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and they have a right so to do; for the law to them will never be dead, therefore they have no right to marry another, Rom. vii. 3.

These bond children hate election, and the elect; they hate an unconditional promise, and the heirs of it; they hate sovereign grace, and the subjects of it. "He that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the spirit; even so it is now nevertheless what saith the scripture? Cast out the bond woman and her son, for he shall not be heir with the son of the free woman." So then the elect are not of the bond woman, but of the free.

Cain began the controversy; and as he could not control the will of his Maker, nor gain the point of his brother by the force of argument, he ended it with the fist of wickedness, and the children of the flesh have carried on his cause against the heirs of promise ever since; in behalf of which our present author has thrown his free thoughts into the treasury, that the rising generation may produce their cause, and bring forth his strong reasons, if the King of Jacob should give them a challenge. Cain was of that wicked one; and we are of God, says John; and there are children of God, and children of the devil to this day, notwithstanding all the pains that men and devils have taken to make these two staves called beauty and bands become one staff in the hand of God, Zech. xi. 7-9.

Some have preached a decree of their own, and

have brought in a second sort of elect persons, who have chosen God, without his previous choice of them. These have augmented the determinate number of God's elect, just as the devil is said to augment a congregation by a number of hypocrites: "The good seed are the children of the kingdom, but tares are the children of the wicked one: the enemy that sowed them is the devil.” But after all this labour and toil, there are some chosen, and some rejected: "Reprobate silver shall men call them, because the Lord hath rejected them;" they will not pass for current coin; their superscription will not do. God shall despise their image. But the chosen part shall be purified as silver is purified, and be tried as gold is tried; They shall call on my name, and I will hear them; and I will say, It is my people, and they shall say, The Lord is my God," Zech. xiii. 9 These shall pass for current coin; their superscription is good; and God knows their image; "For whom he did foreknow he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son."

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Who can give a saving knowledge of Christ to them to whom it is not given? Who can reveal these things to the wise and prudent, from whom God has hid them? Who can apply Christ to those that are to seek him and not find him? Who can open the door to those that shall strive to enter in and shall not be able?

Men's free thoughts are not the keys of the kingdom of heaven: they can be of no force against

the Lord of life and death, with whom are the keys of the house of David, as well as the keys of death and of hell, Rev. i. 18; who "doeth according to his will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth; and none can stay his hand, or say unto him, what doest thou?"

Notwithstanding the awfulness of this tremendous subject of reprobation, which has made many a chosen vessel to tremble, and which free-thinkers are so dreadfully disgusted at, there is no set of men under heaven that paddle so much in it, and treat it so irreverently, lightly, and contemptuously as they; which, beside scripture testimony, gives me reason to believe that there certainly is such a doctrine as reprobation, and that there is such a people as reprobates, or else our opponents would never discharge such legions of strong reasons, forcible arguments, and free thoughts against the If there be no such strong hold as reprobation to besiege, no such people to defend, why this perpetual calling to arms? Why these warm attacks, and repeated discharges? Men of their wisdom and sense would never so fight as men that beat the air. I am persuaded better things of them; that they have a conviction that there is such a doctrine, and such a people, though they thus speak.

same.

Our author brings in the holiness, wisdom, power, justice, and mercy of God, but takes heed to evade his sovereignty, which I think is wisely done; these attributes of God he styles the first

principles which are to be admitted as the standard of all Christian doctrine; then he touches upon the death of Christ, and flies to the universal benevolence of God, whose name is love, and whose tender mercies are over all his works. "God so loved the world," saith our author, "that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life," John iii. 16. I shall endeavour to rescue these things from this labyrinth of free thoughts, and set them in their own proper light; in doing which I shall consider,

First, The love of God.

Secondly. The mercy of God, and
Thirdly, The test quoted.

God loveth his people with an everlasting love. All that find grace in God's sight are thus loved: "Thus saith the Lord, The people which were left of the sword found grace in the wilderness, even Israel, when I went to cause him to rest. The Lord hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love, therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee." All that are thus loved, are given to Christ Jesus: "All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out." The objects of this love are drawn to Christ; " No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him; and I will raise him up at the last day," John vi. 44. Not one soul, thus

loved of God, given to Christ in the decree of election, and by lovingkindness drawn to him, shall ever be lost. "I came not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me. And this is the Father's will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me, I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day." "I give unto them eternal life, and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand; my Father which gave them me is greater than all: and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand. I and my Father are one."

These are the elect, who are loved with an everlasting love, to whom God hath given everlasting consolation and good hope through grace, which comforts their hearts, and establishes them in every good word and work, 2 Thess. ii. 16, 17. This love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us. This is that charity which never faileth; that charity that abideth for ever; even when faith shall end in open vision, and hope in eternal enjoyment.

Thus are the elect loved with an everlasting love; these find grace in God's sight, are given and drawn to Christ, ordained to salvation, and to the resurrection of eternal life by the will of God; secured from the free thoughts of men, and the gates of hell, by the everlasting arms of God the Father and God the Son, confirmed by the promise of everlasting life, by the witness and seal of

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