CHAPTER XX.

ELECTION AND REDEMPTION; OR, THE NEW HOME.

QUESTION XX. _Did God leave all mankind to perish in the estate of sin and misery?_

ANSWER. God having, out of his mere good pleasure, from all eternity, elected some to everlasting life, did enter into a covenant of grace, to deliver them out of the estate of sin and misery, and to bring them into a state of salvation by a Redeemer.

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THIS year the old adage was verified. March had come in like a lion, and it went out like a lamb. The air was warm and soft, and the children could hardly believe that there would still be cold weather, which would injure their seeds if they put them into the earth.

In the middle of the day, the ground for their little gardens was so soft that Walter, who went out to make a survey, as he called it, was glad to hobble into the house, leaving one shoe sticking fast in the mud. This satisfied him that he had better follow his father's advice, and wait until the frost was out of the ground, and the water had had time to drain off or dry up. He changed his stockings, therefore, and began to think what he should do until tea time, when, seeing the Catechism lying upon the table, he looked at the answer, and committed it to memory for the evening.

"You all seem to like to hear about Edward," remarked Mr. Dermott, when they were ready for the lesson; "and perhaps it would be well for me to illustrate the meaning of this answer by a continuation of my parable."

Helen clapped her hands, while the countenances of the others expressed their pleasure.

"We will suppose, then," added the gentleman, "that Edward's rich uncle returned to India soon after his nephew's accident, and that he had only occasionally heard rumors of the sad consequences of his disobedience.

"There he married, and had one son, Joshua, to whom he often related the sad story of Edward, and whose love, sympathy, and pity were greatly moved toward his relative. When he attained his majority, his father settled upon him a large portion of his vast estate. About this time, however, both father and son returned to the land of their ancestors, and, bringing with them their vast treasures, they built a splendid palace,—which they adorned with all that art or money could obtain,—and then, when Edward was reduced to the last extremity of poverty and wretchedness, his cousin went to visit him.

"'My dear friend,' he said, gazing with tender compassion upon the sunken eyes and hollow cheeks of the once bright and rosy youth, 'my heart aches to find you reduced to such a state of misery. For a long time I have had a purpose of mercy toward you; indeed, I have satisfied for your offence, propitiated my father's favor, prepared a home where every comfort and happiness shall be yours. Leave this wretched abode; come and share with me; I will provide for you forever.'"

The tender-hearted Anna wiped the tears from her eyes as she exclaimed, "O, I am so glad he was provided for at last!"

"And could all his family go with him?" inquired Walter.

"All who pleased could go; the invitation was made freely to all of them."

"Of course they did, then," cried Helen. "I wouldn't have staid a minute in that old ugly place, when I could live in a palace, and have such nice things."

"When Edward heard this noble, generous offer," resumed Mr. Dermott, "he could hardly believe it. With a choking voice, he replied, 'Dear cousin, your kindness overcomes me; but I am not ungrateful, and whatever conditions or agreement you may see fit to make, I will do my part toward their fulfilment.'

"'No, my poor Edward,' responded the gentleman; 'formerly my father, as you well remember, made an agreement with you, whereby you could secure your own happiness. That was forfeited; now I make another covenant with you, whereby I promise all the blessings which, by means of my immense estates, I have it in my power to grant. You have nothing to do but to accept of them as freely as they are offered.'"

"O, what a kind man!" exclaimed Helen. "I was afraid he was going to try them with another box."

"If he had," cried Walter, "they wouldn't have been such fools as to touch it, after all they had suffered. If I had been there, 'I should have said, I thank you exceedingly, sir, for your kind offer, but I had rather earn the privilege of living in such a fine mansion. Won't you please to try me in some way, and see if I don't exactly obey your orders.' Then he'd have seen one boy that could walk right up to the mark." Walter drew up his form, and stood resolute and determined.

His father gazed at him with a sad smile; and Anna wondered to see her aunt wipe a tear from her eye.

"What did Edward say?" asked Helen.

"He said nothing. He had no voice in which to utter his thanks; the proposition was beyond what he could realize, from his utter, forlorn, and hopeless wretchedness, to free, full, and entire bliss. Indeed he was lost in wonder, love, and praise. He lifted his eyes, streaming with tears, to his cousin's face, and, catching him by the hand, whispered, 'I accept your offer, and henceforth shall delight to know that all my dependence is upon one I so much esteem and love.'"

