or is a deeper sense of obligation to God likely to produce in any mind a less disposition to fulfil his will ? Surely its proper tendency is the very reverse of this, even to foster in us every holy disposition towards both God and man.
Towards God — a sense of our entire dependence on his sovereign will, and of our obligation to his sovereign grace, will excite a feeling of gratitude, such as Paul speaks of, when he says, " The love of Christ constraineth me." " What shall I render to the Lord for all his benefits?" is the question which every one will ask, when once he sees, that " not accord- ing to any works of righteousness which we have done, but of his own mercy God has saved us^" If once we have a good hope, that we are of " the chosen generation, and of God's peculiar people," we shall exert ourselves to " shew forth in every possible way the praises of him who hath called us out of darkness into his marvellous light'."
Towards man also will these sentiments operate in the most favourable way that can be imagined. A sense of God's elect- ing love will fill us with compassion towards those who are ignorant and out of the way. We shall not, Hke the proud Pharisee, despise others, but pity them; we shall not say, " Stand off, I am holier than thou ;" but shall bear in mind, who it is that has made us to differ even from the most aban- doned of mankind". And, if a brother fall, we shall not exult over him, but shall endeavour rather to restore him in meek- ness, considering ourselves, lest we also be tempted ^
We will readily grant that there are many truly pious, and even eminent, Christians, who do not embrace systematically, and in profession, the doctrines of predestination and election : but no pious man will ever arrogate merit to himself, or make himself the first moving cause of his own salvation. There is not a saint either in heaven or earth who will not cordially and from his inmost soul confess, " By the grace of God I am what I am." And, if only the whole glory of our salvation be given to God alone, we are not anxious to press the matter farther, or to insist on terms which they are not willing to admit: if only from their souls they unite in the practical acknowledgment of our text, we will be content to leave the speculative points deduced from it to the judgment of the great day.]
Before we close the subject, we will yet farther notice what it contains — 1. For our instruction —
[The Apostle ascribed his privileges and attainments to
^ Tit. iii. 4, 5. f i Pet. ii. 9.
" 1 Cor. iv. 7. " Gal. vi. 1.