a ■kWi yUffnm mm 3am ■ BBS * ' •• •• OF THE AT PRINCETON, N. J. X)CJ^V_'VTXOX' OF SAMUEL AGNEW, OF PHILADELPHIA, PA. ^ — : Rr7)- (.: Case, Divis.on i I Shelf, Secticrl |[: y Book, "*1 ; ; - z? ^-cc /3V Univerfahfm confounds and deftroys it/elf; LETTERS TO A FRIEND ; IN FOUR PARTS. Part I. I ■Di. Huntington's and Mr. Rclly's Scheme, which der. : cs all future purufhmtfBt, ihowa *o be made up of contradictions Part II, Dr. Cfeauacy's, Mr. Wincheft«r'«, Peti'tpieirc's, ta>A Med. Dr. Younj's Scheme, which fuppofes a limited punjfhment hereafter, ihown to be made up of Gon- traditions. Part III. Evedaftihg; Forever, forever and ever, naturally avid originally, mean duration without end. Part IV. , The fufficiericy of the Atonement, for the Mvatidn of all, confident with the final deftruftion of a part of mankind, Alfo the Second Deitb explained. Interfperfed with direft arguments in proof of the endlefs mifery of the damned. And anlwcis to the j>»j> «U» -ahje&ions, of the pre feat day, againft the Da&rmes of By JOSIAH SPAULDING, a. ul Paftor of a Church in BuckUnd. ^>.«.0'..^-»0- < €>""0 , " , <> "■<>" " and becoming God, who never can forefee any dif- * tin&ion/s among creatures, but what, from all eternity, he was * determined himfelf to make. Thus, he elefted Abraham to be * a favorite of his, the father of his covenant people, rather than ' Nahor. Thus, for wife and holy ends, he chofe that Pharaoh ' mould be an example of great obftinancy, rather than Mofes. 4 Thus, he elected Jacob, rather than Efau ; David, rather than ' Shimei ; — Paul to know and enjoy the confolalions of the gof- ' pel, rather than Pilate. — Thus the Jews were elected to enjoy 6 the fpecial privileges of divine revelation, for a long feafon, 1 in diitincHon from all their fellow men befide. Alio, a few * among them were elected to know and enjoy inward favirig 4 confolation, in this world, in diftinclion from the great majer- 4 ity of that nation.'* Thus far his account of thofe who had 4 the oracles of God, before Chrift's time. And the whole body of chriftians, from Chrifl's time to the prefent, or the gentiles who have had the gofpel, he has given a character not preferable, certainly, to that he has given the Jews. See in Let. V. Part I. Therefore, but few among tksm, as he argues, have been * elected to know and enjoy inward faving * confolation, in this world, in diflinct. ion from the great ma- 4 j or ity.' Of the pagan world in general Dr. H. gives us this account. 4 Satan hath long led away moil of the nations after images, and 4 into various kinds of idolatry. 'f In connection with this, Sa- tan and the Mediator he reprefents t as two oppofne parties, car- * rying on a long war, ux a lung ob (iinate battle.' J * The point * Satan aimed at,' he adds, * was to involve us all in death, tern. 4 poral, fpiritual, and eternal." * Satan mall not finally have 4 his will in the ieaft part, or degree ; though for a feafon he may * be gratified. '§ Although Satan, as the Do£tor here aliens, will be completely defeated in the final iffue ; yet for a long* feafon he will be gratified, by involving men in death, tempo- ral, and fpiritual. And this is what we underftand by the above expreflion. * Satan hath long led away moll: of the nations after images,' &c. Again, keeping up the connection, our author fays, * For divine wifdom and goodnefs have ordained, that there * fhall be a long contention, and the war not foon over.' * The 4 prize in conteft may be divided for a time ; and Satan may 8 feem to have the greateit (hare of it. It has indeed been fa ever * I'. 75, 76. * P. 216. $ P. 208. § P. 209, »l*. Univerfalifm confounds and defrays i if elf 13 < ever fi nee the fall, to this day, and may be fo, to the end of * this prefent world.'* . Thus, according to Dr. H, Satan 15 likely to fhare the greateft part of the prize, and to lead away moft of the nations after images, as he has already done ; hold- ing them under the power of Jpiritual death, to the end of this prefent world. Furthermore, under the head of election Dr. H. fays, f Not ' only all particular perfons that are wife and virtuous, holy and ■ good, in this life ; butalfo all churches or holy communities, * that, as fuch, fuflain the character now mentioned, enjoy alfo * all the privileges and comforts connected with fuch a charac- * ter, in this life, in confequence of the eternal election, or free 1 fovereign choice of God. And they are, in this proper and ' very important fenfe, the elecl ; in contradiflin&ion from * thofe that live in blindnefs, and are tormented by the cruel ' power of unfanclified nature, and diftrelled with the awful ' flavery of fin.'t ■■ In this manner we have the Doctor's account of the ftate of mankind, from the beginning to the end of time. The great body of the nations led away wholly by Satan, or held in pagan darknefs. Where revelation is, but few who are, in this im- portant fenfe, the elecl, in contradiftinftion from the \ great * majority' that are tormented by the cruel power * of unfancli- fied nature. We may now, my dear Friend, fee how Dr. H. labours to eftablifh the fame things, in kind, which he charges upon his opponents. Which things are very exceptionable in his view. As, 1. That only a very 1'mall part of mankind is elecl ed, as to this life ; and that the ' great majority' is reprobated, or given up to the dominion of fin, until the day of their death. At death, he pretends, all men are made holy. See in Let. III. Part. I. 2. That the depravity of man is total. This is implied in the words, ' Diftreffed with the awful flavery of fin.' And he af- ferts this do&rine in emphatical terms, and dwells upon it, and fays, * Fallen man [or men] became as bad in a moral view, * as fallen angels, at their firft apoflacy, according to their infe- ' rior natural capacity. 'J 3. He holds to the fame way as to the application of divine grace, or the power of divine grace, on the hearts of men, and their recovery from fin, as the limitarians do. Which is wholly by the creative and fancHfying agency of the Spirit, and appli- cation of the word. This is clearly implied in what he fays on the *P.a H . * P. 77. $>»444> $4 Vniv erf aliftn confounds and dejlroys itftlf. the divine decrees and election, as we have feen. And ' we 1 differ not a fingle attorn,' fays he, * as to the way and manner • of application [of divine grace to men] ; but only in this, I ' extend the glorious work of God, and every good influence of ' it, much further than they do,'* meaning his opponents. 4. Dr. H, holds to man's activity and free agency ; and that every one is under facred obligation to believe and obey the gofpel immediately, or as foon as he hears, it. His ictea of this we fhall prefently fee. 5. We have had Dr. H ? s fenfe of the divine decrees, and of our entire dependance on God : * All things, in act. ual being, * have now the fame entire, abfolute dependance, and ever will * have to all eternity.* His fore complaint againfl: the limitarians, as cited above, may now be turned againfl himfelf. This complaint the Doctor keeps up, throughout his book. That, in their plan, * Many finners, • many alas ! are left out of the covenant of redemption ; many 1 for whom Chrift never died. A part only are comprehended, • a very few in comparifon, as we have reafon to believe, or at * lead to fear.' The Doctor, in his plan, has comprehended but very few, in comparifon. Many finners, many alas ! has he left out of the covenant of redemption ; or but very few are to be brought in, fo as to become the eleel, until the day of their death. His fcheme is more limited, makes the death of Chrift lefs efficacious, and gives to Chrift not fo many fruits of his glorious death, certainly with relation to this prefent life, as can be found among the writings of general efteemu publifhed during the laft century- For if Satan be likely to fhare the greateft part of the prize until the end of the world, notwithftanding theglo- .lious ftate of profperity and univerfal holinefs among men, for a thoufand years yet to come ; to the prefent day, it appears, he has kept" nearly the whole, or more than an hundred to one, in a ftate of damnation, as Dr. H. fays, tormenting them by the cruel power of unfanctified nature. And, in our author's language, it is by the fixed decree of God, that the great body of fallen men are involved in this doleful ftate of fin and damnation, and to continue in it till the day or moment of their death. At, the diffolution of foul and body, he pretends, all men are to have repentance, and every qualification requifite to their eternal falvation. But, an ex- ceeding fmall number only is to enjoy the faving bleflings of Chrift's riffhtcoufnefs, here in time, or before death commences. All • P- 138. Vnlverfalifm confounds and dtjlroys itjclf* i$ All this, as Dr. H argues, c abfolutely depends oh the choice, * election, or decree, of the immutable Jehovah.' This at once turns his own words, with fome alteration, agamil himfelL ' God will certainly make fuch as are ele&ed to holinefs in this * life, or to believe in time, by his own almighty power and * grace, thus to believe. And he will molt certainly leave all * the i%fl in a ftate of unbelief and damnation, until the end of * their days. For they never were comprehended in the decree * of God or the covenant of redemption and falvation, fo as to c be brought in before their death/ Between Dr. H. and his opponents we fee a wide difference relative to the coming world ; but as to the prefent ftate there is no difference, unlefs it be in favour of the latter. He extends the glorious work of God, and the covenant of his grace, fo as to take in all at death, and to eternity ; but, during this life, nearly the whole of mankind are left out, and by the immutable decree of Jehovah, as he argues. The Do&or has, therefore* fallen into the fame thing, in the nature of it, the fame error of the firft magnitude, as he calls it ; and that which he every where imputes to the limitarians. It is the fame, in kind, to be dependant on our Maker alone for deliverance from the power of fin, and for every fpiritual good, relative to time, as it is with relation to eternity, or time and eternity. In the nature of things, it is the fame for God to de- cree that men (hall be obedient and holy, fo long as they live, or for an age, as it is for him to decree that men fhall be obe- dient and holy tu interminable ages. That God fhould * choofe ■ Pharaoh to be an example uf great obft J nacy. rather than Mo- 1 fes,' either for a certain period of time, or without end, is the fame, 'in the nature of things. It is alfo the fame, in kind, it has the fame fort of influence upon us as to moral obligation, and lays the fame foundation for our faith, for us to know God has predeftinated us to holinefs and happinefs, or to know he has predeftinated us to fin and mifery, for one day, as if it were for two days ; for two days, as for four days ; and fo on without end. Again, it has the fame kind of influence upon us, and lays the fame foundation for our faith, for us not to know, for the matter to be wholly a fecret to us, whether God has either predeftinated us to holy obedience or the oppofite, for one day, as if- it were for two days ; for two days, as if it were for four days, ten days, and fo on to eternity. Thefe things are fo plain no one can deny them. Therefore, in order for us to have a proper foundation laid for our faith, in order for us to believe in id Vniverfalijm confounds and defrays itfelf. in Chrift for eternal life, if, in this cafe, it be neceflary for us to know we are ele£ied to eternal life ; then for us to have a prop- er foundation laid for our faith in Chrift and obedience to him, here in this world, it is necefTary for us to know we are elected to it, as to this world. On the other hand, if it be wholly a fecret to us, whether we are ' ele6fed to inward faving confola- ' tion in this world' or not, and we, at the fame time, are under infinite obligation to believe in Jefus, and ferve him without fear, in holinefs and righteoufnefs all the days of our life, hav- ing the mod ample warrant fo to do ; then we have the fams ample warrant to believe in Jefus for eternal life ; although it be a profound fecret to us whether we are elected to eternal life or not. But Dr. H. fays, ' When upon the Iimitarian plan, I know ' not that one tenth part of them, or even one of them was ever ' included in the covenant of redemption, or given to Chrift, • or that he ever died for one foul of them.' As the Doclor has reprobated fuch a vaft number of the human race, and left 4 Satan to mare the greateft part of the prize, until the end of ' this prefent world,' abiding ftill by his own rules, he cannot tell that ' even one of them he has reprobated was ever includ- ed — , or given to Chrift ; to be employed in his fervice, dur- ing this life. But ■ ought I not to have known,' he adds, * for 4 whom among them Chrift did indeed die, before I gave out • this do&rine ; and then to have addrefted the fame to them • only ? or ought I not, at leaft, to have fpoken hypothetically* 'and faid; if you are of the number of the clcSt, you have • full warrant and ground to believe to falvation. Otherwife • theie is no foundation laid in Chrift for your faith ; but, on the • contrary, you will make God a liar in fo believing, as you ' will believe what he knows is not true, viz. that every foul • that hears the gofpel has a foundation for his faving faith, laid • in Chrift ?' Thus the Doctor's rule of faith : We muft know we are of the number of the elecl: ; unlefs we have this knowl- edge there is no ground for our faith. Granting this to be true in one cafe, it muft be granted in another, and in every cafe. Granting it as to our eternal falvation, as Dr. H. here intends it, and the point is given as to our prefent enjoyment of God. Therefore, do we know we are elected to fear God, and to en- joy his holy prefence, while in this life, we have then full war- rant and ground to believe it ; otherwife there is no foundation laid in Chrift for our faith, as to this interefting event ; nor any eloor open for us to feek after it. But, on Dr. H's plan, it is utterly Vniverfalifm confounds and deftroys it/elf. 17 jiiterly impoffible for Impenitent finners to know they are elect- ed to love God and to believe in Jefus, ever until the awful moment of their death. How is it poffible for any impenitent fmner to know he is thus ele&ed, and to enjoy the faving ben- efit of it previous to his death ; fmce God has, if Dr. H's words be true, positively ordained fo many to remain impenitent until their dying hour ? How is it poffible for ' all men every where' to know they are predeftinated to love God, and ferve him dai- ly, while they live, when, as Dr. H. has taught us, Heaven has ordained to the contrary ? If our own previous knowledge be effential, in one cafe, to conftitute a proper ground of faith ; then our own previous knowledge is effential in another cafe, to conftitute a proper ground of faith. And if our own knowledge make a part of the ground of our faith in Chrift, and there be no ground of faith in him without this knowledge, in one cafe, it mull be the fame in all cafes. There is but one faith, and but one ground of faith. One and the fame faith in praying for our daily bread, as in praying for the bread of eternal life ; and the fame ground of faith in both cafes. No one can fiippofe there are two kinds of faving faith. Neither can it be fuppofed there are two dif- ferent grounds, or foundations, for us to build our faith upon. Whatever this foundation is fuppofed to be, all mult grant it is unalterably the fame, and with reference to all things, whether temporal or eternal. So that, whether our Faith be exercifed as to temporal or eternal things, it is built ort the fame foundation. Dr. H. makes it an efiential part of the ground cf our faith in Jefus, for eternal life, for us to have previous knowledge, that we are chofen in him to eternal life. As we have feen, he af- ferts that there is no propriety in preaching the gofpel to all men, only upon the previous affurance that all will be faved. And the above objection againft the limitarians, he thinks is un- anfwerable. Becaufe they do not know all men are thus chof- en in Chrift, they cannot invite all men to believe in Chrift ; as in this cafe there is no foundation for all men to have faving faith. And becaufe they hold that many are predeftinated to eternal death, and who thefe are they cannot tell ; they, of courfe, cannot invite any one to efcane this death, and lay hold on life. But this objection only turns againft the Doctor. He mult know all men are chofen to the obedience of faith, in this liie, and during their lives ; elfe he cannot invite all men to this obedience. For he will not prefume there are two kinds of gofpel faith, or two different foundations of faith; And becaufe C he i$ Vnivcrfalifm confounds and deflroys itfetf. he holds that fo many are predeftinated to live in fin, all theif days, and who they are, among fuch as are now impenitent, he cannot tell ; therefore, on his own plan, he can invite to repent- ance not one impenitent {inner. Thus, my dear Sir, Dr. H. has cut off every foul, who now h, or fhall hereafter be born into the world, * under the damna- * ble power of impenitence,' as he calls it, from every ground of hope, and encouragement to feek after fpiritual comfort, as to this life. All who are of this chara6ler, he would have them be content to remain fo, until they have paffed through the dark. valley, and the king of terrors has done for them his lalf office. On lus plan, and making his words accord wich his own fcheme, they can be addreffed only in fuch language as this. ' If you 1 are of the number of the elett,' or if you know, that which is now impdffible for you to know, that you are ele&ed to holinefs and happinefs, for time as well as for eternity, ' you have full * warrant arid ground to believe it. Otherwife there is no foun- * dationlaii iu Chrift for your faith,' or prefent belief ; ' but, on * the contrary, you will make God a liar in fo believing, as you * will believe what he knows is not true, viz. that every foul c that hears the gofpel has a foundation for his faving faith/ to be exercifed im mediately, • laid in Chriih' How is it poillblefor the Doctor to profefs fuch freedom and boldnefs, in urging men to the performance of every chriftian duty ? And how can he elleem his the only coniiftent plan, on winch go (pel obedience may be required, as an immediate duty, from eveiy creature ? Having eftablilhed his main point, as he imagines., he proceeds to fay, * I can now preach the gofpel to ' eyery crearure ; l e. I can tell every creature under heaven, ' Good muj to him, I can tell every human creature of a Sa- _' vior as complete to give him the qualification, as to make the 1 ato,iem*nt ; to give repentance as well as forgivenefs of fins, i alike engaging and enfuring both, by covenant with his Father.'* The queiuon is, when has Chrift. engaged this, or when will he give repentance as well as forgivenefs to every human creature ? And the Doctor's anfwer is, when they come to die, and not be- fore. Which is the fame as telling every impenitent hnner to put oil repentance till that time. For the whole drift of his ar* gument is, we are not to attempt any duty, nor feek for any thing, unlefs we are previoufly certain Chrift has engaged to give it. But * on this ground,' Dr. H. adds, ' lean charge any 4 unbeliever with thegreatelt blame, for not believing immedi. 1 ately * P. 13. Univerjalifm confounds and dejiroys itfdj* X$ * attly to the faving of his foul, i. e. to a fenfe and enjoyment * of gofpel falvation.'* Where is the blame, on this plan, iov not believing immediately, unlefs every one previoufly knows Re is. chofen in Chrift, to believe immediately ? And how can D H. * tell every human creature under heaven, Good news fit n, y bringing \ the faving enjoyment' home to his foul this ? How can he openly declare, * All things are now ready ;* when, as he has taught us, if all do not know they are of the number ot the elect, and elecled to prefent enjoyment of ths g ..pel feaft, one moll effential article is wanting ? Br, H. fays again, ' On the limitarian plan, I can charge no fin. ■ nor with any thing amifs, ior not believing to hisownfalvation.; \ unlefs I fir it know, that he is one that is comprehended in their 1 partial and much limited covenant of redemption.'* He again brings in his eftabhfhed rule : * Unlefs I firft know, that he is * one that is comprehended,' &c. Strongly implying the ne^ ceffity of our knowing that we are elect ed to eternal life, and without this knowledge there is no door open for us to feek af«, ter eternal life. The confequence is undeniable, that there is then no door open for us to feek after reconciliation to God, and communion with him, in this life, unlefs we are affined God has chofen us to it. Some of the Doctor's words, however, arc well chofen ; that is, to be improved againft himfelf. — * Partial * and muck limited covenant of redemption P — What plan can be found, throughout chriftendom, more partial and limited than hir ? It is granted, his plan is pretended to be fo extenlive as to admit every human creature, in the world to come. But, while in this world, every impenitent finner is excluded, none have a foundation laid in Chrift to believe and enjoy the blef. fi ng, for the prefent time, except fuch as know they are elected to it, for the prefent time. And not one impenitent finner can know this. Therefore, his plan excludes every one of this character, as far as relates to this life. And he « can charge no * finner with any thing amifs, for not believing immediately, to * a fenfe and enjoyment of gofpel falvation.' It will now be objected, The limitarians hold that Chrift has not died to fave all men, and that the atonement is not fofficient for all. And as they hold that many are ordained by God for endlefs mifery, this proves that Chrift has not died for all, and that the atonement, in this cafe, is inefficient. Therefore, there is not provifion made, in their fcheme, fo as to invite every creature to believe in Jefus. For how can every one be invit- ed, when provifion is made only for a part ? Anfwer, . 20 Univerfalifm confounds and dtflroys itfe!f. ./■' Anfwer. That the atonement is fufficient for the whole hu- man race, and that Chrift tailed death, in a certain knie, and in an important fenfe, tor every man : for this fee in Let. I, II. Part IV. That Chrift died, however, with a pofitive determi- nation to fave only a part, alfo that many are ordained by God for endlefs mifery, is no objection againft the fulnefs of the a- toncment. That God ' hath mercy on whom he will, and whom * he will, he hardeneth,'* does not argue the atonement to be in- fufficient for the whole. Neither does it argue that offers of grace cannot be confiftenily made to every creature. Dr. H. thinks it does. And on this ground he argues his own fcheme. But he only argues againft himfelf. Granting this ob *. jeclion to be well founded, it clearly follows, if the great major- ity of mankind, as he fays, are ordained by God to be diftreflcd with the awful flavery of fin, all their days, then Chrift has not died to lave all men from this evil : Then the atonement, in this cafe, is infufficient for ail : Then provifion, in this cafe, is made only tor a part : Then how can every one be invited, when provifion is made only for a part ? This is taking the argument in the Doctor's own line. His reafonirig is, if a part of mankind be marked out, by God, for eternal death, then the atonement is not fufficient for to fave this part of mankind from this death ; therefore the atonement is not fufficient for all men, " ' The e- * ternal, perfonal damnation of one human foul,' he fays, 'would e caft a great reflection en the full and complete atonement of the e Son of God's love.'t But hereby he impliedly fays, if God have marked out fome of mankind to be left in rebellion againft him all their days, as he afferts God has, then provifion is not made by the atonement to keep thefe, fo marked out, from this rebellion. Then this portion of mankind cannot be command- ed and invited, in this cafe. And who thefe are among the im- penitent he cannot tell. Neither can lie felect any one, fo as to apply the gofpel invitation to him. He has cut himfelf off from inviting every impenitent finner to turn irom fin. For the Lord to harden Pharaoh's heart, or leave Pharaoh to harden his own heart, and punifh him for it, is the fame, in the nature of the cafe, whether it be done in this or the next world. Dr. H. profefTesto agree with his opponents, in every fenfe, as to the agency and fovereignty of Jehovah ; and the free agency and accountablenefs of men. But he fays, if Pharaoh's heart be hardened, and he punifhed, in the next world, this implies that there was not merit enough in Chrift's blood to prevent this e- vii, * Rom. 9. 18. + P. 317. Uh i ve rfa lifm c o vfo unds and dejl roys-iifcff. s i vil. In addition to what has been cited, Dr. H. has feveral ex- preffions to this amount, as we -mall yet fee. Which is faying, at the fame time, that Chriil's blood was not meritorious enough, and no adequate provihon made by the atonement, to keep Pha- raoh from fin and purhfhment, while in this life. Therefore, as Dr. H. ftill argues, if there was not adequate provihon fo as to prevent Pharaoh's fin, in this life, then there was no foundation laid for him to turn from fin and turn his heart to fear the Lord, and trufl in the Melfiah. Of courfe, Dr. H. has releafed Pharaoh from all moral obligation. He cannot charge Pharaoh, nor any other hardened finner, with any thing amifs. Thus, my dear Friend, we have the eifence of Dr. H's good news. All fear of punifhment is taken away, and a great ihew of happincfs is made, as to the coming world. But no provifion is made for finners to turn from fin, and enjoy the purchafe of Chriil's death, while in this world. While in this world, finners are releafed from all moral obligation, and left to indulge, with- out remorfe ©f confeienee, in every finful pleafure. Good ncics indeed ! mofl gratifying to the wicked ; but grievous to the righteous. Some further account may be given of this, in our jaext Letter. I am, 8cc, "tffHfS-ff**- LETTER II. I)r. H 's foundation of faith farther examined, coMpar* ed, &c. My dear Friend, DR. Huntington's given rule of faith implies that we mult have certain knowledge of obtaining the object, before we can, with propriety, try to obtain it, or fet our hearts to feek af- ter it. We mult alfo have certain knowledge that God has de- creed we fhall obtain the object, whether we feek after it before death overtakes us, or not. * Regeneration, repentance, faith, love, hope, joy, every vir- 1 tue, and every good work wrought in us, or exercifed by us,* fays he, • are all fo many fit and neceffary ftcps, which the al- * mighty Redeemer takes with human fouls, to acquaint them * with his meritorious impetration, give them comfort in it, and * afTecl: them fuitably by it in their hearts and lives. There is no 6 ftrip propriety in preaching any of thefe doctrines as gofpel^ 1 i. e. 5 2 Vn ive rfa lijm c 9 nfo u ndt &n a itftroy i itje!f* * i. e. as netfS founded in fa£b, that ought to be believed"; un, . }efs all is ma-de true and fure in C brill before we have any ac- * quaiirtance with the tidings, or any operation from them.'* ■ Jn connexion with * the meritorious impetration' of Chrift, the Doctor enumerates, as we fee, the various graces given by the holy Spirit, and duties enjoined on men in the gofpel. This is the news founded in facts, that ought ' to be believed/ We ought to believe that ' regeneration, repentance, faith, love,' and * every chriftian duty required of us, is ' made true and fure in 6 Chrifi, before we have any acquaintance with the tidings.' Not only fo he afferts that * there is no propriety in preaching any of *"thefe doclrines,' viz. repentance, faith, love, &c. ' unlefs all •"is made true and fure in Chrifi before we have any operation * from them.' But if there be no propriety in preaching any of thefe doclrines, then furely there is no propriety in believing them, unlefs all is previoufly made certain, or predetermined by Chrifi to be wrought in us. Therefore, there is no propriety in believ- ing we ought to have repentance, except we ea$ firft believe that God has determined to give us repentance. All muft firft be made fure in Chrift, or the preaching of thefe things is in vain. Hence, it follows that the firft and great objeft in preaching the gofpel is to declare this affurance. The firft thing, therefore to be believed is this affurance in Chrifi, and that he is determined to work in us every good work. Dr. H. here plainly teaches that it is in vain to feek after a new heart, or fet our hearts to turn to the Lord, except we can firft be allured he has determined to give us a new heart. In connection with this, he fays, ' When the doctrine of re- * pentance is preached for the remiflion of fins, this remiflion is 1 always fure in Chrift. '+ His meaning mull be, when Chrifi and his minifters call on ftnners to repent, that their fins might fee forgiven, this implies an aiTurance that their fins {hall be for- given. To this the Do£lor adds, ■ Repentance as a fit temper 4 of mind to receive it and enjoy the benefit, is alfo engaged by * him, who orders the do6lrine to be preached. '+ Repentance is accordingly engaged, as well as remiflion of fins, and always engaged whenever miners, are called on to repent. And Dr. H. fays,"' When all men are commanded every where to repent, the * very command implies, that this is made fure, and all the ben- * efits connected with it. 'J But if the preaching of the gofpel rnuft tarry in it this affurance, otherwife it is not gofpel to be beUjved, then finners cannot profit by it except they firft em- brace this aflurance. They mufl be certain God has determin- ed « P. 131. f t P. 130. $ P. 129. Vniverfaiifm confounds and deftroys itfelf, g£g ed to give them repentance before they can fet their hearts to this duty. Again, Dr. H. applies Rom. v. io. to all men, without ex- ception. By the death ct' Chrift, as he interprets, ' Every hu- * man creature is reconciled to God, and God to them.'* * And * much more being reconciled, u e. rrioft evidently and certainly, * as he lives an almighty and faithful Savior, to make application * of the benefits of redemption, to give repentance to his redeemed * (called his Ifrael) and forgivenefs of fins.* The whole human race he calls God's ■ Ifrael,' becaufe * every human creature is * reconciled to God, and God to them.' So that he confiders it 4 moil: evidently and certainly' determined, and as the moft obvi- ous truth in the Bible, that Chrift will give repentance, as well as forgivenefs of (ins, to all mankind. And, as we have feen, he calls it ' utter inconfiftency to preach the gofpel on any other 1 ground than this.' It is of courfe utter inconfiftency to believe the gofpel, or pay regard to it, except we can firft realize what he terms this great and moil obvious truth, that Chnft has en- gaged to give repentance to every human creature. Thus far Dr. H's rule of faith : We mull have certain knowledge of obtaining the objecl before we can, with propriety, try to obtain it, or fet our hearts to feek after it. But this rule (huts impenitent (inners out from the faith, and fixes them ail in infidelity. An appeal may be made to the confeience of every marij faint and (inner, for the truth of this. Who can fay, ' The 4 very command' to taith and hope carries in it certain knowledge to his own mind, that God will hereafter, or in fome future mo. me;:*:, give him this faith and hope ? Who can fay, and before he has ever fet his heart to it, he is certain God will give him re- pentance ? But, for the want of this certain knowledge, finners are here iuftruct ed to remain as they are, (hut out from the faith, and (hut out of the kingdom of grace. Every attempt to humble themfelves before the Moft High, and implore his grace, without this certain knowledge, is utter inconfiftency. Every attempt to believe in Jefus for falvation, unlefs they are firft certain he has determined they (hall fo believe, is in vain. And as long as they wait to have this affurance, as a foundation for their repentance and faith, fo long they will certainly remain impenitent, It will now be objected that the Doctor's meaning is not to make this knowledge the firft thing, or that there can be no ex- ercife of repentance and faith without it. Although this certain knowledge is neccftary to make faith complete, or, more proper- ly, to make one ftrong in the faith j yet a man may have fome low degree of faith without it. Anfwer. £.| Uiverfaiifm confounds dnd dejiroys it/elf. Anfwer. Then the gofpel may be preached in fome low degree without it. Which is a contradiction to the Doctor's exprels words. Utter inconjiflency ! — no degree of it can be preached, no part or branch of it can be taught, neither can finners be urged to one gofpel duty ; ' unlefs all is made true and fure in * Chrift before they have any acquaintance with the tidings.' Again, it will be objected, The Doctor's meaning is that faith is a complex exercife, or feveral truths come into view to make it what it is. Several truths refpecling Chrift and the way of life by him, as his- divinity, his humanity,- and the offices he fuftains as Mediator ; all of which are neceffary to be received, to make faith what it is. But which of thefe raiift firit ftrike the mind, is immaterial. In like manner, although this certain .knowledge be neceffary, to make faith complete, yet it is not neceiTarily the firit thing ; neither does it follow that there can be no attempts made by finners towards faith and repentance, Without it. Anfwer. Neither does it follow that there can be no attempts made in preaching the word, and urging finners to thefe duties, Without it. Which is the lame contradiction again. It will further be objected, That the Doctor's meaning is on- ly to eitabltfh the certainty of finners repentance, as a truth or event determined by Chrift, and which is (o clearly contained in the gofpel ; being alfo one molt cllential part of the gofpel, without which the gofpel is not gofpel ; but not fo eflential and necellary for finners to believe ; it is immaterial whether they believe it, or not. Anfwer. It is then immaterial whether it is preached or not. Of courfe the gofpel may be truly preached, and this doctrine wholly omitted. Which is a third contradiction to the Doctor's words. Furthermore, this objection, of itfelf, is a contradiction to the Doctor's exprefs words. ' There is no ftricT propriety in * preaching any of thefe doctrines as gofpel, i. e. as news founded in facts, that ought to be believed ; unlefs all is made ' true and fure in Chrift before we have any operation from them.' As we have feen, by * thefe doctrines' he means, among other things, * regeneration, repentance, every good work * wrought in us, or exercifed by us.' And this ' news mult be c founded in facts ; ' it muft be a fact or certainty that Chrift will give repentance to every (inner; elfe there is no propriety in preach- ing or believing — elfe no tinner, ' ought to believe thefe doctrines as gofpel.' However .the preaching of the crofs may be ftated, except it is made certain that Chrift will work in finners, in all Micn 9 Unlverfalifm conjounds and dejlroys itjelf. 2$ lucn, every good work, finners ought not to believe it as gofpel, or as good news. The plain language is, thefe are not onlyfafls, or certainties, as contained in the bible, but they are fa&s to be made known. And unlcfs they are made known, the words of the bible are not good news to men ; neither are men under ob- ligation to receive them, as fuch. For if men are releafed from obligation to believe the bible, provided it does not indeed con. tain thefe fa£ts, and it is binding on them provided it does, then how is it thus binding on them, except, at the fame time, they have been certified of thefe facls ? If thefe facls make the fcripture binding on men, then men muft and do come to the knowledge of thefe facls, or how are they bound by them ? How are men bound by certain things, and under (acred obligation to obedience, except thefe certain things are made known to them ? Therefore, if men are releafed trom obligation to the goipel, as Dr. H. fays, unlefs his news founded in facls is preachi a to them, then his news muft be preached to them before they can be brought under obligation to it. Therefore finners mult firft hear- and know this news, and before they are bound to believe the gofpel, any part of it, as fuch. They muft hear the news of the falvation or' all men,, and know that Chrift has decreed the repentance of all men, before they are bound to repent. Dr. H. confiders this certainty, that Chrift will give faving grace to all men, the only thing which makes revelation binding, fo that it ought to be believed. For, to omit this certainty, there is no propriety in preaching, bu*. utter inconfiftency ; and, of courfe,- no propriety in believing, but utter inconfiftency, in every attempt towards it. Alfo, to omit this certainty, there is not only no propriety in preaching, but there can be no preaching that ought to be believed. But the only thing which makes revelation binding on men muft firft be certified to men, elfe how can revelation command their belief ? Therefore, fin- ners muft know what Chrift has determined to do for them, be- fore they .are bound to obey him. They muft certainly know .Chrift has decreed they fhall have faith, before they ought to have it. Alfo all attempts to any gofpel duty, without this cer- tain knowledge, are utterly inconfiftent. This further confirms the remarks in our firft Letter. On Dr. H's ground, men muft ascertain their tltftioti to fhe feveral re- ligious duties of this* prefect life, before they become obligated to do them. Therefore, when Dr. H. fays, ' If you are of the ' number of the eleel, you have full warrant to believe to falva- 1 non.' this is pertinent as to the prefent life as well as to the fu- D tine, 2 6 Unive rfa lifm c o nfo u n ds a n ct dejl roys i tfeAj. ture. Are men commanded to make themfelves new hearts ? they mult recognize that they are elected to this, before this com- mand can take effect upon them. Are men commanded to love God with all their heart ? this command can have no authori- ty over them, until they are allured God has determined to give them this heart to love him. Does God command all men, wherever the word of his grace comes, to repent, and believe on his Son Jefus Chrift ? this command is in force when all men know God has decreed their obedience to it, and not before. This jstherefult of the Doctor's reafoning, and this is his rule of faith. If it is not, how does the doctrine of the remillion of fins, when preached, always makes this remiffion fure in Chrift ? How does the very command imply that repentance is made fure, and all the benefits connected with it ? How is repentance always en- gaged by him, who orders the doclrine to be preached ? Ana 1 how is all preaching, and all exertions as to believing, utterly in vain, on any other ground than this ? But the remainder of the Doctor's addrefs to finners is, ' You 1 will make God a liar in fo believing, as you will believe what he knows is not true, viz. that every foul that hears the gofpel has a foundation for his laving faith, laid in Chrift f i. e. ex- cept they fi i it afcertain their election by Chrift to falvation. This can be improved no other than a folemn warning to finners, that they lay afide all attempts to turn to God, to trufl in Jefus, or rejoice before him, untij they are certain they are elected to it. And a folemn warning to finners not to turn and believe in Je- fus immediately, nor in any future moment, unlefs they can firft be aiTured he has determined to give them an heart to it, and to this identical act of belief. Dr. H. has accordingly fhut up the kingdom of heaven againft men. For he fays ' the great major- il y ot men are left under the power of fin, and this by the ' decree * ot'ihc immutable Jehovah.' In lo faying he has declared that ?.o linner can realize his ' news founded in facts,' foas to enjoy t he faviug benefit ol them in this prefent Hate. Not one impen- itent fnmer can know he is elected to fear God and tafte the pow- er of his love, while on this fide the grave. How can he know he is elected to it, when, in the Do6tor's words, the decree of the immutable Jehovah has left the great majority in the oppofue ? Therefore, finners mud know what is impoffiUe for them to know, ' otherwife they have no foundation for their faith, — othcrwife c they will make God a liar in fo believing.' If this docs not fhut up the (kingdom againft men, it is impoitible to fay What does. Thus, my dear Sir, we again have Dr. H's. very extraordi- nary rule of faith. Men muil know what is impoffible for them to Univerfalijh confounds and dejiroys itjetf* 2,7 to know, before they have any ground for their belief. Which effectually excludes finners from the faith, and fhuts up the door of hope againll men ; confequently this rule deftroys itfelf. Dr. H. further extends his foundation of faith. We muft not only be certain of obtaining the objecl, before we feek after it, but we muft be certain that God has determined we fhall obtain it, whether ye feek after it before death overtakes us, or not. He of- ten mentions God's own due time; when this time comes, the great work of grace is done, for every child oi Adam. But, the queftion is, when will this due time come ? Chrift engages to give remiflion of fins, and the benefits connected with it, to every human creature. But when does he fulfil this engagement ? The Doftor has fixed up- on no time before we meet the king of terrors, on which we can all aiTuredly depend. At death, he tells us, the great bleding is given to every one. Or all who are found unregenerate when the pale meffenger arrefts them, are then renewed, fanctined, and fitted for heaven. And he agrees with his opponents, that the unregenerate never do feek after repentance and remiflion of fins ; but always rcjufe and rebel. He alfo holds that the great body of men die in their fins, or death finds them in this ftate ; and, therefore, they never feek falvation, during this life. See Let. III. Part I. But this certain knowledge cf the determinate will of Chrift, to give falvation to all men, we muft have ; otherwife our faith is vain. Confequently, we muft not only be certain of obtaining the object, before we feek after it, but we muft be cer- tain of obtaining of it, whether we feek after it in this life or not. And this completes the Doctor's precept of faith. We fhall clofe this Letter with the following remarks. 1. Dr. H's great zeal in pretending to fuch a fulnefs of pfo- vifion for loft finners, as to the next world, appears to be a falfe zeal. For his fcheme makes no provifion as to this world. His pretended wide door, which would finally admit all in, is lhui. for the preient ; not one foul can ever enter, before foul and body are leperated. His zeal for the falvation of men, in the next, ftate, has effectually cut oft" poor loft finners from all ground to hope for ' faving confolation,' in this ftate ; and barr'd the door of hope againft them. How can this zeal be genuine, which ftretches fo far beyond the line of truth ? The Holy Glioft faith, 1 Behold I, have fet before thee an open door, and no man can ' fhut it.'* * Behold, now is the accepted time.'f It is granted that the Doctor might not fully underftand his own fcheme. He might not fee all the confequences of his lead- ing principles ; and therefore might not intend all the fame things, which * Rev. 3. 8. +a Cor. 6. 2 28 Univerfalijm confounds and dtfiroys itftlf, whicih naturally refult from them. To maintain his grand point, however, he appears to be neceflitated to adopt fuch falfe max- ims as do, indeed, ' fhut up the kingdom of heaven againft men.* Leaving them no room to hope, excepting thofe who find them- felvcs already in, that they ever mail enter till after death. On his plan, fuch as are truly defirous of b'eingTieirs of the kingdom, and of cleaving to the. Lord with al! their heart, or fuch as are up- on the point or entering in, cannot unlefs they fir ft know they are elecled,oT\m\zfc they firft know what they cannot know. There are frequent inftances of perfons having a good work begun in their fouls, who have no evidence in their own minds that they were chofen of God, before the world was. Dr. H. himfelf owns this, and then denies it. But what kind of zeal is this, which de- nies the firft principles of the oracles of God ? There can be no hefitation in granting, whoever feeks in a gof- pcl line mull have an unfhakerr belief in the power of the Redeemer, and his readinefs to give whatever we aft agreeably to his will. ' He that cometh to God mull believe that he is, and that he is a, 1 rewardcr of them that diligently feek him.'* But there is a wide difference between our believing God to be able and will- ing to give whatever we diligently feek to him for, and, on the . contrary, knowing all to be made true and lure to us in Chrift before we feel: to him for it, and even true and fure to us whether ■we ever feek to him for itinth'is life, or not. There cannot be a wider difference than there is between thefe two proportions. The former fuppofes, if we afk of God with a pure heart, we mail receive ; but if we aik amifs, or do not afk at all, we fhall not re- ceive. The latter fuppofes, whether we afk amifs, whether we make no pretenfions to afking, or whether we afk of God with a pure heart, it is all one, — all is made fure to us in Chrift. The latter breaks down all diftinction between him that ferveth God, and him that ferveth him not.t It will now beafked, whether; our jlriving, or feeking, or whe- ther the act. of the creature, can alter the eternal fixed purpofc of theMoft High ? This objection, if it be of weight, lies with equal force againft the Doctor. For how can he ' charge every unbe- ' licver with the greateft blame, for not believing immediately to c the laving of his foul,' feeing * the great majority,' as he fays, arc left, while in this ftate, by the fixed purpofe of the Molt High, to live in rebellion againft him p This objection, if trac- ed to its fource, will appear to bean infultto common {^nie. For what man will prefnme to fay. If my daily bread be decreed by Heaven, I (hall have it, othcrwife I fhall not; therefore I will quietly • Hcb. i,. 6. -V Ma!. 3. :8. Un ive rfa lifn c o njo unds and def r oy $ it ft If- 2 decrees the means, to accomplifh it. Therefore, if in every cafe, we do not ufe the means God has appointed, we may be allured we mall not obtain the end. But, 2. Dr. H's Icheme is calculated in the raoft direct manner to fuit the carnal heart, in all the depth of iniquity. Sinners have, for ages, endeavoured to fcreen and excufe themfelves from ob- ligation to God, under a notion that they do not know they are oj the number of the el eel ; that the door of hope isjkut againjr them, for the prefent ; that it is jujfinent for them to believe to falvation when God's time fn all come, neither can they do it before ; that if God has decreed their falvation, fie will bring them in, even at death, if not fooner. What can be more gratifying to their carnal defires than that which mee/s their vain pleas and excufes ? "\Vhat more pleafing than to be told, They are excufed for the prefent, the door of mercy is now fhut againft them, but it mail moft affuredly be opened to them at lall, and they indeed brought in ? Every' hardened firmer who has fomc notion that the bible is true, or that there will be a future judgment, mull exult with infernal pleafurc,.if he can bring his mind to acquiefce in fuch a flattering excufe as is here given, for hirn to revel all his days in fin. And he having, at the fame time, an affurance of being delivered at laft, from the torments ol hell, and made confumately happy. This is the thing which his foul has been lulling after. That all are elected, as to the future world ; but few elected, as to this ; that no unbeliever can know he is elected to ferve God, while he continues in this world ; that all ground of faith and obligation to duty, while he continues in this world, is there- lore taken away ; that the firmer has therefore fuch a plaufible excufe to live as he liileth, and to do it with perfect fafety, hav- ing the brighteil profpect before him ; what can be more fcoth- ing to the deceitful heart ? That which Tinners have [o long fought alter, God in righteous judgment, it feems, lias fent up- on them. ■ I alfo will choofe their delufions, and will bring then- fears upon them ; becaufe when I called, none did anfwer."* But, 3. However Dr. H's notion, that without certain knowledge we are elected, we have no warrant for our faith, may, by in na- tural confequences, be gratifying to the wicked, it is grievous ta the righteous. However it may feaft and ravifh the carnal ap- petite, it is wounding to the pious foul. The pious foul often feck 5 alter that fpiritual enjoyment,, to which he has no knowled cert * Ifai. Gf 4. fp Vn i v e rfa \ij& - o nf, > u n ds a n d deft r oy s lift Ij. certainty of being eleeicd, or that God will beftowit upon him. Here it is neceflary to o'bferve, there is a material difference be- tween hoping and knowing. Although the terms be fomctimes uied prom ifcou fly, yet, in a Ariel fenfe, there is an cfTcntial dif- ference. There are alfo various degrees of what is often called certain knowledge. The Doctor has ftatcd the cafe in the fu- perlative degree. Beyond a doubt we rauft know all men are elected to falvation, or we have no warrant to invite every crca - Hire to believe to falvation. And beyond a doubt each individual muff know he is thus elected, or the door of hope is barr'd againft him. But David fays, * I fink in deep mire, where there is no , Handing : I am come into deep waters, where the floods over- " flow me. I am weary of my crying, my throat is dried : mine ' eyes fail while I wait for my God.'* David is here in the itrongeft exercife of favihg faith. But inftead of having certain knowledge of obtaining the object, relative to his own perfon, c:vcn his hope is ready to fail him. • I fink in deep mire, where there is no Handing.' When David, by the confpiracy of Ab- loom, was driven out of Jerufalem, he had no certain knowledge that God had decreed his return. But he had true faith in the Mefliah; and prayed, as to this particular matter, and gave him- felf up in thefaith. ' If I man find favour in the eyes of the Lord, ' lie will bring me again, and mow me his habitation. But if he * thus fay, I have no delight in thee : Behold, here am I, let him c do to me as feeineth good unto nim.'t David's faith reftcdon a. different foundation, from that which Dr, H. has fhown us, as the only foundation. Numerous inflances might be cited, wherein the children of God have been feeking, with % jingle eye, after things, which they had no pofitive certainty and but little hope of obtaining. The f i if r thought, the fir 11 holy exercife, in the moment of : egerreration, goes out to God, in the fame kind of longing and ihirffcing after him as David fo often cxprelfes. The perfon, at that moment, has no affurance, or he may have none, of his be- ing chofen to eternal life. We cannot fuppofe the thief on the crofs had pofitive evidence of future happmefs, before Chrift • old him, ' To dav fhalt thou be with me m paradife.' But pre- vious to this he acknowledged the juflice of God, took blame to himfelf, defended the innocent character of jefus, and prayed, 6 Lord, remember me when thou comefl into thy kingdi .m.'r Shall the kingdom of heaven be ihut up againft fuch a perfon ? Shall * Pfal. f>o. 2, 3. Ahho' this TV'iilni applies lo Chrift, yet David lure fpcals frOHl ^OWIlt". ' \ \. 82 — 28. f - Sam. 15 25, 26. . kc 23. 40- Vniverfalifm confounds and dejlrcys itfelf. '3$ Shall he be told not to feek after prefent ? faving confolation,' left he make God a liar, becaufe he does not know that all is firft made fure in Chrift ? Therefore, for the thirfting pious foul to have the door of mercy fhut againft him, fo that he cannot take one ftep towards the full enjoyment of God, unlefs he firft have the affurancc of his being elected to it, muft wound him moll fcnfibly indeed. On our author's plan, the believer has no encouragement to prefs forward and ftrive for further degrees of fanctifi cation. He cannot know he is ele£ted, as to this life, to higher degrees of holmefs than what he now has. He cannot pofiibly knGw as to one hngie exerciie or enjoyment, which he is yet to have, be- fore his departure out of time. But Dr. H. fays, ' All is made 4 true and lure in Chrift before we have any acquaintance with ' the tidings.' And Chrift who orders thefe tidings to be preach- ed, engages to give all thefe things, viz. ' faith, love, hope, joy, * and every good work wrought in us, or exercifed by us.' * On * any other ground than this/ all preaching and believing is in vain. And unlefs we know we are elected to the enjoyment of thefe things, we make God a liar in believing, or in feeking af- ter them. But as the believer cannot know he is yet to have one more holy "comforting exerciie this fide eternity, he cannot feek to God for it. So long as he continues in the body, the way is wholly clofed up againft his prefling forward. He inuft fit down, and mourn, and weep, and fpread forth his hands, and there is none to comfort him ! Although this, however, is fo painful to the righteous foul, yet all the malice and cunning of fatan could have devifed nothing more gratifying to the proud deceitful heart. 4. Dr. H's fcheme brings God and man upon a level ; or ra- ther the divine Being yields up the point in difpute to finful man. For if man muft firft know all is made fure in Chrift, before he has any acquaintance with the tidings, or any operation from them ; that is, without the leaft condition or duty required on his part, it is eafy to fee which party yields. God and man were at the greateft variance. God charged man with rebellion againft him, and previoufly threatened him with the moll awful curfe. On the Doctor's plan, God wholly remits the curfe, man muft be told of this, with' the promife of every poflible bleffing to him, even whether he continues in rebellion or not. And unlefs man is a-ffured of this, he is under no obligation to return to his former allegiance to his God. In this cafe, every one fees that God comes over to man's terms. Sinners have long been complain- ing—-' We do not know that we are decreed for heaven. Did * we 3 3 Vnivcrfdhjni confounds and defiroys iffeif* * we know we were thus chofen of God, we fhould then have ' Tome encouragement to ferve him ; but now we have none ; 4 neither are we under obligation to take Chrift's yoke upon us/ Dr. H's fcheme coincides, with their bitter murmurrngs ; yea, he lias put the very words into their mouths. ' On the (unitarian plaa, Dr. H. can charge no {inner with * any amifs •* and becaufe no impenitent (inner, on this plan, can be certain he is of the number of the elect.. Therefore, as he con fid era it; every finner is in an innocent juftified ft ate for not believing to his own falvation, until God makes known to him that his falvation is fecured ; and fecured to him whether he re- pents and believes in Jefus r or not during this life; This leads the tinner to fuppofe, that, as he can be accepted of God only through a Mediator, God has no demand upon him^ before he makes known to him that all is previouily made certain in Cirri fh All the demand God has upon him, provided he have any, is in ronfequence of his certifying to him that he is delivered from hey, and heaven forever made over to him. And as he can ferve God but through a Mediator, which is the fame as believing toe- ternal life, he will conclude he is under no kind of obligation to love and ferve God, before all the bleffings of heaven are made cer- tain to him ; and made certain to him* although he fhould perfc- vere in fin all his days. In this cafe which party yields ? The curfe is fet afide, heaven is granted, and the finner left to live as lie lifteth, to the end of life. Certainly God yields up the whole point in difpute, & without the finner s turning from his rebellion. 5. Dr. H's fcheme argues that men, fmce the intervention of the Mefliah, are not in a probationary ftate. Aftate of probation implies that life and death are fufpended on the conduct of the creature ; or the conduct of the creature, in this cafe, is made a condition. We know of no other flate of trial for accountable creatures, as {landing in relation to their God. Thus it was with angels ; life and death were fufpended upon their conduct. And tlu*s it was with Adam j life and death were fet before him-; which of thefe would be his fate, his own conduct was to decide. Since the fall of man, Dr. H. fays the fecond Adam has affumed the place of man, and acled and fuffered in his ffcad ; and not only offers life to all men, but has actually fecured the life of all men. Admitting this, and why is life and death fet before us ? But ad- mitting eternal life is actually fecured to all men, and they arc all releaied from their flate of trial ; here can be no further tri- al, nor condition after the grand object , and even all is made fure. And if life be made certain to all men, fo that, from their birth to Univerfalijm confounds and dejlroys itfelf. 33. to their departure out of time, their conduct cannot make it void, then their ftate of exigence during time is not a ftate of probation* It cannot be a ftate of probation as to life and death, becaufe thefe are not fufpended upon it. This is an efTential article in Dr. H's fcheme, as we may yet fee. 6. Our author, with veneration and confidence, avows moft of the leading principles inthecalvinian fyftem. He has treated the doctrine of the divine decrees, however, in fuch a manner as tends greatly to injure the caufe of truth; — to releafe fmners from ac~ countablenefs to God, and make them look like mere machines. ' If innumerable of the offspring of God,' fays he, * or even any * number of them, are in extreme fufferings to endlefs duration, * in this cafe, they mult be infinite lofers by that exiftence, which ' the God of love forced upon them.'* To have a juft idea of this, and other things of like kind in his book, it is neceffary to obferve that he thinks fome men are vaftly more miferable in this life than others ; that in this life the wicked fuffer the full reward of their evil deeds ; that they have a diminifhed ftate of happi- nefs in the next world, proportionate to their evil deeds in this. See Let. IV. V. VII. Part I. When, therefore, hardened fm- ners find themfelves in extreme fufferings, and when, provided they credit the Doctor, they fee a diminutive ftate of happinefs before them to eternity, all this their perverfe hearts, if net their mouths, will fay, * The God of love has forced upon them.' The Doctor has put (he words into their mouths. Although, accord- ing to his plan they may expect not to be loofers, on the whole, by their exiftence, yet they will conclude they are forced below, far below their fellow creatures, both in time and eternity. Aid whatever our author may fay of divine juftice, and however he may contradict himfelf the next breath, yet he has here fugn-efr- ed that God cannot juftly hold finners in extreme fuffering to endlefs duration ; but this would be a forced, arbitrary, and un- juft acf. By the fame rule, the proud and haughty will fay it is a forced and unjuft act in God, topunifh them in the manner he does, in this world, and afhgn them to a lower ftate of happinefs, in the next. Alfo the very exiftence of fmners, the continua- tion of their exiftence, with all their thoughts and actions, appear agreeably to the Doctor's words, to be forced upon them by their Maker. Inftead of keeping up the idea of their voluntary op- pofition againft God, and that they are active in hardening their own hearts, he has charged God with forcing exiftence upon them. And in fuch manner as has a very ftrong appearance that ood decrees them, and actually makes them finners, contrary to E their * P. »oi-, 34 Vniverfatifih confounds and dcjlroys it/elf. their own wifhes. The grcatcft part he has faid on the divine decrees bears a like complexion. Which cafts no little contempt on the fupreme being, and reduces the perverfenefs of tranf- gre fibre to an empty name. 'Again, he evidently holds that men are under no obligation to fubinit to the divine decrees, until they know them to be in their favour. He fays,' The divine will, purpofe, elec- ' tion, decree, predellinationj or by whatever term you would * fignify the eternal, immutable plan ol Jehovah, does, every ' where in the word of God, fully fecure the certain happinefs ' of all the human race, after death.'* When we can view the divine decrees in this light, as he argues, it is our duty to embrace and love them, otherwise it is not. ' The hearts of good people/ he adds * do not rcje£t theabfolute prcdeftination and decrees of 'God, nor ever did, limply confidered, or juftly confidered. ' What our hearts revolt at, is the attributing fuch decrees to God, c as are contrary to his nature. God is love. Attribute no de- ' crees to God but thofe of infinite love, — -and they will fet ea- 6 fy on our minds. '+ The Dofclor is here trying to prove the future happinefs of all men from the nature of God. ' As the ' nature of God is love, he will bring us all, every human fout ' in due time, to fee and approve of his infinite wifdom and 1 love, in all his works.'t. The boundlefs love of God, he thinks, forms an argument that makes the falvation of all men certain. And the final damnation of fome part of mankind he confidcrs to be contrary to the divine nature". ' I cannot fee,' he fays, 'that 1 the moil holy God can derive any glory to himfelf, or commu- * nieate any good to the intelligent fyftem, from the eternal, per- ' fonal damnation of any guilty firmer of the human kind ; or that * fuch a thing can be without maniFeit opposition to the bleffed ' nature of God, who is infinite tove/§ He often fpcaks in this rtqfitive manner, mowing how contrary it is , to the ble lied nature of God that even onehuman creature fliould finally perilh. His mean- ing is therefore plain — c Attribute no decrees to God but thofe of ' inunte love' — ' Charge him with no decrees that are contrary 1 to his nature,' none but fuch as include the eternal happinefs' pf all men, 'and they will feteafyon our minds — ',&they will allap- 1 pear beautiful, 'as he further fays. What our hearts revolt at,' juft- * ly revolt at is the attributing fuch decrees to God as are contrary to his nature,' as include the endlefs mifery of part ot mankind. The counfels and decrees of God are to be viewed in the fame light as his events of providence, vice vt'rfd. The evnts of pro- vidence are the fruits and fulfilment of his holy counfels. But, according * P. 8C + P. 82*. J P. 22© % P. 319. Vniverjalifm c a xt founds and deft rays itfttf* %& according to the Do&or's rule, we mult know that God has de» creed our eternal happinefs, before we are bound to fubmit to his authority. This gives the plain language of the Poctor's reafon- ing. When men can afcertain that the decrees of God do ■ fully * iecure their certain happinefs after death,' then they. will * fet '- eafy' on their minds ; but if they cannot afcertain this, their*" hearts and lives may juitly * revolt at' his decrees. And when men can fee the events of divine providence all tending to this great end, viz. their own happinefs in the next world, then thefe events of providence will ' appear beautiful. . But it men do not fee things in this li*jht, they have a right to rife up and oppofe divine providence. \Vhich opens the way to juftifyallthe mur- muring and rebellion againft God, that ever took place. The Ifraelites, on their march from Egypt to Canaan, when at the Red Sea, and when they faid to Mofes, * Becaufe there were nq ? graves in Egypt, haft thou taken us away to die in the wilder- c nefs ?** did not know that this event of providence, fomyfte- rious to them, was fuited to * fecure their certain happinefs after * death.' Therefore with their hearts and mouths they * revolt- * ed at' it. The fixed decrees or eternal counfels of the Moft High, as far as they are made known, are to be confidered in the fame light as his written word. This comes to us clothed with infinite au- thority. * Wherefore the law,' and not excepting itscurfes * is * holy, and juit and gqod.'-r This law is for the higheft good of the univerfe. In like manner, the purpofes and decrees of Je- hovah are for the belt good of the intelligent fyftem. As we ought to love the law of God, efteeming it better than thoufands of gold and fjiver, fo we ought to love his decrees, providence, and government. Whether we can fee the curfes of the law fet afide, as to ourfelves in particular, or not, ft ill this does not make it lefs amiable. And whether we can fee the decrees and provi.- dence of God to be for us or againft us, ftill we ought to rejoice that the Lord reigneth. Even that God which can do us no in- juftice, but does all things well. The very act of repentance, and there is no repentance without it, implies fubmiflionand love to the law of God, although we may fee no other than all its curfes Handing againft us. Repentance is an hearty fubmiflion of the {in- ner to God, his law, decrees, and government ; but not that God yields the point up to the (inner. As the blame of the original apoftacy, and of our continuing in rebellion againft our holy Sov- ereign, muftbe attributed entirely to man ; fo it is evident that man, in the act. of true repentance, muft and decs return back to the * Exod. i|. ii. f Rom. 7. i& 3$ Univerfalifm confounds and deftroys itfelf. the exact point from whence he fell. But, in the infiant of the original apoflacy, Adam could fee nothing before him but end- lefs death. Therefore, every firmer when returning back to his God, or in the moment of repentance, can fee nothing before 4iim but endlefs death. He, however, cordially approves of the death, and of every thing contained in the law. It is nol neceffary for us to be reconciled to endlefs death, in itfelf con- fidered, this is impoflible. But a cordial approbation of the whole law, that endlefs death is right and fitting, what we juftly deferve, is implied in repentance. Again, the gofpel, although it pronounces ' everlafting def- truction'* on the unbeliever, ought to be received with glad-* nefs of heart, as * good tidings of great joy.' And becaufe it offers falvation to every creature, and actually fecures the falva- tion of every penitent believer. Were the definition or death to be left out of the gofpel, were all without 'distinction to be made happy in the next world, and it would, as Dr. H, does throughout his book, give countenance to all poflible wickednefs. Which could not be glad tidings to fuch as love 'right eon fne'fs and hate iniquity. Thus the law and the gofpel bring all pofTible good to the peni- tent believer ; exhibiting, alio, the greateft motive before infi- dels, to perfuade them to believe. But they bring, at the fame time, all poflible evil to the unbeliever, considering him as fuch. The fame may be faid of the decrees and government of God. The law and the gofpel, in the molt defirable (enfe, are in favour of the believer ; fo are all the decrees, and counfels of heaven. The law and the gofpel, in the moll alarming fenfe, arc again ft the unhejiever, as fuch; fo are all the decrees and counfels of heaven. From the law and the gofpel the believer has every thing' to hope ; from the law and the gofpel the unbeliever has every thing to fear. So from the decrees of God the believer has every thing to hope', while, from the fame fource, the unbeliever has every thing to fear. At the fame time, the law, and the gofpel, and the decrees, and the providence, and the government of God, all harmonioufly unite, to alarm, and to invite finners to become true believers. Furthermore, the law and the gofpel prefent to our view, moft clearly, the perfect: freedom of men. ' Thus faith the Lord, Bc- 1 hold, I fet before you the way of life, and the way of death. 't — ' Choofe you this day whom you will ferve.'J The decrees of God, alfo, teach tfye lame per feci: freedom among men. Initead of interfering with, or retraining, the entire freedom, of men, the decrees * Thcf. 1. 9. + Jeron. 21. 8. % J ^ 1 - 2 6. i^». ' Vfiwerfalifm confounds and deflroys itfttf. op decrees of God do indeed eftablifh and fecure it. Some fuppofe, becaufe his decrees are unalterable, and becaufe his government is univerfal, men are no longer free. They might as well fay becaufe his law binds all our thoughts, words, and anions, an J becaufe it is unalterable, it is not good. They might as well lav, becaufe the terms of the gofpel are fixed, and men mull necefla- rily come up to an exact point, to obtain falvation, therefore the terms of the gofpel are hard. Certainly if the law, the gofpel, the? decrees, and the providence of God, give men liberty to do, and (6 enjoy all the good they are capable ; to be as holy and happy as God him felt, according to their nature ; they have the only thing which can properly be called liberty, and they have it in the higheft fenfe. But the faft is, men wifh for a different kind of liberty. They wifh for liberty to commit fin, and not be called to an account. As Dr. H. has not fteadily adhered to thefe rules, but has of- ten contradicted them, he cannot be reckoned among the friends of calvinifm. He appears to have introduced the doclrines of the divine decrees, predeflination, elechon,&c. fo as to have op- portunity to mifreprefent them ; render them highly difguflful, even frightful and horrid to his readers ; unlefs they can be made fubfervient to his own fcheme, the falvation of all men, 7. Dr. H. mult now find himfelf in a fad dilemma. For ei- ther firft , he muff, grant that his wide door, which would admit all men in, in the next world, is ffrut, while they continue in this world ; and ' fatan left to fhare the prize.' Or, fecondly, he muft withdraw his formidable objection againft the Fimitarians, and grant that their foundation of faith is according to the gofpel. He muft grant the righteoufnefs of Chrift alone to be an un- failing foundation for us to build our faith and hope upon. That all of us are under infinite obligation to come unto Chrift, believing him to be the rock of eternal falvation ; although it be a fecret to us whether we are elefted to eternal falvation, or not. He muft acknowledge that we can have no evidence whatever of our fate and happy ftate after death, any further than we find our hearts and lives conformed to the gofpel. And, he mult acknowledge that he was led into the fcheme of univerfalifm through miftaken notions. * After all refearches,'* that he had hot underftood one of 'the firft principles of the oracles of God, "t £ ven the proper warrant and ground to believe to life eternal. * P. 12. + Heb. am, &c« LETTER o£ Vniverfalijm confounds and defiroys itfrff. LETTER III. Dr. H. holds that all who are impenitent at death are then, regenerated; this compared to his rule of faith, and ta oilier things in his Scheme ; aljo the abjurd conjequences of this fentiment. My dear Friend, AS a neceffary article in his plan, Dr. Huntington fuppofes, all who remain impenitent until death, then to have, at. this eventful moment, regeneration, repentance, faith, and all the> chriflian graces ; fo as to complete them for heaven. Reference was had to this in the foregoing letters. To fee its fevcral con- nections and confequences, as well as make ajulf. comparison, this fentiment will how be particularly confidered. The Reader is here informed, the Doctor makes no effential difference between the believer and unbeliever, as to a preparation for death ; in his view, both thefe characters are alike prepared. * Much is faid,' fays he, * about being fit to die. There is one * fitnefs and but one, and that is by no means perfonal ; bat in c the perfecl character of a covenant head, a vicar, or Surety , ' in the full atonement, and all perfecl worthinefs of Jefus % ' Whatever difference progreflive grace may make between man, * kind in this life (and great is the blejTmg of all thofe who are ' elected to fpecial attainments of grace in this world) yet every * one without diftinclion, is left utterly unfit for heaven, fo long * as the foul is in the body, an awful unclean thing. No un- 4 clean thing mail enter into that world. On the feparation ' of * foul and body' and not before, is any foul in its own qualifi- 6 cations and temper fit; but in a relative view, all, for whom * Chrift died, are fo. Their garments are all alike wafhed and ' made white in the blood of the Lamb. '*— The notion of fome * fitnefs in a firmer for heaven, whether a penitent or an impeni- * tent Tinner, is utterly repugnant to UK; whole word of God. It « is built wholly on a legal fpirit, and on our attachment to our * old covenant of works. It wars again!! every evangelical mo- ' tive of comfort in our fouls, and obedience in our lives. It ' Hands in oppofition to an entire dependence on God in Chriit, * and to every moral virtue. ?i. — Thus, in the itroogeft terms the Doctor exclaims againft what is called a preparation for death. But Chrift commands us, ' Be ye alfo ready : for in fuch an * hour as ye think not the Son of Man ccmeth. Matt. XXIV. '44. SomDeut. XXXII. '29. O that they were wife, tha| they * P. D.3- * p - *Mi »9«- Univerfalifm confounds and dejlroys it/elf, 39 ihty underftood this, that they would confider their latter end ! Had Dr. H. mown in what particular things both ' the penitent * and impenitent are utterly unfit for heaven,' he would then have given fome light on the fubjech But lumping things to- gether, as he here does, is an unpardonable fault. Rejecting, every kind of diftin&ion, and making thefe rwo characters agree in all refpe&s, is fuited to miflead ' the unlearned and unliable, * that they might wreft the fcriptures, unto their own deftruc- tion.' In point of merit, or in the view of law and juftice only, there is no difference between the believer and unbeliever. On this ground, the latter is as fit for heaven as the former. So, * no unclean thing fhall ever enter into heaven ; and believers have a great (hare of moral uncleannefs, while in the body. But does this argue no difference of any kind between him who has prevailing love to God, and him who fays in his heart, No God ? Does this argue no difference between that faithful fer- vant who is watching and waiting the coming of his Lord, longing to depart and be with Chrift ; and that evil fervant who begins to fmite his fellow fervants, and to eat and drink with the drunken ? Again, is a humble dependence on the righteoufnefs of Chrift, for pardon and acceptance with God ; is this • huild- ' ing wholly on a legal fpirit, and on our attachment to our old * covenant of works ?' if fo, where is * the great blefling,' Dr. H. juft mentioned, ■ of all thofe who are elected to fpecial au ■ tainments of grace in this world V But we here afcertain the Doctor's fentiment * on the fepara- * lion,' when men die, ■ and not before, is any foul in its own ' temper fit to die, or fit for heaven. * But in a relative view, 1 all for whom Chrift died are fo.' That is in a relative view, all mankind are equally fit to meet death, and be taken to heaven. * Their garments are all alike waihedand made white in the blood * of the Lamb,' The relation they all bear to Chrift, places them all on equal footing. And the great work of fanct.ifi cation, to fit the mind for heaven, is done for every one of us at death. e A fpecial work of Chrift,' he fays, ' there certainly muft be in ' death ; or never one of the mere human kind can get to heaven.' — * The fame infinite mercy, power, and faithfulnefs, which * can then feperate one foul from all its unfitnefs for heaven, cart 1 another. Chrift does but a fmall part ' of his glorious work on ' any foul in this life. He gracioufly begins earlier with fome ' than others ; but he finifhes with all alike, evea at death. — * Sin ' and its attendants (hall vex and diftrefs the wicked as long as * they live— It fhall even drive them to death, to the king of ter- rors ; 4^ htnvcr fair fin confounds and deft roys itfelf. ' rors ; but no further.** — Speaking of Judas, our author fays, ' Every man is a fon of perdition until new born : damned until ' regenerated. Judas was a notable fon ot perdition, until his 'death ; — even until foul and body were feparated ; until then * a fon of perdition in an extraordinary degree.' Paul was fo in * a wof ul meafure until he died, a wretched man with a body of 1 death. Every man is fo, in a fad degree, until the union of foul and body is difTolvcd.'T The Doctor goes on here, fo in other places, to fhow us that all men, as well as Judas and Paul are regenerated at the diffolution of foul and body. Paul, he fup- pofes, was comparatively ox negatively regenerated in his ear- ly days. But Tor fome caufe, which he has not exprefsly given, lie fuppofes Paul to need a greater degree of fanclifying grace, when lie is positively regenerated, at death, than Judas ftood in need of, at the fame awful moment. The fentiment we are now upon,the Doctor considers as highly important in his jcheme. And truly it is a turning point with him. I f it cannot be fhown from fcripture, that all impenitent men are renewed and fanctifiedatdeath,his fcheme wholly fails. We might, therefore, have expected he would, in a very particular manner, nave attempted to prove this point. He has often brought it into view, often ufed words, that clearly imply it, and evidently pla- ces great dependence upon it. But has ufed no arguments di- rectly and especially in proof of it. The arguments and places of Scripture he ufes, are general ones, to prove all men will be faved. He firfr. attempts to prove ail wrll be laved, and then /•ems to take for granted, all will be fitted for heaven when they rfie. Whereas, if this be a fcripture doctrine, it muft be clearly and diflintlly revealed. And might be eafily fhown to be con. tained in the bible; that is, fometliing directly to the point. Becaufe it is a point of the firft importance to be fettled. The Doctor often ajferts things directly to the point, but affertions are no arguments. His treating things in this lbofe manner, gives ground of fufpicion, to fav the leaft, that he could find nothing directly to his purpofe. And that there is nothing in the bible which looks that way ; that is, to prove directly that all are made holy and fitted for heaven when they die. We mail, notwithltanding, attend to fome of his arguments, at this time ; to others again, in following fetters. * Repentance,' he fays ' is a free, fovereign gift of God in Chrift. ' And Jefus is exalted to grant this grace, juft as much as the re- * million of (ins, in confequence of it. ' He gives the for- 1 raer, only as the nsceflary channel, or medium by which par- ' doa * P. r,rc\ 204, f iQ9r Univerfalijm confounds and dejlroys itfelf. 41 4 don and falvation can come to the foul. The gift of this grace 4 (repentance) is jufl as much within his commiflion, ^mediator 4 and faviour of the world, faviour of all men, as is the beftow- • ment of pardon and heaven. * Him hath God exalted, with 44 his right hand, to be a prince and a faviour, for to give re- 44 pentance to Ifrael, (all are (o t in union with Chrift by human 46 nature, and by covenant) and forgi'venefs of fins.'* The fiift part of this argument is founded on this, ■ C irift is the faviour 4 of the world, and the faviour of all men,' The laft part which is taking in the whole, refts on this, All mankind are God's covenant Ifrael : * All are fo, in union with Canft, by human na- 4 ture, and by covenant.' We fhall now proceed to examine each of thefe by itfelf. Chrift is tkt faviour of the world. — The term, worlds is ufed in a great variety of meanings in common language ; and is never diftmttly underflood, unlefs it be from Other words, ufed in connection with it. We likewife read in the facred volume, * Betiold, the world is gone out after him.'t That is a vuft multitude of people went out to meet Jefus, when he was riding into Jerufalem. Which was, however, a very fmall part of the whole world. — »* Love not the world, neither the things that are • in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father 4 is not in him. 'J This explains * the world' to mean its empty pleafures, which worldly men fo eagerly purfue. — ' The Spirit 4 of truth : whom the world cannot receive. '§ Denoting the na- tive oppofition of the unbelieving world, who cannot, or will not love the truth. — * If the tall of them be the riches of the world, • and the diminifhing of them the riches of the Gentiles. If the ' carting away of them be the reconciling of the world. '|| The world here means the uncircumcifed nations, or the Gentiles in general ; taken in oppofition to the Jews. In each of the above texts, the term worlds gives a different idea from the reft. And, perhaps, thirty more instances of it might be found in the bible, ufed in the fame manner. This argues that it was neceffary for Dr. H. to have (hown us, in what fenfe C brill is the Saviour of the world. Before he had built an argument upon it, to prove that all men have repentance at death ; he ought to have lhown the precife meaning of the expreflion, with its various relations and connexion throughout the bible. Inflead of this, he has taken it without any explanation. Or he has taken for granted, from his being ifiled faviour of the world, that he will fave all men with eternal falvation ; confequently, will bring all men to repentance. F We * P. 1S7. t Jcha 12. 19. % \ John 2. 15. \ John 14. 17. || Rom. si. 12. 15. $2 Vniverfah/ni covjounds and deftroys itj'elf. We meet with the cxpreflkm, 'The faviour of the world,' twice in the new teftainent. Firit in John's Gofpel, IV. 42. ' Now ' we believe, not becaufe of thy faying : for we have heard him ' oarfelves, and know that this is indeed the Chrift, the faviour of 1 the world.' The men of Samaria faid this to the woman, whom jefus converfed with at Jacob*s well. Jefus faid to this woman, ' Ye worfhip ye know not what : we know what we worfhip : for 1 falvation is of the Jews.' The way of falvation through the Mef- fidh, was then taught only among the Jews. The Samaritans, with all nations of the earth, were totally ignorant of this way ; worfhip- ing they knew not what. But the expecled Mefliah, he, who was then come, was bringing falvation to the Samaritans, and to the Gentile world, as well as to the Jews. This was believed among the Samaritans. ' I know,' faid this woman, ' that Meflias cometh ' which is called Chrift : when he is come he will tell us all things.' In fulfilment of ancient prophecies, he was expecled to come not only a faviour to the Jews, but a faviour to the Gentiles alfo. Therefore, when the men of Samaria, on that joyous occafion, faid, * This is indeed the Chrift, the faviour of the world ; : the undoubted meaning is, he is the faviour of the poor outcaft Samaritans, Greeks and Barbarians, the uncir- camcifcd world in general, as well as the faviour of the Jews. And the way of falvation is now about to be taught in the hea- then world, as well as in the land of Judca. So that it can no more be faid, falvation is only of the Jews. But, from that icr, trig of Chrift, ' Salvation is of the Jews,' or the way of falva- tion is taught among them, who would think of railing an argu- ment from it, to prove that all the Jews will be faved ? This, however, as fully proves it as the other expreftion, ' Chrift, the 1 f:\viourof the world,' proves that all the world will be faved. The former contains every thing interefting to the Jews, as to their eternal faivatiuu, which the latter docs, as to the eternal falvation of the world, or Gentiles in general. For the former is explicative of the latter, & the latter isjuft parallel with the former. According!'/, the apoflle fays, We preach Chrift crucified, unto the Jews a ftumbling-block, and unto the Greeks loolifhnefs. But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Chrift the power of God, and the wifdom of God.'* We again meet with the above expreflion, in John's firft Epif- tle, IV. 14. • We have [ccn and do teftify, that the Father hath ' fent the Son to be the faviour of the world.' There being no words (landing in a near connection with thefe, to help us to their diftinft meaning, we muft have recourfe to other places in the bi- ble. * j. Cor. 1. 