Puritan Church, is clear from their own writings, as well as from the charges which were preferred against them by their opponents; but the cry of heresy is always raised against dissent, and it is a much easier way to dispose of objectionable opinions and persons, to put them under the ban of popular prejudice, than to answer arguments which are sometimes. troublesome.

We regret that we are unable to present distinct extracts from the writings of Mr. Vassall in proof of the point that he was a believer in Universalism; but those which we made some years since have been mislaid, and the most diligent search has not brought them to light. And the same is true of Wm. Pynchon, another of the worthies of our colonial days. That he was a Unitarian, is conceded by all; and he was, it would seem, the first in America to advocate the doctrine of the Unity of God. But his book is scarce, indeed rarely to be found; and the only copy we remember to have seen, was in our hands but a very short time, and the extracts from it then made have disappeared with many others of the same class.

Coming, however, to Sir Henry Vane, - last, but not least of the names in our list, we have the testimony not only of his personal friends of his leaning towards Universalism, but his own language, in his "Retired Man's Meditations, or The Mysterie and Power of Godliness," &c., which was "Printed at London by Robert White, and are to be sold at the three Bibles, near the West end of Pauls, 1655." In this remarkable work, which presents his views, "I. Of the riches and fullness of Christ's person as Mediator; II. Of the Natural and Spiritual Man, in their proper Distinction; and III. Of the Reign and Kingdom of Christ, in the Nature, Limits, and Extent thereof, as well in his Saints as over his Enemies," we find him speaking in terms so clear, that it would seem as if we were listening to one of our own day, preaching Universalism in all its fullness.

Thus, in treating "of the Incarnation, and the fruits thereof," he says: "We see thereby the Devil and his Angels dis

appointed in their wicked designs; who, by the bringing in of Sin, were in hopes to have hindered the growing up of Jesus, the Branch that was to spring out of this Root; but David's Root, sitting as Lord at God's right hand, had before obtained that power which was to subdue all enemies, and lay them flat at his footstool. David's Offspring, therefore, was in no danger of having his course stopped, or race hindered, wherein, as a mighty Saviour and Redeemer, he was to go forth, and rescue the whole spiritual Seed out of the hands of Sin and Satan, to bring them unto the true Rest, and obtain a gracious reprieve and forbearance for the most obstinate and rebellious also." 12

Again Speaking of Jesus as the Second Adam, he says, "He did all that was needful, and all that God required to be done, for the remission of sin, and the utter abolishing and removing it out of man's nature, with an absolute incapacity of ever returning more upon the true and right heirs of Salvation. In respect whereof it is said, that as by one man's disobedience many (that is all) were made sinners, so by the obedience of one, many (that is all) shall be made righteous :-Having that ransom paid and means provided in him to make them righteous: so that there shall be no necessity remaining upon any to perish, forasmuch as sufficient provision is made to bring all men to repentance, and to the knowledge of the truth; that as in Adam all died, so in this sense all again, in Christ, are made alive," &c.

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Finally, he says of Christ, that "he is made of God wisdom, righteousness, justification and redemption unto the right heirs of salvation, and is become the ransom and propitiation for all sinners; not for those only who so believe as that they shall be eternally saved, but for the whole world, as upon the terms of the first covenant, renewed in the blood of Christ, they are reunited unto God, and admitted again into converse and fellowship with him," &c.

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Here, then, are extracts from the writings of Vane in proof

12 Retired Man's Meditations, p. 91. 13 Retired Man's Meditations, p. 95. tired Man's Meditations, p. 104.

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of his belief in Universalism; and that they are plain and pointed will be readily seen. We have, therefore, we think, made good our position that, in the earlier days of our Colonial history, there were men in the country, and some few of eminence, who believed in the doctrine of God's impartial grace. The light, indeed, shone in darkness, and was itself obscured by the medium it passed through; but, with all this, it was the light of gospel truth, now shining with clearer radiance, and blessing our souls with the fullness of its beams.

