fore all the sin in the world consists in opposition to the scheme of universal salvation; this being God's law, or decree.

It must, according to these premises, be known to every individual, that God decreed his salvation before he can sin. For this purpose, our Lord has directed that the gospel should be preached to every creature. When any man hears this gospel, he hears that God wills, or decrees, that he should be saved. If he believes it not, but opposes it, he is guilty of sin, and of course is damned, instead of being justified, in his own understanding. "He that believeth is not condemned, [damned] but he that believeth not, is condemned [damned] already." J. B.

QUESTION FOR A RESTORATIONIST.

The Restorationist contends, that as God inflicts chastisements on his children in this world for their good, it follows that he will do the same in the other world. This principle is perfectly reasonable; but the question is, Must we not, on this principle, if we allow ourselves to suppose a state of punishment besides in this world, suppose a continuance of the same temptations, the same propensities, the same transgressions, and in short, the same conditions, in every particular, which here requires the infliction of the chastisement in question? If the principle on which the Restorationist thus depends, does not make the other world precisely what this world is, in every particular, I am quite mistaken, and would thank any one of that belief to set me right. J. B.

A QUESTION FOR THE BELIEVER IN ENDLESS MISERY TO SOLVE.

An Apostle says, "For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after VOL. VI.

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they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them."

Now the believer in endless misery supposes that those who have never known the way of righteousness, must suffer that endless misery. He tells us that the heathen, not knowing the way of righteousness, are given to idolatry, and all manner of sin, and consequently, are dropping into an eternity of misery every moment. He is calling most pathetically upon his fellow christians, to contribute to send the bible and missionaries to these heathens, that they may know the way of righteousness, and so may be saved from eternal torments.

Now the question is, How can it be better for such heathen people not to know the way of righteousness, if in that case they are to suffer eternal misery, than it is to know it, as we christians do, and to "turn from the holy commandment ?"

If any believer in endless misery will answer me the above question, consistently with his creed, I will engage to pay him double the money, for the time he may find it necessary to devote to the subject, that he can earn in any other honest calling.

REV. SAMUEL C. LOVELAND,

J. B.

Middlebury, Feb. 28, 1825.

SIR,-Being indebted to you for the last volume of the "Christian Repository," I thought proper to regard your notification, and govern myself accordingly. By the same notification I learn the work is to be removed from your hands, and continued by Mr. R. Bartlett, a man professing the same tenets with yourself. This change produces upon me neither joy nor dejection. I am sensible of the talents of this much beloved man. I am also sensible that the work heretofore, has been managed and conducted in a manner which cannot but meet the warm approbation of all impartial and unpre

judiced minds and hope that under the merciful hands of a good and just Being, it will not only receive an increased patronage, but also serve to propagate and establish that doctrine which the scriptures are so ready to substantiate.

You, I presume, recollect, that last summer, in a communication to you, I requested the solution of a question on God's will. Agreeably to my desire, it was noticed. I must confess, I was pleased with the candor and ingenuity with which it was handled; but still many dark points to me seem to remain unexplained. If nothing takes place contrary to the will of God, I cannot conceive how man can be considered a free agent, or accountable for his doings. It is true, the doctrine of necessity, at its first consideration, “presents an alarming aspect;" but upon its more thorough developement, I think it can be reconcileable to all unprejudiced minds. I may, however, be in an error; and if so, to remove this error, is my greatest desire. If God has laid out the road for his mortals to pursue, can they deviate? and by pursuing this path, do we become responsible?

Man's course is laid out, and whatever is in his course for him to do, that will he perform; whether in our views they are just or unjust. If our course is prescribed, and all our transactions are agreeable to the will of God, how can it add to, or diminish our excellencies, if we believe in the doctrine of necessity, or that of free agency? The actions of men, I think, may be compared to the movements of a watch: for here you behold many and various kinds of wheels, &c.; and all pursuing a different course; yet, you perceive they all "work for good." Therefore, I am led to believe that "whatever is, is right."

These obstacles in the way of free agency may, in your view, be considered as easily surmounted; but to

me, they yet remain unmoved. My arguments, perhaps, are incongruous. If so, lay them to my weakness rather than disposition; for it is my most anxious desire to have these things fully and rightly explained.

The truth of the scriptures in full, and the doctrine of free agency, are topics which I long to have fully discussed. These are by me considered essential points. The attainment of the one, may serve to do away the doubts of the other; and unless established in one or both of these points, the mind is left wandering upon uncertainties. However, time will develope and reveal ́all things.

Please view with candor the preceding remarks, and accept my best wishes for your future prosperity and welfare. W*. C. S*** ̧

For the Christian Repository.

REMARKS ON ITHAMAR SMITH'S LETTER.

Mr. Editor,

In the last number of the fifth volume of the Repository, there is a communication from Ithamar Smith, to which Br. Loveland, the late Editor, has very ably, tho briefly replied; and so far as his arguments extend, I think they are conclusive. But it is apparent, as he acknowledges, that some of the arguments of Mr. Smith are left unnoticed, and I trust that a few additional remarks in reply to some of those arguments, will not be construed by Br. Loveland into any disrespect to him, or considered as an intrusion upon his prerogative.

A calm and dispassionate discussion of the all-important subjects connected with the Christian religion, is undoubtedly calculated, by leading the mind to serious reflections, to an examination of our own sentiments, and those of others who may honestly differ with us in opinion, to produce much good in the world; as it is only by comparing different sentiments with each

other, and testing them all by reason and revelation, that we shall be able to arrive at a knowledge of the truth.

With the candor and apparent sincerity which characterize the communication of Mr. Smith, I am extremely well pleased; as they are evincive of a christian disposition, and a desire to receive instruction, or by imparting it to others, to become serviceable to his fellow creatures.

That portion of his communication to which Br. Loveland has not replied, and in relation to which I propose to offer a few reflections, is contained in the last paragraph but one, in the following words: "That the incorrigibly wicked will receive punishment without end, is a sentiment which prevails wherever the word of God is known. By what means does such a sentiment prevail? This question must be solved in one or the other of two ways. Either the scriptures have led to the belief that there will be endless punishment, or else this doctrine is the invention of men. The character of the doctrine forbids the latter supposition. Quod volumus facile credimus. Men easily pervert scripture from its plain meaning, so as to make it convey a sense agreeable to their wishes; and their ingenuity is often employed to this end. But they will not, without being compelled, receive a doctrine which they dislike. They never would explain away the plain declarations of scripture, in order to bring themselves to believe that they deserve eternal misery, and that God will, in many instances, inflict what they deserve."

The first expression which I wish to notice in the above quotation from Mr. Smith's letter, is the following: "That the incorrigibly wicked will receive punishment without end, is a sentiment which prevails whereever the word of God is known." From the above expression, and from the frequent use made of the phrase