: THE LIBRARY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LOS ANGELES T HE UNIVERSAL RESTORATION, EXHIBITED IN FOUR DIALOGUES BETWEEN A MINISTER AND HIS FRIEND, COMPREHENDING The Subftance of feveral real Converfations which the Author hath had with various Perfons, both in America and Europe, ON THAT INTERESTING SUBJECT, CHIEFLY DESIGNED Fully to ftate, and fairly to anfwer the moft common Objections that are brought againft it from THE SCRIPTURES. ^ ■ — ... — — ■ ■ I ■ I ■ ■ ■■ -■ — —-— I -— ■ ■■ —.—.,. ... ., ,M1 THE SECOND EDITION, WITH ADDITIONS. BY ELHANAN WINCHESTER. To this Edition is prefixed, A BRIEF ACCOUNT OF THE MEANS AND MANNER OF THE AUTHOR'S EMBRACING THESE SENTIMENTS, Intermixes with fome SKETCHES OF HIS LIFE DURING FOUR YEARS. LONDON : PRINTED FOR THE AUTHOR, (BY T. GILLtT, NO. 10., BARTHOLOMEW CLOSE,) And may be had at his Houfe, No. 5, W nkworth's Bui dings, City Road. Sold alfo by J. Johnfon, No. 72, St. Paul's Church Yard, J. Parions. No. XI, Paterrofter-Kow, and W, Stewart, Piccadilly. M,DCC,XCII. [Entered at Stationer's Ha/L] TRICE FOUR SHILLINGS, IN BOARDS. FROM THE CRITICAL REVIEW, For September, 1788. 41 OUR Author, with great candour and extenfive know- ledge of the fubjecr., difcufTes the doctrine of eternal punifh- ments. He thinks that there will be a period when every finner will be reftored to the Divine favour. This doctrine is perfectly coniiitent with the benevolence of the Deity. It ii lupported by many wife and good men ; nor is there any rea- fon to fuppofe that it v.iii be perverted to ferve the purpofes of vice and immorality. Mr*. Winchef^r, in his defence of it, fhews much charity, much humanity, and no little (hare of *' learning. The fifth Dialogue alone, which relates to the de- " fign and tendency of punifhment, might furnifli fome little ** foundation for a. difference of opinion ; but, in a queftion fo " greatly above human attainment, the mind would be loft in " the enquiry, and not greatly benefited by the difcuffion. The " queition of the univerfal Reftoration, muft be examined as ** Mr. V/inchefrer has done, by the word of God, as revealed " at different times, and particularly in theGofpel." NT. B. A confiderable part of the fifth Dialogue, being printed in the Lectures on the Prophecies, is left out of this edition, and the remaining part is included hrfche fourth Dialogue. f in ) ADVERTISEMENT. \^Cj2j IT is known to many that Mr. William Bicknell, late of Blackman-Street in the Borough of Southwark, but now of Ponder's End, Middlefex, purchafed the copy-right of this work, which was entered accordingly as his property at Stationer's Hall, three parts of which he afterwards fold to three other refpecliable gentlemen of Lon- don, who have all fince refigned their rights to the Author. Mr. Bicknell firft gave up his part, by an inftrumentof writing under his own hand jwhich is as follows : Ponder s End, Middlefex. u I HEREBY refign all my mare and title to the copy-right of a work, intitled, " Uni- " verfal Reftoration, exhibited in Dialogues, be- " tween a Minifter and his Friend, by Elhanan, <( Winchefter," to the faid Elhanan Winchester, together with the emoluments and advantages that may arife as well from the copies now on fale, as as from any future edition of the fame, fo far as my faid right extends ; being one fourth fhare there- of; as witnefs my hand, this 24th day of Novem- ber, 1789. William Bicknell. Rev. Elhanan Winchefter. This Refignation was accompanied with the following Letter. Dear 550151 ( vr > Dear Sir, WITH pleafure I refign for your benefit, a work which has afforded me more comfort and fatisfaaion than any yet pubhmed, ™W excepting that Mine from whence it ongi- Ta L I nver exped to fee it furpaffed except by h Ledures, in our Language. And II .think [/will ftand, with the Ledures, as a record I to ft* ceeding ages, of the additional light that it has pkafcd g our gracious Benefador to beftow u. thefe Havs through your inftrumentality. Fa ewcl! and enjoy the fruit of your labours. A ,V may God of his infinite mercy, fo water the eood feed that has been fown in this land by your Swan "hat ,t may bring forth a plentiful harveft S our livesand pradice, is the daily prayer of your friend in the real Gofpel, W. BICKNELL. PREFACE, TO THE READER. AS I now prefent my Friends and the Public with a new edition of the Dia- logues on the Universal Restoration, which by many has been long defired, per- haps it may be acceptable to fome for me to give a brief account how I came firft to the knowledge of this part of the counfel of God, which I have not munned freely to declare, both by word and writing, as I have found opportunity and neceffity. I think it was in the beginning of the year 1778, being in South Carolina, upon the River Pee Dee, where I was at that time Minifter, that I called to fee a friend, who firrt put into my hands that valuable book written by Paul Siegvolk, and which is called 7?je Everlafting Gofpel, of which I have late- ly publimed a new edition. I was defired to tell what it meant to hold forth, as my friend could not tell by any means what to make of it on the account of the Angularity and ftrangenefs of the fentiments therein contained ; although the language is very plain and clear, and by no means dark, myftical, or obfcure. I opened the book as I was defired, and dip- ping into it here and there, for half an hour a perhaps, vi PREFACE. perhaps, was very foon able to tell what tha Author aimed at, viz. that there would be a final end of fin and mifery, and that all fallen creatures would be refiored, by Jefus Chrift, to a /late ofholinefs and happinefs, after fuch as were rebellious had fuffered in proportion to their crimes. I had never feen any thing of the fort before in all my life; and I feemed {truck with feveral ideas that I glanced over, fuch as the inconfiftency and impoffibility of both good and evil always exifting in the uni- verfe ; and efpecially his obfervations -upon the word eternal or everlafiing, fhewing that it was ufed for what never had a beginning, and would never have an end, as the being and perfections of God ; and that it was alfo applied to things which had a beginning, but mould never have an end, as the being and happinefs of the righteous ; and, that it was alfo frequently ufed to exprefs things, times, and feafons which had both beginning and end, which he therefore called periodical eter- nities, and gave a great number of instances of this fort, which could not be denied ; and he contended that the everla/ling punijhment threatened to the wicked, did not belong to the firft, nor to the fecond, but to the third claf* of thefe durations. But as I was only delired to tell what the author meant, when I had fatisrled my friend in that refpeCt, I laid the book down, and I believe, we both concluded it to be a pleafant ingenious hypothecs, but had no ferious thoughts of its being true ; and for my part, I deter- PREFACE. vii I determined not to trouble myfelf about it, or to think any thing more of the matter. And as the book had been fent a confiderable diftance for my friend to read, I fuppofe it was foon after fent back; for I law it no more, nor heard any thing farther about it. The following f ummer I went a journey into Virginia, and happening to mention the fubjecl: to a minifter there, he told me that a few years before, it had been a iubject of controverfy in the public papers, be- tween a clergyman, who defended, and a gentleman of the law, who denied the pro- per endlefs eternity of punimment ; and he told me that this gentleman who denied it, had advanced, that the translators of the Bible had rendered the very fame Greek word, by very different Englim words, fometimes ren- dering it for ever , and fometimes world; and that if they had always uniformly rendered it by one Englifh word, it would have been evident to all readers, that no argument for endlefs mifery, could have been drawn there- from. I was told alfo while I was in Vir- ginia, that a clergyman of the epifcopal church, had a few years before, given out that he had fome wonderful thing to make known to his hearers, which he would preach upon fome Sunday, but did not men- tion when. This raifed the public curiolity, and great numbers attended his place of vvor- ihip in hopes of hearing what this wonder- ful thing might be; but for a confiderable time the matter was undifcovered. But at laft he gave out, that on the next Sunday he a 2 would viii PREFACE. would open this great fecret. Vaft numbers of people nocked to hear what it could be ; When he came to declare what it was, be- hold 1 it was a wonderful piece of news in- deed, fuch as had never been heard before in any pulpit in Virginia. It was nothing fhort of the doctrine of the Rsjloration. I think, to the belli of my remembrance, they told me, that he opened and enlarged upon it for two Sundays, and never preached any more, beins: immediately after feized with ficknefs, which terminated in his death. And this was generally efteemed as a judgment that fell upon him for daring to preach fuch a wicked, falfe and dangerous opinion ; and that God cut him off from the land of the living, to teftify his difpleafure againfr. him ; and to terrify others from daring to follow his example, or believe his fentiments. But perhaps this might have been fome worthy, learned, pious man, who had long concealed this grand truth in his heart, and had derived much iatisfaction therefrom, and longed to proclaim it to others, for their good. And at laft, notwithstanding the op- position that he might expect, refolved fo to do ; and accordingly was enabled, juft be- fore his time came to depart out of this world, to bear a faithful teftimony to this mod: grand and important of all God's purpofes. And having performed his duty, his mailer called him to receive his reward, and gave him the o-lorious plaudit of, " Well done, thou " good and faithful fervant; — enter thou " into the joy of thy Lord." A* PREFACE. & As for the vain judgments of men they are not to be regarded. <4 For they know not the ■*' thoughts of the Lord, neither under/land M they his counfel." " But the fouls of the " righteous are in the hand of God, and there i* fhall no torment touch them. In the fi^ht " of the unwile they feemed to die ; and their *' departure is taken for mifery. And their " goin^fron us to be utter deftrudYion : but " thev are in peace. For though they be " punifhed in the light of men, yet is their li hope full of immortality. And having " been a little chaififed, they fhall be greatly *' rewarded ; for God proved them, and found c< them worthv for himfelf. As gold in the " furnace hath he tried them, and hath received M them as a burnt offering. And in the time " of their viiitation, they fhall mine, and run " to and fro, like fparks among the Hubble. " They fhall judge the nations, and have do- " minion over the people, and their Lord 64 fhall reign for ever. They that put their " truft in him fhall underftand the truth ; and " fuch as be faithful in love fhall abide with " him : for grace and mercy is to his faints, " and he hath care for his elect." " But *' though the righteous be prevented with <£ death, yet fhall he be in reft." I am apt to think therefore, that this mini- fter was one of uncommon faith and love, and as he believed God, fo he loved mankind, and wifhed them to know the amazing riches of their Redeemer's love towards them : and \\ hen / x PREFACE. when he had openly delivered this teftimony, he was called to his reft. Indeed if the enemies of this doctrine had been true prophets, I mould have died and gone to hell long ago; for no fooner was it known that 1 had embraced it, but iome gave out that I would not live a year ; but I have already lived eleven. One of my old friends defired me to take particular notice of what be faid, which he exprelTed in thefe words, 44 Mind what I tell you. In fix months from " this time, you will turn Deifc, and deny " all revealed religion : and in twelvemonths " you will turn Atheift, deny the being of " God, and abandon yourfelf to all kinds of 46 open wickednefs." Bleffed be God, this has alio proved falfe. And they generally feemed to agree to prophefy certain damna- tion to me whenever I fhould depart out of this world. But I truft this is equally falfe, 44 For I know whom I have believed, (or trufled) " and am perfuaded that he is able to 4 * keep that which I have committed unto 44 him againfr. that day." But to return to my narrative, Sometime after I returned back to South Carolina, a Phyfician with whom I had been acquainted in Virginia, came to live in the parifh where I was minifter; and among his books I found the Everlafiing Go/pel, by Paul Sicgvolk ; this was the fecond copy that had fell in my way, and I read a little more therein, but as yet had not the leait thought that ever I fhould ambrace his ientimcnts ; yet PREFACE. x\ yet fome of his arguments appeared very con- cluiive, and I could not wholly make them off, but I concluded to let them alone, and not inveftigate the matter; and therefore I never gave the book even fo much as one curfory reading, till with great difficulty I pro- cured one in the city of Philadelphia, more than two years afterwards. In the year 1779, I found myfelfmuch fUrred up to exhort my fellow creatures to repent, believe, and obey the Gofpel, and be- gan to adopt a more open and general method "of preaching than I had ufed for fome years before ; having been deemed one of the moft conliftent Calvinifts upon the continent, much upon the plan of Dr. Gill, whom I efteem- ed almoft as an oracle. But now my heart being opened, and viewing the worth of fouls, I felt great companion towards them, and in- vited them with all my might to fly for mercy to the arms of Chrift, who died for them, and who was willing to fave them. I was • gradually led into this way of preaching, without confidering any thing about its con- {iftency with ftricl calvinifm, but finding my- felf very happy and comfortable in my own mind, and that this method of preaching was highly ufeful, I continued to go on in the fame courfe. About this time I began to find uncommon defires for the converfion and falvation of the poor negroes, who were very numerous in that part of the country; but whom none of my predecefTors, that I could learn, had ever taken Xii PREFACE. taken pains to inftruft in the principles of Chriftianity ; neither had any Jingle {lave, either man, or woman been baptized until that fummer, in the whole pariih ^ which was very large) that I ever heard of. The prejudices which the (laves hadagainfl Chriitianity, on account of the feverities prac- tiled upon them bv profeffing Chriilians, both minifters and people, might be one principal reafon why they could not be brought to at- tend to religious inftruclions. But they had no prejudice againft me on that (core, as I never had any thing to do with (lavery, but on the contrary condemned it ; and this being pretty generally known, operated fo upon the minds of thole poor creatures, that they mewed a difpofition to attend my minifrry, more than they had ever (hewed to any other. But (till I never had addreffed them in parti- cular, and indeed had hardly any hopes of doing them good. But one evening feeing a great number ©f them at the door of the houfe where I was preaching, I found myfelf con- drained as it were, to go to the doer, and tell them, That Jefus Chrift loved them, and died for them, as well as for us white people, and that they might come and believe in him, and welcome. And 1 gave them as warm and preffing an invitation as I could, to comply with the glorious gofpel. This ihort diicourie addreffed immediately to them, took greater effect, than can be well imagined. There were about thirty from one plantation in the neighbourhood preient ; ( befides others ) thefe PREFACE. xiil thefe returned home, and did not even give fleep to their eyes, as they afterwards, inform- ed me, until they had fettled every quarrel among themfelves, and according to their form of marriage, had married every man to the woman with whom he lived ; had reftored whatever one had unjufrly taken from ano- ther ; and determined from that time to feek the Lord diligently. From that very evening they began conftantly to pray to the Lord, and ib continued; and he was found of them. I continued to inftruft them, and within three months from the firft of June, I baptized more than thirty blacks belonging to that plantation, befides as many others, as in the whole made up one hundred, of which fixty- three were men, and thirty-feven were wo- men, all which were born in Africa, or im- mediately defcended from fuch as were na- tives of that unhappy country. My preaching was not only ufeful to the poor ilaves, but alio to great numbers of the white people, of whom I baptized upon pro- feflion of repentance and faith in Chriir, about one hundred and thirty nine perfons within the fame fpace. This was a fummer of great fuccefs, and I mall remember that happv fea- ion with pleafure while I live. This fum- mer I received fome farther dawnings of the day of the general Reftoration in my mind, for upon confidering feveral Scriptures, fuch as thefe, " He mail fee of the travail of his " foul, and mail be fatisfied ; by his know- " ledge mall my righteous fervant juftify b many : xiv PREFACE. 44 many; for he fhall bear their iniquities," Ifai. liii. ii. " After this I beheld, and lo, " a great multitude, which no man could 44 number, of all nations, and kindreds, and 4C peoples, and tongues, flood before the " throne, and before the Lamb, clothed " with white robes, and palms in their 44 hands" Rev. vii. 9. 1 became fully per- fuaded that the number of the finally faved would equal, if not exceed the number of the loir. And I was lb forcibly imprelTed with this new and very joyful diicovery, that I not only converfed in that {train privately, but boldly preached it in the congregation, which generally confifted of nearly a thoufand perfons upon Sundays. Some of the people to whom I had mentioned fomething refpecting the fentiment, thought that 1 was going at once to declare myfelf in favour of the gene- ral Restoration. But that was as yet far from being the cafe; though fome of the argu- ments which 1 had glanced upon in that book, the Everlajiing Go/pel, would frequently pre- fent themfelves to my mind infuch a forcible manner that I could fcarcely withftand their evidence. In the month of September I left South Carolina, on a vifit to my friends in New England, intending howevor to return to my people again ; but to prevent their being left deftitute, I procured the Rev. Mr. Bots- ford to come and fupply them, upon this condition, that whenever I fhould return, he fhould PREFACE. xv fhould refign the congregation to me again, if I required it. But he has remained the con- front Pallor ever ilnce. I then travelled (lowly through the continent, preaching to the peo- ple, and converging with my friends, to whom, fometimes in private I propofed fome of the arguments in favour of the general Resto- ration, which I had read in the Everla/l/'ng Go/pel, on purpofe to fee what anfwers they could give ; and this I did efpecially to able miniflers; but to my furprife often found them quite at a (land, not knowing what to fay. And fome were almofi; overpowered, with even the weak manner in which I was capable of holding forth the arguments in fa- vour of the Restoration. And oftentimes the anfwers that fome of the greateir men gave, were fuch as tended to increafe my doubts refpecYing cnd/efs mlfery, rather than to remove them. I remember once, that I aiked the Rev. Mr. Manning, Prefidentof Rhode Island College, and who was at that time one of my dearefl friends, what was the flrongefl argument that he could ufe in favour of the doctrine of endlefs mifery ? He anfwered, That it was the nature of God, to lay the greateft pofrible reitraint upon fin, and therefore he had threatened it with endlefs punijhment, as the higheit reitraint he could pofTibly lay upon it. This argument is an- fwered in the third Dialopne. Thus after o much feeking I could find no fatisfaction in the matter; but full my doubts increafed. Notwith (landing, I with flood the doctrine of b 2 the xv i PREFACE. the Restoration with all my might, and fometimes preached publicly again ft it with all the force I could mufrer. Yet there was fomething in its favour that gained gradually upon my mind, and fometimes brought me to be almoft willing to embrace it. I plainly law that it would reconcile almoft, if not quite, all the difficulties of other fyftems ; and I thought if I mould ever receive it, I lhould be able to preach much eafier, and more freely than ever, and with far greater fatisfactlon, which by experience, I have fmce found to be true. The ideas were fometimes fo tranfporting to me, even while I profeJTed to oppofethe ien- timent, that I have been conftrained to fet them forth in the moll: fublime manner that I was able ; and fometimes fo as actually to brine them who heard me converfe upon the fubject to believe and rejoice m-the univer- sal Restoration, while I thought myfelf an oppofer of it, and only propofed the argu- ments in its favour to fee what effect they would have on fuch who never heard them before. And I was often carried away before I was aware, even while I intended only to let my friends hear what might be faid. I remember once, while I was at my father's table in the year 1780, that I mentioned the doctrine of the Restoration, and finding that none in company had ever lo much as heard of fuch a fcheme, I began to hold it forth, produced many arguments in its favour, brought up many objections, anfwered them in fuch a manner as aftonifhed all prefent, and I was PREFACE. xvii I was amazed at myfelf, I fpoke with fo much eafe and readinefs as I had hardly ever experi- enced before on any occafion. Nay, I was To much animated with the iubject that I laid, That I did not doubt but that in fixty years time, that very doctrine would univerfally be preached, an 1 generally embraced in that very country, and would certainly prevail over ail oppofition This dilcourfe made a greater impreflion upon the minds of thole who heard it, and upon my own alio, than I intended ; and though I afterwards ufed the belt arguments I could in favour of the common opinion, yet I found them inefficient wholly to remove the effects of what I had before laid. After fpending about twelve months in the moft delightful manner, conftantly journey- ing and preaching with great fucceis, to vail multitudes of people in my native country, I fet off with intention to return towards South Carolina. On the way I tarried fomc time atthehoufe of the Rev. Mr. Samuel Waldo, in Pawling* s Precinff, State of New V whofe kind and friendly behaviour towards me I remember with pleafure, and mention with gratitude. I had a great deal of very agreeable conversation with him upon the matter, and he did not feem to oppofe the ideas hardly at all ; but only gently cautioned me againlt receiving any thing erroneous. He is a man of a moft excellent fpirit, and his family was upon the whole the moft de- lightful, agreeable, and happy family that I ever xviii PREFACE. ever knew. While I was at his houfe one of his children, then about twenty years of age, ieemed fully convinced of the truth of the doc>rine, byliftening to our converfation, and was filled with great joy at the idea. Several religious men who were on a journey, lodged at the houfe while I was there, got a hint of the matter, and wimed to hear all that I could fay in defence of it ; I accordingly gave them fome of the principal arguments in its favour, and obviated fome of the moft capital objec- tions that could be brought againft it ; and I afterwards overheard them wifhing that they had not been fo curious as to have enquired fo far into the fubjeft, for they could not refill: the arguments, although they feemed refolved to treat the fentiment as an error. In this itate of mind, half a convert to the doarine of the Restoration, I arrived in the city of Philadelphia, on the 7th of O&ober, 1 780. I intended to have left the city in a few days, and to have gone on to- wards South Carolina, but