not only helpless and dependant; but the whole moral man is opposed to God, and to the government of God. "But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness unto him; neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned." Again: "Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be." Hence every one must see the necessity of the operation of the Holy Spirit to call up the mind to this all-important subject. And he is faithful to his office. He does "reprove the world of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment." He is the grand agent to apply the word preached to the hearts of those that hear. He speaks by his word, and says, " Come, for all things are now ready." "Look unto me, and be ye saved, all ye ends of the earth, for I am God, and there is none else." "Behold I stand at the door and knock." "Turn ye, turn ye, for why will ye die." Thus we are invited, and called upon to come to the Lord, that we may have life. And if we would have life, we must be obedient to the heavenly calling. For, says my text, in the second place,

2. "Unto obedience." Now, if we would become the "elect" of God, we must comply with the calls and invitations of the word and Spirit of God. For "If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land; but if ye refuse and rebel, ye shall be devoured with the sword; for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it." Again: the term " obedience," in the text, to which reference has been made, includes the ideas both of repentance and faith. Hence, "except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish." So "he that believeth not shall be damned." Thus the apostle also preached: "I have taught you publicly," said he, "and from house to house;" and the substance of his preaching was, "repentance toward God, and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ." Here then is the "obedience," spoken of by the apostle, which we are to perform by the assistance of the Holy Spirit that is vouchsafed unto us.

3. " Unto the sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ." Those who comply with the calls and invitations of the gospel, and follow the dictates of the Holy Spirit-who are obedient to the heavenly callingthat is, repent and believe in our Lord Jesus Christ, will be sprinkled with the blood of the everlasting covenant; "the blood of Jesus Christ." Then will they enjoy the "grace," the approving favor, of God; and their "peace" will be multiplied." Thus it appears how we are " elected" personally.

Should any still doubt, and ask for more proof, we have more at hand. Hear what the Apostle Paul says on this part of our subject: "But we are bound to give thanks always to God for you, brethren, beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation, through sanctification of the Spirit, and belief of the truth," 2 Thess. ii, 13. "What God hath joined together, let no man put asunder." God has connected our personal "election" to salva. tion with our "obedience" to the calls and invitations of his word and Spirit; so that whosoever is " obedient" will become an "elect" child of God, and none else. But this part of our subject is so clearly and plainly taught in the word of God, "that a wayfaring man, though a fool, need not err" respecting it.

We shall, in the next place, show when we are personally "elected." This point Mr. Wesley places in the clearest light, in the following extract from his Works:

"1. The Scripture saith, Eph. i, 4, God hath chosen us in Christ, before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love.' And St. Peter calls the saints, 1 Pet. i, 2, 'elect, according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit unto obedience.' And St. Paul saith unto them, 2 Thess. ii, 13, God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation, through sanctification of the Spirit, and belief of the truth; whereunto he hath called you by our gospel, to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.'

"2. From all these places of Scripture, it is plain that God hath chosen some to life and glory before, or from the foundation of the world. And the wisdom of all Christians is, to labor that their judg. ments may be informed herein, according to the Scripture. And to that end, let us consider the manner of God's speaking to the sons of

men.

"3. God saith to Abraham, Rom. iv, 17: 'As it is written, I have made thee a father of many nations, before him whom he believed, even God, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth things that are not as though they were.' Observe, God speaks then, at the present time, to Abraham, saying, 'I have made thee a father of many nations;' notwithstanding Abraham was not, at that time, the father of one child but Ishmael. How then must we understand, 'I have made thee a father of many nations?'

"4. The apostle tells us plainly it is so, before God, who calleth things that are not as though they were.' And so he calleth 'Abraham the father of many nations,' though he was not as yet the father even of Isaac, in whom his seed was to be called.

"5. God useth the same manner of speaking when he calleth Christ, Rev. xiii, 8, The Lamb slain from the foundation of the world;' although indeed he was not slain for some thousand years after. Hence, therefore, we may easily understand what he speaketh of electing us from the foundation of the world.'

"6. God calleth Abraham a father of many nations,' though not so at that time, He calleth Christ the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world, though not slain till he was a man in the flesh. Even so he calleth men 'elected from the foundation of the world, though not elected till they were men in the flesh. Yet it is all so before God, who knowing all things from eternity, 'calleth things that are not as though they were.'

