In the year 602, Phocas, a Chalcedonian noble, seized on the Empire of the East, having murdered the Emperor Maurice and his children, and became by murder and usurpation an Emperor. And in this reign, Boniface III. was elected Pope of Rome, A. D. 610. Among his first acts, was that of forming a league with Phocas, by which he succeeded in obtaining an Edict from this Emperor, declaring the superiority of Popes over Patriarchs! By this unholy decree, the Eastern and Ancient Church of Primitive Christians, were made subject to the Western and more modern; and the Patriarchal power and authority in the Church, to bow with submission to the Papal! Some of the effects of this superiority may be seen in Miss Adams' Dictionary of All Religions-Art. "Syrian Christians." In the annals of Baronius, the chief Romish Ecclesiastical Historian,* there is inserted in due form the Letter of Justinian, to John, the Archbishop of Rome and Patriarch, declaring him the "Head of all the Holy Churches"-"subjecting and uniting in him all the Priests of the whole East." This happened in the sixth century, that is, A. D. 533. And hence, the grant of Phocas to Boniface, above alluded to, is found to be, in its fullest sense, nothing more than a confirmation of the grant of Justinian, with the view of securing the sanction of the Western Church on his usurpation.† The advocates for Universal Redemption nevertheless continued in the enjoyment of their faith, and were more or less numerous in different parts of Europe and the East, to the Period of the Crusades. Previous to which, however, that is, in the latter part of the seventh century, a schism between the Greek and Latin Churches, took place, and continued to exist; and their refusal to submit longer to the usurped authority of Popes, down to the thirteenth century, has been, with some exceptions, continued to this age.‡

* Vol. vii. pp. 194, fol. Antwerpia. See also Croly on the Apocalypse, pp. 9; and again 114, 115, where the letter of Justinian is introduced at some length.

Ib. id. pp. 117.

The following sects are also Universalists: The Allenites, the

SECTION III.

Testimony of Modern Ecclesiastical Historians, and other Writers, in favor of this Doctrine.

The Ecclesiastical writers, to whose industry the Church of Universalists are indebted for information concerning them, subsequent to the writings of the celebrated Dr. Mosheim, are chiefly Evans, Adams and Benedict. "Universalists, properly so called," says Mr. Evans, "are those who believe, that, as Christ died for all, so, before he shall have delivered up his mediatorial kingdom to the Father, all shall be brought to a participation of the benefits of his death, in their restoration to holiness and happiness. Their scheme includes a reconciliation of the tenets of Calvinism and Arminianism, by uniting the leading doctrines of both, as far as they are found in the Scriptures; from which union, they think the sentiment of Universal restoration naturally flows." Thus they reason:

"The Arminian proves from Scripture, that God is Love! that he is good to all; that his tender mercy is over all his works; that he gave his Son for the world, even for the whole world; and that God will have all men to be saved."

"The Calvinist proves also from Scripture that God is without variableness or shadow of turning; that his love, like himself, alters not; that the death of Christ will be efficacious to all for whom it was intended; that God will perform all his good pleasure; and that his Council shall stand."

"The union of these Scriptural principles is the final restoration of all men. Taking the principles of the Calvinists and Arminians separately, we find the former teaching, or, at least, inferring, that God doth not love all, but that he made the greater part of men to be endless

"Christo-Sacrum Society" at Delft; the Canonites; the Quakers, one sect of; the Halcyons; many of the French Hugonots; one sect of Chiliasts, or Millenarians; Leadleyans; Moravians; Philadel phians, and numerous others.

monuments of his wrath! The latter, declaring the love of God to all; but admitting his final failure of restoring the greater part. The God of the former, is great in power and wisdom; but deficient in goodness, and capricious in his conduct. Who that views such a character, can sincerely love it? The God of the latter, is exceeding good, but deficient in power and wisdom. Who can trust such a Being? If, therefore, both Calvinists and Arminians love and trust the Deity, it is not under the character which their several systems ascribe to him; but they are constrained to hide the imperfections which their views cast upon him, and boast of a God, of whose highest glory their several schemes will not admit."*

"The sentiment," says Miss Adams, "which has procured its professors this appellation, ('Universalists,') was embraced by Origen, in the third century, and in more modern times by the Chevalier Ramsay, Mr. Jer. White, Dr. Cheyne, Dr. Hartley, Dr. Newton, Bishop of Bristol, and many others. The plan of Universal Salvation, as exhibited by a late learned Divine, (Dr. Chauncey, of Boston, in America,) who, in his work entitled "the Salvation of all Men," has made several additions to the sentiments of the above mentioned authors, is as follows That the scheme of revelation has the happiness of all mankind lying at bottom, as its great and ultimate end; that it gradually tends to this end, and will not fail of its accomplishment, when fully completed. Some, in consequence of its operation, as conducted by the Son of God, will be disposed and enabled in this present state to make such improvements in virtue, (the only rational preparative for happiness,) as that they shall enter upon the enjoyment of it in the next state.

