# LIBRARY OF CONGRESS. | ^ . £ { UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. J M tl n K B \ UN-IVE11SAUSM AT WAR WITH THE BIBLE AND REASON. PROVE ALL THINGS."— Paul. BY NICHOLAS VAN ALSTINE, EVANGELIC LUTHERAN MINJ8IES. to] BALTIMORE: PRINTED AT THE PUBLICATION ROOMS 01 IHL EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH, KO. 7, SOUTH LIBERTY STREET* 1647. h* |[ Wash in 1 PRARY KESS GTOW J a a K <#• NORTHERN DISTRICT OF NEW YORK, To Wit: Be it Remembered, That on the fourteenth day of April, Anno Domini, 1847, Nicholas Van Alstine, of the said District, has de- posited in this Office the title of a Book, the title of which is in the words following, to wit: Modern Univcrsalism at War with the Bible and Reason. a Prove all things." — Paul. By Nicholas Van Alstine, Evangelic Lutheran Minister. The right whereof he claims as Author. In conformity with an Act of Congress, entitled An Act to amend the several Acts respecting Copy Rights. AURELIAN CONKLING, Clerk of the District.. C O N TENTS CHAPTER I. MODERN UNIVER3ALISM, &,C Its change from what it once was — its present chief position — the uncertainty of its full realization — at death, or after the re- surrection — the intermediate state — unconscious sleep of the soul — distinction of character in the resurrection — Restoration- ism, its absurdity — holiness — divine paternity — the image of God, natural and moral — who shall be saved, believers, infants and idiots - - - - - page 13 CHAPTER II. HUMAN DEPRAVITY. What Universalisni teaches — that all are born as pure as Adam was— views of Ballou, Skinner, Le Fevre and others — the Scriptures teach otherwise — what depravity has not done in what.it consists— its results— sin confined to the body — the soul never sins — disproved — God, the Author of sin — total de- pravity denied— the doctrine defended. - - page 43 CHAPTER III. PENALTY OF SIN. The Jews and christians believed in future and everlasting pun- ishment — but Universalists dissent— not inclined to discuss fu- ture punishment — their views — heaven never forfeited by sin- sin no influence beyond death — proved that heaven is forfeit- ed — eternal life implies the heavenly state — the penalty of sin — it is death — natural death denied, but proved — moral death — eternal death — death, negation of life. - - page 74 CHAPTER IV. PUNISHMENT OF SIN. DniversaJism toar-hos thai all punishment is confined to this life JV — their doubts manifest — their proofs that all suffering ceases at death — sin punishes itself — not by inflictions of God, but of conscience — its absurdity stated — all punislmient is emcnda- tory — opinion of A. B. Grosh — confuted — punishment, the greatest good of man — disproved — the doctrine of punishment stated — its objects — to vindicate law — reward the sinner — the evil of sin — the nature of punishment — a deprivation of hap- piness — sutler natural consequences — positive — future punish- ment — its necessity — to justify his Providence — to prevent . the escape of the wicked — conscience in all ages confirms it — the Scriptures teach it — by its terms and figures — locality — descriptions inappropriate to this life — the contrast of happi- ness and misery — conditionality of salvation — the same charac- ter in both worlds — after death — after the resurrection and Judgment — its Eternity — punishment not corrective — eternal, from words and phrases — the character of men opposite, their rewards in duration parallel — no conversion and pardon beyond this life — the sentence irrevocable. - - page 96 CHAPTER V. SALVATION FROM SIN. The Scriptural doctrine — denial of salvation from the punish- ment of sin — only from present evil — first punished, then par- doned — moral government, its basis and exercise— what pub- lic justice — the doctrine of forgiveness from deserved punish- ment through Christ, stated and defended — salvation also from sin — those who are fully punished cannot be saved — no salva- tion but what saves from punishment. - page 209 CHAPTER VI. ATONEMENT. Universalism, how far infidelity — Paine's view of Christ — denial of salvation and heaven by the sufferings of Christ — no vicari- ous atonement — the Apostles and others suffered as much, and to the same intent as Christ — the death of Christ peculiar — vicarious — elevates to heaven — purchases the crown. page 251 V CkAPTfcH VII i:i ii S i vnck, PAITHj vm> REGJENEB LTIO i are conditions of present and final salvation — denied by Universaliats— their views of repentance — the true view — of faith as belief on evidence — the defect — true faith — Regenera- tion — dissent from the common opinion — merely external — morality — not supernatural — stated, as taught by Christ — a radical change of heart effected by a supernatural agent — reli- gion no condition of divine favor nor of heaven — so Ballou teaches — not the Bible — all reject it as necessary to final salva- tion — how then do Universalists expect to be saved — by the resurrection — will of God — His purpose — His promises. pages 249 CHAPTER VIII. THE GODHEAD AND SUPREME DIVINITY OF CHRIST. The importance of the doctrine — the Trinity rejected by Univer- salists — Supreme Divinity of Christ rejected — created and de- pendent — one God in three subsistences proved — as a/ad, not as to the mode — Divinity of Christ — equal to God — names of God applied — passages of the Old Testament applied to Je- hovah are applied to Christ in the New Testament — attri- butes — worship — he was human as well as divine — practical influence of the doctrine. - page 291 CHAPTER IX. IMMORTALITY OF THE SOUL. The doctrine stated — denied by Socinians and others — all mind is matter refined — views of Balfour, of Ballou and of Le Fevre — hope of future and endless existence based on the resurrec- tion — Abner Kneeland — materialism — this is a legitimate re- sult of Universalism carried out — materialism proven to be false — a conscious intermediate state — no annihilation of the wicked — the souPs immortality reasonable and Scriptural — believed in all ages — desired — structure of mind — moral im- provement — its sprirituality — Scriptural. - - page 318 CHAPTER X. PROBATION AND RETRIBUTION. This doctrine repudiated by Universalism — what views are « mon to the denomination — the doctrine stated and proved — man is under moral government — state of discipline — analogy — the Bible proves the doctrine. • - - page 342 CHAPTER XI. RESURRECTION. Universalism teaches that all mankind will be equal in the re- surrection, and enter heaven — the time when not known — Bal- four's opinion— not the same body raised — the man is raised — no distinction of character — philosophical argument against the same bodies being raised — the power of God sufficient — explanation of Scripture as quoted by Universalists — Matth. xxii. 29, 30; also, 1 Cor. 15, — the resurrection — the time when — the distinction of character. - page 362 CHAPTER XII. JUDGMENT. The Judgment passed — is now in session — commenced at the beginning of his reign — 2 Tim. iv. 1, considered — also Matth. xvi. 27, 28. — Christ's kingdom — his coming — not at Jerusa- lem, but end of the world — the Judgment literal — after the re- surrection — Jesus Christ the Judge— full of pomp and splen- dor — rectitude for its principle — draw a line of separation be- tween the good and bad 3 and reward them accordingly. page 403 CHAPTER XIII. ERRONEOUS AND IMMORAL. Covered with duplicity — error and contradictions — their tenets stated — their views of Satan — a few passages considered — im- moral in tendency — irreverence for the Bible — contempt for religious devotion — blunts conscience and blends moral char- acter — none converted to God by this system — none made prayerful and more pious — its results in hatred and dissention — testimony of Whittaker and others — all should disfellowship and discountenance it. - - - page 442 PREFACE. The prefatory remarks of any book are designed to express the motives and design of the Author, ano*to introduce consider- ations suitable to the better understanding of its contents. It seems therefore desirable, if not indispensable, that the following work should present to the reader succinctly the motives and de- sign of its production. 1. We did not aspire after the applause of men nor seek to clothe our name with literary popularity. To secure these, two tilings are requisite. The selection of a popular subject, and the display of eminent literary attainments, in order to charm and fascinate the reader with originality, beauty of style and graceful sentences. We were well aware, that the subject chosen would impress no one with novelty, and the manner of its treatment would captivate no one with its peculiar originality, or with its < flowing and literary style. Were the Author qualified for the task of displaying vast attainments in literature, profound criti- cism, iron logic and overwhelming eloquence (to all of which he makes no special pretension,) nevertheless the subject discussed and the peculiar circumstances, as well as the chief object, under which this treatise was written would altogether preclude such aspiration and vanity. The applause of men, we do not antici- pate to reap ; but rather antipathy and defamation from a certain source; and for literary popularity we have not labored, it being not very essential for usefulness in the kingdom of Christ. 2. Neither have we desired to provoke controversy, nor to dis- play critical discernment, to gratify the vanity of mere conquest.. We are not fond of controversy, for if this were a characteristic of our mind, we might have been gratified heretofore upon sev- . eral occasions in reference to this subject. Whoever lives in the ♦ midst of U niversalists must pursue a strange course ia order to 1 PREFACE. 1 escape every occasion of controversy. We have ever labored with the impression on our mind, that a pitched controversy on this or any other moral question is of doubtful utility — it savors more of mere wrangling than of a sound, candid and conscienti^ ously earnest discussion. However, we would not convey the idea that a thorough discussion from the pulpit of this, or any other question, is always out of place ; but we are fully satisfied that a candid and earnest investigation of error before an enlight- ened audience is obliga^ry upon every ambassador of Christ, and is of vital importance to the general character of truth and reli- gion. The style of the following work will challenge no contro- versy, if the presentation of the truth in contrast with errdr does not. It is not desirable to excite the irascible and wrangling spir- it of man unnecessarily ; but rather to induce to sober, candid, calm, and impartial investigation of the relative importance of the claims of truth and error. If the reader wishes to controvert, let him step into the arena of warfare in a prayerful frame of mind with enlightened Reason and the Bible, and not with the author of this book. Mere controversy we do not desire, but a thorough discussion of truth and error we do not disclaim. This is right, desirable* and fraught with good. 3. We desire to arrest the spread and deadly influence of error. According to the boasting pretension of Universalists, their sect is rapidly multiplying in numbers, and their religious faith is spreading far and near. However, an exact estimate would doubtless greatly reduce the spread of their faith and the number of adherents, taking into calculation the waning and utter annihi- lation of Universalism where once it flourished ; yet the array of this error is formidable in some parts of the land, and the num- ber of its advocates is numerous. They register and publish about 700 ministers, whose time is spent in vigorous dissemina- tion of their principles, and they issue weekly many pages to prove. and defend their faith. If the machinery of the press and the voice of the preacher are in constant employment to extend Universalism, the moral results of which are disastrous to vital religion and auxiliary to the spread of infidelity^ then it is indis- pensable to create a counteracting current, to unmask this hideous form of error, and to snatch its unwary victims from the jaws of death. It is necessary to show, that same dr&w the cloak ofUniver- ui infidel beart,othen use it to drown sorrow and ward off the powerful influeiiceof the Holy Spirit, orto shield utansehres from die dire reproach of wilful apostasy from God} in older that c/ all those who are anconscidusly ensnared in the wiles of the ' Devil may be timely saved from the fearful results of delusion. 4, We desire to enlighten the public mind and to afford a just Understanding of the relative claims of the Bible and of Univ-r- salism by holding them up in contrast. We have learnt, as ev- ery student of the system will learn, that it is a system of duplic- ity. They use Scriptural and theological phrases and terms with an occult and new coined idea — the terms are Scriptural and those commonly employed among men, but their latitude of meaning is quite dissimilar. We have found the public, the learned and illiterate, and even some Universalists themselves, egregiously in ignorance and in the dark relative to the proper tenets of this faith, though many good hooks have been written in confutation of the system. How can the common people repel and confute the insinuations of this error, unless they know its pretensions and perceive the movings of its heart. To successfully foil the enemy they must understand the mode of attack and the nature of the weapons employed. We have therefore, given their faith categorically, fortified with their own authority, in order that the reader may learn for him- self the construction and position of their whole encampment — here they may learn the enemy, their discipline and mode of at- tack. The authors to whom we have had access, we have quot- ed directly, and to secure the views of others, we have been greatly assisted, in some parts of the work, by " Universalism as it is," written by Rev. Mr. Hatfield of New York. Thus we have favored the reader with a correct statement of their faith, its confutation by sound reason and the Scriptures, and the Scrip- tural authority relative to its own doctrines thus rudely pervert and unsoundly taught by Univere following pages to the public, is, to undeceive if possible, such as are already delud- ed^ to save such as are exposed to the temptations of the system, and to disprove the claim of Universalists, that the Bible sanctions their horrid dogmas. To save souls and promote the glory of God is worthy of the most strenuous exertions and the loftiest aspiration of man. In the midst of perplexing care and a mul- tiplicity of pastoral labors, this work has been written. A thous- and times diverted from the subject and after repeated interrup- tions, such as every pastor necessarily experiences, the work is uted to the public. All the sympathy and lenity we ask, is for the composition and the arrangement of the work, and not for the arguments- These we believe to be sound and such as will stand in defiance of successful confutation ; ibut if they can be overthrown, they court the severest scrutiny and the best logical deductions. The labor and expense incurred by the writer shall be fully compensated, if the work scatter divine light in the path of the unwary youth, unmask this horrid and deadly delusion and vindicate the word of God from the false interpretation and de- ceptive glosses. We ask the reader to peruse these pages with candor, impartiality and docility. Approach the truth with an unbiased mind, and the truth will make you free. And w T e pray that Almighty God may pour his divine spirit upon the heart of the reader, and that wherever this humble effort of his servant may be circulated, the blessing of saving and sanctifying grace may accompany it ; souls be saved and reach the climes of end- less rest, and God's glory be magnified on earth and extend par- allel with eternal ages. N. VAN ALSTINE. Fordsboro', Montgomery county, N. F., 1847. MODERN UNIVERSALIS! AT WAR WITH THE BIBLE AND REASON. CHAPTER I. MODERN UNIVERSALIS*!, &C. " To the law and to the testimony : if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them" Isaiah viii. 20. Truth is immortal, though it may be hid from the eyes of men. Once it was read in mystic characters all over the heavens, and on the green earth, and in the curiously fashioned frame of man, and recognized in the strong im- pulses of the soul ; but now sin has so blinded the mental eye, and perverted the judgment, and seared the conscience, that even Revelation, with its blazing light and cogent evi- dences, fails to teach and guide the sons of men in the path- way of holiness. They neither speak nor act " according to the law and testimony, because there is no light in them." ■ Among the ever changing things and systems of this muta- ble earth is the system of modern Universalism. It is not now, what it once was. Many of the tenets Which were formerly considered of vital importance, are now rejected. Many of the principles which were once adjudged, by tlio.se 11 MODERN UNIVERSALISM, &C. who were then call d Universalists, as anti-christian and infidel in their character and tendency, are now incorporat- ed in the system of Universalism as essential and vital fea- tures. It is stated by those who have traced the rise and progress of Universalism, that the system as it now is ma- terially, has existed only for the last thirty years, therefore, we call the system, modern Universalism. We wish not to state what Universalism was when first propagated by John Murray, who commenced his career in the year 1770, and then show its warlike opposition to the Bible and sound reason, for our object will be fully attained by proving that Universalism as it now is, is anti-scriptural, fallacious and immoral in its tendency. It has been deemed by many that the best course to be pursued, is, to take no notice of this system, for it will sink into ruin of its own accord. However, we discover no de- leterious results from an attack on and an expose of Uni- versalism, provided, it is done in a respectful and kind man- ner ; leaving truth to combat error in a fair, candid, and im- partial way. We know, that it is the opinion of some good and honest-hearted men, that a system so completely satu- rated with error, will soon disgust the hearts of men ; yet it appears to us, that in proportion as error makes its pro- gress in exercising dominion over the heart; the will, un- derstanding and conscience are corrupted and perverted, therefore the dissipation of error is the more necessary. With this view of the subject, there is so much the more need of clear light, of sound argument, and a thorough ex- pose of the ruinous tendency of error. There are many unwary and vacillating persons, who require the right way to be clearly pointed out, and every system of error at every point clearly portrayed, in order to prevent them from dashing upon the rock of destruction, or wrecking their bark on the roaring breakers. Let there- fore Bible truth and heavenly principles stand out in their M01H K\ MVI KSU.iSM, &C. 1") native purity and attraetiveneiB, and appear in bold con- trast with error and licentiouaiess. This may pavea soul from death and hide a nultitade of sina. And, no doubt, many among the young nay bus be saved from the snare of the adroit Destroyer. The;e are unthinkingly exposed, and to throw around such the protection of truth, is a prom- inent design of the folloving ►ages. We hope, and pray to he guided into all truth ; to have whatever is dark, en- lightened ; and in whate^ser is abstruse to be favored with sound discretion and exact discrimination. What is the system of Modern Universalism ? In what does it consist, and what are ifa prominent features ? Is it Biblical, or Anti-Biblical ? These are important questions, and each prominent tenet of the creed of Universalists shall receive a distinct and decisive reply. The chief corner- stone upholding Universajsm, and on which the whole fabric rests, is expressed in) the following language : All men must necessarily be finally holy and happy. All their arguments and reasonings are designed to sub- stantiate, and render clear jhis proposition. If this point can be proven from the Bible ar.d illustrated as reasonable, then their end is gained, anil th.3 opposite doctrine falls to the ground. In order to thbroujhly examine and sift this subject we shall show that lie proposition is most evident- ly embraced by Universalists by quoting their own lan- guage, and also specify the this tenet. We might take race without the possibilit point and dulcet theme of show, that we wish to take eascning they adopt to sustain t for granted, that the doctrine of the final holiness and lapphess of the whole human ' of a failure, is the skirling Jniversalism ; but in order to nothiig for granted, what may be proven, we "go to the lav and to the testimony." We shall only quote the language of such men as exercise the moulding hand of the denomination. 16 MODERN UNIVERSAIISM, &C. The language of Abel C. Thomas, who is a conspicuous man among that fraternity, is, " The scriptures teach the doctrine of the final holinejs and happiness of all man- kind." As proof he states, ' that God is the Father of the whole human family, because he created them in his own image." "He is the only Creator, and he never created any soul of our race in an However vile the offspring other image than his own. of ai earthly father may be- come, they are still his children. The relation exists in- dependently of moral character, and can never be dissolv- ed." Therefore this relation must necessarily result in "the holiness and happiness of ali mankind. What other, what different consummation wjild perfectly consist with the spirit of God as the Unitersil Father." Hosea Ballou says, " All agree in the main print, viz. that universal ho- liness and happiness is the great object of the gospel plan." The acknowledgment of these ,wo men will be sufficient, especially, since the latter is deemed as the father of Uni- versalism as it now is. There is no pulpit of this sect but what has resounded with the cDmplacent declaration, that all men will eventually be holy and happy. The interro- gation may here be proposed, when and where shall this final result be consummated ? On this point there exists a dissimilarity of sentiment and f3eling among the denomina- tion. The Bible must not reveal this fact plainly as the final condition of the human nice, they themselves being judges. 1. "Whether it shall take place in death, as soon as a sep- aration of the soul and body is effected, is a doubtful mat- ter to those wise interpreters of the Holy Scriptures. To us, it appears, that to maintain consistency is the promi- nent reason. Since their principal writers and speakers have erased from their creed the doctrine of the immortali- ty of the soul, pressed to do so by other anti-scriptural MODERN UNIVER8ALI8M, cV I . 17 Views, ^nd have avowed the principles of materialism, and that the soul must rest in an unconscious sleep in the state intermediate death and the resurrection; how can they therefore decisively know, whether the unconscious soul shall be clothed with holiness and happiness at death I That some may state their views, avowing immediate hap- piness, is not denied ; but the reason is not, because it is a part of their creed or verily believed. The obvious reason is to avoid shocking the common sense notions of the com- munity generally, and not to expose their system to more ridicule than absolutely necessary to maintain their religi- ous integrity. A certain writer says, " We do not presume to know that men by shortening their days upon the earth will hasten their entrance into heaven. As it respects the hastening of an introduction into another life by the short- ening of the present, (i. e. suicide,) we would state distinct ly, that no particular speculation upon this point is any es- sential part of the Universalist system." After all, what a dreary and forlorn prospect does Universalism present to, its votaries while dying. It does not pretend to declare ; nay, it disavows any light or consolation to the man grap- pling with humanity's foe relative to his immediate subse- quent state. Perchance, an unconscious sleep awaits him, or thousands of years of misery and pain* 1. But is the Bible so dark and undecided on this sub-» ject ? What scenes do the Scriptures disclose to our view on the Mount of Transfiguration when Moses and Elias conversed with Christ in reference to his sufferings and death ? Moses had been dead about fifteen hundred years, and Elijah had been translated to heaven about a thousand years prior, still there they were in conversation with the Savior in sight of three disciples, Was the soul of Moses in an unconscious sleep ? Is there any reason for " par- ticular speculation ?" Is it "any essential part' 1 of reli^i- 18 MODERN UNIVERSALIS!*!, &C. ous truth ? Does the caviler say, for aught we know his body had been raised, therefore he enjoyed final holiness and happiness ? This is bare conjecture, unsupported by revelation, or history, therefore unworthy of any confidence. All the evidence we have declares that his body is still sleeping in the dust of the earth awaiting the resurrection of the dead at the close of the gospel dispensation. What says the Bible relative to the thief upon the cross ? " To-day shalt thou be with me in Paradise." Paradise is undoubtedly the place of holiness and happiness in the immediate presence of God, and there he had a promise of being even that day. He did not enjoy it as yet ; but he should be made a happy partaker ere the setting sun should give place to the twilight evening. His body remained on Calvary, a lifeless and inactive lump of clay ; while the soul had sped its successful flight into the Paradise of su- pernatural glory and peace, by repentance towards God and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Could the Bible be more luminous and decisive than it is on the separate con- scious existence of the soul, immediately subsequent to death ? Again : was the apostle Paul established and satisfied on this point or not ? What is his language in relation to his own conscious existence posterior to death and still prior to the resurrection ? " For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart and to be with Christ ; which is far better." Phil. i. 23. "Knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord ; We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord." 2 Cor. v. 6—8. Is not this language decisive ? No sooner is a separation effected between the soul and body, than the blood-washed spirit mounts to the upper skies and dwells with Christ in the place prepared at the Father's right hand. VODEKN UNIVERSALIS!!, &C. 19 I i.. in all we have said, it appears that the doubts and perplexities of Universalista on the Btate and condition of the soul after death and before the resurrection, must origi- nate from another sourer than from the Bible. They are the natural fruit of the vain philosophy of their system, — and because the admission of a conscious intermediate ex- istence of the soul, would strike confusion and ruin into their system of faith, they have no desire that it should constitute a link in their creed. 2. Does not Reason and the Philosophy of the mind •corroborate the Scriptures, that the spirit of man lives and consciously exists in the intermediate state ? What fol- lows but the sheer absurdity of the contrary view ? What evidences can we have of any mental exercises ; of think- ing . of feeling, of imagining, or of the circumstances with which we are surrounded ; but our consciousness of the fact ? How does a man know that he is the same being identically, that he was ten years ago ? By his conscious- ness. How does he know that he lived yesterday, wan- dered to and fro, performed this or that act, and that to-day he is the same identical being ? By that intuitive knowl- edge, called consciousness. Now if our consciousness can follow us from day to day, and from year to year, through the light of day and the darkness of the night, from one place to another, from one country to another, over sea and land, and never forsake us for one moment, what satisfac- tory reason ean we assign, that death is invested with the authority to strip us of this intuitive knowledge ? None at all. And as the soul is an uncompounded substance, purely spiritual, and can never be divided, therefore if con- sciousness is gone, we must cease to be — a mere nonen- tity — and therefore can have no subsequent existence. A new creation would constitute other beings ; but not those who have once been. On this ground modern Universalism 20 MODERN UNIVERSALIS*!, &C. would be false, for none of the human race would ever at- tain final holiness and happiness ; but rather annihilation — unless it can be shown that final holiness and happiness, and annihilation are one and the same thing, which we pre- sume, no sane person will ever attempt to establish. We have, as we think, shown that the soul must neces- sarily enter upon its rewards at death, and that the doctrine is of sufficient importance to occupy a place in the system of divine Revelation ; notwithstanding it is too obscure to the understanding of Universalis ts to form any precise opin- ion upon it, or too insignificant to stand in the same cate- gory with the other articles of their faith. 2. The greater part of Universalists adhere to the opin- ion, that the human race will necessarily be made partakers of final holiness and happiness in the resurrection. Cer- tain of their writers speak in this wise. A. C. Thomas says, "In the resurrection, universal humanity will walk forth in the beauty of holiness, redeemed and regenerated by the quickening spirit of the living God." Hosea Ballou declares, "That the resurrection power, which brought again from the dead the Lord Jesus Christ, will finally, in him, make the whole human family gloriously immortal and incorruptible." As we shall have occasion to go more fully into an examination of the resurrection in the proper place, since this doctrine is magnified into so much importance by Universalists as to supplant the necessity of repentance, faith and a holy life in order to secure heaven, we shall pass it by in this place after quoting a few passages of Scrip- ture. The Bible most evidently draws a distinction of charac- ter in those who shall be raised from the dead. " -Many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awakey some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt." Dan. xii. 2. "Marvel not at this: fi>r the ■ODEUM r.M\ r.usAi.isM, &€, 21 hour is coming, in the which all thai are in the graves shall hear the voire of the Son of man, and come forth; they that have done good unto the resurrection of Kfe; and they that have done evil unto the resurrection of damnation." Johnv. 28,29. "Bu1 every man in his own order, Christ the first-fruits; afterwards they that are Christ's at his com- ing." 1 Cor. xv. 23. Now if these passages do not teach a moral distinction of character in the resurrection, then language is not a proper symbol to express such an idea. That they refer to the future state shall claim our attention more particularly hereafter. 3. There are those who claim to belong to the category of Fniversalists, and believe in a future punishment, but limited in duration; however, they are equally certain that all mankind will eventually reap final holiness and happi- ness. This was the starting point of the system of Uni- versalism, as advocated by John [Murray, Chauncy, Hunt- ington, Winchester, and others, who were the first propa- gators of this error; but gradually a position has been as- sumed that gives a broad denial of all the vital doctrines of Revelation. We protest against the doctrine of Restora- tionism for the following reasons. 1. This doctrine invests the pains of hell with a greater saving virtue than the blood of Christ. If future punish- ment can accomplish what the blood of Christ could not effect, then the pains of hell have more efficacy than the atonement of Christ and the Scripture must be untrue, that Christ is the only way to the Father. If hell is to the hu- man family a purgatory, through which all must pass in order to reach the Prfradise of God, then the blood of Christ is unavailing and worthless, and all the tragical scenes of Calvary, and the sufferings of Christ are nothing more than a melancholy farce and a bold imposition on the credulity of the world, unbecoming the truth and reproachful to God. 22 MODERN UNIVERSALIS^, &C. Nothing then is adequate to restore fallen man to the image of his God but the pains and sorrows of the second death. If Restorationism be true then God is the Father of lies in procuring the provisions of grace and offering them as the only medium of salvation, when in fact they were never designed for this purpose nor suitable to it; but that hell should accomplish this desirable end ; which it might have accomplished just as well without the atonement of Christ. However shocking and blasphemous such results may ap- pear when dressed in their proper language, they are, never- theless, the legitimate offspring of a limited future punish- ment, as the chosen and heaven-appointed means, to restore the family of mankind to the enjoyment of final holiness and happiness. 2. It awards the praises and hallelujahs of heaven for final and eternal salvation, to the flames of hell, and not to the Lord Jesus, as the Scriptures represent. Indeed, what will be the sweetest note in the song of the redeemed for salvation, on the ground of Restoration-salvation ; not glory to Christ who has saved us with his own precious blood; but glory, and honor, and power to the pains of hell, ye have purged us from sin while we paid the debt by drinking the cup of sorrow and torture. Worthy is hell to receive the praise; but the Lamb is unworthy. Does this accord with the tenor of the Bible, or is the Bible a cunningly devised fable, designed to delude the souls of men,? Admitting the divine inspiration and consequent au- thority of the Bible, we must believe the scripture when it says, "Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers ; but with the precious blood of Christ as of a lamb without blemish and without spot." 1 Peter i. 18, 19. "And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the moi>i:k\ imvki:s\i,is)i, &< . 2:* book and open the seals thereof: for thou wast Blain and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood, out of every kin- dred, and tongue, and people, and nation; and hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth/' Rev. v. 9, 10. If all praise is ascribed to Christ for salvation on earth, how much sweeter and nobler shall the holy anthem swell and roll along the mountain of His holiness in the land of interminable delight? 3. It destroys and spurns the covenant of mercy in all its provisions and its ultimate design. Did the Lord de- mand repentance of sins, and faith in Christ as terms of salvation ? If the purgatory of hell procures salvation for the human family, there is no intrinsic value in repentance and faith. Has the blood of Christ been appointed to cleanse from sin and enstamp holiness on the heart ? If the flames of hell burn out sin and restore to holiness and happiness, then there is no immediate use for the blood of Christ and it is not "precious." Has the covenant of grace promised a Mediator to plead the cause of poor sin- ners before the throne of God, to prolong life, to pardon for his own sake, and consider them the purchase of his blood ? If the damned in hell can pay the debt by suffering the penalty of a broken law, and magnify it, and claim heaven on the score of debt, then there is no need of an intercessor. Did God establish his kingdom of grace, and the mediatorial reign of Christ on the earth as the limit of human salva- tion, and called it the acceptable time ? If Restorationism be true, then God has been mistaken in his counsels, for after ages of penal sufferings in the future world, heaven may be gained and endless happiness may be secured. 4. It can not show how long the damned will suffer, whether thousands, or millions of years, or so many days, therefore it can not measure the desert of sin ; which sin is the most criminal ; and who is the greatest sinner ; and 24 MODERN UNIVERSALISM, &C. whether the human race shall suffer more or less than di- vine justice demands. All this system pretends to elucidate, is, that the suffer- ings of the damned will at some time terminate. The du- ration of despair and punishment will be indefinite, and for aught that Restorationism knows to the contrary millions of ages will be the measurement of future woe. How great the criminality of sin is and how much punishment for each sin Justice demands, cannot be found out in the arithmetic of this system. As human demerit can not be computed, so neither does it form any proper conception of the extent of human responsibility. It leaves truth, justice, sin and punishment at loose ends. Having thus stated briefly the dissimilarity of the opin- ions of those who adhere to the faith, that finally the whole human family will necessarily be constituted holy and hap- py, we wish now to investigate some of the arguments ad- duced in favor of this proposition, and shall endeavor to disprove it, and show that the Bible deprecates a system so much at war with its own principles and with sound reason. WHAT IS HOLINESS ! It may be very important to have some definite idea of what holiness is, in order to comprehend the subject as wise men, and not as fools. Holiness in God is absolute and unoriginated, and it consists in that specific nature of God, which causes him involuntarily to hate sin and injus- tice, and approve of whatever is right. Therefore God loves purity, innocence and uprightness, while whatever is at war with his law and character, is an abomination in his sight. In whatever degree the powers of the soul were original- ly pure and free from all moral imperfections : yet all ac- ceptable holiness in man must necessarily be derived from Monr.RN mm i MULISH, i^< . M and exemplified by, a course q£ conduct m conformity to the will of the Supremo God. When thus manifefcjpd, tt forms the basis of every good and moral character. All mental and physical powers are derived from the Creator, while their correct exercise is left to the control of each in- dividual, therefore the formation of character, whether good or had, is the production of each voluntary agent, for which he is held strictly responsible at the bar of God. Whoev- er lives according to the principles of justice and eternal truth will secure for himself, internal and external holiness ; and whatever is right will be esteemed and complied with, because it is right, and all wrong will be detested, whether in theory or practice, because it is in conflict with the will of God. A heart thus moulded and a character formed on such a principle, will be after the image of the Creator, and ensure present and future happiness. However much we are aided by the grace of God in the formation of this char- acter, in view of our sinful and fallen state, and though w r e are wholly dependent on grace for justification; yet the grace of Christ will not contravene our definition of human holiness. The question might here be presented, if any can and do secure the holiness requisite to entet heaven, why will not all do % *so, and thus all mankind be saved? We verily be- lieve that adequate provisions are made for all, and that all may come and have life ; yet the human race are not, there- fore, necessarily saved, made holy and prepared for heaven. There may be a suitable antidote for a certain disease which when correctly used accomplishes a speedy cure, yet all who are afflicted with the identical disease are not neces- sarily healed, though the remedy is within their reach, whether applied or not. The question of the final holiness and happiness of the human race, will not depend mainly on the grace of God, available to all by repentance and 20 MODERN UNIVERSALISM, &C. faith ; but whether this must be the case without the possi- bility of a failure, because God has decreed and determined it should be the case without respect to circumstances, con- ditions, or character. We say no ; while the advocates of the unconditional and certain holiness of all mankind reply in the affirmative. What argument do they advance to prove this point? 1. The Paternity of God as the Creator of the human family. This has been the theme of many a sermon, and essay, and the burden of the most earnest appeals to awa- ken sensibility in the bosom of man. Wherever the sound of Universalism has been heard, this has been the loudest and sweetest note. And many have reasoned from man to God, and have attached the same feelings to the heart of the Lord, which they have found in their own hearts, there- fore they have concluded that he was like themselves. And because they have no pleasure in destroying their fel- lows, but prefer to elevate them to purity and happiness, therefore the Lord will not destroy his creatures, but will render them holy and happy. Thus their feelings sup- plant the place of the Bible, and decide peremptorily what God will do in the face of all he has already done to the contrary. He has destroyed the world once ; also nations, and people, and he may do it again, although human feel- ings stand opposed. Whatever He has done at one time, He may do again under like circumstances. And whatev- er is consistent .with his spirit and character in time past, will be consonant with his will in the future, provided the conduct of his creatures falls under the administration of his righteous government. Therefore the paternity of God will not necessarily procure the final holiness and happi- ness of all mankind. But more to the point. This ques- tion has been stated and reasoned thus : MODERN UNIVERSALIS!!, &C. 27 1. M Tha1 God is the Father of tin 4 whole human fami- ly, because he has created them in his own image/] 2, "That this relation exists independent of moral char- acter, and can never be dissolved." '.h "Therefore God will always be the Father of the whole human family." • We do not discover what particular bearing the above reasoning can have on the doctrine of the necessary holi- ness and salvation of the human race, unless a necessary connection can be shown to exist between the relation of God, as the Father of all mankind in the sense of Creator, and the certain holiness of all his creatures. It is not ne- cessary to prove, that God is our Father, because he crea- ted us in his image, and that God will continue to sustain that relation irrespective of human character, therefore he will always be our Father in the same sense that he is our Creator, unless we design to infer the necessary holiness and happiness of all mankind because God sustains this re- lation to all his creatares. It yet remains to be proven, that the holiness and happiness of the human race, are an unavoidable result from the fact that God has created us in his own image. In what particular sense is God the Father of our race, that communicates this saving virtue to the relation exist- ing between God and man, as Creator and creature, which will secure their necessary salvation ? It cannot be, because he is our Creator merely, for he has created beasts, and birds, and replies, and it is not contended, that this will secure their holiness and final happiness. All the vir- tue and glory of this relation is centered in the fact, that God created man in his own image. Nothing else was created in the image of God. If the image of God in man will ultimately and necessarily procure the final holiness of our race, then the argument would stand thus : 28 MODERN UNIVERSALIS!*!, &C. That God created man in his own image and likeness, which constitutes him our Father in a higher sense than he is the Father of all other created objects. And since the image of God in which man was created is indestructible, and consequently this relation will always exist. '• • ■ Therefore, no " other consummation consists with the spirit of God as the Universal Father," than the holiness of all. We wish to state the argument fairly and give it all the force it can claim, and then to bring the truth into close conflict, that the triumph may be more manifest. In the further examination of this subject, we shall no- tice, the image of God in which man was created — then whether this image can afford the necessary virtue" to the relation existing between God as the Father, in the sense of Creator, (we are thus specific, because God is our Fa- ther in a different sense from that in which he is our Cre- ator, in relation to the holiness and happiness of believers,) and mankind as his creatures, so as to secure finally the holiness of all rational intelligences — -and whether this rela- c tion consisting irrespective of character can secure the re- alization of the doctrine we are combating. IMAGE OF GOD IN WHICH MAN WAS CREATED. Man was created in the image of God, after his like- ness, — -he most resembles God of all created things. It cannot consist in his corporeal nature, for if bodily form be predicated of God, then the existence of Detiy is bounded by geometrical limits. ■ This is perfectly absurd, for the Infinity and Omnipotence of God, essential attributes to his divine existence, would be destroyed. Nor does the image of God in man, consist in the sceptre of dominion granted him at his creation by his Creator, for after he had been MODERN (JNIVER8AL1SM, &C. 2\) formed, and was made a living soul, this dominion was en- trusted to him, not as an essential clement to constitute him a man ; but to elevate him as an accountable being and as lord of this lower world, only subordinate to (Sod. His creation was a work quite distinct from the act which conferred upon him such crowning authority. Therefore the image of God in man must lie in his soul and spiritual nature. 1. In spirituality. Image means likeness — one thing resembling another. The son is like his father, or the daughter the image of the mother. The soul of man has the image of God enstamped by His plastic hand, for they both possess spirituality. God is a Spirit, incorporeal, in- visible, and incorruptible — without parts or dimensions — from all eternity the same, and pervading the universe with his presence. He is emphatically spiritual — " God is a Spirit ;" John iv. 24 ; and He created man a spiritual be- ing, 'J the spirit shall return to God who gave it ;" Eccl. ii. 7 ; therefore since both are spiritual, God and the soul of man ; in this we discover a similarity and the image of the Creator. 2. In essential life. The existence of God is underived ; but man began to be. He is unoriginated, self-existent, and an immortal being, " without beginning of days, or end of years," therefore a "living God;" but man was created and is dependent, yet his soul is a living subsistence, life is inseparably connected and is one of its distinguishing attri- butes. To take life from the soul, is to reduce it into non- entity. We can form no conception of the soul without blending essential life with the very idea of its existence. The 'body of itself is motionless, inactive, and lifeless; while the soul is always full of activity and enjoys life un- Ulerived in the sense and manner that the body derives life ; and it can not die in the sense of ceasing to be, for it has 30 MODERN UNIVERSAL1SM, &C the element of life in itself as an essential feature in its very structure, consequently it is a living subsistence and im- mortal. God is a living being and immortal ; so is the soul of man, therefore herein is the likeness of God reflected. 3. In all the faculties of the soul. Man has an under- standing by which he discerns things and relations, and a judgment by which he reasons and draws conclusions, and a will by which he determines and decides on doing or leaving undone, and a moral sense acquiescing in the right and detesting whatever is wrong. We presume, that none will deny that the mind of Jehovah is possessed of wisdom, judgment, will and holiness, by which he knows, reasons, and determines righteousness and uprightness. As we find an impress of the mind of God in the mind of man, there- fore his intellectual powers remind him of his great Origi- nal, and from each power of mind, distinct or combined, we may see the image of God more or less completely re- flected. 4> In the tendencies, passions or inclinations of the mind. The Almighty has no communion with evil, and no incli- nation to sin, therefore He has no passion of mind to de- light in wickedness ; but every tendency of His mind is toward right, holiness and truth. Man was made in the image of God, therefore he had no bias to sin and folly ; but every tendency and passion of his mind was strictly adapted to goodness and justice, right and truth. The mind was constituted to derive supreme delight in the con- templation of God and his works. Every tendency and bias of mind giving rise to affection and action were com- pletely and wholly inclined to good by the wise design of God. Nothing but an act of the will could pervert the passions, tendencies and inclinations of the mind to evil and sin. Here then we may discern the image of God cast over the entire surface of the soul of man, in the adaptation MMXN ( NINTH- \I.1>M, i 31 of the mind to whatever LB lovely, good and honest in the Qf God. All this is the natural image of God in which man was created, and which constituted him a living soul, qualified and adapted to move in conformity with the will of his Creator. Notwithstanding that God created man with this wrv nature and image, yet this crowning glory impressed on man cannot secure necessarily holiness and happiness, for holiness consists in a moral character conformed to the will, or law of the Most High, and happiness is its legiti- mate result. But what moral character is there in the na- tural image of God in which man was created ? Character is made up of the course of human actions, and it is either moral or immoral as it accords or is repugnant to the will of God. A man may be a spiritual being, yet this fact will neither make him a £ood or a bad man. He may pos- sess essential life in his soul, yet it gives no character. He may possess a judgment, will, understanding and moral sense, yet this fact will give no character ; but their exer- cise will, either good or bad, depending on the manner he shall cultivate and employ the powers of mind, in doing good or evil. His bias or inclination of heart may be pure and good and will result in what heaven approves, if rightly controlled. If therefore the relation which the Lord sus- tains to all his rational creatures, growing out of the fact, that He created them in his own image, did not, and does not communicate morality and holiness, how shall this pat- ernal relation even effect the final holiness and happiness of the human race I To suppose this, is absurd, for it would be an effect without a corresponding cause. Now we readily acknowledge that the natural image of God in man is permanent, and that in this respect the Cre- ator will ever sustain the same relation to man ; but we do not believe that it will ever exercise any influence directly 2 32 MODERN UNIVERSALIS*!, &C. over the characters of men, or effect, in the least, the future destiny of the human race. As the natural image can have no influence on the future destiny of intelligent creatures, being without character, and only designed as the means to work out a character, ivhen employed and exercised, therefore its retention can never secure, of itself, future holiness to any of the human race. This image man never lost by the fall, or by transgression. We recollect of no instance, recorded in the Bible, where it is declared, that sin has effaced the image in which man was created. Though such expressions are used in popu- lar speaking, and may be allowable for certain reasons ; yet philosophically and metaphysically it is not true. In popu- lar teaching, the loss of the moral image of God, and hu- man depravity is the only import of the declaration, that man has lost the image of God. But when we speak of the divine image in man in a close and metaphysical sense, we should make a clear distinction between the natural and moral image ; the former in which man was created, and which he still retains, and the latter, the product of the na- tural image when exercised, which is effaced by sin. The natural image is as permanent in man as his being, when he loses this, he shall cease to be, or sink into anni- hilation. So long as man continues capable of knowledge and free agency, he must retain this image. This is also evident from Scripture. The law declaring vengeance on the destroyer of a man's life, goes to establish this point. The criminality of the act of murder, and the inviolability of human life, depends on the crowning truth, that man was created in the image of his God. " Whosoever sheddeth man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed; for in the image of God made he him." Gen. ix. 6. This declara. tion was made after the fall of man, yet the sacredness of human life depends on the image of God in man, therefore MODKRN l.MVl'KSAMSM, &C. 33 lie must, still retain it. "Man is the image and glory of God." 1 Cor. xi. 7. This cannot refer to any moral purity, for that man has lost; but, that man still possesses the natural image of God, which reflects the brightness and glory of God more than all other created things. " Men, which are made after the similitude of God." James iii. 9. All these passages teach that man still retains the image of God, therefore we conclude that the natural image of God is permanent in man. This natural image of God is the foundation of his moral. There was a time antecedent to our first parents' having a moral character, when they were rational beings only. The rational part of man, the soul, the intellect, the man him- self, is the foundation of all moral actions. The use of the rational in man, gives and creates character. When man obeys God, he acquires a good moral character, and reflects the holy, praiseworthy, and moral image of God. Were it not that man is a spiritual being with an understanding mind, and capable of free-agency and of choice, he could not be either a holy, or an unholy being, happy or miser- able. Without voluntary action, man cannot with any more justice and propriety be called a holy or an unholy being, than the stone of the field or the clod of the valley. The will of God is the standard of holiness, and man's volun- tary obedience or disobedience constitutes either his holi- ness or unholiness, as the case may be. Therefore we conclude that the natural image is the foundation of the moral, as a letter is formed by the type, for so soon as Adam in the garden of Paradise, had received the natural image and became a living soul, he began to live and act, forming that moral image, which constituted him righteous and holy; and so long as he lived in conformity to the will of his Maker, he retained and enjoyed a holy character; but no sooner did he disobey, than he blotted out the moral 31 MODERN UXIVERSALLSM, &C. image, destroyed his righteous character and with it his feli- city. Therefore regeneration implies to be created anew in righteousness and true holiness. As sin raised its ham- mer and smote the moral mirror of God in man, leaving nothing but the framework, so grace must restore the beauty of holiness to the heart. When man lost his moral image by sin, he merged into the dark abyss of corruption and woe ; he became like a lonely mariner on a tempestuous sea, driven at the mercy of the infuriated storm. His actions are all supremely sel- fish, and maliciously opposed to God. The idol self con- trols the whole man ; his judgment decides amiss, and all the intellectual powers move in a wrong direction, though they remained undestroyed by depravity. The mainspring of all this perversion lies away back of a corrupted will. The man lives and acts but in opposition to the law of God and to the chief end of his being, therefore he is unholy, miserable and obnoxious to divine displeasure. Had man retained his moral image as well as his natural, he would still possess holiness and unmingled felicity, for in his primitive state, there was not a breeze to ruffle his calm and serene bosom. He could recline his head on nature's lap and no horrid dreams played fantastically be- fore his vision— no fearful forebodings beclouded his future prospect of bliss — no angry thunders muttered in accents of sullen wrath, and darted gleaming fires across his path — no swelling flood dashed against his peaceful habitation — no rude blast nipped the evergreen of life or scattered in ruin the sweets of human existence — no surreptitious hand of injustice and disabolic wrong seized and brake the glit- tering crown of manhood, and rent into fragments the equal and mutual obligations of human society. We have been precise and extended in the discussion of this subject, in consequence of its important bearing on the modi.kn DMn VRSALISM, tu . M question at issue. To sum up our conclusions) the matter will Btand thus : That God created all mankind in bis natural image, and is the Father of all in the sense of Creator, And that this image is the essential being of every ration- al intelligence, and can never be lost except by the annihi- lation of the soul; and as this image has no moral eharae- ter, being only the foundation of the moral image, which alone possesses character; and as God must retain the re- lation as Father in the sense of Creator as long as the na- tural image endures ; and as this relation can have no moral character because the natural image has none, and as it is acknowledged "to exist independent of moral character." Therefore this relation can never necessarily result in the final holiness and happiness of the human family, for the very obvious reason, that the holiness and consequent hap- piness of any creature consist in and are an exhibition of moral character, and therefore can never be the product of a cause, or relation void of moral character. In the act of creation God cannot be the Father of any thing in a higher sense than of all created objects, except as one creature possesses more intrinsic good than another in the position and scale of the works of nature ; provided this does render the paternal relation more valuable and glorious. This we do not pretend to decide. But one thing is certain, that this relation cannot be moral in a given case, and be void of ho- liness in all other instances. If it were holy in the crea- tion of man, it would be so down the scale of creation to the smallest animalcule that float in the sunbeam. But we have shown that whatever relation God may sustain to the works of his hand from the fact of their creation, this can- not involve moral character, for that must be the result of his moral government, and in order for his creatures to se- cure holiness and happiness in this life or in the world to 36 MODERN UNIVERSALIS. &C. come, they must obey and carry out the claims which God imposed upon them as their Sovereign. Therefore it is undeniable, that if God is the Father of all, because He created them in His image, then He is the Father, in the same sense, of all the other works of His hands, though he crowned man with more glory and honor, than all other created objects. The same moral character adheres to the relations He sustains to all things created, and if it results necessarily in the holiness of any creature, it will to all ; if not to any, it will to none, and will have no influence on the future destiny of the human race in making them holy and happy. WHO THEN CAN BE SAVED ? All who are the children of God, not by creation, but by adoption. In losing the moral image of God, we lost ho- liness, righteousness and pure felicity, and in character be- came aliens to God, children of disobedience and wrath. We forfeited all claim to holiness, the inheritance of heaven, the harp, the crown, and glory. In order to secure holi- ness and happiness, we must be created anew in righteous- ness and true holiness, receive the spirit of Christ, and be adopted into his family. God will then become our Father in grace, in addition to the fact that He is so by creation, which relation will secure to all believers final holiness and happiness; "for by grace are ye saved, through faith." Eph. ii. 8. "Ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus." Gal. iii. 26. This is the way to become the adopted children of God, and God has no children, who shall be heirs of salvation, of holiness and happiness, but such as are adopted into his family by grace. "And if children, then heirs; heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ; if so be that we. sufFer with him, that we may be also glorified together," Rom, viii, 17, modkrn rMvr.nsALi.sM, tu . 37 In the above sense, all are not tin 1 children of God, and BOQe are hut those who are adopted. Let us quote a few more passages to sustain this position. kk But as many as reeeived him, to them gave he power to become the sous of God, even to them that believed on his name." John i. 12. Here the "sons of God" are mentioned as having obtained this character, and all the privileges growing out of this re- lation to God as their Father, by receiving Christ in the sense of believing on his name. This is the way they be- came the sons of God. Now, it does not require great mental discernment, to understand, that if faith in Christ is the condition of sonship with God, then all unbelievers can- not be the children of God, and if not the children of God, then they will be disinherited of holiness and future happi- ness. " But as many as are led by the Spirit of God, are the sons of God." Rom. viii. 14. Who are the sons of God according to this testimony ? All those and only such as are led by the Spirit of God. As many as are not subject to the law of God, and this then cannot be while governed by a carnal heart, cannot be the sons of God by adoption, and must fail of heaven or of a title to heaven while void of the Spirit of Christ. " But when the fullness of time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, to redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons." Gal. iv. 4, 5. If all are the sons of God by creation, and by virtue of that relation are entitled to become finally holy and happy ; then what need of the Savior entering into this world, " made of a woman, made under the law." But if God's rational creatures can only secure heaven by being " redeemed from under the law and by receiving the adoption of sons," then the entrance of Christ into the world is magnified into significant value 38 MODERN DNIVSB8ALItM| ^V< . and shown to be of indispensable importance. And if only those who are redeemed and receive the adoption of sons, are the children of God in that sense which shall effect ho- liness and end in unmingled felicity, then all others are not the children of God. How many do we see who are still under the law, in condemnation and servants of sin, consequently all are not the sons of God by adoption. 44 In this the children of God are manifested and the chil- dren of the devil : whosoever doeth not righteousness, is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother." 1 Joh. iii. 10. If all are the children of God, who then are the children of the devil ? Are God and the devil one and the same, or do they claim the human family as common stock ? If not, then those who are the children of God, are distinct from those who are the children of the devil. If God is our Father because he created us, then God is also our Father in a different sense ; in which sense all are not the chil- dren of God, for some are the children of the devil. This latter relation, formed by grace and adoption, secures to all its subjects holiness and happiness. Righteousness which restores the moral image of God to the soul, mani- fests who are the sons of God. He who fails to do right- eousness and to love his brother is a child of the devil. Now, how many in the world do not righteousness, but rather wickedness and folly, and instead of love, they har- bor enmity in the heart ; all these cannot be the sons of God in a gospel sense, and have no claim to holiness and happiness. 44 And said, O full of all subtilty and all mischief, thou child of the devil, thou enemy of all righteousness, wilt thou not cease to pervert the right w T ays of the Lord ?" Acts xiii. 10. Elymas, the sorcerer, is called the child of the devil, because he hated righteousness, and perverted the right ways of the Lord, therefore he could not be the m»:k\ i \i\ IR1ALI8M, vV l 89 child of God. Neither creation dot grace gave him that relation which secures holiness, for adoption into the fam- ily of Cod must be acquired by grace through faith, which he had never sought for, and which alone can enti- tle to the immunities of the gospel, tin* moral image of God and heaven. M Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do." Joh. viii. 44. [f the Jews hud the devil for their father, then they could not be the children of God, nor have any prospect, while retaining this character, of ever reaching a heaven of holiness. Yea, even the fact thai they were created in the image of God, could not pre- vent them from becoming the apostate children of the devil, how can it then ever necessarily make the human race finally holy and happy ? It must be wisdom above what is written, and there can be "no light in them." In this 8th chapter the Jews claimed to be the children of Abraham ; Christ admitted that they were the natural descendants of Abraham, but not his spiritual seed, for if they were, they would delight to do his works. Driven rom this point, they then exclaimed, " we have one Fa- ther, even God." Christ declared that they could not be the children of God, and hate him, for he came forth from God ; but by their works they manifested, that they were of their father the devil. What we have quoted from the Bible must unequivocal- ly, decide that all mankind are not the children of God in a gospel sense, which constitutes the only saving relation ; and that I T ni\ ersalism must be false, which predicates the final holiness and happiness of all our race, because God is the Father of all, inasmuch as he created all in his own ima^e. We see 1 Christ and the Universalists in the arena of moral combat ; while the latter declare all will be saved because God is the Father of all ; and Christ authoritative- 40 HABBSM T'MVKKSALI^M, &C ly teaches th.it all are not the children of God, because the Jews and many others hate him, do not the works of God, do not righteousness, and do not love their brother. We ask the reader to pass a candid judgment, which is right and worthy to be believed. It may be said, by the advocates of Universalism, that they acknowledge all are not yet the children of God, but that they will finally become so, and therefore be ultimate- ly saved and enjoy heaven. We reply, that this admission destroys all the necessary connection between the relation, that God is the Father of all, because he created them in his own image, and the final holiness and happiness of the human race ; for the very obvious reason, that if some are not the children of God now, there is no absolute necessity in the relation to make all the children of God, and if it fails from inadequacy or imbecility to any, it may to all ; and if it fails now, it may hereafter, and to all eternity. Now, we think we have sufficiently shown the absurdi- ty of the position, and have demolished every fortification of the argument drawn from the paternity of God to prove the ultimate holiness and salvation of our race. At any rate we submit the subject to the judgment of the reader. WHAT WILL BECOME OF IDIOTS AND INFANTS ? As we have shown, that in order to be entitled to holi- ness and its legitimate peace here or hereafter, it is re- quisite to believe in Christ, be saved by grace, and be adopt- ed into the family of God ; it will be proper to indulge in some remarks relative to the ultimate state of idiots and in- fants, as this is considered a difficulty irreconcilable, by our opponents, with our views of the plan of salvation. We believe that all such will be saved and be clothed upon from heaven, a place suitable to the development and enlarge- Mom.KN r\i\ RR9ALISM, &C, 11 ment of the powen of mind ; and our reasons lor the faith wt entertain, ere simply the following : l. It is an unalterable law of God incorporated in his divine government, that accountability is only commensu- rate with human ability. The Most High claims nothing more than what man is competent to do ; and as idiots and infants are disqualified, by mental imbecility and necessary ignorance, to exercise repentance and faith in Christ, the un- alterable conditions of the covenant of mercy, therefore Gdd dots not require them to repent and believe. Should he make this demand, it would be unjust and manifestly con- travene one of the leading principles of his government. After all, how can they reach heaven? The duty of re- pentance and faith as conditions of the gospel covenant, are requisite to secure grace to save from sin, and ultimately i glory and God ; but idiots and children have no sin, for sin is a voluntary breach of the law, and where no law is, there can be no sin, and as God has not imposed upon them his law, because their ability is not commensurate to an observance of the law ; therefore they are entitled to heaven, and there is no difficulty in the way — sin, which is the only insurmountable obstacle to God's accountable creatures, has never been committed by them. 2. The gospel covenant with its conditions is addressed to rational and accountable creatures only, and as idiots and infants belong not to this class, therefore it is not addressed to them.. 3. The gospel is proclaimed to accountable beings, while in their sins and morally unfit for heaven, in order to re- new and sanctify their souls for glory ; idiots and infants are free from sin and are fit for heaven, therefore the gos- pel is not published to them in the same sense, that it is to others. Infants are emphatically declared proper subjects for heaven bv the great Teacher. "Verily I say unto you, 42 MODERN UNIVERSALls.M. fa . except ve be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of God." Matt, xviii. 3. Little children are fit for the kingdom of God, therefore ac- countable beings must be converted and become as chil- dren — attain this same position and relation to God, before they can be saved. Therefore we conclude that children and idiots are saved, or brought to God by Christ neces- sarily, in view of what he has done for the world, and in view of their relation to the kingdom of God. The multitude of children who die in their infancy, and all idiots, together with all those who have believed in Christ in such a sense as to receive the adoption of sons, shall constitute the family of heaven, bask forever in the sunbeams of immaculate glory, and sing the new song, in every note ascribing all praise and power unto the lamb who was slain to redeem them from the earth. " God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes : and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain : for the former things are passed away." Rev. xxi. 4. " But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burnetii with fire and brimstone : which is the second death." Rev. xxi. 8. These shall drink the cup of fury, because they loved the wages of sin, worked unrighteousness, disbelieved the record God gave of his Son, trusted in the arm of flesh, filled up the meas- ure of their iniquities, and rejected the spirit, grace, and adoption of sons. Who can behold the contrast, and not sue for mercy, and pray with the publican, " God be mer- ciful to me a sinner ?" Reader, go to Christ and comply with the holy requisition, " My son, give me thy heart." C II A P T E R II. m van DEPRAVITY. " Thou thoughtest that I was altogether such an one as thyself; but I will reprove thee" Psalm I. 21. When men become profligate either in sentiment or in practice, they change the true character of Jehovah into a god of imagination suitable and corresponding with their corrupt cogitations. They either make unto themselves idols of wood or sculptured stone, and pay their homage unto them ; or else the god they delight to serve has a na- ture like theirs, approving lewdness and wickedness. This was the case with those who lived in the days of the Psalmist. They hated instruction, and deprecated God; they gave their countenance to theft and robbery, and were accomplices of adulterers ; they devoted their speech to evil and their tongue to framing deceitful things ; they maligned their kindred and slandered their own mother's son ; yet they imagined that all these things were consonant with the will of God. They thought that God loved whatever they delighted in. To imagine ourselves as good comparatively as God, and that He made us what we are, is invariably the down-hill road to delusion and error. That Universalism should mangle and make awful in- roads upon the scripture-sanctioned doctrine of human de- pravity, is what might be naturally expected from the broad position, that all men must necessarily be finally holy and happy. Whatever doctrines stand in bold opposition to H HI MAN DEPRAVITY. their idolized tenet, must either be tortured and wi from their true import, or else be entirely exploded. There- fore the Bible-taught doctrine of human depravity has not escaped the pruning knife of those innovators, for they teach the world openly, that innate depravity is a figment of scholastic divines and not of the Bible. Universalists believe — That all men are born as free from depravity noic, as Adam was ivhen he came from the hands of his Creator. Mr. Ballou, the father of Universalism as it now is, treats the account of the garden of Eden, man's temptation and subsequent fall, as so perfectly fabulous or figurative as of little or no consequence. And as there is no direct evi- dence, except the Bible, that there was a literal garden, a literal tree of life, and a literal tree of knowledge of good and evil, he repudiates the common exposition of this scrip- ture altogether. His language is — " Should it be said, that this garden was a literal garden, that the tree of life was a literal tree, and that the tree of the knowledge of good and evil was also literal; I should be glad to be informed, what evidence can be adduced in support of such an idea." In this summary manner, this sapient expounder of God's word explodes the commonly received notions of Paradise and the scenes that transpired in it. Another preacher of Universalism, rejects the literal den of Paradise, and the tree of life, &c, because there is no proof of its present existence, or even the place where it once should have been. Therefore, he says, the garden is humanity; the tree of life is the good principle in man; the tree of the knowledge of good and evil is the evil prin- ciple in man ; the sword to guard the tree of life is the law of God. This is profound wisdom, and doubtless, God must pour out his Spirit on such without measure ! Here we have the doctrine; a denial of native depravity, and in m \n imi'i; w n v. 45 that man is just what God made him. Man has a good principle and an evil principle abiding in him, which arc symbolized by the trees of the garden* the one of life, and the other of the knowledge of good and evil; hut the sword of the angel guarded the tree of life to prevent man from eating Of its fruit, leal he should eat and live forever: was man therefore kept by the law of (rod from having any ac- ta the good principle dwelling in his humanity I This must be the case, if this modern innovator is a correct ex- pounder of die oracles of God. What consummate folly; the height of absurdity ! Mr. Ballou remarks, that " these conflicting laws of flesh and spirit have always existed in man from his first forma- tion, and bo long as they continue to exert their powers in opposition to each other, so long will sin remain, and con- tinue to produce condemnation." Query : For aught we know they will he in opposition forever, if good and evil are changeless realities, will therefore condemnation and misery not continue forever? "In our opinion," says the "Universalist Expositor,"- "every man, from the first to the last, comes into the world under moral circumstances precisely the same. We are ushered into being in the state of perfect innocency, with no guilt, or vice whatsoever; and from all that we ean learn, this w r as the condition of the parents of our race, w r hen they came from the forming hand of their Creator." O. A. Skinner says, "We have the same natural and moral constitution which he had; [Adam] and consequent- ly, the common opinion about the fa/1 is altogether imag- inary." kt Adam had the same appetites and passions, the same propensities to sin, that his posterity have." Accord- ing to this all are born alike, as pure now as Adam was when he came from the hands of his God — Adam was created with the same propensities to sin, that the children 46 HUMAN DEPRAVITY. of men now have. The representations of the New T tament, of the old man to be crucified, and the corrupt members to be mortified are false. The immutable law of nature that like begets like, is unsound, unless it can be shown, that the Holy God is as depraved as man. Is this sound theology or infidelity? The same writer says, "We believe, that man is by na- ture, i. e. as he is born into the world, equally free from sin and destitute of holiness, no more inclined to vice than to virtue, and equally capable, in the ordinary use of his faculties, and the common assistance afforded him of either " What a strange position man holds in the moral government of God, as much inclined to vice as to virtue, and perfectly destitute of either, and is just as able to choose and prac- tise virtue as vice. Though the latter language is contra- dictory of what the same writer had said before, when he declared that men were born with propensities to sin, for men cannot have propensities equally strong to two objects diametrically opposed to each other in character ; yet it clearly defines the position of Universalism on hereditary depravity. Mr. LeFevre says of man, that his " moral character is the result of education, and is not an innate principle. When he comes into the world, his mind is unsullied as a sheet of white paper, without a single impression as to what is good, or what is evil, and consequently capable of receiving good impressions, or of being stained with blots." This was also the language of Abner Kneeland, before he avowed himself the champion of arrant atheism ; and it is the echo of all this sort of teachers, so far as the knowledge of the writer extends. They all tread in the footsteps of their illustrious predecessors — they follow in the wake of their breathing and thinking organs, Hosea Ballou, Balfour & Co. HUMAN DEPRAVITY. 17 We Mk every intelligent inquirer after truth, whether the position, that mankind are horn as pure as A it will answer our purpose fully, to show that they at variance with the state in which A 1 glared by carnal desires and Inclinations. Human selfish- i is usurped and ascended the throne and swayed the sceptre belonging to (iod. This state of mind, resulting in this perversion of character, is inherent in huin;in nature when bom, and tor this reason, when the children of men begin to act morally, their actions are in foul rebellion LSI God, truth, justice and holiness. This view also accords with Scripture. The Bible holds forth the idea, that, depravity consists in esteeming self as the object of supreme complacency — that \iie will is inclined to self more than to God, and if that in- clination or bias of mind remains unrestrained, it will inev- itably lead into idolatry, or inordinate self-love. As the suggestions of this perverted mind are complied with, man will be led farther, progressively, from God. This great truth is exemplified in the character of the Heathen. Rom. i. 25. " AY ho changed the truth of God into a lie, and wor- shipped and served the creature rather than the Creator." This history of the depravity of the Heathen is very in- structive. Because they changed the glory of the incor- ruptible God into an image like unto corruptible man, therefore God gave them over to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts. In Ps. xii. 4, it is declared that the wicked throw off the control of God, and claim an en- tire right to themselves — their depravity is displayed in ar- rogancy and usurpation. They say, " with our tongue will we prevail ; our lips are our own : who is Lord over us ?" The Savior said in Joh. v. 44, " How can ye believe, which receive honor one of another, and seek not the honor that cometh from God only !" Read also the graphic description of the nature of human depravity, as given by Paul, and then soberly and candidly ask the question whether Adam had the same propensities to sin when created, that these wicked people have? 2 Tim. iii. 2 — 5. "For men shall 52 HI MAN DEPRAVITY. be /overs of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholv, without natural affections, truce-breakers, false accusers, in- continent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, traitors, heady, high-minded, lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God ; having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof." Now, if a holy and wise God can create human beings with such propensities to evil, then our conceptions of the divine character are lost in wonder and amazement. Our souls are stupified with horror. One thing is certain, as the Savior has also taught, that all sin has its seat in a depraved and selfish heart — out of the heart proceed pride, cruelty, revenge, contention, covetousness, envy, ob- stinacy, hatred of God and man, &c. Selfishness controls the will, the potent agent of all re- sponsible actions, and all the moral inclinations of the soul. Depravity warps and sways the mind. It does not con- sist in the powers themselves, the essential properties of the soul ; but in the use and government of those powers. Were the powers and attributes of the soul, received in creation, sinful and depravity themselves, then the essen- tial nature of man must be destroyed, in order to get rid of sin. The same faculties and powers being employed for righteous purposes, and according to divine instruction, is well pleasing to God ; but if for unlawful ends and in trans- gression of the will of our Creator, then it is displeasing. This is taught in 1 Cor. vi. 13- — 20. Thus, not the pow- ers of man, whether physical, or mental, or moral, are de- pravity ; but another extraneous principle controlling and using those powers and inclinations by usurpation. This ruling principle is identical with selfishness. Depravity influences the power of judgment, so as to call right, wrong; and wrong, right; to prefer earth to heaven; to seek happiness in the vanities of the world, and not in HI MAN DBPH AVl'I \ . M holiness of heart and life. Isaiah v. 30, 91. ^Voc onto them 1 1 i:t t call evil good, and gOOd evil; thai put darkness for tight, and light tor darkness; that put hitter i'or sweet and sweet tor hitter! Woe unto them that are wise in their own e\ es, and prudent in their own Bight! 