France, and adopted by divines of the highest note in that nation, but also spread themselves as far as Geneva and were afterwards disseminated by the French Protestants, who fled from the rage of persecution through all the reformed Churches of Europe. And they now are so generally received that few have the courage to oppose or decry them."* Among those who fled from these Religious persecutions may be numbered the descendants of the German Baptists, who are called in America, Tunkers, or Dunkers, who deny the eternity of future punishments, and believe that the souls of the just are employed in preaching the Gospel to those who have had no revelation in this life. They baptize by immersion and are hence, General Baptists and Universalists. In other parts, particularly in Ireland, Dr. Rust, Bishop of Dromore, published an essay in defence of the doctrine of Universal Redemption. In England the Rev. Jeremiah White has published a volume in its defence. The Chevalier Ramsay in his elaborate work "The Philosophical principles of natural and revealed Religion," espouses it. Arch-Bishop Tillotson, in one of his sermons, supposes future punishment to be of limited duration, as does Dr. Burnet, master of the Charter House, in his book "on the state of the dead." Dr. Newton, Bishop of Bristol, in his "Dissertations;" Mr. Stonehouse, Rector of Islington, the Rev. Mr. Brown of the Church of England, have all written in support and defence of this benevolent doctrine; also, Simpson in his work on "Future Punishment," Petitpierre, on "the Government of Moral Agents ;" Dr. Huntington in his "Calvinism Improved," Dr. Fessenden in his "Science of Sanctity," Mr. James Relly in his work termed "Union," Dr. Hartly in his profound work "On Man," Mr. Richard Wright, of Wisebach, England, in his "Treatise on Atonement," and "the Eternity of hell torments indefensible," the Rev. Mr. Harris, of Liverpool, in a volume of Sermons, Mr. Broughton at the close of his " Dissertations on Futurity," Mr. Elhanan Winchester, in his

"Lectures on the Prophecies," and in his "Dialogues on Universal Restoration," Mr. Wm. Vidler in his controversy with Messrs. Fuller and Fisher,* ably advocate this doctrine.

The Pious Bishop Watson, in his charge delivered to the Clergy of the diocess of Landaff in 1784, says, "what need is there that we should calumniate and detest one another, because we cannot agree in our notions concerning Christ! he is the seed of the woman whose office it is to bruise the serpent's head, the seed of Abraham, in whom all the nations of the earth were to be blessed; the last Adam in whom all are to be made alive; the Son whom the Father sent to be the Saviour of the World; the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sins of the world; the advocate who now liveth to make intercession for us; the Judge who will at the last day reward every man according to his works," &c. and this is precisely the faith and the language of every sincere "Bible Universalist." The Rev. and Pious John Wesley, whose devotion to the cause of vital rcligion is undoubted, and whose labours have been blessed in every part of the world, both preached and printed in favour of Universal Redemption.†

In Scotland, Mr. Purvis, of Edinburgh, and Mr. Smith, M. P. in his able work "on the principles of Divine Government," writes favourably of this doctrine. In America, the learned Dr. Chauncey, in his work entitled "The mystery hid from ages and generations made manifest by the Gospel Revelation," &c. but more commonly known by its title "Salvation of all Men;" the reverend and most devout John Murray, Pastor of the First Universalist Church, Boston, in "His Life, Letters, and Sketches of Sermons," in five volumes; the Rev. Hosea Ballou, of Boston, in his admirable work "On Atonement,' ""Notes and Illustrations on the Parables," "Doctrinal Controversy," and a volume of Sermons, have each

* See Universalists Miscellany, from 1st to 4th vol.

† Adams' Dict. of all Religions. Evans' Hist. of Christ. Denom. p. 160. Dr. Dalcho's Church of South Carolina, p. 136.

most ably advocated this genuine Gospel doctrine.

Many other writers of note might be mentioned, but these must suffice us here. We close this section with the following extract from Dwight's Travels in the North of Germany:

"The doctrine of the eternity of future punishments," says the learned author, "is almost universally rejected. I have seen but one person in Germany, who believed it, and but one other whose mind was wavering on the subject. Many of them acknowledge that the New Testament, seems to inculcate this doctrine, but they find it, as they say, so irreconcilable with our ideas of the infinitely benevolent Being whom God has revealed himself to be, that if they believed in His perfections, they must reject the doctrine" [of the eternity of future punishment.]

