' There was from the first an element of inscrutable selective- ness in God's dealings within the race of Abraham. Ishmael was rejected, Isaac chosen : Esau was rejected and Jacob chosen, antecedently to all moral conduct, thoug'h both were of the same father and mother. Such selectiveness ought at least to have prevented the Jews from resting their claims simply on having "Abraham to their father'" (Gore, 'Argument of Romans ix.-xi." in SUidia Bibtica, iii. 40 ; cf. A. B. Bruce, St. Paul's Conception of Christianity, p. 312 fli.).
•The election within the election' here, St. Paul argues, is the Christian Church — the Israel after the Spirit ; and the reproach of the objector falls to the ground (Ro d*'-^). Besides, the Apostle further maintains, God, in His electing purpose, is sovereign, as is seen in the difierence between the two sons of Rebecca ; in the Divine word to jNIoses : ' I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy ' ; and in the hardening of the heart of Pharaoh (Ro gio-24)_ And after all, if the election were cancelled, the blame would be Israel's own, because of un- belief and disobedience, such as Moses denounced,
and Isaiah bewailed when he said: 'All the day long did I spread out my hands unto a disobedient and gainsaying people ' (Ro 10-^).
But, despite appearances, Israel was not cast off. Their rejection was not final. There were believing Israelites, like St. Paul himself, in all the churches ; and he could say : 'At this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace' (Ro IP). Meanwhile the problem of Israel's un- belief and of the passing over of spiritual privilege to the Gentiles (Ro 11") is to be solved by the Gentiles provoking Israel to jealousy — appreciat- ing and embracing and profiting by the blessings of the Christian salvation to such an extent that Israel will be moved to desire and to possess those blessings for their own. When Jews in numbers come to seek as their own the righteousness and goodness which they see thus manifested in the lives of Christians, and are stirred up to envy and emulation by the contemplation of them, the time will be at hand when all Israel — Israel as a nation — shall be saved. Of that issue St. Paul has no doubt, for ' the gifts and calling of God are with- out repentance ' (Ro 11-^).
To sum up St. Paul's teaching, election (1) is the outcome of a gracious purpose of the heart of God as it contemplates fallen humanity from all eternity (Ro 8-^- ^ ; cf. Ro 5''-^'>) ; (2) is a display of Divine grace calculated to redound to the glory of God by setting forth His love and mercy toAvards sinful men (Eph P"^^) ; (3) is not conditioned upon any good foreseen in the elect, nor in any faith or merit which they may exhibit in time (Ro 9""'^), but is ' according to the good pleasure of his will ' (Eph P), 'according to his own purpose of grace' (2 Ti P), of God's sovereign purpose and grace (Ro 9'5 lp-7) ; (4) is carried out ' in Christ ' (Eph 1^ 21") through the elect being brought into union with Him by faith, that they may receive forgive- ness of sins and every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places (Eph 1^^) ; (5) issues in sanctifica- tion by the Spirit and assurance of the truth (2 Th 2'^^-) and heavenly glory (Ro 8^) ; and (6) is proved by acceptance of the gospel call and by the trust and peace and joy of believing and obedient hearts (1 Th 1^6).
5. St. Peter's doctrine. — If St. Peter's allusions to the subject of election are few they fully support the teaching of St. Paul. In his addresses at Jerusalem after Pentecost, he speaks of ' the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God ' (Ac 2'--*) with reference to Jesus. It is fitting that the Apostle of the Circumcision should speak of Him as ' a living stone, rejected indeed of man, but with God elect, precious' (1 P 2* ; cf. dTrooedeiy- IjAvov, ' approved,' Ac 2^^), and even quote concern- ing Him the prophetic Scripture : ' Behold I lay in Zion a chief corner-stone, elect, precious ' (2^ ; cf. Is 28^^). Of Christ he speaks, too, as ' foreknown ' (P**; Hort, adloc, 'designated afore') before the foundation of the world.
St. Peter gives manifest prominence to the doctrine of election when, in the opening words of his First Epistle, he addresses the Jewish Christians of Pontus and other Asiatic provinces as ' the elect who are sojourners ' there (^/cXe/crois irapeTnS-rifjLOLs Siaa-TTopds IlovTov, kt\.}. 'Elect' they are because their lot is cast in favoured lands where the messengers of the gospel have proclaimed the good tidings — still more because they have obeyed and believed the message, and have had experience of the blood of sprinkling and of the sanctifj-ing power of the Holy Spirit — yea, because they have been ' designated afore,' not to service as Christ was from the foundation of the world (P"), but to blessing, even all the blessings of the Christian salvation by God the Father Himself (l'-''^). Con- ceived of as the Christian Israel, the Israel after