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and their principal cause, with their uses, are defcribed. For though the facred writers have not given us a fyftem of natural philosophy, yet we think their references to the operations of nature are strictly philosophical.

DEAR SIR,

INVe

[To be continued.]

ELECTION.

N addition to my former Letters, I beg leave to offer a few remarks upon the election of the Jewish nation, and the dealings of Jehovah with them; after which, if God permit, will endeavour to investigate the subject as it relates to Chrift and his difciples. At prefent I fhall state four propofitions, with proofs and illuftrations.

PROPOSITION I. The election of the Ifraelites was an act of the fovereign good pleasure of Jehovah.

It would be fuperfluous to repeat what is already before the reader, in my former letters, refpecting God's choice of the feed of Jacob in their fathers, in particular what I advanced in my laft to prove that the election of Jacob, irrefpective of good or evil done by him, was not merely the election of the individual man, but of the whole nation which fhould proceed from him: I fhall now barely obferve, that if what is there afferted be fully admitted, the above propofition must be taken for granted: yet, left any one should confider the evidence already produced as inconclufive, fuch further proof, from the Scriptures, shall be brought forward, as I deem fufficient of itself to fubftantiate my position.

The Lord did not call Ifrael to that peculiar holiness and obedience, which he required of them as his people, prior to, and independent of, his having elected them, as a condition for the performance of which he would choose and deliver them; but he first chofe, and faved them with an high hand, and outstretched arm, afforded peculiar manifeftations of himself to, and bestowed special bleffings upon them, and then, on the foundation of what he had done,, called them to, obey his will, and devote themfelves to his fervice, as his peculiar people: therefore his choofing them was an act of free favour. When Jehovah defcended upon mount Sinai, with tremendous displays of majefty, the more to excite their attention, and convince them of the obligations they were under to obey his word, Mofes was commanded to remind the people of what God had done for them. When his, awful

awful voice addreffed them from the midst of the fire, he be gan with informing them,, that he was their God, and of the great falvation he had wrought for them, and then gave them his holy commandments to obferve and do, Ex. xix. and xx. Their obedience was to flow from a fenfe of the obligations which they were under to the Lord, which obligations exift ed in confequence of the favours already bestowed upon

them.

Mofes declared to the people that Jehovah chose them becaufe he loved their fathers, that he did not fet his love upon them, or choose them because they were more in number than any people; but that because the Lord loved them, and because he would keep the oath which he had sworn to their fathers, he had brought them out of Egypt with a mighty hand. They were strictly charged not to fpeak in their heart, after Jehovah had caft out the nations before them, faying, for my righteoufnefs the Lord hath brought me in to poffefs this land, and were affured they did not go to poffefs it for their righteousness, nor for the uprightness of their heart; but that it was given to them in performance of the word which he had fworn to their fathers. Underftand therefare (faid Mofes) that Jehovah thy God giveth thee not this good land to poffefs it, for thy righteousness; for thou art a stiff-necked people. Deut. iv. 37, chap. vii. 7, 8. x. 15. ix, 4, 5, 6. Samuel referred to its having pleafed Jehovah to make them his people. 1 Sam. xii. 22. Ezekiel declared the Lord chofe them, and wrought for them, notwithstanding all their fins, for his name fake, chap. xx. To me it appears evident, from the above paffages, that the election of the Jews was an effect of the fovereign good pleasure of Jehovah.

Left the above remarks fhould be so far misconstrued as to lead any one to fuppofe, that those whom the Lord of his fovereign good pleasure hath elected, as he did the house of Ifrael, muft neceffarily be happy, whether obedient or difobedient to the divine will, that they are exempted from all punishment due to their fins, by a divine decree in their fa- ' vour, I intend to fhew, that

PROPOSITION II. The unconditional election of the Jews did not render them happy, independent of their obedience to God, nor, in any wife, prevent their being punished according to their fins.

One of the pernicious effects of Calvinian Election, I conceive to be, the leading perfons to think that their fecurity from punishment depends upon the unconditional decrees of

God.

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I fear there are still men who suppose, that if they be of the 'elect number their happiness is fecured, and their perfons indemnified from future punishment, by an abfolute, arbitrary decree: confequently instead of seeking happiness here, and exemption from the wrath to come, by obtaining deliverance from the guilt, love, power, and defilement of fin, and by being made holy in heart and life, they are ever seeking for proofs of their eternal election, which, if they can be fully perfuaded of, they think themselves fafe; while on the other hand they conclude, that if they be not elected, God has no love for them, has made no provifion for their salvation, and that there is no poffible way left for them to escape the wrath to come. As if the rewards and punishments of the future state were determined by an unconditional decree, when the Scriptures fully prove that every man will receive according to his works. As if God had not manifested his love to, and made provision for the falvation of, all mankind, when nothing is more evident. As if there, was any poffible way of enjoying falvation in this life, and of efcaping the wrath to come, than that which is opened to the whole world, through repentance and faith. Those who are influenced by the foregoing hypothefis, are naturally led to feek for fome foundation of hope in themfelves, to look for certain operations upon their minds as an evidence of their election, irftead of flying for retuge to lay hold of the hope fet before them, and before all men, in the gospel.

