THE Sermon now before us is certainly a paragon of the kind. Its equal, in all respects, has perhaps never yet appeared in any language since that unhappy epocha, the confusion of tongues.

BUT since we are by divine authority commanded to prove all things, before we venture to imbibe any of those drops the author proposes to impart, we shall not scruple to bring his water to the criterion of truth, nor make any apology for seriously trying it by the infallible standard of verity, the Word of God.

WE have been taught not to believe every spirit. This watch-word puts us on our guard, and makes us cautious, lest the potion offered, not flowing from the ocean of love, nor springing from the fountain of life, but rather from some stygian lake, should deceive us; and, instead of refreshing our souls, or exhilerating our spirits, by its pestiferous qua­lity infect our constitutions, if not poison us to death!

UPON perusal, this discourse is found to be a composition of History and Divinity. There are also a few sketches of Philosophy and Logic intermixed. The whole being embellished with many sublime phrases, and inforced with the strongest expressions of assurance. It is the two principal parts that shall be now taken into consideration.

AFTER a short introduction, and brief elucidation of the general plan, we are presented with a concise history of the old creation. The narration is truly curious; and the project not a little amusing. Every page reflects the author in a strong light, and shews him to be a person of extraordinary invention. But, yet, alas! there is one material blemish, [Page 4] which, as a muddy stream, runs quite through his perform­ance. This single flaw, like a dead fly, corrupts the whole box of ointment, and causes it to emit a nauseous savour. The misfortune is, it does not in several particulars at all accord with the three first chapters of Genesis. So that it is plain either the ancient Prophet, or the modern Preacher, erred in vision, and stumbled in judgment, when describing this stupendous production of Almighty Power.

MOSES, indeed, gives us no account of either the creation or fall of angels. Nor has any other inspired writer left a word on record relating to their formation. But Mr. Win­chester has supplied this defect. He says, ‘they were created out of nature, which was at first pure, transparent, hea­venly, substantiality,’ &c.

THIS, surely, is a late revelation, and newly come out of the mint. But whether it may be allowed to pass as current coin, or ought to be condemned as a counterfeit, shall be left to more skilful judges to determine. However, this may be affirmed, it needs an expositor of profound erudition, being much harder to understand than the darkest vision or most ab­struse mystery contained even in the apocalypse of St. John. But let us attend to the event.

WE are told in the same page, ‘That one of these angels, Lucifer by name, seeking to enter into the first properties of life, &c. fell, with all his legions (who in number were one third of the celestial host) into the dark center of na­ture. And thus we account for the earth being without form, and void, and darkness covering the deep.’

Now MOSES seems to intimate, that this formless mass was the original substance of the afterward visible world. That the succeeding operations of Omnipotence were only to re­duce this primogenious matter into just order and regularity. And that, after this work was compleated, Infinite Wisdom, passing his verdict upon the whole amazing system, pronounced it good, yea, very good. But, if these apostate spirits had gained so early a possession of nature, while as yet it remain­ed but a rude and indigested chaos, it seems strange that any good should ever come out of such a Nazareth! An Apostle assures us, that the rebel angels were cast down to hell. And according to our author, this horrible pit was nothing else but [Page 5] the dark center of nature. If so, we might have expected to hear that the world, and all it contained, was bad, yea, very bad, from its first appearance, seeing it was made out of such infernal particles, such luciferized ingredients. Upon this hypothesis, he might have spared all his labour to prove a ge­neral redemption from hell. For, in reality, there neither is now, nor ever was such a place since man was brought into existence. No! no! The dismal tartarean prison was illumi­nated on the first day of the creation, and by the seventh to­tally demolished; or rather turned into a splendid and mag­nificent palace. How much to be regretted is it, that those malicious troublesome spirits were not converted at the same time! especially as it is to be their happy lot at last, accord­ing to Mr. Winchester's doctrine! For 'tis plain they have not only entered into our world since it was first made, but into the very hearts of all its inhabitants; and are evidently, this day, driving multitudes of them, like the swine in the gospel, down the steep and slippery declivities of vanity and delusion, into the great sea of eternal wrath, into the bottom­less gulf of everlasting perdition! And they are likely,—likely did I say? nay, without repentance, they will assuredly perish in the great waters! But as this world, and all its inhabitants, were created without fault, and made perfect in their several kinds, we are fully persuaded that Satan had no possession of nor dominion over any of them, until he had seduced our First Parents into disobedience, and brought them into the same condemnation with himself.

IN the book of Genesis we are informed, that the ter­restrial Paradise was situated in and extended no farther than one particular spot, viz. the east of Eden. But in the Sermon we are certified, that this Paradise covered ‘the whole earth; hid the curse, which was already broke out in it; and brought forth its proper fruit. But while the good and evil were at strife, the Divine Artificer joining his power to the first property of the desire, it became an Almighty Fiat, which prevented any more wrath and darkness to be introduced into nature. And to effect this benign and salutary transmutation, the Spirit of God brooding on the face of the deep, baptised the same with light; that the heavenly properties might be awakened, or stir­red up,’ &c. &c.

[Page 6]IT seems, by this account, the whole creation (the inani­mate parts not excepted) was conceived in iniquity, born in sin, and under a horrible malediction from the very womb! So that there was a necessity of dipping it into some ocean of light (for no river would be sufficient) that by this celestial immersion it might be washed of its native filth, and puri­fied from its original pollution. And which is yet more, that the Angels might be prevented for the future from in­troducing any more wrath or darkness into nature.

How well would it be for the christian world, if their water-baptism had such beneficial effects on the subjects of that holy ordinance! But it is not, alas! it is not so. Yet, if Moses may be depended on, this design proved abortive, and was soon frustrated. For Adam and Eve were not yet formed. And after this the serpent prevailed with them to eat the forbidden fruit, and thereby introduced, if possible, a still greater cloud of wrath and darkness into nature. For hereupon we find them both turned out of the happy garden, and the very ground cursed for their sakes. Nor has it to this day been delivered from that bondage of corruption in which it was then involved.

So that this is altogether a very gloomy representation of the affair. But what the author means by these phrases, viz. The first property of the desire; This congealing the whole into solid bodies, &c. is a midnight shade too thick for my penetration. 'Tis all palpable obscurity! gross darkness, without a ray of light! Such unintelligible jargon may serve to amuse the vulgar, and set the populace a staring, who are mostly fond of what they cannot understand, but can afford no satisfaction to people of discernment.

MOSES tells us, in his plain way, That God formed man out of the dust, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life. By this account we naturally conclude, that the corpo­real part of the human frame was produced out of the earth, and the soul immediately created out of no pre-existent mat­ter, and by the divine afflation infused and united to the body. But Mr. Winchester says, ‘the whole man was form­ed out of the three principles, viz. fire, water, and the prin­ciple called the third, viz. of this lower world, or nature.’

BUT what this third principle was we are not told. Pro­bably [Page 7] it was some occult and nameless element! Nor is it easy to conjecture what it might be, unless it was that strange, complex ghost, the wrath and darkness which Lucifer had irri­tated and stirred up in nature. But if so, surely man was not created in the image of God, but rather in the image of the Devil. No wonder then that he so readily hearkened to that degraded seraphim.

ACCORDING to the sacred history, we used to conceive that Adam was no more than a man when first brought into being. That he was in a solitary state. And that the woman was formed some time afterwards. And that to this end God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, during which he took a rib out of his body, of which he made a creature of somewhat different shape and quality, who was appointed to be the future companion of his life. But in the Sermon we are given to understand, that Adam was primarily of the commune of two genders: that is, he was ‘both male and female at once.’ Monstrum horrendum! What an odd idea of our venerable progenitor does this description convey! *******! Mr. Winchester tells us, ‘that Adam was lulled asleep by the power of lust, which shews his defection was begun, to prevent the completion of which, Jehovah sepa­rated the woman from him.’ But Moses shews us very clearly that Eve began to lust in the first place, and at the serpent's instigation swallowed the interdicted bait; and then allured her husband into the same transgression. Whereas, agreeable to the Sermon, Adam fell a lusting, and was led astray by the force of inherent concupiscence, before the woman had any apparent existence; unless he will say the female lusted in him before her separation, which would not be good logic, except she was that third principle of which he so often speaks, and to which he attributes some unac­countable wonders.

