Epistles of Faith

Letter XLV

William Huntington (1745-1813)

TO MR. UNIVERSALIST.

Sir,

YOUR very polite epistle came to hand; and, by the contents of it, you are greatly disgusted at the doctrines contained in my answer to Mr. Skinner: however, an atheistical advocate will do no credit to him, nor dishonour to me, but contrariwise.

Your letter, sir, contains the doctrine of reprobation, as well as my book; only I take it from the scriptures, and you from your own head; I attribute the decree to God, and you assume it to yourself; God reprobates the wicked, and you reprobate the just. Hence we both agree that there is such a doctrine, and that there are such persons as reprobates, otherwise I cannot be one.

As you style yourself an Universalist, you are, doubtless, a man of universal religion, well acquainted with universal doctrines, and must have acquired universal knowledge. And, if so, where shall we find a man so discreet and wise as thou? Who so proper to be appointed over this business? Who so capable of deciding the controversies of Zion, as thou, most noble Universalist? And, I nope, thou wilt undertake it, as thou knowest that we have such numbers of pestilent fellows who hold the same opinions as Paul, that well-known mover of sedition, and ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes, Acts xxiv. 5; whose mouths must be stopped, otherwise universal religion will never obtain universal establishment in peace and quietness. If thou wilt undertake to bring these two pools together, under thee we should, doubtless, enjoy great quietness, and a very worthy deed would be done to this our nation by thy providence; which must be always accepted, in all places, and with all thankfulness. Notwithstanding, that I he not farther tedious unto thee, I pray thee, of thy clemency, to permit me to state them as God hath revealed them; and, if thou canst break down this middle wall of partition, remove these irrevocable decrees, and overturn these two mountains of brass, it will, doubtless, redound much to the honour of thy universality.

TWO MOUNTAINS.

"And the mountains were mountains of brass." - Zech. 6:1.

"THE Lord hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love." Jer. xxxi. 3.

"Jacob have I loved:" Rom. ix. 13.

"Whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son." Rom. viii. 29.

"Thou, Israel, art my servant; Jacob, whom I have chosen; the seed of Abraham, my friend. I have chosen thee, and not cast thee away." Isa. xli. 8, 9.

"Who hath saved us, and called us according to his purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began, but is now made manifest, by the appearing of Jesus Christ." 2 Tim. i. 9, 10.

"The Lord hath made all things for himself." Prov. xvi. 4.

"For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ." 1 Thess. v. 9.

"They also that erred in spirit shall come to understanding, and they that murmured shall learn doctrine." Isa. xxix. 21.

"Behold, this child is set for the fall, and rising again, of many in Israel." Luke ii. 34.

"For they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the Lord, for I will forgive their iniquity." Jer. xxxi. 34.

"I thank Thee, O Father! Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast revealed these things unto babes. Even so, Father; for so it seemeth good in thy sight." Luke x. 21.

"For we are unto God a sweet savour of Christ, in them that are saved. To the one we are the savour of life unto life." 2 Cor. ii. 15, 16.

"He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the in mysteries of the kingdom of heaven: for whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance." Matt. xiii. 11, 12.

"If the Prince give a gift to any of his sons, the inheritance thereof shall be his sons; it shall be their possession by inheritance." Ezek. xlvi. 116.

"By whom we have received grace and apostleship for obedience to the faith among all nations, for his name." Rom. i. 5.

"When they heard these things, they glorified God, saying, Then hath God also to the Gentles granted repentance unto life." Acts xi. 18.

"And I will feed the flock of slaughter, even you, O poor of the flock! And I took unto me two staves; the one I called Beauty, and the other Bands; and I fed the flock." Zech. xi. 7.

"And their seed shall be known among the Gentiles, and their offspring among the people. All that see them shall acknowledge them, that they are the seed that the Lord hath blessed." Isa. lxi. 9.

"We speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom which God ordained before the world unto our glory." 1 Cor. ii. 7.

"Behold, I give unto you power to tread on scorpions and serpents, and over ail the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by no means hurt you." Luke x. 19.

"And when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad, and glorified the word of the Lord: and as many as were ordained to eternal life believed." Acts xiii. 48.

"But there shall not an hair of your head perish: in patience possess ye your souls" Luke xxi. 18, 19.

"This people have I formed for myself; they shall shew forth my praise." Isa. xliii. 21.

"I send thee to open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God; that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them that are sanctified, by faith that is in me." Acts xxvi. 17, 18.

"But the children of the promise are counted for the seed." Rom. ix. 8.

"Ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world." John xv. 19.

"He that is of God, heareth God's " John viii. 47.

"Thine eyes shall see the king in his beauty. They shall behold the land that is very far off." Isa. xxxiii. 17.

