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 Is Election a Doclrine of the Bible ? 
 
 - VV. V wx-v-xv V \.-v. .. v.^^ V. V w 
 
 w.'\. V,'."^,>, V. v. \-'v v**Vk-%'v VXX VX 
 
 A DISCOURSE 
 
 .-^a 
 
 ■^ 
 
 D E L I V E II K D AT 
 
 
 
 XL\E aiLE KiVEB PRESBITEBIA^ CIllRCH 
 
 BY REV. JOHN CAMERON. 
 
 PRINTED BY JAMES BARNES 179 JIOI.LIS STREET 
 
 18 02. 
 

 :/ ;..; 
 
 ■ 
 
PREFACE. 
 
 The following discourso was originally preached to roy owti 
 congregation. At that time I had not the remotest idea of itg 
 publication. It was prepared with the view of correcting the 
 misrepresentations of mixiQbusybadies, who were loud in decry- 
 ing Prpflbyterianism. A number of my people having expressed 
 a desire to obtain it, that they might peruse it at their leisure. 
 I have consented to publish it. 
 
 My object in doing so, is not to advance new ideas upon a 
 subject which has occupied the master minds of the world ; but, 
 to express some of their views in a few brief and comprehensive 
 arguments, so as to correct the ignorance of some, confirm the 
 wavering of others, and silence ignorant cavillers. Let truth 
 prevail. 
 
 Janmary 15, UQH. 
 
 John Cauekox. 
 
 
DISCOURSE. 
 
 **A8 many as were ordained to eternal life believed."— Acts 
 xiii. 48, 
 
 Many things both in the natural and moral worlds whicli 
 in themselves are not desirable, are nevertheless useful an^ 
 essential as producing the most important results. Violent; 
 storms are in themselves not pleasant, but their effects upon 
 the atmosphere and tlie ocean are essential to the preserva- 
 tion of "life and health. War is a grievous calamity to a 
 people, but in many instances it is infinit^^ly preferable to the 
 evils by which it is induced. In like manner, religious con- 
 troversy is not desirable, on its own account ; but it often 
 proves a blessing, by the removal of those errors, by means 
 of which the god of this Avorld blinds the minds of men and 
 destroys their souls. 
 
 Let no man be deceived with respect to controversy. The 
 world is full of error. It is natural to man, and can be re- 
 moved from the heart of man only by the truths of the Gos- 
 pel. Every man who preaches the Gospel, and " contends 
 earnestly for the faith which was once delivered to 
 the saints," must be a controversialist, for there is not a 
 doctrine of the Bible that has not been denied or perverted. 
 I cannot preach on any subject without opposing the views, 
 and condemning the practices of some persons. Truth can* 
 not be injured by controversy. Error alone will suflfer. 
 Hence thor,© who wish to retain and promulgate their errors, 
 
«re always I„„.,est in decrying rcligiou, controversy. Now 
 
 .er^f Z- ' I'" ''i"' """ "■''"'"^""* l-^"- »' « ""-- 
 cr of CI, , ; „,,o, when doctrines are circulating amon-. the 
 
 laiia to proclaim (he truth. "O «:nn ..r ,«„ t i 
 
 *i. ""HI. w son oi man. I hnvc sp» 
 
 itJr " T^' f "^ •""""'' """■ "«™ "•«'" fr»™ -"«••' 
 
 Ihe I, "'"; ; ■' '""'"** ' ''""'^ """ '"'^e views of 
 
 •he doetnne of elec<i«, are entertained by not « tew and T 
 
 ^sohed to call your attention to a consideration of the sub- 
 ject. In doing so, I shall endeavour to treat of it in a, plain 
 -nd s,mple a manner as possible. X„o things I taL for 
 r-n.e . First, that the Bible is a revelation L„, ^l ^Z 
 secondly that being from God, it is all true. Unless you 
 «dm-t the truth of these propositions yon .ay as weilrltC 
 «o your homes as my arguments and proofs are to be drawn 
 from the Scriptures. And here let me .^mark, that when 
 you come to " search the Scriptures" and reason from them, 
 you w,ll nnd profundities in them which the most gigantic 
 intellect cannot «>thom. At every step in your sfudy of 
 divme truth yo.j are admonished to be humble, and not to al- 
 low reason to usurp the place of faith. One of the fatal 
 errors of our day is, that men refuse to place implicit depend- 
 ence upon tie testimony of Him who alone perfectly knows 
 himself, unless they can fully compreheftd it. With regard 
 to no part of God's testimony is it more true than of election. 
 
 In this passage we have brought under our notice three 
 things. 
 
 1. That some are " ordained.** 
 
 2. That those are ordained to " eternal life.** 
 
 
3. Tlmt their subsequent faith is a consequence of their 
 being " ordained to eternal life " 
 
 First. Some are " ordained." 
 
 The woni wliich is here translated ordained, and which 
 does not often occur in the New Testament, means to place 
 in a certain rank or order, and has uniformly the signification 
 of being disposed or arranged from some external source. 
 Take as examples, Acts xv. 2 : " They determined, i. e., 
 disposed or ordained, that Paul and Barnabas should go up 
 to Jerusalem." Acts xxii. 10 : "It shall be told thee of all 
 things which are appointed, ordained, for thee to do." Rom. 
 xiii. 1. " The powers that be are ordained of God." 'J his 
 being the correct meaning of the word, ue Apostle evidently 
 designed to teach us, that all who be ieve and obtain eternal 
 life, do so, in consequence of God's arrangement and election 
 of them. 
 
 But then you say at the very outset, " I don't believe in 
 the doctrine of election." Come then at once to the Bible, 
 and see if it says anything about ordaining or choosing or 
 electing men. If the doctrine is taught there, it is true 
 whether you believe it or not, and before you reject it, I 
 would most solemnly urge you to ponder seriously the words 
 of Christ. •' He that believeth not shall be damned," Mark 
 xvi. 16. 
 
 Rom. ix. 11 : " For the children being not yet born, neither 
 having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God accord- 
 ing to election might stand, not of works, but of him that 
 calleth." 
 
 Rom. xi. 5 : "There is a remnant acfcording to the election 
 of grace." 
 
 Rom. xi. 7 : "Israel hath not obtained that which he seek- 
 
n 
 
 il. 
 
