"Forasmuch as some people imagine, that they must look on God as a respecter of persons, if they believe, that, without any respect had to the previous merits of men, he hath mercy on whom he will, and calls whom it is his pleasure to call, and makes good whom he pleases. The scrupulousness of such people arises from their not duly attending to this one thing, namely, that damnation is rendered to the wicked as a matter of debt, justice, and desert; whereas, the grace given to those who are delivered, is free and unmerited so that the condemned sinner cannot allege that he is unworthy of his punishment; nor the saint vaunt or boast, as if he was worthy of his reward. Thus, in the whole course of this procedure, there is no respect of persons. They who are condemned, and they who are set at liberty, constituted originally one and the same lump, equally infected with sin, and liable to vengeance. Hence, the justified may learn from the condemnation of the rest, what would have been their own punishment, had not God's free grace stepped in to their rescue."

Before I conclude this head, I will obviate a fallacious objection, very common in the mouths of our opponents: "How," say they, "is the

mere bounty and liberality, by which that is freely bestowed on any man which was not due to him. Such are the gifts of grace, whereby sinners are received of God. In the bestowment of grace, respect of persons is absolutely out of the question; because every one may and can, without the least shadow of injustice, give as much of his own as he will, and to whom he will: according to that passage in Mat. xx. "Is it not lawful for me to do what I will [with my own ?] take up that which is thine, and go thy way." Aquin. Summ,

Theol. 2-2dæ Qu. 63. A. 1.

On the whole, it is evident, that respect of persons can only have place in matters of justice, and is but another name for perversion of justice: consequently, it has nothing to do with matters of mere goodness and bounty, as all the bless ings of grace and salvation are.

doctrine of reprobation reconcileable with the doctrine of a future judgment?" To which I answer, that there need no pains to reconcile these two, since they are so far from interfering with each other, that one follows from the other, and the former renders the latter absolutely necessary. Before the judgment of the great day, Christ does not so much act as the judge of his creatures, as their absolute Lord and Sovereign, From the first creation to the final consummation of all things; he does, in consequence of his own eternal and immutable purpose (as a divine person,) graciously work in and on his own elect, and permissively harden the reprobate. But, when all the transactions of providence and grace are wound up in the last day, he will then properly sit as Judge; and openly publish, and solemnly ratify, if I may so say, his everlasting decrees, by receiving the elect, body and soul, into glory, and by passing sentence on the non-elect (not for their having done what they could not help, but) for their wilful ignorance of divine things, and their obstinate unbelief; for their omission of moral duty, and for their repeated iniquities and transgressions.

Pos. 9. Notwithstanding God's predestination is most certain and unalterable, so that no elect person can perish, nor any reprobate be saved; yet it does not follow from thence, that all precepts, reproofs, and exhortations, on the part of God, or prayers on the part of man, are useless, vain, and insignificant.

1. These are not useless with regard to the elect, for they are necessary means of bringing them to the knowledge of the truth at first: afterwards, of stirring up their pure minds by way of remembrance, and of edifying and establishing them in faith, love, and holiness. Hence that of St. Austin: "The commandment will

tell thee, O man, what thou oughtest to have ; reproof will shew thee wherein thou art wanting; and praying will teach thee from whom thou must receive the supplies which thou wantest." Nor, 2. Are these vain with regard to the reprobate : for, precept, reproof, and exhortation may, if duly attended to, be a means of making them careful to adjust their moral, external conduct, according to the rules of decency, justice, and regularity; and thereby prevent much inconvenience to themselves and injury to society. And, as for prayer, it is the duty of all, without exception. Every created being (whether elect or reprobate, matters not as to this point) is as such dependent on the Creator for all things: and if dependent, ought to have recourse to him, both in a way of supplication and thanksgiving.

But, to come closer still. That absolute predestination does not set aside, nor render superfluous, the use of preaching, exhortation, &c. we prove from the examples of Christ himself and his apostles, who all taught and insisted upon the article of predestination; and yet took every opportunity of preaching it to sinners, and enforced their ministry with proper rebukes, invitations, and exhortations, as occasion required. Though they shewed unanswerably, that salvation is the free gift of God, and lies entirely at his sovereign disposal; that men can of themselves do nothing spiritually good and that it is God, who of his own pleasure, works in them both to will and to do; yet, they did not neglect to address their auditors, as beings possessed of reason and conscience, nor omitted to remind them of their duties as such; but shewed them their sin and danger by nature, and laid before them the appointed way and method of salvation, as exhibited in the gospel. Our Saviour himself, expressly, and in

terminis, assures us that no man can come to him except the Father draw him: and yet he says, "Come unto me all ye that labour," &c. St. Peter, in the 2d of Acts, told the Jews, that they had fulfilled the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, in putting the Messiah to death; and yet sharply rebukes them for it. St. Paul declares, "It is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth ;" and yet exhorts the Corinthians, "so to run as to obtain the prize." He assures us, Rom. viii. that " we know not what we pray for as we ought;" and yet, 1 Thess. v. directs us to "pray without ceasing." He avers,

1 Tim. ii. that the "foundation, or decree of the Lord standeth sure ;" and yet cautions him, who "thinks he stands, to take heed lest he fall." St. James, in like manner says, that "Every good and perfect gift cometh down from above;" and yet exhorts those who want wisdom, to ask it of God. So, then, all these being means whereby the elect are frequently enlightened into the knowledge of Christ, and by which they are, after they have believed through grace, built up in him; and are means of their perseverance to the end; these are so far from being vain and insignificant, that they are highly useful and necessary, and answer many valuable and important ends, without in the least shaking the doctrine of predestination in particular, or the analogy of faith in general. Thus St. Austin,* "We must preach, we must reprove, we must pray; because they to whom grace is given will hear and act accordingly; though they to whom grace is not given will do neither."

* De Bon, Persev. cap. 14. .

CHAPTER V.

SHEWING THAT

THE SCRIPTURE DOCTRINE OF PREDESTINATION SHOULD BE OPENLY PREACHED AND INSISTED ON ; AND FOR WHAT REASONS.

UPON the whole, it is evident that the doctrine of God's eternal and unchangeable predestination should neither be wholly suppressed and laid aside, nor yet be confined to the disquisition of the learned and speculative only; but likewise should be publicly taught from the pulpit and the press, that even the meanest of the people may not be ignorant of a truth which reflects such glory on God, and is the very foundation of happiness to man. Let it, however, be preached with judgment and discretion: i. e. delivered by the preacher as it is delivered in scripture; and no otherwise. By which means it can neither be abused to licentiousness, nor misapprehended to despair; but will eminently conduce to the knowledge, establishment, improvement and comfort of them that hear. That predestination ought to be preached I thus prove:

1. The gospel is to be preached, and that not partially, and by piecemeal, but the whole of it. The commission runs, "Go forth and preach the gospel; the gospel itself, even all the gospel, without exception or limitation, for so far as the gospel is maimed, or any branch of the evangelical system is suppressed and passed over in