I.

He that hath an ear to hear, let him hear what the Spirit saith, Rev. u, 7.

II.

daily, whether those things were so: therefore many of them believed, Acts xvii, 11, 12.

They have ears to hear, and hear not; for they are a rebellious house, Ezek. xii, 2.

own expression. Accordingly, Luke ii, 51, we find that he applies to Christ a word answering to, and compounded of that of our text. He was, says he, (uroroacres)" subject or subjected to his parents." Now I appeal to my readers, and ask whether the remonstrants deserve the name of "dreaming heretics" for believing, (1.) That our Lord's subjection to his parents was not merely "outward" and passive, as that of an undutiful child who is subject to his superiors, when, rod in hand, they have forced him to submit. And (2.) That it was "inward" and active, or, to speak plainer, that "he subjected himself" of his own free will to his parents.

(6.) St. Paul informs us that the "veil of Moses is yet upon the heart of the Jews, when they read" the Old Testament; and one would be tempted to think that Calvin's veil is yet upon the eyes of his admirers, when they read the New Testament. What else could have hindered such learned men as Mr. Leigh and Mr. Madan from taking notice, that when the sacred writers use the passive voce, they do it frequently in a sense which answers to the Hebrew voice “hithpahel," which means "to cause oneself to do a thing." I beg leave to produce Bore instances. 1 Cor. xiv, 32, “The spirits of the prophets voracottaι are subret (that is, subject themselves] to the prophets." Rom. x, 3, “Ovx vñeтaɣnoav, They have not been subjected, or, (as our translators, Calvinists as they were, have not scrupled to render it,) They have not submitted themselves to the righteousness of God." Acts ii, 40, “onte, Be ye saved, or save yourselves." Eph. v, 22, "Wives, uroracoecoc, be subject or submit yourselves to your own husbands." 1 Peter v, 6, "ramavens, Be humble, or humble yourselves." James 1, 7, “ToTayЯte, Be ye submissive," or, as we have it in our Bibles, "submit yourselves to God," &c, &c. I hope these examples will convince my readers, that, if our translators had shown themselves "heretics," and men unacquainted with the Greek language," supposing they had rendered our text, "As many as through grace) had disposed themselves, or were (inwardly) disposed for eternal life, believed," they can hardly pass for orthodox or good Grecians now, ance they have so often been guilty of the pretended error, which Mr. Leigh supposes peculiar to the "dreaming heretics of our day."

7.) All the Scriptures show that man and free will have their part to do in the work of salvation, as well as Christ and free grace. If this is denied, I appeal to the multitude of passages which fill my second Scale; and I ask, Is it not strange, that a doctrine, supported by a variety of scriptures, should be called "arresy" by men that, "as real Protestants," profess to admit the Scriptures as the rule of their faith. I shall conclude this note by an appeal to the context.

8.; St. Paul having called the Jews to believe in Christ, bids them “beware," Acts xii, 40, lest they should be found among the despisers that perish in their unbelief. Now how absurd would this caution have been, if a forcible decree of #binte election or reprobation had irreversibly ordained them to eternal life, or to eternal death! Would the apostle have betrayed more folly if he had bid them ~ beware" lest the sun should rise or set at its appointed time? Again, verse 46, we are informed that these unbelievers "judged themselves unworthy of eternal life,” and “put the word" of God's grace "from them." But if Mr. Ma. dan's scheme were Scriptural, would not the historian have said, that God, from the foundation of the world, had absolutely “judged them unworthy of eternal life, and therefore had never "put" or sent to "them" the word of his grace l thee more: we are told, verse 45, that indulged envy, which the Jews were Sled with, made them "speak against those things which were spoken by Paul, that is, made them disbelieve, and show their unbelief. Now is it not highly easonable to understand the words of the text thus, according to that part of the context: "As many as" did not obstinately harbour envy, prejudice, love of hon

I.

Can the Ethiopian change his skin, and the leopard his spots? then may ye also do good [without my gracious help] that are accustomed to do evil, Jer. xiii, 23.

