their mouths in blasphemy. But would it have been better not to preach the truth because it sturred up the opposition? Would it have been better not to cast out devils because if he cast them out the Pharisees would blaspheme and say, that "this fellow doth not cast out devils but by Beelzebub, the prince of the devils ?"

The opposer will say, perhaps, that he means this; if we believe in so much goodness it will tend to make us worse. But this is absurd; for every thing tends to its own, goodness to goodness, evil to evil, love to love, hatred to hatred, harmony to harmony, discord to discord, friendship to friendship, enmity to enmity.

But says the objector, according to this doctrine there is no punishment for sin, no, not even for this awful blasphemy. Here again is a mistake. For nearly eighteen hundred years the Jews, the descendants of him to whom the promise of the gospel was made, have wandered in "outer darkness," in consequence of this blasphemy, and how much longer they will continue in this unhappy situation none but our merciful Father in heaven knows. But the objector will say that these arguments do not suppose that the Pharisees who blasphemed in the days of Jesus on earth are now burning in fire and brimstone for that sin in the immortal world. No, we see no evidence of this. If people are possessed with devils in the eternal world, and if Jesus cast out devils in that world, and these old Pharisees there in that world believe and say that he casts out devils by Beelzebub the prince of the devils, then it is granted, that in the eternal world they must be punished for such unreasonable folly.

But, my brethren, let us learn wisdom by the ensamples furnished in the word of God, and remember that now is the accepted time, now is the day of salvation; and that none but the willing and obedient cat the good of the land.

No. 10.

LECTURE SERMON,

DELIVERED AT THE

SECOND UNIVERSALIST MEETING, IN BOSTON,

DECEMBER 6, 1818.

BY HOSEA BALLOU, PASTOR.

Published Semi-Monthly by Henry Bowen, Devonshire-street.

ROMANS, xi. 7.

" What then? Israel hath not obtained that which he seeketh for ; but the election hath obtained it, and the rest were blinded.”

THE design in view which has led to the choice of this portion of divine truth, as a subject of our present lecture, is to investigate the scripture doctrine of election, to show the strict sovereignty of God in electing some and blinding others, the righteousness of God in the exercise of his sovereignty, and to disprove the common doctrine of election which supposes, that our heavenly Father, from eternity, elected some to everlasting life, and predestinated others to a state of endless misery.

Our subject is one in which every christian must feel deeply interested, as it essentially concerns the divine character, his revealed will concerning the final state of mankind, together with the ultimate object of the gospel of Jesus Christ. It is therefore hoped that due attention and impartial candor will contribute to their utmost to a correct understanding of the weighty subject under consid

ertion.

By the election" in our text the Apostle means a remnant of the house of Israel, who had obtained what the whole had sought for, but of which the greatest part had come short, being blinded. In the preceding chapters the Author had spoken of the failure of the house of Israel in their endeavors to attain to the law of righteousness, and of the more favorable condition of the Gentiles, who though they did not follow after righteousness, yet had "attained to righteousness, even the righteousness which is of faith." To the Gentiles he applies a prophecy of Esaias as follows; "I was found of them that sought me not; I was made manifest to them that asked not after me." But concerning the house of Israel he uses the following words: "But to Israel he saith, all day long, I have stretched forth my hands unto a disobedient and gain saying people." In the commencement of this chapter his attention seems to be directed to make it appear that, notwithstanding all which he had said, God had by no means, cast away the whole of his people, the Jews. The following is his reasoning on the jubject: "I say then, hath God cast away his people? God forbid. For I also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe Benjamin. God hath not cast away his people which he foreknew. Wot ye not what the scripture saith of Elias, how he maketh intercession to God against Isreal, saying, Lord, they have killed thy prophets, and digged down thine altars; and I am left alone and they seek my life? But what saith the answer of God unto him? I have reserved to myself seven thousand men, who have not bowed the knee to the image of Baal. Even so then, at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace." That is, as in the days of Elijah it pleased God to reserve seven thousand of the Israelites to be true worshippers of himself, while the rest bow

ed the knee to Baal, so now, while the general mass of the stock of Abraham are blinded, have stumbled at the stumbling stone laid in Sion, and are broken off through unbelief, there is a remnant still preserved, who have escaped the general calamity, and have by grace obtained what the others sought for but found not; of this remnant, the Apostle reckons himself as one.

The hearer is now called on to direct his atten tion to understand, that this election was not made with the least reference to the works of the chosen. This the Aapostle is careful to notice in a most plain and positive manner. See his observation in the 6th verse. "And if by grace, then it is no more of works; otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then is it no more grace; other wise work is no more work." This argument supposes that if this election had been according to works grace would have been entirely excluded; but as it was by grace, works were excluded. In the 9th chapter the author in describing the sovereignty of God in the election of Jacob in preference to Esau, says; "For the children being not yet born; neither having done away good or evil, that the purpose of God, according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth." And in further arguing on this subject he adds; "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. So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy. For the scriptures saith unto Pharoah, even for this same purpose have I raised thee up, that I might shew my power in thee, and that my name might be declared throughout all the earth. Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he hardeneth." To confirm this divine sovereignty still further the inspired Apostle

adds the following significant query; "Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honor, and another unto dishonor? What if God, willing to shew his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much long suffering the vessels of wrath fitted to distruction; and that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, which he had afore prepared unto glory, even us, whom he hath called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles ?"

Not only does the Apostle labour to show that the remnant of the house of Israel, which he calls the election, were elected according to the strict Sovereignty of God, and called by the riches of sovereign grace, and made vessels of mercy according to the same unconditional grace of God, but he also directs his argument to prove that the blindness of the Jews in general, their hardness of heart &c. was effected also by the sovereign will and pleasure of God," According as it is written, God hath given them the spirit of slumber, eyes that they should not see, and ears that they should not hear. And David saith, let their table be made a snare, and a trap, and a stumblingblock, and a recompence unto them: let their eyes be darkened, that they may not see, and bow down their back alway." On the same subject we read in the prophecy of Isaiah as follows; "And he said, go, and tell this people, hear ye indeed, but understand not; and see ye indeed, but perceive not. Make the heart of this people fat, and make their ears heavy, and shut their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and convert and be healed." And that this work of hardening and blinding the house of Israel was effectually done we have the assurance in the 12th chapter of the gospel of St. John: "But though