Joseph A. Benton Collection

[upper left corner] (No. 28) [upper right corner] (July 2^d)

2 Peter - [centered] 3:9 ~ [centered]

"But is long-suffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance."

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Wrong views in community and to what Evangelical X^ns [Christians] hold in respect to the divine will ~

Misrepresentations are made – & things outrageous changed – either wilfully [willfully] – or in prejudice – or – more commonly, I presume, thro [through] misapprehension & mistakes. Hold no view of God either derogatory or unworthy – but one wh. [which] both Commends itself to our reason & is consonant with the S. S. [Song of Solomon] ~

(2) [centered]

Text teaches that G. [God] does not wish any one of us to perish in sin – but truly desires all of us to come to repentance.

I What is a desire –? Same in 1. man as in God – in its prop. [proper] nat. [nature] – get our notion of Deity from selves. Being of Emotions. 2. A going forth of t. [the] mind after some good. 3. Distinguish twixt voluntary & involuntary. 4. Gods [God's] desire for t. [the] repentance of all is an invol. [involved] desire – no determing [determining] to gratify is wholly.

II Does God have any desires wh. [which] he cannot consis'tly [consistently], & does not gratify?

Yes!! Mor. [Moral] Being – has made choices – & therefore – one desire in each case was ungrat-ified. God wished no sin – but it came. God wished to relieve C. [Christ] – but did not.

(3) [centered]

Wishes to send on no one any evil – but does do it –– No parent per-ishes with So much reluctance – but he does not spare us.

So as here are other desires which are not gratified – this one may not be – the thing is possible.

III But will not God's purposes

1 be carried out? Yes!! But he does not propose all he desires.

2 What is purposed – determined or – is desired in some sense – but all that is desired is not purposed. –

3 Some things are purposed bec. [because] they are desirable in some aspects but not in all. For this reason God sends afflictions – wishes not to – but purposes it on the whole as for the best.

(4) [centered]

Physician leg. &c. [etc.] – Absol [Absolutely] nec. [necessary] to t. [the] greatest good.

4. Other things, not desirable "her se" – are pur-posed bec. [because] they are unavoidably conneted [connected] with that wh. [which] is nec. [necessary] to something desired –.

I wish to visit London – go by walk – Sea-sick – lead thing – lest I prefer suf-fering it natine than not going.

On this prime. G. [God] purposed the existence of sin – not desiring at all – but only co incidental to what he did wish = the hap. [happiness] of the creatures he might form.

Illus. [Illustrate] Father, several chilⁿ [children] – sends to school. – Knows one will do ill – disgrace himself, parents &c. & turn out a base fellow. Shall he : . [therefore] refuse to send any of them to school? Shall he keep all in ignorance & vel ruin all? Shall he do best he can?

(5) [centered]

IV Purposes of God then will all be fulfilled – every plan he has entered on will carried out just as he expected it would be – but all the desires of God are not realized – nor ever can be; – and even some things are realized contrary to his wishes – & against all his en-treaties. God then foreknows – if you please, purposes sin – not bec. [because] he desires it – not bec. [because] it will result in good, for it is only evil – but bec. [because] it is not poss. [possible] for Him to prevent it in such a mor. [moral] system, consistently.

He wishes no one to sin – necessitates no one to sin – warns, forbids, not to sin

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And now that men have sinned – he desires the repentance &c [etc.] of all – & will secure it if poss. [possible] to him.