all the Jews and all the Chriftians are in Scripture ftiled God's Elect, that is, in their feveral Turns they were chofen by God for his peculiar People, tho' yet among thofe, there were abundance of wicked Men and Reprobates. Now it is this Notion of Election that we believe our Saviour meant, when he faid, Many are called, but few are the Elect. I think he defigneth no more by thofe Words than this, that few of thofe that had the Gospel preached to them, did really believe in him, and enter themselves into Covenant with him.

And that this is a true Notion of Ele ction, fuch as the Scripture gives of it, to omit abundance of other plain Proofs, doth fufficiently appear by that remarkable Paffage of St. Peter, 2d Epiftle, Ch. 1. ver. 3. where he begs of all Chriftians to give all Diligence not only to make their Calling, but their Election fure. Why, if the Apoftle had had any Notion of an Election of particular Perfons from all Eternity to Salvation, it is impoffible he fhould ever have fpoke these Words; for he knew, as well as we, that an eternal Decree of God concerning a particular Man's Salvation, would certainly have its Effect. And it had been Nonsense to bid us apply all our Diligence in the making of that fure and certain, which was already fure and certain in itself.

It

It is plain therefore, that he speaks of the Election of Chriftians as a Thing that might fail them, if they did not give all Diligence to make it effectual; and therefore undoubtedly he meant no more by their Election, than the Privileges they were called to of profeffing Chriftianity, or their being chofen into the Number of God's People. This, I fay, is one of the Notions of Election that we frequently meet with in holy Scripture; and I do verily believe, that in this Notion the Chofen, or the Elect in my Text, are to be understood.

And thus much of my fourth Inference. I now proceed to a fifth. Tho' I contend that this Senfe of my Text I have given, is the true literal Account of it, and that which was principally defigned when the Words were spoken, yet I do not deny but that there is another very good Senfe to be given of it, and fuch as both the Words will bear, and is likewife more accommodable to us at this Day, than the other Senfe is: But then it hath nothing to do with that Notion of particular Election, that we are now fpeaking of. I have told you, that I knew but two Notions of Election in the holy ScripOne of them I have already given you. The other I am now to fpeak of. When the Elect are fpoken of in Scrip

tures.

ture,

ture, there is fometimes more included in that Word, than a bare Profeffion of God's Religion, whether under the Law or under the Gofpel; it imports, that a Man, together with his right Belief, doth frame his Life according to it. In feveral Paffages of Scripture thofe are called God's Elect that do really approve themselves to him, by framing their Lives fuitably to those heavenly Doctrines they have received from him; and therefore we find, that the Elect of God are frequently join'd with the Holy, with the Pure, with the Beloved of God, as all fignifying the fame Thing. Now in this Senfe of the Word, to be in the Number of the Elect, it is not enough to be a Chriftian in Profeffion, but to live as a Chriftian ought to live. Taking now the Elect in my Text in this Senfe, this is the Meaning of the Words, Many, faith our Saviour, are the Called, but few are the Elect; that is to fay, Many are thofe that will, in all the Ages of the World, profefs the Chrifian Religion; but yet few are those that are choice fincere Difciples of Jefus Chrift Few are thofe that will live up to their Chriftian Profeffion. Few are thofe that are Elect and Precious, as St. Peter joins both those Words together. In a Word, Few are thofe, whofe Converfation is fuitable to their Calling. This now, I fay,

is

is an honeft and fafe Interpretation of my Text, and fuch a one as better fits our prefent Times, than that other, which I told you was that which was principally intended. But there is nothing in it that looks towards a particular Election, nor indeed do we know any thing of that

Matter.

But fixthly and laftly, to conclude all ;

The last Thing I take notice of in this Text, is the wonderful Counsel of God, in rejecting the Jews, when the Gospel .was firft preached, and taking in the Gentiles to be in their Place; and then again, after many Ages, defigning to receive the Jews again for his People. This I judge to be plainly faid in the Words of my Text, The laft fhall be first, and the first last; that is, as I have told you, The Gentiles, who were laft called, fhall at this time have the Precedence of the Jews, who were firft called: But then they themfelves fhould be called, effectually called, to the Belief of Chriftianity after the Fulnefs of the Gentiles was come in. For tho' the firft are to be laft, yet called they must be, tho' they be laft called, if our Account of the Words be true. It is true, this is not yet come to pass in the World, for the Jews are all yet obftinate Unbelievers, tho' yet they are a vast Body of Men fpread over all the World. But I

do

do verily believe, God Almighty would never have kept a People fo long from, mixing with the Nations, tho' they are difperfed into all the Parts of the Earth, bad he not designed to rally them all one Day, and to re-unite them with the Body of the Church. And I do not speak this without Grounds; for, to omit other Texts of Scripture, I cannot imagine what Senfe can be given to thofe Words of St. Paul, in the 11th of the Epistle to the Romans, ver. 25. if what I have faid be not the Sense of it, I would not, faith he, Brethren, that you should be ignorant of this Myftery, that Blindness in part is happened unto Ifrael, until the Fulness of the Gentiles be come in: And So all Ifrael fhall be faved, as it is written, There fhall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away Ungodliness from Jacob. As concerning the Gospel, they are Enemies for your Jake; but as touching the Election, they are beloved for the Fathers fakes. For the Gifts and Calling of God are without Repentance. St. Paul profecutes this Argument with a great many other Words. I grant his whole Difcourfe is obfcure, as all Prophecies muft be, till they be fulfilled. But there are Proofs enough in it to make any Man conclude, that the Jews fhall at laft be converted to the Faith of Chrift: Nay, and more than that, that as

their