foreknown faith and obedience; but neither in the one case or the other do we find an instance or proof of irrespective election or reprobation.

It was to the Apostles (not excluding Judas,) our Lord said, chap. xiii. 17, 18, "IF ye know these things, happy are ye, IF ye do them. I speak not of you allI know whom I have chosen," i.e. I know the real character of all whom I have chosen; and again, when Judas was absent, chap. xv. 4.-" Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself except it abide in the vine, no more can ye, except ye abide in me;" and again, "IF ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love, even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love." (With reverence be it spoken) this illustration precludes all idea of irrespective election; who could think of applying such an idea to our Divine Lord therefore neither can it be applied to those with whom he condescends to compare himself. Again, this is my commandment, that ye love one another, as I have loved you; ye are my disciples IF ye do whatsoever I command you." Again, "the Father himself loveth you, because ye have loved me, and believed that I came out from God." In these feelings of love and faith in Christ, were the Apostles altogether passive? or were they chosen without regard to this love and faith foreknown? But above all, in that illustrious prayer which proves our Lord's mercy and love extended, not to the Apostles only, but to his church to the end of the world. "I pray not for these alone, but for them also which believe on me through their word;" does this denote election without any regard to foreknown faith?

1 John ii. 19. States merely that the persons whom it describes could never have been what they professed to be-sincere Christians; but must have been, from the beginning, hypocrites. I add, that of all the Scriptures, this epistle most directly contradicts the doctrine of absolute personal election, or of the benefit of our Saviour's propitiation being limited to a few only, by an eternal irrespective decree. No-" IF ANY man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, even Jesus Christ the righteous, and he is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only, but for the sins of THE WHOLE WORLD;" and the criterion of true faith is not the reception of any such opinion as that of election without any regard to works. No, "hereby we do know that we know him if we keep his commandments;" a criterion exactly corresponding to that laid down by our Divine Lord-" By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, IF ye have love one to another.". "IF ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love."—" Ye are my friends IF ye do whatsoever I command you." Is this language such as would suggest the belief of an irrespective election, by an eternal absolute decree, uninfluenced by any regard to the foreknown faith, obedience, and love of the persons thus predestined--no, surely; here the express and authoritative declaration of our Lord, appears wholly repugnant to the predestinarian scheme.

SECTION VI.-As God hath appointed the elect unto glory, so hath he, by the eternal and most free purpose of his will, fore-ordained all the means thereunto.m Wherefore they who are elected, being fallen in Adam, are redeemed by Christ;" are effectually called unto faith in Christ, by his Spirit working in due season; are justified, adopted, sanctified, and kept by his power through faith and salvation. Neither are any other redeemed by Christ, effectually called, justified, adopted, sanctified, and saved, but the elect only.

1 Pet. i. 2.-Elect according to the fore-knowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus

1 Vid. 1 John, ii, 2, 3, remarked upon, supra page 218.
3 John iii. 35.xiv. 15 -xv.-10-14.

21 John, ii. 3.

Christ. Eph. i. 4.-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. Verse 5. Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children, by Jesus Christ, to himself according to the good pleasure of his will. Eph. ii. 10.-For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them. 2 Thess. ii. 13.-But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you brethren, beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation, through sanctification of the Spirit, and belief of the truth.

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1 Thess. v. 9.--For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ. Verse 10. Who died for us, that whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him. Tit. ii. 14-Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.

• Rom. viii. 30. Moreover, whom he did predestinate, them he also called; and whom he called, them he also justified; and whom he justified, them he also glorified. Eph. i. 5.- Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will. 2 Thess. ii. 13.--But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you brethren, beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation, through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth.

