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world was, that he might put an end to fin, and deftroy it; we are bound to believe it; and to expect and rejoice in that happy period, when fin fhall be banished from the universe of God.

When Christ shall have effected the defign of his coming into the world, the deftruction of fin, there will be no oppofition left to the moral government of God; fin, or moral evil, being the only thing that ever did oppofe it. And, when moral evil fhall be extinguished, natural evil can no longer exift. And, when fin and suffering are thus extinct, all things will return into their natural courfe and order, and harmony and happiness will be univerfally restored. Thus the pernicious errorists, the Universalists, reason.

When, however, Mr. S. fhall prove, that the deftruction of fin is its eternal punishment; and the deftruction of the finner is his eternal mifery; we will fubmit. But fcriptures which speak of the deftruction of fin, and of the finner, whilft they are ftark nought for Mr. S. are a firm and fure fupport to the doctrine of univerfal falvation.

Mr. S. next refers to St. Paul's epiftles to the Theffalonians. He fays, that "from chapter iv. 13, to chapter v. 4," of the first epistle, "The apostle gives a defcription of the day of judgment." He expressly cites only chapter v. 1-4, of the first epiftle." But of the times and the feafons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you. felves know perfectly, that the day of the

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cometh as a thief in the night. For when they shalf fay, Peace and fafety, then fudden deftruction cometh, upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they fhall not escape. But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day fhould overtake you as a thief."

What if it be allowed, that St. Paul is here fpeaking of the day of judgment? it is an excellent paffage of fcripture, in favor of the deftruction of finners. And if finners shall not escape, we are only the more certain of their falvation. For if fin and finners, fhall certainly be deftroyed, then we are certain that the bleffed era will commence, when fin and finners fhall be no more. And, as there is no way revealed, in which the finner will be destroyed, but by being fubdued to a voluntary and cheerful submission, at the feet of Jefus, to the moral government of God; we long, and wish, and pray, that the blessed period may advance, when this univerfal deftruction of finners fhall be effected; even though it will, in millions of inftances, be wrought by fuffering a fecond death.

The next paffage is one we have already confidered, when we expounded the v. chapter of the epiftle to the Romans. It is 2Thef. i. 6-10, the only paffage, in all St. Paul's writings which Mr. S. has adduced, where the apoftle speaks of the duration of future punishment. But I need to say no more upon it; as no paffage of fcripture can ever be admit ted, as valid proof of endless punishment, when that proof

proof depends on the meaning of the word aioon ör aivonios, fince they are known to be equivocal words.

From the epiftles to the Theffalonians, Mr. S. returns to the epiftle to the Galatians, and cites a part of the 2i verfe of the v. chapter, where, after he had enumerated several vices, which he calls fruits of the flesh, the apostle closes thus, "as I have often told you in time past, that they which do such things, fhall not inherit the kingdom of God." But those, who are now unworthy of the kingdom of God, may hereafter be worthy.

From the epiftle to the Galatians, Mr. S. goes on to the epistle to the Ephefians. Mr. S. undertakes to tell us what was St. Paul's defign in this epistle to the Ephesians.

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Col. i. 26, 27.

One part of his defign, according to Mr. S. was to show that it was intended to unite Jews and Gentiles in one holy communion, and to destroy all the prejudices that formerly were in Jewish breafts against such a union. This, he tells us, is the myftery meant in Rom. xi. 25. xvi. 25. Chap. ii. 2. Mr. S. goes on to say, chief purpose of the epiftle to the to enlighten men in this subject, and teach them that Jefus Chrift is the head of all holy intelligences, in the universal kingdom of God. Of Gentiles as well as Jews; of Angels as well, as Gentiles; and that the whole holy church, of whatever rank or order of existence, would be gathered together as one

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in him. This is the mystery meant in Eph. i. g. iii. 3, 9. A view of this defign in the epistle, explains the univerfality of many expreffions which are ufed in it. Such as this; That in the difpenfation of the fulness of times, he might gather together in one, all things in Chrift, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth, even in bim. Chap. i. 10. The fubject," Mr. S. further adds, "muft explain the univerfality of expreffion; and the fubject is the gathering of all holy creatures under one head; and not the gathering of all finners into heaven,"

No rational, confiftent man ever thought of gatherering finners into heaven, whilft they remain innere and unholy. The grand thing contended for is that the time will come when, according to the glorious plan of redeeming and faving love, the whole race of Adam will be restored to virtue and holiness, and, in this way, to heaven and happiness. And this is the thing which Mr. S. ought to have kept constantly in view, and to have directed all his fcripture proof against this propofition only.

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We shall take the liberty to cite the whole paffage, in the 1ft chap. of Ephe. to which Mr. S. refers.

Ephe. i. 9, 10. "Having made, known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure, which he hath purposed in himself: That in the difpenfation of the fulness of times, e might gather together in one all things in Chrift, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth, even in him."

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In the difpenfation of the fulness of times. St. Paul, in his epiftle to the Galatians, chap. iv. 4, peaking of the coming of Chrift, fays, "But when the fulness of the time was come, God fent forth his Son." So here, in the difpenfation, economy, or adminiftration of times; meaning the times that are in the hands of Chrift, as mediator; the whole term of time for which the Father gave him all power in beaven and in earth. In this, or during this term of the adminiftration of mediatorial power and authority, this mystery of the divine will, according to his good pleasure, which he hath purpofed in himself, fhall be accomplished, and all things in heaven and earth fhall be gathered together in or by Chrift. To gather together in one, for all these words there is but one in Greek, anakephalaioofaftbai, which fignifies to bead again or rebead or reduce into one fum, or whole, a number of scattered and difunited parts. The apoftle could not eafily have felected a word from the Greek language, which would more fully have communicated his idea than this.

This apoftle, ever full of the great idea of a univérfal restoration by Chrift, hath used a variety of terms very expreffive of his meaning, but never, one which gave a more lively idea of it, than this.

By the introduction of moral, every fpecies of nat ural, evil was introduced. Things in the air, or atmosphere, or aerial heaven, as well as on earth, fell into diforder and wild confufion. The beafts, and birds, and fifh of the fea, the air and elements, all

feemed

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