forgery, merely because it was proved that he had the ability to commit these crimes. If we allow God to be as free as an earthly lawgiver, we can readily see how he can foreknow the crimes of his subjects without decreeing them.

The following is, with many, a favorite question: "If God did not want sin committed, why did he not exert his infinite power to prevent it?" God is infinitely good and wise. He certainly understands his own work, and it does not become finite minds to charge the wise and holy God with the crimes of earth, because he does not do every thing we think he might do. No doubt God has used all the means to prevent wickedness that are consistent with the happiness of his rational and intellectual creatures. · Happiness and liberty are inseparable. If not left free to choose between right and wrong, our actions cannot be the result of choice, but of necessity. If we are irresistibly compelled by God to do what we do, it is as absurd to praise or blame, and as impossible to punish or reward us for our actions, as it is to praise or blame, punish or reward, a tool for being used by an unfaithful workman.

Liberty and happiness being inseparable, holiness and happiness are so; therefore, liberty and holiness are inseparable. Holiness is conformity to God, who does good to all his creatures, therefore he that never does good is not holy nor happy. If God, by an irresistible decree, forces us to all our actions, then in reality we never do good or evil, because all we do must be ascribed to that Being that compels us. If we are not free we cannot do good. If we do not do good we cannot be holy; and if we are not holy we cannot be happy. So it is evident, that if God had made it impossible for us to do evil, he by so doing would have made it impossible for us to do good, and therefore made it impossible for us to be holy or happy.

To blame God with the sins of mankind, is infinitely more absurd than to blame an earthly law-giver with the erimes

of his subjects. The position then is fully sustained, that God's foreknowledge and decrees are not the same. God has not ordained whatsoever comes to pass, although he is overruling all things and working them after the counsel of his own will.

ELECTION DOES NOT PRECEDE REGENERATION.

This is objected to, because while Paul was blind in Damascus, Annanias said to him, "The God of our fathers hath chosen thee." It is concluded that because Annanias places this in the past sense, Paul was chosen before he was converted; that is, he was chosen from all eternity, or from before the foundation of the world. It should be remembered that Annias called him BROTHER Saul, and there is no good reason for not supposing that his election took place three days before on the road to Damascus, at the time when he said, "Lord, what wilt thou have me to do." The Apostle says of this subject, "Salute Andronicus, and Junia my kinsmen, and my fellow prisoners, who are of note among the Apostles, who also were in Christ before me." It is evident that, if Paul had been in Christ from all eternity, Andronicus and Junia could not have been in Christ before him. Paul could not have been elected out of Christ, for then he was a great sinner. Andronicus and Junia must have been elected as soon as they were in Christ-being in Christ before the Apostle they were chosen first-and Paul was not of course elected from all eternity, but at his conversion he became the personally chosen vessel.

The text, "As many as were ordained to eternal life believed," is often presented to prove that election precedes regeneration. The argument in this text to sustain the point is in the word tasso, rendered ordained. Of this word, may be said, that in no place where it occurs in the New Testament, is it ever employed to convey the meaning of

it

destiny, or predestination. The word never takes the sense of predestination, but, on the contrary, when Luke desired to convey that idea, he combines it with a preposition, and employs a compound verb,-"And hath determined the times before-appointed." This was pre-ordination, and he therefore so terms it, but at this time he speaks not of preordination but ordination simply. The word employed signifies "to place, order, appoint, dispose, determine ;" and is variously applied. The true meaning of the text appears to be this, that as many as were fixed and resolved upon eternal life-as many as were careful and determined on salvation-believed. To interpret the text in the sense of predestination would be to suppose that all the elect Gentiles at Antioch believed at that time, and that no more remained to believe; that is, all in Antioch who were ordained to eternal life—believed, and none remained to believe afterwards. This is rather difficult to admit. It may be well to remark that the passage could without any violation be rendered: "And as many as believed were ordained to eternal life." This arrangement is supported by Wesley, and many other pious and learned divines. It also accords with the general tenor of the scriptures. Jesus Christ says, "He that believeth not is condemned already." We cannot understand how unbelievers under condemnation can be ordained to eternal life. He that believeth not is ordained to be damned, not ordained to be saved.

CALLING AND PREDESTINATION.

The terms 'to call,' 'called,' 'calling,' &c., often occur in the New Testament, especially in the Epistles. "To call," sometimes signifies to invite to the blessings of the Gospel; to offer salvation through Christ. In the parable that represents the marriage of the king's son, we have three descriptions

(1.) The disobedient who

of called, or invited persons. would not come in at the call, but made light of it. (2.) A person who had not on the wedding garment: this is the person of whom our Lord made the general remark, "many are called but few are chosen." The persons represented by this individual were not only "called," but actually came into the company. (3.) The third class were the approved guests, both called and chosen. In reference to the calling or invitation, these three classes stand on equal ground. All were invited. It depended upon their choice and conduct whether they embraced the invitation and were admitted as guests: The Apostle Peter refers to this "call" or offer of salvation, when he says, "the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall CALL." This language declares "the promise " to be as extensive as the "calling."

The Apostle Paul refers to the same call or offer of salvation when he says, "By whom we have received grace and Apostleship, for obedience to the faith among all nations for his name: among whom are ye also the called of Jesus Christ." You at Rome have heard the Gospel, and have been invited to salvation.

The Apostle also refers to the promulgation of the Gospel by his ministry, under the name of calling. "I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that CALLED YOU into the grace of Christ." The Apostle evidently meant that he had called them by his preaching. Again, he says, "brethren, ye have been called unto liberty," "walk worthy of God, who hath called you."

"The calling" of the first New Testament preachers was to all who heard them in Rome, Ephesus and Corinth, and in all other places; and those who embraced it, and joined themselves to the church by faith, baptism and continued profession, were especially and eminently considered " CALLED," " because of their obedience to the invitation.

THE

In this connection it is proper to consider the Apostle's lan guage to the church at Rome, when he says, "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 pre-destinate, them he also CALLED, and whom he CALLED them he also justified; and whom he justified, them he also glorified." This text should not be repeated as if justification was in the present, and glorification in the future tense, as though it read, "whom he justifies them he also will glorify." The predestination, calling, justification, and glorification, are all in the past tense. The persons of whom the Apostle was speaking had been not only predestinated and called, but also justified and glorified before his epistle was written. The persons of the text referred to as being foreknown, were doubtless the prophets, patriarchs and saints of other days. As they were the people whom God formerly knew, he predestinated them to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the first born among many brethren. That is, he predestinated them to a happy resurrection, in which their bodies should be fashioned like unto Christ's glorious body.

But, to notice this text more definitely we should remember that the chapter in which it occurs is the lofty and animating conclusion of the Apostle's argument upon justification by faith. It is therefore a discourse of that present state of pardon, and of that future hope of felicity, into which justification introduccs believers, notwithstanding those sufferings and persecutions of the present life to which those to whom he wrote were exposed, and in view of which they had need of encouragement. This passage stands in an intimate connection with an important and elucidatory context, and should not be considered as insulated and complete in itself. This manner of considering it has been the great source of erroneous interpretations. In view of the connection, the conclusion is this, "If God be for us, who can be