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^  x/'-/5^L:*^-^-«i^-z^  - 


DISCOURSES. 


ON  THE 


SOVEREIGN    AND     UNIVERSAL 


AGENCY  OF  GOD 


IN 


NATURE    AND    GRACE. 


9    ». 


BY  THE  REVEREND 

ROBERT    M'DOWALL, 

MINISTER  OF  THE  REFORMED  DUTCH  CHURCH  IN  ERNEST-TOWN, 
UPPER  CANADA. 


►OO' 


ALBANY:  -^7'' 

PRINTED  BY  WEBSTERS  AND  SKINNER, 

At  their  Bookstore  In  the  White-House,  corner  of  Stat«  and  Pearl-Streets. 
1806. 


I«     if 


DISCOURSE  L 


EPHESIANS  I,  Ilo 

WHO  WORKETH  ALL  THINGS  AFTER  THE  COUNSEL 
OF  HIS  OWN  WILL. 


T 


HE  apostle  has,  in  the  former  part  of  this 
verse,  a  manifest  allusion  to  the  division  of  the  land 
of  Canaan  by  lot  to  the  twelve  tribes  of  the  children 
of  Israel,  the  whole  disposal  of  which  was  of  the  Lord, 
Num.  xxvi,  55;  Prov.  xvi,  33,  He  thus  directs 
our  views  into  the  infinite  wisdorn  of  God,  "  in  whom 
also  we  have  obtained  an  inheritance.^'  God  had,  in 
the  depths  of  infinite  wisdom  and  absolute  sovereign- 
ty, ordained  this  inheritance  for  them,  "  being  predes- 
tinated according  to  the  purpose  of  him  who  worketh 
all  things  after  the  counsel  of  his  o%v?i  •will.''''  And 
since  we  have  but  just  emerged  out  of  non-existence, 
and  know  nothing  but  as  omniscience  holds  up  thp 
lamp,  it  surely  becomes  us  to  awaken  all  the  powers 
of  our  souls  to  attention,  and  to  spend  months,  nay, 
years  on  this  sublimest  of  all  subjects.  For  it  proves 
a  divine  agency  in  the  production  and  management  of 
all  things.  "  God  worketh  all  things, '^  not  blindly, 
nor  as  present  unforeseen  circumstances  may  require, 
but  after  a  certain,  determinate  and  immutable  pattern, 
"  after  the  counsel  of  his  own"  unalterable  "  will." 
I  shall  therefore  in  humble  dependence  on  divine  aid 
show — 

First,  That  God's  agency  produces  and  manages 
all  things. 

Secondly,  That  God's  own  will  is  the  only  rule, 
hy  which  he  makes,  governs  and  directs  all  things. 


(        4       ) 

I  am  then,  in  the  first  place,  to  show,  that  the  agencj 
of  Divine  Providence  produces  and  governs  all  things. 

This  is  certain,  that  the  soul  when  awakened  to  an 
impartial  inquiry  after  immortal  good,  cannot  rest  short 
of  the  enjoyment  of  a  being,  who  is  both  able  and  al- 
so determined  to  do  whatever  is  best  to  be  done,  and 
to  prevent  whatever  is  best  to  be  prevented.  He  must 
therefore  be  possessed  of  absolute  perfection,  and  thus 
be  worthy  of  divine  adoration,  and  the  most  unlimited 
confidence.  He  must  indeed  *'  work  all  things  ac- 
cording to  the  counsel  of  his  own  will,"  that  the  soul 
may  cast  itself  and  all  its  concerns  on  him,  to  be  man- 
aged and  disposed  of  by  hin^  according  to  his  own 
pleasure. 

Take  from  such  a  soul  faith  in  the  divine  agency 
managing  all  things,  and  you  leave  it  full  of  painful 
apprehension,  not  knowing  where  things  may  termi- 
nate, however  promising  in  their  first  appearance  :  But, 
restore  to  it  again  faith  in  that  agency,  and  it  will  see 
all  things  moving  on  toward  the  most  noble  end.  It 
will,  with  Abraham,  "  against  hope  believe  in  hope.'^ 
Though  it  sees  not  into  futurity,  yet  it  says,  "  the 
Lord  is  the  portion  of  mine  inheritance,  and  of  my 
cup  ;  thou  maintainest  my  lot  :  the  lines  are  fallen 
unto  me  in  pleasant  places  ;  yea,  I  have  a  goodly  her- 
itage," Psal.  xvi,  5,  6. 

It  is  also  certain,  that  since  God  has  brought  all 
things  into  existence,  he  must  have  an  undoubted 
right  to  govern  and  direct  them.  "  The  earth  is  the 
Lord's,  and  the  fulness  thereof ;  the  world  and  they 
that  dwell  therein."  Now  it  is  universally  allowed, 
that  every  one  has  a  right  to  do  what  he  will  with  his 
own.  VVc,  and  all  we  have,  are  absolutely  the  Lord's 
by  creation  and  providence.  How  then  shall  we  cen- 
sure infinite  wisdom  and  goodness  for  governing  and 
directing  all  things  according  to  his  own  pleasure. 

None  but  God,  who  is  omnipresent,  infinitely  wise 
and  good,  is  fit  to  govern  the  universe.  For  all  things 
require  infinite  skill,  goodness,  presence,  power  and 
patience  to  manage  theni.  Even  one  of  the  smallest 
particles  is  of  too  much  importance  for  any  besides 


(        5       ) 

God  to  manage.  If  misplaced,  it  miglit  overthrow  an 
empire,  give  a  shock  to  the  world,  and  extend  its  in- 
fluence into  eternity.  It  might  even  frustrate  the 
wisest  purposes  of  Jehovah,  and  cast  all  things  into 
irretrievable  disorder  and  confusion.  *^ 

God  undoubtedly  formed  the  most  minute  particles 
to  answer  some  very  important  purpose  in  the  plan  of 
his  government.  His  character  requires  him  to  make 
them  subservient  to  the  grand  design  for  which  he  cre- 
ated them,  and  not  be  baffled  by  the  workmanship  of 
his  own  hands.  Their  importance,  either  in  them- 
selves, or  in  their  connexion  and  consequences,  is  so 
immensely  great,  that  none  but  God  is  fit  or  able  to 
manage  them.  Since  God  could  make  nothing  in  vain, 
we  must  conclude  that  every  atom  has  its  importance 
in  the  natural  world.  The  whole  globe  is  composed 
of  atoms,  which,  when  separated,  elude  the  most  pierc- 
ing eye  of  mortal  man.  Now  which  of  all  these  shall 
be  neglected  ?  If  one,  why  not  another — why  not  all 
— all  material  nature  ?  And  so  all  things  run  into  irre- 
treivable  confusion  and  rude  disorder. 

If  things  in  the  natural  w^orld  be  of  such  conse- 
quence, surely  those  in  the  moral  world  are  of  too 
great  importance  to  be  trusted  in  the  hands  of  any  but 
God.  Hence  you  find  the  scriptures  ascribing  the 
management  of  all  things  to  God's  infinite  wisdom 
and  power  in  the  following  explicit  manner. 

Eph.  i,  11.  "  God  worketh  all  things."  Heb. 
i,  3.  "  Upholding  all  things."  Rom.  xi,  36.  Of 
him,  in  creation^  through  him,  in  providence,  are  all 
things.     Col.   i,   17.     "By  him  all  things  consist." 

The  subject  requires  a  particular  detail. 


*  There  could  be  no  certainty  with  respect  to  the  period  of  men's  lives,  on  which 
much  depends.  For  it  might  light  on  the  eye,  and  bring  on  an  inflammation,  which 
would  produce  a  mortification  ;  or,  it  might  fall  on  some  jiart  of  tlic  lungs,  and  biing  on 
a  consumption,  and,  in  consctjucncc,  the  death  of  an  Abraham,  an  Isaac,  &c.  and  so  frus- 
trate even  the  plan  of  man's  salvation.  Now,  as  tlieir  conscfpiences  may  extend  far,  very 
far,  beyond  this  world,  because  their  divine  author  directs  every  thing  with  reference  to 
ettrnity  ;  so  it  is  necessary  and  desirable,  that  every  atom,  or  mote,  which  plays  in  the 
sun-heam,  should  be  conducted,  in  all  its  vaiious  motions,  by  the  unerring  hand  of  Al- 
pnighty  God. 


(        6        } 

I.  God  forms  the  embryo  in  the  womb.  Job.  x,  9, 
10,  11.  "  Thou  hast  made  me  as  the  clay  ;  and  wilt 
thou  bring  me  into  dust  again  ?  Hast  thou  not  poured 
me  out  as  milk,  and  curdled  me  like  cheese  ?  Thou, 
hast  clothed  me  with  skin  and  flesh  ;  and  hast  fenced- 
me  with  bones  and  sinews."  Psal.  cxxxix,  14 — 16. 
*'  Thou  hast  covered  me  in  my"  mother's  womb.  I  will 
praise  thee  ;  for  I  am  fearfully  and  wonderfully  made  : 
marvellous  are  thy  works  ;  and  that  my  soul  knoweth 
right  well.  My  substance  was  not  hid  from  thee 
Avhen  I  was  made  in  secret,  and  curiously  wrought  in 
the  lower  parts  of  the  earth.  Thine  eyes  did  see  my 
substance,  yet  being  unperfect  ;  and  in  thy  book  all 
my  members  were  written,  Avhich  in  continuance 
were  fashioned,  when  as  yet  there  was  none  of  them."" 
Souls  are  not  generated  by  parents,  but  immediately 
created  by  God,  in  that  very  act,  by  which  they  are 
united  to  their  respective  bodies.  For  souls  are  not 
composed  of  parts,  consequently  they  are  indivisible, 
and  therefore  cannot  be  communicated  to  children, 
Eccl.  xii,  7.  "  The  spirit  shall  return  unto  God  who 
gave  it. "!  God  gives  the  spirit.  Isai.  Ivii,  16.  ''The 
souls  which  I  have  niade."  God  made  the  souls 
which  were  in  Isaiah's  time.  Zech.  xii,  1.  "  The 
Lord  formeth  the  spirit  of  man  within  him.*'  As  God 
made  Adam,  and  breathed  into  him  the  breath  of  life, 
so  he  creates  the  spirit  in  the  body  after  it  is  fashion- 
ed. God  is  therefore  "  the  Father  of  spirits."  Heb. 
xii,  9.  For  '■  he  fashioneth  their  hearts  alike."  PsaL 
xxxiii,  15. 

How  plain  is  this  also  from  Rom.  iv,  17.  *'  I  have 
made  thee  a  father  of  many  natioiis,  before  him  whom 
he  believed,  even  God,  who  cjuickeneth  the  dead,  and' 
calleth  those  things  which  be  not  as  though  they 
were."  I  ha'oe  made,  (tetheika)  constituted  or  ap- 
pointed thee  a  father  of  many  nations.  God  had  ap- 
pointed Abraham  to  be  the  fatlier  of  many  nations, 
before  him  whom  he  believed,  even  God  who  quick- 
eneth  the  dead  ;  that  is,  quickeneth  Abraham's  body, 
which  was  dead  with  respect  to  generation,  and  Sa- 
rah's barren  womb.     Abraham  was  about  an  hundred 


(       7       ) 

years  old,  and  Sarah,  beside  her  natural  barr^'nncss, 
M^as  past  the  time  of  life  to  bear  children.  The  apos- 
tle, therefore,  compares  the  conception  of  Isaac  to 
the  first  creation,  when  God,  by  his  omnipotent  com- 
mand, called  things  which  w^ere  not  into  real  being. 
And  Abraham  knowing  the  Almighty  power  and  im- 
mutable faithfulness  of  God  in  fulfilling  his  promises, 
*'  considered  not  his  own  body  now  dead,  when  he 
was  about  an  hundred  years  old,  neither  yet  the  dead- 
ness  of  Sarah's  womb."  Thus  "  Abraham  against 
hope  believed  in  hope."  For  he  knew  that  God, 
who,  in  the  first  creation,  had,  by  his  power,  called 
things  which  were  not,  into  being,  would  by  the  same 
power  produce  Isaac  the  child  of  promise. 

Some  indeed  earry  their  opinion  of  human  agency 
to  such  lengths  as  to  make  man  almost  independent 
of  God.  They  hold,  that  God  made  only  Adam's 
soul ;  that  Eve's  soul  was  formed  out  of  Adam's  ;  that 
part  of  Adam's  soul  was  communicated,  by  natural 
generation  to  his  children ;  that  his  sons,  who  begat 
children,  communicated  in  like  manner,  a  part  of  that 
soul,  which  they  derived  from  Adam's  to  their  chil- 
dren, and  so  of  all  men  ;  and  that  man  begets  man  in- 
dependent of  divine  agency. 

The  futility  of  this  opinion  is  easily  exposed. — 
It  makes  all  souls  a  part  of  Adam's.  Though  yovi 
divide  Adam's  soul  into  ever  so  many  parts,  yet  it 
will  take  all  those  parts  to  make  up  his  soul  again. — 
The  absurdity  is  too  glaring  to  dwell  upon  ;  for  upon 
this  plan  it  makes  all  souls  but  one  soul.  On  this 
ground,  how  can  some  delight  in  objects  which  oth- 
ers view  with  abhorrence  ?  How  can  some  rejoice, 
while  others  weep  ?  If  all  souls  are  one,  why  cannot 
they  look  as  easily  into  other  minds  as  into  their  own  ? 
And  all  souls  must  with  respect  to  happiness,  or  mise- 
ry be  in  the  same  condition  with  Adam's  :  For  it 
takes  the  whole  to  make  up  his  soul. 

If  souls  were  generated  by  parents,  they  would  i^e 
subject  to  corruption,  and  the  doctrine  of  the  immor- 
tality of  the  soul  would  be  destroyed. 


(        8       ) 

II.  Jehdvah  governs  the  empires  and  states  of  tlie 
world,  together  with  every  individual  person  in  them  ; 
he  presides,  the  God  of  armies,  to  determine  their 
movements,  and  on  which  side,  and  by  what  means, 
victory  should  declare  in  the  day  of  battle. 

Hence  the  Assyrian,  who  in  Isaiah's  time,  was  the 
most  potent  monarch  in  the  world,  could  no  more 
move  without  God,  than  the  axe  without  him  that 
heweth  therewith,  or  the  saw  without  him  that  shak- 
eth  it.  God  saith,  Isa.  x,  5,  6.  "  O  Assyrian,  the 
rod  of  mine  anger,  and  the  staff  in  their  hand  is  mine 
indignation.  I  will  send  him  against  an  hypocritical 
nation,  and  against  the  people  of  my  wrath  will  I  give 
him  a  charge,  to  take  the  spoil,  and  to  take  the  prey, 
and  to  tread  them  down  like  the  mire  of  the  streets.'* 
God  influenced  and  sent  the  Assyrian  with  his  army 
on  this  errand.  He  employed  him  "as  the  rod  of  his 
anger,"  or  the  instrument  in  his  hand,  to  correct  a 
disobedient  people.  And  as  God  did  not  force,  but 
powerfully  influenced  his  will  to  fulfil  the  divine  pur- 
pose in  the  correction  of  a  sinful  people  ;  so  he  felt 
himself  free,  under  no  compulsion,  while  he  acted  as 
the  rod  in  God's  hand.  Ver.  7.  "  Howbeit  he  mean- 
eth  not  so,  neither  doth  his  heart  think  so  ;  but  it  is 
in  his  heart  to  destroy  and  to  cut  off"  nations  not  a 
few.'*  So  secret,  though  efficacious,  was  God's  influ- 
ence, that  he  did  not  think  of  acting  only  as  the  instru- 
ment in  God's  hand.  For  it  appears  from  the  7th  to 
the  15th  verse,  that  the  Assyrian  was  a  free- wilier, 
imagined  he  could  do  whatever  he  pleased,  "had  a 
self-determining  power,  acted  from  the  powers  of  his 
own  free-cigeney,  and  disbelieved  the  influence  of 
God.  But  to  reprove  him  and  all  others  of  a  like 
opinion,  God  saith,  vers.  15,  "  Shall  the  axe  boast 
itself  agauist  him  that  heweth  therewith,  or  shall  the 
saw  magnify  itself  against  him  that  shaketh  it  ?  as  if 
the  rod  should  shake  itself  against  them  that  lift  it  up, 
or  as  if  the  staff"  should  lift  up  itself,  as  if  it  were  no 
wood.''  God  compares  himself  to  the  carpenter,  who 
made  use  of  the  Assyrian  as  his  axe  and  saw,  which 
must  have  lain  inactive  unless  moved  to  action  bv 


t        9       ) 

some  agent.  By  this  example,  he  shews  the  egrt^ 
gious  vanit}^  folly  and  presumption  of  those,  who  sup- 
pose they  can  act  without  God's  previous  and  imme^ 
diate  excitation  to  action.  "  Shall  the  axe  boast  itself 
against  him  that  heweth  therewith  ?  or  sliall  the  saw 
magnify  itself  against  him  that  shaketh  it?  as  if  the 
rod  should  shake  itself  against  them  that  lift  it  up,  or 
as  if  the  staff"  should  lift  up  itself,  as  if  it  were  no 
wood.  '  The  Assyrian,  as  the  second  cause,  could  no 
more  act  without  God's  previously  exciting  him  to 
action,  than  the  rod  could  shake  itself,  or  the  staff 
could  lift  up  itself,  which  is  impossible.  From  this 
it  appears,  that  the  Assyrian  held,  as  many  do  in  our 
day,  that  the  creature  acted  as  he  pleased  by  the  pow- 
ers of  his  own  free-agency,  that  the  decrees  and  pro- 
vidence were  conditional,  that  the  creature,  by  per- 
forming the  condition,  regulates  and  adjusts  the  will 
and  providence  of  God,  consequently  that  man  was 
the  independent  master  of  himself  and  God  dependent 
on  the  creature.  This  is  for  the  axe  to  boast  itself 
against  him  that  heweth  therewith,  and  for  the  saw 
to  magnify  itself  against  him  that  shaketh  it,  "  as  if 
the  rod  should  shake  him  who  lifts  it  up,  or  as  if  the 
staff  should  lift  up  the  man  who  uses  it,"  for  so  the 
words  may  be  rendered. 

We  are  told  in  2d  Sam.  xxiii,  10 — 12,  that  Elea- 
zar  and  Shammah  obtained  a  great  victory  over  the 
Philistines,  and  had  the  praise  of  being  great  heroes, 
yet,  in  both  cases,  it  is  said,  *'  the  Lord  wrought  a 
great  victory."  They  were  valiant  ;  but  their  valor 
was  from  God.  They  were  victorious,  but  divine 
agency  wrought  the  victory.  God  made  use  of  them 
as  instruments  to  fulfil  his  will. 

In  the  xiith  chapter  of  Job,  from  the  6th  verse 
to  the  end  of  the  chapter,  we  have  an  account  of 
the  absolute  and  uncontrolable  agency  of  God  over 
all  the  devices  and  passions  of  men.  Verse  17.  "  He 
leadeth  counsellors  away  spoiled,"  causes  politi- 
cians to  leave  their  seats,  "  and  maketh  the  judges 
fools  ;"  causes  those  at  the  helm  of  government  not 

B 


(       10       ) 

to  know  what  measures  to  take.  Verse  18.  "  He 
looseth  the  bonds  of  kings,"  dissolves  the  power  by 
which  they  keep  all  orders  of  the  state  in  subjection, 
"  and  girdeth  their  loins  with  a  girdle  ;"  binds  kings 
with  the  cords  of  a  captive.  Verse  19.  "  He  leadeth 
princes  away  spoiled,"  leads  governors  of  provinces 
into  captivity,  "  and  overthroweth  the  mighty,"  de- 
feats the  commanders  of  armies  in  the  field  of  battle. 
Therefore,  "  the  Most  High  ruleth  in  the  kingdom  of 
men,  and  giveth  it  to  whomsever  he  will,"  Dan.  iv,  17. 

Examples  are  endless  :  let  it  suffice,  that  "  the  bat- 
tle is  not  to  the  strong,  nor  the  race  to  the  swift.'' — 
See  also  Psal.  xxxiii,   16,  17. 

III.  The  agency  of  God,  by  which  all  things  are 
produced,  does  not  consist  in  merely  preserving  the 
creatures'  strength,  nor  in  giving  them  a  law  for  the 
regulation  of  their  actions,  nor  in  giving  them  a  gen- 
eral principle  of  motion  to  be  determined  by  them- 
selves ;  but,  it  consists  in  the  immediate,  previous  and 
predeterminate  impulse  and  excitation  of  the  creature 
to  action.  Prov,  xvi,  1.  "The  preparation  of  the  heart 
in  man,  and  the  answer  of  the  tongue,  is  from  the 
Lord.*'  Verse  9.  "A  man's  heart  deviseth  his  way  ; 
but  the  Lord  directeth  his  steps."  Chap,  xx,  24, 
Man's  goings  are  of  the  Lord  ;  how  can  a  man  then 
understand  his  own  way  ?"  Chap.  xxi,l.  "  The  king's 
heart  is  in  the  hand  of  the  Lord  ;  as  the  rivers  of  wa- 
ter, he  turneth  it  whithersoever  he  will.''  Jer.  x,  23. 
"  O  Lord,  I  know  that  the  way  of  man  is  not  in  him- 
self:  it  is  not  of  man  that  walketh  to  direct  his  steps." 
Phil,  ii,  13.  "  God  worketh  in  you,  both  to  will  and 
to  do." 

How  plain  it  is  from  scripture,  that  the  agency  of 
God  produces  and  manages  all  free  actions  of  rational 
creatures  ;  such  as  the  preparations  of  the  heart,  the 
answer  of  the  tongue,  and  the  steps  of  a  man's  foot. 
The  infallible  certainty  of  every  action  may,  there- 
fore, be  proved  from  that  subordination  by  which  all 
creatures  depend  on  God  for  their  operation.  For 
when  God  excites  the  creature  to  action,  it  cannot 
possibly  suspend  its  operation.     Because  the  influence 


{    11    ) 

©C"  an  almighty  agent  cannot  be  defeated  by  depend- 
ent dust  and  ashes. 

Were  not  the  agency  of  God  invincible,  these  three 
dreadful  absurdities  would  follow  :  1st.  That  the  crea- 
ture had  power  to  defeat,  or  establish  the  whole  plan 
and  providence  of  God,  by  nullifying  or  ratifying  the 
divine  agency  :  2d.  The  creature  must  have  this 
power  independent  of  God  ;  for  God  will  never  assist 
the  creature  to  baffle  and  defeat  his  own  infliience  ; 
because  that  would  be  acting  against  himself :  3d.  As 
the  ability  to  act  arises  from  the  essence,  and  the  ac- 
tion proceeds  from  that  ability,  so  whatever  has  its 
essence  or  being  from  another,  must  also  have  its  abil- 
ity and  operation  from  that  other.  Consequently, 
could  any  creature  produce  an  action  independently  of 
God's  influence  or  agency,  then  God  was  not  its  cre- 
ator. 

The  scriptures,  therefore,  ultimately  resolve  all 
things  into  the  sovereign  good  pleasure  and  free  will 
of  God.  Luke  x.  21.  "  In  that  hour  Jesus  rejoiced 
in  spirit,  and  said,  I  thank  thee,  O  Father,  Lord  of 
heaven  and  earth,  that  thou  hast  hid  these  things  from 
the  wise  and  prudent,  and  hast  revealed  them  unto 
babes  :  even  so.  Father  ;  for  so  it  seemed  good  in 
thy  sight."  Psal.  cxv,  3.  "  Our  God  is  in  the  heav- 
ens, he  hath  done  whatever  he  pleased."  Psal.  cxxxv, 
6.  "  Whatsoever  the  Lord  pleased,  that  did  he  in 
heaven,  and  in  earth,  in  the  seas,  and  in  all  deep  pla- 
ces." Dan.  iv,  35.  "  All  the  inhabitants  of  the  earth 
are  reputed  as  nothing  ;  and  he  doeth  according  to  his 
will,  in  the  army  of  heaven,  and  among  the  inhabit- 
ants of  the  earth,  and  none  can  stay  his  hand,  or  say 
unto  him  what  doest  thou  ?"  God  works  all  things, 
throughout  all  his  dominions,  as  he  pleases  :  andno7ie 
can  stay  his  hand,  stop  the  agency  of  his  providence, 
ar  say  unto  him,  ivhat  doest  thou  ?  none  have  a  right  to 
eall  him  to  an  account  for  what  he  does. 

The  word  of  God  is  plain,  and  shall  we  not  all  be- 
lieve  him  :  Isa.  xlv,  7.  "I  form  the  light,  and  cre- 
ate darkness  ;  I  make  peace,  and  create  evil  ;  I,  the 
laord,.  do  all  these  thinf^s."     Amoii  iii,  6,.     ''  ShalL 


(        12       ) 

there  be  evil  In  a  citj',  and  the  Lord  hath  not  done  it  ?'* 
Exod.  xiv,  4,  17.  "  I  will  harden  Pharoah's  heart, 
that  he  shall  follow  after  them,  and  I  will  be  honored 
upon  Pharoah,  and  upon  all  his  host :  I  will  harden 
the  hearts  of  the  Egyptians  :  and  I  will  get  me  honor 
upon  Pharoah,  and  upon  all  his  host."  Chap,  ix,  16. 
"  And  in  very  deed  for  this  cause  have  I  raised  thee  up, 
for  to  shew  in  thee  my  power,  and  that  my  name  may 
be  declared  through  all  the  earth."  Rom.  ix,  17.  "  For 
the  scripture  saith  unto  Pharoah,  even  for  this  same 
purpose  have  I  raised  thee  up,  that  I  might  shew  my 
power  in  thee,  and  that  my  name  might  be  declared 
throughout  all  the  earth."  Deut.  ii,  30.  *'  Sihon 
would  not  let  us  pass  by  him  ;  for  the  Lord  thy  God 
hardened  his  spirit,  and  made  his  heart  obstinate,  that 
he  might  deliver  him  into  thy  hand."  Prov.  xvi,  4. 
*'  God  hath  made  all  things  for  himself :  yea,  even  the 
wicked  for  the  day  of  evil."  Deut.  xxix,  4.  "  The 
Lord  hath  not  given  you  an  heart  to  perceive,  and 
eyes  to  see,  and  ears  to  hear,  unto  this  day."  Rom. 
xi,  7,  8.  "  The  election  hath  obtained  it,  and  the 
rest  were  blinded.  According  as  it  is  written,  God 
hath  given  them  the  spirit  of  slumber,  eyes  that  they 
should  not  see,  and  ears  that  they  should  not  hear, 
unto  this  day."  Isa.  vi,  9,  10.  *'  Go  and  tell  this 
people,  hear  ye  indeed,  but  understand  not :  and  see 
3'e  indeed,  but  perceive  not.  Make  the  heart  of  this 
people  fat,  and  make  their  ears  heavy,  and  shut  their 
eyes  ;  lest  they  see  with  their  eyes,  and  hear  with  their 
ears,  and  understand  with  their  heart,  and  convert,  and 
be  healed."  John  xii,  39,  40.  "  Therefore  they 
could  not  believe,  because  that  Esaias  said  again,  he 
hath  blinded  their  eyes,  and  hardened  their  heart,  that 
they  should  not  see  with  their  eyes,  nor  understand 
with  their  their  heart,  and  be  converted,  and  I  should 
heal  them."  Ezek.  xxvi,  10.  "  Wherefore  I  gave 
them  also  statutes  that  were  not  good,  and  judgments 
whereby  they  should  not  live  ;  and  I  polluted  them  in 
their  own  gifts." 

God's  agency  certainly  produces  all  actions  what= 
ever  either  eftectively,  or  pernfiissively,  according  ta 


(        13        ) 

the  nature  of  the  case.  This  is  plain  from  the  exam- 
ple of  Joseph.  God  revealed  his  purpose,  in  part,  to 
Joseph,  relative  to  such  exaltation,  that  his  father  and 
brethren  should  bow  in  obeisance  to  him.  Joseph 
communicated  this  to  his  brethren  and  they  resolved 
if  possible  to  defeat  it.  "  Let  us  slay  him,  and  we  shall 
see  what  will  become  of  his  dreams."  But  God  would 
not  permit  them  to  kill  him,  but  permitted  them  to 
cast  him  into  a  pit,  and  before  they  had  time  to  devise 
more  mischief  against  him,  by  his  providence  a  com- 
pany of  Midianitish  merchantmen  passed  by  that  way. 
The  thought  then  occured  to  them,  that  it  was  better 
to  sell  than  to  kill  him.  Thoua^h  God  permitted,  over 
ruled,  and  directed  the  whole  afeiir,  "  after  the  counsel 
of  his  own  will,"  yet  he  did  not  take  away  the  freedom 
of  their  will.  They  felt  themselves  at  liberty,  and  act- 
ed just  as  they  pleased.  They  would  have  acted  equal- 
ly free  had  God  hindered  their  selling,  which  he  could 
have  done  as  easily  as  he  hindered  their  murdering  of 
him.  It  is  plain  tiiere  was  a  divine  agency  in  the 
whole  business.  Gen.  xlv,  7,  8.  "Now  therefore  be 
not  grieved,  nor  angry  with  yourselves,  that  ye  sold 
me  hither  ;  for  God,"  who  had  the  ordering  of  the 
whole  affair,  "  sent  me  before  you  to  preserve  life — 
God  sent  me  before  you  to  preserve  you  a  posterity  in 
the  earth,  and  to  save  your  lives  by  a  great  deliverance. 
So  now  it  was  not  you  that  sent  me  hither,  but  God." 
When  Jacob  was  dead,  they  sent  a  messenger  before 
him  to  intercede  for  the  pardon  of  their  base  treatment. 
Gen.  1,  16,  17.  "  Forgive  I  pray  thee  now  the  tres- 
passes of  thy  brethren,  and  their  sin  ;  for  they  did 
evil  unto  thee."  Afterward  they  venture  into  his  pre- 
sence, and  implore  his  pardon;  saying,  "  we  be  thy 
servants,"  we  are  guilty,  and  surrender  ourselves  to 
thy  disposal.  Joseph  replied,  "  fear  not"  any  harm 
from  me,  "  for  am  I  in  the  place  of  God  ?"  the  right- 
eous Judge,  whose  pardon  ye  truly  need.  "  But  as  for 
you  ye  thought  evil  against  me  ;  "  but  God,"  who 
had  the  whole  ordering  of  the  aflair,  "  meant  it  unto 
good,  to  bring  to  pass  as  it  is  this  day,  to  save  much 
people  alive," 


f      u      ) 

Joseph,  being  a  prophet  of  the  Lord,  saw  the  hand' 
of  God  in  the  whole  affair,  permitting,  over-ruling, 
and  directing  liis  brethren's  sin,  for  wise  and  noble  - 
purposes.  He  saw  that  "  God  meant"  he  should  be 
sold,  and  indeed  that  "  it  was  God  who  sent  him  hith- 
er," and  that  his  brethren  where  only  the  instruments 
by  which  God's  permissive  will  was  accomplished. 
He  saw  their  accomplishing  the  permissive  will  of 
God  did  not  exculpate  their  conduct.  They  were  not 
praise  worthy  for  fulfilling  the  permissive  will  of  God, 
because  they  acted  to  serve  their  own  lusts  and  wick- 
ed propensities.  But  God  over-ruled  the  whole  affair 
as  "  he  meant"  that  it  should  be.  God  ought  there- 
fore to  have  all  the  praise  of  all  the  good  which  he 
brought  about  by  the  instrumentality  of  these  wicked 
agents. 

IV.  There  is  certainly  a  divine  agency  even  in  those 
things,  v/hich  appear  accidental  to  us.  Matt,  x,  29, 
30,  31.  "  Are  not  two  sparrows  sold  for  a  farthing  ? 
And  one  of  them  shall  not  fall  on  the  ground  without 
your  Father.  But  the  very  hairs  of  your  head  are  all 
numbered;  Fear  ye  not,  therefore,  ye  are  of  more  value 
than  many  sparrows."  Our  Saviour's  argument  is 
conclusive.  He  reasons  from  the  less  to  the  greater. 
If  those  apparent  accidents  which  reach  the  life  of  a 
sparrow,  valued  at  only  half  a  farthing,  are  ordered  by 
the  hand  of  providence,  much  more  those,  which  reach, 
the  life  of  man.  Therefore  God  added  fifteen  years  to 
Hezekiah's  days,  Isa.  xxxviii,  1 — 5,  Not  to  the  days 
God  had  appointed  he  should  live,  but  to  the  days  he 
had  already  lived.  Hezekiah  had  been  sick  imto 
death  ;  his  disease  was  in  its  own  nature  mortal  ;  and 
he  would  have  certainly  died,  had  God  left  him  to  the 
strength  of  his  disease.  Verse  1.  But  God  v.rought 
a  miraculous  cure,  that  he  might  not  die  till  the  expi- 
ration of  those  fifteen  years,  which  constituted  his  ap- 
pointed time.  Thus  God  will  rather  work  miracles 
for  the  preservation  of  a  man's  life,  than  he  should  die 
before  his  appointed  time.  God  will  so  over  rule  all 
sickness  and  accidents,  that  death  shall  surprise  no 
one  till  his  appointed  time  has  fully  come. 


(       15       ) 

The  death  of  Ahab,  who  fell  at  Ramoth-Gilead,  is 
called  accidental.  "  A  certain  man  drew  a  bow  at  a 
venture,  a^A  smote  the  king  of  Israel,"  but  it  was  all 
agreeable  to  the  will,  and  through  the  providence  of 
God.  1  Kings  xxii,  20—23.  "  And  the  Lord  said, 
who  shall  persuade  Ahab,  that  he  may  go  up  and  fall 
at  Ramoth-Gilead  ?  And  one  said  on  this  manner, 
and  another  said  on  that  manner  ;  and  there  came  forth 
a  spirit,  and  stood  before  the  Lord,  and  said,  I  will 
persuade  him.  And  the  Lord  said  unto  him,  where- 
with ?  And  he  said,  I  will  go  forth,  and  I  will  be  a  ly- 
ing spirit  in  the  mouth  of  all  his  prophets.  And  the 
Lord  said,  thou  shalt  persuade  him,  and  prevail  also  : 
go  forth,  and  do  so.  Now  therefore,  behold,  the  Lord 
hath  put  a  lying  spirit  in  the  mouth  of  all  these  thy 
prophets."  God's  dominion  over  men  is,  therefore, 
so  absolute  and  sovereign,  that  he  may  dispose  their 
life  and  death  as  seemeth  c-ood  in  his  sijrht.  1  Sam. 
ii,  6.  "  The  Lord  killeth  and  maketh  alive  :  he  bring- 
eth  down  to  the  grave,  and  bringeth  up."  Deut.  xxxii, 
39.  '*  I  kill,  and  I  make  alive,  I  wound,  and  I  heal  : 
neither  is  there  any  that  can  deliver  out  of  my  hand.'* 
Psalm  xp,  3.    "  Thou  turnest  man  to  destruction." 

V.  I  will  carry  the  divine  agency  still  farther.  For 
such  is  man's  absolute  dependence  on  God,  that  he  is 
not  only  incapable  of  action,  but  also  of  thought,  with- 
out divine  agency.  2  Cor.  iii,  5.  "  Not  that  we  are 
sufficient  of  ourselves  to  think  any  thing  as  of  our- 
selves :  but  our  sufficiency  is  of  God."  We  arc  not 
sufficient  of  ourselves  even  to  think,  consequently  we 
are  dependent  on  divine  agency  for  thought — "  God 
workcth  all  things." 

God's  pov/erful  agency  in  providence  does  not  make 
him  the  author  of  sin,  for  though  the  attraction  of  the 
sun  be  so  powerful  as  to  extract  noxious  vapors  from 
the  earth,  yet  the  sun  is  not  the  cause  or  author,  of 
their  pernicious  qualities.  These  are  owing  to  the 
badness  of  the  place,  from  which  the  vapors  arise. 
In  like|manncr  God's  being  the  first  cause  of  all  ac- 
tions, does  not  make  him  the  cause,  or  author,  of  the 
sinfulness  of  any  action  whatever.     The  sinfulness  of 


(       16       ) 

any  action  docs  not  arise  from  God's  agency,  but  from 
the  polluted  nature  of  him  who  does  the  action. 

fie  must  be  blind  indeed,  who  cannot  see  a  material 
difference  between  an  action  and  its  qualities.  An  ac- 
tion is  one  thing  ;  its  qualities  quite  another.  Ston-: 
ing  a  man,  in  obedience  to  God's  command,  for  sin, 
was  a  virtuous  act.  Stoning  Stephen  contrary  to  God's 
command,  for  faithfulness  to  God,  was  a  vicious  act. 
Both  acts  were  the  same  :  namely,  stoning  :  but  the 
one  was  a  good,  the  other  a  bad  action. 

Divine  agency,  produces  some  things  without  the 
intervention  of  any  second  cause,  as  in  the  work  of 
creation.  Sometimes  God  makes  use  of  means,  or 
second  causes,  to  accomplish  his  purposes.  These 
are  of  three  kinds. 

1.  Unintelligent  instruments.  He  causes  the  sun  to 
give  light  and  heat  to  the  world,  for  which  we  ought 
to  glorify  him  as  much  as  though  he  warmed  and  en- 
lightened the  earth  without  this  cause. 

2.  He  makes  use  of  intelligent  ijoicked  agents  as  in- 
struments, with  which  to  do  good.  He  made  use  of 
the  crucifiers  of  Christ  as  instruments  of  bringing 
about  infinite  good  ;  but  all  the  glory  of  this  infinite 
good,  which  God  brought  about  by  their  means, 
ought  to  be  ascribed  to  God.  Certainly  the  malici- 
ous Jews  deserved  none  of  it  ;  for  what  they  did  was 
done  with  wi€ked  hands  and  bad  designs.  *'  But  God 
meant  it  unto  good  to  bring  to  pass  as  it  is  this  day, 
to  sa^ue  much  people  alhe.^^  Whatever  good  is  eventu- 
ally brought  about  by  the  means  of  wicked  agents,  is 
therefore  to  be  ascribed  to  bim  who  directeth  the 
steps  of  man,  and  turneth  the  heart  of  man  witherso- 
ever he  will. 

3.  He  makes  use  of  ijitelligent  holy  agents  to  ac- 
complish his  designs.  He  sends  his  angels  to  fulfil  his 
will,  to  carry  his  word,  to  guard  his  saints;  but  still 
God  ought  to  have  the  praise  of  all  the  good  which 
they  do,  as  much  as  though  he  had  made  use  of  un- 
intelligent agents.  God  made  use  of  St.  Paul,|tto  des- 
troy Satan's  empire  in  this  world.  Paul  was  eminent- 
ly successful  ;  but  his  success   depended  on  divine 


(       17       ) 

agency ;  he  was  onW  an  instrument  in  the  hand  of  Gocu 
"  Neither  is  he  that  planteth  any  thin?^,  neither  he 
that  watereth  ;   but  God  that  giveth  the  increase." 

All  second  causes  are  tliercfore  so  many  effects 
caused  by  God,  who  is  the  first  cause. 

From  a  view  of  what  has  been  said,  we  may  easily 
see  that  the  agency  of  God  is  usually  so  hid  behind 
second  causes^  that  we  often  cannot  discern,  or  distin- 
guish it  from  them.  Instead  of  taking  occasion  from 
this  to  deny  the  providence  of  God,  we  ought  to  be 
filled  with  the  greatest  humility  and  self-abasement, 
as  well  as  profound  admiration  of  the  infinite  wisdom 
of  God  ;  because  his  almighty  agency  is  no  less  effi- 
cacious on  account  of  being  insensible  and  invisible 
in  its  operation. 