the Baptift church being delcitute of a minifter, they in- vited me to ftop and preach with them, to which I was at length perfuaded, and for fome time I was much followed, and there were great additions to the church. The congregations increafed in fuch a manner, efpecially on Sunday-evenings, that our place of worfhip, though large, would by no means contain them ; at length leave was alked by fome of my friends for me to preach in the church of St. Paul, in that city, which was granted. o PREFACE. xix granted. This was one of the largeft houfes of worfhip in Philadelphia, and equal in bignefs to moil of the churches in London. I think I preached there about eighteen fer- mons, and generally to verycrowded audiences, frequently more than could poffibly get into the houfe ; moil: of the clergy, of every de- nomination in the city, heard me there, and many thoulands of different people. I am in- clined to think, that I never preached to fo many before nor fince as I did fometimes in that houfe, and with almoft- univerfal appro- bation. But now the time of my trouble and caftin? down came on, and thus it was. Soon after I arrived in the city I had enquired of fome friend for T'Jbe Everlafting Gc/pel, which I could not light of for fome time, but they lent me Mr. Stonehoufes bock upon the Refu- tation of ail Things^ which I had never ftea nor heard of before; this very learned work I read with great care, and his reafoning, argu- ments, and fcriptu re -proofs feemed to me en- tirely fatisfaclory. The friends who procured me the works of Mr. St one houfe, were concerned at my having an inclination to read any thing upon fuch a fubject ; neverthelefs, though there were feveral of them with whom I converted pretty freely upon the matter, and who knew of my reading Mr. Stoi /e 9 s works, yet they behaved in lo friendly a manner towards me, that they never mentioned a word of it to any, until by other means it come to be known and talked of. In xx PREFACE. In the houfe where I lodged, when I firir. came to the city I had, in the freedom of con- verfation, and with fome appearance of joy, expreffed myfelf in general terms upon the iubject, but always in the exact words of Scripture, or in iuch a manner as this, viz. That i could not help hoping that God would finally bring every k?iee to bow, and every tongue to fwear : and that at the name of Jejus every knee Jhould bow\ of things in heaven, and things in earth ; and things under the earth ; and that every tongue mould confefs Jesus Christ to be Lord to the glory of God the Father. And that I hoped, that in the difpenfation of the fiilnejs of times, he might gather together in one all things' in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth, Szc. Such paffages as thefe I mentioned in this manner, hoping that they would be fulfilled. The people of the houfe feerned farprifed, and afked me if I believed fo : I anfwered, " That fometimes I could not help hoping that it might be fo." I could hardly have imagined among friends, that any dan- ger could have ariferi from my expreffing a hope that the Scriptures were true. However thefe falfe friends told a minifter, whom for a number of years I had eiteemed as my belt and moft intimate friend % that I was turned heretic, and believed the doctrine of the Universal Restoration, and de- fired him to" convince me. Some time after he met with me in the ftreet, and in a very abrupt manner told me, that he had wanted to PREFACE. xxi to fee me for fome time, that he might give me a piece of his mind ; that he had been in- formed by fuch a perfon, that I was inclined to the doctrine of the Universal Restora- tion, and then, inftead of u fin g any argu- ment to convince me, or taking any method for my recovery, added this laconic fpeech, " If you embrace this fentiment, I mail no " longer own you for a brother." And he has hitherto been as good as his word, having never written nor fpoken to me from that day to this ; and when I have fince offered to make hands with him, he has refufed ; and yet he was one whom I efteemed above any other on earth, as a hearty, iincere, long tried, and faithful friend. If my intimate friend treated me in fuch a manner, what had I not to expect from my open and avowed enemies ? I now forefaw the itorm, and I determined to prepare for it, not by denying what I had laid, but by examining and determining for rnyfelf, whether the fentiment was according to Scripture or not. If I found that it was not, I was determined to retract, but if it was, to hold it fail, let the confequences be what they might. I had now no time to lofe, I expected in a mort time to be called to an ac- count, and examined refpecting this doctrine, and obliged either to defend or deny it ; I was already too well perfuaded that it was true, to do the latter without heiitation, and yet not iufficientlv for the former. For this purpofe, i mut my felf up chiefly in my chamber, read d the xxii PREFACE. the Scriptures, and prayed to God to lead me into all truth, and not fuffer me to embrace any error; and 1 think that with an upright mind, I laid myfelf open to believe whatever the Lord had revealed. It would be too lono- to tell all the teachings I had on this head^ let it fuffice, in lhort, to fay, That I became fo wellperfuadedof the truth of the Universal Restoration, that I was determined never to deny it, let it coll me ever fo much, though all my numerous friends mould for- fake me, as I expected they would, and though I mould be driven from men, and obliged to dwell in caves or dens of the earth, and feed on wild roots and vegetables, and fuffer the lofs of all things, friends, wealth, fame, health, chara&er, and even life itfelf. The truth appeared to me more valuable than all things, and as I had found it, I was de- termined- never to part with it, let what would be offered in exchange. I had now formed my refqlution, and was determined how to aft when the trial came. Hitherto I had faid nothing about the Resto- ration in public, and but little in private ; but I preached up the death of (Thrift, and ialvation for mankind through him, without reitntfion. This free manner of preaching gave offence to fome, who came to hear me no more. On the evening of the 2 2d of January 1781, a number of the members of the church, who had heard that I held the doclnne of the Restoration, met me at a rnend s houfe, to afkmethe quefrion, Whether I did PREFACE. xxiii I did or not? I acknowledged that I did, but did not wifh to trouble any body with my fentiments. They delired me neither to preach them in public, nor toconverfe of them in private. I told them, That if they would prevent people from afking me, I would lay- nothing upon the matter ; but if people afked me concerning my fentiments, I could not deny them, and if they wifhed to know the reaibns, I mud: inform them. And thus the matter was to reft ; but forae that were pre- ient, wimed to know the foundation of my fentiments, others oppofed it, not wifhing to hear any thing in its favour. At length it was agreed that I might read the paflages of Scripture upon which I judged the doctrine of the Restoration to be founded, butmuft not add a lingle word of explanation on my part, and on # their parts they were not to aik any queftions, or make the lead: oppoiition, for if they did, I infilled upon the liberty of defending. Accordingly I took the Bible, and read many paffages in the Old and New Tefta- ments, which I judged to contain the doc- trine ; and the very reading of them con- vinced feveral of the company of the truth of the Restoration. There was nothing far- ther took place at that time : we parted with a mutual agreement; I was not to preach it in the pulpit, nor to introduce it in converfa- tion, but I would not be obliged to deny it, when aiked, nor to refufe to vindicate it, if oppofed : and on their parts they were not to d 2 fpeak xxiv PREFACE. fpeak of it to my prejudice, but to endeavour as much as poffible, to keep the matter clofe, and fo we parted. But notwithstanding all the pains that could be taken, the matter got abroad, and feveral came to difcourfe with me on my principles, to whom I gave fuch rea- fons as I was able for what I believed. A little after this time, I met with another copy of the Everlafiing Go/pel, which I then read through with attention for the firft time, and found much fatisfaclion ; the arguments and Scripture proofs therein contained, feemed to me i afficient to convince all that would read with candour and attention. I frill continued to act only on the defen- sive, not preaching upon the fubjecu, nor go- ing about to private houfes to make interefr. in my favour ; but if any came to me and wiftied me to difcourfe upon it, I would not re- fufe ; and thus a number were convinced of its truth, while others violently oppofed it. And thus matters continued until the latter end of March. Having heard that the Ger- man Baptifts in Gennantown, about eight miles from Philadelphia held the doctrine of the Restoration, I had appointed to fpend the firfr Sunday in April with them ; and this engagement had been made fometime. Juft as I was ready to go out of the city on Satur- day, I found that fome of the members of the Church had privately fent into the country, and collected a number of the ableft miniflers, who were arrived in the city on purpofe to debate with me, and to confute me publicly. I gave PREFACE. xxv I gave them the liberty of my pulpit as they* pleafed for the next day, and went out of the city to goto Germantown; and took that oppor- tunity to go and vilit that ancient, venerable, and excellent man, Dr. George De Benne- ville, who received me in the moil: kind, open, and friendly manner; and his conver- sation was moft highly edifying to me. Af- terwards I went to Germantown, and lodged there all night, ready to preach the next day. As foon as my enemies in Philadelphia found that I was gone out of the city, they fpread a report that I had fled to avoid an interview with thefe minifters, who had come on pur- pofe to convince me. Nothing could have been more falfe, than fuch a report, for I had been engaged to go to Germantown^ on that day, for feveral weeks beforehand : I knew nothing: of thefe Minifters beins: fent for until they came - to town ; and I had no fear but I mould be able, by God's affiftance, to defend the caufe before them ; and befides, I had appointed to return on Monday, and did return accordingly. The whole Church met, both my friends and my oppofers, and thefe Minifters met with them. I was called to attend a funeral at the time, and was at the houfe of mourning, when a melTenger was fent in hafte, to deiire my immediate attend- ance at the meeting without any delay. I found that thole who were my enemies in the afTembly, had been greatly vaunting over my friends, becaufe I was not prefent. They faid I had abfeonded merely to avoid a debate, in xxvi PREFACE. in which I was fure to be confuted, as here was an opportunity that might never prefent itfelf again ; and feven wife, able, and learned Minifters had aiTembled on purpofe to difpute with me, but that I had gone, and left my ad- herents in the lurch, from a confcioufnefs that I was not able to defend my caule ; with abundance more to the fame purpofe. My friends, on the other hand, told them, That I was afraid of nothing but fin, and that they doubted not of my being able and willing to difpute with any one of the gentlemen, or all of them, one by one, if they chofe it. O, no ; they replied, they knew better than that, I was °;one out of the way on purpoie, where I could not be found. My friends told them, That if there was a vote pail in the affembly that I mould difpute with any one, they would engage that I would be among them in a few minutes. It was accordingly una- mmoufiy voted, that I mould difpute with the Rev. M?\ Boggs, upon my fentiments, in the preience of thefe Minifters, and of the whole affembly. But when in a few minutes J came in, and took my place, what different countenances appeared in the congregation ? All my friends were highly pleafed, and the others were as much confounded and diiap- pointed, at feeing me come in fo chearfnlly and quickly, after they had made themfelves fo lure, that I would not come. But lurely, I might have been looked upon with pity ; alone toanfwer for myfelf, no one to fupport me ; while my anta^onifts were {even of the ablcil PREFACE. xxvii ableft Minifters that could be obtained. I felt, however, that inward compofure, from a confcioufnefs of having acted uprightly and imcerely in the whole affair, that even caufed my countenance to appear eafy and chearful. The vote was then publicly read, and I flood up, and declared my readinefs to comply with what was required. The worthv gen- tleman who was chofen to difpute with me, then rofe up, and faid thefe words, " I am " not prepared to difpute with Mr. IVin- " chefler, I have heard that he fays, That " it would take fix weeks to canvafs all the " arguments fairly on both fides ; and I fup- 44 pole he has been ftudyingupon the fubjecr. " for a week or more, and I have not ftudied " it at all; and therefore I muft beg to be. " excufed." When I found that he, and all the reft wholly declined difputing with me, I begged liberty to fpeak for two hours upon my ienti- ments, and lay them fairly open, and the ground upon which 1 maintained them. But this was denied me ; I then defired them to give me one hour for this purpofe; but this was alio refufed. One of the Minifters grot up, and faid, That their bufinefs was not to debate with me, but to aik me, whether I be- lieved the RESTORATioNof bad men and an- gels, finally to a ftate of holinefs and happi- nefs, &c. But if they did not come to difpute with me, why was the vote paffed by their party, as well as "by my friends, that I mould dif- pute xxvm FREFACE. mite with them r This fpeaks for itfelf. The minifters iniiited upon putting the queftion to me Do you believe the dotti'ine of the uni- versal Restoration ? My friends object- ed to my anfwering the quefhon, unleis 1 mio-ht be allowed to vindicate my fentiments. But I laid, That I did not fear any uie that could be made of my words; that 1 had al- ways freely con'feffed what my thoughts were, when aiked; and therefore I told them, that 1 did heartily believe the general Re- storation, and was willing to defend it. The o-entieman that was chofen to diipute with me, then aiked me, whether I thought it ftran^e, confideringmy change of fentiments, that there fhould be fuch a noife and uproar made upon the occafion? &c. I told him, That I did not think it ftrange at all ; and gave him a little hiftory of the affair, and how the mat- ter came abroad, through the treachery of iome whom I had efteemed as my friends ; that when I mentioned it to them I was not fully periunded of it myfelf, and perhaps never might have been, if I had not been op- pofed and threatened ; that I never had in- tended to trouble the people with my len- timents, but was willing to live and die with them, if thev could bear with me; but that I could not ufe io much deceit, as to deny what I believed, when aiked by any one ; that I never had yet done io, and by the grace of God never would, let the coniequences be what thev might. What I faid was m the preience of all my accufers, and none of tnerrj r * could PREFACE. xxix could contradict me, nor had aught to lay to my charge, except in thin matter of the Gof- pel of my Saviour. My dilcourfe took fuch an effect upon him, that he then publicly de- clared, that my behaviour in the whole affair had been as became a ma?i and a chrijiian y and that no one could acufe me of any im- proper conduct. I flood fometime, and as none appeared to have any thing farther to fay to me, I took my leave, and went out. He accompanied me to the door, and told me that he would write to me upon the fubject; but whatever was the reafon, he never did, nor have we fpoken together lince. The Minifters then advifed the people to get another Minifter ; but mv friends being: numerous, infilled it fhould be fairly deter- mined by the fubfcribersat large ; but this the other party would not agree to. Several very fair offers were made by my friends to them, but they refufed them all; and finally, by force they kept us out of the houfe, and de- prived us of our part of the property, which was at lafr. confirmed to them by law, though I think unjuftly, as we were the majority at firft. ; but they took uncommon pains in car- rying about a protefi againft me, to every member of the church, both in the city and in the country, and threatening all with ex- communication who would not fign it ; by which fome were intimidated, and by thefe and other means they ftrengthened their party. But on the other hand, I took no pains, either to' profelyte people to believe mv xxx PREFACE. my fentiments or to make my party ftrong. But I believe near an hundred of the mem- bers furrered themfelves to be excommuni- cated rather than to fign the protejl againfl me, and the doctrine that I preached. When we were deprived of our houfe of worfhipj the trujiecs of the Univerfity gave us the li- berty of their hall, where we quietly wor- fhipped God for about four years, until we purchafed a place for ourfelves. But to re- turn. After this meeting of the Minifters, the whole afhur was open, and I found myfelf obliged to vindicate the doctrine which they had condemned unheard, not only in private, but in the pulpit. Accordingly, on the 22d day of April, I preached a fermon on Gen. hi. 15. in which I openly afferted the doctrine of the Final and Universal Restoration of all fallen intelligences. This was publifhed by particular deiire, with a lift of the plaineil Scripture paflages in favour of the doctrine; and a number of the mod: common and prin- cipal objections, 'fairly itated, and aniwered. This was my firft appearance in the world as a profe writer, which was what I never ex- pected to be, and probably fhouid never have been but for this occafion ; ftiil lefs a writer of controverty, to which I had naturally a great aver lion. After 1 had preached this fermon, I had the Chevalier Rom fey' 's Philofophical Principles of Natural and Revealed Re/igio?i put into my hands ; I read the lame with great pleafure and advantage, and I muft acknowledge it to be PREFACE. xxxi be a work of great merit, and I have reafon to blefs God that ever I had opportunity of reading it. I can heartily recommend it, as one of the bell: works in our language ; and 1 muil fay, that in molt things I fully agree with that verv intelligent author. On the fourth day of January 1782, I preached the fermon called, The Outcajh Comforted ; from Ifaiah lxvi. 5. to my friends who had been call: out, and excommunicated, for believing this glorious doctrine. This was foon after printed, and the next year it was republiihed in London, by the Rev. Mr. Richard Clark, and was the firft of my works ever printed here. I have thus given a brief plain and fimple account of the means that have brought me to think and write in the manner that 1 have done, and which account may be coniidered as an hiltorical Iketch of nearly four years of my life. I have every year fince printed and pub- lished fomething, which I judged might be ufeful to my fellow-creatures ; but as my works are in the hands of moll: of my friends, it is not necelTary to give a particular account of any of them here, except this book of Di- alogues on the Universal Restora- tion. I have had many difccurfes with va- rious perfons upon this iubject, and many ob- jections have been propoled to me, which I have endeavoured to anlwcr ; and I can truly fay, that thefe difcourfes, their quellions, and my anfwers, their objections, and my fo- e 2 nations xxxii PREFACE. lutions, form the bulk of thefe Dialogues. I have endeavoured to give all the pofiible force to their objections, and if any of them are weak, J can affure the Public, that I have not made them fo (as fome haveinfinuated) mere- ly that I might be able to anfwer them, but the weakefl of them have been propofed to me, and I have fairly let down the moft powerful that I ever heard, generally in the very words in which they were addrefled to me, whether in converfation, or by letter ; and I am willing if ftronger objections can be made, to put them in the place of thofe which I have fet down, or add them to the number ; and I have in this new edition added a few*, which I have heard fince the work was firft publifhed, and efpecially one which was fent me by a venerable Miniiter, from America, and which I have largely anfwered. I have the fatisfaction of knowing not only that thefe Dialogues have been well received, but that they have been the means of bring- ing many perforis to the belief of the truth of the Universal Restoration, and have ftrengthened and confirmed others, as will plainly appear from the following extra&s of letters, which I have received from feveral Minifters in different parts of the kingdom, fince their publication. " IVifokh, OficlcrzS, 1788, "DjjarSir, " I AM pcrfuaded your knowledge of the world and its inhabitants, hath long iince taught you to be fami- liar PREFACE. xxViii liar with the addrefles of perfons unknown to you ; and I have formed that opinion of you, that your candour will ad- mit, and your generous mind rejoice to hear, that a pcrfon, though unknown to you, is convinced that God hath gra- cious defigns towards univerfal man. I am that perfon, Sir. For fome time part I have entertained douhts with refpect to the eternity of bell torments. My doubts principally arofe from the consideration of the vaft di (proportion between momentary crimes, committed in tbisjhort life, and the fuffering infinitude of punifhment: yet many difficulties lay in my way that 1 did not know how to remove, and I continued thus embarrafled, until a hhort time iince 1 had the happinefs to meet with your Dialogues on the Universal Re- storation, which, I thank God, have helped me much. My ardent prayer is, that the truth may fpread, that die word of the Lord may run and be glorified. " My good friend, Mr. F •, ihewed me your letter to him, bv which I fee your readinefs to lerve thecaufe of our great Head, Chrift Jefus, and your willingnefs to vhlt the country, provided the way is open. Now, Sir, I can only fay, That my houfe, and my heart, and my pulpit will- he all open to receive you, provided you will vifit us in this part of the world. " I remain, with the utmoh: refpect, Dear Sir, Your fmcere friend, Henry Poole." €l Dear Sir, " THOUGH perfonally unkewn, have taken the liberty of addreffing you with a few lines. I was lately in London, and called to fee you ; but was told vou were out of town. Have for fome time had the plealure of read- ing your Dialogues, much to my fatisfadiion. " The fubjecT. of Universal Restitution has for many years engaged my thoughts at times, and often ap- peared in an amiable light to my mind. It is a fubjedr. that redounds to the everlafting honour of God, and the everlaft- ing felicity of the rational creature.whc,when delivered from inifery, fhall be fully fenfible of the obligations due to the Deliverer, xxxiv PREFACE. Deliverer* and confequently, ihall naturally be engaged In the great and delightful work of prailing and honouring both the Author and Accomplifher of the great falvation. " My rcfidence is at Lyndhwj}, in the New ForcJi y Hants, where I am pallor over a little church of General Baptifts, of which denomination I am informed you are; but be that as it may, it is no fmall pleafure to me to find men, of whatever denomination, vindicate the goodnefs of God, in the manner it is done by the doctrine of Univer- sal Restoration. Should inclination or leifure ever favour your coming this way, I know not who I fhall be more happy to fee and enjoy. Permit me to fubfcribe myfelf, Your affectionate brother, in the Gofpel of univerfal love, " Adam Aldrip.ge,'* lLyndhurfty December 4, 1 7 89. ~" mniiim td ii n ' «« Terk, March 6, 179c*, f* Rev. and dear Sir, " I HOPE you will excufe the freedom I have taken in witing to you. " I have for feveral years embraced your fentiments, and have often flood up in defence of them " 1 have frequently met with learned and candid men, who have given me much fatisfaction in this important fub- jecX When your Dialogues were published, I procured and read them with the greateft: avidity. 