'thus delivered and saved? Those whom God ' hath chosen in Christ out of mankind,' that is 'those to whom God decreed to make known the. 'gospel of Christ. And are all to whom the gospel is made known predestinated to life? No; 'to prevent this conclusion, the Article proceeds 'to describe those who are 'endued with so excel'lent a benefit of God,' in these words, 'They be called, according to God's purpose, by his Spirit working in due season; they through grace obey 'the calling; they be justified freely; they be 'made sons of God by adoption; they be made 'like the image of his only begotten Son Jesus Christ: they walk religiously in good works; ' and at length by God's mercy they attain to everlasting felicity: that is, they on their part 'conform to the conditions of the gospel-covenant, by obeying the calling, and walking religiously in good works, under the influence ' and assistance of the Holy Spirit; and, as a re'ward, they are justified in this world, are made sons of God by adoption, are made like the image of Christ, and at length attain everlasting 'felicity.'1

6

6

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The Article says,2 (and his Lordship has just quoted the words,) to deliver from curse and ' damnation those whom he hath chosen in Christ ' out of mankind, and to bring them by Christ 'to everlasting salvation, as vessels made to 'honour.' Those whom he hath chosen in Christ 'out of mankind; that is, those to whom God 'decreed to make known the gospel!' Now are all, to whom God decreed to make known the 'Ref, 265, 266. 2 Art. xvii.

6

gospel, chosen in Christ, to be delivered from 'wrath and damnation, and to be brought by 'Christ unto everlasting salvation?' Such a comment is an addition to the Article, a total alteration of its plain meaning, and, in fact, substituting another Article in its place. Indeed, if any thing could be wanting to demonstrate that 'chosen in Christ,' and 'predestinated to have the gospel 'made known to them,' convey ideas essentially distinct in the minds of our reformers, this instance would do it. For evidently the persons chosen ' in Christ,' are (in this Article,) those, all those, and only those, who are to be brought to ever'lasting salvation, as vessels of honour.' But, his Lordship being judge, by no means all those to 'whom the gospel is made known' are included in this number. And are all, to whom the gos'pel is made known, predestinated unto life?' Thus his Lordship proceeds to argue from his own words, as if they were a part of the Article: and in this way it may be easy to prove any doctrine from any premises. No; to prevent this con'clusion, &c.'-What conclusion? that all to whom the gospel is made known are predesti'nated unto life.'-I cannot conceive that such a thought ever arose in the minds of those who compiled the Article, or of any man who read it without a comment. Are there, then, two sorts of persons spoken of in this part of the 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

[B. IV. 'Christ out of mankind, and to bring them by Christ to everlasting salvation, as vessels of 'honour.' Is there in this passage any, even the ' most distant intimation of those to whom God had decreed to make known the gospel,' as distinct from those whom he predestinated unto life? Is it not, if possible, even more than self-evident, that those who are to be brought to everlasting 'salvation,' are here the same persons with those 'whom God hath chosen in Christ?' The Article admits of no such question as, Are all to 'whom the gospel is made known predestinated 'to life?' It needs guarding against no such misapprehension. It speaks of no such persons. And the succeeding words follow not as a limitation upon what precedes, but as a consequence of it. 'Wherefore they which be endued with so excellent a benefit of God, be called, according 'to God's purpose, by his Spirit working in due 'season; they through grace obey the calling; they be justified freely: they be made sons of "God by adoption; they be made like the image

of his only-begotten Son Jesus Christ; they 'walk religiously in good works; and, at length, by God's mercy, they attain to everlasting felicity.'-' Endued with so excellent a benefit.' Does not this particle so, expressly refer to the persons before described? If not, to what does it refer, and why was it inserted? That is, they on their part perform the conditions of the cove'nant, &c. Certainly they do. Being called by his Spirit working in due season, through grace they obey the calling, &c.' "God work"eth in them to will and to do of his good

"pleasure."- And, as a reward, &c.'-No doubt God graciously rewards the good works which are "the fruits of his Spirit;" but good works are the fruits of faith, and follow after justification:"1 and, being justified in this world, made the sons ' of God by adoption, and made like to the image ' of Christ,' must precede, and prepare the elect, for walking religiously in good works,' and therefore certainly cannot be called the reward' of it. In scripture, and in our authorized books, justification and adoption are commonly spoken of as connected immediately with faith; 2 but never as the reward of good works, which are only mentioned as evidences of justification and adoption : and a comment on this Article, which requires language unprecedented in scripture, or in our liturgy, articles, and homilies, only shews under what difficulties the expositor laboured in attempting to establish his interpretation.-In the last clause, the words, by God's mercy, are omitted.

'Predestination to life therefore is not an abso'lute decree of eternal happiness to certain indi'viduals, but a gracious purpose of God to make ' a conditional offer of salvation to men, through the merits of Christ.'3

• Predestination to life is the everlasting purpose of God, whereby he hath constantly decreed 6 to deliver from curse and damnation those whom he hath chosen in Christ out of mankind, and to ' bring them by Christ to everlasting salvation, as

2

'Art. xii.

* John i. 12. 2 Cor. vi. 17, 18. Gal. iii. 26. iv. 6. 1 John v. 1.

' vessels of honour.' This is the text: the comment is the passage here cited! The reader must judge of their resemblance; and indeed, how far what is here said agrees with what went before. Are all to whom the gospel is made known pre'destinated unto life?' for God makes a condi'tional offer of salvation, through the merits of Christ, to all men who are favoured with the 'gospel.' But I may fairly leave this part of the Article to plead its own cause, and our's also. I wish not to make any comment upon it; or to vary one clause which it contains by my own words. For me to say, on any part, 'That is, &c,' would be sure in some measure to darken the clear light in which, as it appears to me, the Article now exhibits the doctrine of scripture. It speaks my sentiments, and the sentiments of my brethren; and let it speak them without a comment. I am conscious that I could not, and I do not believe that any of them so much as think they could, so fully, so simply, so unexceptionably, express our sentiments, as this Article does. Can our opponents say so of it?-I shall only add, that it supposes that all who are predestinated to life, called, according to God's purpose, by his 'Spirit working in due season,' actually persevere to the end, and at length by God's mercy attain 'eternal life.' It is manifest, that the compilers kept in view the statement of St. Paul in the eighth of Romans, throughout the whole.'

This godly consideration of predestination, ' and our election in Christ, is full of sweet, plea

'Rom. viii. 28-31.