91 Depravity controls the affections of the soul. Instead Of loving (mh! supremely, the atleetious are exercised on creature-comforts, and the sordid affain of lite. In re- generation the atleetious must he transferred to God, and when the judgment becomes renovated, old things will pass away and all things will become new. The affections are placed on religion, holiness and God ; while formerly the influences of depravity had the ascendency and controlled the affections toward sin and sinful objects, and hatred to- ward God and holiness. Therefore the converted man can exclaim with Paul, the things I once loved, I now hate, and the things I once hated, I now love. Thus, man has war- ring elements within, each kind striving for the mastery; while religion subdues the heart to God, and moves the af- fections and powers of soul with delightful emotions ; de- pravity subdues every thing noble in man to the dominion of selfishness and feeds the soul with shadows. What is the result of native depravity ? It may be wise- ly and clearly inferred from the remarks we have made, and from matter of fact evidence to every father, and close ob- server of things, that inherited depravity has poised the mind in favor of sin to that degree as will inevitably lead to the commission of criminal actions, unless restrained by the grace of God. We see that all do go astray when fol- lowing the inclinations of mind; but a person is not judici- ally punished for this depravity. The reason is evident, because the entailment of native depravity is unavoidable — our agency in the matter was not consulted. No state or condition of man can be criminal, unless his agency was M HUMAN DEPRAVITY. enlisted with the concurrence of the will. Since 1 1 1 i not the case in any of our race, because they were born depraved, therefore the Lord will not punish any for it — this alone is reconcilable with his justice and goodness. To punish the innocent with the guilty would be gross and flagrant in the sight of common justice in civil courts ; no less so in the government of God. True, children suffer much in consequence of inheriting a depraved nature; yet these are not to be looked upon as punishments, but as legi- timate sequences — as natural results of such a state of things. It is admitted on all hands, that an adequate cause will produce an effect partaking of the same character and nature. God is holy, just and good, free from sin and moral pol- lution, without any bias or propensity to wickedness, and He was the sole Creator of man — He was the cause, and man the effect. Therefore He created man in his own image, that the only rational creature might have a character as pure in kind as his own, as free from sin, or any bias thereunto. Again : We discover that men have a propensity to sin, as prone to evil as the sparks are to fly upwards, and that they are supremely selfish, and act counter to the will of God as soon as they begin to form moral character. But when they were created they were inclined to good like God, and could have no more fellowship with sin than light has with darkness, or Christ with Belial. Therefore man is not now what he was before the fall ; his nature has been perverted and become depraved. Universalism not only asserts that all men are born as clear of blots as a piece of white paper, and as pure as Ad- am was when created, (which position we have amply pro- ven to be false ;) but also — That all sin is confined in its incipiency and progress and end to the animal nature of man ; and not to the sokL . 1 1 \ . 55 soul is free from any criminal participation in tm — sin has not ita origin in the mind — but the animal nature is wholly in the fault, and the bo U natural and moral evil. That this is the view of 1 nil , we shall prove from their own writings. Mr. Ballou, the alpha and oi of Universalism, in his "Treatise on the Atonement,-' e to the "origin of natural evil," that M this is unquestionably die result of physical organization and constitution of animal nature" Again he says, "that natural evil owes its origin to the original constitution of our animal nature, and that moral evil or sin oices its origin to natural evil" All natural evil, according to the in of Ballon, results from the original constitution of man. Pain, sickness and deatli are natural evils and have their origin in the physical organization and constitution of animal nature ; and as God has made this physical organi- zation, he created the natural evil in man, and adapted na- tural evil as the sole origin of all moral evil or sin in the world. He says again, " From our natural constitution, composed of our bodily elements, we are led to act in obe- dience to carnal appetites, which justifies the conclusion, that sin is the work of the flesh." Thus sin is confined to the flesh, the soul is pure and unblotted. Is this the teach- niL r of God ? The following language, though daring and startling, is nevertheless a clear expression of the views of Universalists on this part of their creed, and a farther confirmation that we have declared their views correctly. Mr. Austin re- marks, that. " sin docs not, and cannot originate in, or pro- ceed from the mind, spirit, or soul — that portion of our nature which is from above, and which constitutes the mrjije of God." "The inquiry is, do the powers of the an mind sin? do they prompt to known and willful wrong- I •• This would seem .')(> HUMAN DEPRAVITY. to be as impossible, as for the sun to send down floods of darkness intermingled with its light." He transcends all this in the following language, " May I not with propriety proceed another step, and assert, not only that sin does not proceed from the mind, but that the mind or soul, so far as it is enlightened, never consents to wickedness ? When uninstructed in regard to the nature and influences of a cer- tain action, the mind, of course, is not competent to decide upon its character, or determine whether it is right or wrong. Its assent to sin, under such circumstances, is unintentional and guiltless. But when the mind is clearly instructed in the principles of morality, — when it is fully prepared to decide whether a deed is proper of sinful, does it then ever give consent to the sinful?" "NEVER." " Although, in these circumstances, the mind is in bondage to the propensities, and its higher promptings are lost sight of, in the whirl of unbridled appetites, still it participates not in their wickedness, but retains the integrity of its purer nature" Does all this sound like the preaching of Jesus Christ, the apostles and the faithful ministers of the gospel who have been successful in winning souls to God ? What candid, intelligent man, who is imbued with the spirit of his Saviour, can reply in the affirmative ? Reader, peruse the above quotations again, and then decide. From the quotations made we shall learn the following doctrines : 1. That all natural evil is the result of the organization and original constitution of animal nature. 2. And that all moral evil or sin owes its origin to na- tural evil and is therefore wholly the work of the flesh. 3. That the mind can not sin, nor prompt to known or willful wrong-doing ; this is as impossible as it is for the sun to send down floods of darkness intermingled with its light. Ill MAN l>! l'K W UN. .>7 •l. That the soul never consents to wickedness when en- lightened sufficiently so ad to discern the character of an action to be B infill, :>. That the soul retains the integrity of its purer nature throughout its bondage to the unbridled appetites and pro- pensities of our animal nature. It may be requisite to offer a few remarks on each par- ticular topic as presented above, bo thai their glaring contra- riety to reason and Scripture may be the more manifest 1. We think the point incontestable, that man is a com- pound being, consisting of soul or mind, and physical na- ture, and that God is the Creator of both. But that alL nut u ml evil is the result and owes its origin to the organi- zation and original constitution of our physical nature, we do not believe, lor the single reason, that it conflicts with the word of God. Milton could say relative to the disobe- dience of our first parents— * * * * # " Whose mortal taste Brought death into the world, and all our woe." Whatever disturbs and destroys the perfection of our physical nature, is natural evil; such as blindness, deaf- ness, lameness, diseases and death. The question is, did God incorporate all these afflictions and evils with our physical nature ? If so, then God is the author of all these things, and they are not the result of disobedience and^sin. Did God create us mortal and sow the seeds of death in our animal nature? How does this accord with the loud declamation of Universalists, that God's nature is so benign and merciful that he can not punish his creatures witli pain, affliction and woe, when they declare that God is the sole author of all the temporal sufferings, woe. and death, the human race are liahle to? Judge ye as wise men. Does ,; 'ible teach that God created f hp human familv with 58 Hi MAN DEPRAVITY- mortal and pain-saturated bodies ? Nay, verily, " Sin en- tered into the world, and death by 8171$ so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned." Rom. 5. 12. Here we are told in unequivocal language, that sin entered into the world, and was the forerunner and cause of death, and that sin entered into the world by man. This passage can never be so explained, as to convey the idea, that God implanted death in the original constitution of man ; but it will ever bear testimony that sin is the cause of death, and had sin never entered into the world, man's corporeal nature would never have felt mortality and corruption. Again, we read in I Cor. 15. 21, " For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead." Now if death be a result of the physical organization and original constitution of our animal nature, with what propriety and truthfulness could Paul, or the inspiration of God declare, that death came by man ? Was man his own creator ? did he form his original constitution ? If not, then, either this position is false, or else the Bible is a tissue of falsehood. We say, let God and his word be true, though we should be compelled to acknowledge every man a liar. The Bible is our guide. What peculiar object could the Almighty have had in view, in constituting our animal nature so as to render na- tural evil an essential part ? Is it a blessing to man, or glorifying God? We presume, that it is not serviceable to either. And how could a holy God create man, with an element in his nature, deadly and hostile to the perfection of his physical nature, and the prolific fountain of all ills and evils of our mundane existence ? It would be like a good tree yielding bad fruit, or a good fountain sending forth bitter waters. This is impossible, and repugnant to every lofty and consistent conception, we entertain of the Divine Being, therefore reason declares the position false. thai aO moral t vil or rin hi i in* tad ipi from nmtural i /•//, than in the former. Instead of sin owing its origin to natural evil, ire look upon natural e\il i legitimate fruit of human depravity and sin. Had it not been for primeval Bin in Eden, ami the consequent human depravity of mankind, woe. . pain and death, would never have been experienced. Eden's bloom lid nnmingled felicity would have been the portion of all created intelligences. Paul declares on Divine audio that natural evil llows from sin. "So deatli passed upon all men, for that all have sinned/' Rom. 5. 12. Is this not plain and decisive, that all men became mortal, or ob- noxious to death, because all have sinned ? What right have we then to teach otherwise, and say that sin has its origin in natural evil ? Such perverters of truth, says Christ, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven. * Does Christ publish to the world, that all moral evil or sin is the work of the flesh, or that it proceeds from the heart, the moral and intellectual part of man ? His language is, "For from within, out of the hearts of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness, wick- edness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness ; all these things come from within, and defile the man.'' Mark 7. 21 — 23. Are all these the works of the physical organization and the constitution of the animal nature I What part of the flesh has the power of "evil thinking ?" Who has ever heard that God has ever placed in man an element capable of thinking besides the spiritual mind ? Yet evil thoughts are sinful and condemned of God, therefore this sin is not the work of the tlcsh. Does the sin of murder rest on the physical constitution of man, or on the fatal weapon of his hand, or on the soul, the seat of love, hatred and the passions ? The Saviour replies, out HO ill MAX DKPKAVITV. of the heart proceed murders. The moral evils, or sins of theft, COVetOUSness, blasphemy, and pride arc all tlie works of the heart; the flesh, or all the physical powers only per- form actions as they are controlled by the energies of the mind, therefore the mind is responsible and blame-worthy for wrong-doing. We are sensible, that the Bible sometimes denominates such criminal acts the works of the flesh ; yet no wise in- terpreters of the oracles of God will consider the term flesh as meaning the body merely, but as referring to corrupt human nature, or the controlling power of selfishness. Look at Gal. 5. 19, &c. where you will discover that many of the vices there enumerated are the passions of the mind. Such as, "wrath," "strife," "heresies," " envyings," "hatred." That the corrupt propensities and carnal appe- tites of our nature exercise a controlling influence over our soul, is evident, for man in his corrupt state is " sold under sin" and is in bondage to wickedness. When tempted and drawn aside by our corrupt nature, with the voluntary con- sent of the mind, sin is committed by the mind. We shall find that the Bible speaks of a carnal or fleshly mind, and of individuals as carnal ; does it therefore mean that the mind is a fleshly substance, and that persons are composed wholly of a corporeal body, without a spirit ? Or must we understand, that men's minds are controlled by their cor- rupt nature, and wicked passions, that the powers of the mind are enslaved and governed by selfishness, and not by the spirit and truth of God ? Undoubtedly the latter is the prominent idea of all the passages of the Scriptures refer- ring to this subject. From this examination, we infer that all sin has its origin in the will of man, when performing, or consenting to the performance of wrong actions, and that all natural evil at first originated in the sin of Paradise, and now in the universal depravity of human nature, BUM w MBP1 kVl n • 81 3. Neither can we believe thai the position ii tenable, that the mind van not tin, Of prompl tO known and willful wrong-doing* We should rather plead, thai without the Mind no sin COIlld be Committed, any more th. stone of the field, the clod of the valley, or the tree of the forest Is it not undeniably true, thai the will, the Jk>w< r of Voluntary Choice is die prime reason of human actions being praiseworthy or blameworthy ! Without this, man could 00 more be a virtuous, or a vieious bring than the slumbering rock. Abstract the mind, or soul from the bodv, will the corporeal organization perform any actions, either virtuous or sinful? To talk of sin as performed by the body independent of the mind, is to be guilty of double- distilled stupidity, and downright nonsense. What is moral evil or sin ! It is the disagreement of the actions and life of a moral being with the revealed laws of the Deity. The Bible says, it is the transgression of the law. Then the law of God determines what is right, or wrong ; and sin consists in actions which violate the will of Jehovah. Can all this be done without the agency of the mind? The re- ply is obvious, and decisively negative. Universalism de- clares, that the mind or soul can no more sin than the sun can send down floods of darkness intermingled with its light. There is so much dogmatism in this assertion as to outrage all reason and Scripture — it falls with its ow r n absurdity. The Prophet Ezekiel says, 18. 4. " Behold, all souls are mine ; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is mine ; the soul that sinneth it shall iCe. n Here we are favored with direct Scripture testimony, that the soul not only can sia, but does sin. Which shall we believe, Uni- dism, or reason and the Bible? We need not pause for a reply from the candid and honest-hearted. 0*2 m .man DEPRAVITY. Equally false is the following declaration — 4. That the soul never consents to wickedness when sufficiently enlightened to discover the character of a tain action to be immoral and wicked. In juxta-position stands the assertion, that the soul is guiltless, though it consents to a wrong action, when it is not sufficiently enlightened to discern the immorality of the action. Moral ethics teach, that the piHvilege of knowing what is right or wrong, is all that is necessary to constitute moral obligation. Willful ignorance is as guilty as willful sin. Paul affords an illustration of this principle. He did wrong things against the cause of Christ, and the votaries of His cause, and instead of being screened by his ignor- ance, it only afforded easier access to the mercy of God. His language is, " Who was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious ; but I obtained mercy, because I did itignorantly in unbelief." I Tim. 1. 13. The Saviour prayed, " Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do." Luke 23. 34. These wricked people had the privilege of understanding the claims of the Messiah and that they were fulfilling the Scriptures ; but they were in- considerate, heedless and profligate in their conduct, there- fore they slew Christ with wicked hands — the prayer of forgiveness presupposes this. But how preposterous, absurd and wicked is the decla- ration, that the soul never consents to sin when enlightened to discover its heinous character — Does the soul of the high-way robber consent to the act of plunder ? Without a concurrence of the will he could not carry out the infer- nal suggestion of his mind — so teaches mental philosopjiy. Well, does the high-way robber not know, that his course of midnight depredations is infamous and wicked ? Stern incredulity, we should conclude, would even answer affirm- atively. Does the will of the murderer not acquiesce, while IMMAN DIPRAVIT7. N employing ilu^ deadly weapon in the destruction of the life of Ins Fellow, and cs he not know, that the ad is inhibited by the natural and moral laws of God I Who can doubt tin- ; yet musl we credit the reckless assertion that the soul never consents to willful ami know ii wrong-doing I not the libertine choose the infamous career of blast- ing the reputation and fair character of his innocent and cajoled victim ? Does not the perjurer pollute his with damning guilt while forfeiting his veracity in attesting to willful and downright falsehood? Does not the pirate stain his soul while reveling amid plunder and death on the Look at the numberless atrocities committed and delighted in by multitudes of the human race, possess- ing intelligence and judgment, and then attempt to recon- cile if you can, all these monstrosities with the daring as- sertion, that the soul never consents to sin. You mighl as well endeavor to effect a chemical affinity between gun- power and the igniting spark of the flint. The very stones would cry out in reprobation of such crude and demoral- izing sentiments, if no remonstrance were uttered by ra- tional intelligences. The heavens would clothe themselves with blackness, and the living orbs of light would veil their faces with sackcloth, if God could extort no denial of such ridiculous principles from living man. Need we add another word to expose this sentiment to the everlasting contempt of every inquirer after truth; or to arrest that person's attention and future scorn, who may have already half believed in the creed of Universalism \ We trust not. f). Again; it is said, that the soul retains the integrity of its purer nature, though it may be in bondage to the car- nal appetites of the animal nature. This proposition is founded upon the antecedent absur- dity, that the soul never consents to wrong-doing and is therefore guiltless and pure as Eden's bloom. Is it not 3* 94 III MAN DIPRA1 II v almost incredible that any reflecting man, can oven by a reckless effort, lose sight of the present condition of human nature to that degree, ami so far transcend the teaching the Bible, as to declare that the soul remains as pure as ever, though in bondage to unbridled passions 1 Yet this is fact, and will baffle argument however logical and nice ; but that men can believe it while under the influence of truth, we hesitate to confirm. Does the Bible unequivo- cally teach this doctrine, or demolish it with its truth-in- spiring breath? AVe have read the writings of the Apostle Peter, and there we find a different doctrine. He says. " Seeing you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren.' ' 1 Peter 1. 22. If the souls of men are purified by obeying the truth, then we should conclude, that they had become impure and unholy by disobeying the truth. If they had not been impure at first, they could not be purified. This passage therefore wages war with the above reckless posi- tion, that the soul never becomes polluted and guilty while enslaved by unbridled passions. Paul declares, " Speaking lies in hypocrisy ; having their conscience seared with a hot iron." I Tim. iv. 2. Is the conscience a part of the soul? Can it remain pure and unstained by sin when it has become seared with a hot iron, by speaking lies in hypocrisy ? The only reply that can be given strikes in the face of the position we are con- troverting. Again the same writer says, " Unto the pure all things are pure ; but unto them that are defiled and un- believing is nothing pure ; but even their mind and con- science is defiled." Titus 1. 15. How decisive this lan- guage, it needs no comment, to show its relevancy and adequacy to subvert the above anti-scriptural assertion. The understanding of the wicked is darkened, their pas- sions are bent on cruelty by malice, and their affections Ml N W I'l IV \\ 1 I \ prefer the creature to the Creator, their mind and con- science defiled and seared; vet Bays the Universalist, the soul of man retains the integrity of its purer nature, and does not participate in the wickedness of his sinful career, though its promptings are lost sight <>f in tin* whirl of un- bridled appetites. We take the teaching of God for our guide and protest against the incoherent croakings of error. After making this tremendous and down-hill pTOgtt error, it would not seem strange to find, that Universal ists declare, that either there is no sin in the world, strictly •peaking; or else that — God is the author of sin. We need not he very lengthy either in our quotations, or remarks on this subject, to prove that the position is argued by I niversalists as correct and sound; nor need we add many arguments to show the groundlessness and utter futility of such a position — Who can believe that sin is sin or wrong-doing, while it is said to be agreeable to the will of God, as well as, that he is the first cause of sin. Mr. Ballou anticipates the objection that the orthodox would promptly urge against the correctness of his reason- ing, therefore he says, " Perhaps the reader, by this time, is ready to say, according to this reasoning, ' there can be no such thing as real evil in the universe.' If by 'real eviP be meant something that ought not to be, in respect to all the consequences which attend it, / cannot admit of its existence" In plain language, if sin be something which is ivrong in all respects and in every feature, from begin- ning to end, in its inlluence present and remote, then there is nothing like " real evil," or sin in the universe. Yet such is the nature of sin ; otherwise circumstances may have the magic inlluence of changing the character of a positive wrong, and that which is wrong at one time may &e right at another time. Thus wrong may become right, (>0 HUMAN DEPRAVITY. ami why may not right become wrong under certain cir- cumstances? Any position ol' this kind must be grossh absurd, for an action which is contrary to the will of God must always necessarily be wrong — its character is as un- changeable as the will of God is immutable ; and the only influence which circumstances can exert is to screen the wrong-doer from guilt. For instance — An insane man may commit suicide, though the action can never be right, but be always wrong, for it is opposed to the will of God, yet he is not criminated with the action, for the reason, that he was laboring under the influence of insanity. So a right action may lose its virtue, when performed by a com- pulsory influence — No one is praised for activities, when he is not under the government of right motives, and a voluntary choice. Mr. Ballou most clearly declares that God is the author of sin in the most significant sense. He supposes the ob- jector to declare, that, according to his reasoning, God is the author of sin, to which he replies, " that God may be the innocent and holy cause of that which, in a limited sense, is sin." How can the Lord produce sin in any sense, and still be innocent ? Can his w T ill conflict with his will and still be holy ? Strange! Again ; he says, "If it should be granted, that sin will finally terminate for good, in the moral system, it will then be necessary to admit that God is its first cause" " If God produced an agency, and that agency produced sin, it argues that God is the first cause." Here we have plain language, that God is the author of sin in its primary sense, inasmuch as he created a being, who committed sin against God. This argument rests on the presumption, that the Lord created man as cor- rupt as he now is, and that he is controlled by this corrupt nature as absolutely as hy fate. What discordant notes are uttered by this class of Bible .\ Hi I'K \ 8f expo The one declares with emphasis* thai mail i created in moral character as clean HUMAN DEPRAVITY. - follows: " The opinions of onr doctors, that the very nature of man is so depraved that there is nothing morally- good in it, and that it is totally averse to the nature of God* is doubtless erroneous." Mr. D. Skinner of Utica, saj k * that the doctrine [of total depravity], being opposed to rea- son and common observation, is false and untenable." S. R. Smith, of Albany, declares, "that the doctrine of the total moral depravity of mankind is neither agreeable to reason and experience, nor taught in the Bible." The testimony of these three men of public notoriety among Universalists, and who hold the position of oracles in that denomination, is sufficient to define the position of Universalism on this subject. "It is doubtless errone- ous" — "it is false and untenable" — "it is in conflict with reason, experience, and the Bible," are expressions suffi- ciently explicit, to prove the doctrine is unqualifiedly re- jected by them. Take the Savior's rule, which reads, " he that is not for me, is against me," and then closely scrutinize the deport- ment of the profligate, and those who have no fear of God before their eyes, how much do they perform for the glory of God ? What do reason and observation testify ? Is it not, that such persons are wholly averse to the nature of God, and live as though there were no Supreme Being in the universe? By total depravity we do not mean, that the wicked are as bad as they can become, for we know that the wicked grow worse and worse. Or that their social nature is supplanted by malevo- lence, and the highest degree of all the baser passions, for some of the wicked are sociable and polite. Nor that all their actions, as such, are mischievous, wrong and maliciously unkiji for the wicked may relieve the dis- 1 I •d, visit the lick, and contribute to benevolent enter- -, which .-is actions are good, however wrong the mo- be. Though the actions are an index to the motives of the heart, as a general thing, j et the deep hj po- rrisv of the heart may screen the motives, while perform- ing fair and benevolent actions. Nor are we to understand, that all men arc equally rile and wicked. Wc find that there arc different degrees of wickedness in the world among the profane and ungodly, lor one has plunged farther into tin? polluting stream of folly and corruption than his neighbor. After all, they are living without God or any filial fear of Him in the world. her do we believe that men are compelled to com- mit sin. If this were the case, sin would cease to be sin, for the only correct idea we can form of sin is, that it is a voluntary transgression of the law. So long as a person is incapable of putting forth voluntary actions, he will not be punished for wicked actions, nor rewarded for good actions. It is often said, that a man's habits are beyond his control, and that vice has become his second nature, therefore he is not accountable for his wickedness, or viciousness. Whether this position is true or not, it does not mitigate the criminality of his conduct, for he is equally guilty for the acquirement of such habits. God never implanted in human nature such habits ; but they are of his oavii creating. The wicked are totally depraved, because all their actions are put forth through the influence of supreme selfish feel- md not with an eye single to the glory of God. The will, the king amonf their religious tenets. In close connection with human depravity, they would be likely to express their views of the desert of sin; in this we are not disappointed, for they have not cloaked their views with a cloud of darkness, lor a subject, as com- monly understood, so much opposed to their scheme) has not been passed by unnoticed, nor escaped the mangling pruning knife of criticism. CHAPTER III THE PENALTY OF SIN. " Ye have wearied the Lord with your words ; yet ye say, Wherein have we wearied him? When ye say, Ev- ery one that doeth evil is good in the sight of the Lord, and he delightethin them; or, TFIiereis the God of judg- ment?" Mai. ii. 17. If the people in the days of the prophet Malachi were so profligate in their sentiments, as to blend the character of the righteous and the wicked, and served the Lord with their sins and wearied him with their iniquities ; that they could see no difference in the moral character of men, that the vile and ungodly were as good and as much esteemed in the sight of God as the virtuous and the godly ; then it is not surprising that they discarded the doctrine of condign punishment, and contemptuously inquired, "Where is the God of judgment?" Nor is it the strangest thing in the earth, that Universalists should peremptorily deny the doc- trine of future punishment, or that divine happiness is ever forfeited by the commission of sin, since they hold such loose and anti-scriptural views of sin. To deny that the soul is ever stained by sin ; yea, on the contrary, to assert that the mind never consents to evil doing, and continues to be as pure as the soul of Adam when created ; would lead us to oppose the propriety of the doctrine of either present, future, or everlasting punishment. We very well know, that these were not the views of Murray, Winchester, and others, who early propagated I hi 1 1 \ m 1 1 01 Tfl opinions, perhaps not differing materially from orthodoa . except in rejecting the doctrine of everlasting pun- ishment m the proper reward of sin. 15m Modern Univer* s:ilism "explodes," as Ballon says, the doctrine of future punishment, together with every other fundamental doc- trine i>( the Bible. Prom human depravity and the divini- ty of Christ, down through the chain of Scriptural doc- trines, not excluding the woful destiny of the wicked in eternity* The .lews as s nation, and the christian church, have uniformly believed in the doctrine of everlasting punish- ment h has always heen deemed a necessary sanction of the law o( God, and the proper penalty of sin, until recent- ly, when a people, who wish to be recognized as christian, have shown the temerity to reject and spurn the doctrine. While some venture to reject the doctrine of the eternity of punishment only, and hold to a future limited punish- ment ; others, and the great majority of that fraternity, ut- terly reject the notion of future punishment. Even those who pretend to believe in future condign punishment, at- tach but a trivial importance to the doctrine, for they never raise their warning voice to deter men from sin, in view of this destiny. And those who deny the Scriptural charac- ter of the doctrine of all future as well as endless woe, are never inclined to discuss the question of future punishment distinctly, and prove from the Bible that sin and its legiti- mate punishment, shall not exist beyond death. They prefer to harp on the doctrine of endless punishment ; and then without taking up the subject, proving that the Bible teaches endless happiness to the whole human family, and that all punishment is necessarily confined to this life, they rather assume a negative position, and show that the argu- ments and portions of Scripture which have been supposed by the orthodox to prove eternal punishment are inade- 76 THE PENALTY Of SIN. quale to the purpose and are falsely construed — conse- quently the negative of the question must be true, the fu- ture happiness of all mankind. If the orthodox arc bo pal- pably wrong and so egregiously deceived in giving credence to the doctrine of future and everlasting misery ; and the opposite doctrine is so demonstrably true, then we should at least suppose, that the Bible would somewhere definite- ly state the same, and not leave so important a doctrine to be inferred from declarations that need torturing construc- tions, abstruse criticisms, and sophisticated reasoning to do away their natural application and obvious meaning. Yet so these things appear. To do away the commonly received sentiment, that the penalty of the law is future and eternal punishment, Mod- ern Universalism declares that sin will have no influence upon any one of the human family after death, and that heaven never was forfeited by sin. Be it known, that the prominent writers and preachers of Universalism teach the following doctrine in relation to the penalty of sin : That heaven and future glory were never forfeited by sin, and that sin will exert no influence upon any human creature beyond death. The following quotations will show what Universalism is in relation to the nature, desert and influence of sin. The controvertist, A. C. Thomas, says: "Evil, whether di- rectly or indirectly introduced into the divine government of God, must be considered a means, not an end. The end contemplated by the permission or ordination of evil, must be in harmony with the spirit of God as our Father." " I have uniformly taken the ground, that evil in the gov- ernment of God is not a final result. It exists in the progress, but belongs not to the consummation." " I can conceive of the permission of evil as a temporary matter without any impeachment of the Divine perfections — but i in: ti.n m, 1 \ <»i 77 (vil 01 i /////// reauA ia utterly incompatible with .-ill we know, oi can conceive <>f the perfectiom of the Qod and F il." m Evil as a final result, is an ulHmati con- ilitio/i, a)} absolute end, a fixed and permanent termina- tion in evil." Here we have it declared, thai evil (or sin and wicked- ly ifl merely temporary, and only exiati in the pr the moral government of God, and it was introduced as a means for the consummation of that ohject which harmonizes with the love and goodness of God. If so, it is impossible to forfeit heaven by the commission of sin and a life of profligacy. in — moral evil will never result (for it would be an impeachment of all the Divine perfections of God,) in future, permanent, and endless misery, it being undeserving of such a fate, and incompatible with the character of God. If this be true, then it is utterly impossible to forfeit heaven or future glory by sin. The very attributes of God would prevent it ; his benignity and moral government would in- terpose and neutralize such a result. All this goes to prove, that Universalists believe that sin is of such trivial conse- quence, that the penalty of sin never demanded the inflic- tion of everlasting death, and that heaven was never forfeit- ed by sin. Look at the testimony of others. Mr. Ballou, the father of Modern Universalism, makes the following declaration : " Now we ask, can you find, that God ever gave a law to man, which required endless misery in case of disobedi- ence ? Sure ice are, the Scriptures speak of none, neither do the dictates of good reason. admit of its existence." " A false education has riveted the error in the minds of thou- sands, that God's law required endless misery to be inflict- ed on the sinner." 78 1 1 hxli i cw snr 4 Here then we have the testimony of another champion of Univcrsalism, that the law of God never required the in- fliction of endless misery upon the sinner for disobedience, and a career of proilijrate wickedness. The penalty of Bin, as commonly understood by the orthodox, demanding un- ending misery, is unsupported by the Scriptures and good reason, if we are to receive the teaching and unqualified as- sertion of Ballou ; and according to the testimony of A. C. Thomas, the " end contemplated by the permission, or or- dination of evil must be in harmony with the spirit of God as our Father." How then can sin be so atrocious in crim- inality and ruinous in its influence, as to effect and deserve the everlasting destruction of the sinner, and consequently debar the sinner from a final participation in the felicities of the immaculate glories of the upper world ? But let us view more testimony on this subject, that we may escape the charge of falsely accusing others of holding the senti- ment above stated — that sin never has and never can for- feit heaven. Mr. Williamson, defending that denomination, holds the following explicit language: "The dogma of endless woe we reject, as unmerciful, unjust, and cruel; a penalty which a just God never did, and never can, annex to his law." " I am not speaking at random, but I know where- of I affirm, when I say that no living man can take up the Bible and find a place where God gave man a law, and an- nexed to it the penalty of endless misery. Hence, I say, that man needed not to be saved from such an evil, for the best of all possible reasons, that in the economy of God, he never was exposed to any such calamity." Mr. Balfour, their learned divine, takes the stand of giving the following oracular testimony : " I maintain, that no man by his un- belief and disobedience can forfeit a future immortal life, and subject himself either to a limited or endless punish- nu n:\Ai.r, 70 tie" < >• v. Skinner, of Boston, "So far as admission to endless glory is concerned! the saint and einner stand on a perfect level." Then, of , the sins .of man have no more influence to clone the of heaven against the sinner, than the virtues of the pious would procure and constitute a character fitted for leclarations amply sustain the position, that m the opinion <>t* Universalists, future happiness never was, and never can be forfeited by sin, and that all its calamitous influence, if any, will cease at death. This latter part will receive a fuller investigation in another part of the work. It will now become us, as a biblical inquirer after truth, to look at the teachings of the Scriptures and sound reason, and show that the dogma of Universahsm is " monstrous," "and trifling with the divine attributes," instead of being the teachings of orthodoxy on this subject. We shall attempt to prove that sin has forfeited heaven, and that its penalty is everlasting death, and consequent- ly that its influence will extend beyond the grave. To prove that sin, depravity and unbelief have excluded us from glory and out of all our rightful claims to heaven, will be our main object in the selection of the following passages of Holy Writ. The position is so perfectly familiar and ad- mitted as self-evident by all orthodox persons, that it seems useless labor to prove and establish the doctrine. Never- theless there is some importance in bringing forward the Scriptural testimony in systematic order, since there are men who have the rashness to unequivocally deny it. The first passage we would adduce, may be found in Rom. iii. 23. " For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God." The Apostle is here teaching that all men are condemned by the law — all have incurred the penalty of the law and cannot he justified by any moral deeds. The only way for an}' one and every one to gain the right- 4 80 1111. PENALTY OF SIN. eousness for which God will justify and approve, is ac- quired alone by faith in Jesus Christ. The imperati necessity, not only of the righteousness of God to secure justification, but also of faith for its attainment, is inculcated in the passage, "For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God." Not only have all sinned, but by their sins they have forfeited "the glory of God." It will be no relief to explain the "glory of God" as being the en- joyment of religion in this life ; for if the approbation, the grace, and whatever is glorious in God can be forfeited by sin in this life, for the same reason, it can be forfeited in the future life — as God is unchangeable and whatever offends him now, will do so at all times. Here then is an instance in the records of God's truth, w r here we are taught that heaven is forfeited by sin. Ecc. vii. 20. " For there is not a just man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not." The obvious meaning of this passage is, that every rational being upon the face of the earth has a defective character, and at some time or other erred in conduct, thereby rendering himself unjust before his Creator and Judge. If thus all have become unjust and guilty before their Maker, they either have for- feited heaven, or else injustice and justice are alike to God. If any unjust man is guilty, unclean, and unholy, then such a man shall not enter into heaven ; otherwise the Almighty can disapprobate man with a defective and guilty character in this probationary life, and withhold from him the pure blessedness of religion in his kingdom, but heaven and the glory of the Lord are the unalienable portion of all man- kind. Does this appear quite reasonable ? Judge ye. The greatest, the most desirable, and the holiest enjoy- ments are accessible to man, notwithstanding all his sins, when the lesser felicities of religion can be forfeited by sin. This appears incompatible with the Scriptures and sound reason. mi P8NALT1 01 >iv. 81 John viii. 21. "Then said Jesus again unto them, I m\ way, and y< shall seek me, and shall die in yeui whither I go, ye cannot come. 91 The import of thk is, that the Jews, to whom the Savior addressed these [uence of the sin of unbelief, should die in their sins and never be saved firom them, and that h should be Closed ;iL r :iinst them, for they COttld not como where he was about to go. It' this passage does not teach emphatically the forfeiture of heaven by sin, then language is inadequate to symbolize the idea. The question might be here proposed, did the Savior mean heaven and immor- tal erlory by the phrase, " Whither I go, ye cannot come?" This expression was very common with the Savior. He in verse 1 i. I know whence I came and whither I go; but ye cannot tell whence I come and whither I go." To in this more fully he says in John iii. 13. "And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven even the Son of man which is in heaven." John. xx. 17. " Jesus saith unto her, touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father : but go to my brethren and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father and your Father ; and to my God and your God." From all these passages, we may draw the indubitable conclusion, that the declaration of Christ to the unbelieving Jews was particu- larly designed to impress them with the truth, that by sin they had forfeited heaven ; that inasmuch as they had sin- ned against the only remedy for iniquity, they should die in their sin, and never ascend to God and to glory, whither the Savior went, after the completion of the work of human redemption. Prov. xiv. 32. "The wicked is driven away in his wickedness : but the righteous hath hope in his death." Here we have the righteous and the wicked contrasted in life and in death. As their characters are opposite in life, 82 THE PENALTY OF SIN. so will their death be— the one shall die in a gospel hope of heaven, and the other shall be driven away in his sins. Why? Because he has forfeited heaven and the favor of God. Is this not plain, that future glory is forfeited by sin ? John. iii. 36. " He that believeth on the Son hath ever- lasting life : and he that believeth not the Son, shall not see life ; but the wrath of God abideth on him." Here we are taught that the virtue of faith will secure for us enjoyment of life, in this and in the future world ; but that the sin of un- belief will dash from the lips of man the cup of salvation, and bring down upon his soul the wrath of God with a permanent curse. Must we not then believe, that sin for- feits future glory as well as present religion ? Rom. ii. 7 — 9. "To them, who, by patient continuance in well-doing, seek for glory, honor and immortality, eter- nal life : but unto them, that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness ; indignation and wrath, tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil," &c. Now, if the contentious, the disobe- dient to the truth, and the lovers of unrighteousness, who shall be visited with indignation, and wrath, and anguish, do not forfeit eternal life, then we can not discern the force of language ; and if they do, then it is proof in point. Peter said in John vi. 68 ; " Lord, to whom shall we go ? thou hast the words of eternal life." A certain lawyer once addressed Christ, as it is recorded in Luke x. 25 : " Mas- ter, what shall I do to inherit eternal life ?" And a young nobleman once said, (Mark x. 17.) " Good Master, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?" The term to "in- herit" implies to receive a title, and that before that title, no rightful claim existed. If there ever was a title, it had been forfeited. Now if the address was, "what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life," and its correctness was not disputed by Christ, then it implies that eternal life was forfeited, nu PENALTY OF flU. II and that there was something necessary to be done in <>r- ion of it by inheritance. That which we already possess, we cannot inherit anj more, then the inquiry under consideration, implies, that there either never existed a claim, or that the title to eternal "lite \v:is forfeited. We are aware that Tniversalists, in order to evade the force of such passages of the Bible, and with a vi.-w to sus- tain the position, so requisite to their theory, that sin never iid never can forfeit heaven, and to sustain a kind of consistency when they deny that the words " everlasting,' ' "eternal," &c, mean endless duration, do deny that the phrases "everlasting life," " eternal life," &c, have any ace to the future state of blessedness and glory in heaven, hut that they exclusively refer to the enjoyment of religion in this transitory life. This statement may be rather Startling to many who are not, or only partially, ac- quainted with their creed, it is nevertheless the case. This a few quotations will prove. Mr. Sawyer, in addressing Mr. Remington, holds the fol- lowing language: "The fallacy in which you indulge your^ self, begins by assuming that eternal life means endless felicity in heaven." Mr. Skinner, of Boston, says, "The phrase ' eternal life,' is a common expression to denote the enjoyment experienced in this world, through the influence of the gospel on the heart." Mr. Balfour, the master-spirit in erudition, in addressing Professor Stuart, of Andover, says, "You assume that 'eternal life' refers to the future endless happiness of the righteous." "Eternal life desig- nates indeed the happiness of the righteous, but it is their happiness in this world" If they should admit that, eter- nal life and everlasting lite mean endless felicity in heaven, then they would give a vantage ground to prove that eternal punishment and everlasting destruction would mean endless 84 THE PENALTY OF death and misery ; therefore, rather than do this, they will run the risk of the consequence of applying eternal life to the enjoyment of religion in this life. Suppose we should apply all the passages of Holy Writ, which contain the phrase eternal life and everlasting life, to the enjoyment of the righteous in this life as derived from religion, how much proof would we have left to confirm the doctrine of endless bliss in heaven? If it did not sweep the entire board, it would obliterate the most direct, the most satisfactory and the most cogent evidences of future and endless glory. Let us read a few passages of Scripture in the dialect of Universalism in order to see whether it makes sense or non- sense. We will turn to John vi. 27, " Labor not for the meat which perisheth but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life" which read, " endureth unto thine happi- ness in this world." Again, Matthew, "These shall go away into everlasting punishment; but the righteous into life eternal," or "into happiness in this world." This would suppose a man to be righteous first before he enters into the enjoyment of the christian religion, and that it is not simultaneously, which is false, therefore the construc- tion must be false and unsound. Again; Matt. xvi. 25, "For whosoever will save his life shall lose it : and whoso- ever will lose his life for my sake shall find it," or " who- soever will sacrifice his temporal life for the sake of Christ shall experience religious happiness in this world." What a startling absurdity ! Need we multiply instances to use up such nonsense? Verily, any man who will have recourse to such criticism and such logic, must be hard pressed for proof to sustain his cause. They had better renounce their ever down-hill religious theory and retrace their steps, ere they plunge into the turbulent waters of avowed infidelity. In order to fortify their theory, which rejects the construc- tion, and labels it as mere assumption, that everlasting liil P] \ deatli or punishment, involves the idea of endless mi the; are willing to undermine and sweep away the chris- tian's foundation, or hopes of future gloiy« True, they may acknowledge, that they believe endless bliss in h< will be the portion of the righteous; yet what avail, if they all the essentia] proof. First erase the foundation and then erect your house. What confidence can W6 re- in such religious teachers | Can we safely intrust our souls to such guides I It is Ear better to receive the g< in its native simplicity, and permit it to have its natural ap- plication and obvious explication, than to mangle and tor- ture the rules of criticism so outrageously, and to allow our led opinions to govern our understanding of the This would be, at all events, the course which all who seek for wisdom from above would be likely to pursue. WHAT IS THE PENALTY OF SIN ? A legislative enactment without a penalty has no greater authority than mere advice ; but when a penalty is attached to it, it becomes law. So with the regulations and rules of the government of God, without the sanction of a penalty, they would constitute and embody merely Jehovah's ad- vice ; but having the solemn penalty of death attached, they assume the character of law. Therefore the law has a penalty, and that penalty is incurred at every transgression ; this is acceded to on all hands. But what the particular penalty of sin is, there is a division in opinion. The Uni- sys, that they are the mere temporary evils of lift . excluding future punishment and even our mortality, or temporal deatli ; while we would assume the position, — 1. That the penalty of sin is death. This is most evi- dently the curse pronounced upon every transgressor, and is fully recorded in Scripture as the penalty of sin. It in- cludes, not only corporeal dentil, but also the death of the 86 THI PENALTY 01 BIN. soul, or a moral death which will eventuate in an exclusion from the enjoyment of God eternally. An eternal death is only moral death, carried out in eternity, where all the re- sources of enjoyment are cut ofT and the soul is writhing under positive punishment. In the investigation of this subject, we shall institute an inquiry into the first transgression, and examine the import of the penalty of death there and then incurred. The re- cord of God's law, we shall find in Gen. ii. 16, 17. "And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden eating thou mayest eat. But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it ; for in the day, that thou eatest thereof, dying thou shalt die." We have given the literal translation of the Hebrew, for the expression is very emphatical. We are aware, that the language of the sacred historian, has been looked upon as very parabolic, and criticisms have been made, amounting to a complete rejection of the obvious truths ; but notwith- standing cloaked infidelity may rage, and spend its strength in the assault, the history of human transgression and apos- tasy will stand an indestructible monument. The Universalist cannot apply the death incurred to be a temporal death, for they avow, as a tenet of their creed, that man was created mortal in his very physical constitu- tion and organization, and that therefore it was not the re- sult of sin. Neither can it refer to eternal death, for this they unanimously reject as unmerciful, and declare that " God never did and never could annex such a penalty to his law/' In reference to natural death, certain Universalist writers hold the following language. Ballou says. " Men die natural deaths, because they are naturally mortal; but they are not mortal because of sin, for man was mortal before he sinned, if he were not, he never could have sinned-'' Balfour say^ ? i ill. PENALTt "i k To say that immortal beings became mortal is b contra- dictioii in terms." Skinner, of Boston, Bays, M Sin does not make us mortal ; we wen originally constituted mor- tal" Sawyer, of New York, says; k - h is probabl; crallv known that modern Universalists deny that die death o{ the body is an effect of sin, and maintain thai ' d mortal, and that he and all our rare would hare died, if sin had never entered the world.' 1 These are the virus of Universalists as a body — this their own language We shrill not act as mediator in order to reconcile their views in relation to punishment for sin, with their - of man's original mortality. How to make death, calamity, his adequate punishment for sin, (Men the sin of suicide, when they teach that death is not the effect of sin, and that man would have died had sin never entered into the world, we leave for wiser heads and more subtle ingenuity to show. We are content to cull it the quintessence of absurdity and among the irreconcilable errors of the pit. But to return to the subject and show that death is the penalty of sin incurred by a breach of the law of God. That Jehovah designed to visit on the transgressor in the garden of Eden, or on our first parents, natural, moral and at death. 1. That the penalty of sin in part was natural death. '♦In the day that thou catest thereof, dying thou shalt die/' was the language of the great God. In the act of disobey- ing God, our first parents brought upon themselves temporal death. They became mortal and dying creatures; the seeds -own in their physical constitution. If the sentence implied, that in the same day they should experi- ence the process of dying — that the animal functions should to perforin their 1 and that fliey should m a transitory to an eternal world of 1 W TH1 PENALTY 01 SIN. ence, then the execution of the threatened penalty was sus- pended for the time being, in consideration of the promise of the seed of the woman. We do not discover, however, that any particular necessity compels us to construe the penalty announced in any different light than, that man be- came mortal, that the seeds of death were lodged in his cor- poreal system ; therefore we need not lay any great stress on the immediate execution of the penalty of sin. That natural death was in part the penalty of sin, is evident from inspired teaching. Rom. v. 12. "Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned." Here Paul asserts without any qualification, that sin was intro- duced into the world by man, (not by God,) and that death came with sin as its effect, and passed upon all men. 1 Cor. xv. 21, 22. "For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive." Here the apostle emphatically declares that man produced death, (therefore it is false that God made man originally mortal,) and that Adam was this man ; so Christ procured by his sufferings, death and resurrection, a victory over death and a spoliation of the grave. What Adam entailed on the human family in rendering them" mortal and fit for the yawn- ing grave, Christ has restored by procuring the resurrection of the dead. If any stress might be laid on the expression, "even so in Christ shall all be made alive;" then we would say that the preposition "in," in connection with "Christ," is no more emphatic than the preposition "in," in connec- tion with "Adam." In both places they are expressive of agency ; Adam was the agent to bring death into the world, and Christ the agent to procure the resurrection of the dead. Having established the point by Scriptural citations, that death is the result of sin alone, and that it is to be looked i hi. ri:v\i.i v ui HN< N upon as a part of tin* penalty of Bin, in order to advance the investigation of the subject, though it may have no par- ticular tendency to expose tin* fallacy of Universalism, we ■hall enter upon the examination of the inquiry : If death natural is the penalty of tin, then the children of men arc ihed for that which was brought upon them without their agency and beyond their control. We are aware that many Universalista look upon death as a punishment lor sin; yet it is a query in our mind, how they can rationally do so, when they unequivocally declare that death or mortality Was interwoven into the very texture of their physical sys- t< m by the linger of God. Their course is a leap from one error into another. The view we entertain on this subject, is, that death was the penalty of sin to our tirst parents in the garden of Eden, because they were actual transgressors of God's law; but that to all their descendants, it is not to be looked upon as a punishment for sin, but only as a natural consequence. Jehovah has laid down the maxim, that the son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, and that every soul shall suffer or reap the bitter fruit of his own evil doing in the light of punishment; therefore, though our primeval parents endured death as a part of the penalty of the law for their sin, yet it is no punishment for sin to their posterity, for it is only an unavoidable condition in which they are placed because born of corrupt and mortal ancestors. And as they became mortal by the sinful agency of one man, without involving their agency and responsibility, therefore they shall again be restored to an immortal existence wholly through the agency of one, the Lord Jesus Christ, in the resurrection of the dead. Thus what we lost involuntarily in Adam, shall be made good in the same way by Christ; for, for that none shall be punished. For this reason in- fants shall be saved in heaven by Christ soul and bodv. 90 THE PENALTY OF SIX. Should we look upon death as a punishment for sin to all who are its victims, then the innocent and the holy would be punished together with the guilty, this would involve the moral administrations of God into injustice and tyranny. As the latter cannot be a true exposition of correct princi- ple, therefore death is not punishment for sin on the pos- terity of our primeval progenitors, but a mere unavoidable consequence. 2. Another part of the penalty of sin is moral or spiritu- al death. This was included in the sentence of death pronounced on our progenitors in the garden of Eden. That a deadly influence should roll in upon their soul as the result of dis- obeying God, is not very strange, or beyond the stretch of credibility, when the most ostensible reason for complying with the suggestion of the subtle tempter, was, that by eat- ing of the tree of knowledge, of good and evil, their know- ledge should be vastly increased — it would have a direct influence upon the mind, and make them godlike. If the arch-deceiver influenced their mind to such an extent as to tear it from its moorings in the positive instructions of God, by holding a temptation to the same, then we might pretty conclusively reason, that the sentence of death, incurred by yielding to the temptation, would materially affect the mind and moral powers, decoyed into unrighteousness. Not only so; but if the body was doomed to a temporal death because engaged as an instrument in the transgression; how much more reasonable is it to suppose, that the soul or mind should incur the greater curse, for being the volun- tary, the most prominent and controlling agent in the mat- ter. Indeed, it is not only reasonable to draw this infer- ence; but it is the decisive teaching of sound reason. It would be an unanswerable query, how it could be possible, for the body to fall a victim to the stroke of the penalty of i in: PI N U i 'V OF -i\. 9 I sin, and the soul, the controlling agent, should escape un- scathed. Both wen ory to the transgression, atid both were involved in the doom of death? and thai death must be adapted to the nature of its victims. The natural and corporeal body must suffer a natural ;m, that if the soul is capable of sin- oing, then the ever active mind may sin after death, and so destroy and explode the opiate theory of no future punish- ment. And while some believe that the wicked may be punished in the intermediate state, but will be raised im- mortal and incorruptible in the resurrection, and thus be p free from sin and suffering; others have invented the theory that the soul will be in an unconscious sleep from the time of death until the general resurrection, and have thus exploded the last citadel of the opinion of a lim- ited future punishment. Indeed, they have plunged so far into error as to receive and advocate the foolish system of materialism, As we have now sufficiently shown, in order to escape the charge of misrepresentation and of bearing false witness, that the Universalists, as a body, do most solemnly aver and advocate the theory, that all sin and its deserved pun- ishment must necessarily have an existence in this world only, and can never reign beyond the empire of natural death ; therefore, without entering upon a regular confuta- tion of this doctrine, which we reserve for another place, we shall proceed to show, that Universalism teaches and defends the following doctrine in reference to the punish* ment of sin : 5 JOt nu; rr.vu, iv 01 BIN. *j. Thai sin punishes itself, therefore /here is no inflic- tion oj punishment by our Creator. If sin punishes itself, then there can bo no infliction of punishment, properly considered, for the infliction of pun- ishment supposes that the victim receives more misi than what is entailed by the act of sin. The infliction of punishment presumes that the sufferer endures positive misery, imposed upon him under the just administration of our universal Sovereign. If sin, therefore punishes itself, such additional misery and woe cannot have pi That some Universalists believe that the sinner must suffer the penalty of the divine law, and the direct inflic- tions of misery from the hand of God, we are not inclined to deny; but that a great portion of them hold, that sin punishes itself, admits of undeniable proof, And it app< to be of no small importance to the consistency and the establishment of their theory ; for if sin does not punish itself, where do the murderer and the suicide receive ade- quate punishment ? They can not in the spirit-world, for according to their theory, punishment and sin do not exist there. The time has been when death was looked upon to folve the difficulty, and to be considered adequate pun- ishment for that murderous and sinful act ; but since it U denied that death is the result of sin, and asserted that God created man mortal, and that man was destined to die, w/iether sin were introduced into the world or not, there must needs be a change of theory. And what invention could wily ingenuity project, which would appear so satis- 1 • and consistent, as that sin contains the element?, of immediate punishment Sin punishes itself, word as their own writings shall prove. A writer in the Universalist Trumpet, while in the ago- nies of giving birth to this new theory of his own mind, and in the joy of his transcendental exultation, holds the fol- 105 1<>\\ ing language : " An :, and much relied pn b) those wl camined tl . that the murderer ia not punished but of •' i of al] things. 1 The writer I tfyl . Impartial ' tihf that the horrid crime of murder carries with if, : which \ i -ly the ni accordance with it, crime and indeed all sin, would I ed as insepar- ably I and connected with punishment." In th are told that sin " carries with it own punishment;" and that this doctrine contains the raining- motive to avoid all and ev> Under the tuition of this sapient writer, we are in- formed thai the doctrine which inseparably associates pun- is the most wholesome and virtuous mo- tive that the deep truths of God can afford. But what are the writer's conceptions of that punishment, which sin wields for the punishment and correction of its own mis- deeds, and which are so very salutary to virtue and restrain- ing to vice ? Let his own language answer and explain. He save, "I believe that the state of mind in which crime is conceived, the awful misery attending and following it, in the terrible compunction of conscience — the fear of being detected, and indeed the fact, for the most part of the crimi- nal's actual detection — (murder will out,) these things so terrible, are nishments of the crime, and are alto- gether such as are calculated, without extending unto the immortal world, to restrain from crime !" According to the profound wisdom of this man, the punishment which sin wields upon itself and which is so salutary and restrain- ing is nothing more m punction of con: 1 fear of certain detection. If this and 106 THE PENALTY OF SIN. this alone is an adequate punishment for murder, why need he fear detection; for his arrest, condemnation and impris- onment, will either add nothing to his misery and punish- nt f or else it will be unjust, and he can suffer as a mar- tyr. The publicity of his crime will add no pang, disgrace or wringing sorrow to his misery, the legitimate punishment of his sin ; for if it does, then sin will not exercise adequate punishment, or else the additional misery derived from publicity, will be palpably unjust. Thus the careful and impartial cogitations of this profound writer in their practi- cal theory would sweep all civil penalties, as well as the code of divine law into the regions of non-entity, and thus we should live in a world void of moral and civil govern- ment. Xo doubt this would be a world adapted to down- right infidelity and every species of profligacy. Scrutinize a few things more. If the soul is free from sin, and never consents to sin, what right has sin, claiming to be its own punisher. to press the conscience into an in- strument of punishment with all its " terrible compunc- tions V or is the conscience no part of the soul, or is the conscience sin itself ? A little more light on the subject, or at least apparent consistency would not be amiss here. Again; do we not find that in the same proportion as men become profligate in character and vicious in conduct, their conscience is M seared as with a hot iron" and "past feel- ing ?" therefore we should conclude that the terrible com- punctions of conscience would be less, and the severity of the punishment of sin would be diminished. So say Scrip- ture and reason, Universalism to the contrary notwith- standing. But does this adequate punishment of crime, • consisting in the terrible compunctions of conscience and fear of detection, restrain men from sin ? Do we not see from actual experience, that the Scriptures assert a substan- tial fact, when they say, that the wicked " grow ivorse and Pi v\i 1 1 ..i 107 and thai instead of the wicked 1" own punishm in the alluring path of vice, and that I in ©f happiness by the commission of sin — unit bib foi the sake of gratification, to them it has more pleasure than punishment ! ll«>w then ran wuch punishment restrain from crime ! But when is the suiride punished according to th< of this doctrine ! [a he punished in the same way by the terrible compunctions of conscience and Tear of detection I Then, he is punished before the commission of the crime, or else he is not punished at all, for as soon as death draws dttain, life is extinct and the soul is rocked into an Now if it be wrong to punish for crime Before its commission, then the s.uicide is not punish- ed at all, according to the doctrine of the above writer. From all this, we might infer not only the justice, but also the certainty of future punishment. Thus we find,* that although the theory of the writer may be very essential to the establishment and defence of Universalism, yet it stands in complete contrariety to the teaching of sound reason and the sacred Scripture. To prove that sin punishes itself, is deemed by Universalists of great importance to their theory of punishment, and we need not rest upon the authority and declaration of a single writer, for there are others who have sounded and re-echoed the same voice ; and that too, by those who exercise the moulding hand of Universalism. shall now present farther authority on this point — Hosea Ballou declares, that " the punishment, or sufferings, which we endure in consequence of sin, is not a dispensa- tion of any penal law, but of the law of necessity, in which law as long as a cause continues, it produces its eii Here we have the opinion of the father of modern Univer- salism, that punishment for sin is not an infliction of the 108 rin: PENALTY OF penal laws of God, but that all punishme.nl grows out of and results from sin i: (Feel proceeds from a when and where we are sinful, just there u we are our own tormentors." Mr. Williamson remarks: " We believe that punishment and sin are related as cause and effect, and that they are closely and intimately connected as cause and effect can he, under any possible circumstances." Thus the natural re- sults of sin, both on body and mind, must contain all just and adequate punishment. D. D. Smith declares, that " Punish- ment is a natural, inevitable consequence of sin which can not be avoided by any means. And so the Scriptures speak. * * . * They speak of the punishment of sin as something vrhicli 7iatn rally grows out of sin, and which cannot by any means be avoided,.". A writer in reference, to the prodigal son remarks, that " the father did not punish his son after that he had done* committing sin: but that the sinner punished him- self, by walking in that w r ay iii which there is no peace." Mr. Whittemore of Boston declares, that punishment is "swift, sure, and inevitable, that sin goes hand in hand with woe throughout its whole duration ; that it is itself hell" Mr. Skinner of Boston remarks, " that every pas- sion of our nature carried to excess is criminal ; every pas- sion carried to excess is painful. This pain is said to be the punishment of the passion" Need w T e any more tes- timony on this subject to satisfy every candid reader, that we have given a fair and just representation of the doctrine as held and advocated by Universalists. If sin is itself hell, and woe accompanies sin throughout its duration, then sin must be its own punishment, therefore we have sus- tained the proposition — that sin is its own punishment and that there is no infliction of punishment by the penal laws of God, . 01 i\. In order to show the abiurdit} of tin tfbo^ ; only append lour brief and pertinent i 1. Ii overthrows the doctrine of an equ I distribution of ce in the administration of Jehovah. In this world the righteous at times suffer more t&an the<.wicked — th< \ like Job, w liile the \\ ieked are in and wallow m affluence. The innocent suffer with the calamities. All thi i ing in the providence of GTod, has always been a rock of offence to infidels and could only be satisfactori r ered to the iking the future world into close and. intimate connection with the present This then is an insuperable 'ion to the theory of Universalis In in reference to -the nt of sin. 2. The . mount of sin secures to the most wick- ed the least suffering. For it is possible for' the haters of God and religion, not only to sear their consciences and get past feeling; but even as Paul says, "to glory in their shame." They have lost all thoughts of God out of the heart ; and imagine themselves as good as God himself, or that God is like themselves — they have lost all natural on, and become reprobates. What adequate punish- ment do such realize? They feel less than the man who only occasionally sins, and retains a tender and scrupulous ;ience. :*. The wicked generally commit sin for the sake of its pleasure and gratification; they even do the evil in prefer- tving it undone. The young seek the gay e ties Lshions of this world in pr< to the sober and Ynd in their imagination* ion of Christ, is to be guilty Ltirely 111 desirable happiness. This is the and spurn the gospel's joyful invi- tation to viriiie and piei\ : thc\ choose a career of sin and w 110 THE PENALTY OF BIN. ;-. Sin to them affords no restraining virtue to dolor from vice. Thus instead of sin being an adequate punish- ment of itself, and the most efficient motive to break off from iniquity, and practice piety, it affords the most power- ful encouragement to repel the truths of God and continue to tread the path of vice. " Because sentence is not speedily executed, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil." The man who occasionally tipples becomes a confirmed sot; — the spendthrift who learns the art of gambling, soon becomes excessively fond of his wick- edness ; — the youth who are once initiated into the etiquette of reveling and the ball- chamber, are soon passionately fond and wholly enamored with their jovial scenes; — the occasionally profane man soon belches forth the most horrid vollies of bitter imprecations without any conscientious re- gret for his nefarious habit. All this is done and sought for, for the sake of pleasure and gratification, however base, grovelling and detestable. We ask the sober-minded and truth-loving — how then, in the name of heaven, can sin be its own punishment ? Echo answers, how? 4. This view of punishment excludes the Savior and re- jects him as the Redeemer of man. This is not merely an inference drawn by ourself ; but is manifestly expressed in their own language. Read the following language of Mr. Fernald, who was of sufficient consequence in that denomination to become the author of a w r ork entitled " Universalism against Partialism ;" "Repentance will not absolve from the punishment of sins committed." "It never w T ill atone for what is past. If an individual sins, he has got to suffer for it the whole penalty of the law. There is no REMEDY for him. He may repent in dust and ashes ; but this will never satisfy justice for the sin he has committed. " By law he does not mean any thing else than the law of our understanding, and not the law of God ; :i \ at. i \ 0] 111 and die legislator «>i" tins Law is out own conscience, and that law only is violated by the commission <»!' sin. In re- ference to this point Umer Kneeland says; "Tins law may he and often i-< transgressed bj the very acta through which the perfect la I is fulfilled" ( )i course we do sot believe that Repentance atones lor sin. but that it is an in- dispensable condition of Salvation. But when a man rejects repentance and ererj other remedy, docs he not a nnihil a in his opinion the Lord JesUfl as the Savior of man I \\ « ire inclined to judge thus, and we think justly too. The view of Uuiversalism which we shall notice in the is — 3. That all punishment is emendatory ; or the most means to procure the final salvation of all man- kind. While Uuiversalism teaches that the sinner must be pun- ished for all his sins, and that there is no escape from this, it also proclaims to the world, that all the punishment of sin is corrective and reformatory to the punished. Indeed, the system is not stranger than the effort is useless, for any candid reasoner to reconcile the crude notions of this theory ; for at one time it is said that sin is its own punish- ment, and that where sin exists there misery and woe will be entailed — and then after all, that this very punishment is corrective, and the most efficient means in the divine plan to restore man to perfect holiness ; that sin, the great evil is upon the whole the destined, the only, the last, and most efficient remedy. The philosophy is, that the greatest curse is also the greatest blessing — that which is the foun- tain of the most distressing and fearful anguish, is also the spring of reviv • i i ! nr and most sublime happiness — that which is the most destmctivi i tin 1 most re- storing and healing. I' h philosophy! That such views arc requisite to their theory of punish- 112 1 BS PENALTY OF meat i'or sin, we arc not inclined to dispute ; hut that they arc sound and philosophical, and worthy of the sanguine espousal of any theologian, we entertain the most sincere doubts. Indeed, they appear so puerile and unattended with any valid proof, that to us it is a stretch of credulity to believe that any man of sane mind can sincerely embrace and cherish them. But we wish to transcribe some testimony in order to prove, that Universalists do actually maintain the senti- ments we have attributed to them. We wish not to be found a false witness. Mr. E. H. Chapin, in a discourse preached at Richmond, Va., on Universalism, "What it is not, and what it is," holds the following language : " We do not believe, then, that punishment is vindictive, but that it is corrective— emendatory." "We look upon it as a means and not an end; and as we believe that good is an end which the Deity intends, we believe that it will be accomplished; and when it is accomplished, the means to that end being no longer required, will cease to exist." Here we have it asserted, that punishment is emendatory and that it is a means in the divine plan to compass the grand end of man's destina- tion, and when the ultimate good is attained, punishment together with the other means shall cease to exist. How far a Savior is consistent with this plan of salvation, we will submit to the candid reader for adjustment. Mr. Jason Lewis, m an epistle addressed to the clergy- men of the various christian sects, expresses himself in such language as this — "Punishment, from the hand of God, being paternal, therefore disciplinary, therefore reme- dial, the conclusion very naturally follows, that, at some time or other, when it shall have accomplished the object for which it was inflicted, it will come to an end." Again, he declares, "that God punishes mankind for their £ood ;" ill • : i'l \ \l. I \ :m ,l ..,li:ii Gdd chastens us 'for our profit,' and this profit . i„ becoming 'partakers of his holin< He is preserved in the expression of his opinion, thai all pun- is remedial, and thai the ultimate objecit, for which it ia instituted as a means, is to secure our holiness. There no distinction made in the administration of tfce govern- )\\ <>f (lod against sin. \. B. Grosh, who stands high in talent and influence in that fraternity in this Btate, in a pamphlet containing two etnres, preached and published at Utica, expresses hiin- • The sinner may be certainly and fully punished and ttfterwards receive the peaceable fruits of righteousness in immortal bliss. But no man can be crowned with God's m in immortality, and afterwards be punished. Hence the means, which is punishment or. damnation, mud always be put before and not limited by the end, Ivation." Again: " Universalists not only he- re all tte promises of God, but all his threatenings, and fearlessly that every one of his threatenings is ex- intended and put in force to fulfill his promises— that every penalty or punishment God inflicts on sinners, positive proof that he will save them from sin." 1. In the opinion of this 'writer, a man may be fully punished for his sins and afterwards be saved. 