THE PLAIN GUIDE то UNIVERSALISM: DESIGNED TO LEAD INQUIRERS TO THE BELIEF OF THAT DOCTRINE, "To guide our feet into the way of peace."- Luke i. 79. BY THOMAS WHITTEMORE. BOSTON: PUBLISHED BY THE AUTHOR, No. 37 CORNHILL. Entered according to act of Congress in the year 1840, by THOMAS WHITTEMORE, In the Clerk's office of the District Court of the District of Massachusetts CAMBRIDGE: STEREOTYPED BY FOLSOM, WELLS, AND THURSTON. 1058 134 BX 9941 •W45 Cop. 3 PREFACE. THIS work has been prepared for the benefit of inquirers after truth; for those that ask, Who are Universalists? What are the points of their faith? What proofs can be found in the Scriptures of their distinguishing sen timents? How do they explain the passages which others adduce to disprove Universalism? How do they meet the common objections? We propose in this work to answer these questions, and thus to lead candid inquirers to the belief of the doctrine maintained by Universalists. This work is also designed for the benefit of those who have already, in theory, embraced Universalism. We propose to show what are the duties of Universalists; that Universalists are divided into two classes, negative and positive, or those who merely profess Universalism, and those who believe it with a living faith, and make it the ground of their conduct: the moral excellence of that system of faith will be clearly pointed out: and thus we hope to lead believers of Universalism to the practice of it. At the end of the work will be found four very full in dexes; thus any subject treated on in this work may easily be found. Does the reader wish to know if any passage of Scripture is explained, which he may have in his mind? he has only to turn to the index of TEXTS, and the page on which he will find the desired explanation, is shown him at once. In regard to all the passages illustrated in the fifth chapter, I take the liberty to refer to "Paige's Selections," a work of great value to the denomination of Universalists, giving, as it does, the opinions of all the eminent commentators in regard to these texts. I sincerely commend this |