Neither knoweth any man the Father, save, &c, he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him; [and he will reveal him unto babes, as appears from the context,] Matt. xi, 25, 27. Flesh and blood hath not revealed this unto thee, [that Jesus is the Christ, &c,] but my Father, Matt. xvi, 17.

II.

[It is very remarkable that the Lord, to show his readiness to help those obstinate offenders, says, just after] O Jerusalem, wilt thou not be made clean? When shall it once be?

God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace to the humble; [i. e. to babes,] &c. Submit therefore yourselves to God, &c, humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up, James iv, 6, &c. If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, John vii, 17. The secret of the Lord is with them that fear him, Psa, xxv, 14.

To understand aright some passages in St. John's Gospel, we must remember that, wherever the Gospel of Christ is preached, the Father particularly draws to the Son as Redeemer, those that believe in him as Creator. And this he does, sometimes by cords of love, sometimes by cords of fear, and always by cords of conviction and humiliation. They that yield to these drawings become "babes, poor in spirit," and mem bers of "the little flock" of humble souls, "to whom it is the Father's good pleasure to give the kingdom. For he giveth grace to the HUM BLE;"-yea, "he giveth grace and glory, and no good thing will he withhold from them that" follow his drawings, and "lead a godly life. our, or worldly mindedness:-" As many as" did not "put the word from them and judge themselves unworthy of eternal life, believed?" Nay, might we no properly explain the text thus, according to the doctrine of the talents, and th progressive dispensations of Divine grace, so frequently mentioned in the Scrip tures: "As many as believed in God, believed also" in Christ, whom Paul pai ticularly preached at that time;-as many as were humble and teachable received the ingrafted word:" for "God resisteth the proud, but giveth grac to the humble. His secret is with them that fear him, and he will show the his covenant."

(9.) But what need is there of appealing to the context? Does not the te answer for itself, while Mr. Madan's sense of it affords a sufficient antidote to a who dislike absurd consequences, and are afraid of traducing the Holy One e Israel? Let reason decide. If "as many as [were in Antioch] were [Calvinist cally] ordained to eternal life," believed under that sermon of St. Paul, (f almost the whole city came together to hear the word of God,) it follows, that who believed not "then," were eternally shut up in unbelief; that all the ele believed at once; that they who do not believe at one time shall never believe another; and that when Paul returned to Antioch, few souls, if any, could converted by his ministry; God having at once taken "as many as were ordain to eternal life," and left all the rest to the devil. But,

(10.) The most dreadful consequence is yet behind. If they that believed d it merely because they "were absolutely ordained of God to eternal life," it f lows, by a parity of reason, that those who disbelieved, did it merely because th were absolutely ordained of God to eternal death: God having bound them by t help of Adam in everlasting chains of unbelief and sin. Thus, while pro wicked, stubborn unbelievers are entirely exculpated, the God of all mercias indirectly charged with free wrath, and finished damnation.

Those convinced, humbled souls, conscious of their lost estate, and inquiring the way to heaven, as honest Cornelius, and the trembling Jailer-those souls, I say, the Father in a particular manner gives to the Son, as being prepared for him, and just ready to enter into his dispensation. "They believe in God, they must also believe in Christ ;" and the part of the Gospel that eminently suits them, is that which Paul preached to the penitent jailer; and Peter to the devout centurion.

