relation to any one, he is said to be reconciled to that individual." This surely is the sense in which the word is used in the passage under consideration-for the apostle says, "And you that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled." Their minds were changed from enmity to love. And this is the change denoted in the declaration, "by him to reconcile all things to himself"-for I have shown that the reconciliation in one case must be of the same general character as that of the other. Dr. Campbell, in his note on Matt. v. 9, quotes Col. i. 20, and says that the word here used signifies "actively to reconcile, to make peace." And he adds, that "etymology and classical use also concur in affixing thereto the sense of reconciler, peacemaker."

The other interpretation which you mention cannot, I think, have any material bearing on the sense of the text. You say, "There is yet another interpretation which would make the word reconcile mean nothing more than laying the foundation for actual reconciliation." The foundation for the reconciliation of all things is stated in the text-" And having made peace through the blood of his cross." Then follows the prospective result―" By him to reconcile all things to himself."

The tenor of Rom. v. 1-11, clearly shows that in the death of Christ, the great love of God was manifested to a sinful world. So soon as any one was brought to realize this great love, and believe with all his heart, so soon was he reconciled to God. No one in a state of enmity can thus be reconciled, unless it be in a prospective sense. The Christians in Paul's time could safely and truly say, "We also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the reconciliation," or atonement. "Being reconciled," they knew they should be saved from the wrath, tribulation and anguish that must come on every unreconciled soul. The death of Christ was unquestionably the foundation of reconciliation-for in his death the unbounded love of God was revealed. And it is in the Saviour's life that the believer

lives. Hence says Paul, "Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body," 2 Cor. iv. 10. 2 Cor. v. 18, 19, considered in connexion with Col. i. 20, certainly argues the final reconciliation of the whole race of man. Be sure 66 we see not yet all things put under him; but we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man," Heb. ii. 8, 9. It is true that the process of reconciliation has not yet been consummatedbut ere the kingdom shall be delivered up to God the Father, all things shall be subdued unto Christ-the Son also shall be subject unto him that put all things under him, that God may be all in all, 1 Cor. xv.

In order to set aside my reasoning on Phil. ii. 9, 11, you refer to the case of the two men who said, "What have we to do with thee, Jesus, thou son of God? art thou come hither to torment us before the time?" Matt. viii. 29. And you also inform me, that "a parrot might say, 'Jesus is the Lord,' without the least intelligence," &c. But do you seriously suppose, that it would be " to the glory of God the Father," for a crazy man, a man possessed of demons, to say, "Jesus, thou son of God?" Or do you suppose that a parrot which should say, without intelligence, "Jesus is Lord," would in the least degree glorify God? The language of the text is explicit: "That in the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." Surely a confession of this description could not be to the glory of God the Father, unless it were grounded in the conviction of the understanding, and offered in sincerity of heart. In this manner, and with such feelings, no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Spirit."

Professor Stuart, after commenting on the periphrasis before alluded to, says, "What can be meant by things in heaven, that is, beings in heaven, bowing the knee to

Jesus, if spiritual worship be not meant?" And after noticing the same periphrasis in Rev. v. 13, he says, "If this be not spiritual worship, and if Christ be not the object of it here, I am unable to produce a case where worship can be called spiritual and divine."

How any can confess Christ in such a way that God will be glorified in their damnation," is beyond my conception; and you have certainly furnished no proof of the supposition that such will be the case. Besides the remarks already offered, allow me to repeat, that with whatever feelings one knee shall bow and one tongue confess, every knee shall bow and every tongue shall confess-for the apostle makes no distinction as to the manner or result. The "wrath of man" can praise the Lord in no other way, than in being so overruled by the benevolent purpose of God as to furnish ground for thanksgiving and gratitude.

The paragraph of four lines, in which you endeavour to make it appear that I have contradicted myself in relation to the phrase "everlasting punishment," was inserted, in my judgment, without due reflection. Surely you do not suppose that I am unacquainted with the letter of the Bible. Give me leave to assure you that we know what the Bible says about everlasting punishment; and to re-assure you "that Universalists sincerely believe" what it says. We also sincerely believe what it says about the everlasting priesthood of Aaron, the everlasting covenant of the law, the everlasting possession of Canaan, and about other everlasting things which have no reference to a future existence. In the light of these remarks you will perceive what it is your duty to perform, in relation to the phrase "everlasting punishment," in Matt. xxv. 46.

Your argument predicated of Luke xiii. 1-5, rests on two assertions-the one direct, and the other implied: 1st. That "he who dies without repentance, perishes from the gracious presence of the Lord," by which you mean that such a one will be doomed to endless punishment; and 2d. That the Saviour's language, "Except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish," is of universal appli

cation. The connexion of the passage shows that it was confined to the Jewish people. So PEARCE "Except ye, the nation of the Jews, repent, your state shall be destroyed." So ROSENMULLER-"This was fulfilled at the last passover, a most fatal day to the Jews." So CALMET "Jesus Christ here predicts those calamities which overwhelmed them, when Jerusalem was destroyed by the Romans; for then very many impenitent and unbelieving Jews were buried together under the ruins of their most miserable nation." So also WHITBY, &c.

I think I succeeded in showing, in my last letter, “that premature natural death was the declared consequence of iniquity, (as in Prov. xxix. 1,) according to the representation of Solomon." And I aimed to show, that language quoted from Solomon's writings, must be viewed in the light of this representation. As to the sinner being accursed when a hundred years old, you can draw no argument therefrom in proof of endless punishment for it is written, "he that is hanged is accursed of God," Deut. xxi. 23, which language Paul quotes in reference to the crucifixion of our Lord, Gal. iii. 13. The same apostle says, "I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren," Rom. ix. 3.

In commenting on 1 Cor. xv. 22, you seem to have overlooked the declaration, that even so IN CHRIST shall all be made alive." And Paul, as quoted in a former letter, declares, "If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature; old things have passed away, behold all things have become new," 2 Cor. v. 17. In the light of this testimony, how can you suppose that some shall "be made alive in Christ to an immortality of misery ?"

To justify yourself, you quote Daniel xii. 2, 3. The connexion of this passage is as follows: "And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people; and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: and AT THAT TIME thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book. And many of them that sleep in the dust of the

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earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt When he shall have accomplished to scatter the power of the holy people, all these things shall be finished."

In Matt. xxiv. 15, 21, our Saviour quotes the prophet Daniel, and refers the language above italicized to the period of the destruction of Jerusalem, "When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation spoken of by Daniel the prophet . . . . then let them which be in Judea flee into the mountains . . . for then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be." As our Saviour thus fixed the reference of Daniel's language, it becomes us to avoid contradicting his testimony.

Compare Dan. xii. 2, 3, with Eph. v. 14. "Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light." Also with Phil. ii. 15, ... "In the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world."

You say, and properly, that "Christ arose as the first fruits; afterwards shall arise they that are Christ's at his coming;" but you add, "and finally all the wicked shall arise to immortality and damnation at the same time." Of this, however, the apostle says not a word. His language is, as quoted in my last," then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father . . . . and when all things shall be subdued unto him, then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him that put all things under him, that GoD MAY BE ALL IN ALL."

You affirm that "death itself shall be subdued to Christ, without entering heaven." Paul's declaration is, not that death shall be subdued to Christ, but that death shall be destroyed, and swallowed up in victory.

"In the fiftieth Psalm," you say, "we have a prophetic description of the future general judgment." It would have been becoming in you to have furnished the proof of such reference. The same remark is applicable to your quotation of Jude 14, 15. Similar language, in many