2. Punishment or damnation is the means to secure the end, which is the salvation of the soul. :*. Thai every threatening oi God put in force is in- tended to fulfill his promises, and all punishment of sin is a positive proof that he will save sinners from their sin. The position that a man may be fully punished for all his sin and afterwards he saved, is at least debateable .,i,id. if aol wholly and manifest} absurd. I am aw; th nt this i s 0] of Universalism, as weD as of Restorationism ; and that to demolish this, is virtual!) Ill THE PENALTY OF SIN. overturning their theory of the punishment of sin. The advocates of Universalis™ profess to believe, that the sin- ner will be punished for all that his sins deserve, and that there is no escape from this punishment ; and yet, that af- ter he has endured the punishment fully, his sins deserve, he shall be saved. But saved from what? Not from pun- ishment, damnation, or hell, for all this he has fully suffered ; but saved from sin. The prominent doctrine is, and all appear to be harmoniously agreed in this, that the sinner is not saved from deserved punishment but from his sins. Is this logical? Is it Scriptural? 1. Saved from sin but not from punishment. Their doc- trine is, as we have seen, that sin and punishment are re- lated like cause and effect — sin is the cause and punishment is the effect. The sinner is saved from sin the cause, but he cannot be saved from the effect which is punishment. Pray, tell us, what will prevent the effect from following the cause, when the cause is removed ? The same power which shall remove the cause will effectually strike orft of existence the effect. When a whirlwind strikes upon the four corners of a house and scatters it into ruin, all the ef- fects of the house will cease to be by the same serial force. The power which should dash the sun out of existence would also extinguish the light of day. Therefore the par- don which delivers the sinner from his sins, will also save him from the punishment due to his sins, unless they assume the position that punishment precedes the commission of sin, and then they will be guilty of the philosophical absurd- ity, that the effect goes before the cause, and thus yield the argument, that sin and punishment are related as cause and effect — and also teach that God punishes man while he i> yet innocent; or else they must declare, that sin and pun- ishment take place at one and the same time, and end to- gether. Thus the cause would not exist prior to the effect. i 111. NBNALT1 both oommence to exisJ a( the same time and i ether* It' this be true, then sin and retribution meet together in the same person and at the same time; and while the sinner commits sm, he is Baved from sin, and also damned or pun- .1 — thus salvation and damnation take place a1 the Millie time. Then Paul was in error when he spake of Christ as granting the "remission of sins thai arc past." But is it true, or is it unphilosophical, that punishment and sin begin, continue and end together! A robber may man with a club and kill him, the deed is done but the effect does not cease. A man may slander his neigh- bor, the evil is committed but the influence may be blasting and disastrous long subsequent. Thus a man may commit sm and the punishment may, yea, must exist subsequent to This is and will be the case when we deem pun- ishment to consist wholly in the misery which flows from sin as its cause; but we do not conceive the misery growing out of sin to constitute the sum and substance of adequate punishment. We believe that one essential and terrible ingredient in punishment, will be the penal and positive inflictions of the law of God. 2. The sinner who receives all the punishment his sins deserve, cannot ''afterwards be saved." The Bible de- clares that " the wages of sin is death" — sin must first be committed before it can be punished, for the demerit of sin cannot be known or computed until after the wrong is per- petrated; therefore the act of sin must comprise a certain space of time, more or less extended, and the punishment of that sin a subsequent space of time. The one follows the other in succession. The argument is that the sinner is " certainly and fully punished 9 ' before lie receives the salvation of his soul. Then salvation transpires at a time distinctly subs< quent to the time of committing sin, and of enduring: punishment for that sin. Now if we shall be i'i.\ w.i Y OF able to show that a sinner under these circumstanc not be saved at all, then we shall have annihilated the ar- gument and routed the position As faith is a virtue and a condition of salvation, so unbelief is a sin and worthy of punishment ; and as long as a man remains an unbeliever so long he is liable to punishment; he cannot escape from it. The man therefore, in order to cease to be an unbeliev- er must become a believer, for so long as he continues an unbeliever he is guilty of sin and deserves punishment, which he must endure ; but he cannot be saved from the sin of unbelief so long as he endures the damnation and suf- fering for that sin, for the obvious and conclusive reason, that this would be a salvation before he had endured fully the punishment, the sin of unbelief deserves, as well as a salvation from deserved suffering — either of which is death to Universalism. Again; if the sinner must endure the condemnation and suffering his sins deserve before he can be saved, for all suffering must precede salvation; and so long as he continues to be a sinner he will deserve suffer- ing, and this wicked character he must sustain until he is reformed, therefore he must be reformed, and serve God with all his soul and powers while he is yet suffering for his past follies and sins ; thus be a sinner and a saint, a righteous and a wicked man, an innocent, a justified and guilty person at the same time, — all of which is the sum of absurdity. Who would risk his reputation for candor, while arguing that a man can endure all the suffering his sins deserve, and at the same time do sufficient to procure the favor of God and obey his righteous law, thus becom- ing a righteous person ? All this appears clear and decisive, if argument and logic are worthy of any consideration whatever. There is but one way of escape, and to that, recourse is had to assume the position that — i in ri.wi.i \ OV SIN. ■ ' punishment or damnation is flu rati cure the end, which is the salvation of the soul. How 'I and philosophical this argumi nt Is, a f< v. la will be sufficient to show, [f "punishment or dam- nation' 1 whi.-h is the means of securing the salvation of the a deliverance from sin, and all this suffi punishment is but the effect of sin, then we draw the con* elusion that the effect as means, has the power to destroy *e. [f the sin committed by man should entail upon him mental and corporeal suffering* and this suffering in turn should be so emendatory as the means to secure the I, which is salvation, and salvation can only be acquired bj from, or a remission of sin, we ask, does not thee//;,-/ annihilate its cause? Most assuredly. Well, must we depend on a doctrine SO ahsurd and unphiloso- phical as this, in order to secure the salvation of the soul ? We might well pray the Lord to deliver us from its tender- mercies. 3. Moreover, what positive proof can we discover in any or all the inflictions of misery for sin, in the light of the above reasoning, that God will eventually without fail, res- tore us to final holiness and happiness ? Just none at all. \\ e may see the coruscations of divine vengeance and a clear foreboding of a terrible, final and endless doom. We entreat the reader to repent of sin and believe in Christ as the only Savior ; sue for pardoning mercy and the remis- sion of sin in the blood of Jesus, and a deliverance from curse of God, that you receive a new heart and not re- alize the punishment your sins have deserved. From the false position that all punishment is emenda- tory, and is introduced as ?necms to effect the salvation of soul, they assume another position, though naturally following from the former, yet equally fallacious. 118 THE PENALTY OF 4. That all punishment instead of vindicating the law and authority of God, is obviously designed to effect the sinner 's greatest good only. This, they say, is the absorb- ing object, the administration of the threatenings of God was designed to effect, and that this object alone is in con- sonance with the character of divine goodness. To be de- livered from the punishment sin deserves, would be the greatest calamity that could befall man while in this state of probation ; therefore all punishment instead of being a curse to man, as represented in the Bible, is man's greatest and most desirable blessing, as taught by Universalism. As we have no inclination for, or tact at misrepresenta- tion, and as we should fail of the object we aim at secur- ing, the overthrow of this destructive error and the estab- lishment of the truth; we wish to fortify the representations of the tenets of Universalism with its own undeniable tes- timonies, as drawn from the writings of its advocates. What language then do the champions of this system hold forth ? Let us begin with him who stands at the head of the army, and who is the alpha and omega of Univer- salism. Hosea Ballou holds the following language : " Now we know that it is not the nature of goodness to harm any creature, but to do good to all." * * * " That God will never administer any kind of affliction to any of his creatures, which is not designed for their benefit " When we should hear a minister take his text, and quote the lan- guage of Christ uttered in reference to the overthrow of Sodom ; and then announce to his audience, that he designed to illustrate the "Divine goodness in the destruction of the Sodomites and other sinners," we should have some ground on which to base a supposition, at least, that all the judg- ments of God were designed in the estimation of the preacher, for the benefit of the punished. In addition, r of am. 119 e his hearers thus: " Why should our iffer any inconvenience from it .'" And should he matically exclaim in reference to the overthrow of the cities of the plain, "that God acted in this instant itently with his nature, which is love, and with his chs I ;•;" all doubt of the preacher's true position in rela- tion to the character and object O.f punishment would he swept away. Now this preacher is the identical I: Ballon. His views may be learned in his "Lecture Ser- mon* Mr. Sawyer declares that, "Universalists believe that all inflictions under the righteous administrations of God, are tied to benefit the punished. " " This is the end, the only • Universalists believe, for which God inflicts punishment. " Mr. Skinner remarks that, " Punishment, we have seen is corrective and limited. A remission of such a punish- ment would be a curse instead of a mercy, because a just punishment is as necessary to our welfare, as any thing that love can do." Mr. Williamson declares that, "From such a punish- ment, my position is, that man cannot escape, by any pos- sibility; and I may add that, were it possible, the escape ivould be a curse rather than a blessing, and man's rejoic- ing over it would be as ill-timed as those of a sick man, who should rejoice that he had, escaped the taking of a healing medicine," &c. "I repeat it again: sin is an evil, and punishment is a remedy, and it is a poor cause of joy, that we have escaped the Good Physician, ' who healeth all our diseases.' " We need not multiply quotations of this character, for the purpose of proving, that the representation we have made of the doctrine of punishment is genuine. For the 120 in r. PENALTY 01 mere statement of the doctrine would secure the acquies- of every intelligent Universalist. But to the soundness of the doctrine. From this we decidedly dissent, and would without hesitation record our unequivocal disapprobation, though we deem it not of suf- ficient importance to enter into any lengthy and regularly framed argument to controvert it. It appears to us that it would he a very difficult task, for us to induce a sick man to helieve, that the healing and efficacious medicine which proves to be an effectual remedy for his virulent malady, should be looked upon as severe and condign punishment. Yet this but illustrates the unpleasant task of a Universal- ist, that all punishment for sin is inflicted on the sinner for his benefit, and that a deliverance from punishment would be a curse and not a blessing. To us it appears beyond controversy, that either the punishment of sin is designed to vindicate the law and authority of God, and not to -effect the chief, personal, present and eternal good of the pun- ished; or else there is no such thing as punishment for sin. It requires but little acumen, for any one to see, that a doc- trine which maintains that to realize a deliverance from punishment is a curse, and would in fact be an escape from the Good Physician, 'who healeth all our diseases,' that such a doctrine sweeps with its besom of destruction the atonement of Christ from the catalogue of christian doc- trines. If punishment of sin is a blessing, affords a heal- ing remedy, and acts the. Good Physician, and presents the means of salvation, what need is there of an atonement of Christ and his spilt blood? Or was it impossible for God to punish man far sin without the sufferings, death and atonement of Christ? It is our province to show the fal- lacy and error of this speculative system, and leave the ad- justment and reconciliation of its crudities to those who stand forth before the world as its advocates — if the recon- 1\. ciliation of absurditii not surmount the their phi! A wan! of discrimination and a false rule of i the truth, baa led to all this astounding error. When the Bible speaks of thi afflictions of the righteous, and thai all these will accom- plish good to those whose munis arc imbued with humility and gi pply all these declarations to the wicked, is a slander upon divine wisdom, a prostration of truth, and e of polluting and desolating falsehood. which the Almighty pronounces upon the • I are not declared to effect their good. When the <1 Bhall be punished with everlasting destruction from the p the Lord and his glorious power, then shall indicate his law and authority, and condemn the unrighteous to an everlasting overthrow — when God shall pour out his fury and anger upon the bloody and deceitful of men, they will not be the fury and anger of love ; hut the fearful manifestation of his vengeance and fiery in- dignation which shall devour the adversaries. Thus far we have been passing over the ground occupied and argued by Universalists, with the primary object in view, to show what Universalism is in reference to the doc- trine of punishment, as well as briefly to expose its fallacy and its worthlessness. We shall now proceed to investi- the doctrine of the punishment of sin as taught and supported by Scripture and reason. While we take up the subject positively, we shall scan the various features of punishment in succession, and pre- sent the orthodox \ i id as fully as our capacity shall enable us, 122 THE PENALTY OF BIN. I. Divine punishment inflicted upon the wicked. 1. The simple doctrine of punishment. We should possess some definite conception and a clear discernment of the primary meaning of the term punishment. This doctrine presupposes a Being who is clothed with the au- thority to inflict condign punishment — a subject upon whom it is inflicted — and adequate reason for administering pun- ishment — God inflicts, the wicked are the subjects, and the sins and iniquities of their lives afford sufficient occasion. The doctrine of punishment teaches that the sinner re- ceives a just and adequate infliction for his crimes ; having become a transgressor of the divine law in despite of good- ness, justice and truth, incurred the penalty of death, and consequently being doomed to suffer the condign inflictions of wrath. That Reason, after searching the natural govern- ment of God, and scanning the common affairs of life and di- vine providences, most readily accedes to the doctrine of the punishment of sin, is admitted without any disclaimer. This is also the unequivocal and positive language of sacred history and the revelation of God, from that dismal hour when the primordial pair first partook the forbidden fruit, down to the close of the apocalyptic visions. In the pun- ishment of sin, desolations have covered the face of nature, cites have been overwhelmed and become heaps of smol- dering ruins, governments subverted and nations rent asun- der and dispersed, their treasures pillaged, and their land made to reek with human gore* The scathing judgments of heaven have shaken the mountains, and filled the valley 3 with lamentations and woe. Down the course of time the hand of God has reared monuments for our admonition, which speak in thunder- tones the plague of sin, and the just judgments of God against the perpetrators of crime. So various, minute and prominent have been the inflictions for crimes, in the dispensations of God, and the moral govern- men! of the world, th.it the most Stoical in heart, and skep- tical in faith, lack stupidity and indifference no1 to discern, and nerve to enter a bold denial of this doctrine. For even the teachings of reason are so lucid and convincing, thai the most degraded and depraved nations and kindreds of the earth, entertain some notions, more or less definite and it, o( merited punishment for crime. Whatever ar- gument and propriety reason may assign for such a con- nection between vice and its reward in this lite, reason does not ai i itself the province to show cause why such a state of thing's shall not exist hereafter. 11. tin; OBJECT of just and adequate punishment. While Qniversalism teaches that all punishment is whol- ly reformatory, designed and always resulting in the highest ible good of the sufferer; orthodoxy declares that one of tin 1 chief objects, if not the most prominent, of all judi- cial inflictions is-^- 1. To vindicate the moral government of God as con- sisting of laws which are inviolable. The laws of God en- joined upon his rational creatures constitute his moral government. This government is moral, because it claims the voluntary services of man and holds him responsible for all his activities. Every breach of divine law, of which man becomes guilty, and every departure from its holy re- quirements in affection and action, incurs its penalty. And in order to save his moral government from entire prostra- tion, inefficiency and total disregard on the part of the hu- man family, it is absolutely necessary for our Creator to subject the transgressor to its judicial inflictions. Only in this way can he sustain his government, and vindicate his character from the charge of insincerity, exclusive of a re- medial system of mercy. For it is well known that " Christ has become the end of the law for righteousness to every 121 THE PENALTY OF sin. one that believeth;" therefore the believer shall be saved from the penalty of the law, and yet the moral government of God is sustained without the semblance of reproach ; but independent of this system of grace in Christ, the moral Governor of the Universe has seen an absolute nec< of punishing the guilty in order to show his rightful autho- rity and unswerving integrity. Should God not punish the guilty, his law would very soon lose its sanction and wholesome restraint, and his own character would be void of moral honesty and truth ; therefore the importance of vindicating his laws in inflicting merited punishment upon "every soul of man that doeth evil." How far does the Bible go to prove and uphold the de- claration, that the Almighty in the punishment of the wick- ed, vindicates his law and character — justifies his providen- tial dealings — establishes his righteousness before a gain- saying and rebellious world ? We read the following record of truth in Ps. li. 21 — 22. " These things thou hast done, and I kept silence ; thou thoughtest that I was altogether such an one as thyself: but I will reprove thee and set them in order before thine eyes. Now consider this ye that forget God, lest I tear you in pieces, and there be none to deliver." The w r ieked thought and concluded, because of the long- suffering of God, that they might trample under foot the divine laws of Jehovah with impunity. They were stupid enough to imagine that God regarded with the same feelings, the perverseness, depravity, and open viola- tion of truth by man, as they did themselves. And every successive display of divine goodness and forbearance, was unsuccessful in correcting such impious feelings and senti- ments, and only emboldened them to persist in sin with shameless audacity. Therefore the only alternative left,' was for God to take the work of judgment and punishment in hand, and thus reprove and set in order their case before i in. PENAL1 \ 01 —only in this way could he vindicate hit divine authority, justk decisivi Ij th would at all hazards sustain his mo rnment Why did God threaten the inconsiderate, heedL bs, the Jit, with such a fearful overthrow, that he would tear them in pieces, and there should be none to deliver, if he did not in this summary way desi ibbor- of wrong, and pnove inc and authority of his law could not be sacrificed? He is righteously resolved to defend rrmenl and vindicate If from all slanderous aspersions, and prove that, tic is invariably governed by integrity, truth, holiness, justice, J i the world be damned. He will never save the world and pollute his throne, sacrifice his law and truth, and p -riiy. Indeed, if man is ever , tic mode of his s; hall never reflect an lin- iment on the character of God; sooner than this the storm of wrath shall sweep through the ample rounds of creation, and overwhelm the rebel throng beneath its press- ing waves. He will vindicate his law. We read another affecting declaration of what God will i prove that he is Jehovah over all the earth, in Ps, Ixxxin. 14—18, This Psalm is a prophetic prayer in re- ference to all such who are the enemies of the people of God ; they made war upon God's children in order to ex- terminate them and to take possession of the house of God — they were strong and confederate against the ways of the Lord : therefore the Psalmist prophetically pr the fire burnetii wood, and as the flame setteth the mountains on lire, so persecute them with thy tempest, and make them afraid with thy storm. Fill their faces with shame ; that they may seek thy face, O Lord. Let them be confounded and troubled forever; yea, let them be put to shame and perish." Why all this affliction, and ruinous 126 THE P MALTY OF SIN. tempest? For the sake of rendering the creature man mis- erable ? Not exactly so; but to show that God has no fel- lowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, and that by judgments and wrath he will teach the rebellious race that his character is holy, and that his law is just and right, and that his sceptre extends over the earth. He adds in the same Psalm, " That men may know that thou whose name alone is Jehovah, art the Most High over all the earth." Here then we have another example clearly teaching that the Almighty displays his vindictive wrath in the punish- ment and overthrow of the ungodly. As he has done so in the past, his doing the same in the future will be in strict accordance with himself. We shall give another instructive record in confirmation of our position, as brought to view in the history of Nebu- chadnezzar. It maybe read in Dan. iv. 25. "Till thou know that the Most High ruleth in the kingdom of men and giveth it to whomsoever he will." Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, became proud and haughty, he forgot that the Most High was King of kings, ruling in the armies of heaven, and that his supreme authority extended over the habitable globe, therefore he grew up a royal sinner and the oppressor of the poor. The goodness of heaven did not humble his pride, nor did he acknowledge his dependence on the good pleasure and arm of the Arbiter of the I^ii- verse. He renounced all allegiance to the government of God, and imagined himself invested with the prerogatives of a god, therefore the Lord took his case in hand. To show the world that the haughty looks of man were con- temptible in his sight, and that he would crush all undue aspirations, and break the arm of oppression, he poured down upon the king of Babylon the vial of his wrath. He was driven out with the beast to crop the grass until seven years had rolled over his head ; and then he should ac- l hi PENALTY 1M7 the moral dominion of God over the i \\ h, n the Ivi'i "i returned again, he lifted up hie to heaven as a man, and not downward lo the earth :is a beast, and he praised the God of heaven who liveth r and ever, "whose dominion is an everlasting do- minion, and hia kingdom is from generation to generation." The Almighty will make all his creatures sensible, that are under the control of his divine government, and thai an acknowledgment of the same shall be extorted, either by the subduing influences of kindness and mercy, or by the crushing weight of vindictive punishment Thus lie will fortify and defend the supremacy of his law; con- vincingly prove his sincerity, honor and justice; and that the glory and inviolability of his government are the most cts to be secured — the first and last, and that all other objects are subservient to these ends; these shall not fail though all others should prove abortions. But thanks be to God, thai he ran be just and yet the justifier of every soul that believeth in Christ ! Another object of just and adequate punishment is,— II. TO RENDER UNTO EVERY TRANSGRESSOR HIS DUE. The principle of distributive justice is fully incorporated with the doctrines of the Bible — He will render to every man his due. So plain and universal is the connection en vice or ill-deserving, and punishment, that no na- tion or kingdomis skeptical on this point. And so fami- liar is this truth, that it has assumed the form of a common proverb — vice is its own punisher. If well-doing has the promise of the present and future life, why shall not an un- godly deportment ensure tribulation and anguish? It is not our object to investigate at present, how much and how long punishment, the sinner has deserved, or can ve by living in sin; but to state and prove the fact rjU rivu/iv OF sin. merely that judicial intluiions for criinc are deserved by Am wicked, and that th< proper time, unless saved by faith in the blood of Christ. The wicked deserve punishment. So, a! least, the Bible expresses itself. " The wages of sin is death." Rom. vi. 23. "Woe unto the wicked, it shall be ill with him; for the reward of his hand shall be given him." Isa. iii. 11. The death and woe of the wicked are visited upon them, because they have deserved them as a reward. These are therefore just and adequate — such punishments are in ac- cordance with their demerit. Paul in speaking of God and the reward of the ungodly, says : " Who will render to every man according to his deeds : — unto them that are contentious and do not obey the truth, but obey unright- eousness, indignation and wrath ; tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil," &c. Rom. ii. 6 — 9. Solomon, by the inspiration of God, says : " If thou sayest, Behold, we knew it not ; doth not he that ponder- eth the heart consider it ? and he that keepeth thy soul, doth not he know it ? and shall not he render to every man according to his w T orks ?" Prov. xxiv. 12. The prophet of the Lord speaks in this wise : " The Great, the Mighty God, the Lord of host, is his name, great in counsel, and mighty in work : for thine eyes are open upon all the ways of the sons of men ; to give every one according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings." Jer. xxxii. 18, 19. The Saviour gives his sanction to the doctrine in the following language : " For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father, with his holy angels, and theK he shall reward every man according to his works." Mati xvi. 27. u And Behold, I come quickly; and my reward s with me, to give every man according as his work shall be." Rev. xxii. 12. i HI PEN \i ! \ 01 in. Ii would x « m anil to multiply quotations) when the truth of out position is bo undeniable] and bo rep< tde the subject of remark, in the volum< i don; and withal so generally favored with the cordial assent of ihe cajjdid and wise: but it appears, at times, that truth needs numberless confirmations to disperse the incredulity of man, and engrave its Lineaments upon his bewilder- ed heart. The punishment for sin is the reward of the wicked. It 18 B debt contracted which must he paid, unless canceled by the blood of Christ, whose province it is "to heal all dis- and forgive all iniquities." Sinner ! dost thou not dn ad thy fearful doom ? Hark! the thunders mutter peals of sullen wrath along the lowering, gloomy horizon — the 'cam with the arrows of legal death — the scowl o( woe 1 on wings of fevered air portends thy speedy ruin — and "art thou still secure and wilt thou still refuse to pray f" Thy Judge descends, his glittering sword un- sheathed, the marble breaks, the dead are raised, and all the land fears the wail of death ; and is thy forehead lined with brass and thy heart incased in steel, and dost thou vainly hope to stand in the Lord's avenging day? Thy due ! O sinner, thy due ! ! thou wilt sink to the depths of the dark abyss beneath the load of thy just reward — con- dign punishment for crime — hide thyself in the rock that is cleft for thee — for thee! — till the storm be overpast. .'*. To demonstrate to the righteous that in escaping the wrath to come, they avoided an urinal calamity. So in- credulous is the heart of man that, under certain influences, the plainest truths are doubted ; hut while the godly believed the sincerity of God in his threatenings, and ordered their lives accordingly, with a view to escape the doom of the impenitent, they arc now doubly convinced of the wisdom of their choice, and the virtue of religion. In the pum h- 130 nit; PENALTY OF SIN. ment of the wicked, they discover real misery ; and in their own deliverance from this calamity, they realize a full com- pensation for all their toil, the opposition endured and re- proaches borne for the sake of the -gospel. Yea, the re- ward is so infinitely great, that it could be derived only from sovereign, unmerited grace. For the woe avoided and bliss secured, they praise God in cordial, hallowed strains. The next point to which we shall invite the attention of the reader, is, — III. The nature of punishment. We have noticed the doctrine of punishment simply con- sidered, and the object secured in the administration of con- dign punishment; now, in order to pursue the chain of ar- gument, and the full elucidation of the subject under con- sideration, it seems requisite to contemplate as briefly as it may be, the nature of this 'punishment. After Ave shall have passed through with this, we promise to enter upon the investigation of future punishment. 1. The deprivation of eternal happiness. Punishment is not only positive, but also negative ; and one ingredient in the damnation of the soul, is the loss of that bliss which religion is adapted to secure. The Savior tells us that many will profess him, and pretend to prophesy in his name, and perform many wonderful works ; and for all this, they will claim an entrance into heaven; but upon this, Christ will profess that he never knew them, therefore he will say, "depart from me, ye workers of iniquity. " Matt. vii. 23. A departure from Christ, is nothing less than a loss of happiness, which shall be the portion of all who fail to do the will of God, and are consequently, worthily called the "workers of iniquity." We read in Matt. xxii. 13. "Bind him hand and foot, and take him nil- PENALTY OP -in. 181 away, and caal him into outer dar] Here the gneal ■• \o\ "ii the wedding garment, was hurried out of the presence of the king and the banqueting chamber, deprived of and the s< qtiently his disappointmenl and loss wi ire great All this significantly teaches thai the wicked in their mil shall feel the loss of heavenly hliss. -•Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the p f the Lord and the glory of his pauh i. !). When those, who know not God and not his gospel, shall be driven from Christ and the enjoyment of his happiness, they must dwell in a very un- enviable state, and sustain a loss which human numbers never compute. A deprivation of Christ and glory. •J. The wicked shall suffer the natural consequences of their sins. In this respect vice will inflict punishment upon the criminal ; there is a close and inseparable connec- tion between vice and misery. The man who is conscious of iruilt must feel the throbbings of sorrow and internal an- guish; shame and confusion must at times overwhelm his soul, while scanning his account before his Judge. The moral sensibility of man cannot be eternally bribed, its smothered voice will suddenly awake amid the rattling thunders of the judgment-day, and sting the soul with scor- pion pain. In the spirit-world, he shall no more be sur- rounded with scenes of diversion, and devote the hours to dullness and sleep, and thus prevent earnest reflection; but • (1 in their most heinous garb, and the reflective ; I mind shall move with lightning speed, and grasp the whole. In view of mercies slighted and sins trifled with, an irrevocable injury to the immortal soul will he experii In all this shall dwell the "worm thai dieth not and the quenchless fires.' 1 The inflamed passions shall no more 189 THE PENALTY or BIN. Unci congenial elements, for the "forager things have passed away;" whence they will be the more enraged and n The mind shall rove upon the past and hound upon the fu- ture in wild amazement and horror; the hase transactions of the past shall roll in filthy surges upon the memo; the dismal apprehensions of the future shall send the ilash of fury across the dark abyss. Neither towering heights shall transcend the lashing waves of infuriated crimes, nor the deepest caverns secrete the victims of the natural pun- ishment of sin. Wherever they go, there is hell. This will be a bitter ingredient in the cup of woe. 3. The punishment of the wicked shall also be positive. By this is meant, that the wicked will realize more misery than what grows out of sin as a natural result; that pun- ishment for sin will in a great measure depend upon the will of the Lawgiver. Not only were the ancient nations so deeply impressed with this idea as that it constituted the authority and force of all their appeals to deter from vice ; but the notion has become so common as to be interwoven with all the common legal and judicial transactions of civil government. The chief ingredients of punishment for crime depend on the will of the legislator or judiciary. Is this not a living element in the moral government of God ? Without this aspect of deserved punishment, but few of the ungodly would forsake sin, repent and humble them- selves under the mighty hand of God. The natural effects of sin exercise but a trifling influence to control the hearts of a majority of the wicked. Many commit sin for its mere gratification, and are only induced to desist by the threatening of positive punishment. Almost all the threatenings of God intimate and teach the doctrine of positive punishment. In Matt. x. 28. " But rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell." Cicero used to say, (deos non nocere,) " the* gods 1 III ITN \l I \ OF l\ 1 33 do not punish;" and this would l»r the teaching of the Bi- ble, if all punishment depended on the natural of sin. Hut Christ, in whose lipa there was no guile f de- nial God possessed power to destroy both soul and body in hell — this ( rod, we should, therefore fear ; and on ak off from siu and injustice. This same doctrine of positive punishment is taughi in a great number of pafi Holy Writ. The teaching of the contrary doctrine has always been attended with the greatest mischief to morals and religion, in all ages of tin 4 world. When Papacy prevailed in un- limited power,* and in its greatest corruption, then the flood- in and depravity were opened through the sale of indulgences. From the pope to the most illiterate and de- luded follower of Catholicism, all lay weltering in filth and crime. No less deplorable was the state of things in the infidel era of France, while Voltaire, Diderot and their co- adjutors, were with zeal, activity and boldness, employed to disseminate their perverted notions of truth and their mali- cious speculations upon the Bible. When all positive pun- ishments were discarded, and man's future destiny denied; then immoralities and every species of vice took a wide and desolating sweep over the morals of the people. There was no opposing barrier, nor restraining influence to check the foul inclinations of the heart, and the infernal machina- tions of an inflated pride. It is so in every nation, city and neighborhood, where the restraining influences of positive future punishment are discarded. The corrupt heart of man will find its congenial elements in vice and scenes of iichery. Every community is therefore the gainer in morals and religion, where the doctrine of future positive Ishment, has lull scope, in popular instruction, to exert its restraining influence upon the public mind. For this reason, if for no other, the positive nature of punishment 13-1 THE PENALTY OF BIN* should not be suppressed in public preaching. Shun not to deelare the whole counsel of (Jod, whether men will hear, or forbear. IV. Future punishment. There are but few, comparatively speaking, who reject the doctrine of future punishment and advocate the doctrine that all punishment for sin is strictly confined to this pre- sent world. Among that class of religionists who have re- ceived the appellation of Universalists, there are some who maintain that there will be future punishment, nevertlu -I limited in its duration; and others who entertain scruples and doubts on the subject, fearing its probability and shrink- ing from a denial of the doctrine : so that but a small mi- nority of those who found their religious faith on the Bible are possessed of the temerity to utterly and unreservedly reject this religious tenet. However many fondly wish and make attempts to prove, at least in popular instruction, that the doctrine is nothing more than a chimera of the en- thusiast. We repeat again that the great proportion of Christendom, together with nearly all, if not all, of ancient and modern heathen nations, who were favored only with the lamp of nature and reason, have openly believed the doctrine of punishment beyond death. Therefore in this discussion we stand on the faith of the world, which affords, to say the least, a presumptive proof of the doctrine ; and as we pass through with the argument we shall show the fallacy, from reason and Scripture, that all punishments are confined to this life ; and maintain that punishment for sin will extend into the future world. 1. Without future punishment God cannot justify his providential dealings. It would seem that the most care- less observer must be fully convinced, that in this world there is an unequal distribution of rewards and punish* i ii i it\ 135 — thai the wicked often suffer less than the righ during the journey of life. There are number] oeeuring on the theatre of time, in which the justice impartiality of God's would be liable to im- peachment Look at the hon i1 Job, enduring ever) providences, in prop in family and in his person; while the Yi)<)\\ and above alt, the insane man who commits the act, may havi >ned his insanity by BOme Other violations of right, or justice, therefore 1 1 1 ( ^ crime stands in its native and unmitigated character. [f we could -show that but a single sin were unpunished in this life, it would argue the necessity and certainty of future punishment; but since numberless cases occur, where the wicked cannot possibly realize condign punishment in this life, therefore there is in reserve a just and adequate punishment for the ungodly w r ho die with sins unforgiven, and are unreconciled to their Creator. But the caviler may try to elude the force of the forego- ing reasoning, by saying, that his belief is, that the act of sin and the misery of punishment take place at one and the same time. Let us sift the soundness of this philosophy. The act of sin supposes a time in which it was committed, and the punishment of sin also ; and as the punishment of sin could not exist prior to the commission of sin, — for then the innocent would suffer as though they were guilty, which would reflect injustice on the administration of the Creator — therefore, if the doctrine be true, punishment must begin at the very point in which sin began to exist and both end her — yea, that sin is punished by itself, and thatpenal inflictions have no part in punishment. Suppose a man does wrong, as Paul did, and yet thinks that lie docs God service; but afterwards becomes convinced of his error, and obtains forgiveness because he did it ignorantly in un- belief. Where and what is bis punishment-? Did it take 140 HIE PENALTY OF BIN. place at the time, wrong was perpetrated, and consist in the 44 terrible compunctions of conscience/' when at that time he had a pleasing satisfaction that he had done right, and felt no sorrow, regret, or inconvenience from the act ? But at a time, perhaps years subsequent, when he became con- vinced of his error, he felt stinging remorse for his wrong doing, and exercised a godly sorrow for the act. This is notj an improbable case, but only one among a thousand. It is sufficient to show the fallacy of the above position. But how many pamper their lusts, feed their basest pas- sions, cut loose from every moral restraint, flaunt along on the theatre of fashion ; and all this, to drink the cup of pleasure. Vice to them affords more gratification than the practice of virtue — profane language than the solemn voice of prayer — the promotion of ungodliness and irre- ligion than the prevalence of vital religion. Not only do they find more comfort in pursuits which heaven disap- proves than in those things which God approbates : but even in the act of sin, they realize more pleasure than the pain and misery of punishment, so that, upon the whole, they prefer folly to virtue. These are stubborn facts and cannot be caviled away. If so, where shall we find pun- ishment just and adequate for crime ? Verily, not at the time of sin, nor in its consequences. This position of Universalism is sufficient to encourage the wicked in the grossest immoralities of a fallen world ; it stimulates to the most barbarous atrocities, as well as to the most fashionable modes of sin and reveling ; therefore it cannot consist with truth and the arrangements of God. Even all the benefits Universalism promises, namely, to re- form and ennoble human nature, are frustrated through the influence of this doctrine alone. And where can we con- coct a speculative principle more ruinous and sweeping in its career than this ? It repeals all civil and divine law. . \i.r\ 01 Nl ted for the government and punishment of man. It annihilates all civil and judicial tribunals* or braada them as unjust and useless. It criminates the dealings of God in punishing the vile, ovt rturning - burning i ami deluging the world, in tearing up and throwing down t\\c conspiracies of giant men, if all punishment grows out of ami only lives during tin* act of sin, li brands tin- for- bearance and long suffering ^i God, in executing his threat- enings, with hollow-heartedness ; for so soon as the sm is past, all occasion for punishment has transpired. •11 his threatenings are a sham, a pretence too base to be attributed to the holy God of heaven and earth. Who then can accede to such monstrous positions, or be per- suaded by such fallacious reasoning? It' it be false, that sin and punishment begin and end to- il the suicide, the murdering robber murdered, the avenged plasphemer, and the dying drunkard, must re- ceive an adequate punishment subsequent to the extinction of life. Yea, the Bible teaches that all who die, impenitent and unforgiven, must suffer the penal inflictions of God in the future state. Others wish to press natural death into the service of in- flicting punishment for sin, or that death is punishment for sin, in order to evade the necessity of future punishment. We are sensible that the errorist will grasp for a shadow, in order to save a sinking cause — he will jumble together the most obvious incongruities. Let us place a few of their doctrines in juxta-position, with a view to show their utte lity to each other and the impossibility of their recon- ciliation. Universalism teaches that all punishment grows out of sin, and ceases with the act of sinning — they begin and end together; and that punishment originates from no other source than from sin, it lives and moves in this alone; there- fore there is no positive punishment inflicted by God. *** TBX PENALTY OF ttniversalism teaches that natural death does not result from sin, but that man was originally created mortal. Yet when the circumstances of the death of the wicked, are such as to preclude the possibility of their receiving adequate pun- ishment for sin, and consequently a stern necessity exists for future punishment; natural death is talked of as 'the just punishment of crime; when, at the same time, punishment is the result of sin, and natural death is not only, not the effect of sin, but dependent wholly on God for existence. How then can death natural, be the punishment of the sui- cide and others? The natural consequences 'of sin are combined in punishment, and while natural death is no re- sult of sin, how can it form an ingredient in punishment, or constitute the whole of the punishment of certain sins ? Indeed, if natural death be punishment, then the right- eous and innocent children, suffer the same misery the sui- cide does— yea, even more ; while the former endure pro- tracted illness, pain and spasms ; the latter from health passes through death in a moment. The loss of life is no greater sacrifice to the villain, if there is no future punish- ment, than to Paul, or Peter. Verily, instead of a loss and punishment for crime, death itself becomes his infinite gain; for by death he is delivered from a world of sorrow and sin, and introduced into the regions of holiness, and perfect beauty and joy. Reason affords another powerful and conclusive argu- ment in favor of the necessity of future punishment, in order that the sinner may reap all his sins deserve. Rea- son teaches us that the works and influence of men do not cease at death. The labors of Paul, of Peter, of a Luther and a Melancthon, of a Wesley and a Whitefield, and other blessed advocates of gospel truth, are still felt in the world for good— their influence and works move forward, on the broad platform of time, with a rising, spreading glory. The m n n i\. i (3 pious effusions of a and the parabolic labors notified to the hearts. of many, while their i have mingled with the dust, shall the) lose their - no ; and this is a declaration which will find an approving response in every upright heart where are the labors and influence, scattered upon the rapid wings of time, of a \ oltaire, a Diderot, ;i Hume :t Bolingbroke, a Gibbon, a Paine, and a Robespii Have they all ceased, and been rocked into inactivity in their mouldering graves ! Has their blasting influence been abed by the chilling doctrine they advocated I While, like the Arabian sirocco, their labor and pamphleteering red the joys o[ religion, the saving virtue of the man Ivary, and produced spasmodic death to every thing . and heavenly over which they exerted a controlling influence. Like the millstone dropped from the cloud into the sea, after it is ingulfed and li< - inactive in the hidden sand, the circular waves move onward till they dash against the rock-hound coast and the pehbled beach ; so with the infi- del band in the moral world. After their bodies lie motionless in the marbled sepulchre, their books and productions are thrown broad-cast over the land, to wither, pollute and des- troy. Where does the first and chief responsibility of all this rest? If on these men, how shall they be justly and adequately punished for all the sins to which they are ac- provided there be no future punishment? The :es up — the chilling, heart-rending voice — from . ;!v, village, hamlet, neighborhood, from the mountain heights, iiie prairie plain, the g brook, the dens and caves, wh< hooks have been and are found, and their influence felt, that pi me upon their heart and head, and ndi the future as the only suitable harvest-field for to reap the due reward of their d< l 144 i m: PENALTY or BIN. 3. The promptings of conscience in all ages and am all nations, afford a presumptive proof, thai there will be a future punishment. That a belief of future rewards and punishments exists among all nations and kindred of the earth, and is proclaimed by loud profession, by heathen rites and ceremonies, is so evident as to challenge a denial ; and that it originates mainly, among those unblest with re- velation, in the teachings of conscience, is more than prob- able. If there be, therefore, no future punishment, why is the soul so constructed, that in its candid reflections and soliloquizing, it speaks so earnestly and demands attention to this subject — and that too, at times, under a heavy pres- sure of external corruption and degradation ? The answer is spoken in every heart; why follow its dictates. It will assign the true reason, why Belshazzar, in the midst of fes- tivity and his royal banquet, turned pale and his knees smote together. He was conscious of his wickedness and sacrilege in polluting the vessels of the Lord, and he dread- ed to meet a just and holy God. Tiberius, the Roman emperor,- — Antiochus Epiphanes, the destroyer of Jerusa- lem and of the people of Israel, — Herod, the tyrant who butchered the infants of Bethlehem,— Ch a rles IX. who or- dered and assisted in the bloody massacre of Bartholomew, all lived and died, distracted with horrid feelings and the dark forebodings of the future. The poet has truly said : " Conscience, the torturer of the soul, unseen, Does fiercely brandish a sharp scourge within. Severe decrees may keep our tongues in awe, But to our thoughts, what edict can give law V 9 4. The Scriptures most evidently teach the doctrine of future punishment. PI \ \l IV <»l II.) We appeal to the word and testimony of <;<>d for proof o!" this doctrine, stud we think, that ;< caadid .- 1 r 1 < I careful in- itiou of this subject will he sufficient to convince the incredulous, it' but d.siroiis to know the truth : undeceive tin 1 most deluded, if the) have any inclination to he led into the ways of inn- religion. \\ e shall a brief rt corci of I. The firms and figures employed. We shall find that the Scriptures make use of tin- follow- ing words to describe the state of the dead- and the punish- ment of the wicked, viz: Shepl, Hades, Gehenna, and Tar- . Tin; term Sheol, which is Hebrew, is always trans- Hadee in the Septuagint, wliich is a Greek version of >ld Testament By those two words, the ancients al- wished to describe the state of the dead, and the Scriptures the spirit-world* They were not used in their proper sense to describe the grave; but the unseen and in- visible world. Plutarch describes Hades as a place that dark, ivhere one sees nothing ; and Plato designates it as the invisible world. This place had two departments, the one, the residence of the hero and the virtuous, where they enjoyed the reward of happiness ; and the other, the place of the profligate, the cruel and the wicked, enduring punishment, remorse and pain. In this sense, and asso- ciated witli figurative language, the terms are most gen- erally used in the Scriptures. Perhaps one of the most remarkable instances may he found recorded in Luke xvi. 23 — 20, where we have a description of the rich man and Lazarus. The poor man died and was conveyed by angels into the spirit-world, and reclined on Abraham's bosom ; the rich man gave up the ghost and found himself in the spirit-world, lifting up his eyes and being in torment. In this spirit- world or Hades, they were separated by an im- passable gulf, the one comforted and the other in pain and torment. 1 16 THE PENALTY OF We have another instance, where Hades not only clearly means the place of departed spirits, hut is distinguished from the grave. Aets ii. 31. "Seeing beforehand, ho spake of the resurrection of Christ, that he would not leave his soul in hell, (Hades,) neither did his flesh see corrup- tion. " His flesh was not in Hades, but in the grave ; his soul, the rational and immortal part went to Hades, and at the resurrection was re-united to the body. Therefore the terms Hades and Sheol, meaning the place of departed spirits, do not decide the state and condition of the soul, unless they have associated with them language expressive of bliss or woe, pleasure or pain. When souls depart to Sheol or Hades having formed a character that is virtuous, religious, godly, or vicious, impious, and ungodly, these qualifications will determine whether they have gone into Abraham's bosom or God's kingdom, or are doomed to w r oe. Thus Ps. ix. 17, where those persons and na- tions who disregard and forget the Creator are said, ".to be turned into hell," or Hades, must receive their portion with the blood-guilty in the pains of hell. The more usual terms to describe the place of happiness, are " the kingdom of God or of heaven" — " everlasting or eternal life" — "heaven" — "glory" — "my Father's house," &c. Those to describe the place of woe and hell, are "Gehenna," "Gehenna of fire," "Tartarus," &c. The term Gehenna is most frequently used to describe the place of torment and the punishment of the damned. So far as we have investigated the use of the word, it has always as- sociated with it, pain and misery, and is employed by Christ most frequently to describe the punishment of the wicked. Words descriptive of the nature of Gehenna con- nected with its use are employed; such as "fire" (pur,) or "fire that is quenchless," (pur to asbeston or puri as- besto,) or " where the worm dieth not and the fire is not quenched," &c. I in. PJ NALTY O] II I The literal meaning of the word Gehenna is, the "valle) of Hinnom," situated south of Jerusalem, ©nee celeb lor the horrid worship of Moloch, and aft rwards polluted with i ries of filth, as well as the ci >f ani- mals, and dead bodies of malefactors \ to consume which, in order to avert the pestilence which such a m; ruption would occasion, constant fires were kept burning; i the fitness of the word to describe the place of hell, its pain, its punishment and its horrid wretchedness. Whenever the term was employed by Christ, it did not i literal application to the " valley of Hinnom;" but to the place of torment and punishment unto which the wicked are destined, for the Savior threatened the people with the destruction of the soul as well as the body, which could not conic to pass in the literal valley of Hinnom. A place so horrible, revolting and filthy, is a picture graphi- cally descriptive of hell, and must impress upon the mind of the candid and reflecting, a horrid idea of what hell is, and shall be to all those who deny the Lord that bought them. We may rest assured of one thing, that the Savior did not make use of these words and phrases as rhetorical flourishes, for euphony and sound, but for some em- phatic meaning, awfully descriptive of the state to which the wicked are doomed. We shall find other terms employed in the New Testa- ment, and such figures as are taken from death, tortures, prisons and darkness ; in using such images and terms, it was the design of the sacred writers to impress upon the reader, that there was something terrible and fearful in the punishments of the wicked, which would awaken feelings of distress, and of insufferable anguish in them. The fol- lowing are some of the literal and figurative names of the punishment of the , — "everlasting destruction," (olethros aionios,) ik the wrath to come," (mellouses orges,) MR iiik PENALTY 01 sin. "everlasting punishment," (kolaais aionios.) Also ?death," "the second death," "the blackness 6f darkness," "the worm which dieth not," "to go from God," "having n< day or night," " eternal condemnation," (krimatos aioniou.) We barely mention these terms in this connection; they will come up for remark hereafter, when we shall enlarge on the passages wherein they are found. We venture to say, no man of candor will have the presumption to deny, that, the terms and figures of speech, we have quoted, are relevant to prove the doctrine of punishment; but the only point at issue will be whether they teach future and eternal punishment. 2. The Scriptures associate a place with the punishment of the. wicked. If the Scriptures assert that hell has a lo- cality, then it must be in the future world, for if all punish- ment is confined to this world, it can have no fixed locality. Upon the theory, that all punishment sin deserves must be visited on the wicked in this life, then wherever the sinner is, there punishment will be — traveling from place to place ; but if hell has a locality, then punishment awaits the wick- ed when they arrive there. A few passages will settle this point. " The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the na- tions that forget God." Ps. ix. 17. If a man's consci- ence be hell, then the text asserts an untruth, for it is im- possible to turn a man into his conscience, much less all the nations that forget God. If hell means the punishment due to sin, and that this punishment is confined to the pre- sent world, and during a man's natural life, then the wick- ed and the nations that forget God cannot be turned into hell, for they are in hell already and have been ever since they sinned against God. Mr. Ballou says : " When and where we are sinful, then and there we are our oivn tor- mentors" Mr. Whittemore says : "That sin £oes hand in hand with woe throughout its whole duration ; dial it h helL" Thus we learn th.it all the wicked are dread) in hell, and cannot, and need no1 be turned into hell, according to the doctrine of the apostles of I oiversalism, though il be m stern conflict with the teaching of God. Now, which doctrine is correct? — thai which the Bible tenches, that all the wicked shall he turned into IkIL which implies that they are not yet in hell ? or, Qnivcrsalism, which declares '// is lull, and when and where the wicked sin then and there they are in hdl? Is it not the doctrine of the Bible, which teaches that hell has a locality into which all the wicked shall he cast? Let the candid judge. " In bell he lifted up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham alar off, and Lazarus in his bosom." Luke xvi. 89. This man who was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day, could not have been in hell every day, in his palace, in the banqueting chamber and in the hall of timbrel and music; for then his heart was occupied with pleasure and with the "good things of life," but now he lifted up his eyes, "being in torments." This hell had a locality into which he entered after his death, and from which place he gazed across the impassable gulf upon the place where Lazarus was in the bosom of Abra- ham ; that is, reclining, and enjoying the glory of God, next in rank to father Abraham. Though poor and despised on earth, yet in heaven he was exalted high in the scale of glory, next to the father of the faithful, as John was the beloved disciple, and lay on the bosom of Christ. '* For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of dark- ness to be reserved unto judgment." 2 Peter ii. 4. Some of the angels sinned (as we learn here and else- where,) but God did not punish them in the place where they transgressed fdl Hp cast them down to hell. They U>0 Tin; PENALTY of sin. were driven out of one place, the place of purity and glory, and shut up in hell, and confined in chains of darkness in order to be kept unto the judgment. Therefore hell must have a locality. " And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimestone, where the beast and the false pro- phet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever." Rev. xx. 10. Also, verse 15. "And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire." Though the place of punishment is described by other terms and figures, yet it intimates that there is a place fixed and circumscribed, where the unregistered por- tion of the human race shall reap their awful doom in com- pany with the beast and the false prophet. 3. The punishment of the wicked is couched in such language, and is described to be of such a nature as to pre- clude the idea of its being endured in this life. " And to you who are troubled, rest with us ; when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, in flaming fire, taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ : who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and the glory of his power." 2 Thess. i. 7—9. Those who know not God ; who possess not that influ- ential and soul-subduing knowledge of the perfections of Jehovah, which induces men to obey the gospel of Jesus Christ, shall be the subjects of this punishment. The dis- tress and anguish of this punishment they shall realize at that time when the Lord, the righteous Judge, shall be re- vealed from heaven in flaming fire with his mighty angels. If the wicked are punished for all their sins deserve in this life, and if hell and sin go hand in hand throughout their duration, then the Lord is constantly revealed from heaven i ii ■ pi \ \i n 01 i :> I w\ flaming fire with his mighty king venge&nce ;ind punishing I Qg destruction from tin* presence of the Lord and the glory of his power. How such a description of the punishment of the wicked can be to harmonize with the doctrine, that all punishment lined to this life, and that sin is its own punishment, we will not pretend to solve, hut leave it for its advo< Hut how such awful and terrific language accords with fu- ture punishment, we may conceive, when the Lord shall ho revealed as Judge from heaven, accompanied with his mighty angels, to judge the world in righteousness, to break the chains and restraints from the elemental fires of crea- and to commission the lurid, winding flame through all tmospheric space, to execute vengeance on the dcspis- 1 and the gospel, and to put an everlasting sepa- between them and his own gracious presence and saving power. All this has not yet come to pass, but we have the infallible assurance that the predestined period shall arrive, and all these things shall be witnessed by- man — not a jot or tittle of the word shall fail, till all be ful- filled. ••But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idol- ators, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burnetii with fire and brimstone : which is the second death." Rev. xxi. 8. We are well aware, that the Book of Revelations, is not invested with much authority to any teacher of Universal- ism, and the greal majority of them exclude it entirely from the canon of Holy Scriptures ; nevertheless, we find them quoting such portions as, when torn from their connection, seem to favor their religious views. That is the case with the third and fourth mid recorded in this chapter. * ; God shall wipe all tears from their faces," &c. It would 152 HIE PENALTY OF BIN. be well for them first to admit the inspiration of this Book, before they attempt to establish the final happiness of all creatures from any portion of it; and then to prove bv un- questionable arguments that the Scripture we have quoted has undoubted reference to, and includes the whole human race. We firmly believe that this Book is divinely inspired, and that when God says that he will " wipe all tears from their faces," &c, he has particular and exclusive reference to those "men" who are "his people" and " have over- come," being the adopted sons and daughters of God, and actually redeemed by the blood of Christ. We further- more believe, that while the saints shall enjoy the beati- tudes of heaven ; " the fearful, the unbelieving, and the abominable," &c, shall have their portion in the regions of despair, weighed down by the pains and paroxysms of the second death. It is impossible that all the wicked characters mentioned in the text, do endure punishment for sin in this life, ade- quate to the description of the lake which burnetii with fire and brimstone, which is the second death. We know not where to find any calamity in this world that shall answer the description. We think and believe it impossible. " Then said the king to the servants, Bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast him into outer darkness : there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth." Matt. xxii. 13. Such language, however figurative, can never be pre- dicated of the sufferings of the wicked in this life. When and where does the sinner suffer calamity of such a des- cription, as that it may be said, that he is bound hand and foot, and cast into outer darkness ? Language that teaches the helplessness of the suffering wicked, and their eject- ment from the society of the approved of God, into the most horrible gloom and despair, pain and anguish of soul, fitly represented by "outer darkness," and "weeping and I HI PEN U/Tl "I gnashing of teeth.' 1 I)" the wicked weep and gnash then- the} ar< exctudi d from the of the they ii"i riol \\ ith p< culiar m in debauchery and all sorts of criminal indulgence, and p to be absent from the place of holy convocation and uol mingle with the throng thai worship in the temple of God I A forced participation in the employments of the e would be rather more intolerable to them than to forego the banquet of the gospel — they would sooner weep and gnash their teeth in the solemn assemblies of the righteous than because they are compelled to retire. Psow since such endured by the wicked, and as it cannot be endured in this life, therefore it can only be expected in the world to conic. •• For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness." Rom. i. 18. "Indignation and wrath, tribulation and anguish against ever)- soul of man tiiat doeth evil ; the Jew first, and the Greek." Rom. ii. 8, 9. If all punishment is confined to this life, and sin is its own punishment, then it could not be said, that wrath, in- dignation, tribulation and anguish is revealed and inflicted by God from on high upon the ungodly, who hold the truth in unrighteousness. There is quite a difference, in our humble judgment, between the punishment of sin inflicted by itself, and the wrath of God revealed from heaven and :ng the punishment due to sin. This latter is the nd the only meaning of the above passages. punishment i-m\ only be affirmed of the future. 4. The Scriptur nt the punishment of the wicked and the j of the righteous as being effect- ed at the same time. 154 i he PENALTY oi If this proposition be correct, then either the righteous are rewarded on earth, or else the punishment of the wick- ed will be in the future world. We see not how this con- clusion can be avoided, for there is as much propriety and as sound argument in favor of the position, that the pious are as fully and adequately rewarded in this life, as that the unrighteous arc punished for all their sins deserve in this transitory existence. But the Scriptures support our prop- osition, by representing that the happiness of the right- eous, and the misery of the wicked, shall be effected at one and the same time. Therefore, if the righteous are blessed in eternity fully and most emphatically, then the wicked are punished for sin in eternity. But it is generally admit- ted that the pious are rewarded in the future world, and since it is represented in the Scriptures to be effected at the time when punishment shall be executed upon the wicked, therefore they must both take place after this life. Let us examine a few passages which have a bearing on this point. " The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them w r hich do iniquity ; and shall cast them into a furnace of fire : there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth. Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun, in the kingdom of their Father." Matt, xiii. 41 — 43. "We learn that the Lord Jesus shall commission his an- gels with full power to gather up and exclude from his kingdom all who trample under foot the divine will, and work deeds of iniquity, and shall cast them into a furnace of fire, where they shall w r ail and gnash their teeth in pain. Can this have reference to the suffering of the wicked in this life ? The explanation given to this part of the Par- able, or rather the explanation given by Universalists to the explanation of Christ of his own Parable, is the following: M The furnace w T as the city of Jerusalem ; and the right- \ l n: which are to shine as the sun, are those christians, w ho, after the Jews wer I, \\ ould i parative earthlj . and hai i njoj ment, in this life, of gosp< 1 peace.' 1 Notes on P Such :m explanation appears to us, rather a severe reflection on Chris i, for we should jud ' Christ intended to fc l>v this parable, what Univers he did, that his own explanation darkened counsel by words. What person, in tdid search after truth, would dream of such doctrines being couched under the language of the Saviour? None but those, who are intent on establishing a theory in defi- ance of truth and of correct principles of interpretation, obscure and pervert the counsel of God so egregiously. If this parable had reference to what Universalists say it then ii ought to teach, that after the wicked shall be burned up, the righteous shall shine forth as the sun, and not "then** — ;it tin 1 same time. But must we understand the angels to mean the Roman army, as the chosen agents of God to purify his kingdom, and that the earth with its " comparative earthly felicity," means the "kingdom of their Father?" If so, the parable Leth not the truth, for the Romans are not only repre- sented as the " abomination that maketh desolate," but they were not successful in gathering out of the earth all the wicked, nor did they cast all the wicked into the city of lem at its overthrow. Such interpretation of God's word is wit! ion t system, and is most objectionable ; for it would disprove the doctrine of a hereafter altogether, and dash out of existence the future and eternal blessedness re- served for the saints of ( rod, "The kingdom of their Father." In this kingdom the righteous shall shine when the harvest of the world shall have taken place, which as- i 1 1 he at the closing up of the gospel dispensation, therefore in the future life. It will be (56 THE PENALTY OF SIN. in that kingdom, which shall not be inherited by "flesh and blood," therefore the kingdom of glory, (1 Cor. xv. 50.) It will be alter the r n of the dead, at which time some shall arise to " everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt," then shall the " wise shine ad the brightness of the firmament," (Dan. xii. 3, 4,) there- fore it will be in the spirit-world. If the righteous shall shine in the kingdom, as referred to in the text, in the fu- ture life, " then,' 9 at that very time shall God by the agency of his angels gather out of the limits of the kingdom of his grace, all scandals and workers of iniquity, and shall cast them into a furnace, a place fitted for the punishment they deserve. This is the obvious meaning of this Scripture. "There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth, token ye shall see Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, and you yourselves thrust out." Luke xiii. 28. This passage has been interpreted to mean the rejection of the Jewish nation from the blessings of the gospel at the time when the Gentiles were called to repent- ance and faith in Christ. That it cannot have reference to this event, is evident from matter of fact in the case, and that therefore it is alone applicable to the saints oi God in the kingdom of glory and to the wicked as thrust out into outer darkness, wailing and in anguish of soul. At the time when the Jews shall see the patriarchs and prophets in the kingdom of heaven, then shall they be thrust out. If this only referred to faith, and not to a visi- ble sight of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, and the prophets, then the Jews might have seen them before and after the time of their exclusion from the covenant of the gospel, and not merely at the time when the act of exclusion took place. But since it refers to the final separation of the righteous and the wicked, when the saints of God shall rise triumphant with the prophets and patriarchs with songs of I'l.N AM | sublime adoration, then shall the wicked Jews with the fcm« ee them in the kingdom of heaven, fcnd they themselves thrust out. The Jews who were e\elue." (Ez. xxxiii. 14 — 16.) All those who turn from their sins prior to death, and have faith in the word ^( God, shall not come into condemnation, but unto the resurrection o( life ; for they have done that which is lawful and right, their sins are pardoned, and they are d as though they had never sinned; for Christ to them become the end of the law for righteousness." (Rom. x. 4.) Those who have done evil are such as are " con- demned already, because they have not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God;" they turn not away from their sins and folly and are void of the. spirit and truth of Christ. Ezekiel describes those who shall die in their iniquity, and come forth to the resurrection of damnation : " When a righteous man turneth away from his righteousness and committeth iniquity, and dieth in them ; for his iniquity that he hath done shall he die" Ez. xviii. 26. The above is the standard of good which when lived up to, will secure a resurrection to eternal life ; and also the standard of evil which when practised will result in a re- surrection to damnation. Thus the sinner will be raised with the same moral character, with which he left this 172 THE PEN SIN, world, and if deserving of punishment here, he will be in the eternal world. Death docs not change the moral char- acter of the soul, nor will the slumber of years bleach out the stains of gin. As the wicked leave this world in point of character, so will they stand up before the Judge in the resurrection. The body will not be refined morally in the darkness and corruption of the grave, nor their souls with the sufferings which they may endure in their separate state ; while wandering in the gloom of despair in the future world and wailing in anticipation of the Judgment day. In the decisive lime, when the voice of Christ shall thun- der from the blue vault above, the dead shall awake, the spirit shall be recalled from its wanderings and reunite with its body, startled into life, and coming forth from the grave, the dark charnal-house or the billowy deep ; the same moral character they shall sustain which was formed be- fore their separation by natural death. Once they were loath to die ; but now how loath they are to undergo a fearful and trembling reunion of soul and body with pro- spective eternity in full view. All those passages which speak of the " resurrection of the just" — of the "just and the unjust"— -of the " dead in Christ rising first" — and of " the first resurrection," — "the better resurrection," intimate and teach a distinction of character; that the wicked shall possess the same moral character at the resurrection and in the future world, which they formed in this life of probation. Compare the follow- ing passages: Luke xiv. 14; Acts xxiv. 15; 1 Thess. iv. 16; Rev. xx. 6 ; Heh. xi. 35. If we have established the proposition, that the moral character of men shall accompany them into the spirit- world, then we have advanced an unanswerable argument in favor of future punishment ; for our opponents admit that the wicked deserve punishment in this life, because they i hi ii SALTY 01 lUf. inful Mid unholy ; for this i and will .nishment in the fiilmv 1 t, thai ilif wicked will be pun- ished !, that is after the dissolution of ><>ul and body. [fwe shall be able t<> prove this proposition, thou \s« shall advance another strong and decisive pr future judgment, and punishment. We hav< d thai i would teach the necessity of future punishment; for in this life the wicked do not receive adequate punishment for all their sins deserve; and that the administration of divine providence cannot be explained on any other ground. While the righteous suffer many afflictions in this world, from which the religion of Christ does not exempt them, Ji they are sanctified to their future good; the wicked Sourish and spepd their days in lust and wine. We read in Ileh. ix. 27. "And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment." This passage inculcates the doctrine, that the Almighty has made the order of his judgment in point of time, to succeed death — after death we shall appear before the judgment seat to answer for all the deeds done in the body. >hould suppose, even from logical reasoning, that if there were no future punishment there would not even be a propriety of a judgment after death, For a judgment pre- supposes that the children of men pursued a course of con- duet for which they were held accountable, and which would a moulding influence on their destiny subsequently. A judgment implies a strict and legal investigation of the character of men, together with a judicial decision. All things are needless, if there be no future punishment; if judgment and punishment go hand in hand with the career of sin and folly ; begin and end together. As the dealings of God can alone be explained and harmonized 17 1 THE PENALTY OF with eternal right and justice, before an assembled World, after the human race shall have transcended the bounds of probation, SO it will be essentially important to hold a future judgment; and if a judgment, then there will be fu- ture rewards and punishments. The Savior says in Luke xii. 4, 5 : " Be not afraid of them that kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do. But I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear ; Fear him which after he hath killed, hath power to cast into hell; yea, I say unto you, Fear him." Compare with Math. x. 28. We look upon this Scripture as being in point, and decisive. This passage speaks of the punish- ment of the body, its destruction, and that too, as inflicted in this life by man, or by God. It speaks of the punishment of the soul in such a sense as man can never inflict; for after the body is killed, the soul cannot be reached by his artifice, or cruelty. God alone can destroy the soul. This punishment of the soul is spoken of as separate and distinct from that inflicted on the body. This punishment of the soul is inflicted by God after the death of the body, therefore it must be in the future world. There is no escape from this passage, except by advoca- ting the doctrine of the annihilation of the soul, and this is equally fatal to Universalism; for if the souls of the wicked are annihilated, then their final holiness and happiness is out of the question. Since men may lose their natural life, so may the soul be exposed to the damnation of hell, which could not be the case, if there were no hell and pun- ishment after death. Some of the Jews had so sinned as to expose the soul to inevitable destruction, therefore the Savior says: " How can ye escape the damnation of hell ?" " There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day ; i certain I . full of sores, and A be fed with the crombfl which fell from the rich man's table i mon imi 1 and licki d his sores. And it came fa that the beggar died, and into Abra- h;iin'> I'osom. The rich man also died, and was buried : and in hell he lifted up his eye-, being in torments, eeedi Abraham afar off and Lazarus in his bosom. And he fried and said. Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus that lie may dip the tip of his finger in u my tongue; for lam tormented in this ," &c. Luke xvi. 19—31. We understand this portion of Scripture to teach the f future punishment, that all who live in pleasure, : impenitence, shall suffer misery and despair af- in point to prove the proposition us. However, strong, witty, and w^e might say, reckl( . have been made to wrest it from this ap- plication. We shall, therefore, enter upon a hrief exami- nation of this subject. We shall find, as a general thing, an intimate connection in ihe discourses of Christ, and in all his parables, and illus- trations, derived from matter of fact, from some suitable and striking object. In the commencement of the chapter, the Savior illustrated the disposition the rich should make of their goods in order to meet the approbation of God — that they should distribute to the poor, and feed the needy, so that when they fail on earth, they, (the poor,) may welcome them into the courts of heaven. While thus blasting with the truth of heaven, the covetousness of men, the Pharisees, who were guilty of this sin, were offended and began to de- ride the Lord Jesus. At this the Savior sharply rebuked the Pharisees, and told them that their standard of morals was an abomination in the sight of God. To illustrate all 8 176 I lit PUNISHMENT ai sin, with the fatal < of a lift of to> rored with the narration of the rich man ami Lazarus. Though the Jews were believers in the punish- ment of the wicked in the future world, yet they did not seem to believe that a Jew should thus perish, because they had been the favored people of God, while the heathen were reprobates. It was therefore important to bring forth the truth, that heaven and hell were not dependent on na- tional, but on individual character — that a Jew who was wicked and covetous would sink into the despair of Hades, without the most distant prospect of recovery. There has teen much disputation in order to determine, whether it be a narrative of matter of fact, or a parable. Universalists claim it to be a parable, and explain it in such a manner as to wrest it from any application to the spirit- world, for they perceive, that if they admit of its reference to the future world, though a parable, it is death to their theory. The orthodox expounders of the Scriptures are not, generally, tenacious whether it be called a parable, or history, for in their view it has an obvious reference to the spirit-world ; if a parable, it teaches, what may take place ; and if a history, what has taken place. It is admitted on all hands, even by Universalists, that the Jewish nation be- lieved in a future endless woe, and upon the ground that this is a wicked and fatal error, the course of the Great Teacher is passing strange and unaccountable in making use of such language and illustrations, as would strengthen and establish the people in their faith of this delusion. Yet, if we are to believe the declarations of Universalists, Christ came to teach and illustrate the doctrine of the necessary final holiness and happiness of the rational world, and that there was no future woe. Even in the admission that this is a parable, it is impossible for Universalists to give a sen- sible and consistent interpretation of this Scripture by ap- in' 177 • it to matters <>r this life. In th i ition thi r< i> no analogy, il is full of contradictions and whimsical no- tions, at war with other Scriptures, and i sk no one to belies e this, b ir opinion drawn from their exposition ; but we in a brief ami candid examination for hinu The Lnterprei it is a I ble, and thai the Saviord< h the following That tin- rich man represents the house of I abounding in spiritual blessings. By Lazarus, the be the Gentile world, who were excluded from the privileges of the Jews. The death of Lazarus and his transfer to Abraham's bosom, the conversion of the Gentiles to the death and misery of the rich man, the exclu- "1* the house of Israel from the kingdom of grace. The gulf fixed, imports the purpose of God that the Jews Bhall not believe the gospel until the fullness of the Gentiles. Is such an < xposition consistent with the Scriptures, with matter of fact, and even with this same Scripture ? We think not. If the rich man stands for the house of Israel, when enjoying all the blessings of their covenant with God, whit shall w T e illustrate by his five brethren ? If the one stood for the house of Israel, or the Jewish nation, then there must have been five Jewish nations besides. This contradicts all sacred and profane history, therefore is ne- cessarily false. If Lazarus represents the Gentile world, then the char- acter of this people is not fitly rep any more than their condition. The heathen, as a whole, were built up in large empires, possessing w< alth and competence, as Rome, and Gr< , while in character they were poor and needy, pi" ad sinful. But Lazarus was poor, in this world's goods only, while in character he was be- loved and approved of God. If Lazarus stands for the 178 nn: PUNISHMENT OF sin. Gentiles, he ought to be represented as virions, carnal, and unholy in every respect. The dogs fame and licked Ins : the heathen were looked upon as dogs by the Jews, did the heathen then administer kindness to the heathen, that is, to themselves, as a matter worthy of note ? If the death of the rich man represents the exclusion of the Jewish people from the spiritual blessings of their cov- enant — their apostacy from God and the extinguishment of their glory, then they became morally dead in trespasses and sins ; while the Gentiles, when they were made spirit- ually alive and assumed the place of the Jews in the favor of God, could not be said that they died, for the very act, by which they were transferred into the kingdom of God, made them alive. In this teaching there is but one death, while the text speaks of two, therefore this exposition is not sustained by the very Scripture it attempts to expound. They both lived simultaneously, and they both died ; while the one was transferred to a place of misery and torment, the other was raised to the enjoyment of unspeakable hap- piness. If the rich man in his sensible misery, and asking of father Abraham to send Lazarus to afford him the slightest blessing and kindness, is to represent the Jews in their state of exclusion from the gospel as sensible of their loss, and of the gain of the Gentile, and asking for the smallest fa- vors of gospel mercies ; then it gives an erroneous impres- sion. For when have the Jews as a nation sought for the blessings of the gospel from the hands of the Gentiles, or even manifested a sensible knowledge of any loss in having rejected the Messiah? Up to this day the Jews are un- convinced of any loss in rejecting Jesus of Nazareth, nor are they longing for gospel mercy from the altars and tem- ples of christianized Gentile nations. Then this interpre- tation contradicts matter of fact and must therefore be false. I in PI NI8HM1 M 0] It' the impassable gulf b< twe< n the rich man and L rus, represents "the purpose of God thai the Jews shall not believe the l:<>-|.c| until the fullness <>(' the <>• □ in," or the unbelief of the .1. w b ; thep truth, tor it would teach, thai the Jews, however desirous of th. re not able to believe in Christ; that they cannot receive the b f salvation an.) more than the Oentil from God into their former situa- tion. Verily, many of the .lews believed in Christ in his day, by the agency of the apostles and in latter times ; the "gulf" oi' unbelief cannot hold them back, if they will come to Christ ; and the christianized Gentiles may, and many have apostatized from God, thus they have passed lie "gulf" to the wicked and unbelieving Jews. Yet the word declares, that " between us and you there is a great gulf fixed; so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us that w r ould come from thence." (Verse 26.) If Lazarus was in the king- dom of grace, and the rich man in unbelief among his na- tion, where would he have him go to warn his brethren ? We cannot tell. And what does he mean by saying, that if one rose from "the dead, they would repent?" Does the rich man still intimate that Lazarus was dead, when he had been made morally alive, if he represents the Gentiles introduced into the gospel kingdom ? Or was Lazarus dead in a different sense? What is it, or who can tell? All these are essential points, if this Scripture is a parable and must needs have their application. Many things might here be said in favor of this Scrip- ture being a history and not a parable, but we will not ex- tend our i on this point. We arc inclined to believe it a history of fads, \\ woven with figurative language, to describe the awful sublimity of tin subject; and that it teaches the following 180 l Hi: I' i MSHMENT OF six. doctrine, — that beyond death and the grave are two worlds and two modes of existence, heaven and hell, in bli^s and in woe — that men are fitting themselves in this world for either the one or the other — that at death they will < i into heaven, or into woe, according to the moral, or immoral character they sustain — that the destiny of men is fixed after death, the righteous are not commissioned on errands of mercy to the lost, nor are the lost allowed to pass over from their dreary region into the place of glory, all relief and every source of joy is cut off — the punishment of the damned shall prey upon the soul like the gnawing of the undying worm, and the fury of quenchless fires. Reader, beware lest you come to this place. 8. The Scriptures represent the main punishment of the wicked as taking place after the resurrection, and the gen- eral judgment. If this proposition is susceptible of proof, then we are favored with another argument adapted to sustain the doc- trine of future woe and misery. We read in Matt. x. 15, " It shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Go- morrah in the day of judgment, than for that city ;" xi. 23, 24, "And thou, Capernaum — it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment, than for thee." Luke xi. 31, 32. "The queen of the south sjiall rise up in the judgment with the men of this generation arid con- demn them," &c. " The men of Nineveh shall rise up in the judgment with this generation and shall condemn it," &c. These passages speak of a future judgment, and de- clare that the punishment of the inhabitants of Sodom and Gomorrah shall not be so intolerable, at that time, as that wjiich shall be inflicted on the people of Capernaum, and the impenitent cities of the land of Judea. The queen of the south visited Solomon about 1,000 years before the ap- pearance of Christ, and the preaching of Jonah to the Nine- 1 ■ a few hundred yeai queen and the men i m the judgment ai inn the ttimi thai lived in the d - hrist; therefore the ■ quent judgment, and th< iniietion of condign p If the itions which have been i .1 and punish and at the time; thru punishment for sin musl be in the future world* We are taught that the end of the world, the resurrection of the dead, the judgment of the great day, and the pun- ishment of the wicked, shall take place in swift succession, and in coi- order. We read in 2 Peter iii. 7, "But the heavens and the earth which are now, by the same in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and the perdition of ungodly men." As the flood swept over the earth in the time appointed, and de- molished the works of men ; so the world is still kept by the word of God, reserved for that time when the fire shall sweep around and invelop the habitable globe : at that time the day of judgment shall pass by and the perdition of un- godly men shall take place. This punishment must be in the future world. " But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt witli t heat ; the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burnt up." (Verse 10.) " Looking for and hast- ening unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the being on fire, shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat." (Verse 12.) Here we have a descripti end of the world. We have in another Scripture the whole subject brought to view. Rev. w. 11 — If). "And 1 :cat white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth 132 THE PUNISHMENT OF and the heaven fled away; and the] and DO place for them." This represent* the end of. the world, the same as in Peter. " And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God : and the hooks were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life : and the dead were judged out of those things which w r ere written in the books, according to their works. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it ; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them ; and they were judged every man ac- cording to their works." All this declares the resurrection of the dead, who were still retained under the dominion of death, after the first resurrection, and the final judgment of the dead who were raised by the power of God, in soul and body from death and Hades, the grave and the spirit-w T orld. Now comes the final doom of the wicked, as an event sub- sequent to the resurrection and the judgment. " And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the .book of life was cast into the lake of fire." This is an awful description of the punishment of the wicked. The expres- sion that " death and hell were cast into the lake of fire," we understand to teach, that all those who were confined in the grave, as to the body — and in the spirit-world, as to the soul, after the first resurrection had taken place, were then, after being judged and fully condemned, cast soul and body into the misery of the damned as their future destiny. Every reader must be aware, that the first resurrection had taken place prior to this time 1000 years, and all who were so fortunate as to have a part in this and awoke from death on that sweet morn, were not liable to the second death. After wading through all the arguments we have advan- ced, in favor of future punishment, with a mind controlled by candor and a prayerful spirit, still to cling with a death- struggle to the doctrine, that in the future world, misery and THE PUNISHMENT 01 -in. 1 88 shall never stamp its Borrows on any portion of the human race, and that after death, all will start anew on a common level, in their race stretched throuj 1 glo- ill such we despair of benefiting or of recovering them to heaven-begotten truth. We fear thai the) will wonder and perish, that they are r to a reprobate mind, to believe alie that they might tffe damned, because they have ; ore in em ; But if, reader, yon an d of candor, and are inclined to know the truth, and if in your heart only some Taint scruples arise, whether after all it mav not he true, that the Bible teaches a future retri- bution and woe, we entreat you to re-peruse this investiga- tion in tin 1 light and solemnities of eternity. If true, it is inn work for you, to he reviewed in the judgment and -i a moulding influence over your future well-heing. >ber, impartial and prayerful. Hut perhaps, we arc addressing some who admit future punishment, while they deny the eternity of punishment. They see the difficulty of confining all just and adequate punishment to this world, and the necessity of future pun- ishment on the principle of distributive justice, the admin- istration of moral government, and the reformation of the punished, yet they see no justice or necessity of an eternity of woe. The doctrine of eternal punishment we shall now defend. V. Tim ETERNITY OF PUNISHMENT. We have proven, that there will be future punishment inflicted upon the finally impenitent. Hereafter we shall assuni substantially and clearly fortified, and proceed to establish by reason, logic and Scripture, the me, that tie wicked deserve for their sins, eternal or don-ending punishment. The main object of such punish- ment will be to vindicate the justice and the moral govern- 1H1 THK PUNISHMENT OF M\. ment of God; and the procuring cause will bo the willful commission of sin and rejection of salvation b> ious blood of Christ. The question, which now remains, and claims investigation, is, whether the punishment of the wicked in the future world will be limited, or eternal, Those who advocate and defend a limited future punish- ment, declare that the only object of punishment is correc- tive, and designed to reform the guilty ; while those who advocate eternal punishment, believe that the principal ob- ject of punishment is to vindicate the justice and govern- ment of God, and that there is therefore a necessity of its being eternal. We have heretofore spoken somewhat at large in refer- ence to the object of punishment, and the absurdity of a limited future punishment; and we would merely add, that since we have proven, that the most prominent object of punishment is, to vindicate the justice and authority of God, therefore there is a necessity that it should be eternal, for if these require a vindication at any one time, they do so to all eternity. Thus only God can rear up a standing monu- ment of his displeasure at sin, and a proof that he will not screen the impenitent guilty. But the objector to eternal punishment affirms, that all punishment is corrective, emendatory, therefore necessarily limited; for when the object is secured then it must cease to be. We would append a few remaks in reply. The point to be proved is gratuitously assumed, that all punishment is corrective and emendatory. If this point were substantiated, there would be a strong presumption that future punishment might cease, though it would not be of inevitable consequence. We readily acknowledge that some of the afflictions and judgments of God, which grow out of the providence, and the administration of his moral government in this world, are designed to reform the guilty. I in PI NI8HMSN1 01 185 and to make the righteous mniv cautious, prudent, faithful and prayerful ; ye\ this does not warrant the conch that all punishment must rilybe corrective. The of God affords illustrations of this mbject. h an- nounces the scathing judgments of the land, as having the object of teaching the way <>f the Lord and inducing the ile to repent and reform ; bul it also declares judgments of extermination, and punishment of the wicked as their final Lot and portion, when all the means employed for their reformation have proved abortive and they are reprobated of God. The Egyptians with Pharoah, their King and r, form a dear exemplification of this doctrine. In the afflictions and judgments of the land, the Almighty de- I to teach the people his supreme authority and his mercy to the Israelites, in order to improve their moral char- ; but when all these tailed, and Pharoah would not permit the people to go, the Lord delivered them with his outstretched arm and led them forward to the land of prom- ise. The King and his subjects pursued them into the Red where Israel were saved, and the Egyptians were overwhelmed beneath its rolling surges. This last judg- ment, winch exterminated this profligate and heartless peo- ple, was it designed to reform them or merely to' vindicate the authority and justice of God ? This is a plain ques- tion and a plain example. Let the Apostle Paul decide ion with unerring cfertainty. He says in Rom. ix. 17: "For the Scripture saith unto Pharoah, Even for ery purpose have I raised thee up, that I might show my power in thee, and that my name might be declared throughout all the earth." This same truth is recorded in Ex. ix. 16. Even in the temporary judgments of the land the Lord designed to vindicate his power and right, and make his name glorious in the world ; how much more so, in the overthrow of Pharoah and his host in the ingulfing 180 THE PUNISHMENT of sea. The ruin and death which came upon the Egyptians had no reformatory influence on themselves ; but by it, the Lord vindicated his honor, and displayed his magnificence, and the " gTeatness of his excellency." (Ex. xv. 7.) F and dread came upon Moab, the land of Canaan, and all the surrounding nations. Though many judgments and mercies, the Ruler of the universe had employed to reform the guilty people of Sod- om and Gomorrah, yet all these were unavailing ; and the only alternative for God to vindicate his power and sustain the dignity of his laws, was, to overwhelm them in their own corruption and to exterminate them from the earth. They were not reformed by this last punishment, but were punished because they had transcended the bounds of re- formation, and had been given over to reprobation, and that God by them might teach the world his abhorrence of sin and rebellion, and that none shall escape his scrutiny and his avenging wrath. Ephraim had joined himself to his idols and was given over, because he had passed beyond recovery. So had the heathen, as noticed in the first chap- ter of Romans ; they became reprobates. So various have been the instances to mark the nature and object of punish- ment, that it is a source of amazement, that any should deny the vindictive character of punishment, and that the punished are set forth as an example to surrounding and succeeding nations. It is said, " And turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes, condemned them with an overthrow, making them an ensample unto those that after should live ungodly." 2 Peter ii. 6. Their overthrow was not to reform them, but to sound forth a warning voice to all the ungodly, lest they should be marked next for de- struction. Should it be admitted, that all punishment is reformato- ry, this would not be sufficient to establish the position. I m ri NI8HM] NT 01 -in. th it all future punishment musl necessarily be limited. It might after all prove to be endless to all such as should re- main incorrigible. One thing is evident to all the advo- of a future limited punishment, thai the judgm and afflictions of this prevent lite do not reform all the guilty ami the wicked, therefore they are compelled V to the doctrine of a future woe. This being the I a ami analogy would teach, at least would not deny, th.tt the judgments and punishment inflicted upon the wick- ed in the future world may fail of securing the end, their nation; for if this may fail for any length of time, is no necessity against its not being the case to all eternity. That which has been, maybe; and that which Failed, may ever fail; therefore upon the ground of live punishment the damned may endure eternal wrath. Yea, one thing is certain, that if punishment is in- tended to reform the damned, so long as they are not re- formed, they must endure woe, and if they remain incorri- gible to all eternity, they will feel the pangs and sorrows of eternal death. That the wicked will remain incorrigible, unreformed and unchanged, true, is debateable ground, yet we think it may be proved. This we shall attempt, before we finish this discussion. We would now proceed to ad- vance some direct arguments in favor of the eternity of punishment. 1. The Scriptures teach the eternal punishment of the ed by the words and phrases expressive of dur '•These shall go away into everlasting punishment, but the eous into life eternal." Matth. xxv. 46. " Who shall be punished with everla fruction from the presence of Mie Lord and from the glory of his power." 2 Thess. i. 9. "It is better for thee to enter into life halt or maim- ed, rather than, having two hands or two feet, to b into everlasting fire " Matth. xviii. S. " Depart from me. 188 THE PUNISHMENT OF six. cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels." Matth. xxv. 41. ? But he that shall blas- pheme against the Holy Ghost hath never forgiveness, but is in danger of eternal damnation ." Mark iii. 29. "And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up forever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, &c." Rev. xiv. 11. " Even as Sod- om and Gomorrah, and the cities about them * * * are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire ." Jude 7. All these passages go to prove that the punishment inflicted upon the wicked will be of some duration — that they prove the infliction of punish- ment, and that this punishment shall have duration more or less extended, is undeniable ; and we think that they en- force and establish the doctrine of punishment which shall be without cessation or end — eternal and everlasting. The literal meaning of the words eternal, everlasting, endless, non-ending, unending, &c, contain one and the same meaning — they simply mean time without end, al- ways being, lasting ever ; and whenever they limit time, it is in the use of the words, and not because of their ori- ginal and inherent meaning. The term " endless" is used twice in the New Testa- ment, in 1 Tim. i. 4, and in Heb. vii. 16. In the first place we find the original word (aperantos) derived from ".a," without, and "per an," limit or end, therefore its meaning is "unlimited," "endless," and it is used in connexion with "genealogies," and must be used figuratively; for no record of "genealogies" can be said strictly to be "end- less." In Heb. vii. where we find the word "endless" again in the English, we have the Greek word " akatalu- tos," derived from "a," without (or declaring a negative) and "katalutos," "dissolve," therefore its meaning is in- dissoluble, endless, everlasting ; and it stands connected Ill, 1N<) with life, speaking of Chrisl who was made a II i the power of an endless life.' 1 While the Jewish re many and their official career bu1 bri< f, I is the onl) Priest of the gospel, haying entered once for all ie Holiest, and sprinkled the mercy seal with his own precious blood, and he will continue to act before God as High Priesl until he shall resign his mediatorial reign, In both these places the term "endless," is figuratively and not literally We make these remarks in order to show, that the term "endless" is used in a limited sense as well as eternal, everlasting, &c, arid that the latter are ssarily just as expressive of unending duration, as the term endlj Now, we shall find, that in the Bible the word everlast- ttld eti mat are translations of the Greek words, " aion, >nios ;" the former a noun, and the latter an adjective. The literal and etymological definition of the word aion, is, always or continued being, for it is a compound word of ttd eimi, always being. To denote duration without end, or any thing existing perpetually, is the proper, classi- cal and grammatical use of the word. And when it is applied to limited duration, or to any thing of a dissoluble character, then it is used in an accommodated and a figura- tive sense. The subject and connexion in which it is em- ployed must determine whether it is literally or figurative- ly used ; and when we shall have determined in what sense it is used, we shall have no difficulty to settle its meaning, whether limited or perpetual* The rule adopted by some interpi . that the subject must determine tiling, and not its Dative, obvious meaning quality and determine the character of the subject, is an unsafe and a false guide. All the nature of a subject should do, is, to explain whether language is used properly and grammati- cally, or figuratively and in an accommodated sense. When 190 THE PUNISHMENT of this is solved, the meaning is obvious. So when the terms eternal, everlasting and endless are employed properly and grammatically they designate perpetual existence, or time always running on and never running out ; but when they are used figuratively, they imply a cessation of being, or termination of time. It is an admitted rule, we believe, in all languages and in all logical reasoning, that language and words cannot ex- press more than their proper and literal meaning, but that they may express less, therefore, if the literal and proper meaning of the words, forever, eternal and everlasting, is nothing more than a limited time, or applied to perishing objects, then their figurative use must express even less, and they can never be applied with propriety and signifi- cance to the existence of God, the immortality of the soul, and the blessedness of heaven ; yet we learn from the Bible, that they are thus applied, therefore this must be their literal and grammatical significance, and when applied to time and perishing objects, it must be their figurative use, inas- much as language figuratively employed, is less comprehen- sive than when literally used. If therefore these words and their original (aion, aionios) are ever applied to things of eternity, or express eternity itself, then this must be there proper use, for eternity and future things are more comprehensive than the things of time, or time itself; and when so applied, they convey their proper and grammatical meaning to whatever applied, and that meaning is perpetual existence^ non-ending ; and that they are thus applied is beyond successful contradic- tion, and is even admitted by all believers in the oracles of God ; therefore, when applied to express the existence of Jehovah, they express an endless, a never-ceasing existence; when applied to the happiness of the righteous in the future world, they express the same perpetual existence ; so also i hi: n NI8HMBN I <>i lINi 191 when referring t<> the punishmeni of the wicked, tip the permanence and interminable nature and 1>< ill their misery — thai their loss and ruin arable, iuse these words are applied to doo lulls, thood and possessions as in Gen. xvii, 8. "an ever- ion ;" ( ren. \!i\. 26, M the < \ erlasting lulls ;" Num. \\\ . 1 A. •• .■ . lasting doors ;" therefore, it is argued, thai they do not i rpetual being and infinite existence. This it ging the whole question ; it is not the province of the ad- U a of punishment infinite in duration, to disprove that terms ever express an indefinite period of time, or applied to perishable objects, for this they readily admit ; but they deny that they arc always used in this sense, and when that it is in any other than their figurative character. When expressing their radical and literal, mean- ing they are applied to things of an eternal existence. Even allowing, for the sake of argument, that these words are figuratively employed when speaking of punishment, they do not prove conclusively that future punishment will be finite. When everlasting is applied to hills, the word denotes, that the hills will last as long as the earth and time in which they exist ; so the doors shall endure as long as the building to which they- are attached — the Aaronic priest- shall endure as long as the Mosaic dispensation, and 11 only be exchanged for its antitype in the gospel on; and Canaan which was given to Israel for an " everlasting possession," will a fiord room for argumen- tation in order to define the utmost limit of the word ever- lotting in this connection, for we cannot tell how long God should possess this country, and how long they would have posst ssed it, had they not forfeited it by sin and rebellion against God. The promise is still left on u, that they shall again return and inherit the land of their fathers from the river Euphrates to the great sea. 192 THE PUNISHMENT OF sin. And as it is typical of heaven, in the last change of the h, it shall disappear in the more glorious reality of hea- ven, the resting place of all the redeemed of the Lord. So should we allow, that everlasting is figuratively applied to future misery, it must express, that the judicial punishment (dike tio. 2 Thess, i. 9.) inflicted upon the disobedient and profligate will endure, as long as the soul endures and eternity in which it exists — that the immortality of the soul, and the infinity of eternity will only be commensurate with the misery of the damned. According to this argument, the misery of the future world will be interminable. After what we have written, we take the position, that whenever the terms are applied to eternity and the objects of that world, they are properly and literally used, and mean nothing less than ever-existing and endless. We read in Rom. xvi. 26. " according to the commandment of the everlasting God ; this certainly means an ever-existing God. Rom. ii. 7. "To them, who seek for glory, honor and immortality, eternal life ;" this must imply non-ending blessedness. In Matth. xxv. 46. " These shall go into ever- lasting punishment," can mean nothing less than endless misery. All these, God, life, and punishment, exist in the future world and are described by the same word and must in all these places have the same meaning. We read in Matth. xii. 32. " But whosoever speaketh against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, neither in the world to come." In Mark iii. 29, the paral- lel passage, we read, " But he that shall blaspheme against the Holy Ghost hath never forgiveness, but is in danger of eternal damnation." These passages not only prove fu- ture punishment; but the eternity of that punishment. This every unsophisticated reader would readily admit. We are aware that the Universalist attempts to avoid this conclusion, by giving the following translation : " Neither mi PUNISH [M her in thi .Irw isb d '!i, and the second to tin Whether this will serve his purp< conclusion oi ill only be The point to be proven is, whether the S Jewish don by the phrase) M in this the Jewif and the k f < Jhrist v. .: ; for the "law and the prophets were until John, M I was proclaimed I And if by the phrase, "in the world to come," the Savior referred to the I age, and declared that such blasphemers should not given in that age, pray, when would they be forgiven ? Would it be after the mediatorial reign of Christ, and there- to! the resurrection ? Even if this be correct, how must now wail in hell, and continue in torment until he resurrection. Even this would establish the doc- trine of future punishment. In these passages, the Savior wished to teach that all such characters would never be forgiven, and must therefore endure " eternal damnation.' ' This punishment will take place in the future world, and as all things are unchangeable and ever-enduring there, there- fore this punishment will be endless. The apostle Jude, while speaking of Sodom and Gomorrah, declares that they are "suffering the vengeance of eternal fire." They were suffering while Jude wrote, and as they had been swept from the world nearly 2,000 years before that time, there- fore their suffering must have been after death and in the future world: and since it is "eternal," it will be infinite in duration. Paul declares in 2 Thess. i. 9. that the diso- bedient should "be punished with everlasting destruction," at the time when the Lord Jesus should be revealed from heaven, with his Is, and when he should be ad- mired in all that believe ; therefore it must be in the future world. 1{M THE ITMSII,: six. It appears to us that the argument drawn from the word and phrases employed to describe the punishment of the wicked, must he conclusive to every candid and doeile mind. However, we are aware, that the eaviler may find oppor- tunity to equivocate and distort the truth, and therefore it is well, that Christ and the apostles have brought to light clearer and more decisive proof to establish the doctrine of the eternity of punishment. The next argument we shall advance is— 2. That the Scriptures represent the punishment of the wicked, and the happiness of the righteous in contrast, therefore opposite in character and equal in duration. It has been said, that there is more certainty of the infinite blessedness of the righteous than of the infinite misery of the wicked, because it is described by different words. Eli Ballou says, on this point : " The words 'immortal, in- corruptible, unfading,' are applied to an existence of happi- ness, but never to an existence of misery, and these terms give a positive assurance of the unending existence of the happy in heaven." Were these words applied to the misery of the damned, it would still be a question, whether they would afford a satisfactory argument to Universalists to prove endless woe. After all, does the Bible describe the misery of the damned in more equivocal terms than the blessedness of the righteous ? Does not the language con- vey the idea of immortality, and an incapacity to decay. Read Mark ix. 43 — 48, where the wicked shall depart into hell, into the fire that is quenchless ; " w r here the worm dieth not and the fire is not quenched" Where the gnaw- ing misery of the damned " dieth not," it must necessarily be immortal; for the Greek words " ou teleutao," are just as expressive of immortality as the word " athanasia." When the Scriptures declare that the misery of the damned is like " fire not quenched," is just as expressive of its " in- rm. pi NI8H in. 196 ptible" and M unfading' 1 nature as though the B had used the very words. In the investigation of t] II find thai the happiness of heaven and the mU placed in contrast, as opposite portions and equal in dura- tion — that they are parallel in poinl of duration. punishment: but the righteous into life eternal." Matth. While the wicked reap as their portion M i lasting punishment,' ' the righteous shall inheril " lifi nal ;" and it is not said, that those who go into punishment, enter also into life, nor those who secure life, shall reap the portion of the wicked. Therefore as their characters were up, in this life, of opposite materials, their destiny is site, and will be equal in duration. The terms u life" and "punishment" are not necessarily expressive of dura- tion, as life may be interrupted, and punishment cease ; but when the word is applied to life which means continued Being, we have a warrant that-life shall not be interrupted, and that it shall be interminable. The same word (aionios) which is applied to life in its proper and grammatical sense, is applied to " punishment" in the same sense, and must necessarily establish the doctrine of the eternity of punish- ment, and frustrate all expectation of a cessation of future woe. If the life referred to in the text, comprises the bliss of saints in glory, and that this happiness will be endless, then the punishment of the wicked, embraces their future misery, and teaches that it will be eternal; for the contrast not only includes the opposite portions, but also their dura- tion. This argument is conclusive. However, many have admitted that the life referred to in the text, may mean eternal blessedness in heaven, yet pun- ishment need not imply f equal duration; but as the argument is irrefutable, that if the one is allowed to 196 i hk PUNISHMEN1 01 teach endless bliss, the other must necessarily endless woe, therefore, to avoid this inevitable conclusion, the Universalist has denied, that the passage has any refer- ence to the future world — that (as he says) the life eternal signifies the gospel with its blessings in this world ; and the "everlasting punishment" was fulfilled in the destruction of Jerusalem. Eli Ballou renders the text as follows : " These shall go away into the punishment of the age; but the righteous into the life of the age, meaning the gospel age, or dispen- sation of this world." Again ; " Christ said, that he would come in glory, and with his holy angels, and would then sit upon the throne of his glory ; and he affirmed, that that generation should not pass away, and that some who then heard him should not die until they saw him thus coming." " He then sat upon the throne of his glory, because his kingdom was then established in the earth — he came in his kingdom — and then commenced rewarding every man ac- cording to his works." " At. that time," (at the destruction of Jerusalem, ( "Christ commenced judging the world, and ' all nations' were then placed under his retributive admin- istration, &c." *VYe believe, that Universalists refer this portion of Scripture to the destruction of Jerusalem, by common consent; and it shall be our object now to show r that such an application is erroneous, and consequently that it refers to the future general judgment, and the rewards and punishments of the spirit-world. I. That portion of Scripture included from verse 31 to 46, is generally declared to be a parable by Universalists. If it be a parable and was designed to illustrate the destruc- tion of Jerusalem, this catastrophe of the Jew r s must cor- respond with the parabolic prophecy ; for if the event does not correspond, then it must have been fulfilled, or will be, in some past or future scene. But we do not admit that it i in: PUN! HMSN1 "i in- . and we do deny thai il w ned to teach and illustrate the destruction of Jerusalem and the Jewish polity. The Son of man is said to come in w his glory/ 9 and this could not have taken place at thai time. If he did, the glorj of Christ must consist in famine, lence, war, in helmet and shield, in slaughter and blood, the groans and waitings of the dead; for ill thi scenes rami 1 l ten JerusaL ad I and razed to the ground. We Irani, that the glory of ( consists m quite a different element Be prayed to tin- Father, "glorify me with the glory which 1 had with thee before the world was." John xvii. 5. And Paul declared, that since christians had suffered with Christ, "they should also be glorified together." Rom. viii. 17. This must be far different from what was displayed when the Jewish metropolis was ransacked; therefore the Scripture was not fulfilled at that time. 2. The Son of man should come with his holy angels. That the term angels sometimes stands for messengers in figurative language, we admit ; but we insist, that the char- acter ascribed to them must be rigidly transferred in the interpretation of language. Whether the term angels means the identical beings, strictly so called in the Scriptures, or some specially commissioned messengers of God, they must necessarily be holy, to answer the teaching of Christ. If this Scripture refers to the destruction of Jerusalem, then the holy angels must mean the Roman army, for this was the agency which overthrew that city. It could not desig- nate the saints of God, for they did not accompany Christ in the overthrow of Jerusalem, and they had even fled from the city previously, as they had been notified to do forty years before. And no where is the Roman army ever called holy; but rather the " abomination' ' that maketh desolate. This second reason forbids an application of this text to the final subversion of Jerusalem. 198 THE PUNISHMENT OF SIN. 3. The Son of man shall sit upon a throne of glory. His sitting upon the throne, presumes that he entered upon his judicial work, and this idea is sustained by the entire Scripture. Where did Christ sit upon the throne to judge the people at the ruin of that city ? It cannot mean that there and then he was invested with the judiciary and exe- cutive authority of his government, for this took place near- ly forty years prior. At the time he said, " All power is given me in heaven and- earth," (Matth. xxviii. 18.) then he was invested with this authority and right, and therefore he fully commissioned his disciples to preach the gospel. 4. Before the Son of man should be gathered all nations. Did this take place when Jerusalem w r as destroyed ? The Universalists declare it was, and for their authority they quote Zech. xiv. 2. where it is said, " for I will gather all nations against Jerusalem to battle, &c." We have several objections against the interpretation of the words of Christ as given by Universalists. The first is, that the event does not correspond with the text; and the second is, that the proof given is distorted and inadequate. We ask, is it a fact that all nations were gathered together at that time and place ? Is it not rather a fact, that not a single nation was gathered together, much less all nations ? Neither the en- tire Jewish, nor Roman nation was assembled at Jerusa- lem. How then can this history illustrate the text ? Do you say, some of all nations should be and were gathered together ? But the text does not say, a selection of nations, or some out of all nations ; but all nations. This but ill accords with the stress and import laid upon " all men," or " all nations," or " all the kindred of the earth" by Universal- ists, when they speak of all being saved. They should be the last to torture the word " all" in such a way. If the fact does not sustain the interpretation given by these expound- ers of truth, neither does the proof adduced by Zech. xiv. 2. tin; PUNISHM1 \ I I9fl id ii will show, that n has uction of Jerusalem by ihe R army. At that time, that < - i i \ was depopulated and wholly ruined, the people were either destro} rried into captivity. What does the prophet ZQcheria I will gather all natioi do to b; ule * * * * and half of the city shall go forth into captivity, and the ri of the people thall hot be cut off from the city" E one who has ever read the history of the downfall of Jeru- salem knows, that this prophecy Was not fulfilled when that city was destroyed by the Romans; for in this siege hun- dreds of thousands were slaughtered, and the rest were taken captives, while the prophet says, that only half should go into captivity and the rest of the people should he left in the city. The declaration of Christ can only he fulfilled' in si and general judgment day, The Son of man should separate the nations and re- ward them according to their character. If all nations were not assembled at Jerusalem, neither could they be se- parated ; but this should take place at that time when the text shall be fulfilled. The Psalmist says, " the wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God." If at Jerusalem this was fulfilled, then the Jews constituted the nations represented by the goats, and the Romans by the sheep. The blessed ones, who were the Roman army, received the kingdom of God which was pre- pared from the foundation of the world, and must have con- in the spoils, gold, silver and raiment taken out of the city. Is this the kingdom of God? Does not Paul say, "the kingdom of God is not meat and drink, but righteous- ■ and joy in the Holy Ghosl f" Rom. xiv. 17. f>. The wicked should he punished a1 that time with hor- rid ruin. Were the .lews cast into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels ! Was the destruction of Jeru- 9 200 THF riMSHMFN! salein prepared for the devil and his angels. All this is implied, if the Language uf Christ is applicable to this scene. 7. The righteous and the wicked should he rewarded and punished for what they had done or left undone. Were the Roman army righteous, or a profligate, wicked, and heathen people ? Did they feed the hungry, clothe the naked and visit the imprisoned saints of God, and did the Jews neglect these tilings? Where can we learn all these things, authenticated by irrefutable evidences ? Does not even impudence itself blush at such distorted and mangled expositions of the holy and revered counsels of God? The only consistent exposition that can be given, is to apply the text to the judgment of the great day, and to the rewards and punishment of the human race, as it shall take place when the wicked " shall go away into everlasting punishment; but the righteous into life eternal." We have been thus particular with this passage in refut- ing and exposing the false exposition given by Universalists, designed to wrest it from its obvious application to the fu- ture world, that we might produce similar passages in favor of the eternity of future punishment without needing to go over the same labor each time. For if we have proven one passage to be to the point, to sustain the doctrine of eternal damnation, then all of a like nature must corroborate the doctrine. Universalists have generally referred all the pas- sages, upon which the orthodox found their belief of future and eternal woe, to the destruction of Jerusalem, and the same arguments which extricate the passage, we have con- sidered, are more or less suitable to sweep away their false glosses from all. Since the passage in Matth. xxv. 40, has reference to the future world, and teaches the reward of the righteous, and the punishment of the wicked in contrast, i HI PUN1 IH in. 201 and as me, their final portion mu and equal in duration. ••• w bo will r< nder to every man according to Ins di to them, who, by patient continuance in well doing, for glory, honor and immortality, eternal life : bu1 unto them that are contentious and do not obey the truth, T » 1 1 1 obey un- . Indignation and wrath, tribulation and an- guish," &c. Rom. ii. 6 — 9. TJu> | - tiie doctrine, that God will reward man — that every man shall receive his reward according to his (\vc(\> — those who do well, the reward of eternal life, and those who obey not the truth, but obey unrighteousness and are contentious, the reward of indignation, wrath and an- guish. That all this shall take place, in the future world, is evidenl from the fact, that they who do good, seek for honor, glory and immortality. All who earnestly and in- tt nsely strive lor nlory, the beauty, grandeur, riches and ecstatic felicity of heaven ; for honor, the reward and ap- probation which God will confer on his saints ; for immor- tality, the incorruptible and undying blessings, the perma- nent and felicitous condition of the saved in heaven — all these shall secure "eternal life." As these glorious bless- ings He beyond death and the grave, as well as eternal life, we presume the text has reference to the future world, not only in the reward of the " well doing," but also in the punishment of those who "do evil," with indignation and wtath. The reward and punishment will take place in the future world, at the same time, and their existence will be equal in duration — the bliss of heaven will be everlasting, and the woe of hell will be endless. We read in Job viii. 13, "The hope of the hypocrite shall perish;" and Solomon tells us in Prov, xiv. 32, "The righteous hath hope in his death." How opposite the characters of the hypocrite and the righteous ; and equally 202 THE PUNISHMENT OF SIN. opposite is their portion in the world to come. Christ says, " He that believeih on the Son hath everlasting life : and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life ; but the wrath of God abideth on him" John iii. 36. While he that obeyeth the voice of Christ and believeth in the Father shall not come into condemnation, the unbeliever is con- demned already ; and while the believer shall enjoy ever- lasting life, the unbeliever shall be excluded from enjoying life, and upon him shall rest and abide without interruption and to all eternity, the wrath of a sin-avenging' God. Who can still doubt, that the Bible teaches the reward of the righteous and the punishment of the wicked in contrast, to be effected at the same time and equally lasting ? If true, then hell shall not cease to be, sooner than heaven shall cease. 3. The Bible would seem to teach the impossibility of the wicked being converted, pardoned, and saved in the spirit-world. That the blessings of the gospel are proposed to the children of men upon certain unequivocal and unalterable conditions, we have proven heretofore ; and that the bless- ing of salvation may be failed of, is therefore self-evident. All persons, therefore, who comply not with the conditions proposed, who reject the means of grace, resist and stifle the teaching and promptings of the Holy Spirit, thwart the obvious design of divine goodness to lead them to repent- ance, harden their hearts against judgment and truth, cannot be made partakers of the life, righteousness and power of the gospel. The children of men can no more be saved, without complying with the terms of the gospel, than though such provisions had never been made. Those con- ditions are vital and essential points ; yea, indispensable to a system of salvation by faith. in. 908 1. The Bible teaches that men i thai poinl where they sleill be given <>\er and reprobati '1 of God, It so, this would teach the impossibility ol tved by the gospel. u My spirit Shall not alws e with man, for thai hi flesh." («en. vi. 8. M Because 1 have called and j e refused ; 1 hare Btretched oul my hand, and no regarded, * * * I will laugh :>t \ii \ i 01 and the n 8. Pot ihe kingdom ol »ace and the medial n of Christ shall c< up, All \\}\o 1>. lieve, that the pi in oi pendent on Christ, and tl of God would be impossible , thai had Ch and died ther< and that alone through the mediation of Christ the influ- ences of grace are extended and perpetuated to man, must abo believe, thai when Christ shall cease to act as media- tor, and when " God shall be all and in all," then shall the kingdom of grace close up forever, and all those who are «* Unjust and filthy" must necessarily remain "unjus filthy ." When Christ shall become judge, he shall he clothed with the sternness and unbending rectitude of the if his moral government, and exercise his official duty in rewarding the righteous and punishing the wicki though there had never been a system of mercy by faith ; and he shall then cease to be an intercessor for man. How can sinners then be saved any more than thev could have been had Christ never died? This being the case, that sal- vation is impossible, the unsaved and the doomed must suf- fer the wrath of God and the distressing anguish inflicted for their sins to all eternity. The apostle teaches us in 1 Cor. xv. 24 — 26. "Then ill have delivered up the king- dom to God. ev.ii the Father ; when he shall put down all rule and all authority >wer. For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet. The. last enemy tth." After the r< - sludl the -end bi — i ad of the v. end of the me- diator i Christ shall have van- quished all his enemies, vindicated th< God, ren- TBS PUNISHMENT OF BIN, (lerccl honorable his law, and broken the power and wr< - the sceptre of death. The righteous, who "ari at his coming" shall stand forth in the beauty of the n rection-morning, redeemed in soul and body. Here then Christ shall cease to be a mediator and a Savior — his work is done up, for which he came into this world ; the obedi- ent shall eat the good of the land, and the incorrigible shall lie at his feet like a vanquished foe. If the time fur which the plan of salvation was instituted shall now have expired, then all the unsaved, after that time, must necessarily the unceasing misery of hell, and wail in anguish the long night of dreary, non-ending eternity. 4. The sentence which shjall doom men to the misery of hell will be unchangeable and irrevocable. All the princi- ples and laws of God are as unchangeable as his own eter- nal character. Even in this world, God could not save men from sin contrary to his law, but alone in consistency with his laws — a remedial system of grace, that should honor and vindicate all the requirements and precepts of the I and yet bring the repentant sinner where God could justify, was alone -available. Now, we have seen the reward of life given to the righteous, and everlasting destruction pour- ed upon the wicked after death, after the resurrection, even at the judgment, when Christ's system of mercy by grace through faith shall have been closed up ; yet we have not seen that God has devised, or even promised to execute another plan of salvation, adapted to deliver damned spirits from hell. They cannot be saved by Christ's mediation, for that has passed by ; and how and when shall they be saved from the immutable sentence that doomed them to hell ? There are but two conceivable ways. God must either execute a plan by which to save the lost in hell consistent- ly with the unchangeable principles of justice by which rm: PUNIBHM1 N i 01 UN, ihey wer6doomed«j or Glse (he lost must change their character. The first is improbable, f! i given an intmiaiion to suspect any thing of the kiml; and the latter is impracticable and rmpossible. Since the un- godly in this life are unable to restore tin m d ami to a justified relation with 1 lira ently of Christ and grace*; much less can this be done in hell. As death is the negative of life, and can never n itself to life; as Impurity is just the opposite of purity, and cannot render itself pure; and as vice is the antagonist of virtue and is incapable of ever becoming virtue of itself; so neither can unholy spirits in woe change themselves to ho- liness, the. unrighteous to become riglrfeous beings. " By the deeds of the law shall no man living be justified." M Hut Christ has become the end of the law for right to every one that believeth." * • " 'Thus we have proved the doctrine of future punishment to be eternal in its duration— that it shall be a death that never dies, and miseries that never end. Reader, are conclusions sound and Scriptural ? Is hell the -portion of the impenitent and incorrigible, just as certainly as heaven will be the happy abode of the saved and sanctified ? And are you forming a character which shall determine your destiny in the coming world, and unto which you are ap- proaching with awful rapidity? Then^arouse yourself and call upon the name of God, peradventure, his mercy is not yet qi . and your day of grace still lingering for the salvation of your soul. Sleep not on the pinnacle of such .dangers — hark! the tumultuous noise of the storm and the roarii;_ of endless woe break .through the distant gloom in horrific sounds! Escape for your life to --hold uf God, and liiul safety from tin- violence of the in ij still be . ease. •J08 THB PUNISHMENT 01 BIN. Then try heartily the virtue of a Saviorls blood; plead no merit of your own, but simply trust your soul to the all efficacious love and grace of Gpd in Christ. You must come with a heart surrendered, a ^vill submissive, and a soul moved with intense earnestness, and God will in no wise cast you out. CHAPT E R \ # ; v A TIQ N i It M B I Ni u Much more then, being now justified by his bloody Wi shall hi sand from wrath through him? 9 « Rom. v. ( .). •Wk learn from the whole tenor of Scripture, that Christ has purchased our redemption by his precious blood, thai we are justified and 9aved from sin through faith in Christ, and that we are delivered from wrath, or the punishment due to sin. If, while we were yet enemies to God, the Lord Jesus removed every obstacle and procured the means by which we might be justified ; how r much more, after becoming the friends of Christ and partakers of divine righteousness, shall we be saved from wrath and eternal anguish. It seems very evident, that Paul believed that 1 Christ was set forth a propitiation for the "remission of sins that are past," and that all who should be made righteous, according to the gracious plan devised and ren- dered efficacious by God and his Spirit, would be neces- sarily saved -from all punishment due to sin. This appears the doctrine taught in many places in the word of God, and which has abounded pretty extensively in i religious community in the habitable globe ; and mankind would hardly have suspected an error, or turned polemics in defending this fundamental doctrine of religion, had it not been for the speculative theory of Universalis m ; even now main - look np\ ! \ at sin, and his wrath the full exhibition of justice against sin. 2. The Bible teaches that Borne men are punished less than their sins deserve, therefore they must be saved from punishment. They are either saved from deserved punish- ment, or else justice does not inflict on the guilty all the punishment adequate to their crime. Now, either position is death to Universalism, which professes to maintain, that every man must receive a full and adequate punishment for all his sins, and from it there is no salvation. We read in Job xi. 6. "Know, therefore, that God exacteth of thee less than thine iniquity deserveth." Ps. ciii. 10. "He hath not dealt with us after our sins, nor rewarded us ac- cording to our iniquities." The first passage has been re- plied to, that it was the language of Zophar, the Naamath- ite, therefore not credible as divine, for he was not a pious man. We would briefly say, that it matters but very little by whom spoken, if it but asserts the doctrine of God. That the sentiment is just and truthful, we have the Bible as a voucher. That is enough. The Psalmist corrobor- ates the same principle, that men are in this world punished less than their iniquities deserve. If so, Universalism is false. Again, Ezra ix. 13. "And after all that is come upon us for our evil deeds, and for our great trespass, see- ing that thou our God hast punished us less than our ini- quities deserve, and hast given us such deliverance as this." Not only were the people of Israel punished for their sins ; but they were punished far less than their iniquities de- served, and from all the punishment yet due them they were delivered. If all this does not teach salvation from deserved punishment, then language cannot convey just ideas of any doctrine. Were any of the doctrines of Uni- versalism so directly taught in the Bible, think you, that it \i \ \ I ION i i would umi |>e though it should nullify I rrivi The Bible teaches thai m< n i the pen ally of the law and deserved punishment We have not only shown, that the children of m< n are and may be pun- ished less than their iniqi ; but that ih« Baved from deserved punishm point, ill now . Scriptural quotations. 1 Tl i. 10. M And to Wait for his Son from heaven, whom he ; from the dead, e\< n Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come." This | b that punish- ment dors not follow sin hand in hand, hilt that it is await- ing the wicked, as they arc reserved to the day of judg- ment and perdition of ungodly men. It also declare- \w\> of God who wait for Christ's descent from re delivered from this wrath. If this does not teach a remission of deserved punishment, what doea ! Matth. xviii. 27. "Then the Lord of thai servant was moved with compassion, and loosed him and forgave him the debt." When the debt was canceled, the consequences, arrest and imprisonment, were withdrawn. So the Lord of heaven, when he pardons sins, remits all the punishment due for sin. Gal. iii. 13. "Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us." The Savior came not only to save us from sin ; but from the curse, or penalty of the law. It needs no argument to prove, that is a difference between sin, and the curse of the law — that the former incurs the latter; and that Christ hi deemed us from the penalty of tie- law, is plainly asserted, therefore I rod includ mission of ved punishraei • is plain and decisive. Ps. 3. L. "If tl shouldest mark ini Lord, who shall stand ! But that thou mayest be feai .each, that 222 SALVATION FROM SIN. when the Lord shall mark iniquities, that he docs not for- give— forgiveness of sins, and marking iniquities arc op- fce*; All those against whom the Lord shall mark rro- quities, shall not be able to stand ; but shall fall and be consumed by the just punishment of sin ; and those who receive forgiveness at the hand of God are delivered from the fearful account of sin and the consequent doom. How do these passages agree with the following declaration of A. C. Thomas, "We take the Scriptural ground, that both rewards and punishments are administered according to our works — and that every work of every man, whether it be good or evil, shall be brought into judgment. But when we treat of salvation from unbelief and sin, and the bless- edness of the justified state, we thankfully acknowledge that it is according to the grace and purpose of God." Aside from -the promiscuous jumble of truth and error in the quotation, it flatly contradicts the Psalmist, by whom w r e are informed, that forgiveness saves us from the punish- ment (or marking) of iniquities. Ez. xviii. 21, 22. "But if the wicked shall turn from all his sins that he hath com- mitted and keep all my statutes, and do that which is law- ful and right, he shall surely live, he shall not die. All his transgressions that he hath committed, they shall not be mentioned unto him." That death is the penalty of th* 1 law, needs no proof, and that all w T ho turn from sin, and live justly and righteously, shall avoid the penalty of the law the text declares without equivocation ; not even shall their transgressions be found recorded against them. How then shall they be fully punished for sin ? This text is de- cisive. Jonah iii. 10. "And God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way ; and God repented of the evil that he had said that he would do unto them ; and he did it not." The people of Nineveh trampled on the au- thority of God until their sins became heinous, and called I : full of CO ir iniquities, and d< i not: yea, many nd did nol stir up all his .." The peopl i r their iniquity. fully punished I The Psalmist declares that in u of God the n the i d life • but of debt Th saved a punished for all their former sii then alter they ha v. ilvation. Th f and deserves pun- his love must cease before the punishment of sin shall close, or else the punishment would continue; but if they cqase to sin before the close of punishment, then salvation must precede and not succeed punishmc maintain ; and if so. they must either be - from deserved punishment, or else they must endure dam- nation at one and the same time. If I in the same persons and at the I each other, thi \ it we a, while enjn : listing punishment ; and the damned in hell, of eternal ressible glories of sal- A.bove all, the Savior uttere^La gross untruth when • sent me, shall not 1 from deat It unto -nclu- 130 nor turn to th of infidelity, sistency, and glory in the d i in Christ, from d punishment, and fih ing cans* . In concluding this chapter, we v ery candid reader, if not wholly convinced, is at least brought to doubt, the soundness and Scriptural cl acter of the doctrine, " that from a just and adequate pun- ishment for sin there is no ( For we think, it is clearly proved, that salvation from sarily implies deliverance from punishment, and that in many places the Bible speaks directly of salvation from deserved punish- ment : also that all those who are punished for the full de- sert of sin cannot be saved, and that all who shall attain final holiness and happiness, must first be saved from de- served punishment through the blood of Christ. That this is possible, we have shown, and this constitutes the glad tidings of great joy, that shall be to all people. Who will spurn these tidings and perish in his unbelief? I II V i I E R VI. - What think ye of Christ?" "Jlnd they called them in nnt to speak at all nor teach i f Jesus" Matth. xxii. 42; Acts iv. 18. Ir is true, that Universalists have frequently been de- nounced, and arc generally looked upon by the various or- nommations, as being guilty of holding a refined infidelity; hut how far they are entitled to imputation will he best elucidated by showing what they think of Christ, of his sufferings and death, in effecting a plan of reconciliation. Christians are those who believe in Christ in all respects as taught in the word of God. ■ who deny the nature and character of Christ are no entitled to the appellation of christians than those who spurn the atoning sufferings and death of Christ. If ich, and defend, that Jesus ( and suffered in this world in that sense and for that I which the Scriptures inculcate, they may have some claim to the -title of christian; hut if they . Scriptural doctrine of the atonement, and debase the death, they must de- best they can against the charge of in- ; • Do \ :,•)> vi( w> do infid( ; n of nd death of Christ ! Let Thomas P r, who was a noted infidel. He says in hi h a person as Jesus Christ existed, and JO" '232 TUT. ATONDIKNT OF CIIKlM. thai ho was crucified — arc historical relations strictly with- in the limits of probability. He preached most excellent morality and the equality of man ; but he preached also against the corruptions and avarice of the Jewish pru and this brought upon him the hatred and vengeance of the whole order of the priesthood. Neither is it improbable that Jesus Christ had in contemplation the delivery of the Jewish nation from the bondage of the Romans. Between the tivo, however, this virtuous reformer and revolutionist lost his life." In the opinion of Paine, the sufferings and death of Christ, were merely those of a "reformer and a revolutionist;" and now if those Universalists who wield the influence and exercise the moulding hand in that fra- ternity, entertain views similar to thdse'of Paine, can they be entitled to the name, christian, any more than he was? Do Universalists look upon the suffering and death of Christ and his mission into this world, as designed to ex- piate the sin of man, and deliver him from the guilt and ruin of transgression ? Or as teaching the truth, and dying in attestation of his principles only ? These two questions unequivocally answered will decide the matter. It would not be very strange, if their view of the atonement w r ere somewhat tinctured with infidelity, since Hosea Bal- lou, the father of modern Universalism, frankly acknowl- edges, that his views of the atonement were materially changed by reading " deistical writings," and that then he soon "exploded" the common notions of the atonement. The work titled " Universalis t's Book of Reference," teach- es the following doctrine in reference to the salvation and sufferings of Christ : "As mankind have mistaken the na- ture of salvation, so they have been mistaken in regard to the means by which it is effected. It has been supposed that this salvation is effected by Christ's suffering the penahy due to the sinner, and bearing in his own person the pun- J id ITON1 mi NT OK I H ishmenl which the guilty only were deserving of. Bui where eould mankind learn such opinii ' Cert nly not from the Bible ; for that nowhere inform* us that , y of any law of God whatever \ nor ktnent whi l> i Thai Jesus miffered in consequence of our $i But how this eould exonerate us from l>l fj/ understand, How then is this salvation Answer, by simply believing the truth" This ion brings to view the following opinions in refer- to the sufferings and death of Christ. 1. It denies 1,1,1 r rings of Christ 2. It denies that the nist possess any merit or virtue to redeem ! foi or jwtify the guilty. 3. It teaches that all Balvatiofi the wicked realize is effected simply by be- Ifeving the truth— it is truth that saves and not the blood of Christ: this cannot eleanse from sin. That these views are extensively entertained among Universalists is capable of proof by their own writings. m Lewis, in his epitome of the doctrines of Univer- salism, declares, that « Universalists believe, that as Jesus came to 'bear witness unto the truth,' not to originate it; as he hath 'brought life and immortality to light,' not created them : as the salvation of the future world is wholly 'the gift of God,' therefore the object of pure religion, as posf ed and practised in this life, is not to purchase or secure * e W< Iter state of being, but benefit man- kind here, by rendering them better and happier." What does this divine teach us ! That Jesus Christ came and died f,,r sin in order to redeem us to God and constitute us heirs by faith of eternal blessedness ! Not at all. He even denies that. Jesus Christ originated the truth he d dared to mankind ; his object was to bear testimony to the mi: 4T0NEMBN1 0] CHRIST. truth, and reveal, not create, life and immortality. Though in the opinion of this teacher in Israel, lesus Christ came to declare and witness unto the truth of the gOtffTel and a sound morality, yet alter all, all this truth and the pfacJ of pure religion would have no effect on the iutrnv lite, its blessings and influences are wholly confined to this world. Christ did not die to save us «from. sin, noj teach us his religion whereby to secure eternal glory, therefore the only object in the Savior's mission and teaching was to make men "better and happier" in this world. What atone- ment have we here ? None at all. What benefit of the sufferings and death of Christ? Not any. What is the object of Christ's mission into this world? Simply to teach and bear witness -of the truth of religion. What ben- efit to mankind is the truth and the religion of the Bible i Merely to render people " better and happier'' in tiiis world. But Universalists teach that all men shallbe holv and happy hereafter, if the practice of the religion of Christ does not secure this, how shall it be obtained I All this is simply " the gift of God." How can it be otherwise, since the blood of Christ, the practice of religion, and man's pre- sent life, all can have no influence or effect in the spirit- world ? To decide whether such sentiments are christian, or infidel, the reader need exercise nothing more than com- mon sense. That Universalist preachers sometimes declaim about the blood of Christ, or Christ himself, as the certain medium through whom all mankind shall finally and safely reach the glories of heaven, we do not deny, but how much mean- ing, and tt'hat importance, they attach to such language, let the preceding quotations prove. Whether delusion, in- sincerity, or designed deception governs their course, we will leave for the righteous Judge to decide in the day of final adjudication. Do you ask, whether such sentiments i 111. vmm MEM i <>i ( URII i ely, or are the) confined to but 1 mhcr quotations decide. 1 1< i i Ballon the doctrine of the influence of the sufl is1 on the iin:il salvatmn of man as follov imon doc- tnne, which u» thai Jesus Christ earm into this world (b bave us in another world, is contra?) to all th* sentations \ found in the Scrip'tu rhere is \u>[ as much propriet) in exhorting people to g< i an in- in Jiddm,*Q thai they may inherit from him tin oral faculties of the body, as to exhort US to get fl in Christ." " It seems thai all, which the Savior did, \v;is a manifestation of those things which our heavenly Fa- ther had given us before the world began" Mr. Ballon, the originator of the present scheme of UniVersalism, an unreserved exhibition of his opinions nh'tive to the I. He denies thafChrist'fl death has any influence, or was intended to hi curing the tt — this was secured, lie says, for man- kind before the foundation of the world and was infallibly certain. 2. He declares, that the only object in the mis- sion and toil of Christ, was to make known those things in tor the human race. We ask, does Mr. Ballou be- lieve that Christ died to redeem us from the curse of the law. or that by the merit and efficacy of his blood we may procure a remission of sins ? Does he believe that without the ".shedding of the blood of Christ," Cod could have for- given sins, or that men would have trained heaven ind< dent of the death of Christ? " All the Savior did, f manifestation of those things our heavenly Father had given us before the i ( HI ,/„,-, which the pie* tuntered, wen all in the tarn* '■ red the /." II. Ballon jr. would have a* be] the Scriptures recognif • mortal men, did t' lV q;ii n :\\ endure the name kind of suffering* with those of Christ, and tfa - enduriBg then with patience." "With respect lot Ilia suff he endured on the cross did not equal* lid not .exceed, those which the inhabitants salern \\i perience in the approaching destruc- tion of their city." O. A. Skinner says, " He suffered, the and christian fathers suffered." "Jesus gave himself for the redemption of the world, just as the revo- lutionary fathers gave themselves to effect the freedom of oar eountr\).' % Mr. LeFevre adds his testimony in the followiti v : " The object of Christ's mission, life, sufferings, and death, was to reconcile man to God and to his fellow. In this cause he shed his blood. The subject may be thus illustrated. The heroes of our revolution shed their blood in the cause of freedom, and through their devotedncss and sufferings, we enjoy all the advantages of civil and religious liberty. It may therefore be said almost without a metaphor, by their stripes ivc are healed." We need not add, that Abner Kneeland, the notorious infidel, though once a champion of Universalism, holds the same . and expresses himself in the same manner rela- 10 the sufferings and death of Christ. .1 could as well, and with the same propriety, fo Ire or without the sufferings of Christ, as r, or with, is a prominent sentiment of Universalists in erence to the value and efficacy of Christ's death. That mortal m n endured as much and the same kind of suffer- ings as those of Christ, they unhesitatingly testify. And that the sufferings, blood, and death, of the apostles and early 238 rm: ATONEMENT OF CHRIfl lathers were endured in the 90MU cause and for the s<> purpose as those of Christ ; and that tlie death and stru^ incident in our political revolution, is a proper illustration of what Christ did and suffered for the welfare of man. Does the Bible teach such doctrine ? Universalists reply, most assuredly it does. Well, we have not so learned Christ, nor do the above quotations correspond with the views we cherish of the value and efficacy of the blood of the Redeemer. We have heretofore proved, that Universalism teaches, that all punishment for sin is confined to this life ; that all the enjoyments which flow directly from the gospel are circumscribed by the same limits ; that the deportment of man, whether good or evil, shall not affect his existence in the future life for weal or woe, being wholly confined to this mundane sphere ; and that the mission of Christ into this woxld, his labors, his teaching, his self-denial, his pas- sion and death, do not affect the existence of mankind in the spirit-world, either one way or the other, but their in- fluence is confined to this world. So far as the attainment of future blessedness, an exemption from all evil and the full enjoyment of fadeless glories, are concerned, they were just as certain and easy of access, independent of Christ, as with his aid. Mr. Sawyer says, " Christ came to save his people from their sins, and not from the punishment of sin ; to save man from deserving punishment, rather than from punishment deserved " If the only object of Christ, and for which he is rightlv entitled to the name " Savior,' ' is to save the children of men from sinning, from deserving punishment, and as Universalists maintain that in this life sin can only be committed ; then it is evident, that all the efficacy of Christ's teaching and death, whatever it may be, lone effective in this state of being. But above all, he is a very inefficient Savior, for but very few, if any, are lit, Wlii ! blur nilv they are not I or \\ ill i!i''. be in another u orld ; lor to it il the inte e in the ecstatic anthem of tl j nation, for thi and praise to the Lamb slain for their salvation. To Mr. dd the testimony of Mr. Ballou. lie -• Ml i!i i i' Scripture, which define the salvation, agree that Jesus Christ saves man from evil which attaches to him in the present world, and which of being." Mr. Whittemore .'Is from which Jesus came to save m- in this world, and for this reason he came into this world to save them." If Christ came to save men from the evils o£this world, and not of the future, and since nothing (rood or evil done here, shall transcend the bounds of time, there- fore all the work and good Christ designed^to effect for the human race must close with time. This being the case, when Universalist preachers descant on the final holiness and happiness of the human race in and through Christ, is infallibly certain because he died for all, they either thai they do nol sincerely believe in their own {\<>c- to deceiv pie by conform- ■i in heart and ■ in theory that the final salvation of the hu- man race is r\ Christ, why do they penly and 1 the world, then none would be hoodwinked and de- 240 Tit red. We ask in all candor, Lb their course ho coming men pro:. , : religion and integrity ! Why all this double-dealing, if their system is Founded on impregnable truth ! 'J 1 , picion on their theory, and on the integrity of their pro •nofit. Reader, scrutinize it el ttalyze its doc- trines, and compare them conscientiously with the Bible, before you intrust your well-being to it, either in this or in the future world ! But what were the sufferings of Christ, their intenseness, object, efficacy, and design ? What do die holy Scriptures h in reference to the mission, sufferings and death of Christ ? Were they indispensably necessary to effect the salvation from sin and from the penalty of the law, of any rational and accountable creature ? These questions an- swered will decide the correctness and scriptural nature of the faith of the orthodox, or of Universalism. They will turn the scale either one way or the other. 1. Universalism says, the sufferings of Christ were not peculiar; they were no more than those of mortal m of the apostles and martyrs. But what says the Bible ! The prophet Isaiah says, " Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him ; he hath put him to grief; when thou shalt.make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed." &c. Isa. liii. 10. "For he h^itli made him to be sin for us who knew no sin," &c. 2 Cor. v. 21. " Yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God and afflicted. Isa. liii. 4. The Savior cried out at his crucifixion, ki My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me." Matth. xxvii. 46. Now, though such sufferings can never be predicated of the apostles and martyrs, for they were favored with the helping presence of God, and their souls were not exceed- ing sorrowful, even unto death ; yet we do not imagine that the intense and heart-rending agony of Christ, just 1 111 r of en S41 to tin' I actually ' urj to and rend ir \ alid th lent. Though Paul m that the < 'apt tin of our salvation was made p( <\\ bu fieri) • to us, that oth ntered into the the just proportion of sufii ring he acti requisite to demo inable ; and the Buffering of Christ w w, firom the faet that iUy faultless, yet he suffered for sin, and it inflicted by divine justice so that God might have Is to suspend the penalty of law and justify the un- He Buffered not the full penalty of law incurred by guilty man, but enough to answer public justice and render isible for God to show his righteousness in exercising ill repenting offenders ; as Paul teaches, "whom rth to be a propitiation through faith in his . to declare his righteousness for the remission of that are past, through the forbearance of God ; to de- clare, I say, at this time, his righteousness, that he might be just, and the justifier of him who believe th in Jesus." Rom. iii. 25, 26. 