shall be the rule of all my favourable and merciful dealings with men.

IX. 16. So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy.

So then, the happy success and glorious issue of the elect must not be ascribed, either to the will or to the actions and deservings of themselves, but to the mere goodness and will of God, that sheweth mercy to them, rather than to others.

IX. 17. For the scripture saith unto Pharaoh, Even for this same purpose have I raised thee up, that I might shew my power in thee, and that my name might be declared throughout all the earth.

For the Scripture saith unto Pharaoh, Since thou wouldest needs obstinately and presumptuously resist the messages, that I sent unto thee, in the behalf of my people; I have, in my wise and just decree, purposed to make this use of thy advancement to the throne of Egypt, and of thy rebellious resistance of that charge which I sent unto thee, thereby to take just occasion, to shew my mighty power in and upon thee; and that my powerful and miraculous revenges of thee might be declared abroad, to the glory of my might and justice, through all the earth.

IX. 18. Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he hardeneth.

Therefore he hath mercy, on whom he will have mercy; there being no other motive to incite him hereunto, but his own mere and gracious will: and, whom he will, he passeth over, leaving them to themselves; who are thereupon hardened by their own corruptions, and the temptations of Satan; justly punishing their former contempt, with further obduredness of heart.

IX. 19. Thou wilt say then unto me, Why doth he yet find fault? For who hath resisted his will?

Thou wilt then, perhaps, say, If God, in these courses which he takes with men, follow his own will only, and all things are done thereafter, why doth God complain, and find fault with sinners as if they had offended in doing that which they do? Why doth he blame them for being hardened? If he will have it thus, who can resist it?

IX. 20. Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God? shall the thing formed say to him that formed it; Why hast thou made me thus?

Nay, but, O vain and wretched man, who art thou, that art ready thus to cavil and quarrel with thy Maker; as if he had done thee wrong, in giving thee this condition, and thus disposing of thee? How easy is it for God, to silence and confound thee, ten thousand ways! In the mean time, let this answer stop thy presumptuous mouth; that, if it shall please

the Almighty to stand upon his absolute right and power over his creature, it is not for any creature to expostulate with him, and to challenge him for his actions: we are to him, as the clay is to the potter: shall the clay insolently argue with the potter, and say, Why hast thou made me so homely a vessel, and why to so mean uses?

IX. 21. Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour?

Hath not the potter full power over the clay, to make it up into what form, or to what use he pleases? and, of the same lump, to make one, a handsome vessel for the table; another, plain and carelessly shaped, for the use of the kitchen, or whatsoever other base service? And shall not God have power over the clay of mankind, out of the same mass of perdition, to make up one man a vessel of honour, and to pass over another as a vessel of dishonour?

IX. 22, 23, 24. What if God, willing to shew his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction: And that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, which he had afore prepared unto Glory, Even us, whom he hath called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles?

Who hath cause to take exception at God, if he take these two contrary courses with his creatures? There are some, with whom God is justly offended for their sins; called, therefore, Vessels of Wrath; whom their own iniquity hath made fit subjects of damnation. What if God, after much patience and longsuffering, whereby he hath endured the provocations of these men, yet, willing to shew and approve his justice, and to let the world see that he is infinitely displeased with sin, and that he is a powerful God able to take vengeance of sinners, do execute his fierce wrath upon them on the one side; And, on the other side, what if he please to make known the infinite praise and glory of his grace and mercy, upon those chosen Subjects of Mercy, which he, of his own mere goodness, and without any respect of ought in them, had before prepared unto their glory, Even to us, whom he hath graciously and effectually called, not of the nation of the Jews only but also of the Gentiles, without any exception of blood or country?

IX. 25. As he saith also in Osee, I will call them my people, which were not my people; and her beloved, which was not beLoved.

As he saith also in the prophet Hosea. See Hosea, ii. 23, 20. IX. 27. Esaias also crieth concerning Israel, Though the number of the children of Israel be as the sand of the sea, &c. See Isaiah x. 22, 23.

IX. 29. And as Esaias said before, Except the Lord of Sabaoth had left us a seed, &c. See Isaiah i. 9.

IX. 30. What shall we say then? That the Gentiles, which followed not after righteousness, have attained to righteousness, even the righteousness which is of faith.

What shall we then say to all this? or, what is the issue of that, which we have spoken! Even this; that, herein is to be seen and magnified the wonderful dispensation of the Almighty; that the Gentiles, which followed not after Righteousness, have attained to that Righteousness, which they sought not after, even the Righteousness which is of Faith; in that they, by their Faith, have laid hold of that grace and mercy, which is offered in the Gospel by Jesus Christ, being of themselves otherwise both strangers and enemies to God.

IX. 31. But Israel, which followed after the law of righte ousness, hath not attained to the law of righteousness.

But Israel, which sought to attain to Righteousness by the Works of the Law, and affected to earn both perfect justice and God's favour by the fulfilling thereof, have not at all attained to the state of Righteousness.

