Section 13.

SECTION 13.

A view of St. Paul’s doctrine of election, laid down in Ephesians 1 — That election consists in God’s choosing, from the beginning of the world, that the Gentiles should NOW share, through faith, the blessings of the Gospel of Christ, together with the believing Jews, who BEFORE were alone the chosen nation and peculiar people of God — It is an election from the obscure dispensation of the heathens to the luminous dispensation of the Christians; and not an election from a state of absolute ruin, to a state of finished salvation — It is as absurd to maintain Calvinian election from Ephesians i, as to support Calvinian reprobation by Romans ix — What we are to understand by the “book of life,” and by the “names” written therein from the foundation of the world — A conclusion to the first part of this work.

WHEN Zelotes is made ashamed of what Calvin calls “the horrible decree,” he seems to give it up; — I have nothing to do with reprobation, says he, my business is with election. Thus he is no sooner beaten out of Romans ix, than he retires behind Ephesians i, where he thinks he can make a more honourable defence. It may not be amiss, therefore, to follow him there also, and to show him that he entirely mistakes the “predestination,” “purpose,” and “election,” mentioned in that chapter.

The design of the apostle in his Epistle to the Ephesians is twofold. In the three first chapters he extols their gracious election, their free vocation, and the unspeakable privileges of both; and in the three last, he exhorts them to walk worthy of their election and calling; warning them against Antinomian deceivers; and threatening them with the loss of their heavenly inheritance if they followed their filthy tenets and immoral example. This epistle therefore is a compendium of the New Testament: the former part contains a strong check to Pharisaism, or the doctrine of self-righteous boasters; and the latter part a severe check to Antinomianism, or to the doctrine and deeds of the Nicolaitans; see Ephesians 5:5, 6; Revelation 2:6, 15, 20.

To be a little more explicit: in the three first chapters St. Paul endeavours to impress the hearts of the Ephesians with a deep sense of God’s free grace in Christ Jesus, whereby he had compassionately called, and of consequence mercifully elected them, ignorant and miserable sinners of the Gentiles as they were, to partake of all the blessings of the Christian dispensation. The apostle tries to inflame them with grateful love to Christ, for setting them on a level with his “peculiar people, the Jews, to whom pertained the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the [explicit] promises; whose were the fathers, and of whom Christ came, as concerning the flesh.” To prove that this is St. Paul’s design, I produce his own words, with short illustrations in brackets: “Remember, [says he,] that ye were in time past GENTILES in the flesh, called uncircumcision by the circumcision [&c, abhorred by the circumcised Jews, because you were uncircumcised heathens. Remember] that at that time ye were without [the knowledge of] Christ [not having so much as heard of the Messiah,] being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, [hating the Jews, and hated of them,] strangers to the covenants of promise [which God had made with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob,] having no [covenant] hope, and without [a covenant] God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus [who has sent us into all the world to preach the Gospel to every creature.] Ye [Gentiles,] who were sometimes afar off, are made nigh by the blood of Christ: for he is our peace, who hath made BOTH [Jews and Gentiles] one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between US, &c, that he might reconcile both [Jews and Gentiles] to God, &c, by the cross; having slain the enmity thereby: and came and preached peace to you [Gentiles] who were afar off, and to them that were nigh, [that is, to the Jews.] For through him we BOTH [Jews and Gentiles] have an access by one Spirit unto the Father. Now therefore ye [Gentiles] are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the [Jewish] saints, and of the household [or peculiar people] of God: and are built upon the foundation of the [Christian] apostles, and [Jewish] prophets; Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone [which unites the Jews and Gentiles who believe, as a corner stone joins the two walls which meet upon it, &c.] In whom you also [Gentiles of Ephesus] are builded together [with us believing Jews] for a habitation of God through the Spirit,” Ephesians 2:11, &c. The apostle explains his meaning still more clearly in the next chapter. “For this cause,” [namely, that you might be quickened together with us (see Ephesians 2:5, 6, in the original,) unto Christ, that you might be raised up together, and placed together with us in heavenly privileges in or by Jesus Christ.] “For this cause, I Paul am the prisoner of Christ for you Gentiles; if ye have heard of the DISPENSATION of the grace of God, which is given me to YOU WARD: how he made known to me [once a Jewish bigot] the mystery, &c, that the Gentiles should be fellow heirs, and of the same body, and partakers of the promise of Christ by the Gospel, whereof I am made a minister, &c, that I should preach among the Gentiles [as Peter does among the Jews] the unsearchable riches of Christ, &c. Wherefore I desire that ye faint not at my tribulations for you [Gentiles] which is your glory,” Ephesians 3:1-13.