 M: 
 
 <:<ljarier;but the ek- 
 
 8 
 
 <'tIoji lialhobfained it. 
 
 and ih 
 
 Ijlinded." 
 
 Rom. xi. 28 ; - Rut as touehlnc. n.^> elmir>n n 
 tf loved for the father's .ake." ' "' ^'^^'^ ^^^* 
 
 iJ'« ociipture.s, and not feel that fho t,.,,.! i-i • 
 
 one; and Jeeply afTcet ,h..,, , ■ '""''"•^ "uporfKnt 
 
 'l.e meanin-r of 1,;,.! 1 '" """'''' "' '"^"- ^'"^^ 
 
 '^""'o or ine word tleclion n- oil o i •* • 
 
 KywI.om (henaremon ."'• ; ^"' " ''""<''^- 
 ni«.n. either G„r 'T -""^ o. elededf It „,„„ 
 
 -l-osin. G T : *"""f "■ '•'"^"'""^ --' = «•• ™«n'-^ 
 
 '-/^ve,a.^:n::'r ::;;;:: rr---o,n 
 
 '»galnto the Biblr. n„.] i.^ ' ^^'^^^ ^^»^^n 
 
 It IS written by God. "^"inaiiite. ih„^ 
 
 If west of all people." ^ ' ' ' *' ^^ ^^'^''^ ^^'« 
 
 L-i^ -Tvia cfiail ciioose. 
 
>» 
 
 1 Chron. xxvili. 4: *' Tlio Lord cliose me, before all the 
 house of my fUtiier to be kin;^ over Israel." 
 
 Ps. Ixxviii. 07, G8 : " He refu;?ed tlie tabernacle of Josejih, 
 and cliose not the tril>e of Ej>hraim, but chose the tribe of 
 Judah, the nu'unt Zion lliat he loved." 
 
 Matt. XX. K) : "• jMany are called, but few chosen." 
 
 Matt. xiii. i'O : •• For the elect's sake Avhom he hath 
 
 choi 
 
 en. 
 
 John xlii. IS : -"I know whom I have chose 
 
 n 
 
 »» 
 
 Joh 
 
 n XV. Iti 
 
 (k 
 
 Ye h 
 
 ave not chosen me, but I have chosen 
 
 >> 
 
 you 
 
 Eph i. 4 : " According as he hath choi^en us in him before 
 the found.'tlion of the world" 
 
 2 Thess. ii. K3 ; " Gcd halh from the beginning chosen 
 von to salvation." 
 
 These are but a few of the many passages where the 
 snme trutli is taught ; showing that the choice is an act of 
 divine sov( leignty ; and, though there mny be difficulties 
 about it, that man can neither comprehend nor explain, does 
 lie act a wise }>art who denies that which meets him on every 
 page of inspired truth? Any one passage of God's word is 
 sufficient to set aside all the o[)posing views of all the men in 
 the world. Some tell me, '"they do not deny election," do 
 not deny that God ''ordained men to eternal life ;" but their 
 view is. " that men first choose God, and tlien God con- 
 firms the choice of men." 1 readilv admit that man chooses 
 God. And whv ? Just because God first eliose him. This 
 eternal act of the divine mind is thu sole cause why any 
 man ohoo-;<'s God. 
 
 guage ? You occasionally elect a man to represent you in 
 
I 
 
 10 
 
 ef. lou all know , hat such is not the meanin. of the 
 
 iTn ". 1^ rT 'T'"'"'- '' '"' '■"' "- «'^-«-''""- i 
 
 ^ZT^'^t'^'f -P-entative by a distinct 
 longs in H ' "'*""" "'""^ ""' "S^' "f ^''oo-ng be- 
 chooin.o J.t tTsT,"' r™;."""^ .-n ScHptur; the 
 Hg.n of^ehool; Lon;""" '' "^^ ' '" "'""" ^'"'^ '"« 
 
 because Of tlrhiTthr ''"^^""^ '"«'"^ P^'vi.eged 
 „;:it"'' "^^-«' is mine elect, I have called thee h, 
 
 J^..xv. 9: .-Mine elect Shan inherit it, and™,, er. 
 oirhl^ds?' "'""'' *^' ''"»'"»"« -io^ 'he wo* of 
 
 ..- da,s irLirne'l""^'^"' ^"' '"^ ''' ^'-''^ ^^^ 
 Matt. xxiv. 24 : " If possible deceive the very el.et " 
 
 ven to the o'l'e,'" "^ "'"'^' *''•"'" »"<' «"" °f h- 
 
 ^_^Lukexviii.7:.<And shall not God avenge his own 
 
n 
 
 ser- 
 
 Rom. viii. 33 : *' Who shall lay any thing to the charge of 
 God's elect?" 
 
 2 Tim. ii. 10 : "I endure all for the elect's sake." 
 Tit. i. 1 : " An apostle according to the faith of God's 
 elect." 
 
 2 John i. : " The elder to the elect lady and her children.** 
 Will any man read these passages of Holy Writ, and dare 
 assert that there is no such doctrine as election in the Bible ; 
 that God does not choose ; and that there is not a class of 
 persons every where spoken of in the Bible as the " chosen 
 ones " " the elect of God ?" He must be worse than a fool 
 who cannot perceive that the persons so designated are dis- 
 tinguished from the rest of mankind, which distinction is the 
 result of GotVs choice. Now, observe, when some are chosen 
 or ordained, others must necessarily be left. You cannot 
 choose the whole. You may take all, but not choose all* 
 There is no meaning m the terra election which so frequent- 
 ly occurs in the Scriptures, unless it be an expression of 
 God's mind, with regard to particular nations and persons 
 and things ; saying, thus shalt thou be, because I, the Al- 
 mighty, design thou shouldst be so. Accordingly he makes 
 one class of beings angels, and another men. To the former 
 he assigns heaven ; to the latter earth. Are all men treated 
 alike ? By no means. One man is born in America where 
 the Gospel with all its attendant blessings is enjoyed, whilst 
 another is born in Africa, where he never will hear the 
 truth. Thus it is that God has always expressed his will ; 
 and will men find fault ? I know very well that men object 
 to being placed wholly at tlie disposal of God, and ask : If 
 
 u:. 
 
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 £\ £^i\cy \\^\ nv\r^ 
 
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 PKJo 
 
 
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 nwcta. 
 
