them the rest. The election hath obtained it, and the rest were blinded, Rom. xi. 7. Oh, how hard is it for proud selfconceited man to receive and submit to this awful truth of God, that election passes upon some and passes by others, and no account at all to be given of it!

3dly, Election here in my text, is plainly ascribed to God the Father, as his special part in the business of our salvation. Election, I say, is frequently ascribed to the Father, both in the Old and New Testament. Our Lord takes frequent notice of this; I have manifested thy name unto the men that thou hast given me out of the world, John xvii. 6. that is election. I would speak very soberly and warily about this; but you will find one thing, if you take notice of it, in the economy (as they call it), the dispensation of God towards men in the matters of salvation, it doth answer mightily the interest and the influence, that the three blessed Persons have one upon another. The Father is independent, and therefore the sovereignty of election is ascribed to him; the Son is of the Father, as he is the Son, and therefore redemption is accordingly committed to him; and the Spirit, as he is the third Person, proceeds from the Father and the Son, and therefore in the work of sanctification, he is sent from the Father and the Son. I say, the dispensation of God in the matters of salvation, doth resemble, represent, and answer, the mutual influence that there is between the blessed three Persons in the Godhead.

4thly, Election is in my text ascribed to the fore-knowledge of this God the Father; this is the same word that the apostle Paul useth, Rom. viii. 23. Whom he did fore-know, he also did predestinate; and in Acts ii. 23. Him being delivered by the determinate counsel and fore-knowledge of God, ye have taken, speaking of our Lord's death. Of this fore-knowledge of God, I shall speak but a very little: I know blind ignorant mortals can make but poor guesses at the knowledge of God, far less are they able to guess at his fore-knowledge; only this is plain, All God's works are known to him from the beginning of the world, as James saith in the assembly of apostles and elders and brethren, Acts xv. 18. Known unto God are all his works from the beginning of the world; and according to his

fore-knowledge he hath determined all the issues of all the works of his hands. He knew all the creatures that he was to make before he made them, and he foresaw all their issues, and determined them: for divine prescience and divine ordination, are but different words for one and the same thing, and therefore his decrees are said to be according to the counsel of his own will. There is WILL as a sovereign act, and COUNSEL as a wise knowing one; so that the reasons are not knowable by us, yet there is infinite wisdom in all the determinations of divine purpose.

5thly, This great purpose of God about men in electing them is knowable, and it is of great use when it is known; therefore it is that the word of God speaks of it so often; and therefore it is that the apostle here speaks of it as to be known; but it is only knowable by the first fruits of it; we cannot know it any other way: for election is the eternal purpose of God in his own heart, and unless he had revealed it no man could know it. Who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his counsellor? saith the apostle, speaking of the depth of the riches both of the knowledge and wisdom of God, Rom. xi. 33, 34. We find, (1.) that election is knowable by a man for himself, blessed be God for it; that a man may know that he is elected, though it be only by the fruits of it, and these are mentioned in the text. Is a man sprinkled with the blood of Jesus Christ, and sanctified by the Spirit? then he may know that he is chosen: for, saith the apostle, He hath chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit, and belief of the truth, 2 Thess. ii. 13. (2.) This election may be known as to other persons also; so we find it in the text, the apostle calls them Elect; remembering without ceasing your work of faith, and labour of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, in the sight of God and our Father knowing, brethren beloved, your election of God; for cur gospel came not unto you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance; and thereby we know our election, 1 Thess. i. 3, 4, 5.

6th, and lastly. This great purpose of God in election, is not only to the end, but also to the means in order to the end; and if this were but duly considered, it would remove

many cavils in the hearts of men against this truth. I say, election is not only to the end, but also to the means; in my text the end is concealed, and the means only expressed; but in some other places of scripture, the end only is expressed, and the means are concealed, "but they should still be joined together. Election, properly, is the appointing of some to eternal life, for that is the end of election: so saith the apostle, 1 Thess. v. 9. God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ. There the end is only mentioned, and not the means. Sometimes the means are only expressed, as here in my text, Elect to the sanctification of the Spirit, and the sprinkling of the blood of Jesus, where he only names the means, but not the end; though he names it a little after ver. 4. Unto an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled, that fadeth not arvay, reserved in the heavens for you. Remember this always, that the purpose of God, according to his fore-knowledge, is an appointment with respect to the end and the means also: It is a purpose of God falling on persons in great wisdom, and in great sovereignty, and it is always unto the end with the means; we are elected to the end, and to the means, in order to the reaching that end. There are three things that I would say by way of use, from this general glance that I have given you of these words, Elect according to the fore-knowledge of God the Father; and so shall conclude at this time.

