The Northern star, and constitutionalist. [volume] (Warren, R.I.) 1834-1837, 1834-10-11
TIE PURPOSES OF GOD.

Not only does God do all '" ms peasuie ~ ue
the armies of heaven above and among the inhabl-
tants Of the earth beneath, but he works IN MS
own way and by such Instruments as be sees fit
When men announce their intention TO accomplish
any particular object, we can usually form some
dea of the manner in which that intention will be-
carried into effect But when God declares his
intentions, we can form no idea Of the manner IN
which they will be carried into effect, unless he
sees fl TO reveal it. We can speculate and i,nag-
inc if we will but very often the first Of his meas
ures for the accomplishment Of gwen purpose
dashes our proud speculations and VAIN iI''agina-
tons to the ground, and shows how vain It Is Tor
US to attempt, "by searching" TO- I" lind out
God" In speculating on the plans Of creatures.
feeble and erring like ourselves, we Gun, with
some propriety, reason from ourselves to them.--
But it is folly and presumption thus to reason in
relation to God, who has an infinite variety OF
means at his disposal, and can choose out OF them
such as his unerrng eve sees 10 be best adapted to
the promotion of his designs. God declared that
he would bring the Israelites out Egypt Those,
who knew any thing Of his character, could not
doubt that the pledge thus given would be redeem
ed but who OF them thought OF the means That
would be used Who Of them thought that all
the powers of nature were to be raised in arms u
gainst the oppressor Of Gods chosen people una.
the tremendous agencies Of earth and sea, and sky
were all TO be brought out in array against the
wretch who had dared to set himself in opposition
to Jehovah! Yet all this was done and when
it was done, who could tell ofany better way, in
which God could have displayed those attributes
of his character, which were so fully brought to
view by this dispensation Of fmingled judgement and
mercy! God declared that he would destroy the
antediluvian world but, had he not, IN TINS case
revealed the means US well as the end, propapiy
no one would have expected that deluse which
l. cct tI,a
chosen as the agent to do his work. When Hod
made known to Abraham his determination to de-
stroy the cities ofihe plain," the pious patriarch
was probably willing to wait till God should make
known to him the means, by which the destruct-
ION of those cities would be effected but had he
undertaken TO conjecture, he would probably have
been far from looking for storm OF hre ana brim-
stone to render that fruitful but guilty region des
olate wuste. God promised that the seed oi the
woma should bruise the serpents head' De
levers knew that this would be done for the
promise of God standeth sure 30 but who, reason
ing from the usual relation between cause and sf-
feet. would have expected that the plan OF redemp-
| ton would be what il is To the Jews . weie
| committed the oracles Of God - yet even among
| them, with the exception Of those lew VINO were
enabled by faith TO see through the vail which
shadowed the mystery Of redemption, and thus 10
understand prophecy in its spiritual meaning We
ideas entertained or the promised Messiah were
grossly erroneous. Thus God declares sh's pur-
poses and while men are vainly specializing OH
| the way in which they will be accomplished, or
perhaps daring to question the POSSIBILITY OF their
accompl mplishment, he goes on TO execute his vast
designs by the best means and in the best manner,
-oiien using those who speculate and those who
| blaspheme as instruments in his hand,-teaching
some 10 adore his wisdom, and leaving others to
lament the folly and the daring impieiy Of quest
joining, either his power or his truth.