against all the difputings of men, and difcouragements of the world; and fo as to venture your fouls, your everlasting concerns upon the verity of it? Do you efteem the records of the golpel to be faithful sayings, and worthy of all acceptation; and make the bible the rule of your life, the foundation of your hope, and spring of your confolation? This fuccefs of the gospel upon you will be a proof of your election, as it was of the election of the believing obedient Theffalonians. The apostle Peter alfo fhews us in what way and order to make our election fure. As in the place we have juft mentioned, (2 Pet. 1. 10.) Give diligence, brethren, to make your calling and election fure; your election by your calling: For, whom he predeftinated, them he also called. If then God has added the internal to the external call of the gofpel: If you are bro't out of thofe finful ways you once walk'd in, to walk in the way of good men, the way of holinefs and obedience; If you are taken off from the world, and no longer feek it as your bleflednefs, but have chofen God for your portion & happiness; if heaven is your end, and you are refolv'd to take up with nothing short of it, and make use of Chrift as the way to it; you may then be aflur'd, you fhall fee the good of his chofen, and rejoice with the gladness of his nation, and glory with bis inheritance. Again, Again, We are told, Acts 13. 48. As many as were ordained unto eternal life, believed. Examine then, whether the faith of God's elect is wro't in you. Do you believe the record God has given of his fon ? God's way of faving finners by Jefus Chrift, reveal'd and propos'd in the golpel, do you receive it, approve of, and reft in it; and renouncing all other hopes and expectations, repole your whole confidence therein? And is Chrift precious to you, as he is to them that believe? You may know then you were ordain'd to eternal life before the foundation of the world. To proceed, Your love to God, as well as your faith in Chrift, evidences your election: for fo we read, 1 John 4. 19. We love bim, because be first loved us. Let it then be inquir'd, Do I love the Lord our God with all the heart, and foul, and mind,and strength? Do Imake choice of him before all other things, and delight in him fupreamly? Is this the inward language of my foul, Thou art my portion, O Lord Whom bave I in heaven but thee? and there is nothing on earth I defire befides thee. You may then hear him faying to you, Yea I have loved you with an everlasting love. But But as love can't be fincere unless it is obediential, fo our new obedience is another proof and evidence of our election. The apoftle has told us, Eph 1. 3. He bath chofen us before the foundation of the world, that we fhou'd be boly, and without blame before bim in love. We muft inquire then, if we wou'd know our election, Whether there is a feparation wro't between us and our fins and lufts? Whether we walk not after the flesh, but after the fpirit? Whether indwelling fin is a burthen and grief to us, and we are labouring in the mortification of it? Whether we are in the ufe of all proper and appointed means, Cleansing our felves from all filthyness of flesh and Spirit; perfecting bolinefs in the fear of God? Do we defire nothing more than holinefs, a conformity to the image of Chrift? And do we lament nothing more than our want of holiness, or of conformity to the image of his fon? This is a token of falvation. You may rest fatisfied from hence, that God has not appoint you to wrath, but to obtain falvation by our Lord Jefus Chrift. ed 4. The next ufe must be by way of counfel, to fuch as have no ground at prefent to conclude themfelves of this number; who have no reafon as yet to think themfelves effectually called and converted; to have that faith, and love, and holiness, which are the marks of God's elect. To fuch I wou'd addrefs a few words of direction; and O that they might be regarded and put in practice! 1. Don't murmur at God's decree of election; for this is to rebell against God, and will highly displease him. And befides, you have no reafon to do fo; for this is not the cause of your continuing in fin and impenitence, as was fhown when we anfwer'd the objections against this doctrine; but it must be affign'd to the corruption and wickedness of your nature, from which indeed you can't be deliver'd but by the almighty grace of God. Labour to be reconcil'd to God's method of faving finners, tho' it be not fuch as human reafon might have carv'd out. His method of falvation is certainly the wifeft and the beft: For as the heavens are high above the earth; fo are bis tho'ts above our tho'ts, and his ways above our ways, Ifa. 55. 8. 2. Beware of drawing up any dark conclufions concerning your felf, as if the decree of God was against you. Satan may tempt you to this; but you are not ignorant of his devices. Remember, tho' there are many figns of election, there are no certain tokens of reprobation,except the fin against S the the Holy Ghost. Suppofing the doctrine of election, yet, as God has a reconciling work on foot in this world, you are as likely to have an intereft in it as another. It is certain God has a purpofe of mercy for a great many. Some in all ages fhall find mercy. And there is nothing to exclude thee, in thy country, fex, age, or any of thy outward circumftances; no, nor yet in the greatnels of thy fins, or long continuance in them. For it is a faithful faying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Jefus Chrift came into the world to fave finners, even the chief of them. Wherefore your way is, 3. To apply for mercy, and hope for it, upon the invitations and encouragements of the gospel. Even a peradventure is look'd upon to be encouragement eno' to try in other cafes of hazard and distress; and why not in this? Remember the inftance of Benbadad's fervants, and take direction from it, 1 Kings 20 31, 32. And his fervants faid unto him, Behold now, we have heard that the kings of the house of Ifrael, are merciful kings: let us, I pray thee, put fackcloth on loins, and ropes upon our beads, and go out to the king of Ifrael; peradventure he will fave thy life. So they girded fackcloth on their loins, and put ropes on their beads, and came to the king of Ifrael, and faid, Thy fervant Benhadad our |