Love of God in Christ Jesus, could not be extended to them?

We believe that the Power and Goodness of the Almighty, are not limited to external means. That though he condescends to make use of instruments -yet no flesh can glory in his presence. The divine language through the prophet Isaiah, is peculiarly striking: "I looked and behold there was no man-and I wondered that there was no intercessor-therefore mine own arm brought salvation." Thus it is that he looks upon those who have none to help them, and thus he interposes his own Almighty arm for their salvation. His love, unbounded as his power, leaves no corner of the earth unvisited. "Have they not heard?" saith the apostle, and then answers the question himself; "Yea verily," asserting that the message of the Gospel had been extended to the very ends of the earth: which could not apply to the preaching of the apostles: nor can it be said, to the present day, as respects the outward propagation of the doctrines of christianity. And yet it was true, of the grace of God, which brings salvationwhich has appeared to all men-and teaches to deny ungodliness, and the world's lusts, and to live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world. These embrace the great duties we owe to God and man. A corroborating testimony is found in Col. 1. 23. where the apostle declares that "the Gospel was preached to, (or in,) every creature under heaven"

The apostle Peter also, when brought to reflect on the condition of the Gentiles, cut off as they were, from many advantages which the Jews possessedthough he had supposed that the divine favor was limited to these outward means, yet when he was enabled to reflect on the situation of this part of the

human family, and to understand the Divine Character, he exclaimed-“Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons, but in every nation, he that feareth Him and worketh righteousness is accepted with him." Acts, 10. 34, 35. This could not apply to the household of Cornelius alone: nor could it be predicated on the belief of the general diffusion of the knowledge of christianity, at some remote period of time. For being expressed in the present tense, it applied to the time then present, and including every nation, it certainly applied to those where Christ had not been named. To this also agrees another testimony of the apostle Paul, where he brings into view the Gentiles who had not the law-yet doing the things contained in the law-and proving, from reasoning on facts like these, that they had the works of the law written in their hearts. Here we are to observe, that they had not the full knowledge of the dispensations of God to mankind, and yet they had the law written in their hearts. And He who is just and equal in all his ways, has made known his determination to deal with his dependant creatures, according to the means of improvement conferred upon them. Where much is given much will be required. Hence, they that have the law, will be judged by the law, and they that are without the law, shall be judged without the law." (Vide Art. Of the Scriptures.)

Having thus touched on the condition of the heathen world, it may not be improper to make a few observations on the condition of infants.

And in the first place, it may be remarked, that that seed of Grace, "which is the purchase of Christ's death," (Barc. Apol. p. 205.) or in the language of the apostle, "the free gift that has come upon all men," Rom. 5. 18. is an operative and redeeming principle. Though, when speaking of moral agents,

we press the necessity of obedience, which leads to works of righteousness-as this is always the effect produced in moral agents, when the principle of divine life is not resisted, yet when we trace effects to their cause-when we go back to the first spring of action, as well as cause of salvation, we ascribe all to the Grace of God, and nothing to the will or works of the creature, when considered as such. The parable of the leaven, hid in three measures of meal, is an illustration of this doctrine. The leaven, by its own operation, leavened and brought the meal into its own nature, and into an activity, if we may use the expression, exactly conformable to the properties and action of the leaven. Here the meal, being a fit subject, and also a passive subject, was brought into the oneness. But all the effects produced, were to be ascribed to the active principle, thus introduced into it. This exactly applies to us, as moral agents.

The salvation of infants depends on the same principle, and differs from that of persons who have attained to years of religious understanding, in no other respect than what arises from the respective capacities of each individual. We agree. that every soul that comes into the world, does need a Saviour. We believe also that every soul, as it comes into the world, is an object of Redeeming Love. And as we inherit the seed of sin, (Vide Original and Present State of Man.) so, through Jesus Christ, we are heirs of that seed of Grace, which is the efficient cause of salvation, to all that are saved. If infants therefore receive the one, and we agree that they do, they must also receive the other, as "the free gift that has come upon all men, to justification." This gift or remedy, must be, as the apostle testified, as extensive as the cause it was designed to remove.