23, 24. Univcrfalifn confounds and deftroys itfelf. 43 ble. And as this expreflion is not again to be found, and as the world often means the Gentiles in general, it is natural to receive it in the fame light as ahove. Yea, we cannot fee how it can be explained in any other light. The expreflion being found only twice in the facrcd book, and the fenfe given in one of the pla- ces only, froiu its conn^clion, this mull needs decide the fenfe oi both. Befides, as it is plainly and repeatedly afTerted in revelation, tlljjtt part of mankind, J according to their deeds,' will be made miferable to eternity, tjie phrafe, ' the faviour of the world/ can- not, without manifeft violence to the truth, favour the notion of the falvation of all men. Viewing of it confidently with its va- rious relations, and with the tenor of fcripture, its obvious mean- ing is, Chriit has opened a glorious way of falvation to all men. The confequence is, ', as many as were ordained to eternal life, * believed.' ' The election hath obtained it, and the reft were * blinded/* The Doclor fays again, Chrijl is the faviour of all men. He ought to have faid, God is the faviour of ajl men ; as we mall prefently fee. — God may juitly be ftiled the faviour of all men, and this be far from implying that he will grant eternal falvation to all men. The title of faviour is fometimes given to men. As may be feen in Neh. IX. 27, and Obad. 21. God gave to Ifrael in the time of their judges, deliverers, or faviour s ; who faved them, or delivered them out the hand of their enemies. Pharaoh called Jofeph's name Zaphnathpaaneah ; in the Egyptian tongue, this is, faviour of the world. Sp if God delivers, preferves, provides for, or faves all men, while in time ; he may very fit- ly be called the faviour of all men. But let us fee the whole of the fentenee, to which Dr. H. has reference. 1 Tim. IV. 10. 4 For therefore we both labour, * and fuffer reproach, becaufe we truft in the living God, who is * the faviour of all men, fpecially of thofe that believe.' As there are fo many expreflions of the apoflle's, and of Chrift which affert the eternal mifery of fome of mankind, this muff be limited to time only, agreeably to its natural import. * For there- * fore we, the miniiters of Chrift, both labour under, and fuffer 1 reproach, becaufe we truft in the living God. When we have 1 all reafon to truft in him, who is the preferver and difpofer of all 1 men, fpecially of thofe that believe.' This diftinction in fa- vour of believers, or between believers and unbelievers, can no way be interpreted but according to the words of Abraham, to the rich man in hell : ' Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime ' received!!. * Afts 13. 48 and Rom, 11, 7. 44 UnivcrfaliJM confounds and dejlroys itfelj* * recievedft thy good things, and likewife Lazarus evil things ; * but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented.'* From the kind preferver of men, even the enemies of the crofs, in their life- time, have their good things. When they depart this h'fe, for their abufes of thefe good things, * in hell they lift up their eyes ■ being in toi merits.' And how can God be ftiled the faviour of all men, fpecially of thofe that believe ; when, in this world, the righteous have their evil things, and the wicked their good things ; unlefs, in the world to come, the former be comforted and the latter tormented ? To explain things in thatloofe manner Dr. H. does, and God may as well be called the dtfiroyer oj all men. Thus in the following words — * The earth and all the inhabitants thereof are * diffolved.'t ' All nations compared me about : but in the name ■ of the Lord will I deftroy them.J * Thus faith the Lord God 1 of Ifrael unto me, take the wine cup of this fury at my hand,' ' and caufe all the nations, to whom I fend thee, to drink it. And ' all the kingdoms of the world, which are upon the face of the 1 earth ; and the king of Shefhach (hall drink after them. Thus ' faith the Lord of holls, drink ye, and be drunken, and fpue, c and fall, and rife no more. * The Lord (hall roar from on high ; e he fhail give a fhout, as they that tread the grapes, againlt all the ' inhabitants of the earth. A noife fhall come even to the ends ' of the earth : for the Lord hath a eontroverfy with the nations ; 'he will plead with all fitfh ; he will give them that are wicked ' to the fword.§ • When the wicked fpnng as the grafs, and * when all the workers of iniquity do flounfh ; it is that they fhall 1 c be deltroyed forever.'|| In Dr. H's loofe way of arguing, by overlooking the true fenfe of words, God would here ieem to be the deftroyer, ' of all nations, of the ends of the earth, of all the * kingdoms of the world, of all the inhabitants of the earth, and of * all flefh.' — e And when all the workers of iniquity do flourifh ; * it is that they fhall be deltroyed forever.' In his loofe way of arguing, or rather perverting, all the human race, without ex- ception, are of this character, workers oj iniquity. For as the apoftle fays, ' they are all gone out of the way, they are together ■ become unprofitable ; there is none that doeth good, no, not ' one.' All therefore, in Dr. H's perverfe way of fpeaking, are workers of iniquity, and to be deitroyed forever. Thus, has he fet the example to make God the dejlroyer of all men, as well as the faviour of all. Infpiration, however, has folemnly cautioned us to make a difference between the precious and the vile. Such as will not turn * Luke iG. 25. + Pfal. 75 3. % Pfe'- n8. 10 S Jcrcm. 45. 15, 96—3* fj Pfci 9 2 V UniverfaUfm confounds and deftroys iife.lf. 45 turn from their iniquity, but perfevere in it till they die, and die in their own corruption; thefe will God deftroy forever. But fuch as turn from their evil ways, or the righteous, he will guide them with his counfel, and afterward receive them to glory. — We now come to the laft part of the Doctor's argument. All mankind are in union with Chrift, by human naturz, tind by covenant. — This is here introduced, to be kept in mind while we examine the other parts of his fcheme ; which will give opportunity to fee the amount of his notion of union of all men with Chrift. Letter IX. Part I. is defigned for this purpofe. Another argument Dr. H. ufes, to prove that all have repent- ance at death, . * ?. 33a, % P. 232. f , £zck. 2. £. || Rom, ; *4 Univerfalifm confounds and dejlroys itfeif. 4. A threatening of temporal and untimely death, which is to> be fet afide on condition of repentance, but certainly executepi on condition of perfeverance in fin ; it is impofiible fuch a threatening, going on Dr. H's ground, ever ihould be executed. Under the Jewdh difpenfation, fo from Adam down to Chrift, there were many divine threatening oi this nature : denouncing the temporal and untimely death of notorious finners, unlefsthey reDented. But it they repented they mould efcape the threaten- ing, or their lives ihould itill be continued. Some crimes there were, as adultery, fodomy, murder, &c. from which there was no deliverance. No deliverance, that is, when convicted in open court of any of thefe crimes ; in this cafe the Hie of the cnmi* iial mull go, as a ranfom for his crime. There were other crimes, however, or other cafes, from which they fhould be refcued, on condition of repentance, See in Ezek. xxxiii. 10— 20. Amoa v. 4 — 8, and many other places. Chrift laid to the Jews, Luke xiii. 3. * Except ye repent, ye (hall all likewife penfh.' Imply, ing, if they did repent, they ihould not in like manner penfh : fhould not die an aggravated and untimely death, as thofe Gali- leans did, ' whofe blood Pilate had mingled with their facrifices.? But if repentance takes place, as Dr. H. holds it dees with every impenitent finner, in his laft thought, or that which would be his laft expiring thought without his repentance ; this finner, having the offer and prornife of life in confequence of his re- pentance, would that iniiant be fnatched trom death, or have hi* life prolonged. No man can previously difcern between life and death ; or when the finner enters upon his laft expiring groan or thought. Omnifciency however can. And one moment or one day is with the Lord as a thou fan d years, and a thoufand years as one day. So one thought in the heart of man, as to his being pardoned, is fubftantially the fame with God, as a feries of tkought*. Every prornife of grace is made to the finner, to be fceftowed in him, and made fure, atthe iniiant of his turningto God. * Before they call I will anfwer, and while they are yet fpeak- ' ing, I wilihear.'* The iniiant the firmer's heart feels humble, and he of courfe bows to God, the whole fcene is reverfed. He then (lands upon the ground of a juflificdperfon, all his paft fins being Hotted out. 'At what in [i ant I ihall fpeak concerning 1 a nation, and concerning a kingdom, to pluck up, and to pull. 4 down, and to deflroy it : If that nation againft whom I have • pronounced, turn from their evil, 1 will repent of the evil I ' thought to do unto them.'t This muff apply to every individ- ual, as well as to bodies of men, throughout the world. And it mufi * Iki. 65. a. 4. + Jerem. 18. 7> 8- tin iv erf a lifm confounds and dejlr&y s life If 55 inuft apply in the inftant of death. We have an example to il- luflrate it, in Numb. xvi. The next day after the awful deftruc- tion of Korah and his company, in confequence of the people's beginning again to murmur, wrath went out from the Lord, and the plague began among them. And no fooner could Aaron take a cenfer, put fire therein from off the altar, put on incenfe, and run quickly into the midft of the congregation, than there * died 4 of the plague, fourteen thoufand and leveti hundred. And Aaron * flood between the dead and the living, and the plague was ffay- • ed.' Hundreds^ if not thoufands, were then refcued from death, as fuddenly as one thought follows another. We have other ex- amples of this fort in the bible. But a broken and contrite heart is the facrifice or incenfe, on the part of the (inner : That Which lays hold of the infinite righteoufnefs of Chrift, and ref- Cues the finner from death, in the fame fudden manner. How is it poflible, therefore, for men to die with holinefs of heart, un- der the circumftances above ftated ? If God lifts up his hand, if he is, this inftant, about to give the ftroke, fo as to feparate foul and body afundcr, and the tinner's heart yields to the terms, on which his life is promifed to be prolonged, will not God flay his hand ? Has he not promifed to do it, and has he not illus- trated his promife ? Granting therefore, al Dr. H. zealoufly pleads, all men do become broken hearted before foul and body are difunited, and it is impoflible this conditional threatening of death ever fhould be executed. Dr. H's fcheme therefore ftands oppofed to the providence of God. Yea, it is a moft daring impeachment of divine providence. For more than four thoufand years did God threaten individuals, cities, nations, and kingdoms, with an un- timely judicial death ; giving them, at the fame time, a fpace of repentance ; promifing them, if they repented, that inftant he would repent ot the evil he thought to do unto them. The will of God, during this long feafon, was publickly made known, throughout all the earth. As God has executed his threatenings of this kind again and again, and from one age to another his cup of indignation gone round among all nations ; this fentiment of Dr. H's does verily charge God with a violation of his promife, and that he has continued fo long in the violation of it ; cutting off thofe who repent and turn at his reproof ; deftroying thole who become righteous, in the fame manner as though they per- fevered in unnghteoufnefs. When men die an untimely death, by the fword, famine, pefli. knee, or any other way, and they have had no exprefs warning from j$ Univerfalifm confounds and deftroys itfelf* from God that they fhould thus die, except they repented ; in aU fuch cafes we cannot conclude, from the circumftances of their death, whether they die with regenerated hearts or not. Men may alfo commit high treafon, murder, &c. which crimes always merit death, without any conditions of paid >n; but as they may improve their fhort fpace of repentance, relative to their future ljfe, they may of courie die heirs of eternal life. But if a murderer, who v:as under fentence of death by the authority of man, mould have the offer of pardon on condition of repentance, and we fhould afterwards hear that this murderer was executed ; we mould nati urally conclude that he died without repentance, that he went into eternity with murder in his heart. How much higher evi* dence have we when God threatens, and at the fame time offers pardon : God who is infinitely faithfurHo his promifes, who a- lone has the fupreme power of life and death, who knows the hearts of men, and in this cafe deals with men, even in this world, according to the feelings of their hearts : how much higher evi- dence have we to conclude, therefore, that thofe, who thus die by the execution of divine threatemngs, have died without re- pentance ? have gone into eternity with all their crimes ftill in their hearts, which God has charged upon them ? God has, ■ no 4 plea fu re in the death,' the untimely death, ' of the wicked ; ■ but that the wicked would turn from his way and live.'* God in ancient time fuited all his threatemngs of this kind, in the beft manner, to excite the wicked to turn to him and live—prolong their temporal lives. When the wicked, who were thus threat- ened, had turned to the Lgrd> although they were then upon the brink- of eternity, as near to eternity as one thought is to anoth- er ; there was the fame reafon they ihould be called back from eternity, as in any period of their lives, their days fhould ftill be prolonged. Becaufe, when the wicked had turned to the Lord, his threatening* had then anfwered their natural import. This fentiment, that all men do die with penitent hearts, muft of courfe be given up. Which is giving tip our author's whole fcheme. But if we do not give it up, we mull be found fighting againfb the cleared light of divine providence. A work fo daring, as is fcarcely to be expected from the mod flupidand ignorant among the heathen. 5. All the awful threatenings, in the word of God, and which the Doctor calls awful threatenings of vengeance, of deftru&ion, and of death, to the wicked ; on his plan, thefe are converted into the moll endearing promifes of grace and falvation. Thus, when God threatened to deflroy the inhabitants of the old world, by 3 deluge, » Ezck. 23. u. Univzrfalifm conjounds and dejlroys itftlf. 57 •deluge, and fixed the time of the expiration of an hundred and twenty years, this was, indeed, a moil gracious promife, that then he would brinjr them all to repentance and take them to heaven. Alio, in Dr. H's language, when that moft furpnfing meffage of deftru£tion by fire and bnmftone, came to Sodom and Gomorrah, |t was truly a general proclamation of grace and falvation. And when the angels fet themfelves to execute * the vengeance of eter- * nal fire' upon the inhabitants of thefe cities, their grand object muit have been to deliver them from ' the damnable power of * impenitence,' and take them all immediately to heaven ; except- ing righteous Lot and his two daughters. Divine truth informs us ' the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah was great', or it reached up to heaven. Dr. H. appears and fays, heaven heard their blaf- phemous cry, and fent and took them all up to the everlalting kingdom of glory ! If the reader will pleafe to turn to Gen. iii. 5. he will find language exactly correfponding with the Doctor's : 4 And the ferpent faid unto the woman, ye fhall not furely die'. 6. In Dr. H's fcheme, the day of death is eminently the day of grace, and the day of the out pouring of God's Spirit. When death comes, and fo anuredly as death comes to every individual mortal, the fan&ifying operations of the Holy Ghoft come with it. This is the doctrine of univerfalifm. Arid when any noted fea- fon in which death has been fpread through the land, or through the world, there was then a fpecial out-pouring of the divine fpir- it into the hearts of men. But we read in Gen. vi. 3. • And the *Lord faid. my fpirit {hall not always ftrive with man, for that * healfois flefh : yet his days fnali be an hundred and twenty years.' According to the tenour oiferipture; God here warns the inhabi- tants of the old world, iE they perfevered in their wickednefs, at the expiration of an hundred and twenty years, his fpirit mould no longer {hive with them ; they mould be wholly given up to their own vile affections, and deftrcyed in their own corruption. Had Dr. H. been there, he would have (aid, * this was a moil '•gracious promife ; and although they perfevered and increafed * in wickednefs, to ever fo high a degree, the holy fpirit would ' not be grieved with them, but would, at the end of the above 4 period, eminently ftrive with every creature, even to the fanc- * tificationofevery heart.' And when it was faid of the Cana^nites, as in Jolh. xi. 20. ' It was of the Lord to harden their hearts, * that they fhould come again ft Ifrael in battle, that he might de- stroy them utterly ;' Dr. H. would fay, * It was of the Lord to * fend his holy fpirit into their hearts, to favethem wholly, or to * take every one of them to heaven.' And when jofhua made H that 58 Univerfali/m confounds and defrays itfelf that genera! (laughter among the Canaanites, Dr. H. would foy that Jcfhua was thereby inftrumental of the univerfal out-pouring of God's fpirit among them ; and that God hardened their hearts and brought them againft Jofhua for this end. 7. Dr. H. cannot he in the Ieaft doubt, he mutt certainly know when to rejoice over repenting Tinners. When • the abandoned ( failor whofe head is taken off with a cannon ball, withan horrid 1 oath in his mouth ;' when Dr. H. is certain this abandoned creature is dead, he is then certain that he has become a true pen- itent, and is prepared to rejoice over him on this account. The Do£tor afks the qtieftion, 4 who dare fay of this character when 1 he is dead, I am certain that man mail burn forever in hell ?'* But he is certain ' that man' is then become a true penitent, and gone to heaven. He is as certain Tinners are become true peni- tents as he is certain they are dead. Or he is as certain when finners are dead, they have repented and gone to heaven, as he 2s of the truth of divine revelation. Therefore, he can have not the Ieaft hefitation when to rejoice over repenting finners, but he lias the fame certainty of the time when as the angels in heaven ; and that is when finners go down to the dead. Jere- miah fays, ' Oh that my head were waters, and mine eyes a foun- 1 tain 01 tears, that I might weep day and night for t'ie flain of the * daughter or my people.' But whenfuch vail multitudes, are brought to repentance, Dr. H. on this account, muff have a day of fpecial rejoicing. But it is needlefs to proceed any fur- ther, in mowing the abfurd confquences which naturally fellow from this fentiment, that all men die with renewed hearts. I am ns, the prayers, JlgHs, and groans of the blefled Jefus. * The* Lamb of God, which taker h away the fin of the world,' was cenftant'y before his eyes; The r^nd fclirme of divine grace, in its utmoft extent, Judas had an opportunity to learn, if any one of the forts of men ever had. Notwithftanding all this, Judas, »ably to our author, was degraded to the loweft feat in heav- en, there to remain to interminable ages. And, in the Doctor's own words, ' Good were it for him, if he had net- been born * that mah, or fuch a man.'h Although he here gives a wrong ■iclion of the text,! yet this is a full concefTion that it would have been 'far better for Judas, to have been born in fome re- mole part of the earth, and fo lived all his davs in the depth of pagan darknefs. He reprefents it alfo, as" a very kind providence which ordered things in fuch manner, that Judas hanged himfdf fo foon as he did. * Even this good, almighty government of ' Chrift fo ordered, that he hanged himfelf before he had further ' added to his wickednefs.' It would therefore been a great mercy * P. 190. f P. £8:. J Sec in Let. I. Part II. Univerfalifm confounds and dejlroys itfelf. 65 mercy to the traitor, if providence had removed him out of the world, either by his own hands as the inftrumental caufe, or fomc other way, before he had ever feen God manifeft in the fleih. Bat Dr. H. gives a fad detail of the dreadful things Judas fuffered in this world. ' Judas,' he fays, * was a notable Ion of * perdition, (ignally fo, a mofl miferable, loft, condemned Tinner, 1 until his death ; in perdition until that moment, even until foul * and body were feparated ; until then a fon of perdition in an * extraordinary degree.'* ■ Judas was loft in an awful manner ; 1 he was loft as an apoftle of Chrift ; loft as to all fervice in this * world ; loft with regard to all his comfort on earth ; loft as to all ' hope to fupport his own foul here.' * Judas went to his own * place, to a very horrible and ignominious death, in awful anguifh * and utter defpair.'* ' He indeed met with an awful and aggra- * vated damnation, in the higheft fenfe of the term. '+ Dr. H. fcems to want words to exprefs this higheft and mc ft awful dam- nation, Judas fuffered in this world. But this damnation or curfe, ' m the higheft fenfe of the term/ which fell upon the fon or perdition, muft be included either in the law or the gofpel. The Doctor fays, ' the gofpel knows no- ' thing at all of mifery, or torment, or the puniftiment of any mere * creature.' But he muft now grant thai the gofpel makes pro- vifi n, or leaves room for the curfe of the law to take hold of impenitent finners. And then it will followthatthe curfe of the law, though wholly done away as to believers, is in full force again It unbelievers. Or at leaft it was in full force againft: Judas. It will alfo follow that the gofpel delivers over tranfgrofTors, or at leaft it did deliver over one obftinate tranf- grelTor, to the curfe of the law. Whether a curfe be con- tained in the law or the gofpel, it is equally againft the Doctor. His fcheme, however, fhall anfwer for itfelf. — * What God will ' infacl do with mankind,' fays he, * as united to a mediator, — : Or how, in very deed, God hath promifed to deal with man, 1 in that union with the fecond Adam : What his condition fhall ' certainly be, in this life, and in the life to come. This I call ' pure gofpel. 'J The gofpel therefore he calls the voice of fuel. ' What God will infacl do with mankind, as united to a media- * tor.' By this he means all mankind ; for he receives ' the me- * diatortobein equal conne6tion with all human nature.' What- ever therefore isfacl, or whatever takes place in the courfe of providence, ' in this lite, and in the life to come,' is the language or fulfilment of * pure gofpel.' But the curfe, or, which is the fame, damnation in the higheft fenfe, came on one of the hu- I man ** P. 189, igq. f P. 262. % P. 26. 66 Univerfaiifm confounds and defrays itfilfi man kind. This is declared by Dr. H. to be a jail. There- tore a curfe is contained in the gofpel. Thus far the Doctor's interpretation of the gofpel. At one time, it knows nothing at all of the mifery of any mere human creature. At another, Dr. H. is in want of words toexprefs the height of the curfe, which does infacl fall on one mere human creature. ;hermore,accordingtoDr. H. what enhanced Judas' wick- ednefs, above all things; was his livingand dying inoppohtion to the ' blefled truth' of univerfaiifm. He had an opportunity, if any of the human kind ever had, to learn this doctrine. But he die ' ' in awful ahguifh and utter defpair,' — { left as to any hope 1 to fupport his foul here.' This obltinate and perfevenng op- pofition to the doctrine of univerfal falvation. if the Doctor's words are true, greatly enhanced his fin. The Doctor often la- bours to (how the aggravated wickednefs fuch are guilty of, as do not embrace his fcheme. And he fays, , a man is always mifer- ' able in this world, in proportion to the degree of wickednefs that -nis him.'* Had Judas therefore never heard of the name of Jefus, or had he known nothing of the gofpel, he could not have been guilty of fuch aggravated fin, neither could he have been fubjected to fuch exquifite torment. So that the gofpel eventually proved a vafl evil to the fon of perdition. It certain- jv was, as Dr. H. fays, the great eft pofTible evil to him here in time, and a partial evil or curfe to him to eternity ; if we allow a privation or partial privation of happinefs to be an evil. It will here be objected : Judas is perfectly contented with his degraded lot in heaven ; being wholly freed from pride arid eve- iv impure emotion of heart; being perfectly holy, and of courfe completely happy. It will, notwithstanding, forever remain a truth that Judas would haveefcaped thofeinexpreflible evils here in rime, and enjoyed greater degrees of happinefs in eternity, had he been all his davs wholly flint out from the direct knowledge of the gofpel : this mull be granted on the ground of univerfaiifm. And on the fame ground muft be granted what the apoftle Peter fays, to have its import without end : ' It had been better for them * not to have known the way of ri The wicked Jh all go away into everlajling happi- nejs ! In another place, he fays, ' No unclean thing (hall enter ' there.' At the fame time, he has given no notice of his invert- ing the meaning of words. But, by faying, In heaven Chrift fuffers for them, in their room and (lead ; by this he can find no relief, till he has erafed out of his book all the evils or fufferings, lie has related of Judas. 5. All the folemn warnings he has given to the wicked, to a- waken them, and to aroufe them to an efcape from hell, by re- pentance, he muff alfo blot entirely out of his book. The pains of hell, he now calls the joys of heaven. But, 6. The moll remarkable confequence from the above premif- es is this : The evils of every kind, throughout the bible, threat- ened to wicked men, or though wicked men be named in then/, are, neverthelefs, aimed wholly at Chrifl. — * In Chrift, the head ' of every man, they go away into everlafting punifhment. Iri * him they fuffcr infinite puniihment, i. e. he fuffers for them, in * their room and ftead.' Thus, every diftrefs, pain, forrow, puniihment, mifery, torment, or death ; temporal or eternal ; all the evil, from the beginning to the end of the bible, threaten- ed to the wicked, or rather named to them, is aimed directly at Chrift, and comes wholly on him ; while men univerfally efcape. ' In their room and ftead,' Chrifl fuffers every threatened evil for them ; this is the confequence of the Doctor's reafoning. ' The gofpel tells," he fays, * what the fonof God deferves,' and * the law damns even the human nature oi the Son of God, in a s way of furetifhip.'* What the law fpeaks alfo, is never to 4 take * place on man at all, any othcrwife than in his furety.'t And ' the gofpel fpeaks not one uncomfortable word to any mere * creaiure^X He therefore makes the law and the gofpel, or the whole word of God, to be one continued hiflory of the fuf- ferings of Chrift only. But, is it poflible for Dr. H. to believe his own words ? If fo, then mufl he apply to Chrift what was prophefied of Ahithophel and Judas. — « Add iniquity unto their iniquity ; and let them 1 not come into thy righteoujnefs. Let them be blotted out of ' the book of the living, and not be written with the righteous.'^ Let there be none to extend mercy unto him. Ashe loved curf- * ling, fo let it come unto him; as he delighted not in bleffing, fo let B it be far from him. As he clothed himfelf with curling as with 6 a garment, fo let it come into his bowels like water, and like oil 4 into 1 ? g* 63. t P. 35. t P. 43. ^ Pfal. 69. 27, 28. 96 Univerfaltfm confounds and dejlroys itfelf. * into his bones. Let his days be few; and let another take his * office. Let his children be fatherlefs, and his wife a widow. * Let this be the rezoardot mine adverfaries from the Lord, and £ of them that fpeak evil againft my foul :'* The reward of Chrift liimfelf, in Dr. H's language. So what was foretold of the idol. atrous Ifraelites 'They fhall pafs through it, hardly beftead and * hungry : and it mail come to pafs, that, when they fhall behun- * gry, they (hall fret themfelves, and curfe their King and their * God, and look upward. And they fhall look unto the earth ; * and, behold, trouble and darknefs, dimnefs of anguifh ; and they * fhall be driven to darknefs. '+ Again, that irrevocable threat- ening to the blafphemer againft the Holy Ghofl : ' It fhall not * be forgiven him, neither in this world, neither in the world to * come. 'J Dr. H. mull apply to Chrift himfelf* ! — We fhall fee more on this fubjecl, in our next Letter. I am, &c. ■•*£>•£<- «#*< LETTER VII. Dr. H's opinion of law and g of pel, continued. My dear Friend, WE fhall again obferve, III. More particularly on wliat has been often brought into view. And, in contradiction to all Dr. H. has faid, as to the curfe of the law being done away, feveral of his leading doc- trines argue it to be ftill in full force. — ' Judas indeed met with an * awful and aggravated damnation, in the higheft fenfe of the 1 term, in the true fcripture meaning of it, as it relate.s to any * mere man perfonally. What this damnation or perdition was,, 1 I have before fhown.'§ The Do&or had before fhown, as we have feen, this damnation to have been endured in this world ; and this is the only exception he has made, when applying the word, damnation^ to the fufferings of Judas. Confining of it to this life only, and we muft, of courfe, in every other view un- uerftand it according to its conftant meaning ; which, in every paft age, has fignificd complete mifery, and that according to the full defert of the perfon thus fuffering damnation. Should it here be objected-, that it was impoftible for Judas to have fuffer- ed, although his fufferings were complete, the full defert of his fins, in fuch a fhort fpace of time, or in any limited term ; then the * Pfui. 1C9. 8, 9. &c. t IfaL 8- ti 3 22. % Matt. 12. 32. § P- 3G2. Univerfalifm confounds and dejlroys itfelf. 97 'he queftion is, .why has Dr. H. ufed the word, damnation, in •liis inftance PHemuftbeanfwerableforhis own mifufe of words. This word, damnation, he has ufed ; which has ever been re- ceived to import a complete execution of the curfe of the law, anfwerable to the ill defert of the perfon thus curfed. And he has given us 120 notice that he defigned any thing; by the word, lefs or more, than its eftabliftied Signification ; that is, in his applica- tion of it to Judas, excepting his reftriftion of it to this life. And we here (ee the accurate relation he has given us of the * fon of perdition ;' not only that he' met with an awful and aggravated damnation, in the higheft fenfe of the term, but in the true fcrip- ture meaning of it, as it relates to any mere man personally.' Now ■ the moral law,' Dr. H. fays, ' every where fpeaks to man in his own perfonal character ; the gofpel in that of the Medi- an.'* ' What is juft and right for God to do with us, confider- ed in our perfonal character, and defert. This I (hall call the pure voice of juft ice to man, without regard to an atonement or a mediator.'t Therefore, granting the gofpel ever to fpeak in the character of the Median, and to fpeak nothing but good to man, as Dr. H. fays ; then it mufl have been the law, in its full ftrength, which took hold of Judas, and infli&ed this curfe upon him : he being considered in his own perfonal characler and de- fert ; and without regard to an atonement, or a mediator. Unlefs the law had thus taken hold of him, how could he have fuffered as he did ? It was not by virtue of the gofpel, for this Dr. H. fays contains no evil thing to man. It mufl of courfe have been the law, the pure voice of juftice, executing its curfe on Judas, equal to his defert. And the Do6lor employs the mod pertinent words, and almoft every word, generally ufed to iignify the curfe of the law ; inflicted on the (inner proportionate to his defert. * Judas,' he fays, • was a notable fon of perdition, fignally fo ; 1 a sioft mifcrable, loft, condemned (inner ; in awful anguifh, and ' utter defpair ;' and many other (imilar words. And Judas's damnation, which has ever been underftood to be the curfe of the law, he has fummed up in the fupcrlative degree. Thus, the Doctor's arguing goes to prove that Judas fuffered, in perfon, and according to his perfonal defert, the full weight of the curfe o f the law. This is to prove the curfe of the law to be flill in fu * force againfl impenitent doners. Or that it was in full force \\ gainftone impenitent dnner, and has been executed uponhim 2 . To the fame import the Doftor has thefe expredions. — ' A m , * is always miferable in proportion to the degree of wickedn^ a ' that governs him. 'J — • Hence we fee how fit it is, that all P ^ N ' fhouldfi T1 * P. 3«- + »•• 26. % P. 234. t$ Univerfa llfrn c o njo u n ds a n d dejlroy s 2 if elf. 1 fhould be attended, or rebuked with pain and forrow, whidr* ' never fails to be the cafe.'* — * Men ought indeed, to be deter- * red from fin by fear of hell : For hell in an awful degree, and ' the pains of it, attend all fin.'t As if a man had need be de- terred from the fword, or warned to efcape it, while it is now piercing him through ! For he here makes fin, and the pains of hell, keep pace together ; and the Tinner to have no greater mif- ery to fear than what he now feels. He makes a great and fol- emn outcry, concerning the fword of divine vengeance, that'it is juit ready to overtake tinners ; then tells them iris nothing but what they now feel. But, by thefe exprefhons, he determines the curfe of the law to be ftill in force againff impenitent finners.. For this awful degree of the pains of hell, which he fays attends all fin, has been always underftood to mean the curfe of the law. So, if ' a man is always mifcrable in proportion to the degree of * wickednefs that governs him,' then is he always punifhed in proportion to his defert ; than/which the curfe of the law can ex- tend no further. The Doctor fays again; * The hell'that'the devils are in, and * that all mankind deferve, and are condemned to, by the law of ' God, is nothing but perfection of fin, with its infeperable con- ■ ne61ions and confequenceS.'J This, with other things, he fays, makes out three arguments, either of which proves the curfe of the law to be in force againft the difobedient, and that it is always executed upon them. As, 1. By thefe * infeperable connexions and confequences,' the Doctor perhaps means a guilty confcience, with fome other at- tendant evils. But whatever thefe evils be, they mull be inftan- taneous evils.. For, if the finner have not received the full re- ward of his iniquity, as faft as he goes along, and this reward, or thefe evils whi(ih attend his iniquity be infeperable connections and confequencesof it, and remaining yet to be inflicted upon him in fome future time, then how is it poflible for him to ef- cape, immediately, the defert. of his iniquity, or the evils attend- ing it, by becoming holy ? If the evils connected with fin re- main for the lead fpace of. time, after they become due, to be inflicted on the fmncr, it is certain he cannot efcape them imme- diately, by becoming holy. But, whether the finner receives the evils connected with his fin as faff as he pafTes along, or whether he receives them in fome future time,. yet, in either cafe, he is- certain to receive them ; provided they be infeperable connec- tions and confequences, as Dr. H. aflerts them to be. As he often fays, however, that finners immediately efcape all the evils of * P. 294. t V. 197. t P- 238' Univerfalifm confounds and deft rays it/elf-. 99 of, fin, by turning from it, it follows, allowing thefe infcparable. connexions and confequences, that they receive the utmoft of their defert of fin as fait as they go along ; fo as nothing after- ward remains to be infli&ed upon them, further than as they again commit fin. Therefore, Dr. H. has not only given us his opin- ion of ' the hell that all mankind defervc, and are condemned * to, by the law of God,' but he has very itrongly argued that all mankind do indeed fuffer the pains of this hell, proportionate to their defert, and the degrees of wickednefs that govern them ; and that they fuffer thefe pains of hell as fall as they have merited them ; fo that no part remains afterwards due to them, not even for the (hor^eft fpace of time. This as clearly decides the curfe or" the divine law to be in full force, as though the Doclor had exprelfed it in direct terms, 2. This hell, he favs, which * is nothing but the perfection of * fin, is the hell that the devils are in.* By which he argues, as far as men have arrived to the .perfection of fin, fo far they endure the fame fufferings, and are in the fame hell as the devils are. And * fallen men,' he fays, * became as bad as fallen angels, at 'their firit apoltacy, according to their capacity,'* He has alfo made his opponents as bad in a moral view as devils : they join, lie fays, witli fatan in all he does. So he fixes all wicked men, efpecially his opponents, with devils, in one and the fame hell : they having come to die fame perfection of fin with devils. And he fays he has ■ the felf fame idea of the nature of the mifery of ' hell, as Calvin had.'t Calvin held, it is well known, that hell, the hell prepared for devils, was a place of the utmoit torment, where the curfe of the law is completely executed. 3. Dr. H. fays, ' We know of no faviour provided for them ' (the devils), or that ever will be.— There is not the leaft intima- « tion of grace in hell. 'J In the fame connection he defcribes devils as fufferiu'-- ' long continued anguifh and pain, and the ut- • moll torment ;' and that the perfonal fuffering of devils befpeaks • the pure voice of juilice.' This, as plainly as words can, ar- gues that the devils fuffer the utmoil of the curfe of God's law, or exaclly according to their defert. As Dr. H. fixes wicked men in the fame hell with devils, fo he makes them fufTer the fame curfe, and the utmoil of the curfe. And whether devils receive their full wages of fin as fall as they go along, or not, yet the Doftor has decidedly ftiown that fallen men receive the full defert of their fin, all its inf per able connexions and confequences, in fuch manner as not one mite remains due to them, not even for a moment of time. Is it pof- fible * P. 144. + p. i 72) , 73 . \ p. 207. ico Univerfalifm confounds and dflroys it/elf. fible for the craft and cunning of fatan to devife a hell better fuited to gratify carnal hearts than this ? Hell nothing but per- feclion of fin, with its infeperable connexions and confequenc- as ! and fi'nners told to believe they have already fuffered the ufc- moft, yea all their fins deferve ; the Doctor, however, cannot claim the honour of being the author of it ; the fame kind of doc, trine was delivered by the ferpent, in the garden pi Eden, al- moft fix thoufand years ago. The Doctor's 'fyfem of real grace, ifiuing in the falvation 8 of all men,'* is now at an end. If his own arguments be ad- mitted, not one of the human kind can ever be faved by grace'. They cannot be faved from the curfe of the law by grace, for every one fuffcrs the curfe as fail as he merits it. How is it pof- fible for men to be faved from the curfe, when they have already endured it, proportionate to their defert ? How is it poffible for men to be faved from hell, when they have ajready endured all the hell their fin deferves ? — when hell and fin are infeperable I And on this ground men cannot be forgiven, for they have noth- ing to be forgiven of ; they have already fuffered all the demand juftice had againft them, fo that nothing remains to be forgiven. The man that conftantly pays for all he receives, wherever he has commerce, can have no debt lying againft him ; but is upon even, fcores with all men, or no juft charge ever could have been made; againft him. Therefore, none of his fellow men could, by an a6l of grace, relinquifh a debt to him ; for no one has any againft him. On Dr. H's plan, finners keep even with divine juftice ; they fufTer momentarily, not the leaft particle of time behind, fo as to fatisiy all the demand juftice has upon them : hence the impofiibility of their being forgiven. How is it poffible for them to be forgiven, when there is nothing due from them, and noth- ing to be forgiven ? How is it poflible for grace to interpofe, and relinquifh a demand juftice has againft them, when juftice has no demand againft them ? But what could more exaclly agree with the corrupt defires of wicked men, than for them to be told they are even with divine juftice ? That the hell they fuffer, in this world, is coequal with every demand againft them ! This fenti- ment, however, lies at the bottom of univerfalifm. And fhows this fcheme to be agreeable to the perverfe Feelings of all natii- ral men. On this ground alfo, finners cannot, with propriety, be called on to repent, and cpnfefs their fins before God. They have fuf- fered all they deferve, they have no debt lying againft them, therefore have nothing to confefs. Neither is there need of their repenting, * Title page. Vnivtrfalifm confounds and deflroys itfeff. lot repenting, in order to efcape the evil due to them for their fin ; for no evil ever remains due to them for their fin. Again, on Dr. H's ground, mould (inners become perfectly holy, they would be entitled to heaven and happinefs, on the covenant of works. They have already fuffered ' the pains of \ hell in an awful degree,' and fuffered all they deferve ; of courfe, have atoned for their fins, as fall as they have committed them. Therefore, mould they become perfe6tly holy, they would Hand on the fame footing as though they had never finned. A fubjeft that has injured his prince, at the fame time, by fine, imprison- ment, or fome other way, has made amends, as the law demands ; provided he now becomes an obedient fubjeft, he can claim of his prince, by the rules of juftice, the protection of his intereft and perfonal happinefs, in the fame manner as though he had done nothing amifs. So, if finners make amends, by their own Suffer- ings, for their violations of God's law, as Dr. H. argues they do, they muff then, whenever they become perfectly holy, be com- pletely reflored to divine favour, by their own merit. Their fins, as thefe are all atoned for by their own meritorious fufferings, mull be entirely forgotten. And as they are now perfectly obe- dient, they muff be entitled to the fame perfonal reward, as if they now began to exiit in a ftate of perfect obedience. Furthermore, fuppofe finners turn from fin, and become holy only in part, as is indeed the ca.fe ; ftill, if we admit Dr. H's arguments, they are then juftified by works, and not by grace. Suppofe the imperfect believer to have two degrees of fin, and three degrees of holinefs ; as his fuffering;, his * hell,' Dr. H. tells of, Satisfies for his two degrees of fin, his three degrees of holi- nefs muft be meritorious in point of law, in the fame fort as if he were wholly free from fin, and wholly free from fuffering. And this will hold as to any proportion of fin and holinefs. ' The hell, the Doftor has introduced into this world ; the mif- ery of men, which is always as the degree of wickednefs that governs them ; makes it impoffible they mould, in any cafe what- ever, be fubjefts of divine grace. He has introduced this hell, making of it terminate in this world, to rid himfelf of the awful threaten ings of an endlefs hell, in the world to come. In fo do- ing, he has declared the grace of God to be totally ufelefs. He cannot now plead, that it is an aft of grace, for God to pour out his fpirit on finners, and turn them from fin to holinefs. On his plan, it would be no more an aft of grace for God to create ho- ly hearts in finful men, than it was to create Adam holy, in the beginning. It was an aft of goodnefs for God to create Adam ho- ■192 Univerfalifm confounds and dcfi/cys itfdjl iy, at firfr. ; but not an aft of grace. It was an aft of goodneffi for him to uphold elect angels, while others fell ; but not an aft of grace. Grace implies favour or good.befiowed on fuch as de- ierve nothing but evil ; and, UH(ofs theperfon receiving good .ilands condemned by the Jaw, it cannqt be an aft of grace. Sin- ners, granting their fufferings to be anfwerahfe to their fins, are every moment placed on, as good footing, , in point of law, as if they every moment began their exiftance anew. Yea.,,in Dr. H ? s fcheme, t!ie fufferings of fiiinc.rs, in this world, evidently anfwe.r in lieu of per feci holinefs ; placing them on the fame foundation of works, or making them even with juftice, as though they had hitherto lived in perfeft holinefs. In this cafe, therefore, fliould God create tinners anew, ajter his own hojy image, and by this deliver them from the great evil of fin ,; although it might be elteemed as an aft of eminent goodnefs in him, yet it would not be reckoned an aft of grace. It could no more be reckoned an aft of grace, than for God to remove fome natural evil, where there is no criminality, and where ju fti.ee has no demand. In the beginning, there was an a6l of diy me goq chief's, removing the great evil of natural darknefs, or bringing natural light into ex- i/lence ; which has ever fmce occa/ioned happinefs to millions of holy beings. And .God prevented .evculalhng evil taking place c.n the cleft angejs, when he was under no more obligation to do it, than-he was to uphold fuch as Jell. This eminent aft of good- nefs was done without a mediator, and without the lead mani- feflation of grace. If God can .prevent evil without the Ieait manifeftation of gcace, he can alio recover from evil, without the lead manifeffation qf grace ;. provided neither law nor juflice ftand in the way. In Dr. H's i'cnk, the fufferings of finners fulfil the whole law ; and the perfeft obedience of holy angels can do no more. Hence, finners merit a recovery from Ijn, on his .plan, and all the evils of it, as much as eleft angels merited that aft of divine goodnefs, by which they wcr,e upheld; and di- vine grace is difplayed in one cafe no more than ;n the other. Where then are the Do6ior's high encom.iums on the grace of God ? — ' All grace — infinite grace, as it refpc£b finners: Sov- * reign grace in their regeneration, conversion, the gift ofrepent- 4 ance, faith, holinefs, confolation, perfevcrance, eternal glory : ' All grace, free grace, fovercign grace, unfearchable riches of * grace, from God to man.'* — Many other like expreflions, the Doftor ufes ; pretending, that, in his fchem,e, ' free grace and ■ mere mercv abound to finners, more than could be poflible in " any other way. '+ But when finners fuller damnation to the uttermofl ; * P. 121. + P. 11'. Univerfalifm confounds and defrays iff if. ic^ uttermoft ; when they fuffer hell itfelf the fame as devils do ; «md when every finner has fuflered all the mifery he has hitherto deferved, this grace, it Teems, is only a found without fubitance. The difciples of Dr. H, and all that deny future punifhment, are now welcome to come forward and make their choice : one or the other of the following things they muft Chobfe. Either firft, that the curfe of the law is wholly done away ; or fecondly, that it is partly in force, or only in force as it relates to'tbis life; 6r thirdly, thai the fufferings of men inthis life have no' reference to the divine law, but are the infeparabie connexions and Confe- rences of fin — fin, in its own nature, or according to the nature .of things, being necefTarily connected' with mifery. As to the i. Suppofe the curfe of the law be wholly done away, and of courfe no curfe threatened in the gofpelj we are then brought back again on the fame ground : all the threatenings to men, in : the bible, are but an empty found.- — With equal propriety ano- ther famous divine may rife up and afTert, that all the ble flings pro- mifedin the bible, tothe righteous, are words without meaning. Befide, if the curfe of the lav/ be wholly done with, and no evil to finners threatened in the facred volume, then God punifhes finners, in this world certainly, without law or gofpel, without rule. He may, ti^";efore, do the feme in the next world. Hence, we have no fecurity on this ground. 2. Suppofe the curfe of the law be in force, only as it relates to this life, then again tfie threaten in gs which look forward to eternity, are but ah empty found! This renders ufelefs a con-- iiderable part of the facred writings. And, as well may one rife up and plead, that all the bleffings that look forward to eternity are without meaning. But if the curfe of the law remains in force as to the prefent, and repealed as to the future life ; then how do * the law and the gofpel, being diametrically oppofite to each 1 other, run fide by fitie in eternity, in the fame manner as they do * in time V Then what becomes of that grand argument, on which- the Docfor would build his whole fcheme ? 3. If the fufferings of men in this life have no reference to the divine law, but are infeperably connected with fin — fin, accord- ing to the nature of things, necelfarily conne&ed with mifery ;. then all threatenings, whether they relate to time or eternity, are at an end. Dr. H. directs civil rulers to * enaft good and wholc- ' fome laws, in favour of all virtue, and good conduct ; and in * terrible oppofrtion to all- wickednefs.'* The rcafon for this is,. he fays, * hardened finners are not at all reflrained by the threat- *enings of eternal damnation. — Prefent, vifiblepunilhments (Irike 4 them * P. 294- 104 Univerfalifm confcunds and dejiroys i if elf. * them with dread, and greatly reftrain them. A fine, a prifori, * a whip, and a gibbet have great influence to fupprefs their en- ormities.'* But how fo, if fin and mifery, in the nature of things, are infeparable ? And ' a man always miferable according to ' his degree of wickednefs ?' On this plan, a man may as well change places with the culprit, at the flake, and take the thirty- nine lames on his own body, as to (land fpectator at the fcene. Every one's mifery is necelfary, in the nature of things, to his fin, and cannot be increafed only as he increafes in fin : thus the Doctor's grofs impofition upon common fenfe. Again, provided the fufferings of men in this life have no re- ference to the divine law, then they do not fufier for their fins. Neither is fin, in this cafe fistful ; that which has no reference to the divine law, has no criminality in it. And Dr. H's book, throughout, gives a wrong colouring both to fin and holinefs ; tending to blend them together, fo to difguife the real nature and defert of fin. To pretend the mifery of men, in this life, is in proportion to their fins, is at once to make fin quite anoth- er thing from what it is, and reduce it almoft to nothing. Al- lowing the wicked to have fome degree of trouble, in this world, what is this compared to their full defert ? — '*• Until I went into * the fanftuary of God ; then underftood I their end. How are ' they brought into defolation, as in a moment ! They are ut- * terly confumed with terrors. 't As this pretended ■ fyltem of real grace' ends in a fyflem of works, the mod confufed and contradictory, it would be need- lef s to follow the Doclor any further, were it not to fee how he abounds in contradictions. From this motive we may proceed, and obferve again, IV. To form an unanfwerable argument, and make us be- lieve future ponifhmentto be impoflible, Dr. H. reafons thus : * God himfelf has fixed his own laws, in our fouls, that abfo- 1 lutely forbid it. The law of nature is as really and truly the 4 law of God, as the written word. Thofe natural and inevita- 1 ble feelings, which are common to all rational creatures, whe- 1 ther holy or finful, whether angels or men, or of whatever rank ' or defcription, are indeed the laws of God. The whole law of ■ nature is the law of Jehovah, the Author of nature ; and a pure * law too. By this law of God, he has made it forever abfolute- 1 ly impoflible that any creature mould cordially, without any 4 averfion of foul, freely confent to be forever and ever in the * moll inexpreflible pain and torment. God's law of nature cries ' out againft it, with all the authority of the divine Being him. 4 felf. * P. 230. + Pfal. 73- 17, iq. Univcrfalifm CQvJounds and dejircys itfeif, i©£ « felf. Much lefs can any holy foul be willing to be an eternal 6 firmer, an everlafting enemy to God, which is the grand, efien- 8 tial thing in that hell the limit avians plead for. 5 * The Doctor here feeks to find a cover, by faifely aliening that his opponents hoid hell to be nothing but perfection of fin, that they alio hold that a man rauft be * willing to be an everlafting 4 enemy to God, 7 before he can be fayed, which is contrary to the law of God. Yet his meaning is that the law of God cries out againft: the endlefs damnation of finners ; or it is plain he would here crowd this idea into the minds of his readers. He fays, ! the law of nature is as really and truly the law of God, as 1 his written word. Thefe natural and inevitable feelings, which • are common to all rational creatures, whether holy or (infill, ' whether angels or men, cr of whatever rank or defcription,ars ' indeed the law of God.* But who does not know that impen- itent finners, univerfally, wifh they might not be eternally damn, ed, whether they ever repent in this life or not ? To make it cer- tain this will not be their awful doom, it is natural for them to defire that all men might efcape eternal damnation. But thefe inevitable feelings, the laws of nature, even the defires of finners, Dr. H. calls the law of God, and a pure law too ; and thefe in- evitable feelings cry out againft endlefs damnation. Therefore his argument is, the law of God cries out againft the endlefs dam* nation of finners, and whether they ever repent, or not. He of- ten has recourfe to this argument from his own experience, and on the principle that his ' own foul is formed on the general, the 4 univerfal plan of human nature. 't Again, he fays, ' You, my reader, know, in your own foul, that you fincercly and cordially love your neighbour, and daily give him every poiTible proof of it. 'J He goes on here to extol the \o\e we have towards our neighbours ; then afks the queftion, What this love h when com. • pared to the wonderful love, mercy and pity tffe redeemer dai- • ly fhows toward every child of Adam ?' — He dire&ly adds, • After all |his, for us to fay, that it is his will and difpofuion to • damn mbft of mankind in perfon, to all eternity, appears to mc • not honourable to the :rue character of Chrilt, or agreeable to • his word.' This love, as the Boftor calls it, toward our own falvation, and the falvation of our neighbours, ■ whether we arc 4 holy crfinful,' he had before afferted to be the principle im- planted in us by the author of nature, it being the law of God itfeif. Therefore if wafeel a defire to efcape hell, that our neigh* feours alfo Ihould efcape, God feels a defire infinitely greater, and will certainly fulfil that defire. This is a capital argument among O univerfalilti. ' *• 2-8. i ?. gig, | p, 32 a. io6 XJnivtrfaliJm confounds and deft roys ti/eij* univerfalifls. But finners, the moft abandoned efpecially, wift with their whole hearts, as the only chance they have while they perfeveie in fin, that all men might he faved. This Dr. H, calls the law ot God, which cries for the falvation cf all men, and cries againft the eternal perdition' of finners. Now view the Doctor in his own drefs/ Thefe inevitable jedizgs of nature , or the law of God, he fays, cries out aganft the endiefs mifery of tman, with alt tht authority of the divine Being him fe If. A- gain, he lays, * Thelaw every where denounces the infinite and * evei trifling wrath ot God, ana endiefs mifery to man, in cafe of * the lead failure. The law knows nothing of mercy or of miti- * gation.'* ' The law demands perfection ; curfes for want of it - 8 and cries vengeance.'t '■ Thus has Dr. H. fet the divine law', «r what he calls - the divine law, at ?n 'eternal war with itfelf. To let up our own feelings for the rule of judgment, is to fub^ vert all rule and order, whether civil Or facred. The murderer, for inftance, has his inevitable feelings, at the bar of civil juflice ; crving out "again ft the law 1 that condemns him. ' To follow Dr. H's rule, this murderer mud accordingly be acquitted. • Dr. H. would have, as we have feerr, * civil rulers enael good laws, in tcr^ * ribleoppofinon to all wickednefs.' But why f'o ? This pure law % which is indeed the law oj God, in every man's bread, mull fuptrcedeall human laws, So when the prophets, or Chrift and the apoiiles come with a revealed law, it mult firfi be tried by this fiandard within, a tram of endiefs contradictions. We ihall therefore content out fe'ves with the fallowing Jiimmtiry di' what wv have fern m this; and the I art preceding Letter. — The law and the gofpel not only fiandrin drre& oppofition to each other, as to tfieir outward operation, but in their own natures are they in jarring oppo- fition — The curfe of the law is tall v fatisfied in Chrift ; It ill ihz law tries vengeance; and cries againft the honour of God, and the happinefs of the univerfe — The gofpel, ike voice of fatl^ fpeaks nothir.gbut good to men ; Hill it is a fall, Judas and all the wicked, while in this life, firffer hel! itfelf — The voice of tht who] * p. #. t p. & tfttivirfalifm confounds and dtftroyi itfelf. icy i Ivhalelaw, and the voice of the gofpel are exceedingly diftincl, and diametrically oppofke ; but they perfectly agree in this, thz falvation of all men — Thegofpel is all grace, unfearchable riches pf grace, frora God to man, and the only way of falvation for foil men ; but all men are juliified, and faved on the covenant of works — Thecurfeof the law, and every evil threatened to men, and ail that men defcrve, is inflicted on C brill ; men fuffer, how. ever, the full defert of their fin, as fafi as they become guilty — . The law cries out againft eternal perdition, and pleads for the fal- vation of all ; but. this law every where denounces the infinite wrath of God, and endlefs mifery to man. — Thefe glaring con- tradictions lie at the bottom of the Doctor's fcheme. 'If this * diftinftion of law and gofpel is without foundation,' he fays, ' my whole argument falls to the ground. So does the whole of 6 divine revelation. 8 * Two principles, dire£i ly oppofite to each ether, cannot both be true. And a fcheme built entirely with contradictions mull fall to the ground. But we fee what value Dr. H. puts upon revelation, when he will as readily renounce it wholly, as he will give up thofe arguments which will iorever fre jarnng and warring together, I am, 8cc, •^f* &•*§*« LETTER VIII. Dr. H' 's feniiment that believers have only negative virtue, compared to the characler he takes to himfelf. My dear Friend, TO pave the way for all to go to heaven, umverfalifts often reduce believers much upon alevel with unbelieveres. But would affume to themfelves an eminent fhare of chriftian virtue ; profeffingto abound in love for the happiness of their fellow-men. Accordingly, Dr. H. fays, ' Whatever difference there may J be between the grace given to one and another, in this life, the ' character, temper and ways of ail the human race agree in ma- * ny things more than they differ. Bring all the human race to- * gether, and their diflimilitude will be very fmaif, in comparifon * to their general agreement. A prefent believer hath, indeed, ' fomething, which a prefent unbeliever hath not ; and God ' knows what a little fomething it is.'f By • the grace given to * one and another, in this life,' the Doctor means that fome degree ©f grace is given to all men. * Ail men,' he fays, ' are much the 1 better * P. 19a. + P. 2-7. jsfl Univcrfalifm confounds and defzroys itfeff 4 better for Chrift, and on account of the influence he has oft * their heaits.' This we have feen in Letter IV. The littU fomeihinv of difference between believers aud infidels, he there* fore gives off with an air of contempt. ' God knows what a * Hide fomething it is !' Dr. H. fays again, ■ When we fpeak of the good heart of be. ' lie vers, and of their good and holy lives ; and when we find * thefe epithets in fcripture, they are never to be underftood in ' firiti propriety offpeech, but only in a comparative fen \fe i. c. * Itfs wicked^ in the cxercifes of their hearts, as to the real mat- * ttr of thefe exercifes, than unbelievers are, or than they them- * feives were, in a fhteof unregeneracy. It is tlie fame with re- * gard to their good and holy lives : i.e. they we muck lefs zvick- * ed, as to the matter of their conducl, than once they were, or * than unbeliever! ordinarily are. But it is certain, that, in pro- 4 priety andjlriclnefs of fpeecb, no positive goednefs belongs to * any human chara&er on earth.'* Thus the Doclor blends both characters together, making no difference except in degrees of wicked nefs. The fame may be faid when we compare fi nners together, one is more wicked^ and another lefs zoicked ; but both having nothing but oppofition of heart to holinefs. So that the difference lies wholly in the degrees of this oppofltion. Dr. H. fometimes holds to total depravity, then again denies it, and pre- tends that all have fome /hare of grace or virtue, as we have juf£ feen. But his object in the above paifages is to make believers and unbelievers both one, excepting degrees of wickednefs, The fame as when wo compare cne unbeliever with another, neither of them having the ieaii * pofitive goodnefs,' though one has not fo great ftrength of wickednefs as the other. This Dr, H. farther confirms, as in thefe words : ' All may be in heaven 4 together in God's own time, with as great 3 dii:in£lion of reward * there, as of chara&er here.'t Allowing this of all mankind* as he here intends, ar. i it is not pcfiible there mould be a differ- ence as to thefe two characters, only as an« may be lefs wicked than the other. All the goodnefs therefore, that Dr. H.afcribes to the believer, is only cpnparative or ntg vtivt ; the believer, in bis fen ft* is not quite fo bad as the unbeliever. This little hmeihing alfo that makes them differ, be confiders as a httlt Cfitttemptibk thing. But the doctor will not allow fuch believers as hold to endlefs punifhment. to be lefs wicked than unbelievers. He labours to make his opponents more w/czedthm the whole race of heathen and inHdels. Ke firft claifes them with the apellate jews, thea with * ?. 2-U. ♦ Ibid. Univtrfaiifm confounds and defcroys itfelf 10$ with Judas, then with the proudeftof pharifees. And their good diftinctions of outward privileges, and means of grace, even of grace itfelf, only tend, he fays, to Simulate them in pride, and foenclofe themfelvesin * palaces of diftinftion and honour;' and to look with fovcreign contempt upon all the world befide. This* the Doctor fays of all his opponents, making no , exception, as was (hown in Letter V. and becaufe they fo oppofe univerfal fal- vat ion. Now fee the contrail-. Speaking of himfelf, in the introduc- tion of his book, the Doclor fays, * Being much difpofed to a * ftudious life, and always delighting greatly in books, he fpent * much of his time in reading and enquiring, in the early periods * of life. Amidil all the vanities and follies of youth, yet ac~ 1 quaintirtg his heart with wifdom, even while he too much laid * hold on tolly. Being alfo much favored, by a kind providence, 1 with regard to the belt means of inflruction, and a pious exam- * pie from his parents in his early days, and alter wards with a * more public education; the difpoiition of his heart inclined him, * in great preference to al! other employments, to the ftudyof di- * vinity, and to become a preacher of the go ['pel.'* The Doctor has chofen fome of the mod decided words to denote true fear and love of God.—' Acquainting his heart with wifdom.' So- lomon ufes the words m the fame manner, Eccl. ii. 3. and in another place fays, ' The fear of the Lord is the beginning of * wifdom. '+ Therefore, amidft all the follies of youth, with which he was furrounded, Dr. H. fays he gave himfelf up to fear and love God. And being much difpofed to a ftudious life, and always delighting greatly in books; and being under the feeft means of inftruclion, and a pious example from his parents in his early days, — -he ' applied his fiedrt to know, and to * fearck, and to feek cut wifdom.'% In his early days, itwould feem, he imitated if not exceeded, Solomon in his old age. This * difpofition ot his heart inclined him, in great preference to al] ' other employments, to the ftudy of divinity, and to become a * preacher of thegofpel.' His mind was very flrongly inclined, in great preference, and from the pureil motives, to the moft important, as well as felf-denying work, in the redeemer's king- dom. Is not this fomething more than being lefs wicked ? Though he fays, while in early life,* He too much laid hold onfoU. * ly/ yet he impliedly profefTes to have overcome, foon after, all the follies of youth, and all the vanities of human nature; and to have given himfelf up wholly to his God. Thus he folemnly declares : * I am quite fatisfied with what God ha* faid in its plaineftmean~ ing; * P. 5. * Prov. 9. io, % Prov. 7. 15. ti& Unit erf alip-r, confounds and dejfroys itfttf. * ing ; and as well fatisfied with it, if it is above my reafon, as if 1 it is otherwise. Yea, if wholly oppoiite to my belt reafonings, I * I only thence infei my own ignorance and weakneis, and i'uUy be- ' lieve and obey my God : even as I would have my little children 6 believe what I tell them, anddow hat I bid them.'* f I am edified^ * and comforted by every ferious, honeft man, that I hear talk upon religion, whatever degrees of light God hath been pleafed to * give him, be they more or lefs. I am moft edified where there is * moil -light; but truly the light is fweet, even in the leaff degrees of * it. I find fomething from God given to every feci, and party ; and 'that gives* me delight/f * I am quite willing God mould make me 4 holy and happy, for the glory of his.own name, and all my fellow * finners without exception,, if he pleafe.'f ... * When I have the * deepe& kn(c of thefe things, the world and creatures appear to me 4 as nothing, yea, lefs than nothing and vanity, and God all m all.'§ '• The author,* meaning himfelf, • is quite beyond a doubt, inhis * own mind, with regard to the foiid truth of his leading princi- * pies and arguments. With refpect to the due time of advanc- ■ ing this Hep forward, and fo explicitly pouring in this addition- A a! light, he is not fo positive. There are, however, feveral con- * ftderations that have weight in my mind, to make the publica- * f ion without further delay ; fuch as thefe. I have fpent more ' chan twenty years in the moll careful reading and attention to * every tiling relating io this fubjecr. ; and, I think, with a (ingle ■ eye, and ardent deiire to know the truth, and to avoid all falfe- 'reafoning, and every groundless ccncluilon. I have no inter eft 4 but in the truth.'\\ How could the Do&or have given himfelf a better character ? What words could he have ufed, more flrongly to exprefsadeep fenfe of divine things, as welt' as unfeigned love to his neighbour, arid fupreme love to God ? He i is quite beyond a doubt' as to the truth of his own fcheme, and fo explicitly pouring into the world this additional light ; provided the due time for it be al- ready come. And the light of his own mind, with his linglenefs of heart, are the rcafons why his book mould be puhlilhed with- out further delay. He is quite fatisfied with all God has faid in his word, Whether it be wholly oppoiite to his own befi reafon - iiigf, or not. He fully believes and obeys his God, iuft as he would have his little children believe and obey him : He is edi- fied by the religious conversation ot'ali pa id molt edified' where there is mo ft light. The world is to him lefs than nothing, and God all in all. To complete the whole, he profefles to have, emphatically, no inter -eft but in the truth. Thus when be c< to * P. 47 . t P. 270. % P. 291. (f P. 31*. I P, If Univtrfalifm confounds end dtftroys itfelf. lit to fpeak of himfelf, inftead of faying he has no pofitivt good- ne/'s, but is only ic/'s wicked ; his words, to fay the leaft, carry a ftrong afpect of finlefs perfe6fion .And after he has given th* Irorft of characters to his opponents, and reduced all believer? very much upon a level with unbelievers, this is the high char- acter he takes to himfelf: * To announceto the world his own extenfive knowledge and ad- mirable talents he has made out the introduction to his eflay, in fuch language as this ; * What now appears, is a fmail part oi a Sy J- * tem of Divinity, which the-author has been meditating more 1 than twenty yearly A critical view of the covenant people of * God, in every age, and in every part of the world, where divine * revelation has been embraced ; andalfo of the mythology of ali " the nations of the earth that have not been favoured with the * facred oracles, fell naturally in the way of his contemplations, as * he was proceeding on a very extenfive icale.'* This ve- ry zxtcnjivt fcale he explains, in thefe words : * It d,.Ters no * more iron the doclrine of Calvin, Owen, and Edwards, and * the great body of prote Hants, than a circle as large as the periphery * of the earth, differs from a circle of the diameter of one cubit. 'f — The Doctor goes on to fay, ' Innumerable criticifms on the 'original language in which the facred oracles wGie fir it written, 'are left out in this publication. Becaufe the author did, and * does {[ill fuppofe, that fuch a number of criticifms, as he found ' his own thoughts naturally led into, would, if inferted, much be- 6 wilder the minds of .moll ot his readers. And laitly, this would * much fwell the volume, and embarrass any printer in this coun- f try, for want of proper types, and practice.' J The Doccor wrote the introduction to Lis ejfay % from which this lad paragraph is taken, we may conclude* j-uifc before hit death ; and, directly after this, his book was printed. Several years before this date, Mr. Ifaiak Thomas, a famous printer in Maflachafetts, befide his periodical publications, a vail many pamphlets, feveral fets of hiftory, &c. &c. printed the bible in X wo large folio vol urns, and in one large quarto volume; and executed the whole, it is laid, with as much accuracy and neat. nefs as if it had been done in Great Britain ; and did it within about two or three years. The nsrt ed Voltaire is faid to hav e employed eight or ten chofen writers, and feated them ail at one table ; while Lie, himfelf, dilated for each one what to write; which was chiefly 5n extracting and compiling from other authors. This wonder* ful gemot publimed, and left behind him, as many at forty or fif- ty hrgz volumes. Notwithftanding, let Mr, Thoxnaf and Com* • pany, • P. 17. t ?. 17 0. $ ?• X% w £• Univtrjalijiii confounds and dejlroys itjelf. pany, which was entered into, as appears, before Dr. H. wrote his introduction ; let them lay afide their periodical publication*, and they couid, free from the embarraffment Dr. K. tells of, prii.t for two,three, or more, fuch geniufes as Voltaire, with all their afniiants. But, the Doctor comes forward, with great fwelling words cf vanity, and afTerts that he could io *• Jiva.ll the volume,' * as to embarrafs any printer in this country, for want of proper ' types, and practice. *' Mr. Thomas, before the year 1780, had Hebrew and Greek types, for the original languages of the facred oracles. But the true meaning is. Dr. H. would have the world believe, that he was able to ftudy and write, equal to two, three, or more of Voltaire, with their numerous attendants. It is grant- ed, we have the fame reafon to credit this, as we have the reft of hi* book; The chief thing to be remarked, in this place, Dr. H. fays he has done all this, 4 bethinks, with a (ingle eye, and ardent defirc 4 to know the truth, and to avoid all falie reafoning, and every * groundless conclufion.' He unrefervedly declares, ' I have n* ' mtereft but in the truths He has ufed the pronoun /, or fpo- ken in the fi'rft perfon, nearly 400 times in 331 pages ; and gen- erally with an air of great authority, as appears from the quotation* already made. And his own affertions are more frequent than texts of fcripture, or arguments drawn from the fcriptures. For the truth cf fhefe things, there need only be an appeal made to his hook. Therefore, to fay nothing of that aim oil unbounded wledge he would aflume to himfelf ; when we compare that ipefs of heart he profeiTes to have, in fuch an eminent degree as to give weight and authority throughout his writings; to that of heart he has afcribeu to his opponents, and that dimin- itive or only negative goodnefs he has afcribed to all believers ; when we compare thefe things together, we have the true fpirk genius of. the ait tkpr. He has charged his opponents with -monopolizing, with limiting, and * their partial and much lira-' ' ited covenant of redemption,' as he is pleafed to call it. How much the Doctor has monopolized asd limited to his own deer fclf, the public will judge. It is granted, when a man writes his own diary, or memoirs for ; fo in many other cafes, it is convenient and necefTary to fpeak in the fir ft perfon. But when a point of do&rine is to . fettled, where fcripture evidence alone can decide, for a man in the firfi perfon, evidently wifning to recommend his ne by his own authority, th'ifl betrays either the weaknefs of ae, or his ignorance of the holy Scriptures. But thd latter Univerfalifm confound. 1 ; and dejlroys it/elf. 113 latter cannot be charged on the Do£ror. Therefore, his frequent ufe of egotifms, or of the pronoun / in the room of fcripture ev- idence, only expofes the weaknefs and fallacy of his own fcheme. Thinking to prove that believers have only negative virtue, or that they are only lefs wicked. Dr. H. has recourfe to what Job, David, and Paul fay concernning their remaining fin. But what they fay on this article proves againft him. Job fays, * I ' abhor myfelf, and repent in dull and afhes.'"* This was to hate fin in himfelf : turn from it, rejecf it, or put it away. Every be- liever has this principle of hatred to fin, though not to fo gi e; 1 gree as Job had at this time. But the loweft degree oi thi tred to fin is right oppofite to every moral exercife of the unbe- liever's heart. There cannot be a greater difference and oppofi- tion, in the nature of things, than there is between hating fin and driving to be free from it, and, on the contrary, loving of it, and holding of it faff, with one's whole ftrength. There cannot be a greater difference, as to the nature of the cafe, than there is be- tween dying daily unto fin and living untorighteoufnefs, and on the other hand, living in fin, making fin one's element and life, and increafing in it. What greater odds in the nature of things, than between dying and living ? Therefore, David and Paul fay, and right againft the Do6lor, — ' My wounds ftink, and are cor- * rupt : becaufe of my fooliihnefs.'t * O wretched man that I * am ! Who fhall deliver me from the body of this death ?'+ In- ftcad of fin being loathfome and deadly to the impenitent finner, it is the very thing his foul lufteth after. He never had the leaffc poffible perception that fin, in its own nature, was loathfome ; but in every appearance of it, it is to him an amiable object ; and more fo the longer he lives in it. We have alfo the words of Chrift, direclly to this point. ■ No * man can ferve two mailers : for either he will hate the one, and ! love the other ; or elfe he will hold to the one,and defpife the other. * Ye cannot ferve God and mammon. '§ The difference, there- fore, between the fervants of God and the fervants of mammon, is, the former love God and the" latter love mammon. The love alfo in both thefe cafes ftands oppofed, one to the other ; and Chrift here mows that it cannot beotherwife. Not as Dr. H. fays, that one has a lefs degree of love to mammon, fo a lefs degrecoi\\&~ tred to God, than the other. But one has love to God and ha- tred to mammon, while the other has love to mammon and ha- tred to God. And Chrift plainly teaches that no man can be his difciple, unlefs he can freely give up all out of love to him ; and even lay down his own life for Chrift 's fake. But, of un- P belivers * Job 42. 6. + Pfal. 38. 5. % Row. 7. a*. \ Mart. 6. 84. 1 1 4- Uh i vt rfa 11 jk c c nfo u n ds and dejt r by s'it/e if. believers Chriit fays, ' They have both feen and hated both me 4 and my Father.'* So the apoitle decides this difference, by mowing charity to be the only thing which is morally excellent. Without charity there is nothing, nothing morally good. Here we again find a pofitroe difference. To fay no more, the unbe- liever, and every unbeliever is totally deititute of moral -goodnefs. So his moral ffate materially differs frorfi the believer's. Bafe metal or drofs that has not one particle of gold in it, materially differs irom gold, though this gold be mixed with drofs. So the belie- ver, though fome fin remains in him, has fomething the unbe- liever has not j he has charity, the only moral excellency in the univerfe. Hence, thefe two characters differ, as Hght differs jrrom darknefs. This is not all. The apoitle fhows the unbe- liever to be wholly itlfifli, or to have a carnal mind which is enmity agamjt God, This enmity, or this /? I fiJJinefs is direct- ly oppofed to that chanty v/hich Jee/zeth not her own, but feek- eth the glory of God and.thebeit good of his kingdom. As every unbeliever is governed by this felfifhnefs, and every believer by this charity, we of eourfe have the difference between them ; as great, in the nature of things, as can be imagined. There is no need of dwelling on this point. The difference between faints and finners, is one of the molt plain and import w ant do6trines, throughout the facred pages-. It is one of the iiril duties enjoined on God's minifters, under the ancient as well as the new covenant, to * teach his people, the difference be- * tween the holy and profane, and caufe them todifcern between * the unclean and the clean :'t that is, between the righteous and the wicked. In many places in his book, the Do£tor allows this difference, jult as it is taught in the bible. He fays, ' Where * this faith is, there certainly will be a bitter hatred andaverfion * to all ungodiinefs. The very difcovery of God which* I atii ' f pea king of, neceffarily involves in it a perception and fenfeot * infinite amiablenefs, beauty and glory. The infinite lovelinefs * of God, and falvalion by grace through Jefus Chrift, are the * effential objects of the faith I maintain. This wholly agrees * with the old calviniftic doctrine of faving (aith. No acquaint- * ance with God or divine truth, without a feeling impreflion of * the divine (oy.elinefs on our fouls, was ever thought to be fair* ' ing faith by Calvin, Own, or any eminent promoters of the 4 proteflant caufe. Their object of faith is exactly the fame which * I contend for ; and the manner of communication and opera- * tion is the fame, as wrought by the power of God, working by 1 love, and purifying the heart, even as God is pure. 'J * We do 'not * John i 5 . s* "i Ezek. 44. *$ t ?• »34» *3S- Univerfalifm confounds and deftroys itfelf. 115 * not confider aflurance of our falvation to be of the efiencc of | laving faith; but merely confequential, even as hath been ufual * with proteftants. The faith we contend for has nothing imme- * diately and direclly to do with ourfelves, but with the object of ■ our faith. " When this faith is wrought in us, by the power * and grace of God, and proper fruits enfue ; thence we argue * our fafe eltate by way of confequence, and fo make our calling 1 and election fare, We unite with the orthodox in all ages, in * faying, that hatred to all f\n is the fruit of faith ; or that fav.ing ' knowledge and fupreme love of God are through faith.'* It fcems lmpofliblc but what Dr. H. fliould know how he con- tradicls himfelf. The faith of fuch as hold to endlefs punifhment, be has faid again and again, is wholly oppofed to free grace, and all the offers of grace ; and that no man can be jullified by grace, on their plan. So to make out his own fcheme of faith, he has made our own certain knowledge, that we fhall be faved, necefla- ry, in order to have a proper warrant to believe in Chrift for fal- vation. This we have ^cn in Letters I. II. V. But here he fays, * We do not confider aflurance of our falvation to be of theeflencc ■ of faving faith ; but merely consequential, even as hath been c ufual with proteftants. Tbe faith we contend for has nothing * immediately and directly to dp with ourCelyeSjtyjt with theobjeft 4 of our faith. We unite with the orthodox in all, ages,' &c. &c. But his uniting with the orthodox, in making true faith con- fift in ' a bitter hatred and averfion to all ungodlinefs,' and • fupreme 6 love oi God ;' fo making the wideft difference between believ„ ersand unbelievers, then again denying this difference by reducing of it to nothing, is the fame as denying of it throughout. He therefore falls into this aggravated crime of putting no difference between the holy and profane. And this argues the weaknefs &s well as bafenefs of his caufe. I am a &c. «#^--&*f*" LETTER JX\ Mr. Retly's Scheme of Union, examined. My dear Friend, DR. Huntington's idea on this fubjeel will fhow us Mr. Rel- ly's. The Do6lor has taken his from Mr. Relly's. It will of courfe facilitate matters to fee the Doctor's firft, as things are in readinefsto brinp his into view at once. Speaking • Ibid. 5 * liG Univerfa lifm c o nfo u n as a n d deft roys itf Speaking oitUEtion Dr. H. fays, 'As it refpe&s mankina, * alter death, it centers in one head, Chvill the Son of God, the 4 Sun of man, the only mediator between God and man ; and all * human kind, as his kindred body. This head is in a like na- ' tural and fader at connexion with the whole body of human 5 nature.'* * God has one eleel head and no more; and one 1 etetl b&dy and no more. The eleel head is the Son of man, in * equal connection with all human nature. The eletl body is all an nature. 't He fays many other things to mow how ft is in one and the fame union with all men : whether be- 1 unbelievers, he makes no difference. Believers come joyment of the blefTing, he fuppofes, by their believ- ; relation to C brill was the fame before their believ- irds. All mankind being one with Chriflas the :he h*ad 9 from which the Doctor concludes the 1 all men. The thing is for him to eilabliih his prem- he makes his favorite concluflon. haveonfy to compare his fchemeof union with itfelf, h his leading fentirnents and arguments. And, as we have . his fcheme (huts up the kingdom of heaven againit men fo long as they remain in this world. He can exhort no one Tin- ner to repent and believe in Chrifl, until fuch fmner is indeed dead ; unlels he exhorts him to make God a liar in believing : He makes the outward privileges of the gofpcl to be of no bene- fit to men, while in this life : He makes the light of the gofpei to be of no benefit in preparing men for happinefs, in the life to come: His fcheme coniiders all the judgments fent on men, in this world, to be of no fervice whatever, whether here or hereafter : His fcheme faves not one of the human race from the cur ft of the law, or from the pains of hell ; but every one fuffers the: full defert of his fins, as fall as his defert arifes. What then is the amount of the Do61or's union. ? — On his plan, not one of our race can be faved by grace; it any are faved it is by their own works, or by their own merit: Kis fcheme confiders the Hate of the redeemed, after death, to be nothing more than a myf- tical heaven ; and may as well be called a place of mifery as a place of happinefs : He makes no eifenrial difference, neither in this nor the next Hate, between the righteous and the wicked: His way of arguing proves Chrifl to be the Dejlroyer ol all men, as fully as it proves him to be the Saviour of all men. His boaft- »>d fcheme of union is of courfe a fcheme of confufion and de- duction ; it completely deftroys itfelf. This (hows the iffue of Mr. Rclly'-. His has all the leading Tilings as the Doctor's has ; the latter being taken from the former, as . • :; ?. 