THE forbidden tree, by the scripture, appears to have been planted at the same time with the rest, and to have been placed in the midst of the famous garden. But the Sermon might induce us to suppose, that it sprung up by some spon­taneous power of vegetation. Where this pernicious tree stood is not told us; but it looks as if it germinated in Adam's flesh, and budded, and flowered, and fructified, and brought forth its mortiferous fruit in the man's own breast.

[Page 8]IF that was the case, pray how came the woman to have access to its fatal branches? How came she to behold the ap­ples? For it seems they were pleasant to her eyes. This is, perhaps, an harder question than any the Queen of Sheba proposed to King Solomon, when she paid him that celebrated visit. Though the royal Philosopher readily answered all the queries she offered, yet in my opinion this one would have brought him to his ne plus ultra, notwithstanding his peerless wisdom and understanding.

THE inspired writer mentions no consort that Adam ever had, but one, and calls them, the man and his wife. But our author certifies, that he was first ‘joined to the pure vir­gin of divine wisdom, who was the wife of his youth.’ In pursuance of this, our mother Eve must have been his se­cond bride. What pity it is, that he has not completed this part of his history! Why has he not told us what number of children Adam had by this miraculous woman? How many of each sex were born to them, as pledges of their conjugal endearment? And what became of the whole progeny at last? &c. &c. &c. For it is likely they all died, or were some how extinct, before Moses wrote the book of Genesis. And perhaps he never heard that there had been such a gene­ration upon the earth.

Sed pudet hoec opprobria! I grow weary of animadverting on such mystick whimsies. Great part of his history is quite fabulous; and some of it perfect puerility. It puts me in mind of Ovid's Metamorphoses; though the mythology of the Pagan Poet is much more rational than that of this Christian Preacher. Such enthusiastic reveries, such prodigi­ous blunders, and misconstructions, and absurdities, and con­tradictions, are too tedious for patience itself to dwell upon. Indeed, they expose themselves; and to an intelligent reader require no confutation. We shall therefore dismiss the histo­rical; and proceed to consider the doctrinal part of this nota­ble discourse.

UPON inspection, we find the latter affords no better en­tertainment than the former. The author's scheme of di­vinity differs as far fron the gospel of Christ, as his account of the creation does from the history of Moses.

THE professed scope of our author is, to prove an universal [Page 9] redemption, or the final restoration of all things. So that not only the whole human race, but even the fallen angels likewise (though he did not think proper to assert it, perhaps out of modesty) shall, after certain revolutions of time, be fully manumitted from their infernal confinement, and be enfranchised into all the immunities of the blessed. This is his most delightful theme. This the minion of his affection. This the favourite, the darling, on which he doats. But how he defends it shall be our present enquiry.

IN the sermon it is observed, that ‘the glorious Deity can have but one will toward all his creatures, which always continues the same, and alters not through the fall of any of them.’ But the gospel very positively asserts the con­trary. Therein we are assured, that it is not the will of God that some persons should perish in any sense of the word, and that he is willing to make his power known in the destruction of others.

That there is, that there can be but one power of volition in the Supreme Being, is readily granted; but that this power cannot, or that it does not act variously, according to the se­veral objects with whom it is concerned, is utterly denied. For was that the case, all rational creatures must of conse­quence be equally happy, or equally miserable, both during time and throughout eternity. But we daily see a very wide difference in the circumstances of nations and countries, and families, as well as of individuals in this world. And we are abundantly certified in the gospel, that their stations hereafter, according to their several characters, will vary just as much as the joys of Heaven and the torments of Hell are contrary one to the other. The blessed God, without any doubt, wills the felicity of all men, on condition of their persevering obedi­ence to his injunctions, and constant compliance with his com­mands. He will assuredly reward his faithful servants with peculiar tokens of his approbation, and he will as certainly make all irreclaimable offenders sensible of his displeasure, by punishing them in a just proportion to the several aggravations of their crimes. The same munificent hand that imparts a royal diadem to one person, may smite another to death. This similitude is pregnant to the purpose, and needs no illu­stration. Nor do these discriminating acts of retribution [Page 10] cause the lead variation in the righteous Judge. No, he is the very same still, without any shadow of turning. The change is only in his creatures. Their perdition is not of God. Their rueful catastrophe is the effect of their wilful rebellion. Their eternal damnation is their own voluntary option, and the just wages of their conduct. So that this assertion of Mr. Winchester's is either nothing to his purpose, or else a very dangerous mistake. If he means that the Di­vine Will, considered as an attribute, is but one, it can have no relation to his doctrine, and is no more to his purpose, than if he had emphatically declared there is but one God.— But if he means that this Will does never act in a different manner, as aforesaid, it contradicts the whole tenor of the Bible, and is as opposite to the gospel revelation, as the most arrant falshood is to the plainest truth that was ever published to the world.

WE are told in the same page, That ‘fury, wrath, or anger, can never dwell in the fountain of love.’—Yet every one that reads the holy Scriptures must surely know, that all these are very frequently attributed to the Supreme Being. We find him threatening the wicked, if they repent not, that his fury shall come upon them as an unquenchable fire; that his anger is poured out as an overwhelming inun­dation, we are often assured; and that his wrath is revealed from heaven against all the ungodly without distinction, is a solemn declaration recorded in the gospel itself. But what signifies quoting particular passages in confirmation of this point. It shines conspicuously through the whole book, and to prove it is as unnecessary, as lighting a taper to shew the sun at noon-day. It is true, fury in God is not a turbulent passion, as it is in fallen creatures, and is only ascribed to him by a figure. Yet it shews us, that he will deal with in­corrigible sinners as the most choleric and incensed Potentate would with the vilest of traitors; i. e. condemn them accord­ing to law, and order their execution without the least in­dulgence or mitigation of the sentence. The anger of the Almighty is no anxious commotion or perturbation of mind. No! It is nothing but the sedate, deliberate, undisturbed ac­complishment of his Word. Is it therefore the less to be dread­ed? Not at all. Nay, this renders it infinitely more formi­dable [Page 11] than the united resentment of all creatures together! The wrath of God, being the cool, dispassionate performance of his immutable decrees, is unutterably fearful! is incon­ceivably terrible! and to deny that fury, in any sense, dwells in the Deity, is a contradiction to his revealed will, and a dishonour to his holy name.

WAS some favourite Minister of State not only to proclaim it with his tongue, but publish in print, that his royal master was of so tender a complexion, and so eminent for clemency, that it was impossible to provoke him to wrath, or to rouse his indignation, insomuch that the most insolent and flagitious malefactor had nothing to fear from him: His subjects might renounce their allegiance, take up the arms of rebellion, and even attempt to dethrone their lawful Sovereign, and yet not as much as doubt of escaping with impunity. For he never did, nor ever would condemn any man to death, however criminal his deportment might be. Who sees not that every person endued with common sense must either believe this to be a false aspersion cast upon the King, a lying report invent­ed to serve some sinister end of this haughty and malignant Courtier, or that the Monarch was altogether unfit to fill a throne, and shamefully unqualified to sway the sceptre of Majesty? The application is easy. Mr. Winchester calls him­self a Minister of Christ, and professes to be an Ambassador of God. But he has sent his Sermon abroad, in which he assures every reader, that in the fountain of love is neither fury, or wrath, or anger, for him to fear. And what is the native tendency of such a doctrine? Is it not directly calcu­lated to lull wretched mortals into the deepest slumbers of carnal security? To make them believe that God has little or no regard for the honor of his government, and will never arise to assert his dominion, vindicate the equity of his law, or maintain his own authority? Instead of a curb to restrain their vicious propensities, will it not serve as a sharp pointed spur, exciting them to run precipitately, and without controul, into all the crooked paths of licentiousness? To encourage obdurate wretches, like those complained of by the Prophet, ‘to turn (notwithstanding all amicable and compassionate attempts to reclaim them) every one to his own way, as the horse rushes into the battle?’

