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    Sir , Bloxham . 1 . OOME persons have attempted to J ^ prove the final purity and happiness of all mankind from reason : they have observed that the Supreme Being is infinitely wise , powerful and good , and our Creator , and therefore he can and

    will bring all the human race to a state of purity and everlasting happiness . But if this argument proves any thing , it proves too much ; for , by the same mode of reasoning , we may prove it

    almost certain that every living creature / from the huge Leviathan to the smallest insect , will enjoy a happy immortality . But who that considers how universal nature swarms with life ,

    will attempt to prove that , because God is their Creator , and can cause them to live for ever , that therefore he certainly will do it ? If we were innocent beings , we could not claim this of our Maker , much less can sinners . And how do we know but that in the vast and various family of God , it may be very expedient to torm some creatures only for a temporary existence ? We , I presume , believe so concerning many numerous tribes of insects j and and what are we but insects in the sight of our infinite Creator ;

    € C Who sees , with equal eye , as God of all , A hero perish , or a sparrow fall" ? 2 . Other persons assert that the Scr iptures teach us this dpptrine ; they say that God is love ; that he is merciful and gracious ; that he deHghteth not in the death of a sinner ; that it is

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    his will that all men should be saved - that he retaineth not his anger for ever ; and that our Saviour will reign until he hath put all his enemies under his feet . But it is obvious that a good sense may be put on these passages

    without carrying the matter so far , not to observe that many passages of Scripture seem to teach a contrary doctrine . This appears so evident to some able advocates of this doctrine , that they have expressed themselves as follows : " But I do not lay much stress on particular texts of Scripture

    in this case , because it does not appear to me to have been the proper object of the mission of Christ , or any other prophet , to announce this doctrine , nor does it appear that any of them considered the subject in its full

    extent . "—Dr . Priestley ' s Discourse at Philadelphia on Acts xvii . 18—20 . Mr . Madge says on this subject , "That the doctrine is expressly and designedly inculcated in any one passage of the Old or New Testament , does not

    appear to me ever to have been satisfactorily made out . " — Mon . Repos . XIII . p . 562 . Dr . Estlin , however , and Dr . Southwood Smith , have both attempted to prove that the wicked will

    be raised to life after they have suffered the second death , even supposing this sentence should be literally executed , and that therefore they will be made pure and immortal beings . Dr . Estlin observes that " a first resurrection is

    spoken of . "—Estlin ' s Serm . p . 141 . By which he evidently meant to suggest that there will be a second . And Dr . Smith says , in his work on the Government of God , p . 247 , " and is directly asserted by several , " ( Scriptures , ) " particularly by those which speak of a first resurrectipn ; for a first resurrection implies a second . "

    Now , it should be observed , that a fir § t resurrection is no where directly spoken of in Scripture , but in Rev . xx . 5 , 6 . yphpt is said in 1 Thess . iv . 15 , does not militate against this observation , Thia first resurrection is ,

    by some persons , supposed to be a resurrection Jfrom the deftlh of sin to the life of righteousness . t But others suppose that it ref $ ^ to the resurrection of the pious de # jd at , the second coming of Christy ( it , ^ at the commencement of what is called the millenium , which is to tfike place at least a thousand years before the general

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    to the whole : we might admire his talents and be amused with his ingenuity , but should certainly conclude , that in this case he was either weak or wicked , or the slave of a system , or that " much learning had made him

    mad ; " because , in the view of every plain understanding , these ideas are disparates , things directly opposed to one another , and which cannot possibly coincide or stand together . Now , there are data in theology , as well as in philosophy , clear and self-evident princiht

    ciples , partly obvious under the lig of nature , and more fully ascertained and confirmed by the gospel ; among which , those relating to the Deity are more especially to be cherished and maintained , as they lie at the very foundation of their religion . AN OCCASIONAL READER .

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    340 On the Final Purity and Happiness ofaltMankind *

• Citation
  • Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), June 2, 1820, page 340, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2489/page/16/