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 wu 
 
 11 uc;, 
 
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 X^W.T l.t\^ I1I2U 
 
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 JS. Z.iX-J 
 
 
 tl2S ^.-l-? 
 
 -.„-.. 
 
 iion, as old at least as the days of Paul, and the only an- 
 
12 
 
 ewei- wliich ever was or will' i.„ • 
 
 r ''■■■^'- "'« ^-'-y. of .he same Iu,«p " t " '"""' '^''"■■ 
 
 honour, and anolhc- un.o d,.sl,oLl,7^; "'."'■'"' ""'° 
 Ejection i.,j„,t,h,,^^,.'^""^'' l^o">- «. 20, 21. 
 
 "bout crUin events , w i , but^. T""'"' ""' '" '^™'^" 
 '-' God, and a. deali, :1 1 ; .'''-'.''f^-"'^ «^^J - » P>- 
 
 >^"«' i« n not n.a.;e„o;;,::r„;;v 7 ,:;;""' '"■"'■-" 
 
 ilns liypolhetioal form. "//• r„, ^ " """•'''• '" 
 
 life." Surely ,1,. „„„„ nrS f, ° '"" ™"" '" «'«''«' 
 
 does seem .tran" ..^ "l ^T ' ''" ""' >'^^'-'-'' "-t it 
 -p.-ese„t those Th ' ^i, T,; " /»>- '"« '™'^ .^l-.d 
 God, wideh are ,„e ere:; / ^ rr'TV^^"'"'^' 
 I "ever .say „,at God is ei,!,er n i, " ^'"''^"'"^ "''"'^'■ 
 " n-.^ <!oetrine )„„], to it " T ""•""'• ^"°" ^"^ 
 
 you no doctrin., but , ; „, '"' ''"^'""^ '' ""' '""-. I «avo ' 
 
 1-ve these passai! , " '" '•"■^^'^'- "' "- J'^i'^'e- I be- 
 V 1 'S^*» }et i never ast^ert ffi-if n, i • 
 
 ^0" deny ,he,„, and in addition cha.^T G ,'"• '•"•""'' 
 
 ""i "-"J'''^. ''— of yonr unwlf. ' "'" "'^""^« 
 
 J^y IWs decree /but !L;'^ '" ''"'"' '''='-'' "-'•'-'■ -t 
 «hi<.|, .,„ ,,„;„' ''^ "'.^ '^""^ of that freedom of u-it. 
 
 "lioii ihcm; and 
 
 are men to charge God 
 
13 
 
 >7 
 
 > brill fr 
 
 99 
 
 ?ay 
 
 witli injustice because in his sovereignty lie leaves some tO 
 reap the fruit of their doings, whilst he delivers others 7 
 These silly objections are based upon the supposition that 
 the sinner has a right to favour from God, which is untrue. 
 " For by grace are ye saved through faith, and that not of 
 yourselves ; it is the gift of God." Eph. ii. 8. I require of 
 every one who raises the cry of partiality against God, be» 
 cause he ordains some men to eternal life, and not others j 
 to shew me that all sinners have a right to life ; otherwise 
 there can be no partiality. , If this can be shown ; then in- 
 deed partiality is evinced in every thing which God has 
 done and is still doing. It is seen in providing a Saviour for 
 men and not for the angels. It is seen in God's choice of 
 Israel, and not of the Egyptians as a nation to whom he 
 made himself known. It is seen in the command of Chr 
 to his disciples, " not to go to either the Gentiles or the 
 Samaritans." It is seen in giving the Gospel which is essen- 
 tial to salvation to Britain and other countries, and with* 
 holdirg it from China, Japan, and extensive regions in Africa. 
 If sovereignty be partiality, the Bible is full of it ; tlie world 
 is full of it at this moment ; and it would be just as well fo? 
 those objectors to say at once what they believe ; that God 
 has not a right to do as he pleases, but only as man pleises ; 
 and that Christ who is administering the government of the 
 world, accord it^ to the " will of the feather," does not govern 
 it upon the principles of rectitude. 
 
 Again the objector says to me, " By holding the doctriner 
 that God * ordained some to eternal life,' you say God made 
 those who are not ordained to life to be damned." Were it 
 not that I have heard these words used frequently of late ; 
 aid have been told that I hold such a sentiment ; and were 
 
"who ';;il tTof r v. "' " ""^ "^^-^ -ong „, 
 
 try -ev'e^Vol ;:/:"«' '"^^ understand no. .""and 
 
 mentioned i.. I.. blaspheL; ."ret U J Tf "'" '""^^ 
 « comes. Itis thedPv.T, • . "■ ^ '"'o^ whence 
 Pareus. -ransla e 'Lo J deZh T "°" '° ""^ «-' 
 " Ye shall not surely die " Do n TH °^ '" '"'" "■" "■"-• 
 »ake his ereatu... VZn tUeT '''"''' "^ ''°' '" "<" 
 
 -i:;':r ri: :?:r "*"■- ' -^ ^ <>» '^ ^or .he 
 
 ea.ch of an a~2.^n ''*'''' '" '*' P'^^P''^"^" ''^ 'his 
 
 by persons desSlu : ...rj T'' ■ '""'"' ""^"^ 
 father of lies ; and I wi,h voo mI <"''g'"a"='l with the 
 
 :''-^ P-isel,.he argulr: I Tis'" n7"'''T"'^^''''^' 
 'ans, Universalists and mu„, \ '''''■™ "'« »"«!'•>• 
 
 '"ne of future punishlfn? 1","' '"^'^^^"^ "=-•- "- ^oc 
 ^ hell. The/a,, deeTa" %^' "'"'""""' "^ ^'«"' « P'ace 
 them." The truth i, .hl^' "^ "'"*''■ '"'«'« '»<'" to damn 
 
 - an argument IXtlecZ "' "'r '""^' '^"'^ ''---•<' 
 You will never heaftLrr;." '"/'"'" " tTniversalist. 
 in the truth. ""' "'« ''P' "^ an humble believer 
 
