Gift Begetting Gifts
“That he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him.”—John 17:2
Deism, or a rejection of God’s revealed truth, is natural to us all. Hence some have said, ‘The religion of nature is the religion of Satan for it affects a spirit of pride and independence of God, and rebellion against his will. Why does a deist reject the way of salvation by Jesus? Truly, because it is contrary to his natural notions: he cannot reconcile it to the attributes and perfections of Deity. Upon the very same looting many professors abhor, with the utmost indignation, the scripture-doctrines of God’s everlasting love, unconditional election of sinners, and the final perseverance of his saints to eternal life, by Jesus. Now, both deists and pharisees pro ceed upon the same principles; carnal reason, pride, and self-righteousness reign in their hearts, and blind their eyes.
But it is the believer’s mercy to see the truth, his humility to submit to it, and his duty to contend for it in love. Thus our elder brother Jesus ever acted, and thus he prays in submission to the will of his Father, and our Father. Though he had power over all flesh, yet only to those whom the Father had given him, was he to give eternal life. They were given to him as his charge, to redeem, sanctify, and save. They were given to him as the reward of all his toils and sufferings, they are the precious jewels which compose his mediatorial crown, not one of them can be lost, this is impossible. Hence he glories of them, ‘Behold, I, and the children whom the Lord hath given me.’ Is. 8:18. Hence they are distinguished by special grace; they profess the gift of precious faith, called ‘the faith of God’s elect,’ it being peculiar to them only. Tit 1:1. By this they enjoy a sense of the Father’s electing love, a knowledge of the Son’s redemption, and the comforting witness of the Holy Ghost.
One of the most excellent of all human compositions, full of truth and sweetness, and well worthy the constant study of every Christian, is the 17th Article of the church of England. ‘Predestination to life is the everlasting purpose of God, whereby (before the foundations of the world were laid) he hath constantly decreed by his counsel, secret to us, to deliver from curse and damnation those whom he hath chosen in Christ, out of mankind, and to bring them by Christ to everlasting salvation, as vessels made to honour: wherefore they which be endued with so excellent a benefit of God, he called according to God s purpose, by his Spirit working in due season. They, through grace, obeying the call, are justified freely, made sons of God by adoption; made like the image of Jesus Christ, they walk religiously in good works, and at length, by God’s mercy, they attain everlasting felicity. Hold fast the form of sound words. 2 Tim. 1:13.
William Mason (1719-1791) was a High-Calvinist author. For many years he served as a Justice of the Peace, and in 1783 was appointed a Magistrate. He served as editor of the Gospel Magazine before and after the editorship of Augustus Toplady. He is best known for a morning and evening devotional entitled, “A Spiritual Treasury For The Children Of God.”
