judge! A doctrine which is unfavourable to the interefts of morality, by deftroying a fanction of the Divine law, has its origin infcribed upon its forehead in very legible characters.

Mr. Vidler affirms, "That judgment is a mediato. ❝rial work and founded upon the mercy of God in "Chrift."* Let judgment be founded upon what it may, it cannot be a mediatorial work, for that is a contradiction in terms. To judge, is to determine a cafe according to law. To mediate, is to endeavour to reconcile contending parties. It is therefore impoffible for a perfon to act in both thefe capacities, toward the fame individual, at the fame time, while he is mediating he cannot be judging, and while he is judging he cannot be mediating.

The proof that judgment is founded upon merey is given in thefe words, However judgment may be

fhewn without mercy during the proper age there"of, yet mercy fhall finally rejoice against judgment." I fuppofe Mr. V. wishes to be understood, that the fame perfons may have judgment without mercy, and afterwards find mercy. It is really aftonishing that a writer, in the fame paragraph, fhould venture on fo palpable an abfurdity: Judgment is founded on mercy, and yet judgment may be Sheron without mercy! If Mr. V. can reconcile fuch contradictions, he is qualified to prove, that darkness is light, and light darkness. I fuppofe he had an eye to James ii. 13. A little attention to the context will convince any unbiaffed mind that the Apoftle alludes to two forts of perfons. There is a 66 royal law" which the faints are under. It is defined in these terms,-"Thou shalt love thy "neighbour as thy thy felf." ver. 8. By this law they will be judged: "So fpeak ye, and fo do, as “they that shall be judged by the law of liberty," ver,

* Dialogues, Note, p. 77.

H

12.

66

12. Hence we gather that thofe who obey this law, by their acts of mercy, will find mercy in judgment, according to Matt. v. 7, Bleffed are the merciful, "for they hall obtain mercy." But the wicked, who have fhewed no mercy," shall have judgment "without mercy." This is clear and confiftent; but I have yet to learn, how thofe who have no judgment but what is in mercy, can notwithstanding have judg ment without mercy.

SECTION X.

On SUBJECTION to CHRIST.

ON Ifa. xlv. 23, Mr. Winchefter remarks, "Mind ❝ well, EVER Y TONGUE SHALL SWEAR.-Swearing "allegiance, as every civilian will tell you, implies "pardon, reception, and protection on the part of "the king, and a hearty renouncing of rebellion, "true fubjection, and willing obedience on the part "of the rebels."* Mr. W. has here taken for granted what ought to have been proved, namely, that to fwear to Chrift, intends fwearing allegiance. The following verfe is inconfiftent with fuch an interpretation : 66 Surely fall one fay, in the Lord have I "righteousness and ftrength: even to Him fhall 66 men come, and all that are incenfed against Him fhall be ashamed." If to fwear, in this paffage, denotes fwearing allegiance; and if fwearing allegiance, implies "a hearty renouncing of rebellion, &c." then the "all that are incenfed againft Him" will fwear hypocritically; for no man can willingly obey a fovereign, against whom he is incenfed.

66

2

Dialogues, p. 21, 22.

The

The Apoftle Paul alludes to this paffage in Rom. xiv. 10, 11, 12. Philip. ii. 9, 10, 11. Inftead of inferring from it an univerfal restoration, he quotes it, in the former paffage, as proving an univerfal judg ment: "We fhall all ftand before the judgment seat

of Chrift, For it is written, As I live, faith the "Lord, every knee fhall bow to me, and every tongue fhall confefs to God. So then every one of << us fhall giye account of himself to God." Philip. ii. 9, 10, 11, must be interpreted as referring to the fame event, to make the Apofle a confiftent writer; for if the words, Unto me every knee shall bow, and every tongue fhall froear, mean, Every one of us fhall give account of himself to God, they cannot poffibly refer to 66 willing obedience on the part of the rebels."