2. Universalism teaches that the doctrine of the vicari- ous sufferings of Christ " is all wrong, an outrage, absurd, abomination in the sight of God.''' But what does the Bible teach in reference to this point ? By vicarious sufferings is meant, that Christ suffered in the place of the stead and to answer the demands of public our substitute in a two-fold sense — he gave his person in the place of the person of the shiner ; and hr; endured his sufferings in the place of the suff< i to the sinner. It is true, the Savior did not endure of the tr eptable substitute to the governmi THE A I OF DHBU God for those du ra adapted to declare th and prevent the impression upon th -that lie was reckless of truth. lavs, while condescending to pardon gufl them participants of the joys of his throne. Had Christ lured the identical siffferings of the transgressors, tl the principles of the atonement would have heen a virtual commercial transaction; the sufferings of Christ would have been the payment of a debt, a liquidation of all the obligations standing against the sinner, therefore he would be justly released from the penalty of the law and all de- served punishment — he would never again be liable to pun- ishment. Whereas, the atonement only provides an oppor- tunity of being released, a remedy and the privilege of se- curing a reprieve by faith in Christ. But if the sufferings of Christ were of such a character as affords sufficient grounds for God to exercise his pardoning clemency to re- penting rebels, and still manifest an uncompromising ab- horence at wrong and sin, shield his government from the imputations of imbecility, falsehood and injustice, and his character from cowardice, profligacy, and tampering with sin, then they were sufficient. The apostle Paul plainly inculcates the doctrine, that, though the Savior did not endure the identical sufferings due to transgressors, yet that it was indispensable that he should suffer vicariously for the children of men. Gal. iii. 13. "Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, ' Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree.' " Inasmuch as the children of men violated the sanctions of the law, they incurred its penalty or curse — they were liable to its execration and punishment ; but from the curse and punishment of the law, Christ redeemed and set them I The - ui the . I to the curse and punishment of I tree, through Christ by rings of Christ, though differ- of the wi endured in forth the ri is and affi :id for hii uiliv, ist. In th e from punisln ihe r ! perish !" A person may be fully persuaded of the truths of the gospel, of the advent of tjie Messiah, and of the grand ob- je» t for which he entered into the world ; he may assent intellectually to these truths and cherish no doubt in refer- ence to the'nH still all this will not constitute him a chris- tian. His faith must be of a different cast, must be char- acterized by a disposition to grasp the precious promises of God, and a determination to do the Father's will, to submit to his requirements and give up all for Christ ; then he shall ss the " substance t of things hoped for and the evi- dence of things not seen,' 7 and believe that God exists and he is the reu arder of all who diligently seek" for his mercies, This faith will be righteous, and introduce the 1 into the favor of God, it corres- ponds with whal h< . and takes hold of the merits of Chrisl as the only available means to gain the fa- vor of God and an acceptance with him. This is faith — I Jaith, If trusts and does the will of God as well as believes the truthfulness of his word. This faith not uiilv believes that Christ died, thai he came into this world i i REPENTANCE, FAITH AND REGENERATION. for this purpose, and that lie died for me; but it also influ- ences the soul to struggle and agonize for his grace, to be clothed with the Savior's righteousness, and to be strength- ened with might for every emergency and duty of life. Hundreds of people have no doubt of the mission and teachings of Christ, and that he came to be the Savior of the world, yet they are rebels against God, wicked and pro- fane, profligate and dishonoring religion. But not so with those who have genuinely believed in Christ ; their souls are washed and purified; they are obedient to God and- they have overcome the world, rejoicing in prospect of the second advent of him who is appointed the Judge of the world. But what is Regeneration ? That the pulpits occupied by Universalist preachers sound forth the terms regenera- tion and the new-birth, that they do not banish them from their discourses is evident ; but that they do not mean by them what is commonly understood is equally manifest. That they spurn the common notions of the new-birth, and that their definition is a caricature of the truth, we shall be able to show by their own language and arguments. Jason Lewis, while speaking in the name of the denomi- nation, says, "We further believe, that though all are God's children by creation, yet that those who imbibe his spirit and imitate his conduct, become his children in a different sense, being characteristically so ; and that such are repre- sented in the Scriptures as being 'begotten of God,' 'born of God,' &e." "We thus understand that the new-birth, usually so called, consists in the possession and practical exercise of that love which is inherent in Jehovah, and was manifested in Jesus Christ. And the way in which this filiation of mankind is effected, we understand to be, not by a miracle, but by means of faith in Christ, who is the im- age of God, or, which amounts to the same, by fully be- lieving the gospel of the grace of God.'' \ M I . 1 \1 I II \\h R1 ..I'M K I HON. That Mr. Lewis contends for such a new-birth at con- sists in the external character of man, in the principles ol morality, is obvious from his own Language, when he says, that those who "imbibe the spirit and imitate the conduct" of God, arc his children " characteristically" H< eludes all ideas of an internal change of soul, effected by the spirit and grace of God. This characteristic change of man which corresponds with the ideas of regeneration, he says, is effected by " fully believing the gospel of the grace of God." It should he recollected, that the faith for which Universalists contend, is a simple assent of the mind to the truth of the gospel on evidence. Because the gospel is at- tended with such an array of evidence as to prove its ori- gin to be from God, and its object benevolence to man, so as to convince the children of men of its truthfulness, there- fore this conviction or persuasion of mind, constitutes them characteristically the children of God. The amount of the matter is, that an historical faith, resulting in morality of character, is the new-birth of the Bible. This is Univer- salism. Another writer, under the signature of "A. C. T." whom we suppose to be A. C. Thomas, in an Essay on the new- birth, holds the following language and sentiments : " The doctrine of the new birth, as may clearly be shown, is re- solved into practical conformity to the heavenly law. Righteousness of life is the end to be attained ; and this is to be wrought by purifying the heart, and this, again, by enlightening the understanding.''' But the question might be asked, how shall the understanding, heart and life be- come thus changed? He answers: "He who is in error, is to be made acquainted with the truth as it is in Jesus ; he who is swayed by evil feeling and. motives, is to be brought under the influence of the love of God ; and he who is wandering in the dark mazes of sin, is to he intro- "258 Kfcl'LMA.v »., 1A1111 AND Ki.t. i:\lka I Los . faced to the path of the just," cVv. After stating, thai the " Jew must be converted from Judaism by faith in the M siah," and that the hearts of men must be influenced b active faith, purifying the heart, and that this faith of .tin head, and love of the heart must be made manifest in the life, showing "the morality of the new-birth £■ lie declares, that " in-.-this Scriptural exposition, nothing supernatural is implied, and nothing that involves the idea of a change of nature." " The understanding is first to be convinced, by art appeal to the evidences of the truth, thht Jesus is the Christ — and whosoever thus believes is bom of God" So it must be, that if devils believe*, that Jesus is the Christ, by .% an appeal to/ unquestionable evidenoes,*then they are also ... bora of God.' He states that believers sire the "first fruits of the Spirit^' .anil -that they "are a sample of the harvest,'" when the^fultand final' redemption shall take place, it will not merely include* "the believers only— (for these were simply the first fruits)-^— but the harves.t also, the whole world." If this writer designs to teach any thing* mofe t>y the new-birtli than a, change corresponding to that of a reclaimed drunkard, a reformed gambler, spendthrift or ' vagabond, a man who changes his views, feelings and ac- tion in reference to a party, then we are at a loss to under- stand the upshot of his reasoning.' We hear not a word of repentance, -the imploring cry for mercy while the heart throbs and sinks beneath ihe beating waves of conscious *guilt, nor of God justifying the believing soul in the name and by the merits of Christ, washing him in the crimson tide of Calvary. The fact app*ears to be; the man who for- sakes orthodoxy ; and in views, feelings and activity be- comes identified with Universalism, is born again and - "enjoys a special salvation in- faith and hope/' looking for universal salvation and holiness. This is, however, far from being born from above by ilje Spirit find "i .-mV of Christ Jesus. ENTAN4 !-, I All ll \M) i;i i.i.m i;ai VOX E. H. CI • food rotation, ilic momentary itnpulsi , thej a day ;"* but in M a fixed r 1 1 1 < 1 an ml upward journeying in the w to be born from above," &c. No change of hi tions of the spirit of < rod, nor a n ception of that * oul by which we know, that we h passed from death tinto Hie. A mere moral character is made to be the new birth, without the living and firm 1> of renewing grace in the heart Mr. LeFevre says, that " their views of it," (the new birth,) " may materially differ from those generally enter- tained/' He compares it to the revolution -of a nation from (drains and oppression to liberty and the rank of nations. Mr. Williamson declares, that " the radical change of the whole moral nature of man, brought about by the agency of the Holy Ghost, and amounting to a new creation" which many " profess to have experienced," M we were never able to discover it in their lives, or conversation." This proves that the"* above writer cannot discern what hun- dreds of thousands have become acquainted with by- a bless- ed experience and testified repeatedly to a dying world. "Mr. Hammond says, " To be born again, could mean nothing less than coming forth to a knowledge, or a belief, in the doctrine of life and immortality, through the medium * of the Savior of the world." Mr. Skinner' asks the ques- tion, u Can we suppose, in the work of conversion, there :iy supernatural in He replies, " We art converted in tin . we are redeemed from any error in science, or \ nt" How much Bible re- aeration is taught by this preacher of 1 aiveTsalism I And then he ad Is, •• To constitute man a true christian, it is only requisite that h should be properly developed ami cultivated" So theft an illiterate man-, 260 REPENTANCE, FAITH AND REGENERATION. whose mind lies uncultivated, and can only say " whereas once I was blind, but now I see," cannot be regenerated. A vaunt ! with such dark and anti-scriptural rationalism ! Mr. Grosh of Utica makes the new birth identical with a change of view of the nature of the kingdom of Christ. He says, referring to John iii. 1 — 13. " The birth by the Spirit, named by Jesus, in contradistinction to being born of the earth, earthy, probably refers to the earthly hopes en- tertained by the Jews respecting the Messiah— that they should not look for an earthly, but a spiritual kingdom." Thus whenever the Jews should change their views of the kingdom of Christ from a temporal to a spiritual kingdom, they should be born again of the Spirit. Another preacher who seems still more stupid in this doctrine, not only adds his testimony to the correctness of the above views of re- generation as applicable to the Jew, but he also affirms, that all who are born into the world since the introduction of the gospel dispensation, are inevitably and necessarily born again. To be brought into existence in the gospel age of the world, is all that is requisite to entitle any one to the enjoyment and privileges of regeneration. Do all the foregoing quotations correspond with what the prophets, Christ and the apostles taught and diligently pro- claimed to the inhabitants of the earth ? And does such teaching accord with the experience of tens of thousands, who have testified the grace of God, and many who have been the brightest ornaments of the human race ? We have reason to believe, that when they are compared, it will be found, that there exists between them an irreconcilable difference. Ez. xxxvi. 26. "A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you ; and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh." Here is a loss of the old heart, with all its corruptions and pollutions, and in its place is given a REPEtS i iN< i '. i \i Hi ami RE01 Mi: 1 1 I 261 heart, with a new disposition! purpose, d \ a change of heart >\± taught by the prophets. Eph. ii. 10, kk For yc are his workmanship, created in Chrisl Jesus unto good works, c^<•. ,, Gal. iv. ID. "Until Christ be formed within you." Col. i. 27. "Which is Chrisl in you, the hope of glory." Gal. vi. 15. 4 - For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision, hut a new creature." Titus iii. 5. " He saved us, by the washing of regeneration and re- newing of the Holy Ghost." John iii. 3. " Ye must be born from above." 1 Cor. vi. 11. " And such were some of you" — such wicked characters as he had mentioned in the preceding verses ; — " but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, hut ye are justified in the name of the Lord Je- sus, and by the Spirit of our God." All these Scriptures seem to speak of a divine energy in changing the heart, and that we are sanctified and justified by the grace and merit of Jesus Christ. That men may experience and perform many good and praiseworthy things, and still be void of regenerating grace, is quite among possible things, and sustained by the Bible. They may possess vast and critical knowledge, "the higher powers maybe properly developed and cultivated" in explor- ing the truths of ihe gospel — (1 Cor. xiii. I,) — may exhibit general and uniform morality — (Mark x. 17-22,) — they may be subjects of serious, poignant and overwhelming convic- tions — (Acts xxiv. 25,) — have minds willing, and with plea- sure, to listen to and receive the words of truth — (Matthew xiii. 20, 21,) — and still be unregenerate. The vital work of regeneration does not consist in any externals, which men may perform, or of which they may be the subjects, nor in the mere internal emotion which they may feel ; for it is "not by works of righteousness which we have done" but the Lord saves us " by the renewing of the Holy Ghost." Titu iii. 5. The new-birth is Che work of God — 202 S FAITH AM) REGENERATION. "of hi* own will begat he us with the word of truth" — (Janus i. 1 £,) — " which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God." (John i. 13.) It consists in the formation of a holy disposition in the soul, in swift succession to deep repentance before God and a grasping, a life-giving faith in Christ, ensuring our love of his truth, services aud character, and our hope of unmingled bliss, joyful praise, and an eternal exemption from unholiness. Did it consist in a mere change of opin- * ion, of behavior and of emotion, of baptism and profession ; then man might be the author of his own regeneration, or regenerate his fellow man; and it would not depend on a superhuman agency. But since it is requisite to create in the soul, that work which shall lie back of the will, to con- trol it, and to govern all the affections, desires, hopes and conduct of man, nothing short of God through the medium of Christ, and by the active operations of the Eternal Spirit can effect the work. This w r ork is an instantaneous one — many things may precede and succeed the w r ork ; — but the work of regeneration is, effected at once, for this reason : there is no medium between being godly and ungodly — be- ing the children of God and the children of the devil. All are absolutely either the one or the other. "There is, to our knowledge, and according, to the 'representations of the Scriptures, no intermediate .space or condition. They who are born from above, or translated from the po"\yers of darkness into the glorious kingdom of Christ, meet with a transition so sudden as to be performed in an instant. Their sins are plotted out, and their names are recorded in the Lamb's book of life. We speak not of the steps, opera- tions, feelings, sorrows, struggles and prayers which go before the new birth, nor of the gradual reception of the evidences that we are 'born again— they may be sudden or gradual' and extended, according to the faith in exercise or I \1 1 II AM) R] [ON. the pungency of the inward pangs and struggles — but* we speak o( the mere transition of regeneration. Now, we are m the struggle and gasping anxiety of the " strail | ami anon we emerge into the liberty of the sons of God and the joys of a present salvation. The thoughts of the mind, and the beams of light from the cross, dart through all the soul and light up the heart, with the suddenni the lightning's glare and rapidity. Thousands and tens of thousand have experienced the process of this inward and supernatural change, and feel competent to testify of this as a conscious fact. Once the subject to them appeared, as it does now to Mr. J. Lewis and his Universalist brethren, " as any irrational, unintel- ligible, incomprehensible dogma can be;" but now, since heaven has implanted within their soul a spiritual discern- ment, they can adopt the language of the Psalmist, " Come all ye that fear God and we will declare what he has done for our souls." They feel in the inward sanctuary of the soul, that "blessed is the man whose iniquities are forgiven and to whom the Lord does not impute his sins," and all within them vibrates to the praises of God. What they have known and felt, that with confidence they now can tell. 2. Some Universalists do not believe that repentance, faith and regeneration — or religion itself — are conditions of the blessings and mercies of God in this life. To deny that these things have any influence on the destiny of man in the future world, appears grossly erroneous and irrever- ent ; but to declare peremptorily that they are no conditions of the forgiveness of sin and for the attainment of the bless- ings of the kingdom of grace in this world, manifests downright recklessness, and sentiments of rank infidelity. Hosea Ballou declares as his opinion, that " No mistake can be greater than the supposition that the Divine Being Nil:, FAITH AM) REGENERATION. is induced to bestow his favors upon its, because he dis- Brs in us the religion which he approves." Then it is not necessary, according to the teaching of this modern Rabbi, that the children of men should possess the faith of Christ, — for "without this it is impossible to please God," and therefore it is the religicm he approves — in order to se- cure the favor of God. Religion and all it includes, is not requisite to please God. Again, he says, " It is an egre- gious mistake to suppose that Abraham's believing in the promise of God is the righteousness of faith by which he was constituted the heir of the world." Yet where is the common christian who does not know, that the Scriptures declare, that Abraham believed God, when he received the promise of the covenant and that his faith was reckoned to him for righteousness ? Again, he says, " that this faith by which we are justified is not our act of believing." " They believe that God requires our act of believing as a condition of our justification " So teaches Hosea Ballou, the founder of modern Universalism as the more excellent way. But what says Christ ? " He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved ; but he that believeth not shall be damned." What says Paul? Christ was set forth as a propitiation, " that God might be just, and the jitstifier of him which believeth in Jesus." Rom. iii. 26. "There- fore being justified by faith we have peace with God." v. 1. "For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus." Gal. iii. 26. All those were born of God and became "sons of God" who "believed on his name" John i. 12. The Lord put no "difference" between the Jew and Gentile, "purifying their heart by faith." Acts xv. 9. The Savior taught the people, that they must deny themselves, become humble, forsake all, confess him, take up the cross and follow him, in order to become his dis- ciptas. This was the ground the Savior and his apostles FAITH \ v PION. 266 assumed, and with Paul, we saj , if an; from heaven, preach any other gospel, Let him be accursed. 8. Though the great portion of [Jniversalista profess, that repentance, faith and regeneration are necessary to enjoy religion and the favor of God in this world, yet they all . thai they are not necessary to secure the happ\ of the futun state — that immortal life and glory beyond death and the grave, are not dependent on faith, the new birth and christian character here. This position they as- sume, when they reason, and discuss the conditions of sal- vation, the death and suffering of Christ, or man as in a o( probation. They deny that the present life has -'lincction or influence on the future state of existence They declare that the atonement of Christ, repentance and faith, the word of God, religion and prayer, and the godly deportment of man, will no more secure to him the glory and happiness of the future state of being, than though they had never been; but that their virtue and influence will be wholly spent and be confined to this life. Moreover, that the wickedness and barbarism of the children of men will not affect nor determine the nature of their existence in the spirit-world ; that across the stream of death nothing vile, polluting and destructive can be borne, every work rebounds and every influence recoils at the shores of death. This position, so prominent and deemed of such indispensable importance to the character and maintenance of Universal- ism, should be well and thoroughly comprehended by the world. Let us now show that the above is the correct and precise ground of Universalism. Mr. Jason Lewis declares, that " Universalists believe that although salvation in this world is, in some sort con- ditional, that is to say, is enjoyed only by means of faith, good works, etc. yet that salvation in a state of immortality, is by no means suspended upon any exercises or acts of REP! FAITH AND RFGENERAI the creature while in this state That in this Mr. J. Lewis echoes the correct sentiment of Universale in his synop- doctrines, is unquestionable, for it is fully sustained by many other writers. Then we have the doctrine unequivocally expressed, that the salvation in the immortal world is in nowise dependent on any thing that man can do in this life. If. in their opinion, heaven is never realized by man in view of his religion and godly deportment, it cannot be deemed strange, that thy should rt, that the wicked cannot do any tiling to forfeit future glory or incur the pains of hell. A. C. Thomas says, while referring to Is. xl. 22. and speaking of God's plan of salvation. M Can the faith' of a million of grasshoppers add a tithe of a chance to what the Lord has secured, or cause one jot or tittle of His plan to fail ?" Again ; he says, - the happiness of the future state is not dependent on the exercises of faith in any doctrine whatever. "Were it * * * there would be no certainty of the salvation of any of our race." According to this writer, the happiness of the future world is so surely fixed, that none of our race can fail of it, whether they believe or dis- believe God ; for it is not u contingent of faith." Mr. Balfour says : u that faith and obedience are abso- lutely necessary to a participation of the privileges and bit ings of Christ's kingdom on earth," but not "need partaking of the immortal life by Christ Jesus beyond death and the grave ;" this is effected by being " raised immortal in the resurrection." So teaches Balfour. O. A. Skinner says. *• So far as admission into endless glory is concerned, the saint and sinner stand on a per- fect level.'' There ! who dare dissent from this assertion! Mr. Williamson teaches that the sentiment, " that men are to be saved in another world, because they are fortu- nate enough to believe it so, or lost because they believe it Ki pi NTANCE, i ai in wi> Rl ..i.m B I I ION. r/y nhsuiul and utterly unphilosophical." I be Bible teaches all the world, believe ami be - oi die tnl he damned. Do such men not preach another gospel than that given by Jesus Chi : " The COmmOIl method oi \ of being religious, or of having religion in order in />r prepared f<> die and f<> be happy in the future state" he thinks is disastrous in us Influence, and one that ought io he deprecated. If this is the opinion of Ballon, who shall marvel, that the sentiment Is reiterated by the entire brotherhood ! Religion is not necessary to enter heave?!, should be painted on the doors of their churches and on the pulpits; and eVen to urge religion upon our fellow-men in order to prepare them to die, should be deprecated. This, the world should understand, to. escape the delusion, for it spreads the true colors to the breeze, that of downright infidelity. Mr. Le Fevre remarks: "It has been generally taught, thai unless a man is born into Christ's kingdom here on earth, he cannot be received into his eternal kingdom here- after. It is farther taught that comparatively few in the world are so born. We are aware that these are the doc- trines of men, but certainly they are not the command- ments of God" Mr. Lewis also declares the doctrine erroneous, which would make the new birth necessary to gain a happy future state and to make men the exclusive heirs of salvation. And he then asserts, that " the whole of our race, will, at length become characteristically the children of God." He means of course that this will be effected by the resurrection of the dead. Another writer adds his testimony in the following lan- : "our final condition is in no way dependent on our being bom again here.'" After the testimony of so many, that immortal blessedness is not dependent on re- 268 REPENTANCE, FAITH AND REGENERATION. pentance, faith and regeneration, who dare call it in ques- tion any longer, or attempt to prove that they are essential ? Let all the expounders of the Bible and preachers of the gospel stand in awe and be careful riow they urge the duty of religion upon man, and raise the tocsin of alarm to a de- generate and profligate race. First learn, at the feet of such modern Rabbis as Ballou, Lewis, Williamson,, Le Fevre, Grosh and Skinner, what the Scriptures mean, be- fore they call on men to repent, believe, be converted and follow Christ. And learn also whether the conduct of men has any moulding influence on their characters beyond death and the grave. Ye orthodox upstarts, attend to this advice ! We shall add the opinion of one more writer to prove the position of Universalism in reference to repentance and faith as they influence the future destiny of men. S. W. Brittan, in a sermon delivered at Bridgeport, Conn, em- ploys the following language : " The glory and happiness of the future no more depend upon the faith and works of the creature than the resurrection itself. The resurrection is not to be accomplished through our merits, but through the power of God. And if faith and works cannot raise the dead, how can these be supposed to determine our con- dition in the world to come ?" This writer ought to become not only Master of Arts, but also a Doctor of Divinity, for he has shown himself worthy, by producing such logical reasoning and depths of Biblical lore. Who would assume the position, that the religious faith and good works of any man would qualify him to raise the dead, and thus wrest this omnipotent power from the hand of Christ, though the dead have been raised by the agency of man ? Well, if they cannot raise the dead, for the same reason, they can- not "determine our condition in the world to come." What logic ! It is akin to that when we say, that because a man REPENTANCE, FAITH IND REGENERATION. 269 world, therefore he cannot build a h< Because he cannot create souls for his fellow-men, there- fore he cannot influence them for good or evil — he may his own character, but cannot destroy it. It not follow, that because faith and good works, and the merits of man cannot raise the dead, therefore a chri character cannot influence his future state of The reasoning would appear more logic . that since nothing that man can do, can form his character in this world, therefore, not any mode of life or any particular ac- tion can c licet his character hereafter. You may say, matter of fact disproves your premise; man's life here does his character. Very well; were you as well ac- quainted with matter of fact in the future world as you arc in this, you might as plainly see, that matter of fact dis- proves your conclusion. Analogy and Scripture will make this equally clear. In its proper place, this will be shown. By what means or in what way do Universalists expect all the world will be saved ? Since they declare that the atonement of Christ, his precious blood, repentance, faith, i w birth, religion, the godly life jof man, have not, nor can procure, nor in any way affect or determine the immortal life and blessedness of heaven. How then will they be saved ? In what way will they get to heaven ? These are important inquiries, and should be fairly and .candidly answered, Instead of standing as the assailed, and ling the citadel of truth, let us reconnoitre the ground iversalism and test the soundness of its proofs and m- • ations. We can devote at present the space oi to sift the most prominent passages, on which they rely to prove the full, final and necessary salvation of the entire human race. 1. The strongest fortification they have reared around this doctrine, which inevitably secures the salvation of all 270 REPE FAITH AND REGENERATION. men, and which they presume is impregnable, is the doc- trine of the resurrection of tit [n this they g] i and from its high tower they espy the result of a world's salvation, without the possibility of a failure in consequence of what the world now is, its character, its conduct and morals. The resurrection of the dead will- blot out and throw the curtain of oblivion over all the deeds of man, purify and fit our race for God's eternal presence. This position we shall sift in the chapter on the Resurrection of the Dead. 2. They say, that it is the will of God. The passage upon which they rely to prove this point, may be found recorded in 1 Tim. ii. 3, 4. " For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior ; who will have all men to be saved and to •come unto the knowl- edge of the truth." We readily admit that the phrase, %i all men," includes the human family, and that it is -just as unlimited as Universalism would have it; and that it is God's will, in a Scriptural sense, that all men should be saved — yet we cannot perceive that it is a necessary con- sequence, that all will inevitably be saved. For Univer- salists, to prove their conclusion from this passage, must either deny that man is a moral agent, or else declare that the voluntary agency of every rational and accountable creature will always chime in with the will of God — they must deny that the salvation of man is conditional, and ad- mit that it is unconditional. We think that we have else- where triumphantly proven, that the grace and salvation of God are proffered to men conditionally, therefore it need not be discussed again. That man is a moral agent and wields a control over himself according to his own deter- mination, is a position quite tenable, and there are but few found who record their denial of it. It is the basis of all moral government, of the promises and requirements of the !\n\n, i \i in \m» R] '.im R I nON* M < — it laws the foundation of all accountableness to man Mid to God. Nothing but the blind influence of fatalism, and unpardonable stupidity v ill reject such an obvious and tltial doctrine. Gbd will have all men tO be saved. What is meant by I ! Docs it mean salvation from sin in this world, Or final salvation in the world, to come? The. Universalist it means to be saved in heaven, otherwise he would not adduce this passage as proof of such an event. But what right have they to do so? Can man not be saved from sin in this life; and if this is all the passage means, then it is no proof of the happiness of the future state. Their mode of procedure is, whenever a passage would prove any condition or lot of man in the future world, which does not accord with their scheme, to deny that it :\ such application; and to apply all passages which seem to favor their position to the present or future world, whether they really have such application or not. Who has ever read Walter Balfour and others, and is not con- vinced of this ? Let them prove the application of the text as used by them, and that it has no reference to this life. We think it is evident, that it applies to this life, and to the world to come. God desires to see every man, wo- man and child saved from sin in this life, and to effect this he has made ample provision ; as well as to see them out- ride the storms and gain heaven's blissful shores. Though facts testify that a great proportion of the human race live in sin and riot in foul rebellion against God, spurn and dash to the ground the cup of salvation, yet the fault is not in the provision nor will of God. So in the future world, facts may then exist as incontestable arguments that many have made shipwreck of their soul and lost heaven, though the ample provisions of grace and the zvill of God would have crowned them with perennial glory. 12 272 REPENTANCE, FAITH AND REGENERATION. God tiritl have all men, $»c. What should we understand by the will of God ? Mr. Grosh of Utica says, that it is God's determination, and is positive. By this we under- stand that God has decreed the salvation of all men uncon- ditionally. If so, we should be pleased to see Mr. Grosh or his coadjutors prove that God has made any such decrees affecting the salvation of mankind. Let them prove and not feed the world with dogmatical assertions. Here is a task ; up to the work ! If the will of God, as used in the text, includes the de- cree of God, it must be a conditional one ; for the follow- ing reasons. It is inconsistent for God to make any other decree, without destroying his own work, or else, first ma- terially altering the nature of man in his physical and mor- al structure. So long as man continues to be a moral agent, his whole moral and responsible character being based on this fundamental attribute, so long God cannot and will not, issue any absolute decree, involving his moral being and overriding the freedom of will. God may issue positive decrees, which for their execution depend solely on his own agency ; but whenever they involve the agency of man, they must necessarily be contingent. This is clear and Scriptural. Every absolute decree of God is dependent on his sole agency, and will be carried out in effecting the thing decreed, and at the time decreed. If the ivill oj God, as used in the text, teaches an absolute decree, then it must be fulfilled now and not at some future time, for it is his will to have all men saved now, therefore, since all men are not now saved from sin, nor brought to the en- joyment of heaven, thu will of God in the text is not a pos- itive decree. But if it only implies a contingent decree, depending on the agency of man for fulfillment, then as many as shall comply, and so soon as they shall comply with God's appointments and conditions of salvation, shall mi, FAITH 1ND REGBNERAT1 273 be saved from Bin in tins life, shall come to the knowledge of the truth, and by persevering to the end of life, shall se- cure the glorious rest of heaven and undyin lation. Then all may be saved, provided they come to God through Christ — come to the knowledge of the troth notu, i from sin and Condemnation ROI0, and at death saved and conveyed to the unfading glories of the upper and better world. Hut if man will not eome to the knowledge of the truth, he shall remain in ignorance ; if he will not come to Christ as the only way of salvation, (Acts iv. 12.) he must remain in condemnation, sin and ruin; and if he will not walk in the highway of holiness, he shall not have life, nor arrive at the Father's house, eternal in the heavens. Has man the power and privilege, though at his own peril, to rebel against the will of God and tread it beneath his feet ? Most assuredly. In this way only can we ac- count for all the sin and misery in the world, and vindicate the character of God from all reproach. God's law is his will, and every sin is a violation of that law ; therefore, if man could not spurn, and do contrary to the will of God, there could be no sin in the world. Adam could not have sinned, and the millions of our race could not have com- mitted sin. The Savior could not have said to the wicked Jews, " How often ivould I have gathered you together — and ye ivould not." " Ye will not come to me, that ye might have life." Nor would the Lord of hosts have de- clared to rebellious Israel by the mouth of his inspired prophet, " I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn and live." Then it is very evident, that it is perfectly true and hon- orable to the character of God for him to say, " I will have all men to be saved," and yet, equally true, that millions may fail of glory forever. 3. "It is God's purpose to 3ave all ??ie»i." 274 REPENTANCE, FAITH AND REGENERATION. Eph. i. 9, 10. u Having made known unto us the mys- tery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself: that in the dispensation of the fulness of times, he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth, even in him." It will not be necessary to give an elaborate discussion of the purposes of God, for this is not the object for which these passages are quoted ; but they are quoted to prove the following position, as stated by Mr. Grosh : " the text must include those out of Christ, as well as those in Christ — literally * all things ' — all intelligent beings in heaven and in earth." Let it suffice to say, that the purpose, or decree of God, as referred to in the text, is designed to express, that in the omniscient mind of God there was an intention, planned and arranged, perfectly agreeable to the deep consciousness of his soul, that at a certain time, he would gather together into one family and heavenly society, all those who were in Christ, by having become new creatures according to the plan of God — all these should be gathered under one head at that time, whether before that time they were scattered to the four winds of the earth, or had died and gone to heaven. God's plan and purpose was, as stated in the text, to bring togeth- er into one, (or as elsewhere said, into the new heaven and earth wherein -dwelleth righteousness,) all things in Christ, the things in the heavens and the things in the earth, even the things which are in Christ, into whom they were called by God, according to his own purpose and grace, and not according to any human works, or plan, by the gospel ; and after believing this gospel, they were sealed with the holy spirit of promise, as belonging unto Christ ; at which time they received a pledge of a purchased possession, of being gathered to heaven at the end of time. It does not read, that God will gather together all things into Christ, wheth- 1BP1 FAITH AM) Rl riON. er in heaven and in the earth! as it should read to make out Uniyeraaliem, to include those out of Chri •i Christ ; but it reads, that God will gather to- ot collect together and compri \e, (for - the meaning of the verb, anakephalaioo,) all thing* 'fist, wlinvvcr the] may be dispersed in this wide world. Since those arc brought together who are in Christ — ill christians, - tor if any man be in Christ, he is a new lire" — it docs not therefore follow of necessity, that those out of Christ, or the wicked, shall he gathered into Christ also. The Savior tells us how and when the wick- ed shall be gathered — they shall be gathered together, 'tis true, and also be bound in bundles ; but they shall be cast into the fire and burned. (John xv. 6.) This cannot be heaven, unless Ballou is correct, when he interprets fire as the fire of God's love. The interpretation of Mr. Grosh, is far more shrewd, than candid or Scriptural, when he says, that all christians are already gathered together — that they are all one in Christ Jesus, whether bond or free, male or female — that therefore they cannot be gathered again, consequently the gathering together, spoken of in the text, must mean those out of Christ. It is true, that all christians are baptised with one spirit, have one God and Father, one mercy-seat, one hope of their calling, that Christ is their one name in heaven, though the family is now scattered through heaven and earth i yet it is also desirable, and that is the blessed promise of the text, that their pilgrimage and separation in person shall end, and that then they shall be gathered to- gether and caught up, and be forever with the Lord. Another portion of Scripture : Phil. ii. 9 — 11. " Where- fore God hath also highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name, that at the name of Je- sus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things REPENTANCE, FAITH AND REGENERATION. in earth, and things under the earth ; and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." A similar Scripture we read in Isa. xlv. 23 — 25. " I have sworn by myself, the word is gone out of my mouth in righteousness, and shall not return, That every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear. Surely, shall one say, In the Lord have I righteousness and strength : even to him shall men come, and all that are incensed against him shall be ashamed. In the Lord shall all the seed of Israel be justified and shall glory." The latter Scripture formed a prophecy of Christ ; and Paul records it so far as it was fulfilled, and the rest he reiterates, antic- ipating the fulfillment. In another epistle Paul declares, when it shall be wholly fulfilled, and gives it the inspired application. Rom. xiv. 9 — 12. "For to this end Christ both died, and rose, and revived, that he might be Lord both of the dead and living. But why dost thou judge thy brother ? or why dost thou set at nought thy brother ? for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. * For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me and every tongue shall confess to God. So then every one of us shall give an account of himself to God." The use Universalists make of these Scriptures, and others of a similar character, is, that God has proclaim- ed upon oath the final salvation of our entire race, there- fore it will without fail be accomplished. There are two prominent traits in these Scriptures from which they infer their conclusion. Because every knee shall bow to Christ, and every tongue shall confess him to the glory of God the Father. These passages have greatly encouraged them to persist in their faith, and formed chords upon the harp attuned to the song of universal salvation. But does the expression, that every knee shall bow to God, imply the salvation of i \mi and R] OENl R4 nON. iU nich I This point needs proof and requires to be forti- fied with clear and Scriptural argumentation. Thai both i and Paul spoke of the day and time of the Judg- ment, is unquestionable — then all who shall be incensed s1 him, and all the seed of Israel, shall come before ■ -at of Christ to give their account, for all shall gift an account of themselves to Pod, and be reward- ed accordingly : those who arc enraged againBl God, or are his enemies, shall ho ashamed ami disappointed, while all who are the seed of Israel, the true Israel of God and his children by faith, shall be justified, be proclaimed inno- cent and accepted, and then shall they rejoice and praise Most High, Yet those who bow the knee, whether willingly or by a forced subjection, shall be ready to ac- knowledge that in the Lord is righteousness and strength, B literal translation of the Hebrew would read, "sure- ly, he shall say of me, in Jehovah is all righteousness and strength." All will acknowledge, that Christ is a gracious, a sufficient and a just Savior, I. The Universalist takes for granted the very thing which needs proof: that all who bow the knee to God, the Judge of the whole earth, are reconciled and made christians. While history, facts, if not the very words of bowing the knee as most commonly used, would afford grounds for an opposite conclusion. The idea of bote- the knee to a superior, has closely allied with it the forced subjection of an enemy, he bows as a captive prostrate and grounds his weapons at the feet of his con- queror. This is more probable from the fact that Christ is represented as reigning and going forth to subdue his foes. It cannot mean a willing submission to Christ from the fact, thai the text we have quoted, represents that all come to God, and that many who bow the knee, are at the same time enraged against God, though forced to ac- knowledge, after God justifies his ways and character be- 278 REPENTANCE, FAITH v\I> REGENERATION* fore the universe of intelligences, that he was righteous in appointing just such a Savior as Christ. This they will confess with shame, confusion and great disappointment. Now it cannot be within the limits of bare possibilities, that any rational beings, with hearts steeped in anger and mal- ice, can bow the knee and soul to God in t that sense, as shall make them humble, cross-bearing, and Scripturally reconciled to God. Therefore, for aught we know, all who shall bow the knee at the time spoken of by Isaiah and Paul, shall be subdued as the foes of Christ, and receive the reward of wrath and tribulation. It is evident, that all who are at that time enraged against God shall be doomed captives, and writhe under the ire of the Conqueror. We will state a case apposite and clearly illustrative of the above Scriptural citations, so far as they have reference to bowing before God and confessing Christ the Lord to the glory of God the Father. One of the Roman Empe- rors, Julian, the Apostate, who was embittered against Christianity, and put forth all his energy and influence to persecute and exterminate the religion of Christ from the earth with flame and sword. In one, and the last bloody engagement on the open field of battle, he received his mor- tal wound, and while lying on the earth and in his life- blood, his thoughts ran over his past life and his present designs, and knowing that his hopes and ambition were cut off, he felt malice and rage rankling in his heart against the living Savior, he seized the earth mingled with his clot- ted blood, and hurled it up to heaven and exclaimed, " Je- sus of Nazareth thou hast conquered me! " The Empe- ror was subdued, he bowed his knee and confessed the Lord Jesus Christ, yet he w r as incensed against the Lord. Was he a christian ? did he become a christian while thus bowing before God a conquered foe and confessing Christ the Lord? Nay, verily, none dare avow this before God. Well, so it will be in the last great day ; the stoutest, the N pj \ i \\( I , i ah ii \m> RKOBNBRA1 ION. igefiil, and most embittered enemies of Gods ^vill how before the rod of Christ, and aa slain foea confess not only that Jesua Christ is just and holy, but also that the administrations of the Almighty are full of integrity, and are unimpeachable. The infidel Voltaire, and Aitamont also bowed before («<«1 and confessed Christ. fie who had emblazoned on his black standard the watchword* "Crush the Wretch," on his dying bed bowed his hrazen heart, and confessed his career was down to hell. And he who had murdered Ids precious time and done despite to Christ the Savior, bowed his head and acknowledged his liahship, and sought and prayed for the deepest caverns of hell to hide him from the withering frow r n of his con- quering God. Such are some of the fruits of the conquests of Christ, of those who bow the knee before him by a forced subjection ; and if so, it will not be strange that the tribes of the earth shall wail, when they shall see the Lord descending from the parting skies with all the myriads of the upper world to erect his tribunal, and call up the sleep- ing millions to their dread account. Like Belshazzar, their knees shall smite together, and faintness shall lay them prostrate. And where, O reader, will you then stand ? ('an your heart and hands endure in the Lord's avenging day ! Stop, O stop ! and call for mercy now ! 2. To confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of the Father, must imply true religion ; for " no man can say that Jesus is the Lord but by the Holy Ghost." That the form of expression to signify the idea, " to confess Christ to the glory of the Father," is not so very essential, is evi- dent from the varying expressions used by Isaiah and Paul. They . shall swear," "confess to God," " confess that Jesus is Lord to the glory of the Father." All these mean the same thing. That the captive foes of God may make this acknowledgment withoul becoming 12* 280 REPENTANCE, FAITH AND REGENERATION. christians, is just as clear, as that they can declare, that " in God there is all righteousness and strength," and yet re- main unblessed, yea, incensed against God. That when Paul says that u no man can say that Jesus is the Lord but by the Holy Ghost," he cannot possibly mean, that no man has the physical ability to say so ; but rather, that no one who anathematizes Christ can be a christian, nor will any one subject himself to the guidance and control of Christ unless he is influenced to do so by the Spirit of God. We think that we have sufficiently shown, that the passa- ges above quoted, instead of proving the reconciliation of the entire rational world to God, prove that many shall fall before Christ as conquered foes, and that in their mal- ice and rage against God, they shall be ashamed and con- founded; while alone the "seed of Israel," the true ser- vants and faithful children of light shall be justified and re- joice in Christ. Acts iii. 21. "Whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spo- ken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began." It is a little singular, that at one time Universal- ists deny that the Old Testament has any reference to the future world, but declare that all its instructions, promises and threatenings are confined to this life ; and then at an- other time they quote from the same book in order to prove their peculiar doctrine. O, consistency, thou art a jewel ! The passage above quoted refers to all the prophets, and repeats just what they wrote, so that, if their writings have no reference to the future world, Universalists cannot pos- sibly prove the reconciliation of the whole rational world to God by the above passage* What restitution did the prophets speak of? Answer this and the passage is explained. Let Peter expound his own declaration. The times referred to is the gospel dis- KKri'M'WVi, PAITH AND REGENERATION. 281 'ion, from the days of Christ unto the end of the world. During this time God should pour out his bles- sings, and send times of refreshing, therefore the people should receive the instructions of the Lord and repent. One peculiar feature in the restitution of all things is what was spoken of by Moses, that the Lord should raise up a great prophet unto whom the people should listen, and it should come to pass, that every soul who would not ohey the instructions of that prophet (viz. Christ,) should be de- stroyed from among the people. The disobedient be de- stroyed in the times of this restitution of all things — the teaching of the prophets is rather fatal to Universalism. All the prophets, says Peter, from the days of Samuel unto the end of the succession, have reiterated the same truths. This same apostle declares that the promise is particularly to the Jew, he had the privilege to partake of all the bles- sings of the covenant made with Abraham, and that Christ, the great Prophet, had come first to the Jewish nation, preaching repentance, and whoever should obey his instruc- tions, should be blessed with a remission of sins and es- cape destruction. These were the times of refreshing and of restitution spoken of by the holy prophets. If the la- bors and times of John, the Baptist, could be spoken of as the restitution of all things ; with how much more proprie- ty could the labors and times of Christ, of the apostles, and of all succeeding ages to the end of the world, be called the " times of restitution of all things." It was said of John, spoken of in the character of Elias, that " Elias truly shall first come, and restore all things" Matth. xvii. II. " Re- store," and " restitution" are translations of the same origi- nal word. Now, if John the Baptist reconciled all the ra- tional world to God, then there was nothing more for Christ to do. If this was not done under the ministry of the fore- runner of Christ, nor had to be so of necessitv in view of RKPfiNI UH i • FAITH AM) REGENERATION. what Christ said of him ; then neither will there be an in- evitable necessity that our whole rare should be saved in new of what all the prophets declared. Do you ask, why such terms are there employed in the Scriptures as those of the text J We reply, that the provisions of grace and the instructions of Christ are adapted to this end, and this would have been the effect, if all would avail themselves of that grace and comply with his divine teaching. But the Jews, many of them at least, would not hear that prophet, nor turn from their iniquity, therefore they were destroy- ed, and not restored to the favor of God. So it has been and so it will be unto the end of time — during the times of restitution. Then if the doctrine of universal salvation is Scriptural, it must be found in other passages, which have not yet been examined. 4. Universalists say, that it is certain, that all men will be saved in view of the promises. We have seen that it is not certain from the will, purposes and oath of God, there- fore let us now see, whether this result is warranted as in- fallibly certain, from the promises which the Lord has re- corded on the page of Holy Writ. The promise on which the greatest reliance is placed, may be found in God's covenant with Abraham. Gen. xxviii. 14. "In thee and in thy seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed/' vide also. Gen. xii. 1 — 3. xviii. 18. xxii. 18. all these passages record the same promise. Now, what do Universalists understand by this promise and what blessings does it contain? Let Mr. Grosh of Utica answer for the whole fraternity, in his criticism on this promise. He says, "The blessing in Christ, means then, a salvation from sin, or justification, regeneration, and finally, an immortal salvation in the resurrection " Should we interpret the passages of the Bible, speaking of the wrath and curse of God with such amplification, as this ur.n:\ i w i , FAITH \\n REGENERATION. 288 promised blessing ui interpreted by UniverealUte* it would be looked upon, by them, as ;i new thing under ihe sim. rue, thai God promised unto Abraham tig, in him and in his seed. What u this blessing I The final salvation of our race as of infallible certainty ' Thi« needs proof — Btrong, unequivocal and Bible proof. 1. This promise of God, was a covenant promise made to Abraham. That this is a covenant, is eoneeded by jail parties. Well, what is a covenant ? A covenant, is aeon- tract entered into by two or more parties under certain con- ditions, limitations and obligations, and whenever the regu- lations and reciprocal duties are faithfully carried out, then all the benefits held to view in the covenant shall be real- ized; but if otherwise, the covenant becomes null and void. These are the common-sense features of all secular and moral contracts, and they enter into all the contracts of God witli man, requiring the moral agency of the latter. So that, whatever the blessing promised to Abraham was, it was a conditional one, provided it required the agency of Abraham. That this was the case, is undeniable, for it required him to believe in God, as it also requires faith in all the posterity of man, in order to attain the blessing pro- mised and become the heirs of God. 2. This covenant included the possession of temporal Canaan, and that his posterity should be very numerous. This is plainly specified in the promise. 3. That from him should spring the Lord Jesus as a direct lineal descendant, who should set up the gospel king- dom, and open the door of light and truth to a bewildered world, and execute a plan by which the children of men might be redeemed from the curse of the law and become the children of God by faith. The covenant of works was set aside, and the covenant of grace and faith was intro- duced as its more .glorious substitute. Every where it is 284 REPENTANCE, FAITH AND REGENERATION. spoken of an unalterable condition, that men should believe in Christ, and that all those who have faith in Christ, are Abraham's seed and heirs according to promise. This blessing was made, not as the legal privileges of the Jews, which were wholly confined to them and their proselytes, but they were to be available to all the kindreds of the earth, to the Gentiles as well as to the Jews. Though Christ was a great blessing, yet there was a blessing included in the pro- mise which should come to the Gentiles " through Christ." The promise was not only made to Abraham, but also and particularly to Christ — the Seed. Gal. iii. 16— -19. It is true, that God sent Jesus to Israel first, preaching repentance and conversion for the remission of sins, so that • they might be blessed in turning every one from his iniqui- ty. Acts iii. 26. This was the great object of Christ and of the gospel institutions. That many blessings might be specified as the result of Christ's entrance into this world, is unquestionable ; but the result contemplated by Univer- salists and for which they quote the promise, we summarily deny. No such promise is made and no such result is rendered infallibly certain, as the necessary holiness and final salvation of the entire human race. This result can alone be obtained by FAITH, repentance and conversion to God, if therefore the Universalists were correct in the interpretation and application of the promise, they could not realize it, seeing they reject the very conditions and means for its attainment. If the promise could only be enjoyed by faith, and faith is rejected, then the promise must fail. This is evident. Thus Universalism destroys the very promises on which it builds. What is the particular blessing promised in the Abra- hamic covenant ? Is there a source of any definite infor- mation on the subject? The promise itself would indicate a Spiritual blessing, but what one in particular is not sug- RSPVNTANCE, PA1TH \M> REGENERATION. $86 i. If the New Testament doea not declare* then our opinion will rest on mere probability. Paul speaks much of this covenant and of the faith of Abrahams and it is alto- gether likely, that he understood it better than tJniversalists do, What docs he say the blessing was I Examine Gal. iii. 1 1. "That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the prouii.se of the Spirit through faith," This learned and clear-sighted apOstle declares, that the thing in which all the kindred of the earth shall be blessed through Christ, is the "promise of the Spirit." Not Universal salvation, but the quickening influences of the Spirit. We are satisfied from the Scriptures, that this blessing was chiefly eyed in the Abrahamic covenant. There is a regular chain of pro- mises from Abraham unto the end of apostolic teaching in reference to the Spirit of God. Let us take a glance at these promises, and see how full and complete they are. Is. xxxii. 15. " Until the Spirit be poured upon us from on high, and the wilderness be a fruitful field, and the fruitful field be counted for a forest." xliv. 3. ''For I will pour water upon him that is thirsty, and floods upon the dry ground; I will pour my Spirit upon thy seed, and my blessing upon thine offspring." Acts i. 4, 5. " And being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me : for John truly baptized with water ; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost, not many days hence." John vii. 38. " He that believeth on me, as the Scripture hath said, out of his belly shall How rivers of living water. (But this spake he of the Spirit, &c") xvi. 13. " Howbeit, when he, the Spirit of truth is come, he will guide you into all truth, &c." xiv. 16, 17. "And I will pray the Father, and he shall send you another comforter, that he may abide 280 KEl'EMANCE, FAITH AND REGENERATION. with you forever; even the Spirit of truth, &c." Tim who wish to investigate the subject more extensively may read the following passages in addition. Is. lix. 21. Jer. xxxi. 33-, xxxii. 40. Ezek. xi. 19.,xxxvi. 27. John xvi. 7. Eph. i. 13. The above quotations seem to constitute a conclusive proof, that the prominent blessing of the Abrahamic, or gospel covenant was the promise of the Holy Spirit.. There is another Scripture peculiarly applicable to this point found recorded in John xvi. 8. "And when he is come, [the Spirit] he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment." Where is the kindred, or nation of the earth, which is not convinced of sin, and of a great lack of substantial happiness, and of not being the favorites of heaven? What mean all the heathen rites, sacrifices and self-tortures ? Are not all these' demonstra- tions of the fact, that the world is convicted of sin, of right- eousness and of judgment ? And whenever mankind shall follow the leadings of that Spirit, and receive him by faith, he shall prove to be a sanctifier. Though a man may be convicted of sin by the Spirit, yet he cannot become cleansed and sanctified unless he receive the promise of the Spirit by faith. Paul says, this blessing came upon the Jew and the Gentile through Christ by faith. Paul makes the inquiry in Gal. iii. 2. "Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?" The Sa- vior says : " he that believeth on me, as the Scriptures have said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive." John vii. 38, 39. From all we have said, it is evident, that the gospel pro- mise to Abraham and to Christ, instead of teaching and insuring the final holiness and salvation of our entire race, affords quite a different blessing, the influence of the Holy FAITH and RBOBNII \ I I 287 . and that die prominent object of the influence and convictions of the Spirit) is to sanctify bblievbi i Aim. \iul since Universalisip rejects faith .-is absolutely to attain holiness and heaven, therefore they are excluded from the glorious and lasting benefits of the gospel covenant, 0, repent ye, and be converted, that ye may en- joy the times of refreshing from the Lord I 5. Universalistfl affirm, "thai the mission of Christ ab- solutely insures the salvation of nil men." We have here- tofore shown that Universalism does not attribute the holi- ness and salvation of saints in heaven to Christ, or to any thing he has done ; but that all the benefits of " his mission and teaching" are wholly confined to this life. This posi- tion we proved by numerous quotations from their own writers, therefore when they come before the world and proclaim the salvation of all men as a necessary result of the mission of Christ, they flatly contradict themselves and prove themselves unworthy of confidence. It is no less true of them than of any one else, "that a double-minded man is unstable in all his ways." But what proof do they seem to have, which satisfactor- ily shows, that the mission of Christ renders the final ho- liness and salvation of all men infallibly certain ? While speaking of the mission of Christ and the conditions of the gospel, Mr. Grosh feels some embarrassment in view of man's ability and the conditions of the gospel, he makes the following remarkable declarations : " It is called, ' the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation' — because it is just as true before the sinner believes, as it is afterwards — the only difference being, that the unbeliever has not the knowledge of his salvation till he believes the gospel, and is, therefore in darkness and condemnation." That is, that the unbeliever has just as much, and is just as certain of salvation, as the believer ; the only difference, the unbeliever 288 REPENTANCE, FAITH AND REGENERATION. has not the knowledge of the fact. Is this gospel truth ! If so, the world should know it. It is to be lamented that Mr. Grosh did not live contemporaneously with Christ, for he might have greatly aided him by his wisdom, and cor- rected the following erroneous declarations : " He that be- lieveth shall be saved, but he that believeth not shall be damned." " He that believeth not on the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abideth on him." Mr. Grosh might have told the Savior, " instead of damnation and wrath resting on the unbeliever, you must say, ignorance shall rest on him." Again ; Mr. Grosh says, "The witness in himself, is the life which the believer feels — the special salvation ; the unbeliever, though he has (according to the record) eternal life in Jesus, is destitute of this witness, until he believes." Of what profit is faith ? Is it necessary to salvation or jus- tification ? Is it necessary to please God ? O, no, says Mr. Grosh ; it only serveth to give us a knowledge and a witness of the salvation the unbeliever actually has in Christ. Then Paul was incorrect, when he said, " we are justified by faith"*— -it should have been, by believing God, we receive the witness only and not eternal life, for that we had before we believed. Reader, will you forsake God and the Bible, and follow such fabled theology ? 1 Tim. iv. 10. " For therefore we both labor and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is the Savior of all men, specially of those that believe." This passage is frequently quoted -by the advocates *of Univer- salism in support of their theory of the final holiness and happiness of all men ; but a glance at its obvious teaching will overthrow their theory and frown away all its claims as based upon this passage. Does the Universalist ac- knowledge God to be the Savior of all men in that sense which shall inevitably secure the salvation of all, then he \r\vr. FAITH AND RS0BN1RATI0M must be such a Savior now, and must have saved all note with a final and everlasting salvation, otherwise the pai is inappropriate to prove their theory. The past I lod 14 the Savipr oi' all men, and that he is the special or of all who believe. If this he the obvious meaning of the passage, then it becomes the advocates of this sys- tem to prove that all men are now saved in holiness and immortal life, or else frankly acknowledge that the passage not prove their theory. But what does the passage mean? It teaches that Jesus Christ has been appointed to be the Savior of all men, and that gracious provisions are made for all ; but that those and those only receive a special benefit and are saved from sin now, who believe in God. Mr. Grosh says, " God is the special Savior of them that believe, that he is the Sa- vior of all men." Whoever, therefore, does not possess this species of faith, cannot enjoy a special Savior. All those who are brought to believe the theory of Universal- ism are blessed with a special salvation, and those who do not believe this are void of this salvation. A bright thought, indeed ! But pray, how will Mr. Grosh effect, or see ac- complished the final salvation of all men ? Will some be brought to heaven by a special salvation, and others by a different kind of salvation ? Will not all who are saved, be saved by a special salvation ? Error is a strange, per- plexing and irreconcilable thing. Better discard it and embrace the truth. Then we shall understand what Paul teaches in Heb. v. 9. "And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him" Though God be the Savior of all men in many respects, yet he is the special Savior of those only who believe and obey him. There are other passages which they quote to prove their theory true, such as Is. xxv. 8; lv. 10, 11. Lam. iii. 31. 290 REPENTANCE, FAITH AND REGENERATION. Rev. xxi. 4 ; but a diligent reading of their context will af- ford a correct exposition and show that they cannot be used rightly to prove Universalism scriptural. There is one passage upon which great reliance is reposed, recorded in 1 Cor. xv. 22. This passage we shall investigate, together with its context, in the chapter on the Resurrection of the Dead. The examination of truth and the sifting of the theory of Universalism which has been presented in the foregoing pages, is worthy of deep reflection and a corresponding course of life, for the theological points mentioned strike their roots deep into the very soil of grace and vital religion. We have shown what Universalism is, and what it teaches, and we shall leave the decision to the candid reader, whether the Scriptures have been, thus far, vindicated from the charge of teaching such a system, CHAPTER VIII. THE GODHEAD AND THE srPKEME DIVINITY OF CHRIST. M He that drspisctJi me, fyspistth him that sent mc." T.uke x. 10. This was the language of Jesus Christ, and by it he taught the world, that a rejection of himself by the children of men would be a virtual rejection of the Father. He wished to be looked upon as possessing the nature, powers and honor of the Godhead in common with the Father. Upon another occasion he said, " That all men should honor the Son even as they honor the Father. He that honoreth not the Son, honoreth not the Father which hath sent him." John v. 23. Long has the doctrine had currency in the christian churches, that while there was but one true and living God, nevertheless the Father, Son and Holy Ghost are separate- ly and essentially God. That in divine essence they are one, but in distinct subsistence, they are three. That neither has any supremacy, or intrinsic superiority over the other, but that they are perfectly equal in all their na- tural and moral perfections. The people of God have en- tertained and highly appreciated this view of the divine nature and character of God; but from it the body of Uni- versalists have greatly diverged. They have erased from their catalogue of doctrine, the doctrine called the Trinity and the Divinity of Christ. It will be necessary here to examine into, and give a concise view of the sentiments held by Unr'er3ali2t3 relative to this subject. 292 THE GODHEAD AND THE That this is a doctrine of vast and eternal importance, may be inferred from the fact, that the opinion we entertain of the character of God, will transfer to the religion we profess, either genuineness or unsoundness, as the nature of our views may be. For God is the foundation of all true religion. If we misconceive the character and perfec- tions of God, our religion is based upon our opinions, and not upon God. If therefore, Universalists cherish wrong • and corrupt views of Jehovah, then their religion is equally corrupt — Pagans are changed by their religious views, to the character they attribute to their gods. If they conceive the character of their gods to be warlike, licentious, or malev- olent, so their worship of these gods will mould their own character to the same standard. So it is with the Mohamme- dans, and with every body of religious worshipers. If Universalists entertain false notions and have wrong con- ceptions of the true God, their religion will be in the same proportion false and baseless. If Christ is a mere man, their worship of him will not be the worship of God, and their religion will, therefore, be worthless ; " for he that honoreth not the Son, honoreth not the Father which hath sent him." It will not be necessary to make many quotations from their writings, to prove that Universalists deny the doctrine, that in God there is a distinction of three, the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit (or the doctrine of the Trinity) equal in power and in all their attributes, for their denial is as ob- vious as the sun. They insist in their writings, that there is only one living God, as Unitarians do, and at times openly discard the tri-unity of God. Mr. Grosh of Utica, calls it, a "heathen tradition." Mr. D. Skinner declares, \ but as it re- 1 1 k! is thn . Th< ' 1 ad as God is n rad three in the i geo- I other f, it has thi sides. The absurdity which some ?ex in this doctrine, is not in the doctrine itself, but in their own position and reasoning. They are guilty of as- sumin position, and consequently their conclusions are false. The position is, that God is one and three in the which is in bold contradiction of other things — >ne cannot be three, and three one. This is all unquestionably true, for it is not possible for God to be one and three in the same respects ; yet for aught we know to the contrary, and reason dare not call it absurd, that in one respect God is one, and in another respect, God is three — in essence one, and as agents or persons, he is three. Should we declare that man is mortal and immortal in one respect, we should contradict matter of fact, and therefore be guilty of an absurdity, for in one respect he is mortal, but in anii her respect he is immortal. When we say that man is mortal, we mean, as it respects his body, he is so ; and when we say. that he is immortal, we refer to his soul. All this is reasonable and not absurd. For us to explain this is so, would be as perplexing as it is to explain node of God's existence. Neither is it contradictory to reason, or absurd, to declare that there is one true and ; God, (meaning in essence,) and that in this one God letion of three, (meaning persons or agents,) and Holy Ghost. The objector may say, after all, this is mysterious and 19 296 THE GODHEAD AND THE beyond comprehension. As to matter of fact it is not, for that God does exist, and that he does exist in this manner may be proven by evidences ; if so, this is conclusive. But as to the mode of God's existence and how he exists thus, may be very mysterious and incomprehensible, yet after all it may not be absurd. If so, then all things we cannot explain in the mode and relations of their existence, must necessarily be unreasonable. This is rather too sweeping and leveling. The Lord has founded the fact and mode of his exist- ence upon unquestionable authority, and conclusive evi- dences. That God does exist is assumed and not proven by argument and reason in the Scripture, for none but the fool will deny the existence of God, and upon such all rea- soning is lost. The Scriptures having assumed the fact of God's existence, then go forward to afford satisfactory evi- dences of his existence, without explaining and denning how he exists. To prove that the Father, and Son, and Holy Ghost are separately and individually God, the ne- cessary evidences are produced, in ascribing the Name, the Attributes and Worship to each one equally. Mere evi- dences are designed to prove that the thing is so, without entering into an explanation why and how it is so. It was either not necessary, or not possible for man to compre- hend how God does exist, and how it is that in the one God in essence, there are three in nature and being, the same and essentially God ; for if it had been necessary to the welfare of man, we may presume that the revelation would have been made. But so far as it w r as necessary to the welfare of man and to an elevated worship of God, the character of God has been set forth by divine authority and irrefutable evidences. That we are unable to explain how these things are so, affords no justifiable reason for rejecting the doctrine of the BUFftXVE invi\ii\ OF rm;; 297 tri-unitv of God. There are many things wo are compelled to believe upon evidence without a clear knowledge of the and relations of their existence. To act consistently, wr mib! reject them all. If we cannoi comprehend and explain the mode of existence and all the relations of natu- ral things, how much le88 can we define die very nature and mode of existence of the infinite God. The law of gravitation, we know exists as a reality, lor we see its powerful operations daily on the earth, and in the mighty orbs of light which revolve in majestic splendor in the azure skies; but how to define it, explain its very being, mode of existence and all its relations, defies the intelli- gence and grasp of our finite mind. Newton the philos- opher, discovered the law of gravitation as pervading the material world; but to define its substance and principle he was wholly incompetent. AYho is sceptical here? The same reason exists for being unbelieving in reference to gravitation, as in reference to the doctrine of the tri-unitv of God — yea, more so, when we take into consideration the authority and evidences in the case. Magnetic attraction, w r hich whirls the needle of the compass and holds it direct to the north-pole, is attested to, as an existing reality, defying successful contradiction ; but who after all can explain and define that subtile fluid in its uniform operations and in all its relations ? Though this mysterious reality is of great service by land and by sea, indisputable in its existence ; yet our belief of it rests wholly on its fact and evidences, and not on a definite conception of the mode and relations of its existence. How much mysteriousness is there about electricity, the growth of every plant, shrub, and flower, the union of soul and body in man ; must we, therefore, neces- sarily reject all these things, because in their mode of ex- istence and relations they are deep and inscrutable. The same objections exist as against the being of God in a trill* 298 THR GODHEAD AND THE ity of equal and distinct agents ? Nothing but contemptible and groveling stupidity would dare make the suggestion. After making the above statements in order to divest the mind of the reader of prejudice and false positions; and to induce him to take the attitude of a pupil of God's word instead of a judge ; we shall show, 1. That the Scriptures teach as a fact, that there is but one true and living God. " Hear, O, Israel : The Lord our God is one Lord." Deut. vi. 4. "J am the Lord and there is none else, there is no God besides me." Is. xlv. 5. " And this is eternal life, that they might know thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent." John xvii. 3. Though the Scriptures do not attempt to explain the manner of the divine existence, yet they are very decisive in announcing its reality. 2. In the Supreme Divinity, or Divine Essence there is a distinction of three, the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, who possess the same nature, and the infinite perfections of God — of each of these the Scriptures authorize the use of the personal pronouns, I, thou, he; and the name, attributes, and worship of the Supreme Deity. These are revealed as facts, and no attempt is made to show the manner of God's existence, or how such an existence is consistent with rea- son. We acknowledge it an ineffable mystery, yet we deny and challenge the proof that it is contrary to reason. We believe it above reason. To prove that the Scriptures teach such a distinction in God, we need quote but few passages. Matth. xxviii. 19. "Go ye therefore and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost" To make a profes- sion of God in Christian baptism, we are to recognize the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost as equal and possessing the same nature, attributes and essence. 2 Cor. xiii. 14. " The si PREMS DI1 IM!\ Off < m:i 299 of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, tnd ftmmunion of the Holy Ghost be with you all." This benediction of Paul reco distinction of three in the divine nature. Since the Lord declares th< se things to be so, we should bow with submission to the divine authority and, believe what God hath said without gain-say ing« His word is Bufflcienl evidence to sustain and prove the doe- trine, although we cannot define the manner of such an nee. 3. The Supreme Divinity of Christ. Those who agree to reject the Supreme Divinity of Christ, but illy agree among themselves, what the nature and true character of Christ actually is. Some consider him a di- vine being in the sense that he is superior to the angels, nevertheless that he is a created being. Others profess to believe that he is a mere man, possessed of body and soul as a man, and that the only sense in which he is superior to man, is because of the gifts of God, his office and resur- rection from the dead. Others believe that Christ was not in the possession of humanity. There is some difference, as to what Christ actually is, his pre-existence, &c. among Uni- tarians, Socinians, Universalists, and Christians ; but they all agree in disavowing the proper divinity of Christ as God. To prove that they are in error, great and dangerous, in denying the Godhead of Christ, for thereby they are led to deny the vicarious sufferings of Christ and his atone- ment for man, we shall now endeavor to show: That Christ is God, is evident from the fact, 1. That he is equal with God, the Father. The Apostle Paul seems to be clear and decisive on this subject in Phil. ii. 6. "Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to he equal with God, cVe.*' This passage seems decisive. Two points, however, are neces- sary to be undc3rstood. What we are to understand by 300 THE GODHEAD AND THE "being in the form of God;" and what by being *« equal with God.' 1 The criticisms which have encumbered this text, have been put forth by such men as were desirous to do away the relevancy of the passage to prove the Divinity of Christ 44 Being in the form of God." By this expression, we presume, the Apostle intended to convey the idea, that Jesus Christ was verily and essentially God, for the follow- ing reasons : 1. It declares his pre-existence ; that he was in the form of God before he took upon himself the form of a servant, before he made himself of no reputation, and was made in the likeness of men. Whatever that was which he laid aside, one thing is certain, that he had an existence prior to his becoming a man, therefore he could not have been a mere man, but above a man. 2. It means that the form of God, in which he was before he was made in the likeness of men, did not consist in the glory of his external appearance, the goodness and benignity of his life and works, nor in the power of w r orking miracles, for the obvious reason, that, instead of laying these aside, he re- tained them and manifested them throughout his earthly existence. 3. It must therefore imply that the certain mode in which God manifested himself, whatever it be, was laid aside previous to his entrance upon earth, and thence- forward he no more displayed the peculiar manifestation of God, but showed himself as a man. He did not lay aside his Divinity, but the glorious manifestation of the Godhead ; for the Savior and Paul more than intimate this. Col. ii. 9. " For in him all the fullness of the Godhead dwelt bodi- ly." This, of course, means, that in him all the divine attributes of God centred, therefore these he did not. lay aside. But Christ says, in John xvii. 5. "And now, Father glorify thou me, with the glory which I had with thee before the world was." Therefore, there was a glori- Pft£ME mviMi \ OJ ( IIRIS1 . 301 mis m ■ wlm-li chnst had before the world but which he laid aside when he was made in the likeness of men, and which he resumed after hii aseension iiy« Indeed, if tO be in the form of 8 servant is to he in the likeness of men, then to be in the form of Clod must make him God. 'This is evident from Paul's subsequent remark, that he was M equal with God," because he * the form of (red. •• K.