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SERMON II.

EFFECTUAL CALLING, ELECTION REVEALED.

1 SAMUEL xvi. 13.

Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the midst of his brethren: and the Spirit of the LORD came upon David from that day forward.

WE made out from these words on the last Lord's day, that the foundation of Christ's church stands in the election of grace. It is owing to the free, sovereign, and unmerited grace of God, that the whole race of earth's guilty population have not been involved in one common ruin, and that there is any one plucked as a brand out of the fire.

The prophet Isaiah ascribed it to the reservation of God's mercy that any were rescued from perishing in his day: "Except the LORD of Hosts had left unto us a very small remnant, we should have been as Sodom, and we should have been like unto Gomorrah." (Isa. i. 9.) In confirma

tion of this, St. Paul advances what God declared to Elijah in his time," I say then, hath God cast away his people? God forbid. For I also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin. God hath not cast away his people which he foreknew. Wot ye not what the Scripture saith of Elias? how he maketh intercession to God against Israel, saying, Lord, they have killed thy prophets, and digged down thine altars; and I am left alone, and they seek my life. But what saith the answer of God unto him? I have reserved unto myself seven thousand men, who have not bowed the knee to the image of Baal. Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace." (Rom. xi. 1-5.) This is the word of the Holy Ghost by St. Paul, what says our Lord Jesus Christ, concerning Paul himself? "And there was a certain disciple at Damascus, named Ananias and to him said the Lord in a vision, Ananias. And he said, Behold I am here, Lord. And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the street which is called Straight, and inquire in the house of Judas for one called Saul of Tarsus : for behold he prayeth, and hath seen in a vision a man named Ananias coming in, and putting his hand on him, that he might receive his sight. Then Ananias answered, Lord, I have heard by many of this man, how much evil he hath done

to thy saints at Jerusalem and here he hath authority from the chief priests to bind all that call upon thy name. But the Lord said unto him, Go thy way for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel: For I will show him how great things he must suffer for my name's sake." (Acts ix. 10-16.) Connect these testimonies with the teaching of Christ in the days of his humiliation. "Shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them? I tell you that he will avenge them speedily." (Luke xviii. 7, 8.) He says again," Many are called, but few are chosen ;" and foretelling the tribulation of the last days, Christ says, "For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened." (Matt. xxiv. 21, 22.) The chain of evidence is from hence complete to justify the position, that the foundation of Christ's church stands in the election of

grace.

This then is a doctrine, at once plainly stated in the word of God, and as firmly established in the experience of the people of God. I am aware, however, that there are some who except against it: they say, I do not comprehend it—I cannot

reconcile it I am not able to explain it; and therefore I will not receive it. Is it therefore not true? shall the unbelief of man make the faith of God of none effect? If man were at liberty to expunge every part of the mystery of godliness which he cannot explain, alas! how small a portion would be left. Blind reason and the pride of intellect will have a sign, an explanation, but no sign shall be given them; let such remember, it is the prerogative of God to will, and if he will, to make it known. And it is the duty of man to receive and believe all that which is of God made known to be his will. Neither is it the province or commission of God's ministers to explain or to give an account of God's will, but to state God's truth, and leave the responsibility with them that hear it. They who rebel against revealed truth, rebel against God,-if they reject it, they reject not the word of man, but the word of God. "They have not," saith the Lord, "rejected thee, but they have rejected me, that I should not reign over them." (1 Sam. viii. 7.)

To see a whole nation whom God had redeemed with a mighty hand and a stretched out arm, weary of his government, yea more, a whole world, rising up in hatred and open rebellion against their Creator, is a fearful sight; there is a sight, however, which must be more grievous to the Holy Spirit of God than this, viz. that

there should be any one among his elect peoplea people redeemed and saved by the election of grace, gainsaying, disputing against God, and denying the election of the very grace that saves them. How many are there that live on the grace, who yet hold not the doctrine; they act out the principle, but blink the truth? What shall we say to these things? It is a vain thing to attempt to bring the mind of God down to our intellect ; rather let us strive to bring up our intellect to the mind of God, and pray, that God may be pleased to give us a meek and teachable spirit that shall prepare our hearts to receive with faith, all whatsoever God has in infinite wisdom revealed.

That part of the subject which next falls under consideration is the analogy of grace, in the effectual calling of the church of Christ. God having first laid and digested his plan of mercy in a covenant, viz., in a covenant of grace, that the purpose of God, according to election might stand, ordained a means, and a medium, through which his gracious purpose should be made known to all the heirs of salvation.

I. Effectual calling, comprises the knowledge of God, as a covenant God and a Saviour. II. The knowledge of God as a Redeemer.

I. Effectual calling, comprises the knowledge. of God, as a covenant God and a Saviour.