moft virulent enemies of the gospel. | of grace. The election hath obThe converfion of fome of them tained it, and the reft were blind gave a great blow to heathenifm, ed." James alfo fays in his epiffrom which it never recovered. tle, "Hath not God chofen (or They became firm fupporters of elected) the poor of this world, that gofpel, which once they were rich in faith, and heirs of the kingearneft to destroy; and efpoufed dom." the caufe of Chriftianity with as much zeal, as once they had done that of their falfe Gods. (To be continued) It is certain from thefe, and many other fimilar paffages, that there is fuch a thing as election, and that fome are elected or chofen of God. It cannot be denied without con The doctrine of election, not incon-tradicting the most express decla fiftent with the use and neceffity of means. NUMBER I. 2 Tim. ii. 10. Therefore I' endure all things for the elect's fake, that they may also obtain the falvation, which is in Chrift Jefus, with eternal glory. T O elect means the fame as to choofe, and the elect are the fame as the chofen. Therefore the fame Greek word is fometimes tranflated ele, and fometimes choSen. Thefe terms elect, election, chofen, and others of fimilar import, were often ufed by the Lord Jefus, and his infpired apoftles, in the facred fcriptures. The divine Saviour fays, "Many are called, but few chofen" or elected. "But for the elect's fake thofe days (of great tribulation) fhall be shortened. Falfe Chrifts and falfe prophets fhall arife, and fhew great figns, infomuch that (if it were poffible) they fhall deceive the very elec. The Son of man fhall fend his angels with a great found of a trumpet, and they fhall gather his elect, from one end of heaven to the other." Paul fays, "Who fhall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? The purpofe of God according to election fhall stand. There is a remnant according to the election ration of facred writ. And it may be further obferved, that the elect are chofen to holiness and falvation. For the apostle declares to his fellow-Chriftians, "Brethren, beloved of the Lord, God hath chofen or elected you to falvation. Hath chofen us, that we fhould be holy-and whom he did predeftinate or elect, them he called, and justified, and glorified." Such paffages teach the certain connection between election, and holiness, and falvation, and glorification. + But it may be inquired, when does God thus choose the elect or real Chriftians? Is it before, or af ter they believe in Chrift? Let us hear "what faith the fcripture." The infpired apoftle, fpeaking of himself and fellow-Chriftians, fays, "God hath chofen (or elected) us in Chrift Jefus before the founda tion of the world"*. "Brethren, God hath from the beginning chofen you to falvation, through fanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth"+. "God hath faved us, and called us with an holy calling-according to his own purpofe and grace, which was given us in Chrift Jefus, before the world began". It is certain from fuch exprefs declarations of the word of God, that real Chriftians are chofen or elected to falvation before the foundation of the world, or from eternity. This truth is also manifeft from reafon and the divine perfections. -God is unchangeable-is the fame yesterday, to-day, and forever, and with him there is no variablenefs, neither shadow of turning; therefore all his purposes and determinations must be eternal. If then God ever choofes any to falvation; it is certain, that his choice of them must be from eternity. But it may be again afked, Did 'God thus eternally choose the elect on account of any foreseen goodnefs, holiness, or willingness to repent and believe in the Lord Jefus, antecedent to their being renewed by his Holy Spirit? What fay the fcriptures on this point? It is declared in a paffage already quoted, "God hath chofen us in him, before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy." Here it is evident, that Chriftians are elected or chofen, not because they were good or holy, but that they might be fo. They are chofen to -holiness, and are made holy in con.. fequence of their being thus chofen. Again it is faid, "God hath faved us and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpofe and grace. Not by works of righteousness, which we have done, but according to his mercy he faved us by the washing of regeneration, and the renewing of the Holy Ghoft." Do not fuch paffages plainly teach, that the elect are not chofen and called or renewed on account of any holiness or good works, but according to God's own mercy, purpose and grace ? But the words of the apoftle, Rom. ix. are ftill more explicit and decided on this fubject. He is there illuftrating God's wife and holy fovereignty and purpofe of election by his choofing Jacob in preference to Efau before their birth. "For the children being not yet born, neither having done good or evil that the purpose according to election might ftand, not of works, but of him that calleth." So chap. xi. it is faid, that election is of grace. "And if by grace, then it is