SECONDLY. I cannot believe endless mifery, because of the univerfality of the death of Chrift. No people on earth think more highly of the death of Chrift than the Univerfalifts do, because they fuppofe its ef ficacy to be equal to its extent; herein I know that you differ from them, by fuppofing that thofe who die in fin will not be finally benefited by it. That it faves from hell all thofe who now believe and continue to the end, I most joyfully grant; but I have fuch a concep→ tion of the dignity of the perfon of Christ, and of the value which that dignity stamped upon his death, that I cannot fuppofe he died finally in vain for any. You acknowledge that he died for all men; but were not many men dead and damned before he made his foul an offering for fin? Now, if he died for all, he furely died even for those, who, before his appearance, had been configned to the prifon of hell for their fins; and if he died for them, furely it was that they might have fome benefit from his atonement; even though they had died in rebellion against God. This is not an argument taken from reafon merely, it is founded upon the Apostle's declaration to the Hebrews, ch. ix. ver. 15. He died for the redemption: of the tranfgreffions that were under the first testament.' I think, therefore, it behoves you, and your brethren, to acknowledge that the redemption of Christ reacheth even to hell; or to leave off talking of the univerfality of his atonement, and fay with the Calvinists, that he died only for the elect. In the prophecy of Zechariah, ch. 9. ver. 11. I find the Father B Father fpeaking thus to the Son. As for thee, also, by the blood of thy covenant, I have sent forth thy prifoners out of the pit, wherein is no water. I cannot help comparing this text with Luke, ch. xvi. ver. 24, where the wicked rich man is reprefented in hell without a drop of water to cool his tongue; and hence I infer that the blood of Chrift will finally quench the flames of hell, and procure the release of the wretched prifoners who are confined in that horrible pit. The Apostle to the Coloffians, ch. i. ver. 19, fays, It pleased the Father that in Christ should all fullness dwell. And, (having made peace by the blood of his cross) by him to reconcile all things to himself; by him, I fay, whether they be things in earth, or whether they be things in heaven.' Here I notice the following things: 1. That there is all fullness in Christ, for in him dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead, bodily. 2. That the Father's pleasure in giving this fullness to the Son, is, that by him he might reconcile all things to himlelf. 3. That left I should mistake, and by all things, fuppofe the Apostle to mean only a few things, (namely, fuch only as now believe) he enumerates, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven, thereby including all rational creatures. The Scripture mentions, only men and angels, on whom God hath beftowed rationality, among all the creatures that he hath formed; and they were made either in heaven or on earth, for he created created none in hell. Thefe are all to be reconciled to himself by Chrift Jefus; and, furely reconciliation cannot mean annihiliation; much lefs can it mean endless punishment. 4. This reconciliation is to be effected by the blood of the crofs, by which peace already made, and the great work is begun by the ministry of the glorious Gospel of the bleffed God. I, with the Apostle, believe this univerfal reconciliation; which, as it takes place in the partial inftances that occur upon earth, is effected by the blood of Chrift; fo the whole will be performed by the fame gracious medium. But may not the future punishment be a mean to humble the fouls of stubborn finners, that they may be brought to fubmit to the methods of grace? That affliction is ufed by the all-wife God for this purpofe, in the prefent world, is evident; and the experience of moft chriftians is fimilar to that of David, who faid, 'It is good for me that I have been afflicted, for before I was afflicted I went aftray, but now do I keep thy precepts.' Pfalm i. 19. And Jeremiah defcribes the benefit of afflictions thus, It is good for a man that he bear the yoke in his youth. He fitteth alone, and keepeth filence, because he hath borne it him. He putteth his mouth in the duft, if fo be there may be hope.. He giveth his cheek to him that fmiteth him; he is filled full with reproach. For the Lord will not cast off for ever: But though he cause grief, yet will he haye compaffion according to the multitude of his mercies. B 2 upon mercies. For he doth not afflict willingly, nor grieve the children of men.' Lam. iii. 27. 33. Therefore he doth it for their good. Paul to the Hebrews, chap. xii. ver. 9, 10, fpeaks to the fame purpose ; Furthermore, we have had fathers of our flesh which have corrected us, and we gave them reverence: fhall' we not much rather be in fubjection unto the Father of fpirits, and live? For they, verily, for a few days chaftened us after their own pleasure; but he, for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness. Now no chaftening for the prefent feemeth to be joy-. ous, but grievous: nevertheless, afterward, it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.' Thus, you fee, the Scriptures afcribe the best poffible fruits to affliction; as fubmiffion to the will of God, humility and holiness of heart and life. Do you think from hence that the Prophets and Apoftles put affliction in the room of the blood of Christ? Do not you, and your brethren in the miniftry, often preach on this theme? Yet would you not think it a flander, if I were to fay of you, that you put affliction in the place of the blood of Chrift? But, Sir, I fhall not thus flander you; I approve of your thus explaining the divine conduct in all its afflicting difpenfations. For I believe with you, that the God of love doth not willingly grieve nor afflict the children of men. But as I think, that the fons of Adam are the children of men in every future ftate, as really as they are in the prefent, fo I apply the Prophet's words to the future dealings of God, as well as to thofe thofe in this world. Anis brings me to another reason why. I cannot believe,ture puniment to be endless. THIRDLY. Because I think that it ftands кроп mediatorial ground. I have ofte hear from the pulpit, that God out of Chrift is a confumig fire, but I do not remember any fentiment like this'n Scrip A God out of Chrift is an inventionof men, and I have fome fufpicion that fuch a Bong was feigned, to ferve the caufe of endless mifery. often read of denunciations of God's vengeance agaift finners, in the Bible; and of the terrors of the ord; and are there informed, that it is a fearful thir to fall into the hands of the living God; because Gel is a confuming fire. But the Apostle doth not fay that it is God out of Chrift; But our God is a confumig fire, i. e. The God of the Prophets, Apoftles, ard Saints. And the same is faid of Christ, Mal. iii. 2, 3. "But who may abide the day of his coming? and who shall stand when he appeareth? for he is like a refiner's fire, and like fuller's foap. And he fhall fit like a refiner and purifier of filver.' fages I learn, that it is the nature of God to confume the drofs of fin from the fallen fons of men; that the manifeftation of himself in Chrift is intended for that purpose. And I think it follows, that all his afflictive difpenfations, both here and hereafter, have the fame purifying tendency; because it is his general character without diftinction of time or place, From which paf that |