Because it was impoffible for ifrael, though the chosen people of Jehovah, in whose behalf he had wrought wonders, and on whom he had bestowed fo many favours, to detive all the advantage from their peculiar fituation which it was calculated to be of to them, and to enjoy peace and happiness unless they were obedient to the divine will, because it would be inconfiftent with the divine character and government to continue them in the uninterrupted enjoyment of all the bleffings he had beftowed upon them, if they difobeyed his voice, and because if they rebelled against him, it became him to punish them, therefore they were exhorted to hearken to his word, to walk in his commandments, to stand in awe of his judgments, and were warned of the dreadful confequences which would follow if they dared to tranfgrefs. So, in the New Teftament, christians are exhorted to labour to enter into the reft which remains to the people of God, and to take heed that they do not expose themselves to calamities, fimilar to thofe which have befallen the Jews. Heb. iv. II, Rom. xi, 21.

VOL. II.

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The constitution of human nature must cease to be what God hath made it,-the connection which he, in infinite wisdom and goodness, hath established between causes and effects must be entirely broken,-the fixed laws and orders. of the moral world must totally change, and even the nature of good and evil must be reverfed, before men, elected or not elected, can be really happy in the ways of fin, or before happiness can ceafe to be the confequence of obedience to God; but as these are changes which no man can fuppofe poffible, and as the moral government of God is effentially the fame at all times, it must follow, that vice and virtue muft, in all cafes, be followed with effects according to their own nature. Hence we might suppose from the nature of things that the Jews, though an elect nation, would become miferable in proportion as they became finful, and such, on examination, we find to be the fact.

As God is of purer eyes than to behold iniquity, it follows, that in whomfoever it exifts it must be the object of his difpleasure, that he cannot fail to manifest his indignation against it, and to punish those who are the subjects of it, according to the degree thereof, fo long as it remains in them, whether they be his chofen people or others. To fuppofe that the righteous Governor of the world winks at, and paffes by without punishment, the fame guilt and pollution in his elect, as he feverely punishes in others, would be to fuppofe him partial and unjuft. We find the Lord threatened his chofen people the Jews with the heaviest judgments, by the mouth of all his prophets. So far from his fuffering them to fin with impunity, because he had chosen them, and inftead of his having made them a peculiar people inducing Jehovah not to punish them, this is affigned as the very reafon why he would punish them for all their iniquities. Amos iii. 2. That the Lord did not merely threaten, but that his awful threatenings have been executed upon the Jews, no man can deny. That the elect, who live under the gofpel difpenfation, must give an account of themselves to God, and receive according to the deeds done in the body, is very evident. Rom. xiv. 12, 2 Cor. v. 10.

PROPOSITION III. The Jews being punished according to their fins, has not difannulled the counsel of God refpecting them, fet afide his election of them, nor will prevent his doing by and for them all that he promifed to their fathers.

If when Jehovah first chofe the feed of Jacob, he had been ignorant of their future defection, fins, and the punishment

which would have come upon them, his counfel refpecting them might be frustrated, his choice of them fet afide, and the ends for which he chofe them for ever prevented, by fuch new and unexpected circumftances; but it it be admit ted, that w' en he first chose them, and promised to do fuch great things by and for them, he knew perfectly what their future conduct would be, then it follows that the above propofition must be true: for it cannot be fuppofed, that the Lord would choose them for, and refolve to accomplish upon and by them, purposes which he, at the very time, knew their conduct would render abortive, and for ever defeat. That God knew from the firft how the Jews would act is evident, for their fins and punishment were foretold by Mofes and the Prophets, yet he chofe them. He declareth the end from the beginning. confequently he must have seen from the first, all the circumstances of fin and fuffering which would intervene between his original defign of making all his creatures happy, and the accomplishment thereof, yet, with all the circumstances in view, he abfolutely promifed to carry that defign into effect. Hence we may conclude, that fin and punishment fhall not prevent his counsel standing, and his doing all his pleasure, both respecting the Jews and all mankind. Shall a mortal man, who is a potter, perform his pleasure upon the clay? Shall he, when a veffel is marred in his hand, form it again as it feemeth good to him, and shall not Jehovah, in whofe hands all creatures are as clay in the hands of the potter, perform all his good pleafure upon them? Jer. xviii. 6.

When Mofes vifited his brethren, the children of Ifrael, and fuppofed they would have understood how that God by his hand would deliver them, they refused him, saying, whe made thee a ruler and a judge? Acts vii. 35. yet this did not prevent their being afterwards delivered by his hand, and brought to fubmit to him as their ruler, though they first experienced an increase of affliction. So thofe who at present refufe Chrift, and fay, we will not have this man to reign over us, fhall in the end be made fubject unto him, though they must first experience the most dreadful fufferings. All the fins of Ifrael, and the punishments inflicted upon them, in the wilderness, did not prevent Jehovah giving them the land of Canaan, as he had before promised, no more shall all the fins, and confequent punishment, of all the families of the earth, prevent their being ultimately bleffed in the feed of Abram. I am aware that fome will object, as the indivi

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