validity of the mission of his divinely-constituted ambassadors, stands secure from the possibility of being shaken.-"Nevertheless," says he, "the foundation of God standeth sure." The apostle, alluding to the opposition which Moses and Aaron met in the rebellious conduct of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram, quotes the language of Moses as used on the occasion. At the first interview with Korab and his company, Moses said to them, "Even to-morrow the Lord will shew who are his; and will cause to come near unto him," Num. xvi. 5. This shewing who were God's, was to act as the seal of Moses' authority. But the seal was also to have a regard to the people; therefore Moses was commanded to speak unto the congregation, saying, “Depart, I pray you, from the tents of these wicked men, and touch nothing of theirs, lest ye be consumed in their sins," ver. 26. Now, as the apostle's words in the original correspond with the Septuagint, which is a translation of the original Hebrew, the import of the apostle's words may very justly be considered as corresponding with the English translation of what Moses is recorded in the book of Numbers to have said, viz. "The Lord will shew who are his." This manifestation, then, would appear to refer to the apostles, evangelists, and other divinely-qualified teachers of the primitive church, who, in contradis tinction to the heretical teachers, should, in due time, be acknowledged by God as his faithful servants. The apostle's exhortation also very much

resembles that of Moses." Depart from the tents of these wicked men," said Moses.-"Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity," says the apostle. The apostle had said (ver. 16,) that the profane and vain babblings of such as Hymeneus and Philetus would increase unto more ungodliness. Thus their lives, it would seem, resembled those of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram; consequently the apostle's injunction to depart from iniquity, is synonymous with that of Moses-Depart from the tents of these wicked men.

The import, then, of the verse under examination seems to be thus-that God had set a seal to the foundation of his truth; which seal will testify in due time who are the appointed guardians and teachers of that truth, and also demands of all who sincerely desire to walk by the truth, that they depart from iniquity, the usual companion of dangerous errors.

7th, 1 John iv. 9, 10, 19. See the remark at No. 4. III. "Some particular persons of mankind, whom he pleased, and but the smaller number, and as permitted, or to be permitted, to fall into sin and misery from which they could not recover themselves."

1st, Matth. xx. 16. "Many be called, but few chosen." For an exposition of this passage see a former page. The design of our author in quoting this passage in this place seems to be, to prove that the number of the saved is smaller than the number of the lost. It is to be lamented that there is reason to think, that, hitherto, this remark is too true. But

it is not quite evident that our Lord designed these words to be applicable in every age of the church; for they seem to have a particular reference to the state of the Jews in the days of our Lord.

2d, Matth. xxii. 14. "For many are called, but few are chosen." See above. It is worthy of remark, however, that the being called is always represented as preceding the being chosen.

3d, Luke xii. 32. "Fear not, little flock." Our Lord spoke these words to his disciples, as distinguished from the surrounding multitude, who had come to see and hear. It does not therefore follow, that, at the last day, or even in every age of the church, Christ's flock is a small one.

4th, 2 Tim. ii. 19. See above.

5th, John x. 26. "But ye believe not, because ye are not of my sheep, as I said unto you." These words contain either instruction or reproof. Our author's view exhibits them as containing instruction. That instruction was, that the persons whom Jesus was addressing had not been given to him from eternity. The context, however, evidently requires them to be considered as a reproof. Now we know, that the Jews were frequently reproved by our Lord for their indocile and obstinate disposition: thus: "Ye will not come to me, that ye might have life," chap. v. 40. "I am come in my Father's name, and "How can ye believe,

ye receive me not." ver. 42. which receive honour one of another, and seek not the honour which cometh from God only?" ver. 44.

"For had ye believed Moses, ye would have believed me: for he wrote of me. But if ye believe not his writings, how shall ye believe my words?" ver. 46, 47. "If God were your Father, ye would love me: for I proceeded forth and came from God," viii. 42. Why do ye not understand my speech? even because ye cannot hear my words," ver. 43. "He that is of God heareth God's words: ye, therefore, hear them not, because ye are not of God," ver. 47. "Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice," xviii. 37. Hence it follows that the expressions-to be of the truth-to be of God-to be of Christ's sheep, as applied to the Jews, seem to be synonymous.

6th, John xiii. 18. "I speak not of you all; I know whom I have chosen; but that the Scripture may be fulfilled, He that eateth bread with me hath lifted up his heel against me." The question to be decided is, whether the choosing, here mentioned, took place in time or in eternity; also, whether it regarded the salvation of the apostles, or their apostolical office. The context seems to afford us no assistance in discovering the precise meaning of the choosing of the eleven apostles. We know that in one sense the twelve were chosen. "And when it was day, he called unto him his disciples: and of them he chose twelve, whom also he named apostles," Luke vi. 13. Now it is obvious, this cannot be the choosing adverted to in the passage under consideration. Again, we find Jesus making use of the same word after Judas had been excluded from the number.-" Ye

have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain; that whatsoever you shall ask the Father in my name, he may give it you." xv. 16. It is quite evident, that, had the choosing in this place regarded an eternal election to salvation, there would have been no occasion to say -“Ye have not chosen me;" for, in our author's sense, that was impossible. Further, the subsequent words seem to restrict the choosing to the apostolical office" and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit." Again, the use of the word in a subsequent verse seems to limit its meaning as an act done in time. "If ye were of the world, the world would love its own; but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you," chap. xv. 19.

7th, John xvii. 6, 12. "I have manifested thy name unto the men which thou gavest me out of the world: thine they were, and thou gavest them me, and they have kept thy word. While I was with them in the world, I kept them in thy name: those that thou gavest me I have kept, and none of them is lost but the son of perdition." It is evident from the context, that the apostles were the persons here spoken of. The giving could not be an eternal gift, for they were given out of the world. The circumstance that Judas was given to Christ, is sufficient proof that the whole passage refers to the state of discipleship. Lastly, it is worthy of remark that our