-evident facts. That God is not the author of evil is not a self-evident fact. Two self-evident facts opposed to each other cannot exist.

"That the position we here take is supported by divine authority we show by the following passage: Isa. 45: 7, I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil. I, the Lord, do all these things.'

"Having arrived safely at the conclusion that God is the author or creator of evil, and having so done on scriptural as well as on logical authority, we feel safe in drawing the following inferences: 1st. Divine wisdom comprehends the fact that evil is useful to a definite end or purpose. 2d. That it cannot fail of answering the end for which it was designed.

"Let us now proceed to consider the utility of evil. And we will do this by the light and guidance of divine truth. See Rom. 3:5-8: But if our unrighteousness commend the righteousness of God, what shall we say? Is God unrighteous who taketh vengeance? (I speak as a man.) God forbid; for then how shall God judge the world? For if the truth of God hath more abounded through my lie unto his glory, why yet am I judged as a sinner? And not rather (as we be slanderously reported, and as some affirm that we say), Let us do evil that good may come? whose damnation is just.' By what is here quoted, we clearly see that it was a doctrine which Paul preached, that the unrighteousness of men commends the righteousness of God, and that the truth of God abounds to his glory, through the falsehood of men. It is also evident that the enemies of the apostle understood enough of the doctrine of divine grace to induce them to report the scandal, that he said, Let us do evil that good may come. By observing the last of Rom. v., and the first of vi., we see the same subject alluded to. Moreover, the law entered that the offence might abound; but where sin abounded, grace did much more abound; that as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life, by Jesus Christ our Lord. What shall we say, then? Shall we continue

in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid.

How shall we that

are dead to sin live any longer therein?' Thus we see, that the slander which is so generally reported in our times, unfavorable to those who preach that where sin abounded grace much more abounds, was rife in the days of the apostles.

"If unrighteousness or evil commend the righteousness of God, we see therein its utility. See Rom. 5:8: 'But God commendeth his love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.' Can any one avoid seeing that this commendation of the love of God could never have been, if there had been no sinners? Such a commendation of the divine love as is here set forth could never have been witnessed by the angels of God in heaven, nor could it ever have melted hard and sinful hearts into contrition and love, had sin never been. This subject may be well illustrated by an attention to what is embraced in the words of Jesus, where he says, 'They that be whole need not a physician.' Now, it is the sickness of the patient which commends the skill of the physician, and the virtue of the medicine which restores to health. All the medicines found in the mineral and vegetable kingdom would have been useless, and would have forever remained so, if there had been no disorders to be cured. And in this place it may be well to notice the impropriety of the slanderous report which has been mentioned above. The enemies of the truth say our doctrine leads into sin; and that, according to its teachings, we may do evil that good may come. Why, then, we ask, is it not reasonable to suppose that the patient restored to health should, on that account, endeavor to become sick again, that the skilful physician, with his efficacious medicine, may again cure him? Moreover, as our opposers contend that, if we allow that God has a purpose to effect by moral evil, we may, on that account, endeavor to commit all the sin we can; we ask, in return, why ministers who urge this argument do not, when they visit the sick chambers of their parishioners, say to the sick, that, as it is true that God sends sickness for wise and good purposes, they may consistently endeavor, not only to remain sick, but to increase their sickness by all possible means?

"Who that has read of the conduct of Joseph, the son of Jacob, towards his brethren who sold him, and made himself well acquainted with his virtues, can fail to admire the man and his lovely character? But who will tell us how that admirable character, and those shining virtues, could ever have been known, or adorned the page of sacred history, if Joseph's brethren had never wronged him? Who can read the words of Joseph to his brethren, without tears? 'And Joseph said unto his brethren, Come near to me, I pray you: and they came near. And he said, I am Joseph, your brother, whom you sold into Egypt. Now, therefore, be not grieved, nor angry with yourselves that ye sold me hither, for God did send me before you to preserve life. But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive.' Do we not see here the utility of evil; and the good end and purpose which God designed it for?