66

It is worthy of remark that, for the word fwcar, ufed by the Prophet, the Apoftle fubftitutes the word confefs. The confeffion will confift of two parts, 1. Every one will acknowledge the Lordship of Jefus, or His right to judge: "Every tongue fhall confefs that Jefus Chrift is Lord." No one will prefume to difpute the anthority of the court. 2. Every one fhall give account of his conduct. "Every tongue fhall confefs to God. So then, every one of us fhall give "account to God." It has been usual, in courts of judicature to put the parties upon their oath to fecure the truth of their teftimony. The Prophet alludes to this cuftom. He must not however be understood literally, but merely as fpeaking with a reference to the truth of the confeffions which men will make before the tribunal of God. No impofition will be prac tifed there! Thus the Prophet and the Apostle are reconciled, and the weak fubterfuge of the Univerfalifts is cut off.

But this confeffion, fays Mr. Winchefter, muft "imply a willing fubjection to the authority of the "Saviour, brought about by the operation of the H 2 "bleffed

.66

bleffed Spirit, becaufe no man can fay that Jefus is "the Lord but by the Holy Ghost."* The Devil confeffed, "I know Thee who Thou art.-The Holy "One of God." Did this confeffion "imply a willing "fubjection to the authority of the Saviour, brought about by the operation of the bleffed Spirit?" Why then to be fure the devil is already reftored!

"We afk," fays Mr. Vidler, "Are not the effects "of judgment here reprefented by every knee bowing "to the authority of Christ, and every tongue con66 feffing his government, fo that the Father fhall be "glorified?" + I anfwer in the negative, and demand proof, if any can be given, of the affirmative.

Mr. V. proceeds, "You feem to think that the refult of judgment will be only a forced fubmiffion to Chrift, and a forced confeffion of his name; if this be all, "it will reft with you to point out the glory which "is to arife to the Father from fuch conftraint."‡ That is very easily done. It is univerfally allowed to be the glory of a sovereign to adminifter justice to his fubjects with an impartial hand, fo that not one refractory rebel can efcape being brought to juftice and punishment, nor one faithful fubject lofe his reward. To fay that there is no glory in fuch a conduct because fome of the fubjects do not love their fovereign and his laws, is to make him accountable for their delinquencies, which is perfectly abfurd.

66

"St. Paul affures us," fays Mr. Winchester, that though all things without exception are put under "him" (Chrift) "in one fenfe; yet, in another he " fays, 'But now we fee not yet all things put under him.' But he leaves us not in the dark about the matter; but fpeaks of that effectual working 'whereby he is able, even to fubdue all things unto himself,'

* Dialogues, p. 22.

+ God's love to his creatures, p. 19. lbid.

Phil.

Phil. iii. 21. “And when all things fhall be fubdued "unto himself, then fhall the Son alfo himself be "fubject unto him that put all things under him, that "God may be ALL IN ALL," 1 Cor. xv. 28. "Here we plainly find a very neceffary diftinction between things being put under him, and all things being 66 fubdued unto him; the former is already done in the "fulled manner: and the latter shall be as perfectly "and as fully accomplished in due time: Because the "creation itself fhall be delivered from the bondage "of corruption, into the glorious liberty of the chil"dren of God. For we know, that the whole crea"tion groaneth and travaileth in pain together until 66 now," Rom. viii. 21, 22.*

I admit Mr. W's. diftinétion and believe that Jefus Chrift will fubdue all things unto himself; but how does the univerfal reftoration follow ? When a So

vereign has fubdued his rebellious fubjects, are we to understand by it, that all of them are restored to favour, and that not one of them can be fuffering in an exemplary manner? The connexion of 1 Cor. xv. 28, will fhew that by, All things jhall be fubdued unto Him, is not meant, All things Jhall be restored by Him; for in ver 25 we read "He muft reign till He hath put all enemies under His feet." This then is included in all things being fubdued unto Him. But there would be as much propriety in fuppofing, that when a criminal, with a rope about his neck, is brought to the gallows, that he will certainly be reftored to civil fociety, as to fuppofe, that when an enemy is under the feet of a conqueror, he must be reftored to favour. The Apoftle here undoubtedly alludes to the cuftom of conquerors treading upon the necks of their enemies. The captains of Joshua put their feet upon the necks of the five kingswhom they had fabdued; but this was preparatory to

Dialogues, p. 42;

their