imes, by the Chev. Ramsay, Mr. Jer. White, Dr. Cheyne, Dr. Hartley, Laater, and many others. The plan of Jniversal Salvation, as exhibited by some ate American divines, particularly by Dr. Chauncy, is as follows:

That the scheme of revelation has the appiness of all mankind, as its great and timate end that it gradually tends to is end, and will not fail of its accomishment, when completed. Some, in nsequence of its operation, as conducted the Son of God, will be disposed and abled, in this present state, to make ch improvements in virtue, the only ional preparative for happiness, as that ey shall enter upon the enjoyment of it the next state. Others, who have oved incurable under the means which ve been used with them in this state, tead of being happy in the next, will awfully miserable; not to continue so ally, but that they may be convinced their folly, and recovered to a virtuous ne of mind; and this will be the effect future punishment upon many, the sequence whereof will be their final vation, after being thus fitted for it. d there may be yet other states, before scheme of God shall be perfected, and fakind universally cured of their moral orders; and in this way qualified for, finally instated in eternal happiness. however many states some indiviIs of the human race may pass through, of however long continuance they be, the whole is intended to subserve grand design of universal happiness, will finally terminate in it: insoch, that the Son of God and Saviour nen will not deliver up his trust into hands of the Father (who committed him) till he has finally fixed all men eaven, when God shall be all in all.

r. xv. 28.

. few of the arguments made use of in ence of this system of Universal Salon, are as follow:

Christ died not for a select number en only, but for mankind universally 1 men-for every man-for the world e whole world. (Rom. v. 6-8; 1 Pet. 8-20; John iii. 16, 17; 1 John ii. Heb. ii. 9, &c.) If Christ died for all, › not far more reasonable to believe, all men will finally be saved, than the greatest part of them should ly perish?

It is the purpose of God, that manuniversally, in consequence of the h of his Son, shall certainly and finally

be saved. (Rom. v. 12. to the end.) There Adam is considered as the source of ruin to mankind universally; and Jesus Christ, on the other hand, as a like source of salvation to the same mankind; but with this observable difference, that the advantage on the side of Christ exceeds, overflows, abounds, beyond the damage on the side of Adam; and this to all mankind. (Rom. viii. 19-24.) On the one hand, it is here affirmed of the creature (i.e. mankind in general), that they are subjected to vanity; that is, the imperfections and infelicities of a vain, mortal life, here on earth. On the other hand, it is as positively affirmed of the creature, or mankind in general, that they were not subjected to this vanity finally, and for ever, but in consequence of hope; not only that they should be delivered from this unhappy subjection, but instated in immortal glory.

3. It is stated, that Christ is made the depository of infinite mercy, all fulness being treasured up by the Father in him, for this express purpose, "that he might reconcile all things unto himself.—Col. i. 19, 20; ii. 9. Eph. i. 9, 10; iv. 10. 1 Tim. ii. 4.

4. As a mean, in order to men being made meet for salvation, God will, sooner or later, in this state or another, reduce them all under a willing and obedient subjection to his moral government. Christ was manifested to destroy the works of the devil, (1 John iii. 8); and " to subdue all things (without exception) to himself." (Phil. ii. 9-11.) And that too in a way of being made righteous. "As by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous." (Rom. v. 19.) The two periods, when the mediatorial kingdom is in the hands of Jesus Christ, and when God, as King, will be immediately all in all, are certainly distinct from each other; and the reign of Christ, in his mediatorial kingdom, may be divided into two general periods. The one takes in this present state of existence, in which Christ reigns as the head of God's kingdom of grace. The other period of Christ's reign is that which intervenes between the general resurrection and judgment, and the time when God shall be "all in all." This state may continue for ages of ages, answerable to the phrase usually rendered for ever and ever.

4. That scripture language concerning the reduced or restored, in consequence of the mediatory interposition of Jesus

Christ, is such as leads us to conclude, that it is comprehensive of mankind universally. (See Rev. v. 13):—And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, &c.—[Chauncy's Salvation of all Men, pp. 12-238. Winchester's Dialogues.]

As the reader has been presented with a brief account of the arguments in favour of Universal Salvation, it may not be improper to give also a sketch of the evidence produced on the opposite side of the question.

1. The Sacred Scriptures expressly declare, that the punishment of the finally impenitent shall be eternal. (Matt. xxv. 41-46. Mark ix. 43, 44. 2 Thess. i. 9. Jude 13. Rev. xiv. 11; xix. 3; xx. 10.) Here the expressions are awfully varied; and whatever may be said as to the critical import of the words (eis tous aionos ton aionos)" for ever and ever," the same expressions are applied to the misery as to the happiness of a future state; nor do the Scriptures furnish any stronger, whereby to express an eternal futurity.