The two preceding paragraphs are two keys, which St. Paul gives to open his meaning with, and to make us understand “God’s eternal purpose, which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord, of gathering all things in Christ,” by calling the Gentiles to be partakers of the Gospel of Christ, as well as the Jews: a “mystery” this, which had been hid in God from the beginning of the world, Ephesians 3:9; God having then purposed to take the Gentiles into the covenant of peculiarity: although, for particular reasons, he did it only in St. Paul’s days, and chiefly by his instrumentality. What pity is it then that Zelotes should cast the veil of his prejudices over so glaring a truth; and should avail himself of the apostle’s laconic style, and of our inattention to impose Calvin’s predestination upon us! Does not the context demonstrate that St. Paul speaks only of God’s predestinating and electing THE GENTILES IN GENERAL (and among them the Ephesians)to share the prerogatives of the Christian dispensation? Is it not evident, that as the unbelieving Jews boasted much of their being saved by the work of circumcision, through Abraham, St. Paul keeps the believing Gentiles humble, by reminding them that “by grace they were saved — [that is, made partakers of the great salvation of Christians] through faith: and that not of themselves, [nor of their forefathers,] it was the gift of God, not of works,” not of circumcision or Mosaic ceremonies, “lest any of them should boast” like the Jews, who, by their fatal glorying in Abraham and in themselves, had hardened their hearts against Christ’s Gospel, and brought God’s curse upon their Church and nation? In a word, is it not clear that St. Paul no more speaks of God’s having predestinated this Englishman, or that man of Ephesus to be absolutely saved; and this Scotch woman, or that Ephesian widow to be absolutely damned, than he has absolutely predestinated Honestus to be mufti, and Zelotes to be pope? This being premised, I present the reader with what appears to me to be the genuine sense of the chapter, upon which Zelotes founds his doctrine of an absolute, particular, and personal election of some men to eternal life and glory. “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us,” Jews and Gentiles, who do not put the word of his grace from us, and reject his gracious counsel against ourselves “with all spiritual blessings and heavenly” things “in Christ: according as he hath chosen us,” Jews and Gentiles, “in him before the foundation of the world, that we,” Jews and Gentiles, “should be holy, and without blame before him in love,” as all Christians ought to be: “having predestinated us,” Jews and Gentiles, “unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, — by which he hath made both” Jews and Gentiles “ONE, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us; making in himself of twain,” i.e. Jews and Gentiles, “one new man,” i.e. one new ecclesiastical body, which is at unity in itself, though it be composed of Jews and Gentiles, who were before supposed to be absolutely irreconcilable, Ephesians 3:14. And this he hath done “to the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us,” Jews and Gentiles, equally accepted in the Beloved; in whom we,” Jews and Gentiles,” have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace: wherein he hath abounded to us,” Jews and Gentiles, “in all wisdom and prudence; having made known unto us,” Jews and Gentiles, “the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure, which he hath purposed in himself: that in the dispensation of the fulness of times,” i.e. under his last dispensation, which is the Christian, “he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven,” i.e. angels and glorified saints, “and which are on earth,” i.e. Jews and Gentiles, “even in Him,” who is the head of all: “in whom also we,” Jews and Gentiles, “have obtained,” through faith, “a common inheritance, being” equally “predestinated” to share the blessings of the Christian dispensation, “according to the purpose of Him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own” gracious “will: that we,” Jews, “who FIRST trusted in Christ,” (for the FIRST Gospel offer was always made to the Jews, and the FIRST Christian Church was entirely composed of Jews, compare Acts 2:5, with Acts 3:26, and Acts 13:46,) — “that we,” Jews, I say, “should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ; in whom ye,” Gentiles, “also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the Gospel of your salvation; in whom also, pisteusantev, having believed, YE were sealed” as well as WE “with that Holy Spirit of promise, which is the earnest of our” common “inheritance, &c. Wherefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, &c, cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers; that, &c, ye may know what is the hope of his calling” of you Gentiles, “and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints:” i.e. in them that “obey the heavenly calling,” whether they be Jews or Gentiles, Ephesians 1:3-18. This easy exposition is likewise confirmed by the beginning of the next chapter. “And you, Gentiles, “who were dead in trespasses and sins, wherein in time past ye walked according to, &c, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience, among whom we all,” Jews and Gentiles, “had our conversation in time past,” &c, see Romans 1:2. “You,” I say, and us, “God, who is rich in mercy” toward all, “for his great love wherewith he loved us,” Jews and Gentiles, “hath quickened us together with Christ. By grace ye are saved” through faith as well as we: that is, ye are saved by the free grace of God in Christ, as the first cause; and by your believing the Gospel of Christ, which is GRACE AND TRUTH, John 1:17, as the second cause. “For, through him, WE BOTH,” Jews and Gentiles, “have access by one Spirit unto the Father,” Ephesians 2:1-5, 18.