I  wish  to  be  a  little  more  particular  respecting  the 
rf^ecial  agency  of  God  in  the  salvation  of  men,  for  much 
jnfusion  has  risen  in  the  minds  of  vfx^wfrom  misun- 
derstanding it :  Some  imagine  themselves  so  far  inde- 
pendent of  God,  as  to  be  able,  by  the  powers  of  their 
own  free  agency,  to  control  their  wills  and  become 
holy  at  any  time,  with  little  assistance  beside  their 
own.  And  since  man  must  be  active  in  his  salvation, 
they  suppose  that  human  and  divine  agency  with  equal 
power  concur  in  the  same  act.  This  concurrence  they 
call  co-operation.  God  and  man,  they  say,  co-ope- 
rate,  as  if  they  were  similar  agents. 

This  scheme  is  very  dangerous.  It  robs  God  of  his 
due,  misleads  the  ignorant,  and  offends  the  discern- 
ing, as  appears  from  what  follows. 

The  true  state  of  the  case  can  be  known  only  from 
the  execution  of  the  plan  of  salvation.  By  properly 
considering  this,  we  find  the  things  to  be  done  in  or- 
der to  the  salvation  of  a  sinner,  to  come  under  three 
distinct  particulars. 

1.  The  things  done  for  us.  These  are  all  the  things 
which  belong  to  the  atonement  and  intercession  of 
the  Son  of  God,  in  which  our  agency  has  nothing  to  do. 

2,  T/je  things  done  in  us.  These  are  the  renewal  of 
our   nature,    the  implantation  of  foith,    repcniancc, 


(       18       ) 

nourishment  of  these  by  the  same  spirit.     All  these 
are  the  proper  work  of  divine  agency  alone. 

3.  The  things  done  by  us.  These  are  the  diligent 
exercise  of  all  holy  graces.  The  exercise  of  these 
comprehend  all  the  duties  belonging  to  godliness, 
righteousness  and  sobriety.  This  exercise  is  human 
agency. 

From  this  view  of  the  subject,  it  appears  there  is 
no  such  thing  as  co-operation.  For  Gocl's  work  is  first, 
man's  work  is  second  in  the  order  of  time.  The  in- 
vincible and  persuasive  call  of  God  precedes  our  du- 
tiful obedience.     He  draws  before  we  run  after  him. 

Besides  God'svvork  and  man's  work  are  not  of  the 
same  sort.  For  instance,  God  gives  faith,  and  the 
creature  exercises  it ;  but  God  does  not  exercise  faith, 
nor  does  man  give  faith.  Christ  gives  repentance,  and 
man  repents  ;  but  Christ  does  not  repent,  nor  does 
man  bestow  on  himself  any  power  or  ability  to  repent. 
This  shews  that  God  is  alone  in  his  work,  and  man 
alone  in  his  work, 

God's  agency  of  grace  is  mutncible.  Though  he 
works  grace  in  the  heart  by  the  almighty  power  of  his 
spirit,  yet  he  does  not  force  the  will.  It  is  a  faculty, 
which  may  be  influenced,  but  cannot  be  forced.  He 
powerfully  enlightens  the  understanding,  which  is  the 
principal  faculty  in  our  nature.  By  this,  the  sinner 
sees  his  awful  condition  by  nature,  the  infinite  evil 
and  vileness  of  sin,  its  loathsomeness  in  the  sight  of  a 
holy  God,  and  infinite  hatefulness  in  his  own  view. 
While  he  possesses  this  disposition  and  temper  of 
mind,  he  is  constrained  by  grace,  and  he  cannot  pos- 
sibly do  otherwise  than  choose  to  hate  and  avoid  sin  : 
And  this  choice  is  free  ;  because  it  arises  out  of  the 
prevalent  disposition  of  the  heart,  which  is  caused, 
and  nourished  and  preserved  by  the  spirit  of  God. 

God  also  convinces  the  sinner  of  his  unspeakable 
necessity  of  Christ  as  a  Saviour,  works  in  him  the  love 
of  God,  and  an  habitual  delight  to  his  holy  law.  Now 
while  he  possesses  this  temper  of  mind,  he  cannot  pos- 
sibly but  choose  Christ  for  his  portion,  and  to  delight 
in  the  holy  commandments,  because  his  choice  arises 


(        19       ) 

freely  out  of  the  holy  prevalent  temper  and  disposi- 
tion of  his  heart,  which  is  caused  by  God. 

The  testimony  of  scripture  is  explicit  on  this  sub- 
ject. 1  Cor.  "  God  worketh  all  in  all."  Isa.  xxvi,  12. 
*'  Thou  who  hast  wrought  all  our  works  in  us,"  Eccl. 
iii,  14.  "  I  know  that  whatsoever  God  doth,  it  shall  be 
for  ever  :  nothing  can  be  put  to  it,  nor  any  thing  taken 
from  it ;  and  God  doeth  it  that  man  should  fear  before 
him."  2  Pet.  i,  3.  "  His  divine  power  hath  given  unto 
us  all  things  that  pertain  unto  life  and  godliness,  through 
the  knowledge  of  him  that  hath  called  us  to  glory  and 
virtue."  John  i,  13.  "  Which  were  born,  not  of  blood 
nor  of  the  will  of  the  flesh,  nor  of  the  will  of  man,  but 
ofGod."  Isa.lxv,  1.  "  I  am  found  of  them  that  sought 
me  not."  John  iii,  27.  "  A  man  can  receive  nothing, 
except  it  be  given  him  from  heaven."  Acts  v,  3.  "  Him 
[Christ]  hath  God  exalted  to  give  repentance."  Heb. 
xii,  3.  *'  Jesus  the  author  and  finisher  of  our  faith." 

From  this  view  of  the  subject  all  boasting  is  ex- 
cluded, true  humility  promoted,  the  creature  debased, 
and  God  alone  exahed  j  consequently  creature  happi- 
ness advanced. 


DISCOURSE  IL 


EPHESIANS  I,  11. 

WHO    WORICETH    ALL     THINGS    AFTER    THE    COUNSEL 
OF    HIS    OWN     WILL. 

Secondly,  X  SHALL  proceed  to  show,  that  the 
counsel  of  God's  own  will  is  the  only  rule  according  to 
which  he  makes,  governs  and  directs  all  things. 

The  counsel  of  God's  will  signifies  his  decree--- 
the  decree  is  called  the  coimsel  of  his  ivill,  to  show 
that  his  willing  a  thing  to  be  done  is  instead  of  ail 
consultation  ;  his  will,  is  his  counsel ;  his  immutabili- 
!}%  infinite  wisdom  and  understanding  preclude  all  ne- 
cessity of  consuhation  or  deliberation,  therefore  the 
decree  is  not  called  the  ivill  of  his  cciinsel,  as  if  he  de- 
liberated, and  then  chose  in  consecjiience  of  that  de- 
liberation ;  but  it  is  called  the  counsel  of  his  \mll^  to 
show  that  as  men's  determinations  are  usually  the 
most  wise  and  stable  after  much  deliberation,  so  the 
decree  signifies  the  most  wise  and  immutable  de- 
termination of  God,  with  respect  to  the  future  being  of 
things. 

Now  the  scriptures  are  very  plain  and  positive  in 
declaring,  that  God  decreed  or  foreordained  all  things 
that  come  to  pass  in  time.  God  worketh  all  things  af- 
ter the  counsel  of  his  own  will  or  decree.  Isa.  xliv,  7» 
^''  I  appointed  the  ancient  people,  and  the  things  that 
are  coming  and  siiall  come."  Dan.  iv,  24.  "  This  is 
the  decree  of  the  most  High."  Zeph.  xi,  2.  "  Before 
the  decree  bring  forth."  With  respect  to  God  the  de- 
cree is  one.  Job  xxiii,  13.  "  He  is  in  one  mind,  and 
who  can  turn  him  ?"  And  therefore  called  the  coimscl 
^f  his  own  ivill,  dccrei^  purpose,  counsel,  ^c*     In  this. 


(       21       ) 

respect  the  decree  does  not  differ  from  the  divine  es- 
sence, and  therefore  called  decree,  statute,  8cc.  in  the 
singular  number.  By  one  act  of  his  infniite  will  he 
decreed  all  things  that  come  to  pass  ;  but  with  respect 
to  us,  the  decree  is  considered  as  manifold.  Hence 
we  read  of  God's  thoughts  and  counsels,  in  the  plural 
number.  In  like  manner  we  distinguish  the  decree 
into  ejjxcthe  and  pcnnisshe.  The  effective  decree  re- 
spects all  good  actions.  The  decree  beiug  an  imma- 
nent act,  does  not  effect  any  thing,  but  it  is  so  called 
because  he  decreed  to  effect,  or  work  all  the  Q-ood  that 
comes  to  pass,  and  also  all  actions  considered  abstract- 
edly from  their  wickedness.  Hence,  with  respect  to 
the  great  calamity  of  God's  church  by  wicked  men, 
God  is  said  "  to  have  done  whatever  he  pleased." 
Psal.  cxv,  3.  The  permissive  decree,  respects  the  sin- 
fulness of  wicked  actions.  He  decreed  to  permit,  that 
is  not  to  hinder  it.  For  had  he  hindered  sin,  it  could 
never  have  been.  Acts  xiv,  16.  "  He  suffered  all  na- 
tions to  walk  in  their  own  ways."  He  did  not  decree 
to  work  sin,  but  to  permit,  or  suffer  it  to  be  done  by 
others.  And  all  the  sin  God  has  decreed  to  permit 
will  certainl}^  come  to  pass.  Hence  our  Lord  says, 
Matt,  xviii,  7.  "  Woe  unto  the  world  because  of  of- 
fences  !  for  it  must  needs  be  that  offences  come  :  but 
v/oe  to  that  man  by  whom  the  offence  cometh."  The 
rise  and  progress  of  Antichrist  and  Mahometanism  and 
the  cruel  persecution  of  God's  people  by  them,  were 
among  those  things  "  which  must  shortly  come  to 
pass."     Rev.  i,  1. 

Sin  does  not  follow  the  decree  by  an  absolute  neces- 
sity of  co-action  or  compulsion  which  destroys  human 
liberty;  but  by  a  moral,  consequential  necessity,  which 
arises  out  of  the  prevailing  disposition  of  him  who  com- 
mits it,  and  which  is  altogether  consistent  with  human 
liberty.  It  is  sufficient  to  constitute  human  liberty, 
or  free  will,  that  a  man  act  from  choice,  and  without 
constraint.  Besides,  men  do  not  sin  to  fulfd  the  per- 
missive decree,  which  is  secret  till  revealed,  or  mani- 
fested by  the  event,  but  to  serve  their  own  ba^c  lusts. 


(       22       ) 

God's  will  of  decree,  and  bis  will  of  command,  arc 
one  and  the  same,  not  contrary  wills  in  God.  His 
decree  determines  what  shall  be  done,  his  command 
shews,  not  what  shall  be  done,  but  what  is  man's  duty 
to  do.  Both  are  from  the  same  will  of  God.  For  ex- 
ample— God  had  decreed  that  Christ  should  die  by  the 
hands  of  wicked  men,  yet  he  commanded  them,  ''  thou 
shalt  not  kill."  But  this  command  did  not  shew  that 
God  willed  Herod,  Pilate,  Jews,  and  Gentiles  should 
not  kill  him,  but  only  that  he  willed  to  make  it  their 
duty  not  to  kill  him.  Again,  God  decreed  that  Abra- 
ham  should  not  actually  ofler  up  his  son  Isaac,  yet  he 
decreed  also  to  command  him  to  offer  him  up,  and  to 
make  it  his  duty  to  apply  himself  to  that  purpose,  in 
order  to  manifest  to  succeeding  ages  the  faithfulness  of 
liis  servant  Abraham.  God's  will  of  decree  is  a  secret 
till  revealed,  and.  therefore  cannot  be  the  rule  of  our 
duty  ;  but  his  will  of  command  is  given  us  for  the  rule 
of  our  conduct.  Deut.  xxix,  29,  "  The  secret  things 
belong  unto  the  Lord  our  God,  but  those  things 
which  are  revealed  belong  unto  us,  and  to  our  children 
for  ever,  that  we  may  do  all  the  words  of  this  law.'' 
To  proceed  to  the  proof  of  our  position. 

If  God  made  the  world,  he  must,  in  the  very  nature 
of  things,  have  pre-determined  what  kind  of  a  world 
he  would  make  ;  what  proportion  of  it  should  be  land, 
and  what  proportion  of  it  should  be  water  ;  where  ev- 
ery spring  should  be,  and  what  course  it  should  run. 
For  "  he  worketh  all  things  after  the  decree."  If  he 
made  creatures,  he  must  have  pre-determined  how 
many— what  kinds — what  qualities— properties — uses 
— dependencies— the  places  of  their  abode,  and  their 
final  destination. 

Does  he  not  say,  and  shall  we  not  all  believe  him  ? 
'^'  I  will  do  all  my  pleasure."  God  then  has  made  and 
governs  all  things  according  to  his  own  judgment  and 
pleasure.  This  is  proper  and  right  ;  because  it  is  a 
wise  administration.  "Shall  any  teach  God  know- 
ledge ?  O  the  depths  of  the  riches  both  of  the  wisdom 
and  knowledge  of  God  !"  Now  if  God  does,  in  fact, 
govern  the  world  well,  then  he  did  well  to  determine 


'(       23       ) 

in  eternity  to  govern  it  just  as  he  does.  For  \vhat  he 
has  a  right  to  do  in  time,  he  certainly  had  a  right  to 
determine  in  eternity  to  do. 

We  are  certain,  from  the  supreme  perfection  of  Je- 
hovah's nature,  that  all  his  plans  are  laid  in  infinite 
wisdom  and  understanding.  Whence  Paul,  discours- 
ing of  eternal  predestination,  concludes  thus,  0  the 
depths  ! — Of  what  ?  an  arbitrary  will,  and  an  absolute 
sovereignty,  detached  from  wisdom  and  understand- 
ing ?  No  :  but  of  the  riches  both  of  the  ivisdom  ajidknoiv- 
iedge  of  God.  \ye  are  certain  God's  whole  stupendous 
scheme  is  full  of  wisdom  and  beauty,  even  thougli  its 
unsearchable  greatness  confound  our  weak  understand- 
ing, and  overwhelm  our  feeble  minds. 

A  plan  chosen  by  infinite  goodness,  and  laid  in  the 
depths  of  divine  wisdom,  and  carried  on  by  infinite 
power,  must  be  immutable.  For  how  can  such  a  plan 
be  made  void  ?  God's  counsel  stands.  He  will  do  all 
his  pleasure. 

It  was  absolutely  necessary  that  God  should  deter- 
mine to  govern  the  world  after  the  counsel  of  his  own 
will ;  that  is,  in  a  sovereign  manner.  For  were  the 
wisdom  of  all  men  and  angels  centered  in  one  being, 
his  wisdom  would  be  only  folly  when  compared  with 
God's.  How  much  better  then,  that  God  should  go- 
vern the  world  according  to  the  eternal  plan  of  his 
own  mind,  than  according  to  the  wishes  of  men,  or 
angels  charged  with  folly  ?  All  wise  men  would, 
therefore,  wish  to  have  God  to  direct  all  events  accord- 
ing to  the  counsel  of  his  own  will ;  because  that  is 
the  wisest  and  best.  Indeed,  no  other  is  able  to  gov- 
ern it  besides  God,  nor  to  teach  him  knowledge  how  to 
govern  it.  He  must,  therefore,  govern  and  direct  all 
things  and  events  according  to  the  eternal  plan  of  his 
own  mind.  He  says,  (and  shall  we  not  all  believe 
him  ?)  "  he  worketh  all  things  after  the  counsel  of  his 
own  will."  And  to  object  against  his  determining 
in  eternity  how  he  should  govern  and  direct  in  time, 
is  to  object  against  all  divine  authority.  Such  an  ob- 
jection, if  allowed  to  operate,  would  as  effectually  de. 
throne  Almighty  God,  as  atheism  itself. 


(       24       ) 

We  cannot  possibly  form  just  becoming  ideas  wor- 
thy of  God,  unless  we  believe  him  to  have  willed  in 
eternity  how  he  would  act  in  time,  and  to  have  deter- 
mined all  things,  which  he  himself  would  do,  or  per- 
mit to  be  done,  from  the  beginning  to  the  end  of  time, 
and  without  whose  eftective  or  permissive  will  nothing 
can  be  done,  not  a  sparrow  die,  nor  a  hair  fall  from 
our  head. 

Should  God  decree  at  any  time  what  he  did  not  al- 
ways decree,  then  he  could  not  be  unchangeable  ; 
and  if  he  did  any  thing  without  having  decreed  it, 
would  be  a  manifest  imputation  on  his  wisdom.  He 
must  work  all  things  after  the  counsel  of  his  own  will. 
He  must  be  the  first  great  cause  of  all  causes,  himself 
dependent  on  none,  in  order  to  act  in  character. 

That  God  has  pre-determined  all  things  in  eternity, 
appears  from  his  prescience,  which  none  but  those 
who  are  hard  pressed  and  puzzled  by  arguments  drawn 
from  God's  foreknowledge,  and  consequently,  by  a 
sacrilegious  audacity,  go  about  to  rob  God  of  his  om- 
niscience, will  presume  to  deny.  For  an  unalterable 
decree  is  the  only  ground  on  which  foreknowledge 
and  providence  can  stand.  Unless  God  had  unalter- 
ably determined  the  existence  of  every  person,  thing 
and  event,  they  could  not  possibly  have  had  any  cer- 
tain futurition  or  after-being,  consequently  could  not 
have  been  certainly  foreknown.  Besides  God  must 
regulate  every  particular  of  his  providence  according 
to  this  pre-determined  plan,  else  he  would  be  liable  to 
unforeseen  emergencies,  and  act  either  ignorantly,  or 
against  his  own  will.  As  every  rational  agent  pre-de- 
termines  what  kind  of  work  he  will  do,  the  manner, 
the  means,  and  the  time  of  doing  it ;  so  God  from  all 
eternity  determined  what  should  be  done  in  time, 
which  determination  is  the  rule  according  to  which  he 
vvorketh  all  things.  He  worketh  all  things  after  the 
counsel  of  his  own  will.  God  knew  what  he  willed 
to  do  himself,  and  what  he  willed  to  permit  others  to 
do,  and  this  constitutes  his  certain  foreknowledge. 
God  does  not  depend  on  the  creatures  for  his  know^- 
ledge,  consequent!}'-  he  foreknew  all  things  indepen- 


(       25       ) 

denth^  of  every  consideration  whatever  out  of  himself, 
and  tlierefore  in  consequence  of  his  own  decree  to  do 
or  to  permit  them.  The  only  way  to  evade  the  force 
of  this  argumeuL  is  to  say,  that  he  foreknew  all  things 
from  some  causes  or  number  of  causes,  out  of  and  in- 
dependent of  himself,  and  prior  to  his  will  and  know- 
ledge of  them,  and  so  make  him  a  dependent  being.— 
To  say  then  that  God  foreknew  all  things  is  the  same 
as  to  say  he  pre-determint-d  all  things. 

Some  would  persuade  us  that  the  divine  will  is  un- 
determined and  mutable,  that  man  can  act  as  he  pleas- 
es by  the  powers  of  his  own  free  agency,  that  God's 
decrees  are  temporary  and  conditio;ial ;  that  the  crea- 
ture, by  performing  the  condition,  regulates  and  ad- 
justs this  mutable,  undetermined  will  of  God  ;  be- 
cause the  creature,  being  master  of  his  own  will,  de- 
termines the  will  and  performs  his  action  prior  to  the 
decree  ;  and  then  God  makes  a  conditional  decree  to 
suit  that  action  to  which  the  creature  had  determined 
himself :  that  the  decree  being  only  a  conditional  one, 
the  creature  can  break  or  set  it  aside  at  pleasure,  and 
cause  God  to  decree  again  whatever  the  creature 
pleases  ;  and  that  the  decree  or  final  determination  of 
God's  will  depends  on  the  self-determined  conduct  of 
mortals  ;  consequently  that  man  is  the  master  of  him- 
self, as  well  as  of  God's  decrees,  and  so  God  depends 
on  the  creature  for  the  final  determination  of  his  will. 

The  futility  of  conditional  decrees  is  easily  exposed. 
They  make  God's  conduct  to  be  influenced  by,  and  to 
depend  on  the  creature's,  and  so  destroy  his  wisdom, 
sovereignty  and  immutability.  They  represent  the 
creature  as  regulating  and  determining  the  will  and 
conduct  of  God,  and  so  make  him  dependent  on  the 
creature.  Conditional  decrees  are  therefore  express- 
ly contrary  to  what  is  taught  in  the  bible.  Prov.  xix, 
21.  "  There  are  many  devices  in  a  man's  heart ;  nev- 
ertheless the  counsel  of  the  Lord,  that  shall  stand." 
Prov.  xvi,  9.  "  A  man's  heart  dcviseth  his  way  ;  but 
the  Lord  directeth  his  steps."  "  The  counsel  of  the 
Lord  shall  stand,  and  he  will  do  all  his  pleasure."  Isa. 
xlvi,  10.     Because  "  the  Lord  of  hosts  hath  Jjworn  ; 

D 


(       26       ) 

saying,  surely  as  I  have  thought,  so  shall  it  come  to 
pass;  and  as  I  have  purposed,  so  shall  it  stand." 
Chap,   xiv,  24. 

As  God's  adorable  will  is  the  only  rule  of  his  con- 
jduct,  so  his  infinite  perfection  cannot  will  any  thing 
but  what  is  perfectl}-  just  and  equitable.  It  is  there- 
fore criminal,  because  it  is  enmity  against  God,  to  pre- 
scribe rules  for  his  conduct,  or  to  call  him  to  an  ac- 
count for  what  he  does,  as  appears  from  Rom.  ix,  19, 
20,21  ;  where  Paul,  purposely  treating  of  eternal,  un- 
conditional decrees  and  providence,  introduces  an  iii- 
iidel  with  this  objection  in  his  mouth,  Why  then  does 
God  find  faulty  for  nvho  hath  resisted  his  ivill  ?  Why 
docs  God  find  fault  with  any  ?  for  all,  it  seems,  act 
just  as  God  willed  they  should.  He  answers.  Nay, 
but  0  man,  ivho  art  thou  that  repliest  against  God? 
None  but  an  infidel  will  ever  make  the  same  reply 
against  God.  He  then  shows  the  wickedness  and  un- 
reasonableness of  the  objection  ;  "  Shall  the  thing 
formed  say  to  him  that  formed  it,  why  hast  thou  made 
me  thus  ?  Hath  not  the  potter  power  over  the  clay 
of  the  same  lump  to  make  one  vessel  unto  honor,  and 
another  unto  dishonor  ?"  How  can  we  conceive  of 
God  so  far  beneath  the  potter,  as  that  he  has  not  a 
right  to  raise  up  vessels  for  what  purpose  he  pleases. 
His  sovereignty  makes  him  not  accountable  to  crea- 
tures for  what  he  does.  Job  xxxiii,  12,  13.  "God 
is  greater  than  man  ;  why  dost  thou  strive  against 
him  ?  For  he  giveth  not  account  of  any  of  his  mat- 
ters." The  reason  why  he  hides  the  gospel  from 
some,  and  reveals  it  to  others,  is  because  it  "  seems 
good  in  his  sight  to  do  so."   Luke  x,  21. 

Since  God  is  absolutely  independent,  and  all  crea- 
tion totally  dependent  on  him,  I  cannot  but  stand  as- 
tonished at  the  pride,  vanity,  and  presumption  of  those 
impotent  mortals,  who  consider  themselves  as  possess- 
ed of  unlimited  freedom,  and  a  power  of  self-salvation. 
They  imagine  themselves  able  to  frustrate  the  designs 
of  infinite  wisdom,  and  to  defeat  the  influence  of  an  al- 
mighty agent.  This  the  serpent  preached  to  our  mo- 
ther in  the  garden,  ye  shall  be  as  gods  ;  and  now  he 


(       27       ) 

flatters  her  apostate  sons,  that  they  are  gods.  A  doc- 
trine so  contrary  to  scripture  and  reason,  to  what  we 
daily  feel  and  experience,  one  would  be  apt  to  think 
could  never  gain  the  least  d^-.gree  of  credit.  But  strange 
as  it  may  appear,  since  it  flatters  the  haughtiness  of 
the  depraved  heart,  the  deception  is  admitted ;  and  the 
father  of  lies  is  believed,  in  this  instance,  at  least,  to 
speak  the  truth. 

Now  the  inspired  doctrine  of  decrees  lays  the  axe 
at  the  very  root  oi  x}i\\'s>  potent  delusion,  by  flatly  de- 
claring, that  God  "coorketh  all  things  after  the  counsel  of 
his  onvfi  ivill ;  that  all  things  are  through  God.  And 
indeed,  I  cannot,  for  my  own  part,  see  any  medium 
between  absolute  decrees  and  downright  atheism. 
For,  if  the  world  had  a  creator,  it  must  have  a  gover- 
nor ;  and  if  it  has  a  governor,  then  his  own  will  of  de- 
cree must  extend  to  all  things  without  exception. 

Some  will  tell  us,  that  God  is  bound  to  do  all  he  pos- 
sibly can  to  prevent  the  existence  of  both  moral  and 
natural  evil ;  if  so,  then  it  would  inevitably  follow, 
since  innumerable  evils  do  exist,  either  that  God  was 
not  almighty,  or  not  infinitely  wise  ;  and  so  not  God. 
But  if  he  be  possessed  of  these  perfections,  and  bound 
to  prevent  evil,  but  did  not,  then  he  was  not  infinite- 
ly good  ;  because  he  did  not  prevent  the  evil  he  was 
bound  to  prevent.  On  this  supposition,  there  can  be 
no  such  thing  as  moral  government :  for,  by  the  sup- 
position, God  is  the  only  being  that  can  be  under  law  ;. 
for  it  supposes,  that  if  any  do  e^'il,  it  must  be  his  fault 
to  let  him  do  it. 

Some  represent  God  as  bound  to  prevent  evil,  and 
trying  to  prevent  it  ;  but  frustrated  by  r.atan.  They 
suppose  since  it  does  exist  altogether  against  his  will, 
that  he  now  endeavors  to  check  and  conquer  it,  but  is- 
altogether  unable  to  succeed  according  to  his  wishes. 
But  how  shocking  to  a  pious  mind  is  such  a  blasphe- 
mous supposition,  which  represents  the  devil  as  able  to 
bring  God  into  straits,  disconcerting  his  plans  and 
confusing  all  things  in  this  wicked  world,  without  any 
prospect  of  wise  and  noble  ends  to  be  answered  there- 
by.    How  satisfactory  and  consoling,  c;i  the  contrary, , 


(       28        ) 

to  such  a  mind  to  know  that  sin  exists  through  the 
wise  permission  of  God,  and  is  under  his  controHable 
government,  that  he  sets  exact  limits  to  it,  and  will, 
contrary  to  its  own  natural  tendency,  and  the  desijirn  of 
transgressors,  eventually  brmg  good  out  of  it,  by  mak- 
ing it  subservient  to  his  own  glory.  This  view  of  the 
subject  made  Asaph  say,  Psal.  Ixxvi,  10,  "Sure- 
ly  the  wrath  of  man  shall  praise  thee  :  the  remainder 
of  wrath'shalt  thou  restrain."  What  bright  prospects 
of  a  happy  issue  appear,  and  consequently  what  cheer- 
fulness must  it  aiford  us  to  perform  our  duty,  when 
•we  are  assured,  that  God  rules,  and  that  all  things, 
which  concern  us,  whether  good  or  evil,  are  ordered 
in  infinite  wisdom,  in  the  best  manner,  and  for  the 
best  purposes. 

Had  God  willed  to  hinder  the  fall  of  Adam,  why 
did  he  not  make  his  will  unalterably  determined  to 
good  r  He  was  able  to  have  prevented  his  fall.  He 
was  wiser  than  the  tempter.  He  could  have  prevent- 
ed It,  had  he  willed  to  prevent  it.  It  was  in  his  pow- 
er to  have  hindered  it,  had  it  been  his  pleasure  to  do 
so.  But  he  did  not  prevent  it  ;  consequently  willed 
not  to  prevent  it.  For  "he  does  all  his  pleasure  ;'* 
therefore  he  willed  to  permit  it.  "  For  who  hath  re- 
sisted his  will  ?"  Indeed  whatever  he  permits,  he 
permits  willingly  and  freely.  None  can  force  him  to 
permit.  He  cannot  act,  nor  permit  any  thing  to  be 
done  against  his  will.  For  "he  does  all  his  plea- 
sure,  and  vvorketh  all  things  after  the  counsel  of  his 
own  will." 

Had  God  willed  to  hinder  sin,  we  must  then  sup- 
pose, since  it  does  exist,  that  he  was  not  infinitely 
wise  to  devise  means  to  prevent  it  ;  or,  that  he  was 
not  powerful  enough  to  put  thc^e  means  into  execu- 
tion, and  so  could  not  prevent  it  ;  or,  through  a  de- 
fect of  goodness  forbore  to  hinder  it.  But  neither  of 
these  suppositions  can  be  true  :  for  they  would  rob 
God  of  his  essential  perfections.  Now  to  avoid  these 
blasphemous  suppositions,  we  hold,  that  God  willed 
the  permission  of  sin.  And  it  is  evident  since  sin 
lias  come  into  the  world,   that  the  divine  perfections 


(       29       ) 

did  not  require  him  to  prevent  it.  But  if  God  fore- 
saw,  as  he  certainly  did,  that  if  he  created  man  in 
such  a  condition,  and  placed  him  in  such  circumstan- 
ces, he  would  fall  into  sin,  (and  the  event  must  answer 
the  foreknowledge  of  God)  wherein  is  he  any  more 
benevolent  than  if  he  willed  the  permission  of  sin  ? 
Why  did  God  create  man  in  such  a  state,  and  place 
him  in  such  circumstances,  since  he  knew  man  would 
certainly  fall  into  sin,  as  he  certainly  did,  unless  he 
willed  the  permission  of  sin  ? 

The  only  way  to  evade  the  force  of  all  this  reason- 
ing, is  to  say,  that  God  cared  not  what  became  of  his 
creatures,  whether  they  were  happy,  or  miserable  ; 
and  then  turn  atheist,  and  deny  the  existence  of  an 
all-wise  God,  who  can,  and  who  does  all  his  pleasure  ; 
and  so  persist  in  affirming  that  there  is  no  such  being 
in  the  universe  as  a  God,  whose  wisdom  cannot  be 
deceived.  But  should  you  say,  God  was  able  to  have 
hindered  sin,  but  was  unwilling  to  hinder  it,  then  you 
grant  the  point  contended  for  :  because  there  can  be 
no  medium  betweep  v^^illing  and  nilling. 

God's  permission  of  sin  can  in  no  wise  detract  from 
the  infinite  holiness  of  his  nature.  That  he  has  per- 
mitted it,  is  plain,  else  he  M^oukl  have  hindered  it  ;  for 
not  hindering  is  the  same  as  permitting.  And  if  it  be 
consistent  with  his  holiness  to  permit  sin  and  the  con- 
demnation of  angels  and  men  by  means  of  it,  as  he  cer- 
tainly does,  then  his  will  to  do  so  cannot  possibly  be 
inconsistent  with  that  perfection.  For  what  God 
does,  he  does  willingly  and  freel3^  He  cannot  be 
forced  to  act,  or  to  permit  ;  consequently  he  must  will 
to  act,  or  to  permit  previous  to  his  doing  either  ;  that 
is,  he  must  will  to  act,  before  he  does  act.  Whatev- 
er therefore  God  does  cannot  possibly  be  inconsistent 
with  any  of  his  perfections  to  determine  to  do.  But 
God  has  permitted  sin,  therefore  it  was  perfectly  con- 
sistent for  him  to  determine  to  do  so. 

Though  God's  holiness  does  not  require  him  to 
prevent  sin,  yet  it  requires  him  to  glorify  himself  by 
means -of  it  when  permitted.     He  will  finally  direct  it 


(        30       ) 

to  some  wise  and  righteous  purpose,  else  he  could  not 
permit  it. 

God  willed  from  all  eternity  to  permit  sin  and  all  its 
consequences.  For  what  he  once  wills,  he  always 
willed  ;  because  he  is  unchangeable  ;  and  what  is  right 
for  him  to  will  in  time,  was  right  for  him  to  will  before 
time  ;  and  therefore  in  Prov.  viii,  23 — 31,  we  find  a 
personal  transaction  from  everlasthig  expressly  declar- 
ed to  exist  between  God  and  Christ,  respecting  the 
bestowal  of  special  favor  and  love  to  sinful  men.  The 
words  brought  up  have  always  respect  to  some  special 
work  or  service,  end  or  purpose,  which  is  intended. 
And  vers.  31,  makes  it  evident  to  be  the  work  of  sal- 
vation, which  he  had  to  accomplish. 

With  this  the  words  of  St.  Peter  agree,  *'  Christ 
was  fore-ordained  before  the  foundation  of  the  world," 
as  the  lamb,  whose  blood  was  to  be  shed  for  men's 
sins,  1  Pet.  i,  18,  19,  20.  If  Peter's  ideas  of  predes- 
tination be  accurate,  then  they  were  eternal  truths, 
that  Adam  should  fall,  and  that  Christ  should  die  by 
the  hands  of  wicked  men.  The  supposition  therefore 
that  God  would  have  sent  his  Son  to  take  our  na- 
ture on  him,  and  die  for  us,  had  man  never  fallen, 
is  unscriptural,  without  any  solid  foundation,  and 
false.  To  affirm  that  God  would  have  sent  his  Son  to 
die,  without  a  view  to  the  salvation  of  sinners,  is  con- 
trary to  the  whole  manifest  design  of  revelation,  which 
shews,  that  the  counsel  of  peace  respecting  his  Son 
related  to  the  delivery  of  the  elect  from  sin.  What- 
ever therefore  God  willed  respecting  sin,  and  redemp- 
tion from  it,  he  willed  in  absolute  eternity. 

Peter  again  expresses  his  sentiments  of  predestina- 
tion thus,  "  him,  being  delivered  by  the  determinate 
counsel  and  foreknowledge  of  God.''  A  more  wicked 
action  cannot  possibly  be  committed  than  murdering 
the  Lord  of  glory  ;  yet  it  was  unalterably  determin- 
ed of  God.  Indeed  God's  foreknowledge  of  Adam's 
fall,  and  of  Christ's  death  by  those  wicked  agents, 
can  be  conceived  of  only  in  connexion  with  the  unal- 
terable decree.  Consequently  Peter  joins  thfem  to- 
gether.     "  Jesus  was  delivered  by  the  determinate- 


(       31       ) 

counsel  and  foreknowledge  of  God.  It  was  a  deter- 
minate, that  is,  an  unalterable  decree,  not  an  undeter- 
minate,  or  conditional  decree.  All  the  particulars 
were  therefore  determined  as  appears  from  the  fol- 
lowing statement. 

1.  The  time  of  his  birth  was  determined,  Gal.  iv,  4. 
*'  But  when  the  fulness  of  the  time  was  come,  God 
sent  forth  his  Son." 

2.  The  place  of  his  birth  was  determined,  Micah 
V,  2.  "^But  thou  Bethlehem  Ephratah,  though  thou  be 
little  among  the  thousands  of  Judah,  yet  out  of  thee 
shall  he  come  forth  unto  me,  that  is  to  be  ruler  in  Is- 
rael ;  whose  goings  forth  have  been  from  of  old,  from 
everlasting."  Matt,  ii,  4 — 6. 

3.  His  going  down  to,  and  departure  from  Egypt, 
was  determined,  Matt,  ii,  14,  15.  **  And  departed  in- 
to Egypt,  and  was  there  until  the  death  of  Herod,  that 
it  might  be  fulfilled  which  was  spoken  of  the  Lord  by 
the  prophet,  saying,  out  of  Egypt  have  I  called  my 
Son." 

4.  It  was  determined  that  Judas  should  betray  him, 
Psal.  xli,  9.  "  Mine  own  familiar  friend  in  whom  I 
trusted"  a  part  of  the  apostleship,  "  which  did  eat  of 
my  bread,  hath  lifted  up  his  heel  against  me."  Acts 
i,  16.  "  This  scripture  must  needs  have  been  fulfill- 
ed, which  the  Holy  Ghost,  by  the  mouth  of  David, 
spake  before  concerning  Judas."  And  Psal.  Ixix, 
25.  "  Let  their  habitation  be  desolate."  And  cix,  8. 
"  Let  another  take  his  office."  Acts,  i,  20.  *'  For  it 
is  written  in  the  book  of  Psalms,  let  his  habitation  be 
desolate,  and  his  bishoprick  let  another  take." 

5.  The  sum  of  money,  which  Judas  was  to  receive, 
and  the  use  that  should  be  make  of  it  were  determin- 
ed. Zach.  xi,  12,  13.  "  They  weighed  for  my  price 
thirty  pieces  of  silver.  And  the  Lord  said  unto  me 
cast  it  unto  the  potter  :  a  goodly  price  that  I  was  priz- 
ed at  of  them.  And  I  took  the  thirty  pieces  of  sil- 
ver, and  cast  them  to  the  potter  in  the  house  of  the 
Lord."  See  also  Matt,  xxvii,  9,  10.  "  Then  was 
fulfilled  that  which  was  spoken  by  the  prophet  Jere- 
my, s^iying,  and  they  took  the  thirty  pieces  of  silver, 


(       32       ) 

the  price  of  him  that  was  valued,  whom  they  of  the 
children  of  Israel  did  value  ;  and  gave  them  for  the 
potter's  field,  as  the  Lord  appointed  me."  ' 

6.  The  time  in  which  he  was  to  die,  was  determin- 
ed, Dan.  ix,  24.  "  Seventy  weeks  are  determined  up- 
on thy  people,  and  upon  the  holy  city,  to  finish  trans- 
gression, and  to  make  an  end  of  sin,  and  to  make  re- 
conciliation for  iniquity,  and  to  bring  in  everlasting 
righteousness,  and  to  seal  up  the  vision  and  the  pro- 
phecy, and  to  anoint  the  Most  Holy."  These  seventy 
weeks,  or  490  years,  are  generally  dated  by  correct 
writers,  from  th£  seventh  year  of  Artaxerxes  Longi- 
manus,  and  ended  in  the  year  our  Lord  was  crucified. 
At  so  great  a  distance,  the  time  was  fixed  on,  limited, 
determined,  and  the  exact  computation  of  years  fore- 
told. 

