yea, even for the rebellious, that God might dwell among them."(Murray.)

That, although a failure on the part of men, in consequence of unbelief, is a proof of their lost condition, as it respects their salvation in this life, and subjects them to the pains and penalties consequent thereupon, it is nevertheless certain, that the salvation of God, which, from its very nature, design and character, and as a remedy provided for the worst consequences of the fall, is still universal and infallible; and will finally accomplish its gloriously benevolent object, the salvation of all men. That the doctrine of universal redemption, or the final restoration of all men to holiness and happiness, is so frequently and forcibly implied, so strongly indicated, and so clearly and distinctly expressed in the Scriptures, that we have been constrained to believe in, and to accept it, as the most glorious feature of the gospel doctrine, as every way worthy of, and honourable to God, as the "Father of the spirits of all flesh," and as a doctrine of the Primitive Apostolic Church of Christ.

Having thus given a brief but candid outline of the doctrines and tenets of our Church, together with an equally brief outline of the propositions comprehended in them, we now earnestly invite our readers of every sect or denomination of Christians, to a serious investigation of this important subject, as a duty which they owe to God, to themselves, to us, and to the human family at large. We entreat them to consider,

1. That to belong to an Established, a Presbyterian, a Baptist, or a Methodist Church, is no positive proof of Christianity, any more than being of the Universalist faith is a proof of Infidelity; that there ever has been, is, and, we confidently believe, ever will be, as devout and holy Christians among Universalists, properly so called, as among any other class of professing Christians, however high their claims to pre-eminence in point of Evangelical religion may seem to place them, in their own opinions, above Christian Universalists: and that, although we profess, and rejoice in the profession, of being Bible

Universalists, we are aware, that the name of Universalists, devoid of vital piety, will no more entitle us to salvation, than any other name, whether Churchman, Presbyterian, Baptist, or Methodist; some of which denominations have not been sparing in their unqualified abuse of Universalists; not having as much Christian candour and charity in their zeal, as to consider and allow, that all are not Christians who are called Universalists, as they themselves well know that all are not Christians who have numbered themselves even among either of the foregoing denominations.

We turn from this unpleasant subject, lest this intended rebuke of ours, should be construed into a desire of rendering "railing for railing ;" and proceed to say, that, to reject this doctrine, will be, in truth and in fact, the rejection of a very large portion, and a very prominent feature of the entire Scripture doctrines, and renders them, not only inconsistent and contradictory, but absolutely irreconcilable; that by accepting this as a gospel doctrine, these contradictions are proved to have been only apparent, and they are made to harmonize in all their parts and constructions, as doth the glorious attributes of their Divine head and founder.

It has been already remarked, (page 39,) that the words rendered in the English versions of the Bible, "everlasting, eternal, for ever, and for ever and ever," have been proved by the very ablest Biblical critics and lexicographers, to be derived from a Greek word that has, in its original, a meaning, that (depending upon the subject with which it is connected in the Scriptures,) is either definite or indefinite. The Greek word, in the singular, is "aion," the literal signification of which is, "an age." In the plural, it is "aions," or "ages:" consequently, the adjective "aionion," is literally "an age of ages," a period, or periods of the world, such as the Adamic age, whose period may be computed from Adam to Moses; the Mosaic age, or dispensation, which lasted from Moses to Christ; and lastly, the Christian age or dispensation, whose precise limits, or period, is yet in futurity.

The Jewish Doctors, in their remarks upon this word in the Hebrew, have assigned to it the following limits: First, as it regards the world, it served to distinguish the periods of the former and present dispensations. Before the coming of the Messiah, they considered the word "aion" as applying itself to the period of the world from Adam to Christ, and which they distinguished as "the world that now is." While, secondly, the appearance of the Messiah was to be distinguished as a new age of the world, in which righteousness and true holiness would abound; when men should no longer worship idols, but the true and living God, &c. And hence, they disguished the Christian age, by terming it "the world to come," and the Adamic and Mosaic dispensations, as the old world; whence the present, or Christian dispensation, is called "the new world,"† &c.

