' life only,' as that the words in question do. "The enduring with much long-suffering the vessels of wrath "fitted for destruction," include the long suffering of God towards other sinners, as well as the unbelieving Jews; and for other purposes, than giving them time to repent: but this does not so materially affect our argu

ment.

P. ccxli. 'He then, &c.'*"Even us whom he hath "called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles." As he saith also in Hosea, "I will call them my peo

ple which were not my people, and her beloved which "was not beloved: and it shall come to pass, that in the place, in which it was said unto them, Ye are not my people; there shall they be called the children of the "living God." This is then spoken of "the vessels "of mercy whom God hath afore prepared unto glory."

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These words may not only be accommodated, but ' even extended to the Gentiles, who were emphatically not called his people; and yet by faith became the seed of Abraham, and the true Israelites, being the sons of God by faith in Jesus Christ.' "And "if children, then heirs, heirs of God, and joint-heirs "with Christ." To this quotation from Hosea, his

He then quotes several prophecies relative to the call of the Gentiles, ⚫ and the embracing of the gospel by only a small number of the Jews; and it ⚫ is evident from the orginal passage in Isaiah, and also from the context in ⚫ this chapter, that the expression, "a remnant shall be saved" relates to pre⚫servation in this world," upon the earth," so that the Israelites should not < be utterly destroyed, as Sodom and Gomorrah were. In all this there is no mention of any absolute decree of God, by which some men are destined ⚫ to happiness and others to misery, in the world to come. The unbelief of the greater part of the Jews, their ceasing to be the chosen people of God, < and the call of the Gentiles, the subjects treated of in this chapter, were all circumstances which had already taken place; and they are illustrated by passages of the Old Testament, and by events there recorded, all confi. med to this life, without any allusion to a future state of existence.'

† Hos. i. 10. ii. 23. Rom. ix. 24—26.

+ Whitby on Rom. ix. 26.

Lordship has not referred: and in respect of the passages from Isaiah;* whether they relate merely to pre'servation in this world, "upon the earth," I shall leave the reader to judge: but the connexion induces me to think, that the "remnant according to the elec"tion of grace," was meant, which there was even "at "that present time," when Israel as a nation was cast off.t Certainly in these prophecies no mention is 'made of any absolute decree of God, &c:' but the apostle is showing by them, that the obstinate unbelief of the Jews, and the conversion of the Gentiles, had been predicted long before; and if predicted, then foreseen, yea, predetermined. These events were passed indeed; but was the effect of the calling of the Gentiles and the rejection of the Jews, all confined to this life? Were not the converted Gentiles, "called to the king"dom and glory" of God? Were not the unbelieving Jews, "vessels of wrath fitted to destruction?" Had they, who perished by temporal judgments, no immortal souls? Did they not die in their sins? Is it not true, that "He that believeth not the Son, shall not see life; "but the wrath of God abideth on him?" How can such subjects be discussed, 'without any allusion to a 'future state of existence?' If we realize by vigorous faith a future state of existence: and firmly believe that " he who believeth shall be saved, and he who believeth "not shall be damned;" we shall find this next to impossible.

P. ccxlii. 'We are, &c.'‡ The passage here re

'We are not by this to understand that it was "6 appointed" or decreed by God, that certain persons to whom the gospel was preached, should be ⚫ disobedient; but, that it was appointed and decreed, that if men disobeyed 'the gospel, it should be to them a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, ⚫ that is, a cause of punishment.'

ferred to, is spoken of unbelievers; with whom the apostle contrasts his christian brethren. "But ye are "a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy na❝tion, a peculiar people; that ye should show forth the

praises of him, who hath called you out of darkness, "into his marvellous light; which in time past were not "a people, but now are the people of God, which had "not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy."† They were" Elect, according to the foreknowledge of "God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, "unto obedience, and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus "Christ:" and "begotten again unto a lively hope-to "an inheritance, incorruptible and undefiled, and that "fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for them." "God had not appointed them to wrath, but to obtain "salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ." (Others stumbled at the Rock of salvation, "being disobedient to "which also they were appointed." It was appointed, &c.' is a widely different proposition, from " they "were appointed:" the one is general, the other special.

