Object. Upon what account can men be pressed to a frequent, diligent, conscientious attendance upon the ministry, if salvation, and consequently preparation, and meetness for salvation, shall as certainly be had by a broken, careless, superficial attendance in this kind?

Answ. On what account did the Lord so frequently admonish his people, "to keep the law, without turning aside; to circumcise their hearts; and to be no more stiffnecked;" and this, as the condition of their obtaining Canaan? if all their unworthiness could not deprive them of Canaan, which the author of this objection elsewhere affirms they could not. But further, as men are creatures, it is their duty to serve and honor God; and, in order thereto, to wait upon him in his ordinances, and that with all diligence, although the business of their salvation was not concerned in it, but much more since it is, if any thing of self-concern may enforce a duty: and truly the present sweetness that is in the good ways of God, is argument sufficient to induce our most serious attendance thereon. But that salvation or meetness for salvation, may as certainly be had by a careless attendance, it is far from the doctrine of absolute election to assert: for it presseth it still as an important duty, to "give all diligence to make our calling and election sure." But, really, remissness in duty is the natural result of that doctrine which teacheth That a man possibly may lose all he hath run for at the last step: for who will strain and toil himself, as they term it, for an uncertainty? And if there be any such who neglect their duty, because if elected they are sure to be saved, they give but a sorry evidence of their state; and are, commonly, such as oppose the doctrine of election, and not of those who hold for it.

Object. Such an election as we contend against, we judge to be the most unworthy the most excellent nature of God; and to be at manifest defiance with his wisdom, holiness, mercy, justice, &c.

Answ. If the election contended against be such as the objector's arguments are pointed at, it is such as I suppose never was held by any; and then it is ill-spent time to set up counterfeit notions, and make a great business of confuting them. But it is absolute election, without respect to men's works, that is striven against: and for this we say, 1. Absolute election is no way contrary to the wisdom

of God, but most consonant thereto; for how can it stand with his wisdom, to determine the death of his Son for the salvation of men, and leave it undetermined, and conse quently uncertain, whether any one person shall have salvation by it? For so it must be, if election be not absolute. 2. It is so far from being at manifest hostility with the mercy of God, that it is most congruous and suitable to the very nature of it. To shew mercy, is to open the heart to one in distress; to love and do good to enemies, whom he might as justly have destroyed, and was no way obliged to spare, much less to advance them: nay, perhaps they were deeper involved in guilt than other men, even the chief of sinners; which is, certainly, the highest illustration of mercy, and far from a manifest defiance of it. 3. It doth not oppose the justice of God; for, to whom is he debtor, or can be? All had a stock in Adam; and having lost it by their own default, God is not obliged to restore it; there fore no injustice to repair one, and not another.

Object. Doth it argue any sovereign or high strain of grace, when ten thousand have equally offended, to pardon one or two, and implacably resolve to punish and torment all the rest to the utmost extremity? And this against all possible interveniency of sorrow and repentance for their faults?

Answ. It were very desirable that men, while they pretend to argue for the truth, would order their speech as becomes the gravity of such a subject, Eccl. 5: 1. and much more, that they come not so near a downright re proaching that glorious grace, of which we cannot have apprehensions awful enough. The men who thus speak, had need to try their spirits, whether they be of God; since from the same premises they draw conclusions quite contrary to those, who, we know, "spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost." In scripture account, it is no derogation from the grace of God, that he called Abraham alone, leaving millions beside to their perishing condition. Nor can I believe that Moses understood it as disparaging God's love to mankind, when he tells us, that he chose the people of Israel for his own peculiar people; who yet were the fewest of any people, Deut. 7:7. One of a city, and two of a family, were less in proportion than one or two of ten thousand; yet no complaint upon it, by those interested in that grace. It is the property of God's children to admire

that he loves any, and especially themselves; and not to find fault because he loves not all alike. "Who am I, (says David,) that thou hast brought me hitherto!" And Christ's disciples, "Lord, why wilt thou manifest thyself to us (us twelve) and not to the world?" John 14:22. It is therefore strange to consider, why and how, any that call themselves of the brotherhood, came so to espouse the quarrel of those without; and that with such eagerness, as to strive and fall out among themselves about the other's concerns. It were more advisable to leave off disputing, and fall to practice. But, to answer more directly: 1. This remnant is not so contemptibly to be spoken of; they are "Ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands," Rev. 5:11. And how small soever the number be, (if it were but one, it were more by one than the whole creation could deserve,) I say, how few soever they are, no man knows but himself may be one of them; unless by despising the grace of God in election, he hath proved it otherwise to himself. 2. To pitch on a few while in their blood and enmity against God, and resolve even then to make them everlastingly happy, and that against the natural bent of their own will, was a grace much more high and sovereign, than to save them for their own better improvement of what they have in common with other men; for that would not be of grace, but of debt. Or if the Lord should bring ten thousand times that number into a salvable state, (as they speak,) but so as, very possibly, not one of them shall ever be saved, it would not bring the thousandth part of that glory to his grace, as to save a few invincibly. 3. If the Lord did foresee that but few would believe, and yet resolve to save none but such as should believe; then the objection, as to fewness, falls on the objector's doctrine as much as ours. 4. As for godly sorrow, faith, and repentance, they are the gift of God, and proper to the elect: and so, no reason to suppose the interveniency of these in them that are left; or to fear an implacable resolution to punish and torment any in whom these possibilities go forth into act.