82 -r P. Gi Vniverfalifm confounds and dejlroys iff elf 117; as we fhall now fee. — Mr. Relly fays, ' The union between ■ l Chrift and the people (meaning all nun) is fuch, that they a$ 1 member soi his body, ofhisflefh and of his bones, were in him in * his birth, that they might inherit the bleffings of his holy nativ- 4 ity.'* « He (Chrift), as having the people in himfelf, had the ' right of redemption, and as them, ftood engaged to fulfil every * requifite to the glory of God, and their eternal falvation : which * requifites were firft 'a holy principle, a privation of original 4 guilt, fulfilled in his birth; a juft obfervance ofthe!aw,and * conformity to the divine nature, fulfilled in his life; and a 4 full propitiation for the (in that was paft, accomplished in his * fufferings and death, The whole of which, he did ; as con- *taining the people (all men) in himfelf, who are upon that account, '- not only reprefented as being in him, in his birth, as above ; \ but alio in the whole of his life, death and re furred ion. Ill 4 him were they circumcifed, and the body of the fins of their \ flefh, put off by the circumcifion of Chrift. In him fulfilling 4 the law, and walking in ail the ordinances of God blamelefs.'t Mr. Relly here makes all men perieft, * walking In all the ordin- 4 ancesofGodblamelefs,'bccaufethey areall in Chrift, and Chrift does thefe duties for them. Dr. Huntington confid'ers all men perieel in the fame fenfe: 'Theirgarments,' he fays,* are all alike * wafhed, and made white in the blood of the Lamb.' So there are feveral other leading fentimets, in the above quotations, which exactly agree with the Doctor's. Mr. Relly continues : * Crucified with him (Chrift,) and that 4 the refurrection of Chrift, was the refurre&ion ot the people ' from death,' (the refurre&ion of all men from death.) He then applies thefe words of the apoftle to all men ; 4 Even when we * were dead in fins, hath quickened us together with Chrift : And * hath railed us up together, and made us fit together in heavenly * places in Chrift Jefus.' 4 From which it is evident,' fays Mr. Relly, 4 that the union between Chrift and the people (all men,) \ was fuch, as head and members in one body, that they were * with him and in him, in his birth, his life, his death, refur- 4 re & ran and glory. Therefore his fufferings, wars, and tri- 4 umphs, all are theirs. ';£ So Dr. Huntington fays that the whole race of Adam, ' Go away into everlaftingpunifhment,' or rather into everlafting happinefs ; becaufe Chrift fuffcrs for them, in their roo?n and jlead : making all the threatenings to finncrs come on Chrift, and every blefling, by Chrift, to believers, come on the whole of mankind. Speaking of the day of judgment, Mr. Relly fays that we, or all men, *f P. 52, 53. Boflon Edition : printed by Edjs and So::, and having no dat \ t P. S»5* iig Univtrfalifpi confounds and dejlroys itjdf. men, mail be 'judged according to the deeds done in the body, * and giving an account at that day for every idle word, &c. all f this, I fay, hath its harmony and perfection in Jefus. — In him * fanctified, in him accepted, and therefore appeal from the firft * Adam unto the fecond. In like mannner we account for the 4 deeds done in the body, Jefus having atoned for the evil, and ' done the good.'* In this way Mr. Relly fuppofes every one, at the lair day, will give an account for himfelf, for every idlt word, and for every deed done in the body : Chrifl having atoned for all their evil, deeds, and done all the good deeds requir- ed of them. So Dr. Huntington holds, as we have feen, that all the threatenings to guilty men, are (ilencedand fatisfied in ChrifL To the fame import Mr. Relly fays again : * Standing in the * grace of union with Chrifl, we are at peace with all the fcrip- * turcs. He in us and we in him, have fulfilled all righteoufnefs, ' fully kept the commandments of God, and fuffered the punifh- ■ ment due unto our fins, and now inherit the promife, whilft the ' voice of words, yea every terrifying found is filenced ; and notfu 1 ing now heard but the found of grace, love, and good will.'t Mr, R. here,as he generally does,addrefTes himfelf to all mankind ; mak- ing * every terrifying found to befienced,' both as to faints and finners. Which exactly agrees with D.r. H. in one main article. And whoever will examine Mr. Relly 's book, he may find (in pages 65 to 71, 84 to 36, '125 to i23, and 159,) that, with Dr. Huntington, he has made out his fcheme with fucb arguments, and fentiments as thefe : That the gofpel fpeaks nothing but good both to faints and finners : That the law and gofpel are in direci opposition : That the law fpeaks to all men alike: That there is no proper foundation laid for men to be.lieye in Chrift, unlefs they iirfl know they'are defied to ecernal'life : That men would make God a liar, in believing in Chriir, for eternal life, unlefs it is firft .nade certain they are elecled to eternal life : That all men have two characters, one good and the other bad : That all the threaten- tngS in the bible refpecf none other but Chrilt, : That all the aw- ful woes and curfes in the bible, to Gods enemies, are only an empty found : That we can have no truft or confidence in God, unlefs we firjjt know his providence and attributes arc operating particularly in our favour : That believers have no pofitive, but only negative goodnefs : That there is no real difference between faints and finners, or hetween the holv and profane ! As thefe fentiments are clearly exprcflcd by Mr. Relly, at the fame time being thcoutlines and eflential parts in Dr. Huntington's book; it proves both their fchemes to be made 'up of the fame jarring contrarieties, * P. 1 to, Hi. + P. to-. twi\ftrfaHjm confounds and dejiroys itfelf. 1*31 ^ohtrsrieties. Certainly Mr. Relly's muft have the fame contra- dictions as the Debtor's, for it is compofed of the fame principal arguments and fentiments. There is no need, therefore of follow- ing Mr. Relly any farther, except to fee a few of his contradiction* laid together. ■ . . . Accordingly, to name one contradiction which runs through his book. He defcribes his antagonifls as being fome of the moft ftupid and vile fet ot creatures that ever, lived He calls them 4 barking ciws ; 3 governed by * perfonal pique, perfonai enmi- * ty, ieif-intereff, &c.' full oj" egregious vanity, and infolence; * dextrous at making faults, where there is none;' and like* fome ' bufy critic, whofe genius leads him. ever .in fearc.h of offal, and * garbage.'* Mr. Relly alfo very often calls his antagoniiis 'An- 1 tichrift.'t . And a viler character cannot be found in fcfipture, than what he gives them. There is no need of inquiring whether all this be true; or whether his opponents deferve this character. The contradiction lies here : After all he has faid about them, af- ter he has dreffed them up as odioufiy as poflible ; he then af^ ierts them to itand as fair for, and to be as great favorites ot heaven, as any men in the world ; and, with all other men, to be going dire6tly to heaven. Again, Mr. Relly not only includes a part, but almoft the whole of the chriftian world, under the name AntickriJL Thus he aiTerts, ! But Antichrift fays, You cannot be faved, ex- * cept you are holy and good. in yourfelf.' — ' But Antichrift fays, * there are terms and conditions to be complied with and fulfil- ■ led, before you can be faved. 't Mr. Relly is here trying to make us believe that repentance, faith, or holinefs is not neceila- ry to falvation, or to fit men for heaven* But almofl all chrif- tendom, from the beginning, have profelTedly held this as being effential to falvation ; and this gives us his meaning of Anti- chrift. After enumerating, and with an air of contempt, the gifts and graces oi the holy Spirit ; as righteoufnefs, meeknefs, faith, humility, &c. he fays, ■ This is that Antichrift of whom * we were told that He mould come, yea, was {o early in the * world as the days of the apoftles ; and prevails fo mightily f in the chriftian world at prefent that the generality of chrif- * tians under his influence, are upon a level in faith and doctrine ' with the Jews : or but very faintly diftinguifhed from thern.'^ Nearly the whole of the chriftian world, and in every pafl; age, have profelTedly held thefe gifts and graces of the holy Spirit, as being neceiTary to falvation ; for which Mr. Relly here calls tkem k Antichrift.' He therefore includes almoft all chriftendom, under •t, 6,7,8, inhislbtwdu^ion, t P. 129, 133, 104, 157, 158 J P. -.;•;. 1 39. §129. itfdf. iiu Un'rjtrfalifm confounds and dcjiroys under the name, Antic.hrifL Thus far Mr. Relly's union. Cnnfl united to all men, and Chriit united to * Antichriil !' In another place he calls Antichrist the falfe Chrifi. * The "falfe Chr:/l,' he fays, Vis a compound of pride, darknefs, de- ' ceit, felf-love, enmity to the true Chrifi, &c.'* He labours', much to fix this character on all fuch as difagree with him in fentiment. In fo doing he has made out his monftrous union.. For if Chrifi is equally united with all men, he is then united with Mr, Relly's opponents, .thefe. moil hateful characters, and therefore united to the falfe Chrifl, who is ' at enmity to the * true Chriit. 5 Chriit in .'.confanguinity and affinity,', he fays, with all men • and thefe members, of the fame body, at enmity to Chrifi their Head ! Thefe members alfo, at enmity 'to, Chriit their Head, he fays, are in a ftate of ' pafTivity, and Chrifi the * active ccnfcicufr.efs and quickening fpirit of the whole. 't In a ilate of pajjivity, and, his opponents efpecially, at the fame time at enmity to Chriit ; and in a ilate of pafjivity, while Chriil is the quickening fpirit of the whole ! Mr. Relly's words, how- ever, if they have any meaning, make Chriit to be at enmity with liimfelf ; or the body at enmity to the Head ! Mr. Relly, -ike Dr. Huntington after him, makes little or no difference between the regenerate and unregenerate. He applies to all m^u alike, the words ot the prophet Micah ; concerning the corrupt rulers of Ifracl and Judah, in that day ot noted apof- tacy. He fays, ' When I except this Man [the Man Chriil Jefus], * I believe that word of the Lord applicable unto all the other s 9 * where he fays, thz befi of them is as a brier, the mofi up- 4 right is /harper than a thorn hedge.'t But, what violence is Mr. Relly guilty of, in applying, without exception, this naifage to all men ? The prophet was diftinguifhing thofe cor- rupt rulers and judges from fuch as were faithful to their trufl ; tlfe there would be no meaning to his words. Befides, juft be- fore the above cited words, the prophet fays, * The good man is 4 perifhed out of the earth, and there is none upright among men.* Implying, by thefe general terms, there had been good and righ- teous men ; and that there were itill fomc few remaining, how- fcever corrupt the generality of their rulers might be. — Mr. Relly fays again, ' Nor is it poflible I mould ever defpife good ' works, on this account. But, wherever I have fpoken flight- * ly of human goodnefs, it is becaufe I am convinced it is not * good ; but a falfe fhow, and lying vanity ; and therefore a 4 faff hood, always to be oppofed.'§ He fays this of believers as well as unbelievers. It is allowed, as men are born into the world, * ?. 133. t ? 43. $ P. *6. Introduction. $ P. 27. Ifetf. Vnwerfaiifm confounds and deflroys itfelf, 12% vorld, and as we all are according to tkeflefli, there is no hu- man goodnefs. * There is none that doeth good, no, not one,'* is the carnal or natural flate of mankind. Where grace is im- planted, however, it renews the heart, and reforms the practice. •, After Mr. Relly has collected the moll pertinent words of fcripture, ufed to mow the entire depravity of the carnal heart, and of all impenitent men ; after he has thus gone on to blacken every child of Adam, believers and unbelievers together, and made them as vile as poffible ; he then, in the fame page, even calls God to witnefs his own gracious fincerity and purity of motives. * The God, and Father of our Lord Jefus Chrift, be- * fore whom I Hand/ fays he, knoweth that I lie not, when I s declare, That there is but one Man, the Man Chrilt Jefus, a- * monglr. all the individuals of Adani s race^ whofe example I * admire and can perfectly approve of : by his example, I con- * lefs I am deeply convinced, not to envy, but to the moil pro- 1 found admiration ! — I cannot defpife, but mud forever rever- * ence, admire, and wonder before Him, — O ! Thou great Arch- * etype of true holinefs, Jefus Chrift : thou only art holy, thou ' only art the Lord : and thou knoweft wherefore I thus [peak. * — I have thus fpoken, thou knoweil ; becaufe I apprehend * what I have fpoken againft, to be utterly falfe ; a grand decep- 1 tion ; and yet the Idol of mankind, Thou art my ftandard, and * everlafiing pattern of true goodnefs. — Unto thy grace and * keeping I commit my all ; and that thou fhouldefl blefs what * I have written, unto the glory and praife of thy venerable * name ; and rcfpetting my readers, unto their conviction, even 1 to that Eternal Life, which is in thee < I pray.-*~It may eafily * be feen, that I aim only at illuflrating that grand capital prop- * ofition of the Saviour's ; I am the truth. — Refpe&ing the 4 matter and J cope of the following treatife, I am above un- 4 certainty therein. 't — After reading what Mr. Relly here fays of himfelf, and what he fays, in direct oppofition, of every fon of Adam, he might feem to be of a different order of rational be- ings, or one who never had apoftatized. Self-commendation carried to fuch an height, thus feen in o- pen day, and in its native colours, may, however, anfwer this $ood end : It may ferve to open their eyes, and effectually cure thofe writers, on the fide of truth, who have in fome degree fal- len into the fame difgraceful pra6tice. But thofe writers who have maintained the doctrine of endlefs puniihrnem, in oppofi- tion to univerfalijm ; and who have been generally efteemed in the church or God, for one or two centuries paft ; have not Q been '•' : Rosa 3. iju < V. ?.6, 3:, 32, 33, Ibid 122 Vnxverfalijm confounds And dejlrbys itftlf, been fo fond of fpeaking in the fir ft perfon, or fo liberal in be- llowing encomiums on their own works and characters. Neither have they exhibited their own experiences, or their own good feelings, with a view to render their do&rines popular, or to give fupport to their fentiments. For the truth of this, an appeal k made to their writings. And truly the great and molt important doctrines, that look forward to eternity, ought firft to be clearly fupported by divine revelation. As to felf-commendation, fev- cral thou land- years ago, Solomon has told us, * Let another man fc praife thee, and not thine own mouth; a ftranger, and no*, b thine own lips.'* lam, 5c c, * frov. 27. 2 END OF PART £ Univerjalifm confounds and dejlroys itfelf. Sec. PART II. Dr. Chauncy 's, Mr. Winchester's, Mr. Petitpierre's, and Med. * Dr. Young's Scheme, which fuppofes a limited punifhment hereafter, mown to be made up of contradictions. LETTER I. Mr. Winchefter ', following Dr. Chauncy, holds that all men are faved by Grace, ana, in contradiclion to this, that the damned fuffcr all they defervt. My dear Friend, HAD you read Dr. Edwards again/l Dr. £kauncy t you would have found an anfwer to Mr. Winchester's dia- logues. So, have faved yourfelf the trouble of your laft requelt to me. There appears nothing material in thofe dialogues, on univerfal reficration, but what we find in Dr. Chauncy'sy^/- vat ion of all men. An anfwer to the latter is of courfe an an- fwer to the former, And Dr. Edwards has given a complete anfwer, it is thought, to Dr. Chauncy. ' This makes it needlefs to attend minutely to things in Mr. Winchefter's book ; but on- ly to ftate fome of his leading ideas, compare them together, and fee their confequences. In this cafe it will be molt expedient, fomewhat to pattern after Dr. Edwards in his reply to Dr» Chauncy. Mr. Winchefter holds that all men are faved by grace, and Uved wholly by the grace of God. ■ The Gofpcl of the Grace * of God,' he fays, * is in itfelf fo amiable, and has fomething in 1 it fo attracting and engaging, that wherever it has come, it has * gained profelites. — It bringeth falvation to all men. By all men, * is to be underftood every individual of the human race. It has i been too good news for fome, and too bad for others. And * the objections they have raifed againfl the univerfality of its \ grace, and Julie ji extent oj its efficacy and mercy, have been * many and great. '* Thus he prefaces his book. He * P. i. Hudfin Ldli'.tn : Printed 1703. Fraaj which ail ihe f#]l©winr quotation.-. ■I taken. J24 Utiivcrjalifm ccnjuuiids and de/frcj/s itftif, He fays again, c It is not fo much the intention of God, mere- * \y to reftrain fin, as to fhow it in all its dieadful deformity, * punifh it according to it? defert, and finally to Oiew the fupcr. 1 abounding «f his grace in overcoming and totally deftroying it * out of his creation ; which (hall be accompli/Led, when he that * fitteth upon his throne fliatl make all things new.'* By thefc words, • to reftrain fin, — punifh it according to its defert,' &c. Mr. W. means, to *'eftrai?i /inner s , and punijk them according f'd their defert. He has fuggefted no fuch idea in his book, that fin feparate from finners, is punched. 3ef.de, by the words, * to * mew the fuper-aboundingof his grace in overcoming and to- * tally deftroying it,' that h fin ; he evidently means the fuper- abounding of divine grace toward finners, in their complete refioration or falvation. The fame which he often advances, Hence, he afcribes the falvation of men to grace, and the ' fu- * cer-abounding' grace of God, In another place, he fays, * Heaven forbid, that ever I fhould, 8 in the leaft, fet afide the merits of Chrift, the efficacy of his * blood, or the faving operation of his fpiritand grace ! — Salva- * tion from the guilt and pollution of fin, is always afcribed, and * always will be to the blood of the Lamb ; and the renovation * of the foul to the operation of the Spirit of God, — the opera- * tion of the grace of God.'f Speaking of the fuffering3 of the wicked in a purifying fire, or flate of purgatory, as he pretends ; he fays, c Thofe who flial! * be calf ;nto the lake of fire, their torments and forrows fhall ' bring them down, and, in the fenfeof fcripture, deftroy them ; * and thus prepare them for the renewing power of Chrift : but * it cannot be faid, with any propriety, that their definition fhall * reilore them :-— No ; this is an honour which is referved for * the Son of God alone, who came to feck and fave the loll.'i; Hence, it is plain Mr. W. holds, that all men are faved by grace alone ; and faved by the merits of Chrift, by the merits of the * Son of God alone, Other places in bis book, to the fame ysxii port, might be cited, were it neceffary. Should it be denied, however, that men are faved wholly by grace ; that is, all who are faved ; by the fame rule Mr. Win- chefter's fcheme mull be 'denied and given up. So t by the fame rule the holy fcriptares rpaft be denied. Furthermore, Mr. Wincheiier has written h : s book, profeffedly to extol the grace of Go*l, and our need of a Saviour ; and to fhow us that there" is none other name given, whereby we muff be faved. He pre- fends above all others, or certainly above his opponents, to teach falvation * t. o: J? F. i«' Univtrfalifm confounds and dcflreys itfelf. itg iJvation by grace only, and (peaks of the * fuper-abounding I grace' of God, as well as the infinite merits ot Chrift, being neceffary to bur j unification, Thefe things are obvious to every one that reads his book, In direct contradiction to this, Mr. Winchefler holds that part of mankind fuffer their full defert. He holds that part of man- kind die, and appear before God their Judge, in a Hate of im- penitency ; and that all fuch are damned, In this ft'ate of dam- nation, which is for a limited feafon or for ages of ages, they fuffer, as he fuppofes, to the full amount of their evil deeds done in the body. The abfurdity and impoflibility of grace to fuch as fuffer all they deferve, we have already f'een, and may fee more of it hereafter. We fhall firft r fec what Mr.'W. has faid as to the fufferings of the damned. The following particulars, it is thought, will make it clear that he holds, that the damned, or fuch as are fentenged to a purgatory, fuffer all they deferve ; and that fome again, in this world, fuffer all they deferve. As, 1. To anfwer a charge brought againft him, he fays, ' Did I, * like fome, maintain, that there was no future punifhment at all, * it might, indeed, create an alarm.' — * Future and proportion- * ate punishments there will be ; every tranfgreflion and difobe- ' dience (unlefs men upw repent and believe) fhall hereafter re- s ceive a juft recompense of reward.'* — Such as will not deny themfelves, in this world, in like manner as to cut off a right hand, or pluck out a right eye, he fays, * Should hereafter fuffer * infinitely greater inconveniences, by being caft into hell fire* i And, Oh ! who can conceive how dreadful a portion is threat- * ened to fome tranfgreflbrs ! that they ■ fhall drink of the wine II of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture, li into the cup of his indignation ; and fhajl be tormented with *' fire and brimftone, And the fmoke of their torment afcend- '• eth up for the ages of ages ; and they have no reft day nor ; s night. "+— The rich man mentioned in Luke xvi. 19. was ac- tually caft into hell, he fays, ' And had judgment without mer- 1 cy, becaufe he had Jhowed no mercy. '%■— Speaking of the wicked in general that die in their fins, he fays, ■ As they have * lived and died in fin, their deftruftion, or mifery is certain ; * and there is no remedy, that can prevent their experiencing * the confequences of crimes, and fuffering the juft punifhment 1 which fhall be inflifted on them, according to their different * deferts.'§ Thus Mr. W. has afferted, that ^ach as die without repent- !hall fuffer, in hell, ■ punifhments proportionate to their * crimes — » f . 5 f P. * { P. 77 S p - *»4- f&6 Vniverfahfm confounds and deftroys it/elf, 6 crimes — fhall receive a juft recompenfe of reward — (hail drinJ^ 6 of the wine of the wrath of God, which fhall be poured out * without mixture — fhall receive judgment without mercy.* None ever pretended that the damned fuffer more than their de- ferts. No words can carry it further, than that they receive judgment without mercy. Mr. W. could hardly have ufed Stronger terms than thefe : ' As they have lived and died in fin, * their deflru£tion y or mifery is certain ; and there is no remedy < that can prevent their experiencing the confequences of crimes, * and fuffering the juft punifhmerit which fhall be inflicled on ' them, according to their different deferts.' ' ' 2. All the threatening* in fcripture to the impenitent and dif- ©bedient, Mr. Winchefrer proieiTes to take in their moft ftrici and literal fenfe. When he comes to explain Rev. xxii. i8, 19. he fays, * This fcripture contains fuch threatenings as arc 4 very terrible indeed ; arid mould ma|:e us exceeding careful f - net to contradict what God hath here revealed ;— nor in any wife * to explain away, or to weaken, the ferce of either the threat- ' enihgs orpromifes.'* And thofe'who are found guilty of ad- ding or taking • away from the words of the book of this proph- * ecy,' a* mentioned in the above pafTage, Mr. W. fays con* cefning them, 6 The amazing torments which they fhall teel tha$ ' have thofe plagues added to them, and the dreadful lofs which * they fhall fuftaih that have their part taken out of the book of * life, and out of the holy city, 'cannot be even conceived. '+ He allows that all the plagues written in the book are literally ad- ded, to fuch as are found guilty of this crime; and that their names are taken out of the book of life, and out of the holy city. To reconcile this with his general fcheme, or the falvaticn of nil men, he agrees with his 'friend that carries on the dialogues with him, iri thefe words : c Though his part in the heavenly * city may he forfeited, fo that he may never become one of thofe * who fhall reign therein, nor yet have a cohftant dwelling there , ' he may, neverthelefs, enter as a worfhippei*, and a fubjecl of * the great king ; and may drink of the water of life ; feed on 4 the fruits of the tree of life, and be healed by its leaves ; and * be one of the happy inhabitants of the new earth, 'which God * will create.';); Mr. W. pretends to hold the literal fenfe of this awful threatening ; that ' his part Is taken out of the heaven- \v city, and that he never is one that reigns therein.' In the next breath, Mr. W, contradicts this. For if « he drinks of the water •ofiifc, eats of thetreeof life, &isawormipperofthe£r£a//^'tf£/ what more in the heavenly city can be defired ? In this cafe it is a(j| one • P. 184. * Ibid. * P. 183. Univerfaiifm confounds and defrays itfelf. iff Syle whether he is an inhabitant of the new earth or new heaven. Therefore, Mr. W. reduces the threatening to nothing, but pre- tends to hold its literal fenfe. So he pretends to take this liter- ally, * Thefe (hall go away into ev£rlailing punifhment.' Matt. xxv. 46. This he fays is for ages of ages, and will come to an end. Likewife all. the 'awful threatenings of this kind, all the plagues and curfes of God's law, he fays are ftri£Uy executed on the damned ; their punifhment, however,. will laft only for a time. But if all that the law of God threatens, is ftritlly exe- cuted on the damned, then do they receive their full defert. For the law threatens ho more nor no fiefs than what is jufL 00 the damned fuffer, Mr. W. argues, according to ftri6l juftice. \. 3. One argument he ufes to difprove endlefs punifhment, is, that men do not deferve it ; fuch punifhment is unjuft ; but the punifhment taught in his fcheme is juft and equal. Thus he ar- gues, that ' limited punifhment is fo juft, equitable, reafonable, * and evident ; that it is much more calculated to produce be-, ' lief, and confequently more effectual to deftroy falfe hopes of * efcaping it, and alfo to check that daring prefumption, which * rifes out of the idea of endlefs vnfery ; than can be found in ' the contrary doclrine, Endlefs punijlimcnt feems to fhock * tender minds,'* Again he argues, 'That endlefs damnation 6 is too unnatural to be believed, and that limited punifhment s, * being more reafonable, feem more certain. 't He pretends, therefore, to have great advantage againfl his opponents. Be- caufe of the punifhment lie afligns the damned; which is ■ fa 'juft, equitable, and reafonable ;' while that taught by his op- ponents is unnatural and mocking. But Mr. Winchester's way of arguing, in this cafe, includes the ftrongeft and moft folemn proftfTion of holding that the damned fuffer d juft and equitabU punifhment, to the extent of their defert and no more. 4. Mr. W. holds that fuch as blafpheme againfl the Holv Ghoft are entirely cut off from pardon, and that they do actually fuffer the fecond death. * The fin againfl the Holy Ghoft,' he' fays, * is an offence of that kind, that, either owing to its uncom- * mon malignity, as is mofl likely, or fome other caufe, expofes * the guilty peifon to the age of judgment, from which he * cannot efcape by repentance, pardon, and fprinkling of * the blood of Chrift, as other finners may ; neither can he at * prefent be born of the Spirit, to which he has done defpite ; nor * can he be reclaimed by any pofiible means, in this age, or in ' the age that is to fucceed this, but is inevitably bound over to * fuffer the inconceivable torments of the fecond death, or lake ■ oi fere and brimftone after the day of judgment. ? J Mr. :&. + P. i/«. 1 T. C: isi univ'cffatif utids an£aeJ!r$ysTtJetf. , * Mr.- W's friend, that holds the dialogue with him, ftates the objection taken from Matt. xii. 31, 32. Mark hi. 28, 29. Heb. v. 4, 5. 6, and x. 26 to 29, in thefe words, ' Here is a fin for * which there is no forgivenefs, neither in this world or in that * to come ; which mall net be forgiven at all ; he that commit - 1 teth it hath never forgivenefs, is in danger of eternal damnation ; ' --having finned wilfully dnd malic ioufly, after receiving the V knowledge of the truth, to fuch no more faenfice for fins re- maineth ; judgment and fiery indignation are his certain portion ; * he is an adverfary and mult be devoured : a forer punifhment * than deatH without mercy awaits him, for that he hath trodden * under foot the Son of God.'* Mr. Winchefter does not deny the leaft part of this obje61;on, he grants the whole of it, ju:i as it is ftated. He fays, in reply to it, * As when Nebuchadnezzar c told Daniel his dream, he was aftonifhed for one hour ; ' rftueft more muff all thofe be, whe> read and confider thefe * afeadful threatenings, which muft finely come upon all thofe * wno have finned in the manner defcribed.'f He fays again to Ills friend, referring to the fume objection, • There is no kind * of difpute between us, refpe£ting the certainty of the punifh- * ment of fuch ; in this we both agree : he that finneth againft * the Holy Ghoft, is in danger of eternal damnation, or judg- * ment, or the fecond death. The queflion is, * Shall there ever * come a time, when the fecond death, or lake of fire, fhall no * more exift V\ He then goes on, attempting to fhow that the time will come, when thefe fhall no more exift. He therefore exprefsly agrees to this, that the blafphemer againit the Holy Ghoft is forever cut off from pardon — he hath never forgivenefs, neither in this world, nor in the world to come — no more facri- £ce for his fins remaineth. This fhows that his obje£t is to take this threatening and all others in their literal fenfe. It is here remarkable, Mr. Wineheiler is not fpeaking merely of the juft defert of the fin above mentioned ; arguing, at the fame time, that men never do commit it, and therefore never fuffer the threatened punifhment. * We are lure/ he fays, * that * the Scribes and Pharifees of our Saviour's time, whoblafpbem- * oufly afcribed his miracles to the power of the devil, did, in the 4 mofl direct, and undeniable manner, commit that fin,'§ the fin agaiftft the Holy Ghoff. Thefe finners, therefore, according to Mr. Winchefter, were wholly fhut out from pardon, and the fecond death inflicted upon them. Mr. W. here argues, in two refpects, that fuch as commit this fin fuffer the extent of their defert. They are never Forgiven, 113 * P. 60. ♦ P. 61. $ P. 62, 63. § P. Si. V-niverfaliftn confounds and deflroys itfclfi tzg bo more facrifice for their fmsremaineth ; they accordingly fuffer all that ftricljuftice demands. Again, they fuffer the fecond death. None ever pretended that the execution oi Uriel: juftice was any- thing more than the fecond death. Thofe, who have held to end- lefs punifhment, have always confidered the fecond death to be the full wages of fin, and the difplay of flricl: juftice, And Mr* W. no where intimates that the fecond death is fomething lefs than the damned deferve, but fays things right the contrary. He alfo fays, as we have feen, that the difpute between him and his opponents, is, that the damned do not deferve endlefs death. When they have fuffered all they deferve, then will they be freed from the fecond death ; or this death will then be at an end, and not before. Thefe things we have feen fairly argued by him. Hence, Mr. W. aflerts, and feveral ways argues, and in a very decided manner, that the damned fuffer the utmoft of their de- fert. This fentiment appears as plain as almoft any thing in his book. Should fome pcrfons queilion that he holds to it, they may as well queltion that he holds all men will be faved. Again, 5. Mr. Winchefter holds, or his arguments imply the fame, that fome men fuffer, in this world, all the demand juilice has againlt them. What Chrift faid of Judas, * dooa were it for that man if he * had never been born,' Mr. W. explains and anfwers as fol- lows : ' There are a thoufand eircumftances into which the * children of Adam fall, that make their cafe infinitely worfe c than though they had never been born, even without fuppofing * a Hate of future punifliment at all.'* — After citing Luke xxi. 23, and Matt, xxiii. 27 to 01 , he fays, * Who would not, a ' thoufand times, choofe rather never to have been born, than * even to fee, far lefs experience, the miferies which came upon * Jerufalem and its inhabitants ? Would it not have been better * for mothers never to have been born, than to have killed and * eaten their own children in the liege ? And would it not have 1 been better for the children never to have been born, than to * have been food for their mothers ? : f In connexion with thefe affertione, and feveral other inflances to illuilrate them, as he pretends, he fays, * With what amazing propriety might Chrift 3 fay of Judas, the traitor, ' Good were it for that man, if he had " never been born !' even upon the fuppofition that his torment* ' are not defigned to continue while God exiftf.'J To fet Judas out of hell, Mr. W. would make heaven a place of mifery. The faints in heaven undoubtedly did ' fee the mif- 4 eries which came upon Jerufalem and its inhabitants.' Which R fight, " P. |$M t P. 9$. * P 8^ 'S3* Vnivcrfaiifm confounds and defirsys itfclfi Tight, he fays, made their cafe a thoufand times worfe than if they* * had never been born.' This we fhall hereafter confidcr. What he makes fome of mankind fuffer in this world, now comes be- fore us. And thofe * children' or infants, made * food for their ' mothers,' whofe cafe ■ would have been better if they had never * been born ;' if thefe did not fuller all they deferve, in this world, let Mr. W. {how, on his own ground, what more they did deferve ; ©r what degree and duration of mifery infants do deferve ; efpecially as he denies that fin deferves cndlefs punifh- ment.* But thofe who fuffer to an infinite degree in this world, it is impoffible to fhow that they deferve flill more, even on the ground of holding to the utmolt defert of fin. Thofe ■ thoufand * circumftances into which the children of Adam fall,' he tells of, ■ that make their cafe infinitely worfe than though they had * never been born, without fuppofing a {fate of future punifhmeni 1 at all,' make it impoffible they mould deferve flill more,- on any plan whatever. What they fuffer only in this world, makes ifc infinitely worfe tkan if they had not been born, or had never cxifted. This certainly mull be a balance to the evil of fin, al- lowing of it to be infinite ; or it cannot be faid that flricl juftice demands further fuffering, cither in this or the coming world. The infinitely worfe, which Mr. W. here ftates, is not infinite in duration, therefore muff be infinite in degree. And it cannot be fhown that any finner ought to fuffer more than to an infinite degree. This is what he makes fome men fuffer in this world, and in a thoufand inftances. It will now be objected that Mr. W. does not mean ftriclly, or unlimitedly, by infinitely worfe ; but only to a very great degree. Anfwer. He gives no intimation, nor fays any thing in con-, neclion, fo as to decide the point, but what he means an unlim- ited degree — unlimitedly worfe than if they had never been born. This he fays in his zeal to fave Judas. It may be fuppofed he means not ftrictly, but only a great degree worfe. So it may be fuppofed he means, by the falvation of all men, not ftriclly all men, but only a great number, or nearly all. It is granted, in the next fentence after infinitely worfe y he fays, * A thoufand * times worfe. 1 But there i3 not a neceffary connection between the two fentences, fo as to decide that he means the fame by in* finitely , a3 by a thoufand. To fay the mofl, therefore, Ins ex- prcffion may be taken in the unlimited fenfe. Which in a thoufand cafes is to make men fuffer to an infinite degree, in this werld. Befides, Univerfalifm confounds and defirays it/elf. sjt Befides, if we allow the obje&ion, that Mr. W. intends only ji great degree worfe, by infinitely worfe ; as he denies fin de- fcrves endlefs mifery, it is impoflible for him to mow that fuch as fuffer this infinitely wrfe, do not fuffer all they deferve, in the prefent life. For if he ufes the word infinitely in a limited fenfe, it is then a bold figure, to come as near to that which is itricfly unlimited, as any word can, and not actually exprefs it. So Mr. W. could fay nothing mora as to the fufferings of men, in this world, unlefs he mould fay they fuffer ftriftly to an infi- nite degree ; and he denies that they deferve to fuffer to an in- finite degree, or to infinite duration. Therefore, on his own plan, he could not exprefs that men fuffer the full demerit of their iins, in this world, in ftronger terms than he does. It is net only part of mankind, but the whole of them that Mr. W. would make to fuffer in this manner. When he fays, * There are a thoufand circumftances into which the children of * Adam fall, that make their cafe infinitely worfe,' &c. this is making of it fo general or univerfal, it appears difficult if not impracticable to find an exception of one individual. He alfo fays, * Who would not, a thoufand times, choofe rather never * to have been born, than even to fee, far lefs experience the * miferies which came upon jerufalem and its inhabitants ?'— Only ' to fee' the mifery of' others, therefore, occafions fuch mifery to him that feeth it. But taking this with the Other cafe juft mentioned, and the whole race of men would feem to be in- volved in infinite mifery, while in the prefect life. Or certain- ly Mr. W. makes them all fuffer, while in this life, equal to what he calls their full defert. And he afferts and argues this fentiment, in a number of in- rtanCes ; fo that he might efcape this mod awful threatening to Judas, * Good were it for that man if he had never been born.' We (hall fee in one inftance more. Job and Jeremiah, he fays, c'urfed the day in which they were born, not becaufe they 'had ■ any fear of future damnation,'* they had then ' full affurance * of eternal life ;'* but becaufe of their prefent pains and tor- tures, being greater than they could bear. Ke not only fays this, but he junifies them, in curling the day of their birth. His; friend objefts, ' That both Job and Jeremiah paffionately ex- * claimed, and, through forrow, uttered fuch ralh words, as, in * their cooler moments, they repented of ; and therefore what ' they fpoke of themfelves cannot wholly fetafidethe objection/ — * But Chrift, though under great forrows himfelf, faw th© f cafe ef Judas fo deplorable, that he expreffed himfelf thus re- ' fpectinp •* P. 83, 84. 132 Univerfalifm. confounds and deftroys itfetf* ' fpecling him ; which was the fober truth, without exaggera- e tion.'* To this Mr. W. anfwers : * We do not find that Job * or Jeremiah ever recanted, in their cooler moments, what they ' uttered in their forrows.'t He then goes on to cite Matt. xxiv. 19. Mark xiii. 17. and other fcriptures, and argues from thence that they had no occafian ior recanting Qr repenting, becaufe they had curfed their day. Their prefent forrows were fo great as to jultify them in fo domg, notwithilanding they then had e full aflurarice" of an endlefs ftate or happinefs, after death. Whether, in the moij: trying {fate whatever, men can be juftified for curling their day, and fo curling the providence of God, is a cafe for Mr. W. to folve. But if thefe men can be juftifieq for curling their day, then they had a good reafon for curling their day ; which good reafon will hold a good one forever ; time or duration can neither wea£ it out nor alter it. And if they had a good reafon for curling their day, when in a view of eter- nal life, or taking their prefent and future exiilence together, then they have this moment a good reafon to curfe their day, fo will have to eternity. As, therefore, this good reafon is becaufe of their great mifery, it argues their mifery to be fo great tlv^t their exiilence, on the whole, is an evil — a curfe inlteadofa blefling. Therefore, their mifery fufTcred in time, overbalances iheir good enjoyed in eternity. Hence, this their evil fuflfered in time, as it is greater than an eternal good, mull be an infinite evil. Elfe how could their reafon for curfing their day, becaufe of their great, mifery, be good ? or how could they be juftified in fo doing ? The day that gave them birth, gave them their exiilence. To curfe the day of their birth, is to curfe their exiilence. To curfe their exiftence, is to declare it an evil. To jultify them for their declaring their exiilence an evil, is faying their exiftence is an evil. And it is an evil becaufe of the mifery they fuffer in time* The happinefs they have in eternity does not make their exift- ence, on the whole, a good or a blefling ; it is llill a curfe, and juilly to be curfed. Therefore, the curfe they endure in time is greater than the blefling they enjoy in eternity. Therefore, be- caufe they enjoy eternal happinefs, their mifery in time, which is greater than their eternal happinefs, is infinitely great. All this Mr. Wincheller fays, by faying that Job and Jeremiah did right in curling the day in which they were born ; and when they had full a flu ranee of eternal happinefs. Mr. W. feems to be aware of this- abiurdity, and attempts to tffcape it, by faying that if Job and Jeremiah had died in the womb, • P. 84, 85; -t Ibid, Unive rfa lifin c o nfo u % d v a n d defi r oy s i tft If. 133 v/omb, or been born without life, they then would immediately have entered into reft. So he fays, * Had Judas died before he ' had been born, and perifhed from his mother's womb, he would f never have finned, far lefs betrayed Chrift ; he would have en. * tered into peace immediately, '* where the wicked ceafc fron> ',' troubling, and where the weary are at reft :' In this cafe, he K would have efcap.ed the judgment that came upon him, and * would have had more reft than thofe who ihould live in all the ' affluence of life two thoufand years.'* A molt miserable fhift he here makes. For, 1. He goes upon a blind fuppofition. That men have rational fouls, capable of entering into eternal reft, before they are born, is an opinion without evidence. And they muft have rational fouls before their bodies are formed in the womb, or whether they ever have human bodies, or not, according to Mr. W's plan. For, if the body is firft formed in the womb, or foul and body together, it is natural to conclude that this body, at leaft, muft be born. Then all Mr. W's reafoning on this point comes to nothing. 1 Good were it for that man if he had never been born :' which implies that it had been good for Judas if his body had never come into being. And, that his foul could have had a being Without a body, is fuch a blind fuppofition as will not do to build our faith upon, for the things of eternity. 2. To hy that Judas might have efcaped the threatened evil, on Mr. W's plan, is re- ducing the threatening to nothing. It would have been good for all men, on his plan, had they never been born. 3. To af- fcrt that Job and Jeremiah fuffered to fuch a degree, in this life, then to devife a way how they might have efcaped this fuffering, is nothing to his purpofe. A thoufand ways may be devifed, how they might have efcaped ; and what then ? If they fuffered this evil, ¥ they fuffered it. If their being, on the whole, was a curfe, it was worfe than no being. If their evil, fuffered in time, was more than a balance to their eternal happinefs, then they fuffered, in time, an infinite evil. And no one pretends that ths threatening to Judas contained more than an infinite or endlefo evil. 4, To try to evade the awful threatening to Judas, by frying that Job and Jeremiah, while in time, fuffered the fame ; then, to make this out, to magnify their fufferings to an infinite degree, is a twofold abfurdity. But, to devife fome way to pal- liate for fuch abfurdity, is to make it more abfurd. g. To fay that the fouls of men, before they are united to their bodies, or before they are born, may enter into reft or into heaven ; and, Jbr proof, to bring this, « Where the wicked ceafe from troub* ' ling, * P. 83. 134 Vnivtrjklifm confounds and dejtreys itfetf. ' ling, and where the weary are at reft,' is a direft contradiction. For this is faying that the fouls of the wicked, as fueh, do enter into reft or into heaven ; which Mr. W. himfelf denies. Their bodies reft in the grave, being pall 'feeling ; which is the mean- ing of the above words. After every fhift and turn Mr. W. can make, he muft allow that the fufferings of, Job and Jeremiah were the occafion of in- creafing their happinefs in heaven — the occafion of endiefs good to them. But if their temporal fufferings were fo great as to ex- ceed this endiefs good ; then were their temporal fufferings infi- nitely great. Now, in this cafe, if they did not fuffer the utrnoft of their defert, on Mr. W's plan, let it be fhown what they did deferve. And he appears to make all men fuffer, in this life, the extent of iheir defert. Thofe thoufand cafes, he tells of, may- apply to the whole human race. Especially when they fuffer the agonies of death, and before their fouls quit their bodies, it appears they m»h\ in his fcheme, all fuffer the full wages o£ their fins. Thus Mr. W. makes all men, while in this world, pay the debt, they owe to divine juftice. And fuch as continue obftinate and impenitent, he would have them fent to hell, to pay the fame debt the fecond time. The damned in hell he configns over, as we have (cen, to ftrict juilice, to judgment without mercy, and to the fecond death ; where they are never forgiven, and where ijo more facrifice for fin remaineth. What is {fill more 'extraor- dinary, if poffible, in his fcheme ; after fomc men have fuffered one infinite evil, in this, he makes them fuffer another infinite evil, in the next world. Some wicked men, he fays, enduie the fame degree of pain and torment, in this life, as did Job and Jer- emiah. For he takes the cafe of thefe men to llluftrate the thoufand other cafes, into which the children of Adam fall, So the cafe of thofe wicked men that d ; ed in the fiege of Jerufa- lem, he ranks under the fame head. Thefe things we have al- ready feen. Now, thefe wicked men, after they have once fuf- fered to an infinite degree, in this life, and are ftill impenitent till they die ; Mr. W. fays of them, * They fhall hereafter fuffer • infinitely greater inconveniencies, by being cad into hell.'* Again, he fays, ' The Uate here (of a certain cafe in this life) • defcribed by Solomon, is infinitely better than the damnation • of hell, though limited by certain periods. 't His own account, therefore, of hell, is a place where they fuffer to an infinite de* gree. And this he lavs, not by a figure, but in its literal fenfe. So he makes the wicked fuffer one infiniie t in this life, the* feqgg Vniverf aUfia confounds and deftroys itfetft 3$£ fends them to hell to differ another infinite ! And even glories in it, that he can hereby, as he pretends, get rid of that moll aw- ful threatening to Judas. But, it belongs to him to (how, that the damned, efpecially, after they have differed two infinites, have not differed all they deferve ; when, at the fame time, he denies fin to be an infinite evil. The following remarks upon the foregoing, with a few more quotations from his book ; may now bring Mr. W's fcheme into view. x. There is one fatal contradiction running through the whole. Many of our race, if not all, differ the utmoft of their defert, and yet all men are faved wholly by grace, and by the merits of Chriffc alone. Thefc two points he labours to eftablilh, as we have feen t and he keeps them up throughout his book. They cannot both be true. Grace is favour mown to the ill deferving. Grace is the beftowment of good on fuch as deferve nothing but evil, Grace is a free gift, entirely a free gift, and to the unworthy. Such as are faved by grace are forgiven. Such as are faved by grace only, are wholly forgiven ; they atone for no part of their ill defert, neither by differing nor in any other way. And fuch as are faved by grace alone, or fuch as are wholly forgiven, they differ no part of what they deferve. Again, fuch as differ all they deferve, are forgiven no part of what they deferve. For, as they differ all, no part remains to be forgiven. In this cafe, it is impoflible they mould be forgiven. But, if they are whol- ly forgiven, it is impoftible they mould differ. It is impoilible they mould be forgiven all they deferve, and, at the fame time, differ all they deferve. When men have differed all they de- ferve, they {land even with divine juftice ; nothing more can juflly be inflicted upon them. Neither, in this cafe, can any thing be forgiven ; differing has atoned for the whole. Now, how can Mr. Winchester fo often affert, and argue, ia the moll decided manner, directly againfi himfelf ? fiut there is no way for him to avoid the contradiction, Holding to future punifhment, as he does, and he cannot deny that the damned fuller according to ftricl juftice. Scripture fo clearly eflablifhes this doftrine, that is, that juftice is fully executed on the damn- ed, it cannot be denied, without openly violating the truth. As, therefore, he holds to limited punifhment, there is no way but for him to deny that fin deferves endlefs punifhment. Then a- gain, as he holds all men are faved, he muft hold that all men are faved by grace ; or deny the plaineft part of fcripture. But When they haye differed for the whole of tksir ill defert, be it more 5 gS Unzverfalifm, confounds and dejiroxs iij more or lefs, they have completely atoned for their fins, by thelV own fufferirig. In this cafe, grace cannot interpofe. And, in this cafe, to fay, that they are laved by grace, completes the con- tradiction. I: is happy for the world, on one account, that Mr. W. has put his fcheme into writing. It can now be feen where- in it deitroys itfelf. Some would now object, That the fufTerings of the damned are for their good, to lead them to repentance ; they juflly de- ferve no more than to lead them to repentance ; and this is grace, even the damnation of hell, arid bellowed in eonfequence of the death of Chrift. Anfwer, (i.J The objection itfelf fays, All that the dafnner? deferve is grace ; which is a contradiction. Grace deferved, is not grace, (2.) If this be all that Tinners deferve, then it is juf- tice in God, or juflice requires him to lead finners to repentance ; either by the torments of hell, or in ibrne other way. Which is not grace but juflice. (3.) If finners juflly deferve no more than to lead them to repentance, then, when they have repented, either in this w r orid or in hell, they have anfwered all the demands ot juflice. Accordingly, repentance would anfwer the demands of juflice, and without a Mediator. And no reafor. can be giv- en, from the bible, why the torments of hell flioufd not be in- flicted, without a Mediator. Therefore, the laft and- inoft pow- erful mean, univerfajifts tell of, may be ufed ; lb as to lead alt to repentance, and anfwer all the demands of justice, without a Mediator. Hence, that fcheme which would fet afide the right coufnefs of Chrift, making the repentance of finners anfwejf in its flead, cannot be true. Further attention will be paid to the above objection, or* fentiment it contains, in the next Letter, It will again be objected, That after the damned have fullered to the full demand of juflice, they ftill keep finning, and there- fore deferve to be ftill continued in hell. On this account,- nothing but grace can deliver and fave them. Anfwer. It was fhowninLet. VII. Part I, that if finners pay the debt they owe to divine juflice, provided they can do it, either by their own fufTerings or in any other way ; they are then acquitted by the law, and fland upon the ground of j unifi- ed perfons. In this cafe, it is no more an act of grace to give them repentance and falvation, than for God to keep holy an- gels from finning. Again, there is no fcripture evidence that the damned are continued under their torments, for the fins they lit in hell. The fentence that confines them in hell, is limited wholly to their ill defert for their evil deeds done in the * - in this world. For this, fee in Let. III. Part IV. . Thofe tlnivcrfatifm cenfoinids and Jtfiroys itfelf, 13/ Thefe obje&ions, however, are not ftated and anfwered, be- caufe there is the leaft room, even to fufpecl: that Mr. Winchef- ter can relieve himfelf from the above contradi&ion, He la* "hours the point, to fhow how he holds to fa) vat ion, by pardon, by forgivenefs, and by grace alone ; which is wholly through the merits of Chrifl. . And that the damned, by their Sufferings, atone for no part of their guilt, nor do the leaft thing towards meriting their falvation, or delivering themfelves from helh Again, that the damned fufferall they deierve, and of courfe a- tone for the whole of their guilt ; he could not have exprefied this in ftronger terms. But this is not the only contradiction in his book. We therefore remark., I 2. Speaking of a juft recompenfe of" reward thereafter, he fays, 'The current doctrine of endlefs mifery, deftroys this rule of 4 equity and proportion.'* e Endlefs damnation is too unnatural * to be believed, limited punifhments are more reafonable. '1; * Endlefs puni foment feems to fhock tender minds'. 'J This rule ' of equity' is deftroyed, becaufe, ■ A child of ten years old,' he fays, ' will remain in mifery as long as the rnofl perfecuting ty- 6 rant ;' alfo, endlefs damnation exceeds the defert of the greater! /inner, * limited punifhments are more reafonable.' Now, fee the glaring contradiction, Thofe miferable children, he tells of, who were • food for their mothers, in the fiege at Jerufalem, had * better never been born.' And Mr. W. claffes them with thofe thoufands whofe cafe is infinitely worfe than nonexiftence ; who fuffer an infinite evil in this Hfe, Can a finite being, a child, perhaps five years old or under, fuffer an infinite evil, in time ? Is this * too unnatural to be believed,' or not ? And how does this infinite evil> fuffered by this child, agree with his lim- ited punifhments, which are more reafonable ? Efpecially the abfurdity of adding two infinites together, one endured in this world and another in hell, by the fame perfons ; does this * fhock * tender minds,' or does it not ? Mr. W. is determined at all hazards, it feems, to deliver Ju- das from endlefs mifery. Accordingly, he makes thoufands of mankind infinitely miferable, while in the prefent life. It is as fhameful and diftrefiing, in itfelf confidered, both to mothers and children, to offer them to Moloch, as to make them food for their mothers. And how many thoufands of infants have been facrificed to their idols ? When Carthage was befieged by the Romans, in the days of Nero, the inhabitants of this devoted city facrificed 300 of their infants, at one time, to appeafe the anger of their gods. In any connection excepting this of Judas, S Mr, *3t Univerfalifm confounds and deftroys ilft Mr. W. would, it appears, make the cafe of thefe infants rftoS defuable. — That they went direclly to happinefs ; and that th$ evil they fuffered here, was nothing, compared to their endlefs good hereafter. But now he makes them eternally happy, th«i their exigence worfe than none, then limited punifhments are more reafonable, then endlefs puni lament fhbcki tender minds. Why does lie not firft fliow, whether thefe tender minds are tenderly affe&ed towards truth, or towards falfehood ? 3. After ill his pretenfions of love to men, and defire for the happinefs of each one, and the greateft happinefs of heaven, we fee what he makes of heaven. A place where they may forever curfe their day ! according to the .language of Satan himfelf. Job and Jeremiah, he fays, looked forward and faw what heav- en is, viewed the evil and the good together, and did right iit curling their day. Therefore they may forever look back, and fee the evil and the good together, and do right in curfing their day. EfpecialH f , ■ we may rente?!; that notable expreffion of his: • Who would not, a thoufand times, ckoofe rather never tp ■ have been born, titan even to fee, far lef's experience, the 1 miferies that came upon Jerufalem and its inhabitants, in • the time of the fiege r And Mofes, the prophets, the apoiUe^, and all heaven did even fee this great and awful event. Hence they may, Mr. W. fays, a thoufand times choofe rather never 10 have been born This is what he makes of heaven. 4. Inftead of promoting the fear of God, and fubmiffion to h*s holy w ; li, as he every where profeffes, he leads the way to jufti- fy all the murmuring and rebellion, that ever did or ever will take place. If a man can be justified for curfing his day, at one time, he can be juftified for it at another, and fo on, at all times, and under all circumflances. And if a man can be juftified for curfing his day, by the fame rule, he can be juftified mould he curfe the providence of God or the law of God. But Mr. W. juftifies Job and Jeremiah for curfing their day. In doing this, Mr. W. overlooks forae of the plainefl things of fcripture. * We do not find,' he fays, * that Job or Jeremiah ' ever recanted, in their cooler moments, what they uttered in • their forrows.'* His meaning is, they never repented, in their cooler moments, for curfing their day, while under their extreme forrows. He hence argues that they had no occafiou of repent- in 10, Vnivtrfalifm confounds and dejlrcys it/elf, 145 * purchafedybr all men. But what need is there, that ChriH * fhould purchafe deliverance for thofewho purchafeitfor them- * felves, by their own perfonal fufferings ?'* Thus Dr. Chauncy not only involves himfeff in - this fatal con- tradiction, but he reduces the grace of God, and the merits of Chrilt, to a mere found. He makes the damned fuffer the full wages of their fins, and puts them on a level with divine juftice. He then goes on to tell, in the next breath, of the merits of C hrift, €>f rich mercy, boundlefs goodnefs, infinite indulgence and love, , Chauncy, and all. other Univerfalifts of this clafs, hold the torments of hell to be * « purifying fire ;'* * mercifully intended f ;r the good of * the patients or the damned themfelves. 't Thefe torments, tbey fay, are an evidence that ' the character of God, as the F ither * Mr. Hartley's Qbfervations on jfrtt, Vol. ii. t>. ^29. + Dr. C's Salvation ij i!l &h p. r*i> 325- $4& Uaivt) -fail \ftii confounds and dejlroys itftlf. * of mercies, and God of pity and grace, is not limited to thi& * world only/* but is wonderfully difplayed in hell. And * that * the infinitely benevolent Deity is the fame good being in the ' other world, that he is in this ;' or that he gives the fame kind of tokens of mercy and pity in hell, as he does* on earth. And that the mifery of the damned, and the benefit arjfing to them from their mifery, ' make it evident that God is a being of bound- •'lefsarid inexhauftible goodnefs.'t-- • Punifhment,' fay they% * without having the reformation of rebels for its end, is unwor-i * thy of the Being we adore/ 'Severe fufferings make them * (the damned) citeem falvatiqn infinitely more than otherwife * they would, andTerve to bring their wandering fouls to God. 'J Thus, in their language, the mifery of the damned is a- molt wholfome difcbline, fuited in the befl manner for their good, and for their greateff. good. Thefe writers alfo fay, that it is be- caufe God hat tried every other mean firfr, that he fends impen- itent finners to hel!. 'The firft rujethat divine juflice obferves, * is never to proceed to extreme rigour, till every gentle mean ' has been exhaufted without effect. ' e When every other me. ' thod has failed of fuccefs, fe verity (in hell) muft be employed, * and will be made ufe of by God to fubdue fin, and bring about e the fanclifi cation and falvation of the finner.'§ Therefore, as is often urged by thefe gentlemen, God never would fentence one Onner to hell, if he could by gentle means fubdue them all, in this world ; and he would, in this world, fubdue and lead tc repentance every finner of the human race, if he could ' confifU c ent with the moral agency of creatures. '|| \ Now, in this cafe, are the torments of hell terrifying ? Are they really an evil ? Are they truly a curfe ? Are they indeed the curfe of God's law ? No. They are a purifying fire ; mercifully intended for the good of the patients thtmftlves ; an evidence that Cod is, to the damned, the Father of mercies ? an evidence' of the infinite benevolence of the Deity, in the fame manner as his acts of mercy on earth ; an evidence of his bound- Itfs and inexhauftible goodnefs ; and never ufed till" every other mean has been exhaufted ; and when ufed it is without the leaft hazard, it is with pofitive certainty of fuccefs. Every medicine excepting one, fuppofe, has been applied in vain, to a fick pa- tient ; but this one which remains can be given without the leaft hazard ; yea, it can be given with certainty of fuccefs ; it is in- deed * Ibid, P. 326. + Ibid. % Wlnchefter'a Dialogues, P. 31, 163. \ Petitpierre, y 113; 118. II Benevolence of the Deity, P. 219. And fee Salvation of all. Men, P 3 44 ;aKo, Bifhop Newton's works, Vol. vi. P. $61 ; alio, Winchester's Dialogues Univerfalifm confounds and dejlroys itftlf. 149 dscd beyond a doubt, that this only remaining medicine will ef- fect a complete cure. Now, allowing the firft opperation of this medicine to be attended with great pain to the patient, (till, is it on the whole terrifying ■? Is it to be viewed as fome mod horri- ble thing ? Is it the greate'ft evil iii the world ? Is it to be dread- ed and avoided as the moft deadly poi fori ? Is it a curfe to man- kind, or a curfe to thofe to whom it is adminiftered ? And is the phyfician, whoadminiflers it, the executioner of this curfe ? Nay Every body grants this lingular medicine to be the moft valuable thing in the world : the greatefl or all temporal bleffings toman- kind, efpecially to fuch as are fo fortunate as to have it applied to them. This illuft rates and mows how Br. Chauncy and his difciples have found out the way, fo as to convert the curfe into a blejjing. The pains of hell, in their fcheme, are the beft means, and molt effectual and certain to humble the damned and fit them for heaven ; and never ufed till every other mean has been exhaulted. Inftead of being alarmed or terrified at the pains of hell, the wicked, in this fcheme, muft view thefe pains to be moft defirable. The only mean, when all others fail, which is certain to fit them for heaven ; and no more pain is to be inflicted than what is neceffary to this end : Inftead of being terrifying, what can be more defirable ? I Fifthly. Sinners vainly think, oftentimes, that they mail repent, whenever the motives fet before them are fufficiently ftrong, fo as to effect this end ; whieh, as yet, has not happened to them. Now, believing in this flattering fcheme, when the torments Of hell fhall awake upon them, then will the motives be fo firong as to effect their repentance immediately. Thus may the deceitful heart dream, that fo much of the torments of hell as is neceffary to effect their repentance, when nothing elfe can, will be to them the greatefl good, inftead of an eviL What then becomes of the terrors of hell? 1 It will here be objected, that the fore trials and corrections, which, believers endure in this life, cannot, in themfelves, be called good things or bleffings ; they muft in themfelves, be cal- led evils,' And thefe evils are often very furprifing and terri- fying to them. But, as thefe^vils are kind corrections, token* of God's fatherly pity to his own dear children, why may not the pains and tortures of the damned be confidered in the faraa light ? Anfwer. There is fomcthing, it is granted, terrifying to be- lievers, when they are plunged into the furnace of affliction ; af is often the cafe with thern. in this ftate of trial. But this terror takes hold of them when they loofe fight of the promifes ; thit 11 3,5* Univerfalifin anfounds and Jrjrcys itfitfi is generally if net always the cafe. Let a believer have ati humble hope and confidence, that God is about to afflict him \n tender mercy, and his terror vanifhes at once. Or this terror vaniihes according to the ftrength of his hope and confidence it* God. Sec Ifai. xliiL 2. 3. an 1 many other places. — Although the believer has, generally. Tome fenfe of divine power, mercy,' and faithfulnefs, yet he cannot always, and with certainty, apply the promifes particularly to himfelf. ' Whereas, Univerfalifta fpeak ot the torments of hell with certain v, beyond a doubt, that they will fit every one of the damned for heaven. So, that every one, on this plan, is certain that all the pain he is to endure, is the only thing to Bring about his greateft good. Where is the terror, in this cafe ? What is Nebuchadnezzar's furnace, allow-' fpg that the man, to be caft into it, is certain of coming out alive ? and certain that ail the pain and torture he endures, while in thi.3 furnace, will be to his greateft advantage ? Suppofe, to endure the tortures or this furnace for a few hours or even days, wer$ the caufe or way, tor a man to live aftcrwaids in this world for- ever, and in peilect health and full tide of profperity ; would this furnace be dreaded ? Would triis man be difpofed to avoid it ? But let this be as it may, the torments of hell, in this flat- tering fcheme, are never to beufed till every other mean has fail* ed, and the damned are certain of being delivered from all pain, the moment they repent, the matter being left wholly at their choice. Hence, no objecton can He ; this foothing doctrine cf Univcrfalifts certainiy does ftrip hell of all its terrors. Befides, the above objection fuppofes the f offerings of the dam- ned to be tokens of God's fatherly pity to them, and in the., fame (^n(e as his kind corrections to believers, in this world, Which is mailing nr> difference between the righteous and the wicked, aud no difference between the curfe and the bleffing. And this is an imppfitiort upon common fenfe, as well as a diretT^ denial of fcripture. This leads to remark, g. Thefe Untverfalifls pretend to be the foremoft in extolling the grace of God ; but the fact is, they are the {lift to depreci- ate and reduce it to nothing ; fo^iev do in holding that the pains of hell are necejTary, as well as effectual, to fubdue and bringto repentance obuinate fipners. Mr. W T inchei'ter fays, ■ Punifhment, c to a certain degree, inflames and enrages, in a mofl amazing man- ; but continued longer, and heavier, produces a contrary ' effect — foftens, humbles, and fubdue s.' * Some men are fa 1 funk in fin as not to be reformed, by any means in this life ; ....... that Opd is hot able to fubdue andj ' bring JPmverfaitfm cenfounds and dejlroys itfAf* *** * kring down the proud and moft rebellious, in another Mate, by means that may be ufed effettually there, though they could *not be ufed here.'* Dr. Chauncy holds to the fame, we have f^en t and may fee again ; fo the reft of thefe writers are in the fame fentiment, it being one effential thing with them. But what a contemptible idea does this give of the fulncfs oi divine grace, and of the agency of the holy Spirit ? Does not God offer to rea- fon with the chief of finners ? 'Though your fins be as fcsrlet, * they (hall be as white as fnow ; though they be red like crimfon, * they mail be as wool.''!' Is not the holy Spirit able to break the mofr obdurate heart, & to take away the heart of itone ? Are not all things now ready r Is it not now theaccepted time ? No ; fay Dr. Chauncv 8c Mr. IVinchefier. Some men mull wait till they get in- to hell : Grace is not fufficient to reach every cafe, & the holy Spirit cannot renew the hearts of fomeofthe moft obltinate, while they are in this prefeht ftate. ■ Some men are Jo Junk in Jin as notto be * reformed, by any means in this fife.' — A direct contradiction to the whole drift of what thefe gentlemen fay, on the fulnefs of the atonement, the fufficiency of divine grace, and the efftdual working o\ the holy Spirit. And Mr. Winchefler ipends a number of pages, or a whole Ledure, in attempting to prove that Cod even fubdued and fanclified the heart oi Nebuchadnezzar, ting of Babylon.^ Again, what right have they to fay, that* punifnment,to acer- * tain degree, inflames and enrages ; but continued longer, and ' heavier, produces a contrary effe& ?' Let them fhn fhow what degree of punifhment is beft fuited to the end. Let them propor- tionate the dWreci of punifhment, fo as to fuit the cafe of each individual. Let them felecf. one from all the men of the earth, and fhow whether God, by his Spirit, cannot enlighten him, and fanftify his heart, as well without punifhment as with. Or let them mow whether the greateft punifhment, can make the leaft Skeration in his heart, without the convincing and renewing power of the holy Spirit. The facl appears to be this ; that U- hrverfalifls have invented a mere /carecrow of hell torments, as their laft refort, to rid themfel ves ^jf this moft humiliating docfrine : * God hath mercy, on whom he will have mercy, and whom he * will, lie hardeneth. { § Inficad of a place of mifery, in the next world, they might as well have invented a place of happinefs, as befl fuited to give re- pentance, and fit finners for heaven. On fuppofuion there is anoiber ftate of probation, or one after death, there is as much evi- dence to believe, trom what we find in fcripture, that this is a itate o<; high * &$to£UCS t P. i $7, i 5 «. t liai. 1. 18- JSe«inhi*I. Vol. of I. ; fares. & Rom. q. it. i$2 Unioerfaiifm confounds and dejtroys iift high profperity & happinefs, as there is to believe it is a ftate of great inifery. Allowing what is faid about the happy ?nillennium, and, in the end, there will be far more of mankind prepared and. made meet fubj eels for heaven, under gentle means, than there will by fore af- flictions and judgments. Thefe gentlemen often object againfl preaching up terror, and urge that it is the goodntfs of God which Uadeth to repentance. Then why not a ftate of happu nefs, inftead of mifery, as a ftate of probation yet to come ? The truth is, God has abfolute pov7er over the hearts of men ; as the potter over his clay, to make one veflel to honour, and another to diflionour„ So God has a valt variety in the courfe of his pro- vidence, that he might declare his own divine f ulnefs — his ha- tred to iniquity, his love to righteoufnefs, and love to the happi- nefs of his creatures. And, as to what we may expect, in the next world, our only way is to keep clpfe to revelation. Here v/c find no intimation of a ftate of trial, or probation, after death, but every thing to the contrary. 4. Thefe writers appear to make fin i'tfelf merit heaven and happinefs. After all they fay of the evil and ill defert of fin, they, appear to make it more meritorious, in the final ifiue, than even the righteoufnefs of Chrift. Sin, they allow. at once, merits the. damnation of hell. And this is certain, in their fcheme 5 to hum- ble and fubdue the damned ; and certain to carry them to hea- ven. Now, in this cafe, there is no fuch thing as grace to the damned. It is wholly their own merit, on the rules of ftritr. juf* tice, the divine law taking its courfe upon them. The wick- ed deferve or merit, in their own perfons, by their own fins, the damnation of hell. This is a purging fire, fuited to fit them for heaven. This purging fire is certain to prepare all the damned for heaven, and carry them there. If, therefore, fmners, by their fins, merit the means, they merit the end. If they merit that which is infallible and certain to fit them for heaven, and put them into eternal poffefTion of heaven, they of courfe merit hea- ven itfelf. Here we have the real language of univerfalifm. Again, fuch as perfevere in fin till they die, this fcheme makes thetn merit that, by their fin, wnich the death of Chriit docs not merit. They merit thofe means which, are effectual and certain to fit them for heaven ; when all the means, purchafed by the doath of Chrift, totally fail of this end. Dr. Chauncy denies the infinite evil of fin, or that fin deferves endlefs punifhment. It would beunjuM for God to punifli a crea- t'ire eternally, for the fin he commits in time : * A reflection,' he iiys, * on the infinite juftice as well as goodnefs of God.'* But he * p. gto. Univerfalifm confounds and defiroys iff elf. l$% he makes fin merit that which will infallibly bring about endlefs happinefs. Sin merits, he fays * That purging fire, that good * and wholfome difcpline, fo much to the profit, or advantage, * of the fufferers tktmftlves** And the only fure and neclfa- ry mean to efTecl their endlefs good or happinefs. The Do&or and his difciples are not alone inthisblafphemousfentiment. All the wicked of earth and hell join with them in it, whenever they fpeak the language of their hearts, It will here be objected, that the fcheme which embraces end- lefs punifhment is embarraffed in the fame manner. It fuppo- fes that believers, by their fins, merit their heavenly Father's frowns or corrections, Thefe corrections are the means of, and have a direcl tendency to, their eternal good. Therefore, believ- ers merit that, by their fins, which is the mean of their eternal good, and has a direcl: tendency to it. Anfwer, (1.) It is denied that fin merits that which is the mean of doing good, or that which has the leaft tendency to do good, to him who commits the fin. Sin ever merits evil, nothing but evil, & nothing but what tends to do evil ; that is, to the perfon guilty of fin. Otherwife fin is not fin. (2.) The fins of believers God iorgiveS. And, as an aft: of grace, having regard to the merits of Chrift, he makes their corrections or afflictions work for their eternal good. In this cafe, as an a6t of grace, out of refpe& to no other but the merits of Chrift. God deals with fuch as are- united to Chrift by faith, dire&ly contrary to what they merit by their fins. So that, whatever is made the mean, or the occafion of good to believers, it is not made fo on account of the merit of fin. — We have here the wide difference between the two fchemes. The fcheme that embraces endltfs punifhment fuppofes that it is all of grace, inftead of debt. Or that God conftantly treats be- lievers, infinitely better than what they deferve : That God is un- der no kind of obligation, from any merit of theirs, to make their temporal afflictions ifluein their higheft good. It is of the Lord'* mercies that they are not confumed — made eternally miferable. But the fcheme of univerfal jaivation fuppofes that God is bound byjuftice, to try all gentle means before he fends finners to hell. And bound byjuftice to fuit the torments of hell for the feeft good of the damned. * Punifhment, without having the re- • formation of rebels for its end, is unworthy of the being we ' adore. 't God can juftly do no other than, either by gentle means, or fevere punifhment, or fome other way, bring all men to repentance, and make them forever happy. What i* moft ab- furd and blafphemous, this fcheme fuppofes that all men merit thic U by * P. 3*4) |*£. t WiadwfWi Dialogues. P. jv 154 Vnivtrfalifm anfiunds and dtjtriys iififf. ky their fin*. Even fh- fins of finful men bind the Almighty^ by the rules of juftice. to do all ihis good for them. Hence, 5. This fcheme argues that fin is not a moral evil. Wheri divine juftice has no demand-, there it no injury done to divine juftice. And where no injury is done to divine juftice, there is no moral evil done. And if divine juftice hai not a right to take hold of, and inflict, punifhment upon the creature, whether this punifhment does him good, or not ; then this creature owes noth- ing to divine juftice ; then divine juftice has no demand upon him. Or it God is obliged, in juftice to fuit all the punifhment he inilicr* on fr.iners to their good ; Co as to make their punifhment, on the whole, a good, inftead of an evil ; then certainly they owe God nothing, but God juftly owes them. Divine juftice, in this cafe, ftands indebted to (inner*, inftead of fmners being indebt- ed to divine juftice. Therefore, divine juftice has no demand on (inner* : therefore, {inner* have done no injury to divine juftice, by their fins : therefore, their fins are not of the nature of moral evil. And if God is bound, in juftice, and as the laft mean, to adminifter to finners, for their fins, that good and wholfume difcipline, th&l purging fire, to prepare them for, and actually take them to heaven ; it is plain at firft view that their fins arc moral virtue*, inftead of moral evils. Their fins merit that certain, infallible mean which puts them into poftcfli >n of cndlefs good. On this ground, or allowing this to be tiue, lift mull be a moral virtue, inftead of a moral evil* Dr. Chauncy and the others with him cannot^ make out theif fcheme, only by arguing that fin carries with it no ill defert : or that fin merits good in lieu of evil. Let it be granted that Cm is an evil, that (inner* deferve evil, and nothing but evil, and their fcheme muft be given up at once. For, in this cafe, if God deals with the damned according to their defert, as fcripture allures us he does, and as the Doclor himfelf grants ; then the punifh- ment God inflicts upon the damned, inftead of reforming therm and railing them up to happinefs, only finks them lower in mifery. 6. We will fee one more of Dr. Chauncy's inconfiftencies. c Such exertions of the Deity,' he fays, • as (hall be certainly 1 ejjfeclual to reft rain them (free agents) from perverting their 4 facilities, look like a moral impojfibiliiy, or a method of conduct* * ing towards free agent*, which is unfit, in the reafonof things, ' as not being fuited to the nature of fuch kind of beings.'* He confident it as * inconjljte'nt with the powers be/lowed on free ' agents, if, by any extrinfic power, their faculties are unavoida- - Wly put into exercife in *ne urlairt way only/ He afks, * If • motive* * MeiU9. */ the Dtity, n. a 15. Ukiverftljfm ctvfounds and dejfroys ihftlf. %£} • motive* in all cafci be fet in fuch a ftrong and powerful light, • as that no wrong choice could be made — how could fuch a • method of operation ^confiit with the proper power* of free • agents ? It does not appear to the human mind, a thing fit, that f they (free agents) fhoiild be thu* inefifiibly guided by anye*. ' trinfic power, though it were even divine.'* The Doctor's object i* to deny what is called "efficacious of irre/ifi.ible grace. He argues that men cannot, confidently with their liberty, ' be irrefifhbly guided, in one certain way • only, by any cxtrinjic power, or any power out of themftlves, • though it were even divine, 9 And that God cannot * fet mo- - tives before men, in fuch a powerful light,' and {o afford the a- jency of nis holy Spirit, as certainly to reftrain them from per- verting their faculties and make them true penitents, without sleitroying their free agency. Neither can God pofitively pre- determine that men fball hereafter be holy, or turn from fin to ho- linefs, without predeterminingthem to be mere machine*. From the above quotations, this is evidently Dr. C's (entiment. Yet he ha* written the whole of his book to make us believe, God has pofitively predetermined all men for heaven, and that the tor- ments o! hell will certainly and irrefifhbly fit the damned for fceaven. To this inconfiftency Dr. Edwards replies : ' Nor was it t through inattention, that Doctor Chauncy held an extrinfic • caufe certainly operating on the minds of men. It is a doctrine • elFential and important in his fcheme, that all the damned wiil • be finally and certainly brought to repentance, and brought to • repentance bv the torment* of hell too, Are not thcie tor- • ments a caufe extrinfic to the human will ? If that caufe b« • certainly effectual to lead the damned to repentance, what, ori • the Doctor's plan, becomes of their moral agency ? It that caufe • be not certainly effe6tual to lead them all to repentance ; it is • not certain that all men will be faved. — So that on the plan of • the Doctor's book, either his grand doctrine of" the final falva- • tion of all men, by a difciplinary punifhment, mu{t. be given • up, or it muff be fupoofed, that all, who are in that way faved, • are diverted of their mora! agency and are reduced to mere ma- 1 chines. '+ * Upon Dr. C's pian of liberty, there not only is not, and ' cannot be, any certainty, that tf//men will be faved ; but there • is not, and cannot be, any certainty that any $ne man will be ■ faved. The Divine Being himfell cannot make it certain, J without deilroying' moral agency. Not any of the promifes oi • the 1$q Vniverjalifm confounds and dejlreys iifelf. ' the gofpel give us afTurance of the falvation of any man : nor ' is it in the power of God to give a promife of falvation which " fhall enfure the event, fo long as men remain moral agents.'* For to make the event certain and fixed, as Qr. C. fays, deflroy* moral agency ; therefore, the event mult be wholly uncertain, to be confident with the free agency of men. * On the fame hypothecs concerning liberty, even though all * men were delivered from hell and admitted to heaven, there 4 would be no certainty that they would continue there- They 6 would be conflantly liable to fin anew, and bring on themfelves * a fecond damnation. To deny this, would be, to allow that ' their faculties might confidently with moral agency, be cer- * tamly and fixedly inclined to * exercife themfelves in oneway c « only."t Bifhop Newton, on whom Dr. Chauncy very much depends, is fo honeft at to acknowledge, If all men were delivered from hell and admitted to heaven, there would be no certainty of their continuing there. He again contradicts this, by afferting the fi- nal, eternal falvation of all men. The Bifhop fays, ' This life 6 is indeed a ftate of trial, but not a trial to fix our fate forever, * without any pofiibility of changing for better or for worfe, in 4 the world to come. For if the righteous can be but righteous, 4 and the wicked can be but wicked, and cannot aft otherwife ; * there is an utter end of all freedom of will and morality of ac- * tion. Their virtue ceafes to be virtue, and their fin is no loi*g- * er fj n .' « The fcripture allures us, that in the next life men * will be made (Luke xx. 36) equal unto the angels ; but * angels, we know, Lave apofiatized and fallen ; and why may - not men, even when made equal unto the angels ? If righ- ' teoufnefs mould degenerate and become wickednefs ; or if 8 wickednefs mould amend and become righteoufnefs ; the ta- 1 bles would then be turned, and with the change of their nature, * their Mate and condition would be changed too."f The Biih- op is here confident, as to the uncertain flate, and liablenefs to change, in the next world. For, on his plan of liberty, could men be fixed in one certain ftate, either of fin or holinefs, there would then be * an utter end of all freedom of will and morality c of aft ion,' a* to them. Now let us fee the contradiftion. ■ It is impofiible' he fays, ' for any creature to live in eternal torments — If nothing elfe, 1 yet his own fenfations and feelings muft bring him onetime or * other to an acknowledgement of his fin and of his duty.* — ' The * fire mujl in time purge away and con fume the drofs and leave " only • ?. ?,«*. t Ibid. % H'u works, quoted by Ed. againf. C. p. 2$.J, 245. Univerfalifm confounds and dejtroys itfelf. 15J i only the gold behind. No creature can be fo totally depraved * and abandoned, as to hold out under the molt exquifue tor- * tures, obftinate and obdurate to all eternity. In fhort, if * they have any fenfe or feeling, any reafon or underftanding, * any choice or tree will, they mujl one time or other, {boner or * later, be brought to repentance.'— ~ i Tortures upon tortures, ' tortures without end, no creature of the lead fenfe of feeling * can Jupport ; but mujl all be brought to fubmijfion at lalt : 6 and they had much better make a virtue of neceffiiy.'* The Bifhop might as well fay, Pages upon pages, volumes upon vol- umes, volumes without end, when made up of contradictions, can exhibit no light to the rational mind. 