Address —
1. Those who are not able to receive these myste- rious truths —
[We are far from thinking that the doctrines of election and predestination are of primary and fundamental importance. We well know that many eminently pious persons have not been able to receive them : and we have no doubt but that a person may serve God most acceptably, though he should not have an insight into these mysterious truths. We only ask, that you will be content to wave them for the present, and not set yourselves against them, as too many are apt to do. If you have not a preparation of mind for the reception of them, you will only perplex yourselves by dwelling upon them, and give advantage to Satan to distress your minds. Be content to re- ceive for the present the fundamental doctrines of repentance towards God, and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ ; and seek to experience them in their full extent. Contemplate the bless- ings with which God the Father hath blessed you through the mediation of his Son ; and ever bear in mind, that you are indebted for them all to the Father, as the original source of all ; to the Son, as procuring them for you by the virtue of his death ; and to the Holy Spirit, as the great agent by whom they are communicated to your souls. Enjoy them in this view, and bless God for them in this view, and " what else you know not now, you shall know hereafter."]
2. Those who have embraced them, and found
delight in them —
[Enjoy them for yourselves; but do not unnecessarily obtrude them upon others. Give milk to babes, and strong meat to those only who are of age to digest it. Be careful too that you do not in any respect abuse them, as the habit of too many is. The decrees of God do not supersede the necessity of fear and watchfulness on your part. The hour that you begin to relax your diligence, from an idea that God will carry on his work in you at all events, you provoke God to abandon you to yourselves, and to give you up to the delusions of your own hearts. It is by your lives only that you can know your election of Godg: and if you are not making advancement in holiness, you have no reason whatever to hope that you shall ever attain to glory ; seeing it is by the means only that you can ever attain the end. If you would make a legitimate im- provement of these doctrines, use them as means of exciting the deeper gratitude to God. Trace up to God's electing love and predestinating grace every blessing you either enjoy or
8 1 Thess. i. 3, 4.