"And what did his wife and children say?" urged Walter, more moved than he cared to have seen.

"His wife acknowledged that she was very grateful; but she thought it would be too great an obligation. She told her husband, when their benefactor had gone to make arrangements for the sick man's removal, that she should feel awkward, living in so splendid a place, dependent upon a man with whom she was so little acquainted. And when, with kindling eye, he urged her to give a full and hearty acceptance of so generous an offer, saying that, since he had done so, he already began to feel the comfort and blessedness of his new home, she replied that she would think of it. On the whole she thought she would do so, but not quite yet. When she had decided, she could easily follow him.

"Mary and Lucy, the two daughters of Edward, had sat, through the whole interview with their relative, tightly clasping each other's hands. When the glorious offer of a happy home was extended to them, they rose at once, and going to him, said, 'We gladly, joyfully accept the invitation. We are both of us sadly weary of this wretched life, and are ready to leave it immediately.'

"The oldest boy expressed himself very much as Walter did just now. Notwithstanding the wretchedness of the life he now lived, he had a proud, independent spirit, and he said that if the gentleman would make some kind of a bargain with him, he would gladly exchange his poor hovel for a palace, and all the luxuries it contained; but he wanted to earn it. He would do any thing that was required, however painful; but something he must do, or he could not go. His brother, next in age, said that those were exactly his feelings. He should not wish to live in so elegant a home until he had done something to earn the privilege.

"The gentleman sadly shook his head, and told them the offer was gratuitous, and must be accepted as such, adding, 'If you were to work for me a hundred years, you could never earn such blessings as I am willing freely to bestow.'

"And so, with pride and rebellion in their young hearts, they turned away from him, and determined to live on in their old place.

"Little Freddy, the youngest child, sat by the couch of his father, his little hand striving to wipe the moisture which constantly gathered on the brow of the poor sufferer. As one and another made known their decision, his wan cheek flushed, and a calm resolve passed through his mind. When his brothers turned their backs upon their kind benefactor, he went toward him, and, throwing himself into his embrace, exclaimed, 'O, take me! I love you more than all the world beside. I will go and live with you forever.'"

Mr. Dermott arose, and walked back and forth through the apartment, while the children sat silent and thoughtful.

At length he resumed his seat, and, addressing Anna, asked, "Can you tell me who has prepared for us a glorious home above the skies?"

"Christ," the child seriously answered; "Jesus Christ."

"Yes, he has ransomed us and become the way whereby we may return to our heavenly Father, whom we have offended. There can be no real comparison between the case I have given you and the abounding love and goodness of our Saviour, because, in the first case, I only referred to the well-being of Edward and his family, and the benefits to them in this world, while the blessings we may receive through the redemption of Christ, which will be hereafter explained, will last through all eternity.

"But I hope by this illustration you may be led to view the wonderful love of our heavenly Father toward our guilty race. Paul, in his Epistle to the Ephesians, says he did this 'according to the good pleasure of his will.'

"In some lessons which we have gone over, we have explained to you that when God created the world, he made his whole plan or decree concerning it; and, of course, the system of redemption, as a whole and in its minute details and application, was a part of it. Those savingly interested in this plan he calls elect. Edward's uncle could not know, beforehand, whether any of his relatives would accept his kind offer. But if he had possessed the power of foreknowledge, they would have been equally free to accept his offer.

"But, Walter, can you tell me what this new covenant is called?"

"The covenant of grace."

"What was the object of it? You may use your own words."

"To deliver men from their wretched condition, just as Edward's uncle intended to deliver him and his family from their poverty and distress."

"Yes, and more than this; God offered to raise them to a seat at his right hand, and to the glorious privileges of the sons of God. How can he do this, Helen?"

"Through Christ, who died for us."

"Yes, through the sacrifice of his dear Son, who offered to be our Redeemer."

"Do all gladly accept this salvation?"

Walter held down his head as he softly answered, "No, sir."

"No, many poor guilty sinners would do so if they could earn the right to this happy home. Some do, indeed, think they earn it by outwardly conforming to his requirements, while their hearts are alienated from him; others by loudly professing to be his friends, and to be very zealous in his cause; while still others are so deluded that they lie upon beds of thorns, or scourge themselves with small cords, or go on painful pilgrimages, wearing small stones in their shoes. But all these methods cannot avail them; the salvation is free, without money and without price."