THE

RESTITUTION OF ALL THINGS.

Καλεται το όνομα αυτε μεγάλης βέλης άγγελος.

ISAIAH ix. 6. Sep. Vers.

FROM the wisdom, the power, and the goodness of God, the Creator, we naturally, and reasonably, conclude that all things were at first made good and regular, perfect and happy. And though, by a permission to us incomprehensible, seeming evil, vice and misery, have obtained access into the works of God; yet from the consideration of the same unchangeable wisdom, power, and goodness, may we not-must we not conclude that all things will yet again be restored to their original state of order, perfection, and happiness? This is the hope that reason and nature must, if attended to, suggest: and this is the hope that Scripture and Revelation confirm. And to accomplish this Restitution of All Things, to bring to effect this Restoration of Nature, is the destined Office and Undertaking of the Eternal Son, the Redeemer of the World, the Universal Upholder and Restorer of all the Works of God.

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That evil and disorder, vice and misery, should ever have gained access among the works of a Being of infinite goodness, wisdom, and power to create, and to uphold in perfection, what was most supremely good, and most permanently perfect, is certainly a mystery incomprehensible by human reason; yet no less certain it is, that evil, both physical and moral, have obtained admission into the world, and have greatly deranged, and deformed the beautiful and beneficent works of the Creator.

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Thus, though the Kingdom and the Power both in the natural and moral world of right belong unto the Lord; and he is the Supreme Sovereign in all the regions of Nature; yet that a principle of evil has gained access into the works of God that Satan, the Evil One, has, through a permission unsearchable by us, obtained in the world an influence, and power opposite to the kingdom and authority of God, is a fact, which from experience is too evident to be denied. And though the П Too?-from whence Evil?-is of all mysteries one of the most mysterious yet there is no fact more clear and certain, than that evil-that disorder, vice and misery, do exist.

Now it is the complete subversion and overthrow of this kingdom and power of Satan, the final destruction and abolition of all his worksit is the entire extirpation, and extinction, of this principle of evil, with all its effects and con

sequences, disorder, crime, and misery; and the re-establishment of original good order, perfection, and happiness, through all the regions of Being, that we suppose to be intended by the Redemption of the World by the Restitution of All Things,-this is what we understand by the Mayans Buλns--the Great design in our mottoThis is what we suppose to be the object of the Great Mediator's Destination and Office. It was that he might destroy the works of the devil, that the Son of God was made manifest.

Nature at present is evidently in a disordered and distracted state; we see strife, confusion, and misery, to prevail through all her bounds. And as we ascribe the introduction of moral evil into our system to the machination of Satan; it is probable that much of physical evil may proceed also from a permissive power and influence in the same agent. But entirely to compose this strife, finally to exclude discord, evil, and misery, from all the works of God; and to restore universal peace, concord, and happiness through all the regions of Nature, is what we conceive to be the genuine end and effect of the Mediation of the Redeemer. It is this universal Restoration of Nature; when there shall again be nothing but peace and order, innocence and harmony, joy and happiness, through all the Creator's Works-this is what we understand by the Restitution of All Things-the coming of the Kingdom of God. This is the true import

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of the REDEMPTION OF THE WORLD. For in whatever contracted, or common place sense, this expression may generally be used, and understood, taken in its full extent, and in its true and natural import, it suggests an idea great and interesting beyond all that language can express, or human comprehension can grasp. Yet to give some more adequate conception of this great and important Purpose and Design is the aim of the present undertaking.

Whoever, setting aside all partial expositions, and preconceived opinions, will give a serious and unprejudiced attention to those predictions in Sacred Writ which allude to the Interposition of a Divine Person or Agent, in behalf of finite Beings, must see reason to believe that they imply a Purpose and Design far more extensivefar more important and glorious, than what seems generally to be understood by them; and point to objects and events far more beneficent and interesting than what we hear generally ascribed to them. And the same reflection must also arise from a careful perusal of the descriptions of that universal innocence, and perfect happiness, so often mentioned as the destined effect and consequence of that interposition.

This opinion of the extent and importance of the Great Design of the Most High God, the Possessor of Heaven and Earth, for the Restoration of all his works, will be still further confirmed, if we examine the general history of re

ligion and morals in the different ages and nations of the world; if we attend to the allusions made to this subject, and the notions and expectations universally entertained concerning it by the good and wise-by those who in every age and nation have been distinguished by a more than ordinary portion of that Breath Divine, that holy inspiration, to which, even in the opinion of a heathen Philosopher, all human excellency and superiority are to be ascribed.*

From the attentive consideration of these different subjects there must arise in the unbiassed mind, if not a conviction, at least a strong persuasion, that the Divine Purpose and Plan of Redemption and Restoration must always have had effects far more extensive, and far more beneficial to the world than have commonly been attended to; and a presumption that it will finally produce a consummation and issue far more grand and interesting,-far more happy and glorious; far more worthy of the Counsel and Design of the Universal Parent of Nature, than what has generally been ascribed to it by most of those who have written and reasoned on .the subject,

If duly considered, it will be found to import nothing less, than the entire expiation of all guilt and crimes in Nature, the final extirpation of evil, suffering, and misery, in every region of .

* Nemo vir magnus sine aliquo affatu divino unquam fuit.— Cic. De Nat. Deor.