[Page 12]THE deity, if we will believe his gospel, claims the prero­gative, and even glories in the right of recompence: ‘Ven­geance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.’ And St. Paul tells us, that ‘knowing the terror of the Lord, both he and his brethren persuaded men.’ But Mr. Winchester, it seems, knows of no such thing. Nay, he positively declares, and asserts it without the least hesitation or circumlocution, that neither fury, or wrath, or anger, can dwell in the foun­tain of love. Upon this plan, men may gratify all their sensual inclinations, run into the wildest excess of riot, and perpetrate the most heinous enormities, without the least ha­zard of being ever called to an account for their misdemean­ors. For if the case be so, 'tis needless to prove a general redemption from hell. No, certainly! there never was, nor ever will be a single person doomed either to that or any other punishment at all. If this is not depriving mankind of the strongest barrier against vice, and removing one of the most cogent motives to religion and virtue, then some poor christians are incapable of discerning between black and white. This is gospel indeed! good news with a witness! Was this brilliant notion universally embraced, what shocking effects may we not suppose would naturally follow thereupon? As corrupt as our world is at present, 'tis doubtless a heaven, in comparison of what it would soon become! What depravity of manners! What detestable villainies, would quickly burst out from this invenomed source of every abomination! In a word, the old proverb is by experience still found to be a true one: All that glitters is not gold. This sparkling piece of ore, when weighed in the sacred ballances, proves abund­antly too light for our reception. Neither will it bear the touchstone of truth. It is therefore deservedly rejected.

CONCERNING Adam's probation, we are notified, ‘that his trial was not arbitrarily imposed upon him by God, neither was the tree of knowledge planted in the garden on purpose to tempt him, as is commonly supposed.’ But if so, may it not be enquired, what this strange tree was planted at all for? What purpose could it answer? Adam, we read, was or­dered not to eat of it on pain of death. And pray what could be the design of this prohibition, unless it was to tempt him, or to try his obedience, which is but the same thing? The au­thor [Page 13] allows that Adam was in a state of trial. But what was there to try him by, if this tree be excluded from that design? We read of no other injunction laid upon him, but a per­petual abstinence from the fruit thereof. It follows, therefore, that it was appointed for no other end but to tempt, or prove, or try him, call it which you will. And it is also manifest that his trial was imposed upon him arbitrarily by God, or as an absolute Sovereign, who is responsible to none of his crea­tures, nor under any obligation to give an account of his matters to men or angels. ‘He doth according to his will, in the armies of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth.’

GOD indeed tempts none of us to evil: Yet he may, and often does do so for our good. It would have been infinitely to the advantage of our first parents, had they suffered this temptation without erring as they did. They would doubt­less, in due time, have been confirmed in their original recti­tude. They would very probably have received signal to­kens, some peculiar evidences of their Maker's regard. But we may be sure they would have had the ravishing consola­tion of transmitting righteousness, and purity, and life, and consummate felicity to all their yet unborn posterity. So that it was evidently an act of perfect goodness, and condescend­ing favour in God, to vouchsafe them such a favourable op­portunity of advancing their own happiness, and that of their offspring to all succeeding generations. To be brief This position of Mr. Winchester's cannot be found in the catalogue of orthodox doctrines. It does not harmonize with divine revelation. It does not at all correspond with the gospel of Christ. Therein we are assured, that it was by one man's disobedience many, i. e. all his posterity, were made sin­ners. And who was this man but Adam? He was constitut­ed our federal head, or representative in the first covenant. And as he broke it, his sin is very justly imputed unto us. So that in Adam all die. But we are told of no sin he committed save only this one, his eating the forbidden fruit. Which proves to a demonstration, that the aforesaid tree was actually planted in the garden to tempt, or try him, as was already observed. What his design, in denying the arbitrary imposi­tion of Adam's trial, is difficult to conceive; unless this en­gine [Page 14] was contrived to batter down the precious doctrine of God's supreme Sovereignty. For Adam, surely, might have been tried with a flower, or herb, or any other tree, had it been the good pleasure of his Maker to have ordered it so. The Council of the most high shall stand, whatever cavils wretched mortals may raise against him, or his dispensations. But according to this Sermon, Adam was tried, and yet not tried. He was tempted, and not tempted. He fell, yet there was nothing to hold him up, nor any thing to throw him down. Neither good nor evil spirit had the least hand in the tragedy. Into what monstrous inconsistencies! into what stu­pid rhapsodies will men run, when once they begin to swerve from the truth, and are turned unto Fables!

THE author affirms, that the ‘promise in his text was no sooner revealed to the parents of mankind, but it immedi­ately took effect. The seed of the woman was instantane­ously planted in their breasts as a spark of the Divine Light, from which moment Christ's incarnation and man's re­storation was begun. That the same seed is derived unto and dwells in all their posterity, as an inspoken seed of the woman. And that it is of this immortal seed that we must be born again, in order to our entering the Kingdom of Heaven.’ &c. &c. &c. That this promise took a salutary effect on both Adam and Eve, some time after its promulga­tion, is indeed commonly supposed. Yet 'tis at most but a probable conjecture. It is not in any man's power to prove that it did so. How then could he assert it with such a ple­rophory of assurance? But it seems Mr. Winchester thought so, and his opinion is sufficient authority to ratify and establish any article whatever.

BUT that this divine seed is propagated by ordinary gene­ration to all, or to any of their posterity, doth not yet appear. Nay, it is as contrary to the Gospel of Christ, as the rotund apex of a mushroom is to the blooming foliage of a tulip. The Apostle assures us, that in human flesh, as far as unrege­nerated, there "dwells no good thing." That while uncon­verted, all men are without Christ. And that not Christ but Satan, works in the children of disobedience, &c. Now how this can be consonant to the inherency of that feed, which he declares is really Christ himself, the reader is left to judge.

[Page 15]IN confirmation of this strange doctrine, Mr. Winchester quotes two texts of Scripture, viz. St. John, i. 9. and I. John, iv. 3. As to the first of these citations, the Evan­gelist's design in that whole chapter was to prove our Saviour's Divinity, which was even then strenuously opposed by one Cerinthus, and his followers, who maintained that he was no more than a meer man. And this he does by many nervous and irrefragable arguments, among which this is not the least, that our Lord was in reality no less a person than the Great Au­tophoos, or true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world. That is, he is the Creator as well as Re­deemer of mankind. The almighty author of our understand­ing, and reason, and conscicence, and every other faculty that human nature is endowed with, and by which we are dignified, and distinguished from the beasts of the field, &c. Although he is the light only of the regenerate, by spiritual illumination.

As to the other text, the Apostle is evidently proving our Lord's humanity against one Cerdon and his adherents, who denied his humanity: Contending that he only appeared in the shape of a man, and assumed but the shadow of a body. Wherefore St. John declares that such teachers, who with­stood the doctrine of Christ's actual incarnation, or real as­sumption of our nature, were not of God, i. e. were not sent by his authority to preach the gospel, but were in truth the instruments of Antichrist. These scriptures, therefore, are no more to his purpose, than if he had quoted the two first chap­ters of the first book of Chronicles to prove that George the third was or is the rightful King of China or Japan.

THAT our Lord comes into the souls of all true believers, and dwells in their hearts by his spirit, is very readily grant­ed. He is in them the hope of glory. But that he is even in their flesh, so that it may be called his incarnation, is utterly disowned. How much less is he in all mankind in that, or any other proper acceptation of the word! For were it so, there would be just as many incarnate Deities as there ever were or shall be men and women in the world. Shocking! to avow that Christ is incarnatively dwelling in every disso­lute profligate, in every abandoned reprobate! what epithet does this deserve! what appellation shall be given it! name­less may it remain!

[Page 16]BUT, he says, ‘Christ called the Pharisees to behold that the Kingdom of God was within them: Luke xvii. 20. and if in them, who are elswhere called Serpents, &c. &c. then certainly in all mankind.’

