swayed by the Infinite First Cause, to account for the apostasy of creatures once sinless, or perfectly holy. But with some it seems a plain principle of philosophy, to which even the Scriptures must yield, that it requires as extraordinary and direct a power to make an holy being sinful, as to make a sinful being holy. Many theories have been invented to explain this difficult subject,—difficult, because man will be meddling with what is absolutely above. his comprehension, and what God has not thought fit to reveal. Most of these theories, have aimed to account for the origin of moral evil, without introducing a positive divine efficiency, or even admitting that it was comprehended in the eternal purposes of Jehovah. But have any of their different schemes afforded relief to the inquiring mind? If they have seemed to remove one difficulty, they have plunged us into many more still greater?-And after all, I would inquire, what right any man has to add any thing to the account of this matter given by the sacred writers? Was it not adding to the scripture account, for Milton and others to pretend, God could not have prevented the fall of Adam, without destroying his moral freedom? And is it not equally to add to the Scripture account, to say, as Dr. Emmons does, that Satan presented motives to the view of Adam to sin, which motives could indeed have no possible power to move his will, or to excite a wrong choice; that the agency that produced the effect, was God himself, directly moving the heart of Adam to choose evil. Do the Scriptures in accounting for this event, give us the least hint of this kind? Is this the plain obvious sense of what they say upon the subject? Because the philosopher can sce no other way to account for the event, does this prove this solution to be correct? There may be another, though we be not able to perceive it.

This is the source of numberless errors among philosophers. "There is no other way to account for the phenomena." The Manichean says, there is

群

no other way to account for the existence of moral evil, except upon the principle of the existence of a benevolent and an evil God.-Because, we cannot account for the fall of Adam, or of the once sinless angels, without introducing a divine direct efficiency, to move their wills to sin, are we warranted to set up this principle as truth?—I trow not. 2. All sinners of mankind, since the apostasy, are in the Scriptures represented as under the power and influence of the Devil.-And such language is used, as cannot be reconciled to this modern notion of divine efficiency in the production of the evil exercises of men. "But if I cast out devils by the spirit of God, then the kingdom of God is come nigh unto you. Or else how can one enter into a strong man's house and spoil his goods, except he first bind the strong man." Matt. xii, 28. Here Satan is a strong man, holding possession of the heart as his residence. "And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the Devil, who are taken captive by him at his will." 2 Tim. ii, 26. "Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience." Ep. ii, 2.

Now is this the obvious sense of these texts. that Satan cannot move the wills of sinners by motives, nor any other influence, to evil; but when it is said, he is the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience, we are to understand, that God is that spirit, which directly moves and excites every sinner to impiety and mischief? The Bible is truly written in a strange style, if this is the obvious sense.

3. Satan is represented as the agent, who moves sinners to outward gross crimes and abominations. An evil spirit from the Lord, i. e. the Devil by divine permission, instigated Saul to attempt the murder of David. Calvin says, it would be blasphemy to say this was the spirit of God. When David committed the great sin of numbering the people, the Devil is

said to provoke him to it. As it was God's purpose to punish him and the people, he is also said to move David; but it was by suffering him in a degree to fall under the power and influence of the Devil.When Judas betrayed the Lord of life and glory, it is said, Satan entered into him. Peter says to Ananias, "Why hath Satan put it into thy heart to lie to the Holy Ghost?" But is it the obvious meaning of this declaration of Peter, that God stood by Ananias, and moved him, by a direct operation on his heart, as Dr. Emmons says, in respect to God's hardening the heart of Pharaoh.-When the Bible says, Satan puts it into the heart of a wicked man, are we always to understand, that God is meant instead of Satan?-For the doctrine we oppose, asserts, that neither Satan, nor any other second cause, can incline the heart of even the greatest sinner to do evil?

4. The Devil in the word of God, is represented as the grand agent in effecting the great apostasy from Christianity, under the man of sin, the Bishop of Rome. "Whose coming," says Paul, is after the working of Satan, with all signs and lying wonders, and with all, deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish." 2 Thess. ii, 9.

This apostasy was an engine of Hell to oppose Christ, and to destroy mankind. It is compared to · a fierce and cruel wild beast, and the Devil was the Spirit who lived and acted in this beast. "And there appeared another wonder in heaven, and behold a great red dragon; having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads. And there was war in heaven, Michael and his angels fought against the dragon, and the dragon fought and his angels, and the great dragon, that old serpent the Devil, and Satan was cast out." And this same dragon is said to give power unto the beast. He is also said to deceive the whole world.

5. The Devil is so eminently the cause of all wickedness that prevails in the world, that in order

to the introduction of the peace, order, religion, and felicity of the millennial state, he must be confined in the bottomless pit, and suffered no more to go out. Rev. xx, 3.

6. Nay, such is his power to produce wickedness in the world, that he is no sooner released out of this pit, than he again succeeds to deceive the nations, and to draw them into war among themselves, and against God; and to repeat all the abominations which prevailed for thousands of years previous to the millennium. Rev. xx, 7, 8.

Finally, so great is the power of Satan represented in the Scripture, to produce sin and destroy mankind, that the grand object of Christ's incarnation was to destroy his works. For this purpose was the Son of God manifested, that he might destroy the works of the Devil." 1 John iii, 8.

From all these considerations, it is exceedingly evident, that the Devil, though not an independent, is a very great being, and has a real and tremendous power to excite, seduce, and draw men into sin. To say, that neither he nor any other second causes, have any power to draw away men into wickedness; that after the Devil, motives, temptations, and second causes, have spent all the power God ever gave them, they cannot excite the will of man, in a single instance, to choose evil. This is never done, and never can be done, but by a direct, inward, divine efficiency upon the heart. This, in our humble opinion, is one of the most plain and obvious perversions of the word of God, that the arrogance of human philosophy has ever yet dared to broach. It is utterly irreconcilable with what is said in the sacred volume, of the power of Satan to produce moral evil, unless it be by some strained interpretation, and philosophical refinement, that sets aside the plain and sober sense of Scripture.

*8

SECTION IX.

WHAT IS SAID IN THE SCRIPTURES OF GOD'S GIVING UP SINNERS TO THEIR OWN HEARTS' LUSTS, AND SUFFERING THEM TO WALK IN THEIR OWN WAYS, INCONSISTENT WITH THE IDEA OF DIVINE EFFICIENCY UNDER CONSIDERATION.

IT has been usual with the most eminent divines and pious Christians, to speak of the sins and crimes of men as taking place by divine permission. But the terms to permit, to suffer, or not to hinder, are now by some considered as pretty little palliating terms, invented to keep the agency and counsel of God in the government of the world, out of sight. But in regard to the use of such language, I have three things to observe.

1. It is well adapted to that modesty, diffidence, and reverence, which becomes frail children of the dust, when they speak of the awful mysteries, of the counsels, ways, and providence of the Most High.Which is most becoming, to say, that, for some wise purpose, God permitted the rebellious angels to fall into sin and guilt, and to bring eternal ruin on themselves; or to say, that, by a direct positive efficiency, he moved their hearts to hate him and trample down his authority?—I should think that the former mode of expression savors much more of piety and sound wisdom than the latter.