80, 31, 32, 33. "What fhall we fay then? That' the Gentiles, which followed not after righteousness, have attained to righteousness even the righteousness. which is of faith: But Ifrael, which followed after the law of righteousness, hath not attained to the law of righteousness. Wherefore? Because they fought it not by faith, but as it were by the works of the law for they stumbled at that ftumbling ftone: As it is written, Behold, I lay in Zion a stumbling stone, and rock of offence: and whofoever believeth on him fhall not be afhamed."

What account can be given of this event; that the Gentiles, who had been ignorant of the method of the acceptance of finners with God, had fallen in with the divine method, when proposed? And that the Jews, who had much greater advantages for the knowledge of divine subjects, did not fall on the right method of obtaining divine acceptance? The reason, with respect to the Gentiles, is, that their minds were free and unprejudiced; and with regard to the Jews, that they were prejudiced in favor of their wrong interpretations of the Mofaic conftitution, and against Jefus Chrift, and the method of faith for they ftumbled at Chrift, as the prophet foretold that they would.

Thus, kind reader, we have gone through one of the chapters, which according to Mr. S., contain the weight of evidence, in this epistle, for eternal never ending misery. We have feen God choosing Ifaac rather than Ishmael, to be the root of the Jewish

church.

church. And then, God chofe, for the fame purs pose, Jacob rather thon Efau, without the leaft respect to the perfonal qualities of either, for they bad done neither good nor evil. Then a declaration of God's right to delay the deferved punishment of the wicked, for the display of his glorious chara&ter; and to fhow mercy to perfons or people, as he fhould judge beft. We have also seen what the apostle means by the fovereignty of divine mercy even his calling the Gentiles into church eftate, with a remnant of the Jews, and caufing the rest of the Jews to fuffer a temporary rejection from his church.

Here is not one fingle word, in all this ix. chapter of any election to future happiness, or reprobation to future mifery. But we will fufpend our obfervations on Mr. S.'s treatment of this epiftle, till we have looked through the other chapters.

We will now proceed to the 10th chapter.

1.

"Brethren, my heart's defire and prayer to God for Ifrael is, that they might be faved." -Brethren, it is my moft cordial defire and prayer to God, in favor of Ifrael, that they may not fuffer a perpetual rejection from the church of God.

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

For I can give teftimony for Ifrael, that they are zealous to be confidered as a favorite people; but they mistake the method of divine acceptance.

8.

"For they, being ignorant of God's right

Cousness,

eousness, and going about to establish their own] righteousness, have not fubmitted themselves unto the righteousness of God."

For they, in neglect of the divine method of the Ginner's acceptance, and purfuing one of their own have not fubmitted themselves to that which is by faith.

4. "For Chrift is the end of the law for rights eousness to every one that believeth.”

For the merits of Chrift have given such fatisfaction to the divine law and government, that all, both Jews and Gentiles, by faith, may obtain divine acceptance.

5. "For Mofes defcribeth the righteousness which is of the law, That the man which doeth those things fhall live by them,"

For Mofes, defcribing a legal method of divine acceptance, fays, that the man who perfectly obeys the law, fhall be accepted.

6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11. "But the righteousness which is of faith fpeaketh on this wife, Say not in thine heart, Who shall afcend into heaven? (that is to bring Christ down from above :) Or, Who fhall defcend into the deep; (that is, to bring up Chrift from the dead :) But what faith 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 thou fhalt confefs with thy mouth the Lord Jefus, and fhalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be faved. For with

the heart man believeth unto righeoufnels, and with the mouth confeffion is made unto falvation. For the scripture faith, Whofoever believeth on bin fhall not be ashamed."

But the gospel method of divine acceptance, speaketh thus; There is no need to enquire, Who fhalk afcend into heaven, or defcend into the deep, to bring Chrift upon the ftage again: But the word is near; it is the gospel which we preach; the language of it is this, if you will confefs that Jefus is the Meffias, and do cordially believe that God hath given such teftimony to him, as to raife him from the dead; you fhall be accepted of God as righteous. For confeffion with the mouth, and belief with the heart, is the gospel method of divine acceptance.

12, 13. "For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek; for the fame Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord fhall be faved."

For, to ease the minds of my brethren, the Jews, I wish them to know that the divine benevolence is impartial and univerfal, towards both Jews and Greeks; they both have the fame Lord; and he is rich in goodness and mercy to them both; and is ready to hear every prayer, which is devoutly directed to him from the whole Jewish and Gentile worlds: And all the fons of Adam, who thus callupon him fhall be accepted of him,

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14, 15, 16, 17. "How then fhall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how fhall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how fhall they hear without a preacher ? and how fhall they preach except they be fent ? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace and bring glad tidings of good things? but they have not all obeyed the gospel for Efaias faith, Lord, who hath believed our report? fo then faith, cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God."

Still farther to give fatisfaction to my brethren, as to the propriety of the method of divine benevo lence, in fending the gofpel and its preachers a mong the Gentiles. I juft obferved that the uaiversal Lord heard all who called upon him.

But how can the Gentile world call upon him, in whom they have not yet believed? and how can they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how is it poffible that they should hear without. a preacher ? nor can they have a preacher except he fhould be sent among them.

As the prophet Efaias, long ago exclaimed, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gofpel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things! But not all, either Jews or Gentiles, who have heard the gospel, have believed, and juft was the prophetic complaint of Efaias, Lord who hath believed our report? fo then, as faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God: What reafon is there

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