no more of works." Can any words more fully or exprefsly declare, that God's purpose of election or choice of the elect, is wholly of grace, and not at all on account of any goodness foreseen to be in them, antecedent to their election or regeneration. This will be further evident from a confideration of the character of mankind, while unrenewed. The fcriptures teach, that while in this fituation they are "dead in fin""enemies to God" that "every imagination of the thought of their heart is only evil continually," and Chrift fays, "No man can come unto me, except the Father draw him.” They are therefore wholly deftitute of all hølinefs or moral good, and have no difpofition to repent and cordially embrace the gofpel, until renewed by the Holy Spirit. Confequently it is impoffible, that the elect fhould be chofen and regenerated on account of any fore feen goodness or willingness to go to Chrift in faith and love. For if God were never to elect any to falvation, till he forefaw, that they would of themfelves be difpofed to repent, it is certain, that none of the human race would be elected or faved. What our Saviour faid to his unbelieving hearers is equally true of all impenitent finners, "Ye will not come unto me, that ye may have life." None will go, unlefs | ters fhould not faithfully preach the drawn by the Father. But it is often objected, that if the doctrine of election is true, it can be of no advantage for minifters to preach the gospel, or for people to hear, and attend upon the means of grace. For it is faid, that those who are elected will be faved, and those who are not, will never obtain falvation; whether they attend to the means of falvation, or not. In anfwer to this objection, it may be observed, that the infpired Paul was of a very different opinion from the objectors on this fubje&t. No writer of the new teftament more frequently and plainly taught the doctrine of election than Paul. Yet he was fo far from fuppofing, that this rendered means unneceffary, that he was the most laborious and fuccefsful of all the apostles in preaching the golpel; travelling from country to country, and ceafing not to warn and exhort every one with tears, night and day, as he had opportunity. Speaking of the afflictions he fuffered in preaching the gospel, he fays, "I endure all things for the elect's fakes, that they may also obtain falvation; fhewing, that in his view means were useful and necessary to bring perfons to repentance and falvation. Accordingly he exprefsly teaches the neceffity of the means of grace, declaring, that faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God," and that it pleafed God" by the foolishness of preaching to fave them that believe." He therefore commands minifters of the gofpel in his epiftle to Timothy to be conftant in preaching both in feafon and out of feafon. These confiderations plainly fhew, that the doctrine of election affords no juft reafon, why minif gofpel, and people carefully hear and attend upon the means of grace. In further illustrating this truth, it may be obferved: 1. That by election is meant the eternal purpose of God to render the preaching of the gospel, religious knowledge and instruction, and other means of grace, efficacious in awakening, and bringing a certain number to repentance, faith and holy obedience, that they may in this way obtain falvation. Now God's determination, that preaching and other means of grace fhall be inftrumental of bringing a number to repentance and falvation, certainly cannot render these means unneceffary, or of no advantage. Can it be any juft reafon, why minifters fhould not faithfully preach the gofpel, warn, and inftru&t mankind, because God has eternally determined to render thefe means effectual to the falvation of a certain number? Does not this confideration, on the contrary, afford them great encouragement to perfevere in their exertions to promote the falvation of their fellow-creatures; fince they have reafon to hope, that it is the divine determination, that their labors fhall be fuccefsful in faving fome fouls ? Or can God's eternal purpose, that a number fhall be brought to repentance and falvation by the preaching of the gospel and other means of grace be any juft reafon, why these fhould be neglected, or confidered unneceffary? Were it determined, that a certain particular number, (who or how many we know not) fhould have plentiful crops next season by means of careful cultivation; would this render cultivation unneceffary, or be any just reafon, why we fhould not diligently cultivate and fow the earth? Would it not be very abfurd to object, that because God had determined that a certain number should have crops by means of cultivation; therefore cultivation was unneceffary, and there was no encouragement for perfons carefully to till their land? If they did not till and fow, it is certain, that they would have no harvest. But the more diligently they cultivated their farms, the greater would be the probability, that they were of the number, who by the divine determination were to have a plentiful