That all the members of the Church at Babylon were chosen out of the world and elected by the act of God in holy baptism into the Body of Christ, the Apostle could not be ignorant of; but that they were all absolutely elected to, and infallibly sure of, salvation, he certainly could not say.

2 Pet. iii. 9.

Οὐ βραδύνει ὁ Κύριος τῆς ἐπαγγελίας, ὥς τινες βραδυτῆτα ἡγοῦνται, ἀλλὰ μακροθυμεῖ εἰς ὑμᾶς μὴ βουλόμενός τινας ἀπολέσθαι, ἀλλὰ πάντας εἰς μετάνοιαν χωρῆσαι.

The Lord is not slack concerning His promise as some men count slackness: but is long-suffering to usward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

2 John 13.

Ασπάζεται σε τὰ τέκνα τῆς ἀδελφῆς σου τῆς ἐκλεκτῆς.

The children of thy elect sister greet thee.

These words are variously understood, according as the Kupía is taken as referring to an individual or a church. The non-mention of the Kupía herself here seems rather to favour the latter hypothesis, but there has been much division of opinion. The individual hypothesis was held in various forms by Luther, Piscator, Beza, Grotius, Middleton, Benson, Bengel, De Wette, and others. The ecclesiastical hypothesis, on the other hand, has been held by Jerome, Clement of Alexandria, Hammond, Meyer, and many others.

Jude 4.

Παρεισέδυσαν γάρ τινες ἄνθρωποι, οἱ πάλαι προγεγραμμένοι εἰς τοῦτο τὸ κρίμα, ἀσεβεῖς, τὴν τοῦ Θεοῦ ἡμῶν χάριν μετατιθέντες εἰς ἀσέλγειαν, καὶ τὸν μόνον δεσπότην καὶ Κύριον ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦν Χριστὸν ἀρνούμενοι.

For there are certain men crept in unawares who were of old foretold to this condemnation; ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying our only Master and Lord Jesus Christ.

The words οἱ πάλαι προγεγραμμένοι εἰς τοῦτο τὸ κρῖμα, mean literally men of old prophesied of as to this condemnation, "ungodly men turning the grace of God into lasciviousness and denying our only master and Lord Jesus Christ." These were evidently men of whom it was "of old set forth," or "before written or prophesied," or "who have been of old written down in prophecy," that they should be condemned for their ungodliness, for Enoch "prophesied of these, saying, Behold the Lord cometh with ten thousand of His saints to execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds." Their lusts were of old typified by those of Sodom, their apostacy by that of the fallen angels, and their perdition by that of the Israelites who, though the Lord delivered them out of the hands of Pharaoh, yet were afterwards destroyed through unbelief.

(d) Testimony of the Early Church.

In order to discover what the Fathers really held on any specific subject we must approach them with an unbiased mind and gather their doctrine so far as possible from the whole context rather than from isolated sentences. For it must be remembered that doctrines in their writings, especially in those of the earlier Fathers, present themselves in broad indefinite truths. They were, of course, unaware of the difficulties which the course of time laid bare, and of shades of differences in forms of expression, which only the searching thoughts and penetrating intellects of succeeding ages were able to distinguish. Their mode of thought and expression, too, were so different from ours,-we must take this all into consideration in attempting to gather any particular doctrine from their writings. There has been far too little dispassionate investigation of their works, too much searching for confirmation of views already formed, and the selecting of those sentiments which on their face (and sometimes only so apart from their context) seem favourable to such preconceived opinions to the rejection of those expressions which fail to harmonize therewith.

Before the time of Augustine we find but little in the Fathers' respecting the doctrine of election, and this in itself speaks volumes in favour of the view that they held not the doctrine as subsequently expounded by Augustine and Calvin. Had the doctrine of election and reprobation as taught by Calvin been held in the early Church-had it been taught by the Apostles it must have made an indelible impression on the minds of those to whom it was delivered. It must have filled them with awe and wonder, and could hardly fail to have found utterance in no ambiguous terms. Such a doctrine could not be other than a prominent one in any creed. We find it so with the followers of Augustine and Calvin. They regard the doctrine as one to be ever kept before the mind and one on which we should have clear and decided views.

CLEMENT OF ROME.

The Church of God which sojourneth at Rome to the Church of God which sojourneth at Corinth, even those that are elect, sanctified by the Will of God, through our Lord Jesus Christ; grace and peace be multiplied unto you from Almighty God, through Jesus Christ. 1

· Ἡ ἐκκλησία τοῦ Θεοῦ ἡ παροικοῦσα Ῥώμην, τῇ ἐκκλησίᾳ τοῦ Θεοῦ τῇ παροικούση Κόρινθον, κλητοῖς, ἡγιασμένοις ἐν θελήματι Θεοῦ, διὰ τοῦ Κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ· Χάρις ὑμῖν καὶ εἰρήνη ἀπὸ παντοκράτορος Θεοῦ διὰ Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ πληθυνθείη. Ep. ad Cor. 1.