IT is true, the question that occasioned this discourse was proposed by the Pharisees. But that our Lord directed his answer to them is not so certain.—It seems more likely that our Saviour, turning or pointing to his Disciples, addressed this instruction unto them, in whom, no doubt, his kingdom of grace was erected.—Or if he spoke to those wicked men, he could mean no more than that their long expected Messiah was really come, being no other but himself, who was now in their country, and present among them, causing the joyful sound of his gospel, that melody of Zion, to ring in their ears. So that it was in vain to look any farther, for salvation was not to be found in any other. And that our Lord could not intend to intimate that either the grace, or spirit, or seed of God, was in them, is evident. For at another time, he told the same kind of people, and perhaps the same persons, I know you, that you have not the love of God in you. But according to this author, not only the love of God, but he himself was in these whited sepulchres, these detestable hy­pocrites, though they were daily plotting his death, and hour­ly thirsting for his blood. They were, as Jesus well knew, implacable enemies both to truth and virtue. And he pro­nounced them entirely evil, for he very clearly saw through the disguise, and plainly perceived that they covered their hatred with lying lips. While they pretended to the highest degree of sanctity, the Son of God esteemed them the worst of men, and the vilest of sinners. And yet, according to our sermon, he declared they had in them the seed of all good. He must be a connoisseur in the rules of logic, who can recon­cile these things to reason.

On this head, we are presented with the peculiar character­istic of Christ's true ministers. They take him for their only pattern, and make his sermons the sole model of their preach­ing. ‘He directed man to the seed of the woman, which is within, and so do they. But all deceivers take another way, &c.’ Yet we do not find that Christ ever once mentioned such a direction in the whole course of his ministry. Read [Page 17] the history of his life and death. He never as much as men­tions this seed, nor speaks a single word about it, in any of his sermons, or parables, or private discourses.

NOR did his Apostles at any time give this direction to their hearers or readers. There is not in the New Testament one expression that can be construed to that import, without a manifest perversion of the sacred text. The constant scope of the inspired writers, instead of directing men to something within them, is to urge them to a speedy renunciation of them­selves, and a believing application to Jesus Christ, who now sitteth on the right hand of God, not in their hearts, but in the highest Heaven. The effrontery of this man must be great indeed, when he so rashly condemns the Apostles, and at least a great majority of their faithful successors, as a malignant junto of impostors and deceivers of mankind. Certainly he was not in the spirit of meekness, as he pretends elsewhere, when he shot this random dart, when he hurl'd this surly, malapert, virulent invective against the generation of the Righteous. But (aliquando bonus dormitat Homerus) it is a rare steed that never stumbles. However, we shall claim the liberty of judging for ourselves; and profess to believe there have been and still are a goodly number of ministers, and of different denominations too, who will be accepted at the last day, as faithful servants of Christ, and sincere lovers of man­kind, though they never as much as thought of directing peo­ple to this inspoken seed, of which we can find no account in the Holy Scriptures, which, blessed be God! are able to make us wise unto salvation, though ELHANAN WINCHEST, had never existed.

THIS divine seed, we are informed, ‘is the only beginning and possibility of a new life. Unless the means of grace can reach that hidden spark, they can do us no good, any more than the sun, &c. could cause a flint to vegetate. No­thing can rise up but according to the possibilities of nature. Nay, God himself could not raise us up in an arbitrary manner, without this seed to work upon, &c. &c. &c. There is nothing arbitrary: All is natural throughout the whole process.’

IF the case be so, 'tis a little strange how our first parents came to be raised? 'Tis plain this seed could not be sown in [Page 18] them till at least some time after their fall. And why may it not be disseminated in the hearts of their children at any age, though it was not born with them? Is any thing too hard for the Lord? Our regeneration in Scripture is called a new creature; or, as it may be rendered, a new creation. Now to create, every body must know, is a producing some substance out of no pre-existent matter; or making some being out of nothing. But agreeable to this sermon, rege­neration is but blowing the hidden spark into a flame, or rais­ing the latent seed to a stalk, which is but a resurrection at most; nor can it be called a creation in any sense whatever, When God Almighty blesses men with his saving grace, he puts his spirit within them, which was not there before. And the same Agent puts his laws of faith and love into their hearts, to both which, in their natural estate, they are all of them without exception utter strangers. St. Paul, when delineating that great change, gives us this beautiful descrip­tion of it: God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined into our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God, in the face of Jesus Christ.

HERE the Apostle evidently alludes to the first creation. The primitive chaos was covered with total darkness until God said let there be light. So is the heart of every man by na­ture. It is not only a dark region, but darkness itself. Obscu­rity in the abstract. And thus it remains until the new cre­ation commences. Then the same irresistible power, that gave light to the natural world, bestows it also on the spiritual world, the before absolutely blind, dark and ignorant soul of man. A glorious ray from the Sun of righteousness enters the under­standing, and with amazing effulgence irradiates the mind: Even as the terraqueous globe was illuminated in a moment, when the divine fiat was uttered. Truly, the earth in its original form was an apt emblem of our native depravity, and the light which was immediately communicated is a lively image of God's grace freely imparted, and which alone effects our new birth and conversion. Was there no­thing arbitrary in the first creation? Did this material world spring up only according to the possibilities of nature? Did it, with all its stupendous phoenomena, arise as a stalk out [Page 19] of some pre-existent seed? No surely! Unless we hold that the substance of all viable things was from eternity, as it is reported the old Peripatetic Philosophers really did. Neither does the new creation proceed from any principle hid in a man's breast before, but is produced out of nothing, just as the old creation was. Therefore the sermon, in this particu­lar also, differs very widely from the Gospel of Christ. The author, in the mean while, gives us to know the cause why all are not regenerated. And this he illustrates by an elegant similitude: ‘If the seed is covered with stones, or rocks, or mountains, the sun cannot reach it: Even so, all are not brought to the divine life, because of the oppositions made to it, and obstructions that hinder it.’ But does not Mr. Winchester know, that there is a very great dispa­rity between corporeal and spiritual things? Though we take comparisons from the former to assist our conceptions, yet we never expert them fully to represent the latter; and that be­cause of their vastly superior excellency. It is true, the great ruler of the day cannot pierce through rocks, &c. to quicken the grain that is concealed beneath them: But is almighty per­fection as impotent as the creature he has made? Can omni­potency operate with no more energy than a lifeless luminary, all whose splendours were kindled with his breath? Is he not able to raise up children unto Abraham out of the stones? Are not the rocks thrown down by him? And do not the per­petual hills bow, and the everlasting mountains melt at his touch, and flow down at his presence? God can overcome all opposition, and remove every obstruction just when he pleases; for he worketh all things according to the counsel of his own will.

IT is true, men can and always do withstand this good work. And it is certain that some of them have resisted the Holy Ghost so wilfully, and so long, till God has given them up as incurable patients, and sworn in his wrath ye shall not enter into my rest. These are smitten with judicial blindness, and their conversion becomes impossible, as the scriptures clearly testify; and that because it is inconsistent with the truth of God to give them his saving grace afterwards. Therefore, where people were quite hardened in unbelief, our Lord could not do many mighty works as man, because he had no com­mission [Page 20] to heal such obstinate despisers of his salvation. This also made him say, that it was hard for such as had riches to enter into the kingdom of God. Because such, who trust in riches, as it is explained in another place, do certainly reject all the means of salvation; and while they continue to do so, it is not only difficult but impossible for them to receive Jesus Christ, or be made partakers of his benefits. Yet with God nothing is impossible. When he resolves to convert a sinner, no impediment whatever can hinder his design. No obstacle has force sufficient to prevent the certain execution of his sovereign purpose. He speaks, and it is done. He com­mands, and it stands fast for ever.