"7. By all which it is clear, that as Christ was called the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world,' and yet not slain till some thousand years after, till the day of his death; so also men are called 'elect from the foundation of the world,' and yet not elected, perhaps, till some thousand years after, till the day of their conversion to God. "8. And indeed this is plain, without going further, from those words of St. Peter, Elect according to the foreknowledge of God, through sanctification of the Spirit unto obedience.'

"For if the elect are chosen through sanctification of the Spirit, then they were not chosen before they were sanctified by the Spirit.

But they were not sanctified by the Spirit before they had a being. It is plain then, neither were they chosen from the foundation of the world. But God calleth things that are not as though they were.'

"9. This is also plain from the words of St. Paul, God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation, through sanctification of the Spirit, and belief of the truth.' Now,

"If the saints are chosen to salvation through believing the truth, and were called to believe that truth by hearing of the gospel, then they were not chosen before they believed the truth, and before they heard the gospel, whereby they were called to believe. But they were chosen through belief of the truth, and called to believe it by the gospel. Therefore they were not chosen before they believed-much less before they had a being, any more than Christ was slain before he had a being. So plain is it that they were not elected till they be. lieved, although God calleth things that are not as though they were.'

"10. Again; how plain is it where St. Paul saith, Eph. i, 11, 12, that they whom God did predestinate, according to the counsel of his own will, to be to the praise of his own glory,' were such as did first trust in Christ. And in the very next verse he saith, that they trusted in Christ after they heard the word of truth, not before. But they did not hear the word before they were born. Therefore it is plain, the act of electing is in time, though known of God before; who, accord. ing to his knowledge, often speaketh of the things which are not as though they were.' And thus is the great stumbling-block about election taken away, that men may 'make their calling and election sure.""

Again: we proceed to show that this personal "election" is conditional. And here also we have the word of God to direct our steps.

1. To suppose that our personal "election" to salvation was unconditionally and unalterably fixed in eternity, is to admit a doctrine which has no existence in the word of God. For this would supersede the necessity of the use of means. For if our "election" was unconditionally and unalterably fixed in eternity, then it was independent of means. And if it were independent of means, then means were not necessary to it. And if means were not necessary to it, then our "election" has no dependence upon or connection with means; then all means in reference to our "election" are useless. But, if all means in reference to our "election" are useless, then will the "elect be saved, do what they will;" and the "reprobate will be damned, do what they can." To say that God has "elected" the use of means also, is to say, that God has converted the doctrine of unconditional election into the doctrine of conditional election by the use of means. For if the use of means are necessary to our "election," then is our " election" conditional, and not unconditional; which is the doctrine taught in the Bible.

2. If we say, that the doctrine of "election" is unconditional, and yet is inseparably connected with the use of means, we say, that it is both conditional and unconditional at the same time, which is a contradiction; for where the use of means is inseparably connected with the "election" of a responsible agent to life and salvation, it must be a conditional, and not an unconditional election; because the neces

sity of the use of the means demonstrates it to be a conditional "elec tion. An "election" which was unconditionally and unalterably fixed in eternity, must be, in the very nature of the thing, far back and independent of all means.

Again: an "election" which was unconditionally and unalterably fixed in eternity, which must be far back and independent of the use of all means, must be an "election" of an irresponsible and necessary agent, if an agent at all. Therefore such an "election" cannot be applied to man.

3. But the "election," spoken of by St. Peter, is an "election" of men to salvation, and that conditionally too; which we soon shall prove by the word of God.

This the words of the apostle, to which we have repeatedly alluded, prove; for it is "unto obedience:" and it is an " obedience" which implies " faith in Christ," which is the condition upon which our personal "election" to salvation is suspended. Whoever knew a disobedient unbeliever, as such, to be an "elect" child of God, or a partaker of salvation? Both repentance and faith are implied in the word " obedience," in the text to which we have referred. But if our per. sonal " election" to salvation be unconditional, then there is no "obedience" on our part to be performed. Repentance and faith are out of the question. For if our personal "election" to salvation be insepa. rably connected with "obedience," then is our " election" conditional, and not unconditional, as before stated. A conditional "election" has connected with it " obedience," and an " obedience" which implies both repentance and faith. But an unconditional "election," which was fixed in eternity, must be independent of " obedience;" and repentance and faith have no connection with it. "Obedience," or repentance and faith, destroy its identity. But the "election" spoken of by St. Peter is "unto obedience." Therefore it is conditional.