"We are of God. He that knoweth God, heareth us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth." 1 John iv. 6.

"I am sought of them that asked not for me; I am found of them that sought me not." Isa. 1xv. 1.

"Yea, many strong men have been slain by her. Prov. vii. 26.

"I will seek that which was lost, and bring again that which was driven away, and will bind up the broken, and will strengthen that which was sick." Ezek. xxxiv. 16.

"The Gentiles which followed not after righteousness, have attained to righteousness." Rom. ix. 30.

"Thus said the Lord God, Behold, my servants shall eat; My servants shall drink; My servants shall rejoice; My servants shall sing for joy of heart." Isa. 1xv. 13, 14.

"Into whatsoever house ye enter, first say, Peace be to this house! And if the son of peace be there, your peace shall rest upon it." Luke x. 5, 6,

"But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world, to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world, to confound the things which are mighty." I Cor i. 27.

"Thy people shall be willing." Psalm cx. 3.

"They shall run, and not be weary; they shall walk, and not faint." Isa. xl. 31.

"And the hand of the Lord shall be known towards his servants." Isa. Ixvi. 1:4.

"He shall choose our inheritance for us; the excellency of Jacob, whom he loved." Psalm xlvii. 4.

"All thy children shall be taught of the Lord, and great shall be the peace of thy children." Isa. liv. 13.

"I endure all things for the elect's sakes, that they may obtain the salvatopm which is in Christ Jesus, with eternal glory." 2 Tim. ii. 10.

"And Jesus said, Fur judgment I am come into this world, that they which see not might see." John ix. 39.

"He hath sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound." Isa. lxi. 1.

"Howbeit, when the Spirit of truth is come, he will guide you into all truth." John xvi. 13.

"All that ever came before me are thieves and robbers; but the sheep did not hear them." John x. 8.

"Behold I lay in Zion, for a foundation, a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation; he that believeth shall not make haste." Isa. xxviii. 16.

"When ye see this, your heart shall rejoice, and your bones shall flourish like an herb." Isa. lxvi. 14.

"And upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it." Matt. xvi. 18.

"Nevertheless, the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his." 2 Tim. ii. 19.

"My sheep hear my voice; and I give unto them eternal life, and they shall never perish, neither shall any pluck them out of my hand." John x. 27,28.

"I am the Lord your Holy One, the creator of Israel, your king." Isa. xliii. 15.

"My Spirit that is upon thee, and my words which I have put in thy mouth, shall not depart out of thy mouth, nor out of the mouth of thy seed, from henceforth and for ever." Isa. lix. 21.

"For as I have sworn that the waters of Noah should no more go over the earth, so have I sworn that I would not be wroth with thee, nor rebuke thee." Isa. liv. 9.

"And, many that are last shall be first." Matt. xix. 30.

"But few chose." Matt. xx. 16.

I pray for them which thou hast given me." John xvii. 9.

"I ascend to my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God." John xx. 17.

"Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you." John xiv. 27.

"And he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still." Rev. xxii. 11.

"These waters shall come thither, for they shall be healed; and every thing shall live whither the river cometh." Ezek. xlvii. 9.

"And all the trees of the field a shall know, that I the Lord have exalted the low tree, and have made the dry tree to flourish: I the Lord have spoken and have done it." Ezek. xvii. 24.

"Faith was reckoned to Abraham in uncircumcision, that he might be the father of the uncircumcision; and he received the sign of circumcision, that he might be the father of them." Rom. iv. 9-12.

"Bring my sons from far, and my daughters from the ends of the earth; even every one that is called by my name, for I have created him for my glory: I have formed him, yea, I have made him." Isa. xliii. 6, 7.

"He shall cause them that come of Jacob to take root. Israel shall blossom and bud, and fill the face of the world with fruit." Isa. xxvii. 6.

"And they shall be mine, saith the Lord of Hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels." Mal. iii. 17.

"And ye shall be gathered one by one. O ye children of Israel." Isa. xxvii. 12.

"It is not the will of your Father, which is in heaven, that one of these little ones should perish." Matt. xviii. 14.

"And I will take you one of a city, and two of a tribe; and I will bring yea to Zion." Jer. iii. 14.

"And a highway shall be there, and it shall be called the way of holiness; the wayfaring men, though fools, shall not err therein." Isa. xxxv. 8.

"And I will give you pastors after my heart, which shall feed you with knowledge and understanding." Jer. iii. 15.

"These things have I spoken you, that in me ye might have peace." John xvi. 33.

"And at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book." Dan. xii. 1.

"Then shall the king say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world." Matt. xxv. 34.

"Whom he did predestinate, them he called; and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified." Rom. viii. 30.

