Preface.

IN the following Examination, the reader

may poffibly find the grand fyftem of creation and divine moral government represented, in a manner different from that in which he hath been accuftomed to confider it. But, as we are all liable to err, let him reflect that it is as likely he fhould be miftaken now, in his ideas of the mediatorial difpenfation, as that I should have been mistaken in mine, ten or fifteen years ago. That a propofition is new to us, or different from what we have been quainted with, is no fign that it is falfe. I fhall first present the reader with fome confiderations of the divine benevolence, as displayed in the creation and government of men. In this part of the work, it will be my principal endeavour to refute Mr. S's fyftem of divine benevolence, which is his fole foundation to build his fabric of eternal mifery upon.

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If

If Mr. S. be totally mistaken in his ideas of the divine benevolence, his whole fcheme of eternal mife. ry is fubverted, as this fcheme depends entirely on his ideas of divine benevolence for its fupport. his notion of the general good, the good of the public, or the greateft glory and bleffednefs of God, and his holy intelligent kingdom, as being the fole object of the divine benevolence, and yet neceffarily produced by eternal fin and mifery, be wrong and mif

taken;

taken; all he hath written fails of its defign, the support of the doctrine of eternal mifery. That his notion of these things is wrong, is plain and undeniable, from the fingle confideration, that it is reduceable to the most monftrous abfurdity; which the reader will clearly fee as he proceeds. No doctrine that is true can poffibly be reduced to abfurdity. I wifh the reader to pay ftrict attention to this important point, the refutation of Mr S.'s doctrine of benevolence. If he fhall be convinced that this is fairly and truly done, all the reft will be eafy; fince it is abfolutely impoffible to fupport the doctrine of eternal mifery, on any other plan of divine benevo◄ lence. Indeed, there are but two hypothefes of the divine benevolence, that brought forward by Mr. S. and that which I have infifted upon, in oppofition to Mr. S. If his be wrong, therefore, mine is right. And if my theory of divine benevolence be just, the doctrine of eternal misery cannot be defended.

The reader will next be prefented with the inquiry, whether it be not the benevolent and gracious plan of God, that all men shall, eventually, be virtu. ous and happy. Mr. S. allows that such an expofition of the doctrine of divine benevolence, as I have given, fignifies the fame thing, as that all men will be faved. This is readily conceded. But if that expofition of divine benevolence, which I have given, be proved, inftead of being taken for granted, as Mr. S's is, this is all we want. That interpretation of the word benevolence, which is fubftantially supported by reason and scripture, is doubtlefs the true oné,

though

though it should happen to fignify the fame thing, as that all men will be faved. If I have refuted Mr. S's idea of divine benevolence, my own remains to be the true one; as I before observed. To deftroy Mr. S.'s theory of divine benevolence, was my first object. I have then produced many paffages of Scripture, both from the Old and New Teftaments, in fupport of my theory of the divine benevolence, and to fhow that it really is the benevolent plan of God, that all men fhall, eventually, be virtuous and happy. That paffage of the prophet Ezekiel, concerning the eventual restoration of the Sodomites, the ancient wicked and abandoned inhabitants of Samaria, with the Mike wicked inhabitants of Judea, and their final falvation, is a striking inftance of divine benevolence towards the worft of men. And if God be fo benevolent towards the worst of men, that have ever lived on the earth, as to defire and defign their restoration to virtue and happiness; it must be confidered as a fubftantial proof that he defires and defigns the virtue and happiness of all men,

In the third part of this work, I have gone through with the examination of all the paffages of fcripture which Mr. S. has adduced as proof of the doctrine of eternal misery. Thefe paffages of fcripture I have confidered and endeavoured to answer, as so many objections against my theory of the divine benevolence, and univerfal falvation. Future mifery is the utmost that can be proved, from any paffage of fcripture Mr. S. has adduced, without any regard to the duration of that mifery. From the juftice

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and goodness of the divine nature, we might fafely and pofitively determine that future mifery will have an end, if it were not demonftrated by fcripture as it is in a variety of paffages. As, where it is declared that Chrift came to destroy the works of the devil, which are moral and phyfical evil. Also, that be must reign, till he hath put all enemies under bis feet; and deftroyed the last enemy, death. These, and many others as I have shown, give us the utmoft affurance, that neither fin nor death, moral nor phyfical evil, fhall have exiftence in the univerfe when Jefus fhall deliver up the mediatorial kingdom.

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I have also endeavoured to answer that grand ob jection against the doctrine of universal salvation, that it tends to evil, and to licentious manners. defire the reader would carefully and candidly con fider what I have written in answer to this objection. I think I have made it undeniably plain, that the doctrine of eternal mifery tends, directly and naturally, to destroy all piety and morality,' all faith and hope, and love, and joy, and every pious affection; and all justice, kindness, and mercy towards mankind.

In the last part, I have addressed the clergy and people of the United States. In this addrefs, I have attempted a brief view of the two very different fyftems; that of eternal mifery, and that of univerfal holiness and happiness, with their different effects This is a genon the minds and manners of men. cral view of what the reader may expect in the fol

lowing work; all which is now fubmitted to his candid perufal and judgment.

A CRITICAL