"Some of them with whom I have conversed, appear to be eminent for their piety. I have never seen any Christian, who seemed to me to have a deeper sense of the odiousness of sin in the sight of God, or whose hearts beat with a more ardent gratitude to our Saviour, for the great redemption He has made for fallen man. I know of no example of humility, greater than those exhibited by some of these gentlemen; or more elevated views of the character of God, than you discover in their conversation. So far as an opinion can be formed of them from their reputation, we must look in vain for brighter examples of piety, than they exhibit. They certainly manifest a greater spirit of love for those who differ from them, than is found in most of our sects; and they feel very unwilling to shut the gates of heaven against all those who do not believe every article of their Creed. In this charity and love, the Christians of most Protestant countries, would do well to imitate them."*

We add, that the sincere Universalist desires to love the Lord their God with all their heart, and with all their soul, and with all their mind-and secondly, "Their neighbours as themselves." (Matt. xxii. 37, 39.)

* See Lutheran Magazine, for August, 1829. Vol. iii. pp. 157, 153.

SECTION IV.

The Doctrines and Tenets of the Church explained.

On the distinguishing doctrines and tenets of the Church, termed, "Evangelist," or the Primitive, Apostolic and Catholic Church of Trinitarian Universalists."

We are not ignorant, that there are various classes of Universalists, whose sentiments of the World's Redeemer, differ very materially from ours, others again less materially; and we may say the same of all the numerous sects, or denominations of Partialist Believers, or those who deny the final salvation of all men, some of these, differ very materially from us on this particular doctrine, others again less materially; while upon those fundamental doctrines of the Gospel, and that are considered essential to salvation; they are found not to differ from us as to facts themselves; but only as to their modes of receiving and explaining those facts: therefore, as being bound in Christian charity, the principal trait in our Universal doctrine; as well as from a principle of unaffected sincerity in our desires and prayers for the final happiness of all men, to do to each of these sects, or denominations, the justice to believe, that they thus differ from us, on these points, from a firm conviction of the correctness and soundness of their faith: we also, from a similar conviction on our parts, and influenced by conscientious motives, reject as errors, the doctrines of those, who deny the essential divinity of the Son of God! as also those, who deny the Universality and infallible efficacy of the And holding as we do, the belief, that mankind in general, and Christians particularly, "are accountable to God alone, for their religious opinions," while we thus publicly avow our faith, as differing in several material and and important points, from that of other Christian Churches, we presume neither to censure, to judge nor to condemn them; nor would we desire of them more, than to exercise the same Christian charity toward us, and the doctrines and tenets, which we maintain, and which distinguish our Church from all the seceding Churches in Christendom.

atonement.

As believers in, and adherents to, the faith of the Primitive Church, and the doctrines of the Evangelists; we agree with the Apostles, with Origen, and all those early Fathers of the Church already enumerated, and with Winchester, Relly, Murray, Chauncey and all Bible Universalists, in the essential divinity of the Son of God! whose union with the Father, and by virtue of the union subsisting between Him and the human nature entire, his righteousness will ultimately through faith, be imputed to all the members of his body, which are all mankind, and so all mankind will finally be saved.* And in order to prevent a misconception of our meaning, or the misconstruction of our faith, we deem it advisable to express ourselves, more specifically with regard to our doctrines and tenets as follows:

And first of our Doctrines. The Doctrines of our Church, are wholly and entirely Scriptural; and do not consist of detached parts, or features of Scripture doctrine; but embrace the whole and entire views of the Gospel, in its fullest authorised sense, embracing also the proper construction of them by the Disciples and Apostles of the Saviour, as set forth, in their Acts; and explained more at large in their Epistles to the first Christian Churches, and for which reason, we consider ourselves members by faith, of the Primitive, Apostolic, and Catholic, or Universal Church of Christ!

And secondly of our Tenets. The tenets of our Church may be considered under the following general heads. 1. Predestination, or Election, peculiar, special, and universal. 2. Original sin. 3. The Universality of the atonement, and its infallible efficacy. 4. Grace, free, and irresistable; and 5. Universal Redemption, as a consequence of the Universality and infallible efficacy of the atonement. And these tenets are comprehended in the following general propositions :

1. That the prescience of the Creator having foreseen, all things whatsoever, that should come to pass; in the

* See "RELLY's Union," in which the union of Christ and his Church, is most ably, and indisputably supported and proved.