sides, the Apostle asserts, expressly, that election is not of works, but of him that calleth; and that it passed before the persons concerned had done either good or evil. Rom. ix. 11. Again, if faith or works were the cause of election, God could not be said to choose us, but we to choose him, contrary to the whole tenor of Scripture. John xv. 16. Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you. 1 John, iv. 10-19. Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us. Election is, everywhere, asserted to be God's act, and not man's. Mark xiii. 20. Rom. ix. 17. Eph. i. 4. 1 Thess. v. 9. 2 Thess. ii. 13. Once more: we are chosen, that we might be holy, not because it was foreseen we would be so; Eph. i. 4. therefore, to represent holiness as the reason why we were elected, is to make the effect antecedent to the cause. The Apostle adds, verse 5, Having predestinated us according to the good pleasure of his will; most evidently implying, that God saw nothing extra se, had no motive from without, why he should choose any at all, or this man before another. In a word, the elect were freely loved; Hos. xiv. 4. freely chosen; Rom, xi. 5, 6. and freely redeemed; Isa. lii. 3. they are freely called; 2 Tim. i. 9. freely justified; Rom. iii. 24. and shall be freely glorified; Rom. vi. 23.

Toplady.

Humility in all things is a necessary consequence of a due consideration of God's decree of election; for what were we, when be set his heart upon us to choose us, and to do us good for ever? Poor, lost, undone creatures, that lay perishing under the guilt of our apostacy from him! What did he see in us, to move him so to choose us? Nothing but sin and misery. What did he foresee that we would do for ourselves, more than others, if he wrought not in us by his effectual grace? Nothing but a continuance in sin and rebellion against him, and that for ever. How should the thoughts hereof keep our souls in all humility and continual self-abasement! For what had we, in or from ourselves, on the account whereof we should be lifted up? Wherefore, as the elect of God, let us put on humility in all things; and there is no grace whereby, at this day, we may more glorify God and the gospel, now the world is pinking into ruin under the weight of its own pride. Dr. Owen

If we believe universal depravity came by the fall, then we can prove the doctrines of election and perseverance thus. Either the sinner first seeks the Lord, or the Lord calls the sinner: the former is impossible; and if, therefore, God begins first, there is election, unless all are called. What has made us to differ from those who are now as we were once? Grace. Then this grace, by the very term, must be distinguishing; that is, in other words, electing grace.

As to final perseverance, it is asserted in so many express promises, that it is astonishing any should deny it. Indeed, it is such a comfortable truth, that very few would deny it; but they think if they admit it, they must also admit of election, with which it is necessarily connected

Hast thou chosen me out of so many others, who being left to themselves, eternal damnation abides them; and shall I not use my utmost endeavour to shine before others in love, in thy worship, and all duties of holiness? Hast thou predestinated me to holiness, so lovely in itself, so necessary for me, as that without it there is no salvation; and shall I not walk therein? Shall I presume so to sophisticate with thee, O thou brightest teacher of truth, that sepa rating the end from the means, I shall securely promise to myself the end, as being predestinated thereto, in a neglect of the means, to which I am no less predestinated? Is thy purpose concerning my salvation fixed and immoveable, and shall I every hour be changed, now for thee, now again giving up my service to Satan? Shall not I rather with so firm purpose adhere to thee, that I should rather suffer a thousand deaths than perfidiously depart from thee? Shall not I be stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord? Wilt thou make me assured of thy love, which passeth all understanding; and shall not I again love thee with all my heart, with all my mind, and with all my strength? Wilt thou assure me of my salvation, and shall I not, having this hope, purify myself even as thou art pure ?

Who, understanding these things, will deny, that the doctrine of election supplies to the pious soul plenty of matter for such and the like meditation? And who will deny, that in practice of such meditations lies the very kernel of all holiness and godliness?

Dr. Witsius.

Your election will be known by your interest in Christ; and your interest in Christ, by the sanctification of the Spirit. There is a chain of salvation: the beginning of it is from the Father; the dispensation through the Son; the application by the Spirit. In looking after the comfort of election, you must look inward to the work of the Spirit in your hearts; then outward to the work of Christ on the cross; then upward to the heart of the Father in heaven.

Mr. Samuel Clarke.

Before you go to the university, you ought to go to school. Do hot meddle with election and predestination, until you have experienced something of divine grace in your effectual vocation.

Ascribed to Mr. Bradford, the Martyr.

