spirit and belief of the truth; 2 Thess. ii. 13. God kindly connected their final felicity and his own glory, when he ordained them to eternal life. Acts xiii. 48. But though Judas was chosen to office, he was not chosen to holiness, for Jesus, when speaking to the disciples as his servants and true followers (Judas being present), he said, I speak not of you all, I know whom I have chosen. John xiii. 18. The names of his chosen are written in heaven, and all such are freed from condemnation. Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? Rom. viii. 33. All which could not be said of the Jewish nation, nor of Judas, and many more who have been chosen to office capacity; besides, individuals are called the elect, who could not bear rule in the church of God, for a woman was not suffered to speak in the church, nor to usurp authority over the man, but was to be in silence. 1 Tim. ii. 12. Yet we read of an elect lady and her elect sister. 2 John i. 13. If God hath thus chosen, the end he had in view will certainly be accomplished, for saith Jesus, all that the Father giveth me shall come unto me, and him that cometh unto me I will no wise cast out. His people shall be willing in the day of his power, for having loved them with an everlasting love, therefore with loving kindness will he draw them. No one instance can be given of God having chosen any people, person, or

place, to that which was not actually accomplished. Did the Lord choose the Jewish nation to peculiar privileges? Yes, and in consequence of that choice they had the advantage of all other nations, and much every way. Samuel did actually prophesy, and Saul and David were really kings in Israel. Judas was actually numbered with the apostles, and with them took part of the ministry to which he was elected. Moses was Israel's leader, and law-giver, because he was chosen by the Lord to such dignity. Aaron and his descendants were priests of the most high God, because they were elected by him to that office. So the Lord chose Jerusalem as the residence of the ark, and the place where sacrifices should be offered, and thither the tribes of Israel actually repaired to worship, and adore him, whose dwelling was in Zion. In no one instance did Jehovah choose in vain. The ends he had in view were ever accomplished. And if so, can there be any reason assigned why those, and those only who were chosen to the greatest blessings, should fall short of them? But the foundation standeth sure, having this seal, the Lord knoweth them that are his. In every age as many as were ordained to eternal life believed, the election obtained it, but the rest were blinded, by the God of this world who blindeth the eyes of them who believe not. So then, at this

present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace, and if by grace, then it is no more of works, otherwise grace is no more grace. Rom. xi. 5, 6.

Another stumbling-block in the way of many inquirers after the doctrine of election, is Reprobation, which is generally considered as the counterpart of election, and related to it as its direct opposite; the same as a negative is related to a positive idea. But if it be understood as the negative of election, is it not strange it should change its nature, and in controversy become a positive idea? And yet as such it has been opposed and defended with great warmth; for the adversaries of sovereign grace, scarce ever directly encounter the doctrine of election; but artfully file off to reprobation, as if they were conscious election was in itself invulnerable, and could not possibly be reduced. But from the mountain of reprobation they attack the doctrine intended to be domolished, and charge it with the most horrid consequences, too shocking to relate, which the defenders of sovereign grace have repeatedly proved to be quite foreign to, and not in the least inferrable from the doctrine of God's sovereign choice of his people to grace and glory. But perhaps their defence of the doctrine of reprobation has not been equally successful. But the admitting of it as the oppo

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site of election, has been stumbling to many enquirers after truth, and encouraging to its opposers. Election or choice indeed implies a negative, or that some are not chosen; which the scripture calls the rest; this is readily allowed, but reprobation as mentioned in scripture is never opposed to election. To the doctrine of election it does not seem related, but stands in a quite different situation in the system of scriptural divinity.

1. If reprobation conveyed the idea of nonelection, by a person being reprobated, we should understand one not elected; but how will such an idea comport with the apostle's reasoning, when he says, Know ye not that Jesus Christ is in you except ye be reprobates? 2 Cor. 15. To suppose him to mean they were not elected if Christ was not in them, is supposing him to contradict his own experience, and oppose self-evident facts; for there was a time when Christ was not in Paul himself; during which period he was exceeding mad against those who professed the name of Jesus. But, says he, it pleased God to reveal his Son in me. Before this happy change took place he was in a state of reprobation, for Christ was not in him, and yet he was never in a state of non-election, but was one chosen in Christ before the world was. Again he could not mean if Christ was not in them they were not elected,

because Christ is not naturally in his elect, as most of them know, and lament when called by grace, that they lived without God, and without Christ in the world; therefore during that period, they were reprobates, not having Christ in them; nevertheless they were the elect of God, of which their being called by grace is a proof. From hence it appears that reprobation is not the opposite of election.

2. That reprobation is not the opposite of election will appear evident, if it be considered that election is an act of divine sovereignty, arising merely from the will of God, without any fitness in creatures deserving to be so distinguished; but reprobation, whenever the word is used in scripture, respects a comparative deficiency, or an essential defect in those who are reprobated. Election is the effect of, or entirely flows from, the good pleasure of God's will in favour of the persons of his people, but reprobation originates not merely from God's will, but the natural contrariety there is between Jehovah's purity, and their pollution.

3. Reprobation in scripture always stands opposed to, and is the natural negative of approbation, whether it respect the state of a person, the frame of his mind, or the nature of his actions. Hence vile professors are compared to the alloy or dross frequently mixed with metal, which on