Rom. xv. 8 — 12. Noio I say that Jesus Christ was a minister of the circumcision for the truth of God, to confirm the pro- mises made unto the fathers : and that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy ; as it is tvritten, For this cause I ivill confess to thee among the Gentiles, and sing unto thy name. And again he saith, Rejoice, ye Gentiles, with his people. And again, Praise the Lord, all ye Gentiles ; and laud him, all ye people. And again, Esaias saith, There shall be a root of Jesse, and he that shall rise to reign over the Gentiles, in him shall the Gentiles trust.
THERE is in man by nature such an inordinate portion of self-love, that his regards are almost ex- clusively confined to those who coincide with him in sentiment and contribute to his comfort. The smallest difference of opinion in things either political or religious shall be sufficient to produce not only indifference, but in many instances alienation and aversion. We do not much wonder at a want of mutual affection between the Jews and Gentiles, be- cause they imbibed from their very infancy the most inveterate prejudices against each other, and had all their principles and habits as opposite as can be con- ceived. But, unhappily for the Christian Church, the same disposition to despise or condemn each other remained amongst them, after they were incor- porated in one body, and united under one Head, the Lord Jesus Christ. To counteract this unhallowed temper, and to promote a cordial union amongst all the members of Christ's mystical body, was the in- cessant labour of St. Paul. In the whole of the preceding context he insists on this subject, recom- mending mutual forbearance and affection from the example of Christ, who shewed the same regard both to Jews and Gentiles, both to strong and weaka.
In the words before us we see, I. The extent of Christ's Church —
a yer. 1- — 3, 5 — 7. with the text.