2. The texts concerning the sin against the Holy Ghost, in particular, are a clear proof of endless punishment. "It shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, nor in the world to come." (Matt. xii. 31, 32. Mark iii. 29. Luke xii. 10.) Again, the Apostle says, (1 John v. 16) :— "If any man see his brother sin a sin, which is not unto death, he shall ask, and he shall give him life for them that sin not unto death. There is a sin unto death: I do not say that he shall pray for it." It seems evident, that the reason why we are not to pray for those who sin unto death, is because their salvation is impossible. So it is said in Heb. vi. 4-6: "It is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, &c., if they shall fall away, to renew them again to repentance." Now, since it is impossible to renew them again unto repentance, it is impossible that they can be saved. Of like import is chap. x. 26, 27.

3. If there can be no salvation without forgiveness, as these texts strongly imply, and as is indeed universally admitted, then how is it possible for them to be the subjects of forgiveness, who suffer for their sins the vengeance of eternal fire; even supposing, that expression might be limited to ages of ages?" Indeed, Dr. Jonathan Edwards (son of Pres. Edwards) confidently asserts, that the hypothesis of the Universalists precludes all possibility

of the forgiveness of the damned, eve on the supposition of their being fina admitted to heavenly happiness. I giveness implies, that the sinner forgive is not punished in his own person, i cording to law and justice. On the sche of the Universalists, all the damned in their own persons punished accont to law and justice, while they suffer punishment which is necessary to them to repentance. The New Te ment every where represents, that who are saved are saved in a way d forgiveness. The same doctrine sets a the merits of the Redeemer's suffer for how can his merits avail those suffer in their own persons the ful merits of their crimes?

4. The woe denounced by Jesus on Judas, also seems to afford a de strative proof of endless punist "Woe to that man by whom the Man is betrayed; good were it i man if he had never been born!" xxvi. 24. Mark xiv. 21.) But if were finally to enjoy endless happ he would be an infinite gainer existence, let the duration of his pr misery be what it might. It was, fore, on the supposition of his f vation, not only good, but infinitely that he had been born, which is a contradiction to the declaration Saviour. The same reasoning wil to the case of all other sinners without repentance.

5. All the texts which declare those who die impenitent shall pr cast away, rejected, &c., disprove Salvation; as, 1 Cor. i. 18. 2 Pe &c. With what truth or prop those be said to perish, be cast rejected, destroyed, and lost, whe finally be saved? So it is said in E 8.

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"That which beareth the briers is rejected, and is nigh unto whose end is to be burned." Ho the end of any man to be burned shall finally be saved? The f descriptions of the punishment wicked are strong, emphatical, cisive of it, as hopeless of restitu of endless duration. It is set f devouring fire, by eternal fire, exe burnings; and, if possible, by the worm that dieth not, and› that is not quenched. This must punishment which hath not, an shall have an end.

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6. The scripture represents, end of the world all things

the

n end. "The end of all things is at and.” (1 Pet. iv. 7.) Then shall there e a fixed, unalterable state. "He that ; unjust shall be unjust still; and after at there can be no passing from hell to eaven." (Luke xvi. 26. Rev. xxii. 10 -12.) The last words determine this ext to refer to the general judgment; or a period of "ages of ages," after the eneral judgment, cannot be said to come uickly, and to be at hand. The reprentation in the parables of our Lord is, at after the general judgment, the tares d chaff shall no more be mixed with e wheat, nor the good with the bad. esides, the judgment is said to be eter(aionion), doubtless with respect to its dless and unchangeable consequences. at if the judgment be eternal with spect to its consequences, the punishent of the lost will be without end. The culiar epithets and emphasis put upon e future judgment indicate it to be final. is frequently styled the last day; and e great works appropriated to it are, the iversal resurrection, and the general lgment and decision of the states of e whole moral world.

7. The advocates of Universal Restiion speak of future punishment as cortive, for the reformation of the sinner; t the scriptures, on the contrary, speak it as the effect of divine vengeance, fury, ath, indignation, fiery indignation, &c. s God unrighteous who taketh venance? God forbid !" (Rom. iii. 5, 6; . 19. 2 Thes. i. 8, 9.) Those who die penitent deserve an endless punishnt: for if endless punishment be not penalty threatened in the law, no count can be given of the penalty of law. It cannot be the temporary puhment actually suffered by the damned, cause then they would be finally saved chout forgiveness. It cannot be a temrary punishment of less duration than t which is suffered by the damned, cause on that supposition they are nished more than they deserve. It not be a temporary punishment of ger duration than that which the iptures abundantly declare the damned ll suffer, because no such punishment threatened in the law, or in any part scripture: it must, therefore, be an dless punishment. The doctrine of the rpetuity of future punishment is also firmed by the constitution of nature, ich connects sin and misery together, 1 will finally make the wicked necesily miserable as long as they have

existence; unless this constitution be annihilated, or superseded by the grace of God, which he assures us never shall be the case.