If Zelotes doubts yet whether the apostle treats in this epistle of the predestination and election of the Gentiles, to partake of the blessings of Christianity, together with the Jews; let him consider what the commentators of his own party have candidly said of the design of the epistle; and his good sense will soon make him see the scope of the parts which I have produced.

I appeal first to Diodati, one of Calvin’s successors, who opens his exposition by these words: “The summary of it [the Epistle to the Ephesians] is that he [the apostle] gives God thanks for the infinite benefit of eternal salvation and redemption in Christ, communicated out of mere grace and election through faith in the Gospel, to the apostle first, and his companions of the Jewish nation; then afterward to the Ephesians, who were Gentiles, &c, by the ministry of St. Paul appointed by God to preach to the Gentiles the mystery of their calling in grace, which was before unknown to the world.” Burkitt says the same firing in fewer words: “This excellent epistle Divinely sets forth, &c, the marvellous dispensation of God to the Gentiles in revealing Christ to THEM.” Mr. Henry touches thus upon the truth which I endeavour to clear up: “In the former part [of the epistle] he [St. Paul] represents the great privilege of the Ephesians, who, being in time past idolatrous HEATHENS, were now converted [and of consequence chosen and called] to Christianity, and received into covenant with God.” And again: “This epistle has much of common concernment to all Christians; especially to all who, having been Gentiles, &c, were converted to Christianity.” See one more flash of truth breaking out of a Calvinistic cloud. Pool, speaking of the mystery which God had made known to Paul by revelation, raises this objection after Estius: “But the mystery of the calling [and consequently of the election] of the Gentiles, of which it is evident the apostle speaks, was not unknown to the prophets,” &c. Why then does he say that it was not made known? and Pool answers, That the prophets knew not explicitly, “quod Gentiles pares essent Judæis quoad consortium gratiæ Dei,” — “that the Gentiles should be put on a level with the Jews, with respect to a COMMON INTEREST in God’s grace.” (Syn. Crit. on Ephesians 3:5.)

If Zelotes do not regard the preceding testimonies, let him at least believe St. Paul himself, who, explicitly speaking of the calling and election of the Gentiles, which he names “the mystery of Christ,” mentions his having “wrote about it afore in few words; whereby (adds he) when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in that mystery,” Ephesians 3:3. Hence it is evident, that the apostle, in the preceding part of the epistle, treats of God’s electing the Gentiles to the prerogatives of Christianity: an election this by which they are admitted to share in privileges, which the apostles themselves, for a considerable time after the day of pentecost, durst not offer to any but their own countrymen, as appears by Acts 10, 11; — in privileges, which multitudes of Jewish converts would never allow the believing Gentiles to enjoy; tormenting them with Judaism, and saying, “Except ye be circumcised,” i.e. except ye turn Jews as well as Christians, “ye cannot be saved.” Compare Acts 15, with the Epistle to the Galatians. But what has this election from Gentilism to Christianity — this “abolishing the enmity” between Jews and Gentiles, “even the law of commandments, contained in Mosaic ordinances, for to make of twain one new man,” to make of Jews and Gentiles “one new chosen nation, and peculiar people,” called Christians; — what has such an election, I say, to do with the election maintained by Zelotes? Who does not see that the general election of all the Gentiles from the obscure dispensation of the heathens, to the luminous dispensation of the Christians, (as the sound of the Gospel trump shall gradually reach them,) is the very reverse of Zelotes’ particular election? an election by which (if we believe him] God only tithes (if I may so speak) the damned world of the Gentiles; absolutely setting apart for himself a dozen people, if so many, in an English village; half a dozen, it may be, in a Scotch district; and a less number, perhaps, in an Irish hamlet; Calvinistically passing by the rest of their neighbours; that is, absolutely giving them up to necessary sin and unavoidable damnation: binding them fast with the chain of Adam’s unatoned sin; and, to make sure work, sealing them with the seal of his free wrath, even before the fall of Adam: for if we may credit Zelotes, this world was made AFTER the decree by which God secured the commission of Adam’s sin, and the damnation of his reprobate posterity.