Ye contended both day and night for the whole brotherhood that by mercy and a good conscience the number of His elect might be saved. 1

To these men the Apostles who lived according to the rules of a Divine polity, there was gathered together a great multitude of the Elect, who on account of zeal, having endured many sufferings and torments became among us a most excellent example.

2

Let us therefore draw nigh to Him in holiness of mind, lifting up chaste and undefiled hands unto Him, loving our gracious and merciful Father, who made us a part of His election. For thus it is written, "When the Most High divided the nations, when He dispersed the sons of Adam. He set the bounds of the nations according to the number of God's angels. His people Jacob became the portion of the Lord, and Israel the lot of His inheritance." And in another place He saith, "Behold the Lord taketh unto Himself a nation from the midst of the nations, as a man taketh the first fruits of His threshing floor.

Let us therefore cleave to the innocent and just; for they are the elect of God. . . . Have we not one God and one Christ? Is there not one Spirit of grace that was poured out upon us all? Have we not one calling in Christ? In love were all the elect of God made perfect.

5

Blessed is the man to whom the Lord shall not impute sin, neither is there deceit in his mouth. This blessing belongs to those who have been elected by God through Jesus Christ.

Now may God, which seeth all things, the Master of spirits and Lord of all flesh, who elected our Lord Jesus Christ and us by Him to be a peculiar people, grant to every soul that is called after His glorious and holy name faith, fear, peace, patience, longsuffering, temperance, holiness, and sobriety.

1

7

Αγὼν ἦν ὑμῖν ἡμέρας τε καὶ νυκτὸς ὑπὲρ πάσης τῆς ἀδελφότητος, εἰς τὸ σώζεσθαι μετ' ἐλέους καὶ συνειδήσεως τὸν ἀριθμὸν τῶν ἐκλεκτῶν αὐτοῦ. Epist. ad Corinth i. § 2.

2 Τούτοις τοῖς ἀνδράσιν ὁσίως πολιτευσαμένοις συνηθροίσθη πολὺ πλῆθος ἐκλεκτῶν, οἵτινες πολλὰς αἰκίας καὶ βασάνους διὰ ζῆλον παθόντες, ὑπόδειγμα κάλλιστον ἐγένοντο ἐν ἡμῖν. Ib.i. §6. 3 Προσέλθωμεν οὖν αὐτῷ ἐν ὁσιότητι ψυχῆς, ἁγνὸς καὶ ἀμιάντους χεῖρας αἴροντες πρὸς αὐτὸν, ἀγαπῶντες τὸν ἐπιεικῆ καὶ εὐσπλαγχνον πατέρα ἡμῶν ὃς ἐκλογῆς μέρος ἐποίησεν ἑαυτῷ. οὕτω γὰρ γέγραπται· Οτε διεμέριζεν ὁ ὕψιστος ἔθνη, ὡς διέσπειρεν υἱοὺς Ἀδὰμ, ἔστησεν ὅρια ἐθνῶν κατὰ ἀριθμὸν ἀγγέλων Θεοῦ· ἐγενήθη μερὶς Κυρίου λαὸς αὐτοῦ Ἰακώβ, σχοίνισμα κληρονομίας αὐτοῦ Ἰσραήλ. καὶ ἐν ἑτέρῳ τόπῳ, λέγει· Ἰδοὺ, Κύριος λαμβάνει ἑαυτῷ ἔθνος ἐκ μέσου ἐθνῶν, ὥσπερ λαμβάνει ἄνθρωπος τὴν ἀπαρχὴν αὐτοῦ τῆς ἅλω. Epist. ad Corinth. i. § 29. 4 Κολληθῶμεν οὖν τοῖς ἀθῴοις καὶ δικαίοις· εἰσὶν δὲ οὗτοι ἐκλεκτοὶ τοῦ Θεοῦ. . ἢ οὐχὶ ἕνα Θεὸν ἔχομεν, καὶ ἕνα Χριστὸν, καὶ ἓν πνεῦμα τῆς χάριτος τὸ ἐκχυθὲν ἐφ' ἡμᾶς, καὶ μία κλῆσις ἐν Χριστῷ. Ib. i. § 46.

5 Ἐν τῇ ἀγάπῃ ἐτελειώθησαν πάντες οἱ ἐκλεκτοὶ τοῦ Θεοῦ. Ib. i., § 49.

