many, as were set in order, or made ready. Should this interpretation of the original be adopted, it would not at all alter the case, "The prepara→

"tions of the heart in man-is from the LORD."1 LORD, thou hast heard the desire of the humble "thou will prepare their hearts, thou wilt cause thine ear to hear." 2 "Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above." If men are made ready, and are in a fit posture to lay hold on the

great promise of the gospel; they owe this preparation of heart to the special grace of God. They are vessels of mercy, which God has afore pre"pared unto glory."3 Giving thanks unto the "Father, who hath made us meet to be partakers of "the inheritance of the saints in light; who hath "delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath "translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son."4 Few will directly say, I made myself ready; It was my own goodness, that put me in a fit posture

to lay hold on the great promise of the gospel,

glad and glorified God, that the words of salvation and everlasting life belonged to them also. (46, 47.) But who these Gen•tiles were, we learn more particularly from verse 43, namely, that they were some σskou porno, of the devout or wor shipping proselytes, those who believed a life to come, and sought for the happiness thereof, and who therefore were in a fit posture to lay hold of that great promise of the gospel, being both prepared to hear what the apostles had to say, concerning the way and means of obtaining it, and also to make use of such means, when once they were thoroughly instructed in them.' (Stebbing.)

Prov. xvi. 1. j. 12, 13.1

2 Ps. x. 17. 3 Rom, ix. 23.

4 Col.

and I am not indebted for it to divine grace.' Most men will, in words, give the glory to God, of making them thus to differ from unbelievers; and all humble christians, will do it cordially, in their own case; even though they cannot receive the doctrine, called Calvinistick. Some, however, of these deyout, or worshipping, proselytes, were not thus made ready to embrace the gospel: for "the Jews stirred

up the devout and honourable women, and the chief "men of the city, and raised persecution against "Paul and Barnabas, and expelled them out of their "coasts." If there had been no other preparation of heart, than that which was common to these devout proselytes; they would have favoured the persecutors, and not the persecuted apostles. Lydia was previously one of these worshippers; yet her conversion is not ascribed to this, but to special grace: "The Lord opened the heart of Lydia, that she at"tended unto the things which were spoken of Paul."* -But did none believe in Christ, except those, who were before worshipping proselytes? If any, if numbers, of the idolatrous Gentiles enbraced the gospel, they also "were ordained unto eternal life." It is 'indeed useless, highly improper, and quite unne-, cessary, to rest the argument on a word, which may 'perhaps admit of some other meaning: but the 'laboured discussions of those, who are greatly 'afraid, that the doctrine of gratuitous personal 'election to eternal life should be collected from it, leaves this impression on my mind, that these

! Matt. xxiii. 15. 2 Acts xvi. 14. Gr.

writers themselves would have carefully avoided a term, which needs so much guarding against mis'construction." The word is used in the texts referred to below, and no where else in the New Testament.2

P. ccxxxv. 1. 8. We know, &c.'s To be called to the knowledge of the gospel, according to the 'eternal purpose of God,' must mean something very different from the mere proclamation and invitation of the gospel, or the outward profession of it; unless all who are called christians, do indeed love God, and imitate the example of Christ. If, however, God' did decree, that some should have the means of sal

Note, Acts xiii. 42-48. Family Bible, by the Author. 2 Matt. xxviii. 16. Luke vii. S. Acts xiii. 48. xv. 2. xx. 13. xxii. 10. xxviii. 23. Rom. xiii. 1. 1 Cor. xvi. 15.

3 "We know that all things work together for good to them "that love God, to them who are the called according to his "purpose: for whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate

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to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the "first-born among many brethren. Moreover, whom he did "predestinate, them he also called; and whom he called, them "he also justified, and whom he justified, them he also glorified." We know that all things, whether adverse or prosperous, cooperate in the end for the permanent good of those who sincerely ⚫ love God, of those who are called to the knowledge of the gospel according to the eternal purpose of God; for he ordained and decreed, that those, who he foreknew would believe and obey the gospel, should resemble his blessed Son, by following his example, that he might have many brethren, who would be 'joint-heirs with him, and partakers of that happiness which he enjoyed. Moreover, those, to whom it was fore-ordained of God that the gospel should be made known, he has now actually called, and those whom he has called, he has justified from all ⚫ their former sins:'

vation, and not others; the objections generally urged against Calvinism, as making God "a re

specter of persons," come in; and may as fairly be urged against this doctrine, as against Calvinism. None of Adam's fallen race naturally love God, but all are alienated from him; and as those, who are "the called according to his purpose," do love God; the character described must be formed, not by nature, but by special grace; and then our interpretation is established; which I cannot give in more proper language, than in that of our article. 'Predestination to life is the everlasting purpose of 'God, whereby, (before the foundations of the ' world were laid,) he hath constantly decreed by his counsel, secret to us, to deliver from curse and 'damnation those, whom he hath chosen in Christ 'out of mankind, and to bring them by Christ to

everlasting salvation, as "vessels made to honour." 'Wherefore they, which be endued with so excel'lent a benefit of God, be called according to God's purpose by his Spirit working in due season they 'through grace obey the calling: they be justified freely they be made the sons of God by adoption; they be made like the image of his only begotten' Son Jesus Christ: they walk religiously in good 'works, and at length, by God's mercy, they attain 'to everlasting felicity." The language is special and personal: the same persons "whom he fore"knew," "those he predetermined to be conformed "to the image of his Son :" the same persons, in

'Art. xvii. 2 Rom. xi. 2.

variably and exclusively, " he called;" the same, without addition or exception, " he justified, and he "glorified." Now there can be no other calling, except that described in the article, which is inseparably connected with being justified and glorified : for in other senses of the word, Many are called;

"but few are chosen." Would not the same individuals, without exception, or addition, or alteration, be considered as intended, if an act of grace, or a deed of gift, or an Act of Parliament, should be drawn up in a similar manner?

P. ccxxxvi. 1. 3. "And those, &c." Is there any instance, in which the word glorify is used in Scripture, in the sense here affixed to it? Even Christ

And those whom he has justified, he has glorified by his grace, and all the other privileges of the gospel.covenant. In the former part of this passage, the good spoken of is confined to those who love God, and act conformably to his purpose in revealing the gospel: this their conduct God foreknew, and graciously determined to reward with eternal felicity. In the • latter part of the passage, every thing is represented as past→→ the predestination, the calling, the justification, the glorification. Of the predestination and the calling, there can be no doubt; and it has been proved that the word justification, as applied to christians, always refers to this life, and here it means the remission of sins granted at the time of baptism: and the word glorified, being, both in the original Greek and in our translation, in the same tense as the words predestinated, called, and justified, must also relate to something which has already taken place; it relates to that "Spirit of glory and of God," which, St. Peter says, "resteth upon christians" in this world; to that "kingdom and glory," to which St. Paul tells his • Thessalonian converts God had called them; to that "change "into the same image with Christ from glory to glory," which he announces to the Corinthians."