duced to the fimplicity that is in Christ, and require no other belie than Chrift and his Apoftles required there would be an end at once of all the difcord and animofity which hav wounded the character of chriftianit for ages. And the prayer of th bleffed Jefus would be fulfilled in th oneness of all who believe in him which would convince the world tha the Father fent him.

Although you have not yet foun it convenient to favor me with an obfervations on my former letter, have not done expecting it. And fhall endeavor to hold myself in rea dinefs to pay an early attention to a ny communication which fhall com from your hand. In hopes that no thing contained in this letter will b confidered inconfiftent with the true fpirit of a humble believer in Chrift I remain fir, your humble fervant, for

Chrift's fake.

HOSEA BALLOU.

Rev. JOSEPH WALTON.

Letter Eighth.

From Mr. WALTON to Mr. BALLOU.

SIR,

PORTSMOUTH, Jan. 11, 1811.

HAVE received your anfwer to my letter fent you, dated December 7, 1810, and now defire to anwer it, in the fear of God, in as confe a manner as I am capable, agreeible to the scriptures of truth. Sir, I thank you for the civilities you manIfeft toward me, and that you receiv. ed my letter in a friendly manner as I think I fent it, wifhing it might be received and improved for your benefit; not that I fuppofed that I was capable of convincing or confuting you of what I conceive to be erroneous in your doctrine or principles, but relying on the bleffing of God to

make it effectual for your everlasting good, and thofe you profefs to be o ver in the Lord.

I fhall not take into confideration every argument you make use of, but fhall give it a general anfwer. Since I have received it I have had a great number of fcriptures occurring to my mind which I might quote if I thot expedient. In the first place you fpeak or write as if I thought death was originally defigned by the Al mighty for the damage of mankind; I fay death was threatened to be the confequence, if mankind did tranf grefs the Law of their Creator; our firft parents tranfgreffed, and the pen alty was executed according to the threatening, "Thou fhalt furely die they were condemned to die; they were under fentence of death; they became fpiritually dead, immediate ly; they loft the knowledge of their Creator; darknefs covered their minds; they endeavored to hide themfelves from God among the trees of the garden; they brought

mifery upon themselves and upon their pofterity; we feel the woful effects of their fall and apoftacy until this day; by nature we are spiritually dead; as it is written," you you hath he quickened who were dead in trefpaffes and fins." Sir, if there is a law made by our legiflature, is there not a penalty annexed unto it? If that law is tranfgreffed, is not the person who tranfgreffed punished fome way or other? Yet the law is made for the good of the whole; the legislator is not to be impeached, as if he made it for the damage of his people, whom he governs; the law-braker is punifhed either in his own perfon or his furety, though the pain, fhame and punishment is for the damage of the tranfgreffor, yet the law is for the good of the whole, and the law-maker is not in the leaft to blame; the tranfgreffor alfo, if he repents and is reformed, is benefitted by it, &c.

I think, fir, your giving your hearers encouragement in your preaching that Chrift will fave them all, wheth

er they repent and believe the gofpel or no, is of a dangerous nature.— Chrift has faid, "if ye believe not that I am he ye fhall die in your fins," John viii. 24. Read, if you please, the preceding context. The decrees of God, you fay, is my creed, and that I believe that God foreordained what foever come to pafs. I do not think I ever told you fo. And fo you think, God foreordained, according to my creed, death, for a damage to his creatures. I have faid death is a punishment for fin, as I wrote, and I can maintain it from fcripture; death was introduced by fin; the perfon that lives a life of fin and dies without regenerating grace, which all true believers in Chrift have, will be miferable, and be "punished with everlafting deftruction froin the prefence of the Lord and the glory of his power." I believe every true believer is a true penitent, is regenerated, is in Chrift by a vital union, is a "new creature," and that those persons will be faved and none elfe, according to