 He aid „. „a.e treTaC'jCr.Ll "^""''"' " '" 
 them out of heaven. He d;,, , f **'•'''" "^ ™«t''ng 
 /"«^ of expelling him from p ?' ^dam for the p„.! 
 Judas for the p:^o,7otZi!"T'- ^^<"- ''"' "« "ake 
 grand designer God L "ea „l "" '? "^ """ P'«-- The 
 'fr to save nor destroX" bT ! ""'* T"' """^ -'" 
 ^■OT. " Thou hast created alTt'hinl l^' ^'' "l^ ^ 
 
 o ; ""^ ^"i iny pleasure 
 
15 
 
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 lake 
 The 
 nei. 
 own 
 iure 
 
 they are and were created." Rev. iv. 11. Every movement 
 of every man, of every angel, and of every nation, formed a 
 part of God's eternal purpose, which is hourly advancing to 
 its completion— the whole to give a di?pla}| of the divine 
 glory. Yes I repeat it, every man, actively or passively, is 
 working out the purpose of God. If actively, God will glorify 
 himself in rewarding him ; but if passively. He will glorify 
 himself in destroying him. This is the purpose of God and it 
 will stand. The cavillings of the wicked will not alter it. 
 " The counsel of the Lord standeth for ever, the thought of 
 his heart to all generations." Ps.xxxiii.il. "lam God, 
 and there is none like me, declaring the end from the begin- 
 ning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, 
 saying, my counsel shall stand, and I will do all my plea- 
 sure." Isa. xlvi. 9, 10. 
 
 If I am asked, did God make the devil and the fallen an- 
 gels to damn them ; I answer God made them, and they are 
 lost eternally ; but I deny that He made them for the pur- 
 pose of destroying them. He chose to keep their compan- 
 ions from falling, and they are called the " elect angels." 
 He could have preserved them ; but He did not choose to 
 exercise his power in their behalf. They fell, and were 
 ** cast down to hell, and delivered into chains of darkness to 
 be reserved unto judgment," 2 Pet. ii. 4; without any effort 
 upon the part of God to save them, But surely no sane 
 man would undertake to say, this proves that " God made 
 them to destroy them." God's dealings with men difler from 
 his treatment of the angels. All mankind sinned and were 
 lost; but a part are saved. A part of the angels fell; but 
 none of them are saved. It appears then, that a number of 
 men and angeia are saved ; the cause of wnicn is vjoa s cieC' 
 
I t 
 t 
 
 hfl 
 
 16 
 
 he damned ?" jf ,.o„ will i i ^ ' "'^'''' "^«^e fd 
 
 >' "Pon those who abi.o,. sue,. ^ J;/"' ;;':-•;' '<> ^-'-n 
 -I- lo show yod. th')t vnn.. 1 • . "'^ f'^'^f- 
 
 ^o"ows ..u cL, ;:;: c ,otr,hrr*.'--:. •"^'- ■•' 
 
 "nI<-S3 }ou can ..how that r„ 1' ' " "' "° '«'''•'■, 
 
 '"■« " i.^ the cause of th l^f'r,"^ '^-^ '« " ^'-al 
 «>• that Gel's plan for .a Tr ™ f "" '' "'' '"■'"'^'■"" ' 
 
 ^y any thin, which It C T '"'" '" ''^ '°-^'" 
 -i" this present „,e„ f '„, f ''""f ""■^« '' "'^ ^'^ction ; 
 -ould be damned. E LcSn -rC' "' ' ''°' "'" "" 
 
 sequence. Wirl,o„t it t '"■"'""'' "'''^ ""■'"''l »"• 
 
 Thanks he to God fnCion! ' """'''' '"'' ''"''"'"'" 
 
 2. You must reraemhpr flm* u . 
 Again, whatever is Hgh L 1 ^ ?" ":"" '"^'^ '■^ ""'''' 
 «'een right for rii„, ^^ int „d 1 ?, . "' '""'' " '""^' '"'^^ 
 'h- is an, i„j,„,,e in J ^ e I ^ '"' T'"''- '' 
 " ordatniny of .ome ,o e.erna fl' ' ''"■'!'"'^ "^' ''" "'« 
 Yet this is done by God the I ' '" *""'"""S °"><''-'- 
 
 "vary day. Yes „,,,„' a 'J:" T'""'' "'' "'« -•'" 
 
 "'- prevent men from gorn. ,« "„ '"''T''"'""'""'" "'" 
 ready asserted. „. .o„°„ ^ ^ ^ ; ^^^ _^'; - } bave aU 
 
 -^v-.r .i u uo not un-- 
 
 'i 
 
 )» 
 
(■'^t whom 
 e made to 
 -nee from 
 
 io fasten 
 f' nie call 
 
 point. 
 " That it 
 i«o force 
 ' eternal 
 ankind ; 
 le hitter 
 
 though 
 if Cal- 
 't to be 
 •e lost " 
 ection ; 
 )iit aU 
 il con- 
 luiman 
 
 right. 
 
 Iiave 
 . If 
 II the 
 therj!. 
 vorld 
 3ther 
 
 will 
 e al* 
 
 un-- 
 
 '•(' 
 1 
 
 ]7 
 
 just in God to send sinners to I.ell, his determination to do 
 so from all eternity cannot be unjust; because it is not Ida 
 deterrandng to do so, which sends them there ; but their own 
 sins, u, the co.nmission of which they act as free agents • 
 prompted thereto, by wicked and selfish motives, as Juda.' 
 was, when he accomplished the will of God in betraying 
 Christ; and Senacherib, when he under the direction of God 
 chastised the inhabitants of Jerusalem. See I<aiah x 
 
 n„f if T^n' r !""'" """« "' "'" '^'^^"°" °''^»"'e to eter- 
 nal life, then God who is governing our world, must govern 
 
 without a fixed purpose or plan. He knows not how many 
 are to be saved; but must wait till he perceives who will re- 
 ceive and who will reject the truth. Every thing in fact is 
 left to chance, or the will of man. Hut how do such sent - 
 ments comport with the teachings of ins,,iration that "his 
 kingdom ruleth over all." Ps ciii. 1,9 , and that over thi 
 world, he sways th. sceptre of omnipotence. -I M: 
 and honoured him that liveth for ever, whose dominion tin 
 everh^ting dominion, and his kingdom is from g^Zi^"^ 
 generation ; and all the inhabitants of the earth' re " Ja 
 a= nothing; and he doeth according to his will i„ the a 1 
 of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth ■ Z 
 
 Dan. ,v o4, 3o Now says the objector, "for God to .ettle 
 every thing and rule the world accordingly is iust " « Z 
 men to damn them." If shallow mind:d'a d !nor. ^ T" 
 tureswiU drawsaeha conclusion from inspired rthr!: 
 hem do so. "But these as natural brute beasts, m dfS t 
 taken and destroyed, speak evil of the things they u 1. 
 
 stand riAf anA oh.oi ..i.^_ . ... => '^J ""aer- . 
 
 tlieir own corruption." 
 
