The Federal mirror — Concord, N.H., 1795-06-05 00:00:00, page 2

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Domestic Mijcdlanj.
VERITAS CONTRA FREE THINKER.
for the MIRROR.
MR, F T. wrests a clause out erf Mat#
18— Thejon of man is com, to save that
wbtfbffsloJl—not apart, hefays, but all—
This is totally a forced conftrudion of the
passage, as will appear to the honest enquirer
after truth. In the context Christ divides
mankind into two classes—The one he calls
the world ; the other those little ones that
believe in him—Upon the firft, he pronounc
es a dreadful anathema—Wo unto the world,'
because of offences ; letting before them, at
the fame time, the great danger of eternal
damnation, on this account; and declaring
that there is no way of efcapc, but by the se
verest ads of mortification, and felf-denial ;
therefore, if thy hand, or foot offend thee, or
be an occasion of offence, cut them off, and
cast them from thee, for it is better for thee
to enter-into life, halt, or maimed, than hav
ing two hands, or feet, to be cast into hell ;
where the worm dieth not, and the fire is
not quenched. Upon the second class, he
pronounces a blessing, by telling them, that
in heaven, their angels do always behold the
face of his father ; and adding in the clause
referred to, that one great design of his com
ing into the world, was to save such as were
sensibly in a loft condition. This passage
then explained agreeable to its connexion,
is so far from affording the least aid to Uni
verfaiifm, that its sole intention was to com
fort these little ones, and others of a similar
character, under their trials, by assuring them
Salvation. —How dare you, then Mr. F. T.
' from these words, assure salvation to all, in
total contradidion to the drift of Christ's
difeourfe, upon this occasion ?—This is bold,
and wicked preemption— but you still go on
in the lame daring inconsiderate manner, to
catch up detached passages, and draw con
clusions. John 3 — Chriji came not to condemn
the world, but to save it —Hence you conclude,
that all the world, without exception, will
be saved—otherwise Christ has not complet
ed his errand—he must come again But
flop, fir, be not too faft in your assertion ;
read on to the next verle— He that believetb
on the Jon, is not condemned ; but be that believetb
not thefon, is condemned already. —Here the fal
, ration is limited, only to them that believe ;
while condemnation is denounced against
unbelievers— Read the verse proceeding——.
God so loved the world, that be gave bis only be
gotten son, that whojoever believeth on him Jbould
not perijb, but have everlafling life —confequently',
all these who do not believe, must perijb. —This
passage then, viewed in its connexion, is
nothing to your purpose—your triumph may
cease, as to this—But you proceed, in the;
fame publication, either wilfully, or igno
rantly, to pervert the scripture, by applying
those passages to all men, which, in their
connexion, belong only to real faints—You
declare, as the sense of the Apostle in his
writings, that adoption, and fen/hip, have
come upon all men, which is a gross perver
sion of his real meaning, as may be seen, by
bringing into view, his reasoning at large,
upon thisfubjea. Rom. 8 chapt.— For „
man, at are led by the Jfeirit of God, they are the
font of God—for ye have not received the fpitit
of bondage, again to fear ; but tbe spirit of adop
tion, whereby we cry, .Abba, Father ; for the
spirit itfelf bearetb witness with ear spirit, that
we art the children of Gud ; and if children, then
beirs. From these words, it is plain, that the
adoption of sons, belongs only to such as are
led by the spirit of God ; such as have the
fpim of adoption, whereby they cry, Abba,
Father; such only, as have the spirit itfelf,
bearing witness with their spirits, that they
are the children of God.— Now, that all men
are not of these charaders, is very evident,
from scripture, and, experience — Many are
not under the guidance, and government of
the spirit of God, but of wickedness—Many
instead of Crying Abba Father in prayer, cast
off fear, and restrain prayer before God —
Therefore, it is a gross and vile perversion,
of the Apostle's meaning, to apply the glo
rious privilege of adoption, and fonihip to
wicked men, which he applies only to the
godly.
This you are guilty of, Mr. F. T.—and
you would be ashamed of this horrid abuse
of sacred truth, if you had any shame in you ;
but unashamed, you still go on to quote
other words of the fame Apostle—Rom. 11,
25 — For I would not have ,on ignorant, breth
ren, of this miflery, bow that blindkefs, in,art,
hath happened to Israel, until the fulnefs of the
Gentiles ii come in, and all Israel jhall be saved.
