But
notice, whilst the number is very large, how very certain it
is. By turning over the leaves of your Bible to a previous
chapter of this book, you will see that at the 4th verse it
is written, that one hundred and forty-four thousand were
sealed, and now we find there are one hundred and forty-four
thousand saved; not 143,999, and 144,001, but exactly the
number that are sealed. Now, my friends may not like what I
am going to say; but if they do not like it, their quarrel
is with God’s Bible, not with me. There will be just as many
in heaven as are sealed by God — just as many as Christ did
purchase with his blood; all of them, and no more and no
less. There will be just as many there as were quickened to
life by the Holy Spirit, and were, “born again, not of
blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man,
but of God.” “Ah,” some say, “there
is that abominable doctrine of election.” Exactly so,
if it be abominable; but you will never be able to cut it
out of the Bible. You may hate it, and gnash and grind your
teeth against it; but, remember, we can trace the pedigree
of this doctrine, even apart from Scripture, to the time of
the apostles. Church of England ministers and
members, you have no right to alter from me on the doctrine
of election, if you are what you profess by your own
Articles. You who love the old Puritans, you have no right
to quarrel with me, for where will you find a Puritan who
was not a strong Calvinist? You who love the fathers, you
cannot differ from me. What say you of Augustine? Was he
not, in his day, called a great and mighty teacher of grace?
And I even turn to Roman Catholics, and, with all the errors
of their system, I remind them that even in their body have
been found those who have held that doctrine, and, though
long persecuted for it, have never been expelled the church.
I refer to the Jansenists. But, above all, I challenge every
man who reads his Bible to say that that doctrine is not
there. What saith the 9th of Romans? “The children being not
yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the
purpose of God according to election might stand, not of
works, but of him that calleth; It was said unto her, The
elder shall serve the younger,” And then it goes on to say
to the carping objector — “Nay, but, O man, who art thou
that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him
that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus? Hath not the
potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one
vessel unto honor, and another unto dishonor?”
- C.H.Spurgeon.
Heavenly Worship, (from Rev.14:1-3).
