his own. It leads a man, to regard his own creed as a thing of his adoption, as embraced by him from a conviction of its superiority to all other creeds; and, so regarding it, he assumes merit to himself for his belief, and he looks upon every different creed as an impeachment of his own judgment. Thus, every man clings to his own creed, not only, because he believes it to be true; but, because it is his own. And, thus, in religious controversies, it seldom, happens, that any converts are made by the arguments which are adduced on either side. But, we may safely conclude, that the benevolent Creator views the variety of creeds which are established among His creatures, with complacency and with tenderness. He, who knows what man is; and who, from eternity, contemplated the variety of opinions which would, of necessity, as it were, spring up among men; views them not, we may rest assured, with that jealousy and enmity which man, presumptuous man, feels, and fosters, towards those, who hold opinions on religious matters different from his own. For, Christianity represents the Creator as having, from eternity, included all His creatures in a scheme, founded in benevolence and love, and based on their common impotency. It represents all men, as equal in the sight of GOD; all, on a par as regards merit or demerit; all, as destined to appear "guilty before God," some in belief, and some in unbelief; with this glorious, this benevolent design, "That He might have mercy on all." We see, then, that the religion which a man professes, is, in a vast majority of cases, determined, by the place in which it was his lot to be born, by the religion of the community among whom he has been trained. If any one ask why it is one man's lot to be educated as a Christian, and another's to be brought up as a Pagan, we can only say, in reply, that GOD has willed the one to be a Christian, the other to be a Pagan. So, if it be asked, why it has been ordered that so many different, and opposite, creeds should obtain among men, and that so small a portion of mankind should possess Christianity; we can only say, that it has pleased God, it has consisted with His eternal purpose, that such should be the case. He has willed, that Christianity, Judaism, Mahometanism, Paganism, all, should exist, and should, in some way to us unknown, minister to His eternal purpose. He has chosen to make one man to be a Jew, another a Christian, a third a Mahometan, and so on; and, among those who profess Christianity, He has suffered contrariety of creeds. He has chosen this; this has been His will. And, accordingly, He has caused men to be trained in different modes of belief, and to embrace different creeds, independently of any act of volition, or choice, on their part; in order that they might minister to His secret purposes; just as He has endowed different men with different faculties, independently of any act of volition on their part, and has bestowed b See 1 Cor. on them different gifts; in order that they bin also, might, in different ways, minister to his hidden, but eternal, purposes. : But, the man, whose lot it has been to be born among Christians, and to be educated as a Christian, has not, as such, any claim of superiority, as regards merit, over him, who, having been born among Pagans, has been trained up as a Pagan; he has no more claim to superiority over the Pagan, than the man of powerful faculties has over him who is born an idiot. The Christian is a Christian; the Pagan, a Pagan; the man of powerful faculties, a highly-gifted man; the idiot, an idiot; be xii. 4, 7 --10. cause GOD has chosen that each should be what he is. Such has been GoD's choice, or election.. d 25. 1. i. We have already seen, that it was part of GOD's eternal purpose, that “blindness, in part," should happen "to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles" should" come in." Rom. xi. As it was a part of His purpose, that a small portion, only, of His ancient people should embrace Christianity; so was it, also, a part of that purpose, that a portion, and a portion only, of the Gentiles, should become converts to it. Those among the Jews and Gentiles whom He chose, or selected, to be the early converts to the religion of Christ, and to be the first propagators of it, are said, to have been " called" by Him; "called according to (His) purpose; "called (to be) saints." They are said, to have been "chosen before "the called of God;" and they are styled, of Jesus Christ;" h "the elect of GOD," "GOD's elect;""elect, according to the foreknowledge of God the Father;" those whom He "did predestinate (to be) conformed to the image of His Son-the first born among many brethren ; "a kind of first- "Rom. viii. fruits of His creatures. As He selected i f 1 Cor. i. 1, 9. Heb. ix. 15. e Rom, viii. Rom. i. 6. or i Col. iii. 12. some independently of any act on their own. k Rom. viii. 33. Tit. i. 1 Pet. i. 2. 1. 29. " James i. 18. P Rom. ix. part, to be the recipients of the truths of the 4-24. xi. 6. r gospel; so did He give, to others, "the spirit of slumber,-eyes that they should not see, " and 8. and ears that they should not hear; all this was done, in accordance with His own will and purpose, according to His 1--5,7. choice, or "election." Israel," says the apostle," which followed after the law of righteousness, hath not attained unto the law of righteousness, wherefore? Because (they sought it) not by faith, but, as it were, by the works of the law. For they stumbled at that stumbling-stone, as it is written, Behold I lay in Sion a stumbling-stone and rock of — ix. 31 offence;" (which "stumbling-block" was 1 Cor. i. Christ crucified "") while "the Gentiles, which follow not after righteousness, have attained to righteousness, even the righteousRom. ix. ness which is of faith."t The Jews, who adhered to the letter of their law and sought to justify themselves by their works, are said to have been blinded by the Deity, and, consequently, to have "stumbled;" yet, says the apostle, "Have they stumbled that they should fall? God forbid; but (rather), through their fall, salvation (is come) unto the Gentiles, for to provoke them to jealousy. Now, if the fall of them (be) the riches of the world, 11 -33. 23. 30. |