the reprobate are fitted to destruction. By the same means the elect would be fitted for the same destruction, unless God were pleased, by his sovereign power and grace, to change their hearts. Merely from the means, which God uses for the salvation of the elect, there is then no certainty that even one of the number, that he has given to Christ, will ever come to him for life. But,

3. From the decree of God, it is certain that the elect will do what is necessary to their salvation. God has not only decreed that they shall be saved, but he has also decreed that they shall repent of their sins, believe on Jesus Christ and become perfectly holy. What he has decreed, he is able and willing to effect. He says unto Christ, "Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power." To his chosen people God says, "A new heart also will I give unto you, and a new spirit will I put within you, and I will take the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments and do them." To Christians the apostle writes, "We are bound to give thanks always to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth. Whereunto he called you by our gospel to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ."To the saints at Rome he says, "And we know

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that all things work together for good to those who love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the first born among many brethren. Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called; and whom he called, them he also justified; and whom he justified, them he also glorified. What shall we then say to these things? if God be for us, who can be against us? He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him. also freely give us all things? Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth. Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather that is risen again, who is even at the right-hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors, through him that loveth us. For I am persuaded that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." From the eternal purpose of God, who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will, it is certain that all, whom the Father hath given to Christ, shall come to him. Their

repentance, their faith and their perfection in holiness are secured by the sovereign counsel and the eternal and immutable perfections of Jehovah. All therefore whom the Father hath given to the Lord Jesus Christ in the covenant of redemption, and ordained to eternal life, shall repent and believe, and be holy and blessed for ever. It may now,

VII. Be enquired by what means God saves those persons, whom he has chosen unto salvation.

Though no means ever produce any effect without the divine agency, yet God is pleased to appoint and to use means to effect his designs. He has appointed and he employs the ministry of the gospel for the conviction, conversion, instruction, edification and sanctification of his chosen people. Christ appointed and authorised his apostles to go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He then added, " He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned." By the apostle it is written, "For after that, in the wisdom of God, the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe." Again he says, "Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. How then shall they call upon him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in him of whom they have

not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach except they be sent? As it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them who preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things? So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." The people of God are called, converted, instructed, edified and sanctified by the ministry of the gospel. Here it may be well to observe,

1. That the ministry of the gospel is well suited to effect the salvation of the elect. The light of truth which shines in the gospel most clearly exhibits the perfections of God, and the glory of the divine law, and the depravity and ill-desert of sinners. It exhibits the character of Jesus Christ, and the foundation which he has laid for the salvation of his people. It also exhibits the powerful and gracious agency of the Holy Spirit, who renews and sanctifies the hearts of the elect. The gospel gives all the instruction and makes all the provision, which is necessary for the salvation of sinners. The light of divine truth, which shines in the face of Jesus Christ, does most fully and clearly discover to sinners their sin and guilt, their danger and remedy. When sinners repent and believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, the gospel affords that instruction, consolation and edification, which they need while they remain in this state of trial. The perfection's, the purposes and the conduct of God, as they are exhibited in the gospel of Jesus

Christ, are suited to make the deepest impressions on the human mind, and to produce in the human heart the purest and liveliest affections. Well might the apostle say, "I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ; for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth."

2. God can cause the ministry of the gospel to effect the salvation of his people. By nature they are the children of Satan. They possess his spirit. They love his character. They delight in his service. As he is the father of lies they choose darkness rather than light. And though the ministry of the gospel is well suited to turn sinners from Satan unto God, yet they resist the truth and grace of God in Jesus Christ. Many of his chosen people for years embrace the most dangerous and pernicious delusions, and practise the most shameful and ruinous iniquities. In many instances they are nearly fitted for final and remediless destruction. Yet God is able to open the blindest eyes, to soften the hardest hearts, and to quicken the deadest souls. He says,

"As the rain cometh down and the snow from heaven and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater; so shall my word be, that goeth forth out of my mouth. It shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please and prosper in the thing whereto I sent it." The apostle says, "We do not war after