believet-h o~ him should not perish, but h11ve everlasting life" I W71osoever I In that word there is ho~ for the guiltiest of sinners who will repent of his sin, and believe on the Lord Je.."1ls Christ. &, t11hil~ ,oe speak qf the unsearchable things qf God, we do not t ~ tM agnostic positioA. We do not say that God is unknown and unknowable, \\ e do not know the depth of his wisdom and k"llowledge and meroy; but we do know that he possesses and ma.nifests e.11 these sublime qualities in his dealings with men, 'l'here are mysteries in God's providences, but there is one great truth which will bring peace to every soul that acts upon it; which will bring every soul that acts upon it mto the eternal presence a.nd fellowship of God: "Believe on the Lord J esue Christ, and thou ehaJ.t be saved." There are thoughts that are unsearchable about God, and yet they are thoughts that we ~n feel within our spirits as the very power of God unto salntion., even as we can feel the warm sunshine on our faces though we cannot walk a.long the bright pathway by which it comes. Jesus Christ is God's "unspeak- able Gift;" yet many can say of him," I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keepthe..t which I have committed unt.:> him against that day." The love of God is called "the love of God, that passeth knowledge;" and yet many have experienced its power in their hearts. The peace of God is a peace " that passeth all understanding; " yet many have known how, in a time of disquietude or trial, that peace, like a sentinel, has kept our hearts and minds in quiet confidence and calm eecurity. "Now we know in part; but then shall we know even as also we are known."--C. H. L Vers. 1-10.-Groce and unbeUef. The apostle has shown (eh. ix. 1-29) that God has the right, in his governance of human affairs, to take an instrument or lay it aside as he will; and (eh. ix. 30-x. 21) that, in using this right, he acts, not arbitrarily, but according to reasons which approve themselves to his infinite wisdom, He will now show that even the unbelief of the elect people, and their consequent rejection by God, shall be made t.o contribute to the consummation of bis purposes in the salntion of the Gentiles and the final salvation of the Jews themselves. But are the Jews even now wholly rejected? No, in truth, but only partially. As a people they a.re, though this only for the present, but not indiscriminately and totally. For the apostle himself is an Israelite; there is also a remnant of Christie.n Jews, as in the ancient days a remnant were true to God; and as for the majority, they a.re blinded in t.heir unbelief, and hence self-excluded from the election of grace. L THE ELECTION OF GB.ACE. 1. There had been times of national reprobation in the past, but in the darkest day there had been gleams of light. For example, the times of Ahab: Elijah's despair, and the seven thousand. So at intervals, more or less, throughout their history, from :Moses onwards. And yet in the worst times some were true to God. 2. So it was even now. Truly the Jewish people bad forfeited the privileae of its election., viz. its mission to the Gentiles as heralding the gospel of Christ. But while the people was "caet off," as it might seem, in its collective capacity, it was not reprobated in it.s iot&lity as consisting of individuals. Still there was the remnant. And in these latter days of Christian history have not individual Israelites played a ooringui.shed pa.rt? e.g. N eander. a. Yea, even the apostle of the Gentiles himself was an Israelite, of the purest blood; and the very fact that be, an ~raelite, was "a ~hos.en vessel" was sufficient to show that God had not "cast off" his people. And m hlDl the Jewish people might almost be said to be fulfilling its office of heralding to the Gentiles the gospel of Christ. He did their work, and right well. II. TRE BEPBOBATION oF UNBELIEF. While the election, then, was very true, and 1,ever with.held from Israelites as such-bow could God deal eo with them ?-yet there was a very terrible reprobation of Israelites alongside the election. 1. Had it not been 11u in the f48t? The wild~meu-biet.ory; the mo?archy; the captivities. Yee, truly, reprol:ation was no new thing. . 2. AD_d now :,,pneste, Jl':OPI~. Yee, alas I "He ca.mo Ullto his own and hia own received him not. But this gives us the secret of the reprobation; 'it waa their unbelief. It ~&:d bc,en ,so from .. ~he beginning: ." An e!il iu,..rt of unbelief in departiug from the hvrng God '(Heb. m. 12). And this unbelief had bliDdt:d tte:O and hardened them; it had been as a stupor. And tho very things iu which they bo~sted themselves, tlieir spiritual privileges, tl.Jeso be.cl been to them a 1IWe. " Now ye 11ay, We see ; therefore yoar sin rcmaiucth.'' OR, xr, 1-86.] THE EPIB'rLE OF PAUL TO THE ROMANS. 331
L~t ue remember that we mo.y frustrate by our unbelief God's best purpr,ses oon- cer~mg us, _And also that we do not merely loee the ble88ing which our privileges are deingned to give, but they themselves are perverted to our blindnees and spiritual ruin. Our" te.ble" is" made e. snare, and a trap."-T, F. L.