50 GOD'S ELECTIOIQ. full force, shall bring everlasting honours to God the Father, and his Son Jesus, and for ever establish all the children of God in holiness and joy. There are yet four things that remain to be done, with rela- tion to this great doctrine of the election of sinners in Christ to be made holy and happy. There are some difficulties attend the belief of it, which ought to be relieved. There are some proper uses to which this doctrine should be applied. There are some practical abuses of it, against which we must set a guard ; and there are some remarks or inferences which may be formed upon the whole discourse. First, As for the difficulties which attend it, and the many cavils and objections whichare raised against it, I shall not inter- rupt this half-hourwith controversy, so far as to take notice of any of them inthe body of my discourse. I proceed therefore * There is one objection of the greatest importance and weight, and there- fore I would say something to relieve it in the margin. Some persons have argued thus; If God has chosen a certain number to be made holy and happy by Jesus Christ, the Mediator, while others are left out of this choice, and go òn in sin to their final destruction, will theynot justly com- plainof God, at the last day, as having laid a bar against their salvation, by not chasing them ? Will they not say, there was no Mediator to undertake their cause, no pardon, no salvation provided for them; and therefore the offers of pardon and salvation, which are made to them fit common with other sinners in the gospel, are mere delusive wortls, and have no truth in them? But far be this imputation from the God of grace and truth l Answer I. The offers of salvation by a Mediator, are made in general terms to all sinners wheresoever the gospel is preached, and every one that applies him- self toChrist is the appointed way, and is sincerely willing to receive this salva- tion, shall bave it bestowed upon him. John iii. 16. God so loved the world, that he gave hisonly begotten Son, that whosoever believelh cot him, should not perish, but should haveeverlasting life. So far was our blessed Lord appointedthe common Media- tor of mankindthat none shall be able to complain in the day of judgment, that they perish for want of a Mediator. This is the will of God who sent him, or the grand commission with which he came into the world, not only that he should take care of those whom the Father had given him, but it runs'in general, that he should receive all that come to him, and he will bh no means cast them out; See John vii. 57-40. None shall complain, that their sins are unpardoned for want of a sufficiency in the merit or atonement of Christ. And though it is confessed, that his blood and life were paid down as a price for the certain redemption and salvation of all that the Father had given him, yet the blood of him who was God manifest in the flesh, had a sufficient value in it to procure pardon, heaven and happiness, for a whole world of sinful men : And the reason why unbelievers and impenitent sinners are condemned is, because theydid not apply themselves sin- cerely to this Mediator, they did not chose to lay hold of this salvation, which consists in a likeness to God, as well as in his favomyin holiness as well as hap- piness. II. Nor shall any be able to say at that day, that they missed of the salva- tionof Christ, for want of sufficient natural powers to lay hold of it, and receive it. Sinners who hear the gospel have a natural understanding to take in the meaning of theword preached: they have also a will to accept or refuse the .pro- posats of grace, to receive or reject this all sufficient Saviour: But there- is an aversion in them to attend to and obey the gospel, through the corruption of their natureby original sin ; their minds will sot learn divine things, beesesethey shut
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