children of idolatry, which the first generation of converts could never wholly unlearn.

This accounts for the extraordinary importance which is attached to the universality of the Gospel dispensation throughout the historical books of the New Testament. This accounts for the Baptist's prophetic threat: "Think not to say within yourselves, We have "Abraham to our father; for I say unto you, "that God is able of these stones to raise up "children unto Abraham.”* To this the hymn of Zacharias alludes: "The dayspring from

on high has visited us, to give light to them "that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death:"t and that of Simeon still more emphatically: "Mine eyes have seen thy salvation, which "thou hast prepared before the face of all "people; to be a light to lighten the Gentiles, "and the glory of thy people Israel." again affords the moral of three striking parables of our Saviour: in which he assures his unbelieving hearers, that "the lord of the *Matt. iii. 9. + Luke i. 78. Luke ii 32.

This

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vineyard will come and destroy the wicked.

husbandmen, and will give the vineyard unto "others:" that the labourers who had been latest hired should have an equal recompense with the first; and that, since "they which were bidden to the wedding were not worthy," guests should be supplied from "the highways " and hedges." Lastly, notwithstanding these and numberless other intimations, it required the solemnity of a very remarkable vision to draw from Peter the acknowledgment which reason and natural religion spontaneously avow: "Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter

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of persons; but, in every nation, he that fear"eth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him."*

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It is a natural consequence from these considerations, that," in an Epistle to the Roman believers, the point to be endeavoured after by St. Paul, was to reconcile the Jewish converts to the opinion that the Gentiles were admitted by God to a parity of religious situation with

* Acts x. 34.

themselves."* In order to effect this, it was necessary for him to enter upon the grounds of national election: that is, of its being allowed by the constitution of the world, that certain nations should have great advantages over others, both in their natural and moral circumstances; some of which had been hitherto very exclusively dispensed in favour of the Jews. Accordingly he refers this privilege entirely to the will of God, independent of any claim or merit on the part of the nations themselves.

Secondly, this church was destined to undergo, and indeed was undergoing at the date of St. Paul's Epistle, severe persecution. Now it is certain that both the Jewish and the Gentile convert would be inclined, from their habitual opinions, to consider this as a strong proof that they did not really enjoy the protection of God, and were not elected to his favour. The Jews had been accustomed throughout their whole history to expect the

divine interference in behalf of his chosen people; and though this visible interposition had been long withheld, the idea it left still subsisted, as appears from many passages of the New Testament, and as a case in point, from the reproach cast upon our Saviour himself: 66 He trusted in God: let him deliver him, if he will have him." Among the heathens, too, success was very familiarly considered indicative of the protection of superior powers and this belief was cherished by the various legendary stories of supernatural aid and miraculous appearances which were incorporated with the Roman annals, and in all probability received implicit credit among the vulgar.

The Gentiles, no doubt, would very readily believe that they were admitted to privileges hitherto bestowed upon the Jew alone. But the Jews, we know, could with great difficulty be persuaded, even after conversion, to resign their title to the hereditary favour of God: and the attempts they made in many of the

churches to bring over the Gentiles to the obligations of the Mosaic law, were likely to be urged more vigorously and more successfully at Rome, in proportion to the weight their numbers gave them. Then would come in the auxiliary inference, drawn from impending danger and persecution: a season which was calculated to add unusual plausibility to the arguments of the Jews, in the minds of their Gentile brethren, by furnishing a sort of practical evidence that the divine protection was not extended towards them. An argument which was, in fact, repeatedly employed throughout the subsequent persecutions of the Christians; who were taunted with senseless stupidity for suffering so much as the servants of a God, who evidently, it was thought, showed that he beheld them with no favourable regard, since he refused to exert his power in their behalf.*

*

With these circumstances in his view, the

See the account of the martyrs at Lyons, Eus. Hist. 1, v. c. 1.