 For God to settle everj thing, and then 
 
 carrjr 
 
18 
 
 ■I . 
 
 forward tho purposes of b*H will, is the only founclation of a 
 Chri^ian'o hope and comfort. It constitutes in the believers* 
 view the very perfection of things. Upon no other princi- 
 ple could the Apostle found the truth, " that [all things work 
 too-ether for good to them that love God, to them who are the 
 called according to his purpose." Rom. viii 28. 
 
 The man who believes that there is no election, must be- 
 ieve that this world sprang into existence by chance, that 
 tlie whole planetary system, in which perfect arrangement 
 and wisdom are discernible, is the result of chance ; that it 
 is by chance man has more intelligence than the ox or the 
 horse ; that when men fell, it was by chance they were not 
 destroyed ; tJiat it was by chance Abraham and his descend- 
 ants, became distinguished from the other nations of the 
 earth, and continue so to this day ; that it was by chance 
 Ruch wonderful discourses were made to the world by the 
 prophets of old ; that it was by chance Christ came into the 
 world ; that it was by chance he died, rose, and ascended to 
 hcav(!n ; that it was by chance the Gospel came into the 
 world ; that it was by chance it has been proclaimed to 
 fome nations and not to others. All these, and a thousand 
 similar facts, must the man ascribe to chance, who denies 
 the doctrine that '• God for his own glory hath fore-ordained 
 whatsoever comes to pass." The truth is, the denial of it, 
 fiads direct to Atheism. 
 
 Before I leave this point let me call the attention of those 
 ^'ho say that the doctrine of election proves " that God 
 makes men to damn them," to one or two passages of the 
 Bible, which I shall quote without comment ; and which 
 
 X.ord hath made all things for himself ; yea, even the wicH- 
 
19 
 
 ulation of a 
 le believers* 
 her princi- 
 things work 
 who are the 
 
 n, must be- 
 chance*, thai 
 irrangeinent 
 lice ; that it 
 le ox or the 
 ey were not 
 lis descend- 
 ion?* of the 
 > by cliance 
 rorld by the 
 ime into the 
 
 ascended to 
 
 me into the 
 
 roclaimed to 
 
 a thousand 
 
 who denies 
 bre-ordained 
 
 denial of it, 
 
 tion of those 
 5 " that God 
 usages of the 
 ind which 
 
 
 
 • t' 
 
 
 en the wicK- 
 
 erl for ti.e day of evil." Acts xiii. 43. " As many as were 
 wrdamed (o eternal life believed." Rom. ix. 17-22. " For 
 Hie Scripture saith unto Pharonh, even for this swne purpose 
 have r raised thee up, that I might shew my power in thee, 
 and that my name might be declared throughout all the 
 ^arlh. Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will have 
 mercy, and whom he will he hardeneth," &c., &c These 
 are the words of God. In th, liible are many thing, which 
 no man can reconcile; but in the Bible there is nothin.. a 
 man need shrink from believing. To believe the testimony 
 t)f (xod .s every man's first duty; afterward to endeavour to 
 comprehend it. 1 believe that " God so loved the world 
 that he sent his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth 
 in h,m should not perish but have everlasting life." John 
 "I. IC. I believe the offer of salvation in the Gospel is sin- 
 cerely made to all who hear it. Yet while I believe these 
 truths, I also believe, that those who obtain " eternal life » 
 were ordurn.rl to it. Do you ask me to reconcile these ar- 
 t.cles of my fa.th. I reply, I never attempt it. Fools rush 
 m whore angels dare not tread, and I am not of that num. 
 ber Once, and only once, did I attempt to harmonise the 
 doctr,„es of the Bible on this subject; and, having wandered 
 ll-rough the dark intricacies of Arminianism, I stood upon 
 the threshold of Atheism, wiun one look into the impene- 
 trable darkness beyond, showed me how terribly I had de- 
 parted rom .l,e light of truth. I „o longer fret myself 
 about the apparent difficulties of the Bible. It is enough 
 for me that God has told me that such and such thin»s are 
 true. Man's inability to comprehend nev.T can be I sufR- 
 cient ffround for ri^\aM\nr, «^„ t.^..^\, rr^, 
 
 r . y^-w»^«„^. liuia. ine great danger of 
 
 «ur tmies is, mefi placing reason above faith, and refu.^in- to 
 
i^'r 
 
 i ; 
 
 / I 
 
 ; i 
 
 20 
 
 believe what reason cannot grasp. Hence it is that many 
 are "carried ahout with divers and strange doctrines," and 
 iolong asjGJod's testimony is secondary with men, what has 
 been, will be. 
 
 Second. Men are ordained or elected to eternal life. 
 
 This truth is here distinctly taught us by the Apostle, and 
 this is enough in opposition to every argument which man 
 can advance to the contrary. Observe then. 
 
 1. Men are orJained to life. Here we are taught by im- 
 plication a truth which the Apostle elsewhere clearly asserts ; 
 yet which men forget, and because they forget it, fall into 
 grievous errors, denying the doctrine of election, and raising 
 all matmer of objections to it : asserting that it makes God 
 "partial " and " unjust." The truth to which I refer is, 
 that men are dead in the sight of God : both legally and 
 spiritually dead, when God " ordains them to life." 
 
 When God created man he made him holy, and gave him 
 the freedom of his will, in order that he might be the subject 
 of reward or punishment. It was not whilst viewing him in 
 this condition as a holy being, that there was exercised to- 
 wards him that act of the divine mind which we call elec- 
 tion. Then man had life, God might have ordained him to 
 live in that condition ; but there would be no propriety in 
 saying that in such a condition he " ordained him to life.* 
 Man however abused his freeauvn dC »vill and fell. He was 
 righteously condemned by thf hs/ • [' God. He was shut 
 up in prison, and his life forfeited to divine justice. He 
 has no claim on the mercy of God. This be it remembered 
 was the condition in which God found the whole human 
 family, when in the exercise of Almighty Sovereignty, he 
 resolves tasave some ;. revoke the sentence of condemnation^ 
 
that manj 
 lines," and 
 n, what has 
 
 al life, 
 ipostle, and 
 which maa 
 
 glit by im- 
 v\y asserts ; 
 it, fall into 
 and raisinnf 
 makes God 
 I refer is, 
 egally and 
 e." 
 