They stumbled at the word, being disobedient; where"unto also they were appointed." (E.) God did not appoint their unbelief and disobedience: but he knew, that without his special grace, they would be un. believing and disobedient; and, without assigning to us his reasons, he determined to leave them without that special grace, and to give them up to their hearts' lusts, and to suffer the consequences of their sins. This he had repeatedly foretold, that he would do, in respect of the Jews in general, as the punishment of their past rebellions. This was predicted; therefore foreseen, and foreappointed.

P. ccxlii. l. 18.

'Were these, &c.'* Obedience is compliance with the known command of God; not acting according to his decree or appointment, whether secret or revealed. Certainly men, in disobeying the command of God, fulfil his appointments, and often accomplish his predictions. "Him, being delivered "by the determinate counsel and fore-knowledge of "God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have cruci"fied and slain." Was this conduct, in any sense, obedience? Did the Jews intend to do the will of God? "They, that dwell at Jerusalem, and their rulers; be"cause they knew him not, nor the voices of the prophets, which are read every sabbath-day; have ful"filled them, in condemning him: and though they "found no cause of death in him; yet desired they "Pilate that he should be slain. And when they had "fulfilled all that was written of him, &c."‡ Was there both obedience and disobedience in this act? In what did the obedience consist? "They thought evil against him; but God meant it unto good."§

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Had the Lord merely decreed, or predicted, that the Israelites should extirpate; with undiscriminating slaughter, the seven nations of Canaan; without commanding Joshua and Israel, to execute the sentence awarded against them; and had they, without most express command, made extirpating war against them; or had they

Were these men appointed by God to disobedience, then disobedience would be the compliance with the divine appointment or will, and the same act would be both obedience and disobedience. And it seems impossible that disobedience, if it takes place in consequence of an absolute decree of God, should be imputed to men as a fault, and be made the ground ' of punishment. But can we suppose that God made disobedience inevitable, when we are told, that man is not to put a stumbling-block, or an 'occasion to fall, in his brother's way?" Or, is such a decree reconcileable 'with the attributes of justice and mercy?'

† Acts ii. 23.

+ Acts xiii. 27-30.

Luke ii. 34. 2 Cor. ii. 16. Rom. xi. 22.

§ Gen. L. 29.

even set themselves to fulfil the decree, from motives of rapacity, avarice, resentment, or cruelty, as made known by the prediction; they would have been guilty of atrocious murder, in every instance, in which they slew a Canaanite: and all the declarations and invectives of infidels against them, and against the Bible, as approving their conduct, would have been unanswerable. But they merely fulfilled the express and repeated command of JEHOVAH; and were the appointed executioners of his vengeance on that devoted race, which had filled up the measure of their sins. Did decrees, even when revealed, warrant the conduct of those, who break God's commandments, in fulfilling them; the accursed slavetrade might have found a better justification from prophecy; than it ever had in the British senate, from its most able, eloquent, and zealous advocates.

If any event ever was absolutely decreed, and most expressly predicted, the crucifixion of Christ was that event: yet that did not at all excuse any of the parties concerned in it.

This argument, if carried to its consequences, would, if valid, prove far more, than any Anti-calvinist intends: for they, who hold it, must either disavow the belief of the divine prescience, and of all prophecy; or excuse an immense proportion, if not the whole, of the wickedness, which has ever been committed. If we do not firmly adhere to this fundamental tenet, that the law and command of God are the only rule, by which our conduct must be regulated, and by which it will be judged: if we admit, that divine purposes, or predictions, when fulfilled by men, intentionally or unintentionally, alter the nature of our actions, and in any degree convert disobedience into obedience; we shall open the floodgates to iniquity: while each will profess, when actuated