to the question, Have men heard the gospel-there could be no difficulty in giving the prompt and decisive reply, 'Yes verily.'

Ver. 19. After having replied in the preceding verse generally and for all mankind, the question is reiterated with a special reference to the children of Israel. Did not they in particular know ?-had they also the advantage of being made to hear and be acquainted with the subject-matter of preaching? This Paul might have replied to in a clear and decided affirmative-grounding it on the events of his own age. They had a preference over the Gentiles in every respect. They saw Christ in the fleshthey witnessed His miracles-they heard His discourses-even after his ascension, and a commission was left with the apostles to go and preach the gospel unto all nations, still the priority was given to them: For though the apostles went forth with the message of salvation over all the earth, it was after beginning at Jerusalem; and in every place or nation they came to, it was their practice to seek after the Jews and preach to them first-till wearied out by the obstinate rejection of their doctrine, they made this protest against it-Since you hold yourselves unworthy of eternal life, lo we turn to the Gentiles. Paul could have thus answered in his own person; but as his general manner was, he goes back upon earlier times-for even then it may be said that the gospel was preached to those of that remoter period as well as unto us of the present day; and from the mouths of two of their own

most honoured writers, he gives the same answer, and pronounces upon them the same condemnation. First Moses, who, on a former occasion, had said of them, "What nation is so great, that hath statutes and judgments so righteous as all this law which I set before you this day?"-this same Moses, who thus affirmed the knowledge of the people of Israel to be above that of all the other people upon earth, says afterwards, and in the words here quoted, that, as they had abused these privileges, God would transfer them to others who had not been so distinguished, and so provoke them to jealousy by a people who hitherto had been no peculiar people to Him; and anger them by a foolish nation, a nation destitute of the knowledge which had been so plentifully communicated to themselves. And in verses 20th and 21st, Isaiah expresses himself in still bolder and clearer terms. By the boldness which he ascribes to Isaiah, the apostle very distinctly intimates that he felt himself treading on delicate ground-engaged as he was in telling the Jews of their national misconduct, and of the forfeiture which they had thereby incurred of the national honours, which at one time singled them out and signalised them above all the rest of the human family. "I was found of them that sought me not, I was made manifest to them that asked not after me." All day long had God stretched forth His hands unto Israel-addressing them, and bringing Himself near unto them, and giving them the knowledge of His will and of His ways. Verily,

2

they have not all obeyed the gospel, even though pressed upon their acceptance-for these Israelites in particular, to whom the closest approaches had been made, and the fullest revelation had been given, turned out after all a disobedient and gainsaying people.

6

This somewhat unmanagable passage may be thus paraphrased. There is no difference between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord and Maker of all, is rich to all who call on Him. For whosoever shall call on His name shall be saved. But how can they call on Him till they believe in Him, and how can they believe unless they hear of Him, and how can they hear but by a preacher? And in order to this, preachers must be sent, even as those were of whom Isaiah speaks, when, hailing them as the messengers of good, he exclaims, "How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!" Yet it follows not that all who are thus preached unto shall believe. In point of fact, all did not put faith in the good tidings; and accordingly the same Isaiah complains of the smallness of their number -saying, Who hath believed our testimony? Yet though belief does not always come after a testimony, a testimony always, or at least ordinarily comes before the belief-for faith cometh by hearing, though not by all or any sort of hearing, but the hearing only of the word of God. Has not this word then been proclaimed to all? Yes truly

-the barrier between Jew and Gentile is now

moved away; and the Sun of Righteousness should be made as free and patent to all as is the sun of nature. But did Israel share in this light? Yes, and that in a more signal and preeminent way: But, unworthy as they proved themselves of the privilege, even their own legislator threatened the removal of their candlestick to the other and darker places of the earth; and the highest of their prophets told them in still more decisive terms, that those high preferments of which they boasted, should be taken away from them, and given to others and that becanse of their continued resistance to a beseeching God, who had so long but in vain, pressed on their acceptance the overtures of His great salvation.'

There are various and important topics for reflection presented throughout the passage which forms the ground-work of this Lecture. But we forbear the further consideration of them at present; and all the more readily, that the opportunity for a future treatment of them will not be wanting in what remains of the epistle. For the views which have been already given by us of the 17th verse we refer to a Sermon published many years ago.

1

1

First printed in 1812, and now to be found in our volume of 'Public and Occasional Sermons,' being vol. xi of the Series.

4

125

LECTURE LXXXIII.

ROMANS, xi, 1--5.

"I say then, Hath God cast away his people? God forbid For I also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin. God hath not cast away his people which he foreknew. Wot ye not what the Scripture saith of Elias how he maketh intercession to God against Israel, saying, Lord, they have killed thy prophets, and digged down thine altars; and I am left alone, and they seek my life. But what saith the answer of God unto him? I have reserved to myself seven thousand men, who have not bowed the knee to the image of Baal. Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace."

In the preceding chapter we are told of the perfect and unqualified freeness of the gospel-insomuch that it may be held forth, nay urged, with all simplicity and earnestness on the acceptance of every man; and in virtue of this, whosoever calleth on the name of the Lord shall be saved. It follows therefore, that there is not a human creature under heaven, from whom the offers of this said gospel ought to be withheld; and it is on the undoubted truth of this position that we have founded at least one reply to a question put, and sometimes in the form of a charge or complaint against the equity of the Divine administration, Why the blessings of Christianity should be so limited in point of extent, or, Why a religion, expressly designed for all