|ual with God." This phrase does not mean, that lie was like God in any moral quality of his character ; but that lie was the equal of God in nature, attributes and rank. One thing may be like another in some respects, and yet not be the equal. To express a mere similarity, the Greeks used the term omoios, and when they ex- pressed equality, they used the term isos, which is the singular nominative of the word of the text. Whenever any godlike majesty w r as ascribed to man, the phrase used was omoios theo, but the phrase isa theo, was never ap- plied to man but always expressive of a being who was actually God. Therefore it was, when the Savior used ex- pressions of himself to denote his true character, and which the Jews esteemed as exalting himself to an equality with God, and consequently guilty of blasphemy, that they said, " he made himself equal (ison to theo,) with God." John v. 18. This shows that Paul used literal language, and meant to express what the people would naturally understand, that Christ was truly and essentially God. Christ and the Father were one — one in essence and harmonious in all their works. 2. The Scriptures apply the name of God to Christ. We are well aware, that the name of God is a few times given to created beings in order to express some high rank or dignity among (hen, but then it is used figuratively and not literally. It only expresses a quality, but when applied 3()'J THE GODHEAD AND THE to Christ it is used literally. It expresses all that it does when it is applied to the Father; this it must, unless it is used figuratively. If it is used figurativel) when applied to Christ, the opponent of the Divinity of Christ is under the necessity to prove it and not we. We say, that it is applied literally and deserihes him as God. We read in Rom. ix. 5. " Whose are the Fathers, and of whom, as concerning the flesh, Christ came, who is over all, God blessed for- ever." The fathers and patriarchs were claimed by the Jewish people as their honorable progenitors, and as con- ferring upon them peculiar favors and distinguished merit. But Christ, as concerning the flesh, so far as he was a man was a lineal descendant of the fathers ; while in another respect, he was God over all. If Christ was nothing more than man, it would seem surperfluous to speak in reference to him, as concerning the flesh, as a man, that he was a descendant of the fathers. As a man, he was not " over all, God blessed forever." In this passage the appellation of God is given to Christ, not in his human nature, but in his divine. In his human nature, he was the Son of Mary but in his divine, he was God, or the Son of God. The various criticisms which have been brought forward to dis- prove the relevancy of this passage to fortify the Divinity of Christ, have been as ineffectual and abortive as the dashing waves to sweep away the everlasting rocks of Gibraltar. "And Thomas answered and said unto him, my Lord, and my God." John xx. 28. This was not a mere ex- clamation of surprise, for the Jews did not make use of the name of God with such irreverence. Though many of the Jews were wicked, yet the name of God was pronounced with the greatest solemnity and reverence. This we may presume was the case with Thomas. Indeed, his language was thp deliberate and logical conclusion of reason. He : Rl Ml DI VI HITI "I lOi the evidences off Christ's omniscience, manifested to overthrow his unbelief, and from fchose evidences he drew the conclusion that Christ was Ins Gfod« M And we know that the Son of (Joil i> come and hath n understanding", that we may know him that is true : and W6 are in him that is true, even in hi.- Son J Bt This is the trne God and eternal life/ 1 1 John r. 20. This p b always appeared so decisive to prove the Supreme Divinity of Christ, that, in our opinion, • l\ INI I \ o| ( III; MK and literal meaning, we Bhall find it difficult to admit Christ was truly the t • t < « i- 1 1 : 1 1 God; hut we shall find i greater difficulty to reconcile such a oNltimenl of Cnrisl with tht» two succeeding passages', where his power, wis- dom and pre-existenre are taught. The Greek word pro- tokos ("first-bora") has other meanings and is used • press a different idea than merely tnr fiifftf-born. Even the term first-horn does not only signify the one horn first, the eldest born in the family ; but also pre-eminence, the first, the chief. So the, Greek word, by implication, means the first, the chief or principal, as descriptive of the rank that is pre-eminent. While Christ is the image, a delineation and exact representation of the perfections and fullness of God, and the first-born of every creature, holding the chief and pre-eminent rank in the universe, and heir of all things ; he has revealed his Deity in his creative power, in his pre- existence and as the upholder of the universe. Such a Use of the word first-born is not unauthorized, for the Sa- vior is described as the "first-born among many brethren " — the chief and highest in rank. He is called the " first- begotten of the dead;" he was, however, not the first one who rose from the dead ; but he was the chief and pre- eminent in rank. Christ was not the being who was first created, for then he could not have created all things ; but he is chief and pre-eminent in rank, far above princi- palities and powers, the first in the universe. If the above portion of Scripture does not decisively prove that Christ is God, what kind and form of language should the Bible employ in order to describe the Supreme God ? If Christ is omnipotent, he must be God. This is proved by evi- dence and not by an explanation of the mysterious union of the Godhead. 3. Christ is omniscient, therefore God. " All things are delivered unto me of mv Father : and no man knoweth the 308 THE (JODHKAD AND THE Son but the Father ; neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Soil, and he to whomsoever the Son will him." Matth. xi. 27. Tli that Christ has the same knowledge of the Father, that the Father has of the Son, therefore if it requires infinite wisdom and knowledge to comprehend the character of the Father, then Christ was in the possession of such knowledge, and must neces- sarily be God. 4k But Jesus did not commit himself unto them, because he knew all men, and needed not that any should testify of man : for he knew what was in man." John ii. 21. 25. Again, 1 Cor. iv. 5. " Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the coun- sels of the heart." Who besides God can answer the doc- trine of the above passages ! Is Christ mere man notwith- standing the Scriptures speak thus of him ? Let candor and reason reply. We need not carry the argument any further and prove each separate attribute of God as belonging to Christ, for if we could prove that he possesses only one attribute, the argument would be sound, provided we first showed that God is indivisible in essence and character. The apostle Paul asserts in Col. ii. 9. " For in him dwelleth all the full- ness of the Godhead bodily." By this, we understand, that in Christ centres and resides the sum total of the attributes of God. Is this decisive testimony to prove that Christ is God ? If not, what divine testimony do we require to con- vince the judgment ? 5. Divine worship is ascribed to Christ. The worship ascribed to Christ is not of an inferior character, but it is the same as that rendered unto the Fa- ther. This is evident from the following passage : " That all men should honor the Son, even as they honor the Fa- DIVINIT1 NT. Mf ther. lit' that honoreth not tin* Son, honoreth not th which hath sent him." John v. 2 muld pay > the F • ; and so requisite is this, that who holds from Christ supreme worship, is guilty of withholding du< from the Father ; therefore his religion must be v;un and The apostle declares the sentiment, that it : only proper and necessary for men to pay religious worship to Christ, hut that all the angelic host should worship him. -And let all the angels of God worship him." Ileh. i. 6. l, M That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under Birth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." Phil. ii. 10, 11. -And I beheld and I heard the voice of many B round about the throne, and the beasts, and the el- ders : and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands ; saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the lamb that w r as slain, to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honor, and glory, and blessing. And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, Blessing, and honor, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the lamb forever and ever. And the four beasts said, Amen. And the four and twenty elders fell down and worshiped him that liveth forever and ever." Rev. v. 11 — 14. The above passages inculcate the principle, at least, that the whole animate creation shall acknowledge the supremacy of Christ, and extol him as high as the eternal God, which, if Christ be not very God, would be at violence with the character of God and the great principles of his moral government. We cannot conceive how, within the bounds of just interpretation, the passages of the Bible 310 THE GODHEAD AND THE which ascribe worship to Christ, can be applied to any- thing else than to sustain and defend the doctrine, that Christ is God. Upon the ground of testimony, excluding all metaphysical and abstruse speculations, this doctrine is amply proven. And every judgment qualified to weigh evidences, and feeling disposed to admit a position thus sus- tained, will feel very little hesitation in embracing the doc- trine and in worshiping the Savior as God. There is a strong reason in the philosophy of the institu- tion of religion, through Christ the Mediator, that would demand that Christ should be the God of heaven and earth. The institution and requirements of religion can be harmo- nized on no other ground than upon the admission that Christ is God. It is an obvious truth in the philosophy of things, that the person who makes great self-denials, and labors with unwearied diligence to procure good, and a de- liverance for those who are in suffering and desperate ex- tremities, that he will gain the ardent affections of the saved. Thus the Almighty secured to himself the affections and supreme devotion of the people of Israel. He delivered them from bondage and the grasp of death, and in return, they sang the high praises of God, and extolled his name abroad. Thus Jesus Christ, by his advent, voluntary hu- mility, suffering and death, drew the affections of all who were saved upon himself. The love of Christ constrains the people, and the thanks, gratitude and supreme love of the believing heart are rendered to Christ. Christ is the sun of light, the centre of attraction, the joy and praise of all who bow the soul in humble submission to God. The very position Christ assumed, and the labors he performed in the plan of salvation, had a powerful and uniform ten- dency to secure for himself the affection and supreme love of his people. Therefore, if Christ be a mere man only, he destroys all true worship and establishes nothing but IS DIVINITY OF CUR] 811 idolatry; but if he be God, then everj pity of hie heart, \ ery act of self-denial, m. mis work, and the sum total of his f unto death for the salvation <>f a fallen world, was conducive to el< concentrate and strengthen powerfully, the worship of God as rendered to Christ. The writer of a small book, titled, M Philosophy of the Plan *)( Salvation/ 1 Bpeaks and n in the following strain. M Now, suppose that Jesus Christ was not God, nor a true manifestation of the Godhead in human nature, but a man, or angel, authorized by God to accomplish the re- demption of the human race from sin and misery. In doing this, it appears, from the nature of things and from the Scriptures, that he did what was adapted to, and what does, draw the heart of every true believer — as in the case of the apostles and early christians — unto himself, as the supreme or governing object of affection. Their will is governed by the will of Christ ; and love to him moves their heart and hands. Now, if it be true that Jesus Christ is not God, then he has devised and executed a plan, by which the supreme affections of the human heart are drawn to himself, and alienated from God, the proper object of love and worship : and, God having authorized this plan, he has devised means to make man love Christ, the crea- ture, more than the Creator, who is God over all, blessed fore verm ore. M But, is it said, that Christ having taught and suffered by the will and authority of God, we are under obligation to love God for what Christ has done for us. It is an- swered, that this is impossible. We cannot love one being for what another does or sutlers in our behalf. We can love no being for labors and self-denials in our behalf, but that being who voluntarily labors and denies himself. // is the kindness and mercy exhibited in the self-denial that 312 THE GODHEAD AND THE moves the affections ; and the affections can move to no being but to the one that makes the self-denials, because it is the self-denials that draw out the love of the heart. "Is it still said, that Christ was sent by God, to do His will and not his own ; and therefore we ought to love God, as the being to whom love and gratitude is due, for what Christ said and suffered? Then it is answered: if God willed that Christ, as a creature of his, should come, and by his sufferings and death redeem sinners, we ought not to love Christ for it, because he did it as a creature, in obe- dience to the commands of God, and was not self-moved nor meritorious in the work; and we cannot love God for it, for the labor and self-denial was not borne by him. And further ; if one being, by an act of his authority, should cause another innocent being to suffer, in order that he might be loved who had imposed the suffering, but not borne it, it would render him unworthy of love. If God had caused Jesus Christ, being his creature, to suffer, that he might be loved himself for Christ's sufferings, while he had no connection with them ; instead of such an exhibition, on the part of God, producing love to him, it would pro- duce pity for Christ, and aversion towards God. So that neither Christ, nor God, nor any other being, can be loved for mercy extended, by self-denials to the needy, unless those self-denials were produced by a voluntary act of mercy upon the part of the being who suffers them. And no being, but the one who made the sacrifices, could be merito- rious in the case. It follows, therefore, uncontrovertibly, that if Christ was a creature — no matter of how exalted worth — and not God ; and if God approved of his work in saving sinners, he approved of treason against his own government; because, in that case, the work ol Christ was adapted to draw, and did necessarily, draw the affections of the human soul to himself, as its spiritual Savior, and ism 0] ( in. i 313 thus alieuate them frona God, their rightful object And b Christ himself had the design of drawi affec- h) himself in view, by Ins crucifixion: sayi he t , and I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all meu unto me.' Tins he said, Bigllifj ing what death he should die : thus distinctly Stating thai it was the self-denials and mercy exhibited in the crucifixion thai would draw out the aflec- Of the human soul, and that those atleetions would be drawn to himself as the Buffering Savior, Bui that God would sanction a scheme which would involve treason against Himself, and that Christ should participate in it, is absurd and impossible, and therefore cannot be true. "But if the divine nature was united with the human, in the teaching and work of Christ — if 'God was in Christ drawing the affections of men, or reconciling the world to himself ' — if, when Christ was lifted up, as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, he drew, as he said he would, the arfections of all believers to himself; and then, as he ascended, as the second person of the Trinity, into the bosom of the eternal Godhead — He, thereby, after he had engaged, by his work on earth, the affections of the human soul, bore them up to the bosom of the Father, from whence they had fallen. Thus the ruins of the fall were rebuilt, and the affections of the human soul again restored to God, the Creator, and proper object of supreme love." If these remarks are not sound, and right to the point, then it will be very difficult to say anything relevant. But sound reason will bow with submission to the position and frankly acknowledge the necessity and propriety of the doctrine, thai Jesus Christ is the God of the Universe. There is a class of Scripture passages which seems to teach, that Christ is inferior to the Father, and all such passages, in the opinion of the caviler are irreconcilable 114 THE GODHEAD AND THE with the doctrine that Christ is God. They are only ap- parently so, in consequence of the false position assumed and a wrong application of the passages quoted. This will appear evident from the subsequent remarks. " For my Father is greater than I." John xiv. 28. " The Son can do nothing of himself, hut what he seeth the Father do : for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise." John v. 19. u The Father loveth the Son t and hath given all things into his hands." iii. 35. " But of that day and that hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father." Mark xiii. 32. In order to reconcile such pas- sages with those which seem to teach the Supreme Divinity of Christ, we must recognize in Christ a two-fold being — that he was possessed of an original and of an assumed nature. The divine attributes are ascribed to Christ in his original nature, while inferiority and the characteristics of a man are attributed to him in his assumed or human na- ture. The Bible actually speaks of the Savior in this sense, and its language can be interpreted rightly, only with a full recognition of the Godhead and Manhood uniting in Christ. "The Word was made flesh and dwelt among us, full of grace and truth." John i. 14. "And, without con- troversy, great is the mystery of godliness : God was mani- fest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preachecl unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, re- ceived up into glory." 1 Tim. iii. 16. " Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God; but made himself of no reputation, and took upon himself the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men." Phil. ii. 6, 7, This being the case, it is evident, that all those texts of Scripture which imply a character inferior to the eternal God, must have direct reference to his human nature ; JTPREME DIVINITY OF CHRIST. 315 while all those which speak of Christ, and attribute to him the name, attributes and worship of God, must indicate >Ctrine, that He is truly God. At times the Savior is spoken of as a man, possessing complete humanity though sinless and innocent ; ami at other tunes the Redeemer is declared to be the Creator of the world; as having existed before all things and upholding all things by the word of his power; as possessing all power and holding the desti- nies of the rational world in his hands j as infolding the infinite 1 perfections of God in his person, and comprehend- ing with his intellectual grasp the complicated movements of the Universe; ami as combining in his being the essence and honor of the Godhead, and therefore worthy of the Supreme worship of all hearts, the loftiest praise and most devout adoration, rolling up to heaven from the smoking altars of earth's humble worshipers, or floating in melodi- ous strains on the balmy breezes of the upper Paradise. The divine mandate of the eternal Throne rolled across the plains of glory, and along the ranks of the myriads of the heavenly host, "Let all the angels worship him;" and coming in a voice of superadded strength along the tragic scenes of bloody Calvary to the inhabitants of the earth, whispering its accents through conscience, nature and re- velation, " Let all the people worship him and transfer their supreme affections upon the Lamb forever and ever." There are a few practical thoughts, growing out of this subject, worthy of sober reflection, and of important bear- ing on the character of those who profess to love and wor- ship our God. 1. The doctrine we have been discussing must be admit- ted as a fact and as founded upon the unequivocal testimo- ny of inspiration, or else, to be consistent, we must reject many of the doctrines of the Bible, and many of the phe- nomena of nature. It cannot be that any should be inclined 316 THE GODHEAD AND THE to reject the doctrine of the Divinity of Christ for want of pro- per, decisive and substantial proof, for there is no cause more ably and convincingly sustained by testimony. The only ground assumed for a rejection of this doctrine, is, that it is mysterious and inexplicable. This charge is equally valid against many other doctrines, and natural things, as we have shown, if we are allowed to discard the one, let us throw all overboard. But this is unwise, we should submit to the au- thority of God, without asking the why and wherefore, in articles of faith, and doctrines of divine revelation, admit- ting that they must be reasonable, though above the flight of human reason, and standing on a foundation never mark- ed with the footprints of reason liable to err, for they ema- nate from a Being supremely perfect and incapable of error. Admit the same evidence to have weight and conclusive force, which are of unquestionable authority to prove the law of gravitation, &c, and the doctrine we are defending, will stand triumphant, and the Bible be saved from the tor- ture of stupid and reckless rules of interpretation and ob- jections. 2. This doctrine has an essential connection with sound and soul-saving religious worship. The conceptions we form of the divine nature and character, will lay the foun- dation of our religion. To worship a created being as God, is wickedness and idolatry ; and to worship God as a Being widely different from what he actually is, cannot constitute true worship, and thus our religion will be based upon an imaginary God and not upon the true God. We may be sincere, so may the Pagan and Mohammedan, yet sincerity cannot change a lie into the truth, or false devo- tion into true and saving religion. As principles lie at the foundation of right actions, so sound doctrines form the ba- sis of evangelical religion. 3. This doctrine has a vital connection with many other SUPRKMK DIVINITY 01 CHRIST. 817 doctrines of the Bible. Reject this, and you uproot man} precious doctrines, and rend to tatters the economy of R - demption. The atonement of Christ Btands or falls with the Divinity of Christ We shall not enlarge to show die vital connection of the two ; but merely cite as proof the practical results — that those who reject the divine charac- ter of Christ in its fullest extent, arc equally decided in re- nouncing the atonement of Christ Bocinians do so; Uni- versalists do the same, &c« The common notions of the atonement, as effected by the vicarious sufferings of Christ, and as the ground of pardon and reconciliation with God, they boastfully denounce as a system of gross injustice and consummate absurdity. Cast away the atonement, and you blot out the moral sun from a perishing world — you close up the portals of glory, and you make inevitably cer- tain the remediless destruction of a fallen race. If you would cling to the atonement of Jesus, then admit and wor- ship Christ as God, and thereby you will bestow equal honor on the Father, for " he that honoreth the Son, hon- oreth the Father likewise." 4. If the foregoing remarks are correct, then the doctrine is closely allied with the cheering hopes of immortal be- ings. Candid reader, if you would secure the favor of God, and finally bask in the beams of unremitting felicity, then build your hopes on Christ as God, and on his all- sufficient atonement. Escape from the errors of Univer- salism as the mariner would from the rock and roaring breakers of death. Here alone is safety. And with a view to guide you into all truth, and to surround you with the everlasting arms of mercy, we have succinctly present- ed to your ingenuous attention the foregoing reflections. Will you ponder upon and cordially embrace the truth ? CHAPTER IX. THE IMMORTALITY OF THE SOUL. " Jl man hath no pre-eminence above a beast ; for all is vanity." Ecc. iii. 19. The language of the wise man is perfectly true, while limited to, and expressive of, the external appearance of earthly calamity and temporal death, as, doubtless, it was directly used for this purpose ; but when men, who are wise above what is written, insist on Solomon's language as expressive of the sentiment that in man there is no im- mortality — that his life and being are as transitory, and as actually perish, as the brute creation ; they are guilty of using unjustifiable license with the Scriptures, and with the uprising and throbbing emotions of the conscious soul. It is true, that many live a life of atheism, and as though' they were unblessed with a nature and destiny superior to the brute ; yet all this does not warrant the shocking con- clusion, that man has no immortal soul. For all this, there may lie within him, though buried and debased, mental faculties, and moral powers, and latent aspirations, which rank him with immortal beings ; and when brought under religious training and proper development, he will be qual- ified to range over the Elysian fields of immortality, and scan the ever-varying evolutions of inexhaustible glory. To deny that the soul is immortal and repress that grand and ever-desirable attribute of man's inner nature, is the product of deep depravity and groveling baseness. It is —it is bruti those w no reject the • ians, who profess to b< lieve that the pirituality, and no • -in- only immortali istian doctrine of a That ninny among the Uni\ crsalists be- lieve in the materiality of the mind, and deny that man is properly immortal, is a point easily proved. Perhaps, many of their preachers hold to the immortal and separate ex; the soul, and others believe it a doctrine of such small importance as unworthy of careful investiga- tion; as A. B. Grosh, of Utica, declares. That many of the >ple adhere to the theory of the Scriptural doctrine on ject, and others deny it, is unquestionable. The doctrine of materialism is variously modified and presents ious phases. From rank Materialism, as advocated by Priestly and others, that matter in a certain state of organi- >n is the only mind, man is in possession of, and that re is no such thing as a spiritual and separate substance superadded to man, we find some advocating the destruc- tion and annihilation of all the wicked after the resurrec- tion ; and others, that man will have no conscious exist- ence from the period of death until the resurrection, and the immortal existence of man is not dependent on anything in himself, but wholly dependent upon the resur- ;on of the dead. All of these positions and modifying explanations constitute a virtual denial of the spiritual, sep- arate and immortal existence of the soul. How far Uni- . harmonizes with the above views, wil1 bo s twn a comparison be- of a number of the principal advocates 14 320 THE IMMORTALITY OF THE SOIL. of the system of Universalism, and the foregoing principles of Materialism. We will begin Avith "Walter Balfour, the good and amia- ble man, as A. B. Grosh calls him; for he is a fold denier of the doctrine of the immortality of the soul. He is the man who has effected mighty things for Universalism, in conjunction with Hosea Ballou. They applied the plastic hand of learning and influence to Universalism, and mculd- ed it to its present shape and position. How far they have revolutionized the mind of their fraternity, and fitted them to follow in the wake of their reformatory progress, time will yet disclose ? That they may bring the great portion of the denomination to assume their present position, may be anticipated, without seeming precipitate and harsh, frcm the success which has crowned their labors heretofore among their brethren. Walter Balfour says, in reply to the Editors of the " Olive Branch," " I would then say to the Editors of that paper, if a rejection, 'of the doctrines of the immortality of the soul? makes'me an infidel in their estimation, I would thank them to tell all the ivorld that I have no faith in it ; and that they must produce far better proof of it frcm the Bi- ble, before I can believe it. They, and all others who be- lieve it, are nearer to heathenism and infidelity, than I am in rejecting it. I will also be obliged to them, to tell all the ivorld, that I believe it to be a doctrine of heathen ori- gin." Such a testimony against the doctrine of the immor- tality of the soul is bold and unequivocal. Mr. Balfour declares distinctly where he may be found. If a man can harbor such sentiments and still be frater- nized by the denomination as " a good and amiable broth- er," then it is true, that the people .either harmonize in views and feelings, or else they deem the doctrine of the immortality of the soul of but small importance. How 32 1 much better is • immortality uf the soul, and fro* m hea- thenism, than a downright infidel I of Walter Balfour, as he has d id fully expressed it. We might add a few quotations from Ins • in reference to man's exit from this "M, and entrance into heaven, " I send do n at death, nor at an) period after it, until the resurrection of all the dead." Thus, there is nothing in the nature of man which will insure existence after death, or an entrance into heaven, even ff Universal- ism be true; nor is there any great probability of man's ' ' until ail mrrection from the dead. This is ;in oBvious of the immateriality and immortality of the soul, and of a: ous existence from the day of death until the resurrection morning. He asks Pro Stuart, "Does the gospel, sir, bring to light any other life and immortality, hut by a resurrection from the dead I If it does, I will thank you to show this, for here I confess ignorance." He adds, "I travel through both Old and New Testament in search of evidence for your immortal soul ; but I can find none, that either such a soul was breathed into man, or is breathed out of any one at death." According to the views of this teacher in Israel, no man has any pre-eminence above a brute, and he would have no more assurance of future existence than the beasts that per- ish, were it not for the doctrine of the resurrection of the dead. These are the views of the learned champion of modern Universalism ; and there is no intelligent Univer- salis! who will venture to deny that this is the true position of Balfour. A. B. Grosh acknowledges that Mr. B. en- tertains these sentiments; but he disowns that they have a general prevalence in die denomination, 322 THE IMMORTALITY OF THE SOIL. But there are others who hold the same sentiments ; and many more who are altogether unwilling to commit them- selves either on the one side or the other. Mr. Hosea Bal- lou, at times professes his total ignorance of the future, and at other times obviously doubts the conscious existence of the soul in the intermediate state, lie says, " After all that has been said by our doctors of divinity on the subject of a future state, reason will acknowledge that they have no more knowledge concerning its particulars, than an infant child. No, they do not knoic for certainty that man will exist in another state, I am happy to believe in the doctrine of the Scriptures, and to hope for immortality beyond the grave ; but as to any knowledge concerning that state, / have none." Again he says, " Being fully satisfied that the Scriptures teach us to believe no moral state, between the death of the body and the resurrection-state, it seemed to me immaterial whether we enter, immediately, after the dissolution of the body, on the resurrection-state, or sleep in unconscious quietude any given time before that glori- ous event shall take place." Here we learn, that the pro- found mind of Ballou, has discovered, that it is quite un- certain from Scripture, whether man shall repose in un- conscious sleep after death until the resurrection, or enter immediately upon the resurrection-state ; yea. it is a doubt- ful matter, whether man shall have an existence in another state ; but one thing is certain, in the opinion of Mr. Bal- lou, that the Scriptures teach no moral state, between the dissolution of the body and the resurrection. Pray, what state must that be, where moral and rational beings can ex- ist, without involving moral character ? It cannot be a state of activity, for where activity is put forth by rational beings, there must be moral character — it cannot be a state of misery, for all misery and punishment in man is the re- sult of moral delinquency — and it cannot be a state of bliss, I in [MMO 01 i • i te is impossible without mi I holi- It must either be a b1 nihilation % or i Whether M i. Ballou eaii find either doc- ht iti the Bible, or fairly deducible from thing contained therein, we shall take the Libert} to doubt. llr :\\rv of modern 1 1 ai rid up . ing followers, to i inqui- ibout the future, tin of the soul after the dis- solution of the body, and with a countenance marked with labored thought and horrid agitation, he b lys, m; 1 confess that 1 am as ignbranl as a child about the partic- of the future — it is not certain whether man shall en- joy another state — it is not clear whether any one will be v in heaven immediately after death, or all be rocked into an unconscious sleep until the resurrection-day. I pre- tend to know nothing of all this, and above all it is imma- terial ; all I do know about this, is, that none shall enter upon a moral state until after the resurrection. Can such dark and wretched doctrines be consoling and buoyant to a dying man ? he battles the monster death, he stands on the crumbling verge of time, all is dark and dreary before him, no light and no knowledge of the future — whether his leap will be into the dark abyss of wo, or sink into noth- or sleep unconsciously as a stone for ages, and then up, by the resurrection power of Jesus Christ, are questions which Hosea Ballou cannot solve with certainty. But the Bible says, he that walketh while it is day, stum- bleth not, the path of peace and the assurances of immor- tal bliss are so clear to those who walk uprightly, that they need not err, or be disconsolate in death. Mr. T.i J" t« There is no evidence of man pos- )ut him immortal. He docs not con- sider the mind to possess the attribute of immortality ; be- cause, like the body, it may be d I by accident." nil; IMMO He predicates the happ; f man in etem originating and being dependent on the resurrection of the b, "The future state of man, he considers, resurrection, and that state will, according to the apostle, be glorious for all." Thus we find that Balfour, Ballou, and LeFevre, look for the final salvation of the human race and their restora- tion to holiness and happiness, not to the fact that men are immortal, and that Christ has died for them, but to the event when the dead shall be raised to life ; that they embrace the very doctrine, more or less valiantly, which Abner Kneeland held, that there was no " intermediate state of conscious existence between death and the resur- rection ; and of course death to him is an extinction of -be- ing ; and all his ideas of a future state of existence, are predicated on the glorious doctrine of the resurrection." We make a few quotations more to prove that there are some who embrace and boldly express the doctrine of ma- terialism. A certain writer says, in one of their papers, " When the body dies and the nervous system with it, all these phenomena cease and are irrecoverably gone. We never possess after death, so far as our senses can inform us, the slightest evidence of the existence of any remain- ing being, which, connected with the body during life, is separated from it at death." " If the intellectual pheno- mena is the soul, and dependent upon corporeal organiza- tion, when the body dies, it will, of course, cease to exist " Another writer declares, " Nor is it now admitted by Uni- yersalists generally, that man possesses two natures, 3*c." Mr. Ballou says, " A careful examination of our natural senses, as mediums of pleasure and pain, and health and sickness, will very naturally lead to a consideration of these same senses as being the origin, as far as we can see, of our thoughts and volitions.''' If our senses are the origin of otu thoughts and volition, then - mind; and since our elling, Peeling, :;:, l then the mind it in iterial, identical. Thi i ilism. T | when t : ; man ! he returns to hii :ill tin- i of the e »ul ; an I ed by the ne - power of the ! 'ii, Now we firmly believe, that all those who turn :ii foot to the testimonies of Universalism, will Led to the above horrid conclusion — they will plunge into the stormy billows of infidel Materialism, are many who do not believe the views of Bal- lou and Balfour, especially among the common people, but who believe that man has a soul that is immortal, and that, immediately after death, he reaps a blissful reward, we have charity enough to accord to them. Yet after all, we believe, that many entertain scruples about the conscious existence of the soul in the intermediate state, as well as of the soul's immortality, who, from prudential reasons, will never di- vulge their sentiments from the pulpit. Our belief of this is founded on the facts, that the hading influence of the 'ion is that way, that the natural tendency of the system conducts to those conclusions, that those who favor the immortality of the soul deem the doctrine of but 8tn ill im j trtance, and that the advocates of Materialism are not diso vi the denomination. To prosecute our inquiries on this important subject, we shall show thai trine of Materialism is false — that • existence between the dissolution of the bod u erection — that the wicked will not be annihilated — and that the doctrine of the immortality of the son reasonable — will impose upon us the duty to study condensation and brevity. 1. TVe shall show that the doctrine of Mate\ By Materialism we understand*, I m of phil- osophy which teaches that man lias but one di consisting of matter with diffei (inement, and that he is not a compound being, made up of soul and Ay. That the system of nerves is matter refined and so modified as to perform the office of thought, imagination, consciousness, and passions; and consequently when the body is dissolved in death and returns to its original ele- ments, there is a cessation of our being, or conscious exist- ence, and if ever man shall have a conscious existence r, it must be effected by the new-creating power of the resurrection. For the reason, that Universalists put so much dependence upon the resurrection and look up to it as the only ground and hope of a happy immortality, we are induced to believe that the philosophy of Materialism exerts a far-reaching influence over the denomination, that the great majority of the teachers are more or tinctured with its principles. And so far as this philosophy affects tlie system of Universalis m, it -is affected with false- hood and absurdity. A system of matter, however refined and modified, must ever be distinct in its properties and operations from that principle in man, which thinks and reasons, and is always active and full of life. He who denies a spiritual principle in man, in its nature superior and distinct from matter, as- serts that the nervous system of man, is the organ of sen- sation, of thought, of imagination, of reasoning, of coi u ousness, &c. But is this position -sound, philosophic, and truthful ; or erroneous, absurd and false ? "What do we know of, and how do we secure an acquaintance with the properties and operations of matter? And how of mind I II ! . l.MM 01 I HI i»l I.. which thii Th< ist defines his position in the : " That the thinking part of man 1 terial, or spiritual ; and that w id to die, deed die, and of con: 3 to think or b This must be true, thai man shall Lth; provided it is an undoubted fact, tl tial nature ; but it* to hi body there is superadded a distinct principle from ra superior and mo lent, then lor aught reason m: cious being may survive the dissolution i body. We know mate rial substances by the pro- I .• and immutable in them, but we form i qnaintance with mind in a different mode. Matter is known by th solidity, extension, divisibility, in- : but the thinking principle in man by none of . but by intuitive consciousness, and the exercise of its powers. One class nf laws, physical in their nature, are alone adapted to govern matter; and quite another class of laws are adapted and put into exercise to govern the mind, spiritual and moral in their nature. All matter is in- ert, and only acts as moved upon ; but the mind has a self- ver active and full of life. There is no period from the point of conscious existence, but that the mind of man has conscious exercises, whether the bodv Oft it mounts on the swift winors of n and scans revolvii — it survevs sea and '.ill and dal ■ — it stands at the crater of the burning 1st the tumbling and quaking earth while -I upon by maddened earthquakes. Life is also an ( f the mind, hut not so of matter. If titute material subs would be universally prevah-nt ; but since th y not 328 THE IMMORTALITY OF THE SOUL. therefore it is not essential to constitute matter. But life is indispensably i . to constitute mind, there- fore there is no mind existing in this wide world without life being virtually connected with it. Whenever you see mind, there you discover the attribute life, in full activity and force. No mind can exist without life, it is the vital and inseparable basis ; but it is not essential to material substances, for they do exist in many and modified forms without life. The physical structure of man, is as accurate and complete in all its parts from bone to the muscles and nerves of the brain after life is extinct, as it was in all its former activities. There is no evasion, by asserting that the nervous system ceases to be the organ of thought, re- flection and of consciousness, because animal life is dis- missed from the body, for if so, then for aught we know the brain is not the organ of thought, but our animal life. This would be shifting ground, without securing a better, a more tenable position. Matter cannot possess intelligence, for it is void of, and incompetent to exercise perceptive faculties, comprehend things and their relations. It is not in matter — intelligence cannot be predicated of any material substance ; it is the attribute of mind alone, the spiritual powers of the soul. They reason, perceive, compare and exercise thought, and thus acquire intelligence. The Materialist offers the following argument to prove that matter fitly modified is the organ of thought, and that man has no spiritual principle superadded as the organ of intelligence: "We have not the least knowledge of, and cannot conceive of, any being or agent — >any thing that can act, or do any thing — which is not material." This posi- tion is daring and blasphemous, for it sets up the knowledge of man as the absolute standard of what is, and what is not, of what things can be, and what things cannot be. For a i nr UfMOH i mi i \ 01 in i. 32fl man to suppose that there cannot be any spiritual subsist- because his knowledge does not comprehend any *uc\[ agent, is the height of presumption and y« Many things in nature do exist, which former generations did not comprehend, bu has now disclosed and established by incontrovertible proof — many thing ill exist of which the world is ignorant and probably everwiU be; yet we therefore conclude that all things lying beyond the comprehension of man are void of reality, a sham. This is the legitimate tendency of the position of the Materialist, therefore supremely absurd and foolish. This same argument, in its sweeping application, would overthrow the character and existence of Jehovah. The eternal God must either be material, or else his existence is a figment of some fanatic, provided the philosophy of the ialist i.-> true. If all agents are material, then God is ial, or else there is no God. That God is immaterial is proved by the utter impossibility of his being otherwise. Ail material substances have location and geometrical lim- its; but God has not, for he is infinite in all his perfections. God as the Creator of the Universe must possess intelli- gence, therefore perceptive faculties, as all nature in its adaptation and design clearly and infallibly declares; but as intelligence can never be affirmed of matter, therefore God is not a material Being. Here then, there is a Being or Agent with active powers and consummate wisdom engaged to eonstruct and uphold the material world, and of whom we have some conception, as the most perfect and the best of all Beings, and yet He is purely spiritual. And if there be one spiritual Being, there may be others, for if it be posi- r one, it is possible for more spiritual agents to exist. Ano Rent. "We have as much reason to believe — the same kind of facts, altogether to prove — that the brain is an organ of thought, as that the liver is an or^an THE IM MORTALITY OF T1IK for the secretion of bile." In man there is a structure of nerves accurately and wisely located and intertwisted with the entire physical form. From the brain, the sensorium, the nerves spread through the spinal marrow and into i ry extremity of the body, so that you cannot prick the skin with the finest needle, without touching a nerve. 80 soon U any thing comes in contact, or disturbs a nerve, a sensa- tion is produced, and is conveyed with an electric shock along that nerve to the brain ; and so soon as it reaches the brain we have a conscious sensation. The sensation is one thing, and the conscious perception is quite another thing — the one is the action of the nerve, and the other is the perception of that action. The nerve does not per- ceive, it has the sensation alone ; but that which perceives and exercises the judgment is what we call mind. But the Materialist says, that the evidence is as strong that the brain is the organ of thought, as that the liver is the organ for the secretion of the bile. The liver is the organ, and bile is the result of its legitimate operation, the effect answering the cause. To prove that the brain is the organ. of thought and that there is no perceptive immaterial prin- ciple superadded, it is necessary to show that thought as an effect holds the same relation to the brain, that the bile does to the liver. We need not prove that the liver is a material substance, and equally evident is it that the bile is also ma- terial, therefore, the effect is legitimate from the cause— This position is philosophical and a clear demonstration.— But how is it with the brain as the organ of thought and consciousness? The brain is a mass of nervous matter ex- quisitely constructed and is material ; while thought and perception, the budding of intelligence, cannot be conceived ' to be material. What ! the thoughts, perceptions and intel- ligence of man, material substances governed by physical laws and possessing the properties of solidity, "extension. nil divisibility, inertia, &c! [f this" ia rrd even to chal- tion, then thoughts do not hold the same phi- i elation to the brain, thai bile does to the I nor have we th o prove the position of the Materialist. If nerves, because the) bai e the po^ er of [j :ilso perceive and think, then the w of the hand or of the foot might as readily ble of thought and consciousness 1 , as Ihe nerves of tin- brain. The material si; nd construction of the IK I throughout the physical system. The brain which is the natural instrument to carry forward the sensations and im- ions of external tilings, is but the organ to directly convey the sensation to the mind, which perceives that sen- sation, judges and reasons relatively to that object which is the remote cause of the sensation. The different adjust- ment of the nerves, which constitute the various senses of the body as inlets of knowledge, is designed to convey multiform impressions to the brain, where the mind re< its sensations and enlarges its intelligence. The brain does no more perceive and reason upon the sensation or the ob- ject producing it, than the nerves of the hand; it is only the organ to hear the sensation to the reasoning mind. This mind is an immaterial principle superadded, and compri- nt the intellectual and moral powers of man. Another argument: " The power of thinking is quite as e at birth as any other organic power. It increases hit growth; it is the most perfect in manhood, and it becomes impaired as decrepid age comes on !" It is quite :it and philosophical, that the powers of mind, or of t it, should be feeble in childhood; for the organs of their and they just began to exist, (for the rs of thou ans of the bodv,) and the obvious design is that they should improve 332 1111. IMMORTALITY Of THE BOX L. and be developed. But this dors not prove, that they are material, because they are feeble ; nor docs it prove that they are imperfect in kind. They grow with the growth of the body and become more or less vigorous in proportion to improvement. And the decline of the men- tal and reflective powers with the decline of the body, or with decrepid age, is but apparent, and not real. Some in advanced age show strong intellectual powers ; others, while the body is feeble and tottering, reveal a mind as vigorous as ever ; while others, when yet comparatively young, manifest an utter wreck of mind. If the mind- were a part of the material body, there would be some uni- formity about the decay of the .power of thought. A man in dotage, the most striking case of a ruined mind, would be likely to forget things remote in the past, as immediate circumstances ; but we have seen cases when circumstan- ces were precisely remembered which had taken place scores of years previous, while they could not conduct a connected conversation. Diseases at times apparently des- troy the memory, perception, and all the powers of mind, but after the recovery of health, the mind is again vigorous. Now, the impairment of the mind is but apparent and not real in old age, and under the influence of disease ; the grand defect is in the organs of the body. When the body is peculiarly affected, impaired or enfeebled, the mind is wanting in proper organs to operate and manifest itself. If a mechanic labors with poor, ill-shaped and broken tools, his work will be accordingly, and reflect discredit upon his skill ; so if the mind has poor organs of the body and a diseased brain, through which to operate, it will manifest a decline of its powers. We believe the mind to be immortal and spiritual ; ca- pable from the age of infancy of developing its powers, be- coming enlarged and mighty by discipline, in mature age. [MM0RTALIT1 01 rii I 899 •urvn ; and the crashing poM mi of time T i ■ i ml of m m ia as m h • as thjB h ad as g the uncrunibling pillars of God's throne We draw one argument from the Bible as recorded in Matth. x. 28, " And fear not them which kill the body* but are not able to kill the soul ■ but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell." Men have the power to kill the body of their fellow man, hut they not the power to kill the soul — this they cannot reacli with carnal weapons. We shall not stop to prove what is meant by the term soul as used in the text, but presume that it refer.- to the power of thought, affection, will, con- a and imagination. This substance they cannot destroy, lor it is spiritual and immaterial. If the brain is the power of thought and reasoning, then men may destroy it when they kill the body ; for the brain, with the whole system of nerves, is a part of the body, and becomes disor- dered, prostrate and inactive when the body is dissolved. — The above passage, with its parallels, is divine proof con- clusive, that the system of Materialism is false in fact and unworthy of confidence ; and with the Scriptural argu- ment we might have been satisfied, but in view of the queries proposed and arguments used, professedly based on H and the structure of the physical frame, we were in- clined to tr ;• the ground and expose the fallacy of tnded philosophy. 2. V 'I be a com istence between the time of the > i of the h > ly, and the resurrection. This position might be inferred from the remarks already made. If tli i mind is not material, but spiritual, and is not necessarily destroyed with the dissolution of the body, then 334 IMMORTALITY OF THE SOT'T.. while it doos exist, it must be conscious, and all its pow be in lively exercise. It is impossible for the mind, with essential life and activity, unaffected by the disposition of the body, to sink into unconscious sleep, when dismissed from the body. The Bible is the chief source of argument on this point. The nature and capacity of the soul, may afford strong and satisfactory reasons for the ever conscious existence of the soul ; nevertheless the word of God is the main support, and is conclusive in this matter. The Old Testament re- presents individuals as. going into the place of departed spir- its (Sheol and Hades) immediately after death. Jacob is spoken of as declaring his great sorrow for his son Joseph, and that he would -"go down into the grave (Sheol, or place of departed spirits) unto his son mourning," Gen. xxxvii. 35. "The wicked shall be turned into hell" — (into Sheol.) Ps. ix. 17. The rich man and Lazarus died and found themselves in the world of departed spirits, with a conscious existence, the one in torments and the other in bliss. Whatever you may call this portion of Scripture, a parable or an historical fact, it will ever bear testimony in favor of a future conscious existence. If the Bible gave no other assurance of a conscious being after death until the resurrection, this would be sufficient. But when Christ was on the Mount of Transfiguration, he conversed with Moses and Elias, who had left the world more than a thousand years previous, the one by natural death and the other was translated. If men have no con- scious existence after death, then these two saints of God would not have had. But since these had in the interme- diate state, there is an assurance that others will have. The thief upon the cross had the promise of Christ that, that very day he should be with him in paradise. No sooner was the body dead and the spirit departed, than the soul had :i CODBClOUfl rid, where ha] nantly revealed. Thai Christ's spun entered int i when the thief 1 him, is evident from tin- Bible, cvi, 10. "For thou will not >ul in hell lither will thou suffer thine I [oly our ruption." The term hell refers to f 'i spirits, and to that part of Hnlis, whe of In rijoyed ; from them when turned to life and his body rose from the the soul h . tee after death until the on, how would the dying man have known wheth- er lie was with Christ that day in paradise, or not? This proof is conclu The Apostle Paul had a desire to depart from this world and be with Christ, which would be far better. This could not be said, if the soul sinks into the torpor of the grave after death. Again, he says, that while he was present with the body, he was absent from the Lord; but when absent from the body, the presence of the Lord is secured. All this directly teaches that the soul will not sleep after death, but live and act in the spirit-world. When a man dies, his spirit immediately takes its flight into the eternal world, and takes up its abode in heaven, or in hell. While the friends are weeping, while the shroud is beingrmade, the coffin prepared, the grave dug, the soul of .'. ment has found its eternal destiny, await- in? the sentence of the judgment. 3. That the souls of the wicked will not be annihilated, r after death, or subsequent to the judgment. There are those who advocate the system, that all the : . and that the curse and punishment i will consume their souls "out of the universe of. God." Aiie:',_ the advocates of this system were the follow- 330 THE IMMORTALITY OF THE SOUL. inir prisons. — Priestly, S. Bowen, J. N. Scott, J. Taylor, of England; Dr. Chauncey, George Storrs, mpre- 1 all-important is ii ! The line oi on i stretches out into the distant, dim and interminable future. We b l to live, and v. he summit which is overlooking the eternal world — upon its scenes we must soon enter, and upon its unlimited area we must shortly fare we prepared for that world; its ?< and itfl a journey ; its condition, either of blissful fruition or of insuth rable wo ? Examine your heart and scrutinize jrour life in the light of truth and rectitude. A aC, or delusion here is fatal, is remediless. Try your hope, your character and your claim to glory; build on st, on his atonement, on truth; for fear the eternal surges shall drive your bark down the tremendous and re- turnless cataract of irretrievable wo. Your work and cha- racter in this life, will fix the destiny of your undying soul in the spirit-world. While it is day, work, repent and be- lieve — submit to God and be saved. C H A PTER X . THIS LIFE A STATE OF PROBATION FOR THE RETRIBUTIONS OF ETERNITY. " Cease, my son, to hear the instruction that causeth to err from the words of knowledge." Prov. xix. 27. In view of the fact, that man is an immortal being, des- tined to a continued existence through the revolutions of time and to all eternity, it has been generally believed, that he is in a state of probation here for the retributions of a hereafter — that his moral behavior and life here, will mould the character of his future destiny — and that every action voluntarily performed will vibrate a chord of his eternal weal or wo, as the case may be. But this religious faith and element in the moral government of God, are exploded and discarded by the great body of Universalis. Perhaps, in no opinion is there greater harmony among Universalists, than there is in teaching and defending the dogma, that man's present conduct will not affect his future state of ex- istence, unless it be the doctrine of the final holiness and happiness of the entire human race. How remote this view is from downright scepticism, we leave for the candid reader to decide. So obvious and general is the disavowal of the doctrine, that this life is a state of probation for the retributions of eternity, among Universalists, that it would seem needless to quote their language to confirm the position, were it not in accordance with our plan, to prove what Universalis!!! is from their own writings. Indeed, they are pushed to this ruifl LIFJ I tAl I "i PROS LTIONi i «i * : * alternative by iheir denial of future punishment [fman is not affected in his future existence bj tin- rices and virtues of the present life, then there can be no propriety or a< >r future punishment. The one is vitally connected with thf other. It' this life is probationary for another tistence, then there is need of a resurrection, a general judgment, and of rewards and punishments. We begin by quoting the language oi Jason Lewis, in a pamphlet entitled, Universalis! Belief. He says, M Al- though salvation in this world is, in some sort, conditional, that is to say, is enjoyed only by means of faith, good LS, etc. yet that salvation in a state of immortality, is means .suspended upon any exercises or acts of the while in this state of being.'" " As the salvation of the future world is wholly 'the gift of God;' therefore the object of pure religion, as possessed and practised in this life, is not to purchase, or secure the blessings of an* hereafter state of being, but to benefit mankind here, by rendering them better and happier.''' The views of this champion of Universalism in reference to the influence of man's conduct and character on his future destiny, is, that they do not affect him in the least. Even the religion of Christ, however pure and holy, will not secure and entitle the soul to happiness and salvation in heaven. Eternal life will be the gift of God irrespective of what man does, his character, or of any thing which may transpire on earth. Thus we have a bold denial of the doctrine, that the children of men are in a state of probation for eternity. A. C. Thomas says, in the Lowell Discussion, "If you mean by this, that faith is essential to the special salvation of the believer, you speak truly ; but if you mean, that faith in this world is essential to the holiness and happiness of the immortal state, you beg the whole question." If faith m be? It is evident, that Mr. 1 - 31 i THIS LIFE A STATE OF PROBATION Thomas believes, that faith, christian graces, and morality are only essential for man's happiness in this world, and Ttfill not affect his condition in the immortal state. This life is no probation for the future world. S. B. Brittan, in a published sermon, delivered at Bridge- port, Conn., holds the following language, "The glory and happiness of the future no more depend upon the faith and works of the creature, than the resurrection itself. The resurrection is not to be jaccomplished through our merits', but through the power of God. And if faith and works cannot raise the dead, how can these be supposed to de- termine our condition in the world to come ?" " Indeed, there is no more evidence that wicked men will sustain the same character in the resurrection-state, than that they will sustain the same bodies." The above advocate of Univer- salism is entitled to the character of a consummate logician, and the world should fear lest wisdom becomes extinct when he dies. Because the faith and good "works of man are incompetent to raise the dead, -therefore the actions and deportment of men in this life, can never determine- their condition in the world to come. What connection is there between the resurrection of.^the dead, and -the 'condition of man in the spirit-world, from which it would follow that if actions here cannot raise the dead, they cannot affect the destiny of men hereafter? The one may be true, yet it does not follow, as a matter of course, that the other must be so. We believe that our character here will affect the character of our resurrection, whether unto life or unto condemnation ; and also, that our deportment here will fix our destiny in the future world. But this latter point, the writer unequivocally denies- — he does not believe that man shall sustain the same • character in the resurrection-state, that he formed in this life. Consequently it must either be changed by death, or else he leaves it behind at death, be- <■; i hi. R] I RIB1 I lONfl 0] i n i;m I .'* I •> cause it wai to be transferred into the future — this life being no probation lor the retributioi rnity. Mr. Ballou says, u It appears thai mm 9 * final destiny not depend on /nan, but on God who made him. A.mong the numerous errors, which have, by men, been im- bibed, none have hem greater than the supposition, that revealed religion was designed, by the Creator, for the pmr- immortality beyond our i a supposition conflicts with tl a immortality was embraced in the purpose o( God originally. And the opinion, that th< Millions, or enjoyments in a future, immortal state, her on what men believe or do in this life, is an on which sets aside any original purpose, will, or de- mon of the Creator, respecting these weighty mat- Mr. Le Fevre says, " He does not believe that we are probationers here for eternity. Our good conduct here is not our passport to heaven and immortality hereafter ; neither will our bad conduct here, cause us to be raised up immortal sinners and immortal sufferers. " Mr. Whittemore, D. D. Smith, O. A. Skinner, Mr. Fer- nald, Williamson and others reiterate the same sentiments. r as w r e have perused the opinions of Universalists, who deny future punishment, they all agree in rejecting the doctrine that man is a probationer here, for another state of existence. Elsewhere we have given numerous quotations from their writings confirmatory of this dogma. So ob- vious is their denial, that it is deemed one of their principal positions. To admit that the conduct of men in this life will determine their future condition, would overwhelm their system with confusion and despair. How could they reconcile, in that event, the reward of final holiness and happiness, as indiscriminately bestowed upon the entire THIS LIFE A STATE OF PROBATION human race — the saint and sinner, the virtuous and profli- all faring alike? But strip all the rational world of their character, doings and inlluence, secured in this life, and they will lose all merit or demerit, and stand upon a common level, about to commence a new existence. How- ever derogatory to analogy, reason and Scripture, this posi- tion is, yet it is essential in order to maintain modern Uni- versalism. We believe, that we have given a true statement of what Universalism is, relative to a state of probation and retribu- tion ; we shall therefore proceed to investigate the truth of the case. By a state of probation for future retribution, we under- stand, that mankind is placed in a state of trial under the moral government of God, a government of motives and per- suasions ; and that all are called upon to live by such rules, and form for themselves such characters, as shall secure the approbation and praise of God, and the reward of happiness at his tribunal, and escape the reprobation and punishment due to apostates and rebels, in the future world of retribu- tion. This state of probation involves promises, commands and obligations to virtue, obedience and piety, on the one hand ; and on the other, threatenings, prohibitions and ex- posure to temptation, to try the virtuous principle in men, to discipline them for the conflicts of life, and form a char- acter which shall qualify them for a higher sphere of ex- istence. In the most emphatic sense, the good character, or the bad character, formed in this state of trial, will inevi- tably and certainly, mould and fix the destiny of all proba- tioners, either in happiness or in misery. This appears clear to us, and if we can prove it, we shall subvert one of the main pillars in the temple of modern Universalism. Then to the task. It is evivent from the fact, 1. That ive are, as God's rational creatures, placed under hi3 government in this state of existence. I ok 1111: RETRIB1 I ION! 01 i l I i:\it\ . A 17 The government of God, as d over 1 1 1 < * rational world, is both natural and moral; the former ii ii life, imposing natural duties, and resulting in temporal consequences, while die Latter ie 1 over - rational and accountable creatures, subject, to the scrutiny and decision of God, in regard to our state and Condition in the future world. The duties imposed upon us in this life, affecting our temporal happiness and worldly circumstances, no more certainly and iuvariahlv imhitter OUT B, frustrate our hopes, and secure 4 inflictions of pain and misery, when we prove recreant to those duties and substitute vicious practices; than incvitahle misery and wo will he the cup and portion of all those who rebel against the requirements of God, and form a corrupt and vicious character under his moral government. So evident is it to all who are ohscrvers of men and things, that argument is needless to prove, that the children of men are in a state of trial for this world, and if this state of natural probation is not wisely and judiciously improved, the dangers avoided, and the temptations to idleness and vice repelled, that se- vere temporal consequences will result. There are dan- gers and difficulties in the way of securing the grand end of our being even in this world, but if the difficulties which we meet to-day, are overcome, we shall be the better pre- pared for the conflicts of to-morrows and the more easily triumph. We must brave and foil all hostile forces and circumstances, and pursue a correct and uniform course of lite, then we shall answer our destiny in this world. This is our natural probation under the natural laws of God. The notion of a state of trial is so common and of such general application, that it is interwoven in all the common affairs of life. The apprentice enters upon a state of trial to his employer — the physician to the district of his prac- tice — the attorney to the surrounding community — the po- 348 THIS LIFE A STATE OF PROBATION litieal aspirant to his constituents — and the preacher of the gospel to the church of God. As much superior as is man's moral state to his natural ; as much greater and more significant as is man's moral char- acter, influence and value of his soul to his natural being; and in the same proportion as eternity is more awful and glo- rious than time ; so much more is man's state of moral pro- bation under God's moral government, of the utmost signifi- cance and importance. It is more probable, that man would not be placed in a state of trial for this world, than that he should not receive a state of probation under the moral gov- ernment of God. But the first being undeniable ; reason and analogy would confirm the second. If the young, while starting the journey of life, run a great risk of sub- sequent well-doing, and a small miscalculation and error may overwhelm them in sorrow and ruin ; and if the re- formed inebriate is in imminent danger, while exposed to temptations to indulge in his former habits, of failing to se- cure a permanent state of virtue and sobriety ; how much greater is the danger with respect to all those who are form- ing a character and pursuing a line of conduct for eternity under the moral government of God, that they shall fail of their glorious destiny; seeing, that they are surrounded with the pride of life, strong temptations, mighty difficulties and perplexities, joined to a corrupt and fallen nature within ! Yet the moral laws of God are wisely and completely adap- ted to render man's state of trial for eternity, what it should be. There is no indulgence, no sin, and no carnal attach- ment, but what is strictly prohibited — against every lurking temptation, every path of error and precipice of ruin, the law utters its warning voice — and every virtue, every deed of justice, and every christian grace is required. Many of the ills we suffer in this life, are the results of the violation of the natural laws of God, and of misimprov- i 111. RETRIBUTIONS OF i.ti:i:mtv. 349 ing the state of probation for this world. However, pain ami afRiction to ill-doing, or pleasure and satiafaciton to well-doing, are apt more certain and invariable in tins life, than moral results, cither painful J lion. Thai this world is a state of probation ami dis- cipline lor tip 4 children of men is provable by ol tiii analogy and Scripture. Man it lo improve bj experience, to acquire knowled develope all the powers of mind, and form habits ; all this r to the eye of obsen ation and reason, an : presumptive proof, thai he was endowed with these capacities to adapl him to a state ol" trial. There needs a constant development of our nature and powers, to qualify ns lor ihf bc< ties of life, to lit us for subsequent activity, duties and callings. From childhood to manhood, and to old age, new circumstances surround us, and untried muni- hurst to view, to meet which, and answer their demand, there is need ol' contain development and improve- of man. All this is obvious to every impartial obser- id conclusively proves the state of trial, discipline and improvement, in which the human family is placed. There is a regular gradation through life, improved capacities qual- ify for additional improvement, and adapt to a higher state of existence. Since this is the case through life, reason and analogy would teach, next to moral certainty, that this life is probationary for the future world. If one day pre- fer the next, one period for the subsequent, one dis- pensation for its successor; then we may infer, that one state tee is but preparatory to the next, and this world for the boundless displays of eternity. it the children of men are in a suitable state of trial, from the facts, that heaven is a state of improved y, and that our state here and our capacities are ad habits of virtue and prac- tical : ble of pro- ducing a - for eternity. If things were of producing virtue and piety, the situa- tion of men, w \ and scrupulously improved, 352 THIS LIFE A STATE OF PROBATION would have a natural tendency to destroy or prevent the formation of a character fitted for heaven, then we should have a grand difficulty to surmount to prove this life a state of probation ; but as it is, the laboring oar is put into the hand of the deniers of the doctrine. Just as certain as design, adaptation and adequate means and capacities prove a known and contemplated end ; so true it is, that God has placed man in a probation-state for the retributions of eternity. 3. Reason and analogy do not deny that there exists a close and controlling connection between the agency and life of man,' and his future destiny — or that this life is a state of probation for the retributions of eternity. As man lives here, so he will live in the future world — the character he forms here, he will carry with him into the future, and by it, he will fix his destiny. The resurrection will raise us up with the same character with which we left this world, and present us before God for his approval or con- demnation. There is an intimate and indissoluble connec- tion between actions and character in this life, and the state of existence in the future world — a strong link joins to- gether the two existences which neither death can break, nor will it be severed by the sword of justice unsheathed by the strong arm of God. Youth is joined to manhood, and as the privileges of youth are improved, character developed and formed, sound principles imbibed and allowed to govern, so will manhood reap the abundant fruit. And as middle age is improved, cultivated and well directed, so will old age gather up the results of a well-spent life. This is not only the case when life is well guarded and cultivated ; but the same uniform laws govern the vicious in scattering the seeds of iniquity, and in reaping the fruits of corruption and death. As a man soweth so shall he also reap, is the immutable law of roi THE 353 . and are ><> whenever Hi. i either obeyed or tra y thai th< ■ [Ually true and certain in moral matters, and will not be witnessed in transcending tin 1 scenes of tunc, -and <>; ing with c i qually unavoidable, in en rnal agi In this life we witness many and striking analogous circum- \ man pursues a culpable course of life, ho is guilty of atrocious wickedness, he attempts to escnpe the consequences of a criminal life and the smarting strokes of an injured conscience, he leaves home and his country, he - the mountains, lie navigates lakes and seas, and plants I the opposite soil of the globe. Has he fled from his crimes, have the pure breezes of the towering hills swept away guilt, have lakes and oceans with their yawn- lUows overwhelmed his sins and released him from condemnation, or have changing climates renovated his character and pressed innocency upon his heart ? The character formed he still retains, it is wedded to his soul with living cords, and is interwoven throughout his entire being, and its roots are planted in the depths of his heart. There is no magic in hills or dales, time or space, lakes or briny deep, the frigid or torrid zones, moving winds or balmy climes, to change crime, or separate the state of proba- tion from its proper retributions. If time or space cannot do this, what ground have we to surmise that a journey I world into the future, will release mankind from Is there any semblance of Son ! Do< a ndl the voice of universal nature declare, a denial of the doctrine of retribution, is based upon the lame c of a doubting and unbelieving heart. A m hi perpetrates gross crime and Btains his soul with aes upon his couch for repose, and in f blunted perceptions, a conscience, 351 THIS LIFE A STATE OF PROBATION and obdurate heart, he forgets his deeds of darkness and sleeps until the dawning morning, he arises to pursue the avocations of life and plunges into distracting business, has, therefore, sleep the talismanic power to change the charac- ter, or to prevent the criminality of his deeds on the former day from accompanying him upon the subsequent day ? Sleep locks up the senses, restrains activity and is the very semblance of death, and yet who will assert that crime and character cannot transcend a night's or a year's repose ? — if such a thing were possible. What greater power, to change the mind or character, or blast the moral seed of a subse- quent moral harvest, has death than what sleep possesses or exerts ? There is no Scripture or analogous ' reason for such a supposition. Since deeds performed to-day, may spring up to-morrow, next week, or year, and yield their proper fruit, notwithstanding sleep has, time and again, reigned in solemn silence and in undisturbed repose over its victims ; so likewise the actions performed and character acquired will yield their proper fruit, and stand in living re- ality beyond the grave. There is no power in circumstan- ces, climate, change of situation, affliction, sickness, or death, or a combination of all the ills of life, to remit sin, bleach crime, transform character from guilt to innocency or to separate the deeds of time from their effects in eter- nity. All we do here will scale life, death and the revolu- tions of eternity. This life which is a state of probation, will, therefore, be followed by a state of retribution. Here is the seed time but beyond death is the harvest-season — and as we sow here so shall we reap there. This is the arrangement of tlu Almighty, and He is not to be mocked, or his laws evaded by trifling objections, by the cunning and cavils of men. If good actions and a moral character will affect us to- morrow, next year, or beyond the bounds of time, render l 01 i in: i:i i R1B1 i io\ | OJ BTKRNJ 1 1 . .1, exquisitely and endlessly happy ; then why will not ill-doing have a contrar) effect upon the destiny and future existence of the wicked? We must either take the stand of Universalists, and deny thai anj actions good or bad, religious devotion and piety or downright wicked- ness, nor tin- work and atonement of Christ, will have any influence upon the character of our existence in the future world, but all shall begin eternity upon "a common level," irrespective o( the past; or else we must believe with the orthodox, that for all wc do here, we must give an account in the future, and that as we have sown here, either good or bad. we shall reap hereafter. The wicked and the right- eous shall be as distinct in character, state of existence and enjoyment in the spirit-world, as they have been in this of trial. 4. The Scriptures amply prove and fortify the doctrine of mans probation here and retribution hereafter. However forcible and conclusive our arguments may hi* as drawn from reason and nature, yet after all, the word of the Lord will constitute the ultimate court of appeal, to all who rest their salvation on Christ and the testimony of his mouth. So emphatic are the Scriptures relative to the character and future destiny of man, that In order to escape the weight of many passages, Universalists have denied their application to the spirit- world, and assert that they only refer to the affairs of this life. On their part this should be proven and not asserted, that all passages which speak of doing and living so as to be worth}- of reward, are applicable only to this life. Furthermore, they should an- nihilate the force of all analogous teaching, and show the utter impossibility of future rewards, as a consequence of nt well-doing. But the sentiment is so interwoven with all the common affairs Of life, that Ihe candid mind will assent to it in defiance of all their equivocation. The 350 THIS LIFE A STATE OF PROBATION Scriptures seem no less decisive and strong in affirming that future rewards and punishments are appended to the beha- vior and deeds of this life. We read in 2. Cor. iv. 17. " For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more ex- ceeding and eternal weight of glory." Here we are taught that the afflictions incident to this life, shall exert such an influence on some, as to augment their glory and increase their happiness in the future life, compared with what it would have been in the absence of these light afflictions. The glory will not only exceed what it would be for the want of affliction, but it will also be eternal in durability. The light afflictions are instrumental in augmenting glory and happiness as the portion of such who are tried thereby. Here we have a cause existing in time which will influence the condition of saints in the eternal heavens ; for the glory must necessarily be the reward of heaven, being eternal, being not seen, and to be enjoyed after the sorrows and tears of this life shall have passed away. This passage, then, teaches future and eternal retribution as connected with this life. 2 Cor. v. 9, 10. " Wherefore we labor, that, whether present or absent, we may be accepted of him ; for we must all appear before the judgment-seat of Christ, &c." In this chapter,Paul is speaking of death and immortality — of being present with the body while living in this world, and of being absent from the body when removed into the eternal state of existence. Now, in the verse quoted we are taught that our acceptance or rejection by the Lord will, not only in this world, but also in the next, while absent from the body and present with the Lord, mainly depend on the manner of laboring and acting. This passage, there- fore, inculcates the same doctrine. John vi. 27. "Labor not for the meat which perisheth, RE ikiiu i [ONfl f the human race from the state of death into a state immor- tal, where the) shall ■ .'I al length know, and lovo, and en- (1. l>ut whether the resurrection instantly succeedf ath of the body, or whether it is a pr< work in the hands of God, performed upon- different individuals at different times, as he shall be pleased to raise them, or whether it i> .t<> take place with .