The Mirrour — Concord, N.H., 1795-04-03 00:00:00, page 2

and merchandize imported into the
United Statei, and on the tonnage of
ffiips or vessels."•
y;, Approved, Feb. z„ 1795.
George Wethington.
An A8 to continue in force for a limit
ed time the aßs therein mentioned.
BE it enaßed by the Senate and House
of Representatives of the United States
of America, in Congress affembkd, That
the ad, entitled, " An ad declaring
the consent of Coogrefs to an ad of
the fate of Maryland, pafled the
twenty eighth of December one thou
sand seven hundred and ninety three
for the appointment of a health offi
cer." And alio the ad, entitled,
" An aft fapplementary to the aft
for the establishment and fopport of
light houfa, beaconi, buoys and pub
lic piers," so far as the fame provides
for defraying the necessary expeofe of
supporting light houses, beaconi,
buoys and public piers and the ftage
age of channels on the sea co,ft. And
also, so much of the ad, entitled,
" An ad to provide for mitigating or
remitting the penalties and forfeiture,
accruing under the revenue laws in
certain cases, and to make further
provision for the payment of pensions
to invalids," as relates to the mitigat
ing or remitting the penalties and for
feitures accruing under the revenue
laws in certain cases, be and the fame
hereby are continued in force until
the end of the next session of Con
gress, and no longer.
Approved, March 2, 1795.
George WaJbington.
An Aa for the relief of Robert Barton
and others.
BE it enabled b, the Senate and Hoafe
of Representatives of the United States
of America, in Congress assembled, That
the colledor of the dittrift of Port
land and Falmouth be, and hep
hereby authorised and required to re
ceive from Robert Barton, and the
other owners of the schooners Mary,
Jane, Phoenix, Industry and Fanny,
at any time within ninety days from
the puffing of this aft, the oaths by
law required for validating the certi
ficates of enrolment by him granted
for the laid schooners ; and that on
the said oaths being received by the
said collector, within the period afore
faid, the said certificates of enrolment
shall have the fame force and opera
tion, and the said vessels shall be en
titled to the fame benefits, as if the
said oaths had been received by the
said collector, within ninety days from
the time of granting the said certifi
cates of enrolment.
Approved, March 2, 1795.
George Washington.
Domestic Mijcellan,.
FREE THINKERj^sus VERITAS.
;FOR THE MIRROR.
ITERITAS, in his third number,
▼ accuses the Univerfalift of mis
representing the divine character—it
cannot be in any other way than this,
^ that they represent him to be a pure,
holy, merciful God, and not a tyrant.
If God was such a being as Veritas
represents him to be, I should even
,despair of mercy for myfclf, or any of
the human race ; since there is such
a proneness in us all to do evil— But,
God be thanked, he is nos a tyrant.
Veritas speaks very diminitively of
the afferrion of the Univerfalift re
fpeding the different operations the
human race went through in Christ ;
and fays, was he to live to be as old
as Methuselah, he could not believe
it—this we may all know, that his
^ unbelief will not make the faith of
God without effed—We have an
count in scripture concerning those
who believe not; and if Veritas choo
ses damnation, let him have it ;—but
I dare fay he means to be one of those
who are favad by their belief and o
bedience—But for my part, I expea
salvation wholly through Christ, and
not by my own doings. Veritas feemi
to be at a lots when to date the jufti
fication of the human race—were he
well acquainted with the bible, he
would find there, that they were cho
sen in Christ before the foundation of
the world ; though he seems to cast
a stigma on the baptist for dating their
juftification from eternity—The bap
rifts surely have the right of the mat
ter ; only they, with Veritas, take the
word all to spell a part —He goes on
to tell that man is juftified by faith
alone ; and fays that the apostle fays,
that all men have not faith'; figoify
iog by that, that all men are not juf
tified. If he will examine the fame
apostle, he will find him faying, that
God has dealt to every man the mea
sure of faith—And it is evident that
man is not juftified by faith alone ;
for the apostle fays, that faith without
works is dead, being alone ; so he
fays; that man is juftified by works
and not by faith only—ls belief saves,
then the devils will be laved ; for the
apostle fays, that the devils also be
lieve and tremble. The apostle would
remind us, that we cannot save our
selves by believing, any more than the
devils can. Now, as the apostle an
nexes works as requisite for salvation,
can he mean the poor weak effort of
man, or does he mean the works of
the mediatorial man Christ Jesus ?—
Surely it must be the works of him
that fatisfied divine justice ; him that
magnified the law and made it honor
able—Surely, I fay, it must be the
works of Jesus, which the apostle al
luded to—ls men could save them
felvea by their belief or obedien&,
what necessity was there of God's tor
turing his Son in so severe a manner
as he did? Why should he who
knew no fin be made fin for us ?—
The apostle tells us that it was for
this, viz. that we might be made the
righteousness of God io him ; for of
him, through him, and to him, are
all things ; to whom be glory forev
er, amen. Does this mean all,ot does
it mean but a part? As it fays all, if
it means but a part, the apostle may
be justly accused with an untruth—
Well, if he may be accused with an
untruth io this, he may by the fame
rule be accused in his other writings ;
and where will it end ?'
