Some say human reason is the guide: but human reason is a faculty of the mind, and in every man who is in a fallen, or even in an imperfect state, this with his other faculties is in a state of disorder, partaking with them in the effects of that fallen, imperfect condition; hence very uncertain in its determinations as to duty, or the meaning of scripture; nay, almost certain to determine in degree according to the state and inclinations of men's different minds. Accordingly, we find among those who would be considered as the great masters of reason, almost as many minds as men, and, even in important doctrines of religion, almost as many different opinions upon one text of scripture, as there are points of the compass. And I fear it will always be so, as long as that which is fallen and disordered is depended upon as the principal guide. For however infallible the dictates of right reason, or simple reason as it is in itself, may be, yet human reason, as a faculty of the fallen man, being so depraved and disordered as to stand in great need of rectification itself, can never be the principal guide to a right rectification of our opinions and lives, nor be safely depended upon as the principal expositor of scripture. Where then shall we look for a guide that may be depended on?-for of the existence of such an one the goodness of our Creator forbids us to doubt! Answer, "There is a spirit in man, and the inspiration of the Almighty giveth them understanding." Job xxxii. 8. "The grace of God, that bringeth salvation, hath appeared to all men, teaching us that denying ungodliness," &c. Titus ii. 11, 12. There is a word nigh in the heart and mouth. See Rom. x. 8. that shineth in a dark place." 2 Peter i. 19. And this it is that maketh manifest: for whatsoever doth make manifest is light. Ephes. v. 13. And this divine light would, if duly attended to and relied on, make manifest all things necessary for us to know; for it is a ray from Heaven given on purpose for our instruction, and manifests, not a part only, but all things that are reproved." This it is that is able to rectify our reason, and without this, we are ever liable to be biased in the exercise of said faculty by the corrupt inclinations of flesh and blood; for though like the moon, it shines brightly when it receives the clear rays of the sun, the true light, yet, without those rays, it affords no

"A light

useful light to the mind, in things spiritual, any more than the moon, in things natural: and not only so, but as the moon, by being sometimes between the sun and our natural eye, causes an eclipse of natural light; so, as we suffer human reasonings, unassisted by divine light, to get between the eye of our minds and the true light, the spiritual sun, these reasonings, warped by carnal inclinations, do really cause an eclipse of spiritual light in our minds.

Hence it is that the things of God are often hid from the wise and prudent, the great reasoners among men, and revealed unto such as are but babes, in natural reason and knowledge; but as young babes, in the outward, we see are very apt to keep their eye upon the light, even though it be but that of a candle; so the babe-like mind, not presuming upon its own abilities, has an eye to the light, and instruction is received. Thus these things are revealed unto babes, for being only spiritually discerned, the natural man cannot know them.

Now for want of attention to the shining of this light, and by aiming to form a system of divine things by a faculty that in us is human, mankind have miserably erred and wandered from the way, and, as was mentioned, have fallen into a great variety of opinions, many of which have had a very hurtful influence upon their lives; but among them all, I know of none more directly calculated to produce licentiousness and dissipation, than a certain plausible notion, which though it has made some small appearance in this country at different periods, in days past, yet seems to owe its main growth and present ripeness to some certain influence of a later date; and perhaps may not improperly be considered as the natural production of a degenerate age. Planted as it were in the fruitful soil of a libertine mind, and manured with the natural consequences of such times of war and commotions, as we have lately known, it seems to shoot up its luxurious branches, and flourish considerably. May a return of better times so cut off the supply of its nourishment, that it may wither and die before its leaves and its fruits entirely poison the nations; or may the nations, instead of feeding upon it, shun it as the bane of life; and repair to that tree, whose leaves are for their healing.

VOL. II.-45

To cast in my small mite towards rescuing mankind from its dangerous influence, or at least towards guarding the more unwary against being imposed upon by its flattering allurements, I am willing to spend some time in an endeavour to open its pernicious tendency, and to confute some of the specious arguments advanced in its favour. The doctrine to which I allude, is what is called by its advocates Universal Salvation, or as one of them has expressed it in print, "Salvation for all men."

