The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1879-03-27
Mr.. Beecher al Plymouth Church,
The Universality Of Gods Love.

| The text of Mr.. Beecher's sermon yes
terday morning was the ninth chapter oi
Romans. He did not read it at length
but after setting forth its general charac
ter and motive he commented on various
texts
l regard the book of Romans, the
preacher said, as standing substan TALLY
in the same relation to the Christian re-
ligion as the Declaration of Independence
and the bills of rights in the several
States stand to the doctrine of liberty
1t sets forth the universally and impair
tiality of Gods government. The argu-
ment was two-fold: First, that Jew
would be damned unless he kept the
commandments of God in the spirit; and,
secondly, that if any man kept the law
in the inward man, and loved his neigh
Dor as himself, he should be saved, no
matter whether he be Greek. or Jew, or
Roman, or any other. For the purpose
Him free from the provincial govern.
ment claimed for Him by the Jews, Paul
cites the instance of Jacob and Esau
showing that before the children were
born God chose one to be in favor and
the other dispossessed. He thus vindi
Gated the liberty of Gods administration
and proved that He had right to do as
He thought best. Then he draws an il
lustration from Pharaoh, the Jews great
antagonist, saying that God hardened
Pharaoh heart The Jews philosophy
was that everything which happened fell
out by the direct administration of God
They knew nothing about natural law or
the sequence of results from stated caus
es Pharaoh's heart was hardened );
therefore in their mind God hardened it.
Paul doesn't say whether he believed
this view or not, hut he used it as an ar
gument to those who did believe it.
The real battle of the Apostle was
whether the Gospel should be local, pro
vincial, national, or be proclaimed over
all the world to all mankind He sets
out by stating that God has no respect
for persons. When he makes God say,
81 will have mercy on whom 1 will have
mercy" he means, in modern phraseolo
gy. II am not bound by any convention
or by any covenant to any nation or peo.
pie, but everywhere those who fear God
and keep His commandments will be
saved; and | will punish those in Jeru
salem or Judea or anywhere else who do
not obey 1t is a declaration of Gods
liberty and impartiality. The doctrine
of election, then, in the modern under
standing of that phrase, is not Script
ural doctrine. In modern language the
term would not be election, but selection.
1t is simply that those everywhere who
live rightly and reverently are Gods ia.
vorites. Oh, how l have sweat under the
doctrine of election ! 1t has been a
stumbling block and burden to many
| souls. The same spirit that existed in
the Apostles time exists in our day in q
mitigated form. In the Christian com
munity we see the same ownership oil
God. Who holds the keys of Heaven /
81" says the Roman Pontiff. ~" says
the Presbyterian. "We," say the Con
sailing on his sea. Yet we don't say thai
man will be lost unless lie joins par
ticular church but by euphonism we
say that he is left to Gods "uncovenant
ed mercies." The Apostolic succession
is on the inside. not on the outside; It's
not who touched the head, but who
touched the heart. We don't have to &C
far from home to find men saying: Il
you don't join our church, l don't say
you'll be damned, but you'll run grea
many risks and great many perils" We
ought, with the rolling centuries, to have
come into larger conception of the uni
versatility of Gods mercy. In every lane
those that fear God and keep His com
mandments are accepted Of Him. If yol
love God you are His. Whenever chile
is taught to say, Our Father, who art il
Heaven" that moment you have touched
the keynote OF Gods universal mercy
he has touched the gate of heaven; b,
has rung the bell, and to the child bacl
flashing flies the golden gate of love anc
soul to aspire, God says to every one
Love and obey and rejoice; disobey ant
turn away from Me and suffer.