From the preceding observations I draw the following inference:- Seldom did the perverter of truth play a bolder and more artful game than when he transformed himself into an angel of light, and produced Romans 9, and Ephesians 1, as demonstrations of the truth of Calvinian reprobation and election. St. Paul maintains, in Romans 9, that the Jews, as a circumcised nation, are rejected from the covenant of peculiarity; that God has an indubitable right to extend to whom he pleases the peculiar mercy which he before confined to the circumcised race; and that he now, according to the ancient purpose of his grace, extends that mercy to the Gentiles, i.e. to all other nations, among which, of consequence, the Gospel of Christ gradually spreads. Therefore, insinuates Zelotes, God has absolutely given over to necessary sin and certain damnation (it may be) the best half of the English, Scotch, and Irish. These poor reprobates, if we believe his doctrines of grace, were unconditionally cast away, not only from their mother’s womb, but also from the time that He, who “tasted death for every man,” forbade all his wounds to pour forth one single drop of blood for them. Nay, they were from all eternity intentionally made to be necessarily “vessels of wrath” to all eternity. But in the name of wisdom I ask, what has Zelotes’ conclusion to do with St. Paul’s premises? Has the one any more agreement with the other, than kindness with cruelty, Christ with Moloch, and sense with nonsense? Again: — In Ephesians 1, the apostle “makes known” to the Ephesians “the mystery of God’s will, who purposed in himself, predestinated, or resolved, before the foundation of the world, that, in the dispensation of the fulness of times, he would gather together in one all things in Christ,” and call the Gentiles, as well as the Jews, to partake of the “unsearchable riches of Christ” by faith. But Zelotes, instead of gladdening the hearts of his countrymen by the Gospel news of this extensive grace, and general election of the Gentiles, takes occasion from it to confine redemption, to preach narrow grace, and to insinuate the personal Calvinistic election of some of his neighbours. Suppose Peter Penitent, Martha Forward, and Matthew Fulsome: an election this which is inseparable from the personal, absolute, eternal reprobation of his other neighbours: suppose John Endeavour, Thomas Doubter, George Honest, and James Worker, to say nothing of Miss Wanton, Mr. Cheat, Sarah Cannibal, and Samuel Hottentot. For it is evident that if none of Zelotes next neighbours are in “the book of life” but the three first mentioned; if those three can never be put out of the book, sin they ever so grievously; and not one of the others can possibly be put in, live they ever so righteously — it is evident, I say, upon this footing, that the salvation of some of Zelotes’ neighbours, and the damnation of all the rest, are absolutely necessary; or, to speak his own language, absolutely “finished.” Thus the gracious election of the Gentiles, which filled St. Paul’s soul with transports of grateful joy, and would be a perpetual spring of consolation to us, European Gentiles, if it were preached in a Scriptural manner: — this gracious election, I say, becomes, by Zelotes’ mistake, the source of all the presumptuous comforts which flow from Calvin’s luscious, Antinomian election; and of all the tormenting fears which arise from his severe, Pharisaic reprobation. Having just mentioned “the book of life,” so triumphantly produced by Zelotes, it may not be amiss to hear what he and his antagonist Honestus think about it. Throw we then their partial sentiments into the Scripture Scales, and by balancing them according to the method of the sanctuary, let us see the meaning of that mysterious expression.

I.

Help, &c, my fellow labourers, whose names are written in the book of life, Philippians 4:3.

All that dwell on the earth, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb, shall worship him [the beast,] Revelation 17:8. Whose names were not written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, Revelation 17:8. Whosoever worketh abomination, &c, shall in no wise enter into it, [the city of God,] II.