harveft. And is it not equally unreafonable to object, that preaching and other means are unneceffary, or that there is no advantage in ferioufly attending upon them; becaufe God has determined, that caufe God has determined, that thefe means fhall be inftrumental to awaken, and bring a number to repentance and salvation ? Thofe, who are in a state of impenitence know not, whether they are elected to falvation or not. But while carelefs and neglectful of divine things and their eternal concerns, they may know, that they are in the greatest danger of perishing, and are haftening down the broad road to deftruction. But the more fenfible they are of their fin and danger, and the more attentive they are to divine things, the greater is the probability of their being chofen to falvation. None can enfure falvation, unless they yield a cordial compliance with the duties of religion, and make them their highest concern. It is therefore as unreafonable to neglect a ferious attention to the means of grace and our eternal interefts on account of the doctrine of election; or because it has been determined, that thefe means fhall be effectual to the falvation of a certain number; as it would be to. neglect tilling and fowing, because it was determined, that a particular unknown number fhall have crops by these means. A careless neglect of the means of grace and duties of religion is as direct a way to enfure our deftruction, as a nega lect of cultivation is to have no harveft. Thus it is manifeft, that the doc. trine of election does not render the preaching of the gospel and other means of grace at all unneceffary, and affords no reason, why all fhould not feriously attend upon thefe means. H. E. FOR THE CONNECTICUT EVANGELICAL MAGAZINE. Queftion. Why could not God give repentance and remiffion of fin, and restore finners, by his Holy Spir it, to holiness and happiness, without the fufferings and death of his Son?-Or, in other words, Why was the divine laws and government fo conftituted, that the penalty could not be remitted to the tranfgreffor, in other way, but by the fuffering and death of Chrift? any I BELIEVE there are few, who read and hear the gospel, but, at fome period of their lives," have had fomething like the above queries pafs through their minds. Want of proper light, and of receiving juft ideas on this important fubject, has led into wrong fentiments concerning the gofpel, and to many doubts, whether it is in fact a revelation from God. Το attempt a full answer to the queftions above ftated, in their various connections and confequences might fwell the fubject to a volume. All therefore that will now be attempted, is, only to arrange a few thoughts, that will bear much enlargement. 1. The first thing I fhall ob ferve, by way of anfwer, is, that the charader of God is perfect. No other, than a character every way perfed, can anfwer what is feen and declared of God in his works of creation, and providence, and in the volume of infpiration. In all thefe, he is declared to be felf-exiftent, independent, and the firft caufe of all things that exist. In our ideas of perfection in God we unite natural and moral attributes, in the higheft poffible degree. The natural attributes afcribed to God are rational, intelligent exiftence, fuch as wifdom, knowledge and power, in a much higher degree than any created being is able to "he cannot deny himself." All the divine operations and counfels of God are perfectly holy. All poffible things are before him, and he chooses, and cannot but choose, agreeable to his holy nature, that which is beft-should he not choose that which is beft in every thing, it would denote imperfection, it would be acting contrary to his holy nature, he would deny himself, which is impoffible. 3. As all intelligent existence is comprehended in God and rational creatures, the holiness of his nature would lead him, in all his acts and difpenfations, to regard the higheft good, happiness and glory of the whole; this must be true benevolence and impartial goodness. Of the being that does this, we may well fay his name is love. God was acting thus when he gave to creatures his holy law. This law he gave as a perfect rule of duty tending to perfect happiness, and without conformity to it no creature from the very nature of things, ever could, can, or will be happy. This divine law, in no part of it, proceeded from any thing arbitrary in God, he did not in its precepts and penalties have it thus because he would, when he might as well have had it otherwife; but it originated both in its precepts and penalties from the holy and perfect nature of God, and from the reafon and nature of things (for the latter arifes from the former.) Therefore for God to alter this law, which commands us to love him with all the heart and our neighbor as ourselves; or to alter or fet afide the penalties annexed to it, would be to act contrary to his perfect nature, contrary to the reafon and nature of things, contra ry to the gofpel itfelf, which is not introduced to deftroy but to fulfil this law, to magnify and make it |