The Jews about Capernaum showed great readiness to follow Jesus: but it was out of curiosity, and not out of hunger after righteousness. Their hearts went more after loaves and fishes, than after grace and glory. In a word, they continued to be grossly unfaithful to their light, under the dispensation of the Father, or of God as Creator. Hence it is, that our Lord said to them, "Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that which endureth to everlasting life." Mind your souls as well as your bodies: be no more practical Atheists. To vindicate themselves they pretended to have a great desire to serve God. "What shall we do," said they, "that we may work the works of God?" "This is the work of God," replied our Lord: "this is the thing which God” peculiarly requires of those who are under HIS dispensation," that ye believe on him whom he hath sent,”-i. e. that ye submit to My dispensation. Here the Jews began to cavil and say, "What sign showest thou, that we may believe thee?" Our Lord, to give them to under. stand that they were not so ready to believe upon proper evidence as they professed to be, said to them, "Ye have seen me" and my miracles, and yet ye believe not." Then comes the verse, on which Zelotes founds his doctrine of absolute grace to the elect, and of absolute wrath to all the rest of mankind: "All that the Father [particularly] giveth me," because they are particularly convinced that they want a mediator between God and them; and because they are obedient to his drawings, and to the light of their dispensation ;-all these, says our Lord, "shall or will come unto me," and I will be as ready to receive them, as the Father is to draw them to me, for "him that cometh to me, I will in no wise cast out:" I will admit him to the privileges of my dispensation; and, if he be faithful, I will even introduce him into the dispensation of the Holy Ghost,-into the kingdom, that does not consist in meat and drink, nor yet in bare penitential righteousness, but also in "peace and joy in the Holy Ghost." "And this is the Father's will, that, of all whom he has given me," that I may bless them with the blessings of my dispensation, "I should lose nothing" by my negligence as a Saviour, or as a Shepherd: although some will lose themselves by their own per verseness and wilful apostasy. That this is our Lord's meaning, is evident from his own doctrine about his disciples being "the salt of the earth," and about some "losing their savour," and "losing their own soul." But above all, this appears from his express declaration concerning one of his apostles. This being premised, I balance the favour. ite text of Zelotes thus:

I.

All that the Father giveth me [by the decree of faith, according to the order of the dispensations] shall [or VOL. II.

6

II.

I have manifested thy name [O Father] to the men whom thou hast given me out of the world. Thine

I.

will] come to me; and him that cometh unto me I will in no wise cast out. [If he be lost it will not be by my losing him, but by his losing his own soul. It will not be by my casting him out, but by his casting himself out. Witness the young man, who thought our Lord's terms too hard; and "went away sorrowful" witness again Judas, who "went out," and of his own accord "drew back unto perdition."] John vi, 37..

II.

they were [they belonged to thy dispensation, they believed in thee] and thou gavest them me, [they entered my dispensation, and believed in me.] Those that thou gavest me, I have kept [according to the rules of my dispensation] and none of them is lost BUT [he that has destroyed himself, Judas,] the son of perdition, that the Scripture might be fulfilled, John xvii, 6, 12.

Inquire we now what scriptures were fulfilled by the perdition of Judas. They are either general or particular: (1.) The general are such as these: "The turning away of the simple shall slay them," Prov. i, 32. "When the righteous man turneth from his righteousness, [and who can be a righteous man' without true faith?] he shall die in his sin." Again: "When I say to the righteous," that "he shall surely live, if he trust to his righteousness, and commit iniquity, he shall die for it," Ezek. iii, 20; xxxiii, 13. (2.) The particular scriptures fulfilled by the destruction of Judas are these: Psa. xli, 9, "Mine own familia friend in whom I trusted, who did eat of my bread, hath lifted up his hee against me." These words are expressly applied to Judas by our Lor himself, John xii, 18, and they demonstrate that Judas was not always cursed hypocrite, unless Zelotes can make appear that our Lord repose his trust in a hypocrite; whom he had chosen for his "own familia friend." Again: "Let his days be few, and let another take his offic or his bishoprie." These words are quoted from Psa. cix, and particu larly applied to Judas by St. Peter, Acts i, 20. Now, to know whethe Judas' perdition was absolute, flowing from the unconditional reprob tion of God, and not from Judas' foreseen backsliding, we need onl compare the two Psalms where his sin and perdition are described. Ti one informs us, that before he lifted up his heel against Christ, he wa Christ's own familiar friend, and so sincere that the Searcher of hear trusted in him; and the other Psalm describes the cause of Judas' pe sonal reprobation thus: "Let his days be few, and let another take office," &c, “because that [though he once knew how to tread in t steps of the merciful Lord, who honoured him with a share in his fan liar friendship, yet] he remembered not to show mercy, but persecut the poor, that he might even slay the broken in heart. As he lov cursing, so let it come into him: as he delighted not in blessing, so it be far from him: as he clothed himself with cursing like as with garment, so let it come into his bowels like water," Psa. cix, 8, 16, & Hence it is evident, that if Judas was lost agreeably to the Scriptu prediction of his perdition; and if that very prophecy informs us t "his days were few, because he remembered not to show mercy, & we horribly wrong God when we suppose that this means, because never remembered to show any mercy to Judas, because God was graceless God to Iscariot thousands of years before the infant cu!

