courses (observes the author in his preface) with various persons upon this subject, and many objections have been proposed to me, which I have endeavored to answer; and I can truly say, that these discourses, their questions and my answers, form the bulk of these dialogues. I have endeavored to give all the possible force to their objections, and if any of them are weak, I can assure the public that I have not made them so, (as some have insinuated) merely that I might be able to answer them, but the weakest of them have been proposed to me, and I have fairly set down the most powerful that I ever heard, generally in the very words in which they were addressed to me, whether in conversation or by letter."

These dialogues are four in number. They present a distinct view of the scriptural basis of the Restoration, and show conclusively that the common objections to the doctrine are without foundation, and cannot abide the test of impartial examination. The style will commend them to every devotional heart. They breathe the very spirit of piety and christian philanthropy. The reasons which induced Mr. W. to publish this work, are thus stated by himself.

"1. That the doctrine itself might not suffer and be ill thought of, from the false and spurious mediums through which it has appeared, and for want of a more full and proper vindication of it.

"2. To remove so far as may be, those bars and obstructions that have, in some measure, blocked up the way, and shut up the minds of many, from so full and fair an inquiry into the gospel as it deserves, and as they might otherwise have given it.

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"3. To correct the acidity of Reprobarian Leaven, and to prevent, if possible, those despondencies and dejections of mind, which too frequently arise from a strong and secret suspicion that Christ died only for the sins of a certain few, excluding all the rest of mankind from any saving benefit by his death.

"4. To harmonize scripture, and make it more consistent with itself than it seems to have been yet made: also to conciliate and coalesce contending parties, bringing them thereby nearer to one another in love and affection; and so to that unity, peace, and concord, so devoutly to be wished.

5. To undeceive and do justice to the English reader, who, when he takes up the inspired volume, is used to affix no other idea to the words eternal, everlasting, for ever and ever, than a strictly endless duration, when either happiness or misery are annexed to them.

"6. To establish and confirm the faith of some, who have seen reason to believe this doctrine, and were simply coming into it; but finding few, as yet, in the full belief of it; and hearing the continual outcries of its adversaries, without being able, at first view, to answer them; they have got weak and wavering about it; and inclined to neglect it, for want, as they suppose, of more and sufficient evidence."

"While I saw (he continues) the provision and salvation of the gospel to be only partial, 1 so declared and delivered it; but now it appears universal, must I be silent? He that hath my word, let him speak my word faithfully,' saith Jehovah by his prophet: (Jer. xxiii. 28.) What is the chaff to the wheat, saith the Lord?' Partial redemption and salvation under my present views, are the darkness and

eclipse of the church of Christ. Universal Restoration of all lapsed intelligences, for I meddle with no other in this defence, the Sun of Righteousness, shining in his full strength, and in all his ability to save.

"Such is my faith and hope, that when the age of ages shall take place, full and occular demonstration will then be given, that none were left without remedy; nor any of the now fallen and intelligent creatures of God, but what shall be raised up again; not to sink into non-existence, or the gloomy vale of annihilation; much less to be endlessly miserable; but to shine in all the borrowed light and glory of their transcendent Head and Restorer, JESUS CHRIST; and in one united chorus of praise and thanksgiving, to sing hallelujah to God and the lamb, without ceasing and without end.'

The perusal of this work is recommended to all who desire instruction in the subject upon which it treats. It is confidently believed that no stronger inducement to read it need be offered than the following criticism upon the use of the word everlasting, as found in the old and new Testaments. A subject imperfectly understood by a large proportion of common readers, is here rendered perfectly intelligible. After observing how seldom the word is used to express the duration of punishment, he proceeds:

"But was the word aionion [rendered everlasting in the new Testament] applied to misery but once in the whole Bible, it would deserve a serious consideration; and unless the force of it [when employed to sustain the doctrine of interminable sufferings] can be removed by the authority of the scriptures, it must remain an unanswerable objection.

* Preface to Lond. ed. 1788.

"But I shall proceed to answer it, by bringing an equal number of passages where the word everlasting is applied to things and times, that have had, or must have, an end. As in the following passages: Gen. xvii. 7, 8. ' And I will establish my covenant between me and thee, and thy seed after thee, in their generations, for an everlasting covenant; to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee. And I will give unto thee, and to thy seed after thee, the land wherein thou art a stranger, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be their God.' Verse 13. He that is born in thy house, and bought with thy money, must needs be circumcised :- and my cov-` enant shall be in your flesh for an everlasting covenant.'

"Here note that the land of Canaan is called an everlasting possession; and the covenant of circumcision in the flesh, an everlasting covenant, though it is certain that the land of Canaan, as well as the other parts of the earth must be dissolved or melted, in the general conflagration; and circumcision is now declared null and void by the Holy Ghost; and the ceremony cannot endure to endless ages.

"Of the same kind are the following passages: Gen. xlviii. 3, 4. 'And Jacob said unto Joseph, God Almighty appeared to me at Luz, in the land of Canaan, and blessed me: and said unto me, behold, I will make thee fruitful, and multiply thee, and will make of thee a multitude of people; and will give this land to thy seed after thee, for an everlasting possession.' And in the blessing of Joseph he says, 'The blessings of thy father have prevailed above the blessings of my progenitors, unto the utmost bound, of the everlasting hills.' By which, I suppose, the hills of the land of Canaan were meant.

"God saith to Moses, Exod. xl. 15. And thou shalt annoint them (Aaron's sons) as thou didst annoint their father, that they may mininister unto me in the priest's office; for their annointing shall surely be an everlasting priesthood, throughout their generations.' And this shall be an everlasting statute unto you, to make an atonement for the children of Israel for all their sins, once a year; and he did as JEHOVAH commanded Moses.'

Lev. xvi. 34.

"The apostle declares, that these everlasting ordinances were only till the time of Reformation, Heb. ix. 10. and this everlasting priesthood of Aaron's son, had ceased long ago For the priesthood being changed (by Christ) there is, of necessity a change also of the law: for he of whom these things are spoken pertaineth to another tribe, of whom no man gave attendance at the altar: for it is evident that our Lord sprang out of Judah; of which tribe Moses spake nothing concerning priesthood. And it is yet far more evident, for that after the similitude of Melchisedek, there ariseth another priest, who is made not after the law of a carnal commandment, but after the power of an endless life for he testifieth that, thou art a priest forever, after the order of Melchisedek: for there is verily a disannulling of the commandment going before for the weakness and unprofitableness thereof.' Heb. vii. 12, 18. The whole sum of the apostle's argument, in this epistle, tends to prove that the everlasting ordinance is now no more; and the everlasting priesthood of Aaron and his sons is now abolished.

"Another passage where the word everlasting is evidently used in a limited sense, is Numb. xxv. 11, 12, 13, where we read thus: Phinehas, the son of Eleazer, the son of Aaron the priest, hath turned my wrath away from