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rance have, on the contrary, the exact forms and relations which I have assigned them.

(I.) The choice of the elect was made, not in view of the foreseen operations of the self-determining power, but by the sovereign will of God decreeing to make them holy; and they are made holy in consequence of that decree.

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[1] By the sovereign will of God. "I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show mercy on whom I will show mercy." Dr Fitch calls this a "simple will and wont in God;" a language which certainly has sufficient freedom; though I suppose he means to exclude, what we equally would exclude, a will founded on no good But this wise and absolute sovereignty, whomsoever it may offend, gave joy to the heart of Christ. that hour Jesus rejoiced in spirit and said, 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 unto babes. Even so, Father, for so it seemed good in thy sight. All things are delivered to me of my Father ; and no man knoweth who the Son is but the Father, and who the Father is but the Son, and he to whom the Son will reveal him." "The children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works but of him that calleth, it was said unto her, The elder shall serve the younger as it is written, Jacob have I loved but Esau have I hated. What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? God forbid. For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy,

and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. So then it is not of him that willeth nor of him that runneth, but of God that showeth mercy. For the Scripture saith unto Pharaoh, Even for this same purpose have I raised thee up, that I might show my power in thee, and that my name might be declared throughout all the earth. Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he hardeneth. Thou wilt say then unto me, Why doth he yet find fault? for who hạth resisted his will? [His decretive will in distinction from his preceptive: a distinction which the apostle here brings into view and does not deny, but in the context clearly affirms.] Nay but O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus? Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour and another unto dishonour?" "What saith the answer of God unto him? I have reserved to myself seven thousand men who have not bowed the knee to Baal. Even so then at this present time also, there is a remnant according to the election of grace.— What then? Israel hath not obtained that which he seeketh for, but the election hath obtained it and the rest were blinded." "Ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble are called but God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; and base things of the world and things which are despised hath God chosen, yea and

things which are not, to bring to naught things that are, that no flesh should glory in his presence ;-that, according as it is written, He that glorieth let him glory in the Lord." 11*

But if God only foresaw who would repent if placed in such circumstances, and who would not, his mere decision to place them in such circumstances could not be that sovereign election which is expressed in these passages.

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Other texts support election without so distinctly marking its sovereignty. "God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ.” Many are called but few are chosen." "Ye are a chosen generation, that ye should show forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light."+

[2] Decreeing to make them holy. "We are bound to give thanks alway 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." "Ye have not chosen me but I have chosen you, and ordained you that you should go and bring forth fruit and that your fruit should remain." "That he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy which he had afore prepared unto glory; even us whom he hath called, not of the Jews only but also of the Gentiles. As he saith also in Osee, I will call them my people which were not my people.-And—

Exod. 33. 19. Luke 10. 21, 22. Rom. 9. 11-21. and 11. 4, 5,7. 1 Cor. 1. 26—29, 31.

Mat. 20. 16. and 22. 14. 1 Thes. 5. 9. 1 Pet. 2. 9.

in the place where it was said,-Ye are not my people, there shall they be called the children of the living God. Esaias also crieth concerning Israel,-A remnant shall be saved. Except the Lord of sabaoth had left us a seed, we had been as Sodoma and had been made like unto Gomorrha." "According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love; having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself according to the good pleasure of his will, to the praise of the glory of his grace.-In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will." "We know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them which are the called according to his purpose. For whom he did foreknow he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the first born among many brethren. Moreover whom he predestinated them he also called, and whom he called them he also justified, and whom he justified them he also glorified." "Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit unto obedience."*

The last two passages speak of foreknowledge: but as the elect were predestined "to be conformed to the image" of Christ, and as that purpose is unfailingly followed by effectual calling and "sanctification of the Spirit," it is impossible it should be a mere foreknowledge

* John 15. 16. Rom. 8. 28-30. and 9. 23-29. Eph. 1. 4—11, 2 Thes. 2. 13. 1 Pet. 1. 2.

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of what the self-determining power would do. Knowledge, whether past or present, is frequently in Scripture put for that favourable regard which exists among acquaintance. "Thou hast said, I know thee by name and thou hast also found grace in my sight.-And the Lord said unto Moses, I will do this thing also ;-for thou hast found grace in my sight and I know thee by name.' "Then will I profess unto them, I never knew you." "I am the good Shepherd, and know my sheep and am known of mine." "God hath not cast away his people which he foreknew." "The foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his."* According to this meaning of knowledge, the foreknowledge in question was nothing but a special love exercised from eternity.

[3.] And they are made holy in consequence of that decree. "As many as were ordained to eternal life believed." "The hidden wisdom, [the way of salvation,+] which God ordained before the world unto our glory;" but is since revealed, " to the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the Church, [the body of sanctified individuals,] the manifold wisdom of God, according to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord."

(2.) Not as foreseen penitents, but as sinners to be renewed, the elect were given to Christ in the eternal covenant of redemption, and their salvation was secured to him as his reward.

* Exod. 33. 12, 17. Mat. 7. 23. John 10. 14. Rom. 11. 2. 2 Tim. 2. 19.

† Col. 1. 27.

Acts 13. 48. 1 Cor. 2. 7. Eph. 3. 10, 11.

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