7.  The  manner  and  circumstances  of  his  death  were 
determined.  It  was  determined  that  he  should  be  cru- 
cified between  two  thieves.  Isa.  liii,  12.  "  He  was 
numbered  with  transgressors."  Psal.  xxii,  16.  *'They 
pierced  my  hands  and  my  feet."  Mark  xv,  27,  28. 
*'  With  him  they  crucify  two  thieves  ;  the  one  on  the 
right  hand,  and  the  other  on  the  left ;  and  the  scripture 
was  fulfilled,  which  saith,  and  he  was  numbered  with 
transgressors."  Matt,  xx,  18,  19.  "  The  Son  of  man 
shall  be  betrayed  unto  the  chief  priests,  and  unto  the 
scribes,  and  they  shall  condemn  him  to  death,  and  shall 
deliver  him  to  the  Gentiles,  to  mock,  and  to  scourge, 
and  to  crucify,'''' 

I  cannot  help  observing  the  particular  providence  of 
God,  working  this  whole  affair  after  the  counsel  of  his 
own  will ;  for  the  Jews  often  attempted  to  stone  Christ. 
John  viii,  59,  and  x,  31,  32,  ':}iZ,  39.  But  God  would 
not  permit  them  to  stone  him,  because  he  was  to  be 
crucified.  And  after  Christ  was  betrayed,  "Pilate 
$aicl  unto  them,  take  ye  him,  and  judge  him  according 
to  your  law."  They  answered,  *'  It  is  not  lawful  for  us 
to  put  any  man  to  death."  But  the  providence  of  God 
was  in  this,  "  That  the  saying  of  Jesus  might  be"  ful- 
filled "which  he  spake  signifying  what  death  he  should 
die."  Divine  providence  directed  this  whole  affair  ac- 


(       33       ) 

cording  to  the  determinate  counsel  of  God.  For  bias- 
phemy,  the  crime  of  which  they  accused  him,  was  to 
be  punished  according  to  the  law  of  Moses,  by  ston- 
ing ;  but  crucifixion  was  a  Roman  death.  And  the 
high  priests  and  the  Sanhedrim  "  sat  in  Moses  seat."* 
Matt,  xxiii,  2.  They  met  and  acted  often  before  and 
after  according  to  their  own  law.  By  it  they  stoned 
Stephen  for  the  same  (alleged)  crime  of  bhisphemy, 
and  brought  Paul  before  their  own  judgment-seat. 
Acts  xxiii,  .5,  But  God  had  decreed,  that  Christ 
should  die  no  other  way.  M.Ut.  xxvi,  53,  54,  56. 
*'  Thiiikest  thou  that  I  cannot  now  pray  to  mv  Father, 
and  he  shall  presently  give  me  more  than  twelve  legions 
of  angels  ?  But  how  then  shall  the  scriptures  be  ful- 
filled, that  thus  it  must  be  f " — "  But  all  this  was  done 
that  the  scriptures  of  the  prophets  might  be  fulfilled.'* 

All  this  appears  to  be  precisely  the  sentiment  of  the 
ancient  church  of  Jesus  Christ  ;  for  when  assembled 
together,  they  affirm,  that  the  *heathen,  and  people, 
kings  and  rulers,  spoken  of  in  Psal.  ii,  1,  2,  were  He- 
rod, Pontius  Pilate,  &c.  Acts  iv,  27,  28.  "  For,  of  a 
truth,  against  thy  holy  child  Jesus,  whom  thou  hast 
anointed,  both  Herod  and  Pontius  Pilate  with  the  Gen- 
tiles, and  people  of  Israel,  were  gathered  together,  for 
to  do  whatsoever  thy  hand  and  thy  counsel  determin- 
ed before  to  be  done."  God's  hand  and  counsel  had 
determined  these  wicked  agents  should  do  all  these 
things.  This  "  determinate  counsel"  was  "  before  the 
foundation  of  the  world,  from  everlasting." 

As  Christ's  executioners  did  nothing:  but  Avhat 
*'  God's  hand  and  counsel  had  determined  before  to  be 
done,"  so  the  determinate  counsel  of  God  had  irre- 
versibly fixed  even  the  manner,  in  which  his  clothes 
should  be  divided,  John  xix,  23,  24.  "  The  soldiers 
took  his  garments  and  made  four  parts,  to  every  soldier 
a  part  :  and  also  his  coat  :  now  the  coat  ',\as  without 
seam,  woven  from  the  top  throughout.  'I'hey  said, 
therefore  among  themselves,  let  us  not  rend  it,  but  cast 
lots  for  it,  whose  it  shall  be  ;  that  the  scripture  might 

*  Dr.  Doddridge  and  otlu'r  learned  wiiteij  maintain  that  thp  Jews  at  thi-  time  rfid 
not  |)ossesj  the  I'ow.  r  of  condenmj.ig  to  death.  The  stoning  of  Stcpiieu  w.is  an  act  ot  [ta- 
pular  fury. 

E 

/ 


(       34       ) 

be  fulfilled,  which  saith,  they  parted  my  raiment  among 
them,  and  for  my  vesture  they  did  cast  lots."  Psal. 
xxii,  18. 

The  prophecies  of  scripture  are  such  a  proof  of 
Christianity,  as  infidels  can  never  overthrow.  They 
conclude  equally  as  strong  in  favor  of  absolute  predes- 
tination ;  for  if  the  events  were  not  decreed,  they  could 
not  be  knowni,  and  if  not  foreknown,  they  could  not  be 
infallibly  predicted.  To  say,  that  events  may  be  fore- 
known, without  being  effectively,  or  permissively  de- 
creed, would  be  saying  either  nothing  to  the  purpose, 
or  worse  than  nothing  ;  for,  if  God  can,  with  certain- 
ty, foreknow  any  event  whatever,  which  is  barely  fore- 
known, but  which  he  did  not  previously  determine  to 
accomplish  or  permit,  and  that  event  be  so  certain  with 
God,  as  to  furnish  positive  ground  for  unerring  pro- 
phecy ;  then  it  would  follow,  that  God  is  dependent, 
for  his  knowledge,  on  things  known  ;  instead  of  all 
things  being  dependent  on  him  ;  and  that  there  is  some 
foreign  chain  of  causes,  prior  to  the  will  and  knowledge 
of  God,  by  which  his  will  is  regulated,  and  on  which 
his  knowledge  is  founded. 

God  was  as  able  in  eternity  to  determine  what  my 
state  should  be  at  the  day  of  judgment,  as  he  possibly 
can  be  at  that  day.  He  can  gain  no  knowledge  by 
any  thing  that  has  been,  or  can  be.  And  what  will  be 
just  for  him  to  do  at  the  last  day  was  certainly  just  for 
him  to  determine  in  eternity  to  do.  Consequently  if 
it  be  just  for  him  to  punish  any  for  their  sins  at  that 
day,  then  it  was  just  for  him  to  determine  in  eternity 
to  do  so.  No  one  in  his  right  mind  ever  accused  a 
ciiief  magistrate  of  cruelty,  or  injustice,  for  letting  the 
sentence  of  the  law  take  place  on  a  company  of  atro- 
cious malefiictors.  Let  it  not  then  be  thought  hard, 
that  God  should  have  as  much  liberty,  and  as  great  a 
privilege,  as  we  allow  to  a  supreme  magistrate  here 
below.  If  the  magistrate  pardon  some  we  applaud  his 
clemency,  but  he  is  no  less  just  in  punishing  the  rest. 
And  justice  is  not  cruelty.  Besides  as  God's  mercy 
is  free,  with  respect  to  the  bestowal  of  it,  so  he  may 
extend  it  to,  or  withhold  it  from,  whom  he  pleases, 
Rom.  ix,   15j   18.     It  is  not,  therefore,  an  act  of  par- 


C      35       ) 

tiality,  but  of  free  sovereign  mercy,  to  fore-ordain  any. 
one  to  salvation.  For  all  were  considered  as  under 
condemnation.  And  therefore  it  would  have  been 
just,  that  all  should  have  been  destroyed.  For  God 
was  under  no  obligation  to  save  one  transgressor.  We 
could  have  no  claim  to  his  favor.  And  therefore  it  was 
not  tyrannical  in  God  to  determine  to  punish  the  final- 
ly impenitent  for  their  sins.  He  acted  indeed  as  an 
absolute  sovereign  :  but  a  lawful  sovereign  and  a  law- 
less tyrant  are  as  great  contraries  as  can  possibly  be. 
A  tvrant  is  one  who  usurps  authority  which  docs  not 
belong  to  him,  or^'ho  abuses  his  right,  and  governs 
contrary  to  law.  n|p^  cannot  possibly  commit  either 
of  these  acts  of  cruelty.  He  has  as  creator  an  unlim- 
ited right  over  both  the  souls  and  bodies  of  men,  Rom., 
ix,  19,  20,  21.  He  is  supreme  lawgiver  to  the  uni- 
verse, and  cannot  act  tyrannically  in  any  sense  of  the 
word.  Besides  the  agonies  of  the  damned  were  in  eter- 
nity perfectly  known,  and  can  no  more  affect  the  un- 
changeable God,  at  the  day  of  judgment,  than  they  did 
in  eternity.  For  he  can  know  nothirig  more  of  us  at  that 
day  than  he  did  in  eternity.  And  as  his  knowledge, 
goodness  and  mercy,  can  be  no  greater  at  the  last  da}', 
so  we  may  with  the  same  propriety  object  against  his 
disposing  of  us  at  that  day  according  to  his  own  judg- 
ment, as  against  his  predetermining  the  manner  of  that 
disposition.  This  shews  the  wickedness  and  unreason 
ableness  of  objecting  against  the  decrees  of  God. 

Predestination,  as  it  respects  the  final  state  of  men,,, 
is  usually  distinguished  into,  election  and  reprobation.: 
Of  the  former,  I  purpose  to  treat  separately  in  a  follow- 
ing discourse.  Of  the  latter,  the  word  of  Cxod,  which 
is  the  only  standard  of  truth,  speaks  thus  :  Rev.  xvii, 
8.  "  And  they  that  dwell  on  the  cartii  shall  wonder, 
whose  names  were  not  written  in  tiie  book  of  life  from 
ihc  foundation  of  the  ivorld.''  2  Cor.  iv,  3.  "If  our 
gospel  be  hid,  it  is  hid  to  them  that  arc  lost,'-  1  Pet. 
ii,  8.  "  Being  disobedient ;  whcrcunto  also  they  were 
appointed."  2  Pet.  ii,  12,  "  But  these,  as  natural 
brute  beasts,  made  to  be  taken  and  destroyed."  .ludc 
4.  "  Certain  men  crept  in  unawares,  who  were  before 
of  old  ordahicd  to  this  condemnation.'' 


(       36       ) 

We  must  distinguish  between  non-election  and  ap- 
pointment to  wrath.     The  will  of  God  Mas  the  cause 
of  his  not  writing  their  names  in  the  book  of  life  from 
the  foundation  of  the  world.     Their  sin  is  the  reason 
of  their  appointment  to  wrath.     God  does  not  con- 
demn them  because  he  has  not  chosen  them,   but  be- 
cause they  have  wilfully  trangressed  his  law.     God 
■was  just  and  righteous  in  not  writing  their  names  in 
the  book  of  life.     For  he  might,  in  point  of  justice, 
have  left  all  men  as  Vv^ell  as  all  fallen  angels  to  perish  in 
their  sins.     His  choosing  others  cannot  possibly  do 
them  any  injury,  since   their  condition  would  have 
been  as  bad   supposing  none  had  been   chosen  ;  and 
their  condemnation  is  most  just  and  ;ighteous,  since 
they   are  punished  for  the  omission  of  moral  duties 
and  wilful  disobedience.     Nor  does  God  punish  them 
considered  as  men,  but  considered  as  transgressors  of 
his  most  holy  and  righteous  law  ;  and  as  all  sin  is  pro- 
perly deserving  of  punishment,  so  they  who  are  con- 
demned are  condemned  most  justl3^     The  man  must, 
therefore,  be  deaf  to  reason,    who  can  suppose,  that 
reprobation   is   unmerciful,    tyrannical   or   unjust. — 
If  God   does   in   fact  permit    some   to   die    in   their 
sin,  and  then  punish  them  for  that  sin,    then  he  must 
eternally  have  willed  to  do  so,  because  he  must  act 
in  consequence   of  a  previous  determination.     Con- 
sequently  there  Mas  a  rejection  of   some    from   the 
foundation  of  the  world.       And    God,    who   is    the 
righteous  Judge  of  all  the  earth,  whose  decree  shall 
stand,    and    from    whose    sentence   there   is    no  ap- 
peal, has  decreed,  and  his  sentence  will  be,  that  those 
ivhose  names  were  not  %vritlen  in  the  book  of  life  from 
the  foundation  of  the  worlds  and  die  under  the  guilt  of 
final  impenitence,  unbelief  and  sin,    ''*  shall  go  away 
into  everlasting  punishment." 


DISCOURSE  HI. 


EPHESIANS  I,  11. 

WHO  WORKETH  ALL  THINGS  AFTER  THE  COUNSEL 
OF  HIS  OWN  WILL." 


A: 


S  eternal  predestination  is  the  highest  act 
of  Gr  I's  sovereignty,  so  it  must  be  a  doctrine  of 
much  practical  use.  I  shall  therefore  conclude  this 
very  important  subject  with  the  following  practical 
uses. 

Use  first,  for  information.  The  scriptural  doctrine 
of  decrees  and  providence  sets  God  on  the  throne,  and 
gives  the  creature  his  proper  place.  It  puts  the  reins 
of  universal  government  in  the  hands  of  Jehovah,  and 
allows  the  creature  a  subordinate  agency.  The  de- 
cree of  God,  and  the  agency  of  his  providence  in  caus- 
ing choice,  do  not  interrupt  liberty,  or  creature  agen- 
cy in  any  sense  or  degree  whatsoever.  For  as  all  free 
moral  agency  of  creatures  consists  entirely  of  volun- 
tary choice,  or  exercise  of  the  will,  so  it  cannot,  in 
the  least  degree,  be  made  up  of  any  thing  before  or 
after  choice.  As  choice  constitutes  the  complete  per- 
fect liberty  of  moral  agents,  so  nothing  can  destroy 
that  liberty  which  does  not  destroy  choice.  But  de- 
creeing and  causing  choice  cannot  possibly  destroy 
choice.  Therefore  decreeing  and  causing  cannot  pos- 
sibly destroy  creature  liberty.  For  there  is  as  wide  a 
difference  between  choice  and  its  cause  as  there  is  be- 
tween any  other  effect  and  its  cause.  Volition  or 
choice  is  an  effect  of  which  God  is  the  efficient  cause. 
For  "  the  king's  heart,"  and  consequently  the  heart 
of  every  man,  "  is  in  the  hand  of  the  Lord  ;  as  the  ri- 
vers of  water  he  turneth  it  whithersoever  he  will." 
God  then  turneth  the  heart  of  man  toward  \\hatsocv- 


(        38       ) 

cr  he  pleaseth  ;  and  that  as  freely  as  the  rivers  run  in- 
their  channel.  Thus  the  preparation  of  the  heart  in 
man,  and  even  the  answer  of  the  tongue,  is  from  the 
Lord.  We  are  led  safely  on  then  to  this  conclusion  ; 
that  two  distinct  agents  are  concerned  in  every  voli- 
tion of  moral  agents  :  Namely,  God's  agency  in  cau- 
sing volition,  and  the  creature's  in  exercising  it  when 
caused.  God  is  a  free  agent  in  causing  volition  ;  the 
creature  is  a  free  agent  in  exercising  it.  Both  agents 
are  free.  There  is,  however,  this  difference — God 
is  an  independenf  active  agent  :  Man  is  a  dependent 
active  agent.  That  man's  free  moral  agency  is  per- 
fectly consistent  with  absolute  dependence  is  evident 
from  these  words,  *'  work  out  your  own  salvation 
with  fear  and  trembling  ;  for  it  is  God  who  worketh 
in  you  both  to  will  and  to  do  of  his  good  pleasure." 
Now  if  Paul's  ideas  be  accurate,  then  God's  agency 
is  the  efficient  cause  of  choice,  or  of  men's  will  and 
activity,  and  yet  man  is  free  and  active  in  working. 
God's  working  in  man  both  the  will  and  the  deed  is 
here  considered  the  efficient  cause,  which  excites  him 
to  "  work  out  his  salvation,  with  fear  and  trembling. 
God  worketh  in  you  to  will."  We  all  see  then,  that 
God's  causing  volition,  or  choice,  cannot  possibly  de- 
stroy, or  curtail  liberty,  because  man  is  dependent, 
and  yet  entirely  free,  since  God  works  to  cause  the 
will,  and  even  to  change  the  will,  without  destroying 
the  liberty.  And  if  God  can  w^ork  in  the  creature  to 
cause  the  will,  and  even  to  change  the  will,  without 
destroying  creature  liberty,  then  it  will  follow,  that 
his  decree  to  do  so  cannot  possibly  destroy  that  lib- 
erty. 

Use  second,  for  information.  The  doctrine  of  decrees, 
and  providence  discovers  the  most  profound  wisdom 
of  God  in  proportioning  the  means  to  the  end.  He  has 
appointed  all  the  relations,  connexions,  dependencies, 
and  the  remotest  consequences  of  all  things,  and  can 
therefore  have  no  new  thoughts  or  purposes,  on  ac- 
count of  his  immutability.  Isa.  xliv,  7.  "  Who,  as  I, 
shall  call,  and  declare  it,  and  set  it  in  order  for  me  ; 
sinc*e  1  appointed  the  ancient  people,  and  the  things 
that  aie  coming,  and  sliall  come."     Nothing  can  came 


(       39       ) 

t)n  him  by  way  of  surprise  ;  nor  can  he  gain  any  know- 
ledge by  any  thing  that  has  been,  or  can  be  ;  for  he 
"  has  appointed  all  things  that  are  coming,  and  shall 
come."  He  knows  his  own  appointment,  and  there- 
fore knows  all  things.  He  knows  all  the  free  and  con- 
tingent actions  of  rational  creatures,  because  he  ap- 
pointed them  to  come  to  pass,  either  freely  or  contin- 
gently, according  to  the  nature  of  second  causes.  He 
had  one  eternal  thought  and  purpose  concerning  them 
all.  And  no  means  can  be  so  proper  for  the  accom- 
plishment of  all  things  as  those  planned  by  the  un- 
searchable depth  of  divine  wisdom.  And  as  he  has 
appointed  the  means  only  to  bring  about  the  end,  so 
the  end,  which  is  his  glory,  is  infinitely  more  worthy 
and  noble  than  all  creation.  We  are  commanded 
"  whether  therefore  we  eat  or  drink,  or  whatsoever  we 
do,  to  do  all  to  the  glory  of  God. "  He  has  made  us  for 
his  glory,  and  has  therefore  an  undoubted  right  to  dis- 
pose us  in  whatever  way  his  infinite  wisdom  views 
most  conducive  to  promote  it.  "  Is  it  not  lawful  for 
me  to  do  what  I  will  with  mine  own  ?  Is  thy  eye  evil 
because  I  am  good  ?"  They  who  imagine  that  God 
miay  not  dispose  things  in  such  a  manner  as  will  final- 
ly tend  to  his  glory,  have  an  evil  eye,  and  view  things 
in  a  false  light.  Therefore  "  hath  he  mercy. on  whom 
he  will  have  mercy,  and  whom  he  will  he  hardeneth. 
He  hath  made  all  things  for  himself;''  that  is  for  his 
glory.  We  ought  ultimately  to  aim  at  his  glory — 
Therefore  to  make  self  our  end,  or  to  act  for  our  own 
praise  and  glory,  is  a  base  invasion  of  Jehovah's  pe- 
culiar right.  Sincerely  study  therefore,  in  all  you  do, 
to  aim  at  the  glory  of  God.  ^ 

Use  third  for  humiliation — An  honest  consider- 
ation of  the  uniA'ersal  and  sovereign  agency  ofGod,  who 
supports  the  planets,  and  impels  them,  with  never- 
ceasing  rapidity,  round  yonder  central  ocean  of 
fire,  and  who  upholds  the  entire  universe  by  the 
word  of  his  own  power,  will  fill  us  with  a  deep 
humiliation  from  a  sense  of  our  own  insignificance. 
This  made  wise  Agur  burst  out  in  the  language  of 
deep  humiliation  and  contrition  of  heart,  when  he  con- 
sidered the  incomprehensibility  of  God's  plans  and 


(        40       ) 

providence.  Prov.  xxx,  2,  3.  *'  Surel}'^  I  am  more 
brutish  than  any  man,  and  have  not  the  understanding 
of  a  man.  I  neither  learned  wisdom,  nor  have  the 
knowledge  of  the  holy."  Reader,  do  thou  go  and  do 
so  to. 

Use  fourth,  for  reproof,  to  those  who  abuse  the  de- 
crees, 

1.  By  pleading  the  decree  to  excuse  their  own  and 
others  sin.  Some  wicked  men  of  a  profane  and 
perverse  turn,  will  pretend  to  excuse  their  own  and 
others  sin  thus  :  "It  was  decreed  to  be  done,  and  I 
was  forced  to  do  it,  and  therefore  it  was  impossible  for 
me  to  avoid  it,  and  I  am  not  to  be  blamed."  The  on- 
ly reply  I  think  proper  to  make  to  this  description  of 
men  is,  that  I  have  travelled  many  thousand  miles, 
and  spent  much  time,  frequently  the  greatest  part  of 
the  night  as  well  as  much  of  the  day,  in  religious  con- 
versation, with  men  of  various  opinions,  but  never 
heard  a  predestinarian  even  suggest  any  thing  of  the 
kind.  It  is  uniformly  advanced  by  free-willers,  who 
disbelieve  eternal  immutable  decrees  and  providence. 
They  do  not  therefore  believe  what  they  themselves 
say,  when  they  cast  such  vile  reflections  on  the  wise 
purposes  of  God.  This  plainly  shows,  that  there  is 
little  or  no  confidence  to  be  put  in  any  thing  they  do 
say.  To  combat  the  reflection  would  be  vain  and 
idle,  since  no  body  in  reality  believes  it.  But  let 
them  remember,  that  all  their  vain  and  irreverent  tri- 
fling with  God  shall  at  last  be  turned  into  terror  and 
despair,  wh^n  it  shall  be  said  to  them,  "  wherefore 
despisest  thou  the  doings  of  the  Lord." 

2.  To  those  who  abuse  the  decrees,  by  separating 
what  God  has  joined  together. 

Some  wicked  men,  blasphemously  abuse  God's  de- 
crees, because  they  are  unable  to  withstand  the  force 
of  the  arguments  brought  in  proof  of  them,  by  under- 
taking to  separate  what  God  has  joined  together. — 
They  will  cast  such  reproaches  as  this  :  "  Well  then, 
if  I  be  decreed  from  eternity  to  salvation,  I  shall  be 
certainly  saved,  though  I  neither  repent,  believe,  nor 
be  holy."  But  let  the  objectors  know,  that  in  all  this 
they  are  only  imitating  the  devil  when  he  tempted  our 


(       4.1       ) 

Saviour.  God  had  revealed  his  decree,  that  Christ 
should  be  kept  from  failing  into  sin  and  into  untimely 
dangers  and  death,  by  a  charge  given  to  the  angel's 
over  him,  to  keep  him  in  all  his  ways.  God  had  de- 
creed to  keep  and  preserve  Christ  by  these  means, 
iiut  the  devil  thought  to  deceive  Christ,  and  took  oc- 
casion from  the  decree  to  tempt  him  to  cast  himself 
from  the  pinnacle  of  the  temple,  and  suggested  that  let 
him  do  Vvhat  he  would,  God  v.  oukl  give  his  angels 
charge  concerning  him,  and  not  suffer  any  injury  to 
befall  him  ;  and  therefore  he  might  neglect  the  use  of 
ordinary  means,  as  if  it  were  needless  for  Christ  to 
go  dow  n  the  stairs  of  the  temple,  since  God  had  de- 
creed and  promised  to  preserve  him. 

In  thi;:  temptation,  satan  artfully  left  out  such  a 
part  of  the  text  which  he  quoted  from  the  old  testament 
as  would  wholly  alttr  the  sense  of  it.  And  the  objec- 
tors precisely  imiiale  this  conduct  of  satan.  Similar 
perversion  to  that  of  satan  is  in  their  mouths.  One 
word  of  advice  for  them.  Since  they  imitate  the  devil 
and  do  his  v.orks  ;  let  diem  take  heed,  lest  they  be  his 
children    For  the  child  generally  imitates  its  father. 

That  they  are  perverters  of  the  decree  is  evident; 
for  God  has  decreed  to  save  the  elect  by  means  of  work- 
ing in  them  faith,  repentance,  and  habitual  holiness,  but 
not  otherwise.  For  all  the  means  are  decreed  as  well 
as  the  end,  as  appears  from  the  27th  of  Acts.  When 
St.  Paul  and  his  companions,  on  their  voyage  to  Italy, 
were  overtaken  with  a  violent  storm  and  momentarily 
expected  to  be  swallowed  up  in  the  sea,  God  v/as  pleas- 
ed to  reveal  his  decree  concerning  them.  God's  fixed 
purpose  was  that  they  should  get  safe  to  land.  God's 
decree  respecting  the  end  was  absolute.  It  could  not 
be  frustrated.  But  the  decree  was  essentially  different 
from  what  the  objectors  represent,  as  appears  from 
what  follows.  'I'he  sailors  devised  to  leave  the  ship. 
When  Paul  discovered  this  he  said  to  the  centurion 
and  the  soldiers,  '*  except  these  abide  in  the  ship,  ye 
cannot  be  saved."  It  wns  decreed  they  should  be  sav- 
ed, and  come  safely  to  shore,  by  n\eans  of  the  skill  and 
exertion  of  the  sailors,  but  not  otherwise.     God  had 

F 


(       42       ) 

decreed  all  the  means  by  which  they  were  to  be  saved 
as  well  as  the  end.  God  had  decreed  to  save  them  in 
tills  particular  way.  It  was  tlierefore  the  decree,  which 
made  it  necessary  for  the  seamen,  v.  ho  had  the  art  of 
managing  the  vessel,  to  abide  in  it  and  employ  their 
united  wisdom  in  securing  an  escape.  And  as  "  there 
are  many  devices  in  a  man's  heart  ;  nevertheless  the 
counsel  of  the  Lord  that  shall  stand ; "  and  as  a  "  man's 
heart  dcviseth  his  way,  but  the  Lord  directeth  his 
steps  ;"  so  the  Lord's  counsel  stood  ;  for  though  the 
s<illors  devised  to  leave  the  ship,  yet  the  Lord  direct- 
ed their  steps  in  the  use  of  the  means,  which  he  had 
appointed.  But  the  objectors  are  evidently  perver- 
ters  of  C  od's  decrees.  For  according  to  them,  Paul 
'and  his  companions  would  have  come  safely  to  shore 
even  though  they  had  been  wholly  inactive  ;  or  though 
they  had  tried  ever  so  much  to  plunge  themselves  in- 
to the  bottom  of  the  ocean.  When  they  are  confuted 
and  unable  to  stand  their  ground,  they  will  turn  to  per- 
verting the  decrees,  and  tell  us,  "  that  there  must 
then  be  a  certain  number  that  will  be  saved,  and  an- 
other certain  number  that  will  be  lost,  let  them  do  what 
they  will,  or  let  their  character  be  what  it  may."  But 
this  we  see  is  evidentl)'  a  perversion  of  God's  decrees. 
They  do  not  give  the  least  countenance  to  such  a  con- 
•clusioTi.  It  is  not  true,  on  the  decreeing  system,  that 
iiny  shall  be  saved,  who  continue  in  wicked  practices 
to  the  end  of  their  life,  nor  that  any  shall  be  condemn- 
ed but  for  sin.  Let  these  men  duly  weigh  in  their 
minds  those  weighty  words,  Isa.  xlv,  9.  "  Woe  unto 
him  tha+  striveth  with  his  Maker  ;  let  the  potsherd 
strive  with  the  potsherds  of  the  earth."  Though  they 
may  pervert  and  ridicule  the  decrees  of  God  before 
men,  yet  without  speedy  repentance,  their  iniquity 
will  find  them  out,  and  they  shall  know,  at  last,  the 
dreadful  consequences  of  mocking  God  and  deriding 
his  decrees. 

5d.   To  those  who  abuse  the  decrees,  by  ajffirming 
they  can  do  whatever  they  please. 

Some  carnal  men  are  so  confident  of  the  indepen- 
dent powers  of  their  free-will  as  to  make  God's  will 


(       4.3.       ) 

iindetcrmmate  and  conditional,  depending  on  the  will 
and  actions  of  the  creatures  he  has  made.     And  hav- 
ing done  this,  they  will  affirm   "  that  their  will  is  a 
power  by  which  they  can  do  whatever  they  please,  and 
so  all  depends  on  their  ow^n  will."     But  this  scheme 
contradicts  our  reason  and  daily  experience,  and  gives 
the  lie  to  every  page  in  the   bible.     For  by  denying 
fore-ordination  and  providence,   they,  by  a  necessity 
of  consequence,  throw  aside  all  the  adorable  perfec- 
tions of  the   Godhead.     For    to    be   consistent   with, 
themselves  they  hold  that  the  divine  will  is  in  a  state 
of  indifference,  undetermined,  fluctuating,  variable  and 
conditional,  and  that  the  creature,  by  its  actions,,  de- 
termines and    settles   this  will  of  God.     Sometimes, 
they  will   change  their  ground,  and  hold  that  God's., 
will  is  settled  and  determined,   but  baffled  aud. defeat-, 
ed  by  the  very  creatures  he  has  made.     On  this  ground, 
they  raise  their  vigorous  opposition  to   the   blessed, 
doctrine    of   unconditional    decrees    and  providence. 
The  haughtiness  of  their  carnal  heart  cannot  relish  ?., 
doctrine,   which,  from  its  own  genius  and  natural  ten-, 
dency,  hum-bles   man's   pride,    strips   off  his  natural, 
haughtiness,  and  lays  it  in  the  dust,  and  causes  allthe. 
divine  perfections  to  shine  with  unrivalled  glory.    It  is,. 
therefore  no  wonder  that  we  find  the  Holy  Ghost  re- 
proving them  for  sentiments  which  are  so  blasphemou3» 
and  unworthy  of  God  and  injurious  to   the  souls  of- 
men.     Jam.  iv,  13,  14,  15,   "  Go  to  now,  ye  that  sayy 
to-day,  or  to-morroAv,  we  will  go  into  such  a  city,  and 
continue  there  a  year,  and  buy  and  sell,  and  get  gain  ;. 
whereas  ye  know  not  w  hat  shall  be  on  the  morrow. — . 
For  what  is  your  life  ?  It  is  even  a  vapor  that  appearet^. 
for  a  little  time  and  then  vanisheth  away  :   For  that  yc 
ought  to  say,   if  the  Lord  %mlU  we  shall  live  and  dcx 
this   or  that."     It  does  not  depend  on   our  ownwill^ 
but  on  the  will  of  the  Lord  whether  \s  %  live  and  da 
this  or  that.     To  suppose  that  a  man  can  do  vv^hatcvcr 
he  pleases,  is  a  base  invasion  by   the  creature  of  the 
unalienable  rights-  of  God,  on    w  hosv:  wiU.all  events, 
depend.     For  it  is  putting  the  creature  in.  the  place  o£ 
Qod,  as  if  it3  counsels. mu6t  stand  though  contrary  X.'^ 


(        44       ) 

Gocfs  purposes.  Besicks  it  is  a  vain  opinion.  For 
no  one  is  Lord  of  bis  own  life  ;  neither  dotli  the  suc- 
cess of  his  purposes  depend  on  his  own  will  and  plea- 
sure, but  on  the  Lord's.  For  "  there  are  many  de- 
vices in  a  man's  heart,  nevertheless  the  counsel  of  the 
Lord  that  shall  stand."  God's  purposes  shall  stand 
let  the  creature's  be  what  they  will.  Ar.d  tlierefore 
we  find  our  deepest  laid  plans  often  frustrated  solely 
against  our  will.  Tliis  taught  holy  men  of  old  the 
most  profound  submission  to  the  will  of  God.  1  Cor. 
X,  19,  "  I  will  come  to  you  shortly  if  the  Lord  will." 
It  depended  on  the  Lord's  will ;  Chap,  xvi,  7.  "  I  trust 
to  tarry  av/hile  with  you,  if  the  Lord  permit."  Job  i, 
2L  "  The  Lord  gave,  and  the  Lord  hadi  taken  a'A-ay, 
blessed  be  the  name  of  the  Lord."  Reader,  may  the 
Lord's  sovereign  disposal  of  all  things  after  the  coun- 
sel of  his  own  will,  have  the  like  influence  on  thy 
heart. 

I  cannot  dismiss  this  part  without  introducing  a  pa- 
ragraph from  the  Kev.  A.  Toplady,  a  man  of  emi- 
nent piety  and  extensive  erudition,  who  has  been  en- 
abled by  the  grace  of  God  to  defend  the  doctrines  of 
faith,  with  an  untrembling  hand  and  unfaltering 
tongue. 

*'  On  the  subject  of  liberty  and  necessity,  I  acknow- 
"  ledge  that  there  is  such  a  thing  as  free- will  in  God's 
"'  reasonable  creatures  ;  and,  I  believe,  every  Calvin- 
■"  ist  upon  earth  acknowledges  the  same.  The  point, 
*'  in  dispute  between  us  and  the  Arminians,  is  not 
"'  concerning  the  existence  of  free-will,  but  concern- 
''  ing  its  powers.  That  man  is  naturally  endued  with  a 
will,  we  never  denied;  and  that  man's  will  is  natu- 
*'  rally  free  to  what  is  morally  and  spiritucdly  evil,  wc 
""  always  affirmed.  The  grand  hinge,  then,  on  which 
'*  the  debate  turns,  is,  whether  free-will  be,  or  be  not, 
"  a  faculty  of  such  sovereignty  and  power,  as  either 
"  to  ratify,  or  to  balHe,  the  saving  grace  of  God,  ac- 
*'  cording  to  its,,  that  is.  according  to  the  will's,  own 
*•  independent  j)lcasure  and  self-determination  ?  I 
**  shotild  imagine,  that  every  man  of  sense,  piety  and 
'*  reflection,  must,  at  once,  determine  this  question  in 


(       45       ) 

''  the  negative.  If  some  do  not,  who  are  nevertheless 
*'  possessed  of  those  quaUfications,  I  can  only  stand 
"  amazed  at  the  force  of  that  prejudice,  which  can  in- 
"  duce  any  reasonable  and  religious  person  to  sup- 
*'  pose  that  divine  wisdom  is  frustrable,  and  the  divine 
"  power  defendable,  by  creatures  of  yesterday,  who 
"  are  absolutely  and  constantly  dependent  on  God  for 
"  their  very  being-,  and,  consequently,  for  the  whole 
*'  of  their  operations,  from  moment  to  moment." 

4th.  To  those  who  abuse  the  decrees,  by  blaming 
any  part  of  God's  conduct. 

Some  quarrel  with  God's  eternal  counsels  and  the 
agency  of  his  providence,  by  supposing-  "  it  would 
have  been  better  had  God  ordered  it  thus  and  so." 
Remember,  such  language  is  citing  God  to  answer  at 
your  bar.  It  implies  a  secret  conceit,  that  you  are 
wiser  than  he.  "  lie  worketh  all  things  after  the  coun- 
sel of  his  own  will."  But  you  would  have  God  to 
change  the  rule  of  his  conduct,  and  to  work  all  things 
after  your  own  will,  and  to  gratify  your  desires  and 
appetites.  By  this,  you  accuse  God  of  ignorance  and 
folly,  just  as  if  he  had  not  devised  right  measures  for 
the  administration  of  his  government.  It  discovers  a 
secret  disposition  to  believe  yourself  so  much  superi- 
or to  Deity,  that  you  could  contrive  and  dispose  things 
better  than  he  has  done.  This  disposition  argues  the 
presumptuous  boldness  of  a  poor  blind  creature,  an 
empty  nothing,  judging  and  censuring  the  counsels  of 
infinite  v/isdom.  The  rich  man,  in  torment,  was  of 
the  same  mind.  He  was  dissatisfied  with  God's  moral 
government  of  the  world,  and  thought  he  could  de- 
vise more  efiectual  means  to  prevent  the  ruin  of  his 
brethren,   thaii  those  of  God's  appointment. 

Use  fifth,  for  exhortation — 1.  Give  all  diligence,  in 
a  gospel  way,  to  secure  an  interest  in  God  through 
Christ.  God  has,  in  his  eternal  counsel  of  peace,  es- 
tablished all  the  means  of  oTace  and  t^-lorv  for  the  good 
of  his  dear  children.  O  then  come  ;  come,  take  hold 
on  God's  covenant,  and  your  soul  shall  live.  If  Jeho- 
vah be  your  covenant  God,  then  all  the  declarations  of 
his  eternal  purpose  of  love,  m-ercy  and  grace,  toward 


(       46       ) 

his  people,  are  yours.  And  nothing  can  hinder  their 
accomplishment.  "  For  wiiat  his  soul  desireth,  even 
that  he  doeth."  And  therefore  "  his  counsel  shall 
stand,  and  he  will  do  all  his  pleasure."  And  God's 
faithfulness  in  fulfilling  his  promises  is  the  strongest 
encouragement  you  possibly  can  have  "to  press  for- 
ward toward  the  mark  for  the  prize  of  the  high  calling 
of  God  in  Christ  Jesus." 

2.  Seek  instruction  from  him  whose  counsel  shall 
stand.  Without  him  all  your  devices  shall  come  to 
nothing.  Solomon  tells  us  that  "  there  are  many  de- 
vices in  a  man's  heart ;  nevertheless  the  counsel  of 
the  Lord  that  shall  stand."  O  what  a  blessed  thing 
to  have  counsel  from  him  whose  counsel  shall  stand. 
And  St.  Paul  exhorts  the  Philippians  to  "  be  careful 
for  nothing,  but  in  every  thing  by  prayer  and  suppli- 
cation, with  thanksgiving,  let  your  requests  be  made 
known  unto  God  ;"  Phil,  iv,  6.  Away,  therefore,  with, 
your  distracting  cares  and  fears,  and  cast  yourself  on 
God,  for  his  blessed  conduct.  For  "  it  is  not  in  man 
that  walketh  to  direct  his  steps." 

3.  Stud}  to  know  so  much  of  God's  eternal  purpos- 
es as  he  has  been  pleased  to  reveal  in  his  word.  But 
confine  your  researches  after  this  knowledge  to  what 
he  has  revealed  in  his  word  by  prophecies  and  pro- 
mises. For  his  judgments,  his  decrees,  are  a  great 
deep,  and  unsearchable  by  creatures.  Yet  an  honest 
inquiry  into  these,  with  a  humble  dependence  on  God 
for  a  blessing,  will  open  to  your  view  an  extensive 
prospect  of  God's  purposes  respecting  his  church  to 
the  end  of  the  world.  Daniel  learned  from  revela- 
tion the  very  time,  appointed  of  God,  for  the  Jews  to 
return  from  Babylon,  Dan.  ix,  2.  God  has  revealed 
in  his  word  the  time  when  all  nations  shall  bow  in  ho- 
ly obedience  to  his  Son.  Christian  !  should  not  this 
rouse  thee  to  an  honest  inquiry  from  God's  revealed 
will,  to  understand  those  things  which  are  shortly  to 
be  accomplished  for  Zion.  Awake  theuvall  the  pow- 
ers  of  your  soul ;  be  meek,  humble,  and  low  in  your 
own  eyes,  put  no  trust  in  your  own  heart,  have  a  deep 
and  reverential  av/e  of  God  on  vour  own  heart,  audi 


(       47       ) 

then  you  shall  know  much  of  the  Lord's    counsels,' 
Prov.  iii,  32.     "  His  secret  is  with  the  righteous." 

4.  Cordially  embrace  whatever  you  find  clearly 
taught  in  God's  word.  It  was  Gamaliel's  advice  to 
the  Jews,  that  "  if  this  counsel,  or  this  work,  be  of 
men,  it  will  come  to  nought ;  but  if  it  be  of  God,  ye 
cannot  overthrow  it,  lest  haply  ye  be  found  even  to 
fight  against  God."  Acts  v,  38,  39.  Whatever  flows 
from  the  decree  and  providence  of  God  shall  stand  in 
spite  of  all  devils  and  all  men.  "  His  counsel  shall 
stand."  Consequently  all  opposition  to  the  counsel 
and  providence  of  God  is  both  a  sinful  and  a  danger- 
ous opposition.  It  is  for  a  poor,  dependent  worm  of 
the  dust  to  enter  lists  with  omnipotence.  Go  then, 
and  speak  of  God's  purposes  as  Laban  and  Bethuel  did 
about  Rebekah,  "  the  thing  proceedeth  from  the  Lord, 
we  cannot  speak  unto  thee  bad  or  good."  Gen.  xxiv,  50. 

