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النشر الإلكتروني

THE

UNIVERSAL RESTORATION,

EXHIBITED IN

FOUR DIALOGUES

BETWEEN A

MINISTER AND HIS FRIEND;

Comprehending the fubftance of several real conversations which
the Author had with various perfons, both in
America and Europe, on that

INTERESTING SUBJECT,

CHIEFLY DESIGNED

Fully to ftate, and fairly to answer the most common objections
that are brought against it from the

SCRIPTURES.

BY ELHANAN WINCHESTER.

To this EDITION is prefixed, a brief account of the means and
manner of the author's embracing thefe fentiments;
intermixed with fome SKETCHES of his
LIFE during four years.

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PUBLISHED AT WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS:

BY ISAIAH THOMAS, JUN.

Sold Wholefale and Retail by him, at his Printingoffice in Worcester, and
by THOMAS & WHIPPLE, in Newburyport,

October-1803.

From the CRITICAL REVIEW,

For SEPTEMBER, 1783.

OUR Author, with great candor and extensive knowledge of the fubject, difcuffes the doctrine of eternal punishments. He thinks that there will be a period when every finner will be reftored to the Divine favor. This doctrine is perfectly confiftent with the benev olence of the Deity. It is fupported by many wife and good men ; nor is there any reafon to fuppofe that it will be perverted to ferve the purposes of vice and immorality. Mr. WINCHESTER, in his defence of it, fhews much charity, much humanity, and no little fhare of learning. The fifth Dialogue alone, which relates to the defign and tendency of punishment, might furnish fome little foundation for a difference of opinion; but, in a queftion fo greatly above human attainment, the mind would be loft in the inquiry, and not greatly benefited by the difcuffion. The queftion of the univer fal Reftoration, must be examined as Mr. WINCHESTER has done, by the word of God, as revealed at different times, and particularly in, the Golpel."

N. B. A confiderable part of the fifth Dialogue, being printed in the Leflures on the Prophecies, is left out of this edition, and the remaining part is included in the fourth Dialogue.

PREFACE..

cl.1922

To the READER.

ASI now prefent my Friends and the Public with a new edition of the Dialogues on the UNIVERSAL RESTOR ATION, which by many has been long defired, perhaps it may be acceptable to fome for me to give a brief account how I came first to the knowledge of this part of the counfel of God, which I have not fhunned freely to declare, both by_word and writing, as I have found opportunity and necellity.

I think it was in the beginning of the year 1778, being in Southcarolina, upon the River Pee Dee, where I was at that time Minifter, that I called to fee a friend, who first put into my hands that valuable book written by Paul Sieguolk, and which is called The Everlasting Gospel, of which i have lately published a new edition. I was defired to tell what it meant to hold forth, as my friend could not tell by any means what to make of it on the account of the fingularity and ftrangeness of the fentiments therein contained; although the language is very plain and clear, and by no means dark, myftical, or obfcure.

I opened the book as i was defired, and dipping into it here and there, for half an hour perhaps, was very foon able to tell what the Author aimed at, viz. that there would be a final end of fin and mifery, and that all failen creatures would be restored by Jefus Chrift to a flate of holines and happiness, after fuch as were rebellious bad fuffered in proportion to their crimes. I had never feen any thing of the fort before in all my life; and I feemed struck with Jeveral ideas that I glanced over, fuch as the inconfiftency and impoflibility of both good and evil always exifting in the univerfe; and efpecially his obfervations upon the word eternal or everlasting, thewing that it was used for what never had a beginning, and would never have an end, as the

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