works of the devil, and in setting up the kingdom of God upon earth, in promoting righteousness, peace, and joy, in the Holy Ghost.

Of whatever opinion or denomination we are, we must serve either God or the devil. If we serve God, our agreement is far greater than our difference. Therefore, as far as may be, setting aside the difference, let us unite in destroying the works of the devil, in bringing all we can, from the power of darkness, into the kingdom of God's dear Son. And let us assist each other to value more and more the glorious grace whereby we stand, and daily to grow in that grace, and in the knowledge of our LORD JESUS CHRIST.

THE

Scripture Doctrine,

CONCERNING

PREDESTINATION, ELECTION,

AND

REPROBATION.

"Therefore we both labour and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is the Saviour of all men, especially of them that believe," 1 TIM. iv. 10.

1. THE Scripture saith, "God hath chosen us in Christ, before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy, and without blame before him in love," (Eph. i. 4.) And St. Peter calls the saints, "Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience." (1 Pet. i. 2.) And St. Paul saith unto them, "God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation, through sanctification of the Spirit, and belief of the truth; whereunto he hath called you by our gospel, to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ," (2 Thes. ii. 13, 14.)

2. From all these places of Scripture it is plain that God hath chosen some to life and glory, before or from the foundation of the world. And the wisdom of all Christians is, to labour that their judgments may be informed herein, according to the Scripture. And to that end let us consider the manner of God's speaking to the sons of men.

3. God saith to Abraham, "As it is written, I have made thee a father of many nations, before him whom he believed,

even God who quickeneth the dead, and calleth things that are not as though they were," (Rom. iv. 17.) Observe, God speaks then, at that present time, to Abraham, saying, "I have made thee a father of many nations," notwithstanding Abraham was not at that time the father of one child, but Ishmael. How then must we understand, “I have made thee a father of many nations?"

4. The apostle tells us plainly, it was so," Before God, who calleth things that are not, as though they were." And so he called Abraham, "The father of many nations," though he was not as yet the father even of Isaac, "in whom his seed was to be called."

5. God useth the same manner of speaking, when he calleth Christ, "The Lamb slain from the foundation of the world," (Rev. xiii. 8;) although indeed he was not slain for several thousands of years after. Hence therefore we may easily understand what he speaketh of "electing us from the foundation of the world."

6. God calleth Abraham "a father of many nations,' though not so at that time. He calleth Christ "The Lamb slain from the foundation of the world," though not slain till he was a man in the flesh. Even so he calleth men "elected from the foundation of the world," though not elected till they were men in the flesh. Yet it is all so before God, who knoweth all things from eternity, and "calleth things that are not, as though they were."

7. By all which it is clear, that as Christ was called "The Lamb slain from the foundation of the world," and yet not slain till several thousands of years after; so also men are called "Elect from the foundation of the world," and yet are not elected perhaps till several thousands of years after, till the day of their conversion to God.

8. And indeed this is plain, without going farther, from those very words of St. Peter, "Elect, according to the fore-knowledge of God, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience." For, If the Elect are chosen through the sanctification of the Spirit, then they were not chosen before they were sanctified by the Spirit. But they were

not sanctified by the Spirit, before they had a being. It is plain then, either were they chosen from the foundatio n of the world. But "God calleth things that are not, as though they were."

9. This is also plain from those words of St. Paul, "God bath from the beginning chosen you unto salvation, thro' sanctification of the Spirit, and belief of the truth." Now,

If the saints are chosen to salvation, through believing of the truth, and were called to believe that truth by hearing of the gospel, then they were not chosen before they believed the truth, and before they heard the gospel, whereby they were called to believe. But they were chosen through belief of the truth, and called to believe it by the gospel. Therefore they were not chosen before they believed: much less before they had a being, any more than Christ was slain before he had a being. So plain it is, that they were not elected, till they believed; although "God calleth things that are not, as though they were."

10. Again, how plain is it, where St. Paul saith, that they whom "God did predestinate, according to the counsel of his own will, to be to the praise of his glory," were such as did “first trust in Christ ?” (Eph. i. 11, 12.) And in the very next verse, he saith, that they "trusted in Christ after they heard the word of truth," (not before.) But they did not hear the word before they were born. Therefore, it is plain, the act of election is "in time," though known of God before; who, according to his knowledge, often speaketh of the things." which are not, as though they were." And thus is the great stumbling-block about election taken away, that men may "make their calling and election sure."

11. The Scripture tells us as plainly what predestination is: It is, God's fore-appointing obedient believers to salvation, not without, but "according to his fore-knowledge" of all their works, "from the foundation of the world." And so likewise he predestinates or fore-appoints all dis

obedient unbelievers to damnation," not without, but "according to his fore-knowledge" of all their works, “from the foundation of the world."

1

12. We may consider this a little farther. "God, from the foundation of the world, foreknew all men's believing or not believing. And according to this his fore-knowledge, he chose or elected all obedient believers, as such, to salvation, and refused or reprobated all disobedient unbe. lievers, as such, to damnation. Thus the Scriptures teach us to consider Election and Reprobation “according to the fore-knowledge of God from the foundation of the world."

13. But here some may object, that I hold our faith and obedience to be the cause of God's electing us to glory. I answer, I do hold, that faith in Christ producing obedi ence to him is a cause without which God electeth none to glory; for we never read of God's electing to glory, any who lived and died a disobedient unbeliever. But I do not hold, that it is the cause for which he elects any: the contrary of this is easily shewn, thus,

Suppose my obedience is a cause of my election to salvation, What is the cause of my obedience? Ans. My love to Christ.

But what is the cause of my love to Christ? Ans. My faith in Christ.

But what is the cause of my faith in Christ? Ans. The preaching of the gospel of Christ.

But what is the cause of the preaching the gospel to us? Ans. Christ's dying for us.

But what is the cause of Christ's dying for us? Ans. God's great love of pity wherewith he loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses and sins.

14. Thus all men may see, that I do not hold, God chose any man to life and salvation, for any good which he had done, or for any which was in him, before he put it there. And this I shall now shew more at large from the oracles of God.