from ver. 3, to ver. 12, inclusive; and then the apostle addresses himself to the Ephesians in ver. 13, and says, in whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Besides, admitting that these words are spoken of the saints and faithful at Ephesus, and of them as a church; they are not said to be chosen as a church, or chosen to be one, but that they should be holy, and without blame; who might be called by the apostle chosen in Christ, or the elect of God, as the churches of Colosse and Thessalonica are from their visible profession of religion, and from the majority among them of such as were truly so. Wherefore these words still continue a proof of personal election. Add to this, that the phrase of being chosen in Christ, is sometimes used of a single person, as in Rom. xvi. 13. Once more, this text proves that this eternal election of particular persons to salvation is absolute, unconditional, and irrespective of faith, holiness, good works, and perseverance, as the moving causes or conditions of it; all which are the fruits and effects of electing grace, but not causes and conditions of it; since these are said to be chosen, not because they were holy, but that they should be so. And supposing that the apostle is here speaking of the saints and faithful in Christ, they are not said to be chosen as such, or because they were such: nor does it follow that they were so antecedent to their election, because they were so when the apostle wrote this epistle, any more than that they were so antecedent to their redemption and effectual vocation; since these same persons are said to have redemption in Christ, and the mystery of God's will made knoun unto them; which would imply this contradiction, that they were saints before they were called with an holy calling, and faithful before they were believers. And whereas it is said†, that these persons "were not all infallibly predestinated to salvation, but only to the adoption of children," ver. 5. It may be replied, that if they were infallibly predestinated to the adoption of children, which adoption does not so much design the blessing itself prepared in divine predestination, or the grace received in effectual vocation, as the inheritance to which the saints are adopted, even the heavenly glory, see Rom. viii. 23, then they were infallibly predestinated to salvation; and what short of salvation can be meant by being holy, and without blame before him in love? But that these words are spoken of such as were chosen out of the world to be God's church and people, and not of persons infallibly predestinated unto salvation, is thought to be exceeding evident‡.

1. "From the exhortations and cautions given to these persons in this very epistle; such as in chap. iv. 17, and v. 6, and vi. 13. All which are inconsistent with the character of the elect, that is, of persons infallibly predestinated to salvation." I reply, That the exhortations not to walk as other Gentiles, and to take to themselves the whole armour of God, though the former seems rather a testimonial of their pious walk than an exhortation to it; these, I say, are so far from being inconsistent with their character as elect, that nothing could be more pertinent to them who were chosen to be holy, and which were designed, and doubtless were blessed, as means of their perseverance in grace and holiness. And as for the caution given them, that no man deceive them into the commission of sins there mentioned, with this very good reason, for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience; nothing could be more proper to give ive them a just idea of the evil nature of sin, and the resentment of it by God, in order to their avoiding it; and yet no ways prejudice their absolute and infallible election to salvation, nor their faith and hope in it; seeing the wrath of God cometh not upon them, but upon the children of disobedience.

2. "From the apostle's prediction, Acts xx. 29, 30." But though the apostle prophesies, that after his departure either from them, or out of the world, grievous wolves should enter among them, and of themselves men should arise speaking perverse things; yet not that any of them who were chosen in Christ before the foundation of the world should be such or act in this manner. For these words, as has been already shown, are not spoken of the members of the church at Ephesus; and were they spoken of them, the apostle in his prediction could never design any of the saints and faithful in Christ Jesus, who then constituted the church at Ephesus; but others that should creep in, and rise up among them in some time to come.

3. "From his advertisement to Timothy, in 2 Tim. i. 15, and ii. 18, and iv. 3, 4; 1 Tim. i. 19, and v. 15, and vi. 21, that some had or should turn away; all which is inconsistent with the character of the elect." I reply, that some of these passages do not seem to have any immediate relation to the members of the church at Ephesus, nor any of them to them who were chosen in Christ before the foundation of the world; some of them speak not of men's turning from the faith, but from the apostle, slighting and neglecting him when he was in necessity; and others not of what was then done, but what should be hereafter; and though some then present instances of apostacy are mentioned, yet it is also affirmed, that nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, the Lord knoweth them that are his. So that these instances carry in them nothing inconsistent with the character of the elect, that is, of persons infallibly predestinated to salvation, nor prove what they are produced_for.

SECTION V.

And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called, κατά πρόθεσιν, according to his purpose; for whom προέγνω, he did foreknow, he also προώρισε, did predestinate.-ком. viii. 28, 29.

THESE three words πρόγνωσις, the foreknowledge, πρόθεσις, the purpose, and προωρισμός, the foreappointment of God, are used in the New Testament to express the doctrine of election; which show that the predestination of men to eternal life, according to the foreknowledge and purpose of God, is a special, unchangeable, and eternal act of his grace. Though,

1. It is affirmed *, "that none of them relate to particular or individual persons (save only when they are used of our blessed Lord and his sufferings for us), but only to churches and nations in the general." But surely they do not relate to churches and nations in the general, in the text before us; for then it would unavoidably follow, that whole churches and nations in general are conformed to the image of Christ, justified and glorified, seeing these things are said of those whom God foreknows and predestinates; nor do the instances alleged prove the assertion; not Eph. i. 5, 11, where the apostle speaks of some whom God had προορίσας, predestinated to the adoption of sons, and who were προορισθέντες κατὰ πρόθεσιν, predestinated according to the purpose of God, which passages regard not nations or churches, but particular persons, as has been shown under the foregoing section; nor 1 Pet. i. 2, where some are said to be elect, not κατά πρόθεσιν, according to the purpose, as Dr. Whitby very wrongly cites the words, but κατά πρόγνωσιν, according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, which intend particular persons, and not nations or churches; for not to such does the apostle write, but to strangers scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia and Bithynia; nor Rom. ix. 11, where the ἡ κατ' ἐκλογὴν τοῦ Θεοῦ πρόθεσις, purpose of God according to election, concerns not the posterity of Jacob and Esau, but the single person of Jacob only, as has been made to appear in a preceding section.