8. The eternity of future punishment is confirmed by the very constitution of nature itself, which invariably connects sin and punishment, as in the case of indulging our criminal passions, or luxurious appetites: so that the punishment of sin, even in this life, is not an arbitrary infliction on the sinner, but arises out of the very nature of sin itself; since it is in the nature of things impossible for a sinner, while such, ever to be happy. God having at the first established this connexion, the question is not-Whether it be just in God to inflict such punishment? but whether justice requires, that the Divine Being should alter this constitution of things, and work a miracle to save, in a future state, those who refuse his salvation in the present? God punishes sin, both in this world and the next, by suffering man to reap the fruits of his iniquity. "Is there then unrighteousness with God? God forbid !"

Farther, it is contended, that there is in sin itself an infinite evil, as committed against a Being of infinite dignity and benevolence; and as every crime increases in degree, in proportion to the rank of the person offended and our obligations to him, both in this case being infinite, such is our demerit; and such must be our punishment: but the only way in which the punishment of a creature can be infinite, is in its duration, i. e. in being eternal.

Finally, the Universal Scheme confounds the present and future states as alike probationary, and both dispensations of salvation, though on different grounds:-The present on the ground of mercy; the next on the ground of equity; but the only salvation revealed in the scriptures is that of grace. -[Edwards's Reply to Chauncy. Newhaven, 1790. Lampe's Theological Dissertations concerning Endless Punishment. Translated from the Latin by Jos. Robertson. Edinburgh, 1796. Fuller's Letters to Vidler, and Scrutator's Letters, by the Rev. C. Jerram.]

A scheme of Universal Salvation, somewhat different, was advanced by the late Dr. Jos. Huntington, of America, in a posthumous work, entitled, " Calvinism Improved; or, The Gospel Illustrated in a System of Real Grace, issuing in the Salvation of all Men." The author of

this performance supposes the Atonement to be "a direct, true, and proper setting all our guilt to the account of Christ, as our federal head and sponsor; and alike placing his obedience to death to our account.' "The Son of Man (says he) is God's only object, as an elect Head, in regard to our eternal salvation; and all human nature is one entire, elect object, in union with Christ, as a body with a head." Agreeably to this idea, Dr. Huntington maintains, that our sins are transferred to Christ, and his righteousness to us that he was a true and proper substitute for all mankind, and has procured unconditional, eternal salvation, for every individual: that the Gospel is all mere news, good news, and hath no threatenings in it: that law and gospel are diametrically opposite: that these two dispensations of God oppose each other from beginning to end." The moral law (says he) every where speaks to man in his own personal character, the Gospel in that of the Messiah. The law informs us what man in justice deserves, the gospel what the Son of God deserves." Accordingly, the doctor understands all the threatenings in the Word of God as the pure voice of law and justice. -Thus he explains, Matt. xxv. 46 "Mankind in this passage are considered in two characters: in their own personally; and then the voice of the righteous law is,―These shall go away into everlasting punishment; but the righteous [in Christ by union of faith] shall enter into life eternal. The wicked character shall remain an everlasting object of shame, contempt, and condemnation, in the view of God and holy intelligences: the righteous character, an eternal object of approbation, worthy of life eternal."

This author declares, that the whole tenor of divine revelation ascertains the salvation of all men. In support of this assertion he adduces various texts of scripture. But, as many of his general arguments in favour of universal salvation have been exhibited in the foregoing articles, our curious readers are referred to his posthumous publication; especially as this does not appear to us so properly a new scheme as a revival of Mr. Relly's above. See Rellyans, where it is remarked that Mr. (not Dr.) Cudworth fell into the same errors; to which it may be added that a Society of Calvinistic Methodists, formed for the study of Divinity at Burnham, in Somerset, (in imitation of Trevecca College) fell into the same error,

according to Mr. Southey; and publishe a Tract, entitled "The Pre-existence of Souls, and Universal Restitution." Ta ton, 1798.

An answer to Dr. Huntington's "Ce vinism Improved," was published by Nathan Strong, minister of Hartford, Connecticut. In this work he endeavor to reconcile the doctrine of eternal ma with the infinite benevolence of God. ! Strong observes, that those who bel in eternal punishment, found their be in consistence with the infinite ber lence of the Godhead. They supp that benevolence is the sum of a glorious perfections; that it is a com hensive name for his whole moral tude; that there is no separation made between punitive justice and be volence; that it is benevolence w moves God to punish both now eternally; and that if he did not p he would not be an infinitely bene God. He states benevolence to beA love of the greatest quantity of piness.-(2.) That it is consistent the existence of misery.—(3.) That regard to the greatest quantity of t ness in society, and not to the happ of every individual. "Benevolence defined (says he) is that goodness holiness, which directs the supreme in creating, governing, and rewar The good of the whole, or the g happiness of intellectual being, object of benevolence. sured that the infinitely benevolen wise, and all-powerful God, will eters execute such a government as wil duce the greatest possible portion piness in the universe.