HAVING paved his way with the polished stones of error thus far, our author comes at last to a more particular consi­deration of his main point, the glorious doctrine of the final restoration of all things. This his most beloved sentiment, he supposes, naturally follows from his preceding observations. But the misery is, it does neither follow from scripture, or reason, or the common sense of mankind. He says it has been for a long time greatly clouded over with antichristian darkness. If so, it is a pity this cloud was ever dispersed. Even the shades of night may sometimes prove advantageous to men. It may hide several loathsome objects from their eyes. And if antichristian darkness served for a long season, as he tells us, to cover such a putrid mass of heresy, and conceal it from the christian world, it was indeed a benefit, instead of an injury.

BUT, by his leave, this doctrine was never as much as once heard of, until Antichrist had stirred up abundance of wrath and darkness in the primitive church, as he assures us Lucifer did formerly in the profound center of nature. We have no account of it during the two first centuries. This notion of a general redemption from Hell was first broached by one Origen, who lived in the year of our Lord two hundred and thirty. With this, the same man held many other monstrous opinions, which were afterwards propagated by his followers, who, after his name, were called Origenists. These prevailed and infested the church until the sixth century, when they were condemned in general council, and Origen's books on such subjects censured as dangerous, and forbidden to be read. Of this Origen it is reported, that he was endowed with a [Page 21] memory so tenacious, that he could readily repeat the whole Bible by heart. I have also heard the same thing of Mr. Winchester; and probably they were born under the same pla­net. However that may be, the said Origen does not appear to have been any great artist in construing the scriptures. For he, understanding our Saviour's words, ‘there be some who have made themselves Eunuchs for the Kingdom of Hea­ven's sake,’ in a literal sense, thereupon laid violent hands on his own virility, and cruelly emasculated himself. Just as if our Lord had recommended castration as the only way to immortal glory. This shews that the glorious doctrine we are examining sprung at first from no very creditable source; for what dependence can be put on authors, however eminent for parts or learning, when it is well known they have fallen into such splenetic dreams, into such pitiful and distracted dotages!

ON this topic Mr. Winchester flourishes in all the pomp of heroism. His magnanimity appears in every line. Having pressed several precious texts of Scripture into his service, he ranges his arguments in due form, and, mustering his whole force, fires his syllogisms like chained shot. But, though his courage is evidently great, military skill is wanting. His ar­tillery is but poorly served, for his balls do little or no ex­ecution. Some of them fly too high, others too low, and every one falls short of the mark.

UNLESS all creatures become guilty of sin, and miserable in consequence of their fall, be at last restored to happiness, he declares ‘the promise in his text can never have a perfect accomplishment; yea, upon the common systems, it has scarce any meaning at all. God has sworn by the Prophet, that to him every knee shall bow, and every tongue shall swear; and by an Apostle repeats the same solemn declara­tion. It is promised that God will reconcile all things to himself. Death shall be destroyed, &c. &c. &c. No enemy shall be left. God is able, and he is willing to restore all things. Therefore it shall be done, &c. &c.’

BUT, under correction, we cannot yet help thinking that a leading malefactor may be totally subdued by a Prince, and yet retain his enmity to his government as long as he lives. And why may it not be properly said that the serpent's head [Page 22] is bruised, and his works destroyed, though neither he nor any of his incorrigible confederates should ever be reconciled to God?

SUPPOSE some powerful tyrant had, by usurpation, seized a considerable part of a certain King's dominion, whose royal title was indisputable, had drawn many of his former subjects into rebellion, had very strongly intrenched and fortified him­self, bidding defiance to the lawful Monarch, and daily spreading terror and devastation all around. In the mean while it was foretold by several, who pretended to the gift of prophecy, that the King would in some future period of time send his own son to make war upon this tyrant, and that he should by force of arms utterly overthrow him, and take all his illegal acquisitions out of his hands. At last the illustri­ous hero appears, and lays siege to the tyrant's capital city, and having battered down the walls, and forced an entrance by storm, he sets up his white flag, and by sound of trumpet causes it to be proclaimed through all the country, that such who had been seduced by the tyrant should be accepted to his Majesty's favour, and be honored again as the subjects of his kingdom, provided they would, in such a term as speci­fied, throw down their arms, confess their folly, and sue for pardon and reconciliation. But whereas but few, compa­ratively, chuse to comply with his gracious overture, the con­quer condemns not only the tyrant, but likewise all who re­fused to receive quarters, either to immediate death, or dooms them to perpetual banishment into some foreign realm, and consigns them to the most abject servitude and irrecoverable slavery. Now, this done, was some haughty politician, in order to display the superiority of his judgment, to declare that the ancient prediction was false, for the conquest was far from being compleat, nor can it ever be perfected till this ty­rant, with all his accomplices in hostility, are redeemed from their bondage, called home to the King's Court, and not only so, but are dignified with all the immunities, and indulged with the same privileges which his best subjects enjoy; nay, they must be admitted into the King's palace, they must feast at his table,—yea, which is still more, they must be raised to the throne, and be made partners in his crown; for until all this is done, the victory is but partial, and the hero's tri­umph [Page 23] but mock pageanty and illusive ostentation. Would not such reasoning be universally exploded as ridiculous to the last degree? And what could the impertinent author justly ex­pect, but to be hissed out of countenance, and esteemed as a madman wherever he went? Yet this is the exact picture of Mr. Winchester's elaborate ratiocination on this subject. His arguments, in all their formality, have just as much force to prove, that unless wicked men and devils are in general re­leased from their infernal torment, the promises of God can­not be fulfilled, nor will Jesus Christ ever see the entire travail of his soul, and be satisfied. In short, it is very clear that all the scriptures this author has recited in these pages, or in any other part of his performance, do, when put together, prove nothing more than this, viz. that our glorious redeemer shall reign till all his enemies are made his footstool. Heaven, and earth, and hell, shall eternally resound with his peerless exploits, and angels, men and devils, with one everlasting shout, recognize his matchless atchievements. His friends shall voluntarily give all possible glory to the Lamb, and his foes shall yield him an equal tribute of praise, though by compulsion. For surely a slave may vow allegiance unto and bow down to a conqueror, though he does both with the greatest reluctance. A felon may acknowledge the authority of his Judge, and confess the equity of the sentence passed upon him, though at the same time his heart may be filled with an implacable antipathy to his person, insomuch that, was it in his power, he would gladly stab him with a mortal wound, and rejoice in the perpetration of so horrid an act. So here, the reprobate world shall doubtless bow, and kneel, and con­fess, and swear, and deeply submit to Jesus Christ, owning his absolute and incontroulable Sovereignty. But all this is far from arguing their emancipation. It does not at all prove their future enlargement. For this, all this they may, yea, and shall do in their infernal prison. All this they shall do with sempiternal sorrow, and anguish, and weeping, and gnashing of teeth, without the least hope of any deliverance from the fiery dungeons into which they will be cast, as ab­horred of the Lord, and rueful victims of his inexorable fury, and wrath, and anger, and indignation!

[Page 24]IN the conclusion of his discourse the author lays down five propositions, on which he says the glorious doctrine is built, all which must be proved to be false, before it can be over­thrown. In these, he lets us know, consists the merit of his cause; ‘these are the foundation principles or which the mighty superstructure rests; and till these are overthrown, all attempts against the doctrine are vain.’ So, then, far as we have proceeded, we have scarcely yet set out upon our journey. And behold! mountain upon mountain, in terrible gradation, placed before us. To remove them, it seems, is impracticable, and to climb over them at least very difficult, if not altogether impossible; and one or the other we must do, or renounce particular redemption, and embrace the glo­rious doctrine, the restoration of all things. A perplexing dilemma indeed! However, fortune favours the brave. En­couraged by this good old apothegm, we shall attempt the latter; i. e. we will endeavour to make our way over all these craggy cliffs, rather than give up the truth. And by permission, we shall take a view of his propositions in order.

1st. ‘GOD is love, essentially and communicatively, and loves all the beings he has made, considered as his crea­tures, and is constantly seeking to do them good.’ This is all true; and if so, we may be sure he will use the best means in his power to prevent their falling into sin, and there­by involving themselves in misery. And what means could be so likely to effect this most loving design as the assuring them, that if they ventured to transgress they must ‘suffer his ever­lasting displeasure, as the natural consequence of their re­bellion!’

