Vere. 6-13,-The freedom of God's election. They had been eo highly privileged, and were yet cast out. Oh, what a fall wae there I But bad God's promise come to ne.ught? Ne.y, verily. For, as the history or their ancestry showed, the purpo,erl working out of God's plane for the salvation of the world-for which alone Israel harl been chosen-we.a not committed rigidly to all Israel, but only to such of them as God should choose. And, in this matter of choosing, God was perfectly free. ThiB freedom is illustrated by the apostle from the election of former times. I. Gon's PURPOSE FOR THE WORLD, A Creator's love must embrace his whole creation ; a Father's must go forth towards all his children. God is the Father of mankind, even though all have fallen away from him; any purpose of salvation must, therefore, com- prehend all men in its wide scope, and only the wilfulness of man can prevent the perfect accomplishment of the purpose. God has purposed the redemption of the world in Christ Jesus (Eph. iii. 11), but by reason of man's debasement through sin the accomplishment of the purpose must needs be gradual. One great central work shall be wrought-God's work through Christ; but up towards this the a.venue of preparatory work must lead, and away from this the avenue of fulfilment must conduct. A.n education of the world; a. great power of salvation; a. world-wide application of the power. II. AN ELECT PEOPLE. The election dealt with in these chapters, which has no re~erence whatever to the election of individuals for eternal salvation, was the election of a people who should conduct the world towards Christ by'way of preparation, and afterwards conduct Christ's power to the world by way of application. In the matter of preparation, an exclusion of this people from others was needful first, because of the a.bounding corruptions of the world. Sometimes this is the only safety : " Come out, and be separate I" But a. scattering was needful afterwards. So the captivities, overruled by God; so the dispersion in later times. In the subsequent evangelization there must be concentration first, that the new power of life might be fully realized ; a scattering e.fterwa.rds, that the new power might touch the uttermost ends of the earth ( vide Acts viii. 4). III. THE FREEDOM OF THE ELECTION. But surely, in such a. work of grace, God's ha.ode cannot be tied? surely he may choose whom he will for the great purpose of the world's Jalvation? Even so. We can conceive nothing other; and the history of the past abundantly illustrates the freedom with which God has worked. First, God chose Abra.he.m; the Jews would not complain of his freedom of election here. Again. of Abraham's sons he chose the later-born, showing that the matter of priority of natural claims could not weigh with him. And of Isaa.c's twin-sons, before their birth, he chose age.in the le.ter-born,Jacob,showing that nothing done by the elected one con- stituted a claim on his electing grace. Neither the Ishmaelites nor the Edomites were rejected of God from personal salvation, but as regarded taking e. special part in the work of the world's se.lvo.tion they were reprobate. So, then, God had acted freely in the choice of Abraham, and in the narrowing down of the election among .Abraham's seed. W e.s it to be wondered a.t that, in the fulness of the times, he should a.et freely still, and elect only n. remnant of the people to the work of evangelizing the world? Thie work so soon to be entrusted also to Gentile workers themselves. The ea.me principle still holds good: God elects us, according to his sovereign will, for work in bis kingdom. Let us learn, o.s the first lesson, absolute submission; nay, tbe unquestioning fealty of love.-T. F. L.
Vers. 14-18.-Moses and Pharaoh. But was not this free election of God an unrighteous thing? NBy, verily. For, if they would think of it, the very antithesis of che.re.oter whioh stood out so boldly at the threshold of their natural history, and in its results had me.de them wlmt they wore, was II conspicuous 03:awplE>, even according to God's own showing, of this electing liborty, Moses, the man after God's own he,\rt, wns chosen by God freoly for the snlvBtion of Isrnel from Egypt, CUld the cousequmt so.lv11tion of the world; e.nd PhBmoh, the great antngouist of Moses, was ch0&en u fruoly by God for the working out of his purposes. 280 TlIE EPtSTLE OF PAUL 'l'() THE ROMANS. [cm, 1x. l-88,