and as proving that men have a sufficiency of ability to do what God wishes they would do. But let it be confider'd,

I. That admitting the words contain a wish and defire of God for the fpiritual welfare and converfion of men, fuch a wish can only be ascribed to him in a figurative fenfe, as has been obferved under the preceding number. Wishing cannot be attributed to God in fuch fenfe as it is to man, who often wishes for that which is not in his power to perform, and therefore defires it to be done by another; which cannot be faid of God, without impeaching his omnipotence. When God is faid to wish for and defire, as we will fuppofe here, the converfion and obedience of men, it only implies, that these would be grateful and well pleafing to him; and not that either it is in the power of man to convert themfelves, and obey the commands of God, or that it is the determining will of God that every individual of mankind fhould be converted, and obey his commands in a way acceptable to him; for then every man would be converted and obey: Therefore fuch a wish, fuppofe it as univerfal and extenfive as you please, does not militate against the diftinguishing grace of God, in chufing, redeeming, and calling fome only; fince fuch a E 2 with

wish only declares what God approves of, and not what he determines shall be.

II. The wish for the fpiritual welfare of the persons here mention'd, supposing it to be one, is only for the people of Ifrael, God's profeffing people, and whom he calls my people, and not all mankind, or every individual son of Adam; as it ought to have been, could it be thought to militate against the election, redemption, and effectual vocation of some particular persons only; and besides, it will be difficult to prove that these persons spoken of, notwithstanding all their perverseness, rebellion and misconduct, were not chofen of God, redeemed by Christ, and favingly wrought upon by the power of divine grace, and finally faved.

III. The words, if duly examined, will appear not to contain any wish at all, but an hypothesis or fuppofition, being to be read thus; If my people bad bearken'd unto me, and Ifrael had walked in my ways, I fhould, &c. R. Sol. Farchi interprets

by

, and R. Aben Ezra by 1, and the Septuagint by ; all which fignify if; so the Syriac, Arabic, Ethiopic, Vulgar Latin, Vatablus, Junius and Tremellius, read the words; therefore, as the Contra Remon* In Coll, Hag. Art. iii, iv. p. 252.

ftrants

ftrants have rightly obfermes.

follow from hence, that mate sedie obey the commands of

formance of obedience toper
will, no more than a wa
fuch a propofition

of God perfect, te tail e
therefore it is the towe
the law of God service
a man believes, de ba
faith depends
power. Beiden

Tremellius; and neither the one nor the ather regard the fpiritual, but temporal welfare of God's people Ifrael; nor do they contain a wish for that, but a declaration, or an affeveration of it, on condition of their obedience to God's commands. The paffage in Hof. xi. 8. which is fometimes joined with this, is an human way of speaking, as R. Aben Ezra on the place, observes; and expreffes God's compaffionate concern for the temporal welfare of Ephraim and Ifrael, and not tranfports of affection, and defire after the fpiritual welfare of any,

much lefs of all mankind.

NU MB. VIII. Pfal. cxxv. 3.

For the rod of the wicked shall not rest upon the lot of the righteous, left the righteous put forth their hands unto iniquity.

T

HESE words are made ufe of a to

" prove, that faints, or true believers, or men once truly good, may ceafe to be fo; for 'tis faid, that they feem plainly to infinuate, that great and long oppreffions might have this effect upon them, and furely that which God is thus careful to prevent, might poffibly befal the righteous;

there being no need of care to prevent that which he hath abfolutely engaged to preferve them from "; ftrange! feeing,

I. The doctrine of the faints final perfeverance is fo plainly intimated in the two preceding verfes of this pfalm; They that truft in the Lord fhall be as mount Zion, which cannot be removed, but abideth for ever. As the mountains are round about Jerufalem, fo the Lord is round about his people, from henceforth even for ever. If they that truft in the Lord, who are faints, true believers, men truly good, are as mount Zion; then they cannot be removed, neither from the heart of God, nor out of the hands of Chrift, but will abide there for ever, and confequently cannot ceafe to be what they are. If, as the mountains are round about Jerufalem; fo the Lord is round about the fame perfons before defcribed, who are his people, and that even for ever; how is it poffible that they fhould ever perish?

II. These words are strictly connected with the former, and exprefs a certain effect that should furely follow from the fafe state and happy fituation of fuch who truft in the Lord; for, or because it is fo and fo with them; therefore the rod of the wicked, the tyrannical government, oppreffions and perE 4 fecutions