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not disregard even those acts of hospitality we read of amongst Heathen nations. "The Indians," as we are told, "go sometimes a great way to fetch water, which, having boiled, that it may not hurt the heated traveller, they stand from morning till night in some public road, where there is neither pit nor rivulet, to offer it to any passenger." Customs of the East Indians and Jews, p. 59.

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Note. In the Account of the earliest Danish Mission to the East Indies, we have some striking admissions of Pagan virtues. "They (the Hottentots) make us Christians ashamed in many particulars. They are very kind one to another, and so communicative in their love, that if one has something which is good, he shareth it amongst all the rest. They are very faithful in things committed to their care, and never pilfer the least farthing from the Christians, though they should see great store of money about them. They are not seized with the plagues of ambition, covetousness, &c. like our Christians in Europe. Every one is solicitous for the present day only," &c. p. 12. See the Account published by the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel. Lond. 1718." Heathens and Mahometans are kind enough to us, and love to be in our company; but those that pretend to be Christians, and are worse than Heathens at the bottom, have shown us all the spite and malice they could," &c. p. 73.

SECTION LXX.

The Talents.-MATT. XXv. 14, 30

"THERE is no situation," as Paley observes, "in which a rational being is placed, from that of the best instructed Christian to the rudest barbarian, which affords not room for moral agency. Savages appear to us all alike, but it is owing to the distance at which we view savage life." Natural Theology, p. 528.

This beautiful parable in which the Talents are distributed,

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to one, five, to another, two, and to another, one, to every man according to his ability," is constructed on the reality of this observation, and is thus commented on by an ingenious writer. If the Heathen, whom we suppose to be the person that has but one talent, makes proficiency equal to that of the Christian who is intrusted with five talents, he must, at the least estimate, be entitled to the same reward. But, I should rather think, he must

attain a much higher reward; because, his advantages are less, and his obstructions and difficulties are far greater," &c. Foster's Sermons, vol. iii. p. 18.

Note. It is astonishing how closely the Heathens, in many respects, have approached the moral injunctions of Christ and his Apostles: Mihi nihil unquam legisse videor apud Ethnicos, quod aptius quadret in hominem verè Christianum, quam quod Socrates, paulo post bibiturus cicutam dixit Critoni: An opera, inquit, nostra sit probaturus Deus, nescio: certe sedulo conati sumus, ut illi placeremus. Est mihi tamen bona spes, quod ille conatus nostros sit boni consulturus. Vir ille sic diffidit factis suis, ut tamen ob animi propensam voluntatem obtemperandi voluntati divinæ, bonam spem conceperit, fore, ut Deus pro sua bonitate, boni consulturus esset, quod studuisset bene vivere." Erasmi Conviv. Religios. Edit. Var. p. 149. For many similar passages, see the Notes and Appendix to the Connection of Natural and Revealed Theology.

SECTION LXXI.

Christ the Judge of all.

"WHEN the Son of Man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit on the throne of his glory, and before him shall be gathered all nations," &c. Matt. xxv. 31-46.

This single passage is sufficient to evince the universality of the Christian Dispensation; that it extends from the beginning to the end of the world, and that it comprehends the whole human race. If Christ had not been the Creator and Redeemer of all, he could not be the Judge of all; because, then, he could have borne no universal relation to the human race. But when it is considered that the great majority who shall stand around his judgmentseat, will not be Jews nor Christians, but the Gentiles who have never heard his name; it shows his relation towards them

in such a point of view, as none can gainsay or resist *.

The manner in which some are represented as saying, "when saw we thee an hungred," &c. is strongly illustrative of our argument, that many shall reap the benefits of Christ's passion, who have not been made acquainted with the name of their Redeemer. It strongly intimates, that the knowledge of the best and highest motives is not absolutely indispensable, even to the highest rewards. The meritorious righteousness of the Messiah, is sufficient to cover every sin of Heathen ignorance and infirmity.

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"It seems reasonable to think, that he who created the world should judge the same. All things were made by him, and without him was not any thing made that was made;' and no person therefore so proper to judge of his own creation." Bishop Newton, vol. vi. Dissertat. vi. p. 306. "God hath provided and doth propose to all men the same encouragements for obedience, and the same punishments for transgression. He hath appointed one heaven for all pious and virtuous persons, of whatsoever nation, rank, or condition they are, and the same dismal punishments are threatened to all impenitent transgressors," &c. Barrow, p. 306.

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