"I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify these things in the churches. I am the root and offspring of David, the bright and morning star." Rev. xxii. 16.

"And they shall call them, The border of wickedness, and the people against whom the Lord hath indignation for ever." Mal. i. 4.

"But Esau have I hated." Rom. ix. 13.

"And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you. Depart from me, ye that work iniquity." Matt. vii. 23.

"They are brass and iron, they are all corrupters. Reprobate silver shall men call them, because the Lord hath rejected them." Jer. vi. 28, 30.

"Wo unto you that desire the day of the Lord! To what end is it for you? The day of the Lord is darkness, and not light. As if a man did flee from a lion, and a bear met him; or leaned his hand on the wall, and a serpent bit him." Amos, v. 18, 19.

"The Lord hath made even the wicked for the day of evil." Prov. xvi. 4.

"A Rock of offence to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient; whereunto also they were appointed." 1 Pet. ii. 8.

"But the wicked shall do wickedly; and none of the wicked shall understand." Dan. xii. 10.

"Behold this child is set for a sign that shall be spoken against." Luke ii. 34.

"The Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven, with his mighty angels, taking vengeance on them that know not God."

"I thank Thee, O Father! Lord of heaven and earth, that thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent. Even so, Father; for so it seemed good in thy sight." Luke x. 21.

"For we are unto God a sweet savour of Christ in them that perish. To the other we are a savour of death unto death." 2 Cor. 1 15, 16.

"But to them it is not given. Whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath. Therefore speak I to them in parables." Matt. xiii. 11-13.

"But if he give a gift to any of his servants, then it shall be his to the year of liberty: after, it shall return to the Prince." Ezek. xlvi. 17.

"But ye believe not, because ye are not of my sheep, as I said unto you." John x.26.

"For when he would have inherited the blessing, he was rejected; for he found no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears." Heb. xii. 17.

"Then said I, I will not feed you That that dieth, let it die; and that that is to be cut off, let it be cut off; and let the rest eat every one the flesh of another." Zech. xi. 9.

"And ye shall leave your name for a curse unto my chosen; for the Lord God shall slay thee, and call his servants by another name." Isa. 1xv. 15.

"For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation." Jude, 4.

"And if the prophet be deceived when he hath spoken a thing, I the Lord have deceived that prophet; and I will stretch out my hand upon him, and will destroy him from the midst of my people Israel." Ezek. xiv. 9.

"Behold, ye despisers, and wonder, and perish! for I work a work in your days; a work which you shall in no wise believe, though a man declare it unto you." Acts xiii. 41.

"And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many." Matt. xxiv. 11.

"For it is a people of no understanding; therefore he that made them will not have mercy on them, and he that formed them will shew them no favour." Isa. xxvii. 11.

"Beware of men, for they will deliver you up to the councils, and they will scourge you in their synagogues; and ye shall Its brought before governors and kings, for a testimony against them and the Gentiles." Matt. x. 17, 18.

"They which are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God." Rom. ix. 8.

"But because ye are not of the world, therefore the world hateth you." John xv. 19.

"Ye therefore hear them not, because ye are not of God." John viii. 47.

"Thine heart shall meditate terror. Where is the scribe? Where is the receiver? Where is he that counted the towers? Isa. xxxiii. 18.

"They are of the world; therefore speak they of the world, and the world heareth them. Hereby know we the spirit of error. 1 John iv. 5.

"Ye shall seek me, and shall not find me; and where I am ye cannot come." John vii. 34, 36.

"Let the weak say, I am strong." Joel, iii. 10.

"But I will destroy the fat and the strong: I will feed them with judgment." Ezek, xxxiv. 16.

"But Israel, which followed after the law of righteousness, hath not attained to the law of righteousness." Rom. ix. 31.

"But ye shall be hungry; but ye shall be thirsty; but ye shall be ashamed; but ye shall cry for sorrow of heart, and shall howl for vexation of spirit." Isa. 1xv. 13, 14.

"Into whatsoever house ye enter, first say, Peace be to this house! And if the son of peace be there, your peace shall rest upon it." Luke x. 5, 6.

"Thus saith the Lord, that frustrateth the tokens of the liars, and maketh diviners mad; that turneth wise men backward, and maketh their knowledge foolish." Isa. xliv. 24. 25.

"So then, it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God, that sheweth mercy." Rom. ix. 16.

"And his indignation towards his enemies." Isa. lxvi. 14.

"I will choose their delusions, and will bring their fears upon them." Isa. lxvi. 4.

"Make the heart of this people fat, and make their ears heavy, and shut their eyes; lest they see, hear, understand, convert, and be healed." Isa. vi. 10.