'And how mocking are the above contradictions ? — »? The fire * mufl in time purge away and confume the drofs and leave only * the gold behind :' or hell torments muft neceffarily bring all the damned to repentance, and fix them in an^eternal, unalterable Jtate of holinefs and happinefs. At the fame time, when they mail arrive to heaven, and ' be made equal unto the angels, they ' may then apoftatize' ' righteoufnefs may degenerate and * become wickednefs.' Again, • If the righteous can be but f righteous, and cannot a£t otherwife ; there is an utter end of ' all freedom of will and morality of action. Their virtue (by 4 becoming neceflary virtue) ceafes to be virtue.' At the fame time, the damned, in hell, ' had much better make a virtue of * neceflity.' v 7. Jofeph Young, M. D, an univerfalift writer, fpends 3 jiumber of pages in reprobating the doctrine of the divine de. crees, as held by Calvinifts ; and would have us believe that this doctrine ftri'ps fi nncrs of all blame, and of courfe puts an end to ail virtue and vice. He then pofitively afTerts the fame doctrine. * As the future falvation of mankind, 5 fays he, ' de- 1 pends entirely on the benevolence, wifdom and power of God, * they are in fafe hands : his infinite benevolence infpired hint ' to create them ; his infinite wifdom laid the plan for their re- * demption : and his infinite power muft, and will accomplimaU ' that he has planned ; although earth and hell fhould arife in op- * poation againft him.'t The powers of earth and hell, being thus controuled, muft be entirely dependent on God. Therefore all things, as well as the * future falvation of mankind,' are thu* dependent. This argues that infinite wifdom muft foreknow, and infinite power and benevolence muft predetermine, all thing! that come to pafs. This writer then eftablifties the fame doc- trine, which he fo zealoufly oppofes. Again, * Ibid, p. 145. f Yeung'j Utters, p. vii. ijjS Univerfalifm confounds and defiroys itfelf. Again, he fays, • Calvin,' and all, who hold toendlefs punifo- ifliment, ■ attribute to the Deity, acts of cruelty, that would ■ fcandalize and blacken the character of a Nero or an Herod !'* But he fays himfelf, fpeaking of the [pints in pnf*n> i Pet, iii. 19, * Thefe poor miferable beings had remained captives ant! ' clof'e prifoners in the pit, wherein is no water, near two thou. * fand four hundred years, when the faviour entered the dreary ■ manfions of mifery and woe, and preached to them the gofpel.'f Doubtlefs this writer will grant, this long ftate ' of mifery and * woe' to hare been inflicted by the Deity himfelf. But did ever * a Nero or an Herod, inflict a longer or more painful mif- ery on any of mankind ? The truth of the cafe is, a Nero or an Herod punifhed men from wanton pride or vain humour, without regarding the public good. Whereas God ever regards the pub- lic good. From this motive, and when men defer ve it, whether God punifhes them 2400 years, or to eternity, it is fo far fro: being cruelty in him, that it is perfect benevolence. But thi writer will not grant his 2400 years of mifery and woe, to hav< been defigned efpecially for the public good, and that the publh good required it. This would be giving up his whole fcheme., ind acknowledging vindi&ivc 'punifhment. Of courfe, thai God, to vindicate his honour and the general good, may punith the damned without end, as well as 2400 years. Neither can he plead that thefe miferable prifoners are better 'fitted for heaven, or have a greater reward, than thofc who go direclly from this world to heaven. All Univerfalifts, in the fcheme of fome fu- turc punifhment, hold that t\\?faithjul t who go directly to heav- en, have a greater reward than fuch as are firft fent to hell. And (hall we queftion the fullnefs of Chrift, or that his grace is noi ient to make one faithful, in this world, as weH as an$ih* er ? Thefe S400 years, therefore, ' of mifery and wee,' are totally loft. It anfwerl no valuable end to thofe who fuffer it. Or, through the boundlefs mercy of C hrift, they might have been fitted, even better fitted for heaven, in this world ; alfo wholly efcaped this mifery. Neither does it ferve as a mean to vindicate the glory of God, and advance the general good. Therefore, as this writer argues, to anfwer no valuable purpofe, or, in this needlefs manner, God confines, clofely confines thefe miferable captives, fe dreary manfions of woe ; and for this long period of time. The queftion now is, whether the writer himfelf does not { attribute to the Deity that which would fcandalize and blacke* character of a Nero or an Kerod !' Perhaps * P. rift -r P. S4, *$. I Vniverfa'ifm tsnfounds and defirsys itfcff. i$f ?erhaps Jofeph Young, M. D. will grant that God foreordain- ed thefe 2400 years oi'mifery and woe. Otherwife how could it take place, i. c. it' God did not foreordain it ? Or mould he deny divine foreordi nation, as to this event, it would be equally againft his fchemc. For then he mull grant that fatan, in this inltance, gets the better of Chrift. Or fhould he grant that God certainly oreknew this events it would be equally again!! him ; or fhould he deny that God certainly foreknew it, it would be equally a- gainft him.* But when Chrift comes to preach the gofpel to thefe miferable captives, he miifl gr--nt, for them to be delivered from thefe dreary manfions, * their faculties muft unavoidably be put: * into exercife in one en tain way only ; they had much better * then make a virtue of ::ccrJptyS Which necflifcy puts an end to all virtue and vice. 8. UniverfaliMs make ufe of this text, 1 Vet. iii, iS, 19, • Chrift alfo hath once fufTered for fins, — being put to death in ' the flefh, but quickened by the Spirit. By which alfo he went •and preached to the fpirits in prifon. 3 From this they con- clude that Chrift, immediately after his crucifixion, v/ent among the damned, and there preached to them the way of falvation * foto bring them to repentance and take them out of their prifon. "But this conclufion or opinion cannot fland. For, (1.) It is a contradifclion to C brill's words, John iii. 4. ' I mull work the 6 works of him that fent me ; while it is day, the night com- • eth, when no man can work.' Implying that all his works of preaching to finners, and doing miracles upon them, mud bedone before his death. Or when the night, or death mould come to him, he could no more work thefe works; that is, immediately, or in his own perfon, or as God manifeft in the flefh. So, after death, 119 man can work any work which (hall turn to his fal- vation. The fame as in Eccl. ix. 10. ■ Whatsoever, thy hand ' findeth to do, do it with thy might ; for there is no work, nor • device, nor knowledge, nor wifdoxri, in the grave whether we * are going.' It is in vain, therefore, to talk of the repentance of the damned. (2.) If the damned repent when Chrift goes a- mong them, why are they previoufly tormented, and to their full deferts ? And how are the torments of hell the laft and only mean to make them penitent ? This is left for Dr. Chauncy or his difciples to anfwer. But, (3.) If the damned repent at the preaching of Chrift, before the day of judgment, how will thef then be judged and rewarded according to their deeds, done in the body ? (4.) Univerfaliiii have overlooked the plain fenfe of the * In p. 15. he fpeakg upAnHftrtinow/edge in th« the hmc ftafen k* i«e* »j*i.»f fiteirdinstit , aid htloU t# i»fi»ite -vfiiirm. iGo Vnivtrjalijm confounds and dcjtroys itjtlf, the above words : ■ Being put to death in the flefh, but quick- * ened by the Spirit : By which he went and preached,' &c. That is, by which Spirit he went and preached to the fpirits in prifon. The only queftion then is, when Chrifl, by the holy Spirit, preached to thefe prifoners ? And the anfwer is given iri the fame connection; verfe 20. * When once the longfuffering * of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was aprepar- * ing.' The finners of the old world, therefore, who, once def- t>ifed their day of grace, and the preaching of right coufnefs by Noah, are now in the prifon of hell ; refervcd for the judgment oi the great day, then to be rewarded accordingto theirevil deeds, A mcdl folemn warning to Univerfalifts, inftead of giving the leafl colour to their falfe fchcrae. 1 am, 8rc. END OF PART ll Univerfalifm confounds and dejtroys iifelf Sec. PART III. The natural and proper meaning of everlafting, eternal, forever, forever and, ever, and the original words from which thefe are tranflated, mown to be endlefs duration. Alfo, objections confidered. LETTER L Shewing the common ufe of thefe words, and their nectffary ufe and import in Scripture* My dear Friend, EVERY one muift grant the importance of underftanding the true meaning of thefe words. Hence, the following things, I. Everlafting, eternal, forever, forevermore, forever and ever, are fynonimous terms ; having one meaning; and all derived from the word eternity. Likewife, in the original Greek, there are feveral derivatives from the root or noun, which, into our language, is translated eternity. This will hereafter require par- ticular attention. II. Thefe words, as well as all others that give an unlimited idea, are often ufed in the limited fenfe, by way of figure or met- aphor. Of an earthly monarch, of a mere man, we fay, His horfes and troops are innumerable, his ftrength or power is infi-* riite. So of ancient No, • ' Ethiopia and Egypt were her ' ftrength, and it was infinite.' Nah. iii. 9. So we fay, The eter- Eal hills, the everlafling mountains. Thefe are bold linking fig- ures, to fet forth the ftrength of fuch a monarch, compared to o- ther earthly powers ; and the duration of the hills and mountains, compared to other things. But this figurative ufe of infinite and eternal does not alter their literal meaning, when they are ufed in their proper and literal fenfe. If it did, there would be an end to the meaning of all words. III. When words are figuratively ufed, the figure muft be well underitood, or it muft come within the reach of our fenfes. Thus W the y5z UnivtrJ&liJm cenfsunds and dtjlrtys itfeff. the hills and mountains are objccls of fight, and we fee them every year warning down into the vallies. And we know from fcnp*. lure they will come to an end. So the ftrength of N<\ we arc allured was not ftriclly infinite. As thefe things come within the reach of our fenfes, being well underflood^tjjere is no room for miftake. We at once fee the figurative ufe of thefe unlim- ited terms, when applied to them. But, when talking about things of the invifible and eternal world, words muff then be ufei in their literal fenfe. We know nothingof invifible things, on- ly as we are informed by words, or by Revelation. Which o- bliges us, in this cafe, to take the fenfe of words, not by a figure or metaphor, but in their natural, proper meaning. That is, if an invifible objefci or being is called infinite, boundlefs,or eter- nal, we are obliged to take thefe words, (o defcribing his attributes, in their literal fenfe, according to their natural import. The rea- fon for this is plain, we have no way to learn the attributes of in- vifible objects, only as they are revealed. Suppofe, for indance, angels or devils were in fcripture called infinite, in power or wif- dom ; we mould be compelled to confider them as fuch, unlefs we had fpecial information to the contrary. And, for objects of the invifible world to be called, in one place of fcripture, infi- nite, boundiefs, and eternal ; in another, finite, limited, <\nd tem* poral ; this would make nothing but confufion. The reafon is, becaufe thefe objects lie wholly out of our fight, and we cannot learn their nature and qualities except by words of fcripture. In this inffance, therefore, we fh'ould not know when to take the words ftricily, or when by way of metaphor. Whereas, mouru tains, hills, armies, nations, monaichs, and other things of this ■world, being objects well known without revelation, unlimited terms may be applied to them, without any danger of miftake : the figurative ufe of thefe terms, fo applied, being plain at firli view. IV. It appears that thefe words, everlafling, eternal, &c. may be, and often are in fcripture, ufed in a two fold fenfe, both tem- poral and eternal. They are applied to fhadows or types ; which lhadows or types, in themfelves confideied, fade away or come to an end. But thefe fading things, thefe fhadows that periih, con- tain, wrapt up in them, things that do not fade away, things that abide forever. Thefe fhadows or types contain, or they promife blefiings fhicl'y endiefs or eternal. So the land of Canaan was given to Abraham as a type and promife of heaven ; and given to him by an eyerlafting covenant. ThizfuLftance promifed to Abraham in this grant of Canaan, which was heaven, was first- ly evcrlaftmg. While the Jhadozv w earthly inheritance was temporal, Univerfalifm ctnfound;* a::d defiroys itfdf. 163 temporal The word everlajring, therefore, being applied both to the flaadow and fubftance, has its twofold meaning,* temporal and eternal. Or it Is applied to a compound obje£r, or a two- fold object, which is both temporal and eternal. Further atten- tion will be paid to this, in another place. V. It appears evident from fach, that the word eternity and its derivatives, in common language, have had one fixed, and natural, and proper meaning. And, when ufed in their direct or natural fenfe, they have been ufed to exprefs endlejs dura* lion. Here an appeal may be made both to the learned and un- learned for the truth of this. And whether all profane writers, as they are called, among all nations, have not ufed thefe words to intend endlefs duration. And have applied them, when in their direct and proper ufe, to mean nothing elfe. When men, as in our or fome other dialect, fay, though blaf« phemoully, they wifli fuch a man to be eternally miferable^ damned to eternity / the fenfe is fixed, and plain to every one. We do not want fome one to come and explain fuch kind of ex* preflions ; or to prove that they mean unceafmg torment. They Can be interpreted in no other fenfe. For one to attempt anew interpretation of the word eternity, as it is ufed in common fpeech, or to prove that it does not mean iiritily endlefs, would be the height of folly. For one to attempt anew interpretation of ever- lajhng or for ever , as men ufe them in common, and join them to things of the next world., would be labour in vain. The {en(c of them, in this cafe, is already fixed, and cannot be altered. When thefe words are ufed out of their natural courfe, or about our temporal matters, the fenfe is fixed and plain, without hazard of ambiguity or deception. For inflance, conveyance of lands is made ; the deed running, ' To him and his heirs/0/ «z/- j er* Here the main object and force of the term, forever, i's plain. Not to warrant that the lands mail continue in being with, out end. Nor to warrant to the poffeflbr, or his heirs, their con. tiauance in being without end. The warranty has nothing to do with this. But, on his part, his bufinefs is to give convey, ance ; binding him felf and heirs to defend againff all legal claims, which may hereafter arife, without any limitation, and as we may properly fay, forever without end. Forever, therefore, in this cafe, is ufed, in one certain view, in the unlimited (en^ > And no other word, excepting parallel ones, could anfwer the fame purpofe.* So when a fervant binds himfelf to his mailer, for- ever ; * Dr. Chauney, as wefhall yet fee, holds that forever means r implcdurr 1 tinn. whe- tker hnger or jhorter. Now, let his advocates try the matter, ai-d put the feme 'hii g in yra&ice. Let tome one of them receive a conveyance or dec! of lands, running ' To * him aad his heirs forever ;' that it, in his «wn language, whether longer or Jhcrter. 164 Univcrfalifm confounds and deJiroys.il/elf, ever ; he does not engage the continuance of his own life ; but he promifes never to break away from his matter — never to re^j nounce his fervice — never to defpife or hate him. This prom* ife in one view is unlimited. Excepting figurative expreflions, as the everlafling mountains, the eternal hilk, &c. which wilt again be explained ; it appears that thefe words, in common fpeech, even about temporal things, generally if not always con-: vev fome one unlimited idea. But, when joined with things of 3 future world, they ftrikc the mind with the- mod forcible; determinate, and awful idea. E- ternity \ how ferious, how awful ! Ages of ages, ages of ages> added, and multiplied, bear no proportion to it. Thus the fixed and determinate fenfe of eternity and its derivations, in coramciv language, and among all nations.- *•*'. • VI. The general ufe of them in common converfation, and 2^ mong all profane writers, mi ft determine their ufe and import in the fcriptuies. It rauift do fo, unlefs fpeciai caution be given in the fcriptures to the contrary. The bible is not defigned to im- pofc upon men's underflandings ; • it if addrefled to their confeien- ces ; it is accordingly written in words tkey readily underftand. As to the effential things contained in it, the bible is the mofc in- telligible of all books. This is allowed by all who hold to the bible. Thef'ubject of eternity, alfo, is mofi intcrefting. - Which makes it evident, if the word eternity and its derivatives mean, fomething different, in the facred volume, from what we find in) other books, there mufl be a particular caution and warning, given-,' as to this matter. But where do we find Moles or the prophets, Chrift or the apoftles giving this cant-ion ? -Where do we finej them explaining away eternity? Where do we find them giv- ing a formal and new explanation oievtrlafting ? Or telling the world, or giving the leaft hint, that they meant fomething differ- ent by it from its common acceptation ? The pagan world has all along had V ude notions as to the place of departed fpirits ; but' as to eternity,. £mp!y confidered, .there has been but one idea, and among the ■■whole race of Adam. And but one interpreta- tion to thefe- words, if we except the fentiment we are now op- posing. Had the world mi (look the fenfe of thefe words, efpecially Chrift and his apoftles would have rectified this miftake. And had Chrift intended a new meaning to .them, or. fomething dif- ferent from their common received meaning through the world, he certainly would have told u*> of it., As to this the fir ft of all fubjecls, Chrift and his apoftles would have told us over and over Uiiivcrfalifm confounds and deflroys itfelf. 165 over again. But as they have given no intimation of this kind, we mull conclude that they intended the fame thing by everlaft-* ing, eternal, &c. as v/as then commonly underiiood. Which, when they are joined with things of the coming world, is endlefs duration. It is indeed a grofs imputation upon C brill's char- after, to fuppofe that he intended <^nc thing by thefe words and, his hearers another. And that he left them to go away under this millake, even a miftake about the fenfe of ETER.NITY. Thus the interpretation the world of mankind have put upon thefe words, compells us to fee their natural meaning in the holy icriptures ; cfpecially when they are applied to things of the fu- ture life. VII. How the Jews underftood thefe words, in the days of Chrift, helps to decide their true import, in the facred volume. Jofephus, who wrote in the latter part of theapoflolic age, it is allowed by all, wrote the fentiments of hie nation, at that time, and for feveral preceding ages ; and ufed words according to the fenfe of his nation, at that time, and from the days of Mofcs. From which we are able to collecl the fentiments of the Jews, and the interpretation -they put upon words, at the time of Chrift's public miniftry. - And, as Jofephus was writing for the benefit of the Greeks and Romans, as well as his own nation, he alfo mud have ufed words according-to their underftanding. — Con- cerning Hades , where he treats of the final judgment, he fays, ? This perfon(God the Word) exercifing the righteous judgment f of the Father towards ali men, hath prepared a juft fentencefor ' every one, according to his works ; at whofe judgment feat, t when all men, and angels, and demons (hall ftand, they will fend I forth one voice, and fay, Just is thy judgment : the re- * joinder to which will bring a juft fentence upon both parties, by 5 giving juftly to thofe that have done well, an everlajling frui- \ tion ; butallottingtothelovers of wicked; works eternal -punijk- * ment. To thefe belong the unquenchable fire, and that with- * out end, and a certain fiery worm never dying ; and not de- s ftroying the body, but continuing its eruptions out of the body * with neverceafmg grief.' Thus the endlefs happinefs of the righteous, Jofephus calls s everlafting fruition,' and the endlefs mifery of the wicked, *etcr- * nal punifhment.' He evidently has no defign or. explaining everlajling or eternal. And through the whole of his works, nearly two thoufand pages, he ufes thefe terms as though every one underftood them, and their import had not been called in qucftion. He gives no intimation that they had ever been taken in a limited 1 66 Vniverfalifm cinfounds and dejireys iff elf. limited fenfe, when applied to the things of the coming world. Ijj the above iiatement, his object 11 to explain what he intends by the punijhment joined with the word eternal. Which is un'. juenchablejire, and that without end ; a fiery worm never dy* 7)ii unfeen things. I am, &c. LETTER Univerfalifm confounds and dtflroys itftlf ij$ LETTER II. The Greek and Hebrezo words, from which eternity and its derivatives arc tranjl ited, examined ; the in fiances of their ufe in fcripture, enumerated ; and remarks upon fome of the injiancts that are the mojl important and decided. My dear Friend, THE fubjejft V e r <>rc us needing no farther introduction, we proceed as follows; I. The Greek noun is AIOOM,* eternity / and its adje&Ve is AIOOMIOS, eternal or cverta/ting. AIOOM is derived from, or rather made up of, two words, AEl always, and OQM faffing ; that is, always exiftmg. As Dr. Strong juftly 6b* fcj-ves, * The fnoft natural Bonification of thefe words (AIOON" ' and AIOOMIOS) frohi their derivation is exifting always*. ' rhefe words apply more peiii .ently than any other in the * Greek language to duration without end, Thofe who en- ' deavour to underftand them m any other fekfe, mult it ill allow 4 tha' this is their natural meaning ; and mud recur to a figura- ■* live ufe, to accommodate them to their own fcheme.'t II. The Greeks applied AIOOM to this world, Not limply to this earth, creatures, and the men of the world ; for this they had ano.her word, KOSMOS. But they applied it to this ft ate of exiftehce ; including divine providence, and the fucceflive generations of men, with the various things and events of this prefent ftate. The fact appears to be this ; they fuppofed there would be a generation of men in fucceffion, with the lame divine providence, circumftances and thingt, without end. The world, they fuopofed would lafl forever, Therefore they called it the AIOON, the always -living, or the exijting-forever. There- fore AIOOM, in its original [en(e, means forever, The Greeks might ule it in a limited {enii% but this was out of its natural courfe ; this is evident from the derivation of this word, as well as the manner of its ufe. This explains one certain ufe of it in fcripture. Here, AIOOM is fometimes applied to the Jewifh date ; and, into our language, is commonly tranflated world. The end of the world, is a phrafe fometimes ufed, to mean the end of the Jewifh ftate, as in Mat:, xxiv. 3. The- Jews held to two ages or grand di- vifions * The double vowel, or 00, is here intended to anfwer to the long 0, or omega, ia the Greek ; and [hould bo pronounced with mly two articulations, or as a w >rd of two iyllabl«6, as MOWN. So the Eta orl»ng E, in Greek, is hereafter writtqp with Wf. -r BtiKvtUtict and Mifery t p. 95, 96. %to IJiiivtrfalifm confounds and dejlroys itfeif. vlfions of time. One was the age before the coming of the Median, and the other after. Thefe are called worlds, as hi 1 Cor. pc. 11. * Upon whom the ends of the worlds are come,* as it might be rendered. Again, AIOON is applied, generally \ to the world, or to the whole (late of exiftence fiom the begin- ning to the end of time. As in Matt, xxviii. 20. • * Lo, I am * with yon alway, even unto the end of the world, SUNTELE1- ■ AS TOU AL'OONOS.' AIOON is alfo Tiled generally, vhen applied to the invifible {late. Mark x. qo. n In the world ' to come (TOO AIOONI TOO ERCHOMENOO) hfeev- ' eilaftini T .' We fomctimes mention' tiie world to come, {imply; and then add fome other word to exprefs the duration intended. Now, divine wifdom fa w fit to apply the fame word to our pref- ent ftate oi exiftence as Was commonly ufed among the Greeks. And it anfwered this important purpofe ; it made it certain to Greeks and Jews that this world, anc( what the Greeks held to be without end, Eiult come to an end. It was natural and necef- fary for the fame word, in the New Teftament efpecially, to be applied to the prefent ftate of exiftence, as was ufed among the JGretks. This, inftead of bein^ an argument that this word doc* not primarily intend, endlefs duration, is a ftrong argument to the contrary. For if this word, as univerfahfts fay, in its primary meaning intends an age that ran ft come to an end ; there was then no need that fcripture fhould exprefsly teach the Greeks, that their AIOON, exijlence, or world, fhould come to an end. And becaufe they applied an unlimited word to a wrong object, this is no evidence that this certain w T ord does not originally mean endlefs duration, Efpecially, as they fuppofed the object, to which it was fo applied, was to continue without end. Like- wife, AIOON, which primarily includes exijlence, difptnja- tion, world, or Jlate, which alfo means an eternal ftate, is appli- ed 10 the Jew dh Hate: this is to convince Greek and Jew that even this /late fhould come to an end. There is noambiguity in uf4 ing an unlimited term, in a limited fenfe, when iuch limitation is plainly exprefled, or neceflarily underftood. In this way 18 ufed every unlimited teiJn. Furthermore, we hence fee why, in the ufe of the cxpreflion, world without end* the words without end, feem to be an ad- dition lo the word, world. The Greeks had no idea of a world that has an end. The Ample term, AIOON, world, was with them an eternal world, or an eternity. But, III. In the New Teft .ment, AIOON, when ufed in a limited fenfe, to mean the Jewifli ftate or this world, k always ufed without' r * Ifai. 45. i 7 . Univcrfalifm confounds and deflroys itjelf. i3t without the prepofition EIS. In this way we here find it in a number of inftances. But when ufed in an unlimited fenfe, or applied to things of the next world, it is governed by the prepo- fition EIS ; as EIS TON AIOONA. In this conftruftion, it occurs in a great number of inftances. And is always fo ufed in the New Tellament, when joined with things of the next world, except a few inftances, which will be hereafter explain- ed. This gives us things in a plain and correct manner. There is no ambiguity in applying AIOON, when ufed without the prep- ofition EIS, to the Jewifh ftate, or to the world in general. The Greeks io ufed it, as we have already feen. But, to diftinguifh the ufe of it, when applied to things of the coming world, or things which have no end, the prepofition EIS is joined with it. Every one, acquainted with the dead languages, knows that EIS TON AIOONA was an unlimited expreflion, or gave an un- limited idei, among the ancient Greeks. It anfwered to the in- finitive mood in our language ; or as when the prepofition, to, is joiped With an objective cafe. And infteadof being rendered; forever, as it commonly is in the new teftament, it might as well be rendered, to eternity. In no language can an expref- ion be found, but what may be limited by other words, or by the fubject. to which it is joined. But if this does not exprefs an abfolute eternity, when it is not limited, there is none in the bible that does.' When this term, however, is limited, the limi- tation is obvious, wherever it is found in the facred volume. This we might e'xpecl, as it is of the firft importance that the two fubjetts, time and eternity, mould be kept diftinft. The ufe of the adjective, or derivative of AIOON, further confirms what is faid above. This adjective, AIOONIOS eter- nal or everlafUng, is ufed in the new teftament in a great number of inftances ; and almoft, or wholly without exception is applied to things of the coming world ; things which have no end, as will hereafter be mown. As, therefore, the derivative, eternal, is fo generally applied to unfeen things which arc flri&ly eternal ; fo the primitive word, or rather EIS TON AIOONA, to eternity, mult intend a ftri6i eternity. IV. We fhall enumerate the inftances of the ufe of AIOON and AIOONIOS, in fcripture ; begin with the old teftament; and make remarks, as we pafs along, on fome that are the moil important and decided. But in tracing the ufe of thefe Greek words, through this part ©f fcripture, the principal object is, that we might be able t-q meet t%2 Vnivtrjalljm confounds and d'jlroys it/elf^ meet the objections of Univerfalifts. Dr. Chauncy and others Lave followed the Septuagint, or Greek yerfion of the old tef- tameat, inire'ad of the tfebrew, to make out their fenfe of for* ever and ever Lifting. Eat the Ffebrew mu'i here deter* mine their original lenfe. To the object, we (hall be obliged to attend minutely, and |p enumerate every particular initance. As another prerequifite, we rouft keep in mind what was Rat- ed in the Idil Letter, relative to the typical ufe of thefe words, AIOON and A1QONIOS. forever ai-id ever Lifting, are, in the eld teftament, a£ten applied to a compound object, the ihadow and the fubftance. Theihadow being a fading thing, only for a day or a tune, while the Jubilance is truly everlaftirfg. Again, there are other Greek word% or words in the Septua- gint, afide froni thefe under on Jerationj which are tranflated # ' forever. As, EIS TE.LOS ftp the end, or at the end), w'hica occurs fixteen times •* and EJS NIKOS (continually), which is foui.d m lour inAanjges.f 1 Alfo, the Greek words anfwerintf to, all my days 9 all iky days, all the days of the Ifraeliies, lh roupdiout their gt h t ratio ;i f , t k e u t m ) > day s , yj h i 1$ ve, are Corrjetimes rendered, forever A ■ We now ccuuetbthe intended bhjeel, - And, in the Septus- gint, EIS TQN AIOON A is the common phrafe to expreff j(j> ever, and it is here ufed For this end, more than all the others, as we {hall presently fee. There are other conflru&ions of AIOON, without the prep^tion EIS ufed for this purpofe t As EOOS AIOONOS, DIAIOONOS, &c. which are found in fcfty inliances. Fifteen of thefe are typical, or joined to typical thhjgs ;$ three figurative ;|| and the remainder in the sis [uiic.i As may be feea by examining the quotations below. Forever * ' rV -e places are, 1 Chron xxviii- 9. (Tf tV. >u fprfake him, lie v.'ill caft thee off . 1 - a :' e end ) | ih -: ; v. bo. XX. 7 xxiii 7. Pial. xii:. 1. xvi 11. xliv. s^. %\\x. 9. Hi. 5. ixviii. 16. Ixxiv. 1. 10. 19 !xxv '••.. 8. Ixxix. 5, Ixxxix. 4O. .-. a Sajn ii. -26 Jol) xxx. 7. Lam. iv. 20. Amos i. 1 1. .. 9. :■: i 1 v . ; ( vi. Dcut. iv. 40. 1 Sam. ii. 3c. or. 2 Chron. xxi. 7. I*fa1. xxiii. 6. xciii. 5. Nurnh xxiv. 20, 24, is tranflated, perrfk forever, inftead of vt~ Job iv. 20. ■ er, inftftad of utterly defrayed, J«"»fb. iv. «„j, • might ie;T the Loap your Go- forever) iuftead of, ?n a// vo'o- aw*, or fa u// . , . In Kai. xxx. 8,! the words.are, / r--'-v. inftead oi, ieng ti),n. In Mk«h vii. 18, f~rc::.r is rendered from a negative part f , The pla xiii. 15. Dent, vcviii. 4^. Jofh. iv. 7. 1 S^m. vii. if. 1 CIuou. ) i wh. ij twice, a Chron. vii. jC. PkJ. exxxii. 12. Hai. lx. ai. Jerena. xvii. 25. xxxi. 40. D 1 vSain. ii. 26. 1 Ki»^. xii. 7. 2 King. v. 87. tt Deut. v. 29. xii. 2?>. 1 San;, iii. 13, t| xv. uj. 44. 2 ^am. ii;. 28. vii. *»4. 46, 1. xvii. ti, 24. Nebttn. xiii. 1. Pial. xvi'i. 50. xxv. 6. xwiii. 9. • .. ; : ;.:. 4. cvi. 32. c;uii. 2. cxv. l$. cx::i. S. exxv. 2. exxxi. 3, Gjtxxiii. VnivcrfdH/m confounds and deftroys life If t$$ Forever and ever, translated from EOOS AIOONOS XOON AIOONOON, and from other conihuttions of AI- CON without the prepoGtion EIS, occurs eight times. Two of them are ufed typically,* and the reft in the unlimited fenfe.f With the prepofiuon EIS, AIOON, when ir&ri&atedforev'eri or into other words of like import, is found, throughout the Sep^uagint, two hundred and fevcn time?. Eighteen of thefe are EIS TON AIOONfA TOU AIOONOS "and other For- mations bf the above word, which are rendered, yb rever and ev~ ef. Seven are EIS TOUS AIOON AS, the plural of AIOON, joined with the above prepofirion ; and tranfiated, forever* Eight are EIS AIGONA AIOONOS, and rendered in the* fame manner. The remainder of this number is made up whol- ly of EIS TON AIOO'NA. This phrafe, therefore, is the common one to cxprehfgrever, and ufed more in the Septua- gint, for this purpofe, than all the reft. This further confirms! what has been faid ol the abfolute unlimited meaning of this phrafe, when directly ufed, cr not limited. So this helps to con- firm its u'fe in the new teliatnent, as may yet more fully ap- pear. Twenty-one of the forementioned two hundred and feven'in- fiances are typical, or applied to tiie fhadow and fubftance ;+ fixteen are figurative ;§ all the reft, which is one hundred and feventy, means end'lefs duration, and can be taken in no other fenfe, as may be feen from the marginal note*.? And *Sfcxxlit, 5. litX. "cx'-i. 4. xxxii. 17. jjtrfem. xv. n. XXXV. 6 Zech i. 5. Mel. i. 4., *-Hai xiv. 1? . EGO > TOU AT >0,\ T OS E PI. world without end ; hers the ETF. feems to bsan addition, for reafons hereafter to Le given. * Jerem. vii. 7. xxv. 5. + Exod. xv. !8. 1 Chron. -vi. 36. xx'-x. 10. Nthem. ix. 5. Dt>b. ii. p.o. vi?. 1$, % The p ; .-r s a^e, EJeod. xxxii. 13. Jofh. xiv. 9. 2 Sam. viii. 13, 16, 89 twire* 1 King. ix. 3. 1 Chron. xxix. 18. 2 Chron. xxx. g. xxxiii. 4. Pial. lxi. 4. exxxiiv 54. ex'viii. 6. Jerem. xvii. 25. Ezek. xxxvii. 55 twice, 26, 28. xiiii. 7. 9. To which maybeadded Ifai; xxxiv. 17 ; which iaEIS-TON AIOONA CHRONOtf . S Exod. xxi. 6. Levit. xxv. 46. De-t. xiii. 16. xv. 17. ]ofh. viii. 28. 1 Sam, JtXVli. 12. 1 King. i. 31. 2 King. v. 27. Nchem. ii. 3. Eccl. i. 4. Ifai. xxxiv. 10. Dan. iii. 9. v. 10. vi. 6, ai. Tc this is added Iiai. xxx. 8, rendered foruer and toer. 5 Gei. iii. ?.i. Exftdi xiv. 13. xlx. o. Dent xxiii. 6. xxix. 29. xxxii. 40. Jud£. ii. 1. 1 Kiiig. x. 9. 1 Chron. xvi. 34. 41. xvii. 27 twice. 2 Chron. v. 13. vii. 3, 6- ix. 8. xx. 2*. Ezra iii. 11. Job vii 16. Pfal. v 11. ix. 7. 18. xii. 7. xv. 5. xix 9. XXi. 6. xxii. ?.(■■, xxix. 10. xxx. 6, 12. xxxi. 1. xxxvii. 18. 27, 28. 29. xli. 12. xliv. 8. xlv. 2. xiix. 8- 9. ii. Iii. 9. lv. 22. lxi. 7. 8. Ixxi, 1. ixxii. 17. lxxiii. 26. lxxv. 9. lxxvii, 7 . !xxx. 13. Ixxxi. 15, lxxxiii. 17. lxxxv. /-. ixxxvi. 12. Lxxx.x. 1, 2, 23, 99, 36,. 37, 52. Xcii. 7, 8. cii. 28. ciii. 9. civ. 31. cv. 8. cvi. 1. cvii. 1. ex. 4, 5, 8. 9. lO. cxii. 3. 6, 9. rxvii. 2. cxviu. 1, 2. 3. 4 cxix. 89. 93. \Co. cxxxv. xxvi. thfoughout. exxxviii. 8. ex vi. 6", 10. Prov.'x. 30. xxvii. 24. Eccl. ii. *6. iii. 14, ix. 6. iiai, ix. 7. xiv. 00. xxv. 2. xxxi'u. 20. xl. g. xlvii. 7. Ii. 6, £. lvii. t^4 Univerfalifm confounds and deftroys itfelfi — By examining thefe texts, it is found that twenty, or mare, cf this number are ufed as pofitive and unexceptional denials. Namely, that fuch an event lhall no more return, that fuch a thing lhall never be, that fuch a thing mail have a final end, or that fuch a thing lhdll never, end. As, Exod. xiv. 13. ' The k Egyptians whom ye have feen to-dav, ye fhall fee them again 8 no more forever J Pfal. xv. 5. * He that doeth thefe things ' mail never be moved, OU SULENTHEESETAI EIS TON 6 AIOONA, fhall not be reje6ted, or call av/ay of God, to eter- 4 nity. Pfal. xxx. 6. 'In profperity I faid, I fhall never be 4 moved.', lxxi. 1. * Let me never be put to confufion.' cxix. J93. ■ 1 v/ill never forget thy precepts.' Prov. xxvii. 24. ' Riches are not forever.' Dan. ii. 44. ' In the days of thefe 4 kings fhall the God of heaven fet up a kingdom, which fhall • never be deftroyed.' EIS TON AIOON A, out ci? the Septuagint, is fifteen times trariflated never. All which cafes are fome of the mofl plain and pofitive negations of any to be found. It is remarkable, to make a decided and unexceptionable denial, this phrafe is gener- ally "fed in the Septuagint. But if thefe texts do not exprefs en'dlefs duration, it cannot be expreffed by words. The bare reading of thefe texts, in Dr. Cnauncy's words, is fuflicient to. confound his idea. Thus, in his words, ' He that doeth thefe c things fhall not be movedy)fca ii. 19, 26, 27. Joel iii. 20. Obadi. to. Mich. iv. 7. To which is ad- «lcd the following, rendered forever and ever. Pl'al. ix. 5. x. 16. xxi. 4. xlv. 6, 17. xlviii. 14. iii. it), cxi. 8. cxix. 4^. cxlv. i, 2, 21. Ilai. xxx. 8- Dan. xii. 3. MiC. iv. 5. .-EIS TON AIOONA, in Pial. c. g. cxix. 142, 144, is tranflated 6- ertqfting, * Pfal. cxi. 3. c.\ii. 3, 9. cxix. i6o. Univerfalifm confounds and defiroys itfelf, 1S3 • any that can deliver out of ray hand. For I lift my hand ta •heaven, and fay, / live forever, ZOO EGOO EIS TON 1 J WON J/ In this mod folemn manner, the Almighty f wears, as it is in the Greek, by his right hand lifted up to heav- en, and fays, / live forever. Had there been better words thail thefe, or better than the original Hebrew, to exprefs his own Em 'ternity, doubtlefs he would have chofen them. Thefe thing* help to explain the figurative ufe o\fiorev er.— * When Daniel faidto Darius, * O king, live forever '* it is plain from the nature of the cafe, that he meant to adopt the ftrongeft ex- preilion then in ufe, or certainly one as ftrong as any. It would have been an mfult to Darius, bad Daniel wifhed him to live for an age, or for ages, whether longer or fiiorter, as in Dr. C's words. Although the prophet ufedtQJs phrafe, live forev- er, hyperboiically, in fome fenfe ; yet he might, and undoubt- edly did, Willi all poflible good to his king : long life here, and eternal life hereafter. None, therefore, bnt an expref- fion ftrielly unlimited, in its primitive fenfe, could have an- fwcrei lis purpofe. And when it is faid, * The earth ' abidefn forever,' Eccl. i. 4 ; this is a ftrong figure, to denote the liability of the earth, compared to other things. But, in Dr. Chauncy's line of arguing, words cannot be ufed in a figurative fenfe ; or, with him; there is no fuch thing as an hyperbole. Thus, in his language, * One generation palteth away, and anp- • ther generation cometh : but the earth abideth/d the dominion and kingdom of the Meffiah to be. forever and ever. And this they under Hood from the words of the covenant ; or from ever- lafting itfelf, as has been mown,' Alfo, the ufe of then Jhad- ows, they knew, at leaii fome of them, was reftricted to their generations, — to the coming of the Meffiah. As was obferved above, AIOONIOS, everl&fling, is ufed in the Septuagint, in eighty-eight inftances. Four of which are figurative, forty-eight typical, and the remaining thirty-fix in the endlefs fenfe. It is now evident that thefe two laft numbers may be added together/ For all thefe typical inllances have an unlimited/ aS well as a limited meaning. Indeed, the unlimited meaning is the main thing, the fum of what is intended by them. So that all thefe typical cafes, as each of them decidedly conveya the idea of endlefs duration, may properly, and even neceffari- ]y mult, be (et down in the clafs of unlimited terms. Which leaves but four out of this number,' eighty-eight, that are ufed only in the figurative or limited fenfe. The whole matter is reduced to this : The inftances of AIOON (forever), added to thole of AIOONIOS (everlafting), make up in the whole three hundred and fixty-five inftances of their ufe, in the Septuagint or old ieftament. Twenty-three on- ly of this number are figurative ; confequently all the reft, three hundred and forty-two, are ufed in the endlefs fenfe. And thefe figurative cafes give decided evidence, that the proper ufe of forever and everlafting is to exprefs duration without end. If otherwife, there is then, as we have feen, an end to the ufe of tropesand figures. The final confequence is, every inftance of the ufe of thefe words, throughout the old teftament, determines their natural and dire6l fenfe to be expreflive of endlefs duration. Where now is the boafted parade of Univerfalifts ? Mr. Win- chester and otkeis agree with Dr. Chauncy, in afTerting that thefe words, *$c* Univcrjalifm coifc \ dcf.rcys it/elfi. words, in the facred writings, are mofi frequently and alma.ft perpetually uied in the limited fenfe.* Mr. Whifton, after let- ting down a number of texts, lays, ' There, is no end of citing * more ordinances, or jiatules, which were to be eternal, or cv- * erlajling. ; ' Which yet were to jlaft no longer, at the mult, - than the Mofaic ceconomy. ? t Dr. Chauncy lays, * I am wear- jj ry of citing parti culajly any more texts. 'J Well he might be weary , tor aU he hqd cited, to fhow that thefe words have a lim- ited meaning, were nothing to his purpofe. But, the object is to detect the miilake of Uniyefalifts ; and not to fettle the meaning of thefe words, by mowing that they are more often found, in the bible, in the unhmited, than in the lim- ited fenfe. It is wholly immaterial how often they be found, ei- ther in the figurative or in their natural life.. One tingle Lnijance of any unlimited term, ufed in its direct courfe, is fufheientto de- cide its natural import, as may yet more fully appear. We now come to the new teftament. And here the promif- es oi life are made openly, inftead of being made behind the curtain. The great work of bringing immortality to light, be- ing referved for Chrifl, earthly and heavenly things are of courfe keptdiftin£t. ; the fubftance wholly diverted of the fliadow. In the new teftament; it is remarkable that AIQQN, when applied to this v^orId 4 this irate of exi (fence, or the Jewilli If ate; or when taken in a limited fenfe ; it is always uied without the prcpofitioriEIS. In this way, it is here found thirty-three times. $ But when it is ufed in the endlefs fenic, or applied to things of the next world, it is always, excepting eleven instances, govern- ed by the prepofition EIS ; as LIS TON AIOONA ; in which contraction it occurs fixtv times. jj And thefe eleven exceptions are esfily explained. In fix ofthem it maybe taken either in the temporary or en$ie& fenfe. 5i In two, it is uied as an adjective, and * ?. 267. Salvatippall Men. f As quoted by Dr. C. p. 206. i Ibid. ^ The places are, Matt. ;■:::. 32. xiii. 22, 39, 40, 49. xxiv. 3. xxviii. 20. Mark iv, -.9. Luke i. 70. Xvi. 8. XX. 34, 35. A&s lii. 21. Rom. xii. 2. 1 Cor. i. 20. ii. C r twic, 7, 8. i:i- 18. X. M. 2 ( ' i'. i. 4 Epb. i. 21. ii. 2. vi. 12. l Tim. vi. 17. 2 Tim. iv 10. fit. ii. 12. Hcb. i. 2. ix. r.'i. xi. 3. Thus tbeie text: arc tnurnerated by Dr. Edward, may be added, Keb. vi. 5. I The place* are, Matt. vi. 13. xxi. 19 Mark xi. 14. Luke i. 03, 55. John iv. 14- v >- 51 • 58. viii. 35, twice, 51, 52 x. 28. xi. 26. xii. 34 xiii. 8- xiv. 16. Ron. i. tr y ix. 5. xi. 36. xvi. 27. 1 Cor viii. 13. 2 Cor. i,x. 9. xi. 31. Gal. i. 5. Phil. iv. 20. 1 Tim i. 17. 2 Tim. iv. 18 Hpb. i. 8. v. 6. vi 20. vii. 17, 21, 24, a8. xiii. 8, 21. 1 Pet. i. 23. 25. iv. ji. v. 11. 1 John ii. 17. z John 2. Rev. i. 6, 18. iv. 9, 10. v. 33, 14. vii. ii.. :■:. 6 xi. 15. xv. 7. xxii. r y — The fix inftances in whicft it is applied to future punifhment are, Mark iii. 29. 2 Pet. ii. 17. Jud. 13. Rev Xiv. •!!, xix. 3. XX. lO. I M ■.:/. x. 30 Luk« wiii ~o. John ix. 35. Eph, ii. 7. iii.-o. Col. i. &5* tjniverfdhffh cotfounds and dejlroys iifelf* {§■% 3'iicl applied to the divine Being* or to his attributes.* In one, [he literal meaning is, from, eternity .\ In two, it literally means, throughout every day or period cf eternity. \ This gives the ufe of* AIOON in every inftance, throughout the new teftament; that is, reckoning the reduplications, as, in Englifh forever and ever, to be but finale inflances. Now, the object is not to mow that this Greek word original- ly intends cndlefs duration, becaufe it is more often, than other- wife, ufed for this purpofe, in the new teftament. But the rea- fons why it means an abfolute eternity, when applied to things of the next world, and when governed by the above prepohcion, arc the following i. It appears neceffary that AlOON mould be applied to thirf World, or to the prefent ftate of things, to convince the Greeks that their AlOON ox World, which they thought would never fnd, w?5 only for a limited term. And, in this cafe it is always found in a different conftru&ion-, from what it ufually is when joined to things of the coming world. When joined to things of the coming world, it is always, with few exceptions which arc eafily explaind, ufed in the moll direct and natural conftruclion for to exnrefs an abfolute eternity : EIS TON AIOONA, to eternity, being the mod common and pertinent expreflion for this purpofe, among the Greeks. In the new teftament, there- fore, the tilings of time are kept diftin£t. from the things of eter- nitv. Which determins the infinitely wide difference between thefe two i'uhje»51:s. 2. AlOON, governed by the prepofition EIS, is the only phrafe excepting one or two, and excepting one or two instan- ces, § in the new teftament, toexprefs/b/-£i/f the water l. that I ih ill give him (hall never third.' viii. ,51. * Verily, ver- i ily, j fa . ;, if a man keep my faying, he fhall never fee h/ x. r/, 28. • My (beep bear my voice,- — ~: And I give « unto them eternal life ; and they QiaU never pcrifrl, neither ihalt * any man pluck them out of my hand.' xi. 26. ' Whofoever e liverh and believeth in me {hall never die. xiii. 8'. ' Peter faith * unto him ( Jefus), Thou ill a It never wdih my ieet.' Thefe texts jflight as well be tranflated, ' Whofoever drinketh of the water * that I ihali give him fhall not ihnVL forever' — iiiall forever be kept from thin'Hng- * If a man keep my laying, he {hall for- * ever he kept from death.' £:c. So this torsi is ufed in the above * text*,' Let no fruit grow on thee henceforward /^r^i^r.' This phrafe, therefore, in fuch like connexion has the fame power an<£ jneanrning as never ; which perfectly agrees with the original Greek. An ahfolute denial of this fort as ftrongly expfefles ah abfo- jute eternity as can be done by words. s If a man keep my fay- 4 ing he fh ill never fee death,' — fhall never be hurt of the fecond death. * Let no fruit grow on thee henceforward forever.' Experience and common (en[e are here called to witnefs, whe- ther words can be more expreffive of boundlefs duration, And. whether this fingle term, never or forever by its own, force or meaning, is not expreffive of fuch duration. If therefere, by its own power and direct meaning, it intends endlefs duration, this is its literal meaning. For the power and direft meaning of a word is its literal meaning. Therefore thefe few inftanccs of never or forever are fufficient to determine its literal meaning. The literal fenfe of words, or when taken in their natural courfe and by their own" direct- power, is uniformly the fame. Were it not fo, words could give no certain ideas. Confcquently, thefe few inftances of the ufe of this word, in this unlimited fenfe, de- termine this to be its Uriel: fenfe, as well as a thoufand could. 4. In our Saviour's form ot prayer, among others we have this expreffion, * For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and ' the glory, forever. Amen.' Here, the Greek words, anfwer- ing to forever, are EIS TOUS AIOONAS, in the plural num- ber. Ux i i) e rfd lijm t » nfo unds and dejf roys itfe Ifi 1 $$ ber. Why they are fo, will hereafter be fliown, and that they are the fame, whether lingular or plural, merely ax to duration. Now, in this form of prayer, and moil folemr: adoration of God, Chriil has chofen the term forever, or the original words an- swering to it. Hence, we are certain that this is a mofl forcible fcxprefEob of boundlefs duration. Had there been any one more j fo, in the Greek language, Chrift would have chefen that one, inftead of this. For it is certain he would, in ihis place efpeci- -;i!lv, defcribe God, as poffeffing the kingdom, and the ftovjer, and the glory, to an abfolute eternity. And that it is the duty, and the fervice, and the joy of his people, to afenbe thefe attri- butes to him, forever % or without end, ■ So, it is certain that all the Chriftian doxologies are as ft~ong- Jy expreffivc of unlimited duration as can be by words. Thus", in Rev. v. 13. ' BleiTing, and honour, and glory, and power, be * unto him that fltteth upon the throne, and unto the hzmbforevef, * and ever.* The term being doubled, ox forever and ji/ct, makes ino difference, as to duration only ; this will be mown in tnftyering objections. But thefe afcriptions of prsife to God and ihe LamlS are ufed by the whole church, whether in heaven or on earth. So they will be ufed by all the holts of heaven, to a Uriel eternity, Prom which it is mofl clear and conclufive, that forever is as per- tinent and forcible to exprefs a llncl eternity as any term whatever. ,5. In the new teftament, AlOON is fix times applied to the pimiffiment of the damned.* In each of thefe inftances it is gov- erned by the prepohtion EIS ; that is, being in its moil direct and natural confhu£tion,to exp/eisa ftate that never has an end. In one of thefe cafes, it makes a pofitive denial : * He that fhall * blafpheme againft the Holy Ghoil hath never i'orgivuefs, but is * in danger oi eternal damnation.' Dx. Chauncy allows that this mull be taken literally, as we have feen ; or that this blafphemer never is forgiven. And it is impoflible for him to deny it. To be confident, he mull alfo allow that thofe, who are* tormented * day and night forever and ever,' are indeed never delivered from their torment. So, if he allows one, he mult, to be co» fift.- ent, allow all thefe inftances^ that are applied to the punifnment of the damned. For all of them are of the fame import, in the original Greek. t We now come to the adjective AIOONIOS, eternal ox ever* lading, as it occurs in the new tell anient. Concerning this ufe of it, Dr. Edwards fays, ' The adjtttive AIOONIOS is ftijj * more unfavourable to Dr. Chauncy's fy item, than the fubftah- * tive AIOON. It is found in feventy-one places in the whole A A ' new * Ike places axe. M«k iii. 20. % P«. ii, 17. Jud» 13. Kev. xiv. 11. xix 3 xx jo« 3194 Univerfalifm confounds find defroys iifttfi 1 new teilament ; fixty-fix, be fide the five in which J^r. Chautt* * cy a 1 lows it is applied to future punimment.* In every one * of the fixty-fix ii ilances, except two, 2 Tim. i. 9 ; and Tit. i. * 2 ; it may, to fay the lead, be undeiftood in the endlefs fenfe. * If befidethetwo inftances juQ mentioned ; Rom. xvi. 2,5. Phi- * lem. 15. Heb. vi. 2 ; and Jude 7, mould be pleaded, which, 1 I think, are all that any univerfshft will pretend do contain 4 * limited i r enfe; it mav be obferved concerning Rom. xvi. 25, 4 that MUSTEERIOU CHRONOIS AIOONIQIS SESI. ' GEEMENOU may, with at leaft as great truth and propriety, 4 be rendered •' myttery kept fecret during the eternal or uniim* ited pafl ages, or from eternity," as " myftery kept fecret fince " the world began."— -The literal conftruftion of Pbilem. 15, 16, ' is M That thou rnighiefi receive him eternal, no longer as a ferv. •• ant, but above a fervant, a brother ;" or more briefly thu* •' That thou mighteft receive him as an eternal brother." That O- 8 ncfimus was, in the endlefs fenfe, become an eternal brother to * Philemon, and that as fuch he ought to be received by Philemon, * cannot be difputed, provided they both were, as the apoftle fup- 4 pofed them to be, real Chnftians. — The final judgment intended ' in Heb. vi. 2, may with the fame propriety be called an endlefs t judgment, becaufe it refers to an endlefs duration to follow ; as ■ it may be called the judgment of an age or dfpenfatien, be- * caufe it refers to an age or difpenfation which fhall then have 4 been pall. — As to the fire fufFered by the Sodomites, if the text * mean the fire of hell, then Jude 7, is ro be added to the five * texts, in which it is acknowledged AIOONIOS refers to fu- ■ ture punifhment. If it mean the fire in which they and their J city were confumed in th=s world, if can be called eternal, or ; AIOCN103, wiih refpeel to the efTecl only : and to fay that efTecl; i* to laft for a limited time onlv, is the fame as to fay, * that the Sodomites are finally to be faved ; which is to beg the * grind queftion/r This itatement expofes the ah fu id ;ty of Dr. Chauncv's fcheme.. The original fenfe of a word, however, is not determined by th« frequency of its ufe. Or, becaufe a word is more often ufed in the , * The places arc. Matt. xix. 1', 59. XXV. 46. Mark x . 17, 30. Lukex. t5- xvi. g. X i •. 18. 30. John iii. 15, 16, 3,'-". iv. t^ 36. v. ?^. 39. vi. 27, 40, 47, ,54, 68. X. 28. jtir. »5, 50. xvii. 2, 3. A6h xiH. 4,6, £$. Rom. ii. 7. v ?i vi. 22, 23. xvi. 95, 26. '. 17- i3. v. 1. Gal. 6. 8. 2 Theft. ,;;, ,5. , Tim. i. 16. vi. 12, 16, 19. a rim. i. 9. ii. 10. Tit. i. 2 twice, iii. 7. Phi'tin. 15. H?b. v 9. vi. 2. ix. 12, 14, 15 xiifc 30. 1 p <"t. v. 10. 2 Pet. i. 1 1. 1 fofeni. 2. ii. 2/;. iii. 1 5. v. it, 13. 20. T'vle 7, g\\ •. 6. TbtHyt texts in which Dr. C^ ui cy allows AIOONIOS to be ip- p'.iH to future punifhratnt ave Matt, xviii. 8. xxv. 41, 4,6. Mark, iii. ag. t Theff. i. y. To which is to be a ' dt 7'. i i.dwj.rdi ajui.-Jl dauticy, p. 13J, 2fj. Univerfalifm confounds and defrays it/elf. 195 the unlimited, than in the limited fenfe, this does not decide its original meaning, and that it muft be taken in the unlimited fenfe. A word, by the help of other words, may give an unlimited idea ; then again, in a different connection, tne fame word may give a limited idea. The idea given by a' word or term, in us direct ufe, or by its own authority or power, determines the original or literal meaning of (aid Word or term. Hence, the reafons why this word, AIGCLVIOS, eternal or everlajUng, in the new tef- tament, intends ilnctly eternal, are thefe, 1. One main part of ChriflPs work was to reveal and fettle the things of eternity. Accordingly, Chrift and the apoftles give us an account of thefe things in the moll plain and literal manner. Whenever they fpeak. of thefe things, or ol their duration, it is without types and without figures — ufing words in their literal fenfe. For this purpofe, they almoft' univerfaliy make ufe of this adjtElive or its fubftantive. Forever, eternal, or words of the lame import, from the fame original, are the common Words ; and ufed, perhaps, an hundred fold more in the new tef- tament, than all others ; for to exprefs the duration of unfeen things. Now, when erdlefs duration, or eternity itfelf and ihe things of it, is the grand fubject, the common words employed about it, are to be confiiered as the moil pertinent, or certainly as much fo as any. Efpecially when this fubjeel is treated in fuch an open and literal manner. And whereas this aJjeHive, eternal, or ever lading, is (o univerfally ufed, in the new tene- ment, to defenbe the things of the next world, this keeps up a diftincV.on between temporal and eternal things ; mowing their wide difference, and obliging us to take them in their iiri& meaning. t. Fifty-one of the foremen:ioned fixty-fix inftances of the ofe of this adjefiive are applied to the future life and happinefs of the righteous. As, ■ My fheep hear my voice—: And I give • unto them eternal life' — ' He that hateth his life in this world ' (hall keep it unto life eternal'— 1 He that believethon the Son; • hath everla/iing life' — * The gift of God is eternal Ufa through • Jefus Chrift our Lord, &c. &c. — It is certain that ' eternal • life' here, by its own authority and direct fenfe, intends endlefs life. For, by all fuch expreilions the gofpel of falvation is preached, and therefore endlefs life promifed. It is alfo certain, from many'confidcrations, that Chrift here enfures tlie endleS life of the righteous, in undeniable terms. Therefore, AIOON- IOS or eternal is as pertinent for this purpofe, to fay the ieait, at any other term. g. Several t$8 ^XJaivcrfalifm confounds end deflreys iifelf. 3. Several of" the forementioned inflances are applied to th^ divine character ; as Rom. i. 20. xvi. 25, 26. c The invifible • things of him from the creation of the world are clearly feen,, 4 being underftood by the things that are made, even his eternal ' power and Godhead' — c According to the commandment of the • everlaftivg God' — ' According tothe revelation of the myfte T • ry ; which was kept fecrct fince the world began, or kept fe« ' cret from tjie eternal paft ages, or from eternity,* As the a- p ;flle is here writing to thofe who hold, or have held, that their gods come into being in time, or have a beginning; fo he un- doubtedly means to cfcablifh thj? ftrtifi eternity of God, as having Ceither beginning of clays nor end of life. But, if he does not give this character of God, in thefe text*, neither does he in this ephllc ; nor 13 it fo given in the new tenement, if it is not in the above texts. Though he, in another place of this epiftle, ftiles liirn, * The uncorruptible God ; yet a being that has a beginning »nay be uncorruptible or immortal. Hence, it is undeniable that the word eternal, is as pertinent as any word can be, to ex- preft the ftrifcl eternity of God ; becaufe, it is undeniably evi. dent that theapoflle here intends by it, to give God this charac- ter. So in all other places of fcripture, when applied to the di- vine being, it is intended for the fame pi.rpofe. - 4. Two or more of the above inflances arc placed in oppofi- tion to perifhable and temporal things. John vi. 27. ■ Labour c not for the meat which perifheth, b"J for the meat which en- 1 duretli unto evtrlhfting life.' It is by this limple word, ever- lajlTr.r. and nothing elfe, that the duration of this lift is here cxpreiied. Tide is no other word ufed with it, for this pur- pofe ; neither can the nature or the fnbjccl, to which it is joined, - give it its meaning : but this word alone expreiTes the nature of the ftibjeSt-, or duration of this life. Thcfe things are le'f-evi- dent. And, as this life i* placed in opppfitiorj to that which feriflieth, fo this life mufr. be en^lefa life. It cannot be any thincr fhort of this. A life that ever comes to an end, makes no eppofmon or difference to that which perifheth, but is the fame thing. This gives the li^ral [qt\^ of e'verla fling. By its own authority it expfCfTea endleft duration, or, joined with life, end* lefs life ; and cannot be taken ptberwife; Therefore, when joined with death, and ufed literally, it exprefies endlefs death j for the literal ferife of a word is the fame in all cafes. Aaain, 2 Cor. iv. 18. ' The things which are feen ■ are tern- f poral ; but the tilings which are not feen are eternal.' As thifc V/as confidered in the laft Letter, it is only to add ; {hat, in thj| a;ie} tyniverfalifm confounds and defireys itfelf. \$y zpd the text jufl cited, vnficn things, becaufe they are not tern* portly nor do they perifh or come to naught, are of courfe de- clared and decided to be things whofe duration never has an end. P r \\& they are lo decided wholly by the force of thefe words, eternal and everlafting. Thefe words therefore, if literally uf* ed, can intend no other than fuch duration ; neither can words be more pertinent for this purpofe. 5. The word cndltfs, as endlefs happinefs or aidUfs mifery, appears lately to have come into ufe, or to be more in ufe, in confequence of the difpute with univerfali(l§ : and is thought tp be more pertinent, for to exprefs a ftrict. eternity of happinefis or mifery, than any other word ; or certainly more (o than the words we are now explaining : allowing this to be the cafe, at the prefent time, ior words muft be taken as they are underftood ; Jtill the cafe was not originally fo. This is evident from what v/e have juft {^n, ■ The things which are not {een^ that ' are € eternal,' placed in oppofitionto ■ things temporal,' plainly deny- that the former have an end ; and as ft rongly deny this as words can. f pverlafting life, 5 fet overagainft * the meat which per- ■ ifheth/ as ftrongly as words can, declares that the former never will perifjj, fo never will have an end. Behdes, thefe words fould not be thus ufed, unlefs they literally import a Uriel: eter- nity of duration. Eternal could not be fet in oppofkion to tern* f>oral t to as to deny that unfeen things are temporal, unlefs eter~ xial intends the fame as endlefs. Neither could ever lofting, or everlafting life, be oppofed to things which perifh ; unlefs ev~ erla/ting, joined with life, pofitively fays that this life (hall not perifh. &nd this is terming of it endlefs life, as corre&ly as can be done. So the fubftantive AIOON, forever, or never (with a nega- tive particle), is originally and iiterally as pertinent, as is poilible for a word to be. — * He that doeth thefe things mall never be ' moved,' or caft away.'* — ■ The Lord mall never fufFer the * righteous to be moved. 't — * My fheep hear my voice — ■ : And * I give unto them eternal life ; and they fhall never perifh/ — • * If a man keep my faying, be fhall never fee death. '^ — ' Let no ' fruit grow on thee henceforward^ rever.'§ — What words caa £>e more pertinent ? Furthermore, thefe words have one advantage above all others. - — * the eternity of Ifrael fas it might be rendered) will not lie, * nor repent :'|| — * The high and lofty One that inhabiteth efr r- f nity : ? f— * The eternal God :'**—« The everlafting God :'tt Thefe •t Pfal xv. $, and It. :>:xiii. ay. "ft R«m, xvi. 29, J98 Vniverfalifm eevfcunds and dejir§ys iff. Thefe declare God to have neither beginning nor end of life. Whereas, the word tndlefs may be applied to a being that had a beginning. 6. As to the forementioned five inflates of AIOONIOS, in tke new teftamer.t, applied to future punifhment ; as, * Depart 4 from me ve curfed into everlaftmg fire' — • Thefe (hall go away ■ i itofVfr/^zV^punn'hment/f &c. &c; if thefe are to be taken li- terally, as may yet more fully appear,tneymuft;they of courfemake cer ain this tnoft awful event, the end|efsmifery of th? damned. V. The fenfeof the original Hebrew next cornes under ex- amination. But what we have T?en from the Septuagint very much fupercedes the heceflity of this. Something on this hcadj however, appears expedient. As, 1. The principal v/ord in this cafe 13 OLAM. There are other Hebrew words, which are fometimes rendered the fame as this is, into our language. But OLAM is ufed, in the original of the old teftament, more than all the reft, to exprefs unlimited duration. The literal fenfe of this word is eternity ; anrl join- ed with 2 prepofition, as it generally is, it means to eternity. Dr. Strong fays, 4 It is known that one meaning of this word * (OLAM) is hidden or oh [cured ; and I have no doubt but * this was its original meaning, as all words were firft applied to * fenfible objefcls. Some have from this infinuatcd, that when * applied to duration the word enly means, there is a total uncer* * tainty how long it will laft ; but there is no ground to fuppofc * the insinuation ajuft one. A finite mind cannot comprehend * infinite ; fo that infinite or eternal duration, is in its nature hid- * den or incomprehenfible by men. But no limited duration, * be it ever fo long, is in its nature incomprehenfible or hidden. * A limited duration may be hidden from us> becaufe depending * on the fecret will of Gcd ; but is not hidden or incomorehen- * fible to men in its own na f ure, 2? is the cafe whh endlefs du- * ration. The original application of this word to duration, in * the Hebrew language was coub'lefs on the ground I have * mentioned ; and its natural meaning is duration in its nature * incomprehenfible ; and none but cndleft or eternal duration i$ * fuch.'t The other Hebrew words, fomeriroes translated forever ■, ap- pear to ferve the ptace of adverbs, or as adverbs do in our Ian- £uage. Which words are, OD, perp'tvity, or continually % BEL, all, or always ; and NOSETrl, the end, or in or at the end, or finally. When thefe words arc applied to duration, and in their literal fenfe, they decidedlv cxprefs that duration which laft * Matt. xxv. 41, 46, + DtntvtUntt and '''i/try, p. joO. Univerfalifm confounds and dejlroys iijtlj. l§q tias no limits. But OLAM is ufed dire£Hy to exprefs ctzrr.iiy itfelf. Again, OLAM is ufed as an adjective as well as afubftantive. Gen. xxi. 33. ' Abraham calle-d on the name of the Lord, the * everlafling God;' literally, the Eternity-God. Pfal. cxix. 142. ■ Thy righteoufnefs is an everlafting righteoufnefs,' an eternity righteoufnefs. Which expreflions give the ftrongeft idea of boundlefs duration. Again, Pfal. cxii. 6. * The right- * eous (hall be in everiafting remembrance,' in eternity-xtmzm- brance, is the literal fenfe of the original. As this remembrane-e is placed oppofue to 'the defire of the wicked which (hall per- * i(h,' as in vtric io. following ; fo it is here made certain, thafc this remembrance never will perifh, or have an end : which alfo gives the literal fenfe of everlafting t or of the original word, ;. But, 2. The fame remarks hold relative to OLAM, which have been made on the above remarkable inftances out of the Septua- gint. Thus, OLAM is ufed in Deut. xxxii. 40. Where the great Jehovah moil folemnly fwears that he lives forever ; or that he lives in OLAM, inhabits eternity. OLAM is ufed throughout the hundred and thirty-fixth Pfalm, fo m all the oth- er inftances which declare that ' the mercy of the Lord endur- 4 eth forever.' OLAM is made a pofitive denial, in each of the *bove-cited inftauces of this kind, out of the old teftamenu As ■ He that doth thefe things fhail never be moved,' &c OLAM is generally ufed, either as a fubftantive or adjeQive, to exprefs the duration of the promifes to the righteous, of their fu- ture happinefs and glory. Nov/, in ali thefe inftances of the ufc cf this Hebrew word, it is certain that no other could be more expreflive of an abiblufe eternity. Had there been others more fo, why did not the omiiifci^nt Being, who can choofe the bell words, ufe them, infteadof this ? Or, has he revealed his owa eternity, in his holy word, or has he not ? Has he revealed as e:er;i*l paradife, prepared for the righteous, or has he not ? 3. Tins Hebrew word, joined with a prepofition, as LEOLAM is rendered into Greek by the tranflators, with that conftruclioa of AIOOM which molt directly expreffes unceafing duration. Or LEOLAM, ufed as a fuftantive, is in almoft every inftance of the Greek verfion of the old teftament, rendered EIS TOM AIOONA, to eternity. This appears, by comparing the He~ brew texts with thofe inftances of the ufe of EIS TON AIOONA. as above noted from the Greek verfion. Accordingly we have the authority of that learned and venerable body of fcribes and priefU, CCO Vnivirjdllfrti ccvfuu;:ds and defroys itjelfi priefis, the authors of the Greek tranflation. Not only fo, Chr/ft and theapoflles, when they make quotations from the old tefta- ment, render this Hebrew word into Greek, in the fame man. ner. This is feen by comparing the original copies ; as Pfal. xlv. 6, with Luke i. 33, 55, and Heb. i. 8 ; and 1 Pet. i. 23, 25, with Pfal. exxxvi ; and ievetal other places. 4. This Hebrew word is frequently applied to the future pun- i&ment of the wicked. Pfal. ix. 5. ' Thou haft rebuked the 4 heathen, thcu haft deft royed the wicked, thou haft put out their ■ name forever and ever.* DirecTly after, the fame word is ap- plied to the duration of God himfelf. * But thou, Lord, (halt en- ' dure forever ; he hath prepared his throne for judgment.* This deftruclion, therefore, (hall not come to an end while Gcd lives, and while he lives, he lives to judge and punifhthe wick- ed. So one reafon why God fwears that he Vivas forever, as yfe have feen above, is, as he himfelf directly fays, ' I will lender * vengeance to mine enemies, and will reward them that hate me.' Becaufehe livesy^r ' is, by far, the molt frequent afe of them in the facred writings/ Hence the above fcripturcs are nothing to Dr. C's purpofe. By vinue of his own rule, they only prove that the inhabitants oi heaven fhaii die no more while they live, and there (hall not be any mere death again for a certain period ; whether longer or fhorter, as he fays of eternity. And whereas Dr. C. confiders thefe fcriptures exactly the fame as immortal, and the prcmifc of immortality, his argument from thtje alfo, by his own rule./ is totally deftroy cd. The redeemed in heaven are immortal while they are immortal ; they are immortal for a certain period, and how long this will laft Dr. C. cannot tell, until he has giv- en up his own maxim. No end, world without end, Mr. Whichever fayV, * Are * ftrcnger exprefTionS to fet forth the well-being of the righteous, 4 than any that are ufed as connected with the mifery of the wick- * ed. '* How docs this appear ? The phrafe, no end, is ufed more frequently in the limited, than in the endlefs fenfe. Ik. the former fenfe it is ufed ieven times, + throughout the fcriptirre, in the latter ^nfe it is but four times ufed. Arid two of thefe, viz. Ifai. ix. 7. Luke i. 3$, as'thcy exprefs the duration of the reign of Chrilr, arc not allowed, by univerfalifts. to have an unlimited meaning. Dr. C. and Mr. W. deny that Ghrift's kingdom and government has no end. One of the remainder, viz. Heb. vii. 3, is applied to Melchifedec, — ■ Having neither * beginning of days, nor end of life ;' and, as it relates to Mel- chifedec, is ufed figuratively, therefore it is nothing to their pur- pofe. V/e are, oi courie, reduced to this one pafiage, Pfal. cii. ■>7. ' Thou (God) ait the fame, and thy years have no end. This, of it felt, is not a ' ftronger expreffion to fet forth the well- * being of the righteous ;' but the promife to them directly fol- lows this. 'The children of thv ferrants ihall continue, and * their feed, EIS TON AIOONA KATEUTHUNTHESE- k TA1, ihall be eiiablifhed before thee.' So that EIS TON AIOONA, to eternity, or to be eftabhfhcd to eternity, is the fame * P. 33. t Tke \>"iccf, ar«, Eccl. 4, 8, 16, and 12. 12. Ifai. '.>.. 7, twice. N*Vj. 2. 9! and 3 3. tfniverfalifm confounds end dcjlroys itftlf si i :ame, in Greek, as to be eflablifned before thee, or before God. And EIS TON AIOONA is the fame as to duration, as tin years have no end. But Dr. C's rule deftroys the force of this iaft expreffioh ; for no end is ufed moit in the limited fenfe. And EIS TON AIOONA, he argues, is of no fignificancy, as to duration, even when applied to Gs>d hirnfelf. By explaining away eternity, therefore, they explain away their own ' ftronger ! exprefiions,' Again, as to the expreflion, world without end, Wte find two inflances of its ufc, in the bible : Ifai. xlv. 17, and Eph. iii. 21. As to the original words, of both thefe places, Dr. C. and Mr. W. have done their utmott, to explain them a- way to nothing. And had Mr. W. only cited the Greek words i'rom Ifai. xlv. 17, he mult, to have been confident, called his expreffions, * to fet forth the well-being of the righteous,' weak- er, inftead of J! ranger. The weaker , however, appears to lie with Mr. W'« nfe of them, and not with the exprefiions them- felves. The Greek words, for world without end, in this cafe, are EOOS TOU AIOONQS Ell \ which Dr. C. calls for- ever and farther, which he alfo calls evident nonfenf. After citing thefe words from Ifaiah, ' Ifrael mail be laved in f the Lord with an everlafling falvation : ye mall not be afham . * ed nor confounded world without end,' Mr. W, fays, * But 4 where do we read that the mifery of the wicked fhall have no * end? The word endlefs, or world without end, is never ' once ufed by our tranilators, to exprefs the eternity of punifh- 6 ment, in the whole bible. '* Had it been faid, in fcripture, i The mifery of the wicked fhall have no end/ Mr. W. could fhen have denied it, with the fame feoldnefs as he has denied that. Chrifl's kingdom fhall have no end ;'t when it is aliened, ■ Of * the increafe of his government and peace there fhall be no end,* Ifai. ix. 7 ; and Luke i. 33, ' He fhall reign over the ho life o^ ' Jacob forever; and of his kingdom there fhall be no end.'' — The word endlefs is ufed twice only. 1 Tim. i. 4. ' Neithei ' give heed to fables, and endlefs genealogies.' And Heb. vii. 16, ! Who is made,' Chrifl is made, ' not after the law of a car- * nal commandment, but after the power of an endlefs life.' To explain jorever and ever, joined, in feveral places, with the torment of the damned, Mr. W. fays, * I fhall now invalidate * thofe evidences for endUfs damnation, by bringing an equal 1 number of texts, where you will allow the words are ufed in a * limited fenfe. 'J Following this and Dr. C's n;le, which we have feen, the word endlefs, as it is juit asoften ufed in the lim- ited, as in the unlimited fenfe, can have no meaning. The din. limited £i'2 Univerfalifm confounds and Jeffreys itfelf, limited fenfc invalidates the limited, and the limited invali- dates the unlimited - r thus it becomes a found without fenfe. But Dr. C. and Mr. W. have abundantly ufed this word, end- lej's, to give advantage, a* it appears, to their fubjecl, by exhib- iting their arguments in the clearell manner. Unhappily, we arc obliged to call on their advocates, to tell us the meaning of the principal word, which ftaraps the character of their books. It could have been wifhed, however, that Dr. C. had given the WGrld his endlefs nothings or rather hist endlefs contradictions^ on Tom-? other than the molt ferious fubjeci ot" eternity,-. > Your indulgence, my dear fir, is folicited, while we fee, in one more inilance, the operation of this lingular rule or maxim. The word all is a material word with univerfalifis. They appear, many times, to place their cliief dependance on thofc Scriptures, which include this -word. As, John xii. 38, * Ant} " I (Chrift Jefus), if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all ' men unto me.' Rom. v. iS, — 'even fo by the iighteoufnefs * of one the. free gift came upon, all men unto jollification oi * life.' 1 Cor. xv.. £2, \ For as in Adam all die, even (o in, ' Chrift fhall all be made alive. Eph. i. 10, * That in the dif v ' penfation of the fulnefs of times lie might, gather together in 1 one all things in Chrift.' x Tim. ii. 4, 3, 6, * Who will have * all men to be faved, and to come unto the knowledge of the * truth. For there is one God, and one mediator — Who gave ' himfeif a ranfom for all .*' and other like places. This word all, is well known to be a term of tlpe {IrLcleft uni- vcrfality ; including the whole of whatever fubject. it is applied if). .This* is its firft, mofl obvious, and natural meaning. And in this fenfe it is always underftood, when.it is not qualified or reftrifilea by other words ; or un'c/s the nature of th& fubje£r, it is applied to, forbid this conflmciioii. It is, however^ ufecj in thegreateU variety ; and more often in common conversation, as well as in the. bible, ufed in a partial, than in an univerfal ienfe. F«r the truth of this, we need only to appeal to fa£ts and to the facred volume. Dr. C. and Mr. W. allow of no quali- fications or refl;ri£lionsoi its ir[e, in the above fcripture paflages ; nut, in each oi theft o\.d in other like places, they take the word .**// in its moft firicl univerfal {cn(e. At the lame time, they kvc given us no reafon, why this word mould not be entcrpreU ed by their own ruie. the rule by which they explain the word eternity. And it muft. be a very odd maxim that will not ap- ply in all fimilar cafes, Arid this word, all, though ufed in 9. great variety, is as naturally and really an unlimited term as th§ word Univerfalifm confounds and deflroys it/elf. 213 ,vord eternal ; but the former is not more unlimited than the lat- ter. All exiftence, all duration is as boundlefs, but not more >fo, as eternal duration or eternal exiftence. Therefore, unlefs fome reafon can be given, more than has yet been given, we are obliged to interpret this unlimited word, all, by the fame rule .we do other unlimited words. Dr. C. and Mr. W, for ought they have done or faid, are conftrained to interpret it as they do eternity and its derivatives, By this maxim, therefore, as all is more often ufed in a partial fenfe, than in an univerfal, it ' more probably means' the former, than it does the latter, and whenever it is ufed. All men, therefore, more probably than otherwife, always means fome men only. Or, it is probale that all men always means a part of mankind, inftead of the whole. Certainly, if everlafiing, by ' the mere force of the word it- 'felf, more probably means a limited, than an endlefs duration ; * and becaufe this is the moft frequent ufe of it in the facred * writings ; 5 it follows that the moft probable fenfe of all is only a part, and always only a part, inftead of the whole ; for it is more often ufed partially, than umverfally, in the facred wri- tings. And \leverlafling is no determinate ffgn ?f can cy, as to duration, when applied to Godhimfelf, and forthereafon above mentioned ; then, for the fame reafon, the word all is of no de- terminate fignificancy, when applied to men. By the mereforce of the word itfelf, all men can never intend any thing more than fome men. And as, for the reafon above ftated, eternity always means fimple duration, whether longer or JJicrter, fo all men always means fome men, whether the number be more or lefs — whether even one man, a thoufand, or the whole of the Jiuman race. The moft probable meaning however, in this cafe, is always only a part of mankind, inftead of the whole. Here we have the genuine operations of the Doctor's rule, by which lie explains away eternity ; for it inuft operate alike in all fimilar cafes. Mr. W, to prevent uncertainty and confufion as to the mean- ing oi this word, fays, * I lay down this plaia rule ; viz. When * the word all is ufed in any pafTage of (cripture, and we are not * neceffarily obliged, either by the context or fome other text or 4 the nature and circumftances of the cafe, to under/land it par- ' tially ; and efpecially, where any important point of doclrine 4 is fpoken of we are always to undcrftand it umverfally with- out exception'* , A direct contradiction to what he fays of fcr ever and evtr % feveral times joined with the punifhment of {he damned. This evidence for cndlefs ponifhment he invalid dates, * P. 4*. f 214 Univt-i julij dates, he fays, * by bringing an equal number of texts, iu which ' forever and ever are ufed in a limited fenfe.' But we are now favored with two rules. Which cf theft fhali we Follow ? 1 "hey are both of them common fixed maxims with Dr. C. and Mr. W.< And either of them overthrows their fcheme. The/i»r- mer, as it gives a jail definition of the term all, leads to a juit de- finition of eternity and its derivatives, {o as to fhew us their na- tural import, in theendlefs fenle / ; ajib when to underhand their refhicted fenfe. And this is fukftd to overthrow" their icheine. The latter, as it explains a.vay every unlimited word in the bi- ble, explains away the word a/Zmthe lame pi ocefs. Of courfc. Mr. WincheJlor's all and Dr. Chauncy's all, take their depart Ure with it. It will now be objected, (hat the fenfe of this word is fixed. beyond difpute ; in the above parages, and in others, which ex- prefs or imply the fata all on of all men. As in Rom. v. \%. * Therefore as by the offence ct one judgment came upon all men • l to condemnation ; even fo by the rigiuccufnefs of one the free * gift came upon all -men unto jollification of life.' Here the free gjjt, which came upon .'// men, is as exterifivc and urtivcr- fal as the judgment, which came upon all men. And all men are the fame in both cafes, which rauft include every oue ef mankind. For it cannot be denied that judgment came upon every one cf mankind. Therefore, all men\ upon whom *C\\q free grft came, are, decidedly, every one of the human kind. Again, 1 Cor. xv. 2.2. * For as in Adam ell d fo in Ciirid ibalW/ bemad^ ' alive.' Mere then// that ihall be made alive in Chrift, is the fame all that die in Adam. And thi* setter all is granted to be the whole ~f Adam's race; therefore, the former all titk{\ intend the fame. . A rawer. To Toll i mode of refcfori irig, how (k we kitow, in this cafe, what is me&tt either by the former* ox hitter f Or how do wc know that thefe w«fds, a > in Ada die, ftriEitymean all msn ? Qi courfe, how can we draw the parallel, io as ftri&ty to decide that all men fhali be made alive in Chrift ? Confining onrfelves to the mere force of the till, we cannot fthclly decide any thing by it. Alia. ? rn Adam, moft probably means that only fern : die in Adam. {Therefore*, ailjhall be wade alive in ChriJl,vr,oR. probably means that only feme mall be made alive In Chriit. And what this fovU is no. man can determine. Again, as to this text in Romans, we know nothing ot what is meant by the all men, upon whom the. judg- ment came to ■ atton. Therefore, we are ignorant oi, what Univerjzhfn cot/founds and deftroys itftlf. 215 what is meant by the all men, upon whom the free, gijt came unto justification of life. Furthermore, when it is faid, Chrift is the faviour of all men, we muft fit It decide what is underftood by all man. But, before we can do this, Dr. C's maxim muft be renounced ; what he has faid on eternity, muff firft be given up. Dr. C. is, therefore, reduced to this dilemma ; either he mull give up the word all, on which hi? a// depends, or he muft give up his explanation of the word eternity, &c. It will again be objected, that wc know, from the nature of :Le fubjiecl, that all men, every c::e, die in Adam. Therefore, we are necefiiated to comider the latter all, all Jliall be made alive in Chrift, in its moll Uriel univerial feme. Anfwcr. From the nature of the fuhje/sr, wc know nothing about all dying in Adam ; for the knowledge of this, we arc wholly indebted to Revelation. Although it is plain, from facts, we all die, yet it is alfo plain that we muft go to the bible, to fcliQW whether* or not, we all die in Adam. It will, perhaps, be further objected, that, from the general tenor of icripture, it is plain that all men, every individual, do indeed die in Adam. Therefore, we are compelled to con- fider the latter all, all Jliall be made alive in Chrijt, in its greats eft latitude. Anfwcr, From the general tenor of fcripturc, to reafofi a* the Dotior does, we are compelled to cer.ftder the epithet all, in every cafe, quite the reverfe, or to mean a part only. And for this very good reafon, becaufe this word is more frequently lifed, in fcripture, to mean only apart, than it ts to intend the whole. Kence, the Doctor, to invalidate fome of the molt important parts of fcripture, has invented a rule, which invali- dates his own favorite expreflicns. Of courfe, he muft tell u* what he means by ' the falvation of all men ;' whether all men mean unJyJ'ome men, or every individual. To be ccnfiftent with his own ma>xim, he muft write his book over again, and ex- plain his title page. ' The falvation of all men the grand * thing aimed at,' Sec. and tell us whether fome or the whole. :s here intended. Should he fay, the whole, is intended, by the epithet all, then again he muft give a fecond explanation, to * tell us his meaning of this expreftion, the whole. When he has done this, he muft give a third explanation, to mow his mean- ing of the (econd. A fourth for the third, &c. &e. Sec. What the Doclor calls eternity, it is thought, would run out, before he will have completed this grand j'cheme. As to the above texts, alfo Colof. i. 20, ■ Bv him (Chrift) to meile all things imto himfelf f Philip, ri. io, n, 4 Thac si 5 Vmverfalifm confounds and dejlroys itfclf. 