neslgnable principles of stated recurrence, and in definite cycles, nay, if they appeared frequently, though unfixcdly,-they would enter, or seem to enter, into the procession of the laws of nature, e.nd thus lose their proper 1lSe and character. What follows? ~t ~ol!ows that miracles cannot be presented to every successive age, far leas to each 10d1v1dual pel'son; they mUBt, then, be presented only to some partiwl-<vr age or ,nes, and to soma particular personal witnesses. But we have seen that they oucrht to be publicly and continually lcnown; therefore (there being but one way of tra~=ittincr p:ist events to present times) revealed religion and the knowledge of God, which w~ have seen is only thus to be practically and influentially attained, mWlt be dependent upon human testimony. There is no step of this deduction which might not be made by a man who had never heard of any actual revelation having been given to man; it is purposely built upon the simplest principles of our common nature. . . . This seems to me to amount to something not unlike demonstration, that a traditional revelation, built on testimony transmitted from man to man-that is, of a Bible and sermon religion-far from being improbable (as the impugners of an 'historical creed' so eloquently insist), is actually the form of religion imperatively demanded by the "'tT'Y structure of human nature." 1 JV. THE BECEl'TION OF THE GOSPEL BY THE GENTILES HAS BKES' PBOVIDDTULLY ORDERED AS A BTIMULUB TO THE JEWS. (Vers. 19-21.) The faith which has come by hearing the gospel to the Gentile nations was intended to rouse to holy jealousy the unbelieving Jews. The one section of mankind has been and is being played off against the other in the all-wise providence of God. And nothing is more certain than that the Jews shall yet surrender to the claims of our risen Saviour, and enter the Christian Church as obedient followers of the once crucified but now exalted Messiah. Let us, then, have confidence in our Lord, not only regarding our personal salvation, but also regarding the ingatheriug of the nations.-B. M. E.
EXPOSITION. future, in view of which he burst.I at the CHAPTER XI. end of the chapter int.o glowing CLJmiration Vere. 1-8~.-{4) T/,e JC1JJs are not finally of the inscrutable ways of God. In the rejeckd, but, through the calling of the Gentiles, oonrse of it also (vers. 17-25) he introduces tDiU be brought inf.o the Ohurch at ~t. St. a warning to Gentile believers not to pride Paul, pe.infully recognizing the fe.ot of the themselves against the J ewa because of pre- present exclusion of Israel as a nation from sent preference to them, or to regard their the inheritance of the promises mode to own position of privilege e.s indefea.;ible. their fathers, and having in oh. ix. and L It must still be borne in mind that it is the aocounted for and justified suoh exclusion, position before God of Ismel 1111 a nation proceeds now to the question-But is Israel that is oll nlong in view. BS a nation finally rejected after nil? He Vera. 1-6.-I say than, llath God aast answers-No: impossible I God's ancient away his people t God forbid. l!'or I &!so covenant with his people stands: the rem- am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, nant of believers even now is a sign of his of the tribe of B&Dj&min. God hath not continued favour to his o.ncient peoplo, os oast away his people which he foreknew(or, was, in the time of Elijah, the remnant th11t predetffmined. See the same word, eh. viii. 29). Wot ye not what the Scripture llaith had not bowed the knee to Baal: nor doos of (rather, in; i.e. in the passage coneern- the fa.et of its being a remnant only imply ing) Elie.s t how he m:i.lr.eth interaeaion to now, o.ny more than then, thCLt the nation ns God against I&rael saying, Lord, they have suoh is oo.st off; CLnd further, the rolling of killed thy prophets, and digged down thine the Gentiles, fur from being intended to cx- altarl; and I am left alone, and they seek my life, :But what saith the answer of God olude God's anoiont people, will be tho (6 XP'll'".,.,a-,,.&s, denoting l\ Divin.i e•..>lllDluni- means oventuCLlly of bringing it wholly in. cation to man ; in this l'al!O by the ·• 8till Suoh is the apostle's prophetic vision of the small voioe." Only hero iu the New Tc',ta- 1 • Sermons,' vol. i. pp. 895-897, 820 THE EPISTLE OF PAUL TO THE ROMANS. [oa, xi.1-86.