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" and thine are mine, and I am glorified in them." 1 Now did our Lord intend to include Judas, even after he had bargained to betray him, in this number of whom he said these things, for whom he thus prayed, and in whom he was glorified?—If not, either the word "given," in the verse first quoted, must mean, given to be an apostle, or rather the exception is made in the same manner, as when our Lord says; "There were many lepers "in Israel in the days of Eliseus, but none of "them was healed saving Naaman the Syrian.” The same original word is there used as in the passage under consideration; (:) as it is in other places, where the person excepted cannot be included in the number first specified.-' Men 'may deprive themselves of the excellent benefit,

of being placed in a state most favourable for the ' attainment of salvation;' but the question is, whether any true believers, who are "called, and "chosen, and faithful," are thus left to deprive themselves. 'Foreknowledge does not imply control or influence.' It certainly does not imply compulsion. But, "Surely the wrath of man shall "praise him," (God,) "and the remainder of "wrath shall he restrain."2 He "stilleth the noise "of the seas, and the noise of the waves, and the "madness of the people."3 Here is control, no doubt, implied in foreknowledge, even in respect of the most wicked men and, if influence be denied, the influence of restraining grace on the 'unruly wills and affections of sinful men; and the influence of renewing grace on the minds of believers; in short the whole of Christianity is

'John xvii. 6-10. 2 Ps. lxxvi. 10. 3 Ps. lxv. 7.

the whole argument from this case falls to the ground. Our Lord indeed says, "Ye that have "followed me, in the regeneration, when the Son "of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also "shall sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve "tribes of Israel." And he used nearly the same words, even after he had expressly pronounced a wo on the traitor.2 But Judas is not mentioned in either place. He had not left all and followed Christ, in the same honest manner as the other disciples had done: he had not " continued with "him in his temptations," but was a deserter and traitor. He will not " sit on one of the twelve "thrones" at the coming of our Lord: he could not then be intended in this express declaration of the final exaltation of the persons spoken of. But the apostles were twelve in number, as the tribes of Israel were, and, when one of them "by transgres"sion fell" from the apostleship, another was chosen in his place; and to the twelve apostles this promise will most surely be fulfilled. Our Lord also used these words in prayer, "Those whom thou hast

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given me I have kept, and none of them is lost "but the Son of perdition; that the scripture might be fulfilled."3 In the preceding verses, he had said of those that were given him, "They "have kept thy word." "They have received thy

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words, and have known surely that I came out “from thee, and they have believed that thou "hast sent me. I pray for them; I pray not for "the world, but for them that thou hast given me, for they are thine. And all mine are thine,

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'Matt. xix. 28.

2 Luke xxii. 22, 28, 29.

3 John xvii. 12.

" and thine are mine, and I am glorified in them." 1 Now did our Lord intend to include Judas, even after he had bargained to betray him, in this number of whom he said these things, for whom he thus prayed, and in whom he was glorified?-If not, either the word "given," in the verse first quoted, must mean, given to be an apostle, or rather the exception is made in the same manner, as when our Lord says; "There were many lepers "in Israel in the days of Eliseus, but none of "them was healed saving Naaman the Syrian." The same original word is there used as in the passage under consideration; () as it is in other places, where the person excepted cannot be included in the number first specified.-' Men may deprive themselves of the excellent benefit, ' of being placed in a state most favourable for the ' attainment of salvation;' but the question is, whether any true believers, who are "called, and "chosen, and faithful," are thus left to deprive themselves. 'Foreknowledge does not imply 'control or influence.' It certainly does not imply compulsion. But, "Surely the wrath of man shall 'praise him," (God,) "and the remainder of "wrath shall he restrain." 2 He "stilleth the noise "of the seas, and the noise of the waves, and the "madness of the people."3 Here is control, no doubt, implied in foreknowledge, even in respect of the most wicked men and, if influence be denied, the influence of restraining grace on the unruly wills and affections of sinful men; and the influence of renewing grace on the minds of believers; in short the whole of Christianity is

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denied. But "known unto God are all his works "from the beginning of the world." 1

، The observation of our Saviour, “When I was daily with you in the temple, ye stretched forth no hands against me," appears to indicate that 'there were other means by which the Son of man might have been delivered unto death; so that 'the treason of Judas cannot be considered as a necessary part of the scheme of man's redemp'tion. It pleased God to make use of Judas, as ' of other wicked men on other occasions, as in'struments to fulfil his purpose, but they first 'made themselves fit agents.'

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"2

Whatever other means there might be, by 'which the Son of man could have been delivered unto death,' there could be none which were not foreknown; and the way in which he was betrayed was predetermined and foretold. "The Son of

"man goeth as it is written of him."3" And the "Son of man goeth as it was determined."4 So 'that the treason of Judas was a necessary part of 'the scheme of man's redemption;' though Judas acted voluntarily, without any compulsion, or any regard to God's determination and prediction, in order to gratify his own avarice.

' If the Calvinists say, that Judas was never in reality one of the elect, we may ask what proof they can bring of any difference between him ' and the other eleven apostles, except works? And to grant that this is the only difference is to grant

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Acts xv. 18.

3 Matt. xxvi. 24. Mark. xiv. 22.

2 Ref. 209.

Luke xxii. 22.

'that works are necessary evidence of the secu'rity of any man's election.'1

Here I am happy, in the name of most Calvinists, and perhaps of all evangelical clergymen, to agree with his Lordship, that works are necessary 'evidence of the security of any man's election; nay, the only proof imaginable of his clection itself. Indeed nothing but works indisputably 'good before God,' the "fruits of the Spirit," can evidence our election of God. 2 How strangely and unaccountably are our sentiments misunderstood! The very point is adduced as subversive of our doctrine, which we constantly and strenuously insist upon as an essential part of it.!

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'St. Paul says to the Thessalonians, "We give ' thanks to God always for you all, making men'tion of you in our prayers; remembering, with'out ceasing, your work of faith, and labour of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus 'Christ, in the sight of God and our Father; knowing, brethren beloved, your election of "God:" this is addressed to all the Thessalonians, 'to the whole body of Christians at Thessalonica; ' and the election here spoken of means their 'being called to the knowledge of the gospel ; ' and their" work of faith, and labour of love, and patience of hope," here commended, refer to the sincerity and firmness with which they adhered to the Christian profession. 3

After quoting the apostle's words to the Thessalonians, which I should otherwise have adduced, as explaining our sentiments on the subject of the

' Ref. 209.

21 Thess. i. 3, 4.

'Ref. 209, 210.

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