Nay, further; befides the subjects of the Meffiab's kingdom, who were originally of the Jewish nation; it was the decree or purpose of God, from the begining, instead of the unbelieving Jews, to take for his people, under the Meffiah, all fuch of the Gentiles as would imbrace the gofpel; and, as the fewish nation generally, or in a body, rejected the Meffiah, they, who had, 'till then, been the people of God, were in a body rejected; for refufing him, whom God had fent to be their king and deliverer.

The Imall remnant of the Jewish nation, that imbraced the gofpel, were received into the kingdom of God, which he graciously erected under his own fon, the Meffiah; and fo they continued to be his people, along with the converted Gentiles, who, all together, made now the church and people of God.

And, as the Jewish nation, before the coming of Chrift, fo the Jewish and Gentile chriftians, after his coming, had the names of the elect, or chofen people of God; and the other appellations, which had formerly belonged to the nation of the Jews. And, together with fuch high and honorable names, they were likewise, by the free grace of God, intitled unto all the privileges of the chofen people of God; and nothing, but their own wickedneffe and apoftafy, could cut them off from fuch honors and advantages.

As God had determined, from the begining, to take the Gentiles to be his people, under the Merah, together with the believing Jews; and not only purpofed it in his own mind, but foretold it alfo, by many of the antient prophets; hence arofe the expreffions, concerning his foreknowing them, and prædeftinating, or prædetermining to choose, call, juftifie (or accept) them, and treat them as his children, or people.----But, to examine all the particular phrafes, or expreffions, as they lie in the New Teftament; and to fhow, from their connection with the context, their original fignification, and to what persons they properly belong, would far excede the bounds of this Letter. --- I have by me an examination of the texts relating to this fubject, which I may (poffibly) hereafter fubmit to your perufal. I would now obferve that there is one fingle text, viz. 1 Cor. ix. 27. which, if rightly tranflated, would give the English reader a just notion of the fcriptural doctrine of election and reprobation, and clearly show him that particular perfons are not, in boly writ, represented, as elected, abfolutely and unconditionally, to everlasting life; or pradeftinated, abfolutely and unconditionally, to everlasting damnation; but that all Chriftians, in general, are elected to injoy the Chriftian privileges, here upon earth; which, if they abufe, those very elect perfons will become reprobates. The words of that text are the words of St. Paul, concerning himself, who declared, "I keep under my

"body,

"

"

body, and bring it into fubjection; left, by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should become a reprobate.--σε αυτὸς ἀδόκιμα γένωμαι.” Now St. Paul was certainly a chofen vessel, an elect perfon, if ever there was one. And yet he declares, it was poffible that he himself, though an elect perfon, might become a reprobate. Nay, if he had not kept under his body, and brought his fenfes, paffions and appetites in fubjection to his confcience, he had actually become a reprobate; though he had been fo long an elect perfon, a Chriftian, and an Apostle; and though he had preached to others, and been the mean of the falvation of multitudes.

I would further obferve, before I conclude, that the decrees of God are some of them abfolute, and others conditional.

Concerning the inanimate parts of the creation, they are abfolute. That the fun, moon and stars fhould be placed at fuch a distance, and move within fuch and fuch orbits, or finish their various revolutions in certain, fixed periods of time; — these things are according to the abfolute and unconditional decrees of God, and therefore they, of themselves, can never vary; because what he has fo determined, he himself, by his own mighty power, doeth actually bring to paffe; for who can refift his will? But fhould he always determine, and act, after the fame manner, with creatures, indued with intelligence and agency, he

K 4

would

would deftroy their very make and conftitution, and treat them (not like what they are, but like what they are not, that is, like mere ftocks and ftones, who have no undertanding, or agency at all; -a thing, which infinite wisdom can never do!

Again; with refpect to creatures indued with intelligence and moral agency, God may juftly be confidered in two different views, viz. as creator, original proprietor and Lord of all; or as their moral governor and judge ".

In the first of thefe views, God, as fovereign Lord, and original proprietor of all, difpenfes his gifts, or favors, to his creatures, with perfect wifdom; but by no rules, or methods of proceding, that we are acquainted with. - The time when he creates us, or brings us into a state of trial; the country we shall live in; the parents we shall defcend from; our conftitution of body, or peculiar turn of mind; our riches or poverty, our good and liberal, or disadvantageous education; the fcene of tranquility or afflictions we are to paffe through; thefe and other circumftances are (I doubt not) appointed with fect wisdom, but by rules that lie quite out of our fight.

1

per

Whereas the divine rules, or methods of proceding, with regard to us, when God is confidered as our governor and judge, are

* See Mr. Fofter's Sermons, Vol. III. Serm. I.

clearly

clearly reveled and perfectly well known, viz. That we are here in a state of trial; and that, as we now fow, fo fhall we afterwards reap: that we shall finally be judged according to the deeds done in the body, and receive rewards or punishments, in the state of retribution, in an exact proportion to our behavior in this ftate of trial.

The decrees of God, therefore, concerning the future state of mankind, appear to me to be evidently conditional. For, without repentance, faith, and holineffe, no man can fee the Lord. And no man, who is penitent, believing, and holy (as far as I can learn from the whole fcriptural account) fhall be condemned, or miffe of falvation. Thefe, therefore, are the terms and conditions, on which God has decreed to make us happy, by the mediation of his fon, Jefus Chrift our Lord; and, without which, he has decreed we fhall not be happy.

Confidered in this view, his præfcience, or prædetermination, doeth not, in the least clash with his being a law-giver, ruler and judge. And, if you suppose him to have determined an affair of fuch confequence, according to the counfel of his own will, it can only mean, that he did not refolve upon it rafhly or precipitantly; that it was not the effect of humor, caprice, or paffion; but of wisdom and goodneffe. Though, therefore, he has declared, that "he has mercy upon whom " he