house of Cornelius he stated that God had showed him that he was not to call any man common or unclean; a plain, proof that till this time, he, as well as other Jews, had been accustomed to do so. (Acts, x. 28.)

Now the history which we have thus traced, to our race as Gentiles, is as important as it is interesting.

You are aware that, at a period long antecedent to the birth of Christ, Abraham was chosen out of an idolatrous world to be the head and father of a people who should show forth the praise of God in the earth, as Moses said to them: Thou art a holy people unto the Lord thy God.. The Lord thy God hath chosen thee to be a special people unto Himself above all the people that are upon the earth:' and as the Psalmist stated: The Lord hath chosen Jacob unto Himself, and Israel for His peculiar treasure.'

And for the period I have spoken of-nearly 2000 years -they were peculiarly blessed, blessed temporally and spiritually. And St. Paul, summing up their advantages, states, that 'to them pertained the adoption and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God. and the promises: whose were the fathers, and of whom as concerning the flesh, Christ came who is over all God blessed for ever.'

They were, indeed, beloved, and that for their fathers" sakes. (Rom. xi 28). But there were those people who were not beloved: that is, those who were not thus favoured; but the time was to come when those who were not of the favoured nation were to become beloved, and to be spiritually favoured as well as the seed of Abraham had been, God having said: 'I will have mercy upon her which had not obtained mercy; and I will say to them which were not My people, thou art My people.' The period was to arrive when the Gentiles, thus chosen and predestinated to be called, were to become 'fellow-heirs with the Jews, and of the same body, and partakers of God's promise in Christ by the gospel.' (Eph. iii. 5, 6; Rom. ix. 25.)

But though this purpose of God was in due time to take effect, it was not to be accomplished immediately on Christ's coming and accomplishing His ministerial and sacrificial work as a prophet and a priest. The period of seven years was to elapse after He was set apart to His work at His baptism before an offer of mercy was to be made to the Gentiles-before Jew and Gentile were to be made one in

Christ, and both to have the same privilege of access by one Spirit unto the Father, the Jews during the interval having the sole advantage of the revelation of God's mercy in Christ by His personal ministry among them for three and a half years, and then the preaching of the Apostles exclusively amongst them for another three and a half years after Christ's ascension.

When these two three and a half years were ended, from the time Christ entered on His ministry, then the period fixed upon in the divine mind for the Gentiles to be called, to have the offer of the gospel made to them, had arrived And we see in the history we have traced this morning the operation of God to bring it about; an angel going to Cornelius, a Gentile Roman soldier, and directing him to send to Peter to hear words from him, and a special vision being made to Peter, and that at the time Cornelius's messengers were on their way to him; and the Holy Spirit informing Peter when they had arrived at the gate of the house where he was lodging, that three men were seeking him, and stating to him that He had sent them, and that he was to go with them, doubting nothing, raising no objection whatever.

The history we have had before us does not state all this; but the whole of it is involved, scripture, both prophetic and historical, bearing it out.

From the day Peter preached to Cornelius and his friends the church became catholic, or open to all, and christianity, or the gospel, became catholic or general in action. But till then, both were exclusive-confined-shut up-to one people, the circumcised. On Peter's going to Cornelius commenced the fact of there being, thenceforth, no difference between the Jew and the Gentile; and then commenced the graffing in, contrary to nature, of the olive-tree which was wild by nature into the good olive, and the setting up of Christ's kingdom, so long prophesied of, and which Christ told the Jews they should see come before some of them died. (Rom. xi. 24; Matt. xvi. 28; Mark, ix. 1; Luke, ix. 27.)

The view we have taken will not affect the extent or efficacy of the atonement. The atonement would be for all, as Christ Himself pointed out: 'and I, if I be lifted up, will draw all men to Me:' all races of men; even as He said, on another occasion, and no doubt in the expression

He referred to the reception of the Gentiles into His kingdom: Other sheep I have which are not of this flock: them also I must bring, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd.' (John, xii. 32: x. 16.)

His will was, that all (persons of all classes-all races of men) should be saved, and come to the knowledge of the truth. But His will also was that the children should first be filled Unto you first' said St. Peter, 'God having raised up His Son sent Him to bless you, in turning away every one of you from his iniquities.' (Acts, iii. 26).

And in His thus specially favouring the Jews, He showed His love for them; that He desired, at least, a remnant to be saved before the general destruction of their nation came upon them-that destruction testified of by Moses: 'A

Prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your

brethren, like as He raised up me; Him shall ye hear in all things whatsoever He shall say unto you. And it shall come to pass, that every soul, which will not hear that Prophet, shall be destroyed from among the people.'