IX. 32, 33. Wherefore? Because they sought it not by faith, but as it were by the works of the law. For they stumbled at that stumblingstone; As it is written, Behold, I lay in Sion a stumblingstone and rock of offence: and whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.

Wherefore? Because they sought it not the right way, nor upon right grounds; thinking to attain to it, not by Faith in Christ, which is the only way to compass it, but by the Works of the Law, which they were never able to keep and perform for they made Christ a stone of offence unto them; and, obscuring the virtue of his merits and satisfaction, by confidence in themselves and their own Works, they have taken occasion to fall foul upon that Saviour, which should have raised them: As it is written. See Isaiah viii. 14, 15.

X. 2. For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge.

For I bear them record, they have a fervent zeal to God, but it is ignorant and erroneous: they do earnestly affect the Law, but they know not that Christ, by and in whom the Law is fulfilled.

X. 3. For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.

For they, not knowing and apprehending that Righteousness which is of Faith in Christ, which God worketh in us and accepteth from us, going about to make good their own Righteousness which is by the Works of the Law, have not

submitted themselves to seek that Righteousness, which God requireth and crowneth in his children.

X. 4. For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.

For Christ is so the end of the Law for Righteousness to every one that believeth, as that we, by Faith in him who hath fulfilled the Law for us, are and shall be so justified, as if we had perfectly fulfilled the Law in ourselves.

X. 5. For Moses describeth the righteousness which is of the law, That the man which doeth those things shall live by them. For Moses describes the Righteousness of the Law by doing; while he saith, The man that doth those things, shall obtain life by doing them.

X. 6, 7. But the righteousness which is of faith speaketh on this wise, Say not in thine heart, Who shall ascend into heaven? (that is, to bring Christ down from above:) Or, Who shall descend into the deep? (that is, to bring up Christ again from the dead.) But the Righteousness, which is of Faith, stands not upon those difficulties and impossibilities of action, but upon the apprehension of Christ our Saviour; and therefore speaketh on this wise, Say not thou in thine heart, Who shall be able to ascend up into heaven, to carry me up thither? for Christ hath already done this for thee; and this were to fetch Christ thence, and to deny his ascension: nor say, Who shall descend into hell for me, to rescue me from thence? for Christ hath already delivered thee from thence: and this were to frustrate the death of Christ.

X. 8, 9. But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach; That if &c.

But what saith it? Even this: The word of the Gospel, and the effect of the promises therein contained, are easily to be attained, and lie open before thee: thou shalt not need to go seek far for them: they are within thee; both in thy mouth to confess them, and in thy heart to believe them; and this is the word of Faith which we preach, offering salvation to all that shall by a true Faith lay hold thereon: even this, That if thou shalt confess &c.

X. 10. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

For with the heart man believeth, and by that his Faith is graciously accepted as Righteous; and with the mouth he makes profession of that Christ on whom he believeth, and shews forth the truth of his Faith by the fruits of it to salvation. X. 13. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

Whosoever shall call upon God, by Christ, in faithful prayer, shall be saved.

X. 14, 15. How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace &c.!

Now this invocation of God presupposeth a Faith; for, how shall they call on him, on whom they have not believed, that he can or will help them? And this faith presupposeth a Hearing; for how shall they believe on him, of whom they have not heard? And this Hearing doth necessarily imply an Instructor; for how shall they hear without a preacher? And this Preaching presupposeth a Mission, or sending on God's part; for how shall they preach, except they be sent by God, on this errand of his, and receive both gifts and command from him? according to that saying of the prophet, How beautiful, and worthy of cheerful acceptance, are the very feet of those, that preach the Gospel of Peace, &c.!

X. 18. But I say, Have they not heard? Yes verily, their sound went into all the earth, and their words unto the ends of the world.

But I say, What do ye stand upon these contemptuous conceits of the Gentiles, as if they had never heard ought of God before? Do ye not remember the words of the Psalmist, Their sound went into all the world, &c. Even the wonderful workmanship of the heavens and earth was a great instruction to them, and taught them to know somewhat of their Maker.

X. 19. I will provoke you to jealousy by them that are no people, and by a foolish nation I will anger you.

By that mercy, which I will shew to the Gentiles, which are not my people, you will be stirred up to envy against them: I will be so gracious to those rude and ignorant nations, that you shall fret at and be moved to anger and emulation of them, whom ye formerly contemned.

XI. 2. God hath not cast away his people which he foreknew. Wot ye not what the scripture saith of Elias?

God hath not cast away those of his people, whom he elected, and acknowledged for his; howsoever, those fashionable counterfeits, which make an empty profession of the name of his people, be justly rejected, &c.

XI. 5. Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace.

As it was in the time of Elias, so it is still: there are, amongst a number of false hypocrites, some few left, whom God hath graciously selected to himself.

XI. 6. And if by grace, then is it no more of works: other