TO THE

INFINITE AND EVERLASTING

LOVE,

OUT OF WHOM, THROUGH WHOM, AND TO WHOM, Are all THINGS;,

(Most mercifully and powerfully to bless it for the End it is intended, and to defend it against the Devil and his whole host of evil Angels and Men, whose Interest it is that the Everlasting Love should not have the sole Dominion over the whole Creation, and come to be ALL IN ALL,)

By

PAUL SEIGVOLCK.

3

PREFACE.

THE little work here presented to the readers of the "Library," is perhaps the most remarkable treatise contained in the whole volume. It was originally written in German, and was, I believe, first published in Peterson's "Mystery of the Restitution of all things," vol. I., which appeared in 1700. In this very valuable work, the Universalist Historical Society, possesses the original edition of Seigvolck's Everlasting Gospel. During the former part of the last century, it went through several editions. It was republished at Leipsic in 1705, and again in 1713. In 1730 a new edition appeared at Frankfort and Leipsic, and another in 1743, at Altona.

and first published at the instance and expense of that remarkable man.

The edition published in London, by Mr. Winchester, was exhausted in less than two years, as we learn from the preface of a second edition, published by Rev. Mr. Vidler, in 1795. He says, notwithstanding the opposition which some mistaken (but otherwise good) men have made to the universal doctrine, the first impression of this piece is sold off; so that a copy of it has been hardly to be procured for above twelve months past, though it was published only in 1792."

Of the author of this work, I regret that I have it in my power to say very little. Mr. Whittemore, in his Modern History of Universalism, p. 128, note, says, on the authority of a friend in Ohio, that "Seigvolck was born and educated in Harford-schles in Holland; and flourished in the time of William, Prince of Orange. He was not a regular clergyman, as appears from his own preface to his Universal Gospel, which was originally written in Low Dutch, and shortly after translated into the German language. He was contemporary with three others, who preached the same doctrine; Fisher, Shetz and Shepherd, as appears from letters of correspondence between them. Shetz was considered a more

They preached much in the Low Countries, and made many proselytes among the Hollanders. They were greatly persecuted, till the Prince of Orange gave them toleration,and arrested the civil arm which was about to be raised against them." Of the truth of this account Mr. Whittemore expressed some doubts, which were certainly well founded.

It first appeared in English at Germantown, near Philadelphia, in 1753. It was probably brought to this country by some of the German Baptists, who are known to have sympathised with its author in the faith of universal salvation. This edition was printed by Christopher Sower, and purports to have been "translated into English by John S," probably a son or brother of the printer. There is every reason to suppose that it was thus introduced to the readers of English, through the influence of Dr. George de Benneville, who came to this country about 1740, and was at this time residing in the imme-able advocate of the doctrine than Seigvolck. diate neighbourhood of Germantown. His long-tried and active zeal in the cause of Universalism, renders it in the highest degree probable, that he was deeply concerned in this publication. His previous residence for I several years in Germany had, it is likely, made him acquainted with this treatise there. Rev. Elhanan Winchester, who published an edition of Seigvolck's Everlasting Gospel in London, 1792, uses the following language in reference to its translation in America: "This little book, which I now send abroad in this country, was originally written in the German language in the beginning of the present century and printed in Pennsylvania in 1753. I am well acquainted with the good man at whose instance and expense it was translated and printed. He had lived to see the little spark rise into a flame, and the small seed into a large tree; and may he still live many years, until this glorious system, so grand, so worthy of God, shall have prevailed to bring all the different sects of Christians to be of the same spirit, mind and judgment." I know not to whom this allusion would so naturally apply, as to Dr. Benneville, for whom it is known Mr. Winchester entertained the highest respect and the warmest friendship. I can, therefore, indulge no doubts that the Everlasting Gospel was translated|

In the first place, Seigvolck was not cotemporary with William, Prince of Orange, if William I. the younger, generally called the Prince of Orange, be meant; for he was assassinated in 1584, while Seigvolck could not have been born till nearly a century after this date. But not to dwell on this point, I nowhere find the slightest intimation, except in the quotation above, that Seigvolck was a Hollander, or that this work was written originally in Low Dutch. In the German I discover no traces of its being a translation, nor does Peterson drop a hint that it is so. Speaking of the delay in bringing out the first volume of his work, he says, "Still I see the providence of God in this, as also in other things-that I have meanwhile received an excellent treatise on the subject, which is very precious and may properly be called a compendium of this whole work, and which I here communicate."