Other allegations they have against the doctrine of election, which will admit of as plain a solution as those above; but it being my purpose to collect what I shall find in the scriptures for it, and not to controvert the point; I proceed no further, but go on to the usefulness of the

doctrine; only by the way let me premise a caution or two.

1. Let no man tax God with injustice or partiality because he takes not all; or because not those of highest esteem among men. Do not the princes of the world exercise dominion over men like themselves? Or is there a subject so mean, but will think himself wronged, if ques tioned for disposing of his own (which yet is his own but as borrowed?) And shall vain man presume to arraign his sovereign Lord! "Wo to him that striveth with his Maker," Isa. 45: 9. If you must be meddling, let it be with potsherds of earth like yourselves.

2. Let no man depreciate the doctrine of election because it takes in but a remnant. Why are they styled, "the little flock," but to heighten the mercy and privilege of it in their esteem? Noah did not contemn the grace of God to himself and his sons, because the world of ungodly were excluded the ark; nor the remnant that escaped the sword in Egypt, Jer. 44: 28. reckon their own deliverance the less mercy, because the rest of their countrymen had not a share in it. Men do not use to slight their own immunities for others not being interested in them; but rather to value themselves the more upon it.

And now, as a means to prevent or remove the evil surmises cautioned against; with those other sinister deductions which carnal reason may be apt to suggest; let us draw up a few of those many and worthy improvements this doctrine is capable of, above and beyond that of the contrary tenor; as also of those laws of duty which it lays upon us. And here I would see, first, what fruit may be gathered from the several branches of the proposition; and then, what from the gross or whole of it promiscuously.

I. Since there is an election of men to salvation, put you in for a part and interest in it: though their number be but small, cast in your lot, and make one among them. My meaning is, that though ever so few are the objects of election, you will make it your business to prove yourself of that few. If but two in the whole world, who knows but thou mayest be one of them? And do it the rather, for fewness' sake: it is our Saviour's argument, “They are but few that go in at the straight gate;" therefore strive. The Ninevites had not that ground to believe God would accept them that you have; for their ruin was pronounced in peremptory words, and no room expressly left for re

pentance; and yet they humbled themselves, and turned from their evil ways, upon this only consideration, "Whe can tell if God will turn away his fierce anger, that we perish not?" Jonah 3: 9, 10. It is a happiness worth your venturing for: for, 1. You can lose nothing by endeavoring. 2. You can hardly have a more solid evidence of your being elected, than to have your heart taken with elecing love, and casting yourself upon it: and 3. Never did any perish who ventured on this bottom.

II. From the doctrine of election's absoluteness is evinced the exceeding riches of the grace of God, in that he hath not left this great concern to human contrivance, but hath laid it more sure and safe than men themselves would have done: for it is too evident, (by the reasonings that are used to make election dependant and conditional,) how it would have gone, if left to the wisdom of men. But I shall not doubt to affirm, that this doctrine of election's absoluteness is much beforehand with that which teacheth it to be conditional, both in point of encouragement, and otherwise; and that as well before believing as afterwards.

1. Before a man comes to believe; supposing him to be notionally instructed therein before. For being under conviction of the greatness and multitude of his sins, and finding the power of indwelling corruptions so insuperable, having also some sight of the holiness of God, and that he will by no means clear the guilty, it needs must prove a difficult matter, to believe that there is mercy and pardon for such a one as he; or that ever those domineering lusts should be made to submit: but then considering, 1. That electing love pitches on the chief of sinners. 2. That it flows not from, nor is founded upon, any condition to be performed by men. And, 3. That election has in it all that conduceth to life and godliness: these things (I say) considered, it cannot but have a far greater influence on the soul, to cleave unto God, and follow hard after him, than if his election were suspended upon his doing that which he finds in himself no power to perform: for he sees by woful (and yet, through grace, happy) experience, that as the law is made weak through the weakness of the flesh; so also, setting aside the absoluteness of electing love, all the means of grace, which are given in common among men, would be wholly ineffectual to salvation: which difficulties, electing love in its absoluteness will supersede, and set 666366 A