Sermons on Various Important Subjects: Written Partly on Sundry of the More Difficult Passages in the Sacred VolumeLee, Andrew
Religion
Sermons on Various Important Subjects: Written Partly on Sundry of the More Difficult Passages in the Sacred Volume
Lee, Andrew
Bible -- Sermons; Sermons, American
The divine impartiality is only concerned to apportion the rule of
duty to the powers and advantages imparted, and to give to each one
according to the manner in which he shall have conformed to the rule
given to direct him, making no difference, other than they may have
affected differently the parts assigned them, or had more or fewer
talents.
If this definition of impartiality is just, we may infer that God
requires of man only "according to that which he hath;" and that in
the final adjustment nothing will be done by partiality, or preferring
one before another.
Could not these be predicated of the supreme governor, we would not
attempt to vindicate his character as an impartial being. The latter
we conceive chiefly respected in the text. Shall treat of each
briefly.
That God requires of man only "according to that which he hath," is
equally the language of reason and revelation. Our Savior teacheth,
that the divine rule will be the same, in this respect, as that which
governs good men--"Unto whom much is given, of him shall much be
required; and to whom men have committed much, of him will they ask
the more."
The apostle had a particular reference in the text to the decisions at
the great day, when "everyone must give account to God, and receive
the deeds done in the body"--and insists that the situation in which
each person had been placed, and the rule given for his direction will
then be brought into the reckoning, and that each one will be judged,
and his state determined by the law, under which he had lived and
acted during his probation. This is the spirit of the context from
verse six to the sixteenth, inclusive. "Who will render to every man
according to his deeds: To them who by a patient continuance in well
doing, seek for glory, and honor and immortality, eternal life: But to
them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey
unrighteousness, indignation and wrath; tribulation and anguish, upon
every soul of man that doeth evil; of the Jew first, and also of the
Gentile: But glory, and honor, and peace, to every man that worketh
good; to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile. _For there is no
respect of persons with God_. For as many as have sinned without law,
shall also perish without law; and as many as have sinned in the law
shall be judged by the law. For not the hearers of the law are just
before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified. (For when the
Gentiles which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in
the law, these having not the law, are a law unto themselves; which
shew the works of the law written in their hearts, their conscience
also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing, or
else excusing one another.) In the day when God shall judge the
secrets of men, by Jesus Christ, according to my gospel."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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