IF GOD would rule his creatures at all, he must appoint certain laws for their observation. For without laws, there can be no government. But laws are of no validity, without some penalties annexed; and penalties would be of no force, without a strict execution. Is it inconsistent with a supreme magistrate's affection to his subjects for him to put the laws in execution? Does it discover a disregard to their welfare to punish thieves, and robbers, and murderers, and traitors, &c. &c. with death? Quite the reverse. Neither is it contrary to the essential or communicative love of God to fulfil his righ­teous threatenings, in the everlasting perdition of all his obsti­nate [Page 25] and irreclaimable enemies, and especially those whom he often called to repentance, promising them remission of their guilt, provided they would return to their duty. If, after all, many of them pertinaciously persist in their wickedness until the act of indemnity is repealed, who, I beseech you, is cul­pable of their eternal ruin but themselves? God can and does still love them, considered as his creatures, but not as his in­veterate foes. As such he hates, and will punish them, and that in perfect proportion to their several deserts. So then we have happily passed the first of these mountains.

‘2dly. GOD's design, in creating intelligent beings, was to make them happy in the knowledge and love of his glo­rious perfections.’

‘3dly. GOD's absolute ultimate designs cannot be eternal­ly frustrated.’ But, as they were free agents, their hap­piness depended on their perfect obedience during the space of their probation. But in case any of them revolted, one of God's absolute designs was, according to his threatening, and as appears by the event, that they should suffer for so doing. Therefore, though many of them are left to perish in and for their sins, God's designs are neither temporally nor eternally frustrated by their fall. Thus we have gained a passage over two of these mountains at once.

‘4thly. CHRIST died for all men (he should have added for all devils too) and died not in vain.’

THAT the merit of our dear Redeemer's death is sufficient in value to save all men, is granted: For his blood cleanseth from all sin. If men, therefore, refuse to apply this remedy, what can they expect but to die under the curse of God's holy law? It is an Apostle's interrogation, ‘How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation?’ Neither is the virtue of our Saviour's passion lost, though multitudes perish by under­valuing it. No medicine, however powerful to heal, will prove beneficial until applied. If a sick person rejects the physic offered unto him, and dies by his obstinacy, whose fault is it? Whose but the patient's▪ The physic remains as efficacious as if he, and ten thousands more, had taken it, and had all been restored to health by its operation. Besides, all mankind do actually receive several benefits in this world, in consequence of our Lord's mediation. All that temporal [Page 26] felicity that nations, as well as particular persons, are indul­ged with, flows from no other fountain but the merit of his blood. The gospel, considered only as a system of morals, is doubtless in itself the greatest blessing any kingdom or com­monwealth can be favoured with; and where that gospel is truly preached, though but a small number, comparatively, may be savingly converted, yet multitudes have been greatly reformed thereby,—their corruptions have been and still are in a great measure restrained, and innumerable iniquities pre­vented, which otherwise they would have committed. Now, as it is as clear as Scripture light can make it that there is a considerable inequality even in the torments of hell, reason says these persons cannot be as miserable in a future state as the atheist, the blasphemer, the persecutor, the deceiver of men, the hypocrite, and those profane wretches who declare their sin as Sodom, and hide it not.

THEREFORE Christ is the greatest blessing:—Christ is the choicest donation that could be conferred on our world, even if it had no relation to the next. It follows, then, that this objection, if all men (yea and devils too) are not at last crowned with glory, and exalted to the regions of endless ho­nour, Christ died in vain, is but a groundless surmise, with­out either Scripture or reason to support it. So we are got beyond another mountain.

‘5thly. CHRIST came to destroy the evil principle, or sin, out of the universe, which he will finally effect, and then misery shall be no more.’ Had he said, that Christ came into this world to destroy sin, and banish misery out of it, which he will certainly effect, the whole proposition would have been granted, nemine contradicente. But that he will de­stroy it out of hell is denied. Because we are assured by in­spiration, that the fire that burns there is absolutely unquench­able; that the torment suffered in that flaming pit is in dura­tion eternal; and that the pains of damnation are strictly and properly everlasting, and will continue in secula seculorum, forever, yea, forever and ever. Christ never descended into hell, neither did nor will he ever redeem any of its inhabitants. Thus we have made a shift to surpass all these mountains,— and, through mercy, are not yet quite out of breath, and hope we shall have more level ground to walk on for the future.

[Page 27]BUT Mr. Winchester, in his appendix, labours to prove that the words eternal, and everlasting, and forever, yea, and for­ever and ever, are as often, in the holy Scriptures, used to denote a limited duration, as an endless eternity. The words he assures us are ‘equivocal; so that no conclusive argument can be formed from them to prove the endless torments of the damned.’ But he is obliged to allow, that they are sometimes applied to an endless duration. Why then should we not understand, that the meaning of the inspired writers was to let us know that the misery of the wicked, as well as the happiness of the righteous, shall be really eternal? espe­cially as they describe both by one and the same term. When our Lord declares, that the former shall go away into everlast­ing punishment, but the latter into life eternal, it is well known that the word, though varied in our translation, is the very same in the original. So that, if the reward of grace is eternal, the penalty of justice must be of equal duration, ac­cording to our Saviour's very plain representation of the last judgment. And to accuse the Prophets and Apostles, yea, the Holy Ghost and Christ himself, with speaking to poor sin­ners in equivocal terms, or words of a double meaning, is an impeachment that does not at all become the tongue or pen of a Christian. Was this insolent charge as true as it is false, what dependence could be put in Divine Revelation? Nay, that can be no revelation at all, but rather a riddle, that is delivered in such a manner. Alas! into what pernicious blunders! Yea, into what shocking and nefarious blasphemies will men fall by error and delusion, when they have once espoused their interest, and are engaged to plead their cause for some secular emolument!

BUT that the words mentioned above are all, or any of them, used as much as once in the whole Bible to signify a limited duration, is an assertion I absolutely deny. Nor does the instances he has produced, nor all he can collect hereafter, evince the contrary. They constantly and every where im­port nothing short of a perpetual existence of the thing spoken of, whatever it is.

To have a clear conception of this important truth, we must consider that the various ceremonies of the Levitical law, as well as the several predictions of the Jewish Prophets, [Page 28] had for the most part, if not always, a direct reference to the gospel dispensation. For instance, the land of Canaan, pro­mised to Abraham and his seed, was a type of heaven, which is an eternal inheritance, and shall be possessed by all his spi­ritual children forever and ever. The covenant of circumci­sion typified the covenant made with Christ, and in him with all the elect, which is doubtless eternal, and will remain in full force and virtue forever and ever. The priesthood of Aaron represented the priesthood of Jesus Christ, which is eternal, and will by him be continued without cessation or in­terruption forever and ever. The horrible flame kindled to consume Sodom and Gomorrah was a striking figure of hell fire, which is eternal, and will burn forever and ever. The fire continually preserved by the sons of Aaron on the altar was emblematical either of the love of God to his people, or his wrath against his enemies, both of which are eternal, and will continue forever and ever. Even so, all the promises divulged, and the threatenings denounced by the ancient Pro­phets, although they had a primary respect to temporal bless­ings or curses, yet without dispute they bore a relation to spiritual rewards and punishments, both of which are likewise eternal, and will endure forever, yea, forever and ever.

THUS the words, even in the Old Testament, always ex­tend to an unbounded duration: How much more so in the New! But our author insists upon it, and repeats it over and over again, that these words signify ages, and ages of ages, and periods, and periodical eternities! Tremendous doom! This is worse and worse! We only plead that the wicked shall suffer but one eternity; but he avers they shall suffer, some of them at least, several eternities, and nobody can count how many! Where he found such idle, insipid, as well as fallaci­ous stuff, whether in the Alcoran of Mahomet, or in the writings of Jacob Boehman, or whether it be the fiction of his own fertile genius, he best knows. One thing is certain, there is nothing any how resembling it in the Book of God.