5.  Study  to  yield  unreserved  submission  to  God's 
will  in  all  your  afflictions,  for  the  most  bitter  ingredi- 
ents in  the  cup  of  your  afflictions  were  all  determined 
in  God*s  eternal  counsels.  Job  v,  6.  "  Affliction  Com- 
eth not  forth  of  the  dust,  neither  doth  trouble  spring 
out  of  the  ground. "  They  come  not  by  chance,  but 
are  determined  in  the  unalterable  counsel  of  heaven. 
Whence  Paul  admonishes  the  Thessalonians,  '*  that 
no  man  should  be  moved  by  these  afflictions  ;  for  your- 
selves know,  that  ye  are  appointed  iherGunto."  1  Thes. 
iii,  3.  The  reason  why  we  are  not  to  be  moved  by  af- 
fliction is  given  :  "  God  hath  appointed  us  unto  them.'* 
And  that  ye  may  patiently  submit  to  them,  consider, 

1.  That  God  saw  fit  you  should  have  that  particular 
affliction — therefore  you  should  say  with  holy  David, 
"  behold  here  am  I,  let  him  do  to  me  as  seemeth  good 
unto  him."  2  Sam.  xv,  26.  And  our  blessed  Saviour 
patiently  submitted  to  all  those  agonies,  which  his 
Father  had  appointed  for  him  to  undergo.  And  if  wc 
be  his  children,  we  w  ill  follow  his  example,  and  say, 
*'  not  my  will,  but  thy  will  be  done."  For  he  has  an  un- 
limited  right,  as  sovereign  Lord,  to  determine,  accord- 
ing to  his  own  pleasure,  the  condition  of  ail  creatures, 
and  is  accountable  to  none.    Job  ix,  12.   "  Behoid  he 


(       48       ) 

talceth  away,  who  can  hinder  him?:; Who  will  say  un- 
to him,  what  doest  thou  ?"  i  ■* 

2.  Consider,  that  every  affliction  was  ordained  for 
God's  glory  and  the  good  of  his  people.  Rom.  viii,  28. 
All  discontentment  w  ilh  affliction  is  therefore  discon- 
tentment with  God's  glory  and  our  own  good.  Though 
it  should  appear  very  dark  and  mysterious  to  us  how- 
such  a  particular  afiiiction  should  promote  his  glory 
and  our  eternal  good,  yet  we  are  bound  to  believe  it 
even  against  natural  sense  and  carnal  reason.  Hath  he 
not  said,  and  shall  we  not  all  believe  him  ?  that  "  he 
chastises  us  for  our  profit,  that  we  might  be  partak- 
ers of  his  holiness."  Heb.  xii,  10.  Though  we  cannot 
see  how  chastisment  promotes  our  eternal  good,  yet 
God  who  is  infinitely  wiser  can.  This  firmly  believed, 
will  produce  comxfort  under  atliictions,  and  an  entire 
resignation  to  the  decrees  and  providence  of  God.  On 
the  other  hand  all  fretfulness  on  account  of  affliction  is 
criminal  and  makes  the  burthen  heavier  and  more 
troublesome.  O  Christian,  suppose  then  you  had  your 
choice,  could  you  possibly  wish  God  to  change  his 
counsels  ?  since  they  are  planned  in  infinite  wisdom 
for  his  glory  and  your  good.  "  No  ;  O  no,"  the  lan- 
guage of  your  heart  would  be,  what  infinite  wisdom 
has  chosen  is  much  more  desirable  than  what  I  can 
possibly  choose. 

Notwithstanding  v/e  ought  to  submit  to  all  God's 
providential  dealings,  yet  several  things  should  make 
a  deep  impression  on  our  hearts.  (1  )  We  should  be- 
wail our  own  and  others  sins.  Saints  in  all  ages  have 
mourned  for  their  iniquities,  and  those  of  a  sinful  ge- 
neration, in  which  they  lived.  Though  God  decreed 
to  permit  sin  and  to  bring  glory  out  of  it  to  himself, 
yet  he  is  not  beholden  to  sin  for  that  glory.  For  the 
very  nature  of  sin  is  dishonorable  to  God.  And  it  is 
only  through  pardoning  mercy  and  vindictive  justice, 
that  he  brings  glory  to  himself  out  of  sin.  (2.)  We 
should  mourn  when  the  church  is  in  great  affliction. 
The  saints  of  old  "  wept  when  they  remembered  Zi- 
on,"  Psal.  cxxxvii,  1.  Though  we  should  sympathize 
with  God's  dear  children  in  distress,  yet  we  ought  to 


(       49       ) 

be  so  far  satisfied  as  to  reverence  the  all- wise  God,  for 
his  designs  of  promoting  his  glory  and  the  good  of  his 
church,  by  their  affliction.  All  that  great  distress, 
which  God  brought  on  his  people  at  the  Red-sea,  was 
only  a  preparation  for  their  more  glorious  and  com- 
fortable deliverance.  It  was  to  promote  his  glory  and 
advance  their  interest.  This  shews,  that  we  ought  to 
wait  patiently  till  God  has  finished  his  work,  lest  for 
want  of  wisdom,  we  should,  like  the  Israelites  at  the 
Red-sea,  forma  wrong  judgment,  concerning  the  work 
which  God  is  about  to  do. 
Use  sixth,  for  comfort. 

O  how  well  is  it  for  you,  dear  Christians,  that  all 
events  are  in  the  hands  of  God,  who  loves  you,  and 
stands  engaged  for  you  in  an  everlasting  covenant.  As  all 
that  can  possibly  befall  you  was  determined  in  his  eter- 
nal counsel,  so  yeiieed  not  fear.  For  he  has  given  you 
the  utmost  assurance,  that  it  shall  be  for  his  glory  and 
your  eternal  good.  O  then,  be  not  discouraged,  but 
**  look  unto  Jesus,  the  author  and  finisher  of  your 
faith,"  as  you  run  in  the  Christian  race  set  before  you. 
For  he  hath  commissioned  his  ministers,  notwithstand- 
ing the  great  commotions  and  tumults  that  are  in  the 
world,  to  say  to  the  righteous  "  that  it  shall  be  well 
with  him."  Isa.  iii,  10.  And  the  preacher  speaks  in 
the  language  of  assurance  and  triumph  when  he  says, 
"  surely  I  know  it  shall  be  well  with  them  that  fear 
God,  which  fear  before  him.''  Eccl.  viii,  12.  As 
God  works  all  things  after  the  counsel  of  his  own  will, 
and,  in  which,  they  were  undoubtedly  ordered  in  the 
wisest  and  best  possible  manner,  and  cannot  fiiii. — 
Not  one  word  of  all  that  good,  which  God  hath  pro- 
mised can  possibly  fail  of  its  accomplishment.  "  For 
what  his  soul  desireth,  even  that  he  doeth."  But  he 
desireththe  accomplishment  of  all  his  promises,  there- 
fore they  cannot  fail. 

To  conclude,  let  men  of  the  greatest  parts  and  the 
most  refined  wit  devise  the  most  subtle  stratagems 
against  God's  people,  yet  all  their  contrivances  shall 
not  stand  against  the  wisely  ordered  counsels  of  Jeho- 
vah.    *'  For  the  wisdom  of  this  world   is   foolistmcss 

G 


(       50       ) 

witli  God  ;  for  it  is  written,  he  taketh  the  wise  in 
their  own  craftiness.  1  Cor.  iii,  19.  And  again,  "the 
Lord  knoweth  the  thoughts  of  the  wise  that  they  are 
vain."  Chap,  v,  20.  And  though  "  there  be  many 
devices  in  a  man's  heart,  nevertheless,  the  counsel  of 
the  Lord,  that  shall  stand."  God's  counsel  shall  stand 
against  all  devices  :  He  has  established  a  beautiful 
order  in  his  eternal  counsels,  by  which  all  events  of 
providence  are  made  subservient  to  his  glory  and  the 
good  of  his  people.  The  grand  design  of  God,  in 
the  decree,  and  in  its  execution  in  providence,  is  that 
the  enlargement  and  stability  of  the  Mediator's  king- 
dom shall  stand  firm  and  immovable  till  lime  shall  be 
no  more.  Reason's  eye  may  behold  things  cloudy  and 
tempestuous,  but  the  eye  of  faith  views  them  clear 
and  serene.  It  views  no  disorder  in  the  decree  and 
providence  of  God.  It  beholds  him  in  one  iniiid  mak- 
ing all  things  subservient  to  his  glory  in  the  salvation 
of  his  elect.  This  is  matter  of  joy,  even  of  joy  un- 
speakable and  full  of  glory  to  thee,  O  Christian.  And 
now  unto  him,  who  worketh  all  things  after  the  coun- 
sel of  his  own  will,  be  ascribed  honor  and  glory  for 
ever  and  ever.     Amen. 


^' 


DISCOURSE   IV. 


EPHESIANS    I,  3,  4,  5. 

Blessed  be  the  God  and  Father  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ, 
loho  hath  blessed  iis  with  all  spiritual  blessings 
in  heavenly  places  in  Christ  ;  according  as  he  hath- 
chosen  us  in  him  before  the  foundation  of  the  world, 
that  we  should  be  holy  and  without  blame  before  him 
in  love  :  having  predestinated  us  unto  the  adoption  of 
children  by  Jesus  Christ  to  himself  according  to  the 
good  pleasure  of  his  wilL 

i  HE  doctrine  of  election,  ofMliicli  men- 
tion is  here  made,  is  as  plainly  taught  in  the  bible, 
as  that  God  made  the  heavens  and  the  earth.  But 
what  it  is  must  be  referred  to  the  decision  of  God'& 
own  word.  And  for  the  illustration  of  the  doctrine, 
I  would  observe,  that  there  is, 

1.  A  national  election  to  great  honors,  and  special 
privileges;  which  shows,  that  God  deals  in  a  sove- 
reign manner  with  men. 

The  posterity  of  Abraham  are  called  an  elect  nation. 
God  separated  them  from  the  rest  of  the  world.  Dcut. 
xxxii,  8,  9^  "  When  he  divided  to  the  nations,  their 
inheritance,  v/hen  he  separated  the  sons  of  Adam,  he 
set  the  bounds  of  the  people  according  to  the  nunvbcr 
of  the  children  of  Israel,"  they  were  Jris  portion  and 
the  lot  of  his  inheritance.  God  did  not  choose  them 
because  they  were  more  in  number  than-^  other  people. 
Dcut.  vii,.  7.  "  The  Lord  did  not  si.'t  liis  love  upon 
you,  nor  choose  you,  because  ye  were  more  in  nirni- 
ber  than  any  other  pcopla  r  for  ye  were  the  fc.rest  of 
all  people,"   Kor  dad  ho  clioos'^-  ■Iw:xt)- 041  aocGuvit  of- 


(52) 

any  good  disposition  foreseen  in  them.  De^t.  xxxi, 
27,  29.  "  For  I  know  thy  rebellion,  and  thy  stiflFneck: 
behold,  while  I  am  alive  with  you,  this  day  ye  have 
been  rebellions  against  the  Lord  ;  and  how  much  more 
after  my  death  ?  For  I  know  that  after  my  death  ye 
will  utterly  corrupt  yourselves."  Isa.  xlviii,  5,  8. 
*'  I  have  from  the  beginning  declared  it  to  thee  ;  be- 
fore it  came  to  pass  I  shewed  it  to  thee.  For  I  knew 
that  thou  wouldest  deal  very  treacherously,  and  wast 
called  a  transgressor  from  the  womb."  This  shews 
that  God  gives,  or  withholds  his  favors  according  to 
his  own  pleasure.. 

2.  There  is  an  election  of  certain  persons  by  name 
to  a  political  or  ecclesiastical  office.  Cyrus  was  cho- 
sen by  name  to  a  great  work»  God*s  determinate  piir- 
pose  respecting  him  was  revealed  in  Isa.  xliv  and  xlv, 
above  an  hundred  years  before  he  was  born.  God 
chose  him  to  destroy  the  Babylonian  monarchy,  to  de- 
liver his  people  from  captivity,  and  to  rebuild  his  tem- 
ple. He  was  not  chosen  on  account  of  any  worthiness 
in  himself,  for  it  is  said  "  he  did  not  know  the  Lord." 
Nor  was  he  chosen  because  he  would  be  a  valiant  or 
victorious  commander.  For  God  endued  him  with  a 
martial  spirit,  in  consequence  of  his  election  to  that 
office.  "  Thus  saith  the  Lord  to  his  anointed,  to  Cy- 
rus, whose  right  hand  I  have  holden  to  subdue  nations 
before  him  ;  and  I  will  loose  the  loins  of  kings,  to 
open  before  him  the  two-leaved  gates  ;  and  the  gates 
shall  not  be  shut ;  I  will  go  before  thee,  and  make  the 
crooked  places  straight  :  I  will  break  in  pieces  the 
gates  of  brass,  and  cut  in  sunder  the  bars  of  iron  ;  and 
I  will  give  thee  the  treasures  of  darkness,  and  hidden 
riches  of  secret  places,  that  thou  mayest  know,  that  I 
the  Lord  which  call  thee  by  thy  name,  am  the  God  of 
Israel.  For  Jacob  my  servant's  sake,  and  Israel,  mine 
elect,  I  have  even  called  thee  by  thy  name  :  I  have 
liirnamed  thee,  though  thou  hast  not  known  me." 
God  chose  him  to  be  the  instrument,  by  which  to  per- 
form all  these  actions. 

Jeremiah  was  chosen  before  he  was  born,  to  an  ec- 
clesiastical office.    Jer.  i,  5.    ^'  Before  I  formed  thee 


(       S3        ) 

in  the  belly,  I  knew  thee,  and  before  thou  earnest 
forth  out  of  the  womb,  I  sanctified  thee,  and  I  ordain- 
ed thee  a  prophet  unto  the  nations."  He  was  not  cho- 
sen to  this  office  on  account  of  any  foreseen  willing- 
ness in  him  to  accept  or  continue  in  it,  for  the  con- 
trary is  expressly  declared,  ver.  6,  and  chap,  xx,  7,  9. 

The  twelve  apostles  were  also  chosen  to  an  ecclesi- 
astical office.  Johnvi,  70.  "Have  I  not  chosen  you 
twelve,  and  one  of  you  is  a  devil."  This  choice  was 
undoubtedly  to  the  apostolic  office  ;  for  Judas  was  ne- 
ver chosen  to  eternal  life,  as  shall  be  shown  afterward. 

3.  There  is  also  an  election  to  eternal  life,  which 
Paul  shows  from  the  fate  of  Isaac's  sons.  The  divine 
counsel  had  put  a  difference  between  these  twin-bro- 
thers before  they  were  born.  Both  lay  struggling  alike 
in  their  mother's  womb,  when  it  was  said  of  them, 
*'  the  elder  shall  serve  the  younger."  God  did  not 
choose  Jacob  on  account  of  any  foreseen  good,  as  ap- 
pears from  Gen.  xxv,  xxvii.  It  is  indeed  a  strange  ac- 
count. But  the  meaning  of  it  is  given  in  Rom.  ix,  11. 
*'  The  children  being  not  yet  born,  neither  having 
done  any  good  or  evil,  that  the  purpose  of  God,  ac- 
cording to  election,  might  stand  :  not  of  works,  but  of 
him  that  calleth."  What  this  election  is,  I  pur- 
pose to  explain  in  the  following  discourses,  in  which 
I  will  prove, 

1.  That  this  election  is  personal  and  by  name. 

2.  That  it  includes  all  the  means  leading  to  salva- 
tion. 

3.  That  it  is  an  election  in  Christ. 

4.  That  it  is  eternal. 

5.  That  it  is  absolute. 

6.  That  it  is  immutable. 

1.  We  are  first  to  shew  that  election  to  salvation  is 
personal  and  by  name.  This  is  plainly  intimated  in 
these  words  of  the  text,  "  he  hath  chosen  us,"  that  is, 
our  persons  ;  for  he  did  not  speak  of  a  national  elec- 
tion at  Ephesus,  but  of  a  personal  election  of  both  Jews 
and  Gentiles.  And  verse  1,  he  calls  them  the  saints 
and  faithful  in  Christ  Jesus,  without  any  distinction  of 
nations.     In  the  first  ten,  verses  he  speaks  of  the  elect 


^ 


(       54       ) 

in  the  first  person  plural,  ive  and  us,  to  show  that 
he  included  the  believing  Jews  with  the  elect 
Kphesians.  In  the  11th  and  12th  verses,  he  speaks 
of  the  elect  Jews  only,  "  in  whom  also  we  have 
obtained" — "  that  we  should  be  to  the  praise  of 
his  glory,  who  first  trusted  in  Christ."  The  Jews 
were  the  first  who  trusted  in  Christ  at  Ephesus,  as  ap- 
pears from  the  history  of  their  conversion.  For  Paul 
went  to  Ephesus,  and  reasoned  with  the  Jews  in  their 
synagogue.  Acts  xviii,  19.  After  this  Apollos  went 
to  Ephesus,  and  by  speaking  boldlj  in  their  syna- 
gogue, mightily  convinced  the  Jews,  (ver.  24,  26,  28.) 
before  any  Gentiles  believed.  For,  some  time  after 
this,  Paul  returned  to  Ephesus,  and  went  into  the  syn- 
agogue, and  after  this,  both  Jews  and  Greeks  heard 
the  word.  Thus,  the  gospel  was  the  power  of  God  to 
the  iew ^rst,  and  also  to  the  Greek,  Rom.  i,  16.  And 
so  these  Jews  trusted  in  Christ  before  the  gospel  was 
preached  to  the  Gentiles.  Thus,  he  plainly  distin- 
guishes the  Jews,  who  first  trusted  in  Christ,  from  the 
Gentiles,  who  afterward  trusted  in  Christ,  and  of  whom 
he  speaks,  verse  13.  "  In  whom  ye  also  trusted  after 
that  ye  heard  the  word  of  truth,  the  gospel  of  your 
salvation."  Besides  the  first  person  plural  generally 
signifies  in  this  epistle  both  Jews  and  Gentiles,  or  Jews 
only.  Chap,  ii,  14,  15,  16.  "He  is  our  peace  who 
hath  made  both,"  Jew  and  Gentile,  "  one  body  ;''^ 
breaking  down  and  abolishing  the  ceremonial  ordinan- 
ces, which  had  been  a  wall  of  partition  between  them^ 
**  To  make  in  himself  of  twain  one  new  man  ;"  of 
two  dibtinct  kinds  of  people,  one  sheep-fold  ;  that  he 
might  reconcile  both  unto  God — both  Jew  and  Gen- 
tile. For  through  him  we  botb^  Jew  and  Gentile, 
have,  &c.  But  the  second  person  plural,  ye,  signifies 
Gentiles.  Chap,  ii,  11,  12,  13.  "  Remember  that 
ye,  being  in  time  past  Gentiles," — "  but  now  in, 
Christ  Jesus,  ye  w  ho  sometimes  were  afar  oif."  Chap,  iv, 
17.  "  That  ye  henceforth  walk  not  as  other  Gentiles." 
This  shews,  that  God  did,  before  the  foundation  of 
the  world,  predestinate,  according  to  his  own  purpose, 
and  to  the  praise  of  his  glorious  grace,  the  persons, Gf> 


(     ss     ) 

hoth  such  Jews  as  believed  and  trusted  in  Christ  be- 
fore the  conversion  of  the  Gentiles,  and  also  the  per- 
sons of  those  Gentiles  who  believed  and  trusted  in 
Christ  afterward.  To  this  testimony  of  the  text  others 
from  scripture  will  now  be  adduced. 

1.  Our  Lord  plainly  teaches  this  doctrine  in  many 
instances.  When  he  foretold  that  the  Roman  armies 
would  make  such  dreadful  havoc  and  desolation  on 
the  Jews,  as  would  even  totally  extinguish  that  peo- 
ple, unless  God's  providence  should  restrain  and  lim- 
it them,  he  promises  this  restriction  and  limitation 
for  the  sake  of  such  of  "  his  elect'*  as  were  then  un- 
converted, and  such  of  the  **  elect"  as  were  to  de- 
scend from  some  of  that  age,  that  when  they  were  re- 
newed, they  and  those  already  converted  might  be 
preserved  for  propagating  his  kingdom  in  this  world. 
Mark  xiii,  19,  20.  "  For  in  those  days  shall  be  af- 
fliction, such  as  was  not  from  the  beginning  of  the 
creation,  which  God  created  unto  this  time.  And 
except  that  the  Lord  had  shortened  those  days,  no 
flesh  should  be  saved  :  but  for  the  elect's  sake  whom 
he  hath  chosen,  he  hath  shortened  the  days." 

In  the  21st  and  22d  verses  he  foretold  the  rise  of 
false  Christs  and  false  prophets,  who  would  be  so  art- 
ful in  their  ways,  and  so  plausible  in  their  pretences, 
and  so  diligent  in  their  exertions  to  seduce,  that  they 
would  deceive  and  draw  after  them  the  very  electa  were 
not  their  invincible  perseverence  in  faith  and  holiness 
secured  by  the  decree  of  election.  "  For  false  Christs 
and  false  prophets  shall  rise,  and  shall  shew  signs  and 
wonders,  to  seduce,  if  it  were  possible,  even  the 
elect." 

At  another  time  our  Lord  complained  of  the  impen- 
itence of  the  bulk  of  his  hearers,  but  comforted  him- 
self with  the  thought,  that  a  goodly  number,  even  as 
many  as  the  Father  had  given  to  him,  for  his  charge 
and  care,  should  believe  and  be  saved.  John  vi,  37,  38, 
39.  "  All  that  the  Father  giveth  me  shall  come  to  me  ; 
and  him  that  cometh  to  me  I  will  in  no  wise  cast  out. 
For  I  came  down  from  heaven,  not  to  do  mine  own 
will,  but  the  will  of  him  that  sent  me.     And  this  is 


(       S6       ) 

the  Father's  will  which  hath  sent  me,  that  of  all  which 
he  hath  given,  I  should  lose  nothing,  but  should  raise 
it  up  again  at  the  last  day." 

Sometime  after  this  our  Saviour  declares,  that  he 
was  under  a  necessity  to  gather  all  that  belonged  to 
this  election  into  his  church,  that  they  might  enjoy 
the  blessings  of  the  gospel  ;  and  that  he  could  not 
otherwise  discharge  the  trust,  and  fulfil  the  engage- 
ment he  had  entered  into  with  the  Father,  and  there- 
fore his  redemption  was  exactly  of  the  same  extent 
with  the  Father's  election.  John  x,  11,  15,  16,  26,  27, 
28,  29.  "  The  good  shepherd  giveth  his  life  for  the 
sheep.  And  I  lay  down  my  life  for  the  sheep.  And 
other  sheep  I  have,  which  are  not  of  this  fold  :  them 
also  I  must  bring,  and  they  shall  hear  my  voice  ;  and 
there  shall  be  one  fold  and  one  shepherd.  But  ye 
believe  not,  because  ye  are  not  of  my  sheep,  as  I 
said  unto  you.  My  sheep  hear  my  voice,  and  I  know 
them,  and  they  follow  me  :  and  I  give  unto  them 
eternal  life  ;  and  they  shall  never  perish,  neither  shall 
any  pluck  them  out  of  my  hand.  My  Father  which 
gave  them  me,  is  greater  than  all,  and  none  is  able 
to  pluck  them  out  of  my  Father's  hand." 

^  Again,  he  calls  the  elect,  "  the  men,  which  were 
given  him  out  of  the  world."  John  xvii,  6.  "  And  they 
were  given  him  by  name  as  well  as  by  number,  and  by 
those  names  he  knew  them."  John  x,  3,  14.  "  He 
calleth  his  own  sheep  by  name.  I  know  my  sheep." 
And  he  appropriates  them  personally  to  himself.  Isa. 
xliii,  1.  "I  have  called  thee  by  thy  name,  thou  art 
mine."  It  is  worthy  of  our  most  profound  attention 
that  the  Lord  takes  notice  of  their  names  as  a  special 
token  of  the  peculiar  regard  he  hath  for  their  persons. 
2.  The  personality  of  election  appears  from  the  ex- 
ample of  Christ's  election.  It  Avas  no  uncertain  per- 
son that  was  to  be  Christ  and  Lord.  The  Son  of  God 
could  not  assume  any  undeterminate  body  ;  he  must 
take  that  very  same  bod}^  which  was  prepared,  or  or- 
dained for  him.  Heb.  x,  5.  "  And  he  loved  this  body 
before  the  foundation  of  the  world."  John  xvii,  24. 
*'  And  the  determinate  counsel  of  God  particularized 


(        57       ) 

every  circumstance  with  respect  to  tliis  body,  that  it 
should  descend  from  the  seed  of  Abraham,  the  tribe 
of  Judah,  the  family  of  David,  the  time,  place  and  cir- 
cumstances of  his  birth,  life,  death  and  resurrection. 
Actsii,  23,^  24,  and  iv,  25,  26,  27,  28.  Now  as  the 
election  of  the  head  was  personal,  and  he  must  be  head 
with  respect  to  a  body  ;  so  all  that  should  constitute 
the  members  of  his  body  must  be  personally  chosen, 
which  appears  from  the  example  of  David,  who  was  a 
a  type  of  Christ.  Psal.  cxxxix,  16.  "In  thy  book 
were  all  my  members  written,  when  as  yet  there  was 
none  of  them."  If  God  was  so  exact  and' particular  as 
to  register  in  his  book  of  common  life  every  member 
of  an  earthly  body  long  before  it  had  existence,  then 
he  must  have  registered  every  m^enibcr  of  Christ's 
mystical  body  in  his  book  of  spiritual  life  long  before 
they  had  existence  :  for  the  former  was  a  type  of  the 
latter. 

3.  We  may  prove  the  persojinlity  of  election  from 
Christ's  death.  He  died  not  for  himself,  but  for  those 
whose  cause  he  undertook.  Psal.  cxix,  122.  John 
X,  15.  Acts  xxii,  23.  This  made  it  necessary  to  be 
determined  how  many  and  who  they  were  that  should 
have  salvation  by 'him.  For,  properly  speaking,  bail 
or  surety  has  always  respect  to  a  debtor  or  offender, 
who  is  known  by  name,  otherwise  gi\  ing  surety  would 
be  an  insignificant  act.  Aaron's  typical  priesthood 
illustrates  and  confirms  this.  The  high  priest,  on  the 
solemn  day  of  expiation,  slev,'  one  of  the  goats  on 
which  the  sins  of  all  Israel  were  laid,  and  sent  the  oth- 
er into  the  wilderness.  All  this  was  typical  of  Jesus 
Christ.  But  the  question  is,  who  were  typified  by 
all  Israel  ?  Surely  not  the  Chaldeans  or  Babylonians, 
out  of  whom  they  were  chosen,  Gen.  xi,  31  ;  Josh, 
xxiv,  2,  3  ;  nor  the  Egyptians,  from  among  w  horn 
they  were  redeemed  or  bought,  Deut.  xxxii,  vi  ;  nor 
the  Canaanites,  whom  they  destroyed.  For  nothing 
could  be  more  absurd  than  to  suppose  that  Israel  was 
a  type  of  that  world,  out  of  which  they  were  chosen, 
and  from  which  they  were  many  ways  distinguished. 
Consequently  thev  typified  the  elect,   \vho  aic  Jews 

H 


(       58        ) 

inwardly   and   therefore  the  true  Israelites,  whom  the 
apostle   distinguishes  from  all  others  by  the  name  of 
election.   Rom.  xi,  7.     And  as  the  Israelites  were  cho- 
sen   out   of,    redeemed  and    separated   from  all    oth- 
ers,  and  were,   in  their  measure,  a  holy  priesthood  ; 
so  they  were  a  fit  type,  or  figure,   of  those  who  were 
truly  chosen,  redeemed  and  consecrated  a  royal  priest- 
hood  unto  our  God.      1  Pet.  ii,    5.      Neither  did  the 
high  priest  make  atonement  for  the  national  name  or 
qualification    of   the   Israelites.      For    he   bore   their 
names,  which  he  knew  to  be  Reuben,  Simeon,   Levi, 
Judah,   &c.     Agreeably  to  this  our  great  High  Priest 
did  not  make  an  atonement  for  any  national  name  or 
qualification,  but  "  he  laid  down  his  life  for  his  sheep." 
John  X,  15.      And  had  he  designed  to  purchase  salva- 
tion  for  any  that  would  believe,   without  determining 
the  persons  that  should  believe,   God's  whole  saving 
design  respecting  the  children  of  men  might  have  beeii 
totally  frustrated,  and  the  precious  blood  of  Christ 
might  have   been  shed  in  vain.     Therefore  without 
such  an  election  of  certain  determinate  persons  as  we 
maintain,    to   whom   the  redemption    purchased   by- 
Christ  should  be  infallibly  applied,  God's  design  could 
not  possibly  be  secured,   nor  could  Christ's  dying  in 
vain    be   prevented.       This   absurd    consequence    of 
denying  the   doctrine  we   are  supporting    cannot  be 
evaded  by   having  recourse  to  the  foreknowdedge  of 
God, and  saying,  he  certainlyforeknew  that  a  great  inul- 
titude  would  believe  and  be  saved,  and  so  was  assured 
he  could  not  be  disappointed  of  his  design,  and  that 
his  Son  would  not  die  in  vain  ;  because  we  have  prov- 
ed already,  that  the  foreknowledge  of  God  necessarily 
infers  his  predetermination.     For  it  is  certain,  that  in 
the  days  of  eternity,   when  all  things   future   had  no 
being  but  in  the  mind  of  God,  he  could  know  nothing 
of  them  but  what  was  his  determinate  will  and  coun*^ 
sel   concerning  them.     Or,   should   the   opposers   of 
this  truth  affirm,  that  to  prevent  this  disappointment, 
God  vyill  so  order  things  that  some  will  be   inclined 
and  disposed  to  accept  salvation  ;   this  is  in  very  fact 
to  give  up  the  point,  and  grant  what  we  assert.'   For 


(        59       ) 

by  this  they  must  gr^nt  a  discnminating  grace  to  be 
exercised  In  time,  Mhich  cannot  be  defended  without 
allowing  God  to  have  previously  determined  to  do  so  ; 
because  "  he  worketh  all  things  after  the  counsel  of 
his  own  will ;"  otherwise  they  must  suppose  ncv,-  deter- 
minations in  the  divine  will,  which  would  be  to  sup- 
pose  an  imperfection  in  his  wisdom  and  knowledge. 
All  which  is  as  plain  a  proof  that  those  for  whom  he 
should  die  were  chosen  personally  or  by  name,  as  that 
he  should  die  for  them. 

4.  The  personality  of  election  may  be  argued  from 
things  of  less  importance.  God  did  not  create  the  earth 
to  stand  empty,  nor  any  part  of  it  to  be  inhabited  by 
any  nation,  that  should  at  random  get  possession  of  it. 
Deut.  xxxii,  8.  For  "  the  Most  High  divided  to  the 
nations  their  inheritance,"  and  "  separated  the  sons  of 
Adam  ;  he  set  the  bounds  of  the  people."  Acts  xvii,  26. 
He  "  hath  determined  the  times  before  appointed,  and 
the  bounds  of  their  habitation."  And  his  purpose  to 
create  each  nation  having  the  "  bounds  of  their  habita- 
tion determined,"  must  have  been  as  antient  as  his 
purpose  to  create  those  parts  of  the  earth  which  he 
divided  to  them.  His  purpose  determined  their  bounds, 
and  the  agency  of  his  providence  effected  their  settling 
within  "  the  bounds  he  set  for  them."  Therefore 
God  told  the  Israelites,  Deut.  ii,  4,  5,  "  the  chil- 
dren of  Esau — shall  be  afraid  of  you  ;  take  ye  good 
heed  unto  yourselves  therefore.  Meddle  not  willi 
them  ;  for  I  will  not  give  you  of  their  land,  no,  not  so 
much  as  a  foot  breadth  ;  because  I  have  given  mount 
Seir  unto  Esau  for  a  possession."  And  when  the  Is- 
raelites came  to  the  wilderness  of  Moab,  the  Lord 
commanded  them,  verse  9,  "  distress  not  the  IVIoab- 
ites,  neither  contend  with  them  in  battle  ;  for  I  will 
not  give  thee  of  their  land  for  a  possession,  !)ecausc  L 
have  given  Ar  unto  the  children  of  Lot  for  a  posses- 
sion." God  had  determined  ijiesc  ])!aces  for  other 
nations  and  therefore  he  would  not  allow  liis  Israel  to 
inhabit  one  foot  breadth  of  them.  Init  how  (iificn-iit 
from  this  was  his  conduct  with  respect  to  Sihon,  king 
yif  Heshbon,,  ^crbc  24.   ''  Kise  ye  up,  take  your  jour- 


»-«* 


(      fid     } 

ney,  and  pass  over  the  river  Arnon  ;  behold,  I  have 
given  into  thy  hand  Sihon  the  Amoritc,  king  of  Hesh- 
bon,  and  his  land  ;  begin  to  possess  it  ;  and  contend 
with  him  in  battle."  And  with  respect  to  Israel,  God 
had  not  only  determined  the  bounds  of  their  habita- 
tion, but  also  had  decreed  what  part  of  Canaan  each 
tribe  should  possess.  Gen.  xlix,  13.  "  Zebulon  shall 
dwell  at  tlie  haven  of  the  sea  ;  and  he  shall  be  for  an 
haven  of  ships,  and  his  border  shall  be  unto  Zidon." 
And  when  Moses  was  dead,  each  tribe  got  their  in- 
heritance by  lot  in  the  very  place  which  God  had  de- 
termined for  them.  Josh,  xix,  10 — 16.  And  "  Ze- 
bulon's  border  went  up  toward  the  sea.  And  though 
the  casting  of  the  lot  be  a  free  thing,  yet  it  was  a  mean 
appointed  of  God  for  the  accomplishment  of  his  de- 
cree, and  under  his  direction.  Prov.  xvi,  33.  "The 
lot  is  cast  into  the  lap,  but  the  whole  disposing  thereof 
is  of  the  Lord.''  God  had  determined  the  bounds  and 
limjts  which  every  nation  must  inhabit.  Now  as  earth- 
ly possessions  are  of  no  importance  when  compared 
with  heavenly  habitations,  so  the  inference  must  hold, 
that  if  God  fore-ordained  certain  nations  to  inhabit 
particular  provinces  on  earth,  much  more  must  he 
have  determined  certain  persons  to  inherit  particular 
mansions  in  the  kingdom  of  heaven.  Indeed  the  truth 
of  this  appears  f\'om  our  Saviour's  own  words.  For 
when  the  mother  of  James  and  John  came  to  Jesus, 
and  asked  of  him  the  privilege  that  one  of  her  sons 
might  sit  on  his  right  hand  and  the  other  on  his  left 
in  his  kingdom  ;  though  they  were  both  believers,  and 
perhaps  the  first  for  whom  these  seats  were  requested, 
yet  he  refused  ;  saying,  "  to  sit  on  my  right  hand  and 
on  my  left,  is  not  mine  to  give  ;  but  it  shall  be  given 
to  them  for  whom  it  is  prepared  of  my  Father."  Matt» 
XX-,  23.  The  sense  is  plain.  These  seats  were  not 
to  be  disposed  of  at  that  time.  It  was  determined  long 
before  who  should  h::ve  them.  And  they  must  be 
given  to  those  persons  for  whom  they  were  prepared 
from  the  foundation  of  the  world.  Matt,  xxv,  34, 
Heavcu  was  therefore  prepared  for  the  electa  and  each 


(       61        ) 

seat  was  prepared  for  a  certain  elect  person, -and  he 
must  have  it. 

The  force  of  this  argument  will  not  be  in  the  least 
impaired  by  the  supposition  that  the  mother  of  Zebe- 
dee's  children  entertained  the  notion,  that  Christ  was 
about  to  erect  a  temporal  kingdom  on  earth,  and  came 
with  the  ambitious  request,  that  her  two  sons  might  be 
his  chief  favorites  and  prime  ministers;  for  allowing 
that  to  be  the  case,  yet  the  argument  retains  all  its 
force  ;  because  he  let  her  know  that  she  mistook  the 
nature  of  his  kingdom,  which  was  not  of  this  world, 
and  that  the  gifts  and  honors  of  it  were  long  ago  fixed, 
and  were  to  be  disposed  of  by  him  to  those  very  per- 
sons to  whom  his  Father  in  his  everlasting  counsel  had 
assigned  them,  and  to  no  other  "  To  sit  on  my  right 
liand  and  on  my  left,  is  not  mine  to  give,  save  to  those 
for  whom  it  is  prepared  of  my  Father."  He  could  give 
them  to  those  persons  for  whom  his  Father  had  made 
them,  but  not  to  otiiers.  For  his  Father  knew  what 
he  was  doing  when  he  prepared  them,  and  who  should 
sit  on  tliem. 

5.  The  bible  plainly  shews,  that  election  is  person, 
aland  byname.  Rom.  ix,  11,  12,  13,  18.  "The 
children  being  not  yet  born,  neither  having  done  any 
good  or  evil,  that  the  purpose  of  God  according  to 
election  might  stand,  not  of  works,  but  of  him  that 
caileth  ;  it  was  said  unto  her  [Rebekah]  the  elder 
shall  serve  the  younger.  As  it  is  written  Jacob  have 
I  loved  but  Esau  have  I  hated — Therefore  hath  he 
mercy  on  whom  he  will  have  mercy  and  whom  he  will 
he  hardcneth.*'  God's  purpose  according  to  election 
respected  not  the  qualification  but  the  person  of  Jacob, 
for  he  was  not  yet  born,  neither  had  done  an}-  good 
or  evil  that  God's  purpose  of  election  miglit  stand. 
— What  Christ  told  his  seventy  disciples,  that  their 
names  were  in  the  book  of  life,  must  therefore  be  true 
with  respect  to  all  the  other  elect.  Hence  we  read  of 
the  names  of  Clement  and  others  In  tlie  book  of  life. 
Phil,   iv,   3. 

Secondly,  I  proceed  to  shew,  that  election  includes 
all  the  nieans  leading  to  grace  and  glory. 


