influences, and leaves those who refuse his grace and grieve his
spirit. "Behold, I stand at the door and knock; _if any man hear my
voice, and open the door_, I will come in to him, and sup with him,
and he with me. Every one that asketh receiveth; hath that seeketh,
findeth; and to him that knocked it is opened," Asking is antecedent
to receiving; seeking, to finding; and knocking is the work of those
yet without. When trembling, astonished Saul, of Tarsus enquired,
"Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?" he was directed by one sent of
Christ--"The Lord said to Annanias, Arise--go--enquire--for one called
Saul of Tarsus: _For, behold, he prayeth_."

It is further asked, Whether God doth not act as a sovereign, in his
choice of those whom he sanctifies and saves?

God acts as a wise and impartial sovereign. God is not a sovereign in
the sense in which most earthly monarchs are so. Whim, caprice,
passion, prejudice often influence their preferences of some to
others. Not so the divine sovereign. There are reasons for all his
discriminations. They may be veiled at present from our view; but will
one day appear--"The day will declare them," and justify God in them.*

*1 Corinthians iii. 13.

But the elect, it is said, "are chosen from the foundations of the
world; before they have done either good or evil."

Election is indeed, "according to foreknowledge." "Whom God did
foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his
Son."