of his free, sovereign, eternal, and immutable love and choice-He also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son - in knowledge, righteousness, true holiness, and glory. Ex. xxxiii. 12. Jer. i. 5. xxxi. 3. John x. 10. Rom. xi. 2. Eph. i. 4. 2 Tim. ii. 19. 1 Peter i. 20. Moreover, whom he did predestinate, (or determine to save from all sin and misery, and make them happy for ever in heaven ;) them he also called from death unto life, from sin to holiness, from satan to God and Christ; by his spirit working effectually in their hearts, renewing their nature, inclining their wills, and uniting them to Christ, SO that they become personally and experimentally interested in all that he hath done and suffered for their salvation.

Whom he called, them he also justified from all things in the same sense as used by the apostle in the foregoing chapters. He declares their sins to be forgiven, blotted out of his remembrance, cast into the depths of the sea, put as far as the east is from the westnot imputing their trespasses unto them. He declares their persons to be righteous, through the righteousness of Christ imputed unto them, or reckoned to their account: "For he hath made Him to be sin for us who knew no sin,

that we might be made the righteousness of God in him." For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness unto every one that believeth. He gives them a title to eternal life, just as if they had merited it themselves : "That being justified by his grace they should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life."

And hence it follows, whom he justified, them he also glorified:-he sanctifies them wholly in spirit, soul, and body, and preserves them blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Grace is glory begun. Where the Lord gives grace, he will give glory.

What shall we say, then, to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? If God the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, be for us, loving, choosing, predestinating, calling, justifying, and glorifying,-who can be against us? "He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth. Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of

God, who also maketh intercession for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerers through him that loved us. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord."-Rom. viii. 32-39.

What a mass of Scripture evidence we have, to confirm the doctrine which has been stated! Though the words of our text contain a direct and full confirmation of the truth, yet such is the abundance of evidence derived from the word of God, hat the doctrine fended without it.

Scriptures in their

can be most solidly de

That we have taken the plain and obvious mean

ing, will appear from the judgment of the wisest and best of men. For we proceed

to confirm the truth

SECTION II.

From Experience.

It was the experience of the saints under the Old Testament. The sentiment was very prevalent in that period of the church. The multitudes, who used to go the house of God in company, whose experience is recorded and described in the book of Psalms, and many other parts of the sacred scripture, evidently were not ignorant of this doctrine. Indeed, the law of Moses, the book of Psalms, and the writings of the prophets, all unite in bearing testimony to this experience of the saints.

The apostles of Christ could rejoice greatly, because that their names were written in the Lamb's book of life. They blessed God for having blessed them with all spiritual blessings -"According as he had chosen them in Christ, before the foundations of the world, &c." Their converts were not ignorant of this truth: "Knowing, brethren beloved, your Election of God." 1 Thess. i. 4. When the apostle saw the influence of the Holy Spirit, in the exercise of the graces of faith, love, patience, &c. he directed them at once to the great source of all their blessings-their Election of God. This was both a check to pride and self-righteousness,

D

and the means of producing a strong consolation. The apostles scarcely wrote an epistle, without impressing the minds of christians with this fundamental truth.

In the following ages of the christian church, this important truth was steadily maintained by those who enjoyed its purifying and consolatory effects. In the dark ages of the church, the Bible itself was awfully neglected and perverted; and hence this truth, as well as others, was but dimly seen. At the morning of the Reformation, this doctrine shone forth with peculiar radiance, and obtained a conspicuous place in the creeds of the reformed churches. The pious and learned reformers were very zealous in stating, defending, and preserving this important doctrine. The churches on the continent contended earnestly for this article of the christian faith..

Was it omitted in the Articles of the Church of England? No, for the following is the language of the 17th Article. "Predestination to life, is the everlasting purpose of God, whereby, (before the foundations of the world were laid) he hath constantly decreed by his counsel, secret to us, to deliver from curse and damnation, those whom he hath chosen in Christ out of