"And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie; that they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness." 2 Thess. ii. 11.

"And Jesus said, Fur judgment I am come into this world, that they which see might be made blind." John ix. 39.

"Behold, he breaketh down and it cannot be built again. He shutteth up a man, and there can be no opening." Job xii. 14.

"And his breath shall sift the nations with a sieve of vanity; and there shall be a bridle in the jaws of the people, causing them to err." Isa. xxx. 28.

"Evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived." 2 Tim. iii. 13.

"And he shall be for a stone of stumbling, and for a rock of offence, to both the houses of Israel; for a gin, and for a snare, to the inhabitants of Jerusalem." 1sa. viii 14.

"From the time it goeth forth, it shall take you; for morning by morning it shall pass over, by day and by night; and it shall be a vexation only to understand the report." Isa. xxxviii. 19.

"A rock of offence; and many among them shall stumble, and fall, and be broken, and snared, and be taken." Isa. vii. 14, 15.

"How much less in them that dwell in houses of clay, whose foundation is in the dust, which are crushed before the moth I They perish for ever without any regarding it." Job iv. 19, 20.

"But ye are not of my sheep, as I said unto you." "Ye shall seek me, and shall die in your sins; whither I go, ye cannot come." John x. 26; vii.21.

"They shall lie down together; they shall not rise; they are extinct; they are quenched as tow." Isa. xliii. 17.

"Even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him." John xiv. 17.

"But the heavens and earth which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment, and perdition of ungodly men." 2 Pet. iii. 7.

"But many that are first shall be last." Matt. xix. 30.

"For many be called." Matt. xx. 16.

"I pray not for the world." John xvii. 9.

"Ye are of your father, the devil, and the lust of your father ye will do." John xx. 17.

"Think not I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to seed peace, but a sword." Matt. x. 39.

"He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still." Rev. xxii. 11.

"But the miry places thereof, and the marshes thereof, shall not be, healed; they shall be given to salt." Ezek. xlvii. 11.

"And all the trees of the field shall know that I the Lord have brought down the high tree, and dried up the green tree: I the Lord have spoken and have done it." Ezek. xvii. 24.

"Behold the days come, saith the Lord, that I will punish the circumcised with the uncircumcised." Jer. ix. 25.

"But these, as natural brute beasts, made to be taken and destroyed, speak evil of the things they understand not, and shall utterly perish in their. own corruption." 2 Pet. ii. 12.

"Yea, they shall not be planted; yea, their stock shall not take root in the earth. He shall also blow upon them, and they shall wither." Isa. xl. 24.

"For while they be folden together as thorns, they shall be devoured as stubble fully dry." Nah. i. 10.

"They shall not be gathered nor be buried; they shall be for dung upon the face of the earth." Jer. viii. 2.

"Amalek was the first of the nations, but his latter end shall be that he perish for ever." Numb. xxiv. 20.

"Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken and the other left; two shall be grinding at the mill, the one taken, and the other left." Matt. xxiv. 40, 41.

"The unclean shall not pass over it; no lion shall be there, nor any ravenous beast shall go up thereon." Isa. xxxv. 8, 9.

"Wherefore behold, I send unto you prophets; and some of them ye shall kill, crucify, and scourge in your synagogues; that upon you may come all the righteous blood shed from the blood of Abel." Matt. xxiii. 34, 35.

"I speak not this of you all, I know whom I have chosen." John xiii. 18.

"And whosoever was not found written in the book of life, was cast into the lake of fire." Rev. xx. 15.

"Tophet is ordained of old: yea, for the king it is prepared; he hath made it deep and large: the pile thereof is fire and much wood; the breath of the Lord, like a stream of brimstone, doth kindle it. Isa. xxx. 33.

"This is the portion of a wicked man from God, and the heritage appointed unto him by God." Job xx. 29.

"If any man small add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book." Rev. xxii. 18.

These, sir, are some of the things which the Almighty has revealed, and what is revealed belongs to its; and we are commanded to proclaim upon the house-tops what he hath spoken to us in secret. And why shouldst thou be offended at the faithfulness of another man's servant? If these things are any parts of the counsel of God, they must be declared, otherwise we cannot acquit ourselves as Paul did, who had not shunned to declare the whole of his counsel. These absolute wills and shalls are fixtures that will never be moved. God is of one mind, and none can turn him. The word is gone out of his mouth in righteousness, and his counsel shall stand, and he will do all his pleasure. He wi11, at the great day of accounts, bring forth his righteousness as the light, and his just dealings as the noon-day. Let God be true, but every man a liar.

W. H.

P. S. You see, sir, I have found out another name for you, besides that of Universalist.

William Huntington