Now this being consulted, declares God is love and its voice is the voice of Mercy; a scheme of mercy throughout, and Justice, so far as is consistent with this. Retributive, punitive Justice is taught us both by Reason and Scripture, But vindictive Justice, and judgment without mercy, neither by one nor the other.

Unceasing misery creates hard thoughts of God: But let him speak in his own language, and it is justice mixed with mercy, in the future, as well as in the present state: Mercy rejoicing against Judgement, hereafter as well as here. It is after Justice has had its course, and sentence has been pronounced upon the criminal, that Clemency and Mercy are shewn and extend. ed in human courts. In this they seem to have copied after the Court of Heaven; that High Court, of the strictest justice and mercy too. Where is mercy (future mercy) after the Day of Judgment, if any are to be finally miserable? And yet this seems the last word with God con-. cerning his rebellious creatures. They are every one to bow, and be willingly subject unto him-every one to swear, and confess him their Lord and King-and every one to sing to his name: (which who can do in torment ?) 'The time will come then, in which all torment shall cease. Then shall every one sing, give thanks and bless and fall in grateful acknowledgement before God and his Christ, for their recovery and restoration. And this is the reason some come into the doctrine now, and cordially believe there will be Universal Salvation. in the end.

Another reason is-That it harmonizes Scripture better, and makes it more consistent with itself.

In one,

This sometimes speaks partially on the sub. ject, at other times more generally. In some places, of few being saved; in other parts, of Christ being the Saviour of all men. of his being a ransom for many; in another, of his giving himself a ransom for all. In one part, of his laying down his life for his sheep; in another, of his giving it for the life of the world; and tasting death for every man, or every thing. Some times it seems all, at other times only some that salvation is designed for. The Elect are said to have obtained, while the rest were blinded. -All this has looked like contradiction, and been apparently a Scripture inconsistency; a jumble and discordancy in this respect; a gospel that is both yea and nay. Those who would reconcile this by the distinction of general redemption, but partial salvation, have left a difficulty that would have been more clearly got over, had the one been as extensive as the other. To redeem and purchase ALL, and yet lose and give up SOME, is what seems hardly agreeable to Infinite Wisdom and Power, much less to Infinite Goodness and love; numbers at least pause at it. But this entirely ceases, and there is no room for such a pause, if Universal Res toration be true. This clearly solves all. On this account, it has commended itself unto many, they perceive such a harmony in it! The weakness, absurdity and fallaciousness, of all human systems of Divinity, haye caused many to en

quire further; and upon enquiry, they have found this generous and noble plan of God, to be more than a supplement; and so have heartily fallen in with it.

But yet again-It strikes at all despondency, and relieves the laboring mind, under all its doubts and fears respecting its own salvation, and the welfare and salvation of others also, in one period or other of their existence; and this has recommended it to some.-The mind must and will think, and very closely and seriously too, at times and seasons.-Sometimes it is sore oppressed, at the view and remembrance of its sins; it gets a painful sight of its great unworthiness, and an affecting sense of its poverty and wretchedness. It thinks so deep sometimes, and is kept so close to the state and condition it is in by reason of sin, as to be almost at its wit's-end. In its debates with itself, it has come to a point, and with some to the point of a sword. At other times, things of less moment shall affect it. From a constant train of outward troubles and disappointments, and a quick succession of external misfortunes, it shall Le made to bow and stoop; and continually brooding over these evils of life, it shall sink into a dejection, and many times into a religious. melancholy. Sometimes, it shall attend so closely to the investigation of Divine Truth, and search beyond its depth into the spring of wis, dom and knowledge, as to get a wound this way. Studying men's systems more than the oracles of God, it has seen so many difficulties and mistakes, and such darkness blended with all

the light it could come at, as perplexed and confounded it and so first giving up one thing, and then another; it came, at length, to think there was no reality at all in the gospel; closed its enquiries, left off the means of grace and instruction, and settled in infidelity, or what is called Deism; despairing of ever coming to a ny discovery, that should afford it solid peace and satisfaction.

Satan, all this while, has been very busy at work He has fished in all those streams of troubled and muddy waters; has raised these billows high, even almost to a foam; and left no stone unturned, to overset the mind entirely.

Here has been the happy tendency of Univer sal Grace and Salvation. This being proclaim, ed, it has sunk deep into the ears and heart, and eased the troubled breast; when nothing short of it would do. When redemption by Christ for sinners only was declared, it gave a kind of a distant and doubtful hope; but that was all Not finding it was for all sinners, for the whole fallen race of mankind and so for itself, among the rest, it feared more than hoped and this kind of hearing had little or no effect; faith did not come by it.

When Universal Redemption was held forth, but Universal Salvation not meant this has relieved, but not removed, all the grounds of despair. But Universal Redemption and Salvation too, has struck at the very root of all this, & left the desponding scul without one grain of food to live upon. It has left indeed, (as it ought

to do) a jealousy and fear of the second death, in the case of impenitence and final unbelief, now in this life; but nothing wanting, nothing defective, on God's part, either for the present or future welfare and salvation of all mankind. This has recommended it. And being now set free, as to itself, and finding no just cause for endless fears of its own particular salvation, it enjoys a further relief and consolation in this doctrine, respecting others also.

When it considers the World of Spirits, and how many have departed hence under the guilt and power of their sins, to be (according to the received doctrine) forever punishing, but never punished; not only a demur arises, but a melancholy and a gloom also, which it would gladly ged rid of. Universal Restoration is the restorative here, and brings that relief which no other view could bring. To a liberal, generous mind, it cannot be a pleasing thought to think of any one in misery, much less in endless torment. Proportionate sufferings are reconcileable to the mind; and pain, in order to pleasure, gives it little or no disturbance. Ex. tinction or destruction, are not distracting ideas: but endless, and never-ceasing torment, commends itself to none, who have thought deeply at all upon the subject. Every sensible spirit must recoil at the very thought: Every generous mind must wish it might be otherwise!

Who has not, at times attended the deathbeds of the wicked? and there been witnesses of their dying groans and moans, and of many blasphemies, perhaps, they have uttered? These