P1 Peter i. 6. Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

q John xvii. 9. I pray for them; I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me, for they are thine. Rom. viii. 28.-And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose, &c. (to the end of the chapter.) John vi. 64.—But there are some of you that believe not, for Jesus knew from the beginning who they were that believed not, and who should betray him. Verse 75.--And he said, Therefore said I unto you, that no man can come unto me except it be given unto him of my Father. John x. 26.-- But ye believe not, because ye are not of my sheep, as I said unto you. John viii. 47. He that is of God heareth God's words, ye therefore hear them not, because ye are not of God. 1 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.

Here it is necessary to observe, that if we suppose the word ELECT to be employed as designating those followers of Christ who at the last great day "shall be gathered together from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other," "shall be set at the right hand of God," and "called to inherit the kingdom prepared for them," (that is, for the righteous.) This article truly states the steps by which they advance, guided by the Holy Spirit to this blessed consummation, and the scriptural authorities, describing their progress, are justly applied. But if these Scriptures are adduced to prove that this election was formed by an absolute decree, made before they were born, or had done any good or evil, without any regard to their foreknown faith or obedience whatsoever; I deny that the Scriptures here adduced establish that meaning or that inference: I proceed to examine such as have not been already considered.

I hardly conceive it possible this text from 1 Peter i. 2, could appear for a moment to sanction the doctrine of irrespective election, and reprobation of individuals, (which the concluding words of the article shew was included in it,) if the 1st verse of the chapter had been allowed to introduce the 2nd.--" Peter an Apostle of Jesus

1 In Matt. xxv. 31. compared with verse 34, &c.

Christ, to the elect strangers scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bythinia, 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."

Our translation, by removing the word elect out of its place, and uniting it with the words," according to the foreknowledge of God," has, (I am persuaded unintentionally,) identified the phrase of the Apostle with the technical language of the predestinarians, which applies the word elect to the comparatively small number of professing Christians chosen out of the visible church on earth to enjoy glory in heaven, while all the rest are excluded. Now, it is quite clear the Apostle applied the elect to the whole body of professing Christians dispersed through the wide range of Asia, and the parts of Europe in its vicinity which he enumerates. I ask, is it credible or supposable that this entire body consisted altogether of the ELECT in the Calvinistic sense of the word. Certainly the Apostle annexed no such meaning to it; he meant, as Ecumenius interprets it, "to the elect, to them that are separated from other nations to be his holy and peculiar people"-a separation or election which took place according to the foreknowledge of God, (testified in the prophecies which foretold, the Messiah's advent and kingdom,) in which sanctification was effected by the influence of the Spirit, and pardon granted by the sprinkling of Christ's atoning blood-an address in which the Apostle evidently refers to, and, as it were, paraphrases, the form of baptism in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, instituted by our Saviour; and is as little limited to the elect for eternal salvation, as the administration of that sacred rite. And this is undeniably the fact, from the 2nd Epistle of Peter, where the description of those to whom he addresses it, at first seems so much more applicable to the elect than that given in this Epistle, yet afterwards clearly appears to designate the whole body of professing Christians, vid. supra Discourse ten, particularly from page 344 to 346. As to the quotations from the Epistle to the Ephesians—the general tenor of that Epistle has been considered, supra in Discourse ten, and I trust it has been shewn that it is decidedly repugnant to the predestinarian scheme, vide particularly from page 340 to page 344 and this Appendix, as quoted supra page 418, 426.

In the verse, Eph. ii. 10, the expressions "created in Christ Jesus unto works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them," certainly do not mean ordaining by a decree of absolute predestination, that we should of necessity walk in them, but that Christians were by faith in Christ formed for good works, for which God hath before prepared us, (prepared is the marginal reading, and the exact translation of gonтaμarev) viz. by giving us the knowledge of his will and the assistance of his Spirit to perform them. This natural interpretation gives no sanction to the doctrine of absolute predestination.

Of the remaining quotations annexed to this article 1 Thess. v. 9, 10, has been already considered, supra page 429, as also Romans viii. 30, supra Ephes. i. 5.