1 found the fub- je£t handled much to my mind. The ftrongeft objections raifed in all their weight and importance, and anfwered clearly and candidly. I read the book, over and over, with frefh pleafure and fat'u faction. I ftudied the arguments, trcafured them up in my memory, and determined to be- come a defender of this part of truth. My heart burnt in love to God and mankind I found exalted views of God, raifed exalted (trains of gratitude and praife. It was one of the ftrongeft and mod attracting views that ever I met with fince I knew the Saviour's love. I foon entered the held, and was obliged to prove my armour againft the ftrongeft objections, backed with prejudices almoft of an in- vincible nature. When I. was hard put to it, I had recourse *9 PREFACE. xxx* to your Magazine, and from thence brought forth new pieces of artillery. You will eafily fuppofe I had many trials from perfons of different difpofitions. By perfuading feveral of my acquaintance, Minifters of the Gofpel, to read over your book, I became an inftrument of winning them over to the truth. " One of my brethren in the miniftry protefled much againft our notions, and declared he would never believe them. Knowing him to be a fen fible man, and one who might be wrought upon by the force of truth properly ftated, I ufed feveral arguments to perfuadehim to read the book. At length he con fen ted, and faid, that he would do it to oblige me, but was determined not to believe it. 1 told him, it would fatisfy me for him to give it a candid reading. v When we met again, I began to enquire what he thought of the book. He paufed a little, and then freely acknow- ledged the effect that it had had upon him — He frankly de- clared that his refolution was juft the fame, as though he had refolved to look up to the Heavens when the fun thone at noon, and not to believe that it fhone. I have fecretly en- gaged feveral, and find when they are fenfible, candid men, they fall in with your fentiments at once. " I am acquainted with about half a fcore Minifters, who firmly believe and heartily embrace the doctrine ; befides many private chriftians of different denominations. Moll of us Minifters, who fall in with your fentiments, are afraid of confeffing them publickly, for this reafon, our peopic would thruft us out of the fynagogues, and we and our fa- milies might fuffer thereby. For my own part, I am de- termined to (rand by this truth, whether I can continue my place among the people where I am or not. Rather than give up this (through grace) I would give up life. " I have fo much zeal in my heart for the confirmation and eftablifhment of this truth, that I would, were it in mv power, gladly profelyte all men to embrace and enjoy ths benefit of it. " I hope you willmufter up all your refolution, and ftand forth boldly again in vindication of the caufe of truth, and the moll: glorious and raoft neglected part of that truth that all men ought to embrace. I fear left the enemy (hall caufo a fhout of triumph if you refufe again to engage, and do not come forth to the help of the Lord againft the mighty. Pleafe to inform me if you want any help where you are ; 1 have- xxxvi PREFACE. 1 have fome little fortune, and would engage in promoting the work of God, without being wholly dependent on any people. " Dire£t to J. P. at Mr. John Browns Bookfeller, Pock- llngton Yorkjhirt, ^ Sincerely praying for the fuccefs of your labours, and your welfare of body and mind, " I am in truth, your afFedlionate friend, And fervant in Christ Jesus." / MSsaEBSffiaa*"- Ci Jyle/bury, September, lid 1790. " Rev. and dear Sir, " AN anxious defire of a more intimate acquaint- ance with you induces me to take this liberty of writing to you, hoping you will excufe my freedom ; undoubtedly it will appear ftrange, that one you never faw nor heard of, ihould take fuch liberty. But as a foe to flattery, I juft give you this fhort account of my fir ft knowledge of you ; which was only by the hearing of the ear. " Something more than a year ago, I was told that there was a preacher juft come to London* an American by birth, who had undertaken to preach an Universal Restora- tion of loft fouls. As it was new to me, I was much fur- prifed at this ftrange account, and I thought and faid, (though with fome degree of candour) that I looked upon it to be fome one that could not dig, and was afiiamed to beg, fo to procure a living he had written this book. Here i rcfied for fome time, thinking that much hurt would be clone thereby ; till the laft time [ faw Mr. Atkins, (who I undeiftand is now in connection with you) he gave me fome further account of you and your dodtrine. But I could not underftand it from his account ; yet he perfifted 1 Ihould believe it, if 1 was to read your Dialogues. I told him I would give them a fair reading, if I could fee them. Still 1 entertained the fame ftrange idea as before. The next account I had was from a young man of ' Berkhampftcad y who came to fee me, and in our difcourfe, I faid, f * Same *' of your people have imbibed a new doctrine, I hear." He faid, " Yes, and I verily believe it a truth." I was now more furprifed than before ; but he faid, if I was to fee it he had no doubt but 1 fhould beljeve it alfo. " Well," faid I " if I could fee the book I would lay prejudice afide, and PREFACE. xxxvii antl give it a fair reading, let it be what it may." He very kindly told me, that as foon as he could get it home, (fur he had lent it to a friend) he would fend it to me. I thanked him, and promifed to read it impartially, knowing that where party ipirk reigns, blindnefs takes place. " According to promife, he lent the book ; and as I had done before, 1 now laid the matter before the Lord, with this petition, that he would not fuffer me to be mifled, or wander out of the way, as I knew that he knew my defire and intention. I was delivered from fear, and with can- dour and confidence I began to read my new book, and to my great aftoniihment, yet to my greater joy, 1 found what I had many times wifhed for fecretly in my heart, namely, the pofiibilitv of a releafe for thofe poor fufferers, and not only fo, but likewife the certainty of it ; for as I read on, I could not but fee, that it was the determination of Jehovah to make ail men, as his creatures, happy in himfelf. Owith what eyes did 1 now view the Deity, and what ideas did I entertain of him to what I had ever done before ! (though I was on the general plan) O how my foul was filled with love ! what gratitude did I feel to that God, who I now faw fo loved all his creatures as to give his only Son to die, with a pure defign to glorify himfelf in the falvation of every foul ! I now faw him a God of love indeed, but it is out of my power to tell fully the happy effect it had, and has now upon my mind ; but it is fomething like what I experienced, when the Lord firft fet my foul at liberty ; as I was then fvval- lowed up, as in the vifionof God. But the bignefs of this fheet is not fufficient to tell you all I could wifh, but I trull ] fhall fee you in perfon, as 1 fhould efteem it a privilege indeed to hear you preach, and to converfe with you, and I fully intended coming to London about lafr May, on pur- pofe, but as I had already a large family which, through the blefiing of God, I maintain with my labour ; finding it likely to increafe, I could not well fpare time to come, or I had been with you at that feafon, as I had nothing elfe in my way to hinder. Mr. John HcLDtK, of 7ri?jg, an acquaintance of mine, has lent me a few little tracts of yours, which I am now reading with pleafure and profit, and he has kindly offered himlelt to accompany me at any time that I fhall appoint to -come and fee you, but the lame difficulty is now in the way as before. If ever pro- vidence mould open a way, 1 fhall gladly embrace the op- f porcunity. xxxviii PREFACE. portunity. Though I have no doubt of the truth of the doc- trine of the Reftoration, as to rayfelf, I have never fpoke of it in public as yet, not knowing whether that may be the bed way to make this glorious falvation known - r but I have fpoke to feveral of the people in private, thofe whom I judged to have the bed: underftanding, and the moft can- dour ; and moft of thefe feem to be glad at the news, and my own wife in particular embraces it with all thankful- nefs, and joins with me in love to you and yours. (Though very ill at this time.) If it will not be attended with too much trouble, pleafe to fend me your Dialogues, bound, by the Aykjbury flage coach. I have given the coachman an order to pay the expence. As I ftand like yourfelf (in this. refpedt) unconnected with any party, (though I was with Mr. Wesley's people twelve years,) I am now free, Itruft from bigotry and prejudice, open to convi&ion, and willing for inftrudtion. A few lines from you will be gratefully acknowledged, and thankfully received, by youraffe&ionate, tho' moft unworthy, may I fay, brother in Chrift ? " Thomas Higgins." P. S. " I pray God of his mercy to give you all the wif- dom that you need, to make this great falvation more fully known, as I believe he hath raifed you up for thispur- pofe, and that a double portion of his Spirit may reft upon you, and that your labours may be crowned with more abundant fuccefs, till the Sun of Righteoufnefs is feen in his full ftrength, and with all his ability to fave. *' Direct to Thomas Hiogins. Aykfbwy, Bucks." I take the liberty of publifhing thefe Let- ters, with the names and places of abode of the writers, as a kind of beginning: of that general acquaintance, which I fhould wifh to iee take place among all the friends of this doctrine in thefe kingdoms. I know feveral other Minifters in England, who believe and preach the universal Restoration, and 1 trull their numbers will increafe. . In America, PREFACE. xxxix America, where I once ftood almofr. in thefe views alone, (among thofe who fpeak the Engliih tongue) there are now many who teftify this Gofpel of the free univerfal grace of God, and they have formed a connection of focieties on this plan, who meet by their re- prefentatives in convention yearly, at Phila- delphia, and I could wifh a plan of the fame nature might be adopted in this country. If any thing that I have fpoken or written may be of ule to my fellow creatures, and may tend to promote the glory of God, and the interefl: of the dear Redeemer in the world, I fhall have the fatisfa&ion to reflect, that I have not wholly lived in vain. London. April, 2, 1792. Contents Contents of the Dialogues, DIALOGUE I. . EJECTION. — Th^t the words everlafing, eter- ~na!, &c. are applied to the puniihment of the wicked ~ $ Anfwer. — Thefe words are but feldom applied to die mifery of the wicked ; being connected therewith onlv twice in the Old Teftament, and but fix times in the New ; and are full as often connected with things 4 and times that certainly have had, or will have an end. as they are with the mifery of the wicked ; c •which, cannot therefore be certainly inferred from thofe words being applied to it. The word forever from which the word evcrlafthig is derived, is fre- quently ufed in a limited fenfe ; more than fifty paf- fages of Scripture referred to where it is evidently ufed in that manner 9 ObjecYion. — But the words for ever and ever, are ap- plied to the mifery of the wicked ; three infbnces of which are produced, which are all that can be found, Anfwer. — This a very ftrong phrafe, and would be judged unanswerable, but for certain confiderations. 1 If the phrafe far ever and ever intends any period or period-, longer than the word forever, then there muft he a proportion, and coniequently both muft be limited ' }Q 2 This phrafe as applied to future mifery cannot intend endlefs duration, fince a time will come, when death, pain, and for row (hall be no more 10 0. It is more than probable that the lake of fire, in which 10 CONTENTS. *•* Tage. which the wicked will be punifhed with the fecond death, will be the earth uiflblved by the genual conflagration ; and that the new earth will be form- ed outof the fame mafs, and consequently the lake of fire ihall at laft be no more 1 1 4. There will come a total ceffation of night 1 i 5] The fame words are ufed full as often, if not oftener, for periods that mutt come to an end, as they are for the ages of future mifery 1 1 6. Unlefs we allow this phrale, however ftrong, to intend ages and periods, we mould fet the Scrip- ture at variance with itfelf, neither would it be pomble to reconcile feveral paffagesthat are men- tioned x 3 Objeaion. —Forever when applied to things of this life and world may end, but being applied to things of another ftate muji mean endlefs. — 14 Anfwer.— The word forever applied to fpiritual things, and circumltances of another ftate mud not be always underflood to mean endlefs 14 Objection. — But does not the phrafe forever and ever, in the New Teftament always intend endlefs £ 14 Anfwer. — It doth not. An undeniabfc pittance brought in proof, to which feveral more might have been added -• \$ Objection. — But is not the Scripture chargeable with a defign to miflead men in thefe words when applied to future mifery, unlefs they intend endlefs duration ? and does not the limiting thefe words accufe Chrift of duplicity and deceit in his threatenings ? — 15 This anfwered, by fhewing that the Jews might ' make the fame obje&ion againft the whole fyilein of Chriftianity, which puts an end to the difpen- fation which is called everlajling — — 1 5 The Hebrew word rendered everlajling, properly in- tends a hidden duration, or period, but not end- lefs l6 Objeaion. — The fame word everlafling or eternal is in the very fame verfe applied both to the mifery of the wicked and to the happinefs of the righteous 1 7. Arif W er. — The very fame word is in other places p- . plied to very different things, and whole natures and durations are entirely diflimilar — 1 S 1 ne xlii CONTENTS. The kingdom given by the Father to Chrift mall ^ end, and fo alfo the kingdom given by Chrift to his faints fhall end ; but this fhall notdiminifh the glory of Chrift, nor endanger the happinefs of the faints. Jf the kingdom of Chrift and his faints ihall end, then certainly much more the king- dom of Satan . . j . Objection. — But upon the fuppofition that the doc- trine of endlefs damnation was true, in what manner might one expect it to be expreft in the Bible ? 2 1 Anfwer.— If it was true, there could-be no promifes, intimations, or even diflant hints to the contrary. And it is therefore fhewn to be falfe by a number of pofitiye proofs. If there were not promifes and in- 2 1 timations of the General Rejlorat'wn jn the Scripture, the doctrine of endlefs damnation might be then con- cluded to be true, however dark ; but the endlefs hap- p'inrfs of the righteous is fet forth in much ftronger 24 language, and with more abundant force of expref- fion. As for inftanee, St. John, who never applies the word everlajv.ng or eternal once in all his writ- ings to the mifery of the wicked, ufes the word far oftener in his Gofpel alone, as connected with the 25 happinefs of the righteous, than it is ufed in the v/hole Bible to exprefs the mifery of the wicked. And there are many ftrong and powerful exprefTions made ufeof to exprefs the duration of happinefs that are never applied to mifery 26 The endlefs happinefs of the righteous ftands upon fueh foundations that can never be overthrown or deftroyed ; fuch as their indiflbluble union with 27 the original fource of life and happinefs ; their be- ing heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Chrift, and 28 the picmife that they fhall live becaufe he lives ; and his life is truly endlefs 20 Objection.— That fmce the wicked have chofen evil and perfevered in it through life, it is become a fixed habit in them, from which it would feem as impof- fibje to reclaim them, as to draw off the juft from their attachment to God and goodnefs — 30 Anfwer. — This reaioning founded upon the old pafran fyftem of good and evil being two eternal co-extft- in£ principles — > OQ All ^ CONTENTS. xfiH Page All men are God's creatures, and therefore he will not contend for ever, nor be alwavs wroth with the fouls that he hath made 31 Satan's kingdom and all evil fhall be deftroyed, and therefore endlefs mifery cannot have the fame per- manent foundation as endlefs happinefs — o 2 Two things diametrically oppoiite to each other cannot both exift together to all eternity 3? Inferences drawn from the foregoing in favour of the endlefs continuance of the life of the righteous, and which prove that the ftate of fin and mifery fhall end 04 Objection. — But does not the word all frequently in- tend a part only^ - - ' or Anhvered. — By giving certain never- failing rules, whereby it may be known when the word all means ftri&ly all, or the whole univerfally without any exception ; confirmed by plain inftances out of St. Paul's writings ~5 Objection. — That perhaps by all chi ngs being put under Chrift, nothing farther may be meant than their be- ing brought into a {late of forced fubject ion, or made fubject to his controul 37 Anfwer. — They are now put under him in this refpect, but they are not yet put under him in thefenfe that they fhall be, which implies a ftate of willing fubjec- tion ,*" 07 Tbe word many, frequently means all c;S AH things were created by Chrift; all rebellious beings fhall be fubducd by him, and all without exception fhall be reconciled by him, and through him to God 1 aq DIALOGUE II. Objection. — Of the worm that dieth not, and the un- quenchable hre, five times threatened by our Lord Jefus Chrift in one paflage . 43 Anlwered. — By reference to the words in the prophecy of Ifaiah, to which our Lord probably alluded 44 PafTages from the prophets brought to fhew a literal accomplishment of the original words 45 The xl ;« CONTENTS.. ^ • Pag*. The dreadful threatening* of future mifery to the wtcked', implied in thofe words of our Saviour. They (hall be publicly puni(hed and tormented in the lake of fire, which is the earth in its melted • or ditiolved ftate ! 4^. Neverthelefs, there (hall be a hew creation of the earth, and fo the lake of fire (hall ceafe 48 Many inftances of fires mentioned in Scripture, _ of which it was faid, tbnjhallnot be quenched, which yet have ceafed long ago 49 And of thofe fires whole fmoke is faid to afcend up for ever t ' • 5 l Things contrary are often predicted ol the fame places and people, and muff be underftood as oc- curring at different times — ; — S 2 Our Lord's words of every one being falted with fire confidered ■**- " 53 Ob'-edion. — All the fires above-mentioned were on J earth, and in time ; but the fire of hell, being in eternity, can never go out, or ceafe to burn to all endlefs duration 53 Amfwer. — Thofe fires on earth that were never to be quenched did not continue to burn as long as the earth remained ; and, therefore, there is no neceffity of granting that the fire of hell (hall burn to all eternity 53 Punilhments belong only to the ages of ages before Chrifl: (hall have delivered up the kingdom to the Father ' — 54 Objection. —The blafphemy againft the Holy Gnoft (hall never be forgiven, &c. _ 54 Anfwered. — 1. By (hewing what this hn is, Sec. 57 2. All that bears the name of death (hall be deftroy- ed, and all forrow, crying, and pain, (hall ceale and be no more 59 n Where fin abounded grace (hall much more °' abound 6 3 Objection. — The deplorable cafe of Efau 03 Anfwer.— He loft the birth-right, and the peculiar pri- vileges that belonged to the firft-bom; but yet he had a bldhng from his father of a lower degree — 64 The "Teat difference between them was more fulfill- ed ^u their poiterity than in their own per- iods — J 6 4 Love 73 CONTENTS. xlr Page. Love and hatred are fometimes only comparative, and not politive terms, and only imply a preference of one to the other Objection. — The great gulph between the region of happinefs and mifery is impaflible — 65 Anfwer. — Chrift has paffed it, when he went and preached to the fpirits in prifon, who were difobedient in the days of Noah — — 65 This proves a fbte of confcious exigence after the death of the body — 68 The rich man feems to have had companion towards his brethren — — The Scriptures ccnitantly hold out punifhment in proportion to the fins committed in the prefent life — — — 74 Objection. — The cafe of Judas, of whom Jems faid, " Good were it for that man that he had never been " born" — — — 75 Anfwer. — 1. This was a proverbial faying — 76 2. Both Job and Jeremiah curfed the day of their birth, and wilhed they had never been born, only on the account of worldly and temporal calami • ties, although they had no fear of eternal damna- tion, or any future punifhment 76 2. Solomon declares an untimely birth to be far bet- ter than the Iongeft and raoft profperous life of one whcfe foul is not filled with good, and who hath no burial. 82 4. If Judas had died before he was born he would have efcaped all earthly trouble, and future mife- ry, and would have been immediately happy 83 5. The nation of the Jews as much rejedted and doomed to woe as Judas, and yet the final inten- tion of God is to have mercy upon them all. 84 DIALOGUE III. Objection. — That the doctrine of the Reftoration tends to licentioufnefs, and is calculated to encourage the wicked to a continuance in their evil ways, Sec. 86 Anfwered. — Firft, by (hewing the principles upon which the doctrine cf the Reiteration is founded 87 1. God is the Creator of all 88 g 2. His xlvi CONTEXTS. Page. 2. His benevolence is univerfal • — ■ . 89 3. Ghfift died for all without exception — 91 Objection. — That Chrift did not die for all, becaufe he did not pray for all — — 9 2 Anivver.— -This objection is entirely groundlefs ; for, though in one place he prays cxclufively for his apoftles, yet a little after he prays for all that fhould believe on him, through their word ; and, finally, that the world might come to believe and know 7 that he was the true Me IE ah ■ which (hall be the cafe when all believers ChaU be we, as the Father and Son are one — — — 93 The death of Chrift. for all men is fo far from en- couraging liccr.uoufnefs, that it is the ftrongeft of all motives to induce them to love and obey him 95 4. Another cf the firft principles on which the doc- trine of the univerfal Refiorution is founded, is the unchangeablenefi of God — — 96 5. The immutability of his counfels ; confirmed by his oath — — — 9^ 6. That God hath givfffl all things into the hands of Chrifr, and that nothing that is given to him fliall be loft — — — IOO 7. That the Scriptures muft be fulfilled, and that none of them can be broken — 101 Secondly, It is proved that the doctrine of the Refto- ration cannot lead to licentioufnefs, becaufe it h perfectly confident with experimental religion 102 Queries afked upon this fubject — 103 A little sketch of the author's experience 105 Queries T'jbmitted to the confederation of all expe- rienced Chriflians — — 106 Inference* deduced therefrom in favour of the doc- trine of the Refioration — — 107 Thirdly, It is proved, that the doctrine of theRefto- ration does not lead to licentioufnefs, by its ten- dency to practical religion, feveral inflances ot which are mentioned, As, io3 1. We arc commanded to love all mankind, even our enemies — — — *0o 1. To do good to all — — io3 ^. To forgive all that trefpafs againft us ic8 4. To pray for all men, that they may be faved and come to the knowledge of the truth — 109 The CONTENTS. xhii Page The belief of the Restoration fo *ar inm preventing us from doing thefe things, enables us to perionn them with pleafure and corifiSlehcy no All Shall be reftored at hit hv t .e hlo-fl of Chrift i x 1 Fourthly, It is proved, That the doctrine of the Reftoration is according to eodlinefs, bceaufe the belief of it tends to fill our hearts with all amia- ble tempers ; as humility; meeknefs, univerfal be- nevolence, &c. and is Calculated to deftrov felfifh- nefs, envy, pride, wrath, malice, rage, occ. 112 Fifthly, The doctrine of the Reftoration is vindica'ti d from the charge of licentioufnefs, bv an appeal to facts, efpeciaily by the amiable conduct of the Tunkas, or German Baptifts, in America, who univerfallv hold thefe (entiments — 114 Reply to thole who call this the doctrine which Satan taught Eve in the garden — — 1 k Dr. Whitby's grand objection, That the unbeliever fhall not fee life, anfwered 118 Objection. — The doctrine cfendlefs punishment fa id to be the ftrongeft poSiible reftraint upon i\n — 1 18 Anfwered. — 1. By mewing that God doth not always lay the greateft polfible reftraint upon fin 1 iq 2. The idea of limited punishment hv appearing more juft and reafonable to the mind, is more calcu- lated to reftrain tin and iniquity than the doctrine of endlefs miferv — — no 3. That, in fact, though the greater part have pro- fefTed to believe endlefs damnation, yet their ber lief appears net to have much restrained them froiu fin : — — j 2 1 •4. The great number of heathen people that die without ever hearing the Gofpel, infants, ideots, perfons born deaf, &c. render it probable that many are reclaimed in a future State 121 5. That the intention of God is not fo much to re- train fin, as to fhew its enormity ; and, finally, to deftroy it out of the univerfe — 122 6. If the doctrine of the Reftoration Should be a- bufed, that can be no argument agair.St it, as the Gofpel itfelf has been perverted, yet is the great- eft blefting to mankind I $2 • Therefore jt is evident that this glorious doctrine g 2 cannot xlviu CONTENTS* Pag cannot juflly be charged with the leaft tendency towards licentioufnefs — r — — I2 3 Objection. — It would not be prudent in God, even if he intended finally to reftore the wicked, to let them know his gracious defigns beforehand ; it is time enough to let them know his gracious purpoies to- waids them, when his former threatenings have failed of their effect, but not before — — ■ 123 Anfwered. God has thought it the abounding of his wifdom and prudence to make known to his faints this m > ftery of his will, even his purpofe to rehead all things in Chrift. This difcovery is 124 chiefly intended for the comfort and fatisfaction of the good, and not for the encouragement of the bad 125 God has frequently mixed promifes of great mer- cies with threatenings of terrible judgments ; yet his threatenings are not thereby weakenened. 