Others, who have proved incurable under the means which have been used with them in this state, instead of being happy in the next, will be awfully miserable; not to continue so finally, but that they may be convinced of

* Sketch of all Denominations, pp. 172, &c. Dictionary of all Religions-Art. Universalists.

their folly, and recovered to a virtuous frame of mind; and this will be the effect of the future torments upon many, the consequence whereof will be their salvation, after being thus fitted for it.”

"And there may be yet other states, before the scheme of God may be perfected, and mankind universally cured of their moral disorders; and in this way qualified for, and finally instated in eternal happiness. But, however many states, some individuals of the human species may pass through, and of however long continuance they may be, the whole is intended to subserve the grand design of Universal happiness, and will finally terminate in it, insomuch, that the Son of God, and Saviour of men, will not deliver up his trust into the hands of the Father, who committed it to him, till he has discharged his obligations in virtue of it; having finally fixed all men in Heaven, when God will be all in all." (1 Cor. xv. 28.)

A few of the arguments made use of in defence of this system, are as follow:-I, Christ died not for a select number of men only, but for mankind universally, and without exception or limitation. For the sacred writers are singularly emphatical in expressing this truth. They speak not only of Christ's " dying for us," "for our sins;' "for sinners," "for the ungodly," "for the unjust," but affirm in yet more extensive terms, that " He died for the world," for "the whole world"-that "he gave his life a ransom for all”– "his flesh for the life of the world," "that he is the propitiation for our sins, and not ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world," and a variety of other passages.

If Christ died for all, it is far more reasonable to believe, that the whole human kind, in consequence of his death, will finally be saved, than that the greatest part of them should perish. More honor is hereby reflected on God; greater virtue is attributed to the blood of Christ shed on the cross; and instead of dying in vain, as to any real good, which will finally be the event, with respect to the greatest part of mankind, he will be made to die for the best and noblest purposes, even the eternal

happiness of a whole world of intelligent and moral beings.

As our present limits, preclude the possibility of continuing the important remarks contained on this subject, we shall only notice the general propositions of Dr. CHAUNCEY, respectfully referring the interested reader to the work itself, or to the select passages of Miss ADAMS' interesting Dictionary.

II. It is the purpose of God, according to his good pleasure, that mankind universally, in consequence of the death of his son Jesus Christ shall certainly and finally be saved, see Rom. v. 12 to the end, viii. from 19 to 24th verses. Coloss. i. 19, 20, Ephes. i. 9, 10, 1 Tim. 2, 4, &c.

III. As a mean in order to men's being made meet for salvation, God will, sooner or later, in this state, or another, reduce them all under a willing and obedient subjection to his moral government, see 1 John, iii. 8. John, i. 29, Matth. i. 21, Psalms viii. 5, 6, as explained and argued from, Heb. ii. 6, 9, Philip. ii. 9, 11, 1 Corinth. xv. 24, 28, &c.

IV. The Scripture language concerning the reduced, or restored, in consequence of the mediatory interposition of Jesus Christ, is such as leads us to conclude, that it is comprehensive of all mankind universally. See Rev. v. 13, Acts iii. 19, 21, also the quotations contained in the first section of this Manual, entire.

Appended to this article, Miss ADAMS had introduced a few "of the arguments alledged to support the eternity of future punishment. The sacred Scriptures expressly declare, that the punishment of the finally impenitent, shall be eternal."* The texts which follow are quoted to prove this position:-Matth. xxv. 46, xviii. 8, 9. Mark ix. 45, 46. 2 Thess. i. 9. 2 Peter ii. 17. Jude 13. Rev. xiv. 11, xix. 3, xx. 10. Again, concerning the sin against the Holy Spirit: Matth. xii. 31, 32. Mark iii. 28,

*We inquire_can any remain “finally impenitent" after having been taught of God and brought into subjection to Christ, according to the solemn promises in the Gospel?-Reason replies in the negative,