1 That at the name of Jefus every knee mould bow, ancf ' that every tongue fhould confefs that Chrift is Lord;' and Heb. ii. 8. ■ Thou haft put all things in fubje&ion under his * feet,' and others of like import, on which umverfalifts place fo much dependence, you will, my dear friend, find an accurate explanation of them, in Dr. Edwards's anfwer to Dr. C. Chap. ix, xi, xii. In which Dr. E. appears to make it plain that thefe texts, inftead of proving the final falvation of ali men, prove the oppofite. Several objections alfo, which Dr. C. brings againil the meaning of the words we are now interpreting, which are here omitted, you will find anfwercd by Dr. E. We (hall there- fore clofe this letter, and finifh this fubjeel, with the following remarks. I. That a man of Dr. C's talent", and learning mould give" fuch a rule for the interpretation of words, as we have feen, is not a little furpriiing. Who could have thought of firft telling the number of times fuch or fuch a word, in the bible, is ufed, either in the lax oxJlriEl fenfe, in the limited or unlimited fenfe, in order to determine its mod probable meaning ? Who could: have thought of this, had not his fcheme been in diftrefs ? The Doctor's rule is the fame as to fay, betaukfnek a word more oftcnioccurs in the lax, than in ihcjincl fenfe, therefore in its' lax fenfe this word muft always be underftood. In this cafe, the lax deftroys the ftrid, and what name to give the former, when the latter is deftroyed, is left with univerfalifts to decide. And if the former has fuch power over the latter, how Came the latter ever io have an exiftencc ? Again, following Dr. C's maxim, if a word is mere often ufed in a temporal fenfe than it is in an eternal, then this great frequency of temporal fo alters e- ternal, as to make it temporal, in all cafes ; which is the fame as to lay, that temporal deftroys eternal. And if temp oral deftroys eternal, how came the \wotx\ eternal into being ? And why a dift inclion between temporal and eternal? The fame rale applies, as we have (cen, to the word infinite. Therefore, uc^aufe this word is more ©ften employed about finite, than a- bout infinite, fivbje&s, fifitU, deftrpys infinite. But the Doc-, tor's difficulty lies here, he cannot tell how often eternity and its derivatives is ufed in the endleU ionic. How can he tell,, When bv the mere force of the word, it moft probably intends, in all cafes, a temporal duration ? And how can he tell by the help of other words, ftandmg with this, when his own rule def- troys the unlimited fenfe of all other words ? This is known, he would fay, by the nature of the fubjecV. But how do we y know U'AiTjetfdifnX confounds and dtftroys itftlf *\? know the nature of the fubjcft, how do we know the duration of inifeen things, any further than revelation informs us ? And how docs revelation inform us, when the mere force of its words is deitroyed ? Therefore, when Dr. C. fays, ' Ever Lifting more f probably means a limited, than an endlefs, duration ; becaufe 4 this is, by far, the moft frequent ufe of it in the facred writ- Vings,' .this is a mere folecifm.. . Thcie is no moft or compan- ion in the cafe ; everlafing, for ought he can tell by his own maxim, always means a limited duration. It is impoffible for him, however, to determine what it does mean, or whether it means any tiling. And the word which he takes to be the molt exterminate, and ufes fo frequently, only turns again ft him. The word endlefs is jufl as often ufed, in fcripture, in a limited, as it is in an unlimited manner. Which forms a blank in his book, and blank indeed it is. II. The rule, by which, toafcertain the meaning of words, is plain and fimple. Words are arbitary figns of ideas. Theie figns are not originated or made by a few wife men of the age ; but they are made, or richer their import is fixed, by the aflem: of the populace, the great mafs of the people. To know the meaning of words, therefore, we need only to know how they are underftood, by the people at large. In this cafe, it is ufeful to enquire how they were originally understood, and how they have been, from age to age, bringing of it down to the prefent time. But as words, in general, retain their primary fenfe from time immemorial* fo their original gives their prefent meaning-, and their prefent their original meaning. It is granted, in fomc few inlfanccs, the ienic of words is varied, by length of time, or r;rther by incidental events. But this variation is always plai.-i and intelligible. For if the fenfe of words be not afcertained they are no longer ufed. Men, efpecially in matters interesting, do not often fpeak in an unknown tongue ; when, at the fame time, they can ufe words fo as to be underitood. And the rea~ Ton why words ufually retain their prima! v fenfe, is, the fenfe of wurds is not fixed in the fchoois of philofopbers, but by the common people, converting on their intereihng and matters. So when God gave a revelation to men, as it was not drhgned for a few individuals only, it was given 'in words beit adapted to the whole nation, and to the whole human race, when they Dmuld come to the knowledge of it. It is here worthy ot Special notice that the fenfe of words is kept pure and genuine, without any material variation, throughout the old tefument. And throughout the new teftamern, there is no variation, as to D m fit Vnivtrf&lifm. Ccnfounds *nd elejtrtys itfdf. the fenfe of words, -worth remarking. This affords a very ra- tional argument, to fay the leaft of it, that the fenfe of thofe im- portant words, which treat of unfeen and eternal things, was. handed down by the apoftles, and maintained by the body of the church, with but little variation or oppofition, till towards the end of the laft century. And whereas the great body of chrif- tiatis have all along taken eternity and its derivatives, when ap- plied to things of the next world, to intend endlefs duration, this, %$ it appears, does fix their true meaning. . This leads to remark 9 III. It is immaterial whether an unlimited word is ufed out of its natural courfe, or in a limited fenfe, more, frequently, or not, v than it is otherwife. It may be ufed five times, or even five hundred times, more, in a limited, than it is in an unlimit- ed manner ; and this make no difference as to its proper ftricl meaning. Were not this the cafe, it would be impoiTible.ta know the meaning of words. This is alfo illuftrated ancf prov- ed by the word infinite. Reckoning one marginal reading, this word occurs four times, in the whole bible. And but one in- stance out of thefe four, according to Dr. C, can be taken itrict. ]y. But the three, out of four, inifances of its figurative ufe Iiave no influence upon its ftrict. literal ufe. This one inftance of its literal ufe, {landing againft three cf the oppofke fenfe, is not, by the three, impaired or altered in its meaning. To fup- pofc otherwife would plunge us into confufion. What is here ilated is plain from the facls themfelves. When it is faid of the Lord, as in Pfal. cxlviL 5, ' his undemanding is infinite, ' it is evident this mult be taken literally. There is nothing in the bi- ble to forbid this conduction. And this agrees with what the "bible fays of the ether attributes of Jehovah., But when infi- nite is joined with the riches of Nineveh, the cafe is equally plain. We know that the nature of this fubject. obliges us to confider th ; s ufe of the word in a figurative manner. Were in- finite ufed five hundred times in this manner, being joined with Subjects we know to be finite, it could make no confufion or miftake. According to its natural import, it would flill retain its unlimited force. Or, when ufed fimply or alone, having no words {landing with it to alter its meaning, and the fubjeel not forbidding it, it would flill intend infinite. IV. When this, or any other unlimited word, is ufed in a. figurative or limited fenfe, the limitation is obvious. We mult know that the fubjeft forbids the Uriel meaning, or that the words Handing with U, either exprelTed or plainly underftood., nun it from its natural courfe, otherwife we arc obliged to take it Univerfalifin confounds and deftroys it/elf. £19 j: in its literal import. If this be not granted, it -will follow, either that words are mere founds without fenfe, or that every individual reader and hearer is left to put his own arbitrary in- terpretation upon them. However, the example of the ufe of the word infinite, is fufiicient to determine this point. And we are obliged to take this word in its literal import, when it is not obvioufly limited, as \i\ the manner juft ftated. V. If a word can be found, Handing alone, or not altered in its f«nfe by other words, and we are neceflitated to confider this word an unlimited one, or conveying an unlimited idea in the place where it is thus found, this is fufiicient to decide its natu- ral meaning ; and that this word naturally has an unlimited meaning, although but one inftance of this ufe of it be found in the whole bible. A word {landing alone, or not depending on other words, or varied in its fenfe by other words, is Handing in its own fimple natural force. This none can deny. And it is the natural force of the word we want to know, to know its nat- ural meaning. For its natural power and force is its natural meaning. Therefore, if we arc neceflitated to take this one in- ftance of the ufe of this word in the unlimited fenfe, it follows that we are necessitated, at the fame time, to confider the natural meaning of this word to be unlimited. For it is the mere fim- ple power of this word, and nothing el fe, which gives this un- limited idea. And if the mere fimple power of this word gives this unlimited idea, then this word, by its own power, is fuited to convey this unlimited idea, and no other. It cannot^ of itfelf, convey any other, unlefs it be an oppofite one ; for any thing fhort of unlimited is limited ; and the latter of thefe flands op- pofed to the former. And to fuppofe that a word, of itfeli, can give oppofite ideas, or that a word, by its own force, can give either a limited or an unlimited meaning, throws every thing in- to confufion. Words may be ufed ironically, fo they may be ufed figuratively, but this is out of their natural courfe. Inthefc cafes, the irony or figure muff be plain and finking, fo as to avoid confufion. Therefore, if a word, by its own fimple power, is fuited to convey an unbounded idea, and confequently no other; one initance of its ufe gives a decided example as well as a thou- fand. To deny this, is denying the power of words. Hence it is plain, if a word can be found, Handing as above ftated, ufed but once in this manner throughout the fcripture, and we are compelled to take it in the unlimited fenfe, this is fufficient to fettle its natural meaning; and that this word naturally has an unbounded meaning. For it is the fimple power ot thi* word, and nothing elfe, which gives this unbounded idea. 22« Univerfalifm confounds ar.d dejtroys itftlf* It will now be objected, that the nature of the fubjecf, words are applied to, oftentimes fettles their meaning. Anfwef. As to invifible object, treated of in the bible, what go we know about their nature, any further than the bible re- peals them ? And how does the bible reveal them, except it be by certain words ? Let univerfalifts prove, if they can, by fume authority afide from fcripture, the" nature and attributes of that Cod who fpake to Mofes v . Reafon proves, it is granted, theat- tributes of the creator and 'governor of the world. But reafon, or the light of nature, does net prove this to be the God who fpake to Mofes, unlefs fcripture gives him this character. So that our dependence is on fcripture, to prove the nature of fcrip- ture fubjeets : and on the words of fcripture, and finally on the ■jr.ere force of the words themfelves, and riotning elfe. It is clear that 'the nature of the under (landing of the Lord, joined with the word infinite, is ascertained, in this place, by the power of this word only. And that this epithet is applied to bis underfiandidg to decide its nature, and to defignate him as the fuprerhe God.' It is alfo clear, as we arc compelled to take" this one folrtary ufe (as Dr. C. argues it to be) of infinite, in the unlimited fenfe, that this is fofficient to decide its natural im- port. And when u'fed in any other but the unlimited fenfe, it muft be taken in a loofe or figurative manner. Furthermore, the ufe of this word, infinite, mud If and as an example forall other un- limited expreflions, ' One Tingle example decides their natural import as well as a thoufand. It willagain be objected, that the words infinite, unf 'arena- lie, unchangeable, by their own etymology and coiripofitiori; iland oppofed to finite, Jearchable, changeable. Anfwer'. It is granted that the negative particles, added to the former, inVert their meaning; and place them in opposition to the latter. But. Dr. C's rule confounds them together. And, in realitv, the former is Hot more oppofed to the latter, than e ■ ternal is to temporal. — ' Thethrngs which are (ecn areiempe- ' vol, but the thil ch are not feen are eternal.' - It will be ifurtner objected 1 , that as a finite fubjeel neceffarily limits a word, which is applied to it, fo an infinitcTubject neccf. "fiidy fixe fe of a word, WHich is applied to it ; and o- bligejl us to take this word in the unlimited fenfe. If the nature of the fubjecr, in the firlr inuance, gives the fenfe of the word, then certainly it rnufl be the nature of the fubjecl, in the fecond . i Glance, by which the fenfe of the word is given. Therefore; I the 'nature- of the fubje3 ; and not the force cf ihe word; wl ich gives the ide#! ■ Anfwer, tfniverfalifm confounds and dejtroys itftlfi t&\ Anfwer, When the nature of the fubjeci, in both cafes, is well known, this rule will apply. But when the nature of the, fufejefcl: in the firft inftance is well known, and in the fecond is wholly unknown, this rule will not apply. How can a fubjeci, wholly unknown, give lorcc and energy to words ? In this cafe, words may defcribe the fubjeci, but the fubjeci cannot give mean, ingto words. ' It was the original intent of unlimited words, ef- pecially o^eterntty, eternal, everlajling, &c. to reveal to us unfesn things. Things which lie beyond the reach of mortal f'ye. Things winch the united wii'dom of this world never could have difcovered, ' Eye hath not feen, nor ear heard, nei- 1 ther have entered into the heart of man, the things which God ' hath prepared for them that love him. But God hath revealed e them unto us by his Spirit ; for the Spirit fcarcheth all things, 1 yea, the deep things of GoJ. — The things of God knoweth n* c man, but the Spirit of God.'* It is, indeed, the woik of the Holy Ghofl to draw afide the curtain, and lay open the things of the invifible world. And as man knows nothing of thefe things, Any further than the Spirit reveals them, foit is the words of rev- elation, which is revelation itfelf, that fhows him the nature of thefe things. What could man have known of heaven or hell, had not God revealed them ? What could he have known of the nature and duration of either of thefe, had not God declared it r* And how has God declared it, unlefs by certain flgns or words, Communicated to cur fenfes ? Therefore, it is wholly by the power of words we become acquainted with unfeen things / and with their nature and duration. To fay we learn the force of words, and are obliged to interpret them, from the previous ftiozvn natufe cf the fubjeci, when we know nothing oi the .fubjeci, only as words reveal it, is a clear contradiction, and it is inverting the order of things. When the nature of the fubjeci is well known, as objefcls of fight or worldly things are, we may- then argue from the previous knouni nature of the fubjc6r. Hence, a rule will apply to things feen , which cannot apply t© things unfei'n. ' " Alter all it will be objected, tha*, according to the above rea- Foning, if only one lcripture inftance be found, of a word ufed in the limited fenfe, and we cannot otherwife interpret this in- ilance, we are obliged to confider this its direct meaning; and when it is found in the unlimited fenfe, this is its figurative ufe. For the above rule mud operate both ways. Anfwer, When a word is figuratively ufed, as we have often the figure is always obvious and {hiking ; being grounded on i Cor. ii. 9, 10, itf i_v_ Univcrfaiifm etnfounds And dejlroys. itfclf. on fomething wc well underftand. It is the well-known nature of the fubjecl, to which a word is joined, that gives the figure. This is felf-evident. Therefore, would we ufe a limited term by a figure, in the unlimited fenfe, we muft apply it to an ob- jecl already known. Again, an unlimited word,, if ufed figura- tively, mull be joined to things within the reach of our fenfes ; otherwife it would be received as literal, inflead of figurative. The Itrength of Nineveh is called infinite, and without any ha- zard of miftake ; becaufe the fubject, ,n this cafe, is well un- deiftood. But if angels, or other invifible beings, were Called infinite , in Itrength or knowledge, weihould be obliged to con^ fider them as fuch, provided there were no words to contradict this. And ii there were, it would only caufe confufion. Should angels, in one place of fenpture, be called infinite, in another, finite, dependent beings ; which of thefe places could we take figuratively, or which literally ? Should their duration, in on« place, be called eternal, in another, temporal, what would be the confequence ? Or fiould they be faid to exift for ages of Ages, this term, by its own power, being fuppofed to mean only limited duration, but, figuratively, may intend duration without end ; we can at once fee the confequence. At bell, we mould be in the dark, ; and could never decide whether angels are to cxift forever or not ; whether they are finite or infinite ; what they are, or whether they are any thing. Hence, the above ob- jection, however it may apply to things fzen, cannot to things invifible. On this ground, a word, according to its own orig- inal meaning, cannot be confidered as limited, in one place, and unlimited, in another, by a figurative ufe. Concerning things of the unknown world, which things are wholly unknown to us except by the power of words, how is it poITible to conceive a ground of diftin6tion between the figurative or the literal ufe of words? UniverfalilU will now fay, the endlefs duration of an- gels is decided by other words; and the term fore ver, when em- ployed about them, mufl be figurative, if it denote the extent of their duration ; becaufe this term, in its primary fenfe, is known to be a limited one. To anfwer this, Dr. C. lias fo confound- ed limited and unlimited together, as to leave every thing un* deci4ed. But fuppofing a word, in its pri«iary fenfe, limited, and another, in the fame fenfe, unlimited, were employed about, angels ; which of thefe could we believe j* • ; Furthermore. As it is the well-known nature of the fubjeel, or the fubjecl itfelf, to which the word is joined, and not the au- thority of the word, that gives the figure or metaphor ; fo eter^ 4 nify, Vniverfalijm cenfounds and defrays itftlf. £*£ aft'ly, if ^ mean cndlcfs duration only by a metaphor, muft have this meaning given it by the nafure of the fubje& only, to which it is joined. The fame thing Dr. C' often urges. His fcheme therefore comes to this, that neither eternity nor eternal were defigned, by their original primary authority, to mean endlefs- juration. Neither can they be thus found in one place of fcripture.- But, -VI. It appears evident, if one inftance only of the ufe of f ach and either of thefe words can be found, in the facred voU ume, that muft be received, by its own direct authority, to mean.- eadlefs^duration, and cannot mean otherwife, this is fufficient to> afcertain their original meaning, A word cannot give oppofke. gleanings, when taken in its primary fenfe.. A word cannot naturally intend both a limited and an unlimited duration. Neither, by its own fimpie authority, can it, in one place intend the former, and in another, the latter ; for the former is oppofed to the latter, as has been mown. . But who will deny thefe inftances above cited ? When God Kfts his hand to heaven, and fwears, ■ I live forever ;* who will fay this does not intend an abfolute eternity? Who will fay, Wronger terms could be ufed ? Thofe numerous inftances of, forever, ufed as Uriel; negatives ; thofe numerous inftances alfo, to exprefs the duration of divine mercy; and that in ChrifF* form of prayer, * Thine is the kingdom, and the power and the * ^ory, forever ;' who will deny the literal ufe of thefe ? It is now fubmitted to the reader, whether we have not the fame reafon to believe, that eternity and the words derived from it, in their primary fenfe, mean boundlefs duration, as we have to believe themoft plain truths- of revelation. And wheth- er, if we interpret thefe words as Dr. Chatmcy does, we do not- run into all the abfurdities above ilated ; even to the entire fub- verfiou of the gofpel. VII. The remark, commonly made on univerfalifts, that they ©an hardly believe their own fcheme, appears to be juft. Be— caufe they fo often fhift and alter and crofs their own track, in contradiction to common fenfe. And it is remarkable, that they fometimes appear to allow the ftri£i fenfe of the words we are upon, juft in the light above ftated ; excepting when they are applied to the punifhment of the damned ; and then, they fay, thefe words muft be taken in a figurative,inftead of a literal fenfe., This is fhifting their ground, and in a great meafure giving up their fcheme. But this ground they cannot hold, as appears jromthe foregoing, and may further appear from the following* l, * Fir* Aa.< Univerjalifrn cenfouhds and dejtrbys zt/e/f. T 1. * Fire**M fuch,' Dr. Chauncy fjys, * naturally tends to ail cud, and will, in time,, actually come to an end ; and it is im- * polfible, according to the enablifhed laws of nature, but that it 'mould certainly do To. Tiie nature of the j'ubjed, therefore * obliges us to put a limitation on the word everlajling, when • joined wither*.'? ...... ! Beingaware that the flricx eternity of thefe words cannot be denied, the Doctor would have them confidered as figurative,, when joined with ihejzre of heii, cr torments of the damned. But, from .the things of this, he here argues the nature of, the things •f the coming world. He might as well have faid, it is the na- ture of all creature hap'pinefs.to come to an end ; beeaufe the pleafuresoi this, life ibon vanifh away; and ; becaafe Adam loon tell, and loil all his happinels. . The truth is, if we argue »iie nature of the things in the unfeen world, from what .we no- tkc in this, we fupercede revelation. God has. -declared the latter to be temporal, and the former eternal. Which is fufli- •••ierit to determine the nature of thsjuhjetf, in either cafe. And God is as able to continue the fire of hell without end, aJ he is for the thortett period. Furthermore, Hfire has fuch a tendency to come to an end, Dr. C. canr 4 ct prove the fire of" heil will »laft for ages pf ages. Which is neceifary for him to do, otherwilehe cannot prove that all the damned will have, re- ptentance; consequently will not all be laved. -, 2. Dr. C. fays, ' Therein a very wide difference, in the ' ra'ures ot ihejukjefls, between happinejs and rnifery, re- 'ward and punijkmeni. The former is a token of the good • pleafure oi God, and the fruit of his infinite vicrcv ; while 4 the Litter js hi* jc/an^e work, and what be takes rid pleafure " in. 1 Therefore, the Doctor concludes * that we may, yea that ' we ought, to JimU the word everlafiing % with refpecr. to the • one ; while we extend it, with refpeel to the other y as far as it 'will bear, '% or without end. This jlrange work, fo much \ on by Ijw C. Di\ Witfms (hows us original meaning *o be Gou's uaufual work, a thing which he rareiv does. The fame as in Mark xiii. 19. * For in thofe days fhall be a ' tion, fuch as wa- riot from the beginning oi the creation which * God created unto this time, neither fhall be.* Alio ^jl range z.ork, a rare thing, for God to make an example, and fuch a ter- exarpple of vengeance, of his own profeilcdly covcnani I • of the heathen, *r And the fame Jews that fuiTer- < .:s faid of them, ' It (hall come to paf*, •in.it as the Lord rejoiced over yon to do you good, fo the * Lord * t. •/-,.. •; f. i,., felt i fftWitfuimthtCntointS) Vol. I. r 130, Vnivcrfalifm confounds and defrays itftlJL 125 'Lord mall rejoice over you to deftroy you. 'J The Lord, therefore, rejoices, not to fee his creatures miferable, but to glo- rify his juftice. Whether it will require an abfolute eternity or not, to do this to the b eft advantage is the point in dTpute. Hence, this argument of Dr. C's, drawn from the infinite mer- cy of God, comes to nothing. Again, what right has he to argue from the infinite mercy of God, and, at the Tame time, confound finite and infinite togeth- er ? And what right has he to extend the mercy of God, in fa- vor of the redeemed, as far as it will bear, or to a unci eter- nity ; when he has juil laid this word is of no jignificancy, in point of duration, even when applied to God himfelt ? 3. Suppohng, however, he grants, the ftrici primary fenfe of thefe words, and that they are figuratively uJfrd, as to the ftate of the damned, which is the ground now chofen ; this is a di- rect contradiction to one of his moil material arguments. ' It 15 mod of all worthy of conhderation,' fays he, * that wearenatur- * ally and obvioufly led to interpret the word everlafiing, when * joined with the happinefs of the righteous, in the endlefs * fenfe, from other texts which determine this to be its mean- 6 ing.'^ Thefe other texts are promifes that the righteous * fhall ' die no more,' Sec, Which he fays are more decided, as to duration, as we have feen, than any that defignate the ftate of the damned. The Doctor here goes ' upon the fuppofnion that the * next is the final Hate of men.'|] But if the next ftate be final, he gives up all he has faid about the fenfe of thefe words, and al- lows their original meaning. 4 If the ntxt ftate (conformably ' to the common mode of thinking) is a ftate oi punimment, not ' intended for the cure of the patients themfelves, but to fatisfy ' the juftice of God ; it is impofiible all men fhould be finally ' favcd.'5 He fays again, and to make out his arguments for the figurative ufe of this word as applied to the damned, ' If we * ihould fuppofethe foregoing fyitem (his whole fcheme) to have 4 no truth in it, and the next Jlate, agreeably to the common o- * pinion, is Final, with refpect both to the righteous and the * zvicked.'\ Therefore, granting the next fate to he final, he allows thefe words, everlajiing. Sec, to have a ftrici: unlim- ited meaning, * conformably to the common mode of think- 6 ing.' Now fee the contradiction. He cites certain texts ' to 5 interpret' everlafiing, and grants, for the fake of prefent argu- ment, that everlajiing, by its own authority, * agreeably to the 'common opinion,' means endlefs duration. At the fame time, he alicrts that thefe certain texts are ftrongcr, more determinate, E e than % Dcut. 18. 63. \ p - *86. || P. 288. I P. it. + ?. a33- g*6 Vniverfalifm confounds and defrcy-s ifelf, than everlafting ; J. e. more determinate, or ftronger than what he grants to be endlefs duration ! Why could he not have fpok'i en direclly, and faid, tliat tverlafling is ftronger than everlajll ing ? or endlefs duration is more determinate than endlefs du- ration ? The cafe is very plain : If we grant the ufe of everlajlimg, in the fenfe now flated, other texts or words, joined to the hap- pinefs of the righteous, cannot interpret this, any more than tlu s can interpret others. Yea, it appears mod natural, if the (eadiefs fenfe of this be granted, that it mould be taken as the standard by which to interpret all others. Therefore, Dr. C's Jirongcr words, joined to the happinefs of the righteous, can make 410 difference as to the ufe of thefe words, when connect- ed with the mifery of the wicked. We mult look out for fome word or words, immediately or clofely connected with forever and everiafling, which reftrift them to their figurative life, when applied to the itate of the damned. And it mull be obvi~ ons that the words thus reftricling thefe, are intended for this life. The grant of the land of Canaan, to Abraham and his feed, was forever throughout their generations. Wherever this term is reftriclcd, by words only, it always runs in fimilar terms ; words directly connected with it, which rc(lri6t it. Were not this the cafe, it would only caufe conFuljon. But where, in all the facred volume, is the punifhment or torment of the damned called ever la/ling, and this term immediately reftricted by other words ? Where is there any immediate reftri£tion, by words,' of this term, when joined to unfeen 'things ? Therefore, when this word is ufed unreflrained by, or about fubjeils wholly tin- known or invifible, other words mud yield to, cr correfpona with this, and not this with others. Efpcciallyas eternity, and the words derived from it, are the moll plain and obvious of any in fcripture, to exprefs an dhf@lv.it eternity. Dr. C. would now fay, he has firft proved the falvation of all men, and this naturally reltricts the [cide of theft words as to the damned. But where are his proofs ? His argument from the nature of'thefubjecl Fails. His argument from the mercy of God proves nothing, any more than if he had founded it on divine juftice. His mifufe of the word all, and other like words, might as well have proved the damnation, as the falvation, of all men. Dr. C. would again fay, although the damned have ' judg. e ment without mercy' for a feafon, yet God has promifed, in the fame conne6tion, that mercy (hall Finally rejoice again ft judg- ment, 1 Vnivetfalifm confounds and dejlroys itftlf. £27 tottit. J See Jam. ii. 13. It is granted, to thofe who * fulfil the * royal law, Thou (halt love thy neighbour as thyfelf/ (v. 8,) mercy does triumph over judgment ; but not to thofe who (hew no mercy. As in Matt. vi. 14, 15 ; * For if ye forgive men * their trcfpafles, your heavenly Father will alfo forgive you. * But if ye forgive not men their trefpaffes, neither will your 4 Father forgive your trefpaffes. 5 * Therefore, to fuch as fin a- way the day of grace, jullice rejoiceth overmerxy, God rejoic- eth over them to do thtm evil. Thefe texts alfo univerfalifis urge. Jerem. iii. 12. ■ I am mer- ■ ciful, faith the Lord, and I will not keep anger J or ever.' And Mic. vii. 18. * He retaineth not his anger forever, becaufe he * delighteth in mercy.* The only quefiion is, to whom are thefe promifes made ; and whether they be made on certain conditions, or unconditionally ? And they are made, as any one may fee, to \ backdiding Ifrael ;' on condition of their repentance : Alfo, to the remnant of Judah, provided they are faithful in God's cove- nant. Which make nothing to their purpofe. Not only fr\ Dr. C. and Mr. Wincheiter mult "here grant what they have fo often denied ; viz. thatybr^t^r, in both thefe places, means a flricl eternity. For to fay, as they mull, on their ground, that God ■ retaineth not his anger'^r an age, is a direct contradic- tion to their fcheme, . They allow the damned to have no mercy for an age, and even for ages of ages. It is remarkable, that nearly all the texts they bring, to fupport their fcheme, ap- pear, even upon a flighty examination, to be promifes to the righ- teous ; or made on condition of repentance and obedience, to be performed in this life. Which make damnation J "u rs to a parr, of mankind, inilead olfalvation to all, For if fume men liv^, and die, defpifmg thefe conditions, they mult reap the curfe, in- flead of the blejjing. It is now thought to be evident thai: uni- verfalifts cannot maintain their ground, For ought they have faid, the literal, inftead of the figurative, ufe of thefe words mull be granted, when they are connected with the torments 01 the damned. But, 4. When the apoftle, 2 Cor. iv. 18, fetteth things feen inop- pofition to things unfun, he evidently means all unjeen things; or one as well as another, making no exception. And it, in (his eafe, we except one thing, by the fame rule we may another. As, therefore, the mifery of hell is one unfeen thing, and placed in oppoiition to things feen, which are temporal ; the mifery of * God is vifibly, and declares himfelf *z fuch, th« Father of all viGble faints ; there Wing 1 vifible relation between them. But to hypocrites, who dw not haariily furtive, &.?. G^Z will : / a( J jftj ' Go ye curled, kc. 22% Univtr fall fin confounds and defrays itfelf, of hell can be confidered none other than flriclly eternal ; oth^ erwife we confound temporal and eternal together. 5. All mu ft allow the account Chriil has given of the day of judgment, in Matt, xxv, to be in itfelf complete. Other parts of fcripture, it is granted, throw light upon this ; fo this reflects light upon others. But the leading things in this account, who is to be judge, who are to be judged, who acquitted, who con- demned, and the final fentence upon both parties, we may fafely conclude, are moil correctly and decidedly given, If we deny this, nothing but difficulty and confuiion will arife. As in the following inftances. Firft, to fuppofc, as Dr. G. does, that the fentence upon the wicked, in verfes 41, 46, depends wholly on other places, efpecialiy the writings of the apoftle Paul,* for an explanation ; is faying that one material article of this account is, in or of itfelf, wholly unintelligible, or left in the dark. Second- ly, it is impliedly faying that Chriil defigned to leave the great bodv of Jew? and chfiiliaiw in ignorance, from that day to this, as to one moll client ial part of the tranfactions of the judgment day. Therefore, thirdly, this makes a direct contradiction to the la oi the apoftle ; Keb. vi. r, 2. Where he argues that the cay of judgment had been accurately defined, and was fully un- derflood by the whole body of chriftians. But if G Drift had not fiven an accurate account of this great day, certainly no one had. The apoflies juft give a brief ftatement of it. At the fame time, they ufe Chrift's own words, and without any explanation, as to the duration of the curfe upon the damned. Fourthly, to deny Chrift's account to be, in itfelf, complete, is placing the day of judgment in a very fingular point of view ; even in oppofition to the whole feries oi divine conduct, from the beginning to this God pronounced fentence upon the antediluvians ? Gen. vi. 3, 8, 17. This did not depend wholly on other reveal- ed truths, for an explanation. It was defigned this threatening fliould be underftood, at the time it was delivered, and as it was literally executed. So the threatening* to Pharaoh and the E- oyptians, to the Canaanites, Babylonians, and efpecialiy to the jews, were given in terms which could not be miftaken, inftead of needing an explanation. And thefe threatenings were liter- ally executed. Dr. C. is conftrained to interpret the judgment of the great day, in fuch manner as would at/grace any temporal court, on earth. The chief juftice, fuppofe, pronounces fentence up»n a murderer ; but it is not known, till afterwards explained, wheth- er this fentence includes a capital punilhment, or not ! There- fore, * Heady the whole of Dr. C's arguments arc taken from St. Paul's writings Vnivtrf&lifm eonfounds *nd dtflrsys it/elf. tzf fore, to avoid confufion and direcl contradiction of fcripture, alfo from the nature of the cafe, we are conftrained to confider Chrift's ftatement of the laft judgment, every material article of it, as being correct and complete ; or not neceiTarily needing an interpretation. Other parts, and even the whole, of revelation ferve to enforce it, and caft further light upon it, but are not ne- CeiTary for an explanation of it ; certainly, for no one article mere than another. Indeed, if one article lies wholly in the all explained ; by the fame rule another, and another, and fo on ; whicli involves the whole in darknefs. Again, as it was the bufinefs of Chrift to bring ' immortality r to light through the gofpel,' fo it muft, of courfe, have been his bufinefs to give a complete account of the day of judgment. This great work, therefore, could not have been left to the apof- tles ; any further than to- enforce thefe do£trines, and caft fur- ther light upon them ; as has been proved from Heb. vi. l, 2. The doling words, in defcribingthis awful fcene, arc, ' Thefe • fhall go away into everlafting punifhment : but the righteous * into life eternal ;• As this is fpoken of unjeen things, fo the nature of the fubje£t cannot reftri£t everlajling, joined with this punifhment, to a figurative or limited ufe. Therefore words on- ly mult reftricl it, if it be thus reftri£ted. But not one word, in this whole account, nor even in the four gofpels has Chrift ufed, which neceftarily reftiicts it, in this manner. And to pretend to look out for words, for this purpofe, which were afterwards delivered by the apoftles, is running into all the confufion and contradiction above Hated. And who can admit the thought, that Chrift fhould leave this fo material part of his work unfin- ifhed ? even his defcription of the eternal judgment, oneefTen- tial article of it, in total darknefs ? Hence, to confine ourfelves to Chrilt's own words, which is the only right way to do, we are neceflicated to take this everlafting punifhment, to be pun- ifhment without end. Efpecially as the whole body of Jews and chriftians, we are certain, originally underftood Chrift in this manner ; and Chrift defigned to be thus underftood. But if we leave Dr. C. with his citations from the apoftles, for him to try to prove the contrary ; they only turn againft himfclf ; and further enforce what we are now contending for. As a further argument that this fentence upon the wicked muft be taken literally, Chrift, in this fame account, dooms the wicked to everlafting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels. The punifhment of devils muft be endlefs, becaufe they are lefi: without a faviour. And becaufe no intimation is given, in- fer iptu re, l%n U^iverfalifm coyrfounds and deftroys it/el}* fcripture, of their redemption ; but every thing to the contrary! The ferpent's head is to be bruifed, or crufhed, &c. Therefore^ the cur fed from among men are left without a faviour, and left to remedilefs punifhment ; for they have the fame doom with devils. Dr. C. grants this fire may be ftrictiy everlafling. Ke allows the wicked may, at the day of judgment, be fent into fire which never fliall be quenched**- In the fame place, he holds that the damned are not to be eternally in this endiefs fire. The fire may be endiefs, he fays, but the damned are to be taken out of it, and taken to heaven. He had forgotten, it feems, that Chrift, in this fame difcouife, joins this everlafti ng fire with ever la fling pun- ifliment ; therefore makes them both one, as to duration. And if this fame everlafling fire is called, in another place, fire which never fhdll be quenched, this explains both the fire and the pumjhment as being endiefs ; provided they need an expla- nation.' But this, Dr. C's opinion, that the fire of hell may never end, though wicked men will certainly be taken out of it, is only adding one more to his tirefom'e fcrofr of contradictions. He had before faid, ' It is ss great an abfurdity to iuppofe Jire • to be flriclly and abfoiuielv eterndl, as to fuppofethe earth, • or mountains, to be [o. Fire naturally tends to an end. and * will, in time, actually come to an end ; and it is impoflible, ■ according to the eftabliihed laws of nature, but that it mould * certainly do fo.'r Thus, to perfuade /tuners not to be fright- ened at the fire of hell, in one place, he teils them it is impofhble, ?n the nature of tilings, this fire fhould continue without end. Again, he allows this yW may continue without end; but fin- ners have little or nothing to fear from it ; the damned, he afTertSj will all be taken out of it, and as foon as ever they repent. Becaufe the cveria/ting punifhment of the wicked, in the fame verfe, is fct over againlt the eternal or everlafling life of the righ- teous, this is no reafon, Dr. C. lays, that the former fhould be taken literally, although the latter muft have a literal meaning". The former everlafling, he fays, is limited, but the latter un- limited ; and becaufe the latter is unlimited, this is no reafon why the former fhould be fo. The Doctor pretends to cite oth- er texts, wherein everlafling is twice ufed, in the fame fentence ; and, as he fays, * in a different fenfe.'t That is, once in the lim- ned, and once in the unlimited, as in Rom. xvi. part of the 25th and part of the 26th verfes, and in Tit. i. 2. But his rr.iltakeu notion of thefe texts has already been mown. See page 194. Trying to have the above paifage, Matt. xxv. 46, agree with h<& fcherac, * t. &i«i an- f r. 273. £ r. 283. Vnivcrfalifm confounds and dejtreys it Jeff » »3'i fcheme, Mr. Winehefter alfo pretends to produce another, ■wherein everlafting, occurs twice, in the fame fentence ; and \ is applied,' he fays, ' to two different things, whofe exiftence ■j is not the fame, or the time of their continuance not alike. '* AsiaHab. iii. 6. * He flood, and meafured the earth : he beheld, 4 and drove afunder the nations ; and the everlafting mountains * were fcattered, the perpetual hills did bow : his ways are ev- * erlafting.' God will forever manifeft himfelf by his ways, it is granted ; his ways alfo are everlafting as to their effects. But, taken detachedly, his ways are in fucce^ion, one after another. • In this view, they are re ft rifted to days or times. And, in this view, may be coupled with the hills or mountains ; therefore, with them, may be figuratively called everlafting. What fcentts to favour this conftruction, the paflage might as well be render- ed, ' He flood, and the earth was meafured : he beheld, and the * nations were driven afunder ; the perpetual mountains were ' fcattejed, and the everlafting hills did bow to his everlafting ' ways.' But if, in every fenfe, the ways of God be ftri&ly ev- erlafting, as Mr. W. argues, then the deftruftion or punifhment of the Egyptians, Edomites, and Midianites will have no end. For of the ways of God, to their dcftru&ion, the prophet here fpeaks. * There is no difficulty however, in allowing that ever la/ling may be twice ufed, in the fame fentence, and in a diffierent fenfe. Thus the words, * Everlafting God,* and 'everlafting * hills,' in a certain connection, may both be counted in one fentence. So, the infinite ftrength of God, and the infinite ftrength of Nineveh, may both be mentioned in the fame fen^ tence, as well as in the fame bible. Thefe cafes are very plain, The ftrength of Nineveh is an object Jeen, and well known, without the ufe of words ; which cannot be faid of the God of Ifrael, or of the God and Father of our Lord Jcfus Chrifr, But, probably, enough has been faid to fhow how words may be ufed different from their primitive meaning. It has alfo been made clear, perhans, that unlimited terms, without any miftake, may be figuratively applied to things temporal and finite, when thefe things are well known ; which cannot be faid of things tin - Jeen and unknown. But when the 'judge of all' fays, * Thefe *fhall go away into everlafting punifhment : but the righteous * into life eternal,' this is carrying things into the unknown world. In this cafe, as nothing except the force of words can acquaint us with the nature of the fubjeft ; fo unlimited terms fnuit here have their literal meaning, unlefs there be exprefs no- tice ■ P. sfc *)£ Univtrj'alifin confounds and dtftroys iifelf, tice to the contrary. But not a iingie word has Chrift faid, m defcribing the laft judgment, which abates the literal force of this doom to the wicked ; any more than he has to curtail the reward to the righteous. And, as we have all reafon to think, Chrift meant to defcribe the laft judgment in the moll plain un- queftionable terms, fuch as fhould n©$ need a particular explana- tion ; fo we are conftrained to give a literal interpretation to this fentence on the wicked/ Therefore, if everlajling is literally ufed any where In the bible, it certainly is in this inftance. 6. This perfectly agrees with other things in fcripture, related of the wicked. Rom. vi. 21, 22, ' For the end ol tboie tilings, ' (the lufts of theflelh) is death. But now being made free from f fin, and become fervants to God, ye have your fruit unto faoli- f nefs, and the end everlaftinglife.' H«re their end, whatever it be, is fet in oppofition to everlafting life. The next verfe is, « For the wages of fin is death : but the gift of God is eternal * liie.* This death, the wages of fin, runs parallel with eternal life. 2 Cor. xi. 15. * His (fatan's) ministers transformed as * the minifters of righteoufnefs ; whofe end fhall be according € to their works. 8 Their end is their final Hate, and being ac- cording to their works, they cannot be made happy, or be re- ceived to heaven ; but rauft forever remain in hell. Phil, iih 18, 19. * The enemies of the crofs of Chrift : whofe end is * deftru&ion.' Heb, vi. 8. Hypocrites, falfc profefibrs, and apoflates are compared to that vile fort of ground that beareth thorns and briars, which is rejected, * and is nigh unto curfing ; * whofe end is to be burned.* Br. C allows that this burn- ings and this defiruciion is not annihilation ; but a ftateot com- plete torment. This, however, is a molt pointed contradiction to his whole fcheme. Which fuppofes the end, of the damned to be deliverance and falvation ; for if they are all finally faved, their end, or laft or final Mate is falvation. But the Holy Ghofl declares it to be dejlrutlion, burning, or complete torment. And as they are not annihilated, it can be no other than endlefs torment. For otherwife their end, would be annihilation Hence, the threatened punifhment to the wicked, and their fi« naJ doom, has a literal meaning, inftead of a figurative one. The fentence upon the blafphemer againft the Holy Ghofl help3, at once, to decide both the original fenfe of tke/e words, as we have feen, and their application to the ftate of the damned. * It fiiall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, neither in f the world to come.' * He hath never forgivenefs, but is bound * dver to eternai damnation.' Chrift, therefore, had prepared the tJniverfalifm confounds and dejlroys itfdf. 23.5 I ' the way to let the world know his awful doom on the wicked, at the laft day, is decifive and unalterable. Eternal damnation he here explains to be a ftate, where forgivenefs never comes. The damned JJiall never, or not to eternity, as it is in the original, receive the lead benefit from Chrift's death or purchafe. And it is in vain to look for * falvation in any other. '* It alfo proves vain and prefumptive to deny what Chrift fo plainly, afferts. This example, concerning the blafphemer againft the Holy Ghoft, has fo accurately fettled the original ufe of the word, it was im- poflible for Dr. C. to deny it, without going his whole length of abfurdity and contradiction. The literal ufe, therefore, of thefe words is not only decided, and decided as to the ftate of the damned, but it is done in fuck manner as all our arguments mull yield to it, God has faid it. Chrift has faid it. The judge of all has declared it. * Thefe fhall go away into everlaft- ' ing punifhment ;' into that woeful curfed ftate where pardon never comes, and from which, of courfe, they Jliall never be releafed. No arguments can give higher proof than fuch plain affertions, from Chrift himfelf. So we have here the higheft pof- fible evidence of the endlefs punifhment of the damned. To argue againft it is idle, and even daringly wicked. What does it avail to argue from the mercy of God, from his infinite over- flowing benevolence, when he is the beft interpreter of his own at- tributes, and of his own benevolence ? Thus far, my dear Sir, have we followed the univerfalifts, in their tirefome round of inconuftencies. Whether all their cavils and objections have been fairly anfwered, and the meaning of the words we have been upon, fettled, is now left with your candid judgment. One thing is certain. The fubjecl: before us ia molt folemn as well as interefting. The very thought, beyond def- cription, is amazingand awful ! Eternity, O eternity ! eternity! We are fwallowed up, we are loft, in the contemplation. Our little minds fhrink into nothing. God alone can furveythe bound- lefs profpecl. But an eternity of woe or an eternity of blifs, one or the other of thefe being our certain portion, is, in the beft manner, fuited to pierce the confeienceof the ilupid finner, and to awaken and lead to repentance fuch as know not God. The experience ©f ages is witnefs to this — Alfo, that this is beft fuited to the cafe of the believer, in his prefent fallible ftate. So, on one hand, he is made to tremble, and fly from fin, and efcapc for his life, like Lot fleeing out of Sodom. On the other tethirft,long,& pant after tliatfulnefsofjoy, where there are pleafures forever- miore, I am 3c c. flHfe -fe * ■ & ■< £ ft~% ± £ fc i n jf e & & ft.frft ft 4c A o j c -sfr i ji^ fe -fe^M* Univerjalifm confounds and dejlroys itjelf % Sec. PART IV. The fufliciency of the Atonement, for the falvation of all, con'- fiflent with the final deftrucTion of a part of mankind. Alfa 4hc Second Death explained. LETTER I. The Atonement makes provifion for all men to be reconciled to God, and reconciliation to kirn explained. My dear Friend, THE fufficiency of Chrift's atonement, for the falvation of all men, appears to be a doctrine plainly taught in fcripture. John i. 29. ' Behoid the Lamb of God, which taketh away the * ftn of the world V In the original it is, carrieth away, or bear- eth away, the fin of the world-: having an allufion, generally, to the lambs, bulls, and goats offered up by the Jews; alfo fome particular allufion to the fcape-goat, on the great dajr of expia- tion, which bore away the fins of the people into the wildernefs. Here it is in the lingular number, the^w of the world : that h t being collectively taken. And muft have reference to any one of the human race, as well as to another ; alio, to the whole, as well as to apart. Therefore, Chrift, by his death, taketh away, or beareth away the fm of the whole world. The fame thing we find, 1 John li. 2. * He is the propitiation * for our fins ; and not for our* only, but alfo for the fins of thi * whole world. 1 2 Cor. v. 19. 4 God was in Chrilt reconciling ■ the world unto himfelt, not imputing their trefpalfes unto them ; * and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.' Coiof. j. 19, 20. * For it plcafed the Father that in him mould all ful- * net* dwell ; And, having made peace through the blood oi his 1 crofs, by him to reconcile all things unto himfelf ; by him, I * fay, whether they be things in earth, 01 things in heaven.* Thefe jjes, and other iimilar ones, arc clearly expreffiveof the ful. Vniverfalifm tonfounds and deftroys itfelf. 235 nefs and {Efficiency of Chrift's atonement. This leads to the tallowing remarks. 1. Atonement and reconciliation are both one. Both mean the fame thing, and both are tranflated from the fame original word. As in Rom. v. 10, 11. ' For if when we were enemies, * we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son ; much * more, being reconciled, we (hall be faved by his life. And not * only fo, but we alfo joy in God through our Lord Jefus Chrift, * by whom we have now received the atonement.' In the firft of thefe verfe3, it might have been, * atoned to God by the death * of his Son/ inftead of * reconciled to God by the death of his * Son.* Or, allowing this firft verfe to Hand as it now is, then the laft might as well have been, * by whom we have now receiv- * ed the reconciliation.' So the Greek word is rendered in 2 Cor. v. 19. Reconciliation is, however, fometimes tranflated from the fame Greek w r ord as propitiation is ; as in Heb. ii. 17, compared to 1 John ii. a. Which fhows that thefe three words, atonement, reconciliation, and propitiation^ mean the fame thing. Therefore, 2. Chrift atoned, reconciled, or propitiated all things to God, by his death ; 4 whether they be things in earth, or things in hea- * ven ;* whether angels, men, or devil* ; whether brutal or inan- imate kind, even the whole creation. All this Chriit reconcil- ed or atoned to God. Or, rather Chrift, by his death, purchaf. cd all things to himfelf. For him to ufe, according to his own holy pleafure, in managing the great work of man's redemption. This, inftead of giving intimation of the redemption of devils, gives ftrong intimation to the contrary ; and that fatan's head will be completely crufhed. Should any, however, argue from hence the falvation of fallen angels, by the fame rule they muft argue that ele£t, angels had need of the atoning blood of Chrift, to fe- cure their falvation, For the latter were atoned to God as well as the former. So were the brutal kind, and even all created things, Every one will grant that Chrift did not purchafe holy angels from mifery and death ; they were not expofed to it. So, neither did he purchafe fallen angels from mifery and death, al- though they were fentenced to it. Reconciliation to God, or purchafmg of God, made no effential change in the ftate of holy angels ; fo, neither did it in the ftate of wicked angels, The former cannot be denied ; the latter, of courfe, muft be admit- ted. This general fenfe, therefore, of atoning, or reconciling all things t© God, to avoid confufion, muft be considered as nothing more or left, than that Chrift purchafed them for his own ufe. But, 3. Chrift, 536 Univerfalifm confounds and dcjlroys itfelf, 3. Chrifl, by his death, reconciled the human race, in a pe- culiar and appropriate ienfe. His atonement had that relation to the human race, which it had to no other creatures. Chriit tookupon him our nature. He entered into a near relation to us. He became man. He took the place of man, and of all human beings. That one offering, which Chrift prefented to the Father, had refpecl to all mankind, to one as well as another. And that one offering took away or bore away the fin of the world, of all men. So that Chrifl recon- ciled the human race to God, by taking away their fin. Let us now examine how this is to be underftood, according to icripture. And, I. The fin of the world is borne away, when juftice is fufpend- ed for them, or when the defervedpunifhment is not inflicted on the world. That juftice is fufpended, or flayed, or held back, and that. God fhows mercy to all men, while they continue in this life, cannot be denied. Alfo, that this is the fruit of Chrifl's death, cannot be denied But while juftice is fufpended or held back, fin is taken away ; the defert of fin is not inflicled. So when God did not confume his people, in a m omenta but fuffered them to live, he then pardoned them. Mofes prayed to the Lord, 3nd faid, * Pardon, I befeech thee, the iniquity of this people, 1 according unto the great nefs of thy mercy, and as thou haft c forgiven this people from Egypt even until now. And the 6 LoPvD faid, I have pardoned according to thy word.' Numb. xiv. 19, 20. It is evident, from what connects with thispaffage, i-hat a fufpenfion of the execution of ftri£t juftice was one prin- cipal thing intended by this pardon. Again, when Aaron went into the vioji holy place, and returned alive, or did not die, this was afure token that the moji holy place was reconciled, and God reconciled to the people. That is, God had not infli£le4 immediate death, neither upon the priefl nor people ; God had flayed his juitice,and kept them alive, therefore he was reconcil- ed to thera. II. While men are kept alive, a day of grace is allotted them. In this very important fenfe, God is reconciled to all men, by giving them a day oi grace and falvation, fo long as they con- tinue in this life.* Divine providence is a Handing witnefs, that all men have their day of falvation. A6ls xiv. 17. ' Neverthelefs, he (God) * left not hirnfelf without a witnefs, in that he did good, and 1 gave us rain from heaven, and fruitful feafons, filling our hearts * with food and gladnels.' As this was addreffed to pagan idol- aters, fo it applies to them univerfally, as well as to Jews and Chriftians. * An exception is here unflerftood, of fuch as have committed the unpardonable fin ; thefc have had their day of grace. Univerfalifm confounds and deftrsys itfelf. 237 Chriftians. It undoubtedly applies to every child of Adam, in every period of time. Though Godzn timtpajl J uffzrcd all na- tions > and ±4 ill '{utters the moil of them, to walk in their own ways, filling up the meafure of their iniquity; yet he conftantly gives, throughout the earth, tokens of his goodnefs — that he is kind or merciful to the unthankful and to the eviL This Handing wit-. nefs of divine goodnefs and mercy gives all men, every where, ground of encouragement to fear God and work righteoufnefs ; and to believe, and hope that the fupreme caufe can at leaft, mow mercy to men, both in this and the coming world. By terrible things in righteoufnefs, it is granted, the judge of the world has given reafon to conclude, that the greateft part of our race has hitherto been doomed to perdition ; ftill he has often made a diftinclion between the righteous and the wicked. Which leaves ground of encouragement to all men, to become righteous. The apoftle fays of the whole body of heathen, * That they ' are without excufe,' becaufe they do not know God, and glo- rify him as God. Alfo, that they are without excufe for their hatred, and cruelty, and all their abominable deeds towards each other. See Rom. i. This ftrongly argues that they have oppor- tunity, and are under facred obligation to fear God, and work righteoufnefs, or perform every act of juftice and mercy to their fellow men. But, * He that followeth after righteoufnefs and f mercy findeth life, righteoufnefs, and honour.' Prov. xxi. 21. The life here mentioned, from many things in this book, means eternal life, this being the chief thing intended. The heathen have miitaken every idea of virtue, or of righteoufnefs and mercy ; but, as they * are a law unto themfelves,' they have means and Opportunity to know righteoufnefs and mercy, in their $rue fenfe, and follow after them. Should they do this, then would they find, in the end, future and eternal bleffednefs. All men, therefore, not excepting the heathen, have a feafon and day of grace ; which is in confequenceof the death of Chrift. 'God ' was in Chrift, reconciling the world unto himfelf, not imput- * ing their trefpaffes unto them.' Their trefpaffes are taken out of the way, borne away, in fuch manner, that all men are left free to purfue the path of peace, mercy and love ; which ends in eternal life. It is granted that the heathen, ' where there is no vifion,'* uni. verfally perijh. And will continue fo to do, till the more pow- erful means of the gofpel are ufed among thern. But this is no conclufive argument, that they have not a day of grace and fal- yation. If it is, why does the apoftlc cite them, to the means ufed * Prev. tq. 18. t%$ Univerfalifm cdttfounds and dejlroys itfllf* iifed with them, and the bleffings beftowed upon them } And why does he condemn them for abufingthe light they have ? By fuch as embrace the gofpel, it has been generally agreed that the death of Chrift has reftored all mankind to a (late of probation, fo for them to have their day of falvation. And that the whole body of heathen have fufficient motives to do juftly, love mercy, and walk humbly. Should they do this, and ac- cording to the light they have, the whole pagan world would foon become a paradife. Befides, it is nothing but their pride, pre- iudice, or fin which prevents the glorious light oi: the gofpel mining among them. Tftefe things are generally agreed to, by fuch as embrace revelation. Hence, Chrift is the propitiation for the fins of the whole world, in that important fenfe which brings every one into a falvable Mate. III. One principal thing, and one of the moft obvious things. intended by Chrift's propitiation and reconciliation, m the above paiTages, is, the bringing of the Gentiles into vifible cov- enant-relation with God ; constituting them his vifible church ; and committing to them his word and ordinances. As the Adofaic rites on the 'day of atonement,'* reconciled the altar, the mofl holy place, the prieft and the people, and all things to God ; fo the death oi Chrifl reconciled the poor out-caft Gentiles to God : That is, opened a door for the preaching of the gofpel among them, and "for their becoming his vifible peo- ple. God did not exact ceremonial cleanfing, in order to their acceptance with him. He did not impute their trefpaiTes unto them, fo as to require of them Mofaic rites. Neither were their crefpaffes, though ever fo great, a bar in the way of their return to God. Repentance of their tins, and public profeflion of their faith in Chrift, was all which was requifiteto their admifTion, as vifible members of his kingdom. Under the Jewiih law, the painful rite of circumcifion was exacted, and a courfe of ceremo- nial cleanfing, before a Gentile could be reconciled, atoned, or admitted. The death of Chrift rendered thefe things ufelets. The •5cath of Chrift eleanfedthe whole world of pagans, ftrangers, or aliens. That infinite facrificc Chrift prefented to the Father, took away every ceremonial unclcannefs, abolifhcd all diftinction be- tween Jew and Gentile, and, in this fenfe, atoned the world to God. But, it is remarkable that the way of reconciliation, or door •pened for it, is fpoken of as though the thing were already done, v>r the Gentiles already brought into the kingdom of the Re- deemer. • God was in Chrift reconciling the world tohimfelf, I imputing thtir hefpafles unto them ; and hath committed 1 unto * Levit. xvi. xxiii. Umverfaiifm confounds and dtjtr$ys itftffi a^f ■ unto us the word of reconciliation.' The apofllc dircclly adds, * Now then we are embaftadors for Chrift, as though God did be- * feech you by us : we pray you in Chrift's ftead, be ye recon- 4 ciled to God.' He here prays them to be reconciled, and juii before afl'erts that the world was or had been reconciled. The meaning is, by the death of Chrift. God was pacified to the world, fo as a door was open for the Gentiles, every where, to re- turn unto him. And whenever they did return unto him, and profefs their faith in Chrift, they were then constituted vifible members of his kingdom. In Rem. xi. 1,5. it is faid, ■ If the calling away of them (the * Jews) be the reconciling of the world, what fhall the receiv- * ing of them be,' but life from the dead ?' Here the Jews are put in oppofition to the to or Id ; therefore the world, in this place, mull mean tlte pagan nations in general. As in verfc 12, preceding, * Now if the fall of them (the Jews) be the riches of 5 the world, and the diminifhing of them the riches of the Gen- 1 tiles, how much more their fulnefs ?' Thus it is plain, in thefe places, the Gentiles, diftinguiihed from the Jews, and the world, are both one. But the calling away of the Jews is the reconcil- ing of the Gentiles, God took occafion by this awful event, the rejection of the whole body of the Jews, from their vifible relationship to him, to reconcile or bring the Gentiles into the fame vifible Handing. Although but a comparatively fmall part of the pagan world was, or has been, gathered into Chrift's church, yet the door was open for the whole, and a promife that the whole mould in due time be gathered in. And this is fpoken of as though it were already done. This event, the calling of the Gentiles from their horrid wretch- edhefs and fin, without any offering on their part, without money and without price, folely in confequence of the death of Chrift; and called to this dignified relation to God himfelf ; this is of- ten mentioned both in the old and new teftament,a$ amoft marvel- lous and glorious event. How many afcriptions of praife and thank fgiving to God, how many fongs of everlaiting joy have been fung, on this occafion ? Do we need further proof, that a vifible Handing in the church, of God is reconciliation to him, the point is fettled in Eph. ii. 16. 4 That he (Chrilt) might reconcile both unto God in oncbo- 4 dy by the crofs.' The words juft before are, ' For to make in * himfelf of twain one new man, fo making peace.' The ante- cedent to thefe relatives, twain and both, are the uncircumcifion, and the circumcy'ion, Jews and Gentiles; fee verfe 11. Chrift had made provikon, * by the crofs, to reconcile b$tk thefe unt» tip Vnitifrfattjm confounds and dcfiroys ilfelj* * God in one body,' or in one vifible church. The apoftlc fays again, verfe 14, * For he is our peace, who hath made both one, • and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us : alluding to the partition wall between the court of the Jews and the court of the Gentiles. When this wall was broken down, both parties were incorporated into one body, and both equally reconciled to God„ .Whoever attends to his bible, muff be fen- fible there is, throughout, an external and vifible reconciliation fpoken of, as well as that which is internal and fpiritual. The Ifraelites, on the day they were numbered, were all of them, who were twenty years old and upwards, reconciled or ranfomed to God, by each man's paying his half fhekle of filver» Exod. x::x. ii — 16. It is plain that this was only outward or vifible; for certainly they were not all delivered from fin, nor ranfomed from the dominion ot fatan. So when reconciliation was made for the holy fancluary, for the temple, for the altar, for the prieft, for all the people ot the congregation, and for all their fins once. a year ;'* this was to maintain their vifible Handing : the great body of them were, oftentimes, unreconciled in heart. And the church, made up of Jews and Gentiles, reconciled unto God in one body by the crofs, Chrifl faid of it,* Then fhall the king- * dom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their * lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom. And five of • them were wife, and five were foolifh.'t Only a fmali part of the world of mankind has been thus reconciled, or had a vifible Handing in the kingdom of the Redeemer. This, how- ever, is not owing to fome deficiency in the atonement. And ihatti.earonement makes full provifion for the whole race of A- dam, for them all to enjoy a place and Handing in the church of God, here on earth, is evident from the following. 1. The gofpel is one general offer, for all men to take Chrifl V yoke upon them and learn of him, or become vifible members of his kingdom. This is one thing intended by the words, ' God • was in Chrifl, reconciling the world unto himfelf, not iinput- ' ing their trefpaffes unto them ; and hath committed unto us the ' word of reconciliation.' The gofpel appears to have fpoken one language from the beginning. Though Cain was driven out from the prefence of the LoPvD, that is, debarred vifible commun- ion with the Lord's people ; yet there appears nothing to debar his pofterity. It is evident from facls, that, all along down to Males' time, no one was fhut out of the kingdom, excepting fuch as voluntarily excluded themfelves, or were thruft out for their own fins. At Moles' time, the feed of Ifrael was felefted from • Lev'.-, tfi, ||, 34 + MtU. •$ a* Vnivcrfalifm cQiifounds and icjlroys iifclf. t±s. from all other nations, and had the preeminence above all others, as the chofen people of God. But, before this all other nations had openly rejected the true God, and joined themfelvesto their idols. So they firft cut themfelves off from vifible membership, in the kingdom of the Mcfliah. Provifion was made, however, in the Mofaic law ; the door was open for ftrangers to come from any part of the earth, whefoevcr would, and unite with the Jews, or become profelytes to their religiriiou.* The exclufion of a Moabite, an Ammonite, and others, in Deut. xxiii. who mould not enter into the congregation of the Lord, to the tenth generation, was an exclufion only from facred and civil offices. The congregation of the Lord there means the congregation of elders or rulers ; which is the fenfe generally given by Anaota- tors. It is therefore generally agreed, and is plain from many- things in fcripture, that, from the beginning to C brill's time, and to the end of time, the door of the church is open for whofocver will, to enter in and enjoy all the outward means of falvation. As C brill gives this general offer to the whole world, making no exception, it follows that he has made provifion, and is able to grant what he offers. Certainly he offers nothing but what he is able to give, prvided men yield to his terms. Hence, the atonement makes full provifion for all men to be vifibly recon- ciled to God. 2. We are commanded to pray for all men, that they might be gathered into his vifible kingdom. * Thy kingdom come. 6 Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.'f This i3 pray- ing for all men over the whole earth, in earth as in heaven , that they might become vifible members and obedient fubjecis of this kingdom* Before Chriit fo exprefsly commanded it, even from the beginning, the church of God had a right, and were under obligation to pray for this event. This is clear from mauy things in the old tefiament. But if we are commanded thus to pray for all men, then has ChrifVs atonement removed every obftacle, and opened the door for the gathering of all men into his kingdom. The blafphemer agai nfl the Holy Ghcfl has had his day of grace, and finned it away. For this character we are forbidden to pray, or not commanded to it. This implies, fo fcripture teaches, tint the atonement makes no provifion for his falvation ; that is, af- ter he has committed this fin. But, as this is the only one, a- mong.men, excepted in our prayers, and becaufe no provifion is made for him ; it follows that provifion is made for all others, for to allow them, whenever they truly delire it, vifible mem. berfhip in the church of God. G G %. Thi§ * S« ExoJ. it, 48,49. Narab. 9. 14. utd :^. 14 — 1$> i Matt. C 1O1 *.y2 V nivcrfaLfm ccnjoands *nd dejtroys itfclf. 3. This agrees with the commiffion given to the apoftles * G* c ye, therefore, and teach or difciple all nations.' ' Go yc 1 into all the world, and preach the gofpel to every creature.'* It is an exceeding plain cafe, from faft: and experience, that thil literally applies to every child of Adam. The apoftles and minif- ters of Chrift always confiderthat no one is excepted in their commifTion. Their hufinefs is, without exception, to difcipleand bring into vifible Handing all nations, and vjhofoever zuiiL Hence, the atonement makes ample provifion for this end. 4. The fame atonement which isfufficientto reftore one of our fallen race, into vifible relation with God, is fufficientto reftore the whole. Had God (een fit to have recovered only one of all our race, to covenant-relation with him, the fame atonement would then have been neceffary, as Chrift has now made. Again, had he ieen fit to have reftored the whole of mankind, in this manner, no other atonement than what now is would have been aieedful. So, had God (een fit to'have given eternal life to all anen, or had he feen fit to have given it only to one man, in either cafe, the fame atonement, and no other, would have been neceffa- ry. The atonement could not have been more full than what it now is. Neither could one lefs than what now is been accept- ed, as a ground for the pardon of fin. As Chrift is God, equal with the Father, fo he offered up a facrificc infinitely meritori- ous. And no other could have been accepted. Thefe things make it evident, that there is the fame propriety in exhorting and encouraging all men, every where, to become vfible members of the church of Chrift, and enjoy all the mean* of falvation, as there was to encourage angels in the early period of creation, to perfevere in holinel's. There appears fufricient provifion, and the ftrongeft motives, in one cafe as well as the other. All men aic not vifibly reconciled to God ' rnoft of the nations and of the world have pubiickly rejected the gofpel, and refufed to take Chrift 's yoke upon them. So, great part of the angels kept not thf.tr fir ft, ejlate, they finned and were rejected of God. But, the angels that left their own habitation, had *he fame opportunity, means and motives, to have continued in holmefs, as thofe had that did continue. The privileges, means, motives, and opportunities for all the angel*, one as well as ano- ther, appear no lefs or inefficient, becaufea part of them finned and are caft off. And it was as free for thofe that fell, to have xemaind holy, as it was for thofe that did thus remain. This cannot be denied. So all the blefiings of the gofpel are as free * :)Y thofe who rejc6t tkem, as for thofe who embiace them. And no • Jtfjrti 1% 10. Mark 16 ic, Univerfalifm confounds and dzjiroys itfelf. 24^ no objection can arife againif. tke fulnefs of the atonement, be- caufe only part of mankind are benefitted by it, fo as to enjoy all the means of falvation, any more than there could againft the conllitution under which angels were placed, becaufe only part qf them were eventually benefitted by it. Many of the angels loft their heaven, when it was free for them to have retained it. Many among men are funk in pagan darknefs, when it is tree lor them to enjoy the light of the goipel. The rebel angels were fliut out of heaven wholly by their own fin. It is nothing but their own fin which holds the heathen woild in darknefs, and fluits them out from the gofpel. And fuch as neglect or dgfpife a yifible flanding in the church of God, who have the bible at the fame time in their hands and the light of Chrift mining around ibem ; they in a very finking manner declare their own fin. — ' We will not have this man to * reign over us.'* This matter is alio very flrikingly fet forth in Matt. xxii. ' Behold, I hare prepared my dinner : my * oxen and my fatlings arc killed, and all things are ready : come ' unto the marriage. But tkey made light of it, and went their * ways, one to his farm, anotker to his merchandife.' Now, mail it be faid of this ' certain king,' mentioned in this parable, that he lias not made full provifion for the feaft, for the marriage or his fon, unlefs all invited do actually come in and partake ? Be- caufe fome defpife his invitation, does this argue that the dinner is not prepared, and ail things ready ? does this leffen the provifion of the feaft ? — Therefore, as fome of the angels de- clared their own fin, by defpifing that eternal fulnefs of happi- nefs and glory, prepared for them in heaven, (o fome men, yea many men declare their own iin, by defpifing that fulnefs and richnefs of grace, offered to their enjoyment, in the vifible king- dom of the Redeemer. Thus far we have the fufficiency of the atonement : thus far the world is reconciled or atoned to God. Jufhce is fufpended and a day of grace is alloted to all men : The way is open for all to be brought into vifible covenant-relation with God : The: way is open for all men, every where, to enjoy all the dininguiih- ed privileges and means of falvation. This directly fhows the miftake of univerfalifts. All men are actually reconciled to God, by the atonement, in the fenfe here ffated, and a yei portant reconciliation it is ; yet thefe outward means, and oners of falvation, without fomething further, never will bring one of our fallen race to eternal falvation. Not only fo, men may in- deed be brought into covenant with God, outwardly fuch. have * Lake iq 14. J44 Univerfalifm confounds and dtjlrcys it/elf. have a {landing in his church, and yet be no more fitted for heaven than the vileft among the heathen. This is evident from Ja£ls. Hence, the fruits of the atonement mull extend further than merely to make offers of falvation, with every outward mean and privilege, otherwife none among men will befaved. Which lead* to obferve, IV. God muft give his holy Spirit to renew and fan el if y the heart. The heart mufl he reconciled to God, before man c?.n be fared. To fit man for heaven, God mufl give a new heart, and a right fpirit, and take away the heart of Hone. Until this great work i* done, men univerfally reject the offers of falva- tion. — c They all with one confent began to make excufe.' Luke xiv. j 8. But Chrifl has died fortius end, to fend the holy fpir- it ; whofc office is to enlighten the mind, and give a new [pint, Chrift js rifen from the dead, and £ exalted, to give repentance.' Acts v. 31. ' Unto you it is given in the behalf of Chrift — to * believe on him.' Phil. i. 29. ' To them that have obtained like ' precious faith with us^ through the righteoufnefs of Qud and * our Saviour Jefus Chrifl.' 2 Pet. i. 1. But the atonement makes provifion for the whole human race, fo that God could, by his fpirit, fanctify the heart of each one, and complete their falvation. God could do this provided it were beft for the univerfe. The atonement makes fuch ample provifion for all men, without exception, that there is no bar in the way, neither would juftice be overlooked, or made to fuffer, even were they all renewed and faved. But the queftion is, whether divine juftice would then be difplayed to the higheft de- gree, or in the beft manner ; or whether every good end would then beanfwered, the fame as tho' part of mankind were made forever mi fer able. Again, whether God has revealed that all fhall be faved. There can be no queftion as to the full provifion made by the death of Chrift. And if this reflores the whole human race to a ftate of probation, opens a door of mercy for all, and gives op- portunity for all to be vifibly reconciled to God, as has been •ihown ; fo it makes provifion for God, if he fees it beft, to give his holy fpirit to all, and renew their hearts, and make them heirs of falvation. The above arguments in favour of the former e- qually apply to the latter. If all the outward means of grace are freely offered, in the gofpel, to every creature, fo is the gift ol the holy fpirit. Nothing is plainer than the free gift of the holy fpirit, offered in the gofpel to every creature. Then does the atonement make provifion for God to give his fpirit to every one, Univerfdlifm confounds and defiroys itftlf. ?<|«j one, or to whoffifoe^er he will. We are alfo commanded to pray that God would 'pour out his fpirit upon all flejk'* It ii undoubtedly a fact that every one of the human race, that ha 1 * hitherto lived, or will yet live, has been, or will be, a fubjecl: of prayer fortius end ; that God would beftow on him the fpirit. of grace, for his falsification and redemption. The decifion of the event is. l«ft with infinite wifdom. But if prayer is made for all, to this end, then is provifion made for all, by the atonement. God therefore can do his Sovereign pleafure, and there is no oh- /lacle in the way ; he can fanetify and fave part of mankind, or the whole of them, juft as wifdom directs. Again, if the a- tonement is iuflicient for God to give a fpirit of grace and fanc- tification to one, it. is then fulficienf for God to do the fame for the whole of Adam's race. Becaufe the atonement could nei- ther have been greater, nor lefs, than what it now is, as has been already fhown. Tne atonement is alfo one general faenhee or offering, having refpecl to all mankind alike, or to one as well as another. And when it is faid, * In that night there fhall be * two men in one bed ; the one mall be taken, and the other mail * be left. Two women fhall be grinding together • the one fhall 4 betaken, and the other left. Two men fhall be in the held ; * the one fhall be taken, and the other left ; ? + It is not any thing in the atonement that makes this difference between one and a- nother. The atonement prepares the way fo as God can acl as a fovcreign, in taking one and leaving another, making one a vef- iel of wrath and another a veffel of mercy. Or, in confequence of the death of Chrifr, God can fan6lify and fave a part, or the whole of mankind, juft as his wifdom dirccls, or as the higheft goo« of the univerfe requires. In what way this higheft good will be effected, revelation muff determine. Here we are told, * many be called, but few chofen.' — ' Wide is" the gate, and * broad is the way, that leadeth to defiruclion, and many there be 4 which go in thereat.'" \ Though thefe folemn and awrul words have hitherto applied, yet the happy millennium, as we hope, will reverfe the fcene. In that glorious day, we have reafon to con- clude that God will, literally ', four out his fpirit upon all fJrfn. The Jews, with the fulnefs of the Gentiles, will then ' come in. « And fo all Ifrael will be faved.'§ The ten tribes, and the in- habitants of the whole earth, who will then be alive on the earth, will be faved : making the fpiritual feed of Abraham as ike duji of the earth for multitude. || But * Afts 2. 17. + Luke 17. 34,35, 36. \ M?tt. 7. 13. and to. 16. 5, Rom. 11. 1 jj In the days of the millennium, every thing will have a natural tendency to a vift increafeof population. Inftead of war, plunder, and rapine, there will bo peace-, har- Aoay, tn« the beft order. Inftead »f taming ar.d orftilrEer. therr will be health am! . .. S46 UnivtrfaUFin confounds and d<'Jlroys itfclfi But the cafe of angels again fcrvcs to illuitrate the cafe before us. And God could have communicated his fpirit to them thai fell, as well as he did to them that remained holy. God could have fecured all the angels in holincfs and happinefs, as well as to have fecured only part of them, in the manner he did. There was no obftacle in the way, neither would divine juirice, or the divine chara6fer in any fenfe, have {uttered, had God fecured the whole body of the angels in eternal happinefs. But wifdom. did not direct to this, or certainly God would have done it. And had God'done this for the whole of the angels, and for all his ra- tional creatures, the queftion is, whether divine juftice, tho' not •injured, or made to fuller, would not then have been almofr, it not wholly concealed, or not revealed ?. Whereas the juiticc 01 God now, in the execution of it upon apoftate angels, appears in its real beauty and glory. So it muft be granted that the a- toneraeht placed ail men completely within the reach of falva- tion. And God could have fecured the eternal happinefs of each one, by communicating his holy fpirit to them, and preparing them for this happinefs ; certainly God could have done this for all men, as well as he could have fecured all the angels. There appears nothing in the way, in one cafe, any more than in the other. There likewife appears nothing in the way, fmce the death of Chriir, to bar the falvation oi all men, any more than there wlentv. The things which now lay the earth waile of inhabitants, will then he fuc- Gteded by fuch as naturally tend to rcplenifh it. ' WheH God firft rmde man-. • kind, he iaid to them, ' Be fruitful, and multiply, and repler.ifh, (or fill) the earth, - and iubwuc it.' Gen. i. ?2. And he renewed this command to Noah and his Ions," iftcr the flood, and in them to mankind in general. Gen. ix. 1. This command has kevef y*jt bten obeyed by mankind ; they have yet dene hut little, compared t» bat they ought to h:ve done, in fubduing and filling the c?.rth. Indeed of this, th«y • -; fpent great part of their time and ftrength In fubduing and deftroying each oth- • tT. But when the millennium (hall begin, the inhabitants which (hall then he on the ii. will be dilpo'cd to obey the divinp command, to Cubdue the earth, and mul- ly, until they have filled it ; and they will have fkill, and be under all defirable » advantages to do it; and the earth will he foon replenifhed with inhabitants, j»nd he c brought to a ftate of high cultivation and improvement, in every part of it; and will . g forth abundantly fur the full fupply of all ; and there will be many theufand • limes more people than aver exilled before atone* in the world. Then the following • prophecy. Which rrk'rs to that d;riety of offers, and conditions propofed to men. Why mould men be required: to believe, fo as to be faved, when their falva- tion is already certain ? Why the threatening, ' He that believ- \ eth not (hall be damned,'*. when all men are indeed fecured from damnation ? Hence this price is primarily intended to open a door of falvation for ruined men. In this fenfe it is a price or ranfom for all. men, one as well as another. Which leads our attention to the following things. 1. This ranfom or price makes provision for God to pour out his fpirit upon whom h.e will : upon a part or the whole of man- kind, as wifdom mail dire£t. \ For it is a given point, through- nut fcripture, that Qod ha3 mercy on whom he will, and whom lie will he hardeneth. , . 2. Unlefs God creates the heart anew, from fin to holinefs, none will be faved. For without this great work is done in the heart, men univerfally negletl falvation. For God therefore to* communicate a fpirit of falsification, and do it for whom be will, is one main thing provided for by this price, or by the a- tonement. 3. This price is the procuring caufe, or the meritorious caufe of all the bleffings bellowed on men. Efpecially it is the pur-. chafe of all the bleflings bellowed on the redeemed. The love of God, we know, is the firfl caufe of all good to creatures. But the atonement is the purchafe of this love, to finners ; that is, it opens an honourable way for God to fhow his love to his ene- mies. :,..