126 Objection. — The doctrine of the Reftoration feems not "very plainly revealed in the Scripture, or it would not have been fo long hidden from fo many great and good men i2q Anfwer. — Things that have been plainly revealed, have been ftill hidden from great and good men ; as the death and refurre6tion of Chrift. 128 As alfo the calling of the Gentiles. 130 Queftion. But how comes this man to know bet- ter than all the world? &c. 1 * 13? Anfwered. The charge denied. Many have known, believed, preached, and defended it — 13? The doctrine of endlefs mifery is one principal caufe of the difagreement among Chriftians — ; — 132 DIALOGUE IV. Objection. — Chrift threatens the Jews that they mould die in their fins, and that they could not come whi- ther he went — 137 Anfwer.' — Our Lord told his difciples themfelves that whither he went they could not come, that is, then, as afterwards explained 138 2. There are blemngs promifed in Scripture to all Jfrael, without exception. 138 3. Thofe CONTENTS. - xlix Page ^. Thofe that have been rejected and caft qfF fliall at laft return and be received r 1 39 Objection. — That the ble flings promifed only refpec\ thofe that fhall be found alive on the earth at a cer- tain time - 139 Anfwer. — The inhabitants of Sodom, Samaria and Je- rusalem with their daughters, or neighbouring cities, {hall be all reftored, though deftroyed long ago 140 2. That all things are given to Chrift without ex- ception ; and that all that are given (hall at laft 141 come to him in fuch a manner as not to be call; out. From which premifes, the univeifal Re- 143 Iteration is inferred, and proved to be certainly true — : r 143 Objection. — God fware in his wrath that the Ifrae- lites fliould not enter into his reft 146 Anfwer. — The reft was the land of Canaan, being ty- pical of the time of the Millenium, or Chrift 's reign on earth, and not of the ultimate ftate pf happinels 147 Objection.- — There are fome of whom we read, That he that made them will not have mercy upon them, and he that formed them will fhew them no favour 148 Anfwer. — Thefe words muft neceflarily be underflood with fome limitation, and refer to a particular fea- fon, when they fliall have judgment without mercy, but finally mercy fliall rejoice againft judgment 148 This proved to be the true intent of the text, by a number of paflages where abfolute judgment without the leaft favour is threatened ; but which threatenings are immediately fucceeded by pro- mifes of the richeft bleflings — 149 Objection. — That the wicked lliall never fee light 150 Anfwer. — Not until fubdued or overcome, as the words ought to be rendered 1 50 ObiecTion. — A great ranfom cannot deliver thofe who aie taken away by the ftroke ot God 1 $2 Anfwer. — The great ranfom cannot intend the blood of Chrift, the power of which is unlimited, but gold and all the forces of ftrength, riches, wifdom, &x\ none of thefe can deliver their pdfleflors from death 152 QbjecYion — Solomon fays, That there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wifdom in the grave ; and that in the place where the tree falleth, there it (hall be — 154 Anfwer. 1 CONTEXTS. Fs £ c Anfwcr. — The firft part of this objection refpe&s only the ftate of the body in the grave, but cannot be brought to difprove the confcioufnefs of the foul in the feparate ftate, the refurrecYion ot the bodv, a fu- ture ftate of exiftence, or the final Reftoration 15^ The fecond part of -his objeclion has not the lead relation to the fubjecl ; but belongs to quite ano- 156 ther matter. But if it related to the death of the body, (as it does not) it would be no real objec- tion to the Reftoration — ■ 157 Objeclion — The living have hope, but the dead have none, their love, hatred, envy, ccc. are perifhed 15S Anf-ver. — This belongs to the prefent life, and to the ftate of the bodv in the grave ; but forms no objec- tion againft the Reftoration 15S Obje£tion. — Our Saviour has faid, The night cometh when no man can work — 159 Anfvver. — Our Lord was diligent in his work, and we ought to be lb in our labours on earth, to which 159 death will put an end. But this can form no objec- tion to the final Reftoration, as that is an event, which will be fublequent not only to death, hut to the refurrecYion, and to a future ftate of punifh- meut according to the deeds done in the body 160 Objection. — Many terrible paffages of Scripture brought to prove the deitrucYion and future milery of the wicked < — 163 x^nfvver.— -The Scriptures are an unanfwerable objec- ' lion to thofe who deny a future ftate of retribution, but not lb to the fcriptural doctrine of the general Reftoration ■- — — 163 Obfervations made upon thofe awful and ftriking paffages 163 The mod terrible threatenings clofe with gracious promifes 164 This particularly inftanced in the prophecy of Eze- kter, where the threaten in r r s denounced are nume- rous and verv fevere, but commonly clofe with the gracious declaration. And they fhall know If.hovah ; or fome firnUaf expreffion 165 Qucftion. But does not punifhment harden and inflame, infteud of foftening and fubduing the ■ criminals ? — — 165 Anfwer. CONTENTS. it Tage Anfwer. — Punifhment to a certain degree produces the former effects, but in greater degrees and longer continued produces the latter 166 This illuffrated by a true ftory — i6b> Different degrees of the fame things produce quite contrary effects 169 Objection. — The deplorable eftate of wicked men, their averfion to good, their love of vice, their hard- nefs of heart, and oppofition to every method taken to reclaim them, feems to render their Reftoration an event hardly to be hoped for — 169 Anfwer. — However difficult it may be for our reafon to admit the poflibiiity of fuch monftcrs of iniquity being changed and reftored, yet nothing is too hard for God, and therefore faith may lay hold on his promifes, which he hath gracioufly given us for our encouragement 170 Examples are given us in Scripture of fome of the moft atrocious finners being reclaimed ; we our- felves have been reconciled ; and therefore we fhould not defpair of the final recovery of all 1 72 Objection. — There will cornea time when the charac- ters of all men will be fo fixed and confirmed, that no change can afterwards take place upon them. He that is unjuft, let him be unjuft itill, and. he that is filthy let him be filthy flill, occ. 172 Anfwered. — I. By conliderins; the words as belong-ins: to a certain period, and by the confideration of many other fcriptural paffages of a like import — 173 2. By comparifon ; as even the moil holy creatures are unclean, compared with God : fo thofe who remain filthy and unclean, during the preient life, may be fo efleemed hereafter, in comparifon of thofe holy fouls who having puigcd themfelves from all uncleannefs here, fhall be reckoned as vefTels of the highefl honour in the houfe of God 175 Objection. — Thofe who add or diminifh fhall have the plagues- added to them, or their part taken out of the book of life, Sec. 1 7 $ Anfwer. — This no objection to the general Refrora- tion, but is a folemn warning for us to take heed that we do not fall under thofe dreadful punifhments which await unbelievers and profane perfon?, nor Hi CONTENTS. Page lofe thofe ineiVimable bleffings which Chrifthas pro- mifed to the faithful, obedient, overcomers, Sec. 1)7 A fad infbncc of prefumption mentioned 180 The higheft and greateft not fecure, if they indulge themfelves in iin • l8l The reflections caft upon the doctrine of the Re- ftoration by its opponents {hewn to be highly ab- furd — I 8 * The doctrine of annihilation confidered 183 There can be but three things poffible, endlefs mi- fery ; total annihilation ; or the Reftoration 184 The doctrine of annihilation, or a final ftate of non- exiftence, proved unfcriptural. 184 1. By the wicked being actually tormented for a long feafon, ages of ages ■ — 184 2. Becauie they are deftroyed, not that they might ceafe to exift any more, but that they might come to know the Lord ■ 184 ". By the unexceptionable inftance of Sodom and Gomorrah, Sec. who were fo long ago deftroyed, and yet fhall have their captivity returned 185 The promifes made refpecting Sodom, and Go- morrah, See. prove the doctrines of annihilation and endlefs mifery, both to be erroneous, and the Reftoration alone to be true — 187 An objection taken from Mr. B 's fermon, That Tinners in Hell will be always under thene- cenity of committing frefh fin, therefore God will be obligedto continue their puniihment to all eter mty. 18S Anfwered. The objection unfcriptural, merely a rafh conjecture, totally unfounded — 18S The Scripture reprefents future puniihment as the reward of fins committed in this world — 189 Their intention is to deftroy lin, and confequently will caufe it to ccafe from bemg committed 190 Whatever rage punifhrnents may at firft feem to provoke, they muft continue until the molt rebel- lious are entirely fubdued — !9° The laft objection. That fin is infinite, being againft an infinite object, containing infinite hatefulnefs, and juftly deferves infinite punifhment; and which cannot be fully executed, and therefore endlefs mifery muft be their portion — 19^ This CONTENTS. Jiii Page This unfcriptural, unreafonable, trite obje&ion largely anfwered i 9 j 1. By fhewing the abfurdity of afcribing infinite actions to creatures — icji 2. Adis of the higheff, goodnefs, do not extend to God, cannot be infinite, much lefs can evil ac- tions be infinite — 1 9 1 3. Though iniquities are once in Scripture ftiled in- finite, yet it is evident from the whole paffage compared with other parts of Scripture, that in- finite is onlyufed for a great multitude 192 4. The idea of every fin being abfolutely infinite, and deferving infinite punifhment, or endlefs mi- fery, entirely confounds and deftroys all the different kinds and degrees of fin, and all thofe diftindtions which God hath made, and revealed to us in the Scriptures log 5. God threatens to punifli finners for all their fins ; and to render their fin and iniquity double upon them ; and yet promifes to be gracious to them after all : which would be impofTible if every fin was infinite, and could not be fully punifhed with any punifhment fhort of endlefs mifery in* 6. Even allowing that fin is naturally infinite, and deferves infinite puniliment, that will not prove that any of the human race mud: be miferable without end ; fince Chriff. has made a full and fuf- ficient reconciliation, and propitiation for the fins of the whole world, and the grace of God muff, finally fuperabound and triumph over all fin, and confequently put an end to mifery — 195 Eight reafons given why the Author fometimes treats in public upon the doctrine of the uni- verfal Reftoration — 197 Eleven reafons mentioned why the Author cloth not fpeak of it more frequently and fully in his public difcourfes — — 199 Conclufion r 1 — 202 GENERAL INDEX OF SCRIPTURE PASSAGES Quoted or referred to in the Courfi of tfo follozving Work. £hap. GENESIS. Page. Page Chap. xv. 15 — — 9 XV. 22 — > 8S ••* hi. 15 ■ -- 125 iii. 19 »$ xviii. S, 19 9 xix. 10 ib iii. 19 — " xiii. I 5 — 126 9 XX. 12 — — 14? xxiii. 19 — 9^ XXV. II, ia, 13 — 6 -• (j . 4 xvii. 13 5 xviii. 14 T" xiii. 9 7a 9 DEUTERONOMY. x'iv. 33 9 iv. 40 — r~ 9 xlviii. 3, 4 2 4 9 xxi. 6 b xxvii. 21 xxviii. 43 ib ib JOSHUA. xxix. 9, a8 XXX. 21 ib ib iv."7 — r .9 xiv. 9 ib xxxi. 16, 17 xxxi i. 13 ib ib I. SAMUEL. xl.15 — 5 5i. 12—17 — 7 *5 ii. 27 — 36 i*» ii. 30 — — 9 LEVITICUS. iii. 11— J4 — 7 iii. 17 — .9 iii. 13 ■' ■■— 9 xxvii. 1 a jb xxvii. a »b yi. 13, 18, ao, 2a ib t'i. 13 — 48 vi. 13 ■■ vi'1.34, 36 — — '5 1 ~ 9 I.KINGS. ii. 27 — * x. c, 15 ib xvi. 29, 31 ib xii. 7 — 9 xvi. 34 6 - 15 II. KINGS. xvi. 34 xxiii. 14, 2l>3ij 4 1 9 v. 27 9 xx'v. 3 ib xxii. 17 49 xxv. 10, 29, 30 xxv. 30, 46 — «" 179 - 9 II. CHRONICLES. x. 7 9 NUMBERS. x.8 9 JOB. aiv. — ■ 147 iii. 2—19 77 iv.18 — 175 INDEX.' Iv Page Ch.3p« vli. ■ ' *« tiii. 13, 14, 15 - 161 x. 18, 19 — 78 xi. 20 — 161 xiii. 15, 16 78 xiv. ■*- J ; 5 xv. 15 175 xviii. 14 — . 161 xix. 25, 26, 27 78 xx. 27 \bx xxii. 2, 3 181 xxii. 2 — 5 192 xxiii. 10, 1 1, 12 78 xxvi. 10 - 11 xxvii. 6 78 xxvii. 8, 9 161 xxix 78 XXX. •V. xxxi i» xxxiv. 36 JSi •acxxv. 6, 7, 8 181 xxxv, 6, 7, 8 192 xxxvi. 18 152 xxxvi. 18, 10,20,21 *53 PSALMS. 3i. 8 — 142 xvi. 2, 3 — 181 191 xxv. 14 — I2 5 xxxiv. I64 xxxiv. 16, 17 ib xxxiv. 16, 17 — *• 184 xli. 1, 2, 3 — — 156 xlix. 6,7, 8, "9, 15 »53 xlix. 19 — — 150 lxii. 12 ■ 75 Ixix. 25 «<— 83 Ixix. — 84 Ixxviii. 69 — 13 Ixxxiii, 13 — 18 47 Ixxxiii. 13— »iS — 165 Ixxxiii. 16, 17, 1 8 '74 Ixxxiii. 16, 17, 1 8 184 xciii. i — 1 J 3 xcv. II — 146 xcvi. 10 — ■ n c. 3 «_*- 88 cii. 25, 26 — — 12 civ. 5 ?1 civ. 33 J- 28 cvii-. jo-— 16, 42, 43 72 era. 13, 14,15, IS .64 cix. 8 83 cix. 17, 18 162 cxii. * 5 6 cxiv. 8, 9, 10 9i cxlv. 9 . 72 cxJvi. z — — 2S ex Viii. 6 _«. 12 PROVERBS. Chap, i. 24—31 — iii. 35 — x. 28 —— xi. 7. xi. 23 — xi 24, 25, 26 xiv. 31 xix. 17 xxii. 9 xxix. 1 — ECCLESIASTES. 1.4 — vi. 3, 4, 5, 6 viii. 11 ix. i, 2 — — ix. 4, 5, 6 ix. 10 — — xi. 3 7 1 xii. 13, 14 Page 161 47 161 ib 16a 156 ib ib ib 161 13 8* 12b 158 158 J 54 154 *59 ISAIAH, viii. 21 — xxii. 12, 13, 14 xxii. 14 xxv. 8 xxvii. 11 •— xxvii. 9 — xxx. 8 — xxxii. 5 — xxxiii. 14 xxxiv. 9 — 17 xl. 1, 2 — xl. 4 ■ xlii. 6, 7 xliv. 10 xiv. 16, 24 X'.V. 17 xlr. 23 xiv. 23 xiv. 23, 24, xiv. 23 xiv. 23 xiv- 25 •- ■ xKi. 12, 13 Xlviii. 22 x ix 6—10 - xlix. 8 xlix. 24 li. -.0 — liii. 6, it, 12 • lvii. 15 l\ii. 16, 17, lvii. 16 lvii. 16 lvii. 20, 2t )x. 15 Ixi. 1, 2, 3 '9 165 167 — 190 — 59 148 '* 190 — is '75 — a, 5 2 195 18 69 - il 47 — 25 — 21 — 32 46 — 9 S — 171 138 — 105 118 — 69 104 • 7i 166 — 39 — 19 3t 49 -88 118 5* 6 9 INDEX.' Chapi Ixii. 4. lxiv. 8 lxv. 17 lxvi. 22 lxvi. 24 Page I 5* 88 10 ib 44 EZEKIEL. vi. 7, 10,13, 14 vii, 4,9,27 xi. 10, 12 xii. 15, 16, 20 xiii. 9, 14,21, 23 xiii. 22 — xlv. g — — xv. 7 xvi. 42 — xvi. 44—6-5 xvi. S3> 55^. 6l xvi. 60, 63 xvi. 53, 55, 61,63 xvi< 59— "6 3 — xvi. 62 — xvi. 59,60, 63 xviii. 4 — xviii. 23 xx. 12, 20, 26, 38, xx. 45— 4 8 xxii. 16 •— * xxiii. 49 xxiv. 13 xxiv. 24, 27 xxv. 5, 7, n, 17 xxvi. 6 xxviii. 22, 23, 24, xxix. 6, 9 j l6 > - l xxx. 8, 19* 2 5j 26 xxxii.15 xxxjii, ii 165 ib ib ib ib ■ 87 165 ib 167 139 ib 140 1S5 48 »6 S 192 . 23 _ 23 44,4s 165 5° J65 ib 167 165 ib ib 26 ib ib ib ib *3 Page Chip* Xxxiii. 25 165 xxx'v. 27 ib xxxv. 4, 9, 12,15 ib xxxvi. 10 1 139 xxxvi. 11, 23,38 l6 5 xxxvi. 31, 32 48 xxxvi. 34, 35 — 50 xxxvii. 6, 13 - 165 xxxvn 12, 13J 14 xxxviii, 8 xxxviii. 20 xxxviii. 23 xxxix. 4, 5, IT, 12 xxxix. 6, 7, 22, 28 xxxix 9, 10 ■ ' > xxxix, 25,28 — DANIEL. ; v . 35 . iv. 35 — vi:. 18, 3,7 — • ix.27 — xii. a •— HOSEA, i. 6, 9, 10 •*+ ii.2, 4, 19,20,23 xiii. 14 — AMOS. in. 7 v. 6 139 5° 18 165 45 165 45 90 17* 9 8 20 49 z 150 ib 59 125 49 ii. 6 JONAH. HABBAK.KUCK. iii. 6 ZECHARIAH. ;.i6 ix. 11 ■ xii. 1 ' 17 50 88 MALACHI. 1. 2, 3 iii. 18 63 175 WISDOM OF SOLOMON, xi. 23, 24, 25, 26 gl xu. 1, 2 xv. 1, 2 ib ib ST. MATTHEW. v. 44—48 ■ 108 vi. 3, 4 156 vi. 12 — 108 vi. 14, 15 109 vi. 20 • ■ 27 INDEX* In C-jfeap, Vii. ai, ez,23 IX. 2 <*— x. 15 < ■ X.37 ~ x. 42 ■ xi. 24 •— xi 27 ■ " xii. 31, 32 Xvi. 21 — — xvii. 9, 22, 23 xviii. 8 • xviii. 21—35 — xix. 24 — - — — xix.28 — - xx. 17, 18, 19 xxiii. 38, 39 xxiv. 19 — xxiv. 41— 5 r xxv. II, Ii xxv. 34 — xxv. 41,46 xxv. 46 — — xxv. 46 — xxvi. 24 xxvi. 31, 32 — x xviii. 18 - x xviii. 18, 19 xxvii : . 18 ST. MARK. i» 27 1 iii. 28, 29 v. 7 vi. 11 ■ viii. 31 — ix. 9, 10, 31, 3» ix. 43—49 x. «j — — x. 27 ■ *• 3*> 33.34 xi. 25, 26 — xiii. 17 ■ xiv. ai — xiv. 27, 28 xvi. 15 — Page 162 103 187 ■ 64 156 187 ■ 142 55 129 ib 2 109 -72 -83 129 138 81 182 162 - *9 2 ' 17 *9 - 75 129 - 37 ■ JS 143 37 -55 , 37 1S7 129 ib 43 -72 -73 129 109 81 7i 75 Chap. xxni. xxiv. 46, 47, 48 ST. JOHN, iii. 15, 16, 36 iii. 16, 17 iii. 35 iii. 3s iii. 36 ■■ iv. 14 —— . v. 24 v. 25 . v. 26, 27 v. 29 130 *5 90 14X 171 118 *5 it> ib 144 vi. 27,40, 47, 54, 68 25 xvi. 12 xvii. 2, 3 • 2> xvii. 2, 3 xvii. 9,20 Kv'i. 2 1, 22, 2 3 xvi . 1, 5 xvii. 9 19 Xvii. 2D, 21, 22, 23 ACTS. ;. 8 :. XO Sj Iviii Chap. Hi. 21 x. 40, &c x. •" xvii. 24 — 30 Page *4 67 130 SS iNDBXi Chap. iv. 18, 19, 20, 21 *. 6 — 10 — - s - T. 15, 16,19 V. 20, 21 V. 20j 2 J — \i. 12, I? — *i. 17, 20 •vii. 8, 13 ▼iii. 16, 17 Viii. 19, 20, 21, 22 ▼iii. 21, 2i •Hi. 35— 39 ix. 13 — ix.25,26 - xu 8, 9, 10 xi. 9, 10, 11, &c. xi.26, 32 xi.36 .. xii. 1 '•* xiii. 8, 9, 10 xiv. 9 - xvi. 25, 26 123 '75 170 95 38 63 119 95 ,67 119 29 46 39 28 63 139 174 24 13S 172 ■ 95 "3 70 18 I. CORINTHIANS. JT. CORINTHIANS. iv. 17 27 v. 5 — 29 v. IO —— l ? '-J ▼•14,15. ■— * ▼.15 — viii. 9 •*—* GALATIANS,- iii. 19 — i ft 14 '"" ■■ EPHESIANS.- i. 8,9, to, 11 i. 9, 10 ' 1.8,9,10 — > i. 10 •— i. 9, 10 i. it i. 13, 14 — ' i i 21,22 — ii. 1 ■■ iii. 1— 11 i».8,9, icr iv. 30 — — — Page 9 1 * 95 156 119 113 98 23 124 32 171 ib 29 3» 115 130 7* PHILIPPIANS. 10, 11 ii. g : iii 10 ii. 11 ii. 10, 11 iii. 21 at 32 zz 171 39 COLOSSIANS. I.THESSALONIANS. 1. 10 14 i;. THE S SALON JANS. i-7>8,9 * I. TIMOTHY- 110 - oS i'. 3» 4 " "" ii 5» 6 ' ii. 6 9 1 17* ii. 9, io> 1J iv. 9, 10, 1 1 vi. 17, 18, 19 no 197 156 II. TIMOTHY. 176 ii. 20, 21 - it. 1 INDEX. Ks £hapi iii. 1 1 TITUS. Page HEBREWS. ;. 8 ii. 8 ii. 8 ■ ii. 9.10 ii. 9 ii. 14 ii. 14,15 — iii. 11, i2, 19 iv. 3,6 v. 14 - *i-4, 5,6 vi. 17, 18 Vii. 1 a— 18 vii. 16 — ix. 10 — — X. 12, 13 — 14 x.26,27, 28, 29 56 x. 34 — 27 xi. 20 — 63 xi. 20 — 178 xii. 15, 16, 17 56 xii 1^, 16,17 178 xii. 28 - 26 »5 36 3* ib 01 60 ■ 7° 146 147 2CO 56 .98 6 %% - 6 JAMES. I. PETER. 1.4 i. 18, 19 iii. 18, 19,20 iii. 22 — iv. 5, 6 — - iv. S T.4 — 26 95 66 -37 66 68 26 If. PETER. 15.6 185 ji. 20,21, 22 182 jii. 5, 6,7, 10, 11,12 J° iii. 7, ic, 11, 12 18 iii. 9 - - 89 jii. 13 — 10 I. JOHN. Chap; 3i. 1,2 ii. 24 — 28 iii. I, 2 iii. 2 — iii. 8 iv. 16 iv. 19 v. 9, 10, II v. 16 — — Ver. 4 6,7 7 JUDE, Page 9* ■ 2S 29 l8a 60 90 ib 197 5« 121 3 185 Ch »P< REVELATIONS. ii. 7, 10, 1 j, 17, 26 27 l8 a 7 1 5 and 1 6 For as r. oi, and for ««aM r. aiomon, 47 30 For Jer. xxxiii. 40. r. xxni. 40. 6q The figures are 66. 7 o 7 Dele the letter / after the word great. . 89 J Put in a note of interrogation inftead of a period afte* the word him. 10a 50 For Uinfter r. Ma^. 1 14 bottom line, For held, r. hold, 130 12 For unto, r. into. 1 49 4 For thine, r. thy. , 7 Fcr thy, r. thine. 1 c 2 28 After the word No, add a comma. 170 bottom line, After the word able, add alfo, 178 29 For is it, r. it is. j86 bottom line, For excllent, r. excellent. 3 Q2 19 For o, r. of. FAMILIAR DIALOGUES BETWEEN A MINISTER AND HIS FRIEND, CONCERNING THE DOCTRINE OF THE RESTORATION OF ALL THINGS. wMBpp^*! DIALOGUE I. Friend. "T HAVE taken the freedom to call upon you, to have a little difcourfe with you concerning the doctrine of the Reft or at ion of all Things , which it is faid you believe; and to pro- pofe fome objections. Minijier. I am happy to fee you, and am willing to difcourfe, as well as I am able, upon any fubjecr. that may be agreeable; but I have always made it a rule never to piefs the belief of my fentiments upon my friends ; and I can fafely fay, that, though fuch great pains have been taken by my adverfaries to prejudice people againft me, I have never gone about from houfe to houfe to propagate my opini- ons; and 1 make it an univerfal rule not to intro- duce the fubjeft in converfation, unlefs delired ; but yet I never have refuted to own my fentiments, A when DIALOGUES ON THE w,hen a&ed, refpecting the matter ^ and am ready, in the fear of God, to ahfwcr any objections that can be made, to a doctrine which I believe is plain- ly revealed in the Scriptures of truth, and appears to me worthy of God. Friend. I fhall lirft of all bring to view that grand objection, which is formed from the word eternaloi everlafiing, being applied to a future {fate of punifh- ment; as in the following paflages: Ifaiah xxxiii. 14. " The finners in Zion are afraid, fearfulnefs phni, and Phinehas, were loon after ilain in one day; and Saul, the king of Ifrael, fent Dceg, the Edomite, who fell upon the priefts, and flew fourfcore and live perfons, who wore a linen ephod, in one day. " And Nob, the city of " thepriefts, fmote he with the edge of the fword; " both men, and women, and children, and fock- " lings, and oxen, and rules, and fheep, with the " edge of the fword." 1 Sam. xxii. 1 9. Tht whole houfe of Phinehas fcems to have been deilroyed at tins time, except Abiathar; and when Solomon came to the throne, he thrufthim out from being prieft, g DIALOGUES ON THE prieft, u that he might fulfil the word of Jeho- " vah, which he fpake concerning the houfe of " Eli, in Shiloh," i Kings, ii. 27. From this time, the houfe of Ithamar had the priefthood. It is fo evident that the word which is tranilated ever&fthtg, cannot in the nature of things, abso- lutely fignify, without end, that I mould not think it worth while to quote any more paffages in proof of its intending age, or ages, only, were it not con- ftantly ufed as a great obje&ion againft the uni- ve'rfal Reftoration: I (hall, therefore ,inftancetwo or three more in particular, in this place, and re- fer to a great number of others, of the fame kind; all tend m g to prove the fame thing. Hab. iii. 6. cc The everhfiing mountains were fcattered, the " perpetual hills did bow." The gofpel is called, « the everlafting gofpel," Rev. xiv. 6. yet it mult ccafe to be preached, when it (hall be needed no longer. Jonah faith, " The earth with her bars " was about me, /or ever: yet haft thou brought " up mv life from corruption, O Jehovah, my t£ God.'' Jonah, ii. 6. But it would be the hirheft abfurdity upon the fuppofition that the word Legnolam, here rendered, forever, preperlv fignifies without end, for him to fay, that his lite was brought up from corruption ; and, thereiore, we know that he could not ufe it in that fenfe, be- caufe, on the third day, he was delivered frorn his 'dreadful prifon. There is no doubt but the time that he was there, feemed an age, and, while he was thus (hut up, there was no intermimon to the darknefs, and diftrefs, that overwhelmed him; and, therefore he might lay, with propriety, that " the earth, with her bars, was about him, lor " ever," (i. e. perpetually without cejation) during the period he remained in the fiuYs belly; which appeared to him, as a long age indeed. But, as ic would be a work of much time and laboitf to mention UNIVERSAL RESTORATION. 