understanding them might be made
to appear. Should y
be difpofed to
attempt to correct my ideas in this
epiftle, or my doctrine in general, by
turning to the great touchftone, the
law and the teftimony, be as ample,
fir, as your inclination and opportuni-
ty will admit. Every argument fhall
be duly attended to with prayerful fo-
licitude to obtain conviction, if it can
be found; and whatever light I gain
I will gratefully acknowledge, and
wherein I do not agree with you, I will
give you my reafons.

Your moft obliged friend
and humble fervant,
HOSEA BALLOU.

Rev. 7. BUCKMINSTER.

P. S.-If I have been fo unfortunate in the foregoing epiftle as to make choice of any words which indicate too much freedom, pleafe to impute it to a franknefs which perhaps I fometimes indulge to a fault, and not to any want of due respect.

C 2

H. P

Portsmouth, Jan. 10, 1810.

DEAR SIR,

T was not my intention, in the letter which I fometime fince addreffed to you, to enter into a difcuffion of the fubject of Universalism, much lefs, for reafons that were fuggefted, provoke a dispute upon it. I therefore endeavored fo to exprefs myself that no reply should be neceffary.

My object was to discharge what I thought a duty of friendship and affection, rendered more neceffary by my perfonal declarations to you at my house, by ftating to you with franknefs and decifion what I was perfuaded would be the final refult of that fentiment which you have embraced,

and are advocating among us; and: to fulfil a duty which I owe to myself, and to Him who has fet me here to be a watchman, that I might ufe every: proper precaution to appear before my Judge at laft with unftained garments, preclude an occafion for a crimination and reproach, and give up my account with joy and not with grief.

I might have a fecret hope that the apprehenfions fo ferioufly and cand idly fuggefted might excite you to review your fentiments, and renewedly compare them with the only ftandard, and that this ferious, calm and retired exercife might be accompani ed with an influence from above, that might alter your views and conclufions upon the fubject; but my principal defign was to difcharge what I thought my duty as above stated.You have thought it your duty to remark upon the addrefs, and intimate an expectation that I should rejoin; your profeffions and candor have induced me for a time, to hesitate

whether I ought not, in this instance, to depart from my general refolutions, and this hesitation has had influence in my delay to notice your letter. But the result of my hesitations, reflections and prayer, is a more full perfuafion, that if the writings of Dr. Edwards, Dr. Strong and others who have difcuffed the subject, and which doubtless you have feen, have produced no hesitation or conviction in your mind, it would be vain and idle to expect it from any efforts of mine; and that it would be a mifufe of time which might be employed in more hopeful profpects of ufefulness. 'This is a reafon which I at prefent feel fatisfied to give to God and my confcience for declining to enter upon a difcuffion of this fubject, and I truft: it will be accepted at the tribunal of God. To that tribunal I humbly and cheerfully refer the decifion of the quefion that would be matter of dif *between us, from which decifion

e will be no appeal, and to which e will be no liberty to reply. I

reciprocate the tender of every office of friendship confiftent with what I think my duty to God and my confcience, and fhall not ceafe to pray that those who have erred from the truth may be recovered from their errors, and being fanctified by the truth, may be saved in the day of the Lord Jefus.

Your friend and

well wifher.

J. BUCKMINSTER.