As the character of our Heavenly Father is consistent in all his glorious attributes, the Scriptures, which are the revelations of his Spirit, are unquestionably intended to be in accordance with his glorious character. All classes of Christians acknowledge the canonical books of the Old and New Testaments to be the revelations of his Divine will, to holy men, in the different ages and dispensations of the world. We now seriously ask, upon the Christian sincerity, candor and veracity of all rational sectarians, if, by their various methods of explaining the Scriptures, they can, upon any sound and correct principle, comparing the passages quoted in the first twenty-two pages of this Manual, with other passages, (particularly those which they have variously chosen as the basis of their doctrines,) show any thing like consistency in the Scriptures? We aver, they cannot and as we are not satisfied with any of the arguments hitherto made use of, to evade this important point; and finding that neither

*Robinson's Greek Lexicon-Art. AION.

+ See, also, Scarlet, Campbell, Whiston, Chauncey, Winchester, Murray, Kneeland, and other Greek scholars and lexicograhers, on this word. 'The Basilididians also consider the term to mean a limited duration.

EVANGELIST'S MANUAL.

55

Calvinistic nor Arminian writers have been able, according to their doctrines and tenets, to reconcile the Holy Scriptures in all their parts, as hath been plainly proved, (page 35,) we have preferred that mode of explaining the entire Scriptures, which at once renders them consistent in all their parts, and by which they are made to harmonize, without the least discordance; and not only so, we fearlessly aver, that according to the views and explanations of "consistent Christian Universalists," the sacred canons of the Holy Scriptures present themselves to the understanding of all unprejudiced minds, as they truly are, the Divine Revelations of "the only wise God our Saviour," whose glory is, by this doctrine, as fully sustained, as it is possible for human expressions to describe it.

From a long, intimate, and comparatively happy intercourse with members of various sects of Christians, we have found many who cannot cordially assent to the doctrines and tenets of their respective societies; but continue their attendance and membership, merely from the force of education, habit, and an unwillingness to disoblige their friends; they reprobate the doctrine of the eternity of future punishment, and believe, as we do, in the final salvation of all men. This conduct is inconsistent; because there is nothing in the doctrine of final salvation, as founded upon the Scriptures, of which any man, or sects of men, have any need to be afraid or ashamed. On the contrary, there is every thing embraced in the doctrines and tenets of the consistent Universalist, of which the most pious and devoted Christian might, and must be, most properly and justly proud. And we solemnly call upon our opponents to investigate the principles of our Faith, to compare our doctrines with those of the Scriptures of Truth; and as we are confident that they are such as are approved of our God, we are not disposed to shrink from, or to tremble for the issue of the most critical investigation of man. In truth, we demand, rather than shun, the honest examination of our religious principles.

We know, from many years' experience, that this

Evangelical Doctrine is not properly understood; and we fearlessly assert, that when properly understood, it would be impossible for any rational being to withhold their assent to its truth, without rejecting a large portion of the Prophecies, and promises of the Scriptures; and we here venture to prove our assertion. The Universalists, properly so called, that is, those who adhere to the Primitive, Apostolic and Catholic doctrines of Christ, and his immediate Disciples and Apostles. as will be seen by their articles of Faith, not only believe in all the Scriptural commands that are deemed necessary or essential to salvation, but they accept the whole and entire doctrines of the Bible, in their correct and consistent translation, as the rule of their faith and practice. They are, therefore, found to differ from all other Christians, on two points alone, neither of which, they believe, are essential to salvation.

On the doctrine of "Election and Reprobation," they differ from Calvinists, (page 46,) in taking a view of this doctrine, more honourable to God, more in accordance with his glorious perfections, more consonant with his impartial justice, and eternal, unchangeable love, and more satisfactory to the reason and understanding of benevolent and unprejudiced men. And on the doctrine of the "Eternity of hell torments," they differ from all sects and denominations of Christians, who believe, advocate, preach and defend it; and pronounce the doctrine to be an error, originating, primarily, from the imperfect knowledge, vague interpretation, and improper application of a single Greek word, as has been previously noticed and explained; and generally, from an improper, morbid conception of the moral and infinite perfections of the Deity, which are viewed and judged of, by the various standards of their own imperfect inferences and conclusions; or else, from being either too ignorant, or indolent, to examine for themselves, they accept those doctrines that approach more nearly to their conceptions of Christianity, than some others, satisfying themselves with the fallacious hope of being secure, by attaching themselves to