9 mention all the paffages where the word tranflated for ever, evidently intends only an age, or period, J (hall juft direct you to the following ; which you may look over at yourleifure. Gen. xiii. 15. xliii. 9. xliv. 32. — Exod. xii. 14, 17, 24. xxi. 6. xxvii. 21. xxviii. 43. xxix. 9, 28. xxx. 21. xxxi. 16, 17, xxxii. 13. — Lev. iii. 17. vi. 13, 18, 20, 22, vii. 34, 36. viii. 15. x. 9, 15. xvi. 29, 31. xxiii. 14, 21, 31, 41. xxiv. 3. xxv. 30,46. — -Numb. x. 8. xv. 15. xviii. 8, T9. xix. 10. — Deut. iv. 40. xv. 17. xviii. 5. xxviii. 46. — Jolhua iv. 7. xiv. 9. — 1 Sam. ii. 30. iii. 13c xxvii. 12. xxviii. 2. — 1 Kings, xii. 7. — 2 Kings, v. 27. — 2 Chron. x. 7. Here are more than fifty paffages, where the Word rendered for ever intends only age, or ages\ to which many more might be added. Now, the rule for underftanding words is this : What mufi be the meaning of the word, in many places, and what may be the meaning in all; is the true fenfe of the fame. Friend. Although the fingle word forever, in thefe paffages, leems evidently to intend certain un- known, limited periods; yet, what can you do with thofe texts that fay, the milery of the wicked fhall endure for ever and ever ? Minifier. Indeed, they are terrible threatening*;; and, no doubt, will be fully executed. Friend, But, do you imagine that mch paffages as the following can intend lefs than cndkfs mifery ?■ Rev. xiv. 1 1. " And the fmoke of their torment afcendeth up, for ever and ever : and theyhave no reft, day nor night, who worfhip the bead and " his ima°"e,and whofoever receiveth the mark of his name." Rev. xix. 3. *' And her fmoke role up for ever and ever." Rev. xx. 10. tc And the devil, that deceived them, was cad into the lake of lire and brimftonc, where the beaft and B the (< IO DIALOGUES ON THE " the falfe prophet are, and (hall be tormented, *' day and night, for ever and ever " Minifier. I confefs, you have propofed a diffi- culty that I (houldjudgetobeunanfwerable, were it not for the following confiderations : jfti If for ever And ever is a longer time than for ever, which mud be granted; then is there fome proportion between them : Thus, if forever intends an age, period, or fometimes ages; for ever and ever, may intend age;, an age of ages, or ages of ages: But any proportion at all between two periods, fuppofes both to have an end, or there could Jtf no propor- tion. zdly, I find a time promifed, when, "there (hall cc be no more death; neither forrow nor crying; cc neither (hall there be any more pain; for the for- " mer things are (or mail then be) paffed away. " And he that fat upon the throne faid, Behold, " I make all things new. And he faid unto me, Ci (John) Write; for thefe words are true and ce faithful." Rev. xxi. 4, 5. Tfdly, I think there is fufficient reafon, from the words of St. Peter, inhisfecondepiftle, third chap- ter, 5, 6, 7, 10, 11, 12 verfes, to conclude, that as the earth was once overflowed with water, and became truly a lake of water, wherein the world of ungodly men perhned ; fo, by the general confla- gration, the fame (hall become literally the lake of fire and brimflone, in which the wicked (hall be punimed after the day of judgment : But I alfo think, that the 13th verfe of the fame chapter, compared with Rev. xxi. 1. Ifaiah lxv. 17. ixvi. 22. more than intimates, that the new heaven and earth lhall be created out of the fubftance of the old, diffolved by the fire; that the new earth (hall no more have zfea therein, feems to imply, that ia its former (late, it had afca, or why this expreffinn. *< And UNIVERSAL RESTORATION. II tc And there was no more fea." — New, if this hy- pothesis is right, the following will be the true ftate of the cafe ; viz. The lake of fire is expreffly declared ro be " the te fecond death," Rev. xx, 14. The earth, in its burnt, melted, and diflblved ftate, will be the ge- neral lake of fire and brimftone; according to the verfes above cited from Sr. Peter. There will be a new heaven and a new earth, created cue of the fubftance of the old, in which there will be no more fea, either of water, or of liquid fire ; confe- quently, the lake of fire, or fecond death, (whicH are declared to be fynonimous) muft end ; and, of courfe, the punifhment of the fecond death mult then ceafe. ^thly, The/moke of their torment is to afcend up forever and ever } and they are to be tormented day and night: But, as the fmoke of the burning earth muft ceafe, when its fubflance is entirely diilblved or melted, and all combuftible bodies are con- fumed; and as it is intimated in Jobxxvi. 10. that day and night mall come to an end: and in Rev. xxi. 25. it is faid of the New Jerulalem, i( And " the gates of it (hall not be fhut at all by day, for " there (hall be no night there." For all thefc reafons, I cannot be altogether perfuaded, that their being tormented day and night, for ever and ever, during which time the fmoke or their tor- ment (hall conftanr'y afcend, is quite equal to endlejs miferyi efpecially as there mail come a time when d?atb (hall be no more, fain ihali be no more, fon-ozv mail be rid mpf e, fmoke [frail probably afcend no more, and, peradventure, mvht (hall be no more. $fbfy t But the great reafon of all, why I do not conceive that for ever and ever, doth certainly in- tend endlefs duration, i% becaule I find the words as Ojften ufed for times and periods, that muft have V> z an CI 11 DIALOGUES ON THE an end, as you find them ufed for the mifefy of the wicked. You bring three paffages, which are all that are to be found in the whole Bible, where they are ufed in that fenfe ; I mall now invalidate thofe evidences for endlefs damnation, by bringing an equal number of texts, where you will allow the words are ufed in a limited fenfe. Friend. Is it poflible that you can find any fuch paffages in the Bible ? Pray (hew them to me. Minifler. Ifa. xxx. 8. " Now go, write it before them in a table, and note it in a book, that it may be for the time to come, for ever and ever*" See Jer. vii. i — y. The 7th verfe is, li Then u will I caufe you to dwell in this place, in the " land that I gave to your fathers, for ever and " ever." Jer. xxv. 5. a bidden -period, or pe- riods ; then the ground is changed at once, and the Jews have no right to object againft Chrifti- anity, becaufe God promifed a continuance of their temple worfhip, for a certain age, or, hidden period; nor the Christians ; to reject the univerfal Reftoration, becaufe God hath threatened the re- bellious with fuch dreadful punifhments, which mall endure through periods, expreffed in thefame terms. It is indeed confefied by fome ol the moft learned Jews, that they have no word in their lan- guage, which abfolutely fignifies endlefs duration ; and therefore, they can only argue the endlefs con- tinuance of any thing from its nature, and not merely from the words rendered for ever, or ever- lafting. And, if this is the truth of the cafe, (as \vho°candeny it?) then, neither did Jehovah freak UNIVERSAL RESTORATION; t) fpeak to deceive the Children of Ifrael, when he promifed them bleffings of fuch long continu- ance) which have ended long ago, and which are never to be reflored by virtue of that covenant which he made with their fathers, when he brought them out of Egypt : but by the new covenant, which he will make with them, when he mall return them to their own land; nor did the Son of God fpeak to deceive, when he threatened the wicked with thofe punilhrnents, which fhali not end till they have anfwered the pur- pofes for which it ferns reafonable to believe they fhall be infiicled; viz. to bring them down, and humble their proud and ftubborn hearts ; which (hall be done, during the periods of his kingdom, before he (hall have delivered it up to the Father, that God may be all in all. Friend. But if I ihould grant that the word aionion doth not even in the New Teftament al- ways fignify endlefs duration, yet what would you gain by it, fince it is plain that Chrift hath fet the happinefs of the righteous, and the mifery of the wicked, one againft the other ; and hath exprefled the continuance of both, by the fame word, aionion, in St. Matth. xxv. 46 ? Here, the punifh- ment of the wicked, and the life of the righteous, are both declared to be aionion, or eternal, with- out distinction : Now, can you fhew me any paflage of Scripture> where the fame word is applied to two different things, whofe exiftence is not the fame, or the time of their continuance not alike ? Minifler. Fairly dated ! And, if it be not as fairly anfwered, it (hall be looked upon as an in- fupcrable difficulty. But, happily, there is a paf- fage, in Hab. iii. 6. where the fame word is ufed for very different things: " He flood, and mea- fi fured the earth : he beheld, and drove afun- C " det l3 DIALOGUES ON THE *' der the nations ; and the everlajling^ mountains " were fcattered, the perpetual hills did bow : his " ways are everlajlinjr" In our tranflation, the mountains, and the ways of God, are piled everlajling, and the hills perpetual; but, in the original, the word gnad is applied to the moun- tains, and the word gnolam to the hills, and the ways of God. But whether we argue from the original, or from the tranflation, it makes no difference; The queftion is, Are the mountains, or the hills, eternal in the fame fenfe in which the ways of God are ? If fo, the earth mull: have ex- ited coeval with the ways of Jehovah, and the hills, and mountains, muft never be removed, while his ways endure; and, as his ways can never be deftroyed, the abfolute eternity, not of the earth only, but of its prefent form, its moun* tains and hills, muft be inferred : contrary to Ifaiah xl. 4. xliv. 10. — Ezek. xxxviii. 20. — 2 Pet. iii. 7, 10, 11, 12. — Rev. xvi. 20. xx. il Nay, even in this very text, the ways of God are fpoken of as being of a different nature from the mountains, which were fcattered, and the hills, which did bozv. Thus, no folid argument can be drawn from the application of the fame word to different things, to prove that they (hall be equal in their* continuance, unlefs their nature be the fame. Thus, in the Greek New Teftament, in Rom. xvi. 2ij. we read of the myftery which hath been kept fecret, from Chronois aioniois, and, in the 26th verfe, we find, that it is now made known by the commandment fouaioniou Theou. But muft it be argued that becaufe aioniois is applied to times* and aionion to God ; therefore, times are as ancient as Jehovah, and muft continue while he exifts ? The abfurdity of this is too glaring. Our transla- tors have rendered Chronois aioniois, "Jincetbe %uorld i( began" inftead " of eternal times-" and have thereby UNIVERSAL RESTORATION. 19 thereby fhewn their judgment to be, that words cannot change the fubjects to which they are applied, but the meaning of the words mud b« determined by the nature of the fubjects. In Jer. xxviii. 8. the word hegnolam is ufed in the Hebrew; but the tranflators did not think themfelves obliged to render it "fro;?? e-verlafting? or, "from eternity? as it would have been highly abfurd to have read, eternal prophets, or prophets which were from eternity ; and have therefore rendered it " of old? though it is a ftronger word than gna d, which they have tranilated •f eternity? in Ifa. lvii. 15. Many other inftances of the like nature, might be brought ; but thefe are fully fufficient to con- vince any unprejudiced mind, that nothing can be concluded in favour of endlefs pmiflment, from the word aionion being ufed to fet forth the dura- tion of it, as well as the duration of that life which our Saviour promifes to the righteous. But upon the fuppofition that our Saviour in- tends no more by the " life eternal/' in the 46th verfe of the xxvth of St. Matthew's gofpel, than he doth in the 34th verfe, by '« the kingdom u prepared from the foundation of the world," (which it would be hard to prove) then an anfwer might be given, without all this labour, in this manner ; viz. that as the Father hath appointed Chrift a kingdom, io he hath alio appointed his faints a kingdom ; (See St. Luke, xxii. 29, 30. Rev. ii. 26, 27. iii. 21.) but as the kingdom which the Father hath given to Chrift, as Me- diator, and as Judge, ihall end, when he lhali have fubdued all things, and put down all rule, and authority, and power ; (See i Cor. xv. 24, 25, 26, 27, 28.) ib, of confequence, that king- dom which is given to the faints or overcomers, to fubdue the nations, fhall alfo end, when they C z ihall %0 DIALOGUES ON THE fhall be all fubdued, and brought to fubmit. But as the glory of Chrift fhall not be lejfened, but increased, when God fhall be all in all ; fo the happinefs of the faints fhall be fo far from end» ing, or being diminifhed, at that period, that it fhall then arrive at the fummit of perfection; but fhall never clofe, nor decreafe, while Jehovah endures. Some time ago, a woman came to hear me, and I happened tb mention in my fermon, that (thrift's mediatorial kingdom was called everlafting, or aionion ; but that it muft come to cm end, when the kingdom mould be delivered up to the Father, when he fhould have put down all rule, and all authority and power. After fermon, fhe was afked, how fhe liked? She anfwered, " Not * c at all : he fays, The everlajiing kingdom " of Chrift fhall end ; and I never heard of fuch i{ a thing before in all my life ; and I am fure it fe muft be contrary to Scripture." The perfon who afked her, told her, that there was fuch a text fomewhere, fhe could not tell exactly where to find it, But the woman perfifted in it, that there was no fuch text; and went away, full of prejudice, Now, had this paflage of Scripture been in the Book of the Revelations, it would not have been fo much to be wondered at, that fhe had never heard of it ; but when we confider, that this is expreffed in that part of the 15th chapter of St. Paul's firft epiftle to the Corin- thians, which is in the burial Jervice — what fhall we fay ? Thus, if Chrijl's kingdom fiall end, much more Satan's! If rewards, as fuch, fhall ceafe; how much more punijhments ! If the everlajiing king- dom of the faints, which they fhall poffefs for •tver and ever, (See Dan. vii. 18, 27.) fhall end, pr be fwajlowed up in that kingdom of boundlefsr love, UNIVERSAL RESTORATION. 21 love, where God (hall be All in all; how much more, mall all fin, pain, forrow, and death,, ceafe, and have no more a name in God's crea- tion ! Friend. But fuppofing the doctrine of endkfs mifery to be a truth, how would you, expect to find it expreffed in the Bible? Minifter. I mould have a right to expect, in the firft place, that there would be no prormfes in the Scripture to the contrary ; no fuch pafTages as - thefe : " For I have fworn by myfelf, the w^rd " is gone out of my mouth in righteoufnefs, and * " mail not return ; that unto me every knee mail Xc bow, and every tongue fhall fwear;" Ifaiah, xlv. 23. Mind well, every tongue shall swear. Swearing allegiance, as every civilian will tell you, implies -pardon, reception, and pro- tetlion, on the part of the king ; and a hearty re- nouncing of rebellion, true fabjedion, and willing obe- dience, on the part of the rebels. Kings of the earth may be deceived, but God cannot; he will never accept of any feigned fubjec^ion ; and, therefore, all that fwear, fhall fwear in truth and righteouf- nefs; fo mall rebellion ceafe, and difobedience be no more. The apoftle St. Paul, feems to quote this paf- fage of Scripture with fome variation, in his epiftle to the Philippians, chap. ii. 9, 10, 11; where, fpeaking of the fufTerings of Chrift, and the confequences of the fame, he fays, " Where- " fore God alfo hath highly exalted him, and given him a name, which is above every name; that at (or in) the name of Jefits every knee mall bow, of things in heaven, and things in " earth, and things under the earth; and that " every tongue mould confefs that Jefus Chrift is "' Lord, to the glory of God the Father." Now, this confeffion appears to me to imply a willing Jubjetlion ft it 22, DIALOGUES ON TH£ fubjeBion to the authority of the Saviour, brought about by the operation of the bleffed Spirit ; for the fame apoftle faith, " Wherefore, I give you *« to underftand, that no man, fpeaking by the t( Spirit of God, calleth Jefus accurfed ; and that " no man can fay that Jefus is the Lord, but by <* the Holy Ghoft," i Cor. xii. 3. Then the argument, thrown into a fyllogiftical form, will run thus : If every knee (hall bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth ; then fhall all rebellion ceafe. But the firft is true ; therefore, alfo the laft. If every tongue ihali confefs that Jefus Chrift is Lord, to the glory of God the Father; and no man can fay that Jefus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghoft; then fhall the Holy Ghoft work erTedually in every man. As the major is proved, by Phil. ii. 11. and the minor, by 1 Cor. xii. 3, the conclufion muft be evident to a demonftra- tion. Friend. I acknowledge, that in the prefent ftate, no man can fay that Jefus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghoft; but when they (hall ftand before his bar, they mail confefs him Lord, to the glory of God the Father, by force. Minifier. But St. Paul fpeaks generally, " that " no man can fay that Jefus is the Lord, but by " the Holy Ghoft:" He does not mention time or place, but reprefents the matter impoflible; befides, every exprefhon here ufed, implies a willing, and not a forced fubjeclion ; as bowing in the name of Jefus, and conferring him to be Lord of all, to the glory of God the Father. Friend. But we are fometimes told, that God is as much glorified by the eternal damnation of fome, as by the eternal falvation of others. Khifler, I have, indeed, heard fome aflert the UNIVERSAL RESTORATION. 23 the fame : But as the glory of God is the ultimate end of all that he doth, we may properly afk, why he fhould take any pains to fave mankind? But, above all, there is one objection that may be brought againft this idea, which is hard toanfwer; and that is, God hath faid, " For I have no plea- " fure in the death of him that dieth, faith the tc Lord God. Say unto them, As I live, faith the il Lord God, I have no pleafure in the death of *' the wicked ; but that the wicked turn from his f< way, and live : turn ye, turn ye, from your evil " ways ; for why will ye die, O Houfe of Ifrael ?" Ezek. xviii. 23. xxxiii. 11. It is evident to me, that God muft take pleafure in what glorifies his name ; and as he hath fvvorn, that he takes no pleafure at all in the death of the wicked, it muft be let down for a truth, that pinifhment , without having the reformation and fubjection of rebels for its end, is unworthy of the Being we adore ; and even now, it is called, " his ftrange work," and (C his ftrange » *«* he « 'vere dead, yet lhall he live : Aud *hofoever «« liveth and believeth in me, IhaU **?*%. And, in chap. vi. 50. he fays, " This is the oread " that cometh down from heaven, that a man « may eat thereof, and not die." And he ex- preffes the perpetuity of heavenly bhfs, and of our enjoyment of the fame, by advifmg us, faying, cl unto cc [universal restoration. ty ** Lay up for yourfelves treafures in heaven ; ft where neither moth nor ruft doth corrupt, and <( where thieves do not break through nor flea). S> 7> 9> IO - *. J ohn > »• 24— 28 - The never-ending continuance of the life, ox Hate of well-being of the righteous, may be certain- ly inferred, with the greateft eafe, from the continu- ance of the life of Chrift; who is made an high r prieft, f not after the law of a carnal command- " ment, but after the power ofanendlefs life,*'* Heb. vii . 1 6. And he hath exprefly declared, " Becaufe I live, ye fhall live alfo," St. John xiv. 1 9. Thus, as long as the caufe remains, the effect muft continue; but the caufe, even the life of Chrift, muft undoubtedly continue to endlefs pe- riods; therefore alfo, the efTecl:, or the life of thofe who are joined to him in an indiflbluble union, mail continue. The apoftle Paul underftopd logip as well as any in our days: and he thus reafonj upon this glorious truth; " The Spirit itfelf bear- «' eth wknefs with our fpirits, that we (who are led J>y the Spirit of God, and have received the fpj* . rif - . UNIVERSAL RESTORATION. 2^ lii of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father) «* are the children of God : And if children, then " heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Chrift:. u if fo be that we fuffer with him, that we may be H alfo glorified together," Rom. viii. 16, 17, Now, as Chrift, the principal heir, cannot be dif* inherited ; fo, neither can thofe who are joint heirs with him ? The Holy Spirit is given us as the ear- ned of our inheritance, and to teal us to the day of redemption, 2 Cor. v. 5. Ephef. i. 13, 14. and iv. 30. Chrift is the head, and the overcomes thro* the blood of the Lamb, are the members of his body, and (hall inherit all things; he will be their God, and they (hall be his children : he is their life, and he " will make them pillars in the temple of '• God, and they fliall go no more out, "Rev. iii. 12. St. Paul fays, " When Chrift, who is our life, ihal! " appear, then fliall ye] alio appear with him in " glory," Col. iii. 4. And St. John fays, " Be- ? f hold what manner of love the Father hath be- & flowed upon us, that we fhould be called the fons '•' of God : therefore the world knoweth us not, f l becaufe it knew him not. Beloved, now are wc f* the fons of God, and it doth not yet appear " what we (hall be: but we know, that when he " fliall appear, we (hall be like him ; for we (hall " fee him as he is," 1 John iii. 1, 2. Thus, we are fure, from the Scriptures, and from the nature of things, that thofe who are drawn by the Fa- ther, United to the Son, fealed by the Holy Ghoft, willingly choofe-the Lord for their portion, and conftantly adhere to him to the end, fliall ne- ver be feparated from him in the future ages; for he himfelf faith, " As the living Father hath fent " me, and I live by the Father ; fo he that eateth *' me, even he fliall live by me," St. John, vi. 57. , And as Chrift is the great attracting loadftone, that (hall finally draw all things to him ; it is evi ] dent JO DIALOGUES ON THE dent, that he will preferve/or ever, thofe whom he hath thoroughly drawn to himfelf, and who have adhered to him through the time of trial. Thus is the life eternal of the righteous, or their endlefs ftate of well-being, expreffed in much ftronger language than the mifery of the wicked ; and, moreover, has its foundation in the union between Chrift and his church, and in the nature of things. Friend. But if the Spirit of God dwelling in us, and thereby caufing us to adhere to Chrift, and to follow him through all trials, makes our union to him fa perfect, that nothing (hall beable to feparateus from him toall eternity; fince we are confirmed in habits of goodnefs by free choice, and by oft repeated ex- ercifes ; why, by the fame rule, (hall not the mifery of the wicked be endlefs, feeing that they have chofen and adhered to evil through life, and by conftant practice are confirmed therein ? Evil is grown up to a body in them ; and. it appears to me as difficult to reform and bring them off from their vicious habits, as it would be to draw the faints in light from their adherence to virtue and good- nefs. Minifler. Your reafoning would be conclufive* upon the fuppofition that there are two eternal prin- ciples, viz. good and evil; if it can be proved, that evil is coexiftent with goodnefs, that it hath always been : then, the abfolute eternity of fin and mifery may be eafily inferred. This is the u;ue founda* tion of endlefs mifery, and it came from the Pagan theology : The Heathens believed in two eternal principles, ever warring againft each other, and nei- ther fully prevailing ; that men had the liberty of enlifting under which they pleafed ; and that thofe who in life chofe virtue, ihould enjoy endlefs feli- city; while thofe who chofe, and adhered to vice, ihould eternally remain under its dominion, and of confequence be always miferable. Thus, the in- fernal UNIVERSAL RESTORATION. $t fernal deities being judged by the poor Pagans to be as eternal as the good gods, and more power- ful ; they facrificed more to the evil principle than to the good, out of fear, and to appeafe the anger of thofe abhorred, malevolent agents ; hence, the frequency of human facrifices. Now, when the Chriftian religion triumphed over Paganifm in the Roman empire, many of the philofophers embraced and profefled it, but withal, retained many of their Pagan notions ; among which was the eternity of thefe two oppofite princi- ples : hence arofe the ancient feet of the Manichees, who believed not only the eternal exiftence of two contrary eternal Gods, one good and the other evil; but alfo, that all vifible things were created by the devil ; and upon this principle, they might argue the univerfality of damnation, with as much eafe and certainty, as we, upon the contrary, may argue the certainty of the univerfalReftoration, according to that glorious promife of God, Ifaiah,lvii. 16,17, j 8, 19. i( For I will not contend for ever, neither s^^v-- " will I be always wroth : for the fpirit mould ** fail before me, and the fouls which I have f God ftands engaged to preferve and keep thofe who commit themfelves to him ; and thus their union with him lhall always con- tinue. The fame is engaged to deftroy that covenant with death, and that agreement with hell, where- by linners are held in fubjection to Satan, and thus to take the prey from the mighty, and the captives from the terrible. The fubjects of Chrift are his natural fubjects ; he is their rightful fovereign : but Satan's fubjects are ilaves, led captive by him at his will ; he is an ufurper, and all that are in b.ondage to him be- long to Chrift, who will finally draw them all to himfelf. Thofe that are in blifs fhall be eternally at- tracted by him, and lhall always choofe that which is o-ood ; but when evil is broken, its influence Avail UNIVERSAL RESTORATION. 