2 Thess. ii. 13. "Hath chosen us from the beginning to salvation, through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth." I beg the reader to peruse this chapter from v. 18 to the end, and assuredly he will find the clearest repugnance to the predestinarian scheme; "they who perish (in v. 10,) perish because they received not the love of the truth that they might be saved;" surely this intimates they had it in their power to receive that love of truth, and that had they done so, they would have been saved. The Apostle states, "there were some on whom God would send a strong delusion, that they should believe a lie, that they all might be damned;" these were certainly reprobated-but was it in consequence of an "irrespective decree, uninfluenced by any regard to their infidelity or impenitency?" No it was because they believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.” Now, to those thus reprobated, the Apostle contrasts true believers "whom God chose from the beginning unto salvation," undoubtedly foreseeing they were not of those who would not receive the love of the truth, because they had pleasure in unrighteousness; "these beloved of the Lord" were conducted to salvation, being

I Quoted by Whitby in loc. VOL. III.

22 Thess. ii. 10, 11, 12.

82 Thess. ii. 13.
2 F

called by the Apostles' preaching the gospel," which they received "by the sanctification of the Spirit, and the belief of the truth;" but still while in this state of trial their salvation depended on their steady adherence to faith and obedience; still the Apostle judges it necessary to warn them "that they may stand fast, and hold the traditions (or doctrines) he had taught them."" He warns them "to withdraw from those who walk disorderly, and not to be weary of well-doing," and as the most hopeful might lapse, so offenders might repent. Those who walked disorderly, I (says the Apostle,) "command and exhort by our Lord Jesus Christ, that with quietness they work, and eat their own bread;" nor does he irretrievably condemn even those who should be so obstinate as for some time to disobey this exhortationIf any man obey not our word by this Epistle, note that man, and have no company with him, that he may be ashamed; yet count him not as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother." Thus the Apostle alleviated the offender's punishment, still looked upon him as his brother in Christ, still anxiously prayed and watched for his repentance and recovery. Can we believe that divine goodness was not also, to the same offenders, long-suffering and abounding in mercy? Can we believe that the mercy was checked by an eternal decree of reprobation, which "before they were born, or had done either good or evil," appointed them to eternal damnation, without any regard to their infidelity or impenitence?

66

It remains to consider the texts quoted from the Gospel, and the 1st Epistle of St. John.

John vi. 64. Relating to our Lord's selecting Judas as an Apostle, compared with John xiii. 18, on the same subject, has been shewn in this Appendix, supra page 428, to have no relation to the doctrine of absolute predestination. The instruction our Lord presses on his disciples from the awful example of Judas's false profession, John vi. 65, "therefore said I unto you, no man can come unto me except it be given him of my Father," evidently means--I want you not to depend on mere outward profession; not you cannot effectively and beneficially be my disciples, without a sincere and heart-felt belief, accompanying your profession and influencing all your conduct; and this faith and obedience you cannot have by your own unassisted reason or unaided strength; you must be of those "who have heard and have learned of the Father--those only can come to me.' 954

Compare this with the multiplied declarations "that God will give his Holy Spirit, to them that ask him," and of the "sufficiency of the Divine Word to instruct men," John vii. 39; and this instruction of our Lord, as well as that other, "no man can come to me, except the Father who hath sent me draw him," will be found to inculcate, not the doctrine of absolute predestination, but the necessity of imploring divine assistance, and studying the Divine Word, to confirm us in faith and piety.

