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A Series of Letters, in Defence of Divine Revelation: In Reply to Rev. Abner Kneeland's Serious Inquiry into the Authenticity of the Same. To Which is Added, a Religious Correspondence, Between the Rev. Hosea Ballou, and the Rev. Dr. Joseph Buckminster and Rev. Joseph Walton, Pastors of Congregational Churches in Portsmouth, N. H.Ballou, Hosea

Religion

A Series of Letters, in Defence of Divine Revelation: In Reply to Rev. Abner Kneeland's Serious Inquiry into the Authenticity of the Same. To Which is Added, a Religious Correspondence, Between the Rev. Hosea Ballou, and the Rev. Dr. Joseph Buckminster and Rev. Joseph Walton, Pastors of Congregational Churches in Portsmouth, N. H.

Name: A Series of Letters, in Defence of Divine Revelation: In Reply to Rev. Abner Kneeland's Serious Inquiry into the Authenticity of the Same. To Which is Added, a Religious Correspondence, Between the Rev. Hosea Ballou, and the Rev. Dr. Joseph Buckminster and Rev. Joseph Walton, Pastors of Congregational Churches in Portsmouth, N. H.
Author: Ballou, Hosea

Ballou, Hosea

Revelation; Universalism -- Doctrines

I believe I may venture to say that unless the belief that _God is not
the Saviour of all men_ can be maintained by positive scripture as an
essential article of apostolic faith, I cannot be justly _admonished
for falling_ from the true faith. May I not, with great propriety,
call on my Rev. friend to show, if he can, that such an article of
faith was ever required by Christ or his apostles as a term of
christian fellowship and charity?

Let us look into the written word of God and see what is there
required of us to believe. See Rom. x. 9, "If thou shalt confess with
thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God
hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved." Acts viii. 37,
"And Philip said if thou believest with all thine heart thou mayest.
And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of
God." Matt. x. 32. "Whosoever, therefore, shall confess me before men,
him will I confess also before my father which is in heaven." Luke
xii. 8, "Also I say unto you, whosoever shall confess me before men,
him shall the Son of man also confess before the angels of God." Not
to multiply quotations, permit me to query whether there be in those
passages, or in any other scripture on the same point any intimations
given that the candidate must believe that this precious Saviour will
not, through the peace made by the blood of his cross, reconcile all
things to God? Are you fully satisfied, dear sir, that you are
authorised to _admonish_ as an _apostate_, one who confesses with his
mouth the Lord Jesus, and who believes in his heart that God hath
raised him from the dead? Why did not Philip demand of the Eunuch a
particular confession of a belief in _limited grace_ and _salvation_?
Was there not the same authority to require this article of faith
then, as there is now? If Jesus hath promised, in his word, that he
will confess before his Father in Heaven, whosoever confesseth him
before men are you satisfied with the authority by which you denounce,
disfellowship, and deny those little ones? The thought is truly
solemn! I feel a _chill_ in every vein of my body, when I consider the
vain traditions of a corrupted church, in which it has long been a
religious habit to anathematise those who confess Christ before men,
because they _cannot_ believe in certain tenets never required by
Christ or his apostles!

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