couragement, and no hopeful profpect, but the contrary. Some out of wicked families are converted; others,after a ftrict and religious education, become vile and profligate. What different fuccefs hath the gospel at fome times, and in fome places; and at different times in the fame place? Tho' the fame meflage, and the fame preacher. Is there not an open display of the fovereignty of divine grace in all this? Surely the converfion of finners is according to bis purpose, as to the fubjects themselves, and alfo as to the time and feason of their change, and the means and method by which it is accomplished.

Once more,

IV. Such an election as we are treating of, is necessary to fecure to the Lord Jesus Chrift what he purchased by his death.It wou'd be very dishonourable to fuppofe that Chrift undertook the great and difficult work of mans redemption; that he came into our world, fuffer'd and died, upon an uncertainty what the effect of his redemption wou'd be; for this is plainly to make him act below a wife intelligent agent. This could no ways be ascertain'd but by a divine fore-ordination; for otherwise it must be left to turn upon the corrupt fallacious will of man. If men were left to themselves, such is their impotency to what is

good

good in their prefent fallen ftate, and fuch a ftrong biafs are they under to the world and fin, they wou'd never comply with the terms of falvation; and fo muft fall short of it after the purchase of it was made. Therefore a special number were chofen, and given to Chrift, with refpect to whom the father engag'd, that they fhou'd be bro't to believe on him, and be a feed to ferve bim in this world, and thro' his merits obtain to everlafting blefiedness in the world to come. We are told in the revelation which God hath made to us of the hidden mystery which God ordain'd before the world unto our glory, that the fuccefs of his redeeming work was afcertain'd to our redeemer, in an inviolable contract, upon his engaging in the great & glorious defign. Ifai. 43. 10, 11, 12. When thou shalt make bis foul an offering for fin, He shall fee bis feed the pleasure of the Lord fhall profper in bis band. He shall fee of the travel of his foul and be fatisfied: By his knowledge hall my righteous fervant justify many. Therefore I will divide bim a portion with the great, and he fhall divide the fpeil with the strong because be bath poured out his foul unto death. It was upon the aflurance our blefied faviour had given him in this contract, that he,fpoke thofe words, John 6. 37. All that the father giveth me, SHALL Come to me. Thus I have

confirmed

confirmed the truth we are maintaining,by what I take to be direct fcripture proof,and folid argument agreable to fcripture. And if the truth is once well establish'd, there is the lefs need to regard the objections bro't against it. Yet, I hope, thro' divine affiftance, in the next difcourfe to vindicare this doctrine, in fome measure, from the charges bro't againft it, as if it argu'd unrighteousness in God, difcourag'd perfons from ufeing the means of falvation, tended to defpair, &c.

In the mean time, let what we have now heard cause us humbly to bow down before the throne of the divine fovereignty, and awfully to adore in the apostles language, Rom. 11. from the 33d v. Othe depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unfearchable are bis judgments, and his ways paft finding out! For who bath known the mind of the Lord, or who bath been bis counfeller? Or who bath first given to him, and it shall be recompenfed unto him again? For of him, and through him,and to him are all things to whom be glory forever.

AMEN.

L

ROMANS, VIII. 30.

Moreover, whom he did predeftinate, them he also called; and whom he called, them he alfo juftified; and whom he justified, them be alfo glorified.

Τ

HESE words have been the foundation of two difcourfes already, upon this illuftrious Doctrine of chriftianity,That a certain number were selected by God, in his eternal counsel and purpose, from the rest of fallen mankind, to be in time effectually called, fanctified and juftified, in order to their being finally bro't to eternal life and glory; and this out of his meer good pleasure, and for the praife of his glorious grace.

This truth has been explained & ftated in feveral propofitions. It has also been confirmed & eftablished by pofitive fcripture proof, and by fome arguments drawn from the fcriptures. That which we are to proceed to at this time is,

III. To attempt to clear this truth of fome mifreprefentations made of it; and to give an anfwer to the objections commonly bro't against it.

Here I would first of all obferve to you, We fhou'd not difown or relinquish a doctrine we have been taught, becaufe of fome objections rais'd against it, or difficulties attending it. For there is no one truth in all the bible, tho' never fo plainly laid down, but the corrupt,proud, and afpiring mind of man, has formed fome objections against it, and ftarted fome difficulties about it. And if we can't quite mafter all the difficulties, and reconcile every thing that feems contradictory, we must not therefore withold our aflent, if the thing it felf is exprefly reveal'd in fcripture, or neceflarily infer'd from it. We are indifpenfably obliged to believe whatever God has reveal'd, whether it is obvious to our reason, and agrees with our preconceiv'd opinions, or not. If we can but fatisfie L 2

Our