This you take as a complete proof, that all
mankind shall be saved, in ali ages.— Upon ;
the strength of this, you suppose I must give.
up the point, and acknowledge my error—l,
will so, when I fee fufficient matter of con-'
vision— But let us examine the place and,
vir ue of the passage, and fee whether it a,?
mounts to irrefragable evidence of Uhiverf^
salvation. : . f °
This passage ranks among the prophe
and is not yet accomplished.—The fulntfsof
the Gentiles is ffl yet come in, to the so
knowledgment of chriftianity ; the greater $
part under the denomination of Gentiles, are
now, in the present day, Turks, and Pagans,
worffiipping Mahomets, and the hosts of
heaven—The greater part under the denom
ination of Israel, are even to this day, under
the vail of infidelity, reje&ing the chriftian
religion with abhorrence—Therefore, this
prophetical passage remains yet to be fulfilled
This, it is with very good reason supposed,
will take place in the Millennium ; and
Should there be, in that day, a much greater
fulnefs, or universality of converts, in the
Gentile church, than hasever yet been-; and
Should the generality of the Jews be brought
in, to the acknowledgment of Christ, as the
; true Messiah promised to their fathers ; yet,
this is no proof, that every individual of
mankind will be saved, even in that period;
for we read, in Rev. that when the thousand
year^re expired, fatan foall be loosed out of
his prison ; and shall go out to deceive the
nations, Gog and Magog, to gather then
together to battle ; the number of whom is,
as the sand of the sea—and they went up on
the breadth of the earth, and compassed the
camp of the feints, and the beloved city —and
fire came down from God, out of heaven,-
and consumed them ; and the devil that de
ceived them, was cast into the lake retire,
where the beast and falfe prophet are, ,nd
shall be tormented day and night, for ever
and ever.,
Now if at the close of the Millennium,
there is such a multitude of the nations of
the earth, as may be compared to the sand of
the sea, do actually join with the devil, in
compassing the camp of the faints, and fire
does come down from God and devour them;
then all mankind wo'nt be saved even in that
period ; and if they are not all saved in that
period, when religion shall have its most uni
versal spread, much less will they all be sav
ed, in other periods of general corruption,
and wickedness—Where now is your boast
ed proof of the Universal dodrine ? it flies
before the strong gale of found truth, prop
erly compared and explained,as chaff before
the whirlwind—for whatis the chaff to the
wheat, faith the Lord.
VERITAS.
for the FEDERAL MIRRQR.
FREE THINKER versus VERITAS.
EZEK. 33d. —As I live, faith the Lord, I
have no pleasure in the death of the wicked,
&c. —Mr. V. fays the plain meaning of this
is, that the Supreme Being does not delight
in the misery of any of his creatures, but in
Their happiness, therefore calls on them to
turn and live—but nothing can be argued
here that they will all turn and live ; nay, the
contrary, is certain, ye w i" ™* ^n>< to foe
tm ye may have life—was the language of
an incarnate God to the Jews. Does this
argue, Ms. V. that the Jews (han't all be sav
ed, finally ? No, by no means ; for inspira
tion positively declares, that all Israel, that is
all the Jews, shall be saved ; so that it is
plain and evident, that they all have, and
will come to him—Further, we are inform
ed, that to him every knee shall bow, and
every tongue shall confefs Jesus to be Lord
to the glory of God, the father ; and that
he that confeffeth with his mouth the Lord
Jesus, shall be saved —That being the case,
Mr. V. who of the Jews can be loft ?—Fur
ther, is God willing the happiness of alibis
creatures, or is desirous of their salvation ? —
It seems to argue a want of power in Goc, if
they do not all have salvation ; but God pifi
tively declares by his Apostle, that he will
have all men saved, therefore I dare not fay
that they shall not all be saved ; however,
blasphemous others may be, in rising in op
position to God, and fay that they (hall rot
all be saved.
I would ask Mr. V. if he conceives G>d
to be an unchangable being, who is of ote
mind, and changeth not ; I suppose that he
will grant he is—then I would ask him hew
it can be, that he can speak to his creatures
in the language of love; and in the next
breath, (If I may be allowed the expression)
to speak to them in wrath, and curse them —
What a being do you make of God ? it sure.
ly represents God as a child, who is ple&d
with a rattle, and sorely displeased if te±
taken from him—Surely, this cannot be the
chara&er of an unchangeable God.—Mr. V.