As to his reasonings about the unpardonable sin, had he noticed what is very visible in the divine oracles, he would have lost all the assistance he fancies can be derived from our Saviour's words concerning it. The verb to forgive, in sacred dialect, sometimes signifies no more than to exempt from [Page 29] present punishment. So Moses reminds the Lord, that he had forgiven his people Israel from Egypt until now, though we are assured he visited their iniquities upon them, and that with terrible judgment afterwards. Thus God may forgive whole nations and communities for several years, yet punish them, and very severely at last. Thus God winked at the sins of the heathens in the times of their ignorance; i. e. he bore their provocations with long suffering and patience, because they had not the means of knowing better. But this was not the case with the Jews, especially in our Saviour's days. They sinned against the clear light both of his doc­trine and miracles, and thereby brought down the most griev­ous calamities on themselves that ever befel any nation. Therefore, when our blessed Lord says that that sin shall never be forgiven, he evidently means that the Pharisees, and all others who proved guilty of it, should suffer his highest dis­pleasure, not only in hell hereafter, but even in this present world, as we know they did. So that this declaration is far enough from proving that all other sins shall be pardoned in the next life, as he vain-gloriously asserts.

AND although Job and Jeremiah wished they were never born, this was only spoken with regard to their present afflic­tions; i. e. had they no prospect of a beter life hereafter, they supposed it more eligible to have had no being at all. Ac­cording to the Apostle, ‘if in this life only we have hope, we are of all men the most miserable.’ So that these ex­pressions of those holy men don't at all prove that Judas might be saved, though our Lord declared it were good for that man if he had never been born.

WE might proceed to consider the other scriptures, which he tells us are objected against his glorious doctrine, and which he maintains are rather for than against him; but it is judged needless at present. It would swell this piece beyond the in­tended dimensions,—and prolixity on any subject is my aver­sion. I shall, therefore, only take a little more notice of that inspoken seed he so zealously recommends, and then come to a conclusion.

WE are told that this ‘seed lies in unregenerate men, co­vered with death and darkness, until Christ, by his gospel, reaches and draws it into motion.’ It seems, then, that it [Page 30] is invisible, and not to be seen even by the souls in which it is buried. Nor do we find that it is to be heard by them, for it is dead and buried. How then can it speak? And accord­ing to this description, it is impossible to comprehend the na­ture of this seed. Nor can we conceive what it is good for. If Christ, the Sun of righteousness, must reach it, previous to its vivification, it is certainly useless, and answers no purpose at all. For one single ray of divine light flowing from Jesus Christ, and darted into the sinner's heart, is abundantly suf­ficient to effect the blessed change, without borrowing any assistance from this inanimate and sepultured seed. Moreover, in what part of the unconverted sinner is this seed to be found? In his understanding? No; that is all darkness. In his mind? No; that is all enmity against God. In his will? No; that is all rebellion. In his affections? No; they are all pollution and carnality.

THE author tells us, that immediately after their fall the bodies of our first parents became like beasts, and their souls like fallen angels. Now Moses says Adam beg at children in his own image. It follows then that all his posterity are born in the perfect likeness of Adam, whatever that is. And if you enquire what it is, the famous Mr. Whitefield, in one of his Sermons, answers, ‘man, in his natural state, is half beast, half devil!’ With this good man, Mr. Winchester exactly agrees. There is a perfect consonance in the import of their expressions, only the latter chuses to be a little politer in the more disagreeable part of the portraiture. Perhaps he was afraid he should offend some of his ablest friends, had he uttered his sentiments in such harsh and grating language as the other did. The picture, however, is odious enough. Nor does it at all exceed the truth. And if the person of a grace­less man is indeed such a motly mixture of beastiality and devilism, in what part shall we find the dreary sepulchre where this admirable seed lies interred? In the brutal part? No, certainly! For there can be no divinity in a beast. In the diabolical? Surely no! For if no divine principle can dwell in a beast, much less can it find an abode in the devil. There­fore, after the most accurate scrutiny and assiduous investiga­tion, we are obliged to give up, and conclude with this con­viction, it is to be found no where!

[Page 31]THERE is in this seed something superlatively strange! It is a beam of light, yet it is not perceptible. It is a spark of fire, but without heat. It is an orator, yet not audible. It is able to teach us all we need to know, and yet it is quite silent, and as dumb as death! It can be no substantive, for it is not to be seen, heard, felt or understood. Neither is it an adjective; for it is descriptive of no quality whatever. It is not white, nor black, nor hot, nor cold, nor great, nor small, nor good, nor bad. In short, it is just what the inge­nious Dr. Watts makes space to be, viz. a mere vacuum, a non-entity, a nothing but a name.

THIS seed, or spark, it appears by the whole current of the sermon, is that most benevolent shepherd, who shall at last lead the whole flock of once despairing goats out of the infer­nal desart, shall transform them into amiable sheep, and ga­ther them into the sold of celestial glory, where they shall bleat forth one eternal hallelujah to their adored deliverer. Nor will Lucifer and his angels be left behind. No! They shall all of them be partakers of the triumph, and gladly join the universal acclamation of praise. Though this will prove a very tedious enterprize; nor can it be accomplished, it seems, until many ages are elapsed; nay, until numberless, long, reluctant, tardy, slow-circling, periodical eternities have performed their several revolutions; and then sin and misery shall be no more.

BUT what are some wicked men sent to hell for at all? One would think that the sun would reach this seed, and bring it up while they were on earth; or that if it fails here, their case will be hopeless: For the nearer the sun, the more and stronger influence it must have on any substance. And hell, every body must allow, is farther from heaven than our earth is. If he says the fire of Tophet will rend or melt these rocks that now cover the seed, does not this attribute more saving virtue to the flames of hell, than to the blood of Christ? Though he tells us, that when it was shed, it evi­dently had a physical virtue over nature itself. It caused the earth to shake, the rocks to rend, and the graves to open. And yet all this power, and virtue, and efficacy, is not of suffi­cient energy to quicken this seed, until the soil in which it is sown is purged in the furnace of damnation. In order to [Page 32] which, some parts of it at least must burn during innumera­ble eternities.

THIS is purgatory with a contradiction. But was that all, it would be a trifle in comparison.

IT is, alas! it is a shameful disparagement to his blood, who is the true God and eternal life! But can he tell us, by whose manuduction the devils shall regain their freedom? For he says it, nay he repeats even to tautology, that all things shall be restored, and of consequence these abased spirits shall regain their ancient honors, and re-ascend their heavenly thrones. Did Christ die for them? He will hardly say Christ died for them also. For he took not on him the nature of angels. Nor have we received the least account that God has provided any Mediator for those wretched spirits. If, there­fore, they are ever redeemed, it must be by an arbitrary dis­pensation; though Mr. Winchester will have nothing arbitrary in the whole process, when it suits him. But, if God saves the reprobate angels by a sovereign act of his will, without any attonement or satisfaction made to his justice, why might not men be saved by a like act of sovereignty? Does not this represent the manifold wisdom of God, in contriving the plan of our redemption, as horresco referre! As what I dare not name? Upon this supposition too, our condescending, our amible and compassionate Redeemer might have spared all his labour, and sweat, and pains, and blood!

BUT we are told this light of Christ within man is not something distinct from divine revelation, much less in opposi­tion to it, but the beginning of it.

If so, a written revelation is altogether unnecessary. For what use has he of a candle, who enjoys the sun in all its me­ridian glory? How were all the Prophets and Apostles deceiv­ed! They, honest men, thought they had some extraordinary instructions given them immediately by God, which the rest of mankind were not favoured with. But it seems they were ut­terly mistaken. No, no, weak men, you might have kept your histories, and prophecies, and gospels, and epistles to yourselves! All men, without exception, have had, and still have the very same and equal share of inspiration, which you either out of simplicity or roguery made a monopoly of. Ac­cording to this allegation, the light in us is not to be examin­ed [Page 33] by the holy Scriptures, but they are to be tried by it. So that the outward revelation must always yield to this inward pedagogue. No wonder Mr. Winchester could so easily and clearly prove his glorious doctrine from the constant tenor of both Old and New Testament, and find it every where con­firmed with "Thus saith the Lord." Why did he take so much pains to quote particular pages from them? He might have presented the whole Bible at once, and told us, as some pious preachers do of late▪ This is my Confession of Faith! This one argument would have been as forcible as all that he has offered both in his sermon and the appendix, as the whole concatenation of citations, and repetitions, and reflections, and exclamations, and syllogisms, &c. &c. &c. It is only for him to say, with a serious and reverend air, it was the light of Christ within that taught me my history of the creation, and my scheme of divinity too, and therefore they cannot be contrary to the scriptures; and for any of you to think or speak otherwise is only to betray your weakness; for all you can say against them is fighting against God!