-, , 4. The redeemed are fpecially the purchafe of Chrifi's blood, The whole of mankind are purchafed by .Chrift. Chrift bought them off from the immediate execution of juftice, and gave them a day of grace. Such as have the gofpel, are in a higher [en[c purchafed, to enjoy the light thereof. Such as have a vifibie ifanding in the church, are in a Hill higher fenfe the purchafe of C brill's blood, that they might enjoy vifibie relationship to God, with the outward privileges. But believers .in Chrift are fpe- cially purchafed by his blood, This price or this blood is actu- ally applied to them for the pardon of their fins, and for their acceptance with God the Father. Not only h, believers are purchafed in a two-fold fenfe : by the facrifice ot Chrift '« blood, an infinite price, for their juftification : and the a&ual beftow- ment of the holy fpirit, another infinite price, for their fanc-lifi- cation. For unbelievers, fuch as perifh eternally, the fame price is given as to the purchafe of the offers and freenefs of falvation. The fame price is given for God to offer his holy fpirit, the wa- H h ter * Mark 16. 16. 250 Vniverfalifm confounds and dejlroys itfelf ter of life, to them that pcrifh as to them that are actually faved • and fa 1 vat ion is as free to one as the other. But as all men 3 naturally, refuf 1 refift the fan&ifying power of the fpir- it, divine wifdorh 1 ide who fhall be taken and who fliall tie left ; as in the cafe of the angels that fell and thofe that re- mained holy. As men universally refufe and rebel, it is by fovreign grace, grace not previ'oufly fought after, that the be- liever is made willing, contrary to his own corrupt will. That : grace of God, "as the firfl and effectual caufe, conquers, iubdues, and removes his corrupt will, and implants in him an holy, benevolent will. Such arc called, ' A chofen generation, * a royal priefthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people [ov fur- fed people) ; that they mould mow forth the praifesoi him * who hath called them but of darknefs into his marvellous light.'* 5. Why the falvation of believers is wholly by the merits of Chrift, wholly his pnrchafe and by the price oi his blood ; at the fame time, their falvation wholly of grace ; is now eafily ex- plained. The atonement jpurchafes all this grace to believers. Or it is by the atonement only that grace is harmonious with juftice. The love of God is unchangeably the fame ; the atone- ment can neither add to nor dirninifh from this love. For the honourable exercife of his grace, however, God faw it belt that due acknowledgment mould be paid to Ins juftice. That the World might fee the curie of his law to be holy and juft, no more than equal to the evil of fin. The atonement, therefore, is the price to open the way for the exercife of grace, confidently with God's hatred to fin. "And refpect being conttafitfy had to the atonement, in every act of his grace to believers, is a conftant ation of his hatred to fin, as well as his readinefs to forgive fin. Hence, the righteoufnefs of Chrift fo often occurs in fcripture, as well as the grace of God, in behalf of the redeemed. 6. '\ he price Chrift lays down, by fhedding his blood, does net leflen the debt tinners owe to divine juftice. It is not pofli- ble in the nature of things for this debt to be lefleried ; or it is ffihle for the ill defert of fin to be abated. The punifhment due to miners, for their fins, may bt leffened, or may be wholly remitted. Bur their defert of punifhment mult forever remain the fame. Tile evil nature of fin is forever the fame. The fins committed by David, Peter, or Paul, are ftillthe fame fins, and deferving the fame punifhment ; though thefe holy men have long been forgiven, and their deferved punifhment wholly fet afide. As God has an unchangeable hatred to fin, fo fin, and all fins are forever the fame, in his view, and deferving the fame punifhment. * 1 Pet. 2. 9. Univerfalifm confounds and dtfiroys itftlf. 251 punifhment. Therefore, the debt finful men owe divine jufiice, or their ill defert, cannot, nor could not poffibly be leffened by the atonement; W hen men are forgiven it is a complete forgive- hefs, to the full amount of their ill defert. Forgivenefs is al fo wholly for Chrift's fake. His righteoufnefs alone makes it con* Jiftent with jufiice for God to forgive fin„ ' 7. The price Chrifl lays down by his death declares divine hatred to fin. v This was the neceflity and intent of the atone- ment, that the holy difpleafure of God towards fin might be de- clared to the world, Chrifl was made an offering for fin, he was made a curfe.- It pleafed the Father to bruije him, and put him to grief; to awake his ficord againjl him, and take away his life.* Now, if thefe moll painful fufrerings, laid on the Son by the Father, did not exprefs divine anger againft fin, what elfe could they exprefs ? It is certain t^at all the evils fuf- fered by mere men, are expreffive of divine anger towards fin- Accordingly, the pain and death endured by Ghrift, muft be ex- preffive of the fame. Chrifl: fuflfered in the room of finful men. He ' fuffered for fins, the jiift for the umuft.'% 00 it muft be to exprefs divine anger againft the fins of finful men. Ac- cordingly, the atonement fpeaks the feelings of God's heart, de- clares to the world his holy hatred to fin. And this is the fame as to magnify the law, and make it honourable. This, again, makes the (in of men appear more finful, inftead of leflening their guilt and ill defert. — '■ God fending his own fon in the likenefs * of finful flefh, and for fin, condemned fin in the f!efh. ? J To condemn fin is to make its finfulnefs appear, 8. This price paid by Chrift, is not the fame in each refpeQ as when a man pays his debt to his creditor, or his neighbour pays it for hirj, in gold or fjlver. In this cafe the debtor flands even with the creditor, without any aft of grace, or any thing given in, by the" latter. • "But no pnee, no ranforn, no atonement can pombly reconcile finful men to God, without the interpofi- tion of grace. ' The reafon is, the evil and ill defert of fin can no more be leffened than God hirafelt can change. We fhall fee more to this point in a "folio w'ing' Letter, on the infinite evil of fin. The atonement, however, is truly a price paid. It pur- chafes the way, makes the way honourable, for the manifestation of grace. It is remarkable, notwithstanding, that one fingle terra does not exhauft this fubjeft. The death of Chrifl is called an offering, a facrifce, a ranforn, a price, a reconciliation, a propitiation, and an atonement. Therefore, is not to be com- pared, in each refpeft, to what exifls between one man and a- nother. Furthermore, * Ifai. 53. 10. Zcch, 13. 7. Gal. 3. 13. t 1 Pst. 3. 18 J Rom. 8. 3^ J32 Univerfilfm confounds and dejlroys itjkff. Furthermore, the coming of Chrift into the world, his life ancj death, and every thing he does, are a61s of grace to men. And when the lather gives his fon to be incarnate, and to die, this is grace, wonderful grace to men. Every thing which is done by the father, fon, and fpirit, for the falvation of men, is grace, the ■manifold grace of God — : — The obedience and death of Chrift is called his rightedufnefs.' And fo called, becaufe whatever Chrift does and fuffers in the flefh has fpecial regard to law and juftice ; making fatisfaclion thereto, fo as for opening a doer of mercy. But this righteoufnefs of Chrifl is indeed grace to men. With the utmOil propriety, therefore, falvation is laid to be whol- ly of grace, and wholly by the righteoufnefs of Chrift. Thefe things fuggeft a ferious queilion. As, in the words of che wife man, * Wherefore is there a price in the hand of a fool * to get wifdom, feeing he hath no heart to it ?' This quefiioii involves a deep my fiery. Wherefore is a price put into the hand of a wicked man ? Why has he "fuch a rich opportunity to get wifdom ? And why do fo many live, for days and years, at Iafl die, having no heart to improve 'their feafon of grace ? The a- poftle unfolds this rayfteryV f What if God, willing to (bow 4 his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much • long fufferirtg the ve/Tels of wrath fitted to deftru6lion : and that ' he might make known the riches of his glory on the vellels of * mercy, which he had afore prepared unto glory ?' VI. It may be of ufe as to our main object, to give fome further account of the work of grace, by which'the heart of man is re- conciled to God ; andanfwer objections as we pafs along. This will firft (how us man's heart in its native colors ; — * full of evil, fully fettodo evil, every imagination of the thoughts of his heart only evil continually ;' yea, his * heart is deceitful abovtt all things, and defperately wicked.'* Thus fcripture a Herts, not merely of fome, the moft remarkable for wickednefs. But this is given as a general character, applicable'to every un- renewed man ; as any one may fee, by examining the texts noted below. Now, it is not here faid that man's reafon and c'onfeience is full of evil, and only evil continually. This would quite al- ter th6 cafe. But it is the heart, the only feat of moral aclion. There is neither love nor hatred, fin nor hohnefs, except in the heart. The heart of man being full of evil fully fet to do evil, only evil continually, it is therefore totally depraved in amoral feiife — totally fintul. If, however, we want fcripture to inter- pret itfelf, we are told, Rom. viii. 7, 8. * The carnal mind is en- • mity againft God : for it is not tub jeer t6 the law of God, nei- t t-her indeed can be. So then they that are in the flem cannot 'pleafe • £ccL 9. j. and 8. 11. Gea. 6. 5. Jerern. 17. 9. Vniverfalifm confounds and deflroys it/elf, *55 ■ pleafe God.' Eternity is not only exprefliveof the heart, but is the ftrongeft ex predion of hatred. Some have a greater ftrength of hatred than others. But the Iowell degree in this cafe, is real hatred or enmity againft God and his law, or againft God and man. This enmity often paffes for friendship, bccaufe the heart is deceitful above all things. But this is alfo given in a general fenfe, and applied to every carnal mind ; that is, to all fuch as are not renewed by the Spirit of God. The defign of the apoftle is here to fhow the difference between them that arez'w theflrjh, and them that are in the fpirit. Them that are in the fpirit, he fays, they are led by the fpirit of God, and are the fons of God ; but them that are in the flefh, arc none of his* have no intereft in Chriit. Which mows the carnal mind, m this place, to be, not one that is in a meafure carnal, and in a meafure fpiritual ; or fometimes carnal and fometimes fpiritual. But the carnal mind is one, and every one that is wholly carnal, and conliantly f o ; having never received the fpirit of Chrift, neither has part nor lot with him. The carnal mind belongs to all carnal men. Which general ufe of the term mull apply to all men by nature, to all fuch as are not born again. Therefore, all men by nature, as they all have this carnal mind, have this enmity againft God and their neighbour. Therefore, to let fcrip- ture interpret itfelf, all men by nature art full of enmity, fully jtt to enmity, only enmity againft God and their fellow mortals, and that continually. If this does not exprefs the total deprav- ity or finfulnefs of the natural heart, it is impoiTible to exprefs it by w©rds. Beftdes, as the leaft fpark of moral virtue does always pleafe God, to plead for the leaft fpark of moral virtue in the heart of the natural man, is a direct: contradi£tion of the above words, ' So then they that are in the flefh cannot pleafe God/ Again, in this Epiftle to the Romans, the apoftle, defignedly and exprefsly, gives the character of the whole human race, as they are jn their natural ftate. — ' Being filled with all unrigh- * teoufnefs, fornication, wickednefs, covetoufnefs, malicioufnefs : ' full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity ; whifperers, * backbiters, haters of God, defpiteful, proud, boafters, invent- ' ors of evil things, difobedient to parents, without underftand- ' ing, covenant-breakers, without natural affection, implacable, * unmerciful. '+ This is given as the chara6ter and conduct of the whole heathen world, for the fpace of two thoufand years, and indeed for all future ages of heathenifm. And given in the moit decided manner. But this is nothing peculiar to heathen and barbarians. Refering to them, the apoftle fays in the fame connection, * Vsrfes p, 14. 1 ty. 1. £9, 30, %v £ <54 Vnivcrfalifm confounds and dcfiroys itfi connexion, * Are we better than they ? No, in no wife : fc ' have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all * under fin ; As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not « one : There is none that underftandeth, there is none that feek- * eth after God. They arc all gone out of the way, they are to- I * gether become unprofitable ; there is none that doeth good, no, * not one.'* ^The apofUe cannot here intend forne diflincl clafs or fet of men only, of whom ' there is none righteous, no. not ' one.' He intimates no fuch thing. Neither can he intend the generation then prefent," to the exclufion of all the reft of man- kind ; and that of this generation only, there is none righteous, no, not one. For the fame mi^ht be faid of all paft generations. His words arc very plain. ' What then ? Are we better than * they,' are we better than the ungodly heathen ? ' No, in no e wife : for we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that « they are all under fin ; As it is written,' &c. Thefe laft words, 4 As it is written,' refer back to what was written in paft ages, concerning man's character. He then goes on to ftate what waft written ; and quotes out of Pfal. xiv, and liii, and feveral others. It is there written, c There is none that feeketh after God, there ' is none that doeth good, no, not one.' Which looks back to pafl ages as weH as the prefent ; and therefore muft give the ex- act: chara£f.er of man in all ages. There are but two interpretations remaining, of thefe words of the apollle, which can even be thought of. The firft is, ' There ' is none righteous, no, not one,' in a comparative fenfe. That is, none fo righteous as they ought to be; or none wholly free from linand perfectly holy. The fecond is, That all men by nature, not one excepted, are totally finful. . To hold to the firft interpreta- tion, to the exclufion of the fecond, cannot be right/ For, to fay that all which is meant in this paragraph, is, that there is not one fo righteous as he ought to be, or not one perfectly holy ; and that this is the exclusive fenfe oc fcripture throughout ; goes di- rectly to break down all diftin&ion between faints and finners. Which is enough, were there nothing elfe, to make us reject this interpretation. This interpretation alfo difagrees with the gen- eral {'cni't of fcripture. And, if we come to particulars, it difa- grees with what the apoftle fays of himfelf, and with the words he quotes out of the Pfalrns, and illy fuits the occafion and de« fign of his introducing thefe words. All which we fhall prefent-' ly fee. This interpretation therefore muft of necefnty be rejected, and the fecond adopted. And this agrees and harmonizes with all thofe * Ch 3. 9 — 12. Vnivirfalijm confounds and defiroys itftlf. 25$ tliofe things with which the other difagrees. Scripture general- ly and varioufly and abundantly teaches the total finfulnefs of al! men by nature, this we have already ieen. The apoftle fays of himfelf, * I know that in me, that is in my fle(h, dwelleth no good * thing.'- Thefe words, ' no good thing,' mean pofitive evil, nothing but moral evil or fin ; and the words, ' in my flefh,' be- 1 Ided, determine what he is by nature — altogether {infill. This he lays of himfelf, as is evident from the connection of thefe words. The words of Pfal, xivth, which the apoftle quotes, as mentioned above, are, ' The fool hath faid in his heart, There is * 110 God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, ' there is none that doeth good. The Lord looked down fr©m 6 heaven upon the children of men, to fee it there were any that ' did underftand, and feek God. They are all goneafide, they * are all together become filthy : there is none that doeth good, * no, not one. 5 In this place, ' Fool' intends a general character, djre&ly changed from the lingular to the plural number, therefore mult intend men in general. * The fool' alfo means the natural man, and all natural men. As in 1 Cor. ii. 14I * The * natural man receiveth not the things of the fpirit or God ; tor * they are fcolifhnefs unto him.' ' The fool hath faid in his heart, * No God.' Natural men, in heart, defpife the things of God, even defpife God himfelf. The Lord looked down from heav- en., to fee if there were any of this character that did feek God. * They are all gone afide,' &c. And in the next verfe they are diftinguifhed from faints : ' They are ail workers of iniquity, e who eat up God's people as they eat bread.' It is therefore impoflible for the apoftle to quote this Pfalm and apply it com- paratively, to faints and finners without diftinction, and when he is making a diftinction between thefe two. It is allowed that this Pfalm has reference to an extraordinary feaien oi wickednefs. Bat this is no argument why it mould not, at the fame time, elrabliih a general characler, and the char- acter of all natural men, as it evidently does. And in no other fenfe can it fuit the occafion, for which the words are introduc- ed trom it by the apoftle. To filence objections raifed againlt him for preaching the gofpel to the Gentiles, in preference to the Jews, as the latter pretended ; and to prove that the grace ut the gofpel was their only ground of hope ; he proceeds to flatc and prove what all men me by nature : Jews and Gentiles brought upon a level. ' As it is written, There is none righteous, no, * not one : There is none that underfhndeth, there is none that r Go J. They are all gone out of the way, they are • together * Rocx. n. :S. s/;6 Univerfzlifm confounds and deflroys iffeff. ■ together become unprofitable ; there is none that doeth goocr> '.no, not one. Their throat is an open fepulchre ; with their; a . tongues they have ufed deceit ; the poifon of afps is under their 4 lips : Whofe mouth is full of curfing and bitternefs : Their ■ feet are fwift to med blood : Deftru&ion and mifery are in their 4 ways : And the way of peace have they not known : There ia 4 no fear of God before their eyes.' We again fee it impoffible to take this paragraph in a comparative fenfe, applying of it to all men alike, and making no kind of diftinttion between faints and fmners. It is a contradiction to fay of believers, ■ The way 1 of peace have the)' not known, and there is no fear of Godbe- 4 fore their eyes. 5 We are of courfe obliged to take this whole paragraph as above fiated, and confider it the literal defcription of the natural heart, and of all men by nature, not one excepted. And on this ground the cafe is very plain. Jews and Gentiles exaclly the fame by nature, and often the fame in practice — ■ The pox J on oj afps is under their lips — Whofe mouth is full of curfing and bitternefs — Their feet are fwift tofied blood — Dejlruclion and mfery are in their ways — The way of peace have they net known— There is no fear of God before their eyes. Than which nothing could more accurately decide the total finfulnefs of the natural heart and of all natural men/ Hence the propriety of the apoflle's preaching either to Greek, or Jew, making no difiin6fion. Hence alfo the doctrine of free #i ace, and juftification by faith, as the only ground of hope v whether for Jew or Gentile. Which are the main things the a-, poflle is about to eftablifh. — From this view of man's depravity it follows, i. The natural man does nothing towards making his heart better, or reconciling of it to God. While he continues his na- tive depravity, his heart full of enmity to God, he cannot do any thing to make his heart better. Objection. This is denying the ufe of means. Sinners are; commanded, and certainly ought to ufe means, to amend their hearts and lives. Anfwer. It is granted that fmners are commanded, and are x under the moft facrcd obligation to ufe means, fo as to amend their hearts and lives. But it is equally true that unrenewed' finners never do. For, 2. The natural man does nothing but pervert the means of grace, inftead of ufing them aright. ' They that are in the flefh * cannot pleafc God,' are ' notfubjett to the law of God, neither 4 indeed can be.' All their doings are difp leafing and offenfive to Univerfalifm confounds and dtjlroys itfelf. *$j tv God, being oppofed to his law, as thefe words plainly imply. All their doings are of courfc a mifufe and abufe of the mean* «i' grace. Hence it is the duty of every carnal or impenitent Tin- ner to repent immediately, and rightly ufe the means appointed lor our falvation, infiead of perverting them. Alfo becaufe, 3. The natural man grows more vile under the ufe of means. Under cultivation , a,s it is called, he hardens his heart more and more. This is evident from fa£U. — ' What could have been 1 done more to my vineyard, that I have not done in it ? Where- 4 fore, when I looked that it mould bring forth grapes, and it * brought forth v/ild grapes ?'* And under thoie diihnguiihed advantages, in the days of Chriff and the apoftles, the Jews were more hardened in fin than ever they were before. The apoJUe alfo fays, ' Evil men and feducers ihall wax worfe and,\vorTe, •deceiving, and being deceived, 't Objection. This is allowed of fuch Tinners as are going on in ?.)] manner of open and daring wickednefs. But ;he cafe of a- vakened Tinners, and Tinners under, powerful conviction, is quite different. The hearts of fuch, it is granted, are totally depraved ; yet they are in a way to make" them better inftead of worfe. Though they do not ilrive from the heart to make themfel.vcs better, yet they arc acting and driving for this from reafon and Confidence. For certainly they are moved by the fpirit of God, driving with their reafon and confeience, to do what thev do ; therefore from reafon and confeience they muft be driving, to amend their hearts and lives. Anfweri. It is abfurd to fay, Men are driving and acting from reafon and confeience, and not Irom the heart. Men al- ways a£t from the heart when they acl as moral agents. An ac- tion, either of body or mind, not coming from the heart, has nei- ther Tin nor holinefs belonging to if.,' any more than the blowing of the wind, ^either has fuch action any more tendency to do good in a moral TenTe, or to make one's heart better, any more than the blowing of the wind. Neither can fuch accion be the fruit of the fpirit, or of the driving of the holy fpirit, any more than the motion of the wind. Men may ael agreeably to reafon and confeience, or they may a6t againft reafon and confeience ; but never aft in a moral feni'c from thefe mental faculties. The heart is the feat of all moral action. ' Out of the heart proceed * evil thoughts, murders, thefts, falfe witnefs.'^: Both reafon and fcripture teach us there are none of thefe crime?, or fin ot" any kind, unlefs it is wilful, or from the heart. So of holinefs, it can bejound only in the heart. * With the heart mail be- I 1 ' lieveth * Ifai. 5. 4, + ? Tim. 3. 13. } Matt. 15. ig. $ r,S Univerfahfm confounds and defrays i if elf. 4 lieveth unto righteoufnefs.'* — ■ The houfe of Ifrael is uncir- 4 cumcifed in hearth Ir is therefore impoflible for a man to ftrive to do good in a moral fenfe, or to ftrive to make his heart better, which is the fame, unlefs he does it from the heart. Be- fides, when men do fome religious aft, and it does not come from the heart, or the heart does correfpond with the aclion ; this is only offering a vain oblation, fuch as God abhors. ' Anfwer, 2. ' When the heart is full of enmity, and nothing but enmity againft God, it is a contradiction to fay there is then any ffriving for the better. The awakened finner may think he is ftriving for the better, becaufe his heart is deceitful above all things. But an heart fully fet to enmity, onlv enmity continu- ally, implies one that is going on to greater degrees of enmity againft God and his law. Anfwer, 3. If the awakened Tinner becomes grieved, thinking himfelf dehious of embracing Chnft, and that Chrifl will not receive him, even when he has truly fought to find him ; this finner is indeed deceiving, and being deceived; therefore is waxing worfe and worfe. Anfwer, 4. When the natural man is thoroughly awakened to a fenfe 01 his condition ; is clearly convinced of his fin, and the frri£inefs of God's law, andthepunidiment he juftly deferves, and his imminent danger; and he will not, at this awful crifis, come to Chrift for life ; his heart mud of courfe be ilrongly fet againft the holinefs of Chrift and the purity of his religion. This furely does »ot argue one that is growing better, but the contrary. And if convi6iion ot his fin and danger increafes upon him, while his heart remains full of enmity, he muff of courfe exert himfelf to find new pleas and excufes, or fome way at leaft to eafe his own mind, for not yielding to the crofs, and giving his heart in love to Chrift. Now this is in truth harden- ing his heart more and more. - This awakened finner may have fuch an awful view of hell, rather than endure its torments for- ever, and being moved from a dread of puniftiment only, he may fecmingly choofe to have a new or holy heart; and apparently much engaged after it. But this is not defiling an holy heart for holinefs fake. Neither is this, ftricfly fpeaking, defiring to make his heart better. Neither is this from the drivings of the holy fpirit. Neither can reafon and confeience, in their true fenfe, dictate to this. Not only io, to defire a new holy heart from felfiih motives only, amounts to the fame as defiring to increafe, in hardnefs of heart and blindnefs of mind. He would have « new heart and the gift of the holy fpirit fubjected entirely to his OWH * Rom. 10. 10. + jercm. d teftifies, that, in the fir ft approach of hi* * grace, he is Joiind of them that fiught kirit not, and a/ied * nit » Eph. ». I ■* Colof. 1. £1, 22. 26o Ufi i vi ij a I ij m t v nfc u n ds a n d a eft ro'yl tfje/j. ' not for him. — We have not certainly received grace, becaufe 1 we arc willing ; but grace is given us, while we arc flail un- * willing.'* Objection. God has promifed, ■ Aft;, and it fhall be given * you, feek, and ye fhall find.'f And God has commanded all men to pray unto him. Unregenerate men are therefore com- manded to pray tor new hearts ; with a promife ol being heard, and new hearts given them, in anfwer to their prayers ; provid- ed they fincerely pray to God. Anfwer. The words, Jtricere, fincereiy, and ftncerity, are, in all, found twelve times, throughout the bible. \ The original word is fix times tranllated into thefe words, in the marginal reading. § Which makes, in the whole, eighteen inftances of its ufe. Fifteen of tbefc exprefs our immediate duty to God, and evidently mean no other than godly fincerity. The remaining three exprefs man's duty to his neighbour. So that, whenever- this word is ufed to intend our immediate duty to God, it is to diftinguiih our cordial fubmiflion and love to him, from that which is only outward and feigned. And as, in the above places refer- ed to in the marginal reading, the word is rendered, perfect, un- defiled, harm leys ; it gives decided proof that God will accept ol no defires mart ol per feci or undented ones. When men pray with fuch defires, as all men' are bouud to do, it is granted they are heard and anfwered ; otfrerwife they are not. And when men's hearts are reconciled to the tnuh, they can think oi offer- no other than holy deOrds to an holy God. /j. For the natural man to be reconciled to God, his evil heart jnlifr be taken away and a good heart given him. Flis carnal mind mull be fubdued and one implanted in him which is fpirit - nal. Mis enmity to God m lift be ilain, and love to God begun ha his foul. This great. work is done by the power of God, as the firfl and only caufe. Thus God fays to his ancient people, ■ A new heart will I give you, and a new fpirit will I put within e you : and I will take away the ftony heart out ot your flefb, ' and I will give yon an heart of ilcfn.' Divine power is often exprefled in fcripture, as being the fole caufe of this great work. Which power and grace the (inner always fights againll, till his tonv heart is taken away and a new fpirit put within him. it is a contradiction to call it a ftcny heart unlefs it does fight a- gainit divine grace, inflead of yielding to it. But this fixed and determined * Oeconomy cj f the covtfiants, Vol. a. p. 57. + Mat. 7. 7. + Jafh. xxiv. 14. judg. ix. 16, jo- J Cor. v. tf. a Cor. L 12. 11. 17. viii. 8. f"ph \i. 24. Phil. i. 10, 16. Tit. ii. 7. 1 ft*, ii. 3. ', r,«/i xtii a. xx. i- D«utr xviii, 13 Pil. cxix 1 1 pa iv. jr Phil* ii. i£. Ufi i v t rfu lifuV c o nfo ulids and de.Ji roys i tft If. 26 i determined oppofition againft divine grace argues the great pow- ^r of God, whereby the f inner is reconciled to him. The iteu: heart, the heart ot" (tone, the adamant is broken, fubducd, and taken away ; and a meek, humble, yielding fpirit is given. Which wor«k brings to view the great power of God : as well the love of God, which alone moves him to this work. Objection. The text juit cited, which is from Ezek. xxxvi*. 26, being joined with other proniiles to the houfe ot Ifrael, is followed with thefe words ; ' Thus faith the. Lord God, I will ■ yet tor this be enquired St by the houfe ot Ifrael, to do it for: 1 them.' Which is laid by the objector to be a fpecial, defigned Command for unregenerate men to pray • and that God takes a- way their 4 itony heart/ and gives them a new -heart, in anfwer to their prayers. Anfwer, 1. That unregenerate men arc fpecially commanded to pray, has been granted. The point is, whether they are com- manded to pray with a carnal mtnd. Or whether they are allow- ed to indulge their ftony heart long enough to make a prayer. And whether God anfwers fuch pravers. It' he does, where is the advantage ot taking away the itony heart ? Or, where is the advantage of pouring out a fpirit of grace and fupplications ? This objection, therefore, deitroys all diitin&ion between faints and finners. The lowed degree of right afking or praying to God implies faving grace. The lowelt degree of true feeking- to God, and that which God anfwers, implies repentance, faith, hope, love, and every cbriflian grace. The obje&ion fuppofes the unregenerate man to have all thefe graces, becaufe his pray- er is fuch as God anfwers. Which is making the unregene/cite and the regenerate, the faint and the (inner both one. A doclrin* totally repugnant to fcripture. Hence this objection cannot be admitted. Anfwer 2. God himfelf has filenced this objection. Ezek. xiv. 3. • Thefe men have fet up their idols in their heart, and * put the Humbling block of their iniquity before their face : 4 mould I be enquired of at all by them ?' And xx. 3, « Thus * faith the Lord God, Are ye come to enquire of me ? As I live, * faith the Lord God, I will not be enquired of by you.' And fee v. 31. Again, Ifai. i. 15, ' When ye make many prayers, * I will not hear : your hands are full of blood.' But fuch fin- ners as will not come to Chrifl for life, even when they arc un- der powerful conviction, and fee themfelves going down to hell, are they not guilty of the blood of Chriit ? And do they not per- fevcre in their guilt ? Therefore, the Lord as often fays he wi!l net 202 Univzrfaltf.ii confounds and defrays itfcjf. not be enquired of, as he fays he will. And has declared in what manner he will not, and in what manner he will be enquired of. Anfwer, 3. The plain fenfe of the above paiTage, Ezek. xxxvi. 26, and to the end of .this chapter, is an encouragement as well as a command to the whole houfe of Ifiael to pray, with a broken JpiritAov what is there promifed. , And, as it appears, this was afterwards made one article in their public prayers. In which fome few ol them undoubtedly did pray with a contrite / For this, therefore the Lord was enquired of by the houfe of Ifraej, to do it for them. The fulfilment ol this prophecy cauf- ed them to unite with one heart and one voice, inftead of many of them being only formal. Hence the above objection appears to be a miftake, * aited to divert finncrs from their immediate du- ty to Chnft and their own fouls. Which further argues the neceflity pi divine power to reconcile our hearts to God and to the doctrines of the gofpel. , ... 6. The heart of man is reconciled to God by the immediate power of God. - Means are absolutely neceiTary, in this cafe. To be capable; of doing ths will of God, we muff have undcrftandingor fpecu- lative knowledge of his will. Without knowledge we can nei- ther have love nor hatred. Without knowledge we can neither tro rood nor evil, in a moral [en[e. The fervant mult know his mailer's will, or he can neither do it, nor refufe to do it. We muft have CQnviction, or fnecuiative knowledge of our duty to God and man, before we can, in this cafe, either, choofe or re- fufe. Theie things appear' to be felf-evident. But all our fyec- uhuive kn of right and wrong, in a moral view, is whol- ly by means • divine Revelation being the great mean of convic- tion. The holy Spirit may imprefs the means more powerfully, and quicken and brighten our intellectual faculties, enforcing clearer conviction, at one time than at another. Yet he always does this by means. It appears a plain cafe, that we have all our knowledge of this kind by means, by fecond caufes, by external objects, and objects or light and" (eni'e. Therefore means are ab- solutely eiTeutial. Without means we can have no knowledge of the divine will, and without knowledge wc cannot do hi» will, Means of themfelvcs, however, never charge the heart. Mean* of themfelves do nothing towards making the heart good. The lervant with his treacherous heart, the more he knows his matt- er's will, the more is he prepared fo hate him ani do him mif- chief. But, allowing this fervant's heart ta be ci.ai;ged am! t# become Vnivtrfalifm €*nfounds and defiroys itfilf. 263 become good, then, the raore he knows, the more is he capable of loving and profiting his mailer. ' The lervant's great knowl- edge fits him either to do great good or evil. But his knowledge and means of knowledge do nothing towards making his heart good. If they did, then the beft informed would always be the mod faithful i'ervants. Which is contrary to fa ft. And facts related in fcripture prove, that Tome who have the beft means ufed with them, are the greateft enemies to God. * Many will * fay unto me in that day (the day of judgment,) Lord, Lord, ' Have we not prophefied in thy name ? And in thy name have * call out devils ? And in thy name done many wonderful * works ?' * We have eaten and drunk in thy prefence, and ' thou hail taught in our ftreets' ' And then will I profcfs * unto them, I never knew you : depart from me ye workers of. * iniquity. There mall be weeping an^ gnafhing of teeth.'* Thefe things and many others in fcripture, fome we have alrea- dy feen, give evidence that means do nothing, of themfelves to- wards renewing the carnal heart. Befides, when the Spirit of God enforces the means, and the Tinner is awakened and convict ed in his own confeience, even in this cafe his heart grows worfe and inftead of better. As he has an increafing fenfe of his own guilt, of the wrath and curfe oi God, and the worth of his own foul, in the fame manner does his enmity arife and increafe againft God. The experience and conieiliori of believers, we have feen, is witnefs to this. This alfo appears evident from univerfal experience and obfervation. It is iullicient to Mate two or three particulars. After a revival of religion, fuch as have fallen away from great awakenings and conviction, they are like • the dog that has turned to his own * vomit again' ' the laft ftate of that man is worfe than the '* firft.'f This fudden change of external conduct, and running more greedily into all fin ; this could not be, had not the enmi- ty of the heart increafed, inftead of abatting, during the whole time of conviction. When Chrift went to Nazareth, where lie had been brought up, and there preached in their fynagogue, his preaching was attended with remarkable conviction on the minds of his hearers. The confequence was, ' All they in the ' fynagogue were filled with wrath'f againft him. Unlcfs the powerful convi6tion on the minds of the Jews, at the preaching of Chrift and the apoftles, was directly followed with repentance, then was their wrath (o much the more ftirred up againft them. This was generally if net always th cafe. Hence the immediate power of God is necefiary, and as the only ■ fcfstt 7. *2. Lake 13. b6, 27. -f t Prt %. eft and Matt a* 45. \ Luke { zS. 2 6 4 Univerftlifm confounds and deft roys itfdf only caufe, to reconcile the heart of man to God. For, fit ft If means wholly fail, irt this cafe, andlhe heart grows worfe in- itead of better under conviction : it is impoflible it ever mould he reconciled, hut by the immediate power of God. Secondly. The heart is reconciled by the Spirit of God ; his taking pofTes- fion of, and abiding in, the heart. That is, by his quickening and governing influence. But when God takes away the ftony heart, and gives anew heart, and puts his fpirit within, and cau- ses them to walk in his flatute* ; this has all the appearance of the immediate agency of his Spirit. Thirdly. Reconciliation of the heart to God, is love to God. And ■ Love is of God/* Jus own pure offspring. All the means or fecond caufes in the ■world cannot produce love. Paul may plant and Apbllos wa- ter, but God alone can give the increafe. Miniftcrs may preach, yet none but God asm give love. to the word preached. Fourth-, iy. Scripture often ufes terms which give this idea of the work of grace, and of fuch as are cordially reconciled to God by his grace. Thus, they are laid to be begotten, hern, burn again, born of God, born of tke Spirit, renewed by the holy Spirit, 'renewed in the fpirit of their ??nnd ; quickened, created, crem- ated in righteoufnefs, created in true hohnefs, created unto good works, and made alive from the dead. All which cx- prtfi the immediate power ol God. As when God raifes the? dead, or creates the world out of nothing. Fifthly. This power i#f God on th<" heart is called the exceeding greatne/s of his power, and the effeclual working of his power. t Becaufe it amoves the only obftacle in the way. It deflroys the very l bing that refills convi6f ion, and that fights again!! free grace. It Hays the enmity of the heart, and creates it in righteo'i fuels and true holinefs. And whereas this enmity reiifh all means, anrf all conviction; and does always refill the power of the Holy Gfwft, when he operates only by means • fo the effectual caufe for drdroying this enmity, and creating love in its flead, can be :io otherthan the immediate power of God. Hence, 7. It appear* that God reconciles the hrart of man by an in- ftantaneoiis a 61. For, firft. A creative ad of divine power has every appearance of an inflantaneous acl. Secondly. The Irony heart is not gradually made better, but the flony heart is taken away, and a new heart given. Which alfo has every appear- ance of a momentary work. Thirdly. Thcapofile fays, With.. eyeX charity there is nothing, nothing but enmity. J Which d-e^ niei a ftate of indinerency. And a flate of indifferency is deni- ed by Chrift'i words, * He that is not with me is agaihft me.'J The * j J oft* 4. 7. I E«afc. i. igan^j. 7 % 1 Cat 13 3. t Mitt. 12 30. Univerfalifm confounds and deflroys itfetf £6jt The enmity therefore is (lain, and charity or love created, as fuddenly as one thought follows another. . Fourthly. This ap- pears to be the only rational ground, an which the gofpel can be preached. Salvation is offered to dying men, fuch as may de- part this life the next moment. But how is the gofpcl fuited to dying men, and how are all things now ready, and now the ac- cepted time, unlefs turning to the Loud is an infhntaneous a£l? 8. Reconciliation to God is the aft of man as well as the work of the holy Spirit. The aft is wholly man's, and the holy Spir- it is the foie caufe of this aft, President Edwards fays, ' In effi- * cacious grace we are not merely paflive, nor yet does God do * fome, and wc do the reft. But God does all, and we aft all. : for that is what he produces, viz. our own aft*. God is the ! only proper author and fountain : we only are the proper ac- \ tors.-f- 9. Man ia perfectly free in reconciling his heart to God, al- though this aft is can fed by divine power. This effectual working of divine' power is no interruption of, but harmonizes with, man's freedom. God gives a new heart ; a new heart is a free, willing mind. God gives repentance j repentance is a free aft. God gives love ; love is not forced but fyee. Gc.d gives Faith ; faith worketh by love. God gives hope ; hope maketh noc alhamed ; becaule the love of God isfhed abroad in the heart by the Holy Ghoit. The beft of gifts, coming from the befi: of beings, from God himfelf, does this : lefien man's lib- erty ? — ' Thanks be to God which put the fame earneft care in- ' to the heart of Titus for you. For indeed he accepted the ex- * hortation ; but being more forward, of his own accord he went \ untoyoU.'t Titus was more forward, and he engaged about a deed of charity of his own accord, becaufe God put it into his heart. This view of the fubjeft will ihow us a few things, ufelul as to our main obje6f . lit, The notion of fending fmners to hell, to make them love God and be fitted for heaven, appears an idle notion. It is out of the power of means to renew the heart. Ail poflible m can make no imprcifion unon the (Tony heart, nor giyc an heart of flefh. The enmity is fiain and love is produced by the crea- tive power of God only. Love is of God, his own pure offs- pring. Hell torments can do more towards producing holy love in finful beings than they can towards creating holy beings out of nothing. And as regeneration is efTcfted inftantaneouhV, fo the divine Spirit can regenerate linners, in this world ^s well as any where clfe. K k Allowing ■ Mi fed. Vol. z. p. 251. I 2 Cor. 8. 16. 17. ^66 Univtrfanfm confounds and dejfroys itfelf. Allowing the torments of hell are fuited to give the cleareft conviction, and that convi6tion which attend* converfion, in the prefent life, dill this argues nothing for Univerfalifts. Convic- tion of itfelf makes, the heart no better^ The more wicked fervants know of their mailer, let him be ever fogood, the more do they defpife him. So is the cafe of wicked men towards God, their enmity againft him increafes with their increafing conviction. And when God gives men up to their own hearts lulls, they hafientofill up the meafure of their iniquity. Thefe things-which are fafts, in this world, Revelation employs to illuftrate the $.&t of the damned, in the next world. It is alio plain from the na- ture of the cafe, that the more the enemies of God know of him, unlefs their enmity is Main by almighty power, the more are they prepared to blafpheme his holy name. Allowing the damned; therefore, to have the cleared conviction, this only fits them to blafpheme God, and gnaw their tongues with pain. Hence it is vain to pretend that hell is a purging firs. ; efpecially as the bible gives no fuch intimation, but fays every thing to the con- trary. aly. The notion that all men cannot, confidently with their liberty, have repentance in this life, but fome men mult unavoid- ably be fent to hell, before they can repent ; this alfo appears an idle notion. Univerfalifts fuppofe, the torments of the damned caufe them to repent more freely than any thing they meet with in this life, and, in many cafes y that thefe torments are neceffary to human liberty. ' As though all men wire not free, while in this world ! As though fome men become more free in hell ! As though it were free for fome men to repent, while in time, but for others, they mult be Cent among the damned to make them free agents ! If any conftitution God has formed for his rational creatures, is complete, it mult be the conftitution of grace, under which all men arc placed. It is as free for all men to receive the par- don of their fins, as the gift of grace, as it was for the angels to perfevere in a j uftified flare, by virtue of their own works. Cer- tainly if we believe the gofpel, we muft believe that all things are now ready. And that the water of life is free to every creature. Befides, it is fqlf-evident that we are as free accord- ing to our capacities as the angels in heaven. If we love God, we do it freely. If we hate God, we do it freely. If we perfe- vere in fin, it is our free act : If we turn from fin, it is our free act : perfectly free in going the broad road down to hell ; perfectly , Univerfalifm confounds and dejiroys itfelfi 267 berfe&if free in turning into the ftreight and narrow path, that Jeadeth to life eternal. gly. This fubjecf both argues and vindicates the fovereignty of God, in his making one a veffel of mercy and another a veffel of wrath. ■ The (inner does nothing to move divine mercy. The Tinner retains the full ftrength of his enmity to free grace, till the moment he is fubdu^d by free grace. Nothing but God's own love can therefore move him to convert and fave finners. His love roufi of courfe be free and fovereign. Again, God does no injufticeto fuch finners as he leaves and fits for deft ruction. How can they complain of God's conduct to them, when they freely go the way to deflruction ? when they have their choice, and harden their own hearts ? How can they complain when they viake light of the riches of divine grace ? when their carnal hearts do always refill the conviction and ftrivings of the holy Spirit ? — Iuftead of doing them injufHce, God endures with much longfufTering the veflels of wrath fitted to deftruction. I am, &c. LETTER 11. Full atonement for all, confiflent with the final perdition of part of mankind \ illujlrated and proved from fads. My dear Friend, HOW provifion fhould be made for the whole, and only part benefitted by this provifion, is maile a fcrious queftion. Ample provifion, fo as all could be faved, and this provifion aD- propriated ouly to part of our race ; how can this be ? Or where is the propriety of the divine conduct ? Facts and examples mall anfwer to this queftion. Which examples are fuited to fhow us the hnfulnefs of finners, and fuch as perifh when there is full provifion made for them ; as well as vindicate the divine conduct, in the cafe before us. Here it will be neceflary to re- peat fome of the fame things we had in the laft letter, as well as produce other facts for this purpofe. Therefore, I. God gave to all the angels, to one as well as to another, op- portunity to have continued in holinefs and happinefs forever. God made the fame provifion for thofe angels that fell, as he did for thole that flood perfect. Thofe that loft their holinefs and their heaven, loft their all, had exactly the fame means and mo- tives, the fame opportunity to have retained their manfions of blifs and 2.68 U&ivetfalifpl confottnds And destroys itfiff, and glory, as thole who actually did retain them. God atfd could have continued all the angels in holinefs, had he ic.cn it bed. By the power and agency oi his holy Spn it on their hearts, he could have caufed them all to perfevere in holinefs and hap- pinefs without end. God could have done tins tor the whole, in the fame manner as he did it for part oi the angels, had it been according to his own wifdom and love, or bell lor the univerie. In this event, refpecling the angels, three things arc plain and undeniable. One is the lull provifion made for their eternal hap- pinefs, and for the whole oi them without exception, Another thing is, God could have applied this full provifion by the ejfed- ual working of his power, and confirmed them all in endlefs habpinefs, had he chofen to do it. Therefore God did not choofe to do it, other-wife he would have done it ; and the endlefs hap- pinefs of the whole of the angels, inflead of part of them, would have been completed. A third thing is the fin of the angels thai fell, or kept not their firjt ejlaU. Thefe things are undeniably evident to every one that, holds to the bible, or believes in the fall of angels. No one pretends to queftion the ample provifion made for them. None can queiiion or deny the abfolute power and controul of God on their .hearts ; and that God couid have caufed all the angels to e^ntinufc faithful and obedient to him, as eafily as h y part oi them. Neither can any one queftion the fin of .. ichas rebelled agaihft God. The linor blame- able caufc in their rebellion lies wholly on the rebels themfelvcs - God's throne is forever guiltlefs. This none can deny. This applies directly to the crueflion before us. Here is full pro v ill on i all, and appropriated only to part. Rich pro- vifion made f hole, and but pari benentteefby it. Atthe fame time, the tl power of God decides the cafe of both clafles. The fovcreign will ot God decides the cafe both of the elect and reprobate an jels. Such as Godcaufes to remain in holinefs «n& happfneXs, do thus remain. Such as God does not caufe to in in holinefs, do not thus remain; bat fait into (in and v. In the midir. of this full provifion, the fovcreign plear- >es therefore determine the Jot of the holy and happy, fo i - ■ • de. At the fame time aifo the rebel angels are perfectly tree in their rebellion, and ot courfe the blame reus entirely on the rebels themfelves. Now, if God can order things thus for angels, then why not in the fame manner for men ? Certainly God is under no obligation to recover (infill men, the whole of them, to a date of holinefs and >i"nefs, any more than he tfas-to continue all the angels in liolineis C'nivcrfaUJm confounds and dejiroys itfilfi 269 nolinefs and happincfs. And if God can leave part of" t he angels to evcrlafting mifcry, when he has prepared even* mean for their eternal happinefs, then why mall he not leave part of mankind to the lame mifery, when all things are ready in the gofpel tor their eternal happinefs ? Hence the objection, that God a&s in- continently to make full provifion for the falvation of all men, by the atonement, when at the lame time, he applies it only to the Salvation of part of mankind ; this obje&ion goes directly to impeach or blame the conduct ot God towards the angels. Like- wife, to charge God with injuitioe and partiality, provided he eUcls fame and reprobates others of mankind, is the fame as to charj e, God with injuilice and partiality, becaufe he eleils part and reprobates part of the angels. But we will fee the follow- ing objections. Objection 1. Although God is under no obligation to men, for any merit in them, yet, in confequenee of the atonement, he has bound htmfelf to apply its iulnelsto all men, in fuch maimer as to fave all men. Chriil has died for all men, and his death or atonement has laid God under obligation to fave ail men. Where, as he was under no obligation to kesp angels from apoftafy. Anfwer. Ii God has bound hirnfelf.in ceniequence ottheatcne- ment, to fave all men, he has done this for fomeieafon. If God has bound himfelf by the death of Chriil, to fave all men from thecurfe of the law, and make them forever happy, there mud be a ground or reafon tor this part ot his conduct. And the rea- fon can be no other than this, thai the death of Chrift has ren- dered the execution ot the curie 01 the law of no ufe, even on a- ny part of mankind. It is certain God will noegive up hisjuffc- ice. Divine juitice mud be maintained either by the death or. Ciiri.fi:, or by the eternal damnation of tinners. And if juitice is i'o maintained and vindicated by the death of Chriil, as that the eternal damnation ot tinners could do nothing towards maintain- ing of it, then all men will be faved, otherwife they will net. But why mould God threaten that which can be of no ufe ? Why mould the gofpel abound with ufelefs threatening*, to the ungodly ? Why a threatening of cvcrlafting punifhment, when all men are completely delivered from fuch punifhment ? Why a threatening, to avenge his ju ft ice, after his juitice is fatisfied ? Allowing the tbreatemngs of the law to be juft, then it lsjufl for God to execute them : Then are they of ufe to vindicate divine juitice, in the eternal damnation of impenitent tinners : Then the atonement has not laid God under obligation to fave all men from the curie of the law. %-jo Univtrfalifyn confounds and dejlroys itjlstf. From what we have tetn in the laft letter it is evident, note withstanding full atonement, that God is under no more ob-« l?gation to fecure the happinefs or all men^ than he was to fecure all the angels. . To charge God, therefore, with partiality, be- caufe he elects one man to life eternal, and leaves another to per- ilh forever ; to charge God with inconfiftency, becaufe hemak.es complete proviftofl in the gofpel for all, and converts this to the final benefit of a part only ; fuch cavils and objection* go direct- ly to imprafch and blame divine conduct in the' event of angels. . Let men but fee the deceit, pride, and obftinacy of their hearts, and thev can have no hope but in the elccling grace of G'jd : they can have no hope but in that ejfeclual working of di- vine power, which fi liners fo defpifed. Inileadof calling God's way unequal, we may wall join with the prophet, andfav, ' It • is of the Lord's mercies that we are not cenfumcd.' f? From Lis own bouhdfclsioVe, has God opened a door of mere v for ru- ined men, while. he paiTes by rebel angels, But if we live :\ad die oefpifing infinite pity and love, fttH casing God an hard maf-, ter, out of our own rhotith mail wc be judged at the lad day. How doe:: Gr,d injure fucli as he rive* up to a reprobate mind, when tbefe reprobates have their choice, and will not. he drawn un f o Chrift ? Is not God's way equal, when he consigns no more of mankind to the flames of hell, than is for the public ^ood ? Is not God J s wav perfect, when his grace is fuificient to make as many holy and happy as is for the brgheft happinefs of the univerfe ? It is granted that the Father gave a certain number of our race t© the Son, 3's a reward for his obedience, fulTe rings and death ; and all that the Father gave the Son (hall come unto him. And tins certain number was elected or chofen out of the world, be- fore the. world was. Where fcripture treats of this matter, there i» olainly taught, in the fame connexion, the doctrine of eleclioii and reprobation ; as well the fin of the reprobate or of the world, who hate both the Father and the Son. But, though the cafe both of the redeemed and the damned was known and deter- :d in the divine mind from eternity, yet this makes no differ- ence as to the ufe of means, motives, and other things refpecting each party. It is no lefs grace tothe redeemed, becaufe this grace was prepared and determined before the world was. Jufticeis not leflcned nor altered to the damned, becaufe this juftice was determined from eternity. And becaufe God determined from e'ermtyto leave Pharaoh and all the reprobate to their own lulls, or becaufe he determined to harden their hearts, that they might feal * Lam. 2- 2 %- Univcrfalifm confounds and deflroys itfclf. 2jt leal their own de ftruction ; yet this predetermination of God al- ters not their freedom nor their (in. Pharaoh and a!l the wicked are perfectly free, they aft with their whole minds in hardening their own hearts. And it is not pofhble they mould ever blame; any being but themfelves, for their hardening their hearts, nor for their endlefs mifcry in hell. Bsfides, this very thing is illufi trated by the cafe of angels. God undoubtedly determined be- fore he made the angels, which of them he would pi eferve in ho- linefs and happinefs, and which he would give up to fin andmif- ery. But this determination of God, we are allured, docs not leffen the fin and ill defert of devils. Neither does it leffen the virtue ar.dpraifeworthinefs of good angels. How then do the fixed decrees or God leffen the fin of Pharaoh and all the repro- bate ? Or how do they leflen the virtue and praifewoi thine fs of fuch as repent, and love our Lord jefus Chrift ? Again, as the widely different lots determined for angels ; one for holinefs, another for fin ; one for heaven, another for hell ; as thefewere fecrets in the divine mind, not known among the angels, till the rebels determined for themfelves, by their own fin ; fo it was confiftent to ufe means with all of them, without exception. In this cafe, means, motives, warnings, and en- couragements were fuited to have their tendency and weight, with one as well as another. So it is wholly unknown to us, who among men will be found, at the laft great day, either on the tight hand or the left ; till each one has determined this for tyro fell, by his deeds done in the body. It is therefore con- fident tQ ufe means with one man as well as another. Indeed k is impofiibie to make a diftin&ion while the appointed lot of each one, for eternity, remains a fecret with God. Not only fo, the confulency of ufing means with men, rational beings, free agents, accountable to God, capable of honouring God, capable of dishonouring -God, capable of enjoying God's love, or feel- ing the weight of his wrath, forever; the confiflency of ufing means with fuch appears felf-evident ; and whether they will hear, or whether they will fer bear. And to deny this is the fame as to charge God with tolly, for ufing means in heaven be- fore the angels finned. : Objection a. Men were afterwards created, redeemed andre- ftored, fome of them at leall, to enjoy and poiTefs what angels )oft. Whereas no other beings, that we know of, will ever b~ reflored to the place of fuch men as are finally loft. Provided, that is, part of mankind mould be finally loft. And as the atone- ment has made all things ready for all men, fo part of this provi- fion, 272 UfiiverfaHj/h confound^ find deftroys fyfelfi. fion, in this cafe, will not only be loft, to fome men, but lofi tq all other rational creatures. Which does not agree with the mofi perfect confiftency of divine conduct. Anfwer. Though fome men are reilored to the fame heavcti as angels lofi, yet they are not reftored by the fame means as an- gels loft. The means or provifion for the fecurity of angels, is that for which we now contend. Law and ftrifct jultiee were their fecurity. with the various means, motives, and ble flings harmonizing with this conftitUfcion. But a different constitution 7 , a conttitution of grace, with correfponding means, 'wa?> introduc- ed for the redemption oi men. Tins provifion for the fecurity of angels, this complete provifion, from which many of them fell, was not therefore appropriated to the good and happinefs of men, ncr other rational beings of whom we have any account, It certainly was not for the happineis of fuch ahg«l&as'/g//7/jg.iff own habitation, and for whom it was firft prepared. To it was entirely loit. This cannot he denied. And this is fuffi- cierit for the prefent argument. F6r then,- with 'the fame pro- priety of divine conduct, may the means of grace be lolttofomQ men, and fome men eternally perifh notwithitanding full atone, ment. Furthermore, this objection -virtually allows that God left part of the angels to fall into fin and mifery, to make way for,, and to advance the happinefs of fome men. And this muft be allowed, unlefs wedif allow the bojy fcripturcs. This is the lame, however, as allowing that God may doom foiue of hir rational creatures to mifery, to advance the happinefs of others. Or that the mifery of hell is of ufe to complete the happinefs of heaven, and is nc- ceffary to this end. But this entirely takes away the mofi efien- tial argument in the univerfal f'cheme. Which is, that the fole end of punifliment in hell is to lead the damned to repentance. Allowing, therefore, that the mifery of hell is of ufe, andnecef- fary to this end, to complete the happinefs of heaven, then the ry of hell is necefFary to vindicate divine juftice. For this is one principle thing which gives joy in he; ven; fere-riot di- vine juftice vindicated and glorified, in the heft manner, before the hods of heaven, their happinefs could not be complete, or could not arife to the higheft degree. Then the torments of the damned are ncceiTaiy fortius purpofe : Then the torments of the ined are necefiary for fome other purpofe, afide from leading the damned to repentance : Then the fole purpofe of the tor-' rn cuts of the damned, urged By univerfalfts, mult be given up : Then univcifaliils cannot prove that the damnedever will repent ; and tfnivcrfdlijm e$njounds and dejlroys itfelf, 873 and of courfe they cannot prove that the damned will ever be delivered from hell. Objection 3. The univerfalifts will now afk, How does all this apply to the cafe before us ? God was at little or no expenfe in providing for angels, compared to what he has been at, in giv- ing Chrift to die for us. If Chrift died for all, fhcd his blood for all, and all are not faved, but fome eternally damned, then is Chrift dead in vain as to fuch. And his blood, even the blood of God-man, is fo far loft, or poured out as a thing of no value. Anfwer. The queftion, in reply to this, is whether any of this lofs is fuftained on the part of God ? If God glorifies his juftice in the final perdition of impenitent finners, efpeciaily fuch as difobey the gofpel, we can perceive no lofs on his part. And if this gives public evidence of God's infinite holinefs, or of his infinite hatred to fin, then it is of public benefit, inftead of public lofs. And if this moft awful difplay of divine juftice, in hell, does glorify juftice to the higheft degree, then is the higheft good of the public promoted by it, inftead of any lofs to the public. It is a lofs to individuals, and Chrift is dead in vain to fome men. Of this there is no queftion. — We will fee more of this prefently. We cannot help remarking, in this place, how the Koly Ghoft has warned us from the example of angels. The angels were created a noble, excellent order of beings. Were raifed to that exalted, dignified, and glorious Mate, around the throne of God : having every poflible motive to engage their love and perfeel o- bedience to their great Creator ; fo to abide in their ftate of con- summate blifs and glory forever. Notwithftanding all this, which their bountiful Creator had done for them, many of them rofe in rebellion againft him. And * God fpared not the angels 4 that finned, but caft them downto hell.' 'Theangels which * kept not their firft eftate, but left their own habitation, he hath * reierved in everlafting chains under darknefs, unto the judg- * ment cf the great day.'* In connection with this laft paftagc, we have thefe words : * The Lord having faved the people out * of the land of Egypt, afterwards deftroyed them that believed 1 not.' This falvation of Ifrael from Egypt, and in the Red Sea, was a fure pledge of the all-fufriciency of the Meftiah, and his fulnefsof grace lor our eternal falvation. Which fullnefs of grace, vouchfai'd to Ifrael, is here likened to the bleiTed ftate of the angels above. — ■ How dreadful is this place ! This is none * other than the houfe of God, and this is the gate of heaven. *f "Therefore, from the midft of this grace, from the midft of falva- L L tion * •. T*. ?.. 4. and TiicU 6. t Gea. s3 17. j 74 Univtrfalifm confounds and dejiroys it/elf: tion itfelt',* fome men may fall ; yea, fuch as believe not muft tall, as the angels fell from heaven and were call down to hell. — What folly, what prefumption, O what madnefs, to trifle with the grace of God ! But, II. This full provifion by the atonement has hitherto, in a great mcafure, been loft to Mankind, certainly while they live in this world. It is a fa£t that the body of mankind have not im- proved it, nor enjoyed the happy fruits of it, while in the prefent life. Notwithftanding all Chnft has done to deliver the world from fin and forrow,the world is not delivered. Chrifl has come, the Saviour of the world, but the world is not faved from fin and mifery. None can deny, but that the atonement removes every obftacle out of the way, fo as all men, in this life, are free to become holy and happy. Nothing ftandsin the way, except- ing the enmity of the carnal heart, which prevents the whole world becoming the paradife of God. And God has abfolutc power over the hearts of men. He is able to remove this enmi- ty. He is able to make all men, every where, holy and hap- py. By the exceeding greatnefs of his power, God is able to make the whole world, throughout all ages, like the new Jeru- Jalem, coming down from above. The atonement has made pro- vifion for this, and God could do it, provided it were beft. For wife reafons God has not done it. The hiftory of every paft ags is a hiftory of fin and mifery. Heathen poets conftantly tell us of the iron age, and of the perpetual reign of all forts of evil. And if we look into the facred volume, with few exceptions, we find one continued race of thieves, drunkards, revilers, adulterers, whoremongers, idolaters, liars, robbers, and murderers. The fa- cred pages alfo inform us, how God from time to time has, in righteous indignation againft thefe crimes, vifited the world with fore judgments. This view of the fubje£t leads to the follow ing things : l. The free agency and ill defert of the wicked world. Men arc perfectly free, this is plain from experience. We are as confeious of our freedom as we are of our own exiftence. There needs no argument to prove this. Neither can we be argued out of it, any fooner than we can be made to believe we are not in bein£. The world of mankind, going on in fin, blafpheming the God that made them, and hating one another, they are per- fectly free, cither to turn from fin, or to continue in fin. This is evident at firft thought. The ill defert of the wicked world is alfo evident at firft view. The drunkard, thief, liar, reviler, &c. they are ill deferving ; they defcrve the curfe of God's ho- Jy * The gofpel is called the gtfpd oj 'JakitiiTt, bringing and •fTcriug lalvaUeRt* every cieature. Vnivtrfalifm ctnfounds and dtfiroys itfelf. 275 }y law. There needs no further proof of this, than to ftate their crimes againft them. There needs no proof of the ill defert of the thief or liar, only to prove he is a thief or liar. In like manner, other crimes men are guilty of, the evidence of their ill defert goes with their crimes, Efpecially the fin of defpifing offered falvation carries evidence with it of its own guilt, or def- ert of evil. Thus God calls, but the (inner refufes. Chrift in- vites, but the finner will not come unto him, for life eternal. The iinner's crime in this cafe need only be ftated, to prove that he deferves a moil aggravated punifhment in hell. And to prove an heathen deferves judgment without mercy, we need only to prove that this heathen is implacable, and unmerciful, 2. The hand and counfel of God relative to the ftate and conduct of the wicked world. This alfo is clearly evident. Of the heathen world, as fcripture informs us, * God fuffered * them all to walk in their own ways.'* — * God gave them up to * uncleannefs through the lufts of their own hearts — God gave * them up unto vileaffeclions — God gave them over to a reprobate mind.'t This is laid concerning the heathen for the fpace of two thoufand years, or from the days of Mofes till the coming of Chrift, and equallyapplies to everyage of heathenifm. But here is the hand and counfel of God, which determines their character and conduct. It is God whogives them over to areprobate mind : It is God who gives them up to vile affections. This is further confirmed by par- ticular initances of divine conduct concerning the heathen. Of Pharaoh God faid, 'I will harden his heart, that he fhall not let the 4 people go.' Of the Egyptians God faid, * And I, behold, I will * harden the hearts of the Egyptians, and they fhall follow * them :'J that is, they Jhalljollow Ifrael into the Red Sea, that there they might be deftroyed. Of the Canaanites it is faid, ' It 4 was of the Lord to harden their hearts, that they fhould come ' againfl Ifrael in battle, that he might deftroy them utterly. '§ Whenever men go out to battle againft each other, it is the Lord that ftirreth them up, and hardeneth their hearts againft each other, as far as they are hardened. * The battle is the Lord's : * and the Lord muftcreth thehoft of the battle.'|| Thefe exam- ples, of Pharaoh, the Egyptians and Canaanites, apply to all like cafes among men. It is clear from thefe examples, that it is God who hardens the heart3 of all men, whenever their hearts are hardened. Again, of antichrijl and his apoftates with him, it is faid, « God fhall fend them ftrong delufion, that they fhould be- * lieve a lie : That they all might be damned who believed not " the truth, but had pleafure in unrighteoufnefs.'!! Of the Jews becaufe * Aftj 14. ao. i Rom. 1. S4, 26, 28. + Exod. 4. 21. ) Jofh. 11. 20. I) 1 Sam. i~. 47. and liui. 13. 4. 5 2 Thefl*. •>. 11, 12 jyb Unvozrjcdijm conjounds and dcflroys itfclj. becaufe they openly rejected the preaching of Chrift and the a~ pottles, it is faid, * Go, and tell this people, Hear ye indeed, bu£ " underitand not ; and fee ye indeed, but perceive not. Make ' the heart of this people fat, and make their ears heavy, and fhut ' their eyes ; left they fee with their eyes, and hear with their ' ears, and underhand with their heart, and convert, and be heal- * ed.'* Thefe cafes are not peculiar to antichriit and the anof- tate Jews. Whenever men ate given up to itrong delufion, to believe a lie, that they might be damned ; it is God who fends them this delufion. And in all cafes under the gofpel, when. m^n fee, but perceive not ; when they hear, but underhand not ; and when their heart is waxed grois, it is the Lord who has done this for them, in like manner as he did tor the Je\\ T 3. Men are alfo active in (hutting their own eyes and hardening their own hearts. Nothing can be plainer than our entire freedom. Thefe things come to pafs by the governing power of God, yet the fin belongs wholly to men, and is wholly their free a6t. The Jews clofed their eyes for themfelves, and Pharaoh hardened his own heart. But here we behold a world of fin. Far the greatell part is funk in pagan darknefs ; given over to a reprobate mind. Far the greateft part of the chriftian world, fo called, is antichrilliari, given up to ftrong delufion, to believe a lie. Where the gofpel is, in its purity, vafily the greater! part is left to blindnefs ot heart. The great mafs of mankind, for fo many pa It ages, is therefore given up to fin. And this world of fin is a world of forrow — * There was written therein lamentations, and mourning, and ' woe.'t All this is not, however, by mere chance. The over- ruling hand of God is vifible, in bringing of it to pafs. Hence, it is the will and determination of God, that the death &[ Chrift fiiould not, as yet, profit a ruined world, or make the body ot mankind happy : certainly not while they continue in this life. As to the happinefs of men, while in this life, the death of Chrifl has been ahnolt wholly in vain. And God has decreed it mould be fo. 3. The good ends God has to anfwer by the fin and mifery h arc in the world. And God has given us to underfland 'he reafon, why he fullers fin and mifery to go on in this manner. Rom. ix. 17. A For the fcripture faith unio Pharaoh, Even for 4 this fame purpofe have I raifed thee up, that I might (how my * power in thee, and that my name might be declared throughout * all the earth.' The apoftle cite3 this as a general reafon, or to fhow why God fuflers fin and mifery in general, at all times and places, * Tfai. 6. 0), 10. and fee Mark a. 12. i Xz-ck. a. 10. Crdverjalifin confounds and dejiroys itfelf. 177 places to go on among men. Now God declares his name by difplaying his power, his holinefs and juflice, in the punifhment of Pharaoh. In contrail with this, he difplays his mercy to If- rael. This cafe ot Pharaoh, ufed by the apoftle in this general fenfe, does therefore fhow how God declares his holinefs and juitice, by all the evils h« fends on his enemies, and by all the evils there are in the world. The fame idea is kept in view throughout the fcriptures. All the evils and judgments fent on a wicked world, are to convince the world that God is righteous, God is holy ; a fin- hating and fin-avenging God. And why he fuffers fin to go on among men, is, oftentimes, that they might fill up the meafure of their iniquity, and fit themfelves for the appointed judgment ; which is to be inflicted upon them in this world. Thus, from a ftriking facl, conflantly before our eyes, we fee how the fruits of the atonement are loft, and Chrift dead in vain, relative to the multitude of mankind ; verily while they are in this life. We alfo fee the will and counfel of God herein, and the good ends God anfwers by this event. This anfwers the queftion, Why mould provifion be made for the whole, and only part benefited by this provifion ? Why is the death of Chrift fufficient to fave all men, when but part are to be faved ? How is divine conduct herein confiftent ? — Every thing God does is confiftent, whether in heaven, earth, or hell. One thing lie does on earth, is to make all things ready in the gofpel ; which would be fufficient to make the whole world happy, like the joyous guefts at the wedding of a king's fon. Marry, however, are called, but few chofen. The world is left in fin and mifery, notwithitanding the rich provifion Chrift has made. At the fame time, God has ordained it fhould be fo, to anfwer the purpofes of wifdom. But if God declares his great name, if he glorifies his juflice, here in time, notwithftanding full atonement ; what reafon can be given why he fhould not glorify his juflice to eternity ? — * The prefent fufferings of mankind are an unanfwerable proof * that, however perfect the atonement be, in the divine view, all ' the valuable ends of puniihment are not a6tually anfwered by * it. For if it would be inconfiftent with full atonement, for 4 God to bring evils on men, in the future world ; it would be * equally inconfiflent, for him to bring evils on them, in the ' prefent. If on account ot the atonement, juflice demands an * exemption from all punifhment in the next world ; it equally ' demands it in this, It is therefore evident, from fa 61, whater- 4 cr 27S Univerfalijm confounds and dejiroys itftlj '. f er difplays of divine righteoufnefs and anger were made in tke « fuffenngs oi Chrift ; that all the purpofes of divine benevo- * lence cannot be anfwered without a elifplay of the fame glori- * ous attributes in a variety of evils brought upon men. And * if it may fubferve the purpofes of divine benevolence to bring * evils on men in this world ; we can by no means be certain ■ that it will not fubferve the fame glorious purpofes, to inflift * evils upon them in the next. If temporary evils may anfwer * valuable ends in the government of God, we cannot be certain * that eternal ones may not alfo. If evils are neceffary to the * fulleft difplay of divine glory, we have no fufficient authority * from the atonement to deny that they always will be neceffary. * If atonement doth not prevent their pre feu t necefllty and ufe; * we have no evidence that it will their future.'* From the promifed fatisfaclion for fin by the Median, it ap- pears that Adam might have argued the prevention of all (in and inifery, in this world, as well as tiniverfaltfts do the final falvation of all men, in the next. Facls afterwards proved to Adam that fin was not wholly taken away, and that p'unifhmerit would it ill be oi ufe, however complete was the promifed fatisfacfion for fin. And God foon revealed awful curies to be fent on the wicked, in the prefent world. He has alfo revealed more aw- ful curfcs, even eternal curfes to be executed en wicked men, in the world to come. The objeclor will now fay, Complete difplays of divine juf- tice were ma^e by the fufferings oi Chrifl, and no more difplays need be made, neither are they ever made by the fufferings oi men. Confequently, all the evils brought on men, in this world, are tokens of God's tender mercy, and fuited to fit the fubject for higher degrees of happinefs, in the next. This objection is a direct contradiction to fcripture. Pharaoh and others of like character aie, throughout, filled enemies to God, and God an avenging God and enemy to them. Thus in Mofes' fong, Exod. xv. 6, 7. ' Thy right hand, O Lord, is * become glorious in power; thy right hand, O Lord, hath * darned in pieces the enemy. And in the greatnefs of thine ex- * cellcncy thou halt overthrown them that rofe up againfl thee : * thou feutefl forth thy wrath, which confumedthem as ftubble.' And Pfal. xxxvii. 20. ' The wicked mall perifh, and the ene- 4 ?mcs of the Lord mall be as the fat of lambs : they fhall con- * fume ; into fmoke fhall they confume away.' And thofe words in 2 Pet. ii. 12. ' But thefe, as natural brute beafls, made to be 1 taken and destroyed. ' From which it is plain that the enemies of * Dr. Steph. Weft's Examination, p. i\2. Univerfalifm ctnfounds and deftroys i if elf, syg hi the Lord are fometimes, in this world, made a facrifice ; a* *he lamb upon the altar, which confumes away into fmoke. They are facrificed for the good of God's people. Pfal. lxxiv. 14. * Thou (God) gavefi him (Pharaoh) to be meat to the peo^ * pie inhabiting the wildernefs.' This facrifice docs not, in the lealt degree, atone for the fins of Ifrael, or prevent their being punifhed for their own fins. But it illuilrates divine hatred to un, and extols divine juftice. This gives meat, this gives folid comfort to the friends of Gcd. They have no pleafure in the death of the wicked ; but they rejoice to fee divine, infinite hat- red displayed againfl fin. For this purpofe the wicked are made a facrifice, and are given to be meat and drink to the righteous, as well as the body and blood of Chrifr, This is a truth clearly revealed throughout the bible. As in Rev. xviii. 20. * Rejoice 4 over her, thou heaven, and ye holy apoftles and prophets ; for * God hath avenged you on her,' on myftical Babylon. It is one main fource of joy to the righteous, to fee the name of God declared, and his injured juftice avenged, in all the earth. Thefe and many other things give conclufive evidence that divine juf- tice is glorified by tiie f ufferings of men, in this world, as well as by the fufferings of Chrilf. Befides, to fuppofe that all the evils brought on men, in the prefent ffate, are nothing but tok- ens of divine mercy, is only confounding the curje with the ilejfing, as we have feen in Part II. The other part of the objection is,that all the evils which come on men,here,are only fuited to fit the fubje6i for higher degrees of hap- pinefs hereafter. Which contains the following abfurdities, Firft, as it makes no diftin&ion between the friends and enemies of God, and his condu6l towards them, fo it makes the blefling and the curfe both one. Secondly, as it denies all ufe of evils on men, whereby to vindicate divine juftice, and holds them to 1 be only fuited to fit the fubjeel for higher degrees of happinefs, fo it holds thefe evils to be neceffary to fit the fubjecf, and with- out which the fubjett could not be fitted, for higher degrees of happinefs. But if evils are thus neceffary, in this world, to fit fome men for higher degrees of happinefs, it belongs to the ob- jector to fliow why evils will not be neceffary, in the coming world, to fit the fame men for higher degrees ol happinefs. And whether the happinefs of fuch men can ever be increafed with- out evils inflicled upon them, fo thefe evils be forever neceffary io increafe their happinefs. Or, it belongs to the obje&or to ihow, how thefe men can ever arrive to higher degrees of happi- nefs than they now poffete. Thirdly, it argues that the power ot the holy Spirit, or of divine grace, ig not iufficient to fanclify the ' - - Untverfalifm ctnflunds and deft rays itf< the hearts of fome men, in this world, confident with their i;b^ ,~rty ; and therefore what fcripture calls the curfc tuuft be taken into the account, to fit them for heaven. How this agrees with ■\nexhaujlible grace, and that grace which is not only able, but certainly will lave all men, is left with the objector. III. Divine conduct in the final perdition of Ionic men, not- withstanding full atonement, is illuftrated and made to appear confident, by what God did towards thofc Ifraelites, who came with Mofes out of Egypt and perifhed in the wildernefs. For this generation that. came with Mofes out of Egypt, God made every preparation on his part ; or, in gofpel language, all things were made ready for them, to go in and pofTefs the land of Ca- naan. This is evident from the whole feries of the event, con- cerning them whofe carcafes fell in the wildernefs. Efpecially this is evident from what the fpies did and faid, when they re- turned from fearching the land. This we find in Nujxib. xiii. oo, oio and xiv. 2, 3, 6 — 10. ' And Caleb itilled the people be- ' fore Mofes, and faid, Let us go up at once, and poflefs it ; fo r * we are well able to overcome it. And the men that went up * with him faid, We be not able to go up againfl the people ; for 4 they are ftronger than wc. And they brought up an evil re- 1 port of the land which they had fearched. — And all the children 1 of Ifrael murmured againfl; Mofes and againfl Aaron ; and the * whole congregation faid unto them, Would God that we had * died in the land of Egypt ? cr would God we had died in this ' wildernefs ! And wherefore hath the Lord brought us unto * this land, to fall by the fword, that our wives, and our children * fhould be a prey ? Were it not better for us to return into E- ' gyP 1 - — " n< * J omiia tbe fon of Nun, and Caleb the fon of Je- * phunneb, which were of them that fearched the land, rent their * clothes : And they fpake unto all the company of the children * of Ifrael, faying, The land which we palled through, to fearch * it, is an exceeding good land. If the Lord delight in us, then 1 he will bring us into this land, and give it us ; a land which * floweth with milk and honey. Only rebel not ye againfl the * Lord, neither fear ye the people of the land : for they are bread ' for us : their defence is departed from them, and the Lord is ' with us ; fear them not.' — The whole congregation of Ifrael had the fame opportunity, and the fame reafon and motives, to hare put on courage, and believed, and hoped, and trufled in God alone, as Caleb and Jofhua had. The whole body of Ifra* e ! therefore had the beft encouragement, and had nothing more to do, but to ' go up at once' and poflefs the good land. Inftead of Vniverfalifm confounds and defroys it/elf. -«> sf this, ' All the congregation bade (lone Jofhua and Caleb with * ftones.' Who can thefe rebels blame, at the judgment day, but themfelves ? But we have again the fame things brought to view, and in the mod (Inking manner. It is impoflible to difpute the freedom and iJl-defert of thefe rebels. The richprovifion made for them, and made by the atoning righteoufnefs of the Mefliah, is alfo flnkingly evident. They were brought upon the borders of Ca- naan. They had fearched the land. They had found it to be a land flowing with milk and honey. They had brought back a duffer of grapes of the fruit of the land. Defence was departed from the Canaanites. The Canaanites had become bread for Ifrael, God himfelf was on Ifrael's lide. And the holy Spirit was driving with them ; ready to ft rcngthen and encourage them, and animate their heart*, to go in and take the promifed land,. But, No ! Let us choofe a captain, and let us return into Egypt. Let us ftone Jofhua and Caleb with ftones ! Becaufe God had not given them an heart to obey his voice and to truft in him, this Mofes charges againfl them as being wholly their blame, and an evidence of their fin. * And Mofes • called unto all Ifrael, and faid unto them, Ye have feen all that • the LoPvD did before your eyes in the land of Egypt, unto Pha- ' raoh, aad unto all his fervants, and unto all his land ; The great 1 temptations which thine eyes have feen, the figns, and thofe 4 great miracles : Yet the Lord hath not given you an heart 1 to perceive, and eyes to fee, and ears to hear unto this day.'