We may

In order to confute Dr. Huntin plan of universal salvation, Mr. & attempts to prove-(1.) That the contains threatenings of death, and penitent sinners will be as much demned by the gospel as by the in (2.) That there is in no sense a c diction, or opposition, between th and the gospel. "Neither the lax the gospel give life or death, indepe of the moral temper and actions of The law itself hath the same pos give life as to give death. To the dient and holy the law gives life. I life to Adam so long as he was being, and it now gives life to al beings who have not sinned. disobedient, by means of their gives death; and as all men have disobedient, they are under a sente

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ondemnation. So it is with the gospel: here are conditions on which life is ffered, repentance towards God, and aith in our Lord Jesus Christ;' and if here be not a compliance with these onditions, the gospel becomes a dispenation of death to sinners as much as the w is; yea, of a much more awful death han the law threatened." 2 Cor. ii. 16. Mr. Strong next attempts to prove that Dr. Huntington's notions of the atoneent of Christ are unscriptural and abird. His own ideas on that subject are, at as eternal punishment was required y the law to vindicate the moral character God, as Sovereign and Judge of the niverse; so also the infinite atonement f Christ was equally necessary to vindite the divine character under the gospel. ither way, that is, either in the eternal unishment of the sinner, or in the infinite onement of the Saviour,-are the divine aracter and perfections honoured; and was benevolence alone that moved the eity to adopt the latter.-[Huntington's alvinism Improved, pp. 26-165. N. rong's Benevolence and Mercy, pp. 152 -266.]

The argument derived from the divine enevolence is certainly the most popular he that can be alleged in defence of niversal Restoration; at the same time must be confessed it is the most liable abuse, and the one which, of all others, s been most abused. It is that of a ild presuming on a father's tenderness; a subject on his prince's clemency, that shall not be punished; and, under at presumption, going on in a course disobedience. No man could argue ore eloquently on this subject than water, himself a Universalist; and the lowing extract, while it affords a specien of his mode of reasoning, shews also dangerous tendency; and if the moral dency of any doctrine be a test of its th, as in other cases is admitted, the ›ral tendency of this doctrine certainly nnot be urged in its defence. The lowing extract from a German publiion of 1786, entitled, "Letters from tain Jews on the present state of the ristian Religion," will both exhibit reasoning of Lavater, and the abuse which it is unhappily subject. Israel C. to Joseph de L.- after exssing his doubts of religion and a ure state, gives an account of certain ebodings of futurity which he had felt a late dangerous illness, and which 1 vanished on his recovery. He then

mentions a curious anecdote, which, whether fact or fiction, will justify the above remarks.

"Last year (says the supposed Jew) I visited the chamber of a young 'squire, who I well knew was a great lover of gaming, wine, and women.. Above his bureau were portraits of some celebrated French courtezans, and above these, Mahomet and Lavater. 'How, (said I) Mahomet and Lavater the tutelar saints of a party of court harlots ?'—' Yes, (replied he) young man, I make much of handsome women, and eagerly gratify my inclinations. Meantime, as I must die one time or other, and perhaps may die suddenly, these men give me some encouragement. If Mahomet is in the right, I have a good chance of recovering the pleasures I leave on earth, and enjoying the blue-eyed beauties of Paradise promised to his votaries. But if I should be mistaken in this, and punished for my licentiousness, which indeed I fear, for he who steals must hang; Lavater hath dispelled my dread of that eternal misery, about which my aunt Knorr continually rattles, and assured me that all shall be finally happy.'

"Observing that I seemed to doubt if one celebrated as a zealous defender of Christianity had advanced such sentiments, he pulled from his letter-case an extract, from which, with his allowance, I transcribed Lavater's words as follows: "The Creator cannot hate his creature: and so long as the damned remain creatures, so long God is their Creator. God is love for ever and ever. He is not gracious in time, and cruel through eternity. He cannot say in time, I have no pleasure in the death of the sinner, but that he repent and live; and yet in eternity punish, without aiming at their reformation. Ascribe not to God, what in a human judge all would account a defect of wisdom and goodness, punishing for the sake of punishing. It is enough, my Creator! thou art love. Love seeketh not her own; thou seekest the happiness of all, and shouldst thou not then find what thou seekest? Shouldst thou not be able to do what thou wilt?”— These expressions are mixed with others, which represent the end of hell-punishment as more doubtful, yet on the whole tend rather to establish than to confute it.

the

"When I was about to leave him, 'Lavater, (cries he) in his day-book,' (diary) which my aunt says is truly spiritual and experimental, prays for the damned, and