WHAT can we oppose to such masterly reasonings as these? Ipse dixit! We must not gainsay. No! We must lay our hands upon our mouths. The point is decided. Both men and devils shall certainly obtain a glorious restoration. We have, some of us, for years past observed sundry new-fangled notions prevailing. A variety of strange opinions, with re­spect both to doctrine, worship and discipline, have, like Jonah's gourd, sprung up in a night; and indeed some of them also withered in a night. Not long ago, we were told that God had no mercy at all. That compassion did not be­long to the Divine nature in any sense. But behold! now this same Being is all mercy, and little or no justice. In him there is neither fury, warth nor anger. Formerly it was positively affirmed that the elect were justified from eternity, that Christ died only for that chosen number, and never shed a drop of his blood for the rest of mankind, and that none but they were to be invited to come to a Saviour by any means. But lo! this wind is quite turned—and what weather next? Why, the whole race is now exactly on a par. Christ died equally for them all, yea, he is in them all. And they are all to be invited, and exhorted, and commanded, and per­suaded, [Page 34] and intreated to receive him. Though, at the same time, they all have him in full possession, he dwells in them all as an inspoken seed.

A year or two past it was publicly proclaimed in this State, that the war was at an end, our independency was established, and the sound of battle and destruction should no more be heard in our land. But since that, alas! the sword has reach­ed even to the soul of Virginia, many of our brave patriots have been quite impoverished, and some have lost their lives by the hand of the enemy.

ABOUT the same time we were assured, with the greatest prophetic confidence, that the latter-day glory was just now breaking forth, that the illustrious morning had already be­gun to dawn, and we should very soon see the sun. All na­tions would speedily be converted, the whole church become of one mind, and Christ himself descend, in all the pomp and magnificence of heaven, personally to reign among them, and exalt his once poor, hated, despised people to riches and ho­nours, to principality and power, and might, and dominion, and renown; and in a word, elevate his followers, as Maho­met promised to do his, to the very summit of earthly gran­deur, and introduce them to the full fruition of all sensual enjoyments, and the plenary gratification of every carnal and fleshly appetite. But ah, how have we been disappointed! We are still fed with the bread of tears, and have the water of gall to drink! We see not our signs, neither is there any that can tell us how long! We have ever since been with longing eyes gazing toward the east, but Aurora still hides her rosy face, not a single blush of radiance appears to dissipate the nocturnal gloom; nay, we are not so much as satisfied that the morning star is yet risen. For though others may judge Mr. Winchester's sermon to be it, yet we in Virginia rather take it to be an ominous comet, which, instead of portending prosperity to the nations, forebodes still greater judgments in reversion, and shakes baleful influences, wars, famines, pesti­lences and desolation from its horrid hair!

ONCE more. We used to be taught, that none but a very small part of mankind had the least chance of obtaining sal­vation at all. But now, even Judas, with the Beast, and the False Prophet,—yea, and all the blackest fiends below, shall at [Page 35] last be cleansed, and purified, and turned into angelic beauties, and be made equally happy with the glorious army of martyrs, and the first born sons of light! And pray, what is this but a new edition of purgatory, only a little corrected and amended? And what will follow? What but the extreme unction, prayers for the dead, Peter-pence, pilgrimages, auricular confession, par­dons, indulgences, transubstantiation, supererogation, &c. &c. &c.

WE were altogether at a loss, in times past, to know from what origin such ingenious innovations sprung; but this Ser­mon has obliged us with a friendly evolution of the whole mystery. It is, doubtless, by the superior documents of this inherent Preacher, that the children of this generation are grown so much wiser than their Fathers. The author might have spared his vehement ejaculation for the poor deists; for who but this supreme Pontiff taught them to espy so many glaring blemishes in divine revelation? And indeed he is dai­ly teaching others the noble sciences of self-conceit, and the contempt of serious piety, conformity to this world, scoffing at religion, crying up the dignity of human nature, despis­ing the gospel, vilifying its faithful Ministers, and pride, and wantonness, and atheism, and infidelity, and profaneness of every kind. And now he has brought forth a lesson, which, if it does but succeed, will do the whole effectually. Rejoice, ye sons of Belial! shout loud, all ye children of disobedi­ence! for that eternal hell, at which you used to be terrified, which freqently checked you in the jovial career of vanity, that restrained your corruptions, and often, often embittered your mirth, and mingled wormwood with your golden cup of pleasure, that eternal hell is now no more! It is found at last to be nothing but a melancholy fiction, an idle dream, meer priestcraft, and nothing else!

REJOICE, ye devils, also! Yea, let all your dark dun­geons resound with the voice of jubilation! No longer need you to believe and tremble! No, no,—Wait but for a little moment, and your iron chains shall burst asunder! Your pri­son walls, though of adamant shall be broken down! You seraphic wings shall be restored! You shall regain your primeval velocity, and in the twinkling of an eye reach you former habitations! This is a joyful proclamation indeed But, whatever some men on earth may do, I am persuade [Page 36] there is not a single devil, or damned spirit in hell, that pays the least credit thereunto. They, alas! they all know that it is an egregious falshood.

HOWEVER, let this doctrine be ever so glorious in other peoples esteem, to me it is very certain it is a doctrine that is not of God.

THAT doctrine, which contradicts the plainest dictates of reason; that doctrine, which disagrees with the experience of all true christians; that doctrine, which depreciates the effica­cy, and derogates from the value of redeeming blood; that doctrine, which is directly opposite to the whole scope of di­vine revelation, which is dishonorable to God, and plainly tends to ruin precious souls, by encouraging them to go on in sin without restraint; that doctrine is not, that doctrine can­not be of God. But such is this glorious (alias) inglorious doctrine of the restoration, as this author holds it There­fore it is not of God. That the doctrine we have been ex­amining does evidently bear all these characters, however odious, has appeared in part already, and might easily be made more fully to appear; but let what has been written to that purpose suffice at present.

THE author, before he finishes his appendix, tells us, he has ‘aimed at the glory of God, and the welfare of mankind, in publishing and in maintaining his doctrine.’ Well! what his aim was is not for me to determine, but one thing is too clear to be concealed—he has taken a very unlikely me­thod to promote either of these ends.

AND for my part, though I think it my duty very strenu­ously to oppose his doctrine, yet I find not the least inclination to reproach the man, nor cast any contempt on his person. No, verily, my soul loves, pities and prays for him. May God give him eyes to see his error, and grace to retract it, before it does any more mischief! For though it may a little ruffle his meek spirit, we must rank his doctrine of universal redemption among the vilest of Heresies. And it does really appear to be one of the most dangerous and destructive that was ever yet propagated among mankind. Let all those, therefore, who desire salvation, beware of this inward instruct­or, and at least closely try him, before they espouse his princi­ples or embrace his tenets. Let them take heed lest what [Page 37] is recommended to their notice as the seed of the woman should, instead of that, be nothing but the serpent's head. Remember, precious souls, remember that alarming text: Sa­tan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Suspect, oh suspect the voice of adulation. Shun, carefully shun the snare of the fowler, and the noisome pestilence. Take heed, lest the light that is in you should prove to be darkness. Fly, quickly fly from the paths of the destroyer. Hasten, oh hasten, not to the light within, but to the light without you; even to Jesus Christ, who saves sinners only in this world, which is the only one that he has redeemed. To him be glo­ry, for ever and ever. Amen.