SECTION LVI.

The Fowls of the Air.

WHEN the opponents of Universal Redemption are pressed with the arguments arising out of the providential goodness of God, as displayed throughout the whole world, they reply, that the mercies of Creation have no connexion with those of Redemption. But so far was Jesus from favouring this distinction, that he continually illustrates the one by the other:

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Since not a sparrow," as he argues, “falls to the ground unnoticed by his Heavenly Father," it is very irrational to doubt his care of all mankind; and since He provides for their temporal wants and necessities, it must be very unjust to impute to Him the neglect of their spiritual and eternal interests. See Matt. vi. 26-30. We have the authority of Christ, therefore, to associate the kingdoms of nature and of grace, and to view their respective blessings as mutually related.

"Think not," says Baxter, "that all the mercies which Pagan nations have from God are no acts of grace, nor have any tendency to their conversion and salvation. Doubtless, it is the same Redeemer, even the eternal wisdom and word of God, who, before his incarnation, gave greater mercy to the Jews, and lesser to the Gentiles. He doth, by these mercies, oblige or lead men to repentance and gratitude, and reveal God as merciful and ready to forgive all capable sinners." Reason for Christianity, p. 400.

When our Saviour adds, " after all these things do the Gentiles seek," (ver. 32.). he does not accompany it with a word of blame or reproach. He exhorts his disciples, indeed, to aspire after higher and more heavenly things, because they were favoured with far higher means and motives for improvement. But this gentleness must be interpreted in favour of our general argument for the salvability of the Heathen; because, if Jesus had entertained the sentiments of Calvin, or Augustine respecting them, there could

not have been a more natural or appropriate opportunity for deciding their doom.

I revert with pleasure to the liberal and excellent sentiments of Baxter :— "Doubtless, mercy bindeth Heathens to know God as merciful, and to love him, and to improve that mercy to their attainment of more, and to seek after further knowledge, and to be better than they are; and they are set under a certain course of means, and appointed duties, in order to their recovery and salvation. Else it might be said, that they have nothing to do for their own recovery, and, consequently, no sin in omitting it. By all this, you may perceive that Christ did much by mercies and teaching before his incarnation, and, since, for all the world, which hath a tendency to their conversion, recovery, and salvation."—" If we are bound to believe, "If that God in giving them health and peace, and prosperity in this world intends nothing but evil to them, how can the bountifulness and long-suffering of God be said to lead men to repentance,"&c.-See Goodwin's Redemption Redeemed. p. 410.

SECTION LVII.

The Roman Centurion.

THERE is no reason to suppose that this officer was a Jewish proselyte,

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though he loved their nation, and had built them, a synagogue." Luke vii. 5. It may be inferred that he was not, from our Saviour's exclamation concerning him :-"I say unto you, I have not found such faith, no not in Israel." Matt. viii. 10.

What was his faith? Was it the belief of our Lord's divinity, or the admission of all the articles of the apostles' creed? Clearly not; he believed that Jesus was endued with miraculous powers from above; and this, together with his benevolent character, rendered him a fit object for our Saviour's assistance. "Think not," says Baxter, "that Christ can show no mercy, nor do any thing towards the salvation of a sinner, before he is known himself to the

sinner; especially, before he is known as an incarnate Mediator, or one that is to be incarnate. He struck down Paul, and spoke to him from heaven, before Paul knew him; he sent Philip to the eunuch, before he knew him; and Peter to Cornelius, and sendeth the Gospel to Heathen nations, before they know him. If the apostles themselves, even after they had lived long with Christ, and heard his preaching, yea, and wrought miracles themselves, did not yet understand that he must suffer, and die, and rise again, and send down the Spirit, &c.; you may conjecture, by this, what the common faith of those before Christ's coming was, who were saved." Baxter's Reasons for Christianity, p. 399.

This reasoning applies, in all its force, to those who were the contemporaries of our blessed Lord, and who experienced the effects of his miracles. Their faith must have been not only different in degree, but in kind, from that which we now call Christian faith. Yet, the be