* It was therefore free for all Ifrael, at this time and at all times, to wafh their hearts from wickednefs, or to depend on free grace for new hearts — to depend on the holy Spirit, as the moving caufe, to work in them both to will and to do of his good plea- f'ure. Thus were they flriped of every excufe, and their blame laid open to the world. t Again, the overruling hand of divine wifdom, in this event, is equally evident. His counfel {lands, and he does all his plea- fure. As God railed up Pharaoh to anfwer his own purpofe, fo he raifed up thefe apoflate Ifraelites, to anfwer the fame pur- pofe for which divine wifdom finally devoted them. God caft off thefe rebels, and fware in his wrath, ' They (hall not enter * into my reft,'J but (hall die in the wildernefs. In confequencc M M of * Deut. 29. 2, 3, 4. % Het>. 3. it. + At the prefent day of moil daring wickedneis, it is common for men to invent a •obweb-covering for their fin, becaufe God has not given them eyes to fee, and an heart to perceive. How provoking, yea blafphemous, are fuch excufes, which are made right in the face of fcripture ? As early as the days of Mofes, the blame rifled wholly on man, and on all Ifrael, becaufe God had not giv«n them holy hsarte. 282 Univerfalifm confounds and dcjtroys itjtlf. of this, all the earth was filled with his glory. ' And the L0&.B * faid, As truly as I live, all the earth fliall be filled with the glo- ' ry of the Lord. Becaufe all thofe men which have feen my * glory, and my miracles, which I did in Egypt and in the wil- ' dernefs, have tempted me now thefe ten times, and have not * hearkened to my voice ; Surely they fhall not fee the land, * which I fware unto their fathers, neither fhall any of them that * provoked me fee it : But my fervant Caleb, becaufe he had ' another fpirit with him, and hath followed me fully, him will I * bring into the land whereinto he went ; and his feed fhall pof- 4 fefs it.'* Th~ fall of thefe rebels is the occafion of unfpeakable good to God's people. They are counfeled, warned, and inftructed by it, in every age while time lafts. The faints in heaven will alfo improve upon it to endlefs ages. For God demonftrated his character before the world, even on his own vifible people ; that he is a jealous God, and will not clear the guilty. They could not enter into Canaan becaufe of unbelief ; and when every thing elfe was made ready. On the other hand, God fhowed his covenant-faithfulnefs and mercy to Caleb and Jofhua, by bringing thein to poffefs the land, becaufe they wholly followed the Lord. Thus God did indeed fill all the earth with his glo- ry. O the blindnefs ! the blindnefs of fuch as cannot fee, that the wrath of man does always praife God, and the remainder of wrath he will refirain. And the blindnefs of fuch as cannot fee, how the grace of God flands prepared to reward the righteous, and his jufiice to punifh the wicked. But, if God did right in fhutting thefe Ifraelites out of Canaan, becaufe of their unbelief, then he does right in fhutting unbe- lievers out of heaven. And, if God did right in fhutting them out or Canaan finally and forever, then he does right in fhutting unbelievers forever out of heaven. The fame reafon that juffi- fies divine conduct in the former cafe, julhifies it in the latter. God had made all things ready for their entrance into Canaan, and made things ready by virtue of full atonement. But becaufe of their unbelief they were forever excluded the land of promife. Which argues the reclitude of divine conduct in fhutting un- believers forever out of heaven. What places this matter beyond difpute, the apoflle argues it in the fame manner. Hcb. iii. iv. * Take heed, brethren, left there be in any of you an evil heart ' of unbelief, in departing from the living God. But exhort 1 one another daily, while it is called To day. — While it is faid, 4 To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts, as in ' the * Numb. 14. ai — 24. Univerfalifm confounds and dejiroys it/elf; 285 f the provocation, (in the day of temptation in the wildernefs). f For fome, when they had heard did provoke : howbeit not all s that came out of* Egypt by Mofes. But with whom was he * grieved forty years ? was it not with them that had finned, * whofe carcafes fell in the wildernefs ? And, To whom fware * he that they mould not enter into his reft, but to them that be- ' lieved not ? So we fee that they could not enter in becaufe of ' unbelief. Let us therefore fear, left a promife being left us of * entering into his reft, any of you mould feem to come ihortof * it.' This rejl, laft mentioned, is the eternal reft in heaven, as he afterwards mows. And the whole force of his warning and exhortation is grounded on this ; as unbelief cut them off from the earthly reft or from Canaan, fo unbelief utterly cuts men off from the heavenly reft. He alfo mows direclly, in the fame connection, that it is impoffible for unbelievers to enter heaven, or efcape perdition. ! How mail we efcape, if we neglect fo * great falvation ?' Implying that there are, in this cafe, no means left, or poflible way of efcape. As he afferts in another place, in this Epiftle, ■ There remaincth no more facrifice for fins.' When this takes effect, and the finner is entirely cut off from the facrifice of Chrift's blood, is decided by the above words. ? To day'—' While it is called To day'—' To day if ye will hear 1 his voice, harden not your hearts.' To day is while time lafts, The expreffion urges us to prefentduty, as wehavenoaflurance of futurity. It likewife determines what is meant by our day, and only day of falvatioi. As when Chrift faid, * I muft work ' the works of him that fent me, while it is day : the night com- 1 eth, when no man can work.'* This night, which thus clofes up the day, can be no other than death or the grave. The wife man fays, * There is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor * wifdom, in the grave, wiiether thou goeft.'t There is nothing done after death, which can alter or change our ftate ; but every man's ftate is then unalterably fixed for eternity. The day, or 7uhiU it is called To day, is of courfe our period of life and only day of grace. For fuch therefore as die neglecting the ■ great * falvation,' there remaineth no more facrifice for their fins. Such as die in unbelief, do forever come fhortof the heavenly reft. And divine conduct, in this molt awful event, is illuftrat- ed and vindicated by the fate of thofe unbelievers who came fhort of the earthly reft. Again, we fee how evil is the occafion of good. A fore evil the Lord fent on thofe apoftates. Diftinguilhed by birth, chil- dren of Abraham, heirs of promife, heirs of Canaan ; faved by the * John 9. 4. i Eccl, 9. 10. 284 Vniverfalifm confounds and iejlroys it/elf. the Lord, faved from the hand of Pharaoh, fayed by figns and wonders, faved by an outftretched arm ; guarded by angels, de- fended by a wall of fire, fed with manna from heaven and water from the rock ; devoted to God by circumcifion, carrying the oracles of God with them, carrying his ark and his teflimony ; juft ready to go in and pofTefs the land of reft, the garden of God and type of heaven : i.nder thefe circumfiances to be barred entirely from entering in, and made to wander forty years in the wildernefs, till they were all confumed and dead, this mult have been a very great evil. Not only fo, they were made to the world and to all ages examples of divine vengeance. But the good arifing out of this evil vafily outweighs the evil. The good is far greater than the evil. The evil fell only on one generation, and no injuftice was done to them, they can blame none but themfelves. Whereas the advantage from it to the whole church of God, whether in heaven or in earth, is from generation to generation ; while time lafts and to eternity. Efpccially the ad- vantage of having demonftrative evidence that God is an holy or jealous God, this is a fource of endlefs good to ail who truly love him. But if God does this here in time, by judgments on unbeliev- ers, why not the fame in eternity ? God is as able to do the fame in eternity as he is in time. He is able to make the good over- balance the evil in one cafe as well as the other. The eternal mifery of the damned may fo enhance the joy of heaven, that it may be bell and defirable, on the whole, that this mifery mould take place. God is as able to make it fo, as to do what he has already done in this world. He demonftrates the hoiinefs of his nature anfwerable to the evil he inflicts on tranfgrefTors. He does this alfo confidently with full atonement. The fame, he is able to do in eternity as well as in time, and with the fame con- filtency. Hence no objection can arife nor argument be drawn from divine goodnefs or from full atonement ; but what will oblige us to take the awful threatenings of everlafting punifh- ment in their literal fenfe. Divine goodnefs fhut thofe rebels out of Canaan. The fame divine goodnefs can call finners down to endlefs woe. Confidently with full atonement they were forever (hut out of Canaan, becaufe of unbelief. Con- liflently with full atonement unbelievers will be forever fhut out of heaven, and thrufl down to hell. In the fame manner we have (ten thefe things illuflrated and confirmed by the apof- tie. * Let us therefore fear,lefl a promife being left us of enter- c ing into his reft, any of you fbould feem to come ihort of it. — 'Take Univerfalifm confounds and deftroys itfdf. a$£ - Take heed, brethren, left there be in any of you an evil heart * of unbelief, in departing from the living God.'* IV. When the Chaldean army came to befiege Jerufalem, in the days of Zedekiah king of Judah, the word of the Lord to his people by Jeremiah was, ' Behold I fet before you the way * of life, and the way of death. He, that abideth in this city, * (hall die by the fword, and by the famine, and by the pefti- ■ lence : but he, that goeth out and falleth to the Chaldeans that * befiege you, he (hall live, and his life mall be unto him for a 6 prey.' In this mod critical and trying moment, the Lord made provifion for every man to fave his own life. In con- nection with this, the prophet Ezekiel was fent to them with thefe words, * Have I any pleafure at all that the wicked mould 4 die ? faith the Lord God : and not that he mould return from his ways and live ? — Call away from you all your tranf- greflions, whereby ye have tranfgrefTed ; and make you a new heart and a new fpirit : for, why will ye die, O houfe of If- rael ? For I have no pleafure in the death of him that dieth, faith the Lord God : wherefore turn yourfelves, and live ye.' This untimely death, which they are fo warned againft and en* treated to efcape,this is fet forth to illuffrate the eternal death of tinners. And univerfalifts themfelves aliow this to be evidence that God has no pleafure in their eternal death. But, multitudes of thofe hardened Jews did die by the fword of the Chaldeans, and by famine, and by peftilence. And died in rebellion a- gainft the word of the Lord, even when he had made every pre- paration for their efcape, alfo warned and entreated them to turn and live. This removes all ground of objection as to the eter- nal death of the wicked, becaufe God has no pleafure in it. He had no pleafure in their temporal death. They however did die this death. Therefore they may die an eternal death, al- though God has no pleafure in it. Efpecially as their dying in this awful manner by the fword, by the famine, and by the pefti- lence, was a reprefentation of eternal ^eath. Under thofe terrible judgments and frowns of heaven, the Jews complained and faid, 'The way of the Lord is not equal. 't But God proved his way to be equal, by making provifion for each man to fave his life, by entreating them to turn and live, by declaring he had no pleafure in their death, and by making a difference between the righteous and the wicked. God proved his way to be equal by faving the righteous and deftroying the wicked ; whereby he fanclified his great name among the heath- en4 It * Heb. 4, u + Ezek. i8> 25. J Ezek. 36, 23. s86 Univerfalifm confounds and deflroys it/elf. It becomes univerfalifts to enquire candidly, whether they do not call the way of the Lord unequal. One material argu- ment of theirs is, that endlefs punifliment is inconfiftcnt with divine goodnefs, or inconfiftcnt with divine companion. And for this plain reafon, as they fay, becaufe God has no pleafure in the death of the wicked, or in their eternal death. This is ♦ he fawje as faying that it was inconfiftcnt and unequal for God to deftroy thole perverfe Jews with the fword of the Chaldeans ; when, at the fame time, he had no pleafure in their death. It is a fa£t, God did thus deft roy them, when he had no pleafure in their deftruclion. And their deftrucfion by the fword was given to reprefent eternal death. If therefore the latter is in- sonfiftent and unequal, fo is the former. If the endlefs dea.h of tinners is unequal, then that awful death by fword and famine, which illuftrates endlefs death, is unequal. * Behold, I fet * before you the way of life, and the way of death.' It is irn- poilible to fay that this does not fet forth and reprefent endlefs life and endlefs death. Univerfalifts themfelves allow it does. Let them attend but a moment, and they radft alfo alltw that many did die this terrible death, by the fword, by the pefti- lence, or by the famine, which does very ftrikirigly illuftrate theeverlafting torments of the damned. And that they died, in this terrible manner, rebelling againft the word of the Lord ; — and when the Lord had made provifion for them to lave their lives, and declared he had no pleafure in their death. This ex- ample is therefore right ageiifift- univerfalrfts, infleadof being in their favor. God actually does inflict, that kind of temporal death, which he has no pleafure in, (o he may inflict that eternal death, in which he has no pleafure. He fends upon the wicked fore judgments, as he had threatened to do. He cuts down hardened rebels, in the midfl of their rebellion, as he publicly declared he would do. Theie things confirm all the awful threatening* to the wicked, which will affurcdly be executed upon them in bell, unlefs they turn and live. V. Concerning the hardhearted Jews in his time, Chrifi faid, ' O Jerufalem, Jerufalem, thou thai killed: the prophets, and 4 ftonelt them which are fent unto th.ee, how often would I have * gathered thy children together, even' as a hen gathereth her * chickens under her wings, and ye would not ! Behold your 4 houfe is left unto you defoliate/* Again* ' When ye (hall lee * Jerufalem compafled with armies, then know that the defola- 4 tion thereof is nigh. Then let them which are in Judea flee to ' ihe mountains ; and let them which are in the midfl of it dq- * part * Matt, jg, co, si, 22 Univerfalifm confounds knd deftreys itfdf. «S/ ' part out ; and let not them that are in the countries enter ' there into. For thefe be the days of vengeance, that all things ' which are written may be fulfilled/*' Though this laft was fpoken to his difciples, and for their particular benefit, yet the whole nation either did or might have known it. It was be- caufe they refilled to hear if they were ignorant of this warning. But it cannot be denied that the Jews had every poffible warn- ing, and opportunity to efcape thefe days of vengeance ; and that the death of Chrift made provifion for this purpofe, fo as nothing flood in the way of their efcape but the wickednefs of their hearts. Befides, when thefe days actually came, divine providence then gave them the bell opportunities. Titus, the general of the Roman armies or army, Chrift alluded to above, was a man noted for his mildnefs of temper, as well as for his military fkill. And as he was feut to bring the revolting Jews back under the Roman government, io he eagerly fought, for his own honor, to preferve Jerufalem and the temple entire. — He therefore, when he furrounded the city, improved every occurrence and perfuafion to bring the inhabitants to honorable terms of peace. For this end he fent Jofephus, their country- man, again and again, to offer them their lives, liberties, and fortunes. But all in vain ; Jofephus and the terms he brought were only treated with fcorn. Titus, however, as though he were deaf to their infults, when he had taken the fecond wall of the city, and was about to make a breach in the third and laft, firfl gave them one more generous offer. And when he had ad- vanced fo far as to take the tower of Antonia, the laft defence of the temple and two chief divifions of the city, he even then repeated the fame kind offer. And when he entered the upper divifion, which decided the fate of this devoted place, nothing but their daring infults prevented giving his right hand, or granting them pardon. Now when Titus had thefe wretched Jews completely in his power, and when unheard of evils and barbarities among themfelves, had reduced them to the utmoft itraits, their refufal of his laft offer did but declare to the world their horrid madnefs. But thefe repeated offers, which provi- dence gave them, witneffed to the univerfe the love and pity the companionate Redeemer bore towards them. Thefe offers of aftonifhing kindnefs declared the fame bowels ot mercy as when Chrift wept over them ; and that he had freely given his life a ran fom to deliver them ; but they would not ! This rafh- nei's and madnefs of the Jews in refufing, h repeatedly, to favc their * Luke „:. ao. at, 52. 2§3 Vnivtrfalijm eonfsunds And dejfroys it/elf. their natural lives, alfo illuftrates tha fool -hard inefs of finners % who, time and again,, rejeft immortal life. But the juftice ol God is one thing remarkable, in this place. And the evils brought on thefe miferable wretches, the Jews, clid not exceed their crimes. The whole body of them, with few exceptions, had grown up to the mod enormous height of v/ickednefs. It was not a grouncHefs opinion, when jofephu* faid, ' That neither did any other city ever fuffer fuch miferies, * nor did any age ever breed a generation more fruitful in wick- 5 ednefs than this was from the beginning of the world.'* * It * brought forth a generation of men much more atheiftical than * the Sodomites. 'f Neither was it mere affertion for Titus to reprefent them as the greateft monfters of iniquity, the fun ever before fhined upon. \ Their cruelty and favage brutality to- wards each other, while they were {hut up by the fiegc, far ex- ceeded every thing that went before. But the evils they fufhy- ed from the Romans, efpecially from one another, were a fulfil- ment of Chrirl's words. ' Then fbail be great tribulation, fuch s as was not fince the beginning of the world to this time; no,nor ever mail be.'§ All former evils were, feemingly, a fhadow compared to thefe. So that thefe were eminently days of ven- jrcance ; as God before threatened by Mofes, ' I will heap * mifchiefs upon them ; I will fpend mine arrows upon them. 'f The awful judgments of heaven were, in a fenfe, combined to- gether. The greateft of all judgments, which is the famine, carried off upwards of one million. What aggravated this evil,, in their rage again ft each ofer, they burnt down, with their own hands, their principal (lores of provifion ; and this juft before the efetire nation was ffiut up in the city, by Titus. The* famine, therefore, rofe to fuch a degree, that they were burnt with hunger, and devoured with burning heat and with bitter deft ruction. Then was alfo fulfilled that mod doleful predic- fion, That tender and delicate women mould eat their own in- fants which they bare, and for the want of all things, eat them fecretly ;!| in the utmoft fear left; even this, horridly unnatural food, would be fnatched from them, by others that were burnt with the fame hunger. But when God thus heaped mifchiefs upon them, and fpent his arrows upon them, it was no more than anfwerable to their crimes ; it was but deftroying thefe monfters, which the e.ir'h would no longer bear. The good of mankind, and the long abufed patience of God, evidently re~ quired their deftrtiCHon. In this light it was taken by the neighboring * jaw. war, B. V. Ch. 10. + Ibid, Ch. 13. t Se* Ibid, B. VI, 6, 3." § Matt. 24,21- 5 Deut. oe, 23. || Dcut. 28, 56, 57. Univtrfal'ifm confounds and dejiroys itfelf. i$o :ieighboring nations, and by the whole world. Even Titus, an idolater, after he had taken the city, faid, ' We have certainly had God for our afliftant in this war, and it was no other than God who ejecled the Jews #u.t of ihefe fortifications ; for what could the hands of men do towards overthrowing thefe tow- ers ?'* And when the neighboring nations offered Titus the; moil honorable prefents, for fubduing and deftr^ying the Jews n the manner he did, he faid, • He was not worthy of fuch an honor, nor had he himfelf done that great work. He had on- ly lent his hand to the fervice of God, when he was pleafed to (hew his difpleafure.'f . All thefe things came upon the Jews, as was foretold fhould come, becaufe they killed the prophets and floned them that were fent unto them .; and, to finifh their guilt, imbrued their hands in the blood of the Son of God. Becaufe they treated Chrift, the prophets and apoftles in the manner they did, they wer« left to a£r. out the moflhorrid cruelties among themfelves, and to all other evils they fuifered. God brought, on them, ag Chrift had foretold, all the righteous blood that had been lhed from the foundation of the world. God raifed up thefe devoted wretches for this fame purpofe, to difplay his vengeance upon them, * God gave them the fpir- * it of {lumber, eyes that they mould not fee, and ears that they * mould not hear.' The Lord fent upon them to the uttermoft what was foretold by the prophet : * Go, and tell this people, * Heai ye indeed, but underftand not ; fee ye indeed, but per- ' ceive not. Make the heart of this people fat, Sec. 9 Thus the Lord hardened their hearts. Theyalfo hardened their own hearts, and ripened themfelves for this deftru6fion. * But through their * fall falvation is come unto the Gentiles. — The fall of them is 4 the riches of the world, and thediminifhing of them the richea ' of the Gentiles.' Divine wifdom made their fall to be the occa- fion of calling and building up the Gentile church, The ven- geance of heaven poured upon them, and the heavy judgment the Jews lie under to this' day, for their horrid (in againft Chrift and his difciples ; thefe things alfo remain a {landing witnefs to his people, and to the world, that Chrift is the real Mefiiah. This tremendous event, the overthrow of the Jews, their city and temple, is given to llluftrate the final overthrow and doom of all the wicked, at the genera! judgment. Chrift improves it for this purpofe, as we fee by comparing the xxivth and xxvth Chap, of Matt, together. The fearful figns, foreboding the N n deftrucHon * ]. War, B. VI, 6, o. t Philoftrstus, as cued by Rer. Rd. p. >7 c, zgo Univirfalifm confounds and dcjlroys it/elf, definition of Jerufalem, look forward to the end of the world ; or will then be acted over again. The manner of Chrift's com- ing to take vengeance on the Jews, is given by the fame figure, as when he comes to judge the world. ' As the lightning com- * eth out of the eaft, and fhineth even unto the weft ; fo (hall 1 alfo the coming of the fon of man be.'* The fame figure in 2 Thef. i, 3, defcribes his coming at the judgment day. Ef- pecially his gathering together his elecl from the four winds, and feparating the righteous from the wicked, when Jerufalem was deftroyed ; this ftrikingly illuftrates the general judgment. And there are feveral other circumflances to the fame purpofe. As, therefore, every provifion was made to fave the Jews from this deftruction, and they would not be faved from it, fo it will ap- pear at the final judgment. For the former illuftrates the latter. The jews were devoured with hitter deftruction, divine ven- geance took them away, notwithftinding full atonement. So t at thelafl day, full atonement will appear to have been made for all on the left hand of the Judge ; their own fin, and nothing elfe, placing them in this condemnation. Then will thefe words of Chrift applv, verily to fuck as have had the gofpel, ' How 1 often would I have gathered you ! how often would I have re- * deemed you, and ye would not /' Then will juflice alfo be fees without a covering ; the great Judge convincing the world of the holinefs of his law and the evil of fin. Divine juftice once appeared at Jerufalem, and that it was for the good of mankind to rid the earth of thofe m^nfters of iniquity, How much more clearly will it be fcen, and for the public good, when the Judge of ad mall pronounce this fentence, * Depart from * me, ye curfed, into everlafting fire, prepared for the devil and * his angels ?' tuft before the Romans burntdown the temple, fet Jerufalem on'hrc,and flaughtered the Jews by thoufands.till theygrew weary xvith killing ; juft before this awful crifis,the Jews boafted aloud, ' That theydid never fear the taking of the city, becaufe it wasGod'S * own city. That yet this temple would be preferved by him that * inhabited therein, whom they ftill had for their afliflant in this f war.'r This they faid, when they were in open rebellion againft God, even fighting againft. him with all their ftrength. So finners boaft aloud of full atonement, and that this will moft certainly deliver them from cndlefs death, and exalt them to immortal life. This they make' their boaft, even when they are trampling un. der foot the blood of the Son of God. Dr. Huntington, as we have * Matt 24, £7. + J. War, B. v, $ ; 9 ; and 1). vi, 6, 2. Univtrfalifm confounds and dejlroys itfdf. . £91 hare feen in Letter 6, Part I, takes thefe words, * Thefe fhall go away into everlajling punifhment* in a myftical fenfe ; — and to be a promife to all men that they (hall, at the laft great day, be exalted to heaven, and feated in eternal happinefs and glory. So might the Jews have taken all the woes and curfes denounced againft them, by Mofes and the prophets, Chrift and the apoftles, in a myftical ienfe ; and to be promifes of eminent profperity, inftead of days of vengeance ; this they might have done, and been, lfpoflihje, guilty of ft ill greater madnefs than they were. But when the definition of the old world by a flood, the deftruction of Sodom by fire, efpecially the laft de- ftru6f ion of Jerufalem ; when thefe fa£ls are taken to ill ufl rate the final doom of the wicked, then to take the final doom of the wicked as a promife of good, even everlafting good in heaven, is fuch a grofs perverfion of common fenfe, as can be accounted for only on this principle, men love darknefs rather than light. The important ends we now fee, occafioned by the cafting a- way of the jews, and the evils attending this noted event. Di- vine juftice is hereby vindicated before angels and men, and throughout all ages. God proves himfclf to be no refpecler of perfons. Even his own favorite people, the children of Abra- ham, are not fpared. They are judged and pumfhed according to their crimes. Providence finds out their (in ; the world read it in their punifhment. This anfwers an important end relative to the divine character. It is moft important indeed for their punifhment to find out their fin againfl the Lord Jefus. So as to exhibit his crucifiers and murderers to open view. When therefore, God does his flrange work, and brings to pafs his ftrange acl: ; when he brings on them fuch great tribulation as was not from the beginning to this time, nor fhall be again while time lafls ; the world then enquire, ' Wherefore hath the Lord * done this ? What meaneth the heat of this great anger ?'* — Becaufe they fhed the blood of the prophets, and, to finifh their guilt, fhed the blood of the Son of God. This gives public ev- idence who is the Son of God. This diftinguifhed judgment upon them ferves to fhow the Saviour of men to the world. The cafting away of the Jews is of courfe the riches of the world :— As well becaufe the Meffiah is hereby marked out to the world, as that his kingdom is transferred from the Jews to the Gentiles. The rejection of the Jews is alfo equally important in another view : it neceffarily precedes their being grafted again into Chrift, " Drwt 29, 14. 1 uqi Univerfalifm confounds and dejir$ys itftlf. Chrirt. This will be as lift from the dead. ' If the calling * away of them be the reconciling of the world, what fhall thS 6 receiving of them be, but life from the dead ?'* They will return, and publicly, and joyfully own him for their God and Saviour, whom they have hated and crucified. Inflead of crowning him with thorns, they will crown him with glory and honor. The hand, and power, and wifdom, and grace of th« Redeemer, will then be io vifible, as that the world will know the Father hath Tent the Son. This life from the dead, will arife principally from having fuch clear evidence that the def- pifed Galilean is the true Median, and God over all. Thus the great good which arifes out of evil. Again, for fallen men to have conilantly before them in the gofpel, a reprefenta- tive and lllullration of the great Day of Judgment, is matter of high importance indeed. All thefe valuable ends are eflecled or occaiioned by the fall and overthrow of that nation. And the good which arifes out of the evil, we fee at once, far exceeds the evil. Befides, God would not fend thefe fore evils, efpecially on his own vifible people, if all the fame valuable ends could be anfwered without. God certainly would not fo harden their hearts, or leave them to harden their own hearts, and ripen themfelvcs for that Jreadful dekvuefion, could the fame, great good be otherwife effected. And they have been given up to judicial blindnefs and unbelief for nearly two thoufand years.— The apoftle Paul was deeply affected with their cafe. He had great heavinefs and continual forrow of heart for his kinfmen according to the flem. And he appears to be hardly reconciled to the awful providence, in their overthrow. Or he appears to view it as a deep my fiery, till he fees the good arifing out of the evil. He then breaks out in acclamations of joy and praife.— * Behold therefore the goodnefs and fevcrity of God ; on them * which fell fevcrity ; but toward thee, goodnefs, if thou con- tinue in his goodnefs. — For God hath concluded them all in * unbelief, that he might have mercy upon all. O the depth of J the riches both of the wifdom and knowledge of God ! how * unfear enable are his judgments, and his ways pall finding out.'t But, if the punifhmeut of the wicked, in this world, is the occauon of good to the righteous, why n»t the fame in the com- ing world ? If the mod awful punifhment is fent on the wicked, here in time, to effect the molf important ends to the righteous, why not the fame in eternity ? If this punifhment, in time, is' alfo ; * Rom. 11, 15. f Rom. u, 2a ; 32, 31. Univerfalifm confounds and dejtroys itjelf. 292 • alio ncceflary, or the fame good could not arife without it, why is not punilhment on the wicked necefTary for the good of the righteous, in eternity ? This punilhment in this world is con- fident with complete atonement. This punilhment in this world is to convince the world that complete atonement has been made, and to mark out the Mefiiah who has made it. Net only fo, the fame conviction and means of conviclion could not be had with- out this punilhment. ' Scripture allures us, the fame molt Valu- able ends will be anfweied by the endlefs puuifhment of the damned \ and that thefe ends could not otherwife be anfwered. To give the higheft poflible evidence, and to make it every way clear, that Chrift is God-man, has died, has brought in ever 1 - lafting righteoufnefs ; lor this, God heaps mifchicl on his cru- cifiers, m\AJpends >\\\s arrows upon them. This is given, as we have juft feen, to illuftrate to us what Goal does in hell. It is accordingly evident, when God pours out kis wrath to the ut- termoit on the damned, it is to anfwer the fame moft valuable purpofe — to make known the riches of divine glory on the vef- fels ot mercy.* 1 " When atonement is made, it is necefTary the world fhould know it is made. The latter is as necefTary as the former, elfe the good ends could not be effected by the atonement. What would it avail tor atonement to be made, and the knowledge of it hid from the world ? One great mean to communicate this knowledge is that tremendous judgment on thofe who imbrued their hands in the blood of Chrift. And it is certain, without this judgment poured updn'them, one efTential mean of knowl- edge would be wanting. To give the moll; complete knowl- edge of Chrift and his death, this judgment executed, is, in its place, as ncceflary therefore, as the death of Chrift. This judgment of courfe, becaufe necefTary in its place, is in the higheft fenfe confiftent with fall atonement. Which clearly argues the mifcry of the damned to be necefTary in its place, and therefore in the higheft fenfe confiftent with full atonement.— For this awful judgment on the Jews is given as a linking im- age or reprefentation of a more awful judgment on the damned. As the former was neceffary for the end juft ftated, fo is the lat- ter. The neceflity of the image or reprefentation determines the neceflity oi the thing reprefented. " Not only (o f when God executes upon the damned, it is direclly faid, he does it ■ to * fhow his wrath, and to make his power known. 't And when the fmoke of their tormeMt afcendeth up, the faints in heaven behold * Rom. 9, sg. t R»m. ck %i 294 Univerfalijm confounds and dcjlroys itftif. behold it, and afcribe unto God and the Lamb, ' Salvation, and glory, and honor, and power.'* Thus the grcatnefs of the punifhment heaped on thofe in hell, who have defpifed Chriii on earth, is one neceiTary mean to make known more diftinctly in hsayen who is the Mefliah ; as well the infinite worthinefs, dignity, and glory of his perfon. What ia more confiftent with complete atonement than for Chriftto reveal, in every fen fe, his own divine fullnefs ? And what more confident than the necef- fary means to effect, the defired end ? VI. Another facl pertinent to our prefent purpofe is the cafe of Judas. None can deny that this traitor had equal means and advantages with the reft of the apoitles ; and that the atonement opened the way of falvation for him as well as for the reft. But Judas is called the fori of perdition : * None of them is loft, but * the fori of perdition. '+ Now if he was put into & purgatory Hate, immediately after death, as Dr. Chauncy pretends, he could not be loft. If death placed him in a fecond ftate of pro- bation, one far better for obftinate finners than the prefent, he could not then be called ' the fon of perdition. 3 Perdition frauds oppofed tofalvation, or it has no meaning. Unlefs Dr. C. allows this, it is vain for him to tell of falvation. Should he fay, Chnft came to fave that which is loft, which includes all men ; the above words of Chriif declare the oppofitft as to one man. But here it is remarkable, Judas * by tranfgr^ffion fell' fiom the fame diftinguiilied gifts and graces, as thofe mentioned in Heb. vi, 4, 5, 6. Tbefe had tailed oi the heavenly gift, and of the good word of God. Taftedzs Balaam did ; and as the irony ground hearers, who had no root in themfelvcs. Thefc alfo were made partakers of the powers of the world to come, of the coming age or gofpel flate ; and partakers of the Holy Ghoft ; that is, they had received miraculous gifts. Ail which agrees with the cafe of Judas. As Judas, however, received part of the miniftry and anodic-dip with the other eleven, fo he is plac- ed at the head of thefe spoliates ; noted with this chara6ler, the Jon of perdition. This cafe of his proves it to be a fa£f, that fome do ■ fall away,' fo as ' it is impofiible to renew them a- gain unto repentance.' Tin's is further manifeft from the 7th and 8th verfes of Heb. vi. ' For the earth which drinketh in 6 the rain that cometh oft upon it, and bringeth forth herbs meet ' for them by whom it is drefled, receiveth blefiiug from God : 1 But that which bcarekh thorns and briars is rejected, and is ' nigh 1+ R.CV. 19, g. t John, 17. 12. Univerfalifm ednfounds &nd deftroys itftlf %gj * nigh unto curling ; whofe end is to be burned.' This is tak- ing of it for granted that thofe apoilates did then exift. See a- gain, verfe otb : * But, beloved, we are perfuaded better things 4 of you, and things that accompany falvation.' Thefe latter had, or appeared to have, grace in their hearts, things which accompany falvation. Therefore the apoftle was perfuaded they never would fall away, after the manner of the former. This interpretation of thefe texts in Hebrews, it is well known 3 is denied. Some divines, allowed to be well acquainted with' fcripture, hold that the apoltle is here fpeaking hypothetical!/ or making a fuppofition of a cafe, which, at the fame lime, nev- er exiftsi That is, if true believers in Chrifl (hou\A fall away, whereas they never do, it would be impoffiblc to renew them again unto repentance.* This fenfe of the pafTage, to fay the leaft, appears to be embarraffed. Should this be granted, how- ever, to be the apoftle's meaning, ftill the fame is faid of Ahi- thophel and Judas ; they cannot be renewed unto repentance. — * Add iniquity unto their iniquity ; and let them not come into * thy righteoufnefs. Let them be blotted out of the book of the * living, and not written with the righteous. Let their eyes be 4 darkened that they fee not. Pour out thine indignation upon 1 them ; and let thy wrathful anger take hold of them. — Let * there be none to extend mercy unto him. When he fhall be * judged, let him be condemned; and let his prayer become ' fin.'f Thus David prays to the Lord againft his enemies.— Which prayer is interpreted in the New Teftament as a proph- ecy againii Ahithophel and Judas ; and was executed upon them. They therefore are paft all recovery. They are cut off from divine mercy, none to extend mercy unto tkem ; being given over to the wrathful anger of almighty God. It is alf-j impofilble to renew them by the fpirit of grace. Let them not come into tiiy righteoufnefs. When he fhall be judged, let him be condemn-ed ; or, as in the margin, when he fhall be tri- ed by fore judgments, let him go out guilty or wicked ; and let his prayer become fin. Agreeably to C brill's words, 'He 1 that fhall blafpheme againft the Holy Ghofr, hath never for. givenefs.'J The plain language is, their prayer mall never be any * Repentance often means outward reformation. * The men of Nineveh repented ;* the whole body ol them outwardly reformed. From this fort of repentance, or from external righteouinefs, men may fall ; but from faving grace, or evangelical re- pentance they never do fall. Therefore, this hippo fed reneu unto repent- ance does not prove that they before had penitent hearts ; nothing can be argued from this mode of fpeaking. x feiai, 69, 83, 27, aS, and, jog, 7.. t*. % Mark. $, 2^ 2$6 Univcrfaljfm conjeunds and itftnys itfeif. any other than /£// — They iliall never come into Chrift/s right* roufncfs, or be clothed with bis righteoufnefs — They mail nev- er, to eternity, he renewed by the Holy Ghoft. Thefe traitors., being claffed with fuch as commit the unpardonable fin, have this mod awful fentence pa fled upon them while they are ftil! Jiving. Thus fcripture afTures us, feme men, among whom Judas Sands at the head, are, even before they depart this life, irre- coverably loft. They cannot pofTibly be faved by the renewing- of the Holy Ghoft. Their end is to be burned. Their final ftate is a irate of mod exquifite torment. Their doom, Jp inex- preflibly dreadful, is pronounced upon them while they remain in this world. And Judas's torment began in this world. in fome degree. Becaufe he had betrayed the innocent blood, his con- fcience fo pierced him, and preyed upon him, that he was driv- en to k.y violent hands en himfeif, and thus put an end to his own wretched life by another horridly wicked deed. In oppo- sition to the whole word of God, fome men have the hardinefs to fay, As none ever returned from hell, to give an account of that place, and as it is wholly invifible to mortal eyes ; fo we, have no certain knowledge about it ; and it is vain to talk of that we know 3 it tie or nothing about. But the cafe of Judas, and other like cztes, give us as linking a refemblance of hell torments, as can he of fervice to us in this world. The impoffibility of renewing thefe apoflates to repentance does not, however, arife from fome deficiency in the atonement. No Cm can be fo great as to exceed the righteoufnefs of Chrift. Neither is it becaufe the holy fpirit is unable to change their heart*. God has all hearts in his hand, as the clay is in the hand of the Potter. But, for wife ends, God determines them ior perdition. It is his determination which makes it impofiible for them to be restored to faivation. Blafpheming againft the Holy Ghoft, or whatever amounts to the unpardonrblc fin,* is above ail others deftru&ive to chriftianity .t Accordingly, God has * Seine confine this fin wholly to words. But if we attend f Pl'al. 69, and 109 ; fo to what is faid ui other places of Ahithophel and Judas, to what Chrift lays of his crucifiers in his prayer, ' lasher, forgive them, for they know not what they do ;' to what the apcftle Paul lays of his persecuting the faints, yet obtained he mercy, becaufe he did it ignorantly ; to what the apbftle John fays of the fin unto, death ; attention So thefe things may, perhaps, fhow us that cbnduft as well as words come into the avnount,and, in fome cafes, coafiitute a material part of the unpardonable fin. i Ah ithophel hateii David with a mortal hatred. He coolly and deliberately fought his deftruction becaufe of his remarkable piety and brokenneis of heart. In eppofition to the cleare'ft light of his own c'On'lcience, Ahithophel branded David's lingular afts of humiliation with infamy, calling thetn hypocrify. • When I (Da- cpt, andchaftehed my foul with falling, that was to my reproach. My km«£ Univerfalifm confounds and deftroys itfclf igy has fet a double guard againft this fin, by declaring, It fhali never be forgiven. Hence the fentence of perdition is patted, irrevocably patt- ed, and before they die, on fuch as have had the beft advanta- ges for eternal life. It was as free for Judas to have received the grace of lift in his heart, as it was for the reft of the apoftles. The atonement provided all outward means, motives and offers for him, as well as for them. The gift of grace, and all need- ed grace, was as freely offered to Ahithophel as to David. Both of thefe traitors were fubjecis of the cleared: conviclion. It was as free for them to have a&ed agreeably to the light of their own confcience, as to have exerted all their malice of heart againft this light. Such as received miiaculous gifts by the Holy Ghoft, it was equally free for each one of them to have received the Holy Ghoft as their fan6lifier, and been partakers of thofe better things which accompany falvation. — Thefe noted fcripture facts illuitrate and eftablifh the point before us. Full atonement for all is therefore confident with the endlefs perdition of Jome of our fallen race. From the laft recited faft we are led, VII. To detect the wrong ufe made by univerfalifts of Rom* v, 18 ; and to apply this text to our prefent object. — ? There- * fore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to * condemnation ; even fo by the righteoufnefs of one the Jree 6 gift came upon all men unto justification of life.' It is im- poflible this free gift mould come on all men, fo as to fecure each individual in juftification of eternal life. Some do fall in- to that flate from which they never can be recovered to eternal life ; or they never can be renewed again to repentance, which amounts to the fame. This text, therefore, does nothing to- wards proving the falvation of all men. To affert it does, is making of it contradicl what we havejuft feen of the unpardon- able fin. And to make one part of fcripture contradicl another proves nothing. — Such as profefs Chr^it, have been once en- O o lightened ' arc weak through falling • and my flefa faileth of fatnefs. I becime alio a reproach * unto them ; when they looked upon me they fhaked their heads. They have re- * warded me evil for good , and hatred for my love. — He remembered not to fhew 1 mercy, but perfecuted the poor and needy man, that he might even flay the broken 'in heart.' Now, for the moft diftinguimed a£b of devotion and humiliation, the fpecial fruits of the holy fpirit, for theie to be ftigmatized with hypocrify, as the work of Satan, what can be more ckftru&ive to religion ? And a profefkd friend to David, and the firft counfe'-lor of the nation to do this ? Not only fo, ILhithophers counfel for Abfalom to commit inceft with his father's wives was the fame as coun- felling to do evil that good might come. But in Ahithophel and David we have types of Chrift and Judas, and the greater fin of Judas, as Chrift was the antitype of David. Again, blafphemy againft the Holy Ghoft is moft deftruftive. To call the. work of the Holy Spirit, the work of the devil, tendi dire& y to fitbvert thejofpel. 293 tfnivcrfailifui confounds and dzjlroys itfelf. lightened, have rejoiced tor a while, have received miraculous gifts, or have been partakers of the powers of the world to come, which is the gofpel ftate ; if fuch openly reject Chriil,fo as to join in his crucifixion, or perfecute his difciples, it is im- pofTible they fhould ever be reftored to falvatiorKor to repent- ance. It cannot be denied that Judas h?A all thefe qualifica- tions, gifts and graces ; but not having grace in his heart he fell away. It cannot be denied, from what we have jlift fecn foretold of him out of the book of Pfalms, that he fell beyond the utmoft reach of recovery. This free gift therefore cannot come on all men, in fuch fort as to fecure the eternal falva'tion of each individual. This one exception of Judas is enough, were there nothing elfe, to filence univerfalifh. This one ex- ception of Judas muft compel us to look out for fome other meaning to this text in Romans, than what is taught us by uni- verfalifts. ' Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon aU ' men to condemnation ; even fo by the righteoufnefs of one the free gift came upon all men to j unification of life.' Granting the free gift to be expreflive of the fullnefs of the atonement, it muft then be eonfidered as univerfal as the ' condemnation.'— There is fome reafon, at lead, to interpret the free gift, in this place, in this univerfal fenfe : that is, that it comes on all men without exception. For the * offence of otiods and chattels as the other. Hence, character makes the de- eiiion, in both ca'.cs. But our ei e - 'es at open war with us, as the cate might be, ivive forfeited their right to property ; i. c, it is lawful for us to take their goods and chattels wherever found. In one Laic, therefore, it is rigkr, in another it is wrong, l<> lay hands on property wherever we can. And nothing but character decides the right snd wrong. And in every imaginable cafe, the char.i&er of him to whom the coed is done muff be taken in, to eft'unatc the moral quality of the deed. -0thcrwifc *ien arc levelled with bruUte. Univerfalifm confounds and dejlroys itfetf. 309 ai the idea of Gripping men of their characters, whether civil or religious ; fo ftripping them wholly of their rights, both natural and moral ; and leaving them upon a par with the beads of the field. The character of God, therefore, rauft be confidered as the rule or ground," in deciding the evil of fin. If it is not, he is robbed of his character. If it is not, how is he treated accord- ing to his character ? And how is fin an injury to his character ? Certainly, to find out the nature of an injury, we rnuft have re- course to the obje6t injured. Not only fo, to difregard the value of the object injured, is treating of it as though it were of no value. Again, if the divine character be not the rule or ground to decide in this cafe, what rule have we ? Why is fia againft God an evil, unlefs it be againft a Being of worth, and excel- lence ? Scripture alfo, throughout, ftates things in the fame light. It is becaufe the Lord is God, that fin againft him is finful. It is becaufe of his worth, excellence, and importance ; in other words, the dignity of his character. Therefore, as all fin is a- gainft God, and as he is a Being of infinite worth, excellence, and importance ; fo fin againft him is an evil immtnfely great ; confequently deferving endlefs punifhment. To deny this is ftriking directly at the dignity of the divine character. It is robbing God of all his glory. For we rauft give him his lull character, or we ftrip him of each divine attri- bute. His honour is infinitely facred and valuable. That which dilhonours him is, of courfe, an infinite evil. Therefore, as fin is diftionourarv to him, fo it is an infinite evil, or one im- meafurably great. But, to deny this, is faying that an injury to. his chara£rer is not an infinite evil : therefore his honour is not of infinite value : therefore he is no longer God ! To treat a daring infult to a chief ruler as an ordinary offence, or as though it were done to the loweft of Subjects, goes to trample on his high authority ; as well as to declare he has either loft his char- ter, or never had one. Is it, therefore, degrading to a chief ruler, and on account of his high ftation and character, to fay- that an infult to him is not an high-handed offence ? How much more, to argue that a difhonour done to the Molt High is not an incalculable evil ? Eliphaz faid to Job, ' Is not thy wickednefs * great ? and thine iniquities infinite f't — pofitively afferting that they were. Which muft be taken literally, as a juft defi- nition of all fin, as all fin is againft God. Hence, the infinite demerit of fin is plain, or it evidently deferves an interminable punifhment. 5. The unlimited evil of fin, and its defert of endlefs punifh- ment, * Job 22. 5. 310 Univerfalifm confounds and dejfroys itfelf* merit, is apparent from its evil tendency. Sin leads to evil. Sia tends to nothing but evil. This is the nature of all fin, tending only to do mifchief. It tends to do the greatefl mifchief am&ng rational beings. Indeed, fin would actually effe6l infinite or everlafting mifchief in the community, were it not prevented by fuperior force. For certainly, lying, theft, adultery, murder and every viola- tion of God's law, directly goes to deftroy the happinefs of focie- ty. As difeafes go to deftroy the health of human bodies, fo does fin the happinefs of bodies politic. Not only fo, fin robs the individual who commits it, orthefinner, of all true happi- nefs. It leads him off from God, the only fource of real good. It renders his breaft, his whole foul, the feat of vexation, And woe. ' The wicked are like the troubled fea.'* And as fin is opppfed to holinefs, fo it is oppofed to the holy happinefs of the righteous. It would root out and deftroy all their happinefs, could it have its natural courfe. Did not God inferpofe, it would make the righteous everlaftingly miferable. This is exemplified by the conduct of Cain, in flaying his broth- er Abel, * And wherefore flew he him ? Becaufe his own * works were evil, and his brother's righteous. 't It is here re- markable, Cain's hatred, in this inftance, was unbounded. He fought to annihilate his brother's holinefs and happinefs. It can- not be fuppofcd that he defired to make him miferable for a time only, and that he might afterwards become holy and happy. It was becaufe his own works were evil, and his brother's righteous, that he flew him. Which was a clear exhibition of hatred to all righteoufnefs, as well as an exertion to put a final end to his brother's righteoufnefs. This mortal hatred alfo has all the ap- pearance of feeking the greateft poflible evil, to innocent Abel. And this was the fame as for Cain to will and endeavour his e- ternal mifery. This unbounded hatred, as it appears, would, it poflible, treat every righteous perfon in the fame manner. But the cafe before us is placed beyond difpute, by tke conduct of fatan when he beguiled Eve. J The old ferpent then evidently- exerted himfelf, to entail on our whole race, eternal evil. And the reafon why his envy and malice was fo kindled againft Adam andEve,w2s their innocency ; their holinefs, and their confequent happinefs. This is evident from the character fcripture every where gives of fatan. As all fin is of one kind, fo it is all join- ing with fatan in every thing he does ;. efpecially in that noted aft of feducing our firft parents. Hence, all fin tends to effect the greateft mifchief in the community. And would certainlf frring endlefs mifery upon all the righteous, were it not prevented. In * Ifai. 57. 20. t 1 John 3. 12. £ Gen. 3. 13. Vniverfalifin confounds and dejlroys itfelf. $ii In like manner, fin or finners would, if they could, deftroy the happinefs of God himfelf, and make him eternally miferable. 4 The fool hath faid in his heart, No God.'* This can mean nothing elfe than that the fool, or finner, wifhes the infinite God cither to be {truck out of being, or made forever miferable. That finners carry their refentment io high, as to wifh the latter, ap- pears from the motive which fiirred up the Jews to crucify Chrift. And the main thing that ftimulated the Jews to this horrid deed, was, becaufe he made himjelf God ; and proved himfelf to be God, equal with the Father. t Again, after the Jews had ftrik- ing conviction Chrift was rifen from the dead, they itill exert- ed themfelves to have the world think he was a deceiver ; that * his difciples came by night and ftole him away.' Which was to fix an everlafting ftain upon his character ; fo to make him everlaflingly wretched and miferable. This notorious fact, the Jews' treatment of Chrift, proves how wicked men hate God, and how they would treat him» could they have him in their pow- er.' For the Jews' hatred to Chrift was kindled into rage, when he declared and proved himfelf to be God. Chrift faid of them, ' They have both feen, and hated both me and my Father. 'J It was God they hated ; it was the Lord Jehovah whom they wifhed to plunge into endlefs mifery and. difgrace. Chrift put himfelf into a capacity of fuflering pain, fhame, and death ; that the world might know what fin is, how finners hate God and how they would treat him, were they able. All fin is of the fame nature, tending to the fame mifchievous end, and joining with i.he betrayer and crucifiersof Chrift. Hence, the unlimited evil of fin, from its tendency to do e- vil, and nothing but evil, is ftrikingly evident. Certainly, that which tends to the entire deftru£lion of happinefs, in foci- ety ; that which tends to root out all holinefs ; and to make an- gels and faints, even God himfelf, miferable without end ; if this be not an unlimited evil, it is impoffible to fay what is. A punifhment, therefore, inflicled on finners, fhort of endlefs, would be infinitely lefs than they deferve. Furthermore, no propofition can be plainer than this, fin is •ppofition to holinefs. And this oppofition is an aclive oppofi- tion, with its whole ftrength afting againft holinefs, and tend- ing to deftroy it. How can fin be fin unlefs it is hurtful and deftru£Hve to holinefs ? Where is the moral evil of fin, unlefs it is deftruclive to moral good ? And how is fin deftructive to holinefs, * This is the original reading of Pfal. 14. 1, and 53. 1. ► Matt. 16. 63—66. Luke 22. 67—71 John j. 18, and 8. 58, 59, and 10. 31—3^ §12 Univerfalifm confounds and deflroys iifelj . holinefs, unlefs the ftrength of the former is exerted againft the latter ? And how is fin altogether finful, unlefs its whole ftrength is fet againit holinefs ? Hatred to God carries in it a diftinft idea of active oppofition to God. iLnmity againft God is ftrength exerted againft God. Where there is no ftrength ex- erted againft God, there can be no enmity againft him. This hatred or enmity againft God is wholly pointed againft his holi- nefs, or becaufe he is an holy God. To fuppofe otherwife would be denying (in to be fin. The tinner dreads the power of God, but this is becaufe he expe£ts God will employ his power in an holy manner. Could he expect God would em- ploy his power in a finful manner, agreeably to his own finful withes, he would then have no dread of his almighty power, nor hatred towards it. Of com fe it is ultimately the holinefs of God which is hated by the tinner, and which the tinner withes to deftro^; The tinner feeks his own good, as the firft and higheft good, in his own view. Beloved felf is his idoi. His whole heart and foui is bound up in felt-gratification. He is fenfible he cannot attain his end, while the law ot God, the providence of God, or God himfelf ftands in his way. He would have divine providence, the divine law, and even the great Lawgiver yield to his own individual intereft. He would have all bow to him. He longs to live in this world forever, and make this world his own. So he would entirely fruftrate the holy decrees and counfels of Heaven, and therefore make the holy God eternally wretched. — We thall now attend to the following objetlions : 1. It is urged that no fuch evil, as was juft mentioned, ever can come on faints and angels, or on the divine Being. God is infinitely above the reach of rebel men ; and none of his ene- mies can interrupt his eternal happinefs, or hurt him in the leaft degree ; neither is it poflible the righteous thould fail of eternal life. Not only fo, God will eventually over-rule all the fin in the world for his own glory, and for the greateft good of his chofen people. Why then thould tinners deferve to be punifh- ed, as it they had actually effected infinite evil, when the evil tendency of what they do, and their criminal endeavors are wholly fruftrated, and no fuch evil is ever brought about ? Dr. Huntington urges this as an argument againft future punifhment, page 217, 220. Anfwer — Thr- objection contradifts common fenfe. \ The ' crime is not to be eftimated by the evil that is aclually effected * by it ^ but by the nature and tendency of what is done, and * the Univerfaliftn conjounds and dejlroys it/elf, 313 f . the aim of the criminal. Though the evil confequence be ' prevented, and it be not in the power of the criminal to erTe£l * it ; yet, if he does what he can to accomplifh it, his crime is * to be cttimated, by his manifeft difpofition, and the tendency ' of what he does. If a fubje£l attempts to take away the life of * a king ; or from difafFeclion to him, does that which tends to ' deflroy him, and would do it, were he not prevented ; though * the life of the king be not hurt, and the attempt wholly mifcar- ' ries ; yet he is juflly condemned as guilty of high treafon, and 4 punifhed accordingly.'* — * The finner does all he can to de- * throne his Maker, and render him infinitely miferable, and ruin * his kingdom forever : Every fin has a ftrong and mighty ten- * dency to this ; and no thanks to the (inner, that this infinite e- * vil has not been effected, by his rebellion : And is his crime ' not (o great, beeaufe the evil is prevented, by the infinite pow- *. er and wifdom of God ? He who will aflert this, mult renounce ' all reafon and common fenfe.'* Again, Scripture decides this point. Pfal. xxviii. 4. * Give c them according to their deeds, and according to the wick- ', ednefs of their endeavours : Give them after the work of ■ their hands, and render to them their defert.' Therefore, the defer t of the wicked is according to the wickednefs of their en- deavours. They are alfo to be punifhed according to the zuick- ednefs ot their endeavours ; whether thefe are accomplished or not. And Pfal. xxi. ,8, &c. ■ Thine hand (hall find out all thine * enemies, thy right hand mail find out thofe that hate thee. Thou 1 fhalt make them as a fiery oven in the time of thine anger, &c. * For they intended evil againfi thee ; they imagined a mif- € chievous device, which they are not able to perform.' — ' Ac- * cording to the objection, their intending evil againfl God y * and imagining a mf chievous device, which they were not ' able to perforin, ought to have been given as a reafon why * they fhould not be punifhed ; whereas it is here mentioned as 1 a reafon why God would certainly pumfh them.'t Sinners evidently do all they can againft God, to dethrone him, and make him eternally miferable. They eagerly purfue worldly obje&s, or every finful pleafure, while they cafl God behind their back. They are determined on their own felfifh ends, let what will become of the divine honour. They rift in rebellion againfl their Maker; They fay in heart, No Gcd : They blafpheme his holy name : They iet their mouth againft the heavens ! God would have been dethroned, and made mif- erable forever, had finners been able to bring it about. This is Q Q fully ** Dr. Hopkirs, en thejuturefcte, p. 127. + Ibid. p. 127. 128. 314 Vniverfalifm confounds and dejtroys itfclf. fully proved by what the Jews did, in crucyfying Chrift. Ef- pecially, when they invented a lye, after his refurre&ion, to have the world believe him to be a deceiver. And whatever injury, flight, or negleft finners do to the caufe or intereft of Chrift, or to his difciples, it is the fame as if it were done to him. * In as 1 much as ye did it not to one of the leaft of thefe, ye did it not 4 to me.'* Thus, every fin they commit is direclly againft Chrift, againft God, and has an immediate tendency to cover him with difgrace, and make him infinitely and eternally wretched. Do they not, therefore, deferve to be treated after the fame manner, by him, and made miferable forever ? * Would any puuifhment * fhort of this be in any meafure anfwerable to the crime ? If * they have cafl God behind their back, and cared nothing for his * honor, intereft or happinefs ; do they not deferve to be cafl off * by God, and that he mould take no care of their intereft or hap- ' pinefs ? Their hearts have been full of mifchievous devices a- 4 gainft God, and all they have done has tended to deftroy him, 1 his happinefs and kingdom : And will it not be juft to bring * the mifchief on their own heads, and give them over to endlefs * mifery ? Among the laws given by Mofes to Ifrael, is the fol- * lowing one: Deut. xix. 16, &c. * If a falfe witnefs rife up * againft any man to teftify againft him that which is wrong ; * the judge fhall make diligent inquifition : x^.nd behold, it the ' witnefs be a falfe witnefs, and teftified falfely againft his broth- 4 er : thenjhallycdo unto him , as he had thought to have * done unto his brother. And thine eye fhall not pity, but life * fhall go for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand,. * foot for foot. This law requires them to punifh the man„ * who, by falfe witnefs, thought and endeavoured to bring evil * on his brother, by inflicting that very evil on him, though his ' brother received not the leaft hurt by it. All will doubtlefs * fay, this is a righteous law ; and it is but juft that fuch an evil * defigning man fhould be thus punifhed. And will it be un- * righteous in God, who ordered this law, to a£t by the fame rule, * in punifhingthofe who have borne falfe witnefs againft him and * his charafter ?'+ — But the Jews bore falfe witnefs againft Chrift, to put him to death ; and, after his refurre&ion, to make him appear an Impoftor : thereby exerting their malice, to rob hire of all his glory and happinefs. By their wicked en- deavors, they did, however, but fulfil what the hand and coun- cil of God determined before to be done : And this is ftated as the ground of their ill defert, as in A£h ii. 23,. and Lv. %$ — 28. That is, becaufe, they had done, * with wicked hands,' what the * Matt cj. 45. t Inquiry into the future. ftate, p. iz% 125* Univerfalifm anfounds and dejfroys itfelf 315 the council of God had determined to be done. For they intend no fuch thing as the fulfilment of the divine counfel. How could they, when they did it with wicked hands ? It is here re- markable, the intention of the crucifiers of Chrift and the divine counfel, were, ultimately, in direft oppofition to each other. The divine counfel was that Chrift fhould be crucified, in the fame manner as he was ; and thereby raifed and exalted to eter- nal glory. But his crucifiers intended he fhould thereby fink into endlefs contempt. Accordingly, their ultimate aim, their doing what they did, defignedly to frufirate the divine counfel, although at the fame time they fulfilled it, decided their ill de- fert. Therefore, as the Jews thought to have done unto Chrift, the fame evil they incurred on their own guilty heads. Life jhall go for life, eye for eye, &c. Obje6tion 2. If fin be an unlimited evil, and dcferve end- lefs punifhment, becaufe it is committed againft an infinite God ; then the virtue of creatures is an unlimited good, and merits endlefs happinefs, becaufe it is exercifed towards the fame infinite Being ; which is a contradiction both to Scripture and common fenfe. Anfwer. Both Scripture and common fenfe folve this ob- jection. Firft, how it is folved by the latter. — He who is ever fo punctual in paying his jufl debts, merits the protection of go- vernment while he continues in this line of honefly, and no lon- ger. When he wilfully refufes to fulfil his bonafde contract, he is then to be treated as a knave. And his paft good deeds cannot be fet ofTas a ballance for his prefent knavery. The raoft virtuous fubjecl; in the community, has hitherto merited noth- ing, towards atoning for high treafon ; fhould he hereafter be guilty of this crime. The virtue of an age has merited nothing, to be fet off againft the crime of a day. An abandoned char- after, though once famed for virtue, is now as odious as if this perfon had always been abandoned. Should a man do more good than one half of the nation befides, fhould he do all the good deeds that can be named, and then turn traitor to his coun- try ; this latter deed would obliterate all the former : Or the former would do nothing towards atoning for the latter. And men are imprifoned for life, for the crime of a day ; or for a crime committed feemingly in a moment. Thefe facts, among men, fhow us, that we do not confider the merit of virtue, in any meafure fo extenfive as the demerit of vice. And the rea- fon is plain. The faiety and beft intereft of each individual of the community, depend on his own zeal to encourage virtu ?, and 3it> Univcrfalifm confounds and dejtroys iifelf. and promote the befl intereft of the whole. Accordingly, each individual is indebted to the public for his own fafety, and thfe public is indebted to each individual ; in fuch manner as one is a ballance to the other. In fuch manner as the virtuous man receives his reward as he paiTes along. Even David, who was worth ten thoufand of his brethren, was more than paid, for ev- ery good deed he did. As he was thereby greatly honored, and held in high efteem, by the whole nation. And as thefe diltinc- tions, under Providence could have been fee tired to him, : only by his excelling in virtue. David's reward, hereafter, muft therefore be of grace, and not of debt. Hence, as common fenfe teaches, that virtue is more than rewarded, in this life ; and that virtue can, in no meafure, a- tone tor vice ; fo it teaches that the latter is unlimited, as to its defert, and the former limited. Were creature-virtue and vice toth unlimited, the former might be fet ofFagainft the latter. Were they both limited, then the former might, in fome meaf- ure at leaft, make amends for the latter. But as fa£ta prove the contrary, we muft conclude the demerit of* vice to be unlimited, while the merit of virtue in creatures is limited. It is neceiTary to notice the vaft difference there is, in this life, between one virtuous man's reward, as to outward blef- fings, and that of another. Here, we are obliged to have re- courfe to Scripture. Which afTures us, however fome good men may be abufed and perfecuted, yet, by the confolations of agoodconfeience and the enjoyment of God's prefence, they notwithstanding * receive an hundred fold in this time.' See Mark x. 30, and Matt. xix. 29. Real virtue or holinefs is therefore, in every poflible cafe in this life, rewarded an hun- dred fold. Again, Secondly, Scripture mows us clearly the reafon why the vir- tue of creatures has no merit ; or the reafon why creatures, in ftricl juftice, can bring in no debt againfl their Creator. They derive their all from him. They depend on him for their whole exiftence. They depend on him for the continuation of their being, as much as for their firft exiftence. Every motion, pow- er, and thought in creatures, is conftantly produced by God ; as was their firit motion and thought. * Not that we are fufR- * cient of ourfelves to think any thing as of ourfelves ; but our ' fufficiency is of God.'* * In him we live, and move, and * have our being.'t Or in him we live and are moved. Crea- tures of courfe can return nothing to God but what they firft receive from him. The holinefs of angels is firft produced by « ■ the •' * Cor. 3. 5. + A6b 17. a8 Univerfalifm confounds and deftroys itfelf. $tp the agency of the Holy Ghoft. All their love to God is the immediate production of his Spirit. This is evident from the •account given 'in the Bible of the office and work of the holy •Spirit ; as well ! as from the nature of creature-dependence. Therefore, although angels do whatever is required of them r and after they have done all, they can addrcfs their Maker in thefe vvoids of Solomon, when he dedicated the temple: All things come of thee, and of 'thine own have we given unto thee.'* And every thing whereby holy angels are enabled to do the will of God perfectly, they undoubtedly efteem as a gift from him. The means put into their hands, their knowledge, their ftrength, their alacrity, their zeal, their animation, their love ; all thefe, as they cannot but know, are the gift of God. It is God that gives to angels, and not angels that give to God. Or they have firft received of him, therefore give him only what they have firft received. Confequently, angels, with the univerfe of rational creature*, owe their all to G )d. To him they are indebted for their whole exiftance. And when they love him with their whole mind and ftrength, and fpend themfelves in his fervice, they do no more than pay to him his equal demands. How is it poflible they mould do more, when they can return nothing to him but what he has firft given to them ? Furthermore, God is worthy of all this fervice. The dignity and amiablenefs of his charac- ter, as well the place he fillls, "render it reafenable and juft that rational creatures mould be entirely devoted to him. The law is indeed holy and ju/l, becaufe it requires no more nor lefs of creatures, towards their Creator, than accords with divine per- fe6Hon. On this is founded the equity of his law. That is, becaufe God is what he is, intelligent creatures juftiy owe him that love exprefTed in the law. Alfo becaufe they derive their all from him. Certainly if God has a right to command, this right is founded in right, in juftice. Hence we fee, a devia- tion from the law is fin, an unlimited evil as has been fhown. But virtue, perfect holinefs in creatures, relative to their duty to God, is paying him their juft debts. We can fee it to be defirable, and wife in God, for him to continue holy beings, who have never finned, in holinefs and happinefs. In this view of things it is juft ; and becaufe God hereby does no injuftice. ' But we cannot fee that thefe holy be- ings have a juft claim, for him to continue them in happinefs ; unlefs it be a claim by virtue of covenant or promife. God enters into covenant with angels ; promifing them an endlefs paradife, * 1. Chron. 29. 14, £i8 Univtrfalifm confounds and dejtroys itfelf, paradife, on condition of their perfecl obedience, during their ftate of trial. But their being, their capacity of entering into this covenant, their power to keep it perfectly, yea the cove- nant itfelf, propounded to them ; all thefe are (he gift of God. And it is his gift which inclines them to enter on their Hate of cndlefs joy ; after they have perfevered through their time of trial. It is his gift, as the fole caufe, which makes them holy & happy without end. Not only fo, all thefe rich gifts to angels, are marks of divine condefcenfion. To propound a covenant to angels, the creatures of his power, and enable them to keep it perfectly, is a token of his wondrous and glorious condefcen-, fion. — ' Who kumbletk himfelf to behold the things that are in f heaven.'* It is granted, angels can claim the divine promife, after they have fulfilled on their part. Yet they can and do thank God, lor that gift which caufes them to hold this claim. They can thank him for making themjuft what they are. They muff: thank him for every thing whereby they rife above the brutal kind, or mere non-exiftence. Therefore, although angels can claim an eternal refidence in heaven, for what they have done for God, and are faid to be juftified by works, yet thefe very works are literally the gift of God. Thefe works originate, as the firft caufe, from the love and faithfulnefs of God to angels, and not from the love and faithfulnefs of angels to God. So angels have caufe of gratitude that they are made to do works for this infinite, ever bleffed, and adorable Being. In the aclual performance of thefe works, their heaven is complete. Hence, it is unqueftionable, as angels increafe in holinefs and happinefs, to eternity, their indebtednefs to divine bounty and love increafes, in the fame ratio. It is allowed that virtue in creatures, in fome refpefts, is e- qually extenfive with vice. One is direclly oppofite to the oth- er. And as finners hate God with all their ftrength, fo faints, thofe in heaven, love God with all their ftrength. As finners defire the infinite and eternal mifery of God, fo faints as ftrong- ly defire his infinite and eternal happinefs. Again, virtue in creatures appears to have as great a tendency to do good, as vice has to do evil. Virtue in individuals, or in public bodies, ap- pears to be as powerful a mean to promote virtue, as vice is, in the fame cafes, to promote vice. Aud the holinefs and happi- nefs of heaven, as we have reafon to conclude, is eventually cffe&ed by means, as much as the fin and mifery of hell. Vir- tue therefore feems to have as great an influence in doing good, as •Pfid. 1*3.6. Univerfalifm confounds and dejireys itfclf. 319 kt vice has in doing evil. Indeed the virtue of creatures, as wc may rationally argue, a&ually does infinite and eternal good ; or the holinefs and happinefs of creatures in which all his worki centre, conltitute the eternal happinefs of Deity himfelf. In other words, God forever rejoices in his own works ; * For hi* ' pleafure they are and were created."* His infinite and eternal happinefs, and his pleafure in his own works, are both one. Not in fuch manner as God is dependent, in the leaft degree, on creatures. As he is the firft caufe and laft end, fo all de- pends on him. But, although holinefs in creatures may tend to do as much good, as fin does evil ; yet there is a wide dif- ference, as to the extent of demerit in one, and merit in the other. The former is only paying the jufl debt, creatures owe to God ; while the latter would take ail from hina, and make him infinitely wretched* Objection 3. Sin can neither be an unlimited evil nor defenre endlefs punifhment : Becaufe endlefs punifhment implies fuch a different treatment of the fmalleft finners and fmallefr. faints, as is out of all proportion to their refpe&ivc characters ; it is therefore incredible,and not reconcilable with thejuitice and impartialityof God. — This is one of Dr. Chauncy's principal arguments, he urges on his fide of the queftion.t Dr. Edwards gives it the following anfwer. ' 1. That there is an infinite difference between the treatment ' of two perfons, one of whom is fent to endlefs mifery, the 4 other not, is readily granted. But that the one, who is fent * to fuch punifhment, is treated unjuftly, is not granted ; and ' to afl'ert, that he is treated unjuftly, is to beg and not to prove 1 the thing in queftion. ' 2. That of the two perfons now fuppofed, one mould be * treated according to his demerits, and the other by the ■ bound- P lefs goodnefs of God,' fhould be exempted from that punifh-. * ment, to which, by his demerit, heisjuftly liable, is nothing 1 incredible or unjuft. Surely the gracious exemption of one ' man from that punifhment, which he deferves, renders not the * punifhment of another unjuft, which would otherwifebe juft, * 3. As there is no injuftice in the cafe now ftated, fo neither ' is there any partiality in it. There is no partiality in the con- ' duel of the Supreme Magiftrate, who condemns one criminal * according to his demerit, and pardons another criminal equal- * ly guilty. But partiality is then praftifed, when of two real * and known criminals, one is condemned by the judge ; the ' other cleared, on the pretence, that he is innocent. So that ' this * Re?. 4. it, f Stlvt. all Men, p, 3*0, 36*. Jcc? Viivtrjaljfm confounds and deflroys itfelf. e this whole argument from the incredibly different treatment ot ' the fmailefl (inner and fmal left faint, whofe characters are fo * nearly on a level, fo far as it fuppofes the different treatment 'to be incredible, on account of the endlefs punifhment of the ' finner, is a mere begging of the queflion. It takes for grant. * ed, that the firmer does riot deferve an endlefs punifhment. — ' So far as it fuppofes the different treatment to be incredible, on ' account of the infinite reward or happinefs bellowed on the 4 faint, it fuppofes, that God in his infinite goodnefs, cannot be- ■ flow an infinite good on a .creature, who in his own peifon is e entirely unworthy of it. It alfo fuppofes, that if ever God 'pardon any (inner, he muft pardon all, whofe demerits are no •more than that, of the man pardoned ; otherwife he is partial : ' and for the fame reafon, that if ever he condemn any. finner, * he muft condemn all thofe, whofe characters are equally finful i with that of the man condemned. But it is prefumed, that * thefe fentiments will he avowed by no man.'* Obejection 4. Dr. Chauncy fays, ■ In what point of light * foever we take a view oijin, it is certainly, in its nature, a j£- 8 nite evil. It is the fault of a finite creature* and the efTecl of ' finite principles, pafhons, and appetites. To fay, therefore, ' that the finner is doomed to infinite mifery for thejinite faults ' oi a finite life, looks like a reflection on the infinite juflice, as 1 * well as goodnefs of God.'f Anfwer. This objeQion contains two arguments. Firft v that creatures, becaufe they have finite powers and capacities, cannot commit a crime infinitely heinous. Secondly, that they cannot do that evil, in finite life, which deferves endlefs punifh- ment. As to the firfl ot thefe, It is impofhble that a finite inju- ry fliould be done to an infinite Being. All injuries done to God, rnuft be infinite, otherwife .they are not injuries done to him. Whatever is difhonorary to him, is, in its own nature and tendency, an infinite evil. find would actually be productive of boundlefs mifchief, did not God defend him felf, or retrieve his own honor. The lcafl flur cafl upon the character of. the Supreme Being, fhould lie wholly pafs it over, this would total- ly alter his character, in the view of all his obedient fubjefts. — He would of courfe no longer be God. If, therefore, creatures cannot do that which tends to injure God to an infinite degree, becaufe they have finite principles and paffions ; by the fame 1 ;:,le they can do him no difhonor whatever ; or they cannot fin a^ainft him. It • Ed. *«ainjl Cf.aurcy, p. 85. + p. 319, 320, Univtrfaiifm ccnjounds and dcftroys itfelf. 321 . It will here be faid, this does not uffe£r. the queftion. The •bjc6tion is, Finite creatures, with finite principles, &c. can- not do that which is deferv.iri£ infinite, mi/'ery. In reply to this, we have no rule to try the deiert of a crime, only by ex- amining what the criminal has actually done, or what he has attempted to do. And the defert of fin, as we have already feen, does not depend on the degree of exigence the perfon has, who commits it ; but on the character of him again ft whom it is committed. * If a finite creature can affront and abufe his * Creator, who is infinitely worthy, he can be guilty of an in- * finite crime ; because the greatnefs of the injury does not arife * from the greatnefs of him who offers it ; but from the cbarac- ' ter of him who is injured.'* 4 If a creature mould actually * put an end to his Maker's exigence, or dethrone him and de- ' ftroy his kingdom ; his crime would be truly infinite, all will * grant. But to delire and attempt this, and do that which * would certainly effc6t it, were it not prevented by a fuperior * power, is to be guilty of the fame crime, fo far as the crimi- * nal is concerned : and therefore muft be infinitely great, and 1 deferve the fame punifhment, as if the effeft had acluallv fol- * lowed. — Agreeably to this, when a crime is committed/ men * do not enquire into the greatnefs or fmallnefs of the perpetra- * tor, in order to determine the magnitude of the crime ; but ' confider the nature of the crime, and the injury done, and ' who is injured, &c. If an abject, dependent (lave, burns his 4 mailer's houfe, and deftroys him and his whole familv, or at- * tempts to do it, his inferiority and dependence on his matter, ' do not extenuate his crime, in the judgment of men, but rath- * er aggravate it : And no one will offer this as a plea in his fa- 1 vor, or as a reafon for a mitigation of his punifhment.'* It is therefore impoflible to evade the force of the above cited law : * Then ihall ye do unto hiiil, as he had thought to have done * unto his brother. And thine eye fhali not pity, but life (hall * go for life, eye for eye,' &q. As finners have thought to do unto God, or to Chrift the Son of God, fo they deferve to be treated by him. Thev accordingly deferve infinite ?n?Jery, or an interminable punifhment. If we renounce this rule, we have none left, competent to try the nature of any crime. As to the i'econd of thefe arguments, That finners cannot ilo that evil, in a finite life, which deferves endlefs mifery : — this only makes another contradiction in Dr. Chauncy's fcheme, He holds, the damned, for the faults of a finite life, deferve te R R be ** Br. Hopkin's Enquiry, p 131 |2 2 Univerfalifm confounds and dtjiroys itjetfi be annihilated.* This is really an unlimited punifhment. For rational beings, made capable of immortality , having faculties of foul fuited for endlefs happinefs ; for them to be forever cut off from this happinefs, and cut off for their own faults, is in- deed a punifhment having no limits. To lofe an infinite or endlefs good, is an infinite lofs. So to have this good taken a- way, ortohe cut off from it, as a puniihment, is an unlimited punifhment. It is as realiy fo, in the nature or things, as it is to be punifhed with mifery that has no end. Therefore, as Dr. C. holds that creatures, for the faults of a finite life, do deferve annihilation, non-exijlence ; fo he holds, they deferve, for thefe faults, an infinite punifhment. Which argues fin to be infinitely criminal. Dr. C. alfo holds, that the damned are delivered from hell, by boundlefs and inexkauftible goodnefs, by the utmojt bow- els ol the divine compaffion, by the infinite indulgence and love of their Creator. t It belongs to him, or his difciples, to fhow how thefe epithets apply to the deliverance of the damned, when they, as he holds, are only guilty oi the finite faults of a finite life. Again, Dr. C. holds that men deferve to be punifhed for a- p-es of ages,, for the fin they commit in this life. He evidently confiders the defert of fin, in this cafe, without any regard to the length of time, in which it is committed. He confiders the ill defert of all Tinners to be greater or lefs, according ' to the 6 nature and number of their evil deeds ;.'} whether more or lefs time has been fpent for the commiffion of thefe deeds. But it men deferve to be punifhed for ages of ages, for the fins of this fflOrt life, they certainly deferve to be punifhed longer than the time they were committing thefe fins. Now if this may take place, in one inflance, why not in another ? And if men may be puniihed one day over the time fpent for the commiffion or fin, the defert of f uch punifhment, why not two days, three days, and fo on ? or why may they not be punifhed forever, for the fin of one day ? Adam was punifhed all his days, for the crime of a few minutes, or a very fhort time. ' Curfed is the ground 1 for thy lake ; in forrow fhalt thou eat of it all the days of thy 'Tife.'