It would be a pleasant task to pursue our theme to a later period, and to show how, under the new charter of William and Mary, liberality increased, until finally, before the dawning of the day-star of liberty, and the opening of the great drama of American freedom, the mind of man, relieved of the palsy which had so long benumbed it, rapidly advanced in the knowledge of truth, and that the great doctrine of a world's Salvation was welcomed by thousands, who had outgrown the errors of the Puritan Church, and who rejoiced in hope of the glory of God. But we have accomplished the task we attempted at the outset, imperfectly, we feel, yet to the best of our ability; and if we have succeeded in conveying to the mind of the reader the conviction which is in our own, that the truth has in all ages had its witnesses, and was planted on these shores at the earliest date, we shall lend, we think, an added interest to the annals of those days, and pave the way for a further research, which may develop additional proofs of our position.

ARTICLE XI.

The Risen Christ.

THERE is much diversity of opinion concerning Christ, among Christians, though all confessedly accept him as the light of their spiritual life. They all agree that that system of religion known as Christianity is due to him; that he brought immortality to the faith of men; proclaimed the Gospel; taught the knowledge of God; and opened the door between earth and heaven. But while they agree in much concerning Christ, they differ greatly about who he was and what he is. This difference seems to be occasioned chiefly by the difficulty of understanding the union of the human and divine in one person. All careful Christian thinkers admit, yea, contend that he was divine in some sense; and also that he was human in some sense. But whether this union of the divine and human was in the person of Christ; or whether his person was human and his office divine; or whether the union was a temporary residence of the actual divinity in the flesh, making the Christ of brief earthly existence, are questions about which there is much sincere difference of opinion.

We do not propose to attempt to settle these questions, nor do we suppose they will be settled beyond dispute while men live in the flesh. Great is the mystery of the Incarnation. Great is the mystery that flames like a blinding glory over the being and life of the Son of God. Reverently should we trust to faith all that is incomprehensible in his half divine, half human existence. We say half divine and half human, because we do not know precisely what was the nature of his existence; and if we did, we have no language which would precisely state it. Say all we will of what we know of Christ, his personality is presented far more to our faith than to our knowledge. Both his person and his office are recognized more by our faith than by our knowledge. Our faith in him is probably better and more to be trusted than our knowledge

of him. In person and character he is given to the faith of men. If we could know him perfectly as we can know a man, it would bring him down from the sphere of faith to that of knowledge, and so take him from before us as a religious leader, as a heavenly light, and place him by our side as an equal, as a familiar acquaintance. Perhaps God purposely shrouded his existence in mystery that we might receive him chiefly by faith. As religion is primarily addressed to human faith, and as he embodies the true religion, it is only reasonable that he should be sent more to the faith than the knowledge of What men most want is to hold the Christ steadily and firmly in their faith.

men.

It may aid us in our faith in Christ to consider him in his risen estate. The New Testament gives to all Christians the risen Christ. His personal followers were scarcely Christians in faith till he had risen. Before that they were simply eyefollowers; after that they were believers, and were led by faith into the kingdom. His greatest spiritual triumphs in the hearts of men were after he had risen. His kingdom was established and he dwelt in the hearts of men in power and glory after he had risen. He assumed the full power of his divine office, and began on earth in the full glory of his Messiahship the work given him, after he had risen. He is now the risen Christ, and all our theories of him ought properly to be considered in relation to his risen being.

I. The Trinitarian Theory. The prevailing theory is that Christ is a portion of the Godhead, to which was given a body of flesh, and with it the name of the Son of God. In no sense was he the Son of God before he was clothed in a human form; in no sense was he the Son after he laid off the garb of mortality. In his original estate he was a part of the one God; in his risen estate he became again that same part of that one God, neither older nor younger, higher nor lower, than the rest of the Godhead. He was God before his humility and God again in his risen glory. Cloud it in words as we may, this is the logical statement of the Trinitarian NEW SERIES. VOL. 1.

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