CHAPTER IV. The outcasts comforted-established in a new place of worship-Mr. W. receives the support of Drs. Rush and Redman-notice of Mr. Clarke and Dr. Priestly—the Restoration an antidote for Infidelity. "Arm'd with the sword of Jesse's youthful son, On the 4th January, 1782, Mr. Winchester delivered a discourse to his ejected brethren, in the Hall of Pennsylvania University, appropriate to their circumstances, from Isaiah lxvi. 5, "Hear the word of the Lord, ye that tremble at his word; your brethren that hated you, that cast you out for my name's sake, said, Let the LORD be glorified: but he shall appear to your joy, and they shall be ashamed." This was soon after published, and entitled "The Outcasts Comforted." The year following, it was re-printed in London by Rev. Richard Clarke. * *Mr. Clarke was a Restorationist. "For nearly fifty years (says the London Univ. Theo. Mag.) he maintained both by preaching and writing, the doctrine of Universal Restoration." He was a clergyman of the Episcopal Church, and was ordained Priest by the Bishop of Bangor, in 1750. He came to America soon after, and in Feb. 1754, was chosen rector of St. Philip's Church, in Charleston, S. C. This office he sustained five years, when he resigned and returned to England. He was a popular preacher, and an amiable, exemplary and benevolent man. "He was more known as a theologian (says Ramsay) beyond the limits of America, than any other inhabitant of Carolina. He was admired as a preacher both in Charleston and in London. His eloquence captivated persons of taste; his serious preaching and personal piety procured for hin the love and esteem of all good men. When he preached the church was crowded, and the effects of it were visible in the reformed lives of many of his hearers, and the increased number of serious communicants." A peculiar interest attaches to this discourse from the circumstances which called it forth. The publication is rare, and we here subjoin a few extracts with which the reader will be gratified. "The nearer beings are to God, the more humble they are; and the farther from him, the prouder.....Pride is the image of Satan; humility, the image of Christ....Those who tremble at the word of the Lord-feel the power of it in their hearts. They believe every word of God is true, and shall have its proper accomplishment. They fear to deny with their mouth what they believe in their heart, even though the confession should expose them to the scorn and derision of their acquaintance. They endeavor to be conformed both in conduct and temper to the will of God made known to them; and to obey God rather than men....We are assured in the sacred pages, that reproach and persecution must infallibly be every christian's lot....The Apostles of Christ experienced these things, and taught all christians to expect the same....Marvel not, my brethren, if the world hate you. What Paul said concerning Ishmael the mocker, remains still as true as ever: "But as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the spirit, even so it is now." Gal. iv. 29. From the world we are taught to expect persecution; but our text says, Your brethren that hated you, and cast you out for my name's sake, said, Let the Lord be glorified." "I have often considered with astonishment, that two ministers shall preach, and prove what they say from the Scriptures, and neither of them shall be looked upon as holding damnable heresy ; and yet we shall be looked upon as the worst of heretics by both of them, and their people, for believing only what both of them put together have as serted. One will say, God loves all his creatures without exception; that he is good unto all, and that his tender mercies are over all his works: the other will maintain that all the objects of his love must finally come to the enjoyment of himself; and that his mercy endureth forever, and cannot fail. We heartily believe both these testimonies. One will assert that Christ died for all, tasted death for every one; the other, that Christ shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied, and that all for whom his blood was shed, shall be cleansed thereby. All this we steadfastly believe. One will declare that God willeth that all shall be saved, and come to the knowledge of the truth; the other, that whatever God willeth, must be accomplished at last. None can say with truth, that we deny either of these assertions. One will say that God first purposed all his creatures to praise and glorify his name to all eternity, and to be happy in the enjoyment of himself; the other will declare, that the purposes of God must stand; that with God there is no variableness, nor shadow of turning; that he is of one mind, and that none can turn him; and what his soul desireth, that he doeth. We freely consent to the truth of all this. One will say that God would save all if he could, that his will is good towards all; the other will assert, that he is infinitely able to do all that he pleases, and that he could bring all to himself if he would. And do we not as fully believe both these positions, as we do our own existence? One will declare, that the blood of Jesus was freely shed for all; the other, that his blood is infinitely sufficient to cleanse and purify all. This is what we believe. "One will say, with the scripture, that all are given to Christ; the other, in conformity to the same sacred writ ings, will maintain that all that the Father giveth him, shall come to him; that he will give eternal life to as many as the Father has given him. This is our belief. We believe the truth of both these positions. None will come to Christ but those whom the Father giveth him; and he hath given him all things without exception. Thus we see that our belief is in fact the belief of all the Christian world put together, and instead of increasing the divided churches, it tends to unite them all in one, as it allows the truth in a measure among all," "But our belief respecting the restoration of all things, is not only founded upon the plainest letter of scripture, but is exactly according to the experience of every christian. For let me ask any who was ever made to experience the love of God shed abroad in their hearts by the Holy Ghost, these questions: Did you not at that time see and feel yourselves the vilest of sinners, even the most stubborn and rebellious of the human race? Did you not view the love of God infinitely full, free, unmerited and unreserved? Did you not behold in Christ an infinite fulness, sufficiency and willingness to save all? Did you not earnestly long that all might come and partake of his grace? If you had as much power as good will, would you not have brought a'l to bow to the sceptre of grace, and be reconciled to their God through Jesus Christ? Did you not feel a disposition to pray for all men, that they might be saved? To these questions, all new-born souls who have tasted of love divine, would answer in the affirmative, if not led aside by some system." "Now let me inquire, from whence do these views and desires come? Certainly from the ocean of a'l goodness. Can a small drop be larger than the unfathomed abyss of love? Have you more compassion towards your fellow creatures, than their creator, to whom they are all nearer than children to their parents? Would you bring all to submit to God and be happy, if you could? And will not he to whom nothing he pleases to do is impossible, bring all his creatures to be reconciled to himself? Has he taught us to love all that they might be saved? And will he never hear and answer those prayers offered in the name of Christ agreeable to his will? Has he taught us to do good to all? And will he not much more do good to all? Has he taught us to love all, even our worst enemies? And does he not love all himself? Has he taught us to pray for all that they might be saved? And will he never hear and answer those prayers offered in the name of Christ agreeably to his will? Has he taught us to do good to all? And will he not much more do good to all? Has he taught us to be more perfect than himself? Has he provided so much for the bodies of all, and nothing for the souls of most of his creatures? Will he suffer his gracious designs to be frustrated, and thereby lose his labor? But above all, will he suffer his words, his promises, his oaths, to be made null, void and of none effect? God forbid. "God is not man, that he should lie, neither the son of man that he should repent. Hath he said, and shall he not do it? Or hath he spoken and shall he not make it good? * "And also the strength (or eternity) of Israel will not lie nor repent; for he is not man that he should repent." + "For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance."‡ "Now if we attend to the plain letter of the Scripture, we shall find that God hath declared that he will make all things new; that he will gather together in Christ all things *Numbers xix. 23. † Sam. xv. 29. Rom. xi. 29. |