Now I freely confess myself to be a believer in the doctrine of universal salvation, that is, that Christ" has tasted death for every man." And that a door is open, at which all men may, if duly sought for, enter in with the bridegroom into the marriage chamber, and be saved. This is "glad tidings of great joy" indeed, and that" unto all people," as the scripture expresses it; and some insist that this infers the actual salvation, and eternal happiness of all men: but it should be remembered that five of the ten virgins were shut out, while the other five entered with the bridegroom, and notwithstanding all their knocks and calls were rejected. And the language of "Come ye blessed," &c. was only to the sheep, the improvers of their talents; while, “Depart from me, ye cursed," &c. was the language to the goats, the non-improvers, the unprofitable servant whose talent was taken away and he cast into utter darkness: the goats, Christ says, "shall go away into everlasting punishment." Matt. xxv. 46. Now, the unprofitable servant really witnessed, in the first instance, the offer of Christ's universal salvation; he received a "talent," and had he improved it he might have entered, with a "well done" &c. into the joy of his Lord, as well as the others; but not improving it he lost it, and with it lost the favour of his Lord, and the joys of his kingdom. Surely, Christ tasted death for this, as well as for the faithful servants; and the "glad tidings" were and are still "unto all people;" nevertheless through misimprovement, the unfaithful miss of enjoying the portion of the faithful, and, in great equity, lose what they once had received, as a talent from God. But as they do receive at least one talent of him, they have great cause to acknowledge his universal love and kindness; and that the glad tidings are, indeed, unto all. Thus great and universal is the salvation of Christ, considered as

an offer made, and a talent bestowed; and yet great is the danger of neglecting it; yea, so much greater is our danger, if we do neglect it, as the salvation itself is great. Hence the apostle, "How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation." Heb. ii. 3. Here we see it may be neglected, however great and universal it be; and then there being no other door of hope, well may it be said, "How shall we escape?" And well also might the apostle, in another place, represent those who do thus neglect, and tread under foot the blood of the covenant, &c. as being worthy of a "much sorer punishment" than those who, despising" Moses' law, died without mercy." See Heb. x. 28. This points out a dreadful hereafter; else what sense is there in this passage? What, then, is this much sorer punishment, than death without mercy? Surely, it must be the same thing, which is, in other words, declared to be the portion of such as know not God, and obey not the gospel, viz. that they" shall be punished with everlasting destruction, from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power." 2 Thess. i. 9.

When the Almighty first laid a positive prohibitory injunction on our first parents, he pronounced immediate death upon the breach of it. But, strange to think! a lying persuasion to the contrary, soon prevailed on them to disobey the voice of their Creator, they ate, they died, they lost the image they were made in; and they went to tacking fig-leaves together for a covering. We read their conduct, and condemn their disobedience; we wonder at their believing a liar, in direct contradiction to the voice of eternal truth. But, alas! how many of us are acting the same part over! We read in the plain, undisguised words of our Saviour, the "everlasting punishment" of the wicked; and that it is in consequence of their omission of what the righteous are found in ; yet so expert are too many, at tacking fig-leaves together, and seeking out many inventions, that the same old serpent, with the same old lie, easily prevails in his attempts to seduce them. And though his promises of life eternal to the wicked, and that they shall not die an everlasting death, or receive an everlasting punishment, are direct contradictions to Christ's and his apostle's declaration, yet many will be led away by his delusions: and as Adam and Eve found

him to be a liar, and immediately felt the truth of their Maker's assertion, in that spiritual death which came upon them, and in their being driven out of the paradisical garden, and from the divine presence; so, doubtless, all who are now believing his lying suggestions, and partaking of forbidden fruits by him presented, will have to rue their sad deception; and if they go on in their sins, and in them die impenitent, as they can never go to live and reign with Christ in glory, they might thereby be awfully convinced of the truth of his assertions, in regard to future punishments.

Several ways have been tried, and divers schemes invented, to establish if possible, the eternal salvation of all mankind, as a doctrine of truth; and to render it compatible with the plain doctrines of the gospel. But as the open face of the whole plan of our redemption, as exhibited in sacred writ, wears such a very different aspect from that which this opinion, if true, would stamp upon it, therefore, the advocates for this doctrine seem to be obliged to use many evasions, in order to get rid of the obvious force and meaning of many plain, and very important scripture passages; for instance, the word everlasting, though allowed by the learned, to be the very same word in the original, as the word eternal; and though we find it often used in the New Testament, to express an eternal duration, and never once. a temporal, (unless in regard to future punishments,) and no hint any where given us, that it is used on this head, in a sense different from its natural meaning; yet will they insist that here it means infinitely short of eternal. I ingenuously confess, that I think myself under an indispensable obligation, by my profession of christianity, to receive my Saviour's meaning in such important cases, according to the genuine sense of his words; and I do think it is below the character of a Christian, and may I not say, degrading to human reason, to strive to put such a forced construction upon the meaning of these plain expressions. Another evasion is, that the sheep on Christ's right hand, are all mankind; and goats on his left, their sins, or evil dispositions :" as if the sins or dispositions, were capable of existence separate from the sinner, and could thus receive an "everlasting punishment:" but this is too weak to deserve much serious attention,