believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek." This passage is used as though the power of God essentially and inherently resided in the gospel, so that in every presentation of the gospel there is all the Divine power which ever attends it. But why should it be said "to every one that believeth," if the power of God was inherent in the gospel itself. Besides, while such construction put upon this passage would make it contradict the whole mass of scripture we have been reviewing, we shall see in other portions yet to be examined, that the gospel is the power of God unto salvation to those who believe, not by any power essentially inherent in the gospel, but by the operation of the Holy Ghost, vouchsafed according to the good pleasure of God's own will.

The earlier part of the epistle to the Romans is occupied with the unfolding of all the truths which relate to a sinner's justification before God, and the grounds on which this can take place. The origin or source of the faith which receives this wondrous blessing is not dis cussed. And yet, in view of the portrait presented to us, of man's natural condition, in chapters i. to iii., one may well inquire, how is it possible for faith in Christ to spring up in the hearts of such by the exercise of any mere natural capacity? "There is none righteous, no, not one. There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one" (Rom. iii. 10—12). How can faith be the natural product of hearts thus described by the pen of inspiration? Surely as the evil of man's heart was manifested in the violation of God's law, and in the rejection of God's Christ when he was here on the earth, so is it sure to be manifested in the rejection of the gospel of his grace. To suppose that there is in man, while in his natural state, any aptitude to receive the gospel of God's grace, is to nullify every statement here made as to what man's condition is. Nor are we left to mere inference as to this. "For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly" (chap. v. 6). Not

only are we ungodly while in our natural state, we are without strength also. And such is the plain and absolute declaration of God's holy word.

In 1 Cor. i., we have an inspired explanation of who they are to whom the gospel is the power of God unto salvation, and also of how it is that it becomes such to them. "For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved, it is the power of God" (verse 18). "For after that, in the wisdom of God, the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe. For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom: but we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumbling-block, and unto the Greeks foolishness; but unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God." It has often been urged, indeed, that all men are called by the gospel. But is not the apostle plainly distinguishing here between this outward universal call, and another, of which he "Not says, many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called." In the sense of preaching the gospel to them, these are called just the same as all others. And, indeed, it is this preaching of the cross which the apostle declares to be a stumblingblock to some, and foolishness to others, of those who are called in this outward universal sense. But he speaks of another calling; " unto them which are called, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God." And why is this?" That no flesh should glory in his presence (verse 29). No, the flesh is neither to have the glory of saving us without Christ, nor the glory of accepting Christ when proclaimed to us in the gospel. We have neither the credit of saving ourselves without Jesus, nor of saving ourselves by believing of our own accord, or our own choice, on Jesus. It was God who gave Jesus for our salvation; and it is God who, by his Spirit, brings us to Jesus. "But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption: that, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord" (verses 30—31).

In the next chapter, we have a very definite and emphatic statement:-"But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness unto him; neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned” (1 Cor. ii. 14). How evident that there must be a new, a divinely imparted capacity to receive the testimony of God.

In chap. iii. 5, it might seem, at the first glance, as though Paul attributed their believing to himself, and his fellow-labourers. "Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers by whom ye believed?" But he does not close the verse without disclaiming such a thought, and attributing all the efficacy of their ministry to the 66 of God: grace even," says he, " as the Lord gave to every man. I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase. So then neither is he that planteth anything, neither he that watereth, but God that giveth the increase." What language could more plainly attribute the whole efficacy of the truth on the souls of any to the sovereign pleasure and free gift of God, than this!

If we turn to 2 Cor. iii. 3, we find the apostle speaking of the Corinthians as his epistle. But how his epistle? "Forasmuch as ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in fleshy tables of the heart." The Spirit of the living God, by means of the apostle, had written Christ on their hearts!

In chap. iv. 3-6, we have a statement, perhaps the most definite and solemn of any in Scripture, as to the cause of the rejection of the gospel by some, and the cause of its reception by others. It. doubtless, comes right across many of the most cherished thoughts and feelings of men; but the believer will not on that account turn away from the voice of his God. "But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost, in whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them." We did but affirm in other words what is here declared, when

we said that Satan has so poisoned all the springs of thought and feeling in our nature, that we do not believe a word God says. And what is it that rescues any from this fearful condition? Let the reader mark the answer, And the Lord grant him to know by experience what it means: For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ." Why are we referred here to the allcreating mandate and its effect," Let there be light, and there was light," if it be not to shew us, that it is in the exercise of no less a power that God shines into the heart of the poor blinded sinner! Reader! has God who con.manded the light to shine out of darkness, thus shined into thy heart? The Lord grant thee to have no rest without a satisfactory answer to this all-important question.

In Gal. i. 15-16, the apostle avows, distinctly enough, what the source of his own conversion was: "But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother's womb, and called me by his grace, to reveal his Son in me," etc. Equally explicit are his statements as to the conversion of those whom he wrote to: "But now, after that ye have known God, or rather, are known of God," etc. (chap. iv. 9). It is as though he was reminded, as he wrote, of the danger the Galatians were in of trusting themselves, and so, having mentioned their knowing God, he is in haste to add, "or rather, were known of God." How entirely does this stand in contrast with the thought of the faith by which we come to know God being a mere exercise of our natural faculties. No, had we not been known of God, we had surely never known Him.

In the fifth chapter, ver. 22, faith is declared to be the fruit of the Spirit.

In Eph. i. 19-20, the apostle prays to God for the saints, that they may know "what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power which he wrought in Christ when he raised him from the dead." In chap. ii., we are taught that it is by this same power that we are quickened: "And you hath he quickened

who were dead in trespasses and sins" (ver. i.). Then again: "God who is rich in mercy, for his great love, wherewith he loved us, even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ" (ver. 4 and 5). Again: "By grace are ye saved, through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast." I know it has been attempted to be said, that the "that not of yourselves" refers not to faith, but either to grace or salvation. But what plain person without a system to defend would so understand the words? Besides, consider the next verse: "For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works." The combined testimony of all these passages can never be gainsaid.

It was

In Philip. i. 6, God is owned as the one who had begun a good work in them. In ver. 29, the apostle says, "For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake.' given to them on Christ's behalf to believe in him. In chap. iii. 12. he speaks of himself as having been "appre hended of Christ Jesus." It was not that he, by any natural capacity he possessed, apprehended Christ; it was Christ who had apprehended him.

In Col. ii. 12-13, we have statements analogous to those already quoted from Eph. ii.: "Buried with him [Christ] in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead. And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses."

To the Thessalonians, Paul says, " Knowing, brethren beloved, your election of God. For our gospel came not unto you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance" (1 Thess. i. 4, 5). This is a very important passage. If the Gospel is the power of God unto salvation, because of that power being inherent in it and inseparable from it, how could the apostle know the election of the Thessalonians by the fact of the gospel coming to them not in word only but in power? If it comes thus to all, how could its coming thus to the Thessalonians prove anything special