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From the Christian Mirror, of February 7.

1 Tim. 2, 4. Who will have all men to be saved, and come unto the knowledge of the truth.

The original word here rendered will, implies no more than is willing. It is frequently so rendered in other places. In very many passages, where our translators have given the same form of expression they have here, still the connexion evidently shows that nothing more than willingness, or pleasure, or desire, is meant. It is therefore by no means necessary to give it a more positive sense in this passage. There is no evidence that it expresses the purpose, determination, or decree of Jehovah, that all men shall be saved. The most obvious and natural rendering of the Greek is, who is willing that all men should be saved. Indeed to justify the common translations, the verb should be in the future time; whereas it is in the present. The passage we see declares the readiness of God to save all men, if they would repent and believe; which is abundantly declared in other places. It does not assert his determination to save all. We can therefore derive no hope from this passage for those who will not come to Christ for life, but neglect the great salvation till they die in their sins.

But take the expression as it stands in the English bible; it does not necessarily imply a fixed decree. My feelings are asked respecting the poor of the town. I reply, I will have them all relieved and supplied, and also to come to a correct knowledge of the way to be satisfied and happy. I do not, in so saying, assert that they will all be fed and clothed. If my power were equal to my pity; if I could supply every one without the least sacrifice, my expression does not imply that I purpose to do it for the idle and vicious, who will not be reclaimed. The declaration of the Apostles gives abundant encouragement to every sinner, even the vilest, to repent, and flee from the wrath to come; but not the least ground of hope to any to trust in the mercy of God, who through their hard and impenitent hearts remain workers of iniquity.

REPLY.

The passage of which the above is designed as an exposition, is made the subject of remarks on the first page of the same paper; but as the editor agrees in sentiment with his correspondent, and yet did not deem his arguments so conclusive as to preclude the necessity of this "familiar exposition," we shall take it for granted

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that if we succeed in exposing the weakness and fallacy of one, we shall of both. Whether the editor has been most successful in exposing the contradictions in his own system of doctrines, or in refuting Universalism, by proving the Bible to be a collection of irreconcileable inconsistences, we can better decide after a few minutes critical examination of his exposition.

1. Our learned expositor understands the declaration, God-" will have all men to be saved and to come unto the knowledge of the truth," to mean, he is willing they should all be saved, without limitation. It expresses his willingness, pleasure, or desire. Still he explains it in opposition to their salvation, by arguing that it does not express God's determination or decree. Observe; it expresses no more determination that any man should be saved, than it does that all, without exception, should be. The meaning is, God is no respecter of persons, but is just as willing to save every man, as one man. But Mr. Rand maintains that God has a determination as well as a willingness, in relation to mankind, and that he is determined that some of them shall be endlessly miserable. And now, reader, just see the pitiable predicament in which the faithful advocate for error's triumph, is involved; he is endeavoring to prove that God is willing all men should be saved, notwithstanding his determination to make them miserable forever! Willing to frustrate his eternal decree !!

He would make us believe that the pleasure and desire of God are in direct opposition to his determination. To refute such a palpable absurdity is unnecessary. Its refutation is enstamped on its face. All we can do in this case is, to pity the dear man whose merciless creed drives him to such miserable subterfuges for argument. Let charity govern our feelings.

Our Calvinist's attempt to give his exposition an Armenian turn, by saying," the passage declares the readiness of God to save all men, if they repent and believe," is, if possible, more sophistical than the foregoing. Mr. Rand will not deny but that God as much decreed the

impenitence and unbelief of the sinners whom he determined to damn forever, as he did the damnation itself. This was as necessary a part of the divine determination as any thing else. Who is so stupid as not to discover, that, if the editor's doctrine be true, and all the reprobates were brought to the knowledge of it, they would be eternally miserable according to the divine determination? Not one of them could repent and be saved, without frustrating the irrevocable decrees of his God.

