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convince mankind that our blessed Lord and Saviour gave himse f

a ransom for all to be testified in due time. of all men, especially of those who believe.

That he is the Saviour
That he hath abolished

death, and him that had the power of death, that is the Devil.

And, Sir, whenever I am thus engaged, should you, or any other gentleman, in a publick or private character, undertake to prove this doctrine false, I shall, by the united testimony of the Prophets and Apostles, endeavour to defend truths which appear to me indubitable, sacred, and immutable.

But whether I am indulged with this opportunity, or whether I am not, I shall still have the honour to be, with unfeigned respect, Your most obedient humble servant,

JOHN MURRAY.

I am vext, these people really persecute me; I had no sooner sent off the above letter, than the house filled. They were very importunate with me to solicit a meeting with this same champion, he having been told I am desirous of disputing the business with him. I was, and am, exceeding angry. I observed that those who had thus represented me, had used me very ill; they had no right to give Mr. W―reason to suppose me a challenger: it was giving him a very mean and erroneous idea of me. But they still insisted, if I did not take measures to procure a meeting, it would betray a conviction of weakness, and greatly tend to prejudice the minds of the people against me; and it would undoubtedly be concluded I shrunk from the trial. All this I could easily see through; they wished a day of diversion, and these arguments were made use of as stimulatives.

I however, finally assured them, I never did, nor never would call on any gentleman to dispute with me; I should say, with respect to disputation, as a gentleman once said of duelling, I never will give, nor accept a challenge. But if any assassin should at any time attack me, I will certainly defend myself as long as I am able.

And as to fear, my friends, be assured if I am summoned before the rulers of the people, for his name's sake, whom I preach, I shall not apprehend that my Saviour will leave me at a loss what to say. But they shall summon me, not be summoned by me; and had Mr. W written me a letter, requesting me to tarry here until he came, that he may hear what I have to say in support of Univer

sal Redemption, and that I may hear him prove the doctrine false by the word of God, I would, notwithstanding I have so little time to spare, await his arrival. But to tarry at an uncertainty, or to send for him, I will not, I cannot.

Here the business now rests, and I suspect there is a person gone off, to report what I have said, and to engage him to write the request. If so, I must be obliged to submit to the toil, and a toilsome affair it will be.

I am told this is a scheme of the parish minister, who entertains a very exalted opinion of Mr. W. — as a disputant, and who imagines he shall be able to accomplish, through this same Mr. W. what Balak desired Balaam to do.

I really believe there is not a town on the continent, in such a ferment on religious accounts as this town at present is. Here are the Quakers, Presbyterians, Baptists, Separatists, Hopkinsians, Sandaminians and Universalists. Every individual, however, of every persuasion, combines against the Universalists. Females, particularly, are absolutely furious: Some run like distracted persons, from place to place, exclaiming," Will no one stand forth for God, and drive this Deceiver from among us?"

Thus, while their husbands are hearing, these females are raving. One devout and honourable woman has first supplicated her own minister to oppose me publicly, and on being repulsed, she applied to the next parish priest, where not meeting with better success, she proceeded onward to a third, but her repeated applications were still ineffectual, and I am fearful the poor lady will really run mad.

I no sooner quitted my chamber this morning, than I was engaged in conversation, nor have I had any respite through the day. A clergyman accosted me in the morning, asking me a variety of questions, which, as he appeared well disposed, I could not refuse to answer. He was succeeded by a deacon, and he also appeared a teachable man. He introduced himself with the usual preface.

Deacon. I have heard much of you, and have come many miles to see and converse with you. Will you be so obliging as to permit me to ask a few questions?

Murray. Readily, Sir.

Deacon. I have heard-but I do not pay much regard to slanderous reports; nothing of that sort is to be depended upon-But I have heard-Excuse me, Sir, I really hope you will not be angry,

but indeed, Sir, I have heard, I have been told, that you preached Universal Salvation, that is, that all mankind will be saved.

M. Well, Sir, as you seem to be an honest man, I will freely own to you, that God hath told me, "That he sent not his Son into the world, to condemn the world, but that the world through him might be saved."

Deacon. Aye, the believing world.

M. No, Sir; the world are never called believers, nor believers the world. The Deacon then proceeded to mention a variety of scriptures, that proved, as the poor man believed, the damnation of the greatest part of the world, and I answered him from the same scriptures: At last, I mentioned that very obnoxious text, “As in Adam all die, so in Christ shall all be made alive."

Deacon. Aye, Sir, all that believe.

M. No, Sir, all who died in Adam.

Deacon. But, how can they be made alive in Christ without believing?