Ο Μακάριος ἀνὴρ οὗ οὐ μὴ λογίσηται Κύριος ἁμαρτίαν· οὐδέ ἐστιν ἐν τῷ στόματι αὐτοῦ δόλος. Οὗτος ὁ μακαρισμὸς ἐγένετο ἐπὶ τοὺς ἐκλελεγμένους ὑπὸ τοῦ Θεοῦ διὰ Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ. Ib. i. § 50.

7 Ὁ παντεπόπτης Θεὸς, καὶ δεσπότης τῶν πνευμάτων καὶ Κύριος πάσης σαρκὸς, ὁ ἐκλεξά μενος τὸν Κύριον Ἰησοῦν Χριστὸν, καὶ ἡμᾶς δὲ αὐτοῦ εἰς λαὸν περιούσιον, δῴη πάση ψυχῇ ἐπικεκλημένῃ τὸ μεγαλοπρεπὲς καὶ ἅγιον ὄνομα αὐτοῦ, πίστιν, φόβον, εἰρήνην, ὑπομονὴν, μακροθυμίαν, ἐγκράτειαν, ἁγνείαν καὶ σωφροσύνην. Ib. i. § 58.

IGNATIUS.

Ignatius, who is also called Theophorus, to the Church which is at Ephesus in Asia, worthy to be deemed happy, having been blessed in the greatness and fulness of God the Father,predestinated before the world began, that it should be always unto an enduring and unchangeable glory; being united and elected in true suffering according to the will of the Father and Jesus Christ our God, much happiness in Jesus Christ and His undefiled grace. 1

1

Ignatius, who is also called Theophorus, to the holy Church which is at Tralles in Asia, beloved by God the Father of Jesus Christ, elect and godly, having peace through the flesh and blood and passion of Jesus Christ, our hope in the resurrection unto Him, whom also I salute in the fulness in the apostolic manner, and pray that it all be joy and happiness. *

POLYCARP.

When he had this done (i.e. the executioner had stabbed him with his sword) there came forth an abundance of blood so that it quenched the fire, and the whole multitude marvelled that there was such a difference between the unbelievers and the elect. Of whom this most admirable martyr is one, having been in our time an apostolic and prophetic teacher and Bishop of the Catholic Church which is in Smyrna.

HERMAS.

God, by His powerful might, established His Holy Church, which He hath blessed. Behold, He will remove the heavens and the mountains, the hills and the seas: and all things shall be made smooth for His elect; that He may fulfil to them the promise which He hath promised with much honour and joy, if so be they shall keep the statutes of God, which they have received in great faith."

Canst thou tell these things to the Elect of God?

1

Ἰγνάτιος, ὁ καὶ Θεοφόρος, τῇ εὐλογημένῃ ἐν μεγέθει Θεοῦ Πατρὸς καὶ πληρώματι, τη προωρισμένη πρὸ αἰώνων εἶναι διὰ παντὸς εἰς δόξαν παράμονον, ἄτρεπτον, ἡνωμένην καὶ ἐκλελεγ μένην ἐν πάθει ἀληθινοῦ, ἐν θελήματι τοῦ Πατρὸς καὶ Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ, τοῦ Θεοῦ ἡμῶν, τῇ ἐκκλησίᾳ τῇ ἀξιομακαρίστῳ, τῇ οὔση ἐν Εφέσω της Ασίας, πλεῖστα ἐν Ἰησοῦ Χριστῷ καὶ ἐν ἀμώμῳ Xápiti xaipei.. Ignat. Epist. ad Ephes. § i.

2 Ιγνάτιος, ὁ καὶ Θεοφόρος, ἠγαπημένη Θεῷ Πατρὶ Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ ἐκκλησίᾳ ἁγίᾳ, τῇ οὔσῃ ἐν Τράλλεσιν τῆς ̓Ασίας, ἐκλεκτῇ καὶ ἀξιοθέῳ, εἰρηνευούση ἐν σαρκὶ καὶ αἵματι καὶ τῷ πάθει Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ, τῆς ἐλπίδος ἡμῶν ἐν τῇ εἰς αὐτὸν ἀναστάσει· ἣν καὶ ἀσπάζομαι ἐν τῷ πλη ρώματι, ἐν ἀποστολικῷ χαρακτῆρι, καὶ εὔχομαι πλεῖστα χαίρειν. Ib. Epist. ad Tral. § 1.

* Καὶ, τοῦτο ποιήσαντος, ἐξῆλθε πλήθος αἵματος, ὥστε κατασβέσαι τὸ πῦρ καὶ θαυμάσαι πάντα τὸν ὄχλον, εἰ τοσαύτη τις διαφορὰ μεταξὺ τῶν τε ἀπίστῶν καὶ τῶν ἐκλεκτῶν· ὧν εἷς καὶ οὗτος γέγονεν ὁ θαυμασιώτατος, ἐν τοῖς καθ' ἡμᾶς χρόνοις διδάσκαλος ἀποστολικὸς καὶ προφητικὸς, γενόμενος ἐπίσκοπος τῆς ἐν Σμύρνη καθολικῆς ἐκκλησίας. Epist. Eccles. Smyrn. apud Euseb. Hist. Eccles. lib. iv. c. 15.

