opment. This abounding grace operated in the dis tribution of talents to Gentiles, Jews and christians, during the ages of their respective dispensations. These talents confered without respect to previous deservings, we beheld were committed in trust, under the responsibility to the possessor, of accountability in a day of future judgment and of righteous retribution.

But, in order duly to effect this purposed or predestinated exhibition of retributive justice, manifold wisdom, and abounding grace and mercy, through the interposition of the Lord Jesus Christ; it behooved him to suffer upon the cross, to arise from the dead, and ascending and entering into his glory, to give commandment to his apostles and ministers to preach the gospel in his name, throughout all the world, unto every creature. Pursuing this subject to its final, revealed issue, we are led progressively through other scriptures, to a point in duration, in which glory crowns in eternity, the efforts which grace unceasingly had made during the lapse of the ages in time. For in those scriptures we are informed of the wicked being put down, the righteous being exalted, of Christ reigning to complete victory, and having reconciled (or united) all things to himself as the head, to become himself subjected to the Father, that God may be all in all. But on these points these scriptures will speak best for themselves. "And being found in fashion as “a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore "God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a "name which is above every name: That at 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 Fath"er." Phillippians 11, 8, 9, 10, 11. "For it pleased "the Father that in him should all fulness dwell. And "having made peace by the blood of his cross, by "him to reconcile all things to himself; by him, I 46 say, whether they be things in earth, or things in "heaven." Colossians 1, 19, 20. "Then cometh "the end, when he shall have delivered up the king"dom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule, and all authority and power. For "he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his "feet." "And when all things shall be subdued un

to him, then shall the Son also himself be subject "unto him, that put all things under him, that God may be all in all.” 1 Corinthians, xv, 24, 25, 28. But in this revealed result of this divine predestinating purpose, nothing whatsoever is discoverable, from whence, to infer the Calvinistick decree of reprobation.* And when we shall duly have attended to

* From the forecited connection of texts, resulting as before stated, in the subjection of all things to God, some writers seem confidently to infer, a final restoration of all mankind, and even of the fallen angels,, to divine favour and consequent felicity. But, before confidence is reposed in conclusions thus infered, it would be but prudent, to weigh well, and with calm deliberation to consider, how such final restoration, and salvation, can ever consist or harmonize with Christ's declaration, concernlog a blasphemy, which never hath forgiveness? With the

another revealed purpose, secondary and subservient to the grand design, of reconciling all things to Christ, as their head; we shall then perhaps, discover as much reason, to call in question the propriety of infering Calvinistick election, from the fore mentioned texts, cited from Ephesians, as we did from those last quoted from Colossians and 1 Corinthians.

This other revealed divine purpose, occurs in Ephesians III, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 verses. "For this "cause, I Paul, the prisoner of Jesus Christ, for you "Gentiles. If ye have heard of this dispensation of "the grace of God, which is given me to you ward; "how that by revelation, he made known unto me "the mystery, (as I wrote a foretime in few words, "whereby when ye read, ye may understand my

knowledge in the mystery of Christ,) which in other "ages, was not made known unto the sons of men, "as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and

prophets, by the spirit; that the Gentiles, should "be fellow heirs of the same body, and partakers of "his promise in Christ, by the gospel."

torments of fire unquenchable, and a never dying worm? With the loss of the soul? or of body and soul, being liable to destruction in hell fire? And of suffering, by paying the uttermost farthing? Or how consist with such hardness, as renders a renewal to repentance impossible? Or yet, how accord with perishing utterly in their own corruption? Or yet again, with their last end being, that of being burned?

Reader, canst thou reconcile these contrarieties? And without reconciling them, wilt thou volunteer in the belief of contradictions?

If in this place, due attention is paid, to the apostles design in thus writing, as well as to what he has. here written, it will tend to diffuse great light over the main subject of our inquiries. The doctrine of the cross in that age, was to the Jews, a stumbling block, and to the Greek's, foolishness. And the uniting of both by one Church, into one body, to the former, was a most offensive innovation; and to the latter, a ridiculous novelty. Paul, as the Apostle to the Gentiles perceived and felt, in a very peculiar manner, the great difficulties arising from these Jewish prejudices on the one hand, and from this gentile ignorance upon the other. Hence, he had here in view, to endeavour to overcome these prejudices, and to dispel this igno rance. And in order to effect this design, he conceded to both parties, that their union into one church, had been a mystery, hidden from the sons of men, in the preceding ages, but maintained, that it was now no longer so; because, it was revealed by the spirit, to the holy apostles and prophets; and asserted, that it was also revealed to him, as well as to them, "That "the Gentiles should be fellow heirs of the same body, (with the Jews,) and partakers of his (God's) prom"ise in Christ, by the gospel." And of this, he had

written a foretime in few words," viz. in Chapter I, 9, 10, 11 verses. "Having made known to us "the mystery of his will, according to his good pleas

ure, which he hath purposed in himself: That, in "the dispensation of the fullness of times, he might "gather together in one, all things in Christ, both "which are in heaven, and which are in earth, even in

"him: In whom we have obtained an inheritance, be"ing predestinated according to the purpose of him, "who worketh all things, according to the counsel of "his own will." We have here then, most manifestly, a key furnished us by St. Paul himself, whereby to unlock the otherwise hidden meaning of the terms mystery, chosen, purpose, and predestination, as used by him, in this epistle to the Ephesian church. And which meaning thus unfolded, instructed the professing believers, in Ephesus, both Jews and Gentiles, that they as a church, in its collective capacity, were chosen and predestinated, together with the other churches of that, and of succeeding ages, to partake (as several parts of the same body,) of the promise of salvation, through Christ, as revealed in the gospel. Such election and predestination as this, which thus is taught by the apostle, accorded indeed well with the true spirit, and real character of the gospel. For it debarred none from a possibility of obtaining salvation; whilst to innumerable millions, it communicated greatly increased powers and opportunities, to lay hold upon life eternal; for by confering on them the advantages of gospel instructions, means, influences, and ordinances, it thereby elevated them into the most favoured condition, of an endowment with the five talents. And herewith agrees the following comment, by a judicious writer on this subject. "This election

doth import rather their being chosen to the enjoy"ment of the means of grace, than to a certainty of

being saved by those means; that it is only that, "which puts them into a capacity of having all the