speaks very much concerning connexions—
for my part, I conceive the scriptures to be
of one perfea connexion, all one connetled
chain of truth, and that they aaually mean
as they fay, and that there is no deception in
them. Y^i fay, Mr. V. that I quote John
17th, zd—m thou bast given him power over
all JleJh, that be Jbould give eternal life te as man)
. as fife bast given him —Here you fay ! take
. all, and many, to mean the fame thing ; you
Ify it does not mean allflefh, you fay doubt
less, means all mankind, many only—that
part of men, who by faith and repentance,
shall attain eternal life. Here you attribute
the salvation of men, to their faith and re
pentance, putting Christ altogether out of
the question ; then you go on to fay, that
Christ has power given him over all flefh,
;not for the purpose offering all, but the ma
sny. The Apostle fays, as by the disobedi
ence of one, many were made Goners.—l
would ask Mr! V. if the many here does not
mean all ; or whether, by the disobedience
of cne, all the human race were made sin
ners—l conclude he will grant they were.—
Well, the Apoftle' further fays, in the fame
verse, so by the obedience of one, shall many
be made righteous. 1
Now Mr. V. what is the odds in those
manies ? is not one of those manies as exten
sive as the other ? surely you must be as blind
as a beetle, not to fee them to be equal,—
you further fay, that Christ is governor a
mong the nations ; not for the purpose of
saving them all, but for Ailing, and over
ruling all ; and fay that the gift is not to
the all, but to the many ; that is, to those
who were given to Christ, and those only,
shall befaved—Firft, you attribute their sal
vation to their faith and repentance, and
then you attribute it to their being given to
Christ—Surely, if any are loft, it cannot, by
your argument be, because they are unbe
lieving or disobedient, but because they were
omitted in the covenant of grace—but you
have strenuously urged, firft the one and then
the other, as the reason of the damnation of
any—l am surprised that you cannot feeyour
inconsistencies and contradictions, which are
so plain and evident—Howbeit, we must not
despise the day of small things, but must bear
the infirmities of the weak, and feed them
with milk, if they can't bear strong meat.
You Jay, Mr. V. that / bring to my aid, Ijai.
yb, 3d, That the redeemer Should fee his
feed, &C. — Here you fay 1 take /or granted, that
It is the pitafurs of the Lord that all mer. Jhould be
saved; and fay, ij 1 could prove it, that it would
be to my parpoft. Now if Imy uje the freedom,
I would firft quote Mr. Fmtas., to prove this
point —He fays the Supreme Being does not delight
in the misery of an, of bis creatures, but in their
bappinejs ; and if the Supreme Being does delight
in tbeir happiness,, it surely must be bis pleajure
that they Jbould have bappinejs—but I jball not
depend wholly on the declaration of Mr. F. to
prove this point,—be being full of contradictions ;
but Jhall quote the expre/s word of God, which
does not admit of a contradiction, for this is good
and acceptable, in thefight of God our Saviour,
who will have all men to be saved, and come unto
the knowledge of the truth —Surely God would not
fay be will have all men saved, if it was net bis
pleajure that they Jbould all be javed. I think,
Mr. V. the point is fairly proved, beyond the
doubt of any rational mind; jo I think you must
give it up, Mr. 7. and conjefs that one wheel of
your car is gone. You Jay further, be Jhall fee
the travail of bis jeul, &c. and Jay, here we fa
bow extensive the pleasure of Lord is, in juftifying
the many, not all, but many.—Mr. Y. does not
Christ declare be tajied death for every man, and
gave bimjelf a random for all ; and that the free
gift has come n^l men, unsoju^jicatien of life.
Another passage you fay I bring, is io Dan. 9th.
That Christ Jbould JiniJb transgression, and make
an end of fin —that Christ bas made an end of fin
for dll believers, you fay is acknowledged ; but is
it true, that be bas made an end of fin jer all men,
whether they believe it 0? not ? F. T. fays be bas,
Jo that it shall not be imputed to them. F. T.
acknowledges the charge, and proves bis assertion,
by the express words of the Apostle, who Jays God
does not impute trejpaffes to men.
I would ajk Mr. V. bow it can possibly be tbat
Christ bas made an end of fin, which he acknow
ledges is the case, and yet fin fill exifls. There
appears another of bis contradiaions-but be fays
it is made an end of by our believing it—Then ij
the scripture be not true, until it is believed, 1
think it bejifor all to believe it, and not let it re
main a fal/ebood any longer—ls the scripture be
true before Relieved, then it ma, be called the truth
of God ; but if not true, until it is believed, it
must be called the truth of man, because it is man's
belief which makes it true — You fay further, that
Cbrift said to the Jews, except ye repent, ye shall
all likewise perijb.- Iwould ask you, Mr. V.