35 mall no more prevail over thofe that are capti- vated by it ; and they (hall feel the conveniences of fin in fuch a manner as to loathe it ; and they ihall heartily return, and fwear allegiance to their rightful King. There fhall be no influence to draw the faints in blifs from Chrift, and thereby diiiolve his king- dom ; but all the influence of God and goodneis, fhall tend to diiiolve the kingdom of darknefs, and to put an end to the thraldom and mifery of its unhappy flaves. Thus, I might go on with a long train of ar- guments upon this fubject ; but theie may fuflice. Friend. Your arguments would feem very con- clusive, for the entire fu ejection of all things, if you could prove that the word all, intends lite- rally and mathematically, the whole \ without ex- ception ; but this, I doubt, will be difficult for you to do, as you muft know, that it is very fre- quently ufed in common language for apart, and fometimes for only a Jm all part of mankind. Minijler. I acknowledge, this is the cafe in common converfation, and in fuch parts of the facred hiflory where we are in no danger of being milled by it, being well informed by the context, or fome other paflages, or from the nature, or from the circumftances of the facts, that we muft take it in a limited fenfe ; but I do not recollect any paflage, where any -point of doBrine is fpoken of, in which the word all is ufed in that uncertain and indeterminate manner : and it is neceflary that it mould not be ufed in that way, in matters of im- portance ; becaufe we might be led into contufion and great uncertainty thereby ; not knowing whe- ther to underftand it univerfally, or Wherefore, 1 lay down this plain rule; viz. When the word all is ufed in any paflage of Sciipture, and wcare notneceflarily obliged, either bythecon- F 2 text, $6 DIALOGUES ON THE text or fome other text, or the nature and cir- cumftances of the cafe, to nitderftand it partially; and especially, where any important point of doc- trine is fpoken of, we are always to underftand it itniverfally , without exception. Friend. But can you prove from the writings" of the apoftles, that they ufed the word all in this large and univerfal fenfe ? Mimfier. Yes, my friend, very eafily, and in the moil unexceptionable manner. Hear what the author of the Epiftleto the Hebrews fays upon this matter : " Thou haft put all things in fub- " jeaion under his feet : for in that he put all " in fubjection under him ; he left nothing that is " not put wider him," Heb. ii. 8. It is evident, that the apoftle'sreafoning would be very inaccurate, if not entirely falfe, upon the fuppofition that all things did not intend all, in. the largeft fenfe : for how would this conclufion naturally and neceffarily follow, " For in that he " put all in fubjection under him, he \dt nothing " not put under him ;" unlefs it be premifed, that all is ufed in the universal fenfe of the word ? Friend. But hath not the fame apoflle made an exception, when he ufes the word all, in fome other of his writinss? '_ Minifier.^ Yes, truly ; but it is fuch an excep- tion as juftifies this fenfe of. the word, more than a thoufand arguments : " For he hath put all " things under his feet ; but when he faith, all " things are put under him, it is manifeft, that he " is excepted which did put all things under him,'* i Cor. xv. 27. Here God the Father being alone excepted, proves all other beings to be included in the words all things; and that in fo convinc- ing a manner, that I am aftoniihed that I did not perceive it long before I dido : ■ ' Friend* UNIVERSAL RESTORATION. 37 Friend. It is true, that nothing can be plainer, than that all things, in thefe places, muft mean all beings, except God ; but then, perhaps, St. Paul only meant, that they mould be fubjecl: to his confront, an d not brought willingly to obey : If you can prove this point as clearly as you have the other, and from the fame authority, it will feem to put the matter with me beyond difpute. Minifier. This is very eafily done ; for it is universally acknowledged by all Chriftians, that all things are now, and have ever been, fubjecl: to his controul ; for when he was upon earth, in his loweft ftate of humiliation, even the unclean fpirits, the moit rebellious of beings, obeyed his word ; which made thofe who faw his miracles cry, with amazement, " What thing is this ? what " new doctrine is this ? for with authority com- Col. i. 15 — 20. As the word all is generally acknowledged to be ufed in its mod extenfive fenfe, in every place in this paragraph, except the laft, there is no rea- ion to be given why the apoftle mould change the fenfe of theword, without giving us the leaft notice of it; and, indeed, it would be very unkind, 11 not unfair, for him thus to do; as it would tend to miilead us, in a matter of very great importance. , ; ' Friend I hope that I am not fo attached to my own opinions as to be unwilling to hear and confider what may be advanced againft them ; but th- doctrine of endlefs damnation has been lo ge- nerally confidered as a moft important article oi faith by all denominations, that I can by no means thinly of giving it up, unlefs your are able a a a a a a a a <« cc a UNIVERSAL RESTORATION. ( 41 to eftablifh the contrary fyftem upon the mod folid ground, and anfwer all the fcriptural ob- jections fairly, that have been, or that can be brought againft it ; for I mud have all my doubts folved, before I can think of believing fuch a ftrange doctrine as this appears to me. Minijler. I mod heartily commend your pru- dence and fincerity: /took the fame refolution; and would never receive this view, till I could an- fwer all objections to my own fatisfa&ion: and if you are difpofed to enquire farther at another op- portunity, I (hall be happy in giving you ail the afiiftance in my power. END OF THE FIRST DIALOCUE. DIALOGUE 42. DIALOGUES ON THE DIALOGUE II. Friend. JTS OOD day to you, fir, I was jutt \j paffing by, and if you have a lit- tle time to fpare, I mould be happy to have fome farther difcourfe with you, refpe&ing your fentiments; for although I cannot fall in with your views, yet I am convinced, that your mind Is upright in the matter, and that you do not dis- agree with your brethren for the fake of differing, but for what you believe to be truth. Minifter. I have this to fay, (and I can with truth declare it) that I never mould have diffented from my brethren, had they only given me the liberty of enjoying that natural right, of freely thinking for myfelf in matters of religion. I fin- cerely wilh to live and die in unity with all that love God and keep his commandments^ and I fliould never have troubled the world with my fentiments, had not great pains been taken to re- prefent me as a heretic, and my fentiments dan- gerous to mankind: This was done to prevent people from hearing what I had to fay in other matters. I was therefore, in a fort, compelled to fit down and anfwer all the objections that were brought againft the truth I believed ; which an- fwers, drawn (as I truft) fairly from the Scrip- tures, have fatisfied many who have read what I then wrote upon the {abject. Friend. 1 never faw your anfwers to objections in print : but in our laft converfation, you gave inch anfwers to many queftions, as feemed to con- vince UNIVERSAL RESTORATION. 43 vi nee me that much more might be faid in favour of the general Reftoration than I formerly ima- gined : But I have a number of objections remain- ing, which appear to me unanfwerable ; and which I beg leave to ft£te you in the plained manner. Minifier. Do, my dear friend ; you will give me pleafure, by being free and open upon thisfubject: propofe all your objections, in the ftrongeft man- ner poffible, and 1 will give you fuch anfwers as have fatisfied me in the matter ; and I beg leave to allure you, that no light, trifling, or forced an- fvver, far lefs a manifefl evafion, would fatisfy my mind upon this awful and interefling fubjecl; and if what I believe is not capable of a fcriptural de- fence, I (hall endeavour to quit the ground as fpeedily as poffible. Friend. The words of our Saviour, recorded by St. Mark, chap. ix. 43 — 49, form a very ferious, and to me an unanfwerable objection againft the univerfal Reftoration. li And if thy hand offend thee (or caufe thee to " offend) cut it off: it is better for thee to enter " into life maimed, than having two hands, to go " into hell; into the fire that never (hall be " quenched (or that is unquenchable): where their (i worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched. 5>«* *• * 6 >. *7> „S 20 And the fame Apoftle directs us, faying; "Looking diligently, left any man fa, of the « gr° c ofGodr left any root of ir.tternefs fprrng- « fn" up trouble you, and thereby many be de- « filfd" Left there be any formcator or profane .. perfon, as Efau, who for one rnorfel of meat « fold his birthright. For ye know how that .. Afterwards, when he would have inherited the « bkffing, he was rejeaed ; for he found no « pUce of repentance, though he fought « care- < folly with tears." Heb. xn. 15, >° \1- And St Tohn the beloved difciple, fays; H «fnyman J fce hs brother fin a fin which is not J., ul death, he (hall alk, and he : (hall give h n « life for them that fin not unto death. *™«!" - a fin unto death : I do not fay that he (hall pia/ ,!f CCre\t'afi;fo;which there :U no forgive uefs, neither in this world (or age) or m tha to ?';"damnation^e cannot *»£-£» having finned wilfully and mahaoufly, ■»*"»*£; in. the knowledge of the truth, to.fucf 1 no more acrifice for fins rtmaineth; judgment ^ ; dignatiori are his certain portion ; he 1 .an adver (^, ahdmuftbe devoured : a forer P™«* than death without mercy awaitshim, °™b He W worthy, for that he hath trodden under foot the UNIVERSAL RESTORATION. Son of God, the only Saviour, and hath counted the precious blood of the covenant, wherewith he was fanctified, and which alone is able to cleanie from fin, an unholy thing; and hath done defpite to the Spirit of grace, which is only able to renew the heart, and therefore the cafe of fuch muft be def- perate; for if fuch an one, like EfaUj mould wilh to repent and gain what he had loft, it could not be, for he would find no place for repentance, though he might feek it carefully with tears ; for having committed the fin unto death, for which no prayer is to be made, no interceffion offered up, he is bound over to the fecond death, the lake of fire and brimftone, and mufl bear the punish- ment of his fins for ever and ever !!! — What fay you to this ? Minifier. As when Nebuchadnezzar told Daniel his dream, he was aflonilhed for one hour at the greatnefs of the punifhment which he faw would inevitably come upon the King; much more muft all thofe be, who read and confider thefe dreadful threatenings, which muft furely come upon all thofe who have finned in the manner defcribed ! I (hall make a few obfervations upon thefe moil terrible paffages of Scripture ; partly to prevent feeble minds from falling into defpair, that may fee them collected in one ftriking view ; partly to cure proud minds of prefumption; and partly to (hew that the doctrine of the Reftoration may be defended, not- wjthftanding. i. We are fure that the Scribes and Pharifees of our Saviour's time, whoblafphemoufly afcribed his miracles to the power of the devil, did, in the molt direct and undeniable manner, commit that fin ; and fome are doubtful whether it can be committed by any in thefe days. 2. It is generally acknowledged, that the Fie-. brews were in danger of committing that, fin', by I openly ^8 DIALOGUES ON THE openly and wilfully apoftatizing from Christianity, and publickly renouncing Chrift and his falvation, and blafpheming againft the Holy Ghoft, after having been partakers of its extraordinary gifts. 3. It cannot be committed by ignorant perfons, nor without a considerable degree of malice pre- penfe: light in the understanding, and malice in the heart, are neceflary ingredients of this dreadful crime; and it appears to me, it muft be committed openly, and that it cannot be committed in thought only. 4. Under the Levitical difpenfation there were many unpardonable fins — crimes that could not be forgiven or overlooked, and for which no atone- ment could be made, and which were punifhed with death, without mercy; other crimes, unlefs facrirlces were offered, and repentance took place, fubjected ihe parties to death alio: but, under the gofpel, there is but one crime that is properly un- pardonable, and that absolutely fubjects the perfon guilty of it to the fecond death -, yet many other fins are threatened with the fame punifhment con- ditionally, but they may be forgiven, and not punifhed at all - 3 but this one muft as certainly be punifhed with the fecond death, as murder or any other crime, was by the law of Moles punifhed with the death of the body without mercy or forgive- nefs. Forgery is the unpardonable fin of England : people frequently fuffer death for other crimes, as ■well as this ; but other offences arefometimes for- given, but this never ; it is always punifhed with death. This circumftance may illuftrate my mean- ing, The fin againft the Holy Ghoft is an offence of that kind, that, either owing to its uncommon malignity, as is moft likely, or fome other caufe, expofes the guilty perfon to the age of judgment, from which he cannot efcape by repentance, par- don, and fprinkling of the blood of Chrift, as other UNIVERSAL RESTORATION* 59 other finners may ; neither can he be at prefent born of the Spirit, to which he hath done def- inite; nor can he be reclaimed by any poffible means, in this age, or in the age that is to Suc- ceed this, but is inevitably bound over to Suffer the inconceivable torments of the fecond death, or lake of fire and brimftone, after the day of judg- ment. 5. There is no kind of difpnte between us, re- specting the certainty of the punifhment of fuch ; in this we both agree: he that finneth againft the Holy Ghoft, is in danger of eternal damnation, or judgment, or the fecond death: — The queftion is, Shall there ever come a time, when the fecond death, or lake of fire, ihall no more exiit ? If this can be proved, theconcluhon will be evident, viz* that not one (hall remain under the power thereof to all eternity : Upon this, and this alone, de- pends the folution of this awful, interesting, and moll important queftion : and I confider all other anfwers as mere quibbles, compared with this* And if it cannot be proved that a time will come, when all that bears the name of death (hall be destroyed, thofe who commit the fin unto death, mull, at lead, be allowed to (land as exceptions to the general rule ; and, I am apt to think, the rule itfelf will be overthrown. I (hall therefore labour this* point a little; and if I mould be fo happy as to prove to your Satisfaction the total deftruction of death, it will anfwer many other objections as well as this. My only refuge is Scripture ; if that fails me, I (hall not prefume ro purfue the Subject farther. ]fa. xxv. 8. " He will (wallow up Death invic- " tory; and Adonai Jehovah will wipe awaytears " from oft' all faces." Hof. xiii. 14. " I will ran- " fom them from the power of the grave; I will *• redeem them from death, O death, 1 will be tk thy plagues ; O grave, [or hell) I will be thy 1 2 deftruc"Uon; 60 DIALOGUES ON THE a it " deftruction; Repentance fliall be hid from mine eyes." i Cor. x\\ 26. " The laft enemy that fhall be deftroyed is Death" — or rather, as the Words may more properly be arranged, " Deafb, " the laft enemy, fhall be deftroyed." The feeond death is infinitely more the enemy of man than the firft, and may therefore be confidered as an enemy which God will deftroy. — Now, ]f the laft enemy fhall be deftroyed, there will .tot be one left. But the firft is trne ; therefore alfo the laft. As, Would it not be highly abfurd to fay, that, Al- though the very Lift enemy fhall be deftroyed, yet, many millions fhall remain to all eternity ? Veffe 56. " The fting of Death is fin." While fin remains in cxiftence, death will be able to fhew its fting; but the time will come when death fhall have no fting to boaft of; therefore fin, and confe- quently death of every kind, fhall be deftroyed. — ■ 1 John iii. 8. " For this purpofe the Son of God *? was manifefted, that he might deftroy the works " of the devil." Unlefs Chrift finally deftroys the works of the devil, even all fin out of the univerfe, his purpofe muft be eternally fruftrated : But the laft can never be. therefore the firft is true. Heb. ii. 14. "Forafmuch, then, as the children " are partakers of flefh and blood, he alfohimfelf " likewife took part of the fame ; that through " death he might deftroy him that had the power u of death, that is the devil."— Now what death has the devil power over ? the death -of the body ? or that of the foul, which confifts in enmity againft God, and feparation from him? l( To be carnally " minded is death; but to befpiritually minded is 3- Minifies 64 DIALOGUES OK THE Minifrer. Yes, molt certainly : But then this love and hatred, fo called, was manifefted to their pofte- rity, and not to their perions, in the manner de- fcribed by the prophet : " I have loved you, faith " Jehovah : yet ye fay, Wherein haft thou loved M us? Was not Efau Jacob's brother? faith Je- " hovah : yet I loved Jacob, and I hated Efau, li and laid his mountains and his heritage wafte, " for the dragons of the wildernefs." This mani- feftation of hatred did not affect, the eternal ftate of their fouls, but their condition in this world : God declared, that Jacob's feed fhould exift as a diftincl people to the end of time, but that Efau's fhould not: and this difference is evident ; for the remains of Efau's feed were, in the days of the Maccabees, incorporated with the feed of Jacob, and exifted no morefor ever, as a nation by them- felves. From Jacob's race the Meffiah was to come, and all nations were to be bleffed in the feed of Ifrael. In all thefe inftances, and in many others, there was a manifeft preference of Jacob to Efau ; but nothing like pofitive hatred can be intended. Chrift fays, (St. Luke, xiv. 26.) " If any man come to me, and hate not his father and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and fillers, yea, and his own life alfo, he cannot be my difci- " pie." But we cannot fuppofe our Lord intended pofitive, but comparative hatred; according to St. Matth. x. 37. " He that loveth father or mother " more than me, is not worthy of me : and he that " loveth fon or daughter more than me, is not " worthy of me." Friend. What you have faid upon this fubject appears to have fome weight, and I will confider it more fully hereafter : but I muft bee: leave to n 1 ■ ■ " 1 • afk you, how you get over that great gulph which is placed between the regions of Paradife and Ge- henna. UNIVERSAL RESTORATION. 65 henna, of which Abraham fpeaks to the rich man ; faying, t( And befides all this, between us and f ( you there is a great gulph fixed ; fo that they UNIVERSAL RESTORATION. 7 and afionijbed out ofmeafure at his words, ce faying 4C among themfelves, Who then canbefaved?" But, though Jcfus meant to represent the matter as in itfelf a kind of natural impoflibility, and ab- folutely impoffible to men ; yet he could not in- tend thereby, that it never iliculd be accompliih- ed, becaufe he immediately adds, " With men, *' this is impoffible; but not with God: For with " God all things are poffible," St. Mark x. 27. Therefore, though it was impoffible for men to pafs the gulph between Paradife and Gehenna; yet, as we have feen, Chrift was able, and therefore as we know not the ne plus ultra of his power to fave, we cannot positively conclude againji the Reftoration, from this inftance of the rich man, unlefs we could find fome pafTages of Scripture, where God has promifed never to reftore, or reconcile fnch to himfelf, whom he hath once caft off: the con- trary to which, I think, may be proved : but I am at prefent confidering, that, in the nature of things, it is not impoffible for God to reftore the rich man, if he (o pleafes; and, confequently, others that are in the fame fituation. Behold the rich man in another world ! He feems now to have much more true benevolence in him, than in his life-time; for when he could not obtain a drop of water for his tongue, he pleads much more earneftly for Lazarus to be lent to his live brethren, to teftify to them, left they alio mould come into the fame place of torment with himfelf. Here he urges the matter moft earn ly, and does not feem willing to be c ; tiied. This (hews him not to have been fo loft to vutue as Sa- tan ; fince he and his angels, though miferable themfelves, feek to make all men fo too, though their torments are increafed thereby. Add to all this, that Abraham called the rich man, " Son,'* and bade him remember, that in his life-time he had his good things- and like.. ife L Lazarus, f4 DIx\LOGUES ON THE Lazarus, evil things ; and that therefore it was but reafonable that the r cene fhould be changed : that Lazarus fhould be comforted, and he tor- mented. And I think, nothing can be fairly ar- gued from his cafe, in favour of endlefs damnation : For in cale he was doomed to fuffer while God ex- (fisy there could be no proportion between the fufterings, torments, and evil things of Lazarus on earth, and thofe which he endured in hell; whereas it is intimated in the Scriptures, that all things are determined by number, weight, and meafure. Let us hear what our Lord has faid up- on the fubjecT. St. Luke xii, 47, 48. " And " that fervant who knew his Lord's will, and pre- ** pared not himfelf, neither, did according to his *' will, mail be beaten with many ftripes. But " he that knew not, and did committhings worthy " of ftripes, (ball be beaten with few ftripes : for " unto whomfoever much is given, of him mall i( be much required; and to whom men havecom- " mitted much, of him they will aik the more." But what difference, fo much to be noticed, could there be, if both were to be beaten to all eternity ? or how could either be faid to have few, if there was never to be an end? Impoflible! Rev. xviii. 