196 The Gelpel-Myiery DireC. XL ;4 Lord will bewith thee," z Chron. xxii. i 6. There- fore whoforeceiveth this ;ofpel difcoveryas the word of God hi hearty love, is taught by the Spirit, and will certainly come to Chrift by believing, John vi. 45. Every one th,at receiveth it not, defpifeth God, maketh hire a liar, and deferveth jufkly to perifh for his unbelief. 4. Though the Spirit worketh Paving faithonly in the eleEl, and others believe not, becaufe they are not of Chrift's (beep, John x. 26. and on that account it is called the cc faith of.God's elea," Titus i. i. yet all that hear the gofpel are obliged to the duty of believing, as well as to all the duties of the moral law, and that before they know their own particular election : and they are liable to condemnation for unbelief, as well as for any other fin : " He that be- lieveth not, is coaademned already, becaufe liehath 64 not believed on the name of the only begottenSon 65 of God," John iii. I b. The apoftle Paul fheweth, that the elect Ifraelites obtained falvation, and the reit that were not eíeE ed, were blinded; and yet even theft. were broken off from the good Olive-tree, becaufe of their unbelief, llorn. xi. 7, 2o. We can- not have a certain kn.: Arledge of our 'eltaion to eter- nal life befòre we do believe ; it is a thing hidden in the unfearchable council of God, until it be manifeft by our effeaual calling, and believing on Chrift. The apoftle knew the election of the Thefiilanians, by finding the evidence of their faith; that the grof pei came to them, not in cc word only,' but alfo in power, and in the Holy Ghoft, and in much of c. furance : and that they had received the Word in 64 much aflhhi áion, with joy in the Holy Ghoft," t Their i. 4, 5, 6. We are to fee our calling, if we would find out, that God bath choferi us, i. Cor. i. a6, 27. Therefore we muff believe on Chrift be- fore we know our elecrion, or elfe we (hall never know it, and fhall never believe. And it is no pre- femption for us to truft confidently on Chrift for ev
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=