Veritas grants, that to give that de
tached passage, as he calls it, Romans
5. 18. the universal scope, according
to the letter, all med are in a state of
juftification. I would ask him, how
we are to understand the scripture,
whether it is to be understood by what
it fays, or not? Surely I know 00
other way to underftaod it, or to know
what it means than by what it fays—
If it fays one thing, and at the fame
rtime means another thing, it cannot
be true, and mankind are amazingly
imposed on by having a rule given to
them to govern themselves by, which
fays one thing, and at the fame time
means another thing. |
Veritas, in his sneering way, alledg
es against the Univerfatifts their bring
ing another passage of scripture to
prove their assertion, viz. 1 Cor, 15.
22. for as in Adam all die, so in Christ
shall all be made alive. He fays, the
apostle there means the universal
death of all men by Adam, and the
uoiverfal refurreaion of all men by
Christ at thf last day— to which 1 a
gree— Then he goes on to ihew that
Christ's declaration was, that the hour
§I is coming in which all that ate in their
grata shall hear his voice, god tome
forth ; them that have done good, to
the refurregion of life ; and those chit
have done evil, to the refurreftion of
damnation. Well, it is eviden;, that
at the crucifixion of Christ, the dead
did hear h ; s voice, and did come forth
—for the graves did open, and the
bodies of many faints that slept arose,
and went into the holy city, and were
seen of many —so that in the glorious
morning of the refurregion, when
Christ arose from the dead, the whole
human race arose with him—then the
prophecy of the prophet was fulfilled,
when speaking prophetically of Christ
faying, thy dead men shall live toge
ther, with my dead body shall they
arise ; awake and sing, O thou that
dwell in dust ; and'the earth shall
cast out her dead Not that they
(hould arise thousands of years,after
he had arisen—but together with m,
dead W, shall they arise—then was
the refurreaion of life—Therefore,
fays the apostle, it is railed a fpirrual
body, it is raised in glory, the free
gift is come on all men unto juftifica
tion of life —the sea gave up its dead,
death and hell delivered up their dead,
and they were judged ; and death &
hell were cast into the lake of fire,
faith the inspired penman—and bles
sed are those who have part in the firft
refurreaioo, for on such the second
death hath no power. It is beyond
a doubt, that Christ has risen, and that
the human race is risen with him, ac
cording to scripture, as they stand re
corded. But if the fcripture# do not
mean as they fay, then we are left at
a loft ; and, for my part, I do not
know what they do. mean ; but will
e'en venture to risk them as they stand
recorded.
FREE THINKER.
for THE MIRROR.
VERITAS con^^FREE THINKER.
Messrs. Pr inters, , ,
As some remarks have appeared in one of,oar late
papers, <wbicb grofsiy mifaprefent my firft pub
lication—l beg the favor, in the fame channel,
to vindicate myjelf—and 1 think in this enlight
ened age, I fall have no occafan to call in the
aid of John Calvin or Granney's religion—to
the lavs and the teflimon, — let this be the rule
in determining all religious controverjy—if we
Jpeak not according to the general current of this,
it is because there is no truth in us.
MR. Free Thinker fays, that the drift of
my publication was, .to lead people to
beware, and not believe in Jesus Christ —this'
I deny—But I frankly acknowledge, that the
design of it was to warn people not to be
lieve in Universalism ; because I look upon
it to be a most licentious, and dangerous er
ror ; in its tendency deftrudive of all relig
ion and morality—And though Mr F. T. as
serts, that believing in Jesus Christ, and be
lieving in Universalism, is one and the fame
thing, yet, in my opinion, they are essential
ly dijfferent—This difference I shall illudratel
—Faith in Christ implies faith in God
Faith in Universalism implies faith in the
devil, as being the author of the dodrine—
Faith in Christ implies a firm belief in all
the dodrines he taught, consequently a be
lief of his do&rine of the eternal punishment
of all the finally impenitent—Faith in Uni
versalism rejeds this dodrine of Christ with
abhorrence— Faith in Christ implies a pre
vious sense of the danger of perishing—thus
the three thousand, under Peter's preaching,
were pricked to the heart, and cried out,
Wbatjball we do?—Faith in Universalism im
plies no danger, all shall be saved—Faith in
^^rift implies regeneration— Faith in Uni
versalism implies you need not trouble your
selves about the new birth, you are fafe with
out— Faith in Christ implies repentance —
Faith in Universalism implies no necessity of
this—your fins are not imputed—Faith in
Christ implies purity of heart, and the works
of love, in order to be saved—Faith in Uni
versalism implies you may live as you lift, all
shall be well at last— Hence it is evident that
therejs an essential difference between these
two kinds of faith—The firft will land the
' foul in heaven—the latter in hell—Therefore
I am fufficiently juftified in warning people
against the latter —whilst I would by every
proper argument enforce the former.
sßft Mr. F. T. insinuates, that I unjustly tax
the devil with lying, and appears to be as ten-;
der of his charader, as though one of his best
friends had been calumniated—l now assure
him, with all the sincerity of an honest man,
any compunaion about the matter, as long
as I have the judgment of Christ in my fa
vor*; he fays,the devil was a murderer from
the beginning, and abode not in the truth.
