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the babel will fall of itfelf. The Apoftle does not fay where they were created, but where they existed at the time he was writing; for he writes in the prefent tenfe- that are in heaven, and that are in earth ;" if therefore he meant to include the fallen angels, and the loft of mankind, he ought to have added, and "that are in hell." It is evident that he did not fubftitute the prefent tenfe for the paft, because when fpeaking of the time of creation, in the former part of the verfe, he ufes the paft tenfe" By Him were "all things created ;" and if he meant to fpeak of the place of their exiflence at that time, he ought to have proceeded, as he begun, in the past tenfe, and to have faid, "that were in heaven and that were in earth." This remark ferves to overturn all that Mr. V. has faid; for if things in hell are not included in this account of creation, I believe no one will fuppofe that they are included in the reconciliation.

If it be enquired, "What things in heaven ftood in "need of reconciliation?" I answer, that all the faints who were in heaven at the time the Apostle wrote, once needed reconciliation: And it was through Jefus Chrift, that God reconciled them unto himfelf; for they were faved through faith in Chrift as a Lamb flain (intentionally) from the foundation of the world.

In Heb. chap. ii. the exclufion of devils from the benefits arifing from the death of Chrift is expreffed in very strong terms. "For verily He taketh not "hold of angels," (ver. 16. See the marginal reading.) The reafon why He affumed human nature, is fiated in ver. 14, 15, 17. "Forafmuch then as the "children are partakers of flesh and blood, He also "Himfelf took part of the fame; that through death, "He might destroy him that had the power of death ; "that is, the devil; and deliver them who through "fear of death were all their life-time fubject to 66 bondage. Wherefore in all things it behoved Him

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to be made like unto His brethren; that He might be a merciful and faithful High-Prieft in things per"taining to God, to make reconciliation for the "fius of the people." There are three things remarkable in this paffage. 1. The fallen angels will not be faved through the death of Chrift, but deftroyed. 2. The children for whom Chrift died, to make reconciliation for their fins, are faid to be partakers of flesh and blood; but the devils are not partakers of flesh and blood; therefore they are not His chil dren, nor has He made reconciliation for their fins. 3. Atonement can only be made in the fame - nature which offended. It behoved Chrift, to be made like unto His brethren in all things, that he might be qualified as their High-Priest to make reconciliation for their fins. This is the reafon why Ile took flesh and blood in order to redeem mankind. The devils therefore cannot be benefited by what Chrift did in the human nature, seeing they do not partake of flesh and blood. If they are His brethren, and He intends to make reconciliation for their fins, it behoves Him to be made like unto them in all things; i. e. it is neceffary He fhould affume their nature. But the Univerfalifts do not contend for their falvation in any other way than by the blood of the crofs; we may therefore very fafely conclude, that they have neither part nor lot in this matter.

Meffrs. Weaver and Vidler both allow that the feed of Abraham, on whom Chrift taketh hold, means all believers under the prefent difpenfation; but thefe they call, the first-fruits; and Mr. V. wishes to know,

whether the harveft will not follow ?" i. e. whether unbelievers and devils will not reap everlasting life. The Apofile James calls the believers of his day, with propriety the first fruits; because they were the firft converts under the gospel difpenfation; but whether believers eighteen hundred years afterwards ought to be viewed in the fame light may be difputed. How

ever as thefe gentlemen expect fuch a wonderful crop in the time of harveft, it may be neceffary to inform them, that our Lord has given a pretty full account of it in Matt. xiii. When that feafon arrives, the angels, who are the reapers, will "gather the tares," i. e. "the children of the wicked one, and caft "them into a furnace of fire; there fhall be wailing "and gnashing of teeth." So that after the harveft is got in, many will have to fay, "The firft-fruits are gathered, the harveft is paft, the fummer is ended, and we are not faved."

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The word all, in Colof. i. 15-20, cannot be understood in fo comprehenfive a fenfe when applied to reconciliation, as when applied to creation; becaufe, though Jefus Chrift created, He did not die to reconcile, the holy angels. Mr. Vidler fays, "There "must be a reconciliation betwixt them, and fuch as 66 are reconciled to God by Jefus Chrift."* But it must be obferved, that God did not give Jefus Chrift to die that faints and angels might be reconciled to each other, but "that He might reconcile all things "unto limfelf." And in this fenfe, the holy angels could not require reconciliation.

The defign of God refpecting the reconciliation of men is in many inftances fruftrated. He hath committed to His minfters the word of reconciliation, and they befeech and pray finners to be reconciled to God, 2 Cor. v. 19 20. Yet numbers do not receive their teftimony. They may ftill justly complain with the prophet, "Who hath believed our report?" And even after the reconciliation hath taken place, final falvation is fufpened upon the condition of perfeverance; for immediately after the Apoftle had expreffed the pleasure of God about the reconciliation of all things,

God's love, p. 22,

things, he adds, "And you hath He reconciled in the "body of His flesh through death, to prefent you "holy, and unblamable, and unreprovable in His "fight; if ye continue in the faith, grounded and "fettled, and be not moved away from the hope of "the gofpel." Now if devils are not included in this account of reconciliation, and if the reconciliation and final falvation of men he conditional, then this paffage affords no fupport to the univerfal Reftoration.

On John xvii. 20, 23, Mr. Winchester obferves that when the church fhall be one, in fpirit, love, "defign, judgment, &c. as the Father and Son are;

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then fhall the world believe, and believing have life; then fhall the world know Him, whom to "know is life eternal. But as this great caufe has never yet exifted, the effect has not yet followed; but when the firft fhall be, the last hall take place "in confequence." Mr. W. has not left us in the dark about the time when thefe events will happen. His friend afks, "When fhall the world believe and " and know that Chrift is the fent of God?" W. anfwers, "When the great marriage of the Lamb "fhall be celebrated, and his Bride fhall be one in "univerfal love and fellowship, as the Father and "the Son now are."* When I had read this, I turned over to Rev. xix. which gives an account of the marriage, to fee whether the whore of Babylon was invited to the feaft, and made one of the bridemaids; but I found all heaven rejoicing that He had judged the great whore, and finging Alleluia, because her Smoke rofe up for ever and ever!

*Dialogues, p. 96, 97.

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«ALL punishments inflicted by God," fays Mr. Wright, 66 are connected with mercy, to him belong"eth mercy, even when he rendereth to every man "according to his work," Pfa. lxii. 12.* If Mr. W. means that it is an act of mercy to render to every wicked man according to his work, how will he reconcile it with what he hath faid about "juftice not

requiring that finners fhould receive according to "their demerits?"+ Wherein lies the difference between rendering to every wicked man according to his work, and every finner receiving according to his demerits ? And yet, it feems, one would be an act of mercy, the other an act of injuftice!

It is granted that punishments are connected with mercy, but not that the mercy always extends to the individual fufferers. God divided the Red Sea into 66 parts-and made Ifrael to pass through the midst " of it but overthrew Pharaoh and his hoft in the "Red Sea for His mercy endureth for ever." Pfa. ❝ cxxxvi. 13, 14, 15. Mercy is here connected with the overthrow of Pharaoh and his hoft; but no man in his fenfes fuppofes the mercy extended to the Egyptians. It was a mercy to the Ifraelites to be delivered in this way out of the hands of their enemies, In Pfa. Ixii, we find that David, like the Ifraelites above, was furrounded with enemies. They imagined mischief against him, ver. 3. They confulted to caft him down from his excellency, ver. 4. He had re

* Hints, p. 6. + Examination, p. 36, 37.

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