We are brought to exactly the same conclusion if we look at the offer that results from it. Turn to that magnificent invitation which we find just at the conclusion of the book of life, Rev. xxii. 17, ‘And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come; and whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.’ Now if you study that verse you find the Bride employed in proclaiming God’s invitation. Who then is meant by the Bride? Surely nothing else than the church of God’s elect; those who were chosen in Him before the world was. But how is the Bride to be employed? What is to be her work as described in this passage? Is it not to go forth in the Lord’s name, and proclaim to the perishing the free offer of His saving grace? ‘The Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst, come: and whosoever will let him take the water of life freely.’ Would it be possible to construct a sentence which would proclaim more clearly a universal invitation? an invitation to be given by the elect to all the world? Surely, then, we may every one of us accept that offer, and regard the atonement as an atonement made for ourselves. You may see no evidence of your election. You may look into your own heart, and find there nothing whatever to lead you to believe that you are one of God’s chosen people. But you are not called to wait till you have discovered such evidence; and if you do wait, you may wait for ever, for it is perfectly impossible that you should ever have evidence of your election till after you have trusted in His atoning blood. But without any such evidence you may fall back on the finished substitution of the Son of God for the sinner. You may take the words of this text, ‘Being made a curse for us,’ and, whatever you are, may put it in the singular number, and say, ‘Being made a curse for me,’ yes! ‘for me, even for me.’ If, therefore, you are really anxious about the salvation of your soul, do not stop to search into your own sinful heart for evidences of your election; but fall boldly on the fact that, whether you are elected or not, Christ Jesus was your substitute. Cleave to the fact that the propitiation was for the world, that the love that moved God to it was a love to the world; and that the offer made in consequence of it is an offer to the world. Trust that. Accept that. Rest in that, and leave it to God to settle the matter of your election; for of this you may be perfectly sure that you will never enjoy any evidence of your election unto life until you have learned to trust the Lord Jesus Christ, and His perfect work without it. You must learn a lesson from that poor woman of Canaan. She was apparently quite shut out by the doctrine of election, for she was not one of the lost sheep of the house of Israel, and the Lord Himself said to her that it was not right to take the children’s bread and cast it to