This undoubtedly refers to the devil's con
du& in deceiving our firft parents in the be
ginning of the world—in this,Chrift positive
ly declares he abode notin the truth—Mr.
F. T. fays he did—he must therefore fettle
this point with his maker. He further tax
es me with misrepresenting the fall of our
firft parents, (because I said it was a plunge
into darknefcj and insinuates it was rather
an advancement into light and knowledge;
to prove this, he fays, it is evident their eyes
were opened, and they gained the knowledge
of good and evil. I freely grant it. They
gained the knowledge of the good, the inno
ceney, the light, love and happiness they had
left. This was the knowledge of loss—how
great an advancement this may be to a per
son, Mr. F. T. may explain They also
gained the knowledge of the evil, guilt, fear,
shame, darkness and misery into which they
had plunged themselves—How great an ad
vancement this was, I shall also leave it with
him, and the public, to determine. As to
the ot her clause, the man has become as one of us,
no rational being can suppose it is to be taken
literally, as though the man by rebellion had
become like God—no, it is an ironical &-
preffion> as if the Almighty had laid, the de
vil tad the m^n, if he would eat forbidden
fruit, he should be as God, & be was dream
ing <f a mighty advancement—But now, be
hold, what a wretched state he has brought
himfelf to—what a fine god he has made
himfelf=like that of Elijah to Baal's prophet:
cry aloud, for he is a gca. In all such ex
pressions the real meaning is contrary to the
literal—therefore, this under consideration,
makes nothing against, but confirms my rep
resentation ot the fall of man. , Again, Mr.
F. T. finds fault with the idea I luggefted.
that his infernal majesty was the firft author
of the do&rine of Universal Salvation. But
however he, or his brethren in the fame
scheme, are chafed with it, I still assert that
the devil was the firft, that ever told man or
woman, ye shall not surely die ; there is no
danger of damnation ; God will never inflid
upon you eternal death, eat forbidden fruit,
or do what you will. This is the quintes
sence of Universalism; therefore the devil
was the firft author of it ; and let Mr. F. T.
prove the contrary if he can. Indeed he at
tempts it, by adducing the promise made to
Abraham, that in his feed all the families of
the earth should be blessed ; it is generally
agreed, that Christ was the divine person
that spake to Abraham. Let Christ explain
the extent of his own promise ; ^t the judg
ment day he will call all the families of the
earth before him; will he then fay to all,
without exception, come ye blessed ? will he
not fay to fome,,go, yt cursed, into everlast
ing fire? He has expressly told us he will,
in the 25th of Matthew, and many other pas
sages. How dare you then, Mr. F. T. fay,
that Christ is the author of Universal Salva
tion ? I repeat it, how dare you assert, that>
all without exception shall be eternally bless
ed in Christ, when he has told you the con
trary so often, so plainly, in his word ? It is
bad for a Child tocontradift his parent ; but
worse for a creature to contradift his God.
Mr. F. T. asserts, that all are impenitent—
all unregenerate—But is this true ? has not
God had a church in the world in all ages ?
and has there not been some real faints in
the most corrupt times, ever since the days of
Alal ?. Are there not many regenerate now
upon earth? How dare you then assert so
roundly that all are unregenerate ? But up
on this supposition of all mankind being un
regenerate, he enquires, what shall we do in
this case? He goes on to answer, God has
laid on his Son the iniquities of us all—by
hi^ stripes we are healed—Christ has fulfilled
the law—gave himfelt a ransom for all—tast
ed death for every man—God doth not im
pute treffpaffes to men. Fine ideas—but
wretchedly abused to quiet wicked men in
their fins. The consequence theydraw from
these sweet truths is this, there is no necessity
of regeneration, or a good life—there is no
thing for us to attend to; but only to believe
that Christ has done all, and all shall be fan.
ed by him, and then we are fafe. But is this
,the method, Christ and his apostles treated
unregenerate men ? far from it—their con
stant language to such characters was, repent
and believe the gqfpel, or ye shall perish—ex
cept ye be converted, ye shall not enter into
the kingdom of heaven. How different is
this direction from yours, Mr. F. T. ? Not a
word of the necessity of repentance or regen
eration to be found in your whole scheme— f
How dare you endeavor to please yourfelf and
others with a deceptive idea of going to hea- -
ven without holiness—When the fame God
that exhibits the Efficiency, and glory of the
atonement, as the only foundation of the
finger's hope, has with equal solemnity, de
clared, that without holiness no man EalF §
fee the Lord. VERITAS.
'PHILADELPHIA. MARCH 16.
The debates in the British parliament on