charge which you brought against them; but from circumstances which had taken place in conference, it was generally understood, that thofe who believe the doctrine of The reftitution of all things which God bath spoken of by all his holy Prophets, were the perfons alluded to; and it was evident enough to every attentive obferver, that the greater part of your numerous audience, devoutly believed your unproved affertion concerning the Univerfalifts; to be true. I need not expoftulate with you, Sir, on the injustice of public and unproved criminations of any body of christians. The treatment which that numerous and respectable body, among whom you rank, has met with, has exhibited many inftances of fuch injuftice, to which, as a body, you have always risen superior; and I trust always will.

You will judge, Sir, of the feelings of my mind when having this before my eyes; I heard you bring the charge above fpecified against the Universalists. Alas! what a pity it is, that experience doth not always make us wife and candid. I do not apprehend it will be understood that I am blaming you for freely expreffing your belief of the eternal duration of future mifery; no, you have an undoubted right to exprefs your belief of that doctrine, or any other,, which upon examination you judge to be true. But to me it has always appeared neceffary, in speaking, to instruct an audience, to give my reafons for condemning any fentiment held by others. Had you, Sir, done fo, it

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is more than probable that I should not have troubled you, or the public with this addrefs.

Upon reflection on your affertion the following things ftrike me forcibly ;

1. That you meant to mifreprefent the fentiments of thofe chriftians that believe God's univerfal and efficacious love to his creatures, in order to deter the people in your connection from inquiring about it; therefore you took upon you to fay, that we put bell fire in the place of the blood of Christ, as the most likely method to excite their abhorrence against the Universal doctrine; but as this view of the fubject bears rather hard upon the purity of your intentions, I am willing to think that I am mistaken; and that,

2dly. You were intirely unacquainted with the fen timents of the Univerfalifts. But, that as thofe fentiments had already made fome progress in your focieties, you judged it neceffary to arreft their progress by fome means, and upon a review of the great bleffing which has attended the Methodist preachers for many years, you haftily concluded; that you had among you the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth; and that confequently, the Universalifts must greatly err; and therefore, in the zeal of your heart you brought the charge against them.

3dly. There is a view which I would prefer to either of the others, if I could find fufficient reason to fupport

fupport it, viz. That you were really well acquainted with the Universal doctrine, and that notwithstanding you had attentively confidered the Scriptures, and arguments by which the friends of that doctrine have fupported their views; yet you ftill thought them wrong, and therefore bore your honeft teftimony against what you fuppofed to be an error; but if this had been your cafe, I am perfuaded, you would have reasoned, not declaimed; you would have fhewn meeknefs, not difpleafure. For I have always obferved, that a fober inquiry into the views of those who differ from us in fentiment, tends greatly to humble us in our own fight, and if it does not convince us that our opponent is right, yet it generally convinces us, that we have not monopolized the whole of wisdom and truth to ourselves; and fuch a conviction is always followed with moderation.

Under a perfuafion in my own mind, that you are unacquainted with the people whom you have reprefented as putting hell fire in the place of the blood of Christ, give me leave, with great good-will to yourfelf and brethren, to inform both you and them better, which I fhall do, by fhewing what are my views of future punishment; and fhewing the harmony of those views with the doctrine of atonement.

1. I am firmly perfuaded of the reality of future punishment to all those who die without the obedience of faith to the Gofpel of our Lord Jefus Chrift; For

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he that believeth not shall be damned.' Mark xvi. 16. And the unbelieving fhall have their portion in the lake that burneth with fire and brimftone.' Rev. xxi. 8.

2. I believe, that future punishment will be not the fovereign effect of God's ordination and appointment towards any of the fons of men, but the effect or proper fruit of the perfonal fin of men: • For we must all stand before the judgment feat of Chrift to give an account of the things done in the flesh, according to that which every man hath done, whether it be good or evil.' ' 2 Cor. v. Io. And I will give to every one of you according to his works. Rev. xxii. 12.

3. I believe the awefulness of future punishment. It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God, for our God is a confuming fire.' Heb. x. 31, and Heb. xii. 29. Upon the wicked God will rain fire and brimftone, and an horrible tempest, this fhall be the portion of their cup.' And we read of everlasting shame and contempt for the wicked, the blackeft of darkness referved for them for ever; and it is faid of fome of them, they fhall have no reft day nor night;' which expreffions, I believe, refer to the different degrees of punishment which different characters will endure, fome having few stripes, and fome many.

4. But I do not believe that the future, punishment of any will be endlefs, for the following reafons:

FIRST.

FIRST. Because it is hard to conceive that God, who is love, ever made any man, but with the intention of making him finally holy and happy. I am perfuaded, that neither you, nor your brethren in the ministry, will ascribe any other motive to the Deity, in the creation of his intelligent and moral offspring, left you fall into that which among you, has emphatically been called the horrible decree. Now, if it be granted that God did purpose the good of men when he created them, then, to me it appears that ultimately his purpose will be accomplished. For he bath faid, he will perform all his pleasure, and his council shall stand. And, notwithstanding the fin of the creature may be fuch as to call for all his feverest dealings, yet ftill the divine purpofe ftands in all its force; for there is no variableness nor fhadow of turning with God.

You, it is prefumed, will acknowledge that the love of God continues towards men, while they are upon earth; and I, Sir, cannot help afking why should you confine the exercife of his goodness to the prefent state? The Scripture doth not feem to do fo, for it tells us that his mercy, his tender mercy is over all his works. Pfalm cxlv. 9.

Now, are not men his works, even when they are in hell, as really as they are when upon earth? For give me then if I believe that fuch is the fulness of divine love, that it will finally prevail over all the fins and all the mifery of men.

SECONDLY,