itual, but as unto carnal-even as unto babes in Christ. He suckled rather than fed them; giving them milk instead of meat; so weak and declining were they grown. And thus will these passions operate, and destroy private persons as well as churches; and if indulged and given way to, will prove cancerous and deadly; and eat out the very life and spirit of all such professing persons. If we mean to come on, and increase with all the increase of God; growing in the saving knowledge of himself, and in all his truth; we must lie open to conviction-be subject one to another, as well as unto him-gratify no forbidden desire of the flesh, or of the mind--but as far as we can, and may, fall in with one-another's views and attachments, arid converse and speak often one to another, even where in some things we differ. This would be more pleasing to God than shyness, and bid fair for the fullest extent of wisdom and knowledge, as well as of grace; and the want of it, must be mentioned as one probable reason, why the universal view of salvation is not more known and embraced. Those who at present see it not, (being in other respects wise and discerning, and having a name in the churches) are very apt to expect implicit faith from others, and every submission, without making any :whereas the great Head of the church, sometimes sees fit to trust & open his fullest designs of love and mercy,not to these first, but to others below them, who are less popular,and more ob、 ` scure; that none may be trampled upon, or despised. The highest in gifts and abilities, or

even in grace, are not always the highest, without exception, in all truth-nor in the wisdom and knowledge of God's word and for this

reason, among others, that they be not high. minded, but condescend to men of low estate : and this way the Lord sometimes teaches them this lesson, by entrusting his whole mind and will with such as these first, and not with them, unless they will be taught it in this way.

What again is inimical to this view, is the jeering, scoffing, sarcastical spirit. So sure and confident are some Partialists sometimes, that they banter & laugh at the idea of Universalism, as tho' it had nothing to be said in its favor. This may provoke the advocates for it,and harden the hearts of those who are against it: but it never convinces. Hard arguments and soft answers, do more this way than all the tartness men can use. A scorner seeketh wisdom, and findeth it not; much less such wisdom as this. ry temper of his mind is a bar to it. cule, he supposes, is the test of truth;" but it proves, in general, an obstacle in the way of it; especially of this truth we are contending for.

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Others fail, and come short of this view of things, through bypocrisy they are not simplehearted, nor single-eyed, in their converse with the advocates for it. They appear as if they disbelieved it, and are forever requiring more and more evidence of the truth of it, when all the while they secretly believe it, and are persuaded in their minds it is so. From the habit of doing this, and shuffling continually in this manner, they at length deceive themselves, as

well as others, concerning it, and would fain be thought not to believe it, when in fact and reality they do. The speech of such persons bewrayeth them. They are satisfied you are upright and sincere,your motives all good in maintaining it that it is good news and a desirable thing, devoutly to be wished: but for them to think of it, and say it is truth; Oh! this cannot be! They are afraid it should hurt and carnalize them, and all the while they are living in some forbidden way or other, indulging their corrupt nature. If the outside of the cup and platter is clean, they are covetous, and worldlyminded; and within full of rottenness and uncleanness. They abuse, and sin upon the other doctrines of grace; but this! Oh! it is a hurtsul doctrine! they cannot conceive it to be true. Oh that it were!-Such is the talk of some men; but the Searcher of hearts, seeing such chicanery, and provoked by their hypocrisy and self-deceit, leaves them to their double-mindedness, so that they never relish and heartily embrace the doctrine, or rejoice in this truth of the gospel.

Others at present are in the dark about it, through a natural slowness of understanding; and a want of a ready apprehension.. When the doctrine is proposed to them, they find no opposition to it, but they must hear it again and again; have line upon line, and here a little and there a little, or they make nothing of it.. As their understanding can receive it, it does; but it is often a long time first. Abundance of questions they will ask; and the same things,

over and over again; all which must be borne with, if you mean to teach and instruct them. This dullness is sometimes owing to causes that may be removed; but not always so. There may be a natural incapacity and want of quickness for the mind has its growth, as well as the body; and a quicker growth in some than in others. If such as these have met with warm, hasty, and impatient advocates for this. cause, who were not able to bear with them, it has hurt and done them harm; they have been stumbled, and shut up, by these Jebu-drivers. of God's chariot of love; these fiery zealots. The smoke and heat they have raised, has prevented the light of this truth from breaking in. upon them; and having an opportunity of hearing it from others, and not understanding what they have read upon the subject, unless someone should teach them, they have gone without it. Slowness of mind, in the hearer, and precipitancy of temper in the speaker, have been the bindering causes.. But yet again, I may venture to say, the weak and imperfect defences, made of this doctrine by some, have been the occasion, sometimes, that others have been set against it, & stopt their enquiries after it. Teachable themselves, and desirous of all knowledge, they have been taught this doctrine, both in the letter and spirit of it. But weak in the faith at first, and like children that could just go alone, they have ventured beyond their strength; have attempted to defend it, before they had digested it; and to appear as witnesses for it, before they were well masters of it. But so poor was their

defence, that some were stumbled at it, would hear no more about it, but judged the cause was as weak as such poor defenders of it, and so turned away without it. And instead of hearing again, or attending to others who were wise and able advocates, they have either never had the opportunity; or the inclination, if the opportunity has offered; and so have failed, and missed of it. Out of the mouths of babes and sucklings, God sometimes ordaineth praise; but for the most part, he calleth young men, and fathers, in defence of his cause and truth.-It is good to be masters of this subject, before we are proclaimers of it; and to be well taught ourselves, before we are instructors of others.-To be always ready to give a reason of the hope that is in us, with meekness and fear, is both a duty and a command; but sometimes it has happened, the reason has been given, before the person has been ready; and with anger and self. sufficiency, instead of meekness and fear. This has hurt a cause, even a good cause; and prevented its success. This cause in particular of Universal Salvation, has sometimes suffered and been strangely thought of, for want of better pleaders and defenders of it. They have either stated it wrong, with a flaw in the drawing up, blending errors, & other things with it which did not properly belong to it; or, left something out, which should have been taken in. They have either left man so totally passive, and so necessary an agent, in his belief of this and of all truth, that he has had no concern about it; it must be forced upon him or else, they have made him