§ Upon Gehazi the fervant of Elifna, as in « Kings, v. 27, this curfe was denounced, • The leprofy of Naaman fhal! * cleave unto thee, and unto thy feed forever.' This punifh- ment, * He makes this his laft rcfort, provided the wicked are lent to hell, as fo many incurables. Sec p. a3a. From wbach it is plain he holds they dltfirvt to be unnikilxted. + p. gao, 405. J p. 220. ^ Gan. 3, 17, Vnivtrfahjm cenfounds and dejlroys itfelf. 3*3 went, in Tome fenfe, had no bounds. For this difeafe was ne- ver to leave him nor his feed, till it had carried them off. And this was lor a crime, fuddenly committed. Clirilt faid of the fin ot blafphemy againfi the Holy Ghoft, it fhould never be forgiven ; neither in this world, nor in the world to come ; or to an abfolute eternitv, as has been mown. And this fin is committed, feemingly in an inftant of time. There is ground to fuppofe, tnis objection never would have been thought of by Dr. C. had not his fcheme been in cliftrefs. Who ever thought of enquiring into the length of time,confum- «d in the commtflion of a crime, to find out what puniflimcnt it dcfervcs ? When a man has murdered his neighbor, or let the whole city on fire, who would think of afking how long this culprit was in doing of it, in order to know what punifhment to inflict upon him ? — But the fame argument will hold good here, as in anfwering the firft part of this objeclion. If creatures cannot do an infinite difhonor to God, in a finite life, they can of courfe do no kind of difhonor to him. For no other than an infinite difhonor can be done to him. Hence, this objeclion tends to explain away all fin. Objection 5. Dr. Chaiincy fays again, * If fin be an infinite * evil, then all finners muff fuffer to the utmojl in degree, as ■ well as duration ; otherwife, they will not fuffer fo much as 1 they might do, and as they ought to do : Which is plainly in- * confiftent with the difference the fcripture often declares there * (hall be in the punifhment of wicked men.'* Anfwer. This objeclion is groundlefs. No fuch fentiment has ever been advanced, by thofe who hold fin to be an infi- nite evil. Neither does the Doctor's confequence follow, from any thing they have faid on this fubjecl. Sin is an infinite e- vil, as we have feen, in the following refpecls. It is commit- ted agaiuft the infinite God : It tends to do infinite mifchief : It deferves infinite or endlefs punifhment. But it does not from hence follow, that fin is infinite in degree, that the dam- ned mufl all fuffer to the utmojl in degree, and therefore all of them muft fuffer equally alike. This may be ill unrated by the cafe of high treafon. This crime, with regard to civil fociety only, is the greatefl of all crimes. In this relation, the crimin- ality of it cannot be increafed ; or no crime can be of a higher nature or kind. No higher obligation, relative to civil fociety, can be violated. And this crime tends to do greater mifchief than any other ; as it flrikcs directly at the fafety and happinefs, not only of individuals but of the whole community. There- fore, 324 Univerfalifm eenfounds amd deftrcys itfclf. fore, it is followed with the moft fevere kind cf punifhment which can be inmcled by the hand of man ; it is puniihed both with death andthe lofs of property. But it is very natural to fup- pofe a number may be combined in this fame crime ; and fom# one, or fome pari of them, far more criminal than the refL Their leaders may acl againft greater light and conviction thai, the reft ; and may be urged on with greater virulence and malig- nity, again ft the beft interefl of the nation. Their leaders may be at the bottom of the whole mifchief. Had it not been for thofe few, the peace of the community would not have been difturbed. Now, they all deferve death, andthe confiscation of their lands and goods. But their leaders may juftly be puniihed with a more painful.and difgraceful death, than the reft. To apply this : SiTi againft God is a violation of an infinite obligation, as God is infinitely worthy. In this refpe£t, the evil of fin cannot be increafed, it is indeed an infinite evil. It is alfo an infinite evil, as it tends to do infinite mifchief. It therefore deferves endlefs puniihment ; the deferved punifhment cannot be increafed, as to duration. But it is eafy to conceive that fome of the damned will have far greater punifhment in de- gree, than others ; though all will have the fame as to duration. The reafon for this is plain. Some have a greater degree ok fin, or oppofition to holinefs, and act againft greater light, than others. To fuppofe that the punifhment of the damned cannot be increafed, as to duration ; but may be increafed, as to degrees ofmifery ; is as plain a cafe as can be jtated. It is equally plain that all fin. is infinitely criminal, in the feveral refpecls a- bove mentioned ; that is, every fin, even the leaft, violates the greateft pofiible obligation, and tends to unbounded evil ; and in thefe refpecrs cannot be' increafed. Still there are degrees of pride, hatred, and enmity ; consequently degrees of criminality ; defert of greater or lefs degrees of that punifhment which fliall never end. As, therefore, degrees may be proportioned as wide- ly different, as is poffibie for numbers to tell ; (o the punifhment of the damned, to the defcrt of each one,may be exactly propor- tioned. One may fuffer ten thoufand or ten million times more than another ; and both fuffer alike, relative to duration. This may be the cafe, whether the punifhment be limited in duration, or not. Hence there is no need of fuppofing that all who fuffer endlefs mi'eiy, muff fuffer the utmoji in degree, andthe fame \x\ degree ; than that all who fuffer forages of ages, mult fuffer the fame in degree. Dr. C. mull find the fame difficulty in \\\.s «wn fcheme, as he would fix upon his opponents. The Univtrfalifm confounds and deflroys itfelf. g&£- i The above objection goes upon the ground, that al! things which are infinite in fome refpeel s, are fo in all refpects ; and are the fame in all refpecls. Whereas nothing can be more falfe. A line or cord of half an inch diameter, and a cylin- eler of five feet diameter, both extending ad 'infinitum, or with- out end, are both tiie fame in one refpeel ; they agree in length. But who would from hence infer, they were both the fame in every refpect? An infinite line is the fame as an infinite fuper- ficies, in one refpefl. They are both the lame in length, but as to breadth the latter infinitely exceeds the former. Again, an infinite fupe'rficies is the fame in length and breadth as an infinite folid ; but in depth the former bears no proporrion to the latter.* So fin may be infinitely aggravated with refpeel: io the object it is committed againft, or the evil it tends to ef- fect ; and in this refpeel: its aggravation cannot be increased. — Still it may not be infinite with refpect to the degree of hatred and oppofition to the object, again ft whom it is committed. Thefe three lafi objeclions contain the fum of Dr. C's reaf- oningagainit the do6trine of the unlimited evil of fin, and its defert of interminable punifhment. The Reader will find, in Dr. Edwards againji Dr. C. Chap, iv, a more lengthy, and perhaps a more accurate an fiver to them, than is here given. Objection 6. Dr. Prieftly argues, that whereas there is no proportion between finite and infinite, nor between time and e- ternity ; fo finite beings in a finite life cannot deferve an end- lefs punifhment.t Anfwcr. This being nearly the fame objection over again, we have only to add — There is no proportion between God and the creature. The happinefs of God fwallows" up all propor- tion, when compared to the happinefs of a mere creature. — ■ Therefore, when the tinner would ftrip God of his happinefs, to promote his own, he deferves a punilhment out of all propor- tion. A punifhment out of all proportion, as to duration, or an endlefs one/is no more than anfwerable to the finner's defert. Ohje6lion 7. Mr. Wincheller fays, 'Two things that are 1 diametrically oppolite to each other, cannot both exift to all ' eternity : if they are both infinite, they will mutually deflroy ' each other ; if one be infinite, and the other finite, the finite ' mult be deflroy ed ; and which ever is mod powerful, mutt: * deitroy the other. Now fince holinefs and fin, evil and good, * are exaclly oppofite one to the other ; it is evident, one rnufl * at hit prevail over the other, how long foevcr the contention 'and * This illuftration is ufed by Dr. Edwards aa. the time fixed, tor fuch as are found in their fins, to receive their full reward ; then are they, at this folemn cfifis, totally cut off from the benefits of Chrift's death, and mull remain un- S s der * Though this refers to (Thrift's coming to deftroy Jerusalem, 8cc. vet its complete fulfilment will be, when Chrift comes to judge the w©rld, at th« laft day. t Mirk 16. 16, 3^o Univerfalfm confounds and deftroys itfclf. der the curfe of God's law Forever. How can the debtor ever be 1 berated from prifon, when he owes an infinite debt, and {hall not come out thence, till he has paid the utter moji far- thing ? But all fuch as die in their fins, are then found at the day of judgment, with all their fins upon them. Therctore, death totally cuts off the impenitent, and fixes them for the laft judgment. This was, perhaps, made evident in Part I. Let. III. to which the reader is refered. And as God will, at the final judgment, render to his enemies according to their defert, by dooming ihemto everlafling fire, fo this will be confident. What the Judge of all the earth will do, at that day, will be right, and confident with complete atonement. 4. H fin is an unlimited evil, and deferves endlefs punifh- ment, as has been proved ; and the great Judge will, at the lafl clay, render ttihulation and wrath upon his enemies, or render to all thofe on his left hand according to their deeds ; then are we warranted to take the words, clofing the tremendous Icene, in their plain and literal fenfe : Matt. xxv. 46. ' Thefe fhall ' go away into everlafling punifhment : but the righteous into 'life eternal.' If we grant fin to be infinitely criminal, and that the Judge of all will then deal with his enemies according to their works, which things cannot be denied ; we are obliged to take thefe words literally, io as to intend an abfolute eterni- ty, as to the wicked, as well as to the righteous. , The reafon given why the wicked are fentenced to this punifhment, is be- caufethey have {lighted and defpifed Chrift, or flighted and defpifedhis complete atonement : ' I was an hungred, and ye * gave me no meat,' Sec. Therefore, notwithstanding com- plete atonement, and becaufe they have trampled it under foot, their everbfling punifhment is perleclly confiftent. 5. If fin is infinitely criminal, then God, who has no pleaf- ure in the death of the wicked, glorifies his juihice on the dam- ned out of pure neceiiity.** It is neceflary, though the atone- ment be complete he ihould, in this way, fhow his infinite ha- tred to fin, becaufe fin is an infinite evil ; and becaufe he could not * Sod is a' the faftheft remove from a neceffity from blind fate. He is, howev- r, under 311 infinite rtecef£ty,from his own infinite benevolence to do allwbieh is beft. To effect the bed end, he is therefore under an infinite neceffity to ufe the beft means. For creatures can have knowledge only by means ; this is evident from experience. G )d h*s knowledge intuitively, or without means. But it is not poffible creatures ■d have knowledge in the manner God has. For it is not poffible creatures fhould be as God, or any thing more than creatures. By the immediate agency of his Spirit, God creates an heart in man, for them to improve means rightly, and ex- trcife faith in Chrift. But without means there is no right improvement, nor no knowledge of any kind, except in G>;d the fource of all knowledge. Hence, the acceffity of God's ufmg m<«nk fuited to the capacity of creftfurt* Univtrfalifm confounds and deflroys itfelf. 331 pot otherwife anfwer all the fame ends, or glorify his juflice to fo good advantage. That God does glorify his juftice on the damned, is evident. Rom. ix. 22. • What il God, willing to fhow his wrath, and to ' make his power known, endured with much longfuffering the ■ veffels of wrath fitted to deflrucfion.' Thefe words, ' veffels, of wrath,' mean fuch as are ufed for God to difplay his wrath upon; being put to no other ufe. And from Rom. ii. 1 — 16, it is plain that they have been appointed for * the day of wrath * and revelation of the righteous judgment of God ; who will c render to every man according to his deeds, 5 &c. Therefore, although in Rom. ix. there is mention of the deftruction of Pharaoh, and reference to what was coming on the Jews in this world, yet thefe things are to illuflrate the itate of the damned. Accordingly, thefe veffels of wrath ultimately intend the dam- ned. And ' endured with much long fuffei ing the veffels of ' wrath fitted to deftrucfion,' certainly intends the damned, ta- ken from among men. Now God fhows his wrath on thefe veffels ; he does not conceal it, but (hows it ; and makes his power known. He makes known what his hatred to fin is, by punifhing the damned. Which is the fame as glorifying his juf- tice upon them. Which alfo is to fhow the nature and extent of his wrath againfl fin ; or jufl what his wrath againfl fin is. If he does not fhow the nature and extent of his hatred to fin or his wrath jufl as it is, he does not fhow divine wrath, but fomething elfe. He therefore fhows his wrath to the utter - wofi.* In other words, by punifhing the damned, he fhows jult what they deferve. This proves at once, as they deferve infinite evil, fo is their punifhment infinite in duration ; and divine juftice is herein made glorious. But infpiration has here filenced every objection. ' What ' if God, willing to fhow his wrath,' &c. What if God does this ? Where is the inconfiftency ? He does thefe veffels of wrath no injury. He waits on his enemies with much long- fuffering. As fure as he lives, he has no pleafure in the death of the wicked. Could he glorify his juftice in the fame advan- tageous manner, and anfwer all the valuable ends, without the punifhment of the damned, he certainly would. Where then is the objection ? His mowing the infinite greatnefs and terri- blenefs of his wrath on the damned, confirms all his awful threatenings againff finners, and places it beyond difpute what divine hatred to fin is. W^hich gives a chara&er moft grand, amiable, and important. What branch of the divine character is more amiable and important than his infinite hatred to fin ? But * 1 Thef. 2. 1$ 133 2 Univerjalifm confounds and dejlroxs \ifelf* But what if God is willing to make this known ? What if he is willing to make it known, in the mod indifputable manner | Who is injured ? The damned are not. And who will com- plain ? Verily none except fuch as love (in. And what if Wifdom has chofen the bell way, or his own way, to reveal the nature of divine jullice ? Or what if God has taken the molt effectual way to reveal himfelf, as the true God ? It is impoffi- ble for him to appear as the true God, a God of infinite holi- nefs, unlefs he fliows his real hatred to fin. That is, after fin once exiffs. All his declarations and threatenings againft fin come to nothing, unlefs they are executed. Or unlefs he makes fome examples of juflice. What then, mail God reveal him- felf to be the true God, or fhall he not ? The jool has a nega- tive anfwer * he hath f aid in his heart, No God. But where, it is again afked, is there any inconfiftency ? There is none with relation to the atonement. For if the atonement were not complete, God could not endure with much longfuffering, fuch as are afterwards made veffels of wrath. His enduring in this manner, implies that they have a day of grace, and offers of falvation. ■ . ... •• Furthermore, God {hows his wrath to the uttermoft, on the veflels of wrath, * that he might make known the riches of his * ^lory on the veflels of mercv, which he had afore prepared ' unto glory.' Though reference is here had to the happy itate of gofpel times, .{fill this looks forward to, and chiefly intends, the heavenly {fate. Where the riches of divine glory are com- pletely difpUyed, upon the veffels of mercy prepared unto glo- ry. But who will complain of this ? Infpiration propofes this everlailing good on the redeemed, occafioned by the fufferings of the damned, as fufficient to filenee every objection. Indeed, when God does no injury to the damned, and by their endlefs mifery occafions this good to the redeemed forever, who can complain ? Not only fo, if vr ifdom and benevolence do this, we are affured it is according to divine wifdom and benevo- clence ; fo no alteration can be made tor the better. It is here remarkable, a difplay of the riches of divine glory, on the veffels of mercv, is not only confiitent with complete a- tonement, but proves it to be complete. Therefore, the way wifdom takes to do this, muff be confident with complete atone- ment. Which is to glorify divine juflice by the fufferings of the damned, as well as by the fufferings and death of Chrift. Not that the fufferings of the damned make a part of the atone- ment, but they are neceffary to Ihow the nature of divine wrath againft Univerfalifm confounds and defiroys itjtlf, g$fc againft the fin of defpifing atoning righteoufnefs. Befides, theie fufferinga of the damned prove the atonement to be com- plete. For the damned are found guilty of the blood of Chnft. Or guilty of finning againft God's long faff cnng, which a- mounts to the fame. And if they are guilty of the blood of Chrift, and God fhows his wrath upon them for this fin, then this blood, had they wafhed in it, was fufiicient to take away their iin. But it is in vain to pretend, the atonement is not complete, if fome men are eternally damned, when divine long Suffering proves the contrary. It is in vain to pretend, if the atonement be complete, the fufferings of the damned can be of no ufe, when wifdom affigns fuch an important ufe ; even to make known the riches of his glory, on the veffels of mercy prepared unto glory. On the whole, it cannot be denied but that God fhows his wrath on one, to make known the riches of his grace on anoth- er. He makes one miferable, to enhance the happinefs of an- other. This goes to ruin, totally, the univerfal fcherae. For if God, to this end, makes one miferable, even for one day, why not for eternal days ? And why not render to them their deStrt ? Why not fhow his real nature, the utmoStoi his wrath againft fin ? Or the excellency and glory of his juftice ? Grace indeed appears rieh and glorious, when juftice appears to the bed advantage. -• 6. If fin is an infinite evil, the atonement itfelf, that its val- ue might be feen in the cleareft manner, makes the endlefs mif. ery of the damned neceffary. We muft grant that the works of God give additional force to his words. When God declares fome truth by words, thefe words are fufEcient to command our belief. But when he de- clares the fame thing over again by works, this gives additional force to his words ; yea this gives the higheft kind of evidence, we are capable of conceiving. So when God reveals, in his facredword, his infinite hatred to fin, and its infinite criminali- ty, this is fufiicient to command our belief. But when he de- clares the fame by works, in condemning the impenitent, and fending them away into everlaiting punifhment, this gives the higheft poflible evidence that fin is infinitely criminal, and de- ferving of this punifhment. Now, this helps to fhow the real value of the atonement, and to the beft advantage. Certainly it the redeemed in heaven know what the damned in hell fuffer, ihey alfo know, and it is to them beyond difpute what they them- felvet 334 Univirfalifm confounds and dejt) oys il : felves deferve. They therefore have the beft advantage to fee the infinite value of the atonement, the price which has bought them off from this eternal or infinite evil. And they could not have all the fame advantages, to fee the fulnefs of the atone- ment, were it not for the eternal fufferings of the damned. This muft be granted, unlefs we would deny that the works or God can give energy to his words. And unlefs we would hold that God does, in vain, fhow his wrath, and make his power known, on the veffels of wrath. But it is perfectly agreeable to infinite benevolence, yea infi- nite benevolence appears £o require it, that the value of the a- tonement mould be made known in the moll convincing man- ner. In proportion as this is made known, fois Chrift revealed to be the Son of God, a divine perfon, equal with God the Tather. Alfo, in the fame proportion are the riches of divine grace made known, on the veffels of mercy. But if the end be agreeable to, and required by, infinite benevolence, fo are the neceflary means to effect, this end. Plence, infinite benevolence, to effeft fo deiirmle an end, requires that the damned never be releafed from their torments. 7. A difpenfation of grace, above all others, requires penal laws and pumfhrnents, equal to the defert of crimes ; efpecially the crime of rejecting free grace. Becaufe this is the inoft ag- gravated of all crimes. Therefore, above all others, mould be noticed and punifljed, if continued in, agreeably to its defert. Hence, the things which Univerfalifls would build upon, to fe- cure themfelves in their fins, and ward off all conviclion, are the very things which render their cafe peculiarly alarming and dangerous. They prefume upon free grace, infinite benevo- lence, and full atonement : not confidering, that, while thefe things open a door for all men to repent, they make fure the endlefs damnation of the finally impenitent. Not confidering, if men perfevere in trampling under foot the blood of the fon of God, this blood will certainly be required at their hands. But, my friend, protracting this letter by meeting (o many ©bjetfions, I have more than wearied your patiewce. It may be ufoful, however, to fee what fin is, what it defervss, and the certain doom of irreclaimable fiancrs. Let us now bring the matter home to our own fouls. — Our fins areas countlefs as the duil of the earth : ev«ry fin an infinite evil, or meriting mifery which never ends. What then is our cafe if we have no intcreft in Chrift ? And, O the thought of remaining out of Chrift another moment ! can we be content to expofe our- felves Vnivcrfalifm confounds and dejlroys itfelf. 335' felve?: another moment to the wrath of an infinite God ? And when he offers to make his grace glorious in our falvation ? can we content ourfelves, in hating the blefled Jefus another moment ? I am, &c, «*&§*"&-^» i • LETTER IV. Containing an explanation cf the. Second Death, My dear Friend, nPHE fubj eel: becomes flill more ferious. And, if any thing X is Anted to awaken our attention, it muit be this, a view of the fecond death. This death is four times mentioned in fcripture. Rev. ii. 11. * He that overcometh fhall not be hurt of the fecond death.' Rev. xx. 6, T4. ' Blefled and holy is he that hath part in the firlfc * reiurrection : on fuch the fecond death hath no power. And * death and hell were call into the lake of fire. This is the fe- * cond death.' Rev. xxi. 8. ' But the fearful and unbeliev- ' ing, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, * and forcerers and idolaters;, and all liars, fhall have their part * in the lake that burnetii with fire and brimftone : which is the * fecond death.' This finking figure, a ' lake that burnetii with 1 fire and brimllone,' fhows us how great and dreadful is the tor- ment of the damned. What fiaifhes the dreadful fcene, they jfhall never be releafed from their torments. ' And the devil that * deceived them (Gog and Magog, fo all irreclaimable fmriers) * was call: into a lake ol fire and brimflone, where the beafl and * falfe prophet are, and fhall be tormented day and night forever * and ever.' Rev. xx. 10. In the lame fenfe the Jews under- flood this phrafe, the fecond death, to mean a death from which there is no recovery. They ufed ' this phrafe proverbially for ' final, utter, irreverfible deurucHon. So in the Jerufalem ■ Targum, Dent, xxxiii. 6. Let Reuben live, and let him not * die the Jecond death, by which the wicked die in the world ' to come. Where, whatfoever be fignified among them by 4 the world to come, it fcemsto denote fuch a death from which * there is no releafe.** But the prefent cisfign is, 1. To mow that this death is the death of both foul and body- 2. That this death confifls in complete torment of both foul and body. 3. Enquire • Dr. flammend'i Annotai. on Rev. at 0> 336 Univerfalifm confounds and dejlroys itfcif. 3. Enquire what things are necflary to effect, and complete this torment. I. This death is the death of both foul and body. The truth ©f which is clear from the following. 1. Matt. x. 28. * Fear not them which kill the body, but * are not able to kill the foul : but rather fear him which is able * to deftroy both foul and body in hell. 1 Granting this to be a threateamg to fome, and a warning to all, ftill the account wo have feen of the laft judgment (hows how it will actually be ex- ecuted on unprofitable fervants. Which gives weight to this threatening. That is, it is grounded on fact. Were not this threatening in one inftance executed, and of courfe no danger that it ever would be, on one of our race* it would be totally groundlefs. But foul and body are here diftinclly mentioned, both of which being deflroyed together. The word, deftroy , in this place^- implies death ; or the fecond death is infli6tedon foul and bdy. Alfo, hell here means fomething beyond the grave. Men ere able to kill our bodies, and caff, them into the grave ; But God only has power to caft into hell. Hence, from this notable faving of Chrift taken with the account of the day of judgment, it is clear that both foul and body are caft into hell ; the fecend death is inflicted on the former a*s well as the latter. ; 2. Rev, xix. 20. ' Thefe both were call alive into a lake of * fire burning with brimftone.' Thefe words, caft alive, evi- dently mean foul and body. 3. All the threaf enings which look forward to the final judg- ment, plainly apply to both foul and body. 4. As foul and body have finned together, fo it is fitting they (ho a Id both fuffer together. 5. The damned cannot poflibly be punifhed according to their deiert, only as foul and body are punifhed together. This is clear from the nature of the cafe. 6. The account we have of the refurreclion from the dead, of the lafl judgment, and of the fentence on the damned, makes it exceeding plain that both foul and body are included. And this is allowed by all who hold to future punifhment. II. It is defigned to fhow that this 'death confiits in complete torment of both foul and body. — Complete torment here means that everv part of the body and the whole foul are filled with pain. That pain which is illuftrated by the agonies of death. This is one rcafon why the torments of the damned are called the fecond death : being one continued death ; a finking dying diltrefs, dreadful beyond conception! — Of which the iollowing things give convincing proof. u Every Uuiverfdlijm ccvfounds and dtjlroys itjeij. 337 it Every image, figure, illuflration, and expreflion is ufed, which is in the power or language to ufe, to give us the idea o£ complete torment. Some of which are, — ' A fire is kindled in * mine anger, (faith the Lord, J and (hall 'burn to the loweifc & hell. I will heap mi (chiefs upon them, I will fpend mine ar- * rows upon them. They fhall be burnt with hunger, and de- ' voured -with burning heat, and bitter deftruction.' * If I * whet my glittering fword, and mine hand take hold on judg« * mem, I will render vengeance to mine enemies, and will re- * ward them that hate me.'* * The enemies of the Lord fhall s be as the fat of lambs ; they fhall confume, into fmoke fhall * they confume away.'t ' Tophet is ordained of old ; — he hath * made it deep and large ; the pile thereof is fire and much * wood ; the breath of the LoRj»y like a fheam of brimitone 3 * doth kindle it. 'J * My fword fhall be bathed in heaven ; be- 4 hold, it fhall come down upon Idumea, and upon the people * of my ourfe, to judgment. The fword of the Lord is filled * with blood. '§ At the end of the world, the angels fhall come 6 forth, and fever the wicked from among the juft, and fhall ■ caff them into the furnace of 'ire ; there {hall be wailing and * gnafhing of teeth. '|| » Into the fire that never fhall be quench- * ed : Where their worm uieth not, and the fire is not quench* * ed.'H ' And the fmoke of their torment afcendeth up forever * and ever.' 4 Thefe both were tafi alive, (that is, full of fen- * fat ion) into a lake of fire burning with birimftone.'Q — Thefe, and many others, give us an idea of complete torment, as fink- ing and awiu* as is pefTible for us to have, £. As the daqined are totally finful, and their fin an infinite evil, and as they receive the full wages of their fins, fo their torment muff be full, or complete. For it rnuft be anfwerable to their fins. And God inflicts it, not becaufe he delights in their mifery, hut to fhow his hatred to fin — to Jliow his wrath. — Now if God fnows his wrath, he fhows it as it is. This om- nipotent wrath therefore, which is unalterable, fills foul and body with deadly anguifh ; the vfJJ'cls oj wrath are filled with the wrath o{ the Almighty. ' In the cup fhe hath filled, fill ' to her doubie. How much fhe hath glorified herfelf, and liv- * ed delieiouily, fo much torment and forrow give her.' | 3. Pfal. Ixxiii, 19. * How are they brought into defolation, ' in a moment ! they are utterly confumed with terrors.' 2 Pet. ii, 12. * And mall utterly penfh in their own corruption.' — T t This • Deut. 32. 22, £3, 24, 4:. + F r J. 37. so. ^ liai. J4. 5. I| Matt. 8. 49, tp, 1 Mark o. 43. . IU\. 14. n, aud i« i R ;l r ilifm cc nfo u n ds and deft r oy s i tft if. \ This is explained in Rev. xiv, 14. * The fmoke of their tor- ' ment afcendeth up forever and ever : and they have no reft nor night, who worfhip the beaft and his image.' So in *..h. xv, 10. ' And (hall be tormented day and night forever and ' ever.' The damned, therefore, are not annihilated. But ' heir happinefs is utterly con fumed, or taken away. They have no refl, not the lean pofTible relief, day nor night ; no. but theT unremitting pangs ana* terrors of death for their portion. 4. It is faid of irreclaimable Mmlirs, their end is deftruclion,* and, compared to briars and thorns their end is to be burned, + and' they are vefTels of wrath, as v, ; e have often feen, fitted to, deiiruttaoiT ; fo of Pharaoh, * Even for this fame purpofe have T raifed thee up. 'J From which it is evident, the damned are. put to no other ufe but fnfFering. And their whole faculties of ioul and body are employed for this ufe ; otherwife they would he ufelcfs ; and would anfwer no end. Therefore, their ftif- fering, both of body and mind, mud be according to their ca pacity. Like veffels filled up to the brini, they are nlfedwith the tortures of death itfelf. 5. One rca foh why God' enlploys the damned only for the ufe. ot fufTeririg, is to make his pozoer known. He therefore makes it known upon them to the utterviofl. And indeed it. is a molt convincing uifplay of God's power for him to keep foul and bodv together ; to keep them in exiflence, under fuch incon- ceivable torments. Conitantly weeping and Wailing, groaning, out under the agonies of death ! or they are ever dying, and cv-' er living only to die. They are confumed away like fmoke, ut- terly eoirf timed, and utterly dcflroycd. Yet God upholds ihem, or keeps them in being, in the midft of this deftruclion, Which is Sen? on Oration of his power. For foul arid body a- live, full oi quick fenfation, far more (o perhaps than what We eVer fee] in this life ; thus to be cafl into a lake of Hre burning with brirnitone, and frill kept in being ; what an awful y'igw ■ Iocs this give of almighty power ? This fo far from being a wanton difplay of power, is fuited 10 anfwer the higher! ends of benevolence. The enemies c r God are difpofed to mock, and defy his power. It therefor" tends to the grcatefl good, to have the world know that the Lop.d God is ftrong in judg?nent : That he has power to cafl niio hclL or to punifh his implacable enemies equal to their defer!. The heavenly hods rejoice at this, and fmg, * Allelu- • 1a : for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth.'^ One end alfc\ which '. 3. 19. -f Hcb. (J. 8. t v - c ™ 9' '■'! 5 Rcv *9- c - tlJnivcrjdtij'ni co 7) founds and dejlroys ttft 33^ which God has in punifhing his enemies, is to make them knoiu his greatnefs and power, as well as to make his power and glory known to his friends. Thus to Pharaoh, Exod. ix. 14, 16. ' For ' I wiilat this time lend all my plagues upon thine heart ; and * upon thy fervants, and upon thy people; that thou maycjl : know that.therc is none like me in all the earth. And in very * deed for this caufe have I raifed thee up, for to fhew in thee ■ my power ; and that my name may be declared throughout all the earth/* As this is given to illuftrate the ftate of the damned, fo God diiplays the full weight of his power upon them. fie fi 1.1 s up the meafure of their iniquity ; which mufl make their torments full. And as they know the arm of God is ftrong, i'o their courage is broken, and they are crufhed. Not only fo, thei: very pains make them know what almighty power is, their Jpir- its * Mr. Winchester in his Dialogues, fo in his Lectures, wou'd fupport his f< hcn.t from fome of the threatening. Gad gave out to the pcrverfe Itraelit^s and idolatrous Gentile-: ; on J becaulje luch threatening* are doled with thefe words, * Ye iliall know rhat I am the Lord.' As in Ezek. vii. g, 27. ' I will fhortly pour cut my fury up'. L on thee, and recompense mine anger upon thee— -Mine eye fhall not ipare, neither • : will I have pity ; I will recompense thee according to thy Ways r- — and ye fhall ' know mat I am the I.orp that imitcth. — I will do unto them after their way, and 1 according to their dei'erts will I judge them ; and they fhall know that J am the ' Lc.-.^.' Thefe, and many others of like import in this prophecy, Mr- W. Uike:> u hi promifes of grace ; the judgments here threatened being as he lays, faitsd folely to ftumble. fubdue, and bring to me faring knowledge of the Lord, and With this promife, ' Ye fhall know that I am the Lord.' This he concludes muft be taken as a promife of this fort : becaufe, as he holds, wherever fcripture fpeaks of knowing 'he Lord, or fays, 'Ye fhall know that I am the Lord.' ' Or, it always, without ex- ception, means, to know him in an holy or laving manner. See in his ?.oth I Vol. 2. alio in his Dialogues, p. 1 15. 2ut his reifoning on thjs point, aiid through fcvo- ral pages, is totally overthrown by the above iuftanceof Pharaoh. The Loes brought the threatened judgment upon him, and hardened his heart more and more, inftead of making him know the Lord in a faving manner. Inftead of this the Lord made Pharaoh know, to his destruction, what almighty power is. And made him. an ,n. - fttj example, to illuftrate the ftate of the damned. Furthermore, the covfefion Pharaoh made, was to the glory of Gcd the Father. Exnd. ix. 27. 'And Pharaoh fent, and 4 called fur Moles and Aaron, and faid unto them, I have finned this time: the Lord ' is righteous, and I and my people arc wicked.' So the devils coufefTsd, Luke iv. ' 33' 34* ' A Ipirit of an unclean devil — cried out with a loud voice, faying — What ' have wc to do w;th tree, thou Jefus of Nazareth ? Art thou come to dertroy us r* 4 I know who thou art. the Holy One of God.' That Chrift fhould appear t power over devils, as well as over wicked men, and that they themfelves fhould de- . hre it, in this manner, is undoubtedly to the glery of God the Father. Thefe things alfo illuftrate and give evidence what will be the cafe at the judgment day ; when de- rilsand wicked men, though their hearts will be hardened more a d more, will be convicted, and fome way made to acknowledge, orconfefs, the powei end iightcouf- v:fs of Chrift the judge. This alfo totally overthrows all Dr. C. and Mr. W. have uom Ifai. xlv. 13, and Phil. ii. 10, 11. Forth* entire ftrength of thfi ment is, that this confcllion always means voluntary fubnjiflinn. Whereas, in the t .v> inftances before us, they confeu Jtfut Chrift is Lor d, while their hrans ->; if fct a~ainft him. 34© Univcrfalifm confounds and defrays itfelf* its therefore can no longer bear up ; they fink, they die, they are utterly con fumed with terrors ! It is evident from experience, that pofitive knowledge of aK mighty power is as uecefiary toefeel cofnplete mifery, as it is to offecl: complete happinefs. Pofitive knowledge alfo of almigh- ty power is as capable of effecting the former, in one cafe, as it is the latter in another. Therefore, when God threatened Pha- raoh, which threatening was executed, that he fhould know his power, and that his power fhould be made known in him ; he threatened to make him utterly miferable, in this fenfe it is «::plained by the apoftle, Rom. ix. 6. The pbr.afe death, or the fecend deaths demands more particular notice. This phrafe undoubtedly has its meaning as all words of frripture have. But the fole meaning or ufe ot itmuft be lotfhow the nature and extent of the mifery, fuffered by the miferable, in hell. For it cannot mean a de.ftruclion of foul and body, or that death puts an end to their exiftence. Neither can it mean a reparation of foul and body. Neither can it mean that foul and body, or either of them, ceafe to have life or being for a while ; as the body does while in the grave. And; laflly, .it cannot mean a mere tranfition, . pafting from one Irate to another. This the apoftle- exprefsly teaches, (i Cor c xv. 51.) cannot be called death, or Deep, which is here the fame; but only being 'changed.' This phrafe, death, mult of courfe be taken as an explanation of the miiery juft named ; otherwife it can be of no ufc, Dr. Chauncy takes it in the fame fenfe ; although he again contradicts himfelf. * The go- * ing away,' he fays, * into everlafting punifhment, the being * caft into the furnace of fire, where thtre fhall be waijing and c gnafhingof teeth, mean the fame thing in the facred diale6t, * with the fecond death.'* Therefore, without falling into contradictions, we can do t\o other than co'nfidcr-it as defignfcd to (how the nature and extent of the torments of hell. But the term death in fcripture, fo in common language, is ufed to give the moil formidable idea of pa;n. To defcribe fick- nefs or pain in the ftrongeft manner poffible, we lay, ' It is 6 like death !' — Thus we have the ftate of the miferable, in the world of mifery : the ftrongeff of all exprefflons being ufed, to affure us the veffelsare filled full — their mifery cf foul and body completed. Neither can we give any other interpretation to the. words, fecond death. There are decrees of this mifery, as has often been faid. Of the poifon of two full veffels, that of one may be far more pou fo nous * ? $10 Univerjaitfrn confounds and drjtroys itfilf. ^i fonotis than that of the other. Two vefl'els may both be filled With liquid hire, and the fire in one vaflly more iritenfe and de- vouring than the fire in the other. This is evident, as alfo one veflel may contain more in quantity than another. But the loweft degree of this mifery, or torment, is worfe than non-ex- iftence ; the loweft degree oi it is death. III. .We are to enquire, what things zic neceflary to eifo£) t and complete this torment. Some things that go into the dreadful account, we have al- ready feen. As, ' a lake of fire burning with brimftone, a fur- * nace of fire.' See. ? If thefe are to be taken as in fome meaf- * ure metaphorical expreflions ; yet we muft not think that they ' are defigned to reprefent to our view an imagination, the Fuf- * ferings of the wicked as greater and more dreadful, than they * really will be ; for this is not confident with the dignity and ' truth of God, to attempt to frighten men, by threatening them * with a greater evil than he ever will inflict «n any ; or by rep- 4 refenting them as fuffering more than the wicked will fuffer.'* The truth is, as awful and tremendous as the reprefentation, given by a lake of fire, is, it is no more than anfwerable to the idea of the fecond death. Yea, the former is neoeifary to the latter. In common cafes, the ftruggles, groans, and pangs of dying perfons are not continual ; but by turns, with intermif- fions of fome reft or relief. But the fecond death is continual, or unremitting : they have no re/i day nor night. So when one is caft alive into a fire, the fire caufes quick and raging pain, without intermiiTion. Hence, a lake of fire burning with brimftone, or famething equal, appears confident and neceflary to the fecond death — to the torment of the damned. Whatever it may be, which God has ordained, to make hell a place of mifery ; or however it may differ from things dif- cernible by our prefent fenfes ; vet it is fomcthing, fome ma- terial fubftance, jfuited to caufe extreme anguifb, io as the mail glowing, piercing fire. Divine wifdom has not defcribed it more awful than it is. Neither can any thing exceed the cafe before us. What can be more painful than one continual, ag. Onizing death ! What, therefore, is called s a lake of fire burn- ing with brimftone,' is fome material fubftance, fuited to tor- ment the body. And is the fame that God of old prepared for the punifhment of devils. The wicked will be raifed, at the laft dav, with bodies fitted to feel pain, and to receive this doom : — 1 Depart from me, ye curfed, into evcrlafting fire, prepared for 1 the devil and his angels.' This fire c#uld not punifh the (owl or f 2i Iiopkim'i Syjlem, p, -5s, vol. 1. By th€ wicked, he jr»r.".: '.V* ^4^ Univ;rfd!ifm confounds and defirbyi itfetf, or fp'rrit, were it not for its union with the body. In the prefi ent ilate, there are things to aftli£l the body ; things which could not reach the mind, only through the medium of the body. So there arc things to afflict the mind, which could have no opera- tion upon the body, only as they firfl take hold of the mind. — It will undoubtedly be the fame in the next ilate. In both dates, however, what eaufes pain to one, does to the other ;— for body and fpirit are in the cjofefl union. Hence, it is plain that this Jire, or fornc material fubftance equal to it, is ncceiTarv to make hell what it is ; a place, a mean, to take hold ot £n& punihh the body as well a r > the mind, £ As the wicked are to fufiTer in the I od\% they will be capa- * ble of fufFering by means cf the body, ot of fuffering bod;)} 1 pain, 2S well as that which is purely mental. — The boa, 1 the wicked will be raifed, and' united to their fouls, that they ' may be punched, and fuffei miiery in body and mind, in un ' ion. ' And God can render a future fcparation impoffible, 4 and fo form Hie body, as that it fhall continue in full life, and 1 with quick fenfe, in union with the foul, in the hOtteft fire ' that can be imagined.'* If the Almighty can go this for one moment, or if he can caufe death, armed with all his terrors, to prey upon the body, while it is one with the foul ; if he could do this for a moment, he can do the fame through endlels ages. Though the pain of their bodies will be great, beyond concep- tion ; yet, it appears'that mental pain, will make the principal part of the punifhment of the damned. What things are necef :ary topunifh the mind, or what things will go to finilli themif- r-ry of hell, we fhall now fee. Firlr, feveral things will be mentioned, generally; and fecendly, one thing in particular, vvhich is de/pair ; to this fome attention will be bellowed. Firji. As we have already fecn, the 'vydful fittfation of the damned, \>q\u% plunged into the bottomlefs pit, glowing with devouring flames, efpfecia'Jy the pain and torture or their own bodies, will make them know the wrath and power of the Al- mighty. This will fill their minds with terror, utterly confume chem with terrors ! ' A great part of the punifhment of the * wicked, [the damned,] will coniift in a fenfe. ofthegreatnefs, ' power and terrible majefty of JlHQVAH, and his wrath, and * difplcafure with them, rnani letted in their proper cilefts.' This * will fill their minds with excruciating pain, and horror iriex- * prcflible, while the tokens ci all thdeare exhibited in the moil 1 dreadful manner to them, in their puniLh/ncnr.'t It feems ne ceiTVry in this cafe, they mould kiibw the arm of the Lc i\vo i > !Ionki.::' Svflexn. P. ar*. V >1, c. I :'.;' h Uhiverjalifin cg ^founds and deftrff) \ itfitif* 34^ iteong ; that. arm which has cait them down, and holds them in tl'eft ruction ; without a poflibHity of their escaping. A fenfe of tjiisis fuited to break their fpirits, crufh their pride, and grind them to powder '—-The prophet Ifaiah fays, ' Lord, when thy* ,: hand is lifted up, they will not fee, butiheyjkallft'c, and be * Shamed tor their envy at the people ; yea the fire of thine ene- 1 niies (hall devour them. 1 '".t. there arc other circumftancefl and tning8| which will be nt'i in the cup oi" their punifhment. Their tion and exercifes of heart, their felfimnefs and ' pride, ana* enmity to God, which will rage to a dreadful de- 1 gree, will be a fou'ree of .c.oniiant rnifery, Thcfe will rendei 4 the (hame and contempt which they ihall fufTer, moil keenly k painful, and, in a fenfe, intolerable. They will never be in 1 any degree reconciled to the divine decrees and. government, 4 and their dependence on God, and being absolutely in his hands ; * but all this will be moil painful to them ; they will be difpofed * to juflify thcmfelvcs : ancl find fault with the lav/ of God, and. * his treatment of them. Their oppofition to all this, will be fo * ftrong and condant, and their enmity will rage, (o that a con-- * flam convi6tion in their judgment and aonfeierice, that God ' deals juitly with them, may not take place ; and they wilt 4 fometimes, if not continually, in the utmoft rage, blafphem*- * the God of heaven. It will be, beyond our prefent conceal *, c tion, painful and ingto them, to know that they have 1 not a friend in the \u< • ltd never will have one, who will ' (how them the leaf): kindnefs, or have any pity on them : That \ God is again ft them and will caff evil upon them, and nat fpare ; * and all the inhabitant! of heaven highly approve of his treatment * of them, andrpraife him for his righteous jw \ in pun, * ifhing them as they fee he docs. The cottviclton they will have * of the happiaefs of the redeemed, tome of whom they defpifed ' and hated, when in this world, will excite their envy and mal- Vice to a high degree ; which arc tormenting . , in pro- portion to the ftrcngth of their exercife.' * Their company will add to their mifery. I find ' a friend among them ; but all will be full of hatred, rage, anJ. * malice. The fight and prefence of the devil and bis a: ' who have had a great hand in their ruin, and who will contin- * ne their ill will, and torment them m all the ways their cunning 4 and malice can invent, will be very dreadful. And whatever * intercourfe they may have with thofe of mankind, who are 4 fufferirig with them, it will gitethem no relief, but addtotlv-.i : ' mifery. 344 Uitivtrjalifm confounds and defer oys itjtlj . ' rotfery. And thofe who have had the greateft connexion with * each' other in this life, wiilbcmoft unhappy together; who * have injured each other, or been the means of their eternal ru- * in. And thofe companions and fuppofed friends, who have 4 tempted and feduced each other into the pracliceof vice, and * way of ruin, will, by their mutual acc'ufations and curfes, be * a vexation and torment to each othw.*** Secondly. One thing, which is defpair, demands particular attention. And becauie this completes the tremendous fccne bcioie us ; this is death to the foul. We Ihall therefore, 1. Notice what is intended by th-s defpair.. Scripture explain* il thus - ' The expectation of the wicked (hall perilh. • Wheti * a wicked man dieth,- his expectation fhall perim. : and the hope 6 of unjuft menperifheth.'t ' The hypocrite's hope fhall peiifh ; " whole hope fhall be cut off, and whole. truft mall be a fpider's 6 web. The eyes of the wicked fhall fail, and they fhall not ef- \ cape, and their hope fhall be as the giving up of the ghoit.'J Our Saviour compares the hypocrite's hope of falvation, and the fatal confequences of this hope, f unto a fdbJifit man^. which * built his houfe upon the fand : — and it fell ; and great was the 8 fall of it.§ And in John's Revelation the*/ ere compared to a mill.' {lone, funk into the midit of the fea.|| Chrift again, to a ftone falling on a man, and grinding him to powder. f Thei'e things make it rrfanifeft that ihe damned are totally cut off from all hope. They have * IM*- P- *55- 2 5 6 - * Dr. Cha.n icy and others with him urges i. Cor. xv. 25, 26. • For he (Chrift) 4 mufl reign till he hath put all enemies under his feet. The laft «.ismy that fhall bt* J drftroved is death.' — Concluding from hence that tha'fecond death, and mifery of rclcrred to Dr. again ft , Chap, xv j where he will rind this p> int fully difcuifed. Dr.Edwards a!lofhow^,U» the fcm«Ch*p. that' all enemies being pnt underChrift's fest,'noinore in- . ;nds a voluntary iubmifliori of all his enemies, thai 1 that of the rive kings of Canaan in- tends this kind of fubmiffian 1 whea jofhua and bis . ipta ins put their fe < * eeks Jnfh x, 24. + Prov. to. 28. and 117. X job 8- 13^ 14 and \\. ao. :,.v:.tf. 7. »6, 87. I' Ch. :3, as 5. Matt. ?.\. 14. Vnrjzrfalfm confounds and d'firoys itfitf. 343 have no pofiible expectation of enjoying Future good. Their expectation of good hereafter is dead or perilhed. Their hope- is as the giving up of the gho't. Their fchemes, their devices, their hope, their expectation, their all, figuratively fpeaking, is ground to powder. And, according to what we have feen of the ftate of the damned, they are not only cut off from good, but they are delivered over to evil ; they fee nothing but evil before them. Which evil is one perpetual death. This is the defpair that reigns' in hell, . 2. Inflead of a lax fenfe of the word, it is necefiary to take this defpair in the moft Ariel or literal fenfe. Infinite, eternal,. ?.nd other unlimited terms, as we have fecn, are often ufed in a lax or limited fenfe ; contrary to their natural meaning. $0 defpair h often ufed in a lax fenfe ; not wholly to exclude hope. But, in this cafe it rnuft be taken in its mod literal fenfe. It cannot anfwer to the idea of death, or of the fecond death, unlefs it is taken in this manner. The'fecond death, as has been fhown, is the death of the foul as well as the body- And the wages of fin is death, both to foul and body.- — This cannot be denied, All who hold to future punifliment„ allow that the damned receive their full wages ; and of courfe, that their fouls with their bodies fuffer the fecond death. There- fore, the fouls or fpirits of the damned are in this fenfe dead. They are dead as to hope of future good, and they can fee no- thing but evil before them. This is the meaning of defpair, in the literal fenfe of the word. Defpair, flritrly.Tpeaking, and nothing but evil to come, have one meaning. " Indeed, that; defpair which i3 as the giving up of the ghoffc, is literally def- pair. That defpair which is like being ground ^,0 powder, is the higheft kind of defpair. But nothing (hort of this can be faid of the damned. Where there is hope there i* life. The leaft degree of hope keeps the foul from finking. **-;In this cafe, the foul cannot be dead ; neither can the hope be 33 the giving up of the ghoft. It is here remarkable, there is an infinite odds between lifo and death, The lowefc pofTible degree of the former, is righc oppofite to the latter. So the lowefl degree of hope, even * poffibility of efcaping evil and enjoying good, is oppofed to at*. folute defpair, and infinitely diverfe from it. From which it follows, that if the damned could fee even a poflibihty of bein£ delivered from hell, and taken to heaven, it would make thair cafe quite another thing from what it now is. It would fo, pf o-. vided they arc in abfolute defpair. For in this cafe a bare pof- fibility of deliverance would give inlbnt relief to their fouls — U U 34<3 Unixftrfalifm confounds and defiroys itftlf. would give them hope or life. And life is as oppofite to death as light is to darknefs. Hence it is plain that this defpair is abfolute defpair. The damned being dead as to all hope, their hope as the giving up of the ghoft, or as, death itfelf ; thus (hut out from good, and nothing but evil appearing before them, they mull be in abfo- lute defpair. And they are not dead, in the fenfc of the fecond death, unlefs they do ftnc~tly defpair. Any thing fliort ct this, or the lead degree of hope is life to the foul. Therefore, to deny pofitrve defpair to the damned, is to deny that they fufTer the fecond death. It is the fame as to deny ihat they receive ihpfe wages of fin which is death, both of body and mind. This again is evident from what we have feen of. the com> piete mifery of the damned. — They are utterly confumed with Uirors ; therefore have no hope left. And if they are utterly sotifumed with terrors, they find themfelves fwallowed up in that ocean cf evil, which .has no bounds; or from which they can never efcape. — They rejl not day nor night ; they have not the leaft refpile or relief. But hope gives relief, certainly to the foul, and of courfe to the body. Even the hope of being turned into nothing, were there no other hope, wouid give re- lief, feme reft, tp fnch as are cad into a lake of fire burning with brinnione. No rejl, theretore, or comp!:te torment im- plies defpair, complete defpair of efcape from the evil. The flfrongeft of expreiTions, which is death, is alfo ufed to intend and iljufirate.tbe complete torment of the damned. Which givefc defpair - in the higheil fenfe ; that is, death itfelf to their ioul^. _: It is a facl; ' : Vnown by experience, that hope is the fupport and life ol the foul, it is the * anchor of the. foul.' The moft diiiant hope would keep the heart from breaking, or the foul horn finJt^njJ Such a fbte could not be called death, unlefs we would Qonfpund life and death together. The foul never dies while tn€ mbft diflant hope remains. It is therefore im- poflible to e»nfjder the deftruclion of foul and body in hell, the fecond death, in any other fenfe than has been ftatcd. This death and difpair are both one. When hope is cut ofT, the foul dies, and not before. Where hope has utterly perifhed, the fecond death has begun his reign. But to fay he reigns where hope reigns or lives is abfurd. It is remarkable that the term, fecond death, mould be ufed and applied to the Hate of the damned. For, with its connection, it decidedly fhows they arc dead as to all hone, or they are in abfolute defpair., Univerjaiifm confounds and dtjiroys itfelf. 347 The above agrees with the ill defert of finners, and their re- ceiving according to their defert. God himfelf would be in defpair, could they have their wifhes. For if his council were defeated in the leait degree, his whole plan might as well be fub. verted: and his happinefs ofcourfe utterly destroyed. As, therefore, finners delerve to be treated as they would treat God, fo they deferve to be caft down into utter darknefs or defpair. But the damned have their full defert, and accordingly have for their portion blacknefs of darknefs, where hope never comes 1 —We (hall now, 3. Enquire what things are neceffary to efTe£r. this defpair. And, the damned mufl know that God has decreed to hold them forever in the agonies of death, and that this decree is unalter- able, Pofitive knowledge of thefe things is neceffary in this cafe ; otherwife it is impoflibls their fouls mould fink into an hopolefs flat*. It is known by experience that we never defpair, flriflly fpea" king, of attaining fome delired obje£r, until we are made cer- tain we cannot attain it. We may give over the purfuit of an obje£r, when the chance is againit us. So when the chance is favourable, to be effected however with care, diligence, or labor, we may relinquifli the purfuit. But no fuch cafe will illuitrate defpair. The fafcr. is, we leave one object and go to another ; according as our circumflances, our fancy, zeal, or fortitude of mind may be. But we do not give over when our all is at flake, till we have certain knowledge it is in vain to purlue. In the folemn cafe of life and death, we never give over before we know it is too late. While there is one chance in a million, cr the leaft -profpecl of faving life, we keep up exertions for that end. But when we know it is too late, or when death comes, we have done, out hope is clear gone. On the contrary, let the cafe be ever fo gloomy, one chanc* in any given number, and in the fame degree there is hope : in this inftance hope is not cut off. Thereafon is, there is not decided knowledge as to the event, Thus experience fhows that pofitive knowledge and defpair are infeparable, Why, therefore, the damned mufl know God has decreed, unalterably, to hold them forever under the tortures of death, clfe their hope cannot be cut off, the reafon is plain. None but God is able to hold them in this manner. It is his power and decree only that can fix them, and uphold them in unquen- chable fire. Therefore, nothing but his power and his fixed decree can make this event certain to their mind*. But this e- ven<: 34^ V nioerfalij m cenjounds and dcftr ays itfclf. Tent mud be made certain to them, or they are not indefpair. But the damned are in defpair. They therefore know God has decreed to hold them forever in the fame ftate of torment, and that this decree will not be altered. We can rationally conceive of nothing but positive knowl- edge, that God has thus decreed, which can entirely cut off hope. Belief, expectation, or doubtful fear, of evil to come, doe* not wholly exclude hope. Neither when we can fee no way of cfcape from evil, is our hope clear gone. We mult fir ft be certain we arc (hut up, and can never get out, before hope cies. But nothing fiiort cf the fixed decree of God can make the event certain. God only can (hut up the prifon of hell, and hold itsmiferable fufferers there, keep them in being un- der their exquifite pains and tortures. So they mull be certain God has determined it, before they can be certain of the event* and before their hope is periihed. In hell, hope has perifhed, hn\it never enters thofe dreary abodes ; they of courfe are cer- tain the decree of heaven hai gone out againil them, and will- not be recalled. The above agrees with Matt. x. 28. * Fear not them which * kill the body, but are not able to kill the foul : but rather fear * him which is able to deftroy both foul and body ia hell.' God here claims to himfetf the exclufive power of deilroying the foul. The fame immediate power that formed it, and no other, is able to deftroy it. All the power of creatures, combined, cannot reach it, or deftroy the hope cf one foul. But the de- cree of God can reach it, and pierce it through with the arrow of death. Creatures can be the means of carrying this decree into efifecl: ; or,, in fome way inilrumental of completing the mifery of hell. But the decree "muft firll go forth, and the damned be made to know it ; elfe ail that creatures can do, will be nothing towards cutting off their hope. It is not fo as to the bodies of men. Their bodies may be killed by the hands of their fellow men, without their knowing God has determined it. But when they have killed the body this is all they can do : at remains for God to pafs the decifive fentence, which alone can fix the foul in a hopelefs flate. — — It is pofhble fome would now raife this, Objection. It is not neceffarv there ihould be a pofuive de- cree, and this made certain to the minds of the damned, fo to make their cafe appear defperate to them. God can, without fuch decree, cut off their hope ; by making of it apoear ars a re* ality . Univcrfalijiii confounds and dejtroys itjctf, 3.*$ ality to them, that they fhall never be delivered from hell ; when, at the Tame time, lie determines to deliver and fave them. Though this objection does not even look plaulible, much lefs rational, yet it may be bell to reply, as follows. Anf. 1 . The damned, as we have feen, are made to knew the power of God, in fuch fort as to have the mofl clear, full, and certain knowledge of their own entire dependence on his power. They therefore arc certain they fhall fuller neithei lefs nor more, , than what God will cafl upon them, and what he has determin- ed to cafl: upon them. ' Which argues it to be impofhble they fhould be niiitak.cn by things not real, or by lalfe appearances. "" Anf. 2. The damned are made to know the extent of the curfe of God's law ; what fin deferves, and what punifhment ihe law demands. This is plain from God'*J?iowing his wrath, and making his power known upon them ; alio by his making the fame known to them. Which rr.uft exclude a!! falfc ap- pearances, make things real and certain. W fin deferves endlefa punimment, the damned know it, If Cm deferve a temporary puniftment only, they know it. If they are doomed to fuffer their full defert, or fomething fhort of this; they know it. They therefore cannot be in defpair, unlefs endiefs punifhment is the curfe of the law, and this curfe is executed. Anf. 3. The fentence on the wicked at the great day, is, 4 Depart from me, ye curfed, into everlafting fire/ If this means nn£ily tvzrlajling, they know it ; or whatever this fentence intends, they cannot but know. It is abfurd to fuppofe a judge fliould pronounce on criminals, efpecially that the judge of the world mould pronounce on all the guilty, and they not know what the fentence contains. If therefore this dreadful fentence cuts off the hope of all the wicked, as it certainly does, it is the truth and reality of the cafe which does ir, inltead of a mere fiction. Anf. 4. The objection fuppofes that God makes things ap- pear realities, which are not fo. And that he makes the damned feel as though they were to be tormented forever, when, at the fame time, he determines to redeem and fave them. Which ar- gues that he is obliged to ufe deception, the moll notorious decep- tion and falfehood, to govern the world. This objection, there- fore, as it gives fuch a contemptablc character of the one true God, cannot be admitted. But let us fee again. Anf. 5. The defperate cafe ot thofe in hell, and what makes theircafedefperate, Chrifl: has fhown us, as in Luke xvi. 22 — 26 * The rich mm alfo died, and was buried ; and in hell 35© XJnivtrfalifin confounds and dejlroys it/elf. * up his eyes, being in torments, and feeth Abraham afar oil, 1 and Lazarus in his bofom. And he cried and faid, Father 1 Abraham, have mercy on me, and fend Lazarus that he may * dip the tip of his finger in v/arer, and cool my tongue ; for « I am tormented in this fiarie. But Abraham faid, Son, rcmem- ) her that thou in thy lifetime received!! thy good things, and 1 likewife Lazarus evil things ; but now he is comforted, and ' thou art tormented. And befide all this, between us and yon ■ there is a great gulf fixed : fo that they which \vouid pafs from ' hence to you cannot ; neither can they pafs to us, that would * come from thence.' The anfwer Abraham give's, 1 is, • Son, 1 remember that thou in thy lifetime received^ thy good tilings/ This is in anfwer to Dives's begging for a drop of water only, and being denied. Which plainly', and moil ftrikingly teaches that he had already received all his good things he ever was to receive ; and therefore it was in vain to beg for more, even the leaft thing. So the phrafe, received/? thy good things, was underftood among the Jews ; being a proverbial exprelhon to fhow that he had received his reward, or his alt. The fame we find in Luke vi. 24, * Woe unto you that are rich : for you •have received your confolations.' Chrifl here places their * confolations* in oppofition to the endlefs reward of the righ- teous. And, by thefe well known maxims or proverbs, plainly teacher, a~ the righteous receive all their evil things inthis world, and their good things, nothing but good thi-ngs in the next ; fo the rich or wicked receive all their good things in this, and their evil, nothing but evil things in the coming' world. That the Tews thus underfeed Chrifl, being long accullomed to fuch proverbial layings, I appealto every one acquainted with an- ; Jewifh matters. On this ground, Dives is denied even a drop of water, to cool life' fcorchitfg tongtre. His own natural father, and bis once dear connections, whom he now fees in heav-' en, can mow him not the leall companion. The reafon is, he '.ready receive! all the g^bd'he ever was to receive. — ' Aim * befideail tlvs, between us and you th^re is a great gulf fixed,' Un- alterably frxed. So the original word is fometirncs underftood; fee in 2 Tim. ii. 19. And i'o h muft he tal&en here, as is clear from the whole connection. T\\h great gulf frce.d^in themoflawful man- Aer reprefents the fixed decree of Heaven. This decree forever holds the damned in their abyfs of woe. They never can break their prifon, or pais from thence to heaven. Neither can the inhabitants of heaven ever pais over to them, to give them re- lief - ' • ■ ' But Untvcr fair/hi confounds and dejtroys itfelf. 3,51 But the prefent defign is to {how what it is that makes the damned utterly defpair. ' In hell nt lifted up his eyes, being !M torments.' He is made to know the utmoft of his cafe ; how he is cut off from ail good, and can find no refpite from his tor- )nents. He is made to know that the fixed decree of Cod has (hut him out or heaven, and confined htm in hell. Now, that this decree is. unalterable, and that the damned are made certain it is (o, will hence be evident. This decree is undoubtedly the thing that feiz.cs their fouls with death and defpair ; cf courfe it mail be unalterable, it cannot be otherwife. Were it only a temporary decree, and a fate pa'nage afterwards to be made from hell to heaven, it could net pofiibly make their hope as the giv- ing up of the ghoft, And that God makes them feel as though this decree were unalterable, when he has made no fuch decree, cannot be admitted. That this decree, therefore, is unalterable, and that they know it is, is evident from its fatal eiFe£ls ; it car- lies death and defpair with it into their fouls. This agrees with the account given of the ia/l judgment. The greiit Judge pronounces the final fentence in fo many words ; ' Depart from me, ye curfed, into everlafiing fire, pre,- * pared for the devil aad his angels.' Thus are they curled, and made to know this curfe ; the dreadful fentence being di- rected immediately to them by the Almighty Judge, whofe voice mu» pierce their hearts and make them know. With this curfe are they ca/1 down into the fame lake of fire prepared for devils, which is the fecond death. As this curfe and the fecond death are both one, fo it muft be the curfe of God's law; the full wages of fin, and anfwerable to the infinite evil and ill defert of in. And mull be the death of both foul and body. Now, it is abfurd to fay the foub of the wicked, as v/ell as their bodies, are curfed in this manner, and at the fame time have hope re- maining. Certainly that curfe which is the curfe of the law, which is death, the fecond death, the full wages of tin, and an- fwerable to the unlimited evil of fin, mui't entirely cut 01T hope, But it is their feeling the weight of this curfe, knowing the ex- tent of it, that makes them fink into an hopeiefs fUte. The above alfo agrees with what the Lord faid to Pharaoh and other noted Tinners. Exod. ix. 14. « For I will at this time ! fend all my plagues upon thine heart, — that thou mayeft know '■ that there is none like me in ail the earth.' And Ezek. vii. 9. * Mine eye fhall not fpare, neither will I have pity : I will ic- * corapenfe thee according to thy ways — ; and ye fiiall know " that I ;n: the Lord that fraiicth.' God makes the damned tbernfclves 2^8 Univerj r uh ' fm ceTiJ&unds and deftroys iifdf. fchernferves know his power and wrath. They rind themfelves in his hand as the clay is in the hand of the potter. His hand and power being iaid upon them, which alone caufes their inex- preiTrbie pain* and tortures ; fo they know it is ' the Lop*D that * fmiteth.' And as. their whole exigence is employed in fufFer- ing, defignedly to make them know his power, fo are they a* certain of his power as they are of their own exigence. They are equally certain' of his wrath. For, it is for this end they are made to know his power, that they might know his wrath, or infinite: and unchangeable hatred to fin. Accordingly, they are as certain' they have one endle.fs fiate of woe before them, that the awful decree of Heaven will not be altered, as that they ar? now in hell'. This is death, this is the curfe, this is defpair. And nothing (hort of this will llrictly bear the name. It is generally thought their pains and torments increafe upon them ; grow more fharp, deadly, and devouring, the longer they hav* been in hell. It is natural to conclude, as they continue to feel the weight of divine power, and that almighty arm which crufhes them, fo they grow more ;md more certain of this pow- er. They therefore have incrcafing knowledge of his wrath; more and more fee his unchangable hatred to fin. And fink deeper and deeper in defpair. This appears confirmed by the figurative name or description the bible gives of hell ; which is the bottomhfs pit. It is botiiinlcfs or unlimited more proper- ly as it applies to duration. In this refpeft it naturally has its meaning. Whether the place of mifery be unlimited or not, as to extenfion or depth, this would make no difference to fuch as were call into it for a limited time. Kence, this figure, L'cttuudefs pit, can naturally and forcibly apply only to dura- tion. Giving an idea, mon> awful, of an eternity of woe! and evrr finking deeper into anguifli ?\ his glory on the veffels of mercy. Where jufticc is kept out of view, or where it is not revealed equal to the evil of fin, there is no ground for the glory of mercy to be revealed. Let us therefore, my dear Sir, beware of that fcheme which is neither a fcheme of benevolence, nor is it for the belt good of the whole. Let us alfo beware of the fcheme which directly denies that Pharaoh and his hoff, and the Canaanites were given to be as meat or bread for Ifrael. Beware of that which denies that the enemies of the Lord are made as the fat of lambs on the altar, offered as a facrifice for the good of Zion. Beware of the fcheme which denies that God taketh vengeance on ami- chriltian apoftates, and on ail reprobate finners ; fo to en- hance the everiafting joy of heaven. See Rev. xviii. 20, and xix. 2. 5. This fubjccl: teaches the importance of Chrift's miffion into the world. ■ The Son of Man is come to feek and to fave * that Univcrfalifm confounds and deftroys itfelf. 3,5,5 ' that which was loft.'* As all men were under fentence of death, the fecond death, fo they were utterly loft. Which mows the impoflibility ol any part being faved, had not Chrift come to feek "and to lave. Hence the importance ot his com- ing, as well the greatnefs of the work he tame to do. 6. As Chrift died to open a door for all men to efcape this , death, and all do indeed efcape it who believe in him ; we ot courfe fee how meritorious is his death. His death ranfoms from infinite or everlafting death; therefore, his death is infi- nitely meritorious. Whereas, on the univerfal plan, his death is no more than that of a mere creature. To die and offer up himfelf, a redemption from temporary death or punifhment, is nothing more than a mere creature might do. In this way, the death of Chiift is comparatively reduced to nothing; But our ' 'fubjeft * Luk« 19. 10. Univerfalifts fay, the fazed here are the fare c as were (tfl, arid all that were loji. Tlnenfo.e, they lay, as all were loft fo all will be faved. But we have only to fet their own arguments againit them. They deny the ieflnite evil of fin'. Dr Huntington allows it, then again impliedly denies it. It is ncceflary, we have feen, that Univerfal ifts, all of them, fhould deny the unlimited evil of fiu, ei- ther dire&ly or indire&ly. Thus, in their Icheme, men do not deferve cndlefs pun- ifhmett. Neither can they he juftly fentenceed to this punifhment. Neither can they, in juftice, be made td feel' as th'ough they were fentenced u> it. That is, they never can fink into an hopelefs ftate. It is impofftble a juft Gad fhould make them furrer more than they deferve. And to be made to feel as though their cafe were hopelefs, when they do not deferve endlefs punifhment — to be made to fuffer defpair, ' death itfelf to their fouls, when they d-ferve to i'sffer only for a time, is a punifhmeo.t infinitely greatep than they deferve. Which a juft God can« not inflift. He will inflict no more than the curie of the law. As the damned will be judged and condemned by the law, fo they will be made to fed its full curu, an* no more. If they do aot deftrve endlefs punifhment they know it. and cannot but know it ; therefore in tkis cafe, they cannot fink without hope. Hence, it is clear that the fouls of men, in their fcheme, are not loll, and never can be loft. Where tieath and defpair are denied, how are the fouls of men loft ? And where the un- limited evil of fin is denied, how ean de3th and defpair ever come ? — On their phn, the damned cannot but have a. lively hope, that theif torments will in due time: beat an end. And the more they are tormented, the fooner this will fit them for hjeaven. — It will here be faid, there are iome cafes of defpair m this world, and they are af- terward* delivered from it. Then why not the fame in heli ? Anf. 5n a loofe foiife ot the word, this may be called defpair. But, without a miracle, it is evid>*ntly im- poffible foul and body fhould be kept together a moment, in this prefehtjfcate, un- der the deadly anguifh of defpair. or the ftroke of death itfelf, as it reigns in hell. — Mr. Winchefter treats of defpair aiaong the damned in a loofe. fenfeof the word. He fays, ' It is evident they [the damned] are fhut up in a ftate of keen tormenting def- 4 pair, or dreadful fuipenfe, and may be fully periuaded that they fnall never be rr- 4 leafed, of which it is likely they may not have even the mod diftant hope.' Dia- logues, p. 114. He does not here fay they certainly h:ow they fhall never be releafed ; but they may be fully /er/uaded, See. and ' it is likely they mry nol hnv< ' or. A- gain, ' They are fhut uo in a ftate of keen tormenting drfpair, or dreadful fufpenje.' — jietween defpair, ftricliv [peaking, and iufpen'e, there is an infinite odds. The lat- ter does aot cut off hope ; but generally me»-i<; as greit a chance one way as the other. Therefore, when Jjr. \V. lakes defyair and fufpenfe as being born one, br muft me*:, defpair in a loofe fenfe. And all lie has (aid aboul the hypocrite's hepe bcir.g cutoff, and the hops of the wicked perifhh.g, ice. enly MROtti -' t'cd arc moft irrecably and happily dilappok 336 Univei -falifm cenjounds And deftroys itje.if- fubje£fc exhibits his fufferings and death in the mod dignified and exalted point of view. It was the great God, a divine per- ion, one equal with the Father, who died, and made his foul an offering f©r fin. Becaufe, to redeem from the curfe, from death eternal, mult require an offering moil valuable, a ranfora infi- nitely precious. 7. As the redeemed in heaven will forever behold that awful ■light in he'l|, that exquifite torture, horror, and defpair ; they will hz,ve the heft opportunity to fee what they themfelves de- ferve, from what they were redeemed, and the prccioufnef:, of that blood which redeemed them. They will forever have the heft opportunity to fing, with fweet melodious joy, ' Worthy is If the Lamb that was flain to receive power, and riches, and wif- ' dom, and Jlrength, and honor, and rlory, and blefTing.'* 8. The in fiance before us makes it plain that the redeemed in heaven are completely holy. They look down and fee their own deareft kindred in hell, under all the bitter agonies of death, and they ftand unmoved at the fight ; they maintain perfect calmriefs and undifturbed joy. They hear the great Judge pro- nounce the final fentencc ; they fee all the wicked fink down to hell, and hell moved with devouring flames to meet them ; a fight infinitely more dreadful than the finking of worlds. At the fame time they begin the triumphant fong. They fee the power oi God employed, in the molt terrible manner, to make their dearefr. and nearest connexions forever mrferable. And for this difpiay of his power, they afcribe unto him, bleffing, arid jzlory, and wii'dom, and tharkfgiving. This conlicleration, were there no other, is proof that the redeemed fn heaven ftand com- plete in holinefs* They feel exaftly as God does according to their meafure ; or they are ft/ied zvith all the fulnefs of God. This confederation, my Friend, may alfo be improved fur to :icarc!i and try our own heart*. The queftion is, whether, un- der our prefent trials, efpecially at the death of a dear relative, our conduit has any liken: Ts to the example before us ? Under thefe trials, do we manifeft an heavenly temper ? Do we fi)ow fubmiiTion to the holy will of God ? Do we mow to the world, love, and joy in the difalays of his power, his terrible majefty, and gloriofts juftice ? ii we do net love thefe perfections of De- ity, manifefted in their proper effects, how can we delight in the riches of his grace ? An heavenly temper muft begin in this world. When death comes it is forever too late. But, O the peace, the joy, and ftrength the foul fee's, that is entirely fwai* lowed up in God ! q. Tlw ■ Univerfalifm confounds and deflroys itfclf. |£* 9. The fubje£l brings to view the pitiful ftatc of all fuch are going on in fin, rejecting offered falvation. Some are convicled of the truth and reality of endlefs punifh ment ; and allow themfelves to be conftantly expofed to it, and that this mult be their portion, fhould they die in their prefent ftate. But their firong bias to finful pleafures urges them on a- gainit. the light of their own confciences. They fee nothing but death before them; they hear the kind Saviour invic.icr them to turn and live. * Why will ye die ?' but they will not turn at his reproofs. How pitiful, how deeply affecting is the cafe oi fuch as will venture on with their eyes open, going down to death, their fleps taking hold en hell ! When they are, fome of them, powerfully awakened and convinced, they fly to their own works for refuge, but will not come to Chrift for life. But how pitiful, how (hocking is the cafe of all openly vicious perfons ! The profane, the falfe fwearer, and bold blafpfoemer ; the contentious, the unjuff, the unmerciful, the cruel, and the ©ppreflbr ; the fornicator, and adulterer ; the thief, drunkard, and all liars ; thefe, except they repent, fhall not inherit the kingdom of God. But muff have their portion in the lake that burneth with fire and brimftone, which is the fecond death. And what will become of all fuch as caff the Lord God be- hind their back ! Who difregard his fabbaths, worfbip, and or- dinances ; who wholly neglect, or openly rejeel the facred fcrip- tures ; who caff off fear, and retrain prayer ? The Lord will come in a day when they look not for him, and in an hour when, they are not aware, and will cut them in funder, and will ap- point them their portion with the unbelievers ; there fhall be eternal weeping, wailing, and gnafhing of teeth. There are multitudes at the prefent day who not only profane the great name of Jehovah, but even fport with that which is iibove all things dreadful ; that is eternal damnation. Almoft every breath they will call upon God to damn their fouls to hell ; or they will damn and curfe themfelves, or curfe their fellow men. Not thinking how they provoke the Almighty to ftop their breath ; to fix the curfe in their own fouls, and con- sign them down to endiefs woe and defpair. O that thefe Tin- ners would awake, before it is too late ; and tremble, and be a- flenifhed at the patience of God towards them ! Others there are who build their hope on a refuge of lies, a icheme of contradiction ; that is, a belief in the falvation of all men. Tins fcheme is fuited to gratify all the deceitful work- ed un. However they live, whatever their heart* and lives 3^8 Univerfalifm conj§unis and dejtreys it] elf. may be, they are allured it will be well with them in the end. ' The wicked hath laid in his heart, I fhall not be moved ; for * I fhall never be in adverfitv.'* * Left there fhould be among * you a roet that beareth gall and wormwood ; and it came td ' pafs, when he heareth the words of this curfe, that he blcfs 1 himfelf in his heart, faying, I ihall have peace, though I walk * in the imagination of mine heart ; to add drunkenneis (ft thirft.'t « For when they fhall fay, Peace and fafety ; then f'udden def- * truction cometh upon them, and they 'fhall not eicapc.'J '•■ What above all is to be lamented, Tome profefied minifies of the gofpel are the avowed instruments of this deiufion. It is a fcrious question whether the woid of the Lord has hot mark- 1 ed out thefe under the name of fa He prophets ; as in thefc words : * They have feduced my people, faying, Peace, and * there was no peace' * They fay unto every one that walketh * after the imagination of his own heart, No evil thing ihall come' 4 upon you.' • With lies ye have fhengthened the hands of the ' wicked, that he fhould not turn from his wicked way, by * promifing him life.'* • * Surely, the cafe of fuch, of whatever defcription, as difobey the gofpel, calls for the mofl tender companion, and fervent prayer of every true friend of Zion. And they are to be rebuk- ed, e?:horted, and entreated, with all longfuffering and pa- tience ; if ptrad venture God would give them repentance. Laftly. Let us; my Friend, bring the matter home to our- felves. And paflingover all the 'contradictions and abfurditics in the Hniverfal fcherne ; paffin^ over the plain declarations in the bible, of ever-lajling punifkment, and the original intent of thefc words ; alfo the infinite evil ol fin, with the certair* reward ol the finally impenitent, and many other things ; and confining ourfelves to the fenfe of the fecond death, is it po(- ; fible to embrace; the univerfal fcheme ? Is it pofhble to deny the doctrine of endlefs paniftmient, when this punifhment is nev ceffary to conftitute the fecond death ? What then is our cafe, provided we have no hope in Chriil ? Do you li\ 7 c without hope, and without God in the world ? Then let me befeccn you to awake. O fir, awake, awake from your deadly deep I As you love your own foul, he entreated not to forget a moment your fituation, fo inconceivably critical and dangerous ; having nothing to fecure you from own into endlefs death aad £efpair. By this, Itt me warn you' to flee from the wrath tc> come. Rem. at the Lord Jefus now invites you to look unto I *?#, io. 5. i I i8. $ i Tlieff.5. S . * Jerem. ?.;>. -. i - I ik. 13, 10, 21. hJmverfaliftn confounds and dejlroys itfclf. 359 unto liira and be faved from this death ; and you are now com- manded, as well as invited, to repent and believe on him for eternal life. Why will you not believe in the blefTed Jefus ? But granting each of us to have an hope that it will be well with us after death. The fcripture fpeaks of both the true and falfe hope. Ours may be the hope of the pypocrite, and is as likely to be fo as that of others. The dreadful end of the hypo- pocrite's hope we have feen. And above all others is his cafe wretched, when he lifts up his eyes in hell, being in torments. His total difappointment, his hope of heaven cut off, and his truft a fpider's web, make one great part of his mifery ; and inuft fink him lower in hell. And becaufe he would deceive himfelf, chofe to be blind, and go down to hell with a lie in his right hand, is his torment peculiarly aggravated, and forever increafing upon him. O the difappointment, the total difap- pointment and overthrow of the hypocrite ! which falls upon him fuddenly, as the lightening fhineth from the eaft to the weft. How are they brought into defolation, as in a moment ! They ' are utterly coufumed with terrors.' This thought may make us tremble. And may engage us to diligence, watchfulnefs, and prayer ; comparing our hearts aad lives, at the fame time, with the itandard of diviae truth. BlefTed are thofe fervants, whom the Lord when he cemethjhalljind watching. I am, my dear Friend, * Refpectfully and Affectionately Yours, JOSIAH SPAULDING. FINIS. • *m ■.'