As Gentiles, then, the subject testifies our interest in Christ. We had been apparently long neglected. For nearly two thousand years we were without the light of revelation, with no one to say to us, as a people: This is the way; walk ye in it.' And as time went on our darkness became more dense, our errors increased; our elder brother, as it were, having teachers, and prophets, to the full. At length, however, our light came, and the glory of the Lord shone upon us. That time commenced when Peter went to Cornelius. Then our spiritual privileges and blessings commenced, the gospel ever since saying to us, though Gentiles after the flesh, To you is the word of this salvation sent." Myriads of our race have accepted it, and experienced it to be the power of God unto their salvation. But not all. And the numbers of our race which have neglected it and rejected it, since it was offered to us, warn us not be highminded, but to fear; since if God spared not the Jews who would not hear and see, and whose hearts became hardened, He may not spare us, unless we repent and accept the offer which He makes to us. In Christ we may have, thanks be to God, redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins; but St. Paul cautions us by saying: 'If some of the branches be broken off, and thou, being a wild olivetree, wert graffed in among them, and with them partakest.

of the root and fatness of the olive-tree, boast not thyself against the branches. But if thou boast, thou bearest not the root, but the root thee. Thou wilt say then, The branches were broken off, that I might be graffed in. Well; because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by faith. Be not high-minded, but fear. For if God spared not the branches, take heed lest He also spare not thee.'

O let us value the offer which is made to us, and draw near every one of us to the throne of grace that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

It follows not, however, that we shall be individually saved, because, as a people, we were called and chosen in Christ-predestinated in due time to become beloved, and then became so. Our personal justification and sanctification depend on our receiving Christ into our hearts, on our becoming subjects of living faith in Christ—a faith which works by love and purifies the heart; and that through the new and living way which hath been opened to, and for, us in, and by, Christ's atonement, in accordance with God's will and purpose that He might make known the riches of His glory on the vessels of mercy, which He before ordained, unto glory even us whom He hath called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles.

We have cause then to magnify the grace of God towards us: that He left us not for ever in our low estate, but at length had compassion on us-kissed us-clothed us in His best robe, putting a ring on our hand and shoes on our feet. (Luke, xv. 22.)

And cause have we to magnify the love of Christ, who not only loved us but gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from all iniquity and purify unto Himself a peculiar people zealous of good works. Gentiles, then, by nature, as we are, and yet may, through Christ's death and righteousness, obtain pardon, peace, holiness, and heaven, should we not seek, thirst, desire to have Him made unto us, of God, wisdom and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption,' and examine ourselves, day by day, whether it has become the case with us? Time is given us for this purpose. Let us aim by the assistance of the Holy Spirit, that we may not only have a portion in His kingdom on earth, but a portion in His kingdom in heaven, and join with those who shall have come out of all nations,

and kingdoms, and tribes, in giving praise to the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, for their redeeming love, saving grace, and sanctifying power.

XL.

"Then called he them in, and lodged them. And on the morrow Peter went away with them, and certain brethren from Joppa accompanied him. And the morrow after they entered into Cæsarea. And Cornelius waited for them, and had called together his kinsman and near friends. And as Peter was coming in, Cornelius met him, and fell down at his feet, and worshipped him. But Peter took him up, saying, Stand up; I myself also am a man. And as he talked with him, he went in, and found many that were come together. And he said unto them, Ye know how that it is an unlawful thing for a man that is a Jew to keep company, or come unto one of another nation; but God hath showed me that I should not call any man common or unclean. Therefore came I unto you without gainsaying, as soon as I was sent for: I ask therefore for what intent ye have sent for me? And Cornelius said, Four days ago I was fasting until this hour; and at the ninth hour I prayed in my house, and, behold, a man stood before me in bright clothing, and said, Cornelius, thy prayer is heard, and thine alms are had in remembrance in the sight of God. Send therefore to Joppa, and call hither Simon, whose surname is Peter; he is lodged in the house of one Simon a tanner by the sea side: who, when he cometh, shall speak unto thee. Immediately therefore I sent to thee; and thou hast well done that thou art come. Now therefore are we all here present before God, to hear all things that are commanded thee of God. Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons: but in every nation he that feareth Him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with Him. The word which God sent unto the children of Israel, preaching peace by Jesus Christ: (He is Lord of all :) that word, I say, ye know, which was published throughout all Judæa, and began from Galilee, after the baptism which John preached; how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him. And we are witnesses of all things which he did both in the land of the Jews, and in Jerusalem; whom they slew and hanged on a tree: Him God raised up the third day, and showed Him openly; not to all the people, but unto witnesses chosen before of God, even to us, who did eat and drink with Him after He rose from the dead. And He commanded us to preach unto the people, and to testify that it is He which was ordained of God to be the Judge of quick and dead. To Him give all the prophets witness, that through His name whosoever believeth in Him shall receive remission of sins."-Acts, x. 23-43.