as addressing his own immediate Disciples in the first place : but the grounds on which he teaches them to expect hatred from the world, are such as apply equally to all his people in every age ; and consequently we may consider the words as addressed to all his followers.
We shall take occasion from them to consider, I. What it is in Christians that calls forth the enmity of the world —
The reasons usually assigned are, that they are enthusiasts, and hypocrites, and disturbers of the peace of mankind : but the true reasons are those which our Lord assigns in the text, namely,
1. Their election out of the world —
[" The whole world lieth in wickedness," all being equally alienated from God, however they may differ from each other in their moral conduct. But God has from eternity chosen a people, whom he has given to his dear Son, and whom in due time he calls by his grace, and brings out of nature's " darkness into the marvellous light" of his Gospel. These, when called, are made sensible that they owe the change, not to any merit or power in themselves, but altogether to the effectual working of his grace : and they acknowledge thank- fully their obligations to him, saying, " By the grace of God I am what I amb."
This acknowledgment is very offensive to the world. They cannot endure to hear of the sovereignty of God : they think that God cannot choose some to be objects of his favour with- out being unjust to others. Though they cannot but see that God has exercised his sovereignty in every age, in the case of Abraham, for instance, and of Isaac, and of Jacob, and of the Jewish nation, and of those nations that now enjoy the light of his Gospel, yea, in the redemption of fallen man when lie never provided such a remedy for the fallen angels, yet they will not allow him to do so now : and every person who ascribes his conversion to the distinguishing grace of God, they consider as actuated by consummate pride ; when, in fact, the doctrine of election is the most humiliating that can be imagined, and the denial of it is the fruit of ignorance and presumption
That this is a principal ground of men's enmity against the people of God is asserted by our Lord : and it is confirmed by every part of the sacred records. Why did Cain hate Abel,
b See 2 Tim. i. 9. Rom. xi. 5.