There are some doctrines wherein the reason of man finds many difficulties, and which the folly of man would abuse to unhappy purposes, which yet are plain and express truths asserted in the Word of God. Among these, we place the great doctrine of the election of sinners in Christ, to be made holy and happy. We entreat our brethren, who differ from us in this point, to be so candid as to suppose, that we feel the difficulties as well as they, and we see the awful consequences which seem to affright them from receiving it; we have had our doubts respecting it, and found our reasoning powers a little perplexed, and unwilling to receive it, lest God should be represented as partial in his favours, and lest man should cavil against his proceedings. But we feel ourselves overpowered with evidence and conviction, when we see the doctrine so plainly and frequently asserted in Scripture, that we cannot resist the light and force of it. The express words of God demand our submission, and constrain our belief; and we are persuaded our brethren would believe it too, if they saw it in the same light.

The first business is, not to inquire after the election, which is a secret thing, but hearken to the public call of the Gospel, repent of every sin, and receive the grace that is offered; and when thou art become a lover of God, and a believer in Christ, thou mayest then up these graces to their original spring, even to thy election in Christ Jesus, before the foundation of the world. Dr. Watts.

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Predestination and election.-These are sublime points, far above the solution of our low capacities; but, for my part, I am no more surprised that some revealed truths should amaze my understanding, than that the blazing sun should dazzle my eyes. That such things are mentioned in the inspired writings as real facts, is undeniable. I should renounce my very reason, if I did not believe what Omniscience attests, even though it should imply what is altogether inexplicable by my scanty conceptions; and why should the encaverned mole, whose dwelling is in darkness, whose sight is but a small remove from blindness, why should such a poor animal wonder that it cannot dart its eyes through unnumbered worlds, or take in at a glance the vast system of the univere?

Hervey.

Did I not believe absolute predestination, I could not believe a Providence; for it would be most absurd to suppose that a being of infinite wisdom would work without a plan; for which plan, predestination is only another word.

King William's Answer to Bishop Burnet. We meet with the word "elect" so very often in scripture, that one might have been led to conclude that it would have been received in the Church with implicit faith, referring the act itself, as becometh sinful, ignorant creatures to do, into the sovereignty and good pleasure of God. It is in the first and highest instance spoken of, and applied to, the Lord Jesus Christ, as the Christ of God; Isa. xlii. 1. with Matt. xii. 17, 18, &c. It is especially spoken of the Church of Israel, Isa. xlv. 4. xlix. 22. It is also spoken of in relation to the Gentile Church, gathered out of all nations, Matt. xxiv. 31. Rom. xi. 5. Titus i. 1. And what endears this sovereign act of grace the more is, that it is all in and for Christ, Eph. i. 4. the Scriptures uniformly declaring, while in the very moment esta blishing the truth itself, that it is all of free grace, no merit, no pretensions of merit, here or hereafter, becoming in the least instru mental to this distinguishing mercy, but wholly resulting from the sovereign will and purpose of the Lord. Deut. vii. 1. Rom. ix. 11. xii. 16. 2 Tim. i. 9. Eph. i. 6. Hence the everlasting security of the Church and the blessings of the Church are all sure, certain, and irrecoverable. Rom viii. 33,

Well might the apostle Peter, under the impression of this sacred truth made upon his heart, cry out with holy rapture, "Elect, according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you and peace be multiplied." 1 Pet. i. 2. Dr. Hawker.

Their election was not of them as a nation, or as a church, since they were neither; being "strangers, scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia." Nor was it barely to means of grace and outward privileges, but both to grace and glory; seeing they are said to be "elect, according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ;" and, in consequence of this, were regenerated by the grace of God, and were kept by his power, through faith, unto salvation; and so must be men absolutely designed for eternal happiness.

From all this we conclude, that the predestination of men, to life or death, is personal: that the objects of either branch of predestination are alike, or are considered in the same situation and condition, whether in the pure or corrupt mass, or in both; that God was not influenced or moved, in the election of the one, by their good works, or in the rejection of the other, by their bad ones; that God's decree of election stands firm and immoveable; not upon the foot of works, but of the grace of God; and that love and hatred are the real springs and source of predestination in its respective branches.

This was done before time; otherwise how could these persons

The Rev. Cornelius Winter was lately in company with an Arminian, who ran out violently against the doctrine of election. "You believe election," said Mr. Winter, " as firmly as I do." "I deny it," answered the other; "on the contrary, it is a doctrine I detest."—"Do you believe that all men will be saved in the last day, or only some?" "Only some.""Do you imagine that those some will be found to have saved themselves?" "No, certainly: God in Christ is the only Saviour of sinners.”—“ But God could have saved the rest, could he not?" "No doubt."—"Then salvation is peculiar to the saved" "To be sure."-"And God saves them designedly, and not againt his will?" "Certainly.”—“ And willingly suffers the rest to perish, though he could easily have hindered it?" "It should seem so."" Then is not this election?" "It amounts to much the same thing."