THE CIRCUMSTANCES OF OUR LORD'S DEATH FORE- ORDAINED.
Luke xxii. 22. Truly the Son of Man goeth, as it was deter- mined3-.
THE doctrine of predestination is very mysterious. If it be so held as to destroy the free agency of man, it must be pernicious and false : but it cannot be denied without denying also the omniscience and im- mutability of God ; nor, if properly understood, is it at all inconsistent with the responsibility of man. If we know not how to reconcile all the difficulties that arise from this doctrine, it is not therefore false. Certain it is that Judas was punished, and that eter- nallyb; nor can we doubt but that the Judge of all the earth will do right0: yet his sin was among the things which had been fore-ordained. To this effect St. Peter speaks respecting the Jewish nation at large d : to the same purpose our Lord speaks of Judas in par- ticular6.
I. Our Lord's death in general was fore-ordained —
No unprejudiced person can entertain a doubt of this truth : there are innumerable proofs of it in the Holy Scriptures.
Our Lord's death was fixed before the foundation of the world —
[God foresaw the fall of man from eternity: he from eternity also determined to restore man again to his favour. The mean, by which he resolved to effect it, was the death of his own Son. Hence the Apostle speaks of Christ as " fore- ordained," &c. f — ]
a Another exordium might be to this effect : — [Persons educated in the Christian religion, take for granted that it is true ; whilst yet they know but little how to defend it against the assaults of infidels. But it is desirable that we should all be conversant, in some degree at least, with the evidences of its truth, I will therefore set before you somewhat of the evidence that arises from the accomplishment of pro- phecy, and especially in reference to the death of Christ as being alto- gether decreed and determined by God.]
b Mark xiv. 21. c Ps. cxlv. 17. d Acts ii. 23.
e The text. f 1 Pet. i. 20.