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tained the more precious jewel. He therefore applies the hiftory of Elias, as a proof of perfonal and particular election. The prophet imagined that he was "left alone" in the fervice of JEHOVAH. "But what faith the anfwer of God unto "him? I have reserved to myself, feven thousand "men, who have not bowed the knee to Baal." Here we have an election of individuals, as diftinguifhed from the nation in general; an election of a certain number, "feven thousand men ;" an election to bolinefs, for they made no compliances with idolatry; an election of grace, and terminating in efficacious power; for God claims the work as wholly his own; " I have referved :" and an election to the praife of the glory of his grace, as the end; " I have referved to myfelf." The apoftle afferts that he taught no new doctrine; that when he affirmed a perfonal election, he affirmed no more than what was taught by God himself, and exemplified in the history of Ifrael, in the days of Elias: "Even fo then at this pre"fent time alfo, there is a remnant, according to "the election of grace." Thus it is evident, that the national election of Ifrael, to external privileges, typified, terminated in, nay, all along included, an election of perfons to that faving grace of which thefe were only the means.

10. There never was, and there never will be, any nation fo peculiarly distinguished as ancient Ifrael. But the fovereignty of God ftill appears in that diftinction which he makes among nations

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k Rom. xi, 2.-5.

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with refpect to the means of falvation.

How many nations are there in the world that never heard of falvation? How many, that have been deprived of the gofpel during a long feries of ages? Who hath made us, in these ifles of the fea, to differ from others, as to the external privileges of grace? Are we Britons fo much better than the natives of Hindoftan, that we are favoured with the gofpel, while they are buried in the darkness of heathenifm? Let the hiftory of our conduct in that diftant country, for several ages, give an answer to the queftion. Why hath God left the Chinese, perhaps in other respects the wisest people in the world, in grofs obfcurity, and extended his mercy to us? Did he expect that we would be more grateful and obedient to him, or more humane and loving to man, than many other nations whom he hath left in darkness? To fay fo, would be to arraign the foreknowledge of God. For there are other nations in the world, that never enjoyed the means of falvation, whose manners would extort a blush from the generality of profeffed Chriftians, did they "not refufe to "be ashamed." We muft either deny divine prefcience altogether, or admit that God foreknew all this; foreknew that the greatest part of thofe called Chriftians, would "caufe even bis "name to stink among the inhabitants" of heathen countries; that their ungodly conduct would prove the greatest obftacle to the propagation of Christianity. Why then did he favour fuch nations with the gospel, and deny it to others? We

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muft undoubtedly refolve it into the fovereignty of his own will. This choice of nations to external privileges, is as really an act of fovereignty, as the choice of individuals to eternal life; unless it can be proved that the enjoyment of the means is not neceffary to the attainment of the end. Let those who think fo answer thefe queftions; "How fhall they believe in him of whom they "have not heard? And how fhall they hear "without a preacher 1?" But if it be neceffary to hear of Chrift before men can believe in him, and if there is not another name under heaven, gi"ven among men by which we must be saved;" furely, God difplays the fovereignty of his will, in giving this revelation to fome, and withholding it from others. This difplay may not at first strike the eye so much as that with respect to the end. But it is for want of attention. For if men cannot be faved without the gofpel of the grace of God, (and there is not one word in the Bible that gives us reason to suppose the contrary), he acts no less fovereignly in refufing men the means, than in withholding the end; because the end cannot be attained without the means.

1 Rom. x. 14.

SECT.

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On Divine Sovereignty in the Divifion of Canaan ; -the Treatment of the Tribes of Ifrael;-the Choice of a Place of Worship;-the Employment of Means and Inftruments of Judgment or Mercy-the Diftribution of Gifts ;-the Management of our Lot;-the Afflictions of the Children of God;-with respect to earthly Kingdoms ;— in relation to the Church.-Severe Judgments inflicted for the Denial of this Perfection.

11. THE fovereignty of God is illuftrated by the manner in which he divided the land of Canaan among the tribes of Ifrael. This was by lot, as it was declared by Mofes m: "The land "fhall be divided by lot; according to the names "of the tribes of their fathers they shall inherit. "According to the lot fhall the poffeffions thereof "be divided, between many and few." While by this ordination God taught his people their dependance upon his fovereign pleasure for all temporal mercies, it had a further and a special reference to those which "pertain to life and godli"nefs." No tribe, no family could fay, "We "have obtained from Joshua a better inheritance "than fuch another tribe or family, because we

m Num. xxvi. 55, 56.

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For

"had a fuperior claim by our fervices." "the lot was caft into the lap, and the whole dif"pofal thereof was of the LORD." No one could fay, "I fhall dwell here, because it is my choice." For the choice was wholly God's. In this was prefigured the choice of the spiritual Ifrael; which is "not of him that willeth, nor of him "that runneth, but of God that fheweth mercy." This very language is applied to the feed of the antitypical Jacob. Thus in the forty-feventh Pfalm, which contains a celebration of the afcenfion of our Lord, of the true Joshua's entering into his reft, and of the bleffed fruits of it in the fubjection of the nations to the faith, the Church adopts this language, as afcribing all spiritual bleffings to "the good pleasure of his will;" "He fhall choofe our inheritance for us; the ex'cellency of Jacob whom he loved "." Nay, that Elect in whom the foul of the Father delighteth, employs the fame language concerning himself, in his public character. "Thou main"taineft my lot." He acknowledges that his defignation to the work of redemption, and the confequent reward, were primarily to be afcribed to the fovereign choice of the Father, who “hath "chofen us in him P."

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The fame language runs through the whole of the New Testament. Hath God chofen his people to a glorious inheritance? It was not for their foreseen faith, good works, or perfeverance. It is as much of fovereignty as the appointment

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Ver. 5.

• Pfal. xvi, 5.

p Eph. i. 4.

of

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