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❝ and more" in every good work, Christians may silence accusers, conciliate prejudiced persons, win souls, glorify God, and do good to men, in a proportionable, and almost incalculable, degree.

'St. Paul was also under apprehension “lest 'by some means the tempter should have tempted them, and his labour be in vain ;" which could 'not have been the case if their election was a 'proof of their salvation being irreversibly de'creed. It appears from the second Epistle to 'the Thessalonians, that some of them did "walk 'disorderly," and that St. Paul doubted whether they would obey his precepts, that is, whether 'they would be saved; and consequently the being 'from the beginning chosen by God to salvation, 'the sanctification of the Spirit, and the belief of 'the gospel, did not prevent disorderly behaviour, 'or necessarily cause obedience to the commands ' of an inspired apostle.'1

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The apostle, in fact, wrote the epistle after his apprehensions in respect of the Thessalonians had been fully removed, and when "Timothy had

brought him good tidings of their faith and "love."2 Whatever made him doubt of their faith most certainly made him doubt of their election; which could only be known. to men by "the work of faith, and labour of love, and pa"tience of hope." Their election' was not mentioned as a proof of their salvation being irreversibly decreed; but their holy conduct was mentioned as the evidence of their "election of "God." If their works evidenced that they were 21 Thess. iii. 5—7.

1

Ref. 210, 211.

true believers, they proved also that "God had "not appointed them to wrath, but to obtain sal"vation by our Lord Jesus Christ." The grand matter was to prove their effectual calling, which could only be done by their holy conduct: this shewed their election; and that implied that their salvation was irreversibly decreed.-How perfectly natural and easy is all this way of writing, in our view of the subject! The conduct of the great mass of them was such as to require the apostle, in the judgment of charity, to think them true believers, and, of course, according to our views, to conclude them "elected of God," and consequently destined to salvation. In general therefore he speaks of them in that way. But then he was not sure of their faith being genuine, consequently not sure of their election and salvation; much less would he have them take this for granted. Hence exhortations to "make their calling " and election sure," addressed even to those of whom he at other times, in a charitable judgment, spoke confidently, were quite natural. But, as he was not absolutely sure of any, so there were some mixed with them of whom he felt much less satisfied when therefore his thoughts and discourse turned towards them, how natural that it should become such as we sometimes find it, the language of jealous fear; and that perhaps without particularly excepting from it the majority, of whom he hoped well: even as in addressing the latter he had not expressly excepted those of whom he had much less confidence.-But his Lordship speaks all the way as if the existence of election, and the

1 Thess. v. 9.

certain knowledge of our election, were the same thing. Let it be here observed, that I only state what our sentiments are; without going out of my way to establish them, except as the texts commented on do this. My grand object is not to proselyte men to Calvinism, but to exonerate Calvinists from a load of calumny, which they now bear because their sentiments are misunderstood. -Some of the Thessalonians might walk disorderly; and, if they persisted in disobeying the words of Christ by his inspired apostle,' this would prove that they were hypocrites, and consequently had "not been chosen unto salvation, "through sanctification of the Spirit, and belief "of the truth." For," the sanctification of the Spirit" is "unto obedience;" and must be wholly inconsistent with wilful, deliberate, obstinate disobedience.

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'St. Paul, in speaking of the Jews, says that, as ' amidst the idolatry of former times there were ( seven thousand men who did not bow the knee 'to the image of Baal, " even so at this present

time also there is a remnant according to the 'election of grace;" by which expression he 'means the body of Jewish Christians, as appears 'from a following verse; "Israel hath not ob'tained that which he seeketh for, but the election 'hath obtained it, and the rest were blinded:" ""the election" therefore denotes those of the 'Jews who embraced the gospel, and " the rest" ' are those who rejected it.'1

The passage here referred to 2 has been repeat

'Ref. 211.

2

Rom. xi. 1-7.

edly considered. Certainly "the remnant, ac"cording to the election of grace," means the body of Jewish Christians; real Christians, excluding hypocrites; an "elect remnant" from an elect nation.

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"As concerning the gospel, they are enemies 'for your sakes; but, as touching the election, they are beloved for the fathers' sakes:" the same persons, who in the latter clause of this passage are pronounced to be "beloved as touch'ing the election," are in the former clause pro'nounced to be "enemies as concerning the gospel;" and consequently election cannot mean ' election of individuals to salvation. This is said ' of the unbelieving Jews, who were "beloved" 'as belonging to the chosen people of God, and "enemies" because they rejected the gospel. It 'is remarkable, that in the same chapter St. Paul 'speaks of the twofold election of the Jews: in 'the verse now under consideration he speaks of 'their election to be God's peculiar people under 'the Mosaic law, and in the passage just before quoted he speaks of their election under the gospel dispensation. The latter he calls "the 'election of grace;" the former the election which 'makes them still "beloved," notwithstanding 'their unbelief, "for the fathers' sakes," on ac'count of their descent from Abraham, Isaac, and 'Jacob.'1

Is it possible, that any reader can confound the "remnant according to the election of grace," with the unbelieving nation of Israel, as elected

1 Ref. 212.

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to outward privileges? The two companies are expressly distinguished, and even contrasted. The "election had obtained" the blessing," the rest "were blinded."1-Could the body of Jewish 'Christians' be meant by those to whom "God "had given the spirit of slumber, eyes that they "should not see, and ears that they should not "hear?" Could they be a part of the Jewish Christians, of whom he says, " as concerning the "gospel they are enemies for your sakes?"2 In what sense were Jewish Christians enemies to God for the sake of the gentile converts? Nothing can possibly be clearer, than that the personal election of that remnant of Jews who embraced the gospel is carefully distinguished from the national election of the Jews, in Abraham, Isaac, and Israel; and that the former is incompatible with rejecting the gospel, and continuing enemies to God; but the latter is not. Whatever construction may be put on the term "election of grace," no man, who deliberately reads the chapter can doubt, that the election of those who embraced the gospel, and the election of those who rejected and opposed it, must be distinct in all respects.-The interpretation of the national election of Israel, as connected with the future accomplishment of many prophecies, is not the subject of this publication: but it is absolutely demonstrable, that "the remnant" of believing Jews," according to the election of grace," is totally different from the election of the nation, for the sake of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob: and that it is an election within an election, which is ' Rom. xi. 7-28. 2 Rom. xi. 28.

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