for persons unknown. When any one engages, in a legal way, to become responsible for another in matters of debt or offence, he is always supposed to have some knowledge of the person for whom he engages, so as to distinguish him from all others, who may be in similar circumstances, and stand in the same need; and the name of the persons whose cause he undertakes, must also be mentioned in the engagement, to render it valid.

Nor does it appear that the design of God in the salvation of sinners, by the incarnation and death of his own Son, could have been certainly answered on any other hypothesis. Supposing, for instance, that it had been the divine purpose to save, by the mediation of Jesus, all who should ever believe, without ascertaining the persons who should thus embrace the Redeemer; it would have remained dubious whether any would be finally saved, because uncertain whether any would ever believe. But if it were certain that some would believe, this certainly must arise from the purpose of God; for nothing future can be absolutely certain, on any other foundation. If it was determined that some should believe, the divine appointment must be considered as extending to every individual whose faith and salvation are supposed to be certain. For faith is a gift of grace, and could not be foreseen in any but those on whom the great Dispenser of every favour had determined to bestow it. Hence we may safely infer, that as the death of Christ was absolutely certain, in virtue of a divine purpose, and the everlasting compact between the Eternal Three, so all the individuals that should ever be saved by the undertaking of Jesus were chosen of God, were distinguished from others, and consigned to the great Shepherd as his peculiar charge.

It is equally clear, that the elect were chosen of God before time began; for their election is one of the first effects of divine love. This love was from everlasting. The love of God to their persons, and their election to complete felicity, must therefore be eter

nal. If, indeed, there had ever been a point in duration, in which the blessed God had no thoughts of a Mediator, nor any design of manifesting his love to miserable and guilty creatures, then it might be supposed that there was an instant in which the favoured few, who are called his elect, were not the objects of his choice. But if it was Jehovah's eternal purpose to manifest the riches of his grace by a Mediator'; and if the Deity, subsisting in Three distinct Persons, and acting under the personal characters of the FATHER, the SON, and the HOLY SPIRIT, did, before all worlds, resolve on the measures to be pursued; and if a Mediator was appointed as the grand medium of divine operation in the wonderful work, then we may safely conclude that the persons to be interested in this mediation, and benefited by it, were fixed upon and chosen. For both reason and revelation concur to forbid our supposing that the Son of the Blessed should engage as Mediator and act as a substitute, for he did not know whom; or that the counsels of heaven should terminate in mere peradventures. It would be equally incongruous for us to imagine, that a resolution in the Eternal Mind concerning the work of redemption, which is evidently the chief of all the ways of God, should have any other date than eternity.

Expressly in our favour, and in proof of the point, are the declarations of the Holy Ghost. Thus we read: God hath, from the beginning, chosen you to salvation. He hath chosen us in him, before the foundation of the world.' They were chosen in Christ, as their head and representative. Christ and the elect constitute one mystical body-he the head, and they the members- the fulness of him that filleth all in all." 'Before the foundation of the world.' This emphatical phrase is evidently expressive of eternity. Before the world was formed, or any creature existed, time did not commence. The commencement of time, and that of created existence, are exactly of the same date. Prior, therefore, to the formation of the universe, duration was all eternity, absolute eternity. The same

infallible writer, in the same epistle, speaking of the amazing scheme of man's redemption, formed in the mind of God, calls it the ETERNAL PURPOSE,' which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord; which, as we have before proved, necessarily infers the choice of the objects of that redemption.

This truth may be further evinced by considering, that as the inheritance of glory was prepared for its future possessors before the foundation of the world, so grace and all spiritual blessings that were necessary to fit them for the enjoyment of it, were given them in Christ Jesus;' were lodged in his hand, as their federal head, as the appointed Mediator, and for their use, 'before the world began.'* Nor can we conceive of any new determinations arising in the Eternal Mind, or any purposes formed by our Maker, which were not from everlasting, without supposing him defective in knowledge, or mutable in his perfections;-suppositions these, which very ill become the character of Him whose name is JEHOVAH.