Use first. Learn to adore and worship an electing God. Here is the name of God shining forth; he doth whatsoever seemeth good in his sight: Our Lord Jesus Christ himself adores his Father on this account, Luke x. 21. I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them to babes; even so, Father, for so it seemed good in thy sight. That Even so, Father, is, Amen, Father; "I pay my praise to thy name for doing so, and I put my amen to thy determinations." Adore, I say, an electing God. Who art thou, O man, that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed, say unto him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus? Hath not the potter power over the clay? Rom. ix. 21. Shall God, in the infiniteness of his wisdom and good-will, make a world of crea

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tures, and shall he not have the disposing of them, and all that belong to them? Sirs, there is the height of corruption working in that heart which cannot stoop to an electing God, to a God, determining the final and the eternal issue of all the works of his hands.

Use second. Admire electing love: as you are to adore an electing love, so you are to admire electing love. Electing love hath no cause at all for it; redeeming love hath no cause in us, but it hath a cause; sanctifying grace hath no cause in us, but it hath a cause. Let us consider a little how this matter rises; a poor believer is brought to the possession of eternal life because he is a man in Christ; when Christ redeemed this poor creature, there was no cause at all in the man, but there was a good cause for the thing. For this cause, saith our Lord, came I unto this hour, John xii. 37. viz. his Father's will. Why a believer in Christ Jesus should be admitted to glory, there is a good cause for it; it is promised that a man in Christ Jesus shall not perish: Why did Christ die? there was no cause at all in us, for we were a company of poor lost creatures, but Christ had good cause for it; This commandment, saith he, have I received of my Father, John x. 18. " and I must obey it." But if we rise higher to electing love, there is no cause at all for that; when we come to the top, there indeed we are swallowed up, only this, Even so, for so it seemed good in thy sight. Electing love is a marvellous thing, and therefore though it be a sovereign thing, it is always managed in the depth of love, saith the apostle, Eph. ii. 4, 5. God who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us. When did he love us with that great love? From everlasting; and that love broke forth in quickening them together with Christ.

Use third. Wisely search into your own concern in this matter; learn I say, to search wisely into your own concern in this great deep of election; do the other two things, and you will find this to be the easier. Learn to adore the great God, in his choosing and doing with his own creatures as he will; and admire that marvellous love, which acts in chusing some to everlasting life, and then come in and search for your own concern in this matter wisely. Election is a great heigh

it is, if I may so say, the uppermost round of the ladder of salvation: all comes down from that to us, but we must not strive to set our foot first upon that, no, we must rise up to it by sanctification of the Spirit, and by the sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ; it is by the fruits of electing love that we must come to know it: so saith the apostle, 2 Thess. ii. 13. God hath chosen you from the beginning to salvation, through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth. When faith on the truth of the gospel, and the sanctification of the Holy Spirit is wrought in the heart, then the poor creature may say, "Now I see that I have an interest in the electing love "of God" and as salvation comes this first way, and hath its first spring in electing love, so at last it issues in it. The glory of salvation shines in this: so saith our Lord, Matth. xxv. Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: as if our Lord should say, "You were many times in the dark, and oftentimes doubted "what my Father's love and purpose were about you; but now "I bring you to the kingdom of glory, and tell you it was pre"pared for you by my Father from the foundation of the « world." But as yet we can only see into the borders of this depth. Oh! what an ocean is the wisdom and knowledge and counsel of a sovereign God! how unsearchable are his ways, and his judgments past finding out? It is long since that he said to Moses, I will have mercy upon whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion upon whom I will have compassion; so that it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy, Rom. ix. 15, 16. We should bless God for this doctrine of election; so doth the apostle, Eph. i. 3, 4, 5. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, that hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we might be holy and without blame before him in love; having predestinated us to the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, that we might be to the praise of the glory of his grace: To him be glory for ever. Amen.