(    62    y 

No  words  can  possibly  express  an  election  to  all 
spiritual  blessings  more  clearly  than  those  in  the  text. 
*'  God  hath  blessed  us  with  all  spiritual  blessings  in 
heavenly  places,  according  as  he  hath  chosen  us."  God 
does,  in  time,  bestow  all  spiritual  blessings  on  the  elect, 
according  as  he  chose  them  before  all  time.  He  chose 
them  in  order  to  bestow  grace  on  them,  in  time,  and 
glory  when  time  shall  be  no  more,  that  they  should  be 
to  the  praise  of  his  glorious  grace.  All  the  precious 
and  valuable  blessings  of  grace  and  glory  are  bestowed 
on  the  elect  in  consequence  of  their  election  to  them. 
He  blesses  them  according  as  he  hath  chosen  them. 
Thus  also,  inKph.  ii,  10,  *'  For  we  are  his  workman- 
ship, created  in  Christ  Jesus  iinto  good  works,  which 
God  hath  before  ordained,  that  we  should  walk  in  them." 
The  elect  are  God's  workmanship,  created  in  time  un- 
to such  good  works,  as  God  "  had  before  ordained," 
that  they  should  walk  in  them,  God  before  ordained, 
that  is,  he  from  eternity  ordained,  the  elect  to  walk  in 
good  works,  and  in  consequence  of  this,  causes  them, 
in  time  to  perform  these  works.  How  plainly  does  it 
appear  that  good  v/orks  are  the  fruits  and  effects,  and 
not  the  cause  of  election  ;  For  in  the  plan  of  salvation 
a  certain  order  is  observed.  First,  predestination  to 
good  works  from  eternity.  Secondly,  in  consequence 
of  predestination  to  good  works  from  eternity,  grace  is 
given  in  time  :  And  thirdly,  glory  shall  be  given  when 
time  shall  be  no  more.  All  these  links  of  the  gospel 
chain  are  inseparable.  They  are  so  many  parts  of  one 
magnificent  undivided  whole.  The  apostle  saith,  "We 
(the  same  we  that  were  chosen  before  the  foundation 
of  the  world)  are  his  workmanship,  created  in  Christ 
Jesus  unto  good  works,  which  God  hath  before  ordain- 
ed, that  we  should  walk  in  them."  Hence  God  does 
not  eventually  save  an  elect  person  before  he  creates 
that  person  unto  good  works.  For  as  the  end,  and  the 
means  to  accomplish  die  end.  are  inseparably  connect- 
ed together,  both  in  God's  own  purpose,  and  in  his  ex- 
ecution of  it  ;  so  creation  to  good  works  always  takes 
place  bctv/een  fore-ordaination  to  holiness  and  the  ul- 
timate accomplishment  of  that  decree.     If  St.  Paul'i^ 


(       63       ) 

idea  of  pre-ordlnation  be  accurate,  then  it  will  follow, 
that  neither  faith,  nor  repentance,  nor  any  other  grace 
that  accompanies  them,  can  be  in  the  least  respect,  ca- 
sual, or  conditional,  or  meritorious  of  election  ;  for  he 
saith"  God  fore- ordained  that  we  should  walk  in  them ;" 
but  he  does  not  say,  we  were  fore-ordained  because  we 
w^ould  walk  in  them,  nor  because  we  did  walk  in  them. 
The  truth  of  the  matter  is,  God  in  eternity  chose  the 
elect  to  walk,  to  make  motion!  and  progress,  in  good 
works,  in  consequence  of  which  he  gives  them  his  Holy* 
Spirit  to  work  failh,  repentance  and  every  other  grace, 
which  accompanies  them.  Any  grace  we  exercise, 
and  any  duty  we  perform,  cannot  therefore  possiblv  in 
the  very  nature  of  things,  merit  or  entitle  us  to  his  fa- 
vor. They  do  not  make  him  a  debtor  to  us,  that  he 
should  bestow  his  favor  in  consequence  of  them,  but 
they  make  us  unspeakable  and  everlasting  debtors  to 
him  ;  consequently  every  grace  wrought  in  us  by  the 
spirit  is  an  essential  branch  and  indisputable  evidence 
of  predestination  to  life.  "  God  hath  fore-ordained, 
.that  we  should  walk  in  them."  They  cannot,  there- 
fore, possibly  have  any  influence  in  meriting  our  sal- 
vation ;  for  we  are  fore-ordained  unto  them,  and  creat- 
ed unto  them,  not  because  of  them.  Besides  inherent 
grace  and  eternal  glory  are  already  obtained,  and  infal- 
libly secured  to  all  the  elect,  by  the  merits  of  Jesus 
Christ.  Therefore  in  consequence  of  their  fore-ordina- 
tion to  holiness,  God  works  in  them  faith,  repentance 
and  holiness — justifying  them  by  the  merits  of  Jesus — 
sanctifying  them  by  his  spirit  in  order  to  qualify  them 
for  immortal  bliss.  Thus  God  hath  chosen  his  elect 
to  all  the  means  of  grace  and  glory.  "  Wc  are  his 
workmanship,  created  in  Christ  Jesus  unto  good 
works,  which  God  hath  before  ordained,  that  we 
should  walk  in  them." 

The  elect  are  predestinated  to  be  saved  by  Jesus 
Christ,  who  was  fore-ordained  to  be  the  principal  mean 
of  their  salvation.  1  Thess.  v,  9.  "  God  hath  not  ap- 
pointed  us  to  wrath,  but  to  obtain  salvation  by  our 
I^ord  Jesus  Christ."  Observe,  God  hath  appointed  the 
elect  to  salvation  ;   but  Jesus  Chrit  is  appointed  to  be 


(       64       ) 

the  principal  mean  of  procuring  that  salvation,  being 
both  the  meritorious  and  efficient  cause  of  it.  Where- 
fore we  read  of  "  redemption  by  his  blood,"  "justified 
freely  by  his  grace,"  and  of  his  being  the  "  author 
and  finisher  of  taith."  The  elect  were  chosen  to  these 
^nd  every  other  blessing  of  the  new  covenant,  and  our 
Lord  Jesus  Christ  was  fore-ordained  to  accomplish 
them  all. 

That  election  includes  the  means  as  well  as  the  end 
appears  from  the  indubitable  testimony  of  St.  Paul. 
2  Thess.  ii,  13,  14.  "  God  hath  from  the  beginning 
chosen  you  to  salvation  through  sanctification  of  the 
spirit  and  belief  of  the  truth  :  whereunto  he  call- 
ed  vou  by  our  gospel,  to  the  obtaining  of  the  glory  of 
our  Lord  Jesus  Christ."  The  apostle  told  the  Thessa- 
lonians,  in  the  preceding  verses,  of  a  dreadful  aposta- 
cy,  which  should  arise  after  the  working  of  satan,  with 
great  power,  signs  and  lying  wonders,  and  with  all  de- 
ceivableness  of  unrighteousness  in  them  that  perish  ; 
much  like  that  foretold  by  our  Saviour,  "  that  if  it  were 
possible,  they  would  deceive  the  very  elect."  But  in 
these  verses,  he  comforts  the  believing  Thessalonians, 
in  their  tribulation,  by  assuring  them,  that  they  could 
not  possibly  be  carried  away  by  that  apostacy,  because 
their  salvation  was  infallibly  secured  by  the  eternal  de- 
cree of  election.  "  But  we  are  bound  to  give  tlianks 
always  to  God  for  you  brethren,  beloved  of  the  Lord, 
because  God  hath  from  the  beginning  chosen  you  to 
salvation."  Now  the  question  is,  what  are  we  to  un- 
derstand by  the  beginnifig  from  which  the  Thessaloni- 
ans were  chosen?  I  answer  absolute  eternity  :  because 
they  were  neither  chosen,  nor  called,  in  the  beginning 
of  the  salvation  published  by  Jesus  during  his  minis- 
•'try  bn  earth.  For  during  that  time  he  positively  for- 
bade his  ministers  to  preach  the  gospel  to  any  save  the 
lost  sheep  of  the  house  of  Israel.  Matt,  x,  5,  6.  Nor 
will  sacred  history  allow  the  Thessalonians  to  be  the 
first  Gentile  converts,  as  appears  from  the  first  seven- 
teen chapters  of  Acts  ;  consequently  the  beginning, 
from  which  they  Vvcre  chosen,  must  signify  eternity,  as 
in  Prov.  viii,  23.  The  apostle  John  also  uses  the  very 


(       65       ) 

same  word  to  prove  the  eternal  divinity  of  Jesus  Christ. 
John  i,  1,  and  1st  epistle  i,  1.  He  uses  the  terms 
"  from  the  beginning"  and  "  in  the  beginning"  as  sy- 
nonymous, to  import  eternity.  God's  choosing  the 
Thessalonians  from  the  beginning  is  therefore  of  the 
same  import  with  "  his  choosing  the  Ephesians  before 
the  foundation  of  the  world."  And  in  this  vvay  only  do 
the  scriptures  harmonize.  Besides  it  can  be  true  in 
no  other  sense  of  the  word,  that  they  were  chosen  from 
the  beginning,  for  they  were  not  even  called  by  the 
gospel  till  long  after  it  began  to  be  published  :  '  And 
in  the  14th  verse  he  speaks  of  their  being  called  as 
distinct  from  and  in  consequence  of  their  election. 
"  God  hath  from  the  beginning  chosen  you  to  salva- 
tion, through  sanctification  of  the  spirit,  and  belief  of 
the  truth  :  whereunto  he  hath  called  you  by  our  gospel, 
to  the  obtaining  of  ihe  glory  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ." 
They  were  elected  to  salvation  through  sanctification 
of  the  spirit  and  belief  of  the  truth  before  they  were 
called  by  the  gospel.  They  were  chosen  to  salvation 
ftom  sin,  and  then  called  by  the  gospel  to  that  salvation 
"which  was  accomplished  by  the  sanctification  of  the 
spirit,  and  belief  of  the  truth. 

That  God  has  before  all  time  chosen  certain  persons, 
with  a  design  to  call,  justify  and  sanctify  them  in  time, 
and  to  glorify  them  when  time  shall  be  no  more,  ap- 
pears farther  from  Rom.  viii,  29,  30.  "  For  whom 
he  did  foreknow  he  also  did  predestinate  to  be  con- 
formed to  the  ima2:e  of  his  Son — Moreover  whom  he 
did  predestinate,  them  he  also  called  ;  and  w  hom  he 
called,  them  he  also  justified  ;  and  whom  he  justified, 
them  he  also  glorified."  God's  foreknowing  the  elect 
does  not  signify  merely  his  prescience,  by  which  he 
foresaw  all  things  at  one  comprehensive  view  in  his 
own  infinite  mind  from  eternity.  For  in  that  sense 
*'  known  unto  God  are  all  his  works  from  eternity," 
and  aiso  every  thing  relating  to  all  others,  as  well  as 
to  them.  Whereas  this  is  evidently  a  discriminating 
foreknowledge.  He  knows  them  as  distinct  from  all 
others.  "  I  know  whom  I  have  chosen."  Nor  can 
it  possibly  signify  his  fore-approving  them  on  account 


(       66       ) 

of  faith  and  holiness  foreseen.  For  he  did  not  pre- 
destinate them  as  conformed,  nor  because  he  foresaw 
they  'Lvould  be  conformed  ;  but  he  predestinated  them 
to  be  conformed  to  the  image  of  his  Son.  And  he  chose 
them  7iot  as  holy^  nor  for  holiness  foreseen,  but  he  pre- 
destinated them  *'  to  be  holy  and  without  blame  before 
him  in  love."  Then  none  of  these,  nor  all  of  them 
put  together,  can  be  the  cause  of  his  foreknowledge. 
Consequently  it  must  signify  an  act  of  his  understand- 
ing whereby  he  wills  to  distinguish  them  from  all 
others,  as  the  objects  of  his  special  favor,  and  immu- 
table love  ;  and  so  called  "  his  good  pleasure,  which 
he  hath  purposed  in  himself,"  (Eph.  i,  9,)  in  order  to 
shew,  that  it  is  an  act  of  absolute  sovereignty,  which 
is  conducted  with  unerring  judgment,  the  reasons  of 
which  lie  wholly  in  himself.  For  God's  knowing,  of- 
ten signifies  such  knowledge  as  is  with  love  and  choice; 
as  in  Amos  iii,  2.  "  You  only  have  I  known,  of  all  the 
families  of  the  earth  ;"  that  is,  with  a  peculiar  choice 
and  love  of  your  nation  above  all  others  ;  and  2  Tim. 
ii,  19.  "  The  foundation  of  God  standeth  sure  having 
this  seal,  the  Lord  knoweth  them  that  are  his."  This 
foundation  is  composed  of  those  righteous  persons 
mentioned  inProv.  x,  25,  who  could  not  be  deluded  by 
the  craft  and  cunning  of  deceivers;  because  they  stood 
sure  and  immovable,  having  this  seal,  the  Lord  know- 
eth them  that  are  his.  Now  this  knowledge  is  plainly 
discriminating,  compared  to  a  seal,  on  account  of  which 
those,  who  are  the  subjects  of  it,  stood  sure  and  im- 
movable. And  Rom.  xi,  2,  "  God  hath  not  cast  away 
his  people,  which  he  foreknew."  This  people  which 
God  foreknew,  cannot  mean  the  whole  body  of  the  Jews, 
•whom  he  chose  in  a  national  capacity  ;  for  it  is  plain, 
that  God  had  cast  away  the  bulk  of  them,  and  the 
apostle's  principal  design,  from  the  11th  to  the  23d 
verse  of  this  chapter,  is  to  prove  that  God  had  done  so. 
The  foreknoimi  must  therefore  signify  the  elect^  who 
were  among  that  nationally  chosen  body  of  people,, 
whom  he  had,  in  a  still  more  distinguishing  manner, 
chosen  as  the  objects  of  his  special  love,  to  efiectually 
call  and  eventually  save.     They  are  expressly  called, 


(       67       ) 

(:;ver.  5,  7)   "  a  remnant  according-  to  the  election  oF 
grace,  which  obtained,"  in  opposition  to  the  bulk  of 
them,   "  who  were  blinded."     The  Socinians,  there- 
fore, judged  rightly  when  they  said,  "  Admitting  the 
*'  infallible  prescience  of  all  future  things,   Calvin's 
*'  doctrine  of  predestination  of  some  by  name  to  life, 
*'  and  of  others  to  death,  cannot  be  refuted."*    God's 
foreknowing  the  elect  is  truly  of  the  same  import  with 
his  purpose  of  predestination   to  life.     The  apostle 
therefore  shews  a  most  wise  order  and  connexion  in 
all  that  God  brings  to  pass,  which  can  never  be  bro- 
ken asunder.     For  salvation  takes  its  rise  in  the  eter- 
nal counsel,  free  purpose,  and  electing  love  of  God. 
Whom  he  did  foreknow,  and  personally  choose  to  sal- 
vation, them  he  did  predest'mate  to  all  the  means  that 
lead  to  that  salvation.     God,  viewing  the  fallen  race  of 
Adam  ruined  by  sin,  placed  his  eternal  love  on  some 
of  them,  so  that  he  foreknew  them  as  objects  of  spe- 
cial approbation  in  Christ.     Effectual  calling  follows 
after  predestination.    Whom  he  did  predestinate,  them 
he  also  called,  by  the  powerful  working  of  his  spirit, 
to  a  thankful  acceptance  of,  and  firm  reliance  on,   the 
Lord  Jesus  Christ  as  their  Saviour.    For  they  are  pre- 
destinated to  be  conformed  to  the  moral  image  of  his 
Son,  which  consists  in  knowledge,  righteousness  and 
holiness.     All,  without  exception,  whom  he  did  pre- 
destinate, he  either  hath,  doth,  or  will  call  out  of  the 
kingdom  of  darkness,  from  a  state  of  spiritual  ignor- 
ance and  slavery  to  sin,  into  the  kingdom  of  his  Son, 
Upon  this  follows  their  justification.     Whom  he  call- 
ed, them  he  also  justified^  absolved  from  guilt  through 
the  merits  of  Christ.     After  these  ensues  their  glori- 
fication.    Wliom  he  justified,   them  he  also  glorified. 
Sanctification  is  here  included  in  glorification.     For 
sanctification  is  glorification  begun,   and  glorification 
is  sanctification  completed.     The  apostle  includes  the 
one  in  the  other  to  shew,  that  whoever  is  sanctified 
shall  most  assuredly  be  glorified,     'i'his  is  the  goldei> 
chain  of  salvation,  one  link  of  nhich  (blessed  be  God> 

'  *  Wit.  vjI.  2.  p.  9.. 


e       68       ) 

cannot  possibly  be  broken  asunder.     Whom  he  did 
jjredestinate,  them  he  aho  glorified. 

Of  the  same  import  are  those  words  in  1  Pet.  i,  2. 
*'  Elect  according  to  the  foreknowledge  of  God  the 
Father  through  the  sanctificationof  the  spirit  urtto  obe- 
dience and  sprinkling  of  the  blood  of  Jesus  Christ.'* 
If  they  were  elected  unto  obedience  and  sprinkling  of 
Jesus  Clirist,  then  they  were  not  elected  as  obedient 
and  sprinkled,  nor  because  they  would  be  obedient  and 
sprinkled.  If  the  elect  are  chosen  unto  obedience  and 
sprinkling  of  the  blood  of  Jesus  Christ,  then  obedience 
and  sprinkling  of  his  blood  are  consequences  and 
fruits  of  election.  This  shews,  that  God  has  certain- 
ly chosen  some  to  the  means  of  salvation,  and  to  sal- 
vation by  those  means.  For  the  elect  were  chosen 
unto  obedience  and  sprinkling  of  the  divine  blood, 
and  consequently  before  they  were  obedient  or  sprink- 
led. Therefore  an  obedient  walking  in  the  Lord  Je- 
sus, and  the  sprinkling  of  the  divine  blood  are  both 
the  fruits  and  evidence  of  eternal  election.  For  the 
elect  are  chosen  unto  them.  God  also  chose  them 
through  sanctification  of  the  spirit  unto  obedience  ; 
that  is,  he  chose  them  with  a  design  to  renew  and  pu- 
rify them  by  his  spirit,  in  order  to  engage  and  enable 
them  to  perform  a  course  of  holy  obedience  to  his 
commands.  The  elect  were  therefore  chosen  before 
the  foundation  of  the  world  to  be  sanctified  by  the 
spirit,  and  to  be  made  obedient  by  a  divine  creation 
ip  time. 

Our  blessed  Lord  and  Master  taught  the  same  doc- 
trine. John  xiii,  18.  "  I  speak  not  of  you  all  j  1 
know  whom  I  have  chosen  :  bAt  that  the  scripture 
may  be  fulfilled,  he  that  eateth  bread  with  me  hath 
lifted  up  his  heel  against  me."  Now  it  is  evident, 
that  our  Lord  spake  here  of  an  election  more  peculiar 
and  beneficial  than  to  the  apostleship  ;  for  they  all  had 
been  chosen  to  that  ;  but  it  was  a  discriminating 
choice  of  some  of  them,  which  did  not  extend  to  Ju- 
das. *'  I  speak  not  of  you  all  ;  I  know  whom  I  have 
chosen."  As  our  Lord  spake  not  of  all  his  twelve 
apostles  in  this  place  ;  so  it  is  evident  that  he  spoke 


(       69       ) 

only  of  the  elect  ones  among  them  ;  which  proves, 
that  Christ  has  chosen  some  certain  determinate  per- 
sons  to  salvation.  This  will  appear  more  clearly  from 
a  consideration  of  the  preceding  verse  :  "  If  ye  know 
these  things,  happy  are  ye  if  ye  do- them."  But  our 
Saviour  never  expected  Judas  to  do  them.  John  vi,  64. 
*'  For  Jesus  knew  from  the  beginning  who  they  were 
that  believed  not,  and  who  should  betray  him."  In- 
deed  he  could  not  possibly  expect  what  he  knew  would 
never  come  to  pass  ;  and' therefore  he  saith,  "  I  speak 
not  of  you  all ;  I  know  whom  I  have  chosen."  He 
knows  whom  he  has  chosen,  because  he  chose  them, 
and  not  others — As  if  he  had  said,  though  I  have 
chosen  you  twelve  to  the  apostleship,  yet  I  know 
which  of  you  I  have  chosen  to  faith,  habitual  holiness, 
and  final  salvation,  as  well  as  to  the  apostleship  :  for 
one  of  you  I  have  not  chosen  to  grace  and  glory,  but 
only  taken  him  into  the  apostolic  office,  and  have  left 
him  to  the  free  choice  of  his  stubborn  and  perverse 
will,  and  1  infallibly  knew  from  the  beginning,  that 
bf  ing  so  left,  he  would  prove  a  perseveringly  wicked 
person,  and  in  the  end  a  traitor,  on  purpose  that  the 
prophecy  of  scripture  might  be  fulfilled.  Psal.  xli,  9. 
"  Yea,  mi«e  own  familiar  friend  in  whom  I  trusted  (a 
part  of  the  apostleship,  (Acts  i,  17  )  which  did  eat  of 
my  bread,  hath  lifted  up  his  heel  against  me."  There- 
fore Christ  did  not  speak  of  Judas  in  this  election  to 
eternal  life  ;  he  was  left  out,  that  the  scripture  might 
be  fulfilled. 

Our  Saviour  speaks  in  John  xv.  16  of  an  election  to 
grace  and  habitual  holiness  in  terms  as  clear  as  can  be 
possibly  spoken.  "  Ye  have  not  chosen  me,  but  I  have 
chosen  you,  and  ordained  you,  that  ye  should  go  and 
bring  forth  fruit,  and  that  your  fruit  should  remain,  and 
that  whatsoever  ye  shall  ask  of  the  Father  in  my  name, 
he  may  give  it  you."  As  Judas  was  now  gone  and 
could  not  be  included  among  the  apostles  at  the  time 
when  our  Saviour  spake  these  words  ;  so  it  is  evident 
that  he  did  not  speak  merely  of  choosing  to  the  apos- 
tleship, to  which  he  had  chosen  Judas  as  well  as  them  ; 
for  he  evidently  speaks  here  of  choosing  them  to  sav- 


(       70       ) 

ing  and  eternal  blessings,  and  to  be  his  friends  througKi 
his  spirit  working  faith  and  habitual  holiness  in  them. 
Jesus  Christ  has  then  certainly  chosen  some  to  eternal 
life.  When  he  is  considered  as  Mediator  we  are  said  to 
be  chosen  in  him,  but  when  he  is  considered  as  God, 
we  are  said  to  be  chosen  by  him.  And  nothing  can 
be  more  evident  than  that  his  choosing  them  was  prior 
to  their  choosing  him  r  "  Ye  have  not  chosen  me,  but 
I  have  chosen  you."  He  chose  them  to  active  diligence 
in  bringing  forth  fruits  of  holiness.  *'  I  have  chosen 
you,  and  ordained  you,  that  ye  should  go  and  bring 
forth  fruit."  He  did  not  choose  them  because  they 
did,  or  would  bring  forth  fruit,  but  he  chose  them, 
that  they  should  go  and  bring  forth  fruit.  He  predes- 
tinated them  to  final  perseverance  in  holiness.  "  I  have 
chosen  and  ordained  you,  that  your  fruit  should  re- 
main." The  elect  were  given  to  him  in  such  a  manner 
that  he  will  in  no  wise  cast  them  out,  for  he  has  ordain- 
ed that  they  should  be  a  praying  people,  and  that  their 
prayer  of  faith  should  be  answered.  "  I  have  ordained 
that  whatsoever  ye  shall  ask  of  the  Father  in  my  name, 
he  may  give  it  you."  It  is  impossible  for  words  to. 
prove  more  clearly,  that  God  has  predestinated  the 
elect  to  good  works,  and  to  persevere  ir^lhe  fruits 
of  holiness,  and  to  have  access  to  the  Father  through 
Christ,  by  the  prayer  of  faith,  that  they  may  abound 
in  good  works  to  the  praise  of  the  glory  of  God's, 
grace. 


DISCOURSE   V. 


EPHESIANS    I,  3,  4,  5. 

Blessed  be  the  God  a7id  Father  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christy 
ivho  hath  blessed  us  with  all  spiritual  blessings 
in  heavenly  places  in  Christ  ;  according  as  he  hath 
chosen  us  in  him  before  the  foundation  of  the  ivorld^ 
that  %ve  should  be  holy  and  without  blame  before  him 
in  lo've  :  having  predestinated  us  unto  the  adoption  of 
children  by  Jesus  Christ  to  himself  according  to  the 
good  pleasure  of  his  will. 

Thirdly^  X  HE  elect  are  chosen  in  Christ.  He 
hath  chosen  us  mhim.  The  necessity  of  this  may  appear 
by  considering,  that  as  the  old  covenant  had  a  head 
(Adam)  by  whom  sin  and  death  descended  unto  all  his 
natural  posterity,  by  virtue  of  their  union  and  cove- 
nant relation  with  him,  (Rom.  v,  19)  "by  one  man's 
disobedience  many  were  made  sinners  ;"  so  the  new 
covenant  required  a  head  and  mediator,  that  righteous- 
ness and  life  might  flow  from  him  unto  all  his  spiritu- 
al seed.  John  xvii,  2.  "  Thou  hast  given  him  power 
over  all  flesh,  that  he  should  give  eternal  life  to  as  ma- 
ny as  thou  hast  given  him."  xiv,  19.  "  Because  I 
live,  ye  shall  live  also."  Christ  and  Adam  are  in  this 
sense  represented  as  the  two  great  covenant  heads.  1 
Cor.  XV,  45,  47.  "  The  first  man  Adam  ;  the  se- 
cond and  last  man  Adam.'*  They  are  called  the  one, 
the  frst,  the  other,  the  second  and  last  man,  just  as  if 
there  had  never  been  any  beside  themselves.  And  the 
reason  is  plain.  Each  of  them  stood  the  representa- 
tive of  his  covenant  seed.  For  as  we  destroyed  in  our- 
selves, by  our  apostacy  in  Adam,  that  principle  which 
would  have  led  to  God  as  our  happiness,  and  also  con- 


(       72       ) 

traded  such  obstinacy  and  opposition  to  God  as  would 
have  for  ever  kept  God  and  us  asunder,  Rom.  viii,  7,  8, 
had  not  God  proposed  to  dissolve  it  by  means  of  choos- 
ing  in  Christ  ;  so  the  elect  were  put  into  Christ  by 
election,  that  they  might,  by  virtue  of  their  union  with 
him,  derive  from  him  those  benefits,  the  fulness  of 
which  dwells  in  him  as  the  root.  Thus  Adam  was  a 
figure  of  Christ,  Rom.  iv,  14. 

Now  as  Adam  prefigured  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ, 
so  much  light  may  be  given  with  respect  to  the  doc- 
trines of  the  gospel  in  general,  and  of  election  in  par- 
ticular, by  considering  the  relation  in  which  he  stood 
with  respect  to  mankind.  His  Creator  made  him  inu- 
table,  yet  he  made  him  upright,  perfectly  innocent, 
without  the  least  tincture  of  sin  in  his  nature,  so  that 
all  the  powers  and  faculties  of  his  soul  were  disposed 
to  glorify  God.  Man  being  thus  made  in  the  image 
of  his  Creator,  God  made  a  covenant  with  him,  the 
condition  of  which  was,  do  and  li've,  [or  si?!  and  die."] 
The  happiness  or  misery  of  all  mankind  depended  on 
the  voluntary  exercise  of  his  free  will.  For  man  be- 
ing endued  by  his  Creator  with  sufficient  abilities  to 
stand,  and  constituted  the  representative  of  his  off- 
spring, it  was  just  he  should  be  left  to  the  freedom  of 
his  own  will  to  choose  obedience  and  live,  or  to  rebel 
and  die.  Had  he  stood  during  the  time  of  his  proba- 
tion, all  mankind  would  have  stood  in  him.  And  his 
obedience  would  have  procured  happiness  for  himself 
and  posterity,  not  from  the  intrinsic  worth  of  his  obe- 
dience, but  from  the  covenant  of  works  which  God 
made  with  him — Do  and  liiie.  And  it  is  as  plain,  that 
by  his  disobedience  he  communicated  death  and  all  its 
consequences  to  his  posterity. 

Paul,  in  Rom.  v,  states  the  comparison  between 
these  covenant-heads,  and  shews  that  the  first  Adam 
was  the  efficient  effectual  cause  of  communicating 
condemnation  by  sin  to  his  whole  posterity,  and  that 
the  second  and  last  Adam  is  the  infinitely  more  pow- 
erful, efficient  and  meritorious  cause  of  communicat- 
ing salvation  from  sin  to  all  his  children. 


(       73       ) 


Adam. 
By  one  man  sin  eritered 
into  the  Avorkl,  and  death  by 
sin  ;  and  so  death  passed 
ii'jjon  all  men  for  that  ail 
have  sinned.  Verse  12, 


The  comparison  is  this. 


Christ. 
Much  more  then,  being 
no\v  justified  by  his  blood, 
we  shall  be  saved  from 
wrath  through  him.  For  if 
when  we  were  enemies, 
we  wTre  reconciled  to  God 
by  the  death  of  his  Son  ; 
much  more  being  recon- 
ciled, we  shall  be  saved  by 
his  life.  9,  10. 
Adam's  sin  had  sufficient 


efficacy  to  cause  sin  and  death  to  descend  Unio  all  his 
natural  offspring  ;  for  he  was  a  public  person,  their  re- 
presentative in  the  covenant  of  works  :  but  Christ's 
blood  has  much  more  efficacy  to  save  from  wrath  than 
Adam's  disobedience  had  to  produce  it  ;  for  if  we  were 
reconciled  by  his  obedience  when  in  this  state  of  enmi- 
ty in  which  Adam  left  us,  much  more  being  thus  re- 
conciled, we  shall  be  saved  by  his  life. 


Adam. 
But  not  as  the  offence 
(so  also  is  the  free  gift)  for 
if  through  the    offence   of 
one  many  be  dead.    Verse 
15. 


Christ. 
Much  more  the  grace  of 
God,  and  ihti  gift  by  grace, 
which  is  by  one  man,  Jesus 
Christ,  hath  abounded  un- 
to many.      15. 


Christ  and  Adam  are  here  represented  as  public 
heads,  each  communicating  ;  the  one,  the  fault  of  his 
sin  to  the  destruction  of  his  posterit}'  ;  the  other,  a 
much  more  abundant  supply  of  grace  to  his  seed. 
This  makes  "  the  grace  of  God,  and  the  gift  by  grace 
to  abound  much  more"  than  the  offence  ;  for  the  com- 
parison between  the  condemnation  by  Adam  and  the 
salvation  by  Christ  is  stated  to  show,  not  that  objects 
of  sin  and  of  special  grace  were  equally  extensive,  but 
to  show  the  efficacy  of  the  different  causes,  w  hich  pro- 
duced those  contrary  effects.  This  superabounding 
of  grace  must  therefore  signify  its  prevalent  efficacy  ; 
for  it  cannot  include  more  than  all  sinful  objects,  and 
daily  experience  proves,  that  iniquity  superabounds  in 
the  bulk  of  mankind. 


K 


(       t4       ) 


Adam. 
Por  the  judgment  was 
by    one    to   condemnation 
—death   reigned   by   one. 
Verse  16,   17. 


Christ. 
The  free  gift  is  of  many 
offences  unto  justification ; 
much  more  they  who  re- 
ceive abundance  of  grace, 
and  of  the  gift  of  righteous- 
ness,  shall  reign  in  life,  by 
one  Jesus  Christ.  16,  1.7. 
This  comparison  states,  that  in  the  judgment  of  God 
all  Adam's  posterity  were  brought  into  condemnation, 
by  his  first  offence,  which  caused  death  to  prevail,  reign 
and  triumph  5  but  the  special  grace  of  regeneration  and 
the  gift  of  Christ's  merits  imputed,  causes  his  posteri- 
ty to  reign  much  more  powerfully  in  spiritual  life  ;  fof 
his  grace  and  righteousness  has  much  more  power  to 
cause  life  than  Adam's  offence  had  to  caus€  death. 


Ada  m  . 
Therefore  as  by  the  of- 
fence of  one  judgment  came 
upon  all  to  condemnation. 
Verse   18. 


Christ. 
Even  so  by  the  righte- 
ousness of  one,  the  free 
gift  came  upon  all  men  un- 
to justification  of  life.  18. 


This  comparison  can  with  no  propriety  be  under- 
stood to  signify  that  all  under  condemnation  by  Adam 
are  freely  justified  from  that  sentence  ;  because  the 
apostle's  whole  argument  is,  that  the  grace  of  God  and 
obedience  of  Christ  has  much  more  efficacy  to  produce 
spiritual  life  in  the  elect,  than  Adam's  offence  has  to 
keep  them  in  death  ;  and  those  justified  from  that  sen- 
tence of  condemnation,  have  a  superabundance  of 
grace,  which  all  men  have  not.  Consequently  the  ar- 
gument  is  briefly  this  :  As  by  Adam's  offence,  guilt 
came  upon  all  his  natural  posterity,  subjecting  them 
to  condemnation  ;  so  the  righteousness  of  Christ 
comes  upon  all  his  spiritual  posterity  absolving  them 
from  condemnation. 


Adam. 
For   as    by   one   man's 
disobedience   many    were 
made  sinners.   Verse  19. 


Christ. 
So  by  the  obedience  of 
one,   shall  many  be  made 
ri2:hteous.    19. 


Adam  is  here  compared  to  a  root,  or  stock,   out  of 
which  sin  grows  up  by  nature,  and  is  an  inheritance. 


(       75        ) 

which  we  receive  from  liiiii.  Christ  is  also  compared 
to  another  root,  or  stock,  out  of  which  righteousness 
flows  by  grace  unto  all  his  spiritual  oftspring.  For  as 
Adam's  breaking  the  covenant  of  works  made  all  his 
posterity  sinners  ;  so  Christ's  obedience  in  fulfilling 
the  condition  of  that  covenant,  being  reckoned  to  his 
posterity,  constitutes  them  righteous  in  tlie  sight  of 
God  ;  that  whereas  sin  had  abounded  in  them  grace 
might  "  much  more  abound,"  "  and  reign  through 
righteousness  unto  eternal  life  by  Jesus  Christ  our 
Lord."  Thus  Adam  was  a  type  or  figure  of  Christ. 
Christ  is  expressly  called  the  elect  of  (iod.  Isa.  xlii, 
1.  He  was  fore-ordained  to  the  office  of  ^Mediator  be- 
fore the  world  was  made.  1  Pet.  i,  20.  And  all  thC; 
treasures  of  grace  were  laid  up  for  the  elect  in  him. 
2  Tim.  i,  9.  "  Who  hath  saved  us,  and  called  us  with, 
an  holy  calling,  not  according  to  our  works,  but  ac- 
cording to  his  own  purpose  and  grace,  w  hich  was  giv- 
en us  in  Christ  Jesus  before  the  world  began."  God 
foresaw  that  Adam  would  fail  in  fulfilling  the  condilioii 
of. the  covenant  of  works,  and  was  not  willing  that  all 
mankind  should  be  everlastingly  miserable.  He  there- 
fore chose  Christ  in  order  to  put  the  elect  into  his. 
hands,  that  his  purpose  respecting  them  should  not  be 
frustrated.  And  before  we  fell,  he  settled  the  whole- 
method  of  our  redemption  in  the  covenant  of  grace 
which  he  made  with  his  Son.  Isa.  xlii,.  6,.  "  1  will 
give  thee  for  a  covenant  of  the  people,"  Zech.  vi,. 
13.  *'  And  the  counsel  of  peace  shall  be  between  them 
both."  In  this  counsel  of  peace,  or  covenant  of  re- 
demption, which  God  made  w  ith  Christ,  all  thiiigs  re- 
lating to  man's  salvation  were  seided  and  determined. 
On  this  account  it  is  called  a  better  testament  of  Mhicli, 
lesus  is  the  surety.  Heb.  vii,  22.  And  God  express- 
ly calls  him  the  co-ocnant  of  the  people.  All  the  great 
and  precious  promises  of  this  covenant  were  promised 
by  the  God  who  cannot  lie  before  the  world  began. 
Tit.  i,  2.  These  promises  were  all  made  to  Christ. 
Gal.  iii,  16.  For  God  would  not  trust  their  salvation, 
in  which  his  glory  is  so  much  conccnied,  in  their  owji. 
hands,  because  he  well  knew  his  baving  design  would. 


-         (        76       ) 

then  never  take  effect.  Therefore  we  read.  Job  xv^ 
15,  "  Behold,  he  putteth  no  trust  in  his  saints/'  much 
less  would  he  put  trust  in  them  before  they  were  saints. 
Hence  their  salvation  is  irreversibly  secured  by  the  new- 
covenant,  which  is  a  *'  better  covenant,  and  establish- 
ed upon  better  promises,"  promises  of  reconciling, 
renewing  and  infallibly  persevering  grace  ;  all  which 
are  positive  and  absolute.  Heb.  viii,  6.  A  transcript  of 
these  are  in  the  10th,  11th  and  12th  verses,  and  runs 
in  the  most  absolute  and  unconditional  strain  that  can 
be  conceived  of.  "I  will  put  my  laws  into  their  mind, 
and  write  them  in  their  hearts  ;  and  I  will  be  to  them 
a  God,  and  they  shall  be  to  me  a  people.  And  they 
shall  not  teach  every  man  his  neighbor,  and  every , 
man  his  brother,  saying,  Know  the  Lord  ;  for  all  shall 
know  rae,  from,  the  least  to  the  greatest,.  For  I  will 
Ije  merciful  to  their  unrighteousness,  and  their  sins 
and  their  iniquities  will  I  remember  no  more."  As 
God  would  not  commit  the  glory  of  salvation  to  the 
Iiands  even  of  saints  ;  so  he  founded  the  covenant  of 
grace  on  the  sacrifice  of  Emmanuel.  Heb.  x,  14.  'By 
one  offering  he  hath  perfected  for  ever  them  that  are 
sanctified."  And  the  nature  of  the  counsel  of  peace  is. 
this  :  Christ  in  it,  undertakes  to  make  men  holy  and 
righteous.  For  the  condition  of  it  on  the  part  of  Christ 
is  expressly  declared  in  Heb.  x,  16,  17.  "  This  is  the 
covenant  that  I  will  make  with  them  after  those  davs, 
saith  the  Lord  ;  1  will  put  my  laws  into  their  hearts y 
and  ifi  their  minds  ivill  I  write  them  ;  and  their  sins  and 
iniquities  will  I  remember  no  more.''''  In  the  decree  of 
election  Christ  was  chosen  to  be  the  head  and  media- 
tor of  the  elect ;  and  they  were  given  to  him,  put  into 
liis  hands  and  committed  to  his  care,  that  he  might 
redeem,  call,  renew,  justify,  sanctify  and  preserve 
them.  For  so  the  bible  informs  us.  "  They  were  cho-. 
sen  in  Christ,"  f^ph.  i,  4  ;  "  called  in  him,"  Phil,  iii, 
14  ;  "  created  in  him  unto  good  works,"  Eph,  ii,  10; 
^'  preserved  in  him,"  Jude  2,  and  '  receive  all  spirit- 
ual blessings  in  him,"  l'>ph.  i,  3.  "God  is  well  pleas- 
ed with  them  in  him  "  Matt,  iii,  17,  and  finally  "  loves 
them  in  Clirist  with  a  great  love  through  his  rich  mer-. 


(       77       ) 

ey  toward  them,  even  while  they  were  dead  in  sins,'* 
Eph.  ii,  4,  5. 

The  renewal  of  their  nature  made  it  necefTary  that 
they  should  be  chosen  in  Christ.  For  they  lost  in 
Adam  that  principle  which  would  have  led  them  to 
God.  and  they  must  receive  in  the  second  Adam  a  new 
principle  to  lead  them  to  God.  Because  there  is  sal- 
vation in  no  other,  Acts  iv,  12  ;  and  therefore  can  be 
had  only  in  him.  Consequently  he  bestovv-s  his  spe- 
cial blessings  on  the  elect,  according  as  he  hath  chosen 
them  in  Christ  Jesus  before  the  foundation  of  the  world. 
This  is  beautifully  illustrated  by  our  Saviour,  John 
XV,  5.  "  I  am  the  vine,  ye  are  the  branches."  Now 
as  the  branch  must  be  ingrafted  into  the  vine  before  it 
can  receive  nourishment  from  it,  so  we  must  Le  in 
Christ  by  election  before  we  can  derive  regenerating 
virtue  from  him.  For  as  all  the  promises  were  made 
to  Christ,  so  they  descend  to  the  elect  as  chosen  in 
him.  Wherefore  Christ  said  to  the  non-elect  Jews, 
*'  ye  believe  not  because  ye  are  not  of  my  sheep." — 
Bat  of  the  elect  he  saith,  "  my  sheep  hear  m}-  voice." 
John  X,  27,  28. 

The  elect  could  not  have  hcQw  jus tifed\\i\<\  they  not 
been  chosen  in  Christ.  For  as  Adam's  sin  could  not 
have  been  ours,  unless  we  had  been  in  liim,  and  he  had 
represented,  or  sustained  our  persons  in  the  covenant 
of  works  :  So  Christ's  righteousness  could  not  have 
been  reckoned  to  us  unless  we  had  been  chosen  in 
him,  and  he  sustained  or  represented  our  persons  on 
the  cross.  For  his  suffering  on  account  of  our  sins 
could  not  benefit  us  unless  we  had  been  chosen  in  him 
so  as  to  constitute  a  legal  union  or  oneness  between 
him  and  us.  Because  justice  could  not  have  punish- 
ed him  in  our  stead,  nor  have  pardoned  us  through 
him,  for  this  plain  reason  :  The  act  of  another  cannot 
be  mine,  either  in  profit  or  in  loss,  but  on  the  suppo- 
sition of  a  legal  union,  or  oneness  existing  between  us. 

