September 16

Romans ix. — 14. What shall we say, then? Is there unrighteousness with God? God forbid!

15. For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. 16. So, then, it is not of him that willett, nor of him that runneth, but of God that showeth mercy. 17. For the scripture saith unto Pharaoh, Even for this same purpose have I raised thee up, that I might show my power in thee, and that my name might be declared throughout all the earth. 18. Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he hardeneth. 19. Thou wilt say then unto me, Why doth he yet find fault? for who hath resisted his will? 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? 21. Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honor, and another unto dishonor? 22. What if God, willing to show his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much long-suffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction; 23. And that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, which he had afore prepared unto glory, 24. Even us, whom he hath called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles?

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. 26. And it shall come to pass, that in the place where it was said unto them, Ye are not my people, there shall they be called, The children of the living God. 27. Esaias also crieth concerning Israel, Though the number of the children of Israel be as the sand of the sea, a remnant shall be saved: 28. For he will finish the work, and cut it short in righteousness; because a short work will the Lord make upon the earth. 29. And as Esaias said before, Except the Lord of sabaoth had left us a seed, we had been as Sodoma, and been made like unto Gomorrah. 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; 31. But Israel, which followed after the law of righteousness, hath not attained to the law of righteousness. 32. Wherefore? Because they sought it not by faith, but, as it were, by the works of the law. For they stumbled at that stumbling-stone: 33. As it is written, Behold, I lay in Sion a stumbling-stone, and rock of offence; and whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.

The principle of election, so strongly asserted in this passage, is recognized as a fact in the common events of life. Darwin's theory of "natural selection" is, that, in the struggle for life, the stronger or more favored members of a species prevail over the weaker or the less favored; and sometimes make their peculiarities so prominent, that these give rise to a new species. What is this but election by the operation of some hidden law of Nature? We observe the same thing in the human family, in the marked difference of individuals in birth, constitution, temperament, talents, circumstances; and, on a wider scale, in the differences of races and nations. Everywhere we meet the fact, that, by the operation of causes beyond their knowledge or control, men differ in their position, their abilities, their advantages. It is this same fact which the apostle here recognizes in the moral kingdom of God; but

it is qualified by other truths with which it is in harmony. — The Bible teaches that man is a free agent, under personal responsibility; that salvation is provided for all, and freely offered to all; that God desires that all men should repent and be saved; that he uses his Word, his Providence, and his Spirit, to bring them to repentance; that he continues his calls to men who resist his grace, though, as in the case of Pharaoh, his very long-suffering may but harden the sinner in impenitence. It is no positive act of God that hardens him, no divine decree that hinders his salvation, but the sinner's own refusal to submit his will in faith to the righteousness of God. In this respect, the stubborn impenitence of Pharaoh, alike unto divine mercies and judgments, is but the type of the heart of man. Again and again we are told that Pharaoh hardened his own heart.

APPROPRIATE HYMNS.]

Prayer.

[Nos. 38, 59, 142.

Oh! grant us grace, Father in heaven, to hear thy Word, and to obey it. We would make haste, and delay not, to keep thy commandments. Thou hast a right, O Lord! to our time, our gifts, our hearts, our persons; to all that we are, and all that we have: for thou hast created us, and hast redeemed us with the precious blood of thy Son.

We give thee thanks for the mercies of the night, and for all the mercies of our past lives, — for home and its blessings; for friends, and all the ministries of love; for health, knowledge, comfort, and prosperity; but, above all things, for thy grace in the

gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. May we ever be ready to acknowledge him the Son of God, the Saviour of the world! May men in the high places of power and influence consecrate themselves to him! may the poor and lowly trust in him! may children sing hosannas to the Son of David! How shall we praise thee, O God! for thy love and grace to us sinners? For all thy mercies we bless and magnify thy glorious name; humbly beseeching thee to accept this our morning sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving for His sake who lay down in the grave, and rose again for us; to whom be glory and dominion, world without end. Amen.