no change in it for many years, except that it has grown stronger continually. I am sure that this doctrine is the doctrine of the Bible; and I am equally sure, that the sacred writers intended to state and defend it. I know the effect it has upon me; it rebukes me for wrong doing; it excites love to God and man ; ́ it meliorates the fear of death; it gives me happiness, yea, joy, that is unspeakable and full of glory. It is "the truth as it is in Jesus"; it is 66 my ALL IN ALL." If this doctrine be false, I am nothing, and less than nothing; but if it be true, I am immortal, I am a brother of angels, an heir of endless glory.

Shall I ever renounce this doctrine ? Never. It is no more probable, than that I shall renounce the Bible, and all my trust in the being of God. This is impossible, utterly impossible.

V. What are the peculiar duties of Universalists ? It is but seldom, that we now hear the objection urged against Universalism, which was formerly urged with frequency and confidence, that it had a licentious influence on those who believed it. We are inclined to attribute the disrespect into which this charge against Universalism has fallen, to reflection in the opponent, who is convinced, that Universalists are not what he has often represented them to be; and, moreover, that a doctrine of love and mercy must have a benign and salutary tendency.

The Universalist now maintains, as he has always maintained, that the doctrine in which he believes, so far from exerting an injurious influence, is, in fact, of all doctrines advocated by Christians, the most pure and holy, exciting the sweetest and most generous sentiments in the human heart; and he goes further, and declares, that, so far as any doctrine is really opposed to the doctrine of Universalism, it must exert a paralyzing influence on the benevolent affections of the human soul. There is nothing in any creed under heaven, which is calculated to make men love God and one another, but what is found in the sublime and heavenly

doctrine of universal grace.

This fact has not received

the attention, which its importance merits. It is the grace and love of God which excite gratitude, in what creed soever they may be found, and it is gratitude which excites love and obedience; and no person would be so unwise as to say, that there is less love and grace manifested in the doctrine of Universalism than in other doctrines. It is a fact, and we assert it without fear of being contradicted by any person who will stop and reason before he decides, that, if generous sentiments are excited in the human heart by the consideration of favor and mercy bestowed upon us, there is no doctrine known among men so favorable to the growth of such sentiments as that of impartial love in the Divine Being.

The Universalist is perfectly willing to confess, that he is subject to all the passions and temptations common to mankind, and that he is, like the rest of the world, too often found in the paths of disobedience and sin. But, in no instance, can the Universalist trace his offences to the influence of his religious opinions; indeed, he knows there is nothing which causes him to put a greater restraint upon himself, and that makes him more ashamed of his iniquities than the reflection, that the Being, whose laws he has broken, is his kind and faithful friend; and that the persons whom he has injured are his brethren, and common participators with him in the love of God. The morals of the Universalist would, and must, in the very nature of things, be purer than the morals of those operated upon by different opinions, were it not that he makes his religion too much a thing of theory, and too little a thing of practice. This is the fault of many Universalists. With the best doctrine ever embraced by man, a doctrine which angels delighted to proclaim, their morals should assume a pure, mild, and benevolent character, love should breathe in their devotions, shine in their actions, and drop from their lips.

We believe we are neither visionary nor enthusiastic;

we endeavour to look at this subject with the eye of reason; and we can come to no other result. The Universalist believes that God is his Father, his friend, and benefactor; that every blessing he receives comes from the hand of God, who is unchanging in his mercies, who will love him forever, and who will not afflict willingly, nor grieve the children of men. These are

the predominant sentiments in his heart, regarding the Supreme Being. Now, a man believing this may at times forget it; his mind may be engrossed by other subjects; his passions may be excited, and he may act contrarily to it. But the question is, whether a man realizing these sentiments, and acting according to their natural influence, will not do his duties in relation to his Maker with more readiness and faithfulness, than though he believed what is directly opposed to them? The question must be answered in the affirmative. Will he not be more likely to love God? and, if he loves him, will he not be more likely to serve him, and to serve him with cheerfulness ? Whenever his sentiments have any influence, must they not have that influence? and, if he does wrong, can it be attributed to the influence of those views ? Would it not be, in the highest degree, absurd to attribute it to those views?

