The work of the Holy Spirit - pagina 638

—

XXXV. The Hardening

of Nations.

"The

election hath obtained

rest

were hardened."

it,

Rom.

and the xi. 7.

St. Paul's word, at the head of this article, is strikingly impres-

and its content exceedingly rich and instructive. It clearly announces the fact that the hardening is not exceptional or occasional, but ufiiversal, affecting all, who, being in contact with the divine Love, are not saved by it. sive,

The

heathen it can not be Only they can be hardened who live

last limitation is necessary, for of the

said that they are hardened.

under the Covenant of Grace. It is true that the heathen develop Their heart is darkened. Walking in their a reprobate mind. own ways they are impelled irresistibl5\ for the process of sin can not be stopped but this is not the proper conception of the harden;

ing as the Scripture presents

it.

Heathen nations and individuals may come in direct contact with the Lord and His Anointed, as Pharaoh and Sihon through their relations with Israel and as the Turks and the peoples of India and China who now are in touch with Christian nations and Of course, we do not mean to say that mere casual missionaries. ;

contact with a Christian nation or missionary

dan or heathen nation responsible. Epirus the Turks meet hordes who

This call

is

makes a Mohamme-

impossible.

When

in

themselves Christians, but

are utterly devoid of the Spirit of Christ and in savagery rather sur-

pass the bashi-bazouks, then no ray from the cross falls upon the crescent by this meeting. The fact that a missionary settles in an obscure corner of a heathen nation, opens a little school, and talks about the Scripture with a few individuals, in a manner which betrays his ig^norance of human nature, does not make that nation responsible. They know nothing about it it leaves the national life wholly untouched. The Christian nations, their governments, their churches, and ;

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