“Though God’s election is a truth,
Small comfort there I see;
Till I’m assur’d, by God’s own mouth,
That he has chosen me.”
And every chosen vessel has the witness, the evidences of his election in his own heart, when truly converted to God. And these are clearly laid down in God’s Word. There it is said that “Mary hath chosen that good part which should never be taken from her.” But then that good part must first have chosen her. Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you. The blessed effect, the evidence of this choice made known, is a being made willing to be saved in God’s own way—in the day of God’s own power. This choice, or willingness, is God’s work on the souls of his own people—for them, and these only, are thus made willing to be saved by grace alone. The power of the Word in the heart is an evidence of our election. “Knowing, brethren, beloved of God, your election for our gospel, came not to you in word only, but in power, in the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance.” These were persons who had received the Word with power, which evidenced their election of God, and which evidences ours also. The effectual working of truth upon the mind, producing light, life, love, power, contrition, turning to God, humility, joy, liberty. These, any of these blessed effects of the Word in the heart, is an evidence of our election.
Faith is said to be the “faith of God’s elect.” Therefore, faith wrought in the heart is an evidence of election. A seeing that in Christ which exactly suits our state and condition, attended with a renouncing all in ourselves, and a coming to him for all we need. Trusting in him, hoping in him, delighting in him—these are precious evidences of our eternal election of God. Prayer is an evidence also. Shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night to him? The soul-breathing, desiring, thirsting after the favor and friendship of God. These desires going up to Him, as created by the Holy Spirit, in the day of prosperity or the night of adversity, are the precious evidences of electing love. Holiness is another evidence. We were chosen to be holy, and that we should walk in good works. In whose good works am I to walk, but in the whole glorious work of salvation effected by the adorable Trinity, producing in us the love of God? This is divine charity, that rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth. And, to walk in Christ, to walk in good works, to walk in wisdom, peace, truth, and holiness, is to walk in love to God, to truth, to saints. This love will produce all its happy consequences in the road to heaven. Christ is the way, holiness is the walk, and walking in this most excellent way is an evidence of election. For we are chosen to this holiness on earth and in heaven; and without his holiness, “no man shall see the Lord.” Hence the exhortation, “Follow peace with all men, and holiness; do not boast ye have it, but follow after it, and your labour of love will not be in vain in the Lord.”
Having these evidences in my mind of my election, and viewing it as an immutable truth, my spirit rejoices not merely in what success I have had in the ministry, but that my name is written in heaven;—but while I have thus, at times, been rejoicing in it, a dark season has succeeded, and satan and his emissaries have troubled my mind about the doctrine of reprobation.
I beg leave to send you a few remarks on this subject, which, I trust, will relieve your mind, as they have mine. The term reprobation, or reprobated, is no where to be found in the Bible. The word reprobate occurs once in the Old Testament, and six times in the New, and not once in reference to pre-damnation. But, though the term does not, yet the thing itself is clearly revealled. The awful characters of God, as a sovereign and a judge, is set almost entirely out of the view of man, by preachers and writers; and when they occur to the mind, it stirs up all the hatred and infernal enmity of the human heart. Here the most meek, innocent, and holy people (in their own estimation) boil with fury and rage; yet it is a truth, that God, as a sovereign, having no other counsellor but his most holy will, has chosen some, and left others. If he found them holy, he left them so; if he found them sinful, he left them so; he did them no injury, it was an act of his own will, who has a right to do what he pleases, and it is impious to ask why; for so it seemed good in his sight. But the damnation of sinners is in consequence of sin, and, as a righteous judge, he decreed to punish sin; nor does he, nor will he, nor can he damn or consign any one to hell, but the violators of his own laws. Is not this just? His decree to punish sin does not force men to sin, they sin naturally, and freely, and wilfully; and living and dying, enemies to God, they receive the reward of their crimes. You may ask, cannot God save them? He can; but that he does not, is evident—and that he will not, is equally as clear. For he that made them will not have mercy upon them, and he that formed them will shew them no favor. Here I must refer you to Sacred Scripture; to Huntington’s “Free Thoughts in Captivity;” Dr. Gill, on “Election and Reprobation;” Toplady’s “Letter to John Wesley;” Coles, on “God’s Sovereignty;” and a little pamphlet lately published, by Mr. Hargreaves, Baptist Minister of Little Wild-street, London, on “Reprobation.” The subject itself is a profound depth.
But here let us bow to his sovereign will, and rejoice that he has given us any evidence that he has chosen us in Christ Jesus.
“For, O, my soul, if truth so bright
Should dazzle and confound my sight,
Yet still his written Word obey,
And wait the great decisive day.”
This is true humility.
Yours, J. C.