VI. There is no one precept, which sets forth the duty of the Christian in a more forcible manner, than that divine precept in the memorable Sermon upon the Mount; "Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father, which is in heaven, is perfect." It comprehends the substance of all Christian obedience. And, as the consideration of this subject will tend to set forth; 1st, The beneficent tendency of Universalism; and, 2d, The duties which rise from a firm faith in God, as a kind, impartial, and unchangeable PARENT, we shall ask a careful attention to it.

"Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect." Matt. v. 48. But here rises a very important question, viz. In what does the

perfection of God consist? If it is our duty to be perfect as God is perfect, how necessary it is to know in what his perfection consists. Fortunately the Saviour has described the divine perfection in the chapter from which we have already quoted.. That heavenly instructer, that guide of the ignorant, made God's perfection to consist in IMPARTIAL, UNCHANGEABLE GOODNESS.

He was exploding the old morality, which until then had prevailed in the world, that men should love their neighbors, but hate their enemies. "I say unto you," said he, "love your enemies, bless them that curse you, and pray for them that despitefully use you, and persecute you.' "" Matt. v. 44. This was the morality of Christ; and it was very different, indeed, from the morality which had previously prevailed. It was no trifling labor to change not only the morality of a people, but also the standard of their morality, the grounds and reasons of it; and we look with interest, therefore, to see what means the heavenly instructer adopted to accomplish so difficult a task. We perceive, at once, his means. He pointed the people to the character of God, and entreated them to imitate Him. For, after saying, "love your enemies, bless them that curse you," &c., he tells them to do this, "that they may be the children of their Father in heaven;" that is, that they may be like him. But does God love his enemies? does he bless those who curse him? Yes; for the Saviour adds, 66 he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just, and on the unjust." Here we see the perfection of God, which Jesus desired his followers to imitate. It was impartial, unchangeable goodness. It certainly is God's goodness which causes the sun to warm the earth, and the rain to fertilize it. But is this goodness impartial? Certainly. The sun shines upon all men, the rain falls upon all men. It was not possible for the divine Teacher to have referred to any thing more impartial than the shining of the sun, and the falling of the rain. But is this goodness unchangeable, as well as impartial? It

surely is. The sun has always shed his beams upon the earth from the beginning of the world, and the rain has always descended in its season. The sin of man

has never arrested the shining of the sun; his injustice has never prevented the falling of the rain. All his sin, iniquity, and wickedness have never been able to change the goodness of God, or divert it from its steady purpose. When Jesus, therefore, referred to God's perfection, he referred to His IMPARTIAL, UNCHANGEABLE GOODNESS. He referred to this perfection to recommend it to the attention of men, that they might be perfect, as their Father in heaven was perfect." Now remark, he began by enjoining it on men to love their enemies, and to render good for evil. To incite them to this, he referred them to the character of God; and unless God loves his enemies, a reference to his character and perfection, in this case, was, of all things, the most unfortunate. But it was shown by our Lord, at the time, that God did love his enemies, not by a reference to any book or manuscript whose authority might be doubted, but by a reference to the undeniable works of God, to the broad heavens, to the thirsting earth, to the light of day, and to the fertilizing showThis being done, Jesus, the lovely Son of God, scorned the low, degrading morality of rendering good. only in return for good. The worst of men, the lowest, the vilest would do this. For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ? do not even the publicans the same? And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so?" The publicans were regarded as the wickedest of all men; their name was a reproach and a by-word, and was always associated with that of sinners. Jesus showed, that even such men would render good in return for good. But this was a mere nagative goodness. There was a more excellent way." There was a more exalted morality, a morality built upon the divine example, patterned after the model of God's ex

ers.

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