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terated with fantastical emotion, and the MORAL GOVERNMENT OF GOD reduced to a system of caprice and partiality, fit only to be predicated of the most contemptible of sovereigns.

If there is a third class of theologians, who, while they maintain that the divine choice of persons to justification is before the world and immutable, assign its place, in order of nature, after choice of the second constitution, and its operation coincident with the consequents believing and unbelieving; but, before the choice of the persons to sanctification and glory; with this class I agree. It is my fixed opinion, that God directly chose all true believers in the divine appointment of atoning sacrifices under the Mosaic dispensation; and all true believers in the atoning sacrifice of our Lord under the present dispensation, according to his foreknowledge, unto justification; next chose them unto sanctification; and lastly, unto glorification, in order of nature, Eph. i. 4.

Reader, if a difficulty attends your conceiving of the divine choice of persons as believers, before their being such, and before the foundation of the world; recollect that the same kind of difficulty attends conceiving of the choice of persons, as persons, before their existence, and from before the creation, which all supralapsarians believe: Recollect that the same kind of difficulty attends conceiving of the divine choice of sinful persons, as sinful persons, before their being sinners, and before the world, which sublapsarians believe: And, recollect that it is the same kind of difficulty,

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and no greater, than that, which attends conceiving of the divine choice of Jesus Christ, in his mediatorial person and works, before the world, and before his mediatorial person existed, which all good christians believe.

Waving attention to the scripture doctrine of the election of angels: The last species of divine election which we shall consider, is that of some human persons, merely as human persons, to more advantageous circumstances than others, in respect of superlative excellence, communion, and glory. This doctrine of personal election seems to have been illy represented, grossly misconstrued, and absurdly denied. Let us devote a section to its discussion.

SECTION III.

Of Divine Election of Persons.

By personal election, I primarily mean divine choice of persons, as persons, to religious excellence; a choice, not according to character, but merely as persons. Concerning this doctrine, serious persons have formed various, and even contradictory, notions: Some view it as the prime source of their religious consolation; others as an insuperable bar to their commencing religious; and some others think it invented in hell, dishonourable to God, and to sink his attributes to those of

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the devil, who is the deceiver. Probably all these arise from crude conceptions of the subject. Let us select the scriptural evidence of personal election.

John vi. 37-39. “All that the father giveth me shall come to me:-this is the father's will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me, I should love nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day." Acts xiii. 48. "As many as were ordained to eternal life, believed." Rom. xi. 5-7. " Even so at this present time also, there is a remnant according to the election of grace," &c. Eph.i.4-6. "He hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and with out 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, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved." Eph. xi. 10. "Weare his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them." Eph.iii. 10, 11." Manifold wisdom of God, according to his eternal purpose which he hath purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord." Thes. ii. 13. "We are bound to give thanks always 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." 2 Tim. i. 9. "Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace which was given us in Christ Jesus, before the world began." To this selection I add, that St.

Peter

Feter addresses his epistles to "strangers scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Capa-. docia, Asia, and Bithynia, elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the spirit, unto obedience, and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ."

To attain a just conception of the divine election of persons before the world, it seems expedient to contrast the former selection of scripture with the following:

Deut. i. 17." Ye shall not respect persons in judgment." Deut. xvi. 19." Thou shalt not respect persons." 2 Chron. xix. 7. "There is no iniquity with the LORD our God, nor respect of persons." The Jews were prone to exult in birth privileges, and the apostles seem to have been prejudiced in favour of the notion that God had a peculiar respect to their nation, as a nation; but when the Lord manifested himself to a pious heathen, and taught Peter, by a vision, to preach Christ to him, the apostle exclaims, probably with a degree of surprise, "Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons; but in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him."* Rom. ii. 11. "There is no respect of persons with God." Gal. ii. 6. "God accepteth no man's person.' Eph. vi. 9. "Neither is there respect of persons with him." Col. iii. 25. "He that doeth wrong shall receive for the wrong which he hath done, and there is no respect of persons.' 1 Tim. ii. 3, 4. "God our Saviour-will have

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* Acts x. 34.

all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth." 1 Pet. i. 17. “Who, without respect of persons, judgeth according to every man's work." 2 Pet. i. 10. "Give diligence to make your calling and election sure." 2 Pet. iii. 9. "The Lord-is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance."

On attentively comparing these selections together, the difficulty which presents itself is, to discover a conception of divine personal election, which is not repugnant to the sincerity and impartiality of God.-Now, I think just conceptions of second and negative causes, and just conceptions of preference, direct and indirect purpose, direct and indirect will, direct and indirect choice, enable the assiduous to surmount the difficulty.

The object of pursuit is such a kind of election, as will concord to the divine ruling of mankind with justice and mercy. In other words, what is wanted, is a choice that no more jars with the exercise of divine suasive government, than, the supposition of no choice of persons, as persons, or of sinners, as sinners, at all. Now, I know of no election of particular persons, as persons, to more advantageous circumstances in respect of superior acquisition on earth and glory in heaven, but what is essentially involved in God's choice of ruling his creatures through the medium of second causes; and, consequently, accompanied with similar variety of operation and influence to that which existeth in all other cases, where second causes are concerned. I conceive that the election in question, is, and

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