But is there any reason assignable, why the elect were chosen to life and glory, while others were left in their sins to perish under the stroke of divine justice? None in the creature. For all mankind were viewed as in the same situation, and on a perfect level, considered in themselves. Notwithstanding, the great Author of all things and Lord of the world condescends to assign the reason, when he says, 'I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy.' In this the adored Redeemer perfectly acquiesced, as appears from those remarkable words, Even so, Father, for so it seemed good in thy sight.' In this also, the penetrating judgment of that wonderful man, who was caught up to the third heavens,rested completely satisfied. And in the same reason of the divine procedure we ought all to rest, without a murmuring word or an opposing thought. Nor can we rebel against the determinations of the Most High, without incurring flagrant guilt; or persist in so doing, and escape with impunity.

* 2 Tim. i. 9. Eph. i. 3, 4.

↑ Rom. ix. 15, 16.

But supposing there was no original difference between the objects of distinguishing grace, and those who finally perish; yet, did not the Omniscient foresee them as possessed of faith, fruitful in holy obedience, and persevering in it to the end? And were not these considered, by righteous God, as the cause why he chose them, rather than others who were viewed as destitute of such recommendations? By no means. For grace reigns, in the choice of all the elect: and grace, as a sovereign, rejects with disdain every such proud pretence to a claim upon her, as is here supposed. She never affords her smiles to any, because they are worthy. She ennobles none, because they are better than others. So to do would be quite inconsistent with her amiable character-would be utterly subversive of her grand design. Whenever she bestows her kind regards, it is with the condescension of an absolute sovereign. Wherever she interposes her helping hand, it is on the behalf of such, who have no other relief, nor any other plea. But, as a further proof of my negative, I would offer the following arguments.

Faith in Christ, and holy obedience, are represented by the unerring Spirit as the fruits and effects of election; they cannot, therefore, be considered as the cause, without absurdity in reason, and a contradiction to divine revelation. For it is written, As many as were ordained to eternal life believed. He hath chosen us, that we might be holy.' They believed, because they were ordained to eternal life;' not ordained to eternal life, because it was foreseen they would believe. They were chosen, not because they were, or ever would be holy; but that they might be so. They, and they only, partake of faith, who are called by divine grace; but such only are called to faith and holiness, who were predestinated to be conformed to the image of Christ. For whom he did predestinate, them he also called.'t Again: The chosen of God alone are the sheep of Christ. None * Acts xiii. 48. Eph. i. 4. Rom viii. 30.

but they who are so denominated believe on him, according to his own declaration: Ye believe not, because ye are not of my sheep.'* By which we are taught, that believing in him does not make us his sheep, or give us a right to the character, but is an evidence that we were so considered in the sight of God, and given into the hands of the great Shepherd to be saved by him. Once more: God hath called us with an holy calling, not according to,' not in consideration of ( our works,' whether past or future; 'but according to his own purpose and grace, which he purposed in Christ Jesus, before the world began.' If, then, we are not called according to our works or worthiness, but according to the everlasting purpose and free distinguishing grace of Him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will;'. much less is it to be supposed that we were chosen according to them, or in foresight of them.

To illustrate the truth and confirm the argument, it may be further observed, that faith and holiness, in the methods of grace, occupy a middle station. They are neither the foundation nor the top-stone in the spiritual building. Though inseparably connected with election, they are neither its cause, nor its consummation. That is sovereign grace; this infinite glory. Faith and holiness are, as one observes, what stalks and branches are to a root, by which the vegetable juices ascend to produce and ripen the principal fruit. By grace are ye saved THROUGH faith. Chosen to salvation, THROUGH sanctification of the Spirit, and belief of the truth.' Consequently, they are no more the cause of election, than the means necessary to attain any valuable end are the cause of appointing that end; than which nothing can be supposed more absurd. Besides, if men were foreseen as possessed of faith and holiness prior to their election, and independent on it, it is hard to conceive what occasion there was for their being elected at all. There could be no necessity for it, to secure their † 2 Tim. i. 9.

* John x. 26.