SECTION LXII.

Impartial Retribution.

"THE Son of Man shall come in the glory of the Father, with his angels; and then shall he reward every man according to his works." Matt. xvi. 27.

On this declaration, we observe, first, that it is Christ who shall judge all men : consequently, he must bear a previous relation to all;—and yet, how could he bear this relation, unless he had been their Saviour and Redeemer? Secondly, that “ every man shall be rewarded according to his works;" and, consequently, that every man's situation, country, &c. shall be taken into the account. Whilst plain words have any meaning, this single declaration is sufficient to prove that the Heathen will be tried by Christ, in his character as the Redeemer of the world; and that no more will be demanded from them, than they have had the adequate means of performing; every due allowance being made for weak

ness and infirmities.

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Thou, Lord, art

merciful; for thou rewardest every man according to his work." Psal. lxii. 12. Yet, perhaps, this allowance may not always be so large as might be imagined.

The best dispositions," says Paley,“ may subsist under the most depressed, the most afflicted fortunes. A West-Indian slave, who, amidst his wrongs, retains his benevolence, I, for my part, look upon as amongst the foremost of human candidates for the reward of virtue." Natural Theology, p. 528.

Since it is evident from Scripture, that the Heathen will be universally judged by Christ, and since it is equally evident that Christ will judge the world, in virtue of his Mediatorial Character; it follows, I apprehend, by plain and incontrovertible inference, that He now stands in the same relation to them, as though they had been personally acquainted with his character. If his relation as their Creator be not affected by their ignorance, why should it affect his relation as Redeemer ?

SECTION LXIII.

The little Child.

AND Jesus took a little child, and set him in the midst, and said unto them, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye can, in no case, enter into the kingdom of heaven." Matt. xviii. 2. "There were brought unto him little children, that he should put his hands on them, and pray: and his disciples rebuked them. But Jesus said, Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not, for of such is the kingdom of heaven: and he laid his hands on them, and blessed them." Matt. xix. 13–15.

These actions of our Lord are very interesting and important; first, as they show the universal benevolence of his mind; and, secondly, as they intimate the salvation of all infants, dying in their infancy; consequently, the salvation of all Heathen infants; and these are a multitude which

no man can number.

One is grieved to see, how little the

study of theological systems, has enabled many excellent and learned divines to catch the plain inference which arises from these actions of Jesus. Upon the whole," says Archbishop Laurence, "Zuinglius believed that all infants, without exception, dying before the commission of actual crime, are heirs of the kingdom of heaven; Luther, all born of those who are themselves within the Christian covenant, leaving the fate of Heathen children to the revelation of God's mercies in a future life. But Calvin, only such as the Almighty has been pleased to distinguish by a mysterious decree of personal election." Bamp. Lect. p. 281.

Even the pious Dr. Watts could bring himself to ask the following queries:"Are all children which die secured of heaven either by reason or Scripture? If the infant seed of Abraham, and his pious followers, are taken to dwell with God, as their God,—are the children of wicked parents as happy too? Are you sure they are not subject to any pains hereafter, or that they are not annihilated?" Ruin and Recov. p. 72.

Mr. Dodwell believed the Heathen would be annihilated at the resurrection; whilst Dr. Coward asserted they would be annihilated at death.

It was said by Cicero, that there was no opinion, however strange or absurd, for which you might not find some authority amongst philosophers; and, I fear, the same assertion might be made respecting divines. Amongst the reformers, Zuinglius appears to have been the only one who maintained what is as incontestably certain as these actions of Christ, or as the love and equity of God. To talk of " covenanted or uncovenanted" mercies, as applied to the salvation of infants dying in their infancy, appears to be devoid of all meaning. Nor could I blame any man for becoming a professed unbeliever, if such were the doctrines of the Old or New Testament.

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The doubts of Luther on this subject, as they regard the children of Pagans, seem to be almost as shocking as the decisions of Calvin. "Turcarum et Judæorum liberi salutis participes non fiunt, quia Christo non sistuntur. De Eth