-ill simultaneously, at some future time, Dniversalism, as ide. Dif- ferent individuals have their different opinions on this tion." If the above writer i the opinion of Qni- arrectly, then they have not as yet decided from aching of the Bible, or their philosophy, in relation to the time of the resurrection, or whether it will be simul- taneous, or take place during all time immediately after the death of the body. If the latter be true, then, either there are - in the graves and vaults, which contradicts matter oi' fact, or else many of the denomination deny the literal resurrection of the dead. Mr. Walter Balfour, who is known and acknowledged as a materialist, speaks on this wise, " We may with equal truth believe in pre-existent spirits, as in disembodied spir- its. In short, we may as well assert the pre-existence of bodies and spirits before God created them, as assert the separate existence of either after death. Both return to their original condition." If this writer's opinions prove true, then the future world will be inhabited, if at all, by a race of intelligences distinct from the human family upon the earth. For the notion is too crude, to admit a doubt in the rational world may be reduced to its original nonentity, both .body and soul, and then eventu- ally brought into existence again, the same conscious and 366 TUB RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD. distinct race, by the energy of the resurrection. How dark, crude, absurd is the philosophy of human wisdom! Another writer, in reference to the resurrection of the identical bodies, ventures these remarks, " These "specula- tions may be considered foolish, but no more so than the doctrine is absurd. The question is, do or do not the Scriptures warrant the opinion, that the bodies of men are to be raised ? / think they do not. I understand that the heavenly body is entirely distinct from earthly matter, flesh, and blood." The Rev. E. M. Pingree in a debate with the Rev. N. L. Rice, at Cincinnati, Ohio, on the doctrine of Universal Salvation, bases the realization of his doctrine, in the future world, upon the resurrection of the dead. He enters some- what largely and minutely into the exposition of the doc- trine according to his views. That he states the views of the denomination correctly, especially in the West, might be inferred from the endorsement of the character and ability of Mr. Pingree, by John A. Gurley, Editor of the Chris- tian Warrior. His first statement is*, " That in the resurrection of the dead — of all the dead, a change is effected that intro- duces all men into a state of happiness " — " into a state of holiness, happiness, and immortality," " But I do not believe that any are made entirely pure and holy in this life. I be- lieve that all require a change after this life, to make them entirely fit to enter the abodes of purity and bliss hereafter." Thus Mr. P. must either believe that the resurrection itself purifies and fits the children of men for heaven, or else that a certain power effects the work simultaneously with the resurrection, but distinct from it ; otherwise all could not be introduced into the kingdom of holiness and happi- ness. All this reasoning is not very profound, much less Scriptural. If the resurrection shall accomplish this mighty mii U>. 361 . and since none are lit fo before of the fchildren of men, daring the time intervening beta h and the resurrection? — They canhat be in heai en, for they are no1 lit for of bliss and holiness; an "' of mise- ry, for there la no hell, if Universalism is the oracle of God. Are the children of men annihilated, or do the souls sleep with the body in un ; or the other must be the case, it' Mr. P, is correct. in, as physical laws operate upon matter, it will re- quire physical power to raise the dead ; will, therefore, the of God produce the moral change from sin to holiness ! This will be the case, if the resurrection shall, in moral character, fit men for heaven. Do the Scriptures present, that the moral character of the christian, and holiness of heart, are the productions of the truth and the spirit of God, and not of physical power ? But if Mr Pin- gree and Universalism are correct, then the human family are rendered holy and prepared for heaven, by physical power. Mr. P. is guilty of inculcating indirectly the doctrine of Materialism, by blending the body and soul, and making them identical. As all sin has its origin in the jnind which If polluted, the mind needs the change from sin to holi- and as the resurrection affects merely the body, raising it up and making it meet for the habitation of the soul; there- fore if the soul is changed by the resurrection-power of God, then the soul must be the same as the body, and there- MATTER. All these horrid conclusions are legiti- from the position and reasoning of Mr. P. and others of "like precious faith." On pane 101, Mr. Pingree makes the following declara- tion, which identities his views fully with the doctrine of Materialism, and also shows that he denies the resurrection 10 1 hi: RESl KK1< H«).\ OF 1HE DEAD. of out physical and identical bodies, " Again, in relation to 1 Cor. 14; and as to what is raised. The matter is just here. Man, as a human being is here mortal, sin- ful and suffering. He is to be raised to another life, immortal pure and happy. That is called the resurrection of the dead ; and is not merely, nor at all, the resurrec- tion of the physical body, which we lay in the dust. — Paul asks : ' How are the dead raised up ! and with what body do they come?' Mr. Rice says, the body alone is raised. This would make Paul's language absurd, 'How is the body raised up ? and with what body does it come V " I said that a corrupt soul would not be put into it; because Paul declares, that ■ corruption cannot inherit incorruption.' Mr. P. denies the resurrection of the physical body, and asserts that all the Scriptures mean by the resurrection of the dead, is, that God changes the condition of the human race from a sinful, mortal and suffering state, into a pure, immortal and happy state. Is this change a condition iden- tical with the resurrection of the dead ? Was Elijah dead and raised again, when brought to the enjoyment of purity, immortality and heaven ? Or do the Scriptures emphati- cally declare that he never saw death, and that he was translated to glory ? Yet the change of situation of Elijah was synonomous, in the opinion of Mr. P., with the resur- rection of the dead. The fact is, it is just no resurrection at all, and amounts to a bold denial of the same. If the dead are not raised, then Christ is not raised; the preaching is in vain, the christian faith is a delusion, and all are yet in their sins ; and those who have died, professing faith in Christ, have perished. Mr. P. says, " the physiced body we lay in the dust M is not raised at all ; yet we read, that at the time of the re- surrection of Christ, " many of the bodies of the saints arose." Paul also declares, that Christ -shall change our i I!' -I ION 01 » m. im. \i>. >dy, thai il m d like unto his glorious body." The resurrection Bhall cfa "naiwal into a spiritual body" from corruption t<» incorruption, from mortality to immortality, from weakness to power; and after the change of the body, fitted and prepared for a hab- itation of the soul, they will rise together purified and re- deemed by the blood of Chrisl tO heavenly (dimes. — Though the body is changed in the alembic of the grave and tin 1 resurrection, yet it will be just as much the same body, and -dbodi/, as kernels of wheat produced from wheat sown, arc bodies, and the same bodies. The fact is, they who deny the literal resurrection of the dead, are involved in a labyrinth of perplexities, error and absurdity from which there is no deliverance. More on this point here- after. Other writers in confirmation of their faith assert, that all the children of men will not only be raised from death, but that all will be the children of God, by the fact of the resurrection, and that there will be no distinction of charac- ter among men, so far as good or evil, righteous or wicked are concerned. This is the main point of the doctrine, which they strenuously insist upon, that all will be equal and the children of God, because the children of the resur- rection. Mr. Balfour says, "Many good people affirm with great confidence, that unless men are sons of God in this world by faith in Christ Jesus, they must be miserable for ever. Observe here, that our Lord says nothing like this, but affirms, " they are the children of God— being the children of the resurrection." If they are raised from the dead by him, they are his children. They are then be- i from the dead to an immortal, incorruptible life, which their believing here could neither procure nor pre- vent.'' Mr. Whittemore says, in reference to the distinc- tion of moral character, ;i The Bible does not support the 370 THE RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD. doctrine of distinctions among mankind ; either in (he grave or beyond it" Mr. Skinner declares, that " every one that is raised, is raised into the kingdom of immortal'glory. We all shall be equal in the resurrection; all alike, all equally honorable, glorious and happy." We might add the testimony of A. C. Thomas, Mr. Montgomery and others ; but sufficient has already been said to show the opinions of Universalist preachers and writers. 1. They profess the doctrine that all mankind will be raised. 2. That in the resurrection and beyond it, there will be no dis- tinction of moral character. 3. That the resurrection will introduce the rational world into the glorious kingdom of God, equal in honor, in purity and happiness. 4. Many believe the entire man will be raised, changed and fitted for glory, and a spiritual body will be given, in the place of the physical and vile body, which latter body shall never be raised from the grave. 5. And all this will be effected by the physical power of God, in defiance of the truth, that holiness is alone predicable of mind, and must consist in holy affections, supreme love to God, and conformity to moral law. But what is their proof ? They appeal to reason and philosophy, to prove the ab- surdity of the doctrine of a literal resurrection of the dead. The whole, however, comprises the cavils of infidelity against the resurrection of the dead. Mr. Pingree states the sum and substance of the argument in the follow- ing language, "If Mr. Rice says, it is this body, is it the body we had seven years ago, or the one we die with ? For they are not the same. Infant bodies differ materially from those of adults ; will they have large bodies or small in the resurrection ? Some are malformed, maimed, distorted and misshapen ; are they to arise so in the immortal state ? — These bodies are of the dust and return to dust. Corrup- in i UBS! RRE4 TIOH PF THE DEAD. .'171 tiou and worms devour them. The materials of which thc\ aw composed, return to then- original element*, ^hich mi incorporated into other bodies of other men, and cvni of vegetables and of beasts. The same matter of which our body is composed, may pass into, and constitute, in their turn, the bodies of men lor ;i hundred generations!] What portion of matter, then, at the resurrection, shall each man claim as his own, if this animal body is to puss into the future world. M The difficulties of the philosophy of the doctrine of the resurrection of tin; body, so much handled and gloried in by infidels, should be discarded by I niversalisis, unless they stand identified with the despisers of the power of God. However, impossible the literal re- surrection of the dead may seem to. the understanding of men, still the revelation of the fact, upon the authority of Jehovah, is sufficient to silence all cavils, resolve all doubts, and confound the haughty wisdom of men, that the power of God and the wisdom of God are abundantly adequate to the great work. The same question was pro- posed in the form of an objection, to the apostle Paul, "How are the dead raised? and with what body do they come? II His reply which may seem harsh and grating to some, was, " thou fool." We presume the epithet is appropri- ately used to all, who employ similar cavils against the re- surrection of the identical bodies of the dead. Do men not believe the power of God, that it is no greater work to raise the dead to life ? than to create the souls and bodies of men. Do men not feel the force and understand the teaching of nature and analogy ? Is it less complex and difficult for a seed of wheat to die, and be decomposed in the earth, and then vegetate and yield sixty fold the same kind of bodies, than for the human body to decay in the grave, and at God's appointed time, and by the instrumen- tality of his power, to yield a body identical ? The former 372 THE RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD, is witnessed by matter of fact, and produced by the uni- form laws of nature, however secret, intricate and inexpli- cable the process; the latter is founded upon the authority of God, and evidenced by the resurrection of Christ, and his own repeated exertions in effecting the resurrection of the dead — the first fruit we have seen; but the general har- vest is yet to come. Paul says, the body is sown in weak- ness, it (the body) is raised in power — it (the body) is sown a natural body, it (the body) is raised a spiritual body. The body of Christ, after the resurrection, was spiritual, and Paul teaches that Christ shall " change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body" That body which dies, shall be raised; and if they were the children of God before death, the Saints shall not only have their bodies raised, but changed and glorified, fitted for the abodes of angels and the celestial occupation. This is as possible and as reasonable as that nature produ- ces the chrysalis, and then in due process of time sends forth a gilded and winged butterfly. The butterfly was once the offensive and vile chrysalis. So the glorified, spiritual and immortal bodies of the saints and sons of God, beyond the resurrection, will have been the vile, debased and corrupti- ble bodies which once endured affliction, sickness and death, and lay decomposing in the grave. If it is asked, how the butterfly came to exist, adorned and beautified — the an- swer is, it was produced by the established laws of nature ; but the resurrection of the dead is effected by the power of God promised in its time, and adequate for the work. The body of the dead is raised and fashioned as it should be, for future existence by the power of God. Here it stands as a rock in the foaming and surging ocean, in proud defiance of all the cavils, wild and skillful speculations of infidelity. And here let it rest, until God shall exemplify the truth be- fore an astonished and gazing world. nn m n rre< noN of i he di uk Opinio 'iun. The principal texts, upon which the) relj to prove their notioas of the resurrection, are Matth. xxii, k z\>, 30, Luke ,>\. 84 — 36. ! Cor. 15, We shall particul [amine of Scripture and give them their full appli- cation. We quote IVfattlu wii 29, 30, M J< said unto them, ye do err, not knowing the Scriptures nor tlif power of God. For in the resurrection they neith- er many, no rare given in marriage, but are ae the anj Ccoil in Heaven." The parallel passages in Luke, read thus: (Luke xx : 3 i — 36.)*"And Jesus answering said unto them, lildren of this world many and are given in marriage : but they which shall be accounted worthy to obtain that world and the resurrection of the dead, neither marry, nor are given in marriage : neither can they die any more : for they are equal unto the angels ; and are the children of God, being the children of the resurrection." From these ges Universalis ts wish to prove. 1. That all man- kind will be raised from the dead. 2. And that all who are raised to life, are by the operation of the resurrection, constituted the children of God, and are equal to angels, and partake of immortal glory. They presume that there is nothing more wanting to bring the rational world to glo- ry and endless bliss, than simply the resurrection of the dead. This is the object and intention of God, in raising the dead, and is alone sufficient. What do the passages teach ? What was the chief ob- ject of Christ in announcing them ? What doctrines did he ro confute or prove ? Understanding these things, we shall be able to correctly interpret them. The Sadducees, a I \s who denied the resurrection and the exis- tence of spirits, came to Jesus with captious questions, de- siring to ensnare him and confound his wisdom. Know- 874 Tin: resurrection of the dead. IBg that Christ taught the existence of disembodied spirits and the resurrection of the dead, they wished to show the folly and unreasonableness of his faith, by stating that a certain woman had had seven husbands in succession, and all were then dead, how it would he in the resurrection, since all had been joined to her in marriage. Thus they wished to know two things and the Saviour's reply mainly teaches and proves these two particular points. 1. The fact of the resurrection. 2. The condition and character of those raised from the dead. 1. The fact of the resurrection. It was not the object of Christ, at this time, to teach whether all mankind, or but few should be raised. This question was not proposed, nor answered. The simpleyhci of the resurrection was one of the points taught. He declares, as Paul afterwards did, that the power of God was adequate to raise the dead ; this would crush all philosophical difficulties and infidel cavils, and would finally effect the resurrection. This power was pledged, although they did not comprehend the omnipotence and efficiency of the same. This was also confirmed by the Holy Scriptures, concerning which they erred. The fact of the resurrection was proved and taught by Jehovah to Moses when he said, " I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. God is not the God of the dead, but of the living." This proof silenced the Sadducees and should silence every infidel. 2. The condition and character of those raised from the dead. The Sadducees also erred in supposing, that if there were a resurrection, the children of men would also trans- fer all their natural and social relations into the future world — that things would be there as they are here — Christ de- clares, that in this they greatly erred ; although the body would be raised, yet these relations and conditions which make marriage necessary in this world, will not exist in rill: KIM KK' I HI I'l ID, that world. Paul has elsewhere taught that the fcfody when raised will begreatl) changed. Ml filial, parental and e<>n- nubia] relations were given to men, as requisite in \ i < • w of their earthl) existence, and when their existenc ferred into the future world, these relations shall no i he nec id therefore cease. I 'or 111 tin • ihall be as the angels of God. The angels neither marry nor are given in marriage, nor are they subject to death. So shall those he who are raised from the dead and enter upon that world of joy, where the love and glo- ry of (lod shall entirely supersede the' joys and smiles of earth. When the body itself is spiritual, the delightful a o( earth are not needed, to satisfy the soul. Where , holiness reigns, there will be no more sin and death,, Borrow and burials, and there; is no need of marriages to re- plenish the kingdom of God. Those who art; raised thus are angel-like in character, in enjoyment and in occupation. Having become the sons of God by faith in Christ, and adopted into his family, though once strangers and foreign- ers to God, yet now living the children of God, as well as the angels, the one by creation and the other by adoption, they constitute one family, and are therefore heirs of the same inheritance and glory. And since saints are the chil- dren of God, they are begotten from the dead, as Christ st-fruit of them that slept. They enjoy a glo- rious resurrection to bliss, for the reason that they 1 are the children of grace ami are worthy in character of inheriting the future state of existt nee, with all its grandeur and im- mortal hi tssedness. :>>. Whom do< surrection, spoken ofbyChrist, in- clude, and who are " worthy to obtain that world and the re- surrection?" The Universalists declare that it includes all mankind, therefore, the rational world shall he saved and en- ter heaven. We acknowledge, that if the resurrection spoken lfr 370 THE RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD. of shall embrace all mankind without distinction of persons, then all will be happy after the resurrection. But th< are insurmountable reasons, which, in our opinion, show that the resurrection referred to, will embrace the righteous only, and is the same as the w resurrection of the ju I lasting life." Our reasons are the following, which, we believe, will settle the question. 1. The object of Christ was to refute the infidel notions of the Sadducees who denied the resurrection, the exis- tence of angels and spirits, and future rewards ; and to prove from the five Books of Moses, which they acknowl- edged, inspired and authentic, that the doctrines of the exis- tence of spirits and the resurrection of the dead, were sound and Scriptural — and in addition, he showed that a worthy character was requisite to gain admittance into heaven and a resurrection from natural death. God was the God of the living and not of the dead, therefore, the souls of the fathers, of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob were not annihi- lated, but still existed ; and though their bodies had lain in the cave of Machpelah, hundreds of years, and had crum- bled into dust, yet under the promise of God, they should rise and be reunited with the soul. So the passage was understood by the Jews. Thus Christ proved the simple fact of the resurrection from the dead, and the existence of spiritual beings. The question w r as not, whether all man- kind should be raised, or only a few, but whether there would be a resurrection of the dead at all. This was proved. 2. The resurrection spoken of by Christ would, in the use of his language, impress those who heard him, that it included the righteous only. The Sadducees, the immedi- ate auditors of Christ, attached the idea of annihilation to the term dead. When the dead were spoken of, the im- pression upon their minds was, that reference was had to Illi \ 01 I'll who had once lived, but non were annihilated soul and bod] • \ resurrection to life, therefore, and the God of heaven, the fountain of bliss and glory, being their God, would fix the impression < 1* < * j > in thru- mind, that the right- and good, like Abraham, wen- alone the partaki tiefits. The reason the Gathers and patrialrchs would only because they lived, but l>< i God riras their God ; they had acknowledged Ihe Lord and become strangers for the sake of religion, therefore, M God Bhamed to be called their God; " while the wick- ed reject him, and are " without hope and God in the world," therefore, they will he disowned finally by Jehovah. Mr. Campbell says, "Agreeably to the Jewish style of that pe- riod, our Lord calls that only the resurrection, which is a ion to glory.'' 1 3. The Saviour himself restricts the resurrection here spoken of, as confined to those who are worthy of that world and the resurrection. A certain character is requi- site to men in order to be accounted worthy of that world, its glories, beauties and blessedness. Now, if Universalism be true, a good character will not be required, a bad char- acter will not exclude ; for nothing of the kind will be a consideration, but all are equally entitled to bliss eternal. — But the fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob were good and righteous men, God was their God, and because he lived should live also ; and all who have evangelical faith in God, are the faithful children of Abraham, and heirs ac- cording to promise. Such alone arc accounted worthy of that world, and are entitled to this resurrection. " Thou hast a few names even in Sardis which have not defiled their . and they shall walk with me in white xfot they an- worth}/. Rev. iii. 4. In order to be worthy, they must possess a good and approved character — it requires something substantially good to obtain the resurrection and 378 THE RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD. the glories of the coining world as referred to. After men shall have passed a thorough trial, as silver is tried, and then be judged good and approved of God, then they shall be entitled to a resurrection which shall introduce them to the final reward of heaven. In this trial, some will be found unworthy and others worthy ; those only who are accoun- ted worthy shall obtain life, while the unworthy shall fail of that world and the resurrection of the dead. 4. If the Saviour refers not to the resurrection of the righteous only, then some persons will have no resurrection at all, and therefore be annihilated, and the Scriptures must necessarily conflict. If the resurrection spoken of by Christ in the text is the only one, and will include all who shall ever be raised, then an indefinite number of the human family will never be raised, and just so many will be anni- hilated ; for only those who are judged worthy of the glo- ries of heaven shall be raised to life, from the dominion of Death ; which implies that some are unworthy. The Bi- ble states, that " there will be a resurrection of the just and of the unjust — " " to shame and to life " — " to life and to condemnation/ ' Indeed, the doctrine is held forth that all will be raised, which cannot be the case, if only those " who are accounted worthy of that world" are raised* There- fore, we have an additional evidence, that the Saviour* was discoursing of the resurrection of the righteous only. 5. Those who are raised in that resurrection are the chil- dren of God, and as none are the children of God in the sense of the Saviour but true believers, therefore, the text refers to the righteous only. ' Christ says, " And they are the children of God, being the children of the resurrec- tion." The penitent and believing are made the children of God by grace, and are adopted into his family ; and be- cause they are the children of God, they are accounted worthy of the blessedness of the future world and the re- in lECl ION 0] I in: I'l. \i». surrection Brora the dead. They must first be made the children of < ted by faith and grace, before thej are entitled to the resurrection of the just to immortality. Paul teaches thai the children of God, which have received the first fruits of the Spirit," groan within theme the adoption, to wit, the redemption of their bodies.* 1 Rom. are made the children of ( rod, before their bodies are raised from death ; yea,* even while they roan in their painful, and sickly bodies. Even then they hope and anxiously await the time of fill! and com- plete redemption from the grave. The interpretation, given by Universalists, of Christ's language, M they are the children of God, being the children of the resurrection,' ' is, that all by virtue of their resurrec- tion are constituted the children of Cod — because they are I, they are God's children and heirs of eternal glory. This is a false construction of what Christ says, and is in- consistent with their own theory. They profess to believe, that all are the children of God, from the fact, that God has created men in his own image, and therefore their final holi- ness and happiness is secured. But their belief in regard to the resurrection would show, that none are the children of God before the resurrection of the dead, and that all are made such by virtue of the resurrection and entitled to en. Both cannot be true. The former we have con- futed in the first chapter of this book, and the latter now. ncal power can never produce moral character, yet this power shall raise the dead. The only alternative for Uni- lists is to surrender this portion of Scripture, and no more press it for the confirmation of their opinions of the resurrection, or else if they persist, they must accept the conclusion, the annihilation of an indefinite number of the human race, and thus overthrow the s\ ui Uiriversalism ; for this teaches that all mankind will be 380 THE RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD. made holy and happy in the resurrection of the dead, which cannot be true, if a part of the world is annihilated ; un!< annihilation and Universal Salvation are one and the same, As a good character and a bad character are opposite, and must necessarily have widely different results; and as a good character is indispensable to secure a resurrection to glory, therefore a bad character must either prevent a re- surrection, or else secure one to shame and contempt. The latter is taught by the Bible. The next Scripture they appeal to in order to establish their opinions of the resurrection of the dead is found in I Cor. xv. They claim the whole chapter as a triumphant proof of the resurrection of all the dead to immortal bless- edness ; but we need not transcribe the whole ; the reader may open his Bible and read it leisurely. We shall quote a few of the main passages, commencing with verse 21. II For since by man came death, by man came also the re- surrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive." Also verses 25 — 28, and 42 — 55. These passages, they hold, teach the doctrine, that as many as die in Adam shall be raised in Christ, and that therefore the whole rational world shall have a resur- rection to a glorious immortality, and become the partakers of Christ's future and eternal kingdom, which shall insure holiness and ceaseless happiness. This is their strong bulwark. But few sermons are preached by Universalis^, which do not contain some portion of this chapter, and handled as an unanswerable argument and vindication of their theory of the resurrection ; nevertheless, their interpretation will clearly lead to three horrid errors. 1. That the souls of men are changed and fitted for glory by the resurrection. They believe that all men are not as yet subordinated to Christ and prepared for heaven, but thai they will be in ti ,(i i in of the d€ id. \t that ppy — from the grave tin \ shall wall and bliss. The i . < \ tdentl) , will requir of the physical power of God if tin .I and pi i j by the i ■! effect it But ; i in chai informed to the moral law of God, resulting from the operations of i truth upon the J Is of life. For- giveness o( sin, and supreme love to God, and a holy life are pre-requisites to enter heaven; yet these are not the productions of physical power. 2, Their reasoning lends to Materialism, and the uncon- scious sleep of the soul, from the day of death unto the hour of the resurrection. If the soul is changed, made holy and happy by the physical power which raises the dead, then the soul must he a material substance ; for all physical power operates on matter, but moral power on spirit. It not only leads to Materialism ; but also vindicates the un- conscious sleep of the soul in the intermediate state. If the physical power of God raises and changes the soul, then the soul of man must have been as actually dead and un- conscious, as the body. If the soul is prepared for heaven by the resurrection-power of God, then the soul must be a materia! substance, and if a material substance, then it repose in unconscious sleep in the intermediate state, e doctrines are all intimately and inseparably connect- ed — they stand or fall together. .'*. They deny the resurrection of the literal bodies of the >int, we have shown in the preceding p Their mode of interpretation and the principles thej ish. lead legitiniatel) to the idea, that Cod will prepare a ction, distinct and entirely separate from 382 HIE RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD. that in the grave — a spiritual body — and thereby they inti- mati nation rather than a resurrection of the dead. If God gives new and distinct bodies, there will be a new creation by the physical power of God, and not a re- surrection of the dead; therefore the opinions of Univer- salists, when definitely and properly carried out, place a denial upon the common and generally received ideas of the resurrection. Let us now enter into an investigation of 1 Cor. xv. as thoroughly as our limits will admit. 1. To whom Paul addressed this epistle. He directed it to the church of God at Corinth, and it was addressed to all christians at Corinth, to ail who are saints and sanctified in Christ Jesus, and to all who in every place call upon his name. (1 Cor. i. 2.) 2. The object he had in view. To correct abuses and errors, and teach them the will of God clearly and emphat- ically. The fifteenth chapter was written to prove and vindicate the doctrine of the resurrection of the dead, and, obviously, the resurrection of believers in Christ, and all those who had fallen asleep in Christ Jesus. If the re- surrection of all the dead is taught, it is aside from the main object and introduced incidentally. The christian is addressed in this epistle, and particularly in this chapter, which is evident from the first and last verses of the chap- ter. The subject therefore is, the resurrection of the dead, the resuscitation of the bodies of the saints, and their change to glory and immortality. 3. The drift and force of the apostle's argument. The Apostle proceeds to prove (verses 3 — 11.) the^ac* of the re- surrection of Christ by the prophetical Scriptures and the unquestionable testimony of living witnesses. Though some, who had been well acquainted with the resurrection of Christ and could testify to its truthfulness, had gone to Fill \ 01 MM M'.AD. Miit mansions and slumbers of ih< i dead, je\ others were still living, whose evid< ally credible. — [f then the resurreetinn of < 'hrist was I' iuon\ sufficient to prow anj other event, huw is it, inquires the apostle, "thai Borne declare that th irrection of the dead?" Paul shov . 13.] thai the n n of Christ infallible and triumphant proof of the truthfuln the doctrine of the resurrection of the dead; ami that if the dead rise not, then it is equally certain, that the resurrection of Christ is false and a gross mistake, lie buses the re- surrection of the dead solely on Christ's — they are linked in inseparable union. Prom verses 1 1 — 19, the apostle portrays the gloomy and horrid consequences of a denial of the doctrine of the resurrection. Well might the same apostle aver, that Hy- meneus and Philetus had erred and overthrown the faith of some, by maintaining that the resurrection was. already past. (2 Tim. ii. 17, 18.) He, in this epistle, teaches the Corinthians, that if the dead rise not, then the doctrine of Christ's resurrection is a sham, the preaching of the gospel is vain, and all the apostles were false witnesses of God ; the faith in which christians rejoiced and gloried, is false- hood and hypocrisy, and they are still polluted and incum- bered with their sins ; all those who died with an assurance of heaven by faith in Christ, found their hope blasted by trusting in utter delusion, and have finally perished ; and those who are living, hoping and trusting in Christ, denying and suffering for the sake of his gospel, are of all men the most deserving of pity in their wretched choice. At all sad conclusions, the mind of Paul was startled, shrunk ltd returned, with an assurance redoubled in vigor and confidence, to assert the basis of the hope of all christians, 384 THE RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD. that Christ had actually risen from the dead and become the iirst fruits of them that slept. The apostle, having proven the resurrection of the dead and the importance of the doctrine, proceeds to answer questions, confute philosophical objections, point out the author, and give the doctrine of the resurrection its practi- cal and glorious application. 4. The apostle proceeds to show (verses 20 — 23.) the fact, (lie author, the extent and order of time, of the resurrection of the dead. With an unwavering and triumphant assur- ance, he declares that Christ had actually risen from the dead and become the first fruits of them that slept. As the Jew was commanded to bring the first sheaf of grain as an offering of the Lord, and which should be a pledge of the coming harvest ; so the resurrection of Christ was first in dignity and rank, and became a pledge to the world, that the dominion of death was broken, and would be completely demolished in the resurrection of the whole harvest. The Lord Jesus became also the author of the resurrec- tion of the dead. " For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive." These two passages form the strongest among the strong argu- ments of Universalism. Take away these from the foun- dation of their fabric, and their hope will lose its key-stone. We shall show, that they themselvess attempt to destroy and disbelieve an important truth asserted by Paul in these passages. He teaches that death came by man, that by the act and agency of Adam, the first man, all were made mortal — "by man came death," "in Adam all die" Do Universalists believe this ? Do they not fearlessly, and in every place, where they hold forth, proclaim that God created man mortal? That the original transgression did not procure mortality and death, for man would have died, nil R] -i RR] l HON 01 i in Dl \i». had our primeval parent inned, because God im- planted mortality in stitution and nature of man I What say, A. 11. Grosh, A. 0. Barry, Ballou, Balfour and Why destroy their own argument! I Paul evi- dently teaches that death was brought into the world by . iml not by every num. nor by God; and as one man, namely Adam, was the procuring agent of mortality, so lik man, namely Christ, procured the i ;i of the dead — Christ became man to restore the ruin of the fall which was effected by one man. As Adam pro- cured, by his willful disobedience, the curse of natural death, being the first of the human race on the earth, he entailed its blighting iniluence over the entire race. A cor- relatr is seen in the other effects of the curse. Adam was doomed to eat his bread with the sweat of his brow, and thorns and thistles should grow up from the earth, all mankind feel the effect of this doom. The woman doomed to travail in pain and distress, and the same curse abides upon all her daughters. The sentence of death was passed upon xVjJam — inasmuch as his body was formed from the dust, it was doomed to return to dust. Alatter of fact declares, that all die, and that none are exempt, which is therefore a corroboration of the word of God. In verse 22, the extent of death is seen to affect all man- kind, and the extent of the resurrection to make alive, is commensurate with the death of all. In member and ex- tent, the last all will balance the first all — to make alive is the antidote for death. However, two important ideas I 1 be carefully kept in mind. — 1. that the text refers ex- clu&ively to nat\ th — the death of the body. — 2. And to make tht bo I alive again by the resurrection- power of Christ, including no other condition, qualifia character, or hope. If every oth< r feature of the curse pro* nounced upon our first parents was literal, (Gen, iii. 14—19) 380 THE RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD. then we have no authority to apply the curse of death on man to any thing else than natural death, as recorded in Ccn. iii. 19. It is the death of the body, for the body alone returns to the dust. If the resurrection of Christ was literally the resurrection of his body, which none can doubt, then death is the death of the body, therefore natural death. The argument of Paul was to prove the simple fact oj death, the death of all, occasioned by Adam, the first man ; and the fact that the dead, all the dead, would be made alive by Christ — the body was made mortal and suffers death, and the body shall be made alive in the resurrection. Not one word is said, that any thing else is effected by Christ besides simply to make alive those who die — nothing about the soul, a change of the soul, making it holy and happy. As life may exist independent of holiness, a right- eous character and its consequent happiness, so we have no authority to say, that because the dead are made alive in the resurrection, therefore they will be holy and happy ; yea rather, we are prohibited from drawing such an infer- ence, from the fact, that such a character and such blessed- ness can only be affirmed of the soul, and that it is impos- sible for the resurrection to produce any effect without an adequate cause. All the resurrection can do, and will do, is to make alive the bodies of the dead, and spend its in- fluence in that direction ; the soul is not dead as the body is dead ; therefore Paul had no reference to the soul, the fountain and seat of holiness, of righteousness and of bliss. Then all that these passages prove, is that all die in con- sequence of the sin of one man; and that all are restored from a state of natural death to a state of natural life by the act -of one man. This the Scriptures teach and all orthodox people believe ; but this is not Universalism. The argument fails of proving the system of Universalism, both in its pre- mises and conclusions, therefore is wholly inadequate, yea, i ii. BC1 [OK 01 i HI 287 The premises of Paul's argument do no1 include die moral < rin, (only the natural effects on the body) nor the soul of m*i as affected by sin, therefore what < 'hrisl to far as the argument is concerned,) v. tied to counteract the natural effects of sin only, that is, to take the body from the powi ith and make it alive, The conclusion Universalism draws, is, i 1 Ohrisl • the el* :m! alive, therefore nil are made holy and hap- py, Hui since holiness and happiness cannotbe pred i o( the body, such an idea being absurd, and since Christ's work is confined to making the body nli\c, 08 Adam' the body mortal, therefore final holiness and happi- ;m never be effected from the resurrection of the —the conclusion is unwarrantable, and Universalism is left without its foundation. To prove Universalism from these passages, you must put into the mouth of the apostle quite another argument and another set of premises. The argument should have been, there generation and moral change of the soul, instead of the resurrection of the body ; and instead of the natural effects of sin upon the body, rendering it mortal, it should portray the moral effects of sin on the soul, that all man- kind are condemned, guilty and exposed to divine wrath by the sin of one man, viz : Adam; and that the soul is con- verted, sin is forgiven, and holiness and happiness restored by one man, viz: Christ. This would prove the doctrine of final holiness and happiness, as taught by Universalists. But first, the above argument is not that of the apostle, he had no reference to it at all. Secondly, it would destroy the free agency of man, by placing the soul in the inactive position of the body, and therefore would conflict with the own government. Thirdly, it would des- troy some of the principles of Universalism, build up in one place and tear down in another. Universal ists profess 388 HIE RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD. believe, that man is born as pure now and with the same nature that Adam had when created, - therefore his sin could not morally affect his offspring. 'Phis conflicts with the above argument. Universalis ts profess to believe, that the soul is not the original seat of sin, but that the body is ; and that the soul is not affected by sin, never losing the favor of God, but that sin begins and ends in the body, therefore the soul needs no change, as commonly understood by the new-birth. This position also conflicts with the above supposed argument. Universalists profess to believe, that all that Christ did, was never designed to save men in another world, but merely to affect them in this life, making them happier and better ; and that the bliss and glory of heaven is bestowed upon all men, wholly independent of Christ's w r ork and man's character in this world, as a free gift of God. If so, then Christ never will restore men to holiness and happiness by the resurrection, or any other agency. Therefore, let Universalism grapple with either argument, it must fall before the Goliath of truth. But Paul has impregnably fortified his own argument against all erroneous conclusions ; especially, against that of Universalism. He says, verse 23, "But every man in his own order ; Christ the first-fruits ; afterward they that are Christ's, at his coming." Although there will be a re- surrection of all the dead, yet it will be according to the order or arrangement of God — "every man in his own order" The word order (tagma) refers to a military array ; the arrangement of troops, placing the leader and every man in his proper position according to dignity and rank — every man in his place and time. So it will be in the resurrection; Christ the first in rank and honor is the leader, and he rose first from the dead as a pledge of a general resurrection; next in order of time, they who are Christ's, or all christians. This argument confuted the nil HEfl RR] I l i"N 01 I in. hi \P. Idea that the resurrection waa already past, for Chrie only aa yet risen from death; and it also shows, thai all who are Christ's, up to the time of hi , and onl) auch, shall be made alive by Christ next in the order of tunc. The argument of Paul was chiefl; d to prove the resurrection of Christ and all who became chru daring his mediatorial reign, who lived and died, or fell asleep in Christ — all such belong to Christ; foT he aaya K word about the time and manner of the resum of those who do not belong to Christ, and who " die in their sins." But who arc Christ's? Those who have the spirit of Christ, and not the spirit of bondage again to fear. "If any man have not the spirit of Christ, he is none of ///v." Rom. viii. 9. Those who are separate from the world and 'lie word of God and believe on Christ, and not those who are of the world, disobey God, and reject and despise Christ. " I have manifested thy name unto the men which thou gavest me out of the world * * * and they have kept thy word" John xvii. 6. " Neither pray I for those alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word." verse 20. Such belong to Christ, and he has pro- mised " to raise them up at the last day." The resurrection of Christ's people is elsewhere in the Bible called " the re- surrection of the just," " to everlasting life," " to life," and "the first resurrection." The apostle having proven the fact, the author, the ex- the order of time, and the time when — viz. at his coming — the resurrection of his children shall take place, he proceeds to show — f>. Bow and by virtue of what office, Christ shall raise the dead, (verses 24 — 28.) It was by his character and office as mediator between God and men. He assumed the great work of reconciling the world to God, by teaching the truth, therefore he was a Teacher ; as a Priest to offer the sacrifice 390 THE RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD. of himself to God, to atone for sin and honor the law, that " God might be just, and yet the justifier of every one that betieveth in him;" and as a King to rule and reign in the hearts of men, to destroy sin and set up a spiritual kingdom in the earth. The Lord Jesus shall continue to act as mediator, and reign in his kingdom until the appointed time of his com- ing — his coming and the end of his mediatorial kingdom, shall transpire at one and the same time. His last official act as mediator will be to raise the dead, present his com- mission as Savior and Intercessor, together with the results of the plan of salvation, and mediatorial reign, to God, and then he will assume the tribunal of the Universe, as Judge, to adjudicate the world in righteousness. His work shall be finished, when death is destroyed, the last enemy to the complete triumph of his mediatorial reign, is vanquished, and souls having been redeemed and purified by grace, and their bodies delivered from the empire of the grave ; and soul and body reunited, and as the saints of God, standing upon the shore of heavenly rest, with songs of praise and exulting joy upon their lips. Just so long as death sways his cruel sceptre over the dead in Christ, and sits on his throne of skulls and darkness, in defiance of the King of glory ; so long Christ will be mediator, offering salvation and life to the perishing sons and daughters of earth ; but when the time shall arrive for the dead in Christ to arise, then he will subdue death beneath his feet and despoil his kingdom, putting the song into the lips of his children, " O, death ! where is thy sting ? O, grave ! where is thy vic- tory ?" Then shall Christ " see of the travail of his soul," the law of heaven honored, believers finally redeemed and glorified, and heaven filled with bursting anthems of praise. Though Christ, as man and mediator, shall surrender his kingdom, yet, as God, he shall reign among the saints and rm lUtSURREl I ION 0] I HI DI ai». M)\ -, for Ins kingdom is an everlasting kingdom and his dominion thai) see no end. The argum in1 drawn from the passages, M for he must . till he huh put all enemies under hie feet," &c, by fiat all mankind shall be converted and recon- ciled to God, become holy and happy, is a mere assumption, and is based upon a false construction of language andaper- m of the Apostle's meaning. Porif, the phrase, "put all enemies under his feet," must necessarily mean con- m and reconciliation with God, to become holy and happy.; then death, the last enemy that shall be destroyed, shall also he converted and reconciled, for he is as much an enemy as any thing else. Yet none would contend for this, for it is obviously preposterous. The fact is, that the language can never be made naturally to mean, conversion and reconciliation with God, and be descriptive of the ! of God, prepared to enter heaven and sing its new song; but it is rather a graphic sketch of enemies vanquish- ed by the triumphal car of the Victor, bound and carried away into captivity. Christ shall make his enemies his footstool, but his saints shall reign with him in his king- dom, as kings and priests, forever and ever. Those be- neath the feet of Christ designate the wicked, who would not submit to God, therefore they are crushed by force and power, and will be vanished from the presence of God and the glory of his power, as exiles in the " blackness of dark- lorever." Let no reader delude himself with the idea, that if not converted in time, he will be among the number, who shall be subdued under the feet of Christ, therefore equally entitled to holiness and heaven. For the wicked shall not only be beneath the feet, that is, the conquering power of Christ, but they shall also be as ashes, beneath the feetof the saints. This doom will be awful in the extreme. r.vl b com? an humble, willing sub- r 392 THE RESURRECTION 01 THE DEAD. ject of his kingdom, and wait not for the resurrection and its connecting events, to do the work for you ! Now you may he sure and have a hope like an anchor to the soul; but then you will be disappointed and ruined. 6. How the dead will be raised, and the nature of the bodies raised. These were important inquiries, and the apostle replies to them in regular order. To the first, how the dead are raised, he replies in verses 36 — 38, and illus- trates it by the growth and production of grain. It is just as probable, yea possible, that the dead will be raised, as it is, that a seed of grain, falling into the ground, will decom- pose and die, but afterwards will put forth a stalk and yield seed after its kind. This latter is a matter of observa- tion and is undeniable ; and yet the resurrection of the dead has no more improbability and mysteriousness connected with it, than the reproduction of grain. The one is a known fact, and brought about by regular and the efficient laws of nature, notwithstanding God has given to each kind of grain a body, stalk, leaves, kernel, head and chaff, as it has pleased him, and to each kind that which is peculiar to itself; the other, how the dead are raised, is based upon the authority of God, and for aught we know, carried forward by the op- eration of laws equally regular and efficient, and is there- fore infallibly certain of consummation. He that doubts the growth of grain is foolish, and he that is sufficiently in- considerate and unwise to reject the possibility of the re- surrection from the dead, betrays his ignorance and want of confidence in God and his power. The particles of matter which formed the seed sown, will not constitute the seed and stalk produced, yet they spring directly from the seed sown and dying in the earth, and there is sufficient sameness, in order to call the grain, the same kind of grain including like particles of matter, though not the same matter. So the dead shall be raised by the TBI U>« 393 I rod, and to int the body which belongs to him and tits him for the employment of heaven ; and to the sinner th» inging to him and fitted for perdition. The apostle gi tpositioo of th used m v« ix s 39 — 50. Here he u ill be no wider variation in the bo4i »rld than there now exists in time and 8] still all are bodies. They may be different in kind and or- ganization on earth. - aire ami o re such bi the Lord hats pleased to give. So the bodies raised from the empire of death may be ch; and organized upon different principles, yet they n me bodies. This, he illustrates by saying, "All flesh the same flesh' 1 — men, beasts, birds and fishes have differ* all is flesh. The different basis of or- ganization does not make one flesh and another something else. There are also different bodies ; some celestial, like the sun, moon and stars ; and others terrestrial, like moun- tains, trees, rocks and flowers — but the glory of all bodies varies, of those on earth, and of those in the azure skies. So it will be in the resurrection. The resurrection of the dead will be analogous to the springing up of the grain ; and the nature of their bodies, may be compared to the dif- ferent degrees of splendor and magnificence of bodies, on the earth, and in the sky. In verses 12 — 14, he directly expresses the nature of the change of the bodies in the resurrection from what they were while on earth. The body is sown in corruption ; but this body is raised in incorruption, and no more liable knesfr, death and putrefaction ; it is sown in dishonor, being loathsome in death, and an offensive, putrid mass in the grave; but it is raised in honor, beauty and glory — ex- ace and perfection will adorn it . -n in weak- 394 THi; RESURRECTION 01 THE DEAD. ness, liable to derangement and prostration ; but it shall be raised in power, free from fatigue and lassitude ; it is sown a natural body, and raised a spiritual body. " There is a naturalbody and there is spiritual body." It is apparent to all, that there is a natural body, and it is equally certain that there is a spiritual, though not proven by the same evi- dences and clearness, yet based on divine authority. The meaning and difference of the phrases, a natural otid spirit- ual body. They are placed in contrast, and must convey an opposite sentiment. The term natural embraces the peculiar organization, the relations and conditions of the body, which fit it for this world and answer its destiny on earth ; while the term spiritual means, that the body will be released from every feature and relation necessary and peculiar to its existence on earth, and unfitting it for the employment and service of heaven. The spiritual body does not mean something the opposite of matter, for we cannot affirm a body of a pure spirit — spirits have no bo- dies — and the apostle has all along been proving that the same body which was sown, shall be raised ; therefore the spiritual body must be matter, and matter organized, but upon such principles as shall preclude the mere animal na- ture in man, which is an appendage to the body peculiar to the earth. The natural body is adapted to the condition and operations of this gross earth, while the spiritual body is endowed with capacities and a nature peculiar to heaven, and like the glorified body of Christ. The nature a»d origin of a natural body and of a spirit- ual, the apostle farther illustrates and amplifies in verses 45 — 49. Adam was possessed of a natural body, endowed with animal life, relations and affections, and dependent on food to replenish the waste of his body on earth — so far as his earthly body was concerned, it must derive its support from the earth. But Christ had a glorified body, spiritual, and i ii . \ o] i in Di id. 395 of quickening and supporl within Itself, and not dependent on foreign aid and support. The body we de- rive from tin* first man, is Like his, subject to pam, distress and death ; but the body we shall get from Christ bj the resurrection, will be like the body of Christ, for he shall "change our vile body and fashion it like unto iorioua body," no more dependent on the gross mate- rials of earth for support and continued existence; for the spring of life shall be located in its organization. Such a body is desirable, therefore, the saints of God anxiously await the second coining- of the Lord of glory, and the re- demption of the body. Their soul was made holy, and I in time by faith in Christ, and now the body awaits the regenerating efficacy of the power of God, exer- cised in view of the atonement. This is certain to the saints ; just as infallible as that they once possessed bodies like Adam, weak, liable to decay and corruption. They shall also have bodies like the glorified body of Christ. God is not only able to raise the dead, to change their bodies after passing through the ordeal of the grave, to or- ganize them upon a difTerent basis fitted for that world ; but it is absolutely indispensable that the bodies of the saints should be different from what they now are. " Flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God;" such fragile, corruptible and mortal bodies as believers have in this world, are unfit for and cannot be admitted into that world, where sickness, decay disease and putrefaction arc never known. That which is in itself corruptible can never be adapted to a state of existence, relations and employments, where all is incorrupt] The dead are prepared for their existence, while those who are living, praying and waiting for the coming of the Lord, are changed in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump. The bodies of the living and dead shall have the 390 THE RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD. same renovation, and be organized alike after the model of the Saviour's glorified body. If the work of raising the dead bodies to life, strikes infidelity with incredulity and amazement, what heightened astonishment will be produ- ced by the act of power that shall change the weak, sickly and corruptible bodies of all the, saints, who shall be living and abiding on the earth at the moment of the resurrection, making them glorious, and adapted to the condition of the future world. The burst of praise, that shall roll up its magnificent tidings along the sounding skies, as the ascend- ing millions of saints redeemed in soul and body, shall leave the earth to the curse and winding sheet of fire, will be a scene that shall produce a thrill to the farthest limits of Jehovah's empire. Death will be conquered and the grave spoiled, when the ecstatic song of the redeemed, shall com- mingle with the choral notes of descending angels, in myri- ad throngs, to welcome them to higher and heavenly joys, as the fruit and gathered harvest of the mediatorial reign of Christ. " Thanks be to God who giveth us the victory." All the saints of God obtain a victory over sin, death and the grave, through the Lord Jesus Christ. The victory over sin, they secured by faith in Christ, — of this they enjoyed the evidence and assurance ; but the victory over. death and the grave, the apostle has explained and proven in this chap- ter ; he has dispersed the horror and gloom of the grave, raised the curtain of life and immortality, and permitted us to scan the full and earnest commencement of eternal life, and rivers of unfathomable glory. In view of all these things — be steadfast in faith and abounding in the work of the Lord, for such labor shall not be in vain; for Paul also labored and suffered, " if by any means he might attain unto the resurrection of the dead." At death, he found the crown of righteousness, and his sleeping body awaits the in; : I no\ OF Tin: DEAD. consummation of the mysteries of God on earth, and the j up of the Saviour's meditorial reign. It will feel the voice of thai trump which shall startle and rock the mansions of the sleeping dead, and ari think, thai ire have amply proven the doctrine of the resurrection of the dead; and thai the argument of Chri Luke ixii., and of Paul in I ( 'or. n . do, by no means, sustain of Universalism; bul rather nullify all its i laims of deducing die final holiness ami happiness of all men, from the simple fact, that all the dead shall he made alive. The passa- nsidered are those which are relied upon by Universalists, in order to prove the reconciliation of all the world to God by the resurrection, and we have found that do not answer their purpose, but rather lay prostrate daring assumption. We have a few more passages, which we shall quote, to prove directly, the truthfuluess of the doctrine of the resur- rection, as understood by us. We might, however, rest the argument here ; for if we have effectually routed the proofs of Universalists, relative to their notion of holiness and happiness in and by the resurrection, then it must be true, that all who are not made holy by faith in Christ prior to the resurrection, shall fail of heaven. 1. The resurrection will be general. All mankind will be raised — all the generations of men, who have lived in if the world, shall come forth to life again. This 1 mitred, and needs no proof in this connection. 2. 'I'ii- Bpecified time of the resurrection, is at the termi- nation of Christ's mediatorial reio;n. • i as y. :{ { J!) died while christians, God will bring up from earth with Christ, the first-fruits. In order to die in Christ, we must ire in him and trust in the atonement. The wicked do not die in Christ, but in their sins, and they have no assur- ance of rising with Christ. "The dead in Christ shall rise At the vit\ time when the Lord shall descend from d with a shout and the voice of the archangel. As they left the world with a righteous character and holiness oi' heart, so they shall awake in Christ, and enjoy their des- tined lot in the presence of the Lord. The apostle Paul suffered the loss of all things, and deem- ed them worthless, that he might be found in Christ, and he clothed with the righteousness of God by faith, that he might fully know him and the power of his resurrection, to be like Christ in life and in death, that by "any means he might attain unto the resurrection of the dead." Phil. iii. 1 1 . As Paul believed in the resurrection of all the dead, and therefore he would be "made alive" as a matter of in- evitable consequence, he wished to express something more by the resurrection, and had evidently in view the resurrec- tion of the righteous. To attain this, required effort, faith and a christian life and death, and he felt resolved to appre- hend, to seize such a glorious boon, such an honorable dis- tinction and such immortal blessedness, by any means. The christian era disclosed times of persecution and trial, believers in Christ were destroyed; some recanted, 1 life and were restored to the bosom of their families ■ while others would not accept a deliverance from the sent- of "martyrdom by a renunciation of their faith; lor they wished to "obtain a better resurrection." Heb. xi. 35. Should they renounce religion and die a natural death, they would be raised in I ! resurrection; bul they pre- ! to die as martyrs, and to fail asleep in Christ, that they might obtain a better resurrection, that of the 17' 400 THE RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD. eous to glory and immortal blessedness. We not only learn a distinction in the resurrection, and a difference in characters of those raised, but also that the conduct, faith, life and character exert their influence and deter- mine the time, manner and reward of those who are raised. We read in Acts xxiv. 15. " And have hope toward God, which they themselves also allow, that there shall be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and unjust" Luke xiv. 14. "Thou shalt be recompensed at the resur- rection of the just." Paul teaches that there will be a re- surrection of the dead — that the Old Testament taught this doctrine — that the Jews, especially the Pharisees, believed and hoped for the resurrection of the dead — that the resur- rection would be general, including the just and the unjust, and this the Savior confirms. Those who die as the saints of God, shall rise and be holy and just ; but those who die in their sins, shall rise, but it will be among the wicked and the unjust. It is well known and acknowledged, that the great majority of the Jews believed, that the wicked would be raised to life with the same character they had when they died, and that after the resurrection, they would be cast into hell and be punished forever. Now, "this dogma, how- ever horrible to the refinement and sensibility of Univer- salists, was nevertheless believed, and instead of being con- futed by Christ and his apostles r they constantly employed language and expressed sentiments which would naturally confirm them in their faith. Therefore, they either disre- garded error, or else the doctrine is true. The latter must be the case, for they repeatedly and constantly assailed and controverted the prevailing errors of the day. We quote John v. 28, 29, " Marvel not at this : for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall Ill . ' I M\ 01 I M I Dl \l>. 101 . and shall come forth ; they thai rection of life; and they that evil, unto the resurrection of damnation. 91 Tins passage tit, and l!i will find of the text in the chapter on Future Punishment We have now investigated thr position, "thai the whole of men, shall be made finallj holy ami happy in heaven, bj the resurrection oi the dfead," and in all its proofs, as- and bearings, \\<' discover no adequate canst! adapted io produce the radical change, the holy dispositions and ous character, indispensably necessary to stand ap- 1 before God, and he qualified to enjoy unsullied plea- Wc find no proof of the design of the resurrection Io change and prepare the soul for glory ; but rather, that it mei B alive the body, leaving the soul as it was iound in death. We have been impressed with the truth of the resurrection, of the righteous to life, and the wicked ination ; that by faith in Christ, and the belief of the truth, men become the children of God and sanctified in heart, and thus only become prepared for the resurrection of the just, and to participate in the service and joys of the future and spiritual world ; — that all those who are Christ's in life, shall die in the Lord, and them God will bring forth with the Savior in the first resurrection, changing their vile bodies, and fashion them like unto his glorious bodv, beau- tiful, incorruptible and immortal in heaven. These are words of consolation to the afflicted and dying children of God, and they are commanded to cheer each other with ised promises. But lei none of the wicked, polluted by sin and debased Actions and moral principles, delude their mind, and pervert the truth and promises of God into falsehood and h; . and build upon the quick- 402 THE RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD. hope, in their vain dreaming, to enter the paradise of God and join the sacramental throng, in the sweet employment of prayer and praise. Their hope will certainly be blasted, and mantle the soul with shame, leaving them to the ele- ments of perdition. " Awake to righteousness and sin not." 1 Cor. xv. 34. r II A P T E R \ I I. mi vi [URE \\i> OgNERAL JUDOMSNl . Fhen .shall ye return, and discern between the right- eous and the wicked: bet free?) him that servcth God, and him that serreth him not." Mai. iii. 18. The people, in the days of the prophet Malachi, became profane ill sentiment, reckless in conduct, and infidel in their faith. They denied the judgment of God, and the rewards of that day ; nevertheless the prophet emphatically declared unto them, that the time would arrive, when an unerring line of demarcation would be drawn between the righteous and the wicked, and then all might discern between the lover and hater of God. So also in these last days, have arisen scoffers, saying : "where is the promise of his coming?" there will be no distinction of characters subsequent to the resurrection, and there is no period of time especially reserved for the adju- dication of the destiny of the world. But notwithstanding the pretensions of worldly wisdom, human arrogancy, and hoary systems of delusion ; the time, full of wonders, amazement, ruin and triumph, will suddenly burst upon a risen world, arraigned before the tribunal of heaven. The mouldering graves will be pillaged, the bolted charnel-house will be broken open, and the green tumultuous billows of the ocean, will be rolled back from their lasting beds, and the dead shall come forth to judgment; their character searehed, their hope tested and their destiny sealed. To 404 THE FUTURE AND GENERAL JUDGMENT. briii£ forth piety in its true glory and excellence ; to show- up sin and rebellion in their naked deformity and unreason- ableness ; and to vindicate the government and providence of God to universal satisfaction— it is indispensable to transact the business, and conduct the proceeding of the Final Court of heaven, with publicity, and before the gaze of a world's assembled intelligences. The prevailing opinions of Universalists, in reference to the Judgment of God, are antagonistic to the views gen- erally entertained by the orthodox and the world. This doctrine has not escaped their pruning knife, any more than those we have already considered. It will be seen, that the system of Universalism, assumes an attitude of entire revolution in the province of theology, as heretofore main- tained and taught — all the world, the learned divine and sound philosopher, have been wrapped in palpable dark- ness and disgusting ignorance ; and so the children of men would have lived and died, had not in these last days, men risen up from apparent obscurity, with little influence and but a smattering acquaintance with science and the lan- guages, to teach the erring and deluded world, that they had drunk in a false and horrid theology. That the entire cate- gory of doctrine as taught and defended by the fathers of the christian church, (perhaps, the wild, speculative and en- thusiastic Origen, excepted,) by Luther and his coadjutors in the Reformation, by Knox, Wesley, Whitefield, Knapp, D wight, Edwards, and a constellation of brilliant divines, and by all orthodox people of the present day, is radically erroneous, absurd, and a worthy offspring of heathen super- stition and mythology. Although, all this is hardly credi- ble, yet so Universalism would have all mankind believe, and be saved. Universalists teach — That the judgment began more than 1700 years ago, nil ii i ; R] \\i» GENERAL JTTDOMKN i . hut there urill be death and tin rally and u Uj is this do< hi b) the preachers of this faith, and bo universally do they de- b judgment aft r d< ath, that proof, are not very requisite; however, a few will Dot be irrelevant and out o We will take E. M. r i his discussion with Mr. Rice, holds the following language in his exposition of I Cor, ev: u The kingdom which the Son is to deliver up to the Father, is the kingdom which the Father gave to the Son 1800 '. when his kingdom was established. He now v. and rules, and judges men according to their works. When this work is done, all are made pure and holy; then his kingdom is to be delivered back to God, and 4 God is to be all in all.' M According to Mr. P. the Lord is now judg- he world during his mediatorial reign, and as the Sa- vior closes this kingdom at the completion of the resurrec- tion and surrenders it to God ; therefore there will and can be no judgment after the resurrection. But does reason teach, that Christ can be our Advocate and Judge at the same time? Is this sentiment not in stern conflict with all our notions of the character of civil judges, and all civil proceeding > The advocate at the bar, cannot at the same time be the judge upon the bench. D. Skinner, of Utica, N. Y., in reply to A. Campbell, in their discussion, p. 369, says: " So far from the judg- , R . wii. 11, being the 'final judgment,' as you term it, the context clearly shows that it was then, ly 1800 years ago,) about to take place, and history proves it did. Th< fore it, says, 'the time is at hand? and the verse after it, says, ' and behold / come quickly and my reward is with me, fee,' •' The connec- 406 THE FUTURE AND GENERAL JUDGMENT. tion shows that Mr. S. referred the judgment to the event of the destruction of Jerusalem. He asserts that the book of the Apocalypse was written prior to the destruction of Jerusalem and the Jewish polity, and that all the curses re- corded, were mainly realized at that event, and the blessings promised were enjoyed in the gospel of Christ. Many of the preachers of Universalism, refer the judgment to the overthrow of Jerusalem, and the destruction of the religion and polity of the Jews ; but others connect it with the en- tire mediatorial reign of Christ — sin, judgment and punish- ment go hand in hand, throughout the cycle of human exist- ence. Mr. Eli Ballou, in a discussion with Luther Lee, in 1842, expresses his sentiments, as the views of Universalists gen- erally, in the following language, " Your mistake consists in supposing that there will be sin and punishment after Christ gives up his mediatorial reign. He commenced the work of judging, rewarding, punishing and saving the world, at the establishment or setting up of his kingdom in the earth, and this work he will continue, until it is com- pleted. Every advance of Christ's kingdom in the world, is a part of his second coming, or his appearing in his king- dom ; and in my judgment, every text in the New Testa- ment which speaks of Christ's coming, as then future, relates to his second coming, or "his coming in his kingdom.' " Again, " I believe, that when the ' Son of man came in his kingdom,' he commenced the w r ork of rendering unto 'every man according to his works ; because He then became the judiciary and executive authority of God's moral govern- ment." "At that time, [destruction of Jerusalem,] Christ commenced judging the world, and ' all nations' were then put under his retributive administration, and he will con- tinue to judge, or reign in his kingdom until all enemies are subdued to him, &c." We learn from Eli Ballou that TI! \M» GEN] R \i. ii Im. IJ \ | . 10*3 I M i j t irsalism teach< b. I . That the Becond coming of Christ took place at the destruction of J< rusali m. 2. That the kingdom of Chi the time Jerusalem and the Jewish polity, were overthrown. .'*. That then Christ i to judge and furnish the Wprjd and i VI /// mc ing to justice and their works. 1. That the judgment of God wiD close when, and certainly then,) the mediatorial q of Christ shall terminate. A. C. Thomas, in the " Lowell Discussion," in noticing he position of Luther Lee, says: "Your first letter, is devoted to the proof of the two positions : 1st. That there wiH be a day of judgment after ihe resurrection; and 2d. Thai there will be punishment in the immortal resurrection Now I deny both these doctrines, &c." " You it [the judgment] at the close or delivering up of the kingdom at the resurrection, whereas I have proved that it belongs to the beginning or setting up of his kingdom." "That it [the judgment] belongs to the beginning or set- ting up of Christ 1 s kingdom — and to its progress, and not to its consummation." It will be perceived, that Messrs. Pingree, Skinner, Eli Ballou, and Thomas, harmonize in their views, in their rejection of the doctrine of the judg- ment after the resurrection, and in maintaining that the judgment began with the commencement of the gospel dis- pensation, which they date at the destruction of Jerusalem, and that it will continue with the progress of the media- torial kingdom of Christ. We might add the testimony of Hosea Ballou, Balfour, Whittemore, O. A. Skinner, Wil- liamson, Sawyer, &c; but it is not necessary. There ap- - no greater agreement on any doctrine of Universalism, than in holding, that the judgment of God is carried on in time, and that every one is rewarded and punished in this life. 408 THE FUTURE AND GENERAL JUDGMENT. THEIR PROOFS. 1. All the passages which speak of the coming of Christ, which announce threatening and wrath, and those which speak of rewards, of life and blessedness, have particular reference to the setting up and progress of Christ's king- dom on earth, to the destruction of Jerusalem and the Jew- ish polity, and to the blessings of the gospel economy. Thus they sweep away with one broad assertion, the entire chain of proof and divine testimony, which has usually been relied upon to establish and defend the doctrine of a Final and General Judgment. Many of those passages we have already considered, and defended their designed and appropriate application, which we need not repeat in this place. It has always been and ever will be a fruitless task, to harmonize the Scriptures with the views of Univer- salists relative to the judgment. 2. They appeal to a few passages directly to sustain the doctrine, that Christ began to judge the world at the begin- ning of his gospel kingdom, and not at the consummation of that kingdom. 2 Tim. iv. 1. "I charge thee therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom" This passage is quoted by Universalists, to prove that the beginning of the kingdom of the gospel and of the judgment, commenced at the same time, and progress together. The following is the comment of Abel C. Thomas on the passage, " The passage plainly treats of Christ's appearing as a judge, at the date of his appearing as a king. The reference is to the beginning or appealing of his kingdom, and not to its closing scenes. He was to act in the capacity of a judge 4 at his appearing and his kingdom, &c.' " There are in- superable objections to the interpretation and use of the above passage, as made by Universalists. THE n ri i: 1 .\M» ci'M'.i: \1. .11 D0MEN1 , I0!> 1. The Lime spoken of by Paul was still future, whei if Christ began to judge and reward the world at the set- ting up of his mediatorial kingdom, then the work had al- ready been in operation for more than 30 years. We are aware thai Qniversalists assume the position, that the king- dom was set up or commenced at the destruction of Jeru- salem, but this needs proof. If at any particular time Christ began to act as Mediator, it was immediately after Burredtion : for he says, " All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth." Matth. xxviii. 18. Then he 1 to reign in his mediatorial kingdom ; and all the power and authority of the kingdom were conferred upon him by the Father — "all things are delivered unto me of my Father ;" (Matth. xi. 27,)- and no where is it stated that owned a king, and elected as a. judge, at the des- truction of Jerusalem. In Rom. xiv. 9, we learn how Christ became entitled to this kingdom: " For to this end Christ both died, and rose, and revived, that he might be Lord both of the dead and living.' ' " This he actually as- sumed before Jerusalem was destroyed, for we read 1 Pe- ter iii. 22 : " Who is gone into heaven and is on the right hand of God; angels and authorities and powers being made subject unto him." If the judgment began with the gospel dispensation, then the gospel era had not yet commenced, when Paul wrote his second epistle to Timothy, about 65 years after the birth of Christ ; for the time he alludes to was still future, when Christ "shall judge the quick and dead at his appearing and his .kingdom." But this era of grace and gospel refresh- ed long since begun; even in the days of Christ's nal efforts, "the kingdom of heaven suffered violence and the violent took it by force;" and in the day of Pen- tecost, the prophecy of the outpouring of the diving spirit was realized as a gospel blessing; and the partition wall 410 THE FUTURE AND GENERAL JUDGMENT. between the Jew and Gentile was broken down and tbe people were justified and made one family unto God by faith. Then the setting up of the gospel kingdom was not referred to by Paul in 2 Tim. iv. 1 ; but another event in which Christ shall judge the living and dead. The reader may peruse and collate the following passages, teaching the kingdom of Christ: Ps. ii. 6; lxxxix. 19; ex. 1 — 3, Is. ix. 6, 7. Dan. vii. 14. Luke i. 32. John xvii. 2. Eph. i. 20, 21. Heb. ii. 8. Rev. xi. 15. 2. "At his appearing and his kingdom," as used in the text, does not necessarily refer to the setting up, or begin- ning of the gospel kingdom ; but to the appearing of Christ at the end of the world, and to the full extension and estab- lishment of his kingdom. We have already given one in- controvertible reason, why it must refer to an event subse- quent to the beginning of the gospel economy, for a different period of time is referred to. At the time of the appearing of Christ and at his kingdom, Christ shall be Judge and arraign before his .tribunal, the quick and dead, or the whole human race. These scenes will transpire at the same time or in swift succession. What is therefore to be understood by the phrase, " his appearing ?" The term "appearing" is used in various passages, and in such connections as pre- clude the possibility of referring to the setting up of his kingdom. It implies his " second coming" and that is still future. 2 Thess. ii. 8. " Then shall that Wicked be re- vealed, whom the Lord shall destroy with the brightness of his coming" — literally by his appearing. All respect- able Biblical interpreters refer this passage to the downfall and overthrow of Roman Catholicism ; this wicked Power shall be destroyed at the appearing of Christ ; but this Ro- man Beast still reigns and sits in the temple of God, there- fore the second coming of Christ is still in the future. Had the second coming of Christ taken place at the beginning 1 HI. 1 I I 1 i.l AM» QEN ENT. HI of the mediatorial • >r, then the Roman Beast would have been d< ted, which mrd, Paul exhorts Timothy, (1 Tim. vi. 14.) " That thou keep ommandment without spot, untebukable, until the ap- ; our Lord Jesus Christ.