Thus, the seed of the kingdom, as a redeeming principle, is placed in the heart of every individual, ready to expand with the opening faculties of the soul, and to take the government of it, from the first dawn of intellectual life.

In maturer age, when these two principles begin to exert their respective powers, the principle of light and life, if not resisted by the individual, will overpower and eradicate the principle or seed of evil. As, in all stages, it is the "stronger," so in this first stage of human life, where it has not been resisted-where it stands just as the gift and means of salvation, provided by our heavenly Father, it must be sufficient for salvation.

Thus, through Jesus Christ, a remedy sufficient for salvation has been provided for every individual soul; and nothing but individual disobedience. can deprive us of the offered salvation.

"This is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, but men love darkness rather than light, because their deeds are evil.” John, 8. 16. Under this condemnation, children cannot come, until attaining to the condition of moral agents, they love darkness rather than light.

And let it be remembered, that this redeeming principle they receive from Christ, and not from their parents, parents, either by nature, or by any promises they can make for them, or any ceremonies they can cause to be performed over them.

The doctrine of the possibility of salvation to all men, is essential, to be consistent with the attributes of the Deity. Because he cannot be represented as merciful or just or equal in his ways, if this principle be denied. He cannot be represented as merciful to those to whom he extends no mercy-nor just in punishing those who do his will-nor equal in dispensing happiness to one

and misery to another-when both stood in the the same relation to him.

It is not intended to make the present a controversial work; and yet it seems difficult to place the subject in a proper point of view, without noticing the opposite doctrine. This doctrine supposes salvation is not possible to all: but that the final happiness or misery of mankind, and their actions in this life, are fixed by an unchangeable decree, from all eternity.* That the

*I shall not refer to authors that are out of print. But as A. Toplady is a modern writer, and has made numerous quotations from Calvin and other writers of that day, I shall look no further than to his Doctrine of Absolute Predestination, &c. "translated in great measure from the Latin of Jerom Zanchius." He says: "Since, as was lately observed, the determining will of God, being omnipotent, cannot be obstructed or made void; it follows that he never did, nor does he now, will that every individual of mankind should be saved." p. 23. "God, as we have before proved wills not the salvation of every man: but gave his son to die for them whose salvation he willed: therefore his son did not die for every man." p. 24. "From what has been laid down, it follows, that Austin, Luther, Bucer, the scholastic divines, and other learned writers, are not to be blamed for asserting that God may, in some sense, be said to will the being and commission of sin."

25.

"REPROBATION denotes * **God's eternal PRETERITION of SOME men, when he chose others to glory, and his predestination of them to fill up the measure of their iniquities, and then to receive the just punishment of their crimes, even destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power," &c. p. 48.

"We assert" "that there is a predestination of some particular persons to LIFE, for the praise of the glory of divine grace; and a predestination of other particular persons to death: which death, of punishment, they shall inevitably undergo, and that justly, on account of their sins." p. 53. "We assert that the number of the elect, and also of the reprobate, is so fixed and determinate, that neither can be augmented or diminished." p. 59. "That the decrees of election and reprobation, are immutable and irresistable." p. 60. "Not one of the elect can perish, but they must all necessarily be saved." "Now that is said to be necessary, which cannot be otherwise than it is." p. 55.

"God did, from all eternity, decree to leave some of Adam's fallen posterity in their sins, and to exclude them from participation of Christ and his benefits." p. 70.

"Some men were, from all eternity, not only negatively excepted from a participation of Christ and his salvation; but, positively, ordained to continue in their natural blindness, hardness of heart, &c. and that by the just judgment of God." "His permission is a positive, determinate act of his will." p. 72.

"The non-elect were predestinated, not only to continue in final impenitency, sin, and unbelief; but were, likewise, for such their sins, righteously appointed to infernal death hereafter." p. 73. "God's predestination