I  shall  now  conclude  this  discourse  with  the  follow- 
ing practical  observations  on  what  hath  been  said  : 

First  of  all,  I  would  observe,  we  should  not  disown 
or  relinquish  any  doctrine  on  account  of  seeming  di(- " 


(       78       > 

ficulties,  or  because  of  some  objections  raised  against 
it.  For  man's  corrupt,  proud  and  aspiring  mind,  has 
started  some  difficulties,  and  formed  some  objections 
against  the  plainest  truths  that  are  taught  in  the  biblCo. 
If  therefore  the  doctrine  be  expressly  taught  in  the  bi- 
ble, or  necessarily  inferred  from  it,  we  must  by  no 
means  withhold  our  assent.  For  whatever  God  has 
revealed,  we  are  indispensably  obliged  to  believe,  whe- 
ther it  coincides  v/ith  our  reason,  and  agrees  with  our 
preconceived  opinions  or  not.  Because  every  doc- 
trine taught  by  inspiration  is  to  be  received  upon  the 
credit  of  him  who  revealed  them.  And  the  scripture 
is  the  only  rule  of  faith.  For  reason  is  a  very  incom- 
petent judge  of  revealed  truths,  on  account  both  of  the 
narrowness  of  our  capacities,  and  the  blindtiess  of  our 
mhids,  which  is  the  consequence  of  our  fallen  state. 

All  the  noble  and  instructive  doctrines  of  the  gospel- 
are  connected  with  this  doctrine  of  personal  election. 
The  covenant  of  redemption  made  between  the  Father 
and  the  Son  in  the  days  of  eternity,  has  respect  to  a 
distinguished  number,  who  were  given  to  Christ  as  his 
charge,  and  as  his  reward.  John  xvii,  2.  "  Thou  hast 
given  him  power  over  all  flesh,  that  he  should  give 
eternal  life  to  as  many  as  thou  hast  given  him."  In-, 
deed  the  satisfaction  made  by  the  Son  of  God  would 
be  exceedingly  depreciated  and  rendered  a  very  loose, 
unsafe,  and  uncertain  thing,  if  it  was  not  made  and  ac- 
cepted for  certain  determinate  persons  ;  for  it  would 
both  impeach,  the  wisdom,  and  affront  the  dignity  of 
Christ's  person,  as  well  as  exceedingly  lessen  the  mer- 
its of  his  satisfaction  even  to  suppose,  that  he  did  not, 
purchase  faith,  repentance,  and  holiness,  for  all  those 
on  whom,  they  are  bestowed,  hlection  is  therefore  the 
foundation  of  all  those  great  and  precious  promises  con- 
tained in  the  covenant  of  grace  ;  the  origin  of  our  re- 
demption ;  the  rise  and  spring  from  whence  all  those 
blessings  flow,  of  which  we  are  made  the  partakers, 
through  Christ.  And  without  the  proper  considera- 
tion of  this,  we  cannot  possibly  "  comprehend  what  is, 
the  height  and  depth,  the  length  and  breadth  of  the  love 
oJf  God  in  Christ.'^    We  ought  therefore,  with  tbx. 


X       79      ) 

blessed  apostle,  to  look  back,  with  joyful  praises,  to  thd 
electing  love  of  God.  '*  Blessed  be  the  God  and  Fa- 
ther of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  who  hath  blessed  us 
with  all  spiritual  blessing  in  heavenly  things,  according 
as  he  hath  chosen  us  in  him  before  the  foundation  of  the 
world.'''' 

We  ought  not  to  murmur  at  God's  decree  of  elec- 
tion ;  for  it  furnishes  us  with  the  reason  why  "he 
did  not  cast  off  the  human  family  for  their  apostacy,'* 
as  he  did  the  fallen  angels.  It  was  because  there  was  an 
election  of  grace  among  them.  "  Except  the  Lord  had 
left  us  a  seed,  we  had  been  as  Sodom,  and  had  been 
made  like  unto  Gomorrah."  This  gave  birth  to  the 
early  promise  of  the  seed  of  the  woman  to  bruise  the 
serpent's  head.  On  this  account  it  was  that  judgment 
was  arrested,  after  sentence  was  pronounced  on  our 
apostate  parents,  and  that  mankind  partake  now  large- 
ly of  divine  goodness. 

All  God's  patience  with  the  present  sinful  world  is 
on  account  of  a  distinguished  remnant,  that  are  now 
in  it,  and  shall  hereafter  be  born  into  it  Isa.  Ixv,  8,  9. 
"  Thus  saith  the  Lord,  as  the  new  wine  is  found  in 
the  cluster,  and  one  saith,  destroy  it  not,  for  a  bless- 
ing is  in  it  :  so  will  I  do  for  my  servant's  sake,  that 
I  may  not  destroy  them  all.  And  I  will  bring  forth  a 
seed  out  of  Jacob,  and  out  of  Judah  an  inhcriter  of 
my  mountains  :  and  mine  elect  shall  inherit  it,  and 
my  servants  shall  dwell  there."  And  our  Saviour  saith, 
it  was  *'  for  the  elect's  sake,"  that  a  remnant  of  the 
Jews  should  be  saved  from  destruction.  And  w  hen 
all  God's  elect  are  born  into  the  world,  and  ripened 
for  heaven,  the  long  suffering  patience  and  forbear- 
ance of  God  with  sinners  will  be  at  an  end,  the  final 
judgment  will  commence,  and  this  world  shall  be  con- 
sumed by  fire. 

Men  have  no  need  to  quarrel  with  the  doctrine  of 
election  as  they  do  ;  since  it  is  well  for  the  rest  of  ihe 
world,  that  there  is  an  election  of  grace  out  of  it.  Oth- 
ers fare  the  better  for  their  sake.  For  their  sake  the 
wicked  world  is  spared  from  generation  to  generation, 
and  the  execution  of  vengeance  toward  particular  sin- 


(        80       ) 

tiers  delayed  ;  because  many  who  will  embrace  Christ, . 
must  rise  from  such  as  reject  him.     For  instance,  God 
did  not  cut  off  Jeroboam  and  Ahaz  in  their  first  trans- 
gressions, because  of  good  Abijah  and  Hezekiah,  who 
were  to  spring  from  them. 

2.  Personal  election  in  Christ  affords  much  comfort 
and  a  great  encouragement  for  serious  faithful  Christ- 
ians to  adhere  to  the  doctrines  of  salvation,  and  to  lead 
a  life  of  active  holiness,  in  times  of  great  apostacy  and 
corruption.  When  evil  men  and  seducers  wax  worse 
and  worse,  as  they  will  do  in  the  last  days  ;  when  er- 
ror and  profanity  spread  wide  like  a  mighty  torrent  ; 
let  the  faithful  in  Christ  Jesus  remember  for  their  en- 
couragement, it  is  impossible  to  deceive  the  elect,  in 
any  thing  necessary  to  salvation.  "  For  the  founda- 
tion of  God  standeth  sure  ;  having  this  seal,  the  Lord 
knoweth  them  that  are  his."  And  "  because  he  lives, 
they  shall  live  also."  He  has  life  in  himself  ;  he  is  the 
Prince  of  life.  And  the  law  of  the  spirit  of  life  in  him 
makes  them  free  from  the  law  of  sin  and  death.  Think, 
O  ray  soul,  what  radiant  rays  of  divine  wisdom  beam 
forth  from  God's  putting  the  elect  in  Christ,  that  be- 
ing incessantly  influenced  by  an  immortal  root,  they 
should  be  effectually  preserved  from  withering  and 
falling  off.  Besides  this  number  may  be  much  larger 
than  we  may  sometimes  apprehend.  The  prophet 
Elijah  thought  the  apostacy  from  the  true  worship  of 
God  was  so  general  in  his  days,  that  none  beside  him- 
self persevered  in  the  true  service  of  God  :  but  God 
told  him  for  his  comfort  that  he  had  preserved  thou- 
sands from  the  defection  of  the  times,  which  the  apos- 
tle applies  to  the  times  of  the  gospel.  Rom.  xi,  2 — 5. 
"  God  hath  not  cast  away  his  people  which  he  fore- 
knew ;  wot  ye  not  what  the  scriptures  saith  of  Elias  ? 
how  he  maketh  intercession  to  God  against  Israel,  say- 
ing, Lord,  they  have  killed  thy  prophets,  and  digged 
down  thine  altars  ;  and  I  am  left  alone,  and  they  seek 
my  life."  But  what  saith  the  answer  of  God  unto  him  ? 
"1  have  reserved  to  myself  seven  thousand  men,  who 
have  not  bowed  the  knee  to  the  image  of  Baal.  Even 
so  then,  at  this  present  time  also,  there  is  a  remnant 
accordhig  to  the  election  of  grace,,'''' 


(       81       ) 

3,  Some,  tinable  to  overthrow  the  doctrine  of  elec- 
tion, greatly  misrepresent  it.  They  do  this  in  order 
to  make  the  doctrine  the  subject  of  sport  and  ridicide, 
since  they  are  incapable  of  refuting  it.  They  will  tell 
us,  that  if  election  be  true  then  men  have  nothing 
to  doj  for  a  certain  number  will  be  saved  however  im- 
moral and  profane  they  may  be  even  to  the  end  of 
their  lives.  But  let  those,  who  cavil  in  this  manner, 
consider  they  are  doing  nothing  that  touches  the  doc- 
trine of  election  in  the  least  ;  because  election  admits 
iio  such  consequence.  The  scripture  knows  no  such 
election,  and  we  are  far,  very  far  from  maintaining  it. 
Those  v.'ho  contend  thus  are  not  warring  with  elec- 
tion, but  with  something  they  have  put  in  its  room. 
For  the  decree  ascertains  all  the  means  of  its  accom- 
plishment. The  elect  are  predestinated  to  persevere 
in  bringing  forth  fruits  of  holiness — '•  predestinated  to 
be  conformed  to  the  image  of  Christ,''  which  takes  in 
the  whole  work  of  sanctilication  ;  and  chosen  to  salva- 
tion "  through  sanctification  of  the  spirit  and  belief 
of  the  truth."  We  therefore  never  said,  that  if  a  per- 
son were  elected  he  might  be  saved  however  he  order- 
ed his  life  ;  for  this  would  be  to  separate  what  God 
has  indissolubly  connected,  and  to  destroy  a  part  of 
the  decree  itself. 

They  equally  misrepresent  the  doctrine  of  predesti- 
nation, and  prove  themselves  to  be  perverters  of  the 
decree,  when  they  say,  that  the  decree  is  the  cause 
why  men  continue  in  sin.  For  although  the  omnip- 
otent power  of  God  exercised  toward  the  elect,  by 
working  faith  and  repentance  in  them,  be  the  immedi- 
ate cause  of  their  faith  and  repentance,  and  his  decree 
to  exert  this  power  to  work  these  saving  graces  in 
them  be  the  reason  why  he  does  so  ;  and  so  it  is  the 
execution  of  his  purpose  respecting  them  :  Yet  it  does 
not  follow  from  thence,  that  the  non-clection  of  the 
rest  is  the  cause  wh}'  they  continue  in  unbelief  and 
iinal  impenitence.  'Tis  true,  their  not  being  ordain- 
ed to  eternal  life,  is  the  reason  why  God  does  not  ex- 
ert that  almighty  power  toward  them,  which  he  exerts 
toward  the  elect  ;  and  the  certain  consequence  will 

L 


(        82        ) 

be  unbelief  and  final  impenitence  :  but  the  immedi- 
ate spring  and  cause  of  that  unbelief  and  impenitence, 
is  the  corruption  and  perverseness  of  human  nature, 
which  is  chargeable  on  none  but  man  himself.  Unbe- 
lief  and  impenitence  are  by  no  means  the  effect  of  God's 
not  working  faith  and  repentance,  but  only  the  conse- 
quent thereof.  Therefore  the  only  reason  why  those, 
from  whom  God  withholds  his  special  grace,  and  to 
whom  he  vvas  not  obliged  to  give  it,  continue  in  sin, 
is  the  evil  propensity  of  fallen  nature,  which  inclines 
•them  to  sin. 

If  men  will  oppose  the  doctrine  of  election,  let  them 
quit  false  representation  and  ridicule,  and  make  use  of 
the  proper  arguments  for  the  purpose.  Let  them  ad- 
vance to  the  fortress  they  would  lay  in  ruins  and  make 
•a  direct  attack.  If  they  will  do  this,  they  must  come 
forward  and  proye,  that  God  has  no  determinate  plan 
of  operation ;  that  there  is  an  imperfection  in  God's 
knowledge,  on  account  of  which  he  does  not  know 
with  certainty  how  the  affairs  of  every  particular  man 
will  terminate  ;  that  things  are  left  so  loose  and  uncer- 
tain that  they  may  terminate  this  way  or  any  other  ; 
that  the  creature  can  in  any  case  whatever  act  contrary 
to  what  God  knows  they  will  do,  and  so  God  has  no 
fixedness  but  what  may  be  altered.  If  these  ideas  and 
others  similar  can  be  maintained  and  proved  true,  the 
doctrine  of  election  must  fall.  But  as  that  can  never 
be  done,  this  doctrine  will  stand  firm  and  unshaken 
notwithstanding  the  whole  torrent  of  opposition  which 
may  be  raised  against  it. 

But  let  the  opposers  of  this  doctrine  consider,  that 
they  do  not  war  with  dependent  fiesh  and  blood  like 
themselves.  It  is  not  a  doctrine  of  men.  It  is  taught 
in  the  bible.  God  is  its  author.  They  oppose  a  reveal- 
ed truth  To  God  thc}^  must  answer  for  it.  They 
may  pride  themselves  in  their  opposition  to  truth  be- 
fore men,  yet  without  deep  repentance  and  pardon 
through  the  merits  of  Christ,  they  will  tremble  at  the 
bar  of  God. 

4.  The  doctrine  of  predestination  to  holiness  and 
eternal  liie  is  a  spring  of  consolation  to  believers,  and 


(        83        ) 

therefore  a  very  powerful  argument  to  obedience.  This 
unadulterated  truth  of  revelation,  set  before  men,  \\\\\ 
do  more  for  their  happiness  than  all  the  moralizing 
philosophers  of  a  thousand  generations.  This  doctrine, 
clearly  stated,  instead  of  corrupting  men,  is  calculat- 
ed to  restrain  from  sinful  out-breakings.  For  all  u  ho 
understand  it  must  know,  that  in  order  to  be  happy, 
they  must  be  holy  and  obedient,  which  is  the  fruit  and 
evidence  of  election,  and  that  they  may  express  their 
graiitude  to  God  for  his  eternal  distinguishing  love  to 
them.  The  idea  that  this  bible-truth  is  injurious  to 
morality  is  therefore  without  foundation.  For  it  has 
long  ago  been  acknowledged,  that  those  who  have  em- 
braced this  doctrine,  ranked  among  the  most  moral 
and  fruitful  Christians. 

5.  Since  predestination  is  "  unto  salvation  through 
sanctification  of  the  spirit  and  belief  of  the  truth,"  it 
becomes  every  person,  who  does  not  profanely  des- 
pise his  salvation,  diligently  to  read,  hear  and  medi- 
tate on  God's  word,  and  constantly  attend  the  preach- 
ed gospel.  For  he  knows  not  what  word  of  the  holy 
scripture,  what  sermon,  or  in  what  hour,  the  Lord  may 
graciously  visit  him  with  the  supernatural  efficacy  of 
his  spirit.  And  though  we  cannot  assure  any  one  that 
he  shall  certainly  be  saved,  yet  we  know  there  is  a 
brighter  hope,  both  of  the  conversion  and  final  salva- 
tion of  those,  who  use  the  means  of  God's  appoint- 
ment than  of  those  who  wilfully  neglect  them.^  For 
the  elect  are  chosen  and  ordained  to  active  diligence 
in  bringing  forth  fruits  of  holiness  as  well  as  i:o  glory. 

We  are  exhorted,  from  the  very  nature  of  election, 
to  "  give  diligence  to  make  our  election  sure."  It  w  as 
always  sure  with  respect  to  God  ;  but  we  must  give  dil- 
igence to  make  it  sure  to  ourselves.  Wc  may  be  sure 
of  our  election  by  the  fruits  and  evidences  of  it.  Paul 
was  certain  of  the  election  of  the  church  at  Thessalo- 
nica.  1  "^ihes.  i,  4,  5.  "  Knowing,  brethren  beloved, 
your  election  of  God  :  for  our  gospel  came  to  you,  not 
in  word  only,  but  in  power,  and  in  the  Holy  Ghost, 
and  in  much  assurance."  If  the  gospel  has  come  in 
fjoiver,  like  a  /jammer  to  break  the  ro.cky  lieart  in  pieces. 


(      84      ) 

and  like  2ijire  to  melt  it  into  love  ;  if  it  has  come  with 
such  energy  from  the  Holj^  Ghost  as  to  kill  sin,  and 
make  alive  unto  God  ;  if  the  word  has  come  accom- 
panied with  "  much  assurance"  of  the  gospel  truths, 
so  as  to  venture  your  eternal  all  upon  them,  we  may 
be  sure  of  our  electionj  for  these  are  the  fruits  and  ev- 
idences of  it. 


DISCOURSE   VI. 


EPHESIANS    I,  3,  4,  5. 

Blessed  he  the  God  and  Father  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christy 
ivho  hath  blessed  us  with  all  spiritual  blessings 
in  heaiienly  places  in  Christ  ;  according  as  he  hath 
chosen  us  in  him  before  the  foundation  of  the  worldy 
that  we  should  be  holy  and  without  blame  before  him 
in  love  :  having  predestinated  us  unto  the  adoption  of 
children  by  Jesus  Christ  to  himself  according  to  the 
good  pleasure  of  his  wilL 

Fourthly y  V V  E  come  now  to  the  eternity  of  elec- 
tion, which  is  proved  by  such  arguments  as  these  : 

1.  V/e  read  of  a  personal  transaction  from  all  eterni- 
ty expressly  declared  to  exist  between  God  and  Christ, 
acting  by  mutual  consent,  with  respect  to  the  bestowal 
of  divine  love  and  favor,  in  Prov.  viii,  23.  "  I  was  set 
up  from  everlasting,  from  the  beginning,  or  ever  the 
earth  was."  He  was  set  up  the  mediatorial  head  of  the 
election  of  grace.  And  the  words,  verse  30,  "  as  one 
brought  up  with  him,"  have  always  respect  to  some 
special  end,  or  purpose  ;  or  to  some  work  and  service. 
And  it  was  with  respect  to  the  arduous  work  of  redemp- 
tion and  salvation,  which  he  had  to  accomplisli,  the 
counsel  of  which  was  between  the  Father  and  the  Son, 
that  he  is  so  called.  For  he  every  where  commits  him- 
self and  his  undertaking  to  the  faithfulness  and  protec- 
tion of  his  Father.  Psai.  xxii,  9,  11,  19,  20.  Isii.  1,  7, 
9.  And  his  Father  engageth  to  carry  him  through  his 
whole  work,  because  it  was  to  be  performed  in  that 
nature  which  needed  help.  Wherefore  Christ  is  said 
to  be  always  before  him,  verse  30,  as  one  he  would  take 
particular'care  of,  and  protect  with  love  and  faithfulness 


(       86       ) 

in  the  completion  of  his  arduous  work.  Isa.  xlii,  1 — 7; 
So  the  words,  "  I  was  daily  his  delight,"  have  also  re- 
spect to  the  eternal  counsel  of  peace,  as  appears  from 
verse  31 ;  "  rejoicing  in  the  habitable  parts  of  the  earth, 
and  my  delights  were  with  the  sons  of  men."  Christ 
here  points  out  what  things  were  mutually  agreed  up- 
on in  that  counsel,  the  accomplishment  of  which  was 
his  delight.  This  counsel  of  God  and  Christ  therefore 
respects  the  sons  of  men.  And  the  context  as  plainl}^ 
manifests  that  the  things  here  spoken  of  were  transact- 
ed  in  eternity,  as  words  can  possibly  do.  Christ  was 
now  ordained,  even  before  the  foundation  of  the  world, 
to  the  work  of  redemption.  1  Pet.  i,  20.  And  an 
innumerable  multitude  of  men  were  also  chosen  in 
him  to  grace  and  glory.  Eph.  i,  4.  Our  Saviour 
confirms  this.  John  xvii,  6.  "  Thine  they  were,  [by 
election]  and  thou  gavest  them  me,"  in  the  covenant 
of  redemption  ;  and  the  bringing  of  them  to  grace  and 
glory  was  committed  to  him,  and  in  the  contemplation 
of  this  work,  he  "  delighted"  in  the  days  of  eternity, 
on  account  of  the  manifestation  of  the  divine  glory, 
which  should  be  revealed  thereon.  And  he  was  con- 
stituted, from  the  beginning,  to  be  the  head  of  certain 
members,  which  were  to  make  up  his  spiritual  or  mys- 
tical body.  Col.  i,  18.  And  these  are  called  Z?i5  people, 
which  he  sballsuve  from  their  sins.  Matt,  i,  21.  They 
were  given  him,  in  the  counsel  of  peace,  to  save  from 
sin,  and  are  therefore  called  his  people,  whom  his  Fa- 
ther promised  him,  saying,  "  //^jy  people  sball  be  will- 
ing in  the  day  of  thy  power."  Psal.  ex,  3.  For  in  the 
agreement  made  between  the  Father  and  the  Son, 
"  from  everlasting,  from  the  beginning,  or  ever  the 
earth  was,"  Christ  was  pitched  upon  to  be  the  Saviour, 
and  his  people  were  put  in  him  by  election,  that  he 
might  be  the  means  of  accomplishing  that  salvation  to 
which  they  were  chosen.  Dan.  ix,  24.  '  Therefore  his 
Father  gave  him  power  over  all  flesh,  on  purpose,  that 
he  should  give  eternal  life  to  as  many  as  were  given 
him.  John  xvii,  2 

2.   That   the  elect  were   foreknown  and  chosen  iti 
Christ  before  the  world  began,  clearly  appears  from  tlvi 


{       87       ) 

words  of  our  text;  "he  hath  chosen  us  in  him** 
before  the  foundation  of  the  world."  As  time  be- 
gan with  the  foundation  of  the  world,  so  whatever  was 
before  that,  was  eternal.  But  the  act  of  election  was 
before  the  world  began,  and  therefore  in  eternit}^ 

3.  The  everlasting  and  immutable  lovC  of  God  proves 
the  eternity  of  election  ;  for  his  love  consists  in  this, 
not  that  we  loved  God,  but  that  he  loved  us,  and  v.e 
love  him  because  he  first  loved  us.  John  iv,  10,  19. 
His  love  to  us  is  not  in  consequence  of  our  love  to 
him,  for  he  first  loved  us.  And  the  riches  of  his  mercy 
consist  in  this,  that  "  he  loved  us  with  a  great  love, 
even  when  we  were  dead  in  sins."  Eph.  xi,  4,  5.  He 
loved  their  persons,  not  their  sins.  He  everlastingly 
loved  their  persons  in  their  elect  head.  Jer.  xxxi,  3. 
*'  I  have  loved  thee  with  an  everlasting  love,  therefore 
with  loving  kindness  have  I  drawn  thee."  He  draws 
them  in  time  with  love,  because  he  everlastingly  loved 
them.  And  so  particular  was  his  eternal  love  for  them  as 
a  sacred  order  of  kings  and  priests,  that  in  consequence 
oHt  he  prepared  a  kingdom  for  them  from  the  founda- 
tion of  the  world,  and  in  it  a  seat  for  each  elect  person, 
which  cannot  be  given  to  another.  For  when  James 
and  John  requested  to  sit,  one  on  his  right  hand  and 
the  other  on  his  left,  in  his  glory  ;  he  answered,  "  to 
sit  on  my  right  liand,  and  on  my  left  hand,  is  not  mine  to 
give,  but  it  shall  be  given  to  them  for  whom  it  is  pre- 
pared." Markx,35 — 41.  The  kingdom  of  heaven  and 
the  seats  in  it  were  then  prepared  for  the  elect  from  the 
foundation  of  the  world.  Matt,  xxv,  53.  But  the  elect 
must  have  been  chosen  previous  to  the  preparing  of 
those  glorious  abodes  for  them.  For  those  seats  were 
prepared  for  them  in  consequence  of  their  election. 
Therefore  election  is  expressly  called  the  eternal  "pur- 
pose, which  God  hath  purposed  in  Christ."  Eph.  iii, 
11.  What  daring  blasphemy  then  to  give  God  the  lie, 
and  affirm,  that  they  were  chosen  in  time  on  condition 
of  their  owii  behavior  ! 

4.  The  eternity  of  election  appears  from  all  things 
relating  to  man's  salvation,  being  determined,  fixed 
and  settled  in  the  eternal  covenant  of  redemption.    In 


(       88       ) 

this  covenant,  Christ  pledged  himself  to  become  an- 
swerable for  all  their  guilt.  Isa.  liii,    1 — 11.   And  on 
condition  of  his  engagement  to   satisfy  the  demands 
of  justice  for  them,  by  magnifying  the  law  and  making 
it  honorable,  God  promised  him  a  numberless  multi- 
tude of  men.   Isa.  liii,   12.   "Therefore  will  I  divide 
him  a  portion  with  the  great,  and  he  shall  divide  the 
spoil  with  the  strong  ;   because  he  hath  poured  out  his 
soul  unto  death  :   and  he  was  numbered  with  trans- 
gressors ;   and  he  bare  the  sins  of  many,  and  made  in- 
tercession for  the  transgressors."      In  this  personal 
transaction,  all  the  blessings  of  the  new  covenant  were 
promised  to  Christ,  Gal.   iii,   16  ;   before  the  world 
began.  Tit.  i,  2.   "  In  hope  of  eternal  life,  which  God, 
that  cannot  lie,  promised  before  the  world  began.  2 
Tim.   i,  9.   "  Who  hath  saved  us  and  called  us  with 
an  holy  calling,  not  according  to  our  works,  but  ac- 
cording to  his  own  purpose  and  grace,  which  was  giv- 
en us  in  Christ  before  the  world  began."     This  pro- 
mise and  giv  ng  was  to  Christ,  that  the  blessings  might 
be  sure  to  all  his  spiritual  seed.   Gal.  iii,  15.    Heb. 
vi,    17.   Now  the  elect  as  chosen  in  Christ  before  the 
world  began,  are  the  heirs  of  this  immutable  promise, 
confirmed  by  oath  to  Christ  in  the  days  of  eternity. 
And  God  promised  Christ  in  the  m.ost  absolute  man- 
ner before  the  world  began,  that  by  the  merits  of  his 
blood,  he  would  release  the  elect  from  the  dominion 
of  satan  and  from  the  slavery  of  an  unregenerate  state. 
Zech.  ix,   11.  "  As  for  thee  also,  by  the  blood  of  thy 
covenant,  I  have  sent  forth  the  prisoners  out  of  the  pit 
wherein  is  no  water." 

This  brings  me  to  observe, 

5thly,That  election  is  absolute.  For,  1st.  Every  thing, 
which  could  reasonably  be  supposed  to  be  a  condiiion 
of  election,  is  but  a  part  of  election  itself.  The  pro- 
mise God  made  to  Abraham,  Gen.  xii,  7,  "  to  thy 
seed  will  I  give  this  land,"  gave  him  as  much  assur- 
ance of  a  seed  to  inherit  that  land,  as  that  the  land 
should  be  inherited  by  his  seed.  Election,  in  like 
manner,  includes  the  whole  series  of  things  which  tend 
to  the  accomplishment  of  salvation.     The  elect  are 


(       89       ) 

chosen  to  holiness,  Eph.  i,  4  ;  elected  unto  obedience 
and  purification  from  sin,  1st  Pet.  i,  2  ;  predestinated 
unto  the  adoption  of  children,  Eph.  i,  5  ;  predestinated 
to  the  praise  of  God's  glory,  l.ph.  i,  11,  12  ;  fore-or- 
dained to  walk  in  g-ood  works,  Eph.  ii,  11,  12  ;  chosen 
and  ordained  to  persevere  in  bringing  forth  fruits  of 
holiness,  John  xv,  16.  Thus  you  see  the  elect  w  ere 
chosen  before  the  foundation  of  the  world,  and  that 
their  election  includes  all  the  means  which  tend  to 
grace  and  glory.  To  these  they  were  chosen  before 
they  had  a  being,  and  consequently  before  they  could 
be  obedient.  Faith,  repentance  and  holiness  of  heart 
and  life,  are  therefore  essential  branches,  and  conse- 
quently indisputable  evidences  of  election.  They  are 
parts  of  one  undivided  magnificent  whole.  They  are 
all  of  God.  And  the  decree  includes  them  with  as 
much  certainty  as  if  the  elect  possessed  them,  when 
the  decree  was  made.  Consequently  they  can  with  no 
propriety  of  language  be  called  conditions  on  the  part 
of  ii>an. 

2.  Election  must  be  absolute,  because  God  could 
foresee  no  moral  goodness  in  man  as  a  motive  to  choose 
him.  For  the  scriptures  expressly  declare  there  was 
none,  Gen.  vi,  5.  "  And  God  saw  that  the  wickedness 
of  man  was  great  on  the  earth,  and  that  every  imagin- 
ation of  the  thoughts  of  his  heart  was  only  evil  con- 
tinually." Psal.  V,  9.  "  Their  inward  part  is  very  wick- 
edness." Eccl.  ix,  3.  "  The  heart  of  the  sons  of  men 
is  full  of  evil,  and  madness  is  in  their  heart  while  tlicy 
live."  Jer.  iv,  22.  "  They  are  wise  to  do  evil,  but  to 
do  good  they  have  no  knowledge."  Jer.  xvii,  9. 
"  The  heart  is  deceitful  above  all  things  and  desper- 
ately wicked."  1  Cor.  ii,  14.  "  The  natural  man  re- 
ceiveth  not  the  things  of  the  spirit  of  God,  for  they  arc 
foolishness  unto  him,  neither  can  he  know  them,  be- 
cause they  are  spiritually  discerned."  Rom.  viii,  7,  8. 
*'  The  carnal  mind  is  enmity  against  God  for  it  is  not 
subject  to  the  law  of  God,  neither  indeed  can  be,  so 
then  they  that  are  in  the  flesh  cannot  please  (iod." 
Jer.  xiii,  23.  "  Can  the  Ethiopian  change  his  skin,  or 
the  leopard  his  spots  ?    then  may  vc  also  do   good 

M 


(       90       ) 

that  are  accustomed  to  do  evil."  Now  it  appears 
from  scripture  light,  and  the  experience  of  those  re- 
newed, that  fallen  man  is  blind,  naked,  and  at  enmity 
with  whatever  is  good  ;  and  that  all  those,  who  glory- 
in  their  understanding,  boast  of  their  power,  freedom 
of  will,  and  improvement  of  common  grace,  are  in  a 
state  of  spiritual  darkness,  and  very  far  from  God. 
For  by  such  sentiments  they  are  puffed  up  with  pride 
and  presumption,  and  a  despising  of  the  peculiar  dis- 
tinguishing grace  of  God,  by  which,  if  ever,  they  must 
be  saved. 

3.  Election  must  be  absolute,  since  man  has  neither 
faith  nor  holiness,  nor  any  inclination  to  what  is  trul}'- 
and  acceptably  good  in  the  sight  of  a  holy  God,  but 
what  he  works  in  them  in  time.  Eph.  ii,  8.  '*  Faith 
and  that  not  of  yourselves  it  is  the  gift  of  God  ;"  a  gift 
which  God  himself  works  in  the  heart  of  his  children, 
Col.  ii,  12.  "  Through  the  faith  of  the  operation  of 
God."  Heb.  xii,  2.  "  Jesus  the  author  and  finisher  of 
our  faith."  Phil,  i,  29.  "  Unto  you  it  is  given  in  the 
behalf  of  Christ,  not  only  to  believe  on  him,  but  also 
to  suffer  for  his  sake.''  Acts  v,  31.  "  God  exalted 
Christ  to  give  repentance."  Now  as  faith,  repentance 
and  Christian  fortitude  are  the  free  gifts  and  work  of 
God  ;  so  they  can  with  no  propriety  whatever  be  call- 
ed conditions  on  the  part  of  man.  Indeed  to  call  them 
conditions  on  the  part  of  man  is  to  rob  God  of  the 
glory  of  his  work,  and  to  take  the  work  of  salvation 
out  of  his  hands. 

4.  Election  must  be  absolute,  because  conditional 
election  would  overthrow  the  very  foundation  of  the 
piromises,  and  destroy  the  whole  nature  of  the  great 
salvation.  For  all  the  promises  spring  from  mere  love 
and  sovereign  grace  ;  since  there  was  nothing  in  man's 
corrupt  nature  to  move  God  to  provide  a  remedy  for 
him,  who  had  destroyed  himself  and  was  his  bitter  en- 
emy, unless  you  suppose  man's  sin  and  misery  to  be 
it,  which  would  destroy  the  common  idea  of  condi- 
tional salvation.  Therefore,  to  suspend  the  promise 
of  God's  love  and  grace  on  the  faith  and  repentance 
of  those  to  whom  it  was  made,  is  perfectly  to  destroy 
it,  and  to  place  the  merit  of  it  in  man,  whereas  it  arose 


(       91       ) 

purely  fi-om  the  grace  of  God.     Besides  it  utterly  de- 
stroys the  nature  of  salvation  from  sin  and  misery. 

For  they  hold  saving  f\\ith,  which  is  the  spiritual'  life 
of  the  Christian,  and  evangelical  repentance,  which  is  a 
loathing  of  sin,  and  the  principle  which  causes  the  pen- 
itent to  turn  away  from  it  to  God,  to  be  acts  of  the 
creature  previous  to  divine  acceptance.  Now  to  af- 
firm, that  God  will  save  none,  but  on  condition  they 
\vill  thus  deliver  themselves  from  their  sins,  is  to  as- 
sert a  plain  contradiction,  and  wholly  to  destroy  the 
promised  salvation.  For  God  has  not  promised  to  save 
men  because  they  had  faith  and  were  penitent,  but  by 
promising  to  save  them,  he  has  promised  to  give  them 
faith  and  repentance.  And  to  make  the  creatures'  act- 
ing faith  and  repentance,  the  condition  of  his  saving 
them,  is  to  take  the  work  out  of  his  hand,  and  to  make 
both  him  and  his  salvation  useless.  For  the  nature 
of  the  covenant  of  grace  consists  in  this,  that  God  in 
Jt  makes  men  righteous  and  holy,  Ezek.  xi,  19,  20. 
So  that  righteousness  and  holiness  on  the  part  of  the 
cresfture  cannot  be  the  condition  of  God's  salvation^ 
unless  it  be  the  condition  of  making  it  useless.  So  that 
upon  the  whole  the  contest  between  God  and  the  Ar- 
minians  lies  here  :  God  engages  to  give  men  righte- 
ousness by  the  covenant  of  grace,  the  Arminians  take 
upon  themselves  to  be  righteous  that  God  may  make 
that  covenant  with  them. 

5.  That  election  is  absolute,  appears  evident  from 
our  text.  God  chose  us  that  we  should  be  holy,  and 
predestinated  us  according  to  the  good  pleasure  of  his 
will.  We  were  not  chosen  as  holy,  nor  for  holiness 
foreseen,  but  we  were  chosen  that  we  should  be  holy. 
And  his  good  pleasure  was  the  spring  or  cause  of  our 
election.  Indeed  so  very  far  was  God  from  choosing 
us  on  account  of  faith  and  holiness  foreseen,  that  he 
did  not  choose  us  for  the  obedience  of  Christ  foreseen. 
God  did  not  love  us  from  eternity  because  Christ  wa:i 
to  die  for  us  in  time,  but  he  loved  us  from  his  own 
good  pleasure.  Being  self-moved,  he  loved  us  with 
an  everlasting  love,  in  consequence  of  which  he  sent 
his  Son  to  die  for  us.     Christ's  death  was  then  the 


(    9^    ) 

fruit  aad  effect  of  our  election,  but  not  the  cause  of  it. 
Now  if  Chrisfs  most  exalted  obedience  \vas  not  the 
cause  of  our  election,  much  less  could  our  own  de- 
servinp-s  be  the  cause  of  it.  Consequently  no  other 
reason  can  be  assigned  why  God  chose  any,  or  one  in 
preference  to  another,  than  the  mere  good  pleasure  of 
his  will.  For  he  did  not  choose  us  because  we  were 
worthy,  but  to  make  us  so.  Holiness  then  is  not  the 
cause  of  our  election,  but  it  is  the  fruit  and  effect 
thereof.  God  chose  us  in  eternity,  that  we  should  be 
initially,  progressively  and  perseveringly  holy,  and 
that  we  should  be  accounted  blameless  in  his  sight 
through  faith  in  Christ's  righteousness,  in  time,  and 
that  we  should  be  perfectly  holy  when  time  shall  be 
110  more. 

