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this, comment is needless. With less blindness than that which happened to Israel, no one can avoid seeing that it was the design of the inspired author to prove that the Jews' blindness was advantageous to the gentile world, and that they would eventually be the happy partakers of that grace which was revealed to the Gentiles by means of their blindness. The hearer will carefully observe the connexion between this subject and the one treated of in our last lecture, and examine the whole of this chapter on the momentous subject of this inquiry by which he may see the glorious light which caused the Apostle to exclaim; "O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and the knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!"

By the Calvinistic doctrine of election we have been taught to believe, that the remnant according to the election of grace, of which the Apostle speaks in our context, "the election" of which he speaks in our text were all that were the beloved objects of divine mercy of the whole house of Israel; and that they who were blinded, were predestinated from eternity to endless darkness and misery. But by the evident sense of the divine testimony on this subject we have ample evidence to believe, what has been so fully proved, that "all Israel shall be saved." Those blinded Jews were the objects of the Saviour's grace as much as those who were chosen to receive and preserve the knowledge of him. They were those of the family, who, it was necessary should be ignorant of the truth which was revealed to others of the same family for the benefit of all. Our blessed Saviour manifested towards those blinded Jews, the most tender, affectionate regard. His pity for them melted him into tears, he wept over them with as much tenderness as Joseph wept over his brethren.

St. Paul was one of the family who was for some time blinded; during which time he was active in assisting his brethren who also were blind, in prosecuting their persecutions against the enlightened disciples of Jesus. He was afterward himself, brought to know

the truth, to understand the mystery of the wisdom and goodness of God in blinding the Jews, and he ever seemed to be exercised with a spirit and disposition of compassion for his brethren according to the flesh.

In the beginning of the 10th chapter of this epistle he expresses himself as follows; "Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved." In the beginning of the 9th chapter he has the following indication of most fervent benevolence; I say the truth in Christ, I lie not, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Ghost, that I have great heaviness and continual sorrow of heart. For I could wish that myself were accursed, from Christ, for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh." Christian hearer, when you were asked, on supposition you were one of the family that was enlightened in certain matters concerning which your brethren were in the dark, if you might not feel willing to exchange circumstances with the unenlightened, did you not feel an assent to the question? And does it not seem that this was the exact case of the Apostle? He knew that he was chosen of God, enlightened by the Saviour, made a vessel of mercy, and ordained to the work of the ministry for no good that he nad done. It was not possible, therefore, that with all this knowledge, he could feel unmerciful towards his brethren, who remained exactly in the situation from which the grace of God had taken him. It was therefore, with unspeakable satisfaction, that he anticipated the happy event of the turning away of ungodliness from Jacob, and the salvation of all Israel.

Brethren, though a regret is felt that better justice has not been done to the weighty subject under consideration, yet a hope is entertained that you clearly see, that the blindness of those Jews who were not of the elect spoken of in our text, was designed for the benefit of the Gentile world; and that when their blindness shall have effected all for which it was designed in the wisdom of God, it will be removed, and the blinded will be saved in Sion's deliverer. And fur

thermore, that the elected ones were chosen, not for their benefit alone, but for the good likewise of those who were not elected.

We may now look for a moment, and see if this doctrine of election agrees with the scriptures generally and with reason. The doctrine of election according to the views we have taken of it, supposes that those who are elected, are elected for the benefit of those who are not elected. The prophet Isaiah in the 42d chapter speaks of an elect of God as follows; 'Behold my servant, whom I uphold; mine elect, in whom my soul delighteth: I have put my Spirit upon him; he shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles.-İ the Lord have called thee in righteousness, and will hold thine hand, and will keep thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people for a light of the Gentiles; to open the blind eyes, to bring out the prisoners from the prison, and them that sit in darkness out of the prison-house." This elect of God is the Lord Jesus, the Saviour of the world, of whom the Apostle John says; "we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world." This elect of God is the One Mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself a ransom for all to be testified in due time." Thus it is evident that this elect was designed for the benefit of the whole world.

The Saviour also himself had an elect. He chose his Apostles and ordained them to preach his grace and salvation to the whole world. "Go ye into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature." This elect therefore, was for the benefit of the whole world.

Being one of the elect, and having received a dispensation of the gospel of reconciliation, St. Paul said to the Romans, "I am a debtor both to the Greeks and to the Barbarians, both to the wise and to the unwise." Here we see that what the world lacked, the Apostles of Jesus had for it, what the wise and the unise lacked St. Paul had for them. The Apostles were ot chosen to be the exclusive partakers of the grace

which they received, but were commanded by the divine Master to bestow as freely on others, as they had received. It seems a fair conclusion from the facts noticed, that the grace of God which is specially communicated to his elect is ultimately designed as much for those who are not elected as for those who are.

This doctrine is perfectly consistent with the dictates of reason and is analogous with the prudent management of civil community.

In all societies a few are elected for the benefit of the whole. They are never chosen to monopolize all the blessings of society to themselves, but to make as equal a distribution of burdens and favors, of expenses and profits as possible. Look at the elected officers of the town; they see for the blind, they hear for the deaf, they walk for the lame, they have wealth for the poor, they provide for those who cannot provide for themselves. Notice every officer in the general government of our country, up to the presidency; men are elected to fill all these places, not for their exclusive benefit, but for the good of the whole union.

Let us ask, where in the vast creation, did the wisdom of this world find the Calvinistic doctrine of election and reprobation? Does the sun shine to light himself alone? Are his fervid beams designed to warm his own bosom only? And in the mild rays of the queen of night does she alone rejoice? Do winds blow to refresh themselves? Are rivers designed for their own benefit? What element, what vegetable, what animal exists for itself only?

"All are but parts of one stupendous whole,
Whose body nature is, and God the soul."

To conclude. Let us duly notice the moral tendency of divine truth, as seen in the subject under consideration. God is good to all, his tender mercies are over all his works. This truth demands of every rational being the exercise of that diffusive benevolence which embraces the whole creation. Those whom God chooses to enlighten by his grace, while others are blinded, are appointed to administer the riches of

the manifold wisdom and goodness of God to such as lack the knowledge of his ways. The spirit of Christ is love to enemies, his grace is the salvation of sinners; if therefore, we partake of his spirit and enjoy his grace we shall be led thereby to love our enemies and to administer saving grace to those who walk in sin. Is it not a fact that limited views of the goodness of God have limited the charity of those who had them? and have not those opinions, which maintain that the Father of our spirits will execute unspeakable vengeance on a large proportion of the human family eternally, effectually hardened the hearts of those who have been led by them, and rendered them in too many instances, unreasonable enthusiasts and violent persecutors of those who have not conformed to their superstitions?

Not only does the impartial grace which we have seen in the doctrine of election lead us to love all men, and to do good to all men, but it shows us that we are no better than those who are blind respecting this divine and glorious system of truth. This doctrine naturally leads the believer to pity the blindness of those who do not see; but it gives the consoling anticipation of the final reconciliation of all things through Jesus Christ our Lord. It fills the heart with gratitude to God, who so wisely planned and so graciously designed the blindness of the house of Israel, that thereby salvation might come unto the Gentiles; and has so ordained in his impartial goodness, that the blinded Jews shall eventually obtain the mercy now enjoyed by the Gentiles. Thus of the twain, the wisdom of God makes one new man, so making peace. Therefore we read; "Rejoice ye Gentiles with his people. And again, praise the Lord, all ye Gentiles; and laud him all ye people."

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