Nor do I find any thing in Seigvolck's "own

preface" or elsewhere to show that he was here. It would be singular indeed if Seig"not a regular clergyman." Nothing of this volck had been ashamed of the great truth he kind appears in his work, so far as I have advocated, or afraid of what men could do observed. What is said of his correspon- to him for maintaining it. There is nothing dence with Fisher, Shetz, and Shepherd, may in the work before us, that could give the perhaps be true. There were such men at slightest countenance to such a suspicion, least in Germany about the time of Seigvolck, but, on the contrary, much to show that he who maintained the doctrine of Universalism. was willing, if need be, both to suffer reproach There is in the Franklin Library, Philadel- and persecution for the sake of that blessed phia, a volume in German, entitled, "Golden Gospel, in which he rejoiced. Then it is Rose, or a Witness of the Truth, &c., by very strange that he should live and be Christopher Schurtz," one of the individuals engaged in controversy, as he was more or mentioned above. The preface to the first less, for near half a century, and yet, so far as part was written at Umstadt, September, appears from the writings of the day, not be 1724; the preface of the second part is dated suspected of passing under a fictitious name. Offenbach on the Maine, October, 1730. Mosheim, the ecclesiastical historian, menAmong other things, it contains a correspon- tions him, in a letter found at the end of the dence between Shurtz and Fischer, the latter second volume of his Sermons, and drops no of whom appears to have been a magistrate. hint that he was not the veritable person They had a mutual friend in an individual by whose name he bore. The Everlasting Gosthe name of David Schaeffer, (in English pel was first published, as I have said, in the Shepherd.) Both Fischer and Schaeffer died year 1700. In the second volume of Peterbefore the publication of the volume referred son's "Mystery of the Restitution of all to, which contains an elegy on Fischer, and Things," we find a laboured review of a alludes in a touching manner to the death of treatise, entitled, "Plain Instruction," by J. Schaeffer, which seems to have happened Haenfler, preacher, in the fortress of Custrin, about six months earlier. These warm heart- which Thiess ascribes to Seigvolck, or rather ed friends must have died between 1727 and to Kleinnicolai. This piece is called "Fun1731, though the date is not to be made out damental Considerations upon Haenfler's accurately. The last letter I find from Fis- Tract," &c. and was published in 1702. It cher is dated May, 1727. Schaeffer wrote a fills more than ninety folio pages. In 1711, work, entitled, Everlasting Gospel, which I we find him in the field again, and in controhave never seen, but which, in company with versy with several writers, who had been this of Seigvolck, and that of Schurtz above called out by the publication of Peterson's alluded to, was made the subject of undoubt- volumes. This work he entitled, “Vain Strife edly the earliest printed attack on Universal- against Truth and Innocence." Another ism in America. I refer to Rev. R. Pomp's work of his appeared in 1717, entitled, “PreExamination of the Doctrine of the Everlast-sentation of what the restitution of all things, ing Gospel, published in German at Philadelphia in 1774.

Acts iii. 21, must mean." About 1728, J. Laurence Mosheim, the celebrated ecclesiastical historian.gave to the world his "Thoughts on the Doctrine of the end of Hell-punishments." To this Seigvolck replied in 1729, in a work entitled, "Modest and Fundamental Thoughts upon Mosheim's Thoughts," &c. It is of this work that Mosheim probably speaks in the letter above referred to. Though wishing to seem exceedingly cool and unaffected, it is apparent from the whole tone of the letter, that he was not a little stung by it During the same year he also published "Decisions of some of the most important Questions relating to the Kingdom of Christ.” The controversy with Mosheim seems to have been continued, or revived again, some years after, for we have in 1746 another volume from Seigvolck, which relates to this subject, entitled, "Scriptural and Rational Considera

It is worthy of remark, that I observed in the "Golden Rose" no allusion to Seigvolck or his writings. In all the correspondence it contains, there is nothing that bears his name. I find letters signed by "P. P." "A. J.” “J. D. S.” “J. P. S.” “H. V. §." but I know no reason why we should suppose any of them to have been written by our author. His name, as it appears in the German, is George Paul Seigvolck, though in the translation, the George is, I know not why, omitted. While I have no hesitation, therefore, in regarding the account of our author, communicated to Mr. Whittemore, as in almost every particular incorrect, I am quite at a loss what to think of him. Of the period when he lived, and the language in which he wrote, we are, I presume, satisfactorily informed, but of the place of his residence, of his profes-tion of the grounds both for and against the sion, and even of his name we are by no means certain. John Otto Thiess, in his valuable little treatise "On the Scriptures and Church Dogma of the Eternity of Hell Punishments," tells us that Seigvolck's real name was George Kleinnicolai. His words are, "George Kleinnicolai published, under the name George Paul Seigvolck, the Everlasting Gospel," &c. The accuracy and fidelity of Thiess are such as to satisfy me on almost every point, and perhaps should do so on this, but there are circumstances which render it almost incredible that he should be correct

Absolutely Endless Misery of the Transgressors against God, and their final Restoration to Holiness and Happiness." A very active controversy was kept up for some years in which several individuals on both sides engaged.

Now it seems to me very strange that Seigvolck should have been thus, for almost fifty years, before the public as a controver sialist, and yet have passed, this whole time, under a fictitious name, and so far as appears, without the slightest reason. But I shall leave the subject with the facts now stated, to