John viii, 47, x. 26, are quoted as strong proofs of predestination-John viii. 47, "he that is of God, i e. (according to the Calvinistic interpretation,) he that is predestined to be the child of God, heareth God's words; ye therefore hear them not because ye are not of God," i.e. because ye are not the predestined children of God. Now, I do not hesitate to say, that the express declarations of our Lord in this chapter utterly subvert this interpretation. This passage is introduced by our Lord's address to a number of the Jews, who at the moment were powerfully struck with his appeal to the union and co-operation of his Heavenly Father (v. 30,) with himself, and at the moment believed on him (v. 31,) but whose faith, as the event proves, was transient and unsteady. Our Lord declares to them, if ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed, and ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." Now, this single expression, IF YE CONTINUE IN MY WORD, proves their salvation or condemnation was not absolutely decreed; but conditional, depending on their adherence to that faith and obedience, which our Lord's word required. He then explains this freedom, "Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin;" and again, from this slavery, belief of the truth, and obedience to him, the Son of God, would make them free. IF the Son shall make you free, ye

.

12 Thess. ii. 15.

2 2 Thess. iii. 6-13.

32 Thess. iii. 14, 15.

4 John vi. 44, 45.

shall be free indeed;" when they claimed to be children of Abraham, our Lord thus disproves their claims: "IF ye were Abraham's children, ye would do the works of Abraham: but now you seek to kill me, a man who hath told you the truth; this did not Abrahamn."

Again, when they claimed to be children of God, our Lord replies, "IF God were your Father, ye would love me, for I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of myself, but he sent me. Why do ye not understand my speech, even because ye cannot hear my word." Hear, in this place, undoubtedly means to listen to, to attend to;-they could not understand, because they would not listen, they would not seriously and honestly attend to him: and why would they not? the predestinarian affirms, it was determined by an eternal decree of God that they should not understand or attend to the word.Our Saviour appears to account for it far otherwise; "Ye," says he, “are of your father the Devil, and the desires of your father ye choose to do;" λTE TO, "he was a murderer, he is the father of lies, and because I speak the truth ye will not believe me." Thus, because of their wicked propensities and desires, for which they are called the "children of the Devil," they could not hear the truth of God. Our Lord then contrasts them with those who would hear him: "he that is of God heareth," i.e. listeneth, attendeth to the words of God; "and on this account ye hear them not, because ye are not of God;" and again, "Ye seek to kill me, because my word hath no place in you;" (John viii. 37.) i.e. (as it were) no reception or welcome in your hearts, and is therefore returned back from you, as you are unworthy that it should dwell with you. Surely, this does not mean some do not hear, because God from eternity decreed that the former should be his children, the latter not; and determined this, without any regard to the faith or obedience of the one, or impenitence or infidelity of the other; -no, our Lord has himself clearly explained it in another passage recorded by the same Apostle, John vii. 16, 17. "My doctrine is not mine, but His that sent me; if any man choose to do his will, ('Εαν τις θελη το θέλημα αυτου ποιειν,) he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether speak of myself." In brief, compare this with John viii. 47, the result is, that he is the child of the Devil who is willing to do the desires of the Devil, and such cannot hear the word;-he is of God, or the child of God, who is willing to do the will of God, and such will hear the word, and know that the doctrine is of God. Is this the doctrine of irrespective election and reprobation, or the very opposite? the reader must judge for himself.

John x. 26. "But ye believe not, because ye are not my sheep, as I said unto you ;" and the reason why we are not his sheep I believe is given in the next verse "my sheep HEAR (that is, listen to, attend, and obey) my voice, and I know them, and they FOLLOW ME," and this is in perfect accordance with the metaphor used, which represents Christ's zealous and faithful disciples, as following their Master's voice and footsteps, with the same meekness, docility, and submission, as sheep crowd round their protecting shepherd. It is not, therefore, to be wondered at, that he says of such characters in the following verse, "they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand;" but can this promise be, therefore, wrested from its natural meaning, and applied to those "who fall foully, but not finally?" that is, become any thing but the meek, gentle, and faithful sheep of their Divine Shepherd, following not his voice, but their own lusts or caprices; can it be said of those living in sin, that "they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hands?" When they have already ceased to be his followers, and become the servants of another master, according to the Apostle, "Know ye not that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey." Rom. vi. 16.

1 John viii. 39, 40, 43, 44.