dently alike included their present rejection and future restoration.

The rejection of Israel Paul proves to have been from the earliest periods of their history prefigured by God's dealings towards them as a nation. For, after declaring that "they are not all Israel which are of Israel,” he adduces various and conclusive testimonies in confirmation of this truth, and thus forcibly illustrates the conduct of God towards the natural descendants of Abraham. In following this course of argument, he draws a solemn and most impressive picture of the sovereignty of God in the general administration of his government, and asserts the distinction which God makes between vessels of wrath and vessels of mercy, in order “ that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, which he had afore prepared unto glory.” He further affirms the calling of a portion both of Jews and Gentiles, with whom in combination he classes himself, as one of those "called of God,” concerning whom he had in the preceding chapter so largely discoursed. The introduction of the Gentiles into the Church of Christ, as well as of a remnant or portion of the Jews, being thus clearly intimated, he shows that both of these events had been expressly foretold by the prophets, who had also affirmed, that except the Lord of Sabaoth had left them a seed, the national ruin of Israel would have been as complete as that of Sodom and Gomorrah.

The Apostle had thus two great objects in view. In the first place, he illustrates the sovereignty of God as exhibited in the infallible accomplishment of the Divine purposes predicted by the prophets, which led to the national rejection of the Jews, with the exception of a remnant who were saved by grace. In the second

place, he proves that the purposes of God were equally fulfilled in bringing in the Gentiles; and this he does in such a way as to cut off, on their part, all pretensions to every thing like merit, desert, or worthiness, since, without seeking for it, they attained to the righteousness which is of faith.

Having established these two important truths with great force and clearness, Paul accounts for the fact of the Jews having stumbled at, and rejected the Messiah. He shows that the Messiah had been characterized by the prophets as "that stumbling stone" which God had laid in Zion; and that the Jews stumbled in consequence of their ignorance of the righteousness which God had provided in the fulfilment of his violated law, and of their vain attempt to establish a righteousness of their own. His discussion of this topic is thus most appropriately introduced. It is also in the last degree important, as furnishing additional confirmation of the sovereignty of God, which is here exhibited in the certainty of the accomplishment of his purposes; while it is testified how well merited was that punishment of rejecting and casting off the great body of the Jews. Paul sums up the whole by appealing at the end of the 10th chapter, to the testimonies of Moses and Isaiah, in confirmation of what he had advanced. But still as the apostasy was so general, it might be concluded that God had for ever cast off the Jewish nation, and had thus made void the promises made to the fathers. This error he once more encounters, and largely confutes in the 11th chapter; where he shows most conclusively, that in whatever form it presents itself it cannot abide the test of truth. So far is this from being the case, that in the infallible dispensations of God, a period will

arrive when the Redeemer shall come out of Zion, and turn away ungodliness from Jacob, when the whole of Israel shall, as one people, be brought within the bond of that new covenant established with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah, of the blessings of which they shall all partake. The three following chapters thus hold a very distinguished place in this most instructive Epistle, and exhibit in a manner the most comprehensive, as well as conspicuous, and edifying, the sovereignty of God in the government of the world, and the character of his dealings towards men in the whole of the Divine administration.

As the nation of Israel were types of the true Israel, and as their rejection might seem, as has been observed, to militate against the security of the people of God, it was necessary in this ninth chapter to enter fully upon the subject. It was, however, one sure to be highly offensive to the Jews, and therefore Paul introduces it in a manner calculated, as far as possible, to allay their prejudices against him, while at the same time he does not in this matter shun to declare the whole counsel of God, for the instruction of those to whom he wrote.

After expressing the grief with which he contemplated his countrymen, without specifying its cause, he enumerates their distinguished privileges as a nation. He then adverts to their being rejected of God, though not directly mentioning it, and begins with observing, that it could not be said that among them the word of God had taken none effect. God had promised to be a God to Abraham, and to his seed, and although the greater part of Israel were now cast off, that promise

had not failed. When God said to Abraham, in Isaac shall thy seed be called, he intimated that the promise did not refer to all his children, but to a select number. Isaac was given to Abraham by the special promise of Jehovah; and farther, in the case of Rebecca, one of her children was a child of promise, the other was not, and this was intimated before they were born. In order to silence all objections against this proceeding, as if the Almighty could be charged with injustice, Paul at once appeals to the sovereignty of God, who disposes of his creatures as to him seems good. Especially he refers to what God had said to Moses, as recorded in the Scriptures, when he made all his goodness to pass before him, that he will have mercy on whom he will have mercy; thus intimating that his favours were his own, and that, in bestowing, or withholding them, there was no room for injustice. Against this view of God's sovereignty, the pride of man, until subdued by grace, rises with rebellious violence, but such is its importance such its tendency to abase the sinner and exalt the Saviour-that Paul dwells on it in both its aspects, not only as exhibited in the exercise of mercy on whom he will, but also in hardening whom he will. In acting both in the one way and the other, he declares that God contemplates his own glory. This leads the Apostle immediately to the election of those whom God had prepared to be vessels of mercy, both from among the Jews and the Gentiles. These in reality were the only children of promise of whom Isaac was a type, Gal. iv. 28. On the other hand, the rejection of the great body of Israel so far from being contrary to the Divine purpose, had been distinctly predicted by their own prophets. He closes the chapter by show

ing, that while this rejection had taken place according to the counsel of God, its immediate occasion was the culpable ignorance and prejudice of the Jews themselves in seeking acceptance with God by their own righteousness, instead of submitting to the righteousness of God brought in by the Messiah.

The manner in which Paul has treated the subject of this chapter furnishes an opportunity of illustrating the doctrine of election to eternal life, to which, in the one preceding, he had traced up, as to their origin, all the privileges of believers in Christ. It likewise gives occasion to exhibit the sovereignty of God, as all along displayed respecting the nation of Israel. In this manner the astonishing fact is at the same time accounted for, that so great a portion of the Jews had rejected the promised Messiah, while a remnant among them at that time, as in every preceding age, acknowledged him as their Lord. Mr Stuart says, that "with the eighth 'chapter concludes what may appropriately be termed 'the doctrinal part of our Epistle." But if the sovereignty of God be a doctrine of divine revelation, this assertion is evidently erroneous. Without the development of this important doctrine, which accounts for the fact of the election of some, and the rejection of others, the Epistle would not be complete.

V. 1.-I say the truth in Christ, I lie not, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Ghost.

I say the truth.-The Jews regarded the Apostle Paul as their most determined enemy. What therefore he was about to declare concerning his great sorrow on account of the present state of his countrymen, would not easily procure from them credit. Yet it was a truth which he could affirm without hypocrisy, and