7. " How much flie (Babylon) hath glorified " herfelf, and lived delicionlly ; fomuch torment " and forrow give her." Ail this appears juft and reafonable: But to fuppofe a poor ignorant Hea- then, or a child of ten years old, will remain in? mifery as long as the moi perfecuting Tyrant, or apoftate Chriltian, feems to contradict all the ideas we have of juftice and equity, as well as of goodnefs; for in this cafe, who can fuppofe that each one is exactly rewarded according to his works ? And efpeciaUy, v to Jehovah, and their former rebellious tongues {hall fwear allegiance to him. Does this idea lead to licentioufnels, that God hates fin, and determines to purfue it to entire de- ftruction, and never to put up his (word, fo long as there is a rebel in the univerfe ; yet, at the lame time, has no poiitive hatred to the fouls which he has made, but only wilhes them to return to order ? — This idea appears to me, equally to check prefumption and defpair; and tends to put an end to licentioufnels, rather than to encourage it: For, if rebels are allured that their rightful fove- reign hates them, and will never fuffer them to be reconciled to him, it naturally caufes them to fight with tenfold rage, as all warriors will teftify ; as, on the other hand, if they believe he is too weak, or undetermined, to conquer them, they will be prefumptuous, and continue the war. It cannot, therefore, be affirmed, by any perfons of reafon, that the declaration that God will deftroy fin, tends to promote it ; or, that his love of order, and hatred of evil, being compatible with his love to the creatures he has made, is a doctrine that encourages men to rebel: the contrary is evi- dent: and yet thele are the very grounds of the univerhtl Restoration ; which cannot, therefore, be licentious. Q 5. Another pS DIALOGUES ON THE 5. Another of thefirfl principles of the Reftora- tion, is, the immutability of God's counfeh ; which he hath confirmed by an oath, " That by two immu- is table things, (viz. his word and oath) in which " it was impoffible for God to lie, we might have " a flrong confolation, who have fled for refuge, " to lay hold upon the hope fet before us," Heb. vi. 17, 18. " God hath abounded toward us in (i all wifdom and prudence, having made known t( unto us the myilery of his will, according to his iC g;ood pleafure, which he hath purpofed in him- e< felf. That in the difpenfation of the fulnefs of iC times, he might gather together (or rehead) in i( one, all things in Cbrift, both which are in " heaven, and which are on earth : even in him : Does the belief of this, caufe our breatts- UNIVERSAL RESTORATION. II " to fwell with pale envy, and rancorous malice, at the happinefs of others? Does it caufe us to burn with helliih rage, fury, and madnefs, againft man- kind ? Does it tend to deftroy meeknefs, and in- creafe wrath f If thefe queftions require (either from the nature of things, or from known facts) the anfwers to be in the affirmative ; then I would abhor fuch a fyftem, and with it to be univerfally detefted : But if, on the contrary, the candid en- quirer muft anfwer in the negative, and fay, That the doctrine of the final Reftoration" does not tend to produce Jelfijhmfs, envy, pride, or wrath; but, on the contrary, " Glory to God in the higheft, and *« on earth peace, good-will towards men ;" that it caufes benevolence, meeknefs, humility, forbearance, forpvenefsi charity, and all goodnefs, to abound and increafe ; then it cannot be a licentious doctrine, and is not to be difcarded on that account ; for it is a maxim with St. John, that " He that loveth " his brother, abideth in the light, and there is " none occafron of (tumbling in him," i John, ii. 10. That is, he cannot receive, hold, maintain, or do, any thing effentially or materially wrong ; and, therefore, can give nojuft occafion of offence : " For, all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in " this ; Thou (halt love thy neighbour as thyfelf. " For he that loveth another, hath fulfilled the " law. For this, Thou (halt not commit adultery, 28 ' St - Luke ix. 21, 22, 44, 45. xviii. 31, 32, 33, 34. Yet notwithstanding the plainnefs and frequen- cy of thefe predictions, and the pains which Chrift took to inftil thefe ideas into them, they never underftood them at all until fometime after they were fulfilled. For when they law him taken and delivered into the hands of men, and treated exactly according to his own words often repeated, they were entirely difappointed, and all their hopes feemed to die within them. And when he was rifen from the dead, they would not believe the teftimony of thofe who had feen him, and would hardly trull their own fenfes, fo ignorant were they of what he had told them. St. John was the fir ft of the difciples who be- lieved that he was rifen, for thus he writes " Then "* went in alio that other difciple, who came firffc " to the fepulchre, and he faw and believed. tc For as yet they knew not the Scripture that he " tnuft rife again from the dead." St. John xx. S, 0. This inftance is much fo to my purpofe, and proves S fo I^» DIALOGUES ON THE fo evidently that a thing may be plainly revealed, and exprelfed in the cleareit manner, and yet not be underflood ; that I hardly need mention any more. But I will mention another, and that is, the calling of the Gentiles. This was fpoken of by the prophets, in the cleared language ; and Jelus after his redirection gave a full commimon to his apoftles, which one would think it was im- poffible for them to mifunderftand. " All power is given unto me in heaven and if in earth, Go ye therefore and teach all nations," &c. St. Matt, xxviii. 18, 19. « Go ye unto all " the world, and preach the gofpel to every crea- " cure." St. Mark xvi. 15. " Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Chrift " to differ, and to rife from the dead on the third iC day : and that repentance and remimon of fins " mould be preached among all nations, begin- " ing at Jerufalem. And ye are witneifes of theie " things/' St Luke xxiv. 46, 47, 48. " Ye fhall " receive power after that the Holy Ghoftis come il upon you : and ye fhall be witneifes unto me " both in Judea and in Samaria, and unto the ut- " termoft part of the earth." Afts i. 8. But the apoftles themfelves, even after the miraculous defcent of the Holy Gholt upon them, were with- out underflanding, refpecling the calling of the Gentiles, until St. Peter was taught it by a vifion from heaven. See Acls x. And St. Paul fpeaks of this fubject as a my fiery that was hid from ages and generations, and par- ticularly revealed to him, and to the faints in that day. See Ephef. iii. 1 — n. Col. i. 25, 26, 27 Wherefore, when I confider that the apoftles themfelves could not for a time fee thofe things to be revealed, which yet were moll plainly, fully, and frequently told them, I cannot wonder that many great and good men now mould not fee the general UNIVERSAL RESTORATION. 131 general Redemption and final Reitoration of all things plainly revealed in the Scriptures, though to me fcarce any fubject appears more evident. It gives me now but little concern to hear many fay, that they cannot fee the matter plainly declared in the Bible, lince I know that things have been there that wile and good men could not fee ; and what has happened in times pad may take place now : and if I can fee for mylclf, this great truth made known, it is enough for me. I am not to enquire, What does this man believe? Or What {hall the other do ? I mull believe what the Scripture appears to me to teach, and do what I am there commanded, let others believe or do as they may. Friend. But I have heard fome lay of you, " How comes this man to know more than all the " world ? Have there not been many great, wile, ** and good men in all ages, that have never " thought of thefe things ? If this doctrine of " the final Restoration of ail things had been true, " furely our wife, good, and learned minifters *' would have difcovered it, and proclaimed it *' long ago. But the doctrine of endlefs mifery * f is a point in which they ieem generally to agree, " however they differ in other matters, and there - " fore it mull be true, and this doctrine of the " general Reitoration, which this man holds up, " almoll alone, mud be falle." Mlnijler. I am very far from pretending to be wifer than any that have gone before me ; and as for this doctrine of the Reitoration it was not only believed and preached by the apodles, but many of the ancient lathers who lived in the fir ft ages of Chriltianity, were bold witnefTes for this glori- ous truth. It is true that when the Church of Rome role to fupreme power, the Popes and Coun- cils endeavoured to extirpate the merciful doffers S 2 (as 132 DIALOGUES ON THE (as thofe who believed the general Reftoration, were called in derifion) and their adherents, but it was not until near the clofe of the feventh cen- tury, that they were able to filence the witnefles for this truth. This, (as well as many other precious truths) then lay hid until the reformation, when it began a little to revive, and hath gradually increafed ever fince. Several great authors have written upon it; many hundreds, and even thoufands have believed it, and found comfort and joy therein. Nay, there are many minifters who believe it now as firmly as 1 do, but do not chufe to confefs or preach it, for various reafons; and great numbers of private chriftians enjoy the comfort and happi- nefs of believing it fecretly. But put the cafe that I flood alone in this teftimony, yet if upon a fair examination, the Scriptures hold forth this idea, and if all objections againft it may be fully an- fwered ; why fhould my teftimony be refufed on the account of its Angularity ? God has an abfo- lute right to ufe what means or instruments he pleafes, to manifeft his truth, and to fulfil his pur- pofes ; and though I am nothing, and in his fight am lefs than nothing, yet he is able by the things that are not, to confound and bring to nought the things that are, that no flefh fhould glory in his prefence. 1 Cor. i. 28, 29. 1 acknowledge that the generality of minifters in the prefent day profefs to believe endlefs mifery, though they difagree in other points ; and indeed one reafon why they fall out fo much about other doctrines, is, becaufe they receive this as a firft principle, as is very obvious; for were thofe who. believe that Chrift died only for a part of man- kind, once to give up the idea of endlefs mifery, they would acknowledge the univerfality of the love of God, and confefs that Jefus died for all in |hefu!leftfenfe. Andontheotherhand, if thofe who believe UNIVERSAL RESTORATION. I33 believe in general redemption, were not fo exceed- ingly tenacious of the doctrine of endlefs mifery, they would not oppofc the dodtrine of election, nor hold that the will of God might be finally fruftrated, and that the death of Chriit mall be in vain, with refpect to many, and that many objects of the divine love (hall finally perifli to all eter- nity. Thefe inconfiftencies in their fentiments, and the contefts between them and thofe who hold partial redemption and falvation, are therefore chiefly, if not wholly owing to both parties being agreed in this molt dreadful dodtrine of endlefs mifery. It is beautiful to obferve the progrefHon of the glorious gofpel, from irs opening to our firft pa- rents in the garden down to the prelent day. I have fometimes mentioned, in public, that the more the gofpel is known and revealed, the larger and richer it appears. It firft feemed confined to one family or nation, but later difcoveries mewed that all nations had a part therein, and all forts of people weredefigned to fhare in its bleffings: now the glorious news be- gins to be publilhed abroad, not only that all na- tions, and all forts of people, but all perfons and - individuals, without exception, not only may par- take of its benefits, but Jhall in due time enjoy great advantages thereby. God always adapts his remedies to the evils that prevail in the world ; and therefore he hath opened his counfels to men according to their dirrerenc capacities, needs, and circumirances. Chriftia- nity might, formerly, have been received and fin- cerelypradtifed, without being inveftigated at all; but when infidelity rjfesupand attacks it, as it doe^ in this our age, it becomes the duty of its friends to defend it, by enquiring into its meaning; and laying all prejudices afide, to receive as truth thofe things I $4 DIALOGUES ON THE things which God hath revealed, and the fame to vindicate before the world. It might not formerly have been neceffary to underftand all the prophecies ; and yet now, as the time of their fulfilment draws nigh, they may become more important, be more ftudied, and better underftood ; and for this purpofe, God may actually illuminate the minds of fome, to fet them forth in a more rational, fcriptural, confident man- ner, than they have appeared in hitherto. And if it mould pleafe God to make any ufe of my tongue or pen for this great purpofe, the glory (hall be all afcribed to his name, to whom alone it is due ; I (hall have nothing to glory or boaft of, forafmuch as I can only communicate what I receive; and I hope none will refufe to receive the truth, how- ever weak or unworthy the instrument by which God may pleafe to fend it. Friend. If this is the truth which you hold forth, however contrary to the commonly received opi- nions of the age, I fee no reafon why men mould refufe to hear what you have to fay; but I have heard many exclaim againft you in the fevered manner : and declare that they would not hear you, nor read your writings on any account: and others have faid, that they could confute and over- throw your whole fyftem in ten minutes, but whe- ther they would be able to make their words good if they mould enter the lifts with you is another mat- ter, and cannot be determined till a fair trial. Minifter. I can allure you my friend . that I mould not have the leaft objedion to their mak- ing the attempt; for though I am confcious that neither my natural nor acquired abilities, are wor- thy to be compared to thofe of many excellent charaders who hold the contrary fentiments : yet the goodnefs of the caufe in which I am engaged, infpires me with courage to attempt its vindica- tion, let who will enter the lifts with me. For when UNIVERSAL RESTORATION. l^S when the evidence of this moft glorious truth firft began to appear to my mind, I was determined never to believe or profefs it, until I could an- fwer every objection that could be brought from the Scriptures againft it, fairly, and without any torturing or twilling the words of truth; and it pleaied God (o to open matters to my view, as to take every objection out of my mind, and to clear up every doubt, in fuch a manner, that I have full fatisfaction : And I can fafely fay, in the fear of God, that I am fo far from being offended with thofe who queftion me upon the matter, and thereby give me an opportunity of anfwering for myfelf, that I take it as an act of kindnefs ; and as I (land ready to be reproved wherein I am out of the way, fo 1 fhall thank the perfon who, in the fpirit of love, convinces me of error : " Let the " righteous finite me; it (hall be a kindnefs : and " let them reprove me; it thall be an excellent •* oil, which (hall not break my head." But let not the man who would write, dip his pen in gall ; nor he that would converfe, make his tongue as a lharp fword: but " Let all bitternefs, " and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil- 14 fpeaking, be put away from you, with all ma- * ; lice; and be ye kind one to another, tender - " hearted, forgiving one another, even as God, " for Chi id's Take, hath forgiven you. Put on, " therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, " bowels of mercies, kindnefs, humblenels or 11 mind, meeknefs, long- differing ; forbearing one " another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel againit any ; even as Chnlt tor- gave you, fo alio do ye. And, above all things, put on charity, which is the bond of perfect nefs, ?' And let the peace of G<>d rule in your hearts." Thefe are the tempers of mind we ought always to poilefs ; and efpecially, when we difcourie upon • things of the kingdom of God. Frknd. n a a 136 DIALOGUES ON THE Friend. I have the fame defires that you cx~ prefs ; and 1 think it is to the Ihame of human nature, and a reproach to the innocent caufe of Chriftianity, that religious diipntes have been car- ried on with fuch amazing bitternefs and acrimo- ny. Men Teem frequently to forget that they are brethren; and that they muft all ftarid before the judgment- feat of Chrift. If they remembered thefe things, as they ought, they would not revile, cen- fure, judge, and condemn each other, as they do : From which evil practices may the good Lord preferve us, while we debate this very important fubject ; for though I am determined tourge every thing that I can with propriety, in the ftrongeit manner that 1 am able, yet I am willing to ftipu- late on my part, that if I mould ufe any reproach- ful or cenforious language in the remainder of the debate, I will give you leave to confider it as to- tally giving up the caufe in which I am engaged. Minifter. And I hereby promiie the fame : for I am determined never to write a page of contro- verfy, unlefs it can be written in the very fpirit of love and true benevolence, with a iincere defire to find and embrace the truth. The want of this in mod controversial writer?, has made ferious people fo weary of controverfy, that they will neither read nor hear it on any ac- count: nor can I wonder at it, for fuch bitternefs tends entirely to root out the fpirit of true religion. Friend. I hope we mall (hew an example to mankind, how difputes ought to be carried on: in love, and in the fear of God, and tor the pur- pofe of mutual edification. But as our prefenf dilcourfe Ins been long and very important, I will take my leave of you for this time, hoping at a future opportunity to have more convertation with you on this fo intereftinga iuhjeet. LXD OF THE THIRD DIALOGUE. DIALOGUES ON THE I37 DIALOGUE IV. Friend. T AM happy to have another opportu- __£ nity of difcourfing with you, concern- ing that point in which you differ from your bre- thren, the final Reftoration of alj things. I have thought much of the fubject lince I law you;, and though I muff, acknowledge, that you have an- fwered, as far as I can fee, lb me of the greateit objections that I have found in the Scriptures ; yet a considerable number remain to be aniwered, before I can venture to receive as a truth, what I have hitherto looked upon as a dangerous hercjy; and as I have many queftions' to propofe, I wifh to make the belt ufe of my time. Minifter, Propofe your objections, as freely as you pleafe ; and I will endeavour to anfwer them as briefly, and at the fame time as plainly as poffi- ble. Friend. Christ threatens the Jews with an eter- nal exclulion from his prefence : " Ye fhall feck " me, and fhall not find me; and where I am, thi- " ther ye cannot come," St. John, yii. 34. " Then laid Jesus again unto them, I go my way, ic and ye fhall leek me, and fhall die in your fins : " whither i go, ye cannot come. Ye are from be- " neath, 1 am from above : ye are of this world, " 1 am not of this world. 1 laid therefore unto i( you, Thatye fhall die in your fins : for if ye be- " lieve not that 1 am he, ye Qiall die in your iins," St. John, viii. 21, 23, 24. Minifter. Do you recoiled that our Lo"D ufes T words I38 UNIVERSAL RESTORATION. words nearly fimilar to fome of thefe, to his own difciples? Friend. No, indeed ; I do not remember any fuch like expreffioos ufcd to them : Can you fhew them to me ? Minifier. If T do, will you acknowledge the force of the objection to be removed ? > Friend. Certainly, I muft. Minifier. Then read St. John, xiii. 33. iC Lit- " tie children, yet a little while I am with you. " Ye (hall feek me, and, as I laid unto the Jews, iC Whither I go, ye cannot come; fo now I lay " unto you." Friend. I am furprized that I fhould never have obferved this before — Let me read the paliage — Oh ! but flop — it is explained in the 36th veife : " Simon Peter faid unto him, Lord, whither " goeft thou ? Jesus anfwered him, Whither I t{ 2:0, thou cantt not follow me now: but thou iC (halt follow me afterwards." But nothing of the kind is intimated reipecting the Jews. Minijler. Not in that text, I confefs ; but in. many others it is more than intimated, that they ihall come to know and love him, yea, and to be- hold him as their friend. I think, it is intimated in thofe words which our Saviour ufed, in the clofe of his threatenings to Jerufalem : — " Be- " hold, your houfe is left unto you defolate : a.id " verily I fay unto you, Ye ihall not fee me hence- " forth, until the time come when ye {hall fay, " Blelled is he that cometh in the name of the " Lord," St. Matth. xxiii. 38, 39. St. Luke, xiii. 3 c. It is more than intimated in thefe words — " And fo all Ifrael (hall be laved. For ir God hath concluded them all in unbelief, that u he might have mercy upon all," Rom. xi. 26, 32. " In Jehovah Ihall all the feed of Ifrael be *' juftified, and Ihall glory," llai. xlv. 25. " I wi it (( UNIVERSAL RESTORATION. 139 i{ will call them My people, who were not my " people; and her Beloved, that was not beloved. " And it lhall come to pais, that in the place " where it was faid unto them, Ye are not my peo- ple, there lhall they be called, The children of the living God," Rom. ix. 25, 26. " Now will " I bring again the captivity of Jacobs and have " mercy upon the whole houfe of Ifrael: I have ff gathered them unto their own land, and have " left none of them," Ezek. xxxix. 