_Rom._ ix, 17. And thus the Jews, in murdering the Son of God, should be
acquitted from the charge of guilt, and could not be said to transgress
the divine will.
2. If no distinction is to be made between the preceptive and
providential will of God, but providence is declarative of the precept,
then is providence a complete rule without the written word. And this at
once supersedes the necessity of divine revelation, and derogates from
the sufficiency and perfection of the scriptures of truth. The written
word is affirmed to be _perfect_: _Psal._ xix, 7. Sinners are reproved
for doing that which the word gave no command for, _Jer._ vii, 31, and
xix, 5; and challenged for following the promising appearances: _Isa._
xxx. 1, 2, 3, 11. It is therefore daring presumption to set up
providence for a rule in opposition to the written law of God. Hence it
must be concluded, either that the preceptive will of God in the
scriptures is imperfect, or the laws therein repealable by providence;
or then that providence cannot be the rule of human actions.
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