Deus,-virtute sua potenti condidit sanctam ecclesiam suam, quam benedixit. Ecce, transferet cælos ac montes, colles ac maria: et omnia plana fient electis ejus; ut reddat illis repromissionem quam repromisit, cum multo honore et gaudio, si servaverint legitima Dei, quæ acceperunt in magna fide. Herm. Past. lib. i. vis. 1. § 3.

Potes hæc electis Dei renuntiare? Ib. vis. ii. § 1.

Those squared and white stones, fitting closely to each other, are the apostles and bishops and doctors and deacons who have ministered holily and modestly to the Elect of God, both those who have fallen asleep, and those who are still living. 1

The white part represents the age about to come in which the Elect of God shall dwell, for the pure and immaculate shall be the Elect of God unto eternal life. Cease not thou therefore to speak these things in the ears of the saints."

JUSTIN, MARTYR.

We (Christians) are no mere contemptible mob: but God also elected us, and manifested Himself to those who enquire not after Him. Through the like calling that He called Abraham, charging him to go out from the land in which he dwelt; through that voice He called all of us, and we have now come out from the polity in which we lived, living wickedly according to the common practices of the other inhabitants of the earth.3

Inasmuch as God took unto Himself, out of all nations the nation of the Jews, a nation unprofitable, disobedient and faithless, He hath shewn, that those who are being elected out of every nation are through Christ obedient to His counsel."

IRENEUS.

And again, "God stood in the congregation of the gods, He judges among the gods;" he speaks [here] concerning the Father and the Son, and those who have obtained the adoption. Now these are the Church. For she is the congregation of God, which God-that is the Son-hath Himself through Himself gathered together.... Who then are these gods, to whom He says, I have said: Ye are gods, all sons of the Most High? Those, no doubt, who have obtained the grace of adoption, by which we cry, Abba, Father."

Lapides quidem illi quadrati et albi, convenientes in commissuris suis, ii sunt apostoli et episcopi et doctores et ministri, qui ministraverunt sancte et modestè electis Dei, qui dormierunt, quique adhuc sunt. Ib. vis. iii. § 5.

2 Alba autem pars superventuri est seculi, in quo habitabunt electi Dei: quoniam immaculati et puri erunt electi Dei in vitam æternam. Tu ergo ne desinas loqui hæc auribus sanctorum. Herm. Past. lib. i. vis. iv. § 3.

* Οὐκοῦν οὐκ εὐκαταφρόνητος δῆμος ἐσμὲν·—ἀλλὰ καὶ ἡμᾶς ἐξελέξατο ὁ Θεὸς, καὶ ἐμφανὴς ἐγενήθη τοῖς μὴ ἐπερωτῶσιν αὐτόν.—Διὰ τῆς ὁμοίας κλήσεως φωνῇ ἐκάλεσεν αὐτὸν (Αβραὰμ), εἰπὼν ἐξελθεῖν ἀπὸ τῆς γῆς ἐν ᾗ ᾤκει· καὶ ἡμᾶς δὲ ἅπαντας, δι' ἐκείνης τῆς φωνῆς ἐκάλεσε· καὶ ἐξήλθομεν ἤδη ἀπὸ τῆς πολιτείας ἐν ἐζῶμεν, κατὰ τὰ κοινὰ τῶν ἄλλων τῆς γῆς οἰκητόρων κακῶς Lavres. Just. Dial. cum Tryph. Oper. 272.

4 Εκ πάντων δὲ τῶν γενῶν, γένος ἑαυτῷ λαβὼν τὸ ὑμέτερον, γένος ἄχρηστον καὶ ἀπειδὲς καὶ ἄπιστον, δείξας τοὺς ἀπὸ παντὸς γένους αἱρουμένους πεπεῖσθαι αὐτοῦ τῇ βουλῇ διὰ τοῦ Χριστοῦ. Ib. 282.

5 Et iterum, "Deus stetit in synagoga Deorum, in medio autem deos discernit," de Patre et Filio et de his qui adoptionem perceperunt, dicit. Hi autem sunt Ecclesia: hæc enim est synagoga Dei, quam Deus, hoc est, Filius ipse per semetipsum collegit. Quorum autem deorum, quibus dicit: Ego dixi; Dii estis, et filii altissimi omnes? Hi, scilicet, qui adoptionis gratiam adepti sunt, per quam clamamus: Abba, Pater. Iren. adv. hær. lib. iii. c. 6.