and philosopher. He was a Restorationist, and was universally esteemed as a man of unblemished morals and christian piety. He wrote two theological works, viz. Philosophical and Critical Inquiries concerning Christianity, and Conjectures concerning the nature of future happiness. In both these works the Restoration is inculcated. In 1787 the latter was republished by Mr. Wesley. He introduced it to the public with the following prefatory commendation.

"I am happy in communicating to men of sense in this kingdom, and at a very low price, one of the most sensible tracts I ever saw. JOHN WESLEY."

Now whatever may have been Mr. Wesley's real opinions, it is abundantly evident from his brief preface, that he considered Bonnet sound, Restorationist as he was. Could he thus publish and commend the work of a Restorationist, and yet be opposed to the sentiment? The reader may solve the question.

5. Many of Mr. Wesley's writings teach the Restoration so unequivocally that it is impossible to harmonize the language with any other doctrine. A few specimens are here given. In his note on I. Cor. xv. 47, he writes as follows:

"Christ was not the second man in order of time, but in this respect: That as Adam was a public person who acted in the stead of all mankind, so was Christ. As Adam was the first general representative of men, Christ was the second and the last. And what they severally did, terminated not in themselves, but affected all whom they represented."

In his sermon on The Mystery of Iniquity, 2 Thess. ii. 7, he says: "And have we not farther ground for thankfulness, yea and strong consolation in the blessed hope which God

hath given us, that the time is at hand when righteousness shall be as universal as unrighteousness is now? Allowing that the whole creation now groaneth together under the sin of man, our comfort is that it will not always groan! God will arise and maintain his own cause. And the whole creation shall then be delivered both from moral and natural corruption. Sin, and its consequence pain, shall be no more— ness and happiness shall cover the whole earth. Then shall the ends of the world see the salvation of God. And the whole race of mankind shall know, and love, and serve God, and reign with him forever AND EVER!"*

—holi

In his sermon on The New Creation, Rev. xxi. 5, is the following: "But the most glorious of all, will be the change which then will take place on the poor, sinful, miserable children of men. These had fallen in many respects as from a great height, so into a lower depth than any other part of creation. But they shall hear a great voice out of heaven, saying, Behold the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them; and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be their God. Hence will arise an unmixt state of holiness and happiness, far superior to that which Adam enjoyed in Paradise: 'God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow nor crying. Neither shall there be any more pain; for the former things are passed away.' As there will be no more pain, or sickness preparatory thereto; as there will be no more grieving for, or parting with friends, so there will be no more sorrow or crying. Nay, but there will be no more sin! And to crown all, there will be a deep, an intimate, an uninterrupted union with God: A constant communion with the Father and his Son Jesus Christ through the Spirit; a continual enjoyment of the three-one God, and of all creatures in him.”+

* Vol. ii. p. 67. New York ed. 1830.

t Vol. ii. p. 87.

6

In his sermon on The General Spread of the Gospel, after speaking of the state of the world occasioned by sin, he remarks: "It will not be always thus; these things are permitted only for a season by the governor of the world, that he may draw immense eternal good out of this temporary evil. This is the very key which the apostle himself gives us in the words above recited, "God hath concluded all in unbelief, that he might have mercy upon all." In view of this glorious event how well may we cry out, "O the depth of the riches, both of the wisdom and the knowledge of God! how unsearchable are thy judgments and thy ways past finding out." It is enough we are assured of this one point, that all these transient evils issue well-will have a happy conclusion, and that mercy first and last will reign!. . . He will never in

termit the blessed work of his Spirit until he has fulfilled all his promises until he hath put a period to sin, and misery, and death; and re-established universal holiness and happiness, and caused all the inhabitants of the earth to sing together, Hallelujah! the Lord God Omnipotent reigneth!'"*

We are aware that there are passages in other of Mr. Wesley's writings which militate against the sentiment evidently inculcated in the preceding extracts. That he was a Restorationist, we do not positively affirm, because we cannot speak from positive evidence. That is, we cannot point to the sentence which says in these very words, "I believe in the final restoration of all lapsed intelligences to holiness." We are aware too, that he has written in favor of endless misery. But if the sermons from which the foregoing citations are made, do not teach the Restoration, we despair of understanding language. The discrepancies in the several parts of his works can be satisfactorily accounted for only on the supposition that he really did, as has been reported, experience a change in his sentiments, and that that which occurs in favor of inter

* Vol ii, p. 82.

minable sufferings, was written before the change was wrought. His character for piety and integrity forbids any other explanation. But why should these conflicting sentiments have been published side by side? Possibly Mr. Wesley was unwilling to jeopardize his popularity by frankly avowing an obnoxious truth, and therefore chose this method of laying his real opinions before the public; leaving the discovery to its discernment. Another reason may be assigned why he did not make an explicit avowal of the Restoration, supposing him to have been a believer. He was the founder of a new sect. His great labor was to give it strength and permanency. The Restoration was a doctrine which in the infancy of his denomination, might have been obnoxious to many of his associates. He could believe the sentiment, and incidentally preach it, without exciting any unpleasant feelings. But to give it prominency, and to insist upon it equally with other doctrines, would' be to foment division, and to defeat the end of all his exertions. While we repeat the remark that we do not positively affirm Mr. Wesley to have been a Restorationist, we add, that in our opinion the presumptive evidence that he was, is strong. Such as we have been able to collect, is now before the reader. How conclusively it meets the point, each will determine for himself.

In concluding this notice of Mr. Wesley, we would observe that the Restoration is no longer an unknown doctrine in the respectable and flourishing denomination of Methodists. We are personally acquainted with devoted christians of that order who rejoice in "the faith once delivered to the saints;" and are assured by those whose facilities for information are ample, that it prevails to a considerable extent among the laity. Dr. Adam Clarke,

a distinguished scholar and commentator, though professedly a believer in endless misery, has written some of the happiest pieces (perhaps unconsciously) in favor of the Restoration we ever read. We scarcely recollect a more beautiful illustration of the doctrine than his comment on Titus ii. 11. Indeed, it is a sentiment which so approves itself to the kindest sympathies of our nature; so answers the holiest aspirations of the christian heart; so enrobes the Deity in love; so exalts the character, and magnifies the office of the blessed Savior, that it requires but to be understood, to be received: and harmonizing as it does, with a distinguishing doctrine of Methodism, we perceive no valid reason why it may not yet become an universal doctrine of the order.

CHAPTER VII.

Mr. Winchester publishes Dialogues on the Universal Restoration-his reasons for so doing—criticism on the word everlasting.

In 1788, the year following his arrival in England, Mr. Winchester gave to the world, his Dialogues on Universal Restoration. This has been the most extensively read, and consequently, the most useful of all his productions. It is, to adopt the language of its title page, "the substance of several real conversations which the author had with various persons both in America and Europe, on that interesting subject," and is "chiefly designed fully to state, and fairly to answer the most common objections that are brought against it from the Scriptures." "I have had many dis