"FOR I WOULD NOT, BRETHREN, THAT YE SHOULD BE IGNORANT OF THIS MYSTERY, LEST YE

SHOULD BE WISE IN YOUR OWN CONCEITS; THAT BLINDNESS IN PART IS HAPPENED TO ISRAEL,

UNTIL THE FULNESS OF THE GENTILES BE COME IN. AND SO ALL ISRAEL SHALL BE SAVED: AS IT

IS WRITTEN, THERE SHALL COME OUT OF ZION THE DELIVERER AND SHALL TURN AWAY

UNGODLINESS FROM JACOB: FOR THIS IS MY COVENANT UNTO THEM, WHEN I SHALL TAKE

AWAY THEIR SINS. AS CONCERNING THE GOSPEL, THEY ARE ENEMIES FOR YOUR SAKES: BUT AS

TOUCHING THE ELECTION, THEY ARE BELOVED FOR THE FATHERS' SAKES. FOR THE GIFTS AND

CALLING OF GOD ARE WITHOUT REPENTANCE." -- Rom. xi. 25-29.

We have before us in these words a large and important subject. So large, that volumes have been written

upon it without exhausting it; and so important, that it forms the very warp and woof of this blessed Book.

It is impossible to do more than glance at its outlines in one brief address. But no consideration of the

subject can be satisfactory that does not go back to the beginning, and lay its foundations deep in the

"everlasting covenant" referred to so pointedly in our text, "This is My covenant."

All God's dealings with Israel, past, present, and future, spring from this covenant. All are based upon it.

Israel is beloved "for the fathers' sakes;" for what God has given He does not take back, and "the gifts and

calling of God are without repentance" (R.V. margin, "Gr. not repented of"). A pre -ordained plan lies at the

foundation of the history of Israel.

Immediately before Abram received these "gifts and calling of God," in Gen. xi., God had divided the nations,

and had given them their inheritance in the earth, with special reference to Israel. We read in Deut. xxxii. 8, 9.

"When the Most High divided to the nations their inheritance, when He separated the sons of Adam, He set

the bounds of the people according to the number of the children of Israel. For the Lord's portion is His

people; Israel is the lot of His inheritance."

The judgment of the Flood was unheeded by the nations, and the people soon gave themselves over to

idolatry. Abram's family formed no exception as we learn from Joshua xxiv. 2, where Joshua reminds the

people of the fact, saying "Your fathers dwelt on the other side of the flood in old time, even Terah, the

father of Abraham, and the father of Nahor: and they served other gods." Well may the Spirit lay such stress

on the grace that called Abraham, and the promise that was freely given to him; for surely it was all of pure

and free grace, when "the God of glory appeared" to him, put his idols to confusion, and called him to

Himself, saying "I have severed you from the other people, that ye should be mine" (Lev. xx. 26). The seven-

fold promise in Gen. xii. 2, 3 tells us that when Abram was called, it was not merely from idolatry but to

blessing, God was the performer of all things for him (Ps. lvii. 2).

1 "I will make of thee a great nation, and

2 I will bless thee, and

3 Make thy name great: and

4 Thou shalt be a blessing: and

5 I will bless them that bless thee, and

6 Curse him that curseth thee, and

7 In thee shall all families of the earth be blessed."

You have the same from of seven-fold, or perfect blessing when God "established" His covenant in Exodus

vi. 4-8.

1 "I will bring you out...

2 I will rid you of their bondage, and