 [ gave him 
 the subject 
 nng him in 
 sercised to- 
 e call elec- 
 ned him to 
 ropriety in 
 iiim to life/ 
 . He was 
 e was shut 
 stice. He 
 3raembered 
 ole human 
 reign ty, he 
 demnation^ 
 
 1 
 
 us 
 
 21 
 
 and rescue them from a doom which all deserved. Keeping 
 these facts before the mind, I ask those who deny election, 
 and dislike ordin'ition, to consider what would have been 
 the condition of our lost race without it. Is it not strange 
 that men will quarrel with election, the very thing which 
 has opened heaven to man ; which has sent Christ to die 
 for the redemption of man ; which has sent us the Gospel, 
 with all its precious promises, to cheer and sustain as 
 amidst the trials and duties of life ; and which secures 
 spiritual life to the Christian. Take away the doctrine of 
 election, and you destroy every vestige of my hope. I have 
 no foundation for my hope of glory, but the determination 
 of God's will, as expressed to me in the Bible. " Whei I 
 passed by thee, and saw thee polluted in thine own blood, 
 I said unto thee, when thou wast in thy blood, Live ; yea I 
 said unto thee when thou wast in thy blood. Live." Ezek. 
 xvi. G. 
 
 2. The character of this life. It is said to be " eternal 
 life." 
 
 The deliverance of men from their lost estate by God's 
 electing love, is for ever. On this point of doctrine, one 
 which is so closely connected with man's happiness, the 
 Scriptures are full and explici^ « And as Moses lifted up 
 the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man 
 be lifted up, that whosoever believeth in him should not per- 
 ish, but have eternal life." John iii. 14, 15. "I give unto 
 my sheep eternal life, and they shall never perish, neither 
 shall any man plnck them out of my hand." John x. 28. 
 "As thou hast given him power over all tiesh, that he should 
 
 c •^'<^^ ^"^ lO «3 innuy as uiou nast givcu huH. ' John 
 
 xvii. 2. *' To them who by patient continuance in well 
 
^i 
 
 ! 
 
 ■/! 
 
 i -1 "' 
 
 If 
 
 do 
 
 •n;?. ^of'k for nrlory r^^^ 
 
 life." R 
 
 22 
 
 bono 
 
 vom. 
 
 life. e„.b,.a.es .several U.in,., vi.i h !t„ f ^' '^'^ '"""'' 
 
 "7, veri y savs riulc^ t "'«^ocauie. Ver- 
 
 «ords, and be iev ol , T '""' ''" "''" '"■"'-"' -"r 
 
 terniinafe. « Ih.\ncr .. /• / /^'"'^ ^* ^^^^^ -^J'all never 
 iicMiig con(i( ent of tlii< v^.t-tt ik- 
 
 which Imth herrnn .l^rnn.! 1 ^ ^'"""' ''^'"^^ ^^^ 
 
 Ju^^t is a,, ,l,e shinin. li.I.t ,vl iel ' 1 ,> " ''" "^ ""^ 
 "nlo ,l,e perfect day. ' IW v 8 I / ""? ""'' """' 
 >;iae with all ihe.e , 1 ' , ' " "<" "'™ "'ranse 
 
 11 ail il,e,e plain declarations of (he word nf r^, 
 men wi i;<serf Hnt on • .• "' "Ou. 
 
 ^ewi.ooneert:^::;::;:^^'-'^--- 
 
 nature ? ' -^ ^^'^^P'"^e into a state of 
 
 now IS. He di(] nnf foiM- ^"e Chiistian 
 
 1 , pie.sent coaveited <;f<ifn r»# i i- 
 
 ^opeii s not ..pon hiinsel, h„t upon God :r,:' ; l^^' 
 
 w . ::iz ::::'r'"=" ;-?-"' ^"" "->. t:'i 
 
 
■% 
 
 lity, erornal 
 iTe through 
 tin's otej-nal 
 njojed, are 
 »d ilw sen- 
 ble. Ver- 
 x^arelli my 
 everlai<tinfr 
 
 is passed 
 Indes Jioli- 
 '»all never 
 ?» tliat he 
 w i' until 
 aih of the 
 and more 
 1 strange 
 ? of God, 
 
 and that 
 a state of 
 
 iiness be- 
 not fall 
 
 -christian 
 
 [ had or- 
 
 ' ci-eated 
 
 I?; but, 
 
 Joliness, 
 
 echtred, 
 that I 
 
 t I will , 
 
 rt from 
 
 23 
 
 me." Jer. xxxii. 40. Again says an Apostle they shall be 
 *' kej)t by the power of God, through faith unto salvation, 
 ready to be revealed in the last time.*' 1 Pet. i. 5. Before 
 tlie believer can loo.>:e this life, God must alter his })urpose 
 in reference to him, and this can take place only in conse- 
 quence of something in liis conduct, which God did no^ 
 foresee when he ordained him to etxirnal life. But where 
 is the pei-son wlio believes there can be any thing wors® 
 in man after his conversion, than when lying in his blood 
 before his conversion ? It is right down blaspliemy to 
 assert that God alters his de^igns in reference to his own 
 elect, '* I am Jehovah, I change not." Mai. iii. 6. " He is 
 the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, n<Mther 
 6hadi)vv of turning." James i. 17. Men often change their 
 designs, and alter their plans ; they regret what they have 
 chosen, because reflection and experience convince them of 
 their impra.:)ticability ; or because obstacles arise which 
 they did not fcresee, or because some other plan may 
 have been suggested, which promises more beneilcial re- 
 sults. Need I tell you that nonc^ of these causes can influ- 
 ence God. who is perfect in knowledge, to alter his pur- 
 pose. Uis unchangeableness is a sufficient guarantee for 
 tlieir preservation. " For I am the Lord, I change; not, 
 th<^refore ye sons of Jacob ar^ not consumed." Mat. lii. 6. 
 '' For I am persuaded, that neither death nor life, nor angels, 
 nor })rinc?palities, nor powers, nor things present, nor thing.'ii 
 to couie, nor height, nor deptii, nor any other creature, shall 
 be abh^, to separate us from the love of God, which is in 
 Christ Jesus our Lord." Rom. viii. o8, 31). 
 
