particular time, but the whole posterity of the patriarch, without exception. This is similar to what Paul declares, Rom. xi. 26.

88. God never chastens us but "for our profit," causing all chastisement "afterward to yield the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exer cised thereby.' Heb. xii. 10, 11. How, then, can the doctrine of endless punishment be true? If God's chastisements afterward yield the peaceable fruits of righteousness, how can they be endless?

THE TESTIMONY OF JOHN.

89. "The blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth us from ALL sin." 1 John i. 7. There is no sin, that the blood of Christ will not wash away. Though our sins be as scarlet, they shall be white as snow; and, though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool. Jesus can save the chief of sinners. 1 Tim. i. 15. He has the will, no less than the power; therefore, all men will be saved by his grace.

90. "For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil." 1 John iii. 8. Sin is the work of the devil, and willbe destroyed; but men are the workmanship of God, and will not be ultimately destroyed. Jesus shall de-stroy all sin; he came into the world for that special purpose; and, having begun the work, he will not give over, until it is completely accomplished.

91. The record, which God hath given of his Son, is this; "That God hath given to us eternal life; and this life is in his Son." 1 John v. 11. Is this record true? it surely is. Who are called on to believe it? all mankind. If any man believe it not, he makes God a liar, by saying, that God's record is not true. God, then, hath certainly given eternal life to all men in his divine purpose.

92. John, the revelator, said; " And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under 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.” Rev. v. 13. Here is another instance of the "common periphrasis" of the Hebrew and New Testament writers for the universe. Every creature shall at last pay divine honors to God and the Lamb. "If this be not spiritual worship," saith Prof. Stuart, "I am unable to produce a case, where worship can be called spiritual and divine."

93. The same illustrious writer says; "Who shall not fear thee, O Lord, and glorify thy name? for thou only art holy; for all nations shall come and worship before thee; for thy judgments are made manifest." Rev. xv. 4. Does this mean only all those nations who may happen to be upon the earth at a certain time? or, does it mean "all nations," in the sense of the divine promise to Abraham? Judge ye.

94. He also says; "The tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God." Rev. xxi. 3. When this is fulfilled, all men will be reconciled to God. The Gospel is designed to make every heart the dwelling-place of the Holy Spirit; and, when the purpose of the Gospel shall be fully accomplished, God shall reign in the hearts of all men.

95. He furthermore declares, that "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. Thus, we see the doctrine of eternal weeping, eternal sighing, eternal sorrow, eternal pain, is false; false as the Bible is true. And, although we read, in the Scriptures, of the second death, yet, if we read of thirty deaths, it would be no argument against Universalism, since the time is to come, when "THERE SHALL BE NO MORE DEATH."

96. God induces all good people to pray for the salvation of all men, which he could not do, if it were opposed to his will; because, " if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us," 1 John v. 14; and because "the desire of the righteous shall be granted." Prov. x. 24.

97. Peter said; "Believing ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and FULL OF GLORY." Can it be possible that they believed in the doctrine of endless sin and misery? Would this have made them rejoice with unspeakable joy? Not unless they were demons in human form.

98. All the threatenings of the word of God, when properly understood, harmonize with the doctrine of Universalism; the punishments spoken of being limited punishments only, and no threatening or law extending sin, or its consequences, beyond the resurrection.

99. Universalism is the only hypothesis in which the perfections of God can harmonize, — since, if men are lost forever by God's decree or permission, it impeaches his goodness; if, by his neglect or want of foreknowledge, it impeaches his wisdom; or, if sin be too mighty for him, and rebels too stubborn for him to subdue, it impeaches his power.

100. Lastly; "All things shall be subdued unto Christ, Christ shall be subject unto him that put all things under him, that GOD MAY BE ALL IN ALL." 1-Cor. xv. 28.

CHAPTER IV.

PASSAGES FROM THE OLD TESTAMENT EXPLAINED, WHICH ARE ADDUCED TO DISPROVE THE SENTIMENTS OF UNIVERSALISTS.

I. THERE are but few passages in the old Testament, which are adduced in proof of the doctrine of endless misery; and these are not always adduced singly, and written out in full, but are generally given in shreds and patches, with a sort of connexion, arranged by the author who quotes them, to suit himself. In proof and illustration of this, we offer the following extract from Hawes's "Reasons for not embracing the Doctrine of Universal Salvation," page 15. The author professes

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to lay before his readers a comprehensive view of what the Bible says, in regard to the future punishment of the wicked, meaning, thereby, their endless punishment. We e quote here what he states in regard to the evidence found in the Old Testament. "To begin with the Old Testament it is said of the wicked, they are to be "turned into hell;' their name' is to be 'put out forever; the portion of their cup' is 'snares, fire, and brimstone, and a horrible tempest;' they shall perish; consume into smoke; consume away;' they 'shall die in their iniquity;' they shall rise to shame and everlasting contempt; their 'joy is but for a moment;' their 'candle shall be put out,' and their hopes perish; their hope is like the giving up of the ghost;' their triumphing is short; their end is to be cut off;' a day which burns like an oven, shall burn them up, and leave them neither root nor branch; they shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy;' God will laugh at their calamity, and mock when their fear cometh; he will tear them in pieces, and there shall be none to deliver;' their 'expectations shall perish; their hope shall be cut off, and their trust be a spider's web.'

'

Is this the way to show what the Bible teaches? What doctrine may not appear to be proved from the Bible, if a writer may gather up shreds and fragments of Scripture in this manner, and weave them together in any order and form that may suit his own taste? It displays somewhat the taste of the wag, who attempted to prove it the duty of men to commit suicide, by adducing these words; "Judas departed, and went and hanged himself," "Go, and do thou likewise."

II. We sometimes find Gen. ii. 17, referred to, to prove the doctrine of endless misery; "In. the day that thou eatest thereof, thou shalt surely die." Luther Lee states, "The penalty of the divine law is, in itself, an endless curse;" (Universalism Examined, p. 242 ;) and he adduces Gen. ii. 17, in proof. The objection which has been so long urged against Universalists, that the serpent in the garden of Eden preached Universalism to our first parents, when he said, " ye shall not surely die," is founded upon the presumption, that the death threatened in case of disobedience is endless death.

But look at the passage. Is it said, thou shalt die endlessly? No. Is it said, thou shalt die in the future state? No. Is it said, thou shalt die at some future time? No. But these are the words; "In the day thou eatest thereof, thou shalt surely die ;" in that very day, at that very time. There is not the slightest intimation given in the Scriptures, that this death was endless death. Adam Clarke supposed this death to be physical, not eternal. The phrase, which is rendered thou shalt surely die," he translates, a death thou shalt die, or, dying thou shalt die. "Other meanings," he adds, "have been given of this passage, but they are, in general, either fanciful or incorrect." Com. on Gen. ii. 17. Universalists in general suppose this death to be a moral death, a falling from a state of purity to a state of transgression and guilt; but a few, like Clarke, consider it to be natural, or physical death.