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CHAPTER II.

AN EXPOSITION OF THE PASSAGES OF SCRIPTURE THAT ARE REFERRED TO BY THE LATE Rev. JOHN BROWN, IN HIS DICTIONARY Of the bible, UNDER THE ARTICLE-ELECTION.

ELECTION, according to the Scripture," says the article, "is an act of God, in which he, as eternal, unchangeable, infinitely wise, good, gracious, sovereign, and faithful Jehovah, intending to manifest the glory of his own perfections, particularly of his power, wisdom, sovereignty, grace, and mercy, from all eternity, foreknew, and forechose to everlasting salvation, and all the benefits thereof, some particular persons of mankind, whom he pleased, and but the smaller number, and as permitted, or to be permitted, to fall into sin and misery, from which they could not recover themselves; and fore-appointed them to salvation, into conformity with Christ, and to an adoption into his family, as heirs of God, and joint-heirs with him; and without regarding any foreseen qualities in them, whether natural or moral, as his motive, hath, of his own mere will and sovereign grace and good pleasure, from eternity, chosen them in Christ as their head; and unalterably ordained and appointed

them to obtain their everlasting life in and through him, and inscribed their names in his book of life; and thus distinguished them from the rest of mankind, who were left in their corruption, and the misery thereby deserved; and in the same wise and unchangeable counsel, fixed the mediation of Christ, effectual calling to him, spiritual union with him, and an interest in, and partaking of him and his righteousness and fulness, together with faith and holiness, as means of their eternal salvation."

As our author has interspersed his proofs, and thus divided the definition into sundry parts, it will be proper to consider these parts with their respective proofs, in order that we may more clearly perceive the particular application which our author designed.

I. "Election, according to the Scripture, is an act of God, in which he, as eternal, unchangeable, infinitely wise, good, gracious, sovereign, and faithful Jehovah, intending to manifest the glory of his own perfections, particularly of his power, wisdom, sovereignty, grace, and mercy-"

1st, Eph. iii. 10. Quote we from the eighth verse. "Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ; (ver. 9.) and to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ: (ver. 10.) to the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might

be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God, (ver. 11.) according to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord." The subject of the tenth verse is the manifestation of the divine wisdom by means of the church of Christ. The question then is, does that wisdom appear in forechoosing certain individuals to faith and eternal salvation? It is evident from the ninth verse, that it was manifest in "the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world had been hid in God," and was then " revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit," ver. 5. Now the fellowship of the mystery is explained by the apostle himself, (ver. 6.) when he says, " that the Gentiles should be fellow-heirs, and of the same body, [with the household of God,] and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel."

2nd, Eph. i. 5, 6, 11. "Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, to the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the Beloved; in whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will." The intention of our author in quoting these passages was to prove, that the glory of God's grace and sovereignty is manifested in the divine act of election to eternal life. Now we admit, that the glory of God's grace and sovereignty was the subject of the apostle's contem

plation. The question then is, was that glory manifested in forechoosing a certain number of mankind to faith and salvation? The apostle's words are, "having predestinated us." Now, who are meant by the word us?—the whole body of believers then within the pale of the church? or the whole body of believers from the foundation of the church until the end of time? The former view cannot be admitted, for then all subsequent believers would be excluded from the benefits to which the others were predestinated. It follows, therefore, that the fact which the apostle announces, is, that God has predestinated all believers to the possession of all the privileges and blessings exhibited to us in the gospel of Jesus Christ. The doctrine of election, as held by our author, cannot be founded on that fact, for it says nothing of forechoosing to faith. Further, we learn from the third verse, that the apostle blessed God, not for the revelation of an abstract truth concerning the doctrine of election, nor the revelation of a particular fact, that they as individuals were forechosen to faith and salvation, but for the actual possession of blessings which divine grace and sovereignty had attached to the state in which all believers in every age stand, and into which they enter by faith in Christ. "Blessed," says he, "be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us" (believers in Christ, whether Jews or Gentiles) " with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ."

3rd, Matth. xi. 26. Quote we verse 25th. "At

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that time Jesus answered and said, I thank thee, Ó Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes. (Ver. 26.) Even so, Father; for so it seemed good in thy sight." The latter verse was doubtless referred to for the purpose of proving, that the divine sovereignty is displayed in conferring the blessing of divine illumination, and, consequently, faith and eternal salvation. Now the fact is, that divine illumination, in a certain degree, was bestowed on the apostles and disciples of our Lord, while the same was withheld from the learned, but interested and prejudiced, among the heads of the Jewish people. We read in Luke x. 23, 24. that Jesus Christ, after having presented to his Father the abovequoted thanksgiving, privately addressed his disciples as follows," Blessed are the eyes which see the things that ye see: for I tell you, that many prophets and kings have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them." The conclusion then is, that God acted in a sovereign manner in reference to his selection of the persons who should be the witnesses of Christ's miracles, death, and resurrection, and who should be the first promulgators of the gospel of his Son.

4th, Matth. xx. 15, 16. "Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with my own? Is thine eye evil because I am good? So the last shall be first, and the first last for many be called, but few chosen." The

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