"Forgive them, they know not what they do." Luke xxiii. 34.

SUCH was the merciful supplication which Jesus made upon the cross for his bitterest enemies. How far it availed for them, we do not presume to enquire; but as it evinces what were the sentiments and desires of Jesus to the last moment of his life, and that he deemed ignorance a plea and claim for mercy in the sight of God; as such, I say, it bears a most intimate connexion with our argument for the salvability of Heathen nations, through the death of Christ.

The casesof the Roman centurion and the repentant thief (both of whom were probably unproselyted Gentiles, and whose faith must have been very partial and imperfect) I shall leave, without comment, to the consideration of my reader.

Upon the general doctrine of Christ's sacrifice and atonement, it is needless to

observe how much its value and efficiency are exalted by this argument for the salvability of Heathen nations, and how inadequately any partial benefits can be imputed to him who exclaimed, "And I, if I be lifted up, will draw all men unto me." John xii. 32.

"We have the pattern of our Lord himself praying for his murderers, which, as it demonstrated his charity towards them, so it argues that he was their Saviour; since, otherwise, he knew they could not be in any capacity for pardon. His praying for them implies the possibility of their receiving forgiveness," &c. Barrow, p. 318.

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Why God's merciful intentions were not explicitly declared to Socrates and Epictetus, as they were to Judas and Simon Magus, is another question; it suffices to say, that the overture of mercy made to such wretches, argues God's kind intentions towards all men," &c. p. 322.

SECTION LXXIII.

The Baptismal Command.

Matt. xxviii. 18. 9.

It should ever be recollected, that all the examples of faith in Christ, which took place during his life, were previous to the institution of the Christian Church or its sacraments; a remark, which is intended not to lower the value of these sacred ordinances to those who have the means of enjoying them, but merely to intimate, that they cannot be of such indispensable necessity, as to cut off the Heathen from their interest in Christ, because they are not admitted to the sacraments of the Church. They are generally," but only generally,

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necessary to salvation." The baptismal command was to go and disciple all nations; and, therefore, it can have no possible relation but to those who are brought into connexion with the Christian Church. "He who believeth, and is baptized, shall be saved; but he who be

lieveth not, shall be damned." Now, the Heathen, as we have already observed, can be reckoned neither amongst the believers nor unbelievers of Christianity; and the terms of the baptismal command cannot possibly be made to include them within its promise, if received, or its threatening, if rejected and despised *.

I deem it necssary to make these observations, because some great and good men, in their statement of the privileges of the Christian Church, have represented them as so necessary and essential to all, that their sentiments, if admitted, would close the gates of mercy and salvation upon áll Heathen nations.

Baptism is a divine and sacred ordinance for the admission of converts to a membership with the Christian Church, and to a participation of the privileges thereto be

*Hoc enim " qui non crediderit condemnabitur," nullatenus est absolute intelligendum, sed de his qui, audito evangelio, credere noluerunt. Unde infantes, et qui non audierunt evangelium, hâc lege non tenentur. Zuinglii Opera, vol. ii. p. 118. cited by Laurence, Bamp. Lect. p. 278, 279.

longing. These are doubtless many and great, when viewed as obligations to lead a godly and Christian life. But amongst these, I cannot allow that we have the privilege of an exclusive Redemption. “He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only, but for the sins of the whole world."

Nor let it be thought, that the duty to go and "convert all nations," is diminished by the view which we have here taken. It is a divine command, and it ought to be obeyed, so far as it is practicable. But the very obstacles which have interfered to prevent its universal accomplishment, show it cannot be of that nature, on which the salvability of the Heathen world is made to depend. Two thousand years have nearly passed away since it was given; and, at this moment, the number of Christians, as compared to those who are unbaptized, is little more than one to five; or as 175,500,000 to 624,500,000, taking the whole population of the world to be eight hundred millions.

But whilst we are anxious to vindicate