* 4 Paul still antici] the appearing of Christ, hut [Jniversalists put it in the past. Titus ii. 13. M Looking for that blessed hope, and the glori- ous appearing of the great God and pur Savior Jesus Christ.* 1 Apostle looked forward to the tiine, when his race should be run, his battle fought, and his faith perfected ; and then he expected to lay hold on the crown of glory, as the reward of fidelity to he bestowed by Christ the righteous Judge, and all others should likewise he rewarded who Loved his appearing at that day — the day of judgment. (3 Tim. iv. 7. 8.) The appearing of Christ refers to his second coming, and all rules of interpretations which would make his first coming literal and personal, will, when applied, teach his second appearing as liter cd and personal. The same rea- sons exist for the latter, which exist for the former. M And his kingdom." Christ came into the world, he has sent forth his proclamation of submission and mercy, and the Spirit is still convicting of sin, of righteousness and of Judgment ; all this had a view to the establishment of the kingdom of Christ on earth — the beginning is made, but the completion is still in the future. And when fully established, it will be manifest to the universe. The saints shall be purified, his enemies be made his footstool, and death and the empire of the grave vanquished ; then shall "his kingdom" be finished, and that feature of it which is mediatorial, shall he surrendered to God, or be abrogated, and the Savior's kingly dominion shall have no end. Paul 11 Thou hast put all things in subjection under his feet. 112 THi: FUTURE AND GENERAL JUDGMENT. OKNEB \I. .11 ix. Ml. NT. J L9 refers only to the living on the earth and the a ally dead. Ii is s<» used and understood by Paul; (Bom. xiv. !).) and by the angels M Why seek ye the living among the dead ." Luke wiv. 5.) 1. It is inconsistent for Chris! to be the Mediator, Id and Judge, al the same nine He came tin time, to save the world, therefore he eame to mediate and advocate our cause; and not to condemn the world, hence he did not assume the character and tribunal of the Ji John iii. 17. " For (l^d sent not his Sou into the world to condemn tJie world; but that the world, through him might ved." lie must first needs judge before he can con- demn ; but this was not his purpose, for while he stands forth as Mediator and Savior, lie cannot be the Judge. When uiomv of redemption shall end, and Christ shall con- quer all his iocs beneath his feet and break the empire of death, then he shall display at his second coming the power and glory of his kingdom, and judge the world in teousness. Another portion of Scripture on which Universalists greatly rely to prove the Judgment at the beginning, and not at the consummation of the kingdom of Christ on earth, is found recorded in Matth. xvi. 27, 28. " For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father, with his angels, and then he shall reward every man according to his works. Verily, I say unto you, There be some standing here which shall not taste of death, till they see the Son of man coming in his kingdom." The reader may refer to the parallel passages as recorded by the other Evangelists, teaching mainly the same sentiments, with a little variation of lan- guage. Mark viii. 38 ; ix. 1. Luke ix. 26, 27. Universalists use the passage, "There be some standing here, &c." as the key to interpret this Scripture, and apply it to the destruction of Jerusalem, which was overthrown 414 THE FUTURE AND GENERAL JUDGMENT. in the life-time of some who heard Christ ; and as the coming of Christ is spoken of in connection, therefore they infer that He came to Judgment at the same time. The description in Matth. xxv., of the coming of Christ in glory and with the holy angels, they interpret in the same man- ner and apply it to the same event. Hence, it appears that Matth. xvi. 27, 28. is their starting point, and the founda- tion of their theory of the Judgment. Different commenta- tors apply the passages to different events — some to the overthrow of Jerusalem and the Jewish polity, while others disconnect the passages, and apply verse 26 to the end of the world and the final Judgment, and verse 27 to the full development and spread of the gospel. We shall venture our views -in as condensed a space as possible^ and yet cover sufficient ground to develop the truth. 1. The import of the kingdom of God. Whenever it is called the kingdom of God, it has -refer- ence to God as its author ; or of Christ, it refers to him as the administrator of the kingdom ; or of heaven, as di- vine and spiritual in contrast with the kingdoms of the earth. That system of law, government and administration which God has instituted, and is constantly administering over the limits of his empire, is called a kingdom. It affects the general movements of the inanimate creation, it includes and directs divine providences, and extends its truths, inducements and persuasions over the rational world. To govern and promote the happiness of accountable intel- ligences, was the chief object of the institution, and is still the grand design of the administration of the kingdom of God. The reins of government, placed in the hands of the Messiah, were designed to control the whole machinery of the Universe — all authority and right to rule in heaven and earth, were given to Christ. All the arrangements, instru- ni\ \ i i pi i. w i' N r. 115 mentalities and agencies of this kingdom fcre surrendered i!\d arc at his disposal — Me God is rm- nfested in Christ, as the Supreme Ruler of liverse, In the d apartment of that kingdom which develops the system o( grace, and has in contemplation the ration and restoration of our apostate race, upon the condition of faith in Christ, has distinct and various instru- mentalities and agencies under the special appointment and control of Christ, as Mediator and Savior. And whenever these act as designed, Christ is manifested and should be I upon as acting. When truth is revealed, it is re- vealed by Christ — when divine providences pervade the earth, they are the representatives of Christ — when the try of the gospel, and Spirit of heaven operate, they are under the sanction of Christ. The Son of man, in view of his suffering and death and the moral worth of his labor to the Universe, became entitled to all this honor, regal dignity, universal homage, and supreme authority. As the Sovereign Potentate of the Universe, all things which transpire within the limits of his boundless province, are either brought about by the agents of his appointment and control, or by his Sovereign permission in the constitution and arrangement of his empire and kingdom. (For there is freedom of will, wherever will is found.) This view of the kingdom of Christ will facilitate a comprehension of the "coming of Christ/' Ep. i. 20—22. Col. i. 15—17. 1 Peter iii. 22. John xiii. 3. John xvii. 2. 2. The coming of Christ, as used in the Scriptures. As Christ possesses all power and authority in heaven and earth, being Head of the church and moral Governor of the world, he employs agencies in the execution of his plans, whether in the bestowment of blessings or in the exercise of vengeance; and whenever those agencies are operative, they manifest the will of Christ, embody the idea of 18 416 THE FUTUR£ AND GENERAL JUDGMENT. " his coming." Hence, the coming of Christ is applied to different events ; however, not rendering- nugatory his per- sonal coming at the end of the world. It is sometimes ap- plied to death when closing human existence on earth ; (Matth. xxiv. 44;) to the destruction of Jerusalem in break- ing it with the rod of authority and displeasure ; (xxiv. 27;) to the introduction and preaching of the gospel by himself and his ministers; (John xv. 22. Ep. ii. 17;) when his church or kingdom is powerfully developed, rapidly ex- tended and gloriously established on the earth ; (Matth, xvi. 28. 1 Thess. i. 5;) when he bestows the influences of the Spirit and the comfort of the gospel upon his people ; (John xiv. 18 — 23;) and when he pours scathing ruin upon the wicked inhabitants of the earth. (2 Thess. ii. 8.) Wher- ever divine agencies are at w r ork, there the presence of God is manifested, and rightly represent his coming. All these are metaphorical representations of Christ's lag ; and do not preclude his coming at the end of the world any more than the sacrifices and temple-service of the Jews, neutralized and obviated the necessity of the Sa- vior's first personal appearance. These were prefigurative of the coming and the sacrificial death of Christ, so the figurative coming of Christ under the gospel in rewards and judgments, symbolizes his appearance at the end of the me- diatorial reign, to reward and crown his saints, and punish unbeliev Christ shall visibly and personally return from heaven and appear to the world, (Acts i. 11,) — he shall descend from heaven with angels, with a shout and the trump of God, (I Thess. iv. 16,) — not as a sacrifice, but as a re warder of his saints, (Heb. ix. 28,) — and every eye shall see him. (Rev. i. 7.) But now he has ascended to the right hand of God, to intercede, to reign, and to subdue his foes; and he cannot return until the gospel kingdom shall come to a nil. i i i i Ki. \\!> (.1 NKRAL .ii DGMEN1 • 117 . 20, 21. "And In shall tend Jesus Christ, which before waa preach >m the In i iiuisi receive [retain] until [achri, > times dtution of nil I ." While th< of re- or the times of restitution, (verse 21,) or the tunes of reformation, (Heb. Lx, L0 f ) shall last or en- dure, being the gospel dispensation, the Lord Jesus who came into the world, died, was preached and ascended to 11 visibly and personally, must remain there until the dose of his mediatorial reign, and then he shall return viair bly upon the clouds of heaven, surrounded with myriads of myriads of angels, iu great power and glory, to judge the world and destroy the disobedient from among his people. 23.) This will be the coming of the Son of man as t. xm. 27. xxv. 31 — 46. 2 Thess. i. 7 — io, etc. 3. What event is alluded to in Matth. xvi. 27? Was it etion of Jerusalem; or is it the end of the world when Christ shall judge and reward every man according to his works ? Though there was & providential appearing of Christ at the destruction of Jerusalem, a shadowing forth of his power and vengeance, yet he did not then come with his " holy angels," (Mark viii. 38,) and in the "glory of the r," in his "own glory," and the "glory of his holy ." (Luke ix. 26.) The Romans were not holy, for were heathens and worshiped abominations ; therefore could not be represented by "holy angels," should human messengers be meant by angels, as sometimes they are by way of accommodation. It could not be the glory of the Father to crush and scatter a nation to the four winds of heaven in groans, in wailing, in blood and carnage. It could not be the glory of Christ, who tenderly prci' thousands. Eternity alone right these things. Tlie context forbids the application <>t' the text to the des- truction of Jerusalem. In verses ~i — 26, the Saviour holds up in contrast the losing of life and the saving of lij\\ this world and the future world, the bleasedriet professing Christ, and the misery of rejecting the gospel. He who will save his natural life by disowning ( 'hrist, shall blessed existence in the future world, and he who will sacrifice his life here for the sake of religion, shall save his soul in heaven. There is no exchange for the final loss of the soul. This was the Saviour's argument and dis- course. It was a great sacrifice and self-denial to be a christian, yet to pour comfort into the disconsolate heart of his people, he promises to vindicate the right, reward the worthy, and crown his people with the glory of his king- dom. He, the Saviour, will come in clouds and glory, with power and myriads of angels, to elevate on high his followers, and revenge their blood and life shed by the hands of persecutors, on the altars of gory gibbets, and in groan- ing prisons. The discourse of Christ can have no allusion to the catas- trophe of Jerusalem, but alone to his second coming to judge the world in righteousness. This interpretation is the most natural, obvious and the only reconcilable one. As the natural and obvious meaning of verse 27, can only be answered in the coming of Christ in the Judgment- day ; so the natural interpretation of v. 28, must apply it to an event preceding the Judgment. "Verily, there be some standing here who shall not taste of death, till they see the Son of man coming in his kingdom." It is declared in the text, that the time of his coining in his kingdom will be prior to the death of some whom he then addressed; there- fore, this passage cannot refer to his coming in the Judg- 420 THE FUTURE AND GENERAL JUDGMENT. ment. At what particular preceding time or event is not specified, only it should be in the life-time of some standing there. This passage speaks of his coming in his kingdom, while the former says nothing of his kingdom, but with his angels and in his Father's glory. There is as obvious a difference in phraseology as there is in their import. — Christ's kingdom has three distinct ideas. It is a govern- ment over all things— oxer the rational .world, (Ep. i. 21,) — and over the church (v. 22;) and in this latter sense the kingdom of God was entered by those who had zeal and were in earnest in the days of John Baptist ; and in this kingdom of God, no vile or idolatrous person shall ever enter. (Ep. v. 5. Col. i. 13.) Whether the Saviour had particular reference to the mani- festation and powerful extension of his kingdom over the world in evangelizing it, or to his kingdom as exercised "over all flesh," (John xvii. 2,) the rational world, which afforded room for dispensing temporal and spiritual bless- ings, and public calamities and judgments, is not easily de- cided. It may include the overthrow of Jerusalem and the dispersion of the Jew r s as the foes of his kingdom ; but it seems more natural to apply it to some preceding events, for this reason. If the Saviour addressed his disciplies, for aught we know, John w r as the only apostle living at the cat- astrophe of Jerusalem, yet the Saviour says some shall not taste of death, implying more than one. In reading the passage and what follows as recorded by Matthew, Mark and Luke, the candid reader would naturally infer, that the Saviour spoke relative to his transfiguration on the mount. This was a splendid and overwhelming manifestation of the glory of Christ's kingdom. It doubtless includes the day of Pentecost, and the subsequent development and spread of the gospel. This is natural. As the Great Teacher had been speak- l.i NT. for ! mi, the disciple* mi [, that, in \ iew of the infurii orld, all ild >oon fall victims to p Christ himself; but he intimates, that this shall no , ! of them sh mid not die before the; the triumph of this kingdom, . thai Chi i to its priii thei y for men to oppose and attempt to des- 110 other consistent way to explicate this id to us it appears entirely satisfactory and con- It' it has dispersed all doubt and obscurity from \ we are prepared to state some direct proof of a fu general Judgment 1. The Judgment will be literal and not a mere feint — all figure and metaphor — the appearance and not the reality. The Judgment, which shall investigate the character and termine the destiny of the children of men, will be a real 3 ion. There will be a Judge, an assembled world, a ^ of human character, and appointment of the each individual. That metaphors and high- t figures are employed to describe the scenes and tions of that Day, is undeniable ; and instead of iey are used to heighten the majesty iphically to describe the substance of all re and powers of description are ad. o( inspiration and of God. piritual w with dread reality, and all the natural mute it, a day of i of time. renre of the Judgment, 4'i*J I HE FUTURE AND OENSRAL JIDUMKN1. need but appeal to the apostle Peter, for he amply sustains this doctrine in his second epistle and in the third chapter, where he records a comparison between the Flood and the Judgment. Though infidels scoff and deride the promise of the coming of the Lord, nevertheless it will be as certain, and as real, as the flood which swept the antediluvians from the face of the earth. It cannot be interpreted metaphori- cally, but the record of the moving scenes of the " day of Judgment and perdition of ungodly men," must be under- stood as a literal description, in the words of prophecy, of the final destruction of this mundane system, and the closing of the mysteries of God upon earth. It is true, that some expositors of the word of God, refer the prophetical ac- count to some awful earthly calamity ; to Jerusalem, or some national affliction ; and they introduce as parallels and confirmatory of their position the prophetical accounts of the destruction of Idumea, of Egypt, and of Jerusalem by the Romans. The highly figurative language there employed de- picts awful catastrophes ; but the very language shows that it is to be understood metaphorically. 46 All the hosts of heaven shall be dissolved and the heavens shall be rolled together as a scroll," they shall fall as the falling leaf and fig from the fig tree ; (Is. xxxiv. 4 ;) the stars, the sun and moon shall be darkened and be covered with a thick cloud, and they shall refuse their shining when Egypt shall become the monu- ment of the wrath of God; (Ez. xxxii. 7 ;) the invasion of the land of Judea and the overthrow of Jerusalem, as pro- phesied by Joel, are couched in language sublime, moving and highly metaphorical. The approach of the Roman army is represented as causing the earth to quake before them and the heavens to tremble, the sun and moon to throw around themselves the vesture of darkness, and the stars to refuse their shining; (Joel ii. 10 ;) he will show wonders in the heavens above, and on earth, blood, fire, and pillars of rui: FUTURE wi> GENERAL JUDGMENT. 129 smoke; the sun shall be turned into darkness and die moon into blood, before Ihe great and terrible day of tin; Lord. - :jo, 81.) Now all such descriptions are impossibili- hen literally understood, or at least altogether improb- able ; and historical farts prove thai there was no literal ful- fillment o( such language in the overthrow of the land of Idumea, therefore the language was to be understood figu- ratively. Hut this is not the case with the prophecy of Peter relative to the destruction of the elemental fabric of the earth, in tin 1 "day of Judgment and perdition of ungodly men." The comparison is between the Flood and the Judgment, as the former was a literal occurrence, so the latter will he — the earth was destroyed by a flood of water, but the heavens and the earth, that now are, are reserved to be burned with fervent heat. The heavens, or atmosphere shall pass away with a great noise, being decomposed, and the electric fires glowing and rolling their storming thunders around creation ; the elements of the earth and the works of men's hands shall melt as in a glowing furnace — thus after the heavens and the earth are dissolved, and have passed away, the Lord will reorganize a new heaven and a new earth, wherein shall dwell righteousness. As this earth, inclosed with the present atmosphere, contains sin, rebellion, pollution, and is trodden by an ungodly race ; so the new earth, with the circumambient heavens, shall be the abode of truth, holiness and perennial happiness, and be ever pressed with the footsteps of a holy and sanctified people. The comparisons drawn and the descriptions given, am- ply fortify the doctrine, that " the day of Judgment and perdition of ungodly men," will be a literal and bona fide event — the event itself, th I lending and the results experienced, will transpire in or< ad re- *18 424 THE FUTURE AND GENERAL JUDGMENT. ality as portrayed in lively colors by the unerring pen of inspiration. 2. The Day of Judgment and perdition of ungodly men shall take place after the resurrection of the dead. The final Judgment of God cannot take place during the administrations of grace and the moral government of Christ on earth. 1. This world is not the theatre of the equal and adequate distribution of justice to the children of men — the righteous are frequently the subjects of affliction, pain and adversity, while the wicked flourish and revel in prosper- ity ; the most hardened and the vilest of the wicked have less compunction of conscience, and are less sensitive, than those who indulge in sin with some restraint and moderation. The Justice of God will demand an occasion to dispense rewards and punishments with an even hand, conspicuously and to the satisfaction of the Universe of intelligences. — 2. In this world the character, works and influence of men cannot be adjusted, for much of what they have done on earth will exert an influence on mankind, long after they lie in the slumbers of death, for weal or wo. The influence of men of former generations is still sweeping down the cur- rent of time, laving its genial waters along the fruitful shores of life, or blasting the blooming flowers of bliss and saturating the moral atmosphere with a deadly miasma. — A Judgment, at the end of time, and exercising exact and ultimate scrutiny over an assembled world, is indispensable. 3. The Scriptures represent the transactions of the Judg- ment as taking place at the end of the world and after the resurrection of the dead. The Bible represents individuals and nations, and people who had long before gone to the grave, as standing in the Judgment with men of other gen- erations, consequently they must first be raised from the dominion of death before they can be judged." "It shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah TH1 NT. in the day of judgment than for that city." Matth. x. 15. hall be more tolerable for the land pf Sodom than" for ;;y oi Capernaum, xi. 23. 24. Bo also shall the Queen of Sheba ami the men oi' Ninevah "rise up in the judgment to condemn this generation;" and in order to do so they must first arise from the dead, therefore the Judgment will he after the resurrection. (Luke xi. 31, 32.) The world will be judged at an appointed timt % and that time is represented as future, "For God shall bring (not has and docs bring) every work into judgment" (Ec. xii. 14,) M For we must all appear before the judgment-seat of Christ." (2 Cor. v. 10.] Not we do all appear, but we musty which shows the Judgment to be in the future. — Universalis ts say, that Christ became the Judge and Exec- utor of God's moral government at the destruction of Jeru- salem ; if so, then it must follow, either that Christ will not judge the world, and that there must have been two judges, one to judge the people before the destruction of Jerusalem and Christ to judge the people at that event and subsequently to the end of time; or else the Judgment is still future and will take place after the general resurrection. But Christ is represented as the Judge of the world. " He appointed a day in which he will judge the icorld in right- eousness." Acts. xvii. 31. He shall judge him at the last day." John xii. 48. " In the day when God shall judge," (Rom. ii. 16;) "the judgment of the great day ; (Jude vi ;) " to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be pun- ished." (2 Peter ii. 9.) These Scriptures prove that there will be a final and gen- eral Judgment at the end of the world and subsequent to the general resurrection of the dead. This excludes the notion, from the category of Scriptural doctrines, that the judgment has been or runs parallel with time, and that everu man is fully rewarded according to his works in the earth. 426 THE FUTURE AND GENERAL JUDGMENT. 3. The Lord Jesus will be the Judge of all mankind. A few quotations will substantiate this point. "Christ both died, and rose, and revived, that he might be Lord both of the dead and living." Rom. xiv. 9. "The Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his ap- pearing and his kingdom." 2 Tim. iv. 1. " To testify that it is he which was ordained of God to be the judge of quick and dead." Acts x. 42. "The Son of man shall come in his glory, and before him shall be gathered all nations." — Matth. xxv. 31,32. " The Father judge th no man, but hath committed all judgment to the Son." John v. 22." — In the day when God shall Judge the secrets of men, by Jesus Christ, according to my gospel." Rom. ii. 16. Ac- cording to the economy of grace, the work of judging the world is assigned to the Son; (Rom. xiv. 9, 10. Acts xvii. 31 ;) who will be revealed from heaven at that stirring and unprecedented crisis, in his human nature; (John v. 27;) clothed with resplendent glory and armed with omnipotent power ; (1 Thess. iv. 16, 17. 2 Thess. i. 7—10;) visible to every eye, and to the mourning tribes of the earth ; Rev. i. 7 ; penetrating and making manifest the secrets and counsels of the heart and disclosing the hidden things of darkness; (1 Cor. iv. 5. Rom. ii. 16 ;) with dominion and full authority over all flesh ; (Matth. xxviii. 18;) and conducting the Judgment with strict justice and righteousness. (2 Tim. iv. 8. Acts xvii. 31.) "And hath given him authority to execute judgment also because he is the Son of man.''' (John v. 27.) The Son of God became the Son of man, that he might execute the plan of redemption by his death and resurrection, and that he might judge the human race. He is the Judge of the world, because he is the son of man: he assumed human nature. This was necessary from the nature of things. If every eye shall see him, he must be clothed with humanity; if the Judge upon the throne shall be a reality and not a shadow or illusion, lie in I N BR \i. Ji D(.Mi:\ i . 127 i of man. It' the world is to be fudged, the ul, and the hidden * hind the unpenetrable curtain ofdarknt si d, then the . without controversy, must be "God manifest in the flesh. 91 It* it be requisite for acquitted saints to fall be- fore the throne and pour forth a choral song of praise to nr and Deliverer, it would seem importanl to ha?e ntenoe of acquittal pronounced, and the seal of the pprobation given by Christ as Judge, to excite and tlirill the bosoms of the unnumbered millions of the redeem- ed, with feelings and emotions corresponding to the work. If it is requisite tor the saints to realize and comprehend the true dignity of the nature and character of Christ, they must witness him coming upon the clouds of heaven, with the attendant millions of the sons of light, arraigning the world before his tribunal — the mocked and despised Gali- lean to sit upon a throne of pellucid glory, wielding the sword of Justice, as keen as light, to reward and adjudge Pilate and Herod with their train of scoffers, mock judges and perjured witnesses. If the wicked shall adequately and keenly feel the atrocity and unreasonableness of their rejection of Christ and rebellion against a holy law, they must stand before Christ, as a visible Judge, feel to their inmost soul the withering and piercing glare of his eye, and hear the awful sentence of condemnation and ban- ishment fall from those lips, which once offered life and Ion with indescribable tenderness. All the world shall then see and feel the greatness and reality of the work of Christ, in redeeming the lost sons of men, the wise and so- ber intention of the entire movements of the economv of grace, and the h^inousness of deriding and rejecting life and salvation—the justness of the acquittal and coronation of saints, and the unimpeachable righteousness of the damna- tion of all the ungodly. The condemned, in feeling the in- 428 Tin; future and general judgment. tolerable wrath of the Lamb, who with tenderness and pa- tience waited for their return as repenting prodigals, will seek and pray for some sheltering place from the face of the Son of man, and would gratefully accept the incumbent earth with its rocks and mountains ; (Rev. vi. 16, 17 ;)-but their supplications are in vain, for nature will not screen rebels from its Creator God. The very circumstance, that Christ, the crucified, shall sit as Judge upon his throne, clothed with royalty, and invested with the concentrated power of the eternal kingdom, will enhance the joy and re- joicing of the saints, and render more intolerable the doom of the wicked. 4. The Judgment and its circumstances will be atten- ded with great po?np and unequaled splendor. Revelation has limned the final judgment upon the can- vass of the imagination, strengthened and rendered brilliant by inspiration ; every circumstance is summoned to the train to increase the pomp and accumulate the unsurpassed splendors of the day and the occasion. The stupendous magnificence of the scene will fill the amplitude of creation with wonder and amazement. Days of power, terrible in grandeur and fearful in results to the inhabitants of the earth, have passed in swift succession over the dial of time. — The flood, which terminated the old world, filled the earth with electric fires and stunning, pealing thunders, convuls- ed the ground and poured the maddened waters in torrents and billows in devastation, upon its doomed inhabitants.— The communication and enforcement of a holy law from Sinai's cloud-capt heights, was a day, terrible and full of amazement. Descending and encircling clouds lowered upon the earth, surcharged with angry thunders, fire and smoke — the mountain quaked beneath the tread of the divine Lawgiver, and filled the gazing multitude with astonishment and overwhelming apprehensions, while the trumpet was Till NT. 429 louder. The i when the Sa- viour i in the ob ■ of Bethleht m, and laid in an obscure manger; but it was a day of uncommon grandeur and ecstacy, it struck the heavenly hosts with thrills of delight and attuned their golden harps with layi of redeeming love, filling the air with music sweet, boom- ing from the asure and star-bespangled sky; the guiding star ami a protecting God attehded die scene. He lived and died, and all nature, except hardened and rebellious man, sym- pathised iii the ('uncial train. Days of national great- mi resistless distinction have followed with conster- nation and ruin. Yet the period has not arrived, when M (iod made manifest" in humanity, shall pass before the gaze of a congregated world in his creating, reigning and judicial majesty, when all nature shall unlock her treasured honors and pomp, and pour them in royal magnificence into the attendant train of the Son of man ; when all the heights of glory, crowning excellence, seraphic music, and the com- bination of every thing splendid and overwhelming in gran- deur, together with tempest, earthquakes, electric fires and pealing atmospheric convulsions, appalling terrors and blackness of darkness shall commingle in unearthly union, and encompass the Judge of all the earth in grand proces- sion. This day will comprise every thing grand in splen- dor and terrible in aroused vengeance, incomprehensible in glorious brightness, and indescribable in utter devastation ; for the issue will be creation uncreated, and all congenial ele- ments, whether material or immaterial, completely harmon- ized and governed by the laws of eternal destiny. The dramatic descriptions of that day, include whatever is clothed with beauty, terror, greatness, sublimity and over- whelming glory, and warrant the conclusion, that it will be unparalleled in the annals of time and attended with unsur- passed power. i; The Son of man shall come in his glory;" 430 THE FUTURE AND GENERAL JUDGMENT. the uncreated glory he had with the Father before the world was, and possessed when creation sprung into being with life and beauty, and the morning stars sang together for joy; and he shall come in the "glory of the Father," invested with supreme royalty, unlimited dominion, and embodying all the essental attributes of the Godhead ; and in the "glory of the holy angels," they will attend his appearing in thronging millions, executing his will, gathering his re- deemed children from the four quarters of the globe, ap- plauding his judgments and rejoicing in every decision ; be- cause right and just. Lo ! he shall come environed with the clouds of light from the bursting, parting sky, and filling in one vast procession the spanning concave, the angel- trumpets sounding the reanimating blasts from the trembling heavens, and rolling in reverberating thunder along the mountains' brow, and through the broken ravines of the earth, startling and revivifying the sleeping tenants of the grave, the charnel-house and watery-deep ; they arise and gaze upon the descending Judge — the earth's Judgment- hall is filled with awaiting intelligences, the books are opened and all are judged and doomed to their respective destiny, the acclamation of praise bursts from the lips of all who were sanctified bv the belief of the truth ; and wailing despair fills with confusion and everlasting contempt the souls of those who obeyed not the gospel of Christ. Then the globe shall be encircled with one sheeted blaze, every mountain a Sinai, and every lake a boiling caldron, for the great day of Assize shall, in scenical exhibitions, reach its height of terribleness and grandeur. Ye seraphs bright ! lend the fire of your flaming tongues and comprehensive powers of mind, to paint in true and adequate colors the ex- hibition of the day and scene. But stop ! the day will do justice to the occasion before the gaze of the world, aston- shed and overwhelmed ! ! n> I J i DOM£NT. 48 I The Judgment will be conducted upon the principles of tU rnal The government of God, and the Btate of the universe, will demand the full exercise of justice and the equitable lution of rewards and punishment. And that feature of the Judgment which represents the opening of Books, in order to reveal all the works of men, the hidden springs and movements of Providence, and an ample justification of (iod before an assembled world of intelligences, clearly teaches the existence of eternal rectitude in the proceedings of the Judgment God represents himself as a "swift wit- i list all the workers of iniquity, therefore the 11 omn ' o( God will disclose the transactions, w r orks and influences of men. (Mai. iii. 5.) The book of divine remembrance shall be opened to rightly represent and justi- fy those who fear the Lord and think with reverence upon his name. (iii. 16) The book of conscience will be opened that each one may witness against himself, and acquiesce in the witness of God. (Rom. ii. 15.) The book of Provi- dence shall trace in dread review the mercies offered and slighted, perverted and despised, (ii. 4, 5.) The book of Revelation, both the gospel and the law, shall be introduced in the Judgment, and shall portray the motives, persuasions and regulations of the moral government of God. (John xii. 48. Rom. ii. 12 — 16.) And the book of Life shall be opened, and spread before the gaze of the world the registered names of the saints and heirs of glory. (John x. 20. Rev. iii. 5. xx. 12 — 15.) Now, all this would impress the children of men, that infallible accuracy and rectitude shall guide the proceedings of the Judgment; that every iota of moral ex- cellence, and every foible and sin, shall have found a record on high, and be again disclosed in deciding the destiny of the human family. Indeed, so the Scriptures summarily, and decisively de- clare. We read in Ecc. xii. 14, "For God shall bring 432 THE FUTURE AND GENERAL JUDGMENT. every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil." The good things and the bad actions, purposes and inclinations of men will be brought before the judicial tribunal of heaven. The right- eousness of the righteous, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be investigated — the good things or the bad shall all be remembered and brought into the final account. All actions shall be judged, to decide whether they are con- formable to, or in violation of the will of God. Every se- cret, or hidden crime, .or act of benevolence shall be made manifest. This will impart a just and righteous character to the proceedings of the Judgment. The text does not de- clare that every man will be rewarded or punished for every action of his* life, as Universalists would argue; but that every work shall be brought into judgment. It is necessary that all things, whether good or evil, should be brought to judg- ment to vindicate the government and providence of God ; but many evil deeds will be remembered no more against those who committed them, because they have turned from them, repented and obtained mercy, and done that which is law- ful and right; (Ez. xxxiii. 14* — 16;) and the good deeds of many who have forsaken the Lord shall not be presented for their justification, and for their iniquity they shall die. (Ez. xxxiii. 13.) But rectitude will require, that all good and evil deeds, with every secret thing, shall be unfolded before the Judge of all the earth, to test their comformity to, or violation of the divine will, to reveal the holiness of the moral govern- ment of God, and equitably to decide the destiny of the rational world. It will be found that every action, however minute, and every word and thought of the heart, possesses moral qualit}^ ; there will be no class of works partaking either of no good nor absolutely bad character, for all shall be weighed in the scales of divine justice, therefore they must l hi: i r n Rl \\ D I JHDOyENT. fippear before God, the Judge. Should any actions be left out of the account, eternal justice would stay the proceedings, the universe whose destiny was pendingmighl rightly protest. The law of God exercises its claims and supervision over all actions and modifications of-voiuntary movements, how- ever apparently insignificant, and strikes its nruii : into the depths of the heart ; therefore all dcc(\> musl n and p: e the adjudging eye of Jehovah. Nothing can justly he missing, all actions will tell and count in the of distributive justice — -very idle word shall be i Upon every voluntary movement, action and word, either the breath o( hell has breathed, or else the spirit of holiness id them with its own character — there is nothing absolutely insignificant or unimportant in the moral world, as well as in the material world. Divine rectitude will require the rewards and punish- ments to be apportioned according to the deeds done in the body, therefore all the deeds of men must be reviewed in the Judgment-Day. Should any of the ill-deserts of the wicked be left out of the account, the violated law would be made to assume its character of righteousness or be vindi- cated ; and should any of the virtues of the godly be for- gotten, the moral goodness of the world and the relative importance and efficacy of grace, in its operation and con- flict in this world, would never be fully seen and adequately honored. The whole field of moral operation under the government of God will be spread out in the Judgment, and vital motion connected with the whole, will be seen rutinized, while divine light, above the brightness of the sun, shall pour its blazing effulgence over the whole, and light up every dark retreat and secret thing. No crime and ill-desert shall miss just punishment, and no virtue shall be unrewarded. The iniquities of the righteous shall be covered by the mercy of God, and grace shall stay the vin- 434 THE FUTURE AND GENERAL JUDGMENT. dictive blow of divine wrath ; while they shall appear in the Judgment, not to condemn and cry for malediction, but to magnify grace and mercy in canceling sin and saving the soul. The good deeds of the apostates from God shall be reviewed, not to plead their justification, but to show the aggravation of their sins, in denying the Lord, in the midst of light and gospel privileges. Here they will behold the intrinsic goodness of right, mercy, and the law of God, in view of which and their course of profligacy, their horror will grow more terrible, their pain more poignant, their re- morse armed with viper-stings, and the inexorable sentence of the Judge will assume a deeper emphasis and fall with more overwhelming confusion upon their ear, causing their irretrievable fate to be the less supportable. All sins un- pardoned shall be punished, and the righteousness of the righteous shall not lose its reward; yet the degrees of wick- edness shall have punishment proportioned in severity and intenseness, and not in duration ; so there will be gradations in the heights of glory accessible, and in the amount of in- tense and solid happiness, and not in duration. One star differeth from another star in its glory and brilliancy, so shall the reward of the saints be apportioned according to their holiness and growth in grace. The wicked shall re- ceive stripes as they have committed things worthy of stripes. Rectitude will not only demand a reward for the least virtue, every good thought, wish and even the cup of cold water given in the name of a disciple, and the evil eye, the lascivious glance, and the omission of duty will be punish- ed; but justice will also require that the whole rational world shall be gathered together. None of the human fami- ly shall be missing or forgotten ; the darkest retreat, the solitary cavern, or the incumbent earth shall give way and disclose its relics of centuries. Should but one moral being nil' FUTURE AM) QfiNftRAl JUDGMENT. 488 bo wanting there would be an impassable vacuum in the world's indictment, Judgment would be waiting for\he ap- pearance of thai one before the court of heaven. The clang- or of the archangel's trumpet will reanimate the sleeping dead, and raise up and assemble die entire race of men — all nations and people and tongues of the earth shall await the adjudication of the great and notable Day of the Lord. And reader, you will be there and judged by eternal recti- tude ! Are you prepared? 0. The Judgment will draw a line of eternal separation between the good and the bad, and award them according to their moral character. A line of demarkation is not so distinctly drawn between the righteous and the wicked in this world, at all times and places, as to be obvious and undoubted ; but the time will come when we shall discern between him that serveth the Lord and him that serveth him not. However, the in- fluence and tendency of the gospel separate the one from another according as they possess moral character. Those who possess dispositions and characters congenial, will coalesce into one brotherhood — the wicked will join hands and move forward in one grand confederacy. This process of assimilation and classification will go on, as the gospel prevails and secures its ultimate design ; and when once the Judgment arrives, then the separation between the pious and vicious will be thorough and complete. The Scrip- tures speak of such a distinction under various figures ; a few of which will be apposite in this place. We read " that the kingdom of heaven is like unto a net, that was cast into the sea, and gathered of every kind : which, when it was full, they drew to shore, and sat down, and gathered the good into vessels and cast the bad away. So shall it be at the end of the world, the angels shall come forth, and sever the wicked from among the just, &c>" 436 THE FUTURE AND GENERAL JUDGMENT. (Matth. xiii. 47 — 49.) So clear and emphatic is the lan- guage of Christ in portraying the final crisis and ultimate separation of the wicked from the just, that every candid mind must exercise implicit confidence in the doctrine. As fishermen let down their net and inclose and draw to shore a multitude of fish, both good and bad, but immediately separate the good from the bad, putting the good into ves- sels and casting the bad away ; so it shall be at the end of the world — the swift- winged angels shall encompass the habitable globe and gather together all nations before the tribunal of heaven, and draw an unerring line of separation between the good and the wicked. The scene will be a moving one, when the human race shall pass through a final separation and classification, associating all congenial characters into the two grand divisions of our race ; the good shall enter upon the estate of endless blessedness, while the wicked shall be banished from the presence and saving power of God. Though in this world the tares and wheat are sown in the same field and gathered by the same instrumentality, yet a decisive and final separation will be effected after the vast assembly shall be eompleie, and com- prise the rational world — a division based on moral charac- ter. The Lord, who shall preside and superintend this tremendous scene, will cause to be gathered out of his king- dom all things that offend, in order to render unalloyed the happiness of the saints, to establish a kingdom upon the principles of his holiness and sway his sceptre over an em- pire subject and delighting in paying homage to his throne " The tares shall be gathered and bound in bundles and cast into the fire ; so shall it be at the end of the world.'" (Matth. xiii. 40, &c.) While some people are impatiem for the coming of Christ, and the separation and destiny ol mankind, they forestall the event, and place the Judgment in this world, rewarding and punishing mankind as they do Tin; KIT! RE \M> GENERAL JUDGMENT. iiJ7 good or evil; but the Savior declares thai the harvest is at the end of the world. The plans and arrangements of God arc fixed, and they await the predestined period for their fulfilment — the time shall not be precipitated, but shall come along in due season. Others disbelieve the predicted event of final separation and rewards, and declare that the Lord delayeth his coming; but, nevertheless at the end of the world, the wicked shall be severed from among the just, and he punished as in a furnace of fire, wailing and feeling insufferable anguish, and the righteous shall as the sun in the firmament. might already be inferred, immediately after the world's convocation and the classification of the righteous and the wicked, their arraignment and conviction, or ap- proval; the sentence will be pronounced by Christ and the is administered. This last exhibition is portrayed in graphic and glowing colors in Matth. xxv. 31 — 46. The Son of man shall be revealed from heaven upon the throne of his glory, surrounded with myriads of angels on swiftest wing to execute the behests of God, beneath his burning feet, clouds evolving in mighty folds, and on either hand the chariots of vengeance thundering along on the sounding air, with lightening's speed, and o'er the immense descending procession the spanning concave glowing with inconceivable brilliancy and overwhelming light, eclipsing all the accus- tomed lights of the mundane sphere. The utmost conster- nation and sudden surprise, on the one hand, exulting joy and loud hosannah on the other, are excited in the bosoms of th< respective classes of the righteous, and unholy. The silence suppressed momentarily, is broken, and the scene is overwhelming. The billows of the deep roll up and send forth the reanimated dead, the graveyards tremble and break with earthquake convulsions, and the rising dead appear, and the charnel-houses rattle with the breaking coffins and 438 THE FUTURE AND GENERAL JUDGMENT. the stirring nations ; all appear before the inexorable Judge — the investigation takes place — the decision is made and the sentence based on moral character is pronounced with deep-toned emphasis, causing eternal chords of weal or wo to vibrate. " Come ye blessed of my Father, and depart ye cursed into everlasting fire." These words will impress the congregated world, thrilling the bosom of the righteous with unutterable delight, and pouring the tide of consterna- tion and anguish upon the souls of the wicked. " Come ye blessed of my Father." Such a welcome into the king- dom of heaven uttered by the lips of the blessed God will inspire hope, confidence and inexpressible joy. While scenes tremendous and overwhelming surrounded them, deep solemnity pervading every heart, judgment in the court of heaven made up and Christ arising to pass sen- tence upon the human race, then to hear the cheering in- vitation of heaven, "Comje ye blessed," will dispel every doubt, animate the pulsation of every heart, and light up with benignant smiles, the countenance of every one re- deemed and saved. Then they shall first properly realize the import and sweetness of the blessing of God — the tones of the benedictive voice of the Savior will send music of unearthly sweetness into their heart, every chord of love, feeling and veneration shall be waked up. Standing ap- proved, blessed and crowned of the Father, this will be sufficient to perfect their happiness, and permanently estab- lish them in the employments of the upper and better world. They shall inherit a kingdom, where God's will is the supreme and honored law, all its subjects holy, wor- shiping their Creator ; consummate peace and tranquillity will abound throughout its limits, and where God shall be their benignant Sovereign, and they shall be his people. This kingdom was prepared from the foundation of the world and made the ceaseless fountain of perfect bliss, I ill. i i ii re \n:> QBNBSAL IUDGMEN1 . 189 when all tears shall be wiped away, pure consolation with- out the admixture of sorrow shall be drunk from the goblet. of eternal love, all pain, sickness and sighing shall hare passed away, and vigor, health and praise supply their place, death and its dread dominion shall be conquered and destroyed, and immortality in holiness shall reign with ex- ultation and without hostility. The sentence which shall pronounce the righteous ac- cepted and blessed of God, will also insure the permanency of their holiness and happiness. They shall no more go Out, after having entered into everlasting life. They shall be lit companions of the angelic throng, be like unto them and enjoy redeeming bliss, and travel the same highway to endless perfection. The errands of mercy and goodness in the heavenly kingdom, they shall undertake and execute. Being accounted worthy of that world and the resurrection o( the dead, they shall mingle in employment and enjoy- ment with the angels of God. They shall gaze upon the glories of the same throne, and be changed from one glori- ous perfection unto another. But on the other hand, " He shall say unto those upon his left, Depart ye cursed into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels." This sentence of wrath will fill up one vial of misery, mingled with pain, sorrow and the terrible upbraidings of conscience, and be poured upon the ungodly in one eternal curse. It will convulse every feel- ing and sensibility of heart, and raise a storm of undying" anguish ; and for the first time, they will realize the bitter- ness and overwhelming sorrow of the second death. All the imaginary appendages of perdition will flee as chaff, and nothing but stern reality will remain, and the elements of wo will send confusion and despair over the hearts of thronging millions. The hell of the ungodly is not only positively described, as admitting of degrees ; but it is also 19 440 THE FUTURE AND GENERAL JUDGMENT. negatively spoken of, as a deprivation of happiness and ho- liness. This place was originally prepared for the devil and his angels, and man only became an inhabitant of it as an intruder. He becomes a companion of the fallen angels by voluntary choice, and because he would sin against God, in defiance of mercy and divine remonstrance. From the judgment-seat, the ungodly will be driven into blackness of darkness forever. The last Judgment will be a closing scene ; changes great, ample and all-pervading, will precede the terminating period of time ; but all beyond will be one unbroken eternity, all things fixed by immutable fate. We have seen man in his fallen, degraded state, and viewed the opening fountain of mercy and salvation, and heard invitations free and full in melting strains to rebellious men, to reform and live for God — some \\eipt and believed in Christ, while others lined their hearts with brass and persisted in sin — they fell vic- tims to death, and were held under his temporary domin- ion — time rolled on to its utmost verge, the resurrection- morn dawned, the dead forsook their sleepy beds and woke to endless existence — the Judgment-hall was thronged, the books were opened, and the living race of men were judged, the righteous acquitted and welcomed on high, and the wicked condemned to a lasting overthrow and insufferable perdition. " Time gone, the righteous saved, and the wicked damn'dj And God's eternal government approved." Here God has raised his truth, uncompromising and im- mutable, standing in defiance of all cavils, doubts and as- sailing influences, scattering its beacon-light across the stormy sea of time, directing the watchful mariner into the haven of eternal safety. Who would refuse to gaze upon the blaze of heavenly light, and perish amid the foaming Tin: rtJTURI and OBlfSRAL JUDGMENT. 441 breakers I Vain map I let light and truth guide your feci to heaven and in God; purify your hearts; plant your hope on Christ, and east anchor into the eternal throne; so that when all mysteries shall he solved, and the changeless destiny of the world fixed on the basis of moral character, you may stand with the heavenly throng <>n ;i. sea of holi- ness, and harping the immortal praises ofGod. CHAPTER XIII. A SCHEME OF ERROR AND IMMORAL IN TENDENCY. " Fear God and keep his Commandments ; for this is the whole duty of man " Ecc. xii. 13. The words of Solomon contain the summary of religion. Whoever shall fear God with reverential and filial obedi- ence, and conscientiously and truly, observe his precepts and instructions, w r ill enjoy the power and glory of religion. Obedience to God will always tend to morality ; and the guidance of truth will always conduct to virtue and right. All error stands up in opposition and contrast with truth, and exerts a contrary and desolating influence. Whatever system contains the elements of error and falsehood, must necessarily be adapted to effect mischief and be productive of evil. Morality can never grow upon the tree of error, nor can vital religion be originated and nourished in a dis- belief and rejection of the essential doctrines of Christianity. That Universalism is a system of gross error, inasmuch as it contains none of the essential doctrines common to orthodox Christianity, we have abundantly proven in the foregoing pages. The reader may say, that Universalists make use of terms and phrases, and profess a belief of cer- tain doctrines common to christians, both in their public exercises and in their writings. This is readily acknowl- edged, and yet we are bold to declare, that the system of Universalism saps the very foundation of genuine religion, in doctrine and practice. ASCHI'.m:: OF BRROfi and [MMORAI EN TMDINCY. 141 l. // is iptive daughter of Zion was restored to the land and i of her fathers, therefore, the Lord did ftot cast off his people forever, nor grieved the children of men with affliction to no purpose. The above passage docs not con- tradict, nor set at defiance those passages of the Bible, winch declare, that all who forsake the Lord shall he cast oil' forever, (1 Chron. xxviii. 9,) and that the Lord will for- sake all such who apostatize from him, (2 Chron. xv. 2,) and that all who ohcy not the gospel of God shall he pun- ished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and dory of his power. (2 Thess. i. 8.) Vet the above passage is ever flowing from the lips of Universalists in confirmation of their peculiar dogma. — The system of Universalism combines more gross errors and evident contradictions, assuming to be based on the Scriptures and setting forth the truth of God, than any other system of delusion, with the same pretensions. Its own dogmas are in stern conflict with each other, and its rules of interpretation, outrage language and the connections of Scripture. That such doctrines, as Universalism unfolds, should be disastrous to a Scriptural religion and sound mo- rality, might be conclusively inferred ; but when we adopt the Saviour's rule, by their fruit ye shall know them, all our doubts are dispersed, and matter of fact rises up with incontestable evidence, proving the immoral tendency of the system. 3. Universalism is immoral in its tendency. In order to prove this position, it is not essential that we prove that every believer in Universalism must necessarily be immoral in character. Although this may be the result to a practi- cal believer in its system of doctrine, yet persons may be moral in defiance of its legitimate influence, from causes extraneous to Universalism, and from habits formed prior to 452 A SCHEME OF ERROR AND IMMORAL IN TENDENCY. the time when they embraced its doctrines. That hundreds and thousands are confirmed in their vicious practices, con- tinue to tread the same path of profligacy and death, and that many grow worse and worse, being deceived and de- ceiving others, are facts blazoned forth in the noonday sun. There are men, who after days and years of honest living, and prayer and piety, for reasons best known to God, em- braced Universalism ; while some have held on to a res- pectable life, many others have let go their moorings and plunged like a vessel without a crew, into breakers and rocks of utter apostacy, profligacy and death. One of the immoral tendencies of Universalism as now prevailing, is, 1. That it cultivates irreverence for the Bible. If any, there are but few, who believe that the Bible, in all its parts, was given by the inspiration of God. And in the rejection of the plenary inspiration of the Bible, they have not de- fined clearly, as all wise teachers should do, what parts are inspired and what uninspired ; but all is left at loose ends, and optional with the reader and teacher of divine truth. This very course must necessarily beget a want of confi- dence in the Bible, bordering on the confines of Deism. The truth is, whenever the Bible is read with a captious spirit, and with a mind unsettled in reference to the full in- spiration of the Scriptures, its influence cannot be very salutary, and the spirit of God must be grieved away. Add to this, that the Bible is seldom, if ever, read for religious devotion in the closet, or at the family altar, hence there seems to be abundant evidence to support the position, that Universalism fosters an irreverence for the Word of God. This is a grievous and fatal stride to the formation of im- moral opinions and character. 2. It fosters a spirit of contempt for private, social and public devotion, for ardent piety and zeal in practical relig- A scin:mi: o\- BRROB and immoral in ti:n i>i:\cy. 4f)3 inn, as being no better than rani, and the effect* of a sickly imagination. Whoever comes in contact with the sj of modern Universalism and its votaries, must be satisfied on this point, for tins is a never (ailing fruit of the doctrine of the luiiversalist's salvation. This voice of contempt for ardent piety and a prayerful religion is heard, in the family circle, in the public congregation, at their conventions, and from the pulpit, coupled at times with a very characteristic sneer. Let men scout at a spiritual religion, conversion of the heart, praying every where with holy hands uplifted to God, and a flaming zeal in his cause, and at all genuine re- vivals of religion ; then the ripe clusters of immoral fruit shall not be wanting, the unbridled passions will drive the victims of delusion in hot haste down the steps of immor- ality and ruin. Let a servant of the gospel follow the foot- steps of Christ, preach all day and pray all night, weep over lost and infatuated sinners, and refuse to replenish the wants of his fatigued body, being so intent on the great work of converting souls to the riches of eternal grace, and he will be the butt of ridicule, derision and contempt, and his religion denounced as rant, enthusiasm, and the effect of a fevered imagination. All this is grossly immoral in ten- dency, and will successfully arm the conscience and judg- ment against the impressions of the Holy Spirit. 3. Universalism blunts the conscience and blends all dis- tinctions of characters in their issues. Two positions are strenuously advocated by them, which manifestly blend all moral traits of human character. They maintain, that the approbation of God is never lost by sin, and that in the resurrection, the sons of men shall walk forth clothed with immortal righteousness and commence the journey of eternity without distinction of moral charac- ter — all shall be placed upon a common level. Such being their avowed sentiments, no other theology is acceptable 454 A SCHEME OF ERROR AND IMMORAL IN TENDENCY. than such as abrogates the moral standard, that vice and virtue, good and bad, the righteous and the sinner, are dis- tinct in character and in their present and final results. The theory and the practice of Universalism, adopt the language that Malachi ascribes to the wicked Jews, " Every one that doeth evil is good in the sight of the Lord, and he de- lighteth in them ; or, where is the God of judgment." (Mai. ii. 17.) And the course pursued by their teachers, and the results of their labors have been described by the prophet Ezekiel, " Because with lies ye have made the hearts of the righteous sad, whom I have not made sad, and strengthened the hands of the wicked, that he should not return from his wicked way, by promising him life." (Ez. xiii. 22.) The God of Israel also complained of the proph- ets in the days of Jeremiah, charging them with adultery and lies ; in addition, he says, " they strengthen also the hands of evil doers, that none doth return from his wick- edness : they are all of them unto me as Sodom, and the inhabitants thereof as Gomorrah." (Jer. xxiii. 14.) — Though the teachers of Universalism may declaim against certain vices, and exhort to a moral, honest and upright life, yet their general theory and uniform course of promising life and heaven to the wicked, entirely neutralizes their spe- cial pleading for virtue and uprightness, and makes ineffect- ual their labors to reform and convert souls to God. We are yet to learn the instances of souls converted, or even pungently convicted under their ministry ; but many have been encouraged in sin, and have made themselves believe that all is well, and that they shall not be excluded from heaven for want of a moral and religious character. The fact is, that no atrocity of character, abominable wicked- ness, gambling, profane swearing, Sabbath breaking, afford the least objection of church fellowship, or exclude any from the bonds of brotherhood. When men say, that they 111 mi: OP I2RROR \\i> IMMORAL in TENDS N( \. loo believe the doctrines and attend their church, they are wel- comed cordially. In the year of our Lord IRK), the following circumstance came under our notice, Bhowing the standard of morality conformed to by some Universalis^, There was a certain (Jniversalisi clergyman, of the State of Vermont, whose Wife for some reason had left him, and after the space of three years, he applied to the Supreme Court for a divorce, hut his petition was not granted* He, however, proceeded to marry another wile. Thereupon, a Council of his breth- ren was called, consisting of the following persons : H. Ballon, O. A. Skinner, L. Willis, W, Balfour, J. C.Waldo, E. Hewett, and B. B. Muzzey, and they gravely decided, that he had "not violated any principles of morality.''' — The ground of their decision was, that the conduct of his true wife, in leaving him and being absent for three years, would entitle him to a divorce by the laws of Vermont.— The unvarnished and imwhitewashed fact, however is, that he was guilty of bigamy, and a fit candidate for the State Prison, and yet by a Council of his ministerial brethren, he was justified and hailed as a beloved brother. This stub- born narrative affords a dark picture of the morality and distinction of moral character as entertained by Universal- And why not consistent, since God will exclude none from glory, why should they be more holy than God and iich immoral recreants out of the pale of their com- minion \ Though wicked, yet it is consistent with Uni- ism : this, no candid person will deny. I. (Jniversalism is immoral in its tendency, because none are reformed and brought to God by a living religion, under ifluence and ministry. W( have resided for about eight years in the midst of an organized society, where they have maintained nearly dur- ing the whole time, the preaching of their faith by almost as 45G A SCHEME OF ERROR AND IMMORAL IN TENDENCY. many different pastors, and yet we have not heard of a single case of conversion to God, while by the preaching of the orthodox faith many scores of souls have been trans- lated into the glorious kingdom of God. But on the con- trary, we have seen those who profess their "glorious faith," and heard profane language fall from their lips as thick as the leaves of autumn. They habitually violate the Sabbath and look upon its observance as a matter of convenience, and not of divine obligation. Social visits paid and received are a matter of frequent occurrence ; so are starting on a journey, and doing secular business. The profane persist in their wicked habit — the gamblers in this pernicious prac- tice, going from their house of worship and gathering around the card table — the gay, the reckless and careless pursue the same condemnatory course of life — the young flaunt along the stage of time and visit the ball-chamber as a plea- surable and innocent recreation, without reproof from par- ents or a reprimand from their pastor ; yea, their course is at times vindicated from the pulpit. The drunkard empties his cups and glories in Universalis m. Under all these di- rect and concomitant influences, how can we expect souls to become convicted of sin, converted to God and made alive in Christ?" The wicked are strengthened in their evil-doings." In the midst of such scenes of revelry, pro- fanity and death, to hear such sentiments fall from the lips of a Universalist preacher, " The greater the sinner, the greater the saint in heaven," what marvel that none are reformed and converted to God. Under the influence of such a ministry, morality must wither and die, the young become depraved, the aged emboldened in sin, until the community is turned into a Sodom. There are those who are possessed of common morality and cultivate a self-respect for uprightness and honesty ; but these traits of character are no more the legitimate fruit of a schi.mi: Of RRROft and immoral in tendency. 157 Universalis!!! than figs grow on thistles and apples on thorns. Manv were brought np in life under the influence of a different faith — some by religions parents, and others, have once professed (he religion of Christ — -and some feel the necessity of maintaining an orderly walk, from surroun- ding influences. But generally the vicious continue vicious ; the profane pour forth a perpetual stream of bitterness and foul imprecations ; the drunkard follows his cups ; and the praverless and giddy remain the same lifeless and reckless sinners, as they were before they professed the faith of rniversalism. Many loose their habits of sobriety, respect for virtue and the Bible, and plunge from billow to billow, till they sink into the vortex of blank Atheism, follow- ing the fatal example of the illustrious Abner Knee- land. The once orderly and virtuous, who embrace this licentious doctrine, become reckless, vile and fit compan- ions for Thomas Paine. " Their way seemeth right, but the end thereof is death." 5. None are made prayerful and strict in attending to re- ligious, personal and public duties. Go into a community where Universalism prevails, and you will find it prayerless ; or visit a family of that faith and there is no family altar, no reading of the Scriptures as a devotional act, and no evening or morning incense or prayer. All is cold, lifeless and worldly. Among the va- rious families in this place who profess and adhere to this faith, there cannot a single one be found that attends to this duty. And no marvel, since family worship is generally, if not universally, neglected by those who preach this faith. By some, prayer has been discarded from the pulpit, by others at the conclusion of the sermon. Many neglect the asking of a blessing and the rendering of thanks when they partake of the provision needed to restore sinking nature. If their ministers live prayerless, what else can be expect- 458 A SCHEME OF ERROR AND IMMORAL IN TENDENCY. ed of the membership. For them to pray, is as much a lit- erary task as the writing of a sermon, or learning Algebra. Said a father, whose son just began to hold forth in public, " My son preaches a good sermon, but he has not yet learned to pray." He preached their faith to the world, but omitted public prayer, for the reason that he had not learned to pray. How much religion must such a preach- er have, who cannot as yet pray ? Wonder whether such a man ever prays and holds sweet communion with God 1 We can answer without the spirit of prophecy. Here and there, a family may attend to family worship ; but they are like angel visits few and far between. As a general thing, the curse pronounced by the prophet is ap- priate to them as a people, " Pour out thy fury upon the heathen that know thee not, and upon families that call not on thy name.'' 9 Jer. x. 25. Social prayer-meetings are strangers among them. These meetings they cannot endure, and in their estimation they are not calculated to foster personal piety or promote the cause of God. And it is in perfect keeping with the ten- dency of Universalism, to exhibit unconcern and recklessness to a life of rectitude and deep-toned piety in relation to hea- ven and future happiness, for this reward is certain, having never been forfeited by sin. All the doubts and anxieties, which throng and molest the mind of Universalis ts, are not the promptings of their faith, but of the spirit and truth of God ; for their faith directly tends to soothe, benumb and cherish reckless inditFerence. Their destiny is fixed in the best possible manner, and no agency of theirs, harmonious with the will of God, or perverse, can in the least change it. This is Universalism. Why then should they feel any particular solicitude, cultivate personal piety, pray, ex- hort and warn others publicly and in private to flee from mimi. OF ERROR WD immoral l\ TENDENCY. I.V.I tin 1 wrath tO i'cmic I The natural influence of Universa- lism, unrestricted and unimpeded, would Stagnate themoral world and hear along the human family into glory, broad and sweeping river hears along its floodwood, with- out any effort on their part. The Tact is, that Universalisni consistently carried out, is a libel on the moral nature of man, his emotions and the admonitions of conscience, as well as upon divine revelation. It cannot, therefore, be otherwise than grossly immoral in its tendency. o\ It professes to be based upon the love of God, and to all men ; hut in fact and in its fruits, it is any thing but love. To say nothing about their feelings towards those of a dif- ferent faith from their own, for an article cannot be written for a paper, nor a sentence drop from the pulpit, making re- flection upon their faith, but it exasperates their feeling and excites better animadversions. They have no love for peo- ple who go not with them, and cannot endure remarks con- firmatory of orthodoxy without characteristic exhibitions of disgust and irascible feelings. To see the want of frater- nal love, we need but examine their own communion and sanctuary proceedings. Bitter feelings and open ruptures are no uncommon occurrence among them, between minister and people, and among their brethren. The fruit is any thing but the manifestation of love ; and these ruptures do not exist as the result of discipline for wicked conduct, for they exercise no discipline for offences and crimes. If they did, they would have abundant materials to discipline among ministers as well as people. Whoever w r ishes to learn the moral tendency of Univer- salism, let him read the book of M. H. Smith, a preacher of Universalism for twelve years, but lately converted to the gospel and religion of Christ. True, aspersions are thrown upon his character, and his veracity is impeached by his for- mer associates; nevertheless let them disprove his statements, 460 A SCHEME OF ERROR AND IMMORAL IN TENDENCY. before they can expect to shake the confidence of the world in his portraiture of the fruits of Universalism. It will add but little to the credit of the moral tendency of that sys- tem, though they should be able to prostrate the character of Smith, so long as they do not subvert his statements and dates. The truth is, the charges, which they insinuate, should they prove tangible, would fall upon him while he remained in connection with them, thus striking an addi- tional wound upon their cause for sustaining an infamous man. It seems to us, the production and disclosure of Mr. Smith fell like a thunderbolt upon their system of delusion and death ; and they felt the necessity of raising a great cry, and using hard names, in order to abate the storm that was setting in against them. But their effort will be una- vailing to heal the wounded head of the old dragon. We have an additional evidence to prove the immoral tendency of Universalism in the experience and testimony of the Rev. Wm. Whittaker, of New York, who recently renounced his former faith as unworthy of confidence, and prolific of evil and death. The letter was written to the people of his charge, by which he dissolved his connection with them as their pastor. The letter is as follows : " To the Trustees of the 4th Universalist Society, Du- arte street. Dear Brethren :• — I hope you will excuse the liberty I have taken in addressing these few lines to you, on a sub- ject which I deem of infinite importance. It is now about two years since I first commenced my labors among you, and you will not deem it an instance of vanity, if I say that my efforts to advance the cause of Universalism have been generally approved, and singularly successful. To this you have frequently borne testimony, for which you have my warmest acknowledgments. a miikmi; OF BRROB and immoral in ti:ni>i;ncy. 461 Hut in looking calmly and dispassionately at the result of my ministration, there is one drawback to my happiness — our source of disquietude winch rests heavily upon my mind. By the providence of God, 1 have recently been led to ask myself the following questions : What have I done to promote practical piety among my congregation ? Have I induced them to become a deeply religious peo- ple — a praying people ? Alas ! I am constrained to answer these questions in the negative, and to take unto myself shame and confusion of face. Now, if the doctrine I have preached be the truth of God, ought I not to have expected a different result ? What then is the unavoidable inference ? Why, that Universalism is ' not a Scripture doctrine. Perhaps you may think this a hasty conclusion, but I assure you, it is not. I have been led by the Spirit of God to investigate its claims — I have prayed to the Almighty that he would en- lighten my understanding, and lead me to the knowledge of the truth, and blessed be his holy name, he has heard, and answered my petition. I can truly say, that I now see and feel the importance of personal religion, in a manner that I have never done be- fore ; and I ardently beseech the " Giver of every good and perfect gift," that he may open your eyes, and give you to see that Universalism is but a " cunningly devised fable," cal- culated to darken the mind, harden the heart, and induce mankind to wander from the paths of righteousness and peace. Such being my convictions, I can advocate it no longer; and beseech you as you hope for mercy at the bar of the Almightyy to renounce it immediately. 462 A SCHEME OF ERROR AND IMMORAL IN TENDENCY. Do not, I pray you, suffer yourselves to be deluded by a sentiment, which is dangerous and licentious in all its ten- dency. By renouncing it, you lose nothing, for if it is true, you, in common with the whole world, will be saved — but if it is false, — oh ! remember — remember — the awful consequences. But I must close, and may the Lord grant, that you to- gether with my dear congregation, may soon be led to see and feel the necessity of an interest in the atoning blood of Jesus, which is the ardent prayer of your sincere friend," " Wm. Whittaker." We might add the testimony of other men, and from those too who are still in connection with that fraternity. H. Ballou 2d, compares Universalist societies to " worth- less carcasses, which are half buried" — " a festering corrup ■ tion on the face of the earth." They not only embrace profane, licentious and infidels outright ; but they make every effort to block up the wheels of the gospel, and coun- teract the influence of vital piety. In every revival of reli- gion they bluster, and foam, and spew out their gall, evi- dently proving their feelings and regard for the cause of God. As their faith excludes none from the inheritance of heaven, so whenever they celebrate the communion of the Lord's Supper, they offer the bread and wine promiscuous- ly to all, irrespective of character or age. Yet there are some, who feel that this is carrying the joke too far and therefore they stand aloof. O, the licentious and prostrat- ing influence of such a system ! May God arrest it, and rescue its victims from the thraldom of delusion and death ! 4. Being thus immoral in its influences, it should be dis- countenanced by all who are lovers of their race, of religion and of God. The true principle, by which men should be governed in HEMF ,,. m. IMX0RA1 IN t h rl ip with other men, and all - is iuqulcated by John, the apostle ofi :lllN onto 5 mi and bring noj thi doctria* him not u><\ neither bid him God-i , »hn i. 10.) It may be lawful Tor mm to thorough^ invi any system offered for their approbation and credence; but not to countenance and Lend the influence of il. to 0ie assembly of its votaries when proved to be errone- p and a pseudo-christi^nity. So Ear aua to give counte- namv to by joining thei lies, whether ordinary, oir extraordinary, or upon Mineral occasions, the unetimes adopted, thai by going to hear Uni- preach, we shall induce them to attend the ortho- dox pleaching of the gospel. However plausible the above son, it is more specious than sound. They themselves being judges, there can be no destructive consequences fol- lowing, in giving their attendance occasionally or constantly 10 the word preached by orthodox ministers; for God's ap- >n is not lost in this life, and no action or course of life can affect for weal or wo, the eternal destiny of man ; but it is not so immaterial for those who are of the opposite faith to lend their influence and presence to a system of * hood, and finally resulting in unmixed evil. Here is iminality, creating an encouragement to those who are ■tied in their impious faith, to persist in their downward . aftd to stifle conviction, and suppress the qualms of ace of those who are half persuaded to intrust their to the efficacy of Universalism. b of this nefarious scheme of delusion are ad edified by the presence of some staunch 1, and deeply pious before God, than half a dozen essays on their faith. Those who hold forth this delusive system, are always eager funeral occasions, because such a dis | 464 A SCHEME OF ERROR AND IMMORAL IN TENDENCY. sation of Providence calls together people of all orders ; whereas, if people would generally act consistently, even upon such occasions, they would do much to correct the feeling and custom of many communities. Friends and relatives would not be so frequently imposed upon, their feelings insulted, and religion outraged under such peculiar circumstances. The Bible asserts, "Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful." But how can the christian and the christian minister avoid the trans- gression of this high and holy command, when they give countenance to Universalism, by joining their assemblies, or otherwise ? If the man is blessed who follows not the counsel of the ungodly, nor sits among the scornful and those who deride religion and a spiritual worship, then all such as mingle with the unrighteous and scoffers, under pretence of religious worship especially, are cursed of God. The system of doctrine and the practical fruit of Universal- ism prove incontestably, that it is a work of darkness, and a bold scheme of delusion; therefore ; as Paul imperatively commands his brethren not to have fellowship with the un- fruitful works of darkness ; so all the lovers of religion and of God should withhold their countenance and approbation from it, both in the family circle, and publicly. They espe- cially, who expose a corrupt heart, to the sweeping eddies of falsehood and error, run a very great risk of being carried off into the gulf of remediless ruin. Even if they can withstand the downward tendency of Universalism, they expose others, by their example, to a ruinous temptation, who are less stable and fortified. Avoid every appearance of evil, and especially the lurking viper and his poisonous bite. Build your hope upon the rock of truth, and your reliance on the grace and Wood of Christ for final salvation. mi: OF ERROR and IMMORAL IN TENDENCY. Hi,*) contented until the record of God is imprj by ilic type <>f truth, upon the tablet of your heart, your anchor of hope easi in heaven's broad bay, and your feet prepared to tread the pavement ot' the upper sanctuary, and wander amid the sylvan retreats of Paradise; until you ieel disposed, with a holy heart, to mingle your song in choral • ith the unnumbered millions of the redeemed. " He not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall lie also reap. For he that sowetli to his flesh, shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit, shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting. And let us not be weary in well doing : for in due season