"have everlasting life, and I will raise him at the

❝last day."1

P. cevi, l. 10. St. Paul begins his epistle to the Ephesians, in this manner.' (In order duly to examine the beginning of the epistle to the Ephesians; the whole passage must be viewed together. Instead, therefore of printing below those parts, which are quoted in the Refutation; the whole passage will be thus printed, with brackets, marking what is omitted by his Lordship.)

"Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of “God, to the saints which are at Ephesus, and to "the faithful in Christ Jesus; Grace be to you and "peace from God our Father, and from the Lord "Jesus Christ. Blessed be the God and Father of

our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with "all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ. "According as he hath chosen us in him, before the "foundation of the world, that we should be holy, and "without blame before him in love: Having predesti"nated 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 we have redemption through his blood, "the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace: Wherein he hath abounded towards us "in all wisdom and prudence.] Having made "known unto us the mystery of his will, according "to his good pleasure, which he hath purposed

* John vi. 39, 40,

.

"in himself. [That in the dispensation of the "fulness of times, he might gather together in "one all things in Christ, both which are in "heaven, and which are on earth, even in him.] "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: [That we should be to the praise "of his glory who first trusted in Christ; In whom "ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of "truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also, "after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that "Holy Spirit of promise: Which is the earnest of "our inheritance, until the redemption of the pur"chased possession, unto the praise of his glory.

Wherefore I also, after I heard of your faith in "the Lord Jesus, and love unto all the saints, "Cease not to give thanks for you, &c."] The apostle here addresses the Ephesians, as "saints," or holy persons; as "faithful in Christ Jesus," or believers in Christ. He joins himself with them, as those, whom God had blessed with all spiritual blessings, in "heavenly things;" and this " according as he had "chosen them in Christ before the foundation of "the world," that they should be holy," (or saints,)

and without blame before him in love." He had ❝ predestinated them to the adoption of children by "Jesus Christ unto himself." And, "if children, "then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with "Christ."!" This was according to the good plea

Rom. viii. 17.

66

66

sure of his will." "I thank thee, O Father, Lord "of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these "things from the wise and prudent, and hast re"vealed them unto babes. Even so, Father, for so "it seemed good in thy sight." This predestination was expressly" to the praise of the glory of his "grace, wherein," or, by which, ()" he had "made them accepted in the Beloved, in whom "they had redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of their sins." They were then pardoned, justified, and accepted in Christ, which no merely nominal christian ever was, or can be. This was according to the riches of his grace; wherein "he had abounded towards them, in all wisdom and prudence:" having arranged the whole plan, for the display of his rich and plenteous grace, in such a manner, as to give no encouragement to sin, but only to repentance and its fruits; and to magnify his law, and glorify his justice and holiness, and all his perfections, in harmony with his grace. The apostle, and the Ephesians, had obtained" an in"heritance, being predestinated, &c." He, and his fellow-christians, from among the Jews, had "first "trusted in Christ;" and the Ephesians, hearing the word "of truth, the gospel of their salvation, "had trusted in Christ;" they had believed, and had been sealed by the Holy Spirit, the earnest of "their "inheritance." They had faith in Christ, and love to all "the saints." Now can all these things be spoken of any, except of true christians? Indeed, can

Matt. și. 25, 26., Luke x. 21.

any of them? If there were others, in the outward communion of the church, as chaff or tares, among the wheat; "they were not of them," though they were among them, and might go out from them," or continue mixed with them, till the time of harvest. It is here also to be noted, that the epistle is not addressed to the church at Ephesus, "but to the "saints and faithful, brethren :" so that there is the less ground for considering it, as written to a collective body of true christians and hypocrites indiscriminately. Whatever is meant by chosen and predestinated; the words are indisputably connected, with "the things which accompany salvation;" and of which they were the source and cause, and not the effect.

P. ccvii. 1. 8. Instead of, &c." Exhortations to give diligence" to make their calling and election are perfectly consistent, with the doctrine of the final salvation of all true believers: but exhortations, to "walk worthy of their vocation," especially related to their adorning and recommending the gospel for the honour of God and the good of mankind. Even true christians are often betrayed into

''Instead of representing their salvation as certain, he earnestly. 'exhorts them to walk worthy of the vocation wherewith they " are called;"'guards them against those deceits which bring "down "the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience;" ⚫ and commands them" to put on the whole armour of God, "that they may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil:"" it was therefore possible for those, who were saints," "faith"ful," "chosen," and "predestinated," to walk unworthily, to incur the wrath of God by disobedience, and to yield to ⚫ sinful temptations, and consequently to fail of salvation."

improper conduct: and exhortations are exceedingly needful and useful, to make them vigilant and circumspect: but surely every instance of yielding to sinful temptations does not consequently imply that a man will fail of salvation:' for we may depart 'from grace given, and fall into sin, and by the grace of God, we may arise, and amend our lives."1 Even, if assured that the salvation of any company was infallibly certain; we might and ought to exhort them to "walk worthy of God who had called "them to his kingdom and glory." "Wherefore, my "beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, "always abounding in the work of the Lord, foras"much as ye know, that your labour is not in vain "in the Lord." Many important ends are answered by the holy lives of christians, distinct from their own salvation. We may also say to any company, who act consistently, I address you as believers, ' and suspect the contrary of none among you: but it behoves you to examine yourselves, and to give 'diligence, that you may have the full assurance of hope unto the end; and so be animated for every service and every trial.' God generally works by means. The promise of a plenteous harvest would not render the husbandman's diligence superfluous, but rather encourage it; and if any individual should so perversely interpret it, as to excuse himself from Jabour, he would justly be excluded from the general benefit.

P. ccviii.

* Art. xvi.

'Jesus, &c." Did our Lord ever say,

* 1 Thes. ii. 12.

* Jesus knew from the beginning who should betray him.