p.gaimrt p<>lytheism, but that t.he one G<>d nflcr whnt lrns been Bl\id ribout jusliflontton i, on<' and the Mme to all. romprehendin~ being Xc»plt ,,&µ011. Do we then mnlto out Rll in the <'mbmoo of his own essentinl our revealed Ll\w, whioh we hnve 11cco11utod unit<". God'@ unit" invoked in ~t.. Paul's BO holy l\nd Divine, to be valueless? Or, mind the idea of,; One God, the F,1ther, of rather, as the question ia moro gencmlly put ,.-born ~ &11 things, and we unto him" (,,&µov being without t.he article, 11nd there• (1 Oor. "\'iii. 6): "who m11de of one blood foro translated e.s nbove), "Do we metke of every nation of men" (Aots xrii. 26): in none effect the whole principle of law, whom we (all of us) "live &nd move &nd embodied to us in our Divine Law? Re- have our being" (Aot.s xru. 28). Thus garded erroneously ets e. principle of justifi- exclusion of the Gentiles from the patern1tl cation, the apostle might have answered, embrsce of the one God is incompntible "Yes, we do." But any disparagement of with the very idea, so eonceived, of his it, regarded in its true light e.nd as answer• unity. In the latt.er pnrt of this verse it ing its reo.1 purpose, he meets with an is said that Goo TIil justify the circumcision indignant µ.¾/ -yl1101To. On the contre,ry, '" .-IOT-s, end the nncircamcision Su~ riis he says, we establish it. Law means the .,.,OT-s, the preposition being ch1tnged. and declaration of righteousness, and require- the BeOOnd -r,crr.,,.,s being preceded by the ment of conformity to it on the part of man. article. The difference is not of essential We establish this principle by our doctrine importance, " faith" being the emphatic of the necessity of atonement for man's vord. But it is not unmeaning. 'E,c ex- defect. We put law on its true base, and presses the principle of justification : a.a, the so make it the more to stand (1,,-,,.dvoµ.,,,) by medinm through which it may be had. The showing its office to be, not to justify-a Jew was already in a position for justification position untenable-but to convince of sin, through the Law leading up to Christ. He e.nd so lead up to Christ (cf. eh. vii. 12, eto.; had only to accept it 88 offailll., and not of Gal. iii. 24 ). In pursuance of this thought, m,rkB of lau, iver. 20). The Gentile must the apostle, in the next chapter, shows that attain to it througl faith; i.e. his faith in in the Old Testament itself it is Jaitl,, and the gospel now revealed to him. 'E-rl ,,.;;,., not law, which is regarded as jwtijying; •10v5ala,v "TO ' ' Ill ,,.ltr,-m,s • #f"IBEtKW 6Js b 88, in the first place and notably, in the ry1,.,,,.""" ~ razl frlpas luf,opµ.As ,rpbs Tiu,:a.i,,,,,.,.,, case of Abraham; thus proving the pre- ol, 3,,,,,,_,,J,,o,JI Tio a.brijs p.PrE](.ELII ..-A~]JI /,c ri)s vious assertion in eh. iii. 21, Ma.pnpoup.tJIT/ TIOTa,s. 'E1rl a. ,,.;;,,, 'EM1111co11 "a.a riis wb ,,.o;; 11&µ.011 1<a.l ,,.;;,,, ,rpo,p71,,.;;,11. In eh. riaT-s" (Tbeodorns). vii. he treats the subject subjectively, Ver. SL-Do we then make law void anelyzing the operation of law in the tbruugh faith 1 God forbid: nay, we estab- hame.n soul, and so bringing out still more Jiah law. The question D&turally arises clearly its true meaning and purpose.
HOMILETICS. Vam. 1, 2.-Prerogai,i'IJIJ. The differences in men's circumstances and ad.vantages are great, and are altogether inexplicable by hnma.n wisdom. We may not, probably we cannot in all things "justify the ways of God to men." There is much in the inequality' of the hllllllln lot that is perplexing to the reflective and sensitive mind, which we cannot reconcile with our belief in God's perfect justice, and his omnipotent and tmivenial rule. This, however, is an insufficient reason for doubting the conviction of our moral nature, for questioning the declarations of Scripture, that the Judge of all the earth doeth right. L !T D POBIIJJILE TO OVEBEBTillATE THE ADVANTAGE OF PEOULIAB l'JllVILEGEB. This wu the ca8e with many of the Jews, who relied upon ancestral, hereditary oovant.age11, and who even believed that, as childr~n of Abraha?1, they were certain of Divine faTour and of eternal life. Just as many 1n human society lay stress absurdly great upon their family, the status they en~oy in consequence of hereditary title or wealth. so is it in rtligious life. Not a few, like the Jews, rely far too much upon the Church with which they are connected, the ministry by which they are served, the sacrament.e to which they are admitted, the opportunities of knowledge, fellowship, s.nd service with which they are favoured. It is too often forgotten that those privileges are only. means to an end! and that the right and reasonable use of the means is neceuary rn order to the de111red end. l l lT IS P01181BLE TO DISPARAGE ADVANTAGES WJIIOH, IT IS DIBOOVEBED, RAVE DEEII OVERVALUED. It is a tendency of human nature to fiy from one extreme to the other. (lit, III, 1-81.J TID.l EPIBTLl!l or PAUL TO THE ROM ANS. 87