tree, but cut off, and By being the natural

the natural branches of this the Gentiles grafted into it. branches of this tree, or by being ingrafted into it, we must understand either an election to the immortal rewards promised through Christ to the children of God, or an admission on earth to the enjoyment of the privileges of this divine dispensation. That personal election, in the sense of our proposition, cannot be intended, is evident, because the apostle declares that the Jews were cut off for their unbelief; and on their believing they may again be joined; and the Gentiles are told that they shall also be cut off, unless they continue in the faith. In the condition of persons elected to eternal life, no such change can take place. The decrees of God are immutable. That Paul, throughout these chapters, means election to external privileges, is further evident, from the allusion to the prophet Elias or Elijah. In his time, a period of general apostacy, there were seven thousand Israelites who did not bow the knee to Baal. In like manner, St. Paul observes, that in his day, a remnant of Israel was found, who adhered to the dispensation of heaven, according to the election of grace. Election to what? Clearly to the enjoyment of the privileges of revelation.

We find, then, that the apostle, in the ninth, tenth, and eleventh chapters of his epistle to the Romans, treats of national, not personal election; of election to the enjoyment of the external privileges of revelation, and not of unconditional election to eternal life.

You, my candid hearers, may have taken notice that I passed without comment those passages of the chapters reviewed, which speak of God as hardening the heart of Pharaoh, of blinding those whom he will, &c. On these I have but few remarks to offer. In all instances, when we have discovered the general purpose of a writer, we should be careful not to put a meaning opposed to this, on allusions and examples incidentally introduced. It should be observed that the compassion and mercy, mentioned by St. Paul in the above places, are limited to the bestowment of external privileges, and are not extended to the acceptance of individuals at the tribunal of Heaven; the reprobation, the blindness and obduracy, opposed to this compassion and mercy, should be limited to an exclusion from, or an insensibility to these external privileges, and not extended to the condemnation of the day of judgment.

I generally observe, in the bold and figurative. style of the Jews, God is said to do what is brought about in the ordinary course of events. Moses, where he distinguishes between murder and justifiable homicide, uses the following language."He that smiteth a man, so that he die, shall be surely put to death. And if a man lie not in wait, but God deliver him into his hand, then will I appoint thee a place whither he shall flee." Here an event is imputed to the agency of God, which we should call accidental. In the same phraseology, God is said to blind the minds, and harden the hearts of those, whom he permits to abuse his blessings, and by their wilful and habitual sins,

to blind their own minds, and harden their own hearts.

That human blindness and obstinacy proceed not from the direct agency of God, we know; for revelation assures us, that "God is not tempted of evil, neither tempteth he any man." It is certain that God does not influence the human mind to sin; for the sinner, in the scriptures, is denominated a rebel against God, and is said to incur the divine displeasure, and to make himself a vessel of wrath, fitted for destruction.

A passage from Acts (xiii. 48.) is often produced as an authority for the doctrine of election.— "When the Gentiles heard this, they were glad, and glorified the word of the Lord; and as many as were ordained to eternal life, believed." The Greek word, translated in this place, ordained, does not mean predestinated or fore-ordained, but set in order, disposed. As many as were disposed, believed. As many as maintained a right temper, and were influenced by moral considerations, believed, and made eternal life the object of desire and pursuit.

The term election is used in different senses by the writers of the New Testament. But if predestination, in the Calvinistick meaning, be not found in the chapters we have reviewed, few, I believe, will assert that satisfactory proof of its truth can be produced from other parts of the sacred writings.

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Our minds, then, are prepared to give undivided attention to the plain, the general language of the inspired penmen on the subject of our salvation. They unitedly inform us, that God has committed

You, my candid hearers, may have taken notice that I passed without comment those passages of the chapters reviewed, which speak of God as hardening the heart of Pharaoh, of blinding those whom he will, &c. On these I have but few remarks to offer. In all instances, when we have discovered the general purpose of a writer, we should be careful not to put a meaning opposed to this, on allusions and examples incidentally introduced. It should be observed that the compassion and mercy, mentioned by St. Paul in the above places, are limited to the bestowment of external privileges, and are not extended to the acceptance of individuals at the tribunal of Heaven; the reprobation, the blindness and obduracy, opposed to this compassion and mercy, should be limited to an exclusion from, or an insensibility to these external privileges, and not extended to the condemnation of the day of judgment.

I generally observe, in the bold and figurative style of the Jews, God is said to do what is brought about in the ordinary course of events. Moses, where he distinguishes between murder and justifiable homicide, uses the following language."He that smiteth a man, so that he die, shall be surely put to death. And if a man lie not in wait, but God deliver him into his hand, then will I appoint thee a place whither he shall flee." Here an event is imputed to the agency of God, which we should call accidental. In the same phraseology, God is said to blind the minds, and harden the hearts of those, whom he permits to abuse his blessings, and by their wilful and habitual sins,

to blind their own minds, and harden their own hearts.

That human blindness and obstinacy proceed not from the direct agency of God, we know; for revelation assures us, that "God is not tempted of evil, neither tempteth he any man." It is certain that God does not influence the human mind to sin; for the sinner, in the scriptures, is denominated a rebel against God, and is said to incur the divine displeasure, and to make himself a vessel of wrath, fitted for destruction.

A passage from Acts (xiii. 48.) is often produced as an authority for the doctrine of election."When the Gentiles heard this, they were glad, and glorified the word of the Lord; and as many as were ordained to eternal life, believed." The Greek word, translated in this place, ordained, does not mean predestinated or fore-ordained, but set in order, disposed. As many as were disposed, believed. As many as maintained a right temper, and were influenced by moral considerations, believed, and made eternal life the object of desire and pursuit.

The term election is used in different senses by the writers of the New Testament. But if predestination, in the Calvinistick meaning, be not found in the chapters we have reviewed, few, I believe, will assert that satisfactory proof of its truth can be produced from other parts of the sacred writings.

Our minds, then, are prepared to give undivided attention to the plain, the general language of the inspired penmen on the subject of our salvation. They unitedly inform us, that God has committed