"that every man shall be saved by the law or "sect which he professeth, so that he be dili

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gent to frame his life according to that law, "and the light of Nature." We reject it, because, whatever be a man's diligence in this respect, it is not by the law or sect which he professeth, but by the mercies of God through Christ, that his salvation is attainable. The law or sect (whatever it may be) can only shew him what he believes to be his duty. It can make no provision for defects in the performance of it; nor can it assure to its adherents a recompense for their obedience. Therefore, if the result of such obedience, or of such defective performance of duty, be eternal life or salvation, it must be obtained through some other channel; it must issue from that Fountain of Mercy which is inexhaustible; from the infinite merits of a Mediator who can supply all defects, and the infinite value of a Sacrifice which can atone for every transgression.

But is not faith indispensably necessary, on the part of those who are to partake of the benefits of this redemption? How, then, can they who neither believe in Christ, nor have even heard of him, be included in the number of those who through him shall be saved?

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This difficulty can only be obviated by a careful distinction between the covenanted and the uncovenanted mercies of God. Wherever the will of God is clearly made known, there the declared terms and conditions of acceptance must of necessity be fulfilled. Faith is the instrument or means, by which the believer in Christ becomes a partaker of the redemption that is wrought for him. Knowing that this redemption comes through Christ alone, his hope of salvation without such faith would involve an absolute solecism. But faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by "the Word of God." Where that Word has never reached the ear, faith, without a miracle, is altogether unattainable; nor can the terms of the covenant be there applied. To persons so circumstanced, no assurance of salvation can be given, no promises, or certain expectations of God's favour, be holden out: yet since their want of faith, or of other qualification essential to the profession of the Gospel, is not, on their part, a violation of the covenant, it were rash to affirm that they shall fall under the same condemnation with hypocrites and apostates.

any

Our Lord, indeed, has given an intimation, which may help to a solution of the difficulty. He hath said, the "servant which knew his

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"Lord's will, and prepared not himself, nei"ther did according to his will, shall be "beaten with many stripes. But he that "knew not, and did commit things worthy "of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes. "For unto whomsoever much is given, of "him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they "will ask the more." Here the equity of the Divine retribution, in the case of punishment, is clearly laid down. And why may not an inference hence be drawn as to the similar dealings of the Almighty with mankind, in the distribution of future rewards ; so that none may have reason, in either case, to arraign the justice of the recompense. Our Lord says again, "In my Father's house are

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many mansions:" which, though it seems to refer to different stations of dignity or bliss, proportioned to the different degrees of improvement among the faithful themselves, may possibly have reference, also, to certain allotments in a future state, for those who, though they knew not the will of God by living under any dispensation of revealed religion, yet had not entirely forfeited his favour by their abuse of the inferior portion of light which they enjoyed.

These, however, it must be confessed, are

but conjectural speculations, or, at most, uncertain inferences from suggestions not intended (as it should seem) to impart to us very distinct information. If they suffice to rebut the cavils of the sceptic, or to enhance the inestimable value of the Christian faith, it is well. Farther than this, it would be unwise to press such considerations; which, after all, savour, perhaps, too much of that spirit of needless curiosity, which our Lord reproved, in one of his own disciples, when he said, "What is that to thee? follow thou me."

The scope, indeed, and the intent of all that has been here said, is to impress upon your minds a just sense of the high importance of the Christian faith. In boundless compassion to the whole race of mankind, fallen from that state of purity and innocence for which they were at first created, this dispensation of grace and truth was begun, continued, and ended, in HIM, "Jesus

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Christ, the same yesterday, to-day, and for "ever." At sundry times and in divers manners was this gracious purpose gradually unfolded to mankind. To all who heard and received it, it administered consolation and support. To what extent its benefits may actually have been felt in this life, or may hereafter be enjoyed in the next, it is not

for us to determine. But this we know assuredly;-that, to whatever degree of bliss any of the sons of men shall finally be admitted, they will owe it exclusively to HIM who declared himself to be "the way, the truth, and the life," and "who of God is "made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, "and sanctification, and redemption."

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These, however, are at best but doubtful and unnecessary speculations, on which we have no express warrant of Scripture to direct our judgment. But for ourselves, the conclusion is plain and clear. We are actual partakers of the covenant. By its laws and ordinances, by its promises and threatenings, by its hopes and its terrors, we are indissolubly bound. To vacate that covenant on our part, (in other words, to apostatize from this faith, or to renounce its conditions,) is not merely to deprive ourselves of its benefits, but to incur its penalties. We can never, therefore, be placed in the condition of those who, though shut out from the light of Christianity, may be not altogether excluded from the uncovenanted mercies of their heavenly Father. In proportion to the privileges we enjoy from our Christian profession, is the danger incurred by their forfeiture: and, whatever sentence may await those who have