for, though I could not but dissent from him (as I still do) in some few things: yet I was both instructed and convinced by his arguments and illustrations in every thing relative to our fallen, guilty, lost, and helplessly miserable state by nature; and the way and manner in which the believer is accounted, and accepted as, righteous, in the presence of a just, holy, and heart-searching, a faithful and unchangeable God: especially his animated description and application of the stagchase cleared up this important matter to my mind, more than any thing I had hitherto met with upon the subject.

I had now acceded to most of the doctrines which at present I believe and preach; except the doctrine of personal election, and those tenets which immediately depend on it and are connected with

it.

These were still foolishness to me; and so late as August, 1777, I told my friend Mr. that I was sure I never should be of his sentiments on that head. To this he answered, that if I never mentioned this subject, he never should, as we were now agreed in all he judged absolutely needful; but, that he had not the least doubt of my very shortly becoming a Calvinist, as I should presently discover my system of doctrine to be otherwise incomplete, and inconsistent with itself. Indeed I had by this time, so repeatedly 'discovered myself to be mistaken where I had been very confident, that I began to suspect my

self in every thing, in which I entertained sentiments different from those with whom I conversed. This, however, did not influence me to take their opinions upon trust: but it disposed me more particularly and attentively to consider them; and in every perplexity to have recourse to the Lord, to be preserved from error, and guided to the truth.

About the same time also, I began to have more frequent applications made to me by persons under deep concern for their souls. My heart was much interested in this new employment; as I was greatly concerned to see their pressing anxieties, and to hear their doubts, difficulties, and objections against themselves: and being sincerely desirous to give them good instruction, and to lead them on to establishment and comfort, I felt my deficiency, and seemed to have no ground to go on, nor any counsel to give them, but what, instead of relieving them, led them into greater perplexity. In this case, I earnestly besought the Lord to teach me what word in season to speak unto them.

While I was thus circumstanced, I read Witsius's Economy of the Covenants, and observed what use he made of the doctrine of election for this very purpose. This convinced me that the doctrine, if true, would afford that ground of encouragement which the people wanted. They had been awakened from ignorant formality, open ungodliness and vice, or entire carelessness about

religion, to an earnest and anxious enquiry after salvation; they appeared truly penitent, and real believers, and heartily desirous of cleaving unto the Lord; and they wanted some security that they should not, through the deceitfulness of their hearts, their weakness, the entanglements of the world, and the temptations of Satan, fall back again into their former course of sin. This, if genuine, was the regenerating work of the Holy Spirit and if wrought in consequence of the determinate purpose and foreknowledge of God respecting them; it would follow, from the entire and undeserved freeness of this first gift bestowed on them, when neither desiring nor seeking it, but while in a state of enmity and rebellion against God, and neglect of his service; and from his unchangeableness in his purpose and faithfulness to his promises, that he would assuredly carry on and complete, the good work of his grace, and keep them by his power, as in a castle, through faith -unto salvation.

Having now discovered one use of this doctrine, which before I objected to as useless and pernicious, I was led to consider how the other objections, which I had been accustomed to urge against it, might be answered. It is true, I now began to consider it as a mystery, not to be comprehended, nor yet too curiously to be searched into by man's natural reason; but humbly received by faith just as far as it is plainly revealed in God's

unerring word. I was therefore constrained to leave many objections unanswered, or to resolve them into the incomprehensible nature of God, whose judgments and counsels are as the great deep, unfathomable; and into the sovereignty of God, who doeth what he will with his own, and gives no account of any of his matters, let who will presume to find fault; and into his declarations, that his thoughts and ways are as far above our thoughts and ways, as the heavens are above the earth. Here I left the matter, conscious, at length, that such knowledge was too high for me and that, if God had said it, it was not my place to cavil against it.-I acknowledge this way of proceeding is not very satisfactory to man's proud curiosity, who would be as God, and know all that God knows! and who even dares to dispute with him! and there are times when I can hardly acquiesce in such a solution. But surely it is highly becoming the dependent state and limited understanding of the creature, to submit the decision of all such high points implicitly to the award of the infinitely wise Creator. Indeed the christian religion expressly requires it of us; for our Lord declares, that "Except we receive the "kingdom of God" (not as disputing philosophers, but)" as a little child, we shall in no wise enter "therein. The day is coming when we shall be able to answer all objections. Here "we walk "by faith," "and see in part, through a glass,

darkly;" hereafter "we shall see face to face, " and know even as we are known." *

* The doctrine of personal election to eternal life, when properly stated, lies open to no objection, which may not likewise with equal plausibility be urged against the conduct of God, in placing one nation in a more favourable condition than another, especially as to religious advantages; without the previous good or bad behaviour of either of them, or any discernable reason for the preference. In both cases we may say, unmerited favour to one person, or people, is no injustice to others; and the infinitely wise God hath many reasons for his determinations, which we cannot discern, and which he deigns not to make known to us.

If sinners deserve the punishment inflicted on them, it cannot be unjust in the great Governor of the world to pre-determine their condemnation to it. The contrariety to justice and goodness, if there be any, must certainly be found in the Lord's actual dealings with his creatures, and not in his predetermination thus to deal with them. It could not be inconsistent with any of the divine attributes, for the Lord from all eternity to decree to act consistently with all of them. The clamours excited against predestination, if carefully scrutinized, are generally found to be against the thing decreed, and not against the circumstance of its having been decreed from eternity. The sovereignty of God, when duly considered, appears to be nothing more than infinite perfection determining and accomplishing every thing in the very best manner possible; and infallibly performing the counsels of everlasting knowledge and wisdom, justice, truth, and love, notwithstanding all the plans and designs of innumerable voluntary rational agents, which might seem incompatible with them: nay, performing those counsels even by means of these voluntary agents, in perfect consistency with their free agency and accountableness; but in a manner which we are utterly incapable of comprehending!

We should scarcely object to this infinitely wise and holy sovereignty of God, however absolute; did we not, from consciousness of guilt and carnal enmity of heart, suspect that it