 Third. That faitli in man is a con-<(!quence of, and co-ex- 
 tensive with, their ordination to "eternal life." As many 
 
i:^ 
 
 24 
 
 ? ''''' «''^''^'"<'d to eternal I, 
 
 <Ieep-roofe(l prejudi, 
 piiraseoloo-j, can 
 
 f(3 be] 
 
 ieved. 
 
 '^^ «nd wilful perver. 
 
 Apostle 
 
 intends to 
 
 prevent any man t 
 
 of his hearers 
 
 con \ 
 
 a 
 
 ey th( 
 
 Nothin<r but; 
 
 '^'1 ot Scripture 
 
 '•om pereeivin- that the 
 
 '^eard gladly and gl 
 
 'ontradieted and bl 
 
 grand truth, that whil 
 
 asplienied, 
 
 lat 
 that 
 
 \^'; ^'^^f-eived the tr.ith be 
 it should be 
 
 orified the word of (he I 
 
 ^t some 
 and otiiers 
 ord ; th 
 
 ('Be 
 
 Grod who is th 
 
 ^o. 
 
 eause it ^vas determined by God 
 
 ^^ the plan, tl 
 
 e author of man's salvation, 1 
 
 IS 
 
 Wiuch to be d 
 
 »at whilst no m 
 
 one 
 
 bj m 
 
 (^nt pertains to m, 
 
 ) 'las so arranrr- 
 
 whicl 
 
 1 IS 
 
 that State of mind 
 cannot have eternal life, 
 and thou Shalt be saved." A 
 
 in. It bel 
 
 onnr 
 
 '»n, jet there 
 
 J^el 
 
 callfcd faith, witl 
 
 ■^ to man to ^txercl 
 
 se 
 
 leve 
 
 'out which h( 
 
 on the Lord Jesus Cl 
 
 in me, though h 
 
 ir 
 
 e we 
 
 cts xvi. 31. '. ij 
 
 H'ist. 
 
 ^'16 it is ret 
 
 faith 
 
 I'J 
 
 i-e dead yet shall he I 
 
 p that believeth 
 
 ^■^'fe that I speak shortly of the 
 
 ive." John xi. 2^ 
 
 carefully, without 
 
 ou cannot my hearers h 
 
 IV e 
 
 nature of 
 
 perceiving that it 
 
 ;^ great variety of aspeet^such 
 
 IS 
 
 I 
 
 'cvmg, receivinrr, f 
 
 as 
 
 perused your Bibles 
 prese.ited to us under 
 
 o 
 
 f th 
 
 e truth. If 
 
 J-"^^tnig, ik(u It is of 
 
 canng, knowing, be- 
 
 ^'c must contemplate fiutl 
 
 we would und 
 
 erstand the Bibl 
 
 en called the belief 
 
 tl 
 
 »'ngs which we hear ; t\ 
 
 » under each of th 
 
 i^gs wliieh we recei 
 
 •e truths which 
 
 ?e view; 
 
 e correctly, 
 The 
 
 ^'c, and the B 
 
 we know ; the bl 
 
 ;n one sense differ from each oth 
 
 <^'nig whom we t 
 
 ess- 
 
 th 
 
 Now 
 
 « ^^ame. I^k. result in each 
 
 T, but 
 
 rust, m 
 
 ni another, tl 
 
 ar 
 
 le 
 
 faitl 
 
 one chief 
 
 cause of er 
 
 case is the same, eternal 1 
 
 a 
 
 » and overlook all others 
 person who boasts in what he 
 
 ■J'or is, that men ad 
 
 7 are 
 
 lie. 
 
 opt on 
 
 'ometimes you will 
 
 e \w\v of 
 
 tlie truth." 
 
 Yet a litrl 
 
 calls hi; 
 
 nieet with 
 
 vi.nce you that he h^ 
 
 c conversation with 1 
 
 ^nif)Ie belie/ of 
 
 s no reliance of soul 
 
 lim will 
 
 con^ 
 
 upon Ch 
 
 list, n 
 
 IS 
 
'^ih'mn; but 
 Scripture 
 ^^ that the 
 liilst some 
 tnd otiiers 
 ■<^ ; these 
 • h God, 
 
 o arrant- 
 jet there 
 
 "'Xercise 
 vhlch he 
 IS Christ, 
 Jelieveth 
 n XL 25. 
 lature of 
 " Bibles 
 IS under 
 "g, be- 
 i belief 
 rrectlj, 
 . The 
 3 bless- 
 ^ may 
 fy are 
 al hTe. 
 WW of 
 t with 
 !e/ of 
 
 eon- 
 
 IJis 
 
 25 
 
 ''simple beh'ef of the trutli " has not yet brought him to 
 the true source of pardon and purity. Again I not unfre- 
 quently meet with persons who go to the very opposite ex- 
 trenie, and aUogether undervahie the simple truth. They 
 employ themselves with some mysterious workings of their 
 own mind, and are continually attempting (o put forth great 
 efforts, which they call resting on Christ. Now nothing is 
 clearer than that such persons are making a Saviour of theii 
 own feelings. Such persons despise the word of truth al- 
 together. They will give you long, incoherent and ridicu- 
 lous stories about their conversion and experience, and these 
 they make the ground of their faith. I have invariably ob- 
 served that such persons and their Bibles, soon part 'com- 
 pany. 
 
 The faith that goes no farther than the intellect, can nei- 
 ther sanctify nor save. ISo faith is saving but that which 
 links a man to Chiist. Agreeably it is spoken of as a 
 coming to Christ. "Ye will not come to me, that ye midit 
 have life." John v. 40. 
 
 "Ilim that Cometh to me, I will in no wise cast out." 
 John vi, 37. 
 