does periling, or to perifo, mean a banijbment from
God, or being eternally mi ferable in bell ? Jbould
you anfvqer in the affirmative, / would again of
you what will the difference between the righteous "
and the wicked? If that be the caje, inspiration
tells us, tbat the righteous perish and no man lay
etb it to heart ; so that it is , lain, that if peril
ing " going " b £ "> ibo righteous must fu,er it as
well as the wicked.—The wije man informs us,
theg M" event happens to all—to the righteous and
to the wicked, and alfn to the beefs ; they have
all one breath; they all perijb; they all go to the
duft —but who kxowetb the spirit of the man,
tbat geetb upward, and the spirit of the beast tbat
goetb downward to the earth ; Jo tbat periling
cannot mean any thing more than a dejelatiou oftbe
body, when tbe dust Jhall return to the duf, as it
was, and the J,iris will return to God who gave
it ; and bursty,if the jeul was to forijb, it must
be digitate and void of all kind ,f fraction, and
therefore could not be apartaker of either bappinejs
or miJtry. Yen fay further, that there is towho
condemneth me, even Christ, in whom 1 trufi—
This is altogether contrary to the scripture, which
calls on a# men to trust in tbe Lord, and,omiju
tbat be tbat metis in him Jhall be as Mount Ziffs,
which never can be moved- — Arid further, that be'
Jhall not be condemnedand confounded,to be fall
renew bis ftrengtb, and Jhall mount u, ae on carles
wings; befall men, and not be weary—be jhall
walk, and not be faint. This is agreeable to Jerip
ture; but if the scriptures do not mt&fy/,,
we are Itft at a loje^,
\- : ^^ ,/^'7 • ^w/ty,'o^ta,^,% j'^n^tfl#X)&s
Now if the scriptures do not mean
As they exprefcly lay, ~
I'd choose the paper white and clean,
And fling the print#away:
But thanks to Gel there's no deception
In the volumn of his word,
But speak and mean without exception.
As they stand upon record.
And tho' this mortal body perish,
Returns and mingles with the dust ;
The spirit soars above, is cherish'd
By rhe Saviour, with the just,
And there will spend a long forever.
In the realms of perfect bliss.
Swallow'd up in endlefi pleasure ;
Dwell in peace where Jesus is.
FREE THINKER.
FOREIGN AND DOMESTIC
ARTICLES lincc last MAIL.
BOSTON, MAY 2g.
On Sunday arrived here, the (hip Minerva,
Capt. Scott, and Mary, Capt. Cunning,
ham, from London, by these we received
the following
, Latest Intelligence.
Os partial Peace.
1 PARIS, MARCH 24.
WE learn from Madrid, that the
Spanish court has requested
the French government to fend thith
er a negociator, in order to fettle a fi
nal and lading peace ; and, it is as
serted here, that an envoy let out a
fortnight ago.
WAR !
BRUSSELLS, MARCH 16.
It is believed, from the immense
preparations of the Austrians, that
they will soon cross the Rhifie, to
Luxemburgh They have on the
mouth of Lanos, a number of boats of
every size, and have formed a boat
bridge from the right bank of the
Rhine, to an island lying in the mid
dle of that river. So it is probable
the inhabitants of the unfortunate
countries will witnefl most dreadful
and important events.
Frankfort, March to. It is exped
cd that the Imperial army and that of
the Empire will shortly cross the
Rhine, having received orders to keep
themselves in readiness, and have ev
en made a Chew to break it up.
Weftpbalia, March 10. The French
have affmbled on the banks of the
Yffel 40 000 men, 18,000 of whom
are at Z^oll, and the rest at Deven
er and Zurphen.
• ——•==«■■■■■—-
LONDON, MARCH 2fr
On Saturday a flag of truce failed
from Plymouth for France, with the
French captains of l'Atalanta, I'Efpi
on, and la Tourtenelle, to be exchang
ed for rear admiral Bligh, captains
Kittoe, and Cores, of the British na
vy.
March 28. The Ruffian and A
merican treaties are very important
confederations in the present contest
We shall take the firft opportunity
of laying the particular, of each be
fore the public.
April 1. A treaty of alliance with
the Emprefi of Russia, has just been
signed by our court.
We do not presume to know the
precise nature nor the conditions of
thiialliance, but it is said that it goes
to engage the Emprefi of Russia to
furnifh 40,000 men, and it fail of
the line, to aft against France.
April 3. Accounts received from
Genoa, mention, that the Dey of Ak
giers had declared war against Eng
land, and was determined to aft in
the ftrideft union with France, in con
sequence of receiving some fhipa of
war, and great sums of money from
that Republic.;Q
The Prussian army, which will aft
in the ensuing campaign, will consist
of between 60 and 70,000 meh#'