"Here you designedly, I think, mistake." "Those texts of scripture which you have quoted from Rom. 8th chapt. are not to be applied as you apply them, neither doth the apostle apply them so. And methinks you know they are not, if you consider the connexion from the 28th verse of the chapter to the end. And that passage of scripture quoted from 1 Cor. iii. 21, 22, 23, is only to be applied to real christians; and this, sir, I presume you know; but it would not suit your and your scheme of Universal Salvation to apply them so." Here I am accused, 1st of _designedly mistaking_ you! And, 2d of a _wilful misapplication_ of the _sacred word_! To these high charges, sir, I beg the privilege of pleading _not guilty_; and, after making my defence, of submitting my cause to impartial judges. With regard to the _designed mistake_, my defence is that no mistake was made by me either _designed_ or _not designed_.--I have examined and find that I quoted you verbatim. I also find that I fully agreed with you in the sentence quoted as to what was necessarily signified by it. I applied the sentence according to my own mind; but did not pretend nor say that you applied it as I did. Where then is the _designed mistake_? Could an action lie against a man for murder if no _body_ were found, on which murder had been committed?--Could an indictment for theft be supported against a man if no property were missing from the owner? Is it proper to bring an allegation thus, without pointing out some sort of _mistake_? I will not be so uncharitable, sir, as to suppose that you _designed_ to bring _a false accusation_ in this instance. No, sir, you are not capable of such wickedness; I have ever believed you to be an _honest, sincere christian_; and that opinion is so congenial to my feelings that I shall never give it up while I can find a reasonable excuse for retaining it. My opinion is, that you, finding that I had made such ready use of your sentence apparently to my own advantage, thought I designed to mistake you, and feeling a little disagreeably on the occasion, did not _look minutely_ to see if you had rightly apprehended me, or not. With regard to the _wilful misapplication of the sacred word_ my defence is to be made from the sacred text itself. In this defence, sir, it is sufficient if I give you reasons which induce me to apply the scripture as I do. It is not necessary that I convince you or any body else that my application is right, for we are all liable to err. What I shall aim at is to show that if my applications are _not correct_ yet I am not guilty of _wilfully misapplying_ the _sacred text_. 1st. Of the passage in the 8th of Rom. the following are my reasons for a general application of that scripture to mankind.