John xv. 16. Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain.
IT is of great importance to have a just view of the doctrines contained in Scripture. There are many passages which at first sight appear to contra- dict each other ; but they are all true and consistent when properly explained. The assertions respecting the freedom of our will, and our proneness to apos- tasy, are true, and necessary to excite us to care and watchfulness : nor are those that respect our election of God, and our assured perseverance in his ways, less true, or less conducive to our spiritual welfare. They have a strong tendency to produce in us humi- lity and a dependence on God. All these passages therefore ought to be insisted on in their season. That which now demands our attention is a part of our Lord's farewell address to his Disciples. It naturally leads us to consider,
I. The doctrine of election —
This being frequently misrepresented, it will be proper to state what we mean by the doctrine of election —
[It imports, that " that we have not chosen God.'" No man by nature does choose him. The carnal mind is enmity against hima, and prefers the vanities of time and sense before him: nor is any man ever brought to choose him without having discovered much reluctance, and been overcome by the constraining influence of Divine grace b. It imports, more- over, that " God has chosen us." He from eternity chose some to life. This choice of his was free and sovereign, with- out any respect whatever to works either done, or to be done, by us. In due time, God manifests his election, by sending his grace into our hearts : nor does any man differ from another, but in consequence of grace thus derived from Godc. Hence every saint on earth or in heaven must say, " By the grace of God I am what I am11."]
a Rom. viii. 7. b Ps. ex. 3. c 1 Cor. iv. 7. d 1 Cor. xv. 10.