Page:Studies in the Scriptures - Series I - The Plan of the Ages (1909).djvu/194

 j88 The Plan of the Ages,

favors among his creatures, that if he exalts one to a high position, injustice he must do the same for all, unless it can be shown that some have forfeited their rights, in which case such might justly be assigned to a lower position.

If this principle be a correct one, it would show that God had no right to create Jesus higher than the angels, and then further to exalt him to the divine nature, unless he intended to do the same for all the angels and for all men. And to carry the principle still further, if some men are to be highly exalted and made partakers of the divine nature, all men must eventually be elevated to the same position. And why not carry the principle to its extreme limit, and apply the same law of progression to the brute and insed creation, and say that since they are all God's creatures they must all event- ually attain to the very highest pkne of existence the di- vine nature? This is a manifest absurdity, but as reasona- ble as any other dedu&ion from this assumed principle.

Perhaps none would be inclined to carry the erroneous assumption so far. Yet if it were a principle founded in simple justice, where could it stop short and still be just? And if such were indeed the plan of God, where would be the pleasing variety in all his works? But such is not God's plan. All nature, both animate and inanimate, ex- hibits the glory and diversity of divine power and wisdom. And as "the heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament showeth his handiwork" in wonderful variety and beauty, much more shall his intelligent creation exhibit in variety the superior glory of his power. We so con- clude from the express teaching of the Word of God, from reason and from the analogies of nature.

It is very important that we have right ideas of justice. A favor should never be esteemed as a justly merited recom- pense. An a<5l of simple justice is no occasion for special gratitude, nor is it any proof of love \ but God commend*

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