6.  Election  must  be  absolute,  because  the  apostle 
expressly  declares,  that  the  purpose  of  God  according 
to  election,  is  not  of  works.  Rom.  ix.  11.  Andalittle 
afterward  affirms,  that  "  God  hath  not  cast  away  his 
people  whom  he  fore-knew,"  which  he  proves  from 
God's  saying  to  Elias  that  "he  had  reserved  seven 
thousand  to  himself"  from  the  general  defection  of 
those  times;  and  lest  any  should  say  it  was  because  they 
"  did  not  bow  to  the  image  of  Baal,"  he  assures  us  in 
the  following  words,  that  it  was  no  such  thing.  God 
preserved  them  from  idolatry,  while  others  were  per- 
mitted to  apostatize  from  the  true  worship  of  God. 
*'  Even  so  then,  at  this  present  time  also,  there  is  a 
remnant,  according  to  the  election  of  grace."  And  if 
by  grace,  namely,  electing  grace,  "  then  it  is  no  more 
of  works;  otherwise  grace  is  no  more  grace.  But  if 
it  be  of  works,  then  it  is  no  more  grace  ;  otherwise 
work  is  no  riiore  work."  According  to  the  apostle's 
arguing  there  can  be  ro  medium  here.  For  every 
man's  salvation  must  take  its  rise  wholly  from  the 
free  grace  of  God  in  election,  or  wholly  from  his  own 
"works.  "  And  if  by  grace,  then  it  is  no  more  of 
works,  o  heruise  grace  is  no  more  grace."  Grace  to- 
tally excUides  works,  and  works  totally  exclude  grace. 
Grace  and  works  cannot  stand  together  in  the  matter 
of  a  sinner's  acceptance  with  God.     *'  But  if  it  be  of 


(       53       ) 

works,  then  it  is  no  more  grace  ;  otherwise  work  is  no 
more  work."  The  least  mixture  of  works  would  de- 
stroy the  grace  of  God  in  the  salvation  of  sinners.  Gal. 
V,  4.  "  Christ  is  become  of  none  effect  unto  you, 
whosoever  of  you  are  justified  by  the  law,  ye  are  fallen 
from  grace."  If  you  lay  down  but  the  least  observ- 
ance of  the  law  as  a  condition  of  salvation,  you  re- 
nounce Christ  as  a  Saviour  altogether.  For  "  election 
is  of  grace,  and  if  by  grace,  then  it  is  no  more  of 
works."  Nothing  can  be  more  absurd  than  to  join 
grace  and  works  together  in  the  cause  of  salvation 
from  sin.  Rom.  iv,  4.  "  To  him  that  worketh,  is 
the  reward  not  reckoned  of  grace,  but  of  debt."  For 
grace  and  works  are  as  inconsistent  with  each  other  in 
the  cause  of  salvation  as  any  two  contrarieties  can 
possibly  be.  "  And  if  by  grace,  then  it  is  no  more 
of  work."  But  though  it  be  totally  absurd  and  in- 
consistent to  join  grace  and  works  together  in  the 
cause  of  salvation,  yet  they  will  agree  perfectly  well 
in  this  respect,  that  grace,  viz.  electing  grace,  always 
produces  good  works,  Eph.  xi,  8,  9,  10.  *'  For  bv 
grace  are  ye  saved  through  faith,  and  that  not  of  your- 
selves, it  is  the  gift  of  God  :  not  of  works,  lest  any  man 
should  boast."  And  to  confirm  that  the  cause  of  sal- 
vation is  wholly  of  grace  to  the  total  exclusion  of 
works,  he  adds,  "  For  we  are  his  workmanship,  cre- 
ated in  Christ  Jesus  unto  good  works,  which  God  hath 
before  ordained  that  we  should  walk  in  them."  But 
the  doctrine  of  conditional  election,  which  gives  the 
creature  so  much  room  to  boast,  and  to  put  in  a  claim 
for  so  large  a  share  in  the  honor  of  his  own  salvation, 
cannot  possibly  be  of  God,  on  account  of  the  absurd 
consequences  which  follow  it.  For  all  those  who  de- 
ny the  doctrine  which  has  been  supported,  must  sup- 
pose the  salvation  of  Q\Q.vy panic iilar  man  to  originate 
wholly  within  himself;  or  at  least  to  be  divided  be- 
tween God  and  the  creature.  They  imagine  mankind 
to  be  in  a  salvable  state,  that  final  salvation  is  suspend- 
ed on  the  will  of  man,  and  that  its  buccess  as  lo patii- 
cidar  persons  is  not  the  residt  and  fruit  of  God's  pur- 
pose of  grace,   but  depends  upon  their  own  reason, 


.(       94      ) 

will  and  choice,  compliance  with,  and  improvementr 
of,  what  they  call  the  grace  of  God,  by  which  they 
seem  to  mean  nothing  more  than  a  general  grace^, 
which  goes  along  with  the  gospel,  and  is  so  common 
to  all,  that  one  may  improve  it  as  well,  and  to  equal 
advantage  as  another.  And  if  it  be  thus,  the  sinner 
saved  is  furnished  with  a  ready  and  easy  answer  to  that 
question,  1.  Cor.  iv,  7,  *'  Who  maketh  thee  to  differ 
from  another  ?  and  what  hast  thou  that  thou  didst  not 
receive  ?  Now  if  thou  didst  receive  it,  why  dost  thou 
glory  as  if  thou  hadst  not  received  it  ?"  His  answer 
would  be,  "  /have  made  myself  to  differ  from  anoth- 
er. I  cannot  ascribe  the  happy  difference  to  the  free 
and  powerful  grace  of  God,  for  I  had  no  more  of  that 
than  those  who  perish  ;  therefore  I  must  ascribe  it 
wholly  to  my  own  self,  to  my  own  reason  and  choice, 
good  conduct  and  improvement  :  so  that  upon  the 
whole.  I  must  glory  in,  and  boast  of  what  I  differ  from, 
others,  for  that  difference  was  not  given  me  by  grace, 
but  is  the  result  and  fruit  of  my  own  works  and  im- 
provements." This  makes  good  the  apostle's  argu- 
ment, that  election  is  wholly  of  grace,  or  wholly  of 
works,  and  that  the  doctrine  of  conditional  election 
cannot  be  of  God,  since  it  gives  the  creature  so  much 
room  to  boast,  and  robs  God  of  the  honor  of  his  work 
of  salvation  ;  for  he  will  not  have  any  thing  of  his  glo- 
ry given  to  another.  And  nothing  can  be  more  con- 
trary  to  the  whole  design  of  the  gospel,  which  is  to. 
stain  the  pride  of  all  flesh,  cut  off  every  occasion  of 
glorying  from  the  creature,  and  to  secure  to  divine 
grace  its  full  honors.  For  the  glorious  God  aims  at 
the  exaltation  of  free  grace  in  the  whole  plan  of  man's, 
salvation.  And  for  this  purpose  he  has  admirably  fit- 
ted the  whole  frame  from  the  first  corner  stone,  to  the 
bringing  forth  the  top  stone  thereof.  2.  Tim.  i,  9. 
"Who  hath  saved  us.  and  called  us  with  an  holy  calling, 
not  according  to  our  works,  but  according  to  his  own 
purpose  and  grace,  which  was  given  us  in  Christ  Jesus, 
before  the  world  began."  Tit.  iii,  5.  "  Not  by  works 
of  righteousness  which  we  have  done,  but  according 
to  his  mercy  he  saved  us,  by  the  washing  of  regenera- 


{       ^5       ) 

lion  and  renewing  of  the  Holy  Ghost."  1  Cor.  i,  29, 
30,  31.  "  That  no  flesh  should  glory  in  his  presence. 
But  of  him  are  ye  in  Christ  Jesus,  who  of  God  is  made 
unto  us  wisdom,  and  righteousness,  and  sanctification, 
and  redemption  ;  that  accordin.s;  as  it  is  written,  he 
that  glorieth,  let  him  glory  in  the  Lord."  Eph.  xi,  4, 
5,  6,  7,  8,  9.  "But  God,  who  is  rich  in  mercy,  for 
his  great  love  wherewith  he  loved  us,  even  when  we 
were  dead  in  sins,  hath  quickened  us  together  with 
Christ ;  by  grace  ye  are  saved  ;  and  hath  raised  us  up 
together,  and  made  us  sit  together  in  heavenly  places 
in  Christ  Jesus  ;  that  in  the  ages  to  come  he  might 
show  the  exceeding  riches  of  his  grace,  in  his  kind- 
ness towards  us,  through  Christ  Jesus.  "  For  by  grace 
are  ye  saved,  through  faith,  and  that  not  of  your- 
selves ;  it  is  the  gift  of  God  :  not  of  works,  lest  any 
man  should  boast.'' 

7.  That  election  is  absolute,  appears  from  God's  deal- 
ings with  Saul.  When  our  blessed  Lord  appeared  to 
him,  the  whole  company  were  struck  into  amazement. 
They  heard  a  voice  but  knew  not  \\  hat  it  meant.  Acts 
ix,  7.  and  xxii,  9.  But  how  was  this,  since  they  were 
as  likely  to  yield  to  the  heavenl}"  vision  as  he  ? — Be- 
cause God  selected  him  out  from  among  the  rest,  di- 
rected and  conveyed  the  distinct  pronunciation  and 
meaning  of  the  words,  not  to  them,  but  to  him  ;  and 
afterward  commanded  Ananias  to  go  and  preach  Jesus 
to  him,  "  for  he  is  a  chosen  vessel,"  saith  the  Lord. 
Acts  ix,  6,  15.  And  when  he  afterwards  spoke  of  his 
conversion  and  call  to  the  apostleship,  he  cannot  but 
ascribe  them  to  the  powerful  grace  of  God,  in  conse- 
quence of  his  previous  purpose  of  election.  Gal.  i,  15, 
16.  *'  It  pleased  God,  who  separated  me  from  my  mo- 
ther's womb,  and  called  me  by  his  grace,  to  reveal  his 
Son  in  me,  that  I  might  preach  him  among  the  hea- 
then." God  did  not  therefore  intend  that  voice  for 
them,  and  consequently  did  not  open  their  ears  to  liear 
it,  nor  did  he  direct  it  to  them,  but  to  Saul  by  name. 
But  why  direct  it  to  Saul  rather  than  tiie  rest  since  he 
was  the  ringleader  and  chief  persecutor  in  the  gang, 
which  he  confesses  made  him  peculiarly  unworthy  of 


(        95       ) 

the  grace  of  God.  1  Cor.  xv,  9.  ''  For  I  am  the  least 
of  the  apostles,  that  am  not  meet  to  be  called  an  apos* 
tie,  because  I  persecuted  the  church  of  God."  The  rea- 
son is  given.  Acts  xxii,  14.  "  The  God  of  our  fathers 
hath  chosen  thee,  that  thou"  shouldest  "  know  his  will, 
and  see  that  just  one,  and"  shouldest  "  hear  the  voice 
of  his  mouth."  In  a  word,  C^od  chose  him  that  he 
should  be  an  accomplished  Christian  ;  in  consequence 
of  which,  God  worked  in  him  a  will  to  do  that  which 
was  good,  and  the  deed  from  that  will,  which  work  of 
God,  in  consequence  of  his  previous  election,  caused 
him  not  to  be  disobedient  to  the  heavenly  vision.  God's 
work  in  saving  him,  in  consequence  of  having  pre- 
viously elected  him,  was  so  far  the  completion  of  the 
decree.  Therefore  nothing  can  be  more  absurd  than 
to  suppose,  that  God's  work  in  fulfilling  his  own  de- 
cree could  possibly  be  a  condition  of  the  creature's 
performance,  which  caused  God  to  make  the  de- 
cree. It  would  be  to  confound  things  which  are  quite 
distinct  ;  and  to  ascribe  the  work  of  God  to  the  crea- 
ture, God's  work  of  grace  in  saving  sinners  from 
eternal  ruin,  in  consequence  of  his  decree  to  do  so, 
cannot  possibly  be  the  cause  or  condition  of  his  mak- 
For  the  eternal  decree  is  the  pattern 
"  He  worketh  all 
things  after  the  counsel  of  his  own  will.*' 

8.  Election  must  be  absolute,  since  it  is  impossible 
to  mention  one  work,  or  duty,  which  could  be  suppos- 
ed to  be  a  condition  of  man's  salvation,  but  what  the 
bible  declares  it  to  be  either  the  work  or  free  gift  of 
God,  as  may  be  seen  from  the  following  statement. 


ing  that  decree. 

after  which  he  worketh  all  things. 


If  3'^e  be  willing  and  obe- 
dient ye  shall  eat  the  good 
of  the  land.  Isa.  i,  19.  This 
relates  only  to  temporal 
benefits,  which  the  Jews 
were  to  enjoy  in  Canaan. 


Covenant  of  Grace. 
Thy  people  shall  be  wil- 
ling in  the  day  of  thy  pow- 
er. Psal.  ex,  3.  I  will  cause 
you  to  walk  in  my  statutes. 
Ezek.  xxxvi,  27. 


(       97      ) 


Wash  ye — make  you 
clean,  put  away  the  evil  of 
your  doings  :  cease  to  do 
evil,  learn  to  do  well.  Isa. 
i,  16,  17.  Surely  the  sons 
ofpride,who  imagine  them- 
selves to  be  as  gods,  will 
find  it  a  hard  work  to  pu- 
rify themselves  from  the 
corruption  of  their  nature. 
And  though  it  be  their  du- 
ty to  do  so,  yet  they  have 
made  themselves  unable  by 
sin.  They  have  ruined 
themselves.  And  God  com- 
mands  them  to  do  it  in  or- 
der to  show  them  the  ne- 
cessity of  an  almighty  work 
of  grace,  to  conquer  their 
corruptions,  and  to  shew 
them  that  their  boasted  a- 
bility  is  but  a  lie  in  their 
right  hand. 

Repent  and  turn  from 
all  your  transgressions  ;  so 
iniquity  shall  not  be  your 
ruin.  Ezek.  xviii,  30.  Je- 
sus works  the  principle  of 
repentance  in  man,  and 
man's  exercising  that  prin- 
ciple is  his  repentance. 

Make  you  a  new  heart 
and  a  new  spirit.  Kzek. 
xviii,  31.  Man  cannot 
cause  his  own  holiness  of 
heart.  He  cannot  regen- 
erate himself  It  is  Divine 
agency  that  prepares  men 
for  heaven. 


I  will  sprinkle  clean  wa- 
ter upon  you,  and  ye  shall 
be  clean  :  from  all  your 
filthiness  willlcleanseyou. 
Rzek.  xxxvi,  25.  I,  even 
1  am  he  that  blotteth  out 
thy  transgressions  for  mine 
own  soke,  and  Vvill  not  re- 
member thy  sins.  Isa.  xliii. 
25. 


Surely  after  that  I  was 
turned,  I  repented,  Jer. 
xxxi,  18.  Christ  gives  re- 
pentance. Acts  V,  31.  I 
will  put  my  spirit  within 
you,  and  cause  you  to  walk 
in  my  statutes,  and  ye  shall 
keep  my  judgments,  and 
do  them.  Ezek. xxxvi,  27. 

A  new  heart  also  will  I 
give  you,  and  a  new  spirit 
will  1  put  within  you.  Ezek. 
xxxvi,  26. 


a 


(        98       ) 

These  commands  are  useful  to  shew  us  our  datT^ 
and  wliat  qualifications  are  necessary  evidences  of  be- 
ing in  a  state  of  grace.  And  as  they  shew  us  our  du- 
ty, so  they  teach  us  the  wretched  condition  of  men  in 
a  state  of  unrenewed  nature.  Jer.  iv,  22,  "  They  are 
sottish  children,  and  they  have  none  understanding  : 
they  are  wise  to  do  evil,  but  to  do  good  they  have  no 
knowledge."  Therefore  God's  working  every  thing 
that  can  possibly  be  supposed  to  be  a  condition  of 
man's  salvation  shews  the  necessity  ol"  an  Almighty 
work  of  grace  to  turn  the  sinner  from  the  evil  of  his 
way,  and  to  cause  him  to  serve  the  living  and  true 
God.  Eph.  i,  19.  "  And  what  is  the  exceeding  great-, 
ness  of  his  power  to  us- ward  who  believe  according  to 
the  working  of  his  mighty  power,  which  he  wrought 
in  Christ  when  he  raised  him  from  the  dead."  It  is 
called  the  power  of  God,  the  greatness  of  his  power, 
the  exceeding  greatness  of  his  power,  according  to  the 
working  of  his  mighty  power,  even  that  almighty  pow- 
er which  raised  Christ's  dead  body,  and  consequently 
an  invincible  power;  God  exercises  this  power  toward 
those  whom  he  brings  to  believe.  To  us-ward  who 
believe,  on  purpose  that  no  flesh  should  glory  in  his 
presence.  1  Cor.  i,  29.  Since  it  is  God  who  worketh 
all  in  all,  both  to  will  and  to  do  of  his  good  pleasure. 
1  Cor.  xii,  6.    Phil,  ii,   13. 

Jer.  xvii,  5.  "  Cursed  be  the  man  that  trusteth  in 
man,  and  maketh  flesh  his  arm."  John  iii,  27.  "  A 
man  can  receive  nothing  except  it  be  given  him  from 
heaven."  James  i,  17.  "  Every  good  gift,  and  eve- 
ry perfect  gift  is  from  above,  and  cometh  down  from 
the  Father  of  lights,  with  whom  is  no  variableness,  nei- 
ther shadow  of  turning,"  1  Pet.  i,  3.  "  His  divine 
power  hath  given  unto  us  all  things  that  pertain  unto 
life  and  godliness."  John  i,  13.  "  Which  were  born, 
not  of  blood,  nor  of  the  will  of  the  flesh,  nor  of  the 
will  of  man,  but  of  God."  Jam.  i,  18.  "  Of  his  own 
will  begat  he  us."  Eph.  i,  10.  "  For  we  are  his  woik- 
manship,  created  in  Christ  Jesus  unto  good  works, 
which  God  hath  before  ordained  that  we  should  walk 
ill  them."     Isa.  xxvi,  12.    "  Thou  also  hast  wrought 


(       99       ) 

all  our  works  in  us."  Isa.  Iv,  11.  "  So  shall  my 
word  be  that  goeth  forth  out  of  my  mouth  :  It  shall 
not  return  unto  me  void  ;  but  it  shall  accomplish  that 
which  I  please  ;  and  it  shall  prosper  in  the  thing  wherc- 
unto  I  sent  it."  Ezek.  xxvi,  16.  "A  new  heart 
also  will  I  give  you,  and  a  new  spirit  will  I  put  within 
you  ;  and  I  will  take  away  the  stony  heart  out  of  your 
flesh,  and  I  will  give  you  an  heart  of  flesh,"  Ver.  27. 
*'  And  I  will  put  my  spirit  within  you,  and  cause  you 
to  walk  in  my  statutes,  and  ye  shall  keep  my  statutes, 
and  do  them."  Ver.  28.  "  And  ye  shall  be  my  peo- 
ple, and  I  will  be  your  God."  Ver.  31.  "  Then  shall 
ye  remember  your  own  evil  ways,  and  your  doings 
that  were  not  good,  and  shall  loathe  yourselves  in  your 
own  sight  for  your  iniquities,  and  for  30ur  abomina- 
tions." Ver.  32.  "  Not  for  your  sakes  do  I  this,  saith 
the  Lord  God,  be  it  known  unto  you  :  be  ashamed 
and  confounded  for  your  own  wa3'3."  Ver.  22.  "  I 
do  not  this  for  your  sakes,  but  for  mine  holy  name's 
sake,  which  ye  have  profaned."  2  Tim.  i,  9.  "  Who 
hath  saved  us  and  called  us  with  an  holy  calling,  not 
according  to  our  works,  but  according  to  his  own  pur- 
pose and  grace,  which  was  given  us  in  Christ  Jesus 
before  the  world  began."  Tit.  iii.  5.  "  Not  by  works 
of  righteousness  wliich  we  liave  done,  but  according 
to  his  mercy  he  saved  us,  by  the  washing  of  regen- 
eration, and  renewing  of  the  Holy  Ghost. 

But,  sixthly  and  lastly, 

Election  is  immutable  ;  that  is,  none  of  the  elect 
can  lose  that  grace  and  glory  which  God  has  decreed 
for  them. 

1.  Election  must  be  immutable  from  the  death  of 
Christ,  which,  as  you  have  heard,  was  irreversibly 
ordained  to  be  the  principal  means  of  their  salvation. 
And  all  saved  before  his  crucifixion  were  saved  by 
virtue  of  that  decree.  licb.  ix,  15.  And  at  the  ap- 
pointed time  God  sent  him  into  the  workl  to  be  the 
substitute  of  elect  men,  and  loaded  him  w  ith  the 
onrse  of  the  law  which  was  due  to  tlieir  every  sin.  G'jI. 
iv,  4,  and  iii,  13  ;  Dan.  ix,  2'1.— 20.  Now  to  lay 
down  the  price,  v/ithout  securing  the  purchase,  would 


(      100      ) 

be  to  act  beneath  the  dignity  of  a  wise  and  prudent 
nvdu.  How  absurd  then  to  suppose  that  God  could 
pf.ssibly  predetermine  and  lay  down  the  infinitely  pre- 
cious price,  the  life  of  his  only  begotten  and  well  be- 
loved Son,  to  save  elect  men,  without  securing  the 
certainty  of  their  salvation.  Had  not  the  certainty  of 
their  salvation  been  secured  God's  whole  saving  de- 
sign  might  have  been  defeated,  and  the  precious  blood 
of  Christ  might  have  been  shed  in  vain  as  we  have 
already  seen. 

2.  Election  must  be  immutable,  because  the  scrip- 
tures expressly  declare  that  elect  men  shall  inherit  fi- 
nal salvation.     *'  Whom  he  did  predestinate  them  he 
also  glorified."     "  The  election  hath  obtained  it,  and 
the  rest  were  blinded."     Rom.  xi,  7.     "  But  Israel 
shall  be  saved  in  the  Lord  with  an  everlasting  salva- 
tion :  ye  shall  not  be  ashamed  nor  confounded,  world 
without  end."     Isa.  xlv,   17.   "  For  a  small  moment 
have  I  forsaken  thee  ;   but  with  great  mercies  will  I 
gather  thee.     In  a  little  wrath  I  hid  my  face  from  thee 
for  a  moment  ;  but  with  everlasting  kindness  will  I 
have  mercy  on  thee,  saith  the  Lord  thy  Redeemer. 
For  this  is  as  the   waters  of  Noah  unto  me  :   for  as  I 
have  sworn  that  the  waters  of  Noah  should  no  more 
go  over  the  earth  ;   so  have  I  sworn  that  I  w^ould  not 
be  wroth  with  thee  nor  rebuke  thee.     For  the  moun- 
tains shall  depart,  and  the  hills  be  removed  :   but  my 
kindness  shall  not  depart  from  thee,  neither  shall  the 
covenant  of  my  peace  be  removed,  saith  the  Lord  that 
hath  mercy  on  thee."  Isai.  liv,  7,  8,   9,   10.  "And 
I  will  make  an  everlasting  covenant  with  them,  that  I 
will  not  turn  away  from  them  to  do  them  good  ;   but 
I  will  put  my  fear  into  their  hearts,  that  they  shall  not 
depart  from  me."  Jer.  xxxii  40.   "  I  will  put  my  laws 
inU)  their  mind,  and  write  them  in  their  hearts  ;   and 
I  will  be  to  them  a  God,  and  they  shall  be  to  me  a 
people — For  I  will  be  merciful  to  their  unrighteous- 
ness, and  their  sins,  and  their  iniquities  will  1  remem- 
ber no  more  "  Heb.  viii,  10 — 12.     "  And  as  many  as 
were  ordained  to  eternal  life  believed."    Acts  xiii,  48. 
All  were  not  ordained  to  eternal  life,  else  all  would 


(       101      ) 

have  believed.  For  they  were  not  ordained  on  ac- 
count of  faith,  nor  of  its  acts,  but  they  were  "  ordain- 
ed to  obtain  faith  by  our  Lord  J<"sus  Christ."  1  Thess. 
V,  9.  Therefore  those  ordained  to  eternal  life  shall 
believe.  "  And  he  that  belie veth  hath  everlasting 
life,  and  shall  not  come  into  condemnation  ;  but  is 
passed  from  death  unto  life."  John  v,  24.  These  ab- 
solute promises  of  saving  blessings  are  a  transcript  of 
the  decree  of  election.  They  were  made  to  Christ, 
and  confirmed  to  him  by  the  oath  of  Almighty  God. 
*'  Because  God  could  swear  by  no  greater,  he  swore 
by  himself,"  pledged  his  eternal  Godhead  for  the  ab- 
solute performance  of  every  blessing  contained  in  the 
covenant  of  grace.  Hence  they  are  sure  and  stedfast. 
Heb.  vi,  16,  17.  Now  the  apostle's  argument  lies 
here,  that  to  deny  the  immutable  stability  of  the  de- 
cree of  election  is  not  only  to  accuse  God  of  a  lie,  but 
also  to  charge  him  with  perjury.  Which  is  a  most 
horrid  and  satanical  blasphemy.  "  For  God,  willing 
to  shew  unto  the  heirs  of  promise  the  immutability  of 
his  counsel,  confirmed  it  by  an  oath."  It  was  on  the 
irreversible  stability  of  the  decree  that  St.  Paul  stood, 
when  he  challenged  the  universe  to  nullify,  or  set  aside 
the  election  of  God.  "  Who  shall  lay  any  thing  to 
the  charge  of  God's  elect  ?  Who  is  he  that  condenin- 
eth  :"  Christ  has  died  for  us.  "  He  is  the  end  of  the 
law  for  righteousness  to  every  one  that  believeth  ;  so 
that  there  is  no  condemnation  to  them  who  are  in  Christ 
Jesus."  He  has  paid  our  debt.  He  bore  the  punish- 
ment due  to  our  sins.  The  justice  of  God  is  engaged 
for  our  final  salvation.  It  would  be  reckoned  among 
mankind  a  very  iniquitous  act  for  a  creditor  to  receive 
full  payment  and  ample  satisfaction  from  the  hand  of 
the  bondsman,  or  surety,  and  then  to  cast  the  original 
debtor  into  prison,  or  even  to  demand  a  second  pay- 
ment from  him.  And  how  shall  we  ascribe  sucli  ini- 
quitous act  to  our  righteous  Creator  ?  God  forljid. — ' 
The  holy  apostle  proceeds  to  enumerate  every  kind  of 
temporal  adversity  which  could  have  the  remotest  ten- 
dency "  to  separate  them  from  the  love  of  Christ," 
and  then  positively  declares,  that  "  in  all  these  things 


(       102      ) 

we  are  more  than  conquerors  through  him  that  loved 
lis."  He  then  goes  on  to  shew  that  no  one  thing, 
hovvev^er  powerful,  can  possibly  separate  God's  chil- 
dren from  his  love.  "  For  I  am  persuaded  (absolute- 
ly assured)  that  neither  death,  nor  life,  nor  angels, 
(whether  good  or  bad)  nor  principalities,  nor  powers, 
(not  the  powers  of  men  or  devils)  nor  things  present, 
nor  things  to  come,  nor  height,  nor  depth,  nor  any 
other  creature,  (and  consequently  nothing)  shall  be 
able  to  separate  us  from  the  love  of  God  which  is  in 
Christ  Jesus  our  Lord."  Rom.  viii,  32 — 39.  Nay, 
*'  we  know  that  all  things  work  together  for  good  to 
them  that  love  God,  to  them  who  are  the  called  accord- 
ing to  his  purpose."  And  "  they  are  kept  by  the  pow- 
er of  God  through  faith  unto  salvation."  1  Pet,  i,  5. 
And  I  cannot,  for  my  own  part,  see  how  any  one  that 
even  pretends  to  believe  the  bible,  could  once  suppose 
any  of  God's  children  should  finally  miscarry. 

3.  The  nature  of  election  makes  it  immutable.  God 
has  predestinated  us  unto  "  the  adoption  of  children: 
by  Jesus  Christ  to  himself,  according  to  the  good  plea- 
sure of  his  will,"  saith  my  text.  Election  is  founded 
on  the  will  and  good  pleasure  of  God,  not  on  the  worth 
and  deservings  of  the  creature.  "  It  is  your  Father's 
good  pleasure  to  give  you  the  kingdom."  Luke  xii, 
32.  Now  the  will  and  power  of  God,  as  an  absolute 
sovereign,  cannot  be  regulated  by  the  will,  power  and 
conduct  of  any  other.  For  that  would  be  to  destroy 
his  sovereignty,  and  to  make  him  a  dependent  being. 
If  God  has  sovereign  authority,  then  he  must  dispose 
his  favors  of  mercy  and  grace  in  an  absolute  mannero 
Accordingly  "  he  worketh  all  things  (not  from  mo- 
tives  taken  from  the  creatures,  but)  after  the  counsel 
of  his  own  will."  Therefore  the  disposal  of  his  mer- 
cy and  grace,  whether  in  purpose  or  in  act,  is  regulat- 
ed not  by  the  will  of  man,  but  by  the  will  of  God. 
Whence  those  who  receive  Christ  and  believe  on  him 
are  said  to  be  "  born  not  of  blood,  nor  of  the  will  of 
the  flesh,  nor  of  the  will  of  man,  but  of  God."  John 
i,  13.  "  So  then  it  is  not  of  him  that  willeth,  nor  of 
him  that  runneth,  but  of  God  that  shevveth  mercy," 


(      103       ) 

Horn.  IX,  16.  Now  as  God's  will  is  unchangeable* 
and  as  it  is  the  rule  of  his  conduct,  according  to  which 
he  predestinated  the  elect,  therefore  election,  the  high- 
est act  of  God's  sovereignty,  must  remainfor  ever  im- 
mutable. Therefore  election  is  not  of  works,  that 
God's  purpose  according  to  election  might  stand. 
Rom.  ix,   II. 

4.  Election  must  be  immutable  ;  for  we  read  t>f  ve- 
ry artftil  and  crafty  seducers,  who  make  use  of  un- 
wearied diligence,  and  pretend  to  great  signs  of  being 
sent  of  God,  and  to  work  wonderful  things  by  his  au- 
thority, insomuch  that  they  delude  and  carry  away  af- 
ter them  great  multitudes  in  every  age  of  the  church, 
and  by  the  power  of  their  delusion  and  sly  cunning  se- 
duction, v/ould  seduce  the  elect  were  there  a  possibili- 
ty of  it.   Mark  xiii,  22.    "  For  false  Christs  and  false 
prophets  shall  rise,  and  shall  shew  signs  and  wonders, 
to  seduce,  if  it  were  possible,  even  the  elect."   Bless- 
ed be  God  then,  all  the  powers  of  delusion  cannot  se- 
duce and  draw  away  the  elect.     But  how  differently 
does  it  fare  with  others  in  such  perilous  times.     And 
they  that  dwell  on  the  earth  shall  wonder,  whose  names 
were  not  written  in  the  book  of  life  from  the  founda- 
tion of  the  world,  Vv^hen  they  behold  the  beast.     And 
we  are  told  in  2  Tim.  ii,  17,  18,  of  Hymenius  and 
Philetus,  two  of  the  active  subtile  seducers,  which 
were  in  the  apostles'  times,  who  overthrew  the  faith  of 
some,  that  is  the  historical  faith  of  some,  or  caused  them 
to  renounce  the  doctrine  of  faith  by  denying  the  resur- 
rection of  the  body.   And  though  they  deluded  unsound 
and  hypocritical  professors,  yet  they  could  not  by  all 
their  artifice  and  cunning  draw  one  believer  out  of  the 
way.   Verse  19.   "  Nevertheless  the  foundation  of  God 
standeth  sure,  having  this  seal,  the  Lord  knowcth  them 
that  are  his."   This  foundation  which  stands  sure  sig- 
nifies the  elect,  who  stand  firm,  stcdiast  and  immove- 
able, as  in  Matt,  xxiv,  24  ;   which  interpretation  is 
agreeable  to  the   connexion  and  to  the  language   of 
scripture.   It  is  agreeable  to  the  connexion  as  they  arc 
distinguished  from  those  God  preserved  from  aposta- 
cy.     And  the  apostle  compares  the  visible  church  to  a 


(       104      )    ■ 

great  mane's  house  in  which  are  vessels  of  all  sorts,  and 
some  of  them  to  honorable,  and  others  to  dishonorable 
uses.   Verse  20.   "  But  in  a  great  house  there  are  not 
only  vessels  of  gold  and  silver,  but  also  of  wood,  and 
of  earth  ;  and  some  to  honor,  and  some  to  dishonor." 
God  permitted  the  vessels  which  were  to  dishonor  to 
be   drawn  away  into  delusion  ;   but  nevertheless  the 
foundation  of  God  stood  sure.      Which  shews  this  in- 
terpretation to  be  agreeable  to  scripture  also,  Prov.  x, 
25.    "  The  righteous  is  an  everlasting  foundation." 
Rev.  iii,  12.   "  A  pillar  in  the  temple  of  God  which 
shall  go  no  more  out."  They  are  called  the  foundation 
of  God,  and  1  Cor.  iii,  9,   "  God's  husbandry,  God's 
building,"  because  none  but  God  can  lay  such  a  firm 
and  irfimoveable  foundation.   They  derive  this  stabili- 
ty from  the  seal  of  God  ;   having  this  seal  the  Lord 
knoweth  them  that  are  his.     God's  knowledge  is  com- 
pared to  a  seal,  by  which  he  sets  a  mark  or  imprints 
characters  on  his  elect  as  those  known  and  beloved  as 
his  peculiar  treasure,  which  he  highly  esteems  and  close- 
ly keeps.   Besides  he  impresses  on  them  the  likeness  of 
that  holiness  which  is  in  the  seal,  i.  e.  in  the  Holy  Spi- 
rit, which  makes  them  guard  against  defections,  which 
being  inscribed  on  the  heart,  becomes  the  law  of  the 
heart,  and  causes  them  to  profess  Christ  and  to  depart 
from  iniquity.      And  nothing  can  be  more  absurd  and 
inconsistent  with  the  common  sense  of  mankind,  and 
with  the  allowed  perfections  of  Deity  than  the  suppo- 
sition that  a  child  of  God  should  finally  perish.     To 
suppose  one  of  those,  w  hom  God  knows  shall  persevere 
in  holiness  and  finally  be  saved,  could  possibly  be  lost, 
is  to  suppose  a  flat  contradiction.     It  is  in  fact  to  say, 
God  knows  he  will  be  saved,  and  at  the  same  time  does 
not  know  it.    The  Holy  Ghost  has  therefore  furnished 
us  with  a  ready  answer  respecting  all  apostates.    John 
ii,  19.    "  They  went  out  from  us,  but  they  were  not 
of  us  ;  for  if  they  had  been  of  us,  they  would  no  doubt 
have  continued  with  us  ;  but  they  went  out  that  they 
might  be  made  manifest  that  they  were  not  all  of  us." 
Psal.  cxlv,  14.     '♦  The  Lord  upholdeth  all  that  fall." 
Prov.  xxiv,  16.  "  For  a  just  man  falleth  seven  times, 


(      105      ) 

and  riseth  up  again."  Eccl.  iii,  14.  "I  know  that  what- 
soever God  doeth,  it  shall  be  for  ever  ;  nothing  can  be 
put  to  it,  nor  any  thing  taken  from  it ;  and  God  doetli 
it  that  men  should  fear  before  him."  John  vi,  37.  "  All 
that  the  Father  giveth  me  shall  come  to  me  ;  and  him 
that  Cometh  to  me  I  will  in  no  wise  cast  out."  They 
are  given  to  Christ  in  such  a  manner  that  he  will  in 
no  wise  cast  them  out.  John  x,  28,  29.  *'  I  pive  un- 
to them  eternal  life ;  and  they  shall  never  perish,  nei- 
ther shall  any  pluck  them  out  of  my  hand.  My  Father, 
which  gave  themime,  is  greater  than  all ;  and  none  is 
able  to  pluck  them  out  of  my  Father's  hand." 


o 


DISCOURSE   VIL 


EPHESIANS    I,  3,  4,  5. 

Blessed  be  the  God  and  Father  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christy 
who  hath  blessed  us  with  all  spiritual  blessings 
in  hean^enly  places  in  Christ  ;  according  as  he  hath 
chosen  us  in  him  before  the  foundation  of  the  worlds 
that  we  should  be  holy  and  without  blame  before  him 
in  love  :  having  predestifiated  us  unto  the  adoption  of 
children  by  Jesus  Christ  to  himself  according  to  the 
good  pleasure  of  his  will. 

V_yN  a  review  of  the  whole,  we  see  that 
predestination  unto  life  is  no  new  doctrine.  It  is  taught 
by  God  the  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost,  by  the  pro- 
phets and  apostles.  And  the  prot€Stant  Elijahs,  who 
ascended  in  chariots  of  flame  to  glory,  rejoiced  in  it, 
as  a  doctrine  according  to  godliness.  I  shall  now 
close  the  subject  with  some  practical  remarks. 

Paul,  a  noble  champion  of  the  cross,  is  so  enraptur- 
ed with  the  eternal  electing  love  of  God,  that  he  can- 
not but  make  it  the  subject  of  praise  to  Almighty  God. 
*'  Blessed  be  the  God  and  Father  of  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,  who  hath  blessed  us  with  all  spiritual  blessings, 
according  as  he  hath  chosen  us  in  Christ  before  the 
laying  of  the  foundation  of  the  world.  We  are  bound 
to  give  thanks  always  to  God  for  you,  brethren,  belov- 
ed of  the  Lord,  because  God  hath  from  the  beginning 
chosen  you  to  salvation."  May  the  Lord  work  the 
same  divine  temper  of  mind  in  you,  to  enable  you  also 
to  acquiesce  in  the  eternal  electing  love  of  God. 

Ministers  might  as  well  preach  to  brutes  as  to  ra- 
tional creatures  were  it  not  for  the  electing  love  of 
God.     For  the  understanding  of  a  natural  man  is  so 


(      107      )« 

darkened  by  reason  of  sin,  as  to  mistake  that  for  hap- 
piness which  is,  in  fact,  real  misery.  That  which  is 
born  of  the  flesh  is  flesh,  mere  flesh  ;  all  its  faculties 
have  a  carnal  bias,  and  all  its  powers  are  wholly  en- 
slaved to  fleshly  or  carnal  pursuits,  and  sordid  plea- 
sures. Dead  in  sin,  destitute  of  divine  life,  alien- 
ated  and  enemies  in  their  mind,  have  no  sincere  de- 
sires after  God  ;  and  are  not  only  strangers,  but  ene- 
mies, in  a  state  of  hostility  to  the  holy  nature  of  God. 
A  mind  bent  upon  wicked  works,  passionately  prone 
to  all  evil,  insorriuch  fliat  when  iniquity  knew  no 
bounds  in  Israel,  'tis  said,  "  every  one  did  that  which 
was  right  in  his  own  eyes,"  Judg,  xvii,  6.  Nor  will 
St.  Paul  exempt  himself  nor  the  most  eminent  saints 
from  being  governed  by  the  flesh,  till  renewed  by  the 
blessed  Spirit  ;  but  declares  they  remained  under  the 
dominion  of  sensuality  till  subdued  by  the  power  of 
electing  grace.  The  darkness  of  the  understanding 
necessarily  perverts  the  will,  so  that  man  invariably 
chooses  evil  in  preference  to  good.  And  the  will  is 
by  nature  so  enslaved  to  evil  that  he  heartily  loves 
and  eagerly  pursues  the  imaginary  pleasures  of  sin. 
And  because  the  will  is  fond  of,  and  relishes  that  sla- 
very, it  is  therefore  said  to  be  free  ;  naturally  free  to 
what  is  morally  and  spiritually  evil.  'I'his  perverted 
"will,  unless  curbed  by  Providential  restraints,  never 
fails  to  produce  the  baneful  fruits  of  practical  immor- 
ality and  licentiousness.  All  practical  unbelief  and 
final  impenitence  of  those  that  perish,  arises  from  this 
viciousness  of  their  nature  and  stubbornness  of  their 
perverted  will.  Boast  not  then  of  free-will.  It  is  like 
what  the  prophet  said  of  Nineveh,  void  and  empty  of 
any  thing  spiritually  good.  They  who  feel  not  this, 
resemble  delirious  persons  in  a  high  fever,  who  ima- 
gine nothing  ails  them,  while,  in  fact,  they  are  at  the 
very  gates  of  death.  Therefore  he,  who  is  the  faith- 
ful and  true  witness,  taught  the  obstinate  perverseness 
of  the  human  will,  that  it  is  opposed  to  what  is  good. 
Ye  will  not  come  to  me  that  ye  miglit  have  life,  but 
"will  do  the  works  of  the  devil.  Whence  all  who  arc 
left  to  the  choice  of  their  own  will  inevitably  go  to  helL 


(       108      ) 

Some  who  pretend  a  great  regard  for  the  bible, 
would  pursuade  us  that  the  will  is  like  a  wax  tablet 
on  which  you  may  stamp  ^vhat  impressions  you  please  ; 
or  like  a  balance  in  equilibrio,  which  you  may  tarn  to 
either  side  according  as  you  throw  more  or  less  weight 
on  the  scale ;  that  Christ  died  in  order  to  put  the  will 
in  this  condition  :  so  that  it  depends  on  the  will  of 
man  whether  he  be  saved  or  perish  ;  that  a  man  can 
turn  his  will  either  to  good  or  evil  as  he  pleases.  But 
this  opinion  contradicts  our  daily  experience,  insults 
the  common  sense  of  mankind,  and  gives  the  lie  to 
every  page  in  the  bible  ;  and  is  therefore  a  strong 
delusion  of  the  devil,  whereby  he  casts  down  millions 
and  millions  into  the  regions  of  horror  and  despair. 