 But whatever view my friends we may take of faith, one 
 thing is obvious, that man in his natural state cannot fpro- 
 duce it. From first to last it is the gift of God. ^'^ For 
 by grace are ye saved through faith ; and that not of your- 
 selves : it is the gift of God." Kph. ii. 8. This faith which 
 is the gift of God, and tUe instrumental means of a man's 
 salvation, belongs only to the elect of God: and is bestowed 
 upon them, because irom all eternity he did elect them to 
 eternal life through faith. Accordingly we find Paul de- 
 claring that he was "an Apostle according to the faith o 
 
26 
 
 Gods elect." Tit.i. 1. Now if God gives faiil. ,o any 
 man i,e muH r„lend to do .0 ; and thk inteniion must have 
 been f.om all eternity. One of the wretehed devices of the 
 
 sen ,t as in the power of every unrenewed man .0 believe 
 wuhout the aid of the Holy Spirit. They niake n,an th 
 beginner of h,. own salvation. He takes the first step, and 
 God does the rest. lie believes, and then God elect bin,. 
 Now he Apos, e-s doctrine is the very reverse of this. It 
 » that God orda,ned them to eternal life ; and then gives 
 hem a.tn ,0 enable tbem in dne time to come .0 the potses- 
 
 f h"-7 • T ,* " "'" '"'^ ''■'""' "•""' "■■>!'='' i'' ^''pressed by 
 Lhrist m John x. 26 : "But vp hpliev» ..^f i 
 
 ., JJuije Delieve not, because ye arc 
 
 not of my sheep, as I said ,mlo you." To (each that a 
 mnn can believe, and become united to Christ by any power 
 .nheren ,„ himself, is a bold denial o, the Lk fZ 
 Sp.r, altogether. If ever the sinner needs the power of 
 
 on- T *" ;■"'' " '^ •■'' "" '"'Sinning ; to bring him 
 out of h,s^ state of spiritual death ,0 newness of life 2 
 Chnst. The great difficulty is at the commencement ; and 
 
 LLZIT" iTh" '" "■"'; ""^ "°' ^^"'^ '' ^--o '» ''' 
 
 com,, etmn If he can make himself alive, surely he can 
 U-ep hnnself al,ve. Such a n.an stands in no need of divine 
 «;ace; and whilst I'aul, had ,0 exclaim, •' by . e ^ of 
 Ood I am what I am." 1 Cor. xv. 10 ; such a man\-^^ sa^ 
 y'y my ««.« ./m,yM I have passed from death unto life. iT 
 
 e word there is nothing in th^ whole Christian Lee 
 h,ch a man cannot do, if he can without the aids the 
 
 1 olj Sp,„ begm that career. I am the more full and ex! 
 ;.cu on th,s point, as there is «t present a pamphlet cir 1 
 
 lat.ng among us, which represents man as the author of 
 
 Jk 
 
27 
 
 gives 
 
 saving faith, and abounding with the grossest perversions of 
 the teachings both of God and man. 
 
 Wherever then God has " ordained to eternal life " faith 
 will be given, because without it the end could not be secur- 
 ed. This I trust will be sufficient to shew the pitiful ignor- 
 ance and contemptible sillinesss of those who speak as if the 
 mere act of God in choosing men to life, was all that was 
 necessary to save ihem ; w ho say, " Well, if I'm elected, I 
 must be saved, let me pursue what course I please." Now, 
 if they mean by the language, " pursuing what course they 
 please ;" a course of sm ; then I assert that it is not trugy 
 and farther, that the elect of God, neither may nor can go 
 on in a course of sin. They will have faith given to them 
 in due time. 
 
 Unquestionably God's election of men makes their salva- 
 tion sure ; but makes just as sure on their part, the use of 
 all the means necessary to obtiiin salvation. They will be- 
 Ueve, and then " live as they please.'* Men live as they 
 please, before they possess faith ; and they live as they 
 please after they possess it, with this difference hswever 
 that after they possess faith, they live as God pleases. There 
 is but one kind of election spoken of in the Bible ; an tdec- 
 rion which secures an end, and all the means leading to it. 
 This is God's election. Perhaps no better answer can be 
 given to the continual cavillings, which we hear against 
 tliis doctrine, than a reference to Acts xxvii., where is re- 
 corded the account of Paul's shipwreck whil&t sailing into 
 Italy. Nothing is clearer from the narrative than the de- 
 termination of God that all should be saved. The angel 
 thus addresses Paul, " Fe.r not Paul ; thou must be brought 
 before Ceasar ; and, lo, God hath given thee all them that 
 
28 
 
 sail with thee." Acts xxvii. 24. Did tliis assurance of safe- 
 ty, lead Paul to neglect the proper means to secure it ? So 
 far from this, " as the shipinen were about to fiee out of the 
 
 ship, when they had let down the boat into the sea, under 
 colour as though they would have cast anchors out of the 
 foreship, Paul said to the centurion and to the soldiers, except 
 these abide in the ship ye cannot be saved." 
 
 Here then I bid you notice several things. "We see 
 
 1. That the certainty of an event does not render it un- 
 necessary to use means to secure it. ^ According to the rea- 
 soning of some foolish people it does. According to their 
 views Paul should have said, God has determined to save 
 all our lives. I know it is true, it must be accomplished, 
 and it matters not whether the sailors remain in the ship or 
 depart. Paul knew that the event was not more certain 
 than was the use of means requisite to accomplish it. 
 
 2. God's determining future events, does not destroy the 
 free agency of man. The agency of Paul, and the sailors 
 was as free, and necessary, as if God had determined no- 
 thing about the matter. These remarks are applicable to 
 man's salvation. When God resolved to save his people, he 
 resolved at the same time that they should repent, believe 
 ar,d be holy. In this way, jind in ro other way can they be 
 saved. "According as he hath chosen us in him, &c., Sec." 
 Eph. i. 4-5. 
 
 In conclusion, let me say to all hearing me that whilst 
 this doctrine belongs to the highest order of divine truths, 
 and is therefore not to be concealed or spoken of with bated 
 breath, as if we were either afraid or ashamed of it ; but to 
 be freely and boldly proclaimed ; still it is not that doctrine 
 which should first engage the attention of sinners. It is speci- 
 
29 
 
 ally suited to afford comfort to Christians. Your first busi- 
 ness is with your state as [lost sinners before God, and how 
 you may escape the wrath to come. Upon this vitally im- 
 portant point all is clear. You are to break of your sins 
 by righteousness. You are to believe on the Lord Jesus 
 Christ, and you will be saved- In a state of salvation, the 
 doctrine of election will not perplex you. By the happi- 
 ness of heaven and the woes of hell, I would urge you all to 
 duty. Thus only can you be happy in time, and glorified 
 throughout eternity. Lord increase our faith. Amen.