25, 28. " And I will multiply men upon you, (the moun- " tains of Ifrael) all the Houfe of Ifrael, even all — " And they Iha.ll be all taught of God. Every " man therefore, that hath heard, and hath learned " of the Father, cometh unto me," St. John, vi. 45. — If all mall be taught of God; and all that are taught, mall come to Chrijt ; and none that come to him (hall be caft out or rejected; if all theie premifes are true (and, I think, they are fully proved); how very naturally the concluilon fol- lows, viz. that all (hall be finally brought home to God, before thrift lhall refigri the kingdom to the Fzthc): Our blefTed Lord is inverted with power fuffi- cient to perform this work : It is the will of God that it mould be done ; Chrift came into the world on purpofe to begin, and lay a foundation for the fame ; he hath laid a fufficient foundation, by tail- ing death for all ; onedied for all ;\\c gave himfelf a ranfom for ail, to be teftincd in due time ; and he jfeemed confident that he ihould be able to accom- pliih this will of the Father, when he faid, " And " I, if 1 be lilted up from the earth, will draw all l( unto me," St. John, xii. 32. He zvas lifted up from the earth, and therefore the 1? is now no more ; he will certainly draw all unto himfelf, and give eternal life, or the knowledge of God to all. lie jhall jee of the travail oj his foul, and be jatisfied : U And 146 dialogues on the And who can conceive how much it will take to iatisfy the capacious foul of the Son of God> and efpecially after having borne fuch deadly pains for all? Thefe paffages, my friend, eftablilh my mind in the belief of the final univerfal Reftitution, be- yond all hefitation ; neverthelefs, I would not wifti to force your affent, were it in my power, but only to lay before you that evidence which has wrought upon me, and has brought me over, notwithstand- ing my education, prejudices, former fentiments, cuftom, the multitude, my intereft, my honour, and connections, were all againft it. Friend. I fuppofe you know the expofitions that are given by the generality of expositors upon all thefe texts ,• and it is a fad that thoufands and millions of great and good men have read them, many have preached from them, and yet never faw any thing like the univerfal Restoration contained in them; but if the doctrine be true, and be at all intended to be fet forth in the Scriptures, I muft fuppofe that the paffages you have mentioned, may allude to it ; but I have many objections yet to propofe, which mull be fairly anfwered before I can receive it. Mini/ler. I would choofe you fhould propofe every objection that you can, efpecially thole that may be brought from the facred page ; not only for your own fatisfaction, but left any mould be led to fuppofe that objections of the greateft force are purpofely kept back, becaufe no folid anfwers could be found ; whereas I am defirous of hearing; whatever can be fairly urged from the Scriptures againft this view, and make no doubt of being able to fhew, that all may be fully anfwered. Friend. What do you think of thofe paffages, where God is reprefented as fwearing in his wrath that unbelievers thall nor enter into his reft, which are found in Pfal. xcv. 11. Heb. iii. 11, i3, 19. Chap. UNIVERSAL RESTORATION. IA/ Chap. iv. 3, 6, compared with Numb. xiv. Do ihey not leem to cut off all hopes of the reftora- lion of thofe who die in their fins ? Minijler. By the reft that was promifed to the children oflfrael, which they forfeited by their un- belief, we muftunderftand the land of Canaan, and not the final date of happinefs. For who can fup- pofe, that out of more than fix hundred thoufand men, belides women, only two will be laved ? — and that even Mofes and Aaron, thofe faints of the Lord, will be loft among the reft ? For they, as well as others, entered not in; becaufe they be- lieved not God, to fanctify him before the congre- gation : (See Numb. xx. 12.) Only Caleb and Jojhita entered into that reft, for they followed the Lord fully: and they are typical of thole who mall follow the Lamb in all ages, fo as to obtain a part in the firjl refurre.8ion, over whom the le- cond death (hall have no power : they who are called, and cbofen, and faithful, and are evercomers, mall reign, with Qhriji on earth during the Milk- nium, which is the reft that was pointed out by the land of Canaan. Friend. Is it, indeed ? We have commonly underftoood that reft which the children of Ifrael had in the promifed land, as typical of Heaven and eternal felicity. Minlfter, This cannot be; fince it is evident that mighty wars were waged, and dreadful battles fought, thirty-one kings and kingdoms were con- quered and iubdued by Jothua and the Israelites, after they paffed over Jordan ; it was not a perfect reft, but only a type of that keeping of the fabbath which remains for the people of God, into which we are exhorted to enter ; which is the time when our Lord, after having; conquered the nations of the earth, mall reign for a thoufand years, before the fecond relurreclion ; but as many of the Ifraelites may be laved in the day of the Lord, whole car- U 2 cafes 34S DIALOGUES ON THE cafes fell in the wilderncfs ; fo, likewife, fliall the names of many be found in the book of life, at the general judgment, when the dead, fmall and great, (hall (land before God, who were not worthy to have a part in the firft refurrection. Thefe paffages, therefore, conclude ftrongly againft thofe hav- ing a part in the firft refurrection ; but nothing againft the final Reftoration, which is a ftate far beyond, and belongs to another difpenfation. Friend. This is quite a different comment from what I have ever heard before ; but allowing this objection to be anfwered, I have another in my mind, that appears very difficult, and I fhould be glad to know what you can fay upon it ; it is drawn from Ifaiah, xxvii. 11. " For it is a people of no " underftanding ; therefore he that made them " will not have. mercy en them, and he that form- " ed them will fhew them no favour." How can they ever be reft.ored, if God will not have mercy upon them, nor fhew them any favour ? Minifier. If we did not underftand thefe words, with fome limitation, it would be as difficult to re- concile them with other paffages of Scripture, as with the doctrine of the Reftoration ; but if we only limit the time, all is eafy ; " He fhali have " judgment without mercy, that hath fhewed no i( mercy;" neverthelefs it is added, i( but mercy " rejoiceth againft judgment," James ii. 13. The way I arifwer all thefe threatenings, and Ihevv them to be coniiftent with that boundlefs mercy of God, that is over all his works, is, to (hew, that both wrath and mercy have their feafon ; that anger endur- ctb but a moment, but that mercy endureth for ever ; which glorious declaration is expreffed more than forty times in the Scripture; and that God fre- quently threatens thegreateft judgments, and pro-, mifeth the greateft mercies, to the fame people and perfons. " Thus faith Jehovah, Thy bruife " is UNIVERSAL RESTORATION. I49 1 is incurable, and thy wound is grievous. There c is none to plead thy caufe, thatthbu may eft be 1 bound up : thou haft no healing medicines. f All thine lovers have forgotten thee: they feek * thee not; for I have wounded thee with the ' wound of an enemy, with the chaftifement of a ' cruel one, for the multitude of thy iniquity ; ' becaufe thy fins were increafed. Why cried 1 thou for thine affliction ? thy forrow is incuf- * able, for the multitude of thine iniquity : be- c caufe thy fins were increafed, I have done thefe ' things unto thee." Now, who would not think, from reading thefe words, that thefe people were in a mod hopelefs (late, beyond the reach of mercy ; and that it was in vain for them even to feek it ? — And yet the very next words fpeak a language directly contrary. " Therefore all they that de- ' vour thee, fhall be devoured, &c. For I will c reftore health unto thee, and I will heal thee of c thy wounds, faith Jehovah ; becaufe they called ( thee an Outcaft, faying, This is Zion, whom no c man feeketh after." See J'er. xxx. 12 — 17. I could juftify this obfervation by hundreds of paf- fages wherein God threatens his people with judg- ments the molt fevere, and declares — that his eye fhall not pity, nor his arm five ; that he will vifit their tranfgreiTions upon them, will utterly call: them off, and will not have companion upon them at all; and then fuch promifes of mercy break out as are fufficient to aftonilh every one with their greatnefs. But time would fail to quote them at large. God, by Hofea, fays, " I will no more t£ have mercy upon the houfe of Ifrael ; but I will *' utterly take them away. For ye are not my <{ people, and I will not be your God." And then immediately fays, fpeaking of a time to come, ♦' And it fhall come to pafs, that in the place where i( it was faid unto them, Ye are not my people, " there 150 DIALOGUES ON THE there it mall be faid unto them, cirine of the general re- jv.rreBion of the juft and unjuftj and a ltate of re- wards for the former, and punijhments for the latter, according to their works; and alio the JubjeSiion, final reconciliation, and rtr'muon of all- things in Christ, are all eXpreilly revealed, and are made the fubject of prophecies, ihreatenings, and pro- mifes; and are all truths, that cannot be over* X 2 thrown i ;6 .. DIALOGUES 01n T1IS 3 thrown by any reafonings, as they are plainly de- clared by God himfelf. The Scripture, in abundance of places, highly fecommends liberality j and, in the mod politive manner, alftlres the bounteous, that they ihall be bleffed : I need not recite pafTages to prove,. what is fo univerfally known and confefTed. Solomon, therefore, having given many excellent precepts to direct us in other matters, comes toexhortus to be bountiful and liberal, in diftribur^ng to theme- ceffities of others what God hath bleffed us withal 5 faying, " Caft thy bread upon the waters ; for " thou (halt rind it after many days. Give a por- ic tion to feven, and alfo to eight ; for thou know- '• eft not what evil (hall be upon the earth. If 44 the clouds be full of rain, they empty them- ** felves upon the earth : and if the tree fall to- " ward the fouth, or toVvard the north 3 in the " place where the tree falleth, there it fhall be." Thereby intimating to us, that as certainly as thefe plain common obfervations are true, (than which nothing can be more fo) lhall they who bellow libe- rally upon the poor and needy, be rewarded ; lince God has promifed, and he will perform : See, upon this fubjeft, Deut. xv. 10, n.— Pfal. xli. 1, 2, 3. cxii.— -Prov. xi. 24, 25, 26. xiv. 31. xix. 17. xxii. 9. — St. Matth. vi. 3, 4, x. 42. — St. Luke,_vi. 38. xii. 33. xiv. 12, 13, 14. — 2 Cor. viii. g.- — 1 Tim. vi. 17, 18, 19 — and many other places. Solomon then goes on upon the fame fubjeet, and intimates to us, by twoftriking metaphors, that if we wait till no difficulties appear in our way to hin- der us from performing our duty, we (hall never reap the bleding ; and after giving us to under- ftand, that God has many fecret ways of work^ ing, far above our comprehenfion, and can there- fore blefs and reward us in many ways que of our own ■UNIVERSAL R-ESTOBATI-ON. ttf own fight, or the view of others, and yet.no lefs certainly than children are conceived, nouriihed, and receive life in' the womb, though we know not how; he comes to-giveusa warm and prefling ex- hortation, -to' be confront in doing good to all, ac- cording to our power; and to be fo far from con- cluding that to be loft that we thus beftow, that ■Me- ought to confider alms as feed fown in a fruit- ful foil, and fhould, with patience, wait for the glorious harveft, when, through the divine blef- fing, we may expect to reap an hundred fold. All this is plain and eafy : But how any text ia this beautiful chain, mould ever have been thought to have any allufion to the Hate of fouls departed, or brought as a proof that no alteration can take place after death, I cannot conceive. But, allow- ing it to have any relation at all to a future ftate, it cannot then in the leaft difprove, that very ma- terial changes may happen to fouls in the fpiritual world; fince a tree cut down by its owner, lies not long in the fame pofition in which it falls, but is applied to various ufes, according to its fitnefs and his pleafure. But as this is nothing to the purpofe, I think I have taken too much pains here already; and 1 fhould have faid 'little or nothing upon this part of the obje&ion, were it not continually urged, as though the whole controverfy turned and 1 ter- minated upon this allufion, than which, nothing feems farther from the meaning of the text; which, in its true ienfe, appears to be this — That as certainly as full clouds mull empty them- felves upon the terraqueous globe, and that every thing is what if is, and i»heri it is, and no where elfe ; and as a tree falling to the fouth, does not fall and lie to the north; and', vice- verfa, fo, with the fame certainty, (hall liberality be bleftand rewarded. Friend. 1^3 DIALOGUES ON THE Fr'und. I have nothing to object to what you have faid upon the text ; it appears natural. I formerly thought it intended, that as perfons were laid in the grave, lb they Ihould rile, and that there could be no change after death ; but I am fully- convinced, that this belongs not to the fubjed. But there is another pallage, in the book of Ec- clefiafles, (chap. ix. 4, 5, 6.) that I Ihould be glad to hear your opinion of: " For to him that is 1 joined to all the living, there is hope; for a ' living dog is better than a dead lion. For the ' living know, that they muft die : but the dead * know not any thing, neither have they any K more a reward; for the memory of them is for- ' gotten. Alio, their love, and their hatred, and ' their envy, is now periJhed .- neither have they c any more a portion for ever, in any thing that ' is done under the fun." Mlnijler. It is evident that the wife man, in this and many other of his obfervations, only confider- ed things with refpect to the preient life, without any regard to a future ftate. In this view, his de- clarations are consent with truth; but in no other. Let the following Gp rve - iS a fpecimen :— " No man knowech either love or hatred, by all " that is before them. All things come alike to ' c all; there is one event to pie righteous and to ' c the wicked ; to the good, and to the clean, and '■ to the unclean; to him that iaciiriceth, and to him that facriheeth not; as is the good, lo is the finner; and he that fweareth, as he that feareth an oath ; " ver. 1, 2. : Nothing could poffibly be more faife than thefe obfervations, ap- plied to a future fine, though they are generally true in this life; for if there are no"' future rewards and punilhments, no Hate of retribution hereafter, there is an end to all religion. But he does not finally UNIVERSAL RESTORATION. I 59 finally leave the matter fo ; but makes a mod ex- cellent conclusion to this book; laying — " Let us hear the conclufion of the whole mat- " ter : Fear {or revere) God, and keep his com* " mandments : for this is the whole duty of man. * i For God lhall bring every workintojudgmenr, Cloathed himfelf with curfing, like as with his 41 garment; fo fliall it come into his bowels like **> water, and like oil into his bones," Pfal.cix. 17, iS. Indeed he can have no hopes, when he con- fiders that he hath- neglected fo great a falvation all his life; that he hathfet at nought God's counfels, defpifed his reproofs: that when his Creator called to him to turn, he had no ears to hear his voice; and therefore, when forrow fhall overtake, though he may cry, he fliall not be regarded of God : and though he may feek, he fhall not find 5 the Matter of the houfe having rifen up, and (hut to the door, all knocking for entrance is in Vain, even though fuch were to plead for admittance in the moftearneft manner, faying, " Lord, Lord, open to us;" he fhall anfwer, " I know you not whence you are ;* and though they may reiterate, and expoftulate, faying, " We have eaten and " drank in thy pfefence, and thou haft taught in " our ftreets ;*> he fhall not be moved, but fhall fay to them, *' I tell you, I know you not whence you are ; depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity. " There fhall be weeping, and gnafhing of teeth, •• when they fliall fee Abraham, and Ifaac, and " Jacob, and all the prophets, in the kingdom of " God, and they themfelves thruft out." St. Luke, xiii. 25, 26, 27, 28. See alfo, St. Matth. vii. 21, 22, 23, xxv. 11, 1 a. Mimjler. Thele are awful warnings, indeed; and were they attended to as they ought to be, would bo furhcient, one would think, to deter men from their evil ways : 1 am glad that you have dated them in this m oft ftri king point of light ; UNIVERSAL RESTORATION. 165 light ; for though they form no real objection to my views of God's dealing with m?n, as I under - ftand the Scriptures, they are an infuperable bar to the opinions of thofe who deny a future (late o( retribution, which I think impomble for them to anfwer fairly. I (hall, however, notice briefly, fome things in this collection of Scriptures, in or- der that my fentiments may appear in their true light. 1. All the hopes of the wicked, ungodly, and hypocrites, mall periih at their death. Perhaps they hoped to have lived long, to have enjoyed health, wealth, pleafure, and all worldly good, for many years ; to have feen their children for many generations, flourilhing *or a long time on earth; but death deftroys thefe hopes. The hypocrites might have hoped that they (hould have been accepted with God, on the ac- count of their birth, parentage, profeffton, rank among the people of God, obfervation of the ex- ternals of religion, &c. &c. all of which vain hopes do certainly perifh at death. The profane and wicked infidel, and practical atheift, might have hoped, either fo have ceafed to exift, or to have found fome way of efcaping the threatened punifhment ; but death deftroys thefe hopes alfo. 2. Whatever may be the final intention of God towards thefe miferable creatures, it is evident they are (hut up in a ftate of keen tormenting defpair, or dreadful fufpenfe, and may be fully perfuaded that they fhall never be releafed, of which it is likely they may not have even the moftdiftant hope, or the lead degree of knowledge — but, on the con- trary, be in fearful expectation of more terrible punifhment hereafter. 3. As they have lived and died in fin, their de- ftruction, or mifery, is certain — and there is no Y 2 remedy, :o4 DIALOGUXS ON THE remedy, that can prevent their experiencing the confequences of their crimes, and fuffering the juft punilhment. which (hall be infli&ed on them, according to their different deferts. 4. They who live and .die in rebellion againft God, will be eternally deprived of the glories and honours of the kingdom of Chrift, which other- wife they might have poffefled; will be excluded from a fhare in the firft refurreition, and will he expofed to fufTer the torments of the fecond death; which all mud inevitably fufTer, who remain in~ corrigible till the great day of judgment. 5. As God hath called, and they have refufed, it is but reafonable to fuppofe, that they, in their turn, fhall cry in vain; yet neverthelefs, though he may long delay, he may hear their cries, and deliver them at laft. See Pfal. cvii. 13, 14, 15, 16, David, in Pfalm xxxivth fays, " The face of «' Jehovah is againft them that do evil, to cut off (i the remembrance of them from the earth." Our tranilators not underftanding, or not entertaining an idea of the future Reftoration, add, i( The ?c righteous cry, and Jehovah heareth, and deli- " vereth them out of all their troubles." Whereas the Holy Ghoft has put no fuch words as the righteous into the text there; but after faying 5 that the face of Jehovah is againft them that do evil, to deftroy them out of the world, and to make them forgotten, and their names to ceafe upon the •earth, it adds a word that fignifies crying, and then fays, " And Jehovah heareth, and delivereth V them out of all their troubles :" See ver. 16, 17, This feems, indeed, like the doctrine of the Bible, which elfewhere fays, fpeaking of the notoriously wicked; " O my God, make them like a wheel : •" as the flubble before the wind. As the fire al- moft all things do the Tame. Thus, water, with a little fait in it, will caufe putrefaction, much fooner than perfectly freih water; but let it be faturated with fait, and it will preserve bodies that are caft therein. A little fait call on the earth is good ma- nure, and caufes fruitfulnefs ; but a greater quan- tity produces the contrary effect, by caufing bar- rennefs. A little wine refrelhes, cheers, invigo- rates ; but, taken to excel?, ftupifies and intoxi- cates. And, to mention no more inflances, a lit- tle fmattering of knowledge puffs up the mind; but a greater degree, humbles and brings it down : From whence, 11 Drink deep, or nei\er tafie the fpring" Friend. But let meaiyou : When you view the rniierable ftate of fallen men, the inveterate obfti- nacy of their wills, the total areriion that many have to God and goodnefs, their confirmed habits Z of 1 7° DIALOGUES ON THE of evil, their amazing love of vice, their opposi- tion to every method taken to reclaim them, and a thoufand other dreadful circumftances, which you muft have obferved ; are you not ready to defc pair of their recovery ? not for any want of good- nefs in God, but through their total incapacity of ever being made better. Minijlcr. I muftconfefs, this obiedion has great weight; and I have often been ready to gl\% up my own falvation, on account of the evils of my own heart, which fometimes rife, and prevail in fueli a manner, as almoft drives me to defpain and I can find no relief, but by flying to Jefus, as my only refuse, and trufting in his promifes : And the caie is the fame with refpect to the Kertora- tion of all men. My weak reafon tells me, that it cannot be; that it is abfolutely impomble, that lach hardened rebels can be fo changed to eter- nity, as to become willing and obedient fubjech : but when faith prevails, it informs me, that the things which are impomble with men, are pofiibk with God ; that nothing is too hard for Jekov ah ; and that he hath faid— « Behold, I am Jehovah, " the God of all flefh : is there any thing too " hard for me?" Jer. xxxii. 27. And the exam- pie of Abraham has often proved a great fupport to me in this cafe; « who, againft hope, believed ^ in hope, that he might become the father of *| many nations } according to that which was " ipoken, So fhall thy feed be: and being not weak in faith, he confidered not" the impedi- ments, which, to the eye of reafon, rendered the accomplifhrnent of the promifes improbable, if not impomble. « He daggered not at the promife of God, through unbelief; but was itrong in • faith, giving glory to God : And being fully perfuaded that what he had promifed, he was * able to perform," Rom. iv. 18, 19, 20, 21, This UNIVERSAL RESTORATION. JJl ,11 -I This is the Only way I anfwer this objection to my own fadsfaction — God hath fworn, that to him every knee fhall bow, every tongue mall fwear, Ifai. xlv. 23. — That in the name ofjefits, every knee (hall bow, of things in heaven, things on earth, and things under the earth ; and that every tongue (hall confefs, that Jcfus Ckrijl is Lord, to the glory of God the Father •, Phil, ii. 10, 1 1 . That it is the myftery of his will, according to his good pleafure, which he hath purpofed in himfelf, in the difpenfation of the fulncfs of times, to gather to- gether, or rehead, in one, all things in Chrijl ; both which are in heaven, and which are on earth ; even in him, Ephef. i. 9, io»— And having made peace through the blood of his crofs, he is determined to reconcile all things unto himfelf; whether things in heaven, or things on earth, Col. i. 20. — That he worketh all things after the counfel of his own will, Ephef. i. 1 1. — That he will have all men to be faved, or reftored, and to come unto the know- ledge of the truth, t. Tim. ii. 6. — That the Father loveth the Son, and hath given all things into his hands, St. John, iii. 35. — And that Chrijl hath laid, " All that the Father giveth me, mail come " unto me ; and him that cometh unto me, 1 will " in no wife craft out," St. John, vi. 37. — When I confider thefe, and many fuch like promifes, which I find in the Scriptures; and that he that hath promifed, is able to perform; hath wifdom, power, and goodnefs, fufricient to accomplifh all his words, how difficult or impoflible foever the matter may feem, to our carnal, vain, and weak, reafoning; I call the whole of my concern upon him; judging, that he is faithful who hath pro- mifed, and that, in his own time, he will fulfil all his purpofes, and all his promifes. But I con- fefs to you, that it requires a faith, if pofiible, more ilrong than that of Abraham, to believe the doc- Z 2 trine 172 Dialogues on ths trine of the Reftoraticn ftedfaftly, in the midft of fo much evil as prevails in the world, and which feems to render it impoffible: But my only hope is in God. But, to encourage us the more, there are not only promifes of what God will do, but examples of what he hath done, recorded in Scripture; as the cafes of ManaJJeh, Nebuchadnezzar, Alary Mag- .daletiy Saul, and many of the murderers of our .Lord, priefts, and even Pharifees, are left on re- cord, as patterns of God's long-fuffering, power, mercy, and love. — And I would advife thofe Chrif- tians that doubt of the univerfal Reconciliation of all things, to remember St. Paul's words to the • Coloffians, on this fubjea, chap. i. 21. " And " you that were fome time alienated, and enemies " in your mind, by wicked works, yet now hath he ." reconciled;" as a proof and example of his power to reconcile all things. Let all remember their own flubbornnefs ; and then, inftead of re- viling and deriding a truth which God has reveal- ed, they will adore him, of whom, through whom, and to whom, are all things; who " doeth ac- " cording to his will in the army cf heaven, and M among the inhabitants of the earth ; and none " can ftay his hand, or fay unto him, What doeft imou ?" Ron. xi. 36. Dan. iv. 35. Friend. But allowing that God has power to change the hearts of the vileft of men, is not the exercile of that power evidently limited ? for I find ij^writtcn in Rev. xxii. 1 1. — " He that is nnjuft, ''' let him be unjuft {till; and he that is filthy, let V him be filthy ilili: and he that is righteous, let