"Another instance wherein our subject is most clearly seen, is the adorable character and wonderful grace exhibited in the sufferings and death of the Son of God. When we approach this subject, we feel our inability to do it justice, and realize the poverty of language to express its divine excellency. To multiply words, or to attempt to be eloquent on this subject, would surely offend against good taste. All who admire the Saviour, or realize the power of his love, must see and acknowledge that, if Jesus had had no enemies, that love could not have been exhibited as it was in the prayer, Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.' As well might we expect to behold the rainbow with all its beautiful colors, without a cloud or any rain, as to behold the excellency of divine grace if no sin had existed. Who can so well appreciate the blessing of a physician, as the patient whose pains and sickness have been removed? Who can so prize the grace of the Redeemer as those who say, 'Unto him who hath loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood?'

"It is not to be expected that what we have here presented to the reader will be approved by all into whose hands it may fall. We are sensible that our views differ widely from the theology of the church, and the doctrines of the schools. Many, no doubt,

will be surprised at the title which heads this short essay, and may regret to see anything so entirely new, and, to the public ear, uncouth. But let the reader consider that it has been the business of the writer, during the many years of his ministry, to be constantly putting forth sentiments and opinions which were offensive to the established doctrines of the church; but he has always been guided by an honest conviction, and a sense of duty. The sentiments set forth under the title of this article have been long believed, and in many ways, and in many instances, exhibited to the public; but never before under such a title, and with a design to have them remain in such a form, as to invite special attention and investigation.

"It may further serve our purpose here to suggest some queries for the consideration of our doctors. They all agree in the opinion that God spake unto the fathers by the prophets; and that the prophets spake of a vast variety of events which were to take place in different ages, and in different countries. They believe that the rise and fall of kingdoms were foretold, and the desolations of wars pointed out, with great exactness. Now we ask these doctors how all this could be, unless the whole was planned by that wisdom which foresaw it? Was it possible that any agency with which the Creator had endowed mankind should work out results different from those spoken of by the prophets? Take, for example, the prophecies concerning events from the founding of the ancient Persian empire by Cyrus, to the fall of the Roman, which comprehend events spoken of by Daniel. Now look at all the moral and physical evils which were embraced in, or exhibited by, the infinite multitude and variety of events which took place through those ages, and say whether all those prophecies could have been fulfilled, and all this moral and physical evil have been avoided? As our doctors allow that God was the author of those prophecies, also of their fulfilment, also of all the benefits which have resulted from their fulfilment, will they endeavor to keep themselves in countenance while they say he was not the author of the evils? We have noticed the above section of time and prophecy, only as an example of all times and prophecies. We further ask our doctors to

consider the question, whether all those events above alluded to could have taken place, and all the evils have been avoided? Or could all those evils have occurred, and the prophecies not be fulfilled? The fact we desire the reader to understand is, that what we call good and what we call evil are so connected, and so essentially related, that the one cannot exist without the other, in the state of being in which mortal man exists.

"Whoever takes an enlarged, enlightened view of the divine economy and government, must, we think, be convinced that no wisdom short of the wisdom of God can claim the authorship, strictly speaking, of any event whatever. Let us, for a moment, look at simple facts which lie within the compass of the most common capacity. There is no plan, scheme, or enterprise which men contrive, but such as they are prompted to by circumstances with which they find themselves encompassed. Then it is plain enough that they are not, in a strict sense, the authors of these plans or enterprises. They have their origin further back. If, even in imagination, we endeavor to trace back through events which must be numbered amongst the causes of these recent contrivances, we can never stop short of God himself. And the like is the case with regard to the inevitable consequences of those plans which are devised by men. Those who contrive them can no more comprehend all which will in future result from what they contrive, than they can trace back through all events which are past, and which have caused them to devise what they have. It is often said by very pious and sincere persons, that we have reason to hope that God will finally so overrule all things as to have them terminate for the best. But if we do not understand that he, at all times, has the control of all events, what reason have we to believe that he ever will?

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Hoping that none may be offended at what we here present to the reader, and affectionately requesting a candid examination of the whole subject, we close in the very appropriate words of St. Paul: O the depths of the riches, both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out! For who hath known the mind of the Lord, or who hath been his counsellor, or who hath first given to