Joseph A. Benton Collection

[upper left corner] (May 7 ~) (18)

[upper right corner] (1) No. 18.

Job 9:2 ~ [centered] ~

I know it is so of a truth – But how should a man be just with God? ~ Last 2 mornings considered – sin in Nat. [Nature] – Extent &c. [etc.] – & its modes of ope-ration by deceiving the heart & – and binding men in bondage, chains, & mor. [moral] darkness. alienating from God – filling them with coldness, neglect, disobed. [disobedience] & dislike toward the glorious memory of the Universe – & with flattering, false, and corrupting, & vicious notions of themselves.

Sin having thus ruined man – & offended God the most pertinent – & interesting query – wh. [which] we as sinners can ask – comes up – It is asked substantially in the text – How shall reconciliation take place?

(Explain text cir^cs [circumstances] &c. [etc.])

I. Two grand obstacles in way of pardon.

(2) [centered]

One lies in the necessities of the Di-vine moral gov't [government] whos [who's] law has been transgressed – the other in the char-acter of man as a transgressor. ~ Till both of these obstacles are removed there can be, & there ought to be no forgiveness – – no reconciliation. ~

To-day [Today] we will consider how the first obstacle is removed & a ground of par-don laid.

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II 1. What is the position of men with respect to the law & govt [government] of G. [God] while without an aton'g [atoning] sacrifice?

Ans. [Answer] – Rebels &c [etc.] – under condemnation – penalty is suspended over heads ~

2. Why was not t. [the] penalty of death inflicted on the first transgressors – of t. [the] race immediately

Ans. [Answer] God – foreknew it – made provision for it promised a Savior in Eden. &c. [etc.] This day of respite given, &c. [etc.]

[Written across the sermon, in ink] Rev Dr Beecher Moderator Rev J Guerney Clark – Senite Prayer was offered by the Mast. Hn Clark Scribe had a copy of the letters run in.

(3) [centered]

2 All men are on trial now – respite given Salvation is freely – and cordially – offered on fair & well understood conditions

III How comes it to hap [happens] that men are thus so favorably placed, & put in possession of means to secure their deliverance from sin & its ills?

Ans. [Answer] By the pure love & kindness – the mere grace & goodness of God.

A broken law brings down pen sure & unerring unless God – the law given in-terfere. ~

Offenders can do nothing toward atoning for broken law. Law & good from nat. [nature] of things allow of no aton [atonement] by – those who had transg^ed [transgressed].

For full & perf. [perfect] obed. [obedience] is required – & future keeping law can only answer for itself. No extra suffering – can atone – for – none.

(4) [centered]

can be endured which the penalty exacts not. No poss. [possibility] then for offenders to make aton. [atonement] nor for any finite creatures to make one ~ – (So in hum. [human] govts [governments] unless imperfect.)

God must provide a ground of pardon if any be provided – it is out of creature power.

What then is the IV Provision G. [God] has made for removing the nec.y [necessity] of pen [penalty] – from the sinner?

Ans. [Answer] The sacrifice of his Son on Calvary to exhibit his justice – his hate of sin – his love of holiness – as much as w'd [would] have been done by the inflec [inflection] of leg. [legitimate] pen. [penalty]. ~

How does t. [the] Suff^s. [sufferings] of such a person sustain law – more than that of any other.

(King of Locrinus ~) Makes it not incons't [inconsistent] with t. [the] goodness of God to remit the penalty in case of penitents ~

(5) [centered]

V. Do you ask why God did not did not pardon at once – absolutely all sinners. (confounding it & wrong &c.)

Ans. [Answer] Bec. [Because] – benevolence forbade it – he could not & maintain his authority – & secure the good of the rest of t [the] Universe.

Why was not repentance a Suff. [sufficient] ground of pardon –?

Ans. [Answer] Bec. [Because] – Man may forgive his neighbor so, on confession – but a ruler governor – never!! No tendency in repen-tance to maintain law – (tho. [though] it be highly proper as a condition). Benev [benevolemce] requires t. [the] support of law by Suffering – adequate to that. G. [God] w'd [would] never have slain his Son it it were not nec. [necessary] to lay a ground of pardon –

He act for highest good of all ~