2. Having availed himself of all the advantages of his superior learning, our expositor next comes down to the understanding of readers in general, and contends that "taking the expression in our English bible, it does not imply a fixed decree." He supports this assertion by an example in which he would conduct in a manner, corresponding with his views of the subject; and takes it for granted that God will be just as partial as he would, were his powers equal to his pity, or could he do as he pleased. Mr. Rand gives us fully to understand that if his "feelings were asked respecting the poor of the town, and he should say, it was his will they should all be relieved and supplied, his expression would not imply that such was his purpose, even if his power were equal to his pity, and he could supply every one without sacrifice" to himself. Really, the editor of the Mirror is an honest man, in good earnest. He admits that he would not be disposed to relieve the poor, even could he do it without injury to himself. Is he willing, is it his pleasure and desire, those should be supplied, whom he would leave destitute, with the means of giving relief? But let us try his concession and argument, and see to what they amount. Does the fact that Mr. Rand would not be disposed to relieve all the poor whom he COULD with perfect convenience, after having expressed his WILL to do it, prove, that the God of truth is not disposed to save all men and bring them to the knowledge of the truth? If it does not, he has imprudently exposed his partiality and hardness of heart towards some of the poor, with

out illustrating the words of the apostle. Never, in all the pages of controversy, have we before seen such an example. How applicable are the words of inspiration;

"Thou thoughtest I was altogether such an one as thyself; but I will reprove thee, and set them in order before thine eyes." "Are not my ways equal, are not your ways unequal?" "They changed the glory of the incorruptible God, into an image made like corruptible man."

Whether Mr. Rand would exemplify his doctrine, in his own conduct, or not, it is a just representation of Calvinism, so far as it manifests an indisposition to grant relief to all the miserable. They hold that God is ABLE to reclaim and restore every sinner, if it was his PURPOSE to do it. He has decreed that MANY shall be left in their fallen, helpless state, to perish forever. Hence the pretension that some will not be saved, implying an inability in God to save them if he were disposed, is highly preposterous. The real, undisguised truth is, according to Calvinism, they will not be converted and blessed, because God has determined they shall not. The editor of the "Mirror" dare not controvert this point.

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3. The expositor thinks the passage on which he comments, gives great encouragement to every sin-. ner to repent and be saved." Then it is as clear as the light of noon-day, that if his views of its doctrine be correct, it was designed as a gross imposition on some of them; for if Paul meant to encourage them to seek for salvation, whom he believed his God PURPOSED and decreed to make endlessly miserable, his conduct was just as reprehensible, as that of any other man. But the apostle was not a sophist, and therefore acquires no honor, by having such expositions given to his language. No, the eternal and incontrovertible truth is, St. Paul meant to give a clear and full declaration of the main point of doctrine in the glorious gospel, and as every thing depends on the DIVINE PLEASURE, he stated it in such a connexion, that none but such as are blind

ed by education, prejudice, or unfeeling partiality, will be likely to misunderstand him. 1. He exhorts that supplications, intercessions and giving of thanks be made for all men, without exception. 2. He declares this to be good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour, who will have all men to be saved and to come unto the knowledge of the truth; as above stated. 3. Pursuant to the divine WILL in the salvation of all men, the Mediator between God and men, gave himself a ransom for all men, as a testimony of the love of God, to be proclaimed in due time. 4. Lest some unfeeling sophist should attempt to explain away this precious declaration, the apostle asserts his authority to make such a proclamation, and annexes a direct affirmation, “ I SPEAK THE TRUTH IN CHRIST AND LIE not."

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So the controversy is between St. Paul, and the editor of the Mirror. If Paul did not use any deception, God will have all men to be saved, in Jesus Christ; but if he did, the editor may be right in saying, it is not his purpose or determination to be the Saviour of only a PART of the world.

FOR THE CHRISTIAN INTELLIGENCER.

UNIVERSALISM ON A DEATH BED.

DEAR BROTHER-In your last epistle you informed me of the death of two of your kind and esteemed friends* in Portland, members of your society. As I began to read this clause of your letter,gloomy thoughts ran through my mind. Ah, cruel death! thou king of terrors! Two more have fallen at thy hand, while others stand, and mourn, and weep. But, my mind was not long pained with such gloomy reflections. Your declaration that " they remained, to the last moment of life, firm and unshaken in their FAITH in the Universal Saviour,' called my mind from this dismal scene of death and darkCapt. PRICHARD and Mrs. SMITH.

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