Another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books according to their works, Revelation 20:12. If thou wilt not forgive, blot me, I pray thee, out of thy book which thou hast written [from the foundation of the world.] And the Lord said to Moses, Whosoever hath sinned against me, him will I blot out of my book, [a sure proof this that he was before in the book,] Ezekiel 32:32, 33. Let them [persecutors] be blotted out of the book f28 of life, Psalm 69:28. They that feared the Lord spake often one to another, and the Lord heard it, and a but they which are written in the Lamb’s book of life, Revelation 16:27. And whosoever was not found written in the Lamb’s book of life, was cast into the lake of fire, Revelation 20:15. At that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book, Daniel 12:1.

book of remembrance was written before him, for them that feared the Lord: and they shall be mine, saith the Lord of hosts, in that day when 1 make up my jewels, Malachi 3:16. I will not blot out his name [the name of him that overcometh] out of the book of life, Revelation 3:5. If any man shall take away from the words of, &c, this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, Revelation 22:19.

The balance of these scriptures evidently shows:

(1.) That from the foundation of the world, God decreed to reward the righteous with eternal life.

(2.) That, to show us the certainty of this decree, the sacred writers, by a striking, oriental metaphor, represent it as “written in a book,” which they call “the book of life.”

(3.) That to carry on the allegory, the names of the righteous are said to be written in that book, and the names of the wicked not to be found in it; while the names of apostates are said to be “blotted out of it.”

(4.) That the NAMES written in this metaphorical “book of life” (if I may use the expression) are to be understood of natures, properties, and characters; in the sense in which Isaiah says of Christ, “His NAME shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, and Prince of Peace;” or, in the sense in which God proclaimed his name to Moses; calling himself merciful, gracious, and long suffering. Whence it follows, that the “names written in the book of life from the foundation of the world are not Matthew Fulsome, Sarah Forward, or William Fanciful; but True Penitent, Obedient Believer, Good Servant, or “Faithful unto Death.” And lastly, that it is as absurd to take this metaphor of the “book of life” literally, as to suppose that all David’s hairs shall be glorified, and his tears literally bottled up in heaven, because it is said, “The very hairs of your head are numbered. All my members were written in thy book. Put thou my tears into thy bottle; are they not written in thy book?”

If Zelotes and Honestus condescend to weigh the preceding observations, their prejudices will, I hope, gradually subside; and while the one sends back to Geneva the false, intoxicating election recommended by Calvin, the other will bring us over from Ephesus the true, comfortable election maintained by St. Paul. That in the meantime we may all be thankful for our evangelical calling, improve our Gospel privileges, make our Scriptural election sure, and, as the apostle writes to the Ephesians, “walk worthy of the vocation wherewith we are called,” is the ardent wish of my soul, which I cannot express in words more proper than those which I have just used in “receiving a child into the congregation of Christ’s flock, and incorporating him into God’s holy Church: — Heavenly Father, we give thee humble thanks, that thou hast vouchsafed to call us [and of consequence to choose us first] to the knowledge of thy grace and faith in thee. Increase this knowledge, and confirm this faith in us evermore; that we may receive the fulness of thy grace, live the rest of our life according to this beginning, continue Christ’s faithful soldiers to our lives’ end, and ever remain in the number of God’s faithful and elect children, through Jesus Christ our Lord.” (Office of Baptism.)

This truly Christian prayer shall conclude this section, and the first part of the Scripture Scales. Zelotes and Honestus have at this time given one another as much truth as they can well stand under. In a few days their strength will be recovered; they will meet again to fight it out, each from his scale: and when they shall have spent all their ammunition, they will, I hope, shake hands and be friends. But if they should be obstinate, and still jostle, instead of embracing each other, we will charge the peace. “When we are for a Scriptural peace, if they still prepare themselves for battle,” we will bind them with all the cords we can borrow from reason, revelation, and experience. And if they then will not be quiet and agree, by a new kind of a metamorphose we will change them into scales; we will tie them to the solid beam of truth, and expose them in booksellers’ shops, where they shall hang in logical chains, an eye-sore to bigots, — a terror to doctrinal clippers, who openly diminish the coin of the Church, — a comfort to those who are persecuted for truth and righteousness’ sake, an encouragement to those who, like their Master, equally hate the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, and that of the Pharisees, — a new CHECK to those who spoil all by overdoing, — and a contrivance useful, I hope to novices, and to unwary professors, who, through an excess of simplicity, or for want of scales frequently take of masters in Israel a bare half shekel for “the full shekel of the sanctuary.”