Alas  !  the  choice  is  already  made.  Every  imagi- 
nation of  the  thoughts  of  man's  heart,  previous  to  re- 
generation, is  spiritually  considered  in  the  sight  of  a 
holy  God  to  be  only  evil,  without  any  mixture  of  good, 
and  that  continually  without  any  intermission.  Gen. 
vi,  5.  The  heart  of  man,  says  God  by  the  prophet, 
is  deceitful  above  all  things  and  desperately  wicked. 
Our  blessed  master,  who  well  knew  what  is  in  man, 
saith — From  within,  out  of  the  heart  of  man,  proceed 
evil  thoughts,  adulteries,  fornications,  murders,  thefts, 
covetousness,  wickedness,  &c.  Is  it  possible  that 
any  one  who  calls  himself  a  Christian,  can,  after  con- 
sidering the  above  declaration  of  Christ,  maintain  the 
powers  of  free-will  ;  since  when  God  arrests  the  sin- 
ner by  regenerating  grace,  there  is  not  only  a  heart  of 
flesh  to  be  given,  but  a  heart  of  stone  to  be  taken  away. 
God  must  not  only  write  his  own  law  on  the  hearts  of 
his  people,  but  must  destroy  the  law  of  sin  and  death, 
which  has  a  prior  footing  in  every  descendant  of  apos- 
tate Adam.  Therefore  every  grace  we  possess,  every 
good  thought  we  exercise,  all  holy  desires,  all  pious 
resolutions,  every  good  counsel,  and  every  good  work, 
are  gifts  which  proceed  only  from  God. 

Had  the  intention  of  Christ's  death  been  to  put  the 
human  family  in  a  capacity  to  choose  their  final  con- 
dition, and  to  suspend  the  salvation  of  every  individu- 
al on  his  own  choice,  then  it  would  follow,  that  God's 


(       109       ) 

saving  design  is  completely  frustrated,  that  Christ  di- 
ed to  no  purpose,  and  that  universal  damnation  would 
inevitably  follow.  For  the  bible  and  daily  experience 
prove,  that  while  men  continue  in  an  unconverted 
state,  they  will  not  have  Christ  to  rule  over  them. 
Luke  xix,  27.  "  Their  mind  is  very  enmity  against 
God,  and  cannot  be  subject  to  the  law^  of  God."  Rom. 
viii,  7.  "  And  he  finds  us  enemies  to  him  at  the  very 
moment  he  reconciles  us,  makes  us  friends  to  him.'* 
Rom.  v,  10.  "  And  till  God  regenerates  us,  we  are 
natural  men  and  receive  not  the  things  of  the  Spirit  of 
God  ;  but  view  them  as  foolishness,  and  consequently 
are  morally  unable  to  know  them."  1  Cor.  ii,  14. 
Now  whatever  a  man  hates  and  views  to  be  foolish- 
ness that  he  will  invariably  choose  to  avoid.  But 
while  a  man  continues  in  a  natural  state  he  hates  God, 
and  views  the  things  of  his  Spirit  to  be  foolishness. 
Therefore  he  will  always  necessarily  and  out  of  choice 
flee  from  God,  till  he  is  captivated  by  Almighty  con- 
verting grace.  And  even  then  God  does  not  ask  the 
creature's  consent.  For  they  are  born  not  of  the  will 
of  the  flesh,  nor  of  the  will  of  man.  John  i,  13.  At  the 
same  time  the  elect  sinner  is  not  made  good  by  forc- 
ing his  will,  but  is  by  victorious  grace,  made  willing 
tq  be  good,  according  to  Psal.  ix,  3.  "  Thy  people  shall 
be  willing  in  the  day  of  thy  power."  Surely  he,  who 
without  our  consent,  made  us  rational  creatures,  can, 
by  virtue  of  his  almighty  transforming  grace,  make 
us  holy  creatures,  without  making  us  mere  machines. 
God  does  not  ofter  the  least  violence  to  the  human 
mind  in  his  eff'ectual  operation  of  regenerating  grace. 
Open  a  blind  man's  eyes  to  see  the  sun,  and  there 
needs  no  compulsion  to  make  him  admire  it.  So  when 
God  causes  saving  light  to  shine  into  the  understand- 
ing of  an  elect  sinner,  which  seems  to  be  tlic  initial 
point  of  regeneration,  or  the  flrst  eftect  of  converting 
grace,  which  causes  him  to  view  his  sins  like  huge 
mountains,  exceeding  vile  and  aggravated  ;  that  his 
desperately  wicked  heart  has  all  liis  life-time  been 
streaming  forth  enmity  against  infinite  perfection  ;  that 
he  has  been  a  Heavcii  daring,  a  God  provoking,  a 


(     no    ) 

Christ  despising  sinner  ;  that  he  has  all  along  been  un- 
der the  curse  and  condemnation  of  a  holy,  just,  and 
good  law  ;  that  he  lias  justly  merited  the  eternal  tor- 
ments of  hell ;  that  God  would  be  gloriously  just  in 
leaving  him  to  perish  on  account  of  his  sins,  and  that 
it  is  wonderful  mercy  God  did  not  lon.^  ago  plunge^ 
him  into  eternal  flames  ;  that  God  was  at  perfect  liber- 
ty, in  point  of  justice,  to  leave  him  to  perish  for  ever, 
and  that  without  a  remedy,  for  that  he  is  a  poor,  vile, 
helpless,  undone,^  self-ruined  creature.  His  under- 
standing being  now  enlightened  to  see  the  merit  and 
demerit  of  sin,  together  with  its  infinite  evil  and  vile- 
ness,  he  finds,  that  his  redemption  from  the  condem- 
nation of  hell,  could  be  effected  at  no  less  expense  than 
the  most  bitter  death  of  God's  eternal  Son.  Being  led 
by  grace  to  the  fountain  of  living  water,  he  deeply  la- 
ments his  past  transgressions,  and  especially  the  de- 
pravity of  his  nature.  He  wonders  at  himself  that  he 
was  so  blind,  and  so  hardened  through  the  deceitful- 
ness  of  sin  as  to  seek  for  happiness  in  the  way  of 
death.  Oh  !  how  powerfully  does  this  induce  the  soul 
to  sorrow  after  a  godly  sort  I  what  self-abhorrence  and 
indignation  !  what  fear  of  God  1  what  revenge  and 
hatefulness  of  sin  I  what  vehement  desires  of  forgive- 
ness !  what  self-loathing  and  condemnation,  and  what 
zeal  for  holiness  I  These,  these  are  the  properties  of 
genuine  repentance.  And  by  thus  enlightening  the 
understanding  God  conciliates  the  will  to  holiness,  and 
causes  the  soul  to  aspire  after  and  choose  him  for  its 
portion  and  happiness.  The  Holy  Spirit  is  pleased  with, 
his  own  work,  and  sroes  on  to  finish  what  he  has  be- 
gun,  by  shedding  abroad  his  loving  kindness  on  the- 
heart.  O  !  how  eagerly  does  the  penitent  now  fly  to, 
him,  and  bid  him  welcome.  Such  is  the  sweetly  cap- 
tivating power  of  invincible  grace.  "  The  love  of 
Christ  constraineth  us."  This  casts  down  all  his  op- 
position to  and  silences  all  his  objections  against  the 
doctrine  of  election,  better  than  ten  thousand  argu- 
ments. May  God  Almighty  cause  thee,  O  reader,  to 
experience  this  enlightening  to  the  salvation  of  thy 
immortal  soul  I 


(    111   ) 

This  shews  both  the  folly  and  the  wickedness  of  de- 
pending on  our  own  works  for  salvation  ;  which  soul- 
ilestroying  delusion  is  founded  on  the  ignorance  that  the 
covenant  of  works  was  broken  and  annulled,  as  to  any 
possibility  of  salvation  by  it,  the  very  moment  Adam 
fell.  But  it  still  remains  in  force,  as  the  ministration 
of  death  and  condemnation  to  every  soul  that  finally 
cleaves  to  it  for  pardon  and  eternal  life.  Had  Adam 
continued  innocent,  it  had  been  his  wisdom  to  seek 
happiness  for  himself  and  posterity,  on  condition  of 
his  own  obedience.  But  for  fallen  creatures  to  expect 
salvation  that  way,  is  to  waste  their  time  to  no  purpose. 
For  God's  law,  as  a  covenant  of  works,  will  accept 
nothing  less  than  perpetually  perfect  obedience.  Our 
obedience  to  it  from  the  first  dawn  of  reason  to  the 
end  of  life,  should  be  as  uniform  and  uninterrupted  as 
a  stream  which  invariably  fills  its  banks.  But  its  re- 
quirements are  so  exceeding  broad,  that  the  most  en- 
larged human  obedience  falls  short,  vastly  short  of  its 
demands ;  they  are  so  absolutely  holy.,  that  the  purest 
works  the  best  Christian  can  perform  fall  infinitely 
short  of  the  perfection  which  it  requires.  How  sur- 
prizing that  any  fallen  creature  should  expect  salva- 
tion from  their  own  obedience  to  a  rule  of  such  exalt- 
ed perfections,  or  place  their  eternal  dependence  on 
«uch  imperfect  duties. 

Some  will  tell  us,  that  the  law  requires  nothing  more 
than  a  sincere  obedience  proportioned  to  the  abilities 
of  our  fallen  state.  But  the  volume  of  inspiration 
teaches  no  such  thing.  The  invariable  current  of 
scripture  language  is,  that  the  law  is  a  transcript  of 
God's  most  holy  nature,  consequently  the  standard  of 
human  purity  and  obedience.  It  can  therefore  make 
no  allowance  for  infirmities,  which  man  by  the  fall 
has  brought  on  himself,  nor  will  it  dispense  with  a  sin- 
gle grain  of  the  perfect  conformity  which  it  requires. 
Hence  in  the  eye  of  the  law,  and  in  the  estimation  of 
the  law-giver,  the  risings  of  wrath  are  tantamount  to 
murder,  and  impure  thoughts  bring  us  under  the  con- 
demnation of  actual  adultery.  Matt,  v,  22,  28.  **  rhe 
purity  of  the  law  makes  even  a  foolish  thought  to  be 


(       112      ) 

sin.'*  Prov.  xxiv,  9.  It  can  make  no  allowance  for 
any  irregular  thought,  but  invariably  requires  us  to 
love  God  with  all  the  heart,  with  all  the  soul,  with  all 
the  strength,  and  with  all  the  mind,  and  our  neighbor 
as  ourselves,  and  condemns  with  a  curse  every  one 
who  does  not  continue  in  all  things  written  in  the  book 
of  the  law  to  do  them.  This  makes  the  law  the  minis- 
tration of  condemnation.  2  Cor.  iii,  7.  But  the  mo- 
ment it  became  suflicient  for  a  sinner's  acceptance,  it 
would  cease  to  be  the  ministration  of  condemnation, 
and  become  the  ministration  of  righteousness,  and 
thereby  totally  set  aside  the  doctrine  of  the  apostle, 
that  Abraham  the  friend  of  God,  and  David,  a  man  af- 
ter God's  own  heart,  were  justified,  not  as  righteous, 
but  as  sinful  creatures.  They  were  not  accepted  for 
any  eminent  service  or  works  of  their  own  perform- 
ance,  but  for  the  merits  of  Christ. 

Some  talk  as  if  God  could  not,  injustice,  hold  fallen 
man  under  the  original  law  ;  that  he  judged  it  too  se- 
vere and  unreasonable,  and  therefore  set  it  aside,  and 
by  the  death  of  his  Son  established  the  gospel  as  a  mild- 
er law  designed  for  a  remedy  against  the  unjust  se- 
verity of  the  original  law.  But  the  scriptures  counte- 
nance no  such  opinion.  It  is  a  delusion  of  the  devil. 
And  all  opposition  to  God's  law  argues  a  carnal  mind 
full  of  enmity  against  God.  The  law  was  as  just  and 
reasonable  after  the  fall  as  it  was  before.  And  God  is 
as  worthy  of  our  love  and  obedience  as  ever.  For  our 
apostacy  could  not  make  God  less  amiable  in  himself, 
nor  curtail  our  obligations  to  love  him  with  all  the 
heart,  and  perfectly  obey  his  commands.  But  the  above 
supposition  enjoins  the  following  declaration  :  "  O  ye 
sons  of  apostate  Adam,  I  the  Lord  God  am  no  longer 
worthy  of  infinite  esteem,  I  no  more  deserve  unlimit- 
ed obedience,  and  therefore  ye  are  no  longer  command- 
ed to  love  me  with  all  your  heart,  soul,  mind,  and 
strength." 

Some  suppose,  that  God  was  not  at  liberty  to  choose 
the  objects  of  his  favor  and  grace,  that  he  could  not  in 
justice  have  withholden  the  death  of  his  Son  from  any 
particular  man,  that  if  he  did  more  for  one  than  for  an- 


(       113      ) 

other,  he  would  be  a  partial  and  unjust  tyrant ;  that  he 
never  absolutely  willed  the  salva>  jn  of  any  particular 
person,  but  has  only  conditionally  willed  the  salvation 
of  all  alike,  provided  they  will  repent  and  believe,  but 
never  determined  to  give  this  repentance  and  faith  to 
any  in  particular  ;  that  he  also  at  the  same  time  condi- 
tionally willed  the  damnation  of  all  alike,  provided  they 
did  not  repent  and  believe  ;  that  h':^  sent  his  Son  to  die 
for  the  salvation  of  all  alike,  for  those  who  were  in  tor- 
ment, and  for  all  others  ;  that  the  salvation  of  man  de- 
pends on  his  own  will  and  choice,  improvements  and 
good  conduct,  all  which  (according  to  them)  is  net  the 
result  of  invincible  grace,  but  of  man's  own  will  and 
choice,  good  conduct  and  iniprovements  ;  that  the  bap- 
py  difference  of  the  saint  from  the  sinner  is  not  to  be 
ascribed  wholly  to  the  will  and  grace  of  God,  because 
he  did  equally  alike  to  both,  but  is  to  be  ascribed  to  the 
will  and  choice,  good  w^orks  or  improvements  of  the 
former. 

Now  what  would  be  the  language  of  the  sinner  sav- 
ed on  these  principles  ?    It  would  be  this  (I  shudder 
to  relate  it)  "  You  were  not  at  lil^rty  to  choose  me  for 
the  object  of  special  grace,  you  could  not,  in  point  of 
justice,  have  withholden  the  death  of  your  Son  from 
me.      You  would  have  been  a  respecter  of  persons, 
partial,  and  unjust,  had  you  done  more  for  me  than 
you  did  for  those  weltering  in  yonder  burning  lake. 
You  only  conditionally  willed  my  salvation,  if  I  repent- 
ed and  turned,  and  conditionally  willed  to  damn  me  if 
I  did  not,  which,  in  fact,  was  not  will  at  all ;  besides 
you  never  infallibly  willed  to  give  me  faith  and  repen- 
tance ;   you  never  intended  any  more   benefit  for  me 
by  the  death  of  your  Son  than  you  intended  for  those 
who  were  in  torment  at  the  very  lime  he  suffered.     I 
have   therefore   nothing  more  to  praise  thee  for  than 
they  have."     He  would  say  to  the  blessed  Saviour, 
**  you  neither  loved  nor  shed  your  precious  blood  for 
me  any  more  than  for  those  now  in  torment.    You  will- 
ed their  salvation  as  much  as  you  willed  mine.   I  have 
therefore  nothing  more  to  praise  thee  for  than  they 
have  ;   and  as  to  thee,   O  blessed  Spirit,  thou  never 

P 


(      114      ) 

didst  strive  more  to  save  me  than  thou  didst  to  save 
those  in  hell,  else  thou  wouldest  have  been  partial  and 
a  respecter  of  persons,  for  which  I  could  not  love  thee. 
Besides  I  could  liave  baffled  all  thy  operations  and 
caused  them  to  issue  in  nothing-.  Thou  didst  not  de- 
termine my  will  to  choose  happiness  ;  for  thou  only 
madest  me  the  offer  by  setting  life  and  death  before  me 
in  common  with  others,  and  1  determined  my  own  will 
and  choice.  Therefore  my  salvation  is  not  the  resuh 
of  invincible  grace,  but  the  fruit  of  my  own  will  and 
choice,  good  works  and  improvements.  These,  these 
have  put  the  happy  difference  between  me  and  others. 
And  I  cannot  praise  thee  for  what  thou  hast  not  done." 
Thus  he  would  claim  a  great  share  of  the  glory  of  his 
salvation. 

The  sinner  saved  on  the  Calvinistic  plan  would  thus 
address  Deity  when  seated  on  a  throne  of  glory  :  "  O 
most  holy  Father,  when  thou  didst  in  the  days  of  eter- 
nity view  angels  and  men  as  fallen  into  sin,  thou  wast 
at  perfect  liberty  to  determine  whether  thou  wouldest 
save  any  one  transsTCssor  of  thy  most  holy  and  equit- 
able law.  They  ^1* stood  on  a  par.  Thou  mightest 
have  chosen  fallen  angels,  and  passed  by  the  apostate 
race  of  men,  but  thou  didst  reprobate  the  fallen  an- 
gels, and  choose  poor  sinners  of  mankind.  Thy  act 
of  choosing  us  could  have  no  regard  to  any  desert 
found  in  us.  For  we  were  viewed  as  lying  in  the  cor- 
rupt mass  of  mankind  when  the  decree  was  made  con- 
cerning us,  and  all  our  excellency  above  others  is  the 
fruit  of  thy  electing  love.  Thou  wast  sovereign  Lord 
of  thine  own  grace,  and  a  debtor  to  none,  consequent- 
ly wast  at  perfect  liberty  to  bestow  it  whf  n,  where  and 
on  whom  thou  wouldest.  For  no  one  could  lay  claim  to 
it,  and  therefore  no  one  is  wronged  if  it  be  not  bestow- 
ed on  him.  It  was  infinite  goodness  and  mercy  in 
thee  to  save  us,  when  thou  mightest  have  left  all  our 
apostate  race  to  perish  for  ever,  as  thou  didst  the  fallen 
angels.  But  O  !  how  shall  we  adore  thy  immutable 
will,  which  is  the  fountain  and  spring  of  our  eternal 
salvation  !  Thou  infallibly  willedst  to  give  us  faith  and 
repentance,  and  the  grace  of  final  perseverance.    And 


C      115      ) 

thou,  O  blessed  Jesus  !  loved  us  with  a  discriminating' 
love  ;  took  our  sins  on  thy  blessed  self  ;  bore  the  pun- 
ishment due  on  account  of  them,  and  redeemed  us  by 
thy  most  precious  blood,  out  of  every  kindred,  tongue, 
people  and  nation  under  heaven  ;  we  are  therefore  not 
our  own,  we  are  bought  with  a  price ;  O  that  we  had 
ten  thousand  tongues  to  celebrate  thy  praise  ! — And 
thou,  O  blessed  Spirit,  didst  powerfully  enlighten  my 
dark  understanding,  whereby  I  saw  how  vile,  how 
hateful,  and  how  abominable  a  creature  1  was.  Thou 
madest  me  sick  of  sin,  causedst  me  to  hate  it,  and  view 
myself  as  a  loathsome,  detestable  creature  on  account 
of  sin.  O  I  remember  well  how  just  it  appeared  in 
my  eyes  that  I  should  be  condenmed  for  ever.  It  ap- 
peared wonderful  to  me  that  God  would  save  any, 
but  especially  myself,  for  methought  I  was  the  vilest 
of  all  God's  creation.  I  saw  plainly  that  it  was  only 
electing  love  and  the  merits  of  the  blessed  Jesus  that 
could  save  me..  It  was  this  thy  invincible  grace  wliich 
caused  me  to  hate  and  forsake  sin,  and  to  choose  Christ 
Jesus  for  my  Lord  and  Saviour.  I  plainly  see  my  will 
was  so  obstinate  and  bent  on  evil  that  I  never  had  cho- 
sen thee,  unless  thy  love  had  first  constrained  me  to 
love  and  choose  thee.  It  is  thy  wonderful  love,  O 
blessed  Trinity,  that  made  me  to  difter  from  those  now 
weltering  in  the  burning  lake.  I  have  nothing  but 
what  I  received  from  thee.  O  the  wonderful  love  thou 
bestowedst  on  me,  that  I,  poor  worthless  I,  should  be 
called  the  son  of  God  !  Be  stirred  up,  O  my  soul,  and 
all  that  is  in  me,  to  praise  and  magnify  the  Lord  for 
his  loving  kindness  to  me." 

It  is  plain  there  can  be  no  true  humility  of  heart 
without  a  practical  belief  of  predestination  unto  life. 
We  should  not  deviate  from  this  truth  merely  because 
it  is  unfashionable  or  unpopular.  All  who  are  afraid 
to  avow  it  because  of  the  popular  outcry  against  it, 
will  at  the  last  day  be  deemed  base  traitors  of  God's 
cause,  and  destroyers  of  men's  souls.  For  the  gos- 
pel cannot  possibly  be  preached  fully  and  clearly  with- 
out it.. 


(       116       ) 

It  is  perfectly'  consistent  with  the  infinite  goodness 
and  mercy  of  Deity  that  all  his  creatures  in  misery  do 
not  eqiu^Uy  partake  in  them.  The  example  of  the  fall- 
en angels  who  are  wholly  passed  by,  not  one  of  them 
saved,  nor  any  remedy  provided  for  them,  are  an  un- 
deniable proof  of  this.  For  it  is  not  the  number  of 
miserable  creatures  concerning  which  these  perfec- 
tions are  employed,  that  makes  them  infinite,  because 
there  is  not  an  infinity  of  them.  But  these  perfections 
are  infinite  as  they  are  from  everlasting  to  everlasting, 
without  beginning  or  ending.  And  nothing  can  be 
more  absurd  and  irrational  than  to  suppose  that  God 
is  unmerciful,  merely  because  he  chooses  the  objects 
of  his  mercy,  or  "  has  mercy  on  whom  he  will  have 
mercy." 

We  always  affirmed  that  God,  out  of  his  mere  sov- 
ereign good  pleasure,  chose  some  to  everlasting  life, 
v/ithout  any  consideration  had  to  their  good  works,  be- 
cause there  is  no  good  in  man  till  God  works  it  in  him 
in  consequence  of  his  previous  decree  ;   and  that  he 
passed  by  others  without  any  consideration  had  to  their 
evil  deeds,  because  he  does  not  depend  on  the  actions 
of  creatures  for  the  regulation  of  his  conduct.     Rom. 
ix,    18.   "  He  hath  mercy  on  whom  he  will  have  mer- 
cy, and  whom  he  will  he  hardeneth."     But  it  does  not 
follow  from  hence  that  any  are  damned  by  mrtue  of  the 
decree,,  without  any  consideration  of  their  sin.      For 
there  is  a  wide  difterence  between  non-election  and  the 
decree  of  condemnation.     To  condemn  is  an  act  of  pu- 
nitive justice,  and  supposes  a  fault      Therefore  the 
objects  of  this  decree  are  viewed  as  transgressors,  ob- 
noxious to  punitive  justice.     Consequently  God  nev- 
er ordained  any  man  to  condemnation  before  the  con- 
sideration   of  sin.      Every  man   who   is   damned  is 
damned  for  sin  that  he  has  wilfully  committed  and  con- 
tumaciously continued  in.   God  never  decreed  to  make 
any  creature  everlastingly  miserable,  except  he  de- 
served it,  by  his  voluntary  transgression  of  the  divine 
law.     Rom.  iii,  9.   "  All  are  under  sin."    Verse  19, 
*'  That  every  mouth  may  be  stopped,  and  all  the  world 
may  become  guilty  before  God."    The  decree  of  elec- 


(      117      ) 

tion  is  an  act  of  mere  sovereignty,  but  the  decree  of 
condemnation  is  an  act  of  relative  justice.  Rom.  vi, 
23.  "  The  wages  of  sin  is  death  ;  but  the  gift  of  God 
is  eternal  life  through  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord."  The 
apostle  states  a  material  diiference  between  the  two. 
— Eternal  life- is  a  free  sovereign  gift  of  God,  given 
through  Jesus  Christ,  to  those  who  did  not  deserve  it 
— but  punishment  is  merited  as  the  reward  due  to 
their  sin.  So  saith  Jeremiah,  chap,  ii,  17 — "  Hast 
thou  not  procured  this  unto  thyself,  in  that  thou  hast 
forsaken  the  Lord  thy  God  ?"  They  are  not  con- 
demned because  they  were  not  elected,  but  because 
the}^  sinned.  Therefore  no  man  is  doomed  to  destruc- 
tion because  he  was  reprobated,  or  not  elected  ;  but 
because  he  was  a  sinner  and  deserved  it.  And  in  this 
the  justice  of  God  will  appear  clear  in  the  judgment 
of  all  holy  creatures. 

Election  does  not  make  God  partial,  nor  a  respecter 
of  persons.  He  does  not  condemn  any  for  their  pov- 
ertv,  but  has  chosen  many  who  are  poor  in  this  world. 
James  ii,  5.  Nor  does  he  condemn  any  for  being  rich, 
but  he  has  chosen  and  called  by  his  grace  some  even 
of  the  wise  men  after  the  flesh,  some  of  the  mighty  and 
noble.  1  Cor.  i,  26.  He  respects  no  man,  either  more 
or  less,  on  account  of  his  being  a  Jew  or  Gentile,  as 
appears  from  Acts  x.  He  does  not  withhold  his  fa- 
vors from  any  on  account  of  their  nation,  family  or 
country, 'for  he  hath  chosen  and  redeemed  a  select 
number  out  of  every  kindred,. tongue,  people  and  na- 
tion. Rev.  V,  9.  And  he  will  gather  together  his  elect 
from  the  four  winds,  from  the  one  end  of  heaven  to 
the  other.  iMatt.  xxiv,  31.  And  in  Christ  Jesus  there 
is  neither  Jew  nor  Greek,  bond  nor  free,  male  nor  fe- 
male. Gal.  iii,  28.  And  the  only  rule  of  his  conduct 
in  choosing  this  man  rather  than  that  one,  was  neither 
their  external  nor  internal  circumstances,  but  his  own 
sovereign  good  pleasure.  Rom.  ix,  11,  18.  "  The 
children  being  not  yet  born,  neither  having  done  any 
good  or  evil,  that  the  purpose  of  God  according  to 
election  might  stand,  not  of  works  ;  but  of  him  that 
calleth."     From  which  it  appears  that  God  is  no  re- 


(       113       ) 

specter  of  men's  persons,  but  he  is  a  respecter  of  his- 
own  glory. 

The  Arminian  scheme,  according  to  James  i,  1 — 4, 
makes  God  partial,  and  a  respecter  of  persons.  "  Have 
not  the  faith  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  the  Lord  of  glo- 
ry, with  respect  of  persons.  For  if  there  come  unto 
your  assembly  a  man  with  a  gold  ring,  in  goodly  ap- 
parel, and  there  come  in  also  a  poor  man,  in  vile  rai- 
ment ;  and  ye  have  respect  to  him  that  weareth  gay 
clothing,  and  say  unto  him,  sit  thou  here  in  a  good 
place,  and  say  to  the  poor,  stand  thou  there,  or  sit  here 
under  my  foot-stool,  are  ye  not  then  partial  in  your- 
selves ?"  This  clearly  shows,  that  did  God  choose 
and  save  any  because  they  were  thus  and  so  qualified, 
or  on  account  of  any  circumstance,  qualification  or 
condition,  whereby  they  were  any  better  or  worse 
than  others,  that  he  would  be  partial  to  them  on  ac- 
count of  that  circumstance,  condition  or  qualification, 
and  a  respecter  of  their  persons  for  the  same  reason. 
For  a  judge  to  acquit  a  criminal  on  account  of  some 
fine  qualification,  or  because  he  is  his  friend,  or  rela- 
tion, or  rich  and  powerful,  'would  constitute  him  par- 
tial, and  a  respecter  of  persons.  But  though  a  judge  in 
administering  justice  must  do  alike  to  all  who  are  in 
the  same  condition  ;  yet  when  he  is  considered  in 
another  capacity,  at  perfect  liberty,  under  no  obliga- 
tion by  any  law  or  rule,  he  may  adopt  into  his  family 
whom  he  pleases,  or  bestow  his  estate  on  \i'hom  he 
"will.  Whence  it  is  evident,  that  partiality  and  respect 
of  persons  have  nothing  to  do  with  matters  of  mere 
bounty,  free  liberality ;  but  only  in  preferring  one 
above  another  in  matters  of  right,  from  some  sinister 
or  selfish  end. 

Though  ministers  cannot  assure  any  sinner  that  he 
shall  certainly  be  saved  ;  yet  no  one  ought  to  draw  up 
dark  conclusions  against  himself,  as  if  the  decree  of 
God  was  against  him.  *'  O,  unconverted  sinner,  do  not 
murmur  at  the  decree  of  election  ;  for  that  is  very  dis- 
pleasing to  God.  You  have  no  reason  to  do  so,  for  no 
decree  of  God,  as  I  have  already  shown,  can  be  the 
cause  of  your  sin  and  impenitence  :  their  cause  is 


(       119      ) 

your  own  inbred  corruption,  which  you  have  brought 
onyourself  by  your  apostacy  in  Adam,  and  from  which 
you  cannot  be  delivered  but  by  the  Ahiiighty  grace  of 
God.  However,  it  is  certain  God  has  a  purpose  of 
mercy  for  a  great  many,  and  you  are  as  likely  to  have 
an  interest  in  it  as  any  other.  You  can  have  no  cer- 
tain token  of  being  reprobated,  except  you  have  com- 
mitted the  unpardonable  sin,  but  there  are  many  signs 
of  election.  And  God  has,  in  all  ages,  saved  some  even 
of  the  vilest  of  sinners.  Therefore  your  way  is  to  ap- 
ply for  mercy  in  and  through  Je^us  Christ,  on  the  foot- 
ing of  his  merits.  A  peradventure  is  looked  on  in  other 
cases  of  great  hazard  and  distress  as  encouragement 
enough  to  try  and  use  the  means.  Remember  Benha- 
dad's  servants.  1  Kings  xx,  31,  32.  "  And  his  servants 
said  unto  him,  behold  nov/,  we  have  heard  that  the  kings 
of  the  house  of  Israel  are  merciful  kings  :  let  us,  I  pray 
thee,  put  sackcloth  on  our  loins,  and  ropes  upon  our 
heads,  and  go  out  to  the  king  of  Israel,  peradventure 
he  will  save  thy  life."  Take  also  the  example  of  the 
king  of  Nineveh.  His  safety  from  God  appeared  only 
possible.  "  Who  can  tell  if  God  will  turn  and  repent, 
and  turn  away  from  his  fierce  anger,  that  we  perish 
not  :"  Labor  to  be  reconciled  to  God's  method  of  sav- 
ing sinners.  It  must  certainly  be  the  wisest  and  the 
best.  For  as  the  heavens  "  are  high  above  the  earth, 
so  are  his  thoughts  above  our  thoughts,  and  his  ways 
above  our  ways." 

I  shall  now  conclude  this  important  subject  with 
some  evidences  of"  eternal  election.  Faith  in  Je- 
sus Christ,  which  produces  love  to  God,  is  a  grand 
evidence  of  election.  For  so  we  read,  "  faith  which, 
worketh  by  love,  and  we  love  him,  because  he  first 
loved  us."  If  you  have  this  faith,  you  may  then 
hear  him  saying  to  you,  "  yea  I  have  loved  you  with  an 
everlasting  love."  If  we  would  know  our  election  of 
God,  we  must  inquire  whether  a  separation  has  been 
wrought  between  us  and  our  sins,  whether  the  remains 
of  indwelling  sin  be  a  burden  and  grief  to  us  ;  whether 
we  be  diligent  in  using  the  means  appointed  by  God, 
for  "  cleansing  ourselves  from  all  lilthiness  of  the  flesh 


(       120      ) 

and  spirit ;  perfecting  holiness  in  the  fear  of  God.'' 
For  God  hath  chosen  us  before  the  foundation  of  the 
world,  that  we  should  be  hoi}-  and  without  blame  be- 
fore him  in  love.  If  our  love  be  sincere  ;  it  will  be 
obediential ;  so  that  new  obedience  is  a  proof  of  elec- 
tion. Do  we  then  desire  holiness,  a  conformity  to 
Christ  above  all  things  ?  Well,  this  is  a  token  of  salva- 
tion. It  is  an  evidence,  that  "  God  has  not  appoint- 
ed you  to  wrath,  but  to  obtain  salvation  by  our  Lord 
Jesus  Christ."  And  may  God  enable  us,  by  a  well  or- 
dered walk  and  conversation,  to  know  that  we  have 
obtained  this  salvation  through  his  Son. — AMEN, 


NAMES  OF  THE  SUBSCRIBERS, 

In  the  province  of  Upper  Canada,  returned  prior  to  the  publica- 
tion of  the  work. 


.^»..-<>..  •<>..  0 : 0-<>""<>—O" 


Sophiasburgh. 

JA('oB  Bovvers, 
John  Brooks, 
Pet(  r  Cole, 
Ifaac  Cole, 
Samuel  Covert, 
Hut^h  Clarke, 
Matthew  Cronk, 
Ifaac  De  Mill, 
Richard   Devenport, 
Henry  Fox, 
John  Fox, 
William  Fox, 
John  Howell, 
Nicholas  Lozier, 
Jofeph  Mafon, 
Frederick  Mafon, 
John  Morden, 
James  Morden, 
Jacob  Mouerfon, 
Ifaac  Mouerfon, 
Georae  Parliament, 
Jacob  Parliament, 
John  Parfals, 
Samuel  Peack, 
Samuel  Peack, 
Cornelius  Peack, 
Jacobus  Peack,  4. 
Benjamin  Kowe, 
Jacob  Shoemaker, 
Benjamin  Smith, 
Gabriel  Sprung, 
John  Trumpour, 
Darnel  B.  Way, 
John  Wilfon. 

Piercy, 
Aaron  Holt. 

Murray. 
John  Smith. 

Ameliasburgh. 
Loduwic  Brickman, 
Jofeph  Carl, 
Jacob  Corbman,  2. 
Peter  Crouier, 
John  Cryfdale, 
Thomas  D-nipfey, 
George  Engel, 


Jacob  Fin, 
Coonrod  Frederick, 
Benjamin  Gerovv, 
James  Henefey,  Efq. 
Henry  Heermans, 
Abraham  Maybe, 
Rulip!)  Oftrom, 
James  Peack, 
John  Pofl, 
David  Sager, 
iDaniel  Silver, 
Garrit  Van  Haulers, 
Garrit  Vaftervelt, 
Elijah  Wallbridge. 

Thurlow. 
Robert  Adams, 
John  Fairman, 
William  Fairman, 
Stephen  Kelley,, 
Rofeal  Leavens, 
Dr.  Seth  Malham, 
John  Mclntofh, 
Simon  McNabb,  2. 
John  Thompfon, 
William  H.  Wallbridge, 
Jofeph  Walker. 

Sidnty. 
Caleb  Gilbert,   Efq. 
Samuel  B.  Gilbert, 
William  Kelley,  sen. 
William  Kelley,  jun. 
Hugh  McMullen, 
Henry  Smith, 
Elder  Afa  Turner, 
Frederick  Waterman. 

Adolphustown. 
Daniel  Cole, 
Bryan  Crawford,  Efq. 
Philip  Flaujeler, 
Nicholas  Hagerman,  Att'y»  4- 
Noxon  Harris,  2. 
Abraham  Maybe, 
Paul  Trumpour,  2. 

Hollowfll, 
Samuel  Bleckley, 
William  Bleckley, 
James  Bleckley, 


SUBSCRIBERS'  NAMES. 


William  Dyeri 
John  Ellis, 
James  Fulton, 
Rozel  FtTi^ufon, 
Samuel  Gaidner, 
John   Miller, 
Caleb  Piatt, 
Gilbert  Palen, 
John  Stinlon,  ETg. 
Henry  Younsa;,  jun. 
Henry  Trufelt, 
Simeon  Wadiburn. 

Fredsricksburg/u 
Thomas  Bell, 
Stephen  Barber, 
Alexanfler   Clarke, 
Bdvid  Edi^ar,  4. 
Ara  Feri^ufon, 
Abraham  Hogan,  3. 
Afa  Hough, 
Abraham  Louks, 
George  Louks, 
James   :vi'Nabb,  Merchant. 
Hazleton  Spencer,  Efq.  4. 
Peter  McTaggart, 
Samuel  McTaggart, 
William  Taylor. 

Erneitoivn, 
Jofhua  Booth,  Efq, 
Andrew  Bois, 
James  S.  Brown,  2. 
Robert  Clark,  Efq. 
MatthewXlark, 
Robert  Clark,  jun- 
Peter  Daily, 
William  Fairfield, 
Daniel  Fraier,  Efq. 
Ifaac  Eraser, 
Robert  Perry  Francis, 
Rev.  John  G.  Wigant, 
Peter  Gilchriea,  3. 
John  Ham,  3. 
William  Johnaon,  Lieut. 
Hannah  Lockwood, 
Peter  McDougal, 
William  McKeage,  2. 
Henry  McGuin,  4. 
Dr.  Samuel  Neilfon,  2. 
Peter  Potter  Pruyn,  2. 
Henry  Simmon,  2. 
Nicholas  Simmon,  3. 


Daniel  Simmon,  2. 
Mofe»  Simmon, 
Parker  Smith,  2. 
John  G.  Sharp,  jun.  4.. 
Philip  Snider, 
William  Walker,  2. 
Solomon  Walker,  2. 
Samuel  Ward,  8. 
Robert  Williams,  2. 
James  Wells, 
John  C.  Vofburgh,  2. 

Laugsdurgfu 
Hugh  Campbell, 
Caleb  Hughrton» 
John  Stanclifi. 

Camddn. 
Adam  Bower,  2; 
Samuel  Browning, 

Richmond. 
Staats  Sager,  jun.  2, 

Grand-Isle. 
Samuel  Cone. 

Elizabcthtoion. 
Dr.  Elkanah  Billings, 
John  Booth, 
Ifaac  Booth, 
Edward  Brown, 
Abraham  Brown, 
Benjamin  Brown, 
Truelove  Butler,  jun» 
William  Clow,  3. 
Abel  Coleman, 
Allan  Campbell, 
Archibald  Campbell, 
John  Davifon, 
Jacob  Elliott, 
David  Elliott, 
Jonathan  Fulford,  sen. 
Jonathan  Fulford,  jun. 
Allan  Grant,  Efq. 
John  Grant, 
Allan  Grant,  Jun. 
Oliver  Glean, 
Samuel  Hibard, 
John  Howard, 
Stephen  Howard, 
Silas  Judfon, 
Archibald  Kincaid, 
Jofeph  McNiefh,  Efq,  4. 
James  Miller, 
Alexander  McLean, 


SUBSCRIBERS'  NAMES. 


John  McLean, 
Henry  McLtan, 
Rolxrt  McLean,  20. 
Ann     IcLean, 
John  IxlcCrady, 
David  McCardy,  sen. 
David  McCrady,  jun.. 
Mari>aret  McCiady, 
Anthony  McCrady, 
Wiliian.   McKue,  2. 
David  Manhard, 
James  McCatchy,2. 
Thomas  Purdy, 
William  Robertfon, 
Thomas  Sherwood,  Efq. 
Adial  Sherwood, 
Reuben  Sherwood, 
Samuel  Talman, 
Jofeph  White,  Efq. 
Afa  VVebfter, 
"William  Whiten. 

Tbnge, 
Margaret  Avery, 
James  Conell, 


George  Gardiner, 
George  Gardiner,  jun.. 
Samuel  Griffin, 
Jotin  Kincaid, 
Alexander  Kincaid, 
Alexander   .  cLean,  2. 
Archibald  McLean, 
Samuel  McCabe, 
Benjamin  K.  Munfell, 
Peter  Purvife,  6. 
Samuel  Shipman,  8. 
James  Thompfon, 
Benjamin  Thompfon, 
Thomas  Thomplon. 

Edivardsburgh, 
Williani  McNeil. 

Granville. 
Alexander  Campbell,  Efq.  20. 
Archibald  Campbell, 
James  Campbell,  Efq.  8. 
Daniel  Dunham, 
James  Dunham, 

Kingston. 
Abraham  Hogan,. 


llUf   X 


1955 


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