drew his first breath. Brethren and fathers, as many as are yet concerned for our Creator's honour, and our Saviour's reputation, resolutely bear your testimony with David and the Holy Ghost, against this doctrine; so shall Zelotes blush to charge still the Father of mercies with the absolute reprobation of Judas, not only in opposition to all good nature, truth, and equity; but against as plain a declaration of God, as any that can be found in all the Scriptures. "Let his days be few, and let another take his office, &c, because he remembered not to show mercy, but persecuted the poor, that he might [betray innocent blood, and] even slay the broken in heart."*

To say that God stood in need of Judas' wickedness to deliver his Son to the Jews, is not less absurd than impious. "God has no need of the sinful man." Any boy that had once heard our Lord preach in the temple, and seen him go to the garden of Gethsemane, might have given as proper an information to the high priest, and been as proper a guide to the mob, as Judas: especially as Christ was not less determined to deliver himself, than the Jews were to apprehend him. With regard to the notion that Judas was a wicked man-an absolute unbeliever -a cursed hypocrite when our Lord gave him a place in his familiar friendship, and raised him to the dignity of an apostle, it is both unscriptural and scandalous. (1.) Unscriptural: for the Scripture informs us, that when the Lord immediately proceeds to an election of that nature, "he looketh on the heart," 1 Sam. xvi, 7. Again: when the eleven apostles prayed that God would overrule the lot which they were about to cast for a proper person to succeed Judas, they said, "Thou, Lord, who knowest the hearts of all men, show which of these two thou hast chosen, that he might take part of the ministry, from which Judas by transgresmon fell," Acts i, 24. Now as Judas fell by transgression, he was undoubtedly raised by righteousness, unless Zelotes can make appear, that he rose the same way he fell; and, that as he fell by a bribe, so he gave some of our Lord's friends a bribe, to get himself nominated to one of the twelve apostolic bishoprics: but even then, how does this agree with our Lord's "knowing the heart," and choosmg accordingly? (2.) This notion is scandalous: it sets Christ in the most contemptible light. How will he condemn, in the great day, men of power in the Church, who for by-ends commit the care of souls to the most wicked of men? How will he even find fault with them, if he did set them the example himself, in passing by all the honest and good men in Judea, to go and set the apostolic mitre upon the head of a thief-of a "wolf in sheep's clothing?" In the name of wis dom I ask, Could Christ do this, and yet remain the "good Shepherd?" How different is the account that St. Paul gives us of his own election to the apostleship. The glorious Gospel of God was committed to my charge," says he; "and I thank Christ, who hath enabled me, for that he counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry," 1 Tim. i, 11, 12. Now, if we represent Christ as puttang Paul into the ministry because he counted him faithful, and Judas because he counted him unfaithful-a thief-a traitor-a cursed hypocrite, do we not make Christ a Proteus? Are his ways equal? Has he not two weights? God, I grant, sets sometimes a wicked king over a wicked people, but it is according to the ordinary course of human affairs, and in his anger; to chastise a sinful nation with a royal rod. But what had the unformed Christian Church done to deserve being scourged with the rod of apostolic wickedness? And what course of human affairs obliged our Lord to fix upon a wicked man in a new election to a new dignity-and, what is most striking, in an election to which he proceeded without the interposition of any free agent but himself?

O Zelotes, mistake me not: if I plead the cause of Judas' sincerity, when he "left all to follow Christ," and when our Lord passed by thousands, immediately to choose him for his "own familiar friend in whom he trusted "-for a preacher of his Gospel, and an apostle of his Church; I do not do it so much for Judas' sake, as for the honour of Christ, and the comfort of his timorous, doubting followers. Alas! if Christ could show distinguishing favour and familiar friendship to a man, on whom he had absolutely set his black seal of unconditional reprobation-to a man whom, from the beginning of the world, he had without any provocation marked out for