4. The apostle, in his Epistle to the Thessalonians, asserts that "God hath from the beginning chosen us to salvation, through sancti. fication of the Spirit, and belief of the truth." "Belief of the truth" is the condition of our being chosen to salvation. Hence "he that believeth shall be saved, but he that believeth not shall be damned." This is the doctrine taught throughout the Bible. This faith is always preceded by repentance as a preparation to believing. And although faith is the condition of our "election" to salvation, yet repentance, as preparatory to our believing, is indispensable. Hence "except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish." "Repent ye, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." "Repent ye therefore, and be converted." "Now commandeth he all men everywhere to repent." And although repentance is not the condition of our "election" to salvation, yet no impenitent man ever did or ever will believe to the salvation of his soul, while he remains impenitent. For none but the penitent feel the need of salvation. And none but those that feel the need of salvation will ever believe to the saving of their souls. Repentance im. plies law, and law violated. Faith acknowledges the atonement, and applies its merits to the soul. All penitent believers, therefore, are chosen to salvation, whether they be Jews or Gentiles; and none else, except infants. Are not repentance and faith acts of the creature, performed by divine assistance? Repentance acknowledges a just exposure to the penalty of violated law. But can law give salvation? Certainly not. Its appropriate work is to condemn, not to save. Salvation is suspended upon faith; for "he that believeth shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned," notwithstanding he may have been penitent. Because repentance looks at the law which condemns; but faith "beholds the Lamb of God that taketh away the sins of the world." A conditional "election" implies an act of the creature-and that act is faith; but an unconditional "election" im. plies none. Faith, therefore, is the condition of our "election" to salvation.

5. Once more: the Apostle Peter exhorts us to make our "calling and election sure." But if our "election" were unconditionally and unalterably fixed in eternity, then our laboring to make it sure would be in vain; for it would be an effort to make that sure in time which had been made so in eternity. But the apostle does exhort us to "make our calling and election sure;" therefore our "election" was not made sure to us unconditionally in eternity. Hence it follows, that our personal election to salvation is a conditional, and not an un conditional election.

Having finished our remarks on the different kinds of "election" spoken of in the Bible, we purpose,

II. In the second place, briefly to give some of the marks or characteristics of the "elect;" and to show how we are to make our "calling and election sure."

1. The apostle says, "Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth," Rom. viii, 33. An "elect" person, then, is one who is "justified;" that is, pardoned, forgiven. To suppose that a man is an "elect" child of God before he is "justi fied," that is, pardoned or forgiven, is an absurdity at variance with both Scripture and reason.

2. Again: an "elect" or "justified" person has " peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ." Hence says the apostle, "Being jus tified by faith we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ," Rom. v, 1. Pardon and peace are marks or characteristics of the "elect." Are these the marks of unpardoned sinners, or unjustified souls? Have they peace and forgiveness? No! but the contrary: "For there is no peace to the wicked, saith my God; they are like the troubled sea that cannot rest, whose waters cast up mire and dirt." But the "elect" have peace. Therefore they are "justified;" that is, pardoned, forgiven.

3. But they are "elected" or "justified" by faith. "Faith" is the condition of their "election" or justification, as we have before proved. "Faith," therefore, is another mark of the "elect;" and a "faith," too, which "justifieth."

4. And again: penitence is another trait in the character of the "elect;" for whoever knew an impenitent man believe to the saving of his soul while impenitent? "Except ye repent ye shall all likewise perish," is a doctrine as clearly and as fully set forth in the word of God as is the declaration that " he that believeth not shall be damned." Both are indispensible. Repentance breaks up the fallow ground. Faith receives the precious seed, the word of life: and justification and peace are the first fruits.

VOL. X.-Oct., 1839.

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