2. It is said †, "that this foreknowledge, purpose, or appointment, is only that of calling men to the knowledge of salvation by Christ Jesus." But, if by calling men to the knowledge of salvation by Christ Jesus is only meant, as it seems to be by what follows, a bare external call by the ministry of the gospel; it must be denied that foreknowledge, purpose, and appointment, only regard this; seeing many are called according to the purpose of God, with an holy calling, such an one as is powerful, and effectual to their real sanctification, and which is secured to them by God's foreknowledge, purpose, and appointment, though it is something distinct from them, being an act of God's grace in time, whereas the other respects his knowledge and will from all eternity.

3. It is farther said *, that "this calling is by God designed ἐπὶ τοῦτω, that they who are thus called might obtain salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth; all Christians being chosen to this end, that they might be holy, and unblameable before God in love. But hence it cannot reasonably be argued, that this election is no larger than the holiness designed to be produced by it." I reply, that effectual calling by the grace of God, which is the calling according to purpose the Scriptures speak of, is not only designed by God, that such who are thus called might obtain salvation, but is really and infallibly succeeded to such an end; though it would be more proper, and more agreeable to the Scriptures to say, that such obtain salvation by Jesus Christ, being chosen to it through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth; which holiness is not only designed to be produced in consequence of electing grace, but is really produced. Nor is this election larger, nor it does not extend to more persons than holiness; just as many persons are made holy in time as were chosen to be so from eternity: holiness is a certain fruit and effect of election. The instances of God's general goodness, the mission of the Baptist, and the outward ministry of the gospel of grace, not always having a good effect upon men, are not to be put upon a level with the purposes and counsel of God, which shall certainly stand; for he will always do his pleasure. As to the end of the Messiah's coming, to save his people from their sins, that ought not to have been mentioned with the former instances; since that is fully answered, and has had its sure effect and accomplishment.

4. It is observed †, that " as men were appointed to be called from the beginning, and the gospel is that ἣν προώρισεν, which God had foreappointed to be preached to them for that end, 1 Cor. ii. 7; so by virtue of this purpose and foreappointment, men were in time called by the gospel to faith in Christ, where they are said to be called according to purpose, Rom. viii. 28, 2 Tim. i. 9. And the purpose of sending Christ to die for the remission of sins, being the ground of this calling, he is said to be given up to death, according to the foreknowledge of God and his foreappointed counsel, Acts ii. 23. And they who slew him are said to have done only what his counsel had foreappointed to be done, Acts iv. 28." Which observations are very just; but are so far from militating against the doctrine of absolute election, that they establish it; since, according to them, not only the end but the means, the death of Christ, the preaching of the gospel, and calling men by it, are appointed and fixed, which infallibly succeed to bring about the end, eternal salvation.

SECTION VI.

All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in nowise cast out. - John vi. 37.

THESE words contain three of the most glorious truths of the gospel, namely, the doctrines of particular election, efficacious grace in conversion, and the final perseverance of the saints.

1st. The doctrine of particular election. The all, πᾶν, design not the apostles only, who were given to Christ as such; for these did not all, in a spiritual manner, come to him, and believe in him, one of them was a devil; much less every individual of mankind. These are in some sense given to Christ, to subserve some ends of his mediatorial kingdom, and are subject to his power and control; yet do not. come to him, believe in him *, all men have not faith; but the whole body of the elect, who, when they were chosen by God the Father, were given, and put into the hands of Christ, and therefore are said to be chosen in him†; he was chosen as head, and they as members of him. God made a covenant with him, as the head of the election of grace; in which he gave his chosen people to him as his seed, his spouse, his sheep, his portion and inheritance, and to be saved by him with an everlasting salvation. This was done before time: otherwise how could these persons be blessed with all spiritual blessings, and have grace given to them in Christ, before the world began; if their persons had not also been given to Christ, and secured in him? And though Christ here expresses this act of his Father's in the present tense, all that the Father δίδωσί, giveth me, perhaps to express the continuance and unchangeableness of it; yet he expresses it in ver. 39 in the past tense, all that δέδωκέ, he hath given me, and respects an act of God, antecedent to coming to Christ, and believing in him; which is the faith of God's elect, the fruit and effect of electing love; for as many as were ordained unto eternal life believed. Now to this sense of the words the following things are objected,

1. "Thats to be given of the Father, cannot signify to be absolutely chosen by God to eternal life; for then the Jews could not be reasonably accused for not coming to Christ, or not believing on him; much less could it be imputed to them as their great crime, that they would not come to him, or believe in him; since upon this supposition none could come but whom God had chosen." I answer, There is a difference between coming to Christ, and believing on him as the Messiah, or giving a bare assent to him as such, and coming to him as a Saviour, or believing in him for life and salvation. The Jews might be reasonably accused for not believing on him as the Messiah, whom the Father had sent; since they had such a demonstration of his being so from his character, miracles, and doctrines; though none but those among them, whom the Father had given to Christ, could

*2 Thess. iii. 3.

† Eph. i. 4.

§ Whitby, p. 51, 52; Limborch, p. 347.

M

Acts xiii. 48.