This is particularly the case in the epistle to the Romans, in which the apostle is setting forth the call of the gentiles, and the temporary rejection of the Jews; justifying, with great energy, the power and the wisdom, the goodness and the severity of God, in this respect: but that he meant thereby to inculcate, that the Almighty, personally and unconditionally, elected individuals to a state of future happiness, and decreed others to a state of misery, is what, I think, no fair construction of the Epistle will warrant. On the contrary, after showing and enforcing the right of the Almighty, to make use of individuals, or of nations, for carrying on his great and unsearchable designs; the apostle sets forth, even with respect to the gentiles, the call of whom it was peculiarly his object to justify, that their continuance in Divine favour, depended upon the steadfastness of their faith and faithfulness to Him, who had "called them out of darkness into his marvellous light ;" and "made them partakers of his promise in Christ Jesus." + The following quotation from that part of the epistle in which the apostle may be said to sum up his arguments, will tend to set the subject in a clear light : " For I speak to you gentiles; inasmuch as I am the apostle of the gentiles, I magnify mine office. If some of the branches be broken off, and thou, being a wild olive tree, wert graffed in among them; and with them partakest of the root and fatness of rendering. For instance in Acts ii. 23. where it is translated, "Him being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God," &c. the Greek word, exdotov rendered delivered, may, with equal or more propriety, be translated, given forth; then the passage may be read thus: "Him who was given forth by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and with wicked hands have crucified and slain." Another Greek word is used in every passage that is rendered, delivered. Acts iv. 27. xiii. 48. and 1 Peter ii. 8. are also capable of being differently translated. the olive tree, boast not against the branches; but if thou boast [remember] 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 natural branches, take heed lest He also spare not thee. Behold therefore the goodness, and severity of God on them which fell severity; but towards thee, goodness, if thou continue in his goodness; otherwise thou also shalt be cut off and they also, if they abide not still in unbelief, shall be graffed in; for God is able to graff them in again." * Here we see no unconditional election or reprobation; but a doctrine which perfectly comports with the declaration of the Almighty about six hundred years before, when, after sending the prophet Jeremiah to the potter's house, to instruct him at once in the Divine power and mercy, He sent a message by him to the house of Israel, in this memorable language: "O house of Israel! cannot I do with you as this potter, saith the Lord ? Behold! as the clay is in the potter's hand, so are ye in my hand, O house of Israel!" + After thus setting forth his power, the Almighty proceeds to show in what manner He is pleased to exercise it: "At what instant I shall speak concerning a nation, and concerning a kingdom, to pluck up, and to pull down, and to destroy it; if that nation, against which I have pronounced, turn from their evil, I will repent of the evil that I thought to do unto them. And at what instant I shall speak concerning a nation, and concerning a kingdom, to build and to plant it; if it do evil in my sight, that it obey not my voice, then I will repent of the good, wherewith I said I would benefit them." ‡ *Rom. xi. 13-23. + Jer. xviii. 6. Jer. xviii. 7, 10. Thus we see the principle of the dealings of God with mankind, in different ages of the world. The Ninevites are a proof of the truth of the first part of the foregoing declaration; and the Israelites of the latter for, however the Almighty may, in some instances, see meet to distinguish a people or individuals, by some peculiar privileges; yet, if they neglect and trample upon his law, and are unmindful of the favours which they receive, He does not fail to punish them accordingly : "You only have I known of all the families of the earth; therefore I will punish you for all your iniquities," was the declaration concerning this highly favoured people; from which, and various other passages in Holy Writ, we may safely conclude, that man's destruction is of himself; agreeably to another declaration of the Almighty by one of his prophets: "O Israel! thou hast destroyed thyself; but in Me is thine help."+"The Grace of God which bringeth salvation, and hath appeared unto all men," affordeth this help. It is saving Grace; and it is universal Grace. It is a gift consistent with every attribute of the Deity; and with the declarations concerning Him, recorded in the Scriptures of Truth. That the Almighty may see meet, in his unsearchable wisdom, to confer a greater degree of this Grace on some than on others; and that He may peculiarly call some to particular services in his Church, or in the world, are no doubt consistent with the Divine attributes: but with respect to the future happiness of mankind, there is abundant reason to believe, that all receive a sufficient degree of Grace to procure it; and if this Grace is not equally distributed to all, yet, surely, we may conclude that, at last, the judgment will be according to this most excellent rule: "Where much is given, much will be required ;" and, consequently, that where little is given but little will be required. * Amos iii. 2. + Hosea xiii. 9. + Luke xii. 41. b In addition to what has been already said, it may be proper to observe, that, in considering this subject, we should always distinguish between those passages in the Scriptures, which simply declare the power of the Almighty, and those which set forth the manner in which He exercises that power. Thus the apostle has said, and no doubt said truly: 66 He hath mercy on whom He will have mercy and whom He will He hardeneth."" But then are we not also told that "the Lord is good to all; and his tender mercies are over all his works ;" and has not the very same apostle, after recommending that "prayers and intercessions should be made for all men," expressly declared, that "this is good. and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour; who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the Truth ?" d Correspondent with this is the language of the apostle Peter: "The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness, but is long suffering to us-ward; not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance." C e It should also be considered that hardness of heart is the punishment, and not the original cause, of sin; nor does the hardness spoken of by the apostle in the Epistle to the Romans, necessarily imply perpetual hardness; for of the Jews, whom he represents in a state of hardness, he says: "If they abide not still in unbelief, they shall be graffed in again." If God did judicially harden or suffer to be hardened, those who had been long wilfully disobedient to his laws, He might, with great propriety, "show his wrath, and make his power known, in the vessels of wrath, fitted for destruction" " by their own accumulated transgressions. Thus were Pha Rom. ix. 18. b Ps. cxiv. 9. e 2 Pet. iii. 9. c 1 Tim. ii, 1. f Rom. xi. 23. a 1 Tim. ii. 3, 4. Rom. ix. 22. raoh and the Jews monuments of the justice of an offended God, and warnings to succeeding generations, not to despise those long-suffering mercies, with which He waits the return of those who sin against Him. Seeing then that the designs of our great and gracious Creator are so replete with "good-will to men;" that, as far as is consistent with the free agency with which He has seen meet to endow us, He is ever willing our happiness, and furnishing us with the means of procuring it; "let us draw nigh with a true heart, in full assurance of faith ;" and, trusting in that merciful redemption, by which we have, on repentance, the forgiveness of sins, "let us come boldly to the Throne of Grace; that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.”† Thus will that sanctifica tion of heart, and holiness of life, be experienced, without which, we are told, "no man shall see the Lord ;" and thus all will redound to the glory of God, who has "shown the exceeding riches of his grace, in his kindness towards us, through Christ Jesus." § * Heb. x. 22. + Heb. iv. 16. + Heb. xii. 14. § Eph. ii. 7. |