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the long-suffering of God waited in the days of Noah, when the ark was in preparing, wherein 
few, that is, eight souls, were saved on the water." l Pet. iii. 18 — 20. “And it shall come to 
pass in that day , that the Lord of Hosts shall punish the host of the high ones that are on high, 
and the kings of the earth upon the earth, and they shall be gathered together as prisoners are 
gathered into the pit, and shall be shut up in prison, and after many days (/. e. years) they 
shall be visited.” Isaiah, xxiv. 21 . Again: I will not contend for ever, neither will I be 
always wroth: for so the spirits would fail before me, and the souls which I have made." 
Isaiah, vii. 16 . How consonant is this doctrine to all the ideas we ought to entertain ot God, of 
his mercy, his goodness, and his punishments! A contrary doctrine has crept into the brains of some 
men from a wrong translation and understanding of several of the passages of scripture. For what 
is translated “punish" is KoXafcetv, “ to correct,” “ chastise,” after the manner of a parent ; and when 
the term “for ever" is used, this is expressed by a)uv, meaning any indefinite time.” It is most 
extraordinary, that any one should attempt to represent God in a light that so much militates against 
his first and highest attributes, mercy and goodness. But to prove that this is no singular opinion of 
mine, I shall only quote a few authors out of an innumerable number. 
In anno 1(358 there was published a small book, entitled, Of the Torments of Hell, &c. the 
Foundation shaken and removed; with many infallible Proofs that there is not to be a Punishment 
that shall never end. Page 180 the author writes, “ Such torments, of such continuance, in the least 
agree not to the gracious mind and merciful heart of a Saint—he desires not any man or creature to 
be in such torment an hour; therefore it doth in no way agree to the mind of God. We find, the 
more the Lord manifests himself in any, the more their minds and spirits are humbled, the more 
loving and merciful they are, even to their enemies, and can return them good for evil. Christ is full 
of love and mercy to the worst of men. It was truly said of Christ, that he was a friend of 
publicans and sinners." 
1 . In a quarto book, printed anno 1563 , intitled, God's Light declared in Mysteries, page 12 , he 
says, ‘ Now, what is hell or darkness ? ’Tis a separation from an enjoyment that it was capable 
of; and a dreadful punishment in another world. They shall not come forth till they have paid 
the utmost farthing; then shall they receive mercy. For know, that God is good, and just, and 
merciful, and he will not punish a finite thing infinitely.” 
2. Richard Coppin, in his book called Truth's Testimony, printed 1653, says, <f God hath 
declared in scripture, both by the mouths of his prophets and apostles, the salvation of all men, 
without respect of persons, l Tim. iii. 4—6 . He will have all men to be saved, and to come to the 
knowledge of the truth." 
3. William Erbury, minister in South Wales, appointed by the committee in Oliver Cromwell’s 
time, at a salary of too/, per annum, preached publicly the restoration of all men, and is charged by 
Mr. Edwards, in his Gangrena, p. ioq, with holding many gross errors, one of which was that of 
Universal Redemption. r Ihis Erbury, although he had nothing to depend on for the support of 
himself and family but this salary, was obliged to throw it up, his conscience accusing him of 
preaching for hire. He published a treatise on that account, called The Terror of Tythes, alluding 
to the anxiety of his mind whilst he received them. 
4. In l6(3o the Rev. Jeremiah White, chaplain to Oliver Cromwell, published a work, entitled, 
The Restoration of all Things; or, A Vindication of the Goodness and Grace of God, to be 
manifested at last in the Recovery of his whole Creation out of their Fall. 
5. I he Rev. Dr. Thomas Burnet, Master of the Charter House, and author of a book entitled. 
The Theory of the Earth , left a treatise in Latin, that was not printed in English before his death, 
entitled, The State of departed Souls. Page 343 he says, “ The soul flies from the thought, and 
the remembrance, of everlasting misery: and several things have occurred to me, while I have been 
thinking on this subject, by which I am sensible that others have been persuaded, as well as myself, 
lhat God neither will or can endure the perpetual affliction and torment of his own creatures.”_ 
Page 344, “ That God should condemn his own creatures to a state of eternal misery, and should 
retain them in that state, seems to be repugnant both to divine wisdom and goodness, and I may add. 
likewise, to justice." 
(3. I he late pious Rev. William Law, so well known for his great learning, in his Letters, 
1st edit. 8vo. printed in 1760, says, page 175 , “ As tor the purification of all human nature, either in 
this world or some after ages, I fully believe it.” 