M. As well as they could die in Adam without believing. There are a very great multitude among mankind, who do not believe they died in Adam; and as they do not believe they died in Adam, then they did not die in Adam.

Deacon. O yes, Sir, they died in Adam, whether they believe it

or not.

M. How can they, Sir, die in Adam without believing they did ? Deacon. Because the word of God declares, “they died in Adam,” and that must be true whether they believe it or not.

M. But, Sir, the same word of God says, all shall be made alive in Christ; and yet you say it is only those who believe, that shall be made alive!

This silenced the old gentleman, and thus ended our conversation; but another and another succeeded, until half past two o'clock, when I proceeded to a more public delivery of my testimony. There is no meeting-house in this village, but there is a building with a handsome balcony; from the top of which, to the top of a building directly opposite, was extending an awning, and the streets were filled with chairs and benches, which together with the houses on both sides of the way accommodated an amazing multitude of people. I stood in the balcony, in which were a number of gentlemen; and amongst the rest, an aged clergyman with a determination to oppose me.

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I gave him an opportunity, by preaching with great freedom on these words:

"This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation, and we therefore labour and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is the Saviour of all men, especially of those who believe." First, I endeavoured to show according to the scriptures, how the living God was the Saviour of all men.

Secondly, In what respects believers were especially saved.

Thirdly, That believers were not saved from labour or reproach, for in consequence of trusting in the living God, and believing him to be the Saviour of all men, they suffer both labour and reproach. Fourthly, That it is nevertheless a faithful saying, because it is said by the living God, and confirmed by every true believer, that is, every faithful man in the world.

As I had an enlarged heart on this occasion, you can easily conceive how I handled these different heads. When I had concluded I sat down in the balcony, and the people sat down also, expecting as I spoke so plain that the clergyman would, according to his promise, oppose me. But he soon left the balcony, and the people dispersed.

The old gentleman, however, with many others followed me to my lodgings, and there with great circumspection, began to converse with me: but I have only time to say, he was mortified and silenced by my answers, and this in the presence of his friends. Yet have I no cause for boasting; my triumphs all originate in the superiority of the cause in which I have the happiness to be engaged.

Thus far, as a monument of divine favour, I have been preserved and brought on my way, not only comfortable, but rejoicing.— Another conversation, and with a lady.

Lady. Do you, Sir, deny any work of grace upon the heart?
Murray. Certainly not, Madam.

L. I was told you did.

M. No, Madam, I conceive there never was a believer in the world, who had not a work of grace wrought upon his heart.

L. Well, I was informed you denied any work of grace upon the heart, or any work of the spirit, and I thought I would take the liberty to ask you.

M. You did well.

L. I have, Sir, imagined that I had a work of grace upon my own heart. I was once very unhappy; I believed God to be my enemy. But it appears to me the blessed Spirit, the Comforter, hath manifested my Creator to my soul, as a reconciled friend in Christ Jesus; and my sorrow is converted to joy, and my enmity to love. My heart's desire has long been the salvation of every lost sinner, and I have thought if Jesus Christ were my Saviour, it was possible he may be the Saviour of all men. Yet I have been taught to believe, that only an elect number were to be saved, but I assure you this faith hath afforded me no consolation.

M. Well, Madam, I do believe the work you experience upon your heart, is a work of grace, and of the spirit. And the reason why the doctrines you have been taught by men, were so variant from the emotions of your soul, and why you could derive no felicity therefrom, was, that they were not of God: and you may take this for granted, God never bestowed a better disposition, more compassion toward the creature he hath made, upon any individual, than he himself possesses. And if he has implanted in your heart an earnest wish for the restoration of every human being, and commanded you to make prayers and supplication for this event, you may assure yourself, that it will, in due time, be fully accomplished.

L. God grant it may be so. Yet there is something very strange in many passages of scripture, which seem to speak pointedly of the destruction of sinners.

M. Then, Madam, those scriptures must speak pointedly of the destruction of all men, since all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God. But these passages amount to no more than the curse denounced for every transgression. The law, without question, condemneth every offender, and the wages of sin are death. But Jesus Christ was made a curse for us, he was made under the law, to redeem them who were under the law: he hath redeemed us from the curse, and, by the grace of God, he hath tasted death for every man, to redeem us from that eternal death, to which we must else have submitted.

A number of questions succeeded, to which I gave answers according to the measure of information I have received, and the lady expressed herself